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In: Bible

Over the years, I’ve become more and more convinced that the most difficult verse in the Bible is John 13:17. “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” The difficulty is not in the knowing; it’s in the doing, which happens also to beRead More

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In: Personal, Philosophy

A Slightly Philosophical Amazement at Birthdays Today is my 53rd natural birthday (No…this is not an April Fool’s joke; I just happen to be born on this day). Over the past several birthdays I’ve continue to be amazed by the number of years given me. I say “given me” partlyRead More

On:
In: Spiritual Formation

On the Proper Order of Things Beliefs shape values. Values shape behavior. Behavior shapes the world. The world impacts us. This is no tautology. Rather it demonstrates the burden of beliefs. To be impacted by the world is not to be determined by it. After a certain stage in life,Read More

On:
In: Theology

On Speaking about Hell… Why don’t Christians talk About Hell? I have a few proposed answers that run something like: We politely apologize for Hell. If it is mentioned, we are embarrassed by the topic and then quickly change the focus to the positive notions of God’s love, grace, etc.Read More

On:
In: Philosophy

One of my favorite philosophers and believers in Christ had much to say about the world he lived in and the God he loved. Not only did Blaise Pascal give us some pretty useful science and math, a now infamous wager, but he also gave us much to think onRead More

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In: Bible

For “Mature” Viewers Only
We live amidst a broken world in broken bodies with broken souls. One need not look past the morning newspaper or an honest look at their own lives to find something in which to despair. Sadly, I know some chronologically “mature” believers who make it their life task to lament this world and its brokenness. They seemingly find no reason whatsoever to rejoice. Sure they know that God is perfectly in control and has only their best interests in mind, but their predominate communiqué tells another story. Paul’s admonishment in Philippians 4:8 apparently does not apply to them as they see only the false, ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, et al. Read More

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In: Personal

Ruminations over Maunday Thursday, 2008
It’s Holy Week, Thursday, March 20, 2008. This is the day that Christians around the world remember the Last Supper and recall especially the deep grief Christ experienced over his impending arrest, trial, and crucifixion on a cross. And, just as the tragedy of the cross ended with triumph, this week has been filled with tragedy…and with triumph.Read More

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In: Spiritual Formation

A New Kind of Christian [Egoism]
Lately I’ve been struck by how many seemingly mature Christians are “bent in on themselves” (to borrow from Martin Luther). While John Piper’s Christian hedonism, outlined in his now classic Desiring God, has merit (namely that believers are most satisfied with life when God is most glorified in them), I cannot get over how many I know who name Christ as Lord, but seemingly think only of themselves! It’s no surprise that those of this stripe are the least pleased with their life circumstances despite all the efforts to infuse pleasure into their existence. Read More

On:
In: Apologetics, Bible

A Brief Treatise on Inspiration, Infallability, and Inerrancy

At the outset it’s necessary to define some terms that are are thrown around rather loosely in Christian circles, such as “inspiration,” “inerrancy,” and “infallability,” and zero in more precisely what they mean. As is well known, 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that “all Scripture is inspired by God [literally, “God-breathed”].” The term “inspired” more precisely connotes expiration rather than inspiration, since the source of Scripture is God and he “breathed out,” as it were, the content of Scripture. The mode by which he chose to communicate was, of course, human agency, but without displacing the writer’s peculiar style, background, personality, et al. In so far as copies were faithfully reproduced from the original manuscripts, truthfulness and accuracy was preserved in the text. Read More

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In: Spiritual Formation

“If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it’s not so bad.” – C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock, page 52. Given this view of the world’sRead More