I was reading the book reviews of a certain Christian book on Amazon yesterday, and stumbled upon the most astounding argument for the truth of Christianity I have ever read.
When I saw it, I laughed and laughed. It was both humorous and true!
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Click the following link to read the entire post and leave a comment: → "The Greatest PROOF of Christian Truth I have EVER read!" by Jeremy Myers
It has been said that hurt people hurt people, however, that no longer has to be true. Hurt people need healing to stop perpetuating the cycle of hurt. Psalm 147:3 says “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” There is no broken place or pain that God cannot reach and heal. We must first identify that we are hurt, and admit that there is pain that needs healing. Otherwise the unresolved pain will manifest itself in displaced aggression, and continue to cause hurt to oneself and others.
The local church isn’t hinging on how you decorate it.
The local church isn’t going to die if you don’t fix it.
The local church isn’t in need of your systems.
The local church isn’t going to fall apart without the next generation fixing the last generation’s version.
The local church isn’t some experiment.
The local church is the bride of Christ and will survive and thrive regardless of
I did a monstrous “Year in Review” post for my indie project, Desk App that shares the financial figures of what the first fiscal year looked like as a business (despite the fact that I don’t really see it as a “business”). I’m having a lot of fun running this side project and it’s been incredibly … Continue reading A Look at Desk App’s First 63 Days
The post A Look at Desk App’s First 63 Days appeared first on John Saddington.
Yesterday, pastor Ryan Meeks addressed the issue of LGBT equality in the church in a way that I find deeply moving and compelling. I think that thousands of pastors in the future can simply say, "What Ryan Meeks said … that's my experience too," and thousands of churches in the future can say, "What Eastlake Community Church did … we want to do too." Ryan's talk begins at about minute 20. To me, this is one of the most beautiful examples of Christian leadership I have seen in my life.
If you want to help your congregation engage with this issue, I know Ryan's talk will be helpful. Another amazing resource - last week at Christianity 21, I saw Ted Schwartz present a one-act play called Listening for Grace. About a minute in, I had tears in my eyes, and for the next 58 minutes or so, I was wiping my eyes and feeling powerfully how wonderful this play is. I wish every church and community theatre in North America could present this play. It is unparalleled in its ability to expose people to the full range of emotions connected to this issue. And the acting and music are unforgettable.
Yesterday Fr. Richard P. McBrien, for decades one of the most influential American Catholic theologians, died in Connecticut at the age of seventy-eight. He served as chair of the University of Notre Dame Theology Department for over a decade, and was a past president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, as well as a recipient of the group's John Courtney Murray Award for distinguished work in theology. From the National Catholic Reporter's obituary:
Reading the Bible With Dead Guys is a weekly blog series giving you the chance to read God’s Word alongside some great theologians from church history. With content adapted from the Crossway Classic Commentaries series, these posts feature reflections on Scripture by giants of the faith like John Calvin, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, John Owen, and more.
Today we’ll hear from Charles Hodge (1797–1878) on Romans 5:1.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God. That is, we are reconciled to God. We are no longer the objects of God’s displeasure, his favor having been propitiated by the death of his Son (verse 10). As a result of this reconciliation, we have conscious peace with God; that is, we no longer have either the constant censure of an unappeased conscience or the fear of divine anger. Both these ideas are included here. The latter, however, is much more prominent. The phrase we have peace with God means God is at peace with us — his wrath towards us is removed. It expresses, as Friederich Philippi says, “not a state of mind, but a relationship to God.” It is the relationship which arises from the expiation of sin, and consequently justification. We are no longer his enemies, in the objective sense of the term (see verse 10), but are the objects of his favor.
The whole context is still dealing with reconciliation and propitiation and the removal of the wrath of God by the death of his Son, and not on inner sanctification. It is true that the immediate and certain effect of God’s reconciliation to us is our reconciliation to him. If he is at peace with us, we have inward peace. Conscience is only the reflection of his countenance, the echo, often feeble and indistinct, often terribly clear and unmistakable, of his judgment. Therefore subjective peace always accompanies faith in the love of God, or assurance of our justification. So although the apostle’s primary idea is that God is at peace with us, it is nevertheless true that inner tranquillity of mind is the fruit of justification by faith.
It is especially an evangelical doctrine that pious reflections are the fruit of this reconciliation with God, and not the cause of it. Paul says that this peace is the result of justification by faith. The person who relies on his works for justification can have no peace. He can neither remove the displeasure of God, nor calm the fear of punishment. Peace is not the result of mere free forgiveness, but of justification, of a reconciliation founded on atonement.
The enlightened conscience is never satisfied until it sees that God can be just in justifying the ungodly, that sin has been punished, the justice of God satisfied, and his law honored and vindicated. It is when he sees justice and mercy embracing each other in this way that the believer has that peace which passes all understanding, that sweet quiet of the soul in which deep humility in the light of personal unworthiness is mingled with the warmest gratitude to that Saviour by whose blood God’s justice has been satisfied and conscience appeased.
Hence Paul says we have this peace through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not through ourselves in any way, neither by our own merit, nor our own efforts. It is all of grace. It is all through Jesus Christ. And the justified soul is always anxious to acknowledge this.
This excerpt was adapted from Charles Hodge’s commentary on Romans, part of the Crossway Classic Commentaries series edited by Alister McGrath and J. I. Packer.
Charles Hodge (1797–1878) was a professor of biblical literature and theology at Princeton for over fifty years. Hodge also edited the Princeton Review for forty-six years, in which he particularly championed divine sovereignty in salvation and the infallibility of the Bible. He is especially well-known for his commentaries on Romans, Ephesians, and 1 and 2 Corinthians.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Book Description The stars of the hit TV show Duck Dynasty are committed to upholding five […]
The post Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible: A Review & a Giveaway! appeared first on Renewed Daily.written by Shelly Hendricks
