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This world is enemy territory, and Satan fights for every inch. And the biggest threat to him are Christians who take the word of God as just that, the word of God, and seek to live by that word, knowing that to be the path of greatest happiness.
Recent Entries
God? Who Needs Him?May 31, 2013
Self-sufficient humanism. Paul saw it coming – “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
Imago Dei
September 12, 2012
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Why Can't I Pray?
August 18, 2012
The bible gives us several reasons, but according to Jeremy Taylor, a deceitful heart is at the root of prayerlessness.
It's Not Rocket Science
July 23, 2012
To keep in step with the Spirit should be our daily quest. And if we are successful at that, all of life falls into place.
Theological Steak
April 10, 2012
These words by P. T. Forsythe on the magnificence of Christ's work are to theology what Ruth's Chris is to a good steak.
Describing the Indescribable
February 11, 2012
What we have in Christ will take all eternity to describe. But for one segment of one sermon, a great preacher made a mighty attempt.
Making Sense Of It All
January 30, 2012
Where are things headed? Is there rhyme and reason to the endless cycle of summer, fall, winter and spring? Is there a plan in place, or is randomness the explanation?
Go Away And Leave Me Alone!
December 13, 2008
I also raised up prophets from among your sons and Nazirites from among your young men. Is this not true, people of Israel?" declares the LORD. "But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy. Amos 2:11-12
A recent Newsweek article dealt with the issue of marriage, same-sex partners, and in doing so revealed intense hostility against any Christian perspective based on the support of scripture. John Mecham, a Newsweek editor had this to say...
"No matter what one thinks about gay rights—for, against or somewhere in between —this conservative resort to biblical authority is the worst kind of fundamentalism. Given the history of the making of the Scriptures and the millennia of critical attention scholars and others have given to the stories and injunctions that come to us in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament, to argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt—it is unserious, and unworthy of the great Judeo-Christian tradition."
Ouch! That's throwing down the gauntlet, I do believe. As nasty as it is, resentment against God's standard of right living is nothing new. Just ask the prophets of the Old Testament, who felt the constant pressure to accomatate their message to the times. Just ask Jeremiah at the bottom of a well. Just ask John the Baptist, who was thrown in prison and later beheaded for speaking against Herod's marriage.
Richard John Neuhaus, editor in chief of First Things, has this to say about the role of religion in public life. (note: when he uses the word "religion" it can safely be thought of as matters of faith inspired by scripture).
"For the sake of both religion and public life, religion must be given priority. While religion informs, enriches, and provides a moral foundation for public life, the chief purpose of religion is not to serve public life. Here we discover a necessary paradox. Religion that is captive to public life is of little public use. Indeed, such captivity produces politicized religion and religionized politics, and the result, as we know from bitter historical experience, is tragedy for both religion and public life."
"Religion best serves public life by relativizing the importance of public life, especially of public life understood as politics. Authentic religion keeps the political enterprise humble by reminding it that it is not the first thing. By directing us to the ultimate, religion defines the limits of the penultimate. By illuminating our highest purpose all lesser purposes are brought under transcendent judgment."
Clearly, John Mecham and Richard John Neuhaus are not on the same page. Far from it. We'll let the prophet Isaiah have the final word...
If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness. Isaiah 8:20-22
That's is a grim forecast indeed. If that is the normal consequence of going it freestyle, I say let's run to the word of God more than ever, and let the truths therein light our pathway. Amen? Amen!
A recent Newsweek article dealt with the issue of marriage, same-sex partners, and in doing so revealed intense hostility against any Christian perspective based on the support of scripture. John Mecham, a Newsweek editor had this to say...
"No matter what one thinks about gay rights—for, against or somewhere in between —this conservative resort to biblical authority is the worst kind of fundamentalism. Given the history of the making of the Scriptures and the millennia of critical attention scholars and others have given to the stories and injunctions that come to us in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian New Testament, to argue that something is so because it is in the Bible is more than intellectually bankrupt—it is unserious, and unworthy of the great Judeo-Christian tradition."
Ouch! That's throwing down the gauntlet, I do believe. As nasty as it is, resentment against God's standard of right living is nothing new. Just ask the prophets of the Old Testament, who felt the constant pressure to accomatate their message to the times. Just ask Jeremiah at the bottom of a well. Just ask John the Baptist, who was thrown in prison and later beheaded for speaking against Herod's marriage.
Richard John Neuhaus, editor in chief of First Things, has this to say about the role of religion in public life. (note: when he uses the word "religion" it can safely be thought of as matters of faith inspired by scripture).
"For the sake of both religion and public life, religion must be given priority. While religion informs, enriches, and provides a moral foundation for public life, the chief purpose of religion is not to serve public life. Here we discover a necessary paradox. Religion that is captive to public life is of little public use. Indeed, such captivity produces politicized religion and religionized politics, and the result, as we know from bitter historical experience, is tragedy for both religion and public life."
"Religion best serves public life by relativizing the importance of public life, especially of public life understood as politics. Authentic religion keeps the political enterprise humble by reminding it that it is not the first thing. By directing us to the ultimate, religion defines the limits of the penultimate. By illuminating our highest purpose all lesser purposes are brought under transcendent judgment."
Clearly, John Mecham and Richard John Neuhaus are not on the same page. Far from it. We'll let the prophet Isaiah have the final word...
If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness. Isaiah 8:20-22
That's is a grim forecast indeed. If that is the normal consequence of going it freestyle, I say let's run to the word of God more than ever, and let the truths therein light our pathway. Amen? Amen!
