When we suppress certain truths about God (his holy wrath against sin) or distort others (e.g. his love) to produce our own “designer deity”, then we are guilty of false faith, and are left with a “counterfeit God” and Gospel. Does it happen today? All day, everyday!
Feb 27 2010
Quote of the Day: Designer Deity
Jan 07 2010
The Grace of the Gospel Changed the World
Or it should, shouldn’t it? Far too often, we let others speak for us and do more damage to the cause of Christ by our silent acceptance of them than they do. I am thinking of Ricky Rodriguez whose only vision of Christian was the sex cult of his parents. In doing so, he was not confronted with the Gospel of Grace which is wholly different from what Ricky had been subjected too as a child and young adult. We know that the young man had a deep-seated hatred of Christianity and indeed religion. (You can watch the video above) Frankly, I cannot blame him.
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Dec 22 2009
The Unimportance of the Virgin Birth
We have four gospels in the New Testament, but half of them mention the Virgin Birth (Matthew and Luke), and only at the announcement of that Birth. Further, that means only two books of the 27 in the New Testament mention the Virgin Birth. There is nothing beyond Matthew and Luke in the entire New Testament pertaining to the Virgin Birth (although Galatians 4.4 might allude to in a strictly Pauline way).
Dec 17 2009
What is the Point of the Gospel – Matt Chandler
A commentator pointed me to this:
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Sep 02 2009
Review: Signs and Mysteries: Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols
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Description:
Imagine the dangerous life of a First Century Christian. You’ve embraced your newfound faith in Christ but fear the risk of persecution or death at the hands of the pagans living around you. Then a trusted friend tells you about some of Jesus followers who secretly meet. He whispers into your ear, Look for a fish carved into the entranceway to the burialchambers beside the Via Tiburtina. You smile in gratitude.
Comparatively, modern society is awash in those same Christian symbols that kept early Christians safely connected: they appear on churches, bumper stickers, mugs even mints and stuffed animals. Yet, we are often ignorant of the origins of these symbols having lost the urgency of our spiritual ancestors hostile environment.
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Aug 11 2009
Somebody Out There?
I am tone death – I am usually about 3 or 4 dozen beats behind everyone else. You can pick me out of a choice, or kick me out of one. So, I listen to the words – which to the chagrin of some, actually matter.
So, tell me, what do you think of this song?
Before Church Doctrine, before Church Theology, before all of this is Jesus Christ, alone. There is indeed somebody out there.
Jul 28 2009
Saving the Islamic World's Christians
Here’s a good question. Why do the majority of American Christians remain so oblivious to the increasingly bitter fate of their fellow Christians in the Islamic world? These ancient communities — many descended from the very earliest followers of Jesus himself — are under growing siege.
Jul 13 2009
Almost Doesn't Count
On Friday, I lit the grill (gas) and for the ribs which I had prepared. I like cooking on the grill – it gives me time to relax and practice that skill which I do not have – patience. Well, it was not long before I had three kids running into my house yelling ‘fire!’
Somehow my grill had caught fire on the inside. The black smoke was bellowing, the flames where escaping from under the lid, and the temp gage read the max – 800 degrees. Like the brilliant person that I am, I immediately opened the lid, burningevery hair on my arm. We got the water hose and put it out – not before, however, those same three wonderful little children ran screaming in the yard,
Daddy’s going to catch the house on fire.
Daddy started a fire
Look at all that smoke
Uncle Joel, that’s a big fire
Daddy, look at all the burnt stuff
Yes, those wonderful kids. It was almost something serious, actually. The propane take was right under the fire, and the grill was about 4 feet from my front door. Figure this – pressurized propane tank, 800 degree plus fire, front porch of a house.
Almost lit the house on fire, if not worse.
In college, I was engaged to the love of my life. My first love. The woman who I would spend the rest of my life with in wedded bliss. We almost got married.
Once, in high school, I was driving with some friends, reached up to turn the station on my cool car (it was a walkman mounted to the visor). I didn’t notice the truck in front of me, stopped. I quickly turned the wheel, and barely struck him. It was almost a serious accident.
When I was 14, I was getting off of ROTC practice, and riding home with a church lady. She turned in front of a very fast moving Ford F-150. We were in a Chevolet Impala, late 80’s (this was 1992). The truck hit the junction between the front wheel and the passenger side door. That’s where I was sitting. It hit with such a force that it through the car into the ditch, and turned the portion of the seat on which I was sitting directly into where the trucks grill once was. I almost put my seat belt on, but didn’t, and because of that, I was thrown out of my seat against the driver’s side door, which spared me real serious injuries. (I escaped with crushed elbow and some bruised ribs.)
In a quick moment, any of those situations could have turned deadly.
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do–”
Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”
Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.” (Act 26:27-29 NLT)
The KJV says ‘Almost thou persuadest me.’ Almost, in the Greek, means ’short time, sudden, quickly.’ Agrippa wanted to think about it. He wanted some more time. Perhaps he had to weigh his options – what would he have to give up? His power, perhaps? Perhaps, he was being extremely sarcastic, but no matter, Paul didn’t take the bait.
I didn’t set the house on fire, but I almost did. My wife now is truly the love of my life, my partner in things, the woman with whom I will spend my wedded years. I nearly caused a serious accident. I nearly ended up with my legs crushed between a car and a truck.
Agrippa had a short time to be persuaded of Christ. Paul was speaking purposely, nor more purposely than a fire or a life or death situation. Agrippa wanted time – Paul wanted souls. Agrippa wanted something large and inviting, something grand, from Paul. Paul had only a short time filled with few words
Paul used a brief moment in time to rehearse the Gospel message, an ‘almost’ second, if you will. Agrippa passed it up, and used sarcasm ‘Paul, do you really expect me, after such a short time, to be come a Christian? Really, man, are you deft?’
While the KJV misses the direct translation of the phrase, the sense of brevity and of loss is still there. The people of the Court stood and walked away, leaving Paul in alone. Agrippa had a chance, but he passed it by. He almost latched into something that worthwhile. The quick moment that Agrippa had with Paul could have turned into something which gave life.
Almost doesn’t count.
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