We are being influenced every day by authoritative voices telling us how to think, and what to think — about education, about tolerance of minorities, about justice, about the environment, about religion, about science, about most everything we do or want to do. Some years ago we spoke of political correctness, often with derision. A … Continue reading Outside the box
Bible
Don’t strike out at the pulpit
The story is told of a Scottish reverend who went out one day to visit his parishioners. When he entered a local shop, the proprietress immediately thanked him for the wonderful sermon that he had preached a fortnight ago. Now the reverend was wary of attempts at flattery, so he questioned her about the topic … Continue reading Don’t strike out at the pulpit
The soul that sinneth, it shall die
Both the Old and New Testaments teach clearly that God welcomes all sinners who repent, granting them forgiveness and salvation. Both Testaments also teach that one who has been forgiven and wilfully and deliberately forsakes God and returns to a life of sin is lost. There is much confusion in our time about this. Much … Continue reading The soul that sinneth, it shall die
The last best hope of mankind
Twenty-five years ago, as I walked the dirt streets of Plimoth, Massachusetts, Samuel Fuller fell into step beside me and began to visit. “The churchmen in England say that we have no church here because we have no ministers. A church is made up of Christian people; they don’t have a church over there. Who … Continue reading The last best hope of mankind
The Son of God
The title of this post is blasphemy to Muslims and foolishness to those who do not even believe in God. Yet the Bible insists that God, who said “Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” has a Son who is part of His singular Godhead, yet walked this earth in human form, God bearing … Continue reading The Son of God
Is it piety or sophistry?
One day in the early 1970’s I answered a newspaper ad and began to receive a periodical that promised to explain the teachings of the Bible for people seeking to understand the Christian faith. The articles were well written, used extensive Scripture quotations and their logic seemed intellectually satisfying. The foundational thesis of their teachings … Continue reading Is it piety or sophistry?
Her children arise up, and call her blessed
“I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall … Continue reading Her children arise up, and call her blessed
The Anabaptist Faith – What is it?
Perhaps it is time to define in simple terms what is meant by the Anabaptist faith. So here is my definition, in point form. I will share further thoughts on these points in future posts. 1. Unadulterated Biblical faith, taking the Bible as a unified book of which all parts point to Jesus Christ. 2. … Continue reading The Anabaptist Faith – What is it?
Dare to be a father
A single mother was complaining about the school her boys attended; there were too many First Nations children (“Indians” she called them). I observed the conduct of her boys and thought to myself that they suffered from the same affliction as many First Nations children in our area: they did not have a father. We … Continue reading Dare to be a father
Do the saved go to heaven when they die?
I used to think that when a Christian died he or she was ushered straight through the pearly gates into heaven. I guess I got that from the popular cultural perception of how Christians believed. Ten years ago, the picture that I had was challenged on Scriptural grounds, and my thinking has changed. Today I … Continue reading Do the saved go to heaven when they die?
Flatlander Faith 