“Do no harm. Do good. Stay in love with God.” J. Wesley
Introduction When my wife and I were married in 1988, we embarked on a honeymoon that was a bit different than most folks. We decided to go on a student trip to Europe, visiting and studying in England, Western Europe, Scandinavia, Poland, East Germany (as it was known then), and the Soviet Union (back …
Evangelism Part 1 When I was a member of the CMA Danvers, MA chapter, New Life Riders, our chaplain was a special guy. Pastor Dick May was the kind of guy you wanted to hand around if you were a Christian. He had a deep love for those who did not know Jesus, and he …
Reddit Questions #1 – Prayer, beginner Bible reading, and imaginary friends I have recently joined the throngs at Reddit (look for greggpj333), and one of the subreddits I am a member of is a place where non-believers can ask honest questions of believers. I have been active in this subreddit and wanted to publish some …
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The question remains, what is the role of the Torah given the resurrection and ascension?
Though the Old Testament, the Law, Torah enabled the people of Israel to have identification as a nation, know the character of YHWH, and have a moral/ceremonial/legal code of conduct, it could not offer complete salvation until the person and work of Jesus and the arrival of the new law, the Holy Spirit.
If the Mormon claim is correct and the church was apostate after the death of the disciples, then there are many ramifications of that fact.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS or Mormon interchangeably) holds many doctrines and beliefs that are contrary to orthodox Christian faith. The nature of God, who Jesus was, and the authority of Scripture, are among a legion of theological positions that separate Mormons from traditional Christian thought. Among these many differences is the Mormon claim that the church ceased to exist as an orthodox body after the death of the apostles.
Francis Shaeffer was an apologist who blazed the trail for many modern apologists. While apologists of his time were mostly academics in their ministerial approach, Shaeffer took not only a theoretical approach but also a populist approach.
One of the main goals of any world view is addressing the question of suffering and evil. Alvin Plantinga takes an approach that stresses the free will of the individual as an explanation.
In my last blog post, I went through Ephesians 1:1-14 and the concept of freely choosing to join the predetermined group. In a discussion of free will, my Calvinist brothers and sisters may bring up this verse, also from Ephesians.
When the British, Canadian, and American soldiers invaded Normandy on D-day, they knew what army they belonged to. Although some, if not most, had been conscripted for duty, it is undeniable that most of the soldiers involved in that day were there of their own volition. They wanted to be there.
Whether the commands are good unto themselves or good because of theistic declaration seems to be a “chicken and egg” argument, but it is not. Copan addresses the question by first stating that “objective moral values are an inescapable, properly basic bedrock.”
Pilate ends the discussion with the famous question from John 18:38 – “Veritas, quid verum?” Pilate then, literally, walked away from the Truth.
Video of the sermon I posted a few weeks ago on Colossians 3:1-17
Let me ask you a question. What do you understand the gospel to be? Some might answer like this: "Accept Jesus as your Savior, and when you die, you will go to Heaven." Or "Put your faith in Jesus, and your sins will be forgiven." Or "Follow Jesus, and you will find meaning and purpose for your life." All of these answers are right – but they are only partially correct. These statements are parts of the gospel, but they are not the entirety of the gospel.
We have different views of Genesis 1 - but keeping Biblical inerrancy as the center of our interpretations is most important.
Design is a concept in science that was accepted up until the mid-19th century. When Darwin showed up with his theory of Natural Selection, the concept of design became unfashionable. That was for “religious” people.
When we think of astronomical science today, it is mind-blowing how far this observation has advanced. No longer are we tied to this planet, but humanity can now observe space from space. The technologies that have been developed have allowed observers to see even greater movement in the entirety of space.
Most people live comfortably with tension. However, there are some models of Creation and origins that pit an unnecessary battle between the two. Instead of trying to figure out if both genres can live in unison with each other, people of faith and of science believe it has to be one or the other.
Dealing with our postmodern culture is one of the most important issues the American church is facing today. In the lecture on just what the church is, Dr. James Flynn with the help of Dr. Joseph Umidi, reviewed how institutionalism has had adverse effects on the church – often times shutting down creativity and enhancing …
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If Paul describes precursors to the “Day of the Lord,” does that not contradict 1 Thessalonians 5:2 when the Day of the Lord is described as coming like “a thief in the night” – a sudden coming of Jesus? The “day of the Lord” was something that bothered the Thessalonians. In chapter 2 of second …
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Why did Jesus wait four days before visiting Lazarus? When a loved one or a friend is on their deathbed, the usual response is to go immediately to them and be with them in their final hours. When Jesus received word that his dear friend Lazarus was sick (11:3), he delayed going to visit him. …
The Wandering Wesleyan 