In order to reduce Christianity to moralistic, therapeutic deism, we must reduce God to a warm fuzzy, namby-pamby therapist whose only desire is to help us find relief from the emotional and existential complexes that befuddle our lives. That is not the way that the Bible describes Him. Nehemiah twice speaks of God as being … Continue reading The great and terrible God
repentance
How fast can you run?
In my last post, I spoke of living where the deer and the antelope roam. The antelope part was referring to the animal below, which I have always called a pronghorn antelope. Now it is reported that it is not a true antelope at all and should simply be called a pronghorn. Small herds of … Continue reading How fast can you run?
Just open it and read
What is the best way to read the Bible? Just open it up and start reading. It’s that simple. I quit attending church when I left home. I had heard all the old familiar Bible stories that are taught in Sunday School. I had also absorbed a lot of contradictory teachings in school, through the … Continue reading Just open it and read
Are we down or up?
Twenty-some years ago, Paul Carnegie, a realtor from Stratford, Ontario, was telling us about houses that he had thought would be difficult to sell. In one case, he drove out to a small village in response to a call from the owner and located the house. He walked up to the living room window and … Continue reading Are we down or up?
Anabaptists and their persecutors
The following statement was made in 1538 by an unnamed Anabaptist leader during a meeting between the Swiss Reformed and Anabaptists in Berne: "While yet in the national church we obtained much instruction from the writings of Luther, Zwingli, and others, concerning the mass and other papal ceremonies, that they are vain. Yet we recognized … Continue reading Anabaptists and their persecutors
Lazy thinking
The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason (Proverbs 26:16). My mother told the story of a poor farmer extolling the virtues of socialism to his neighbour who was even poorer. “If everyone who has more than they need would share with those who do not have … Continue reading Lazy thinking
A transformed life
Thus reflecting upon these things my soul was so grieved that I could no longer endure it. I thought to myself: I, miserable man, what shall I do ? If I continue in this way, and live not agreeably to the word of the Lord, according to the knowledge of the truth which I have … Continue reading A transformed life
Great boldness in the faith which is in Jesus Christ
Where baptism is practised without the command and word of Christ, as those do who not only baptize without faith, but also without reason and consciousness; where the power and representation of baptism, namely, dying unto sin, the new life, the circumcision of the heart, &c., are not only not upheld, but also quite hated … Continue reading Great boldness in the faith which is in Jesus Christ
The worthy poor, and other heresies
Charity, with all its shades of meaning, is one of the chief virtues of Christianity. We know that one way to exercise charity is to help those who are unable to buy the necessities of life. But we don’t want to be too profligate with our largesse, so we decide to limit our giving to … Continue reading The worthy poor, and other heresies
Restless Christians
Throughout the Bible there is a promise of rest for the people of God, typified by the seventh day when God rested from His labours. The Bible tells us that after Joshua led the people of God into the promised land they had rest from all their enemies round about (Joshua 23:1). However, the book … Continue reading Restless Christians
Flatlander Faith 