Saturday, October 13, 2007
Spurgeon Quote
"Better a fortune in a wife than a fortune with a wife" (Spurgeon, Salt Cellars Pg. 73).
Friday, October 12, 2007
Flying - A Mark of Salvation?
I swore to myself I would never fly again after my last experience. The jet kept changing direction (it was at night time) which felt similar to what may be like riding with a drunk driver. There was a strong over powering smell of jet fuel and the wings kept rattling. I am scared of heights anyhow.
There is something unnatural about flying. If God wanted me to fly he would have made me an angel with wings not a man! Furthermore, who in their right mind gets on something moving when you can't even see who's driving?
We have to go to Ukraine and I am very nervous about flying. Pray for me. I do have this one comfort though and that is that this is evidence of my faith in God and salvation! I am just having a bit of trouble finding this particular mark of salvation in the bible. But its got to be in there somewhere!
There is something unnatural about flying. If God wanted me to fly he would have made me an angel with wings not a man! Furthermore, who in their right mind gets on something moving when you can't even see who's driving?
We have to go to Ukraine and I am very nervous about flying. Pray for me. I do have this one comfort though and that is that this is evidence of my faith in God and salvation! I am just having a bit of trouble finding this particular mark of salvation in the bible. But its got to be in there somewhere!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
lex talionis
lex talionis is the law of retaliation and is seen in the old testament by way of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Punishment is proportionate to the crime. Justice is absolute.
Though the old testament emphasises the letter of the law it was Jesus that emphasised grace at this point. He said "turn the other cheek," did he not? Forgiveness is better medicine for the soul than justice more often than not. It also bears a strong witness.
Though the old testament emphasises the letter of the law it was Jesus that emphasised grace at this point. He said "turn the other cheek," did he not? Forgiveness is better medicine for the soul than justice more often than not. It also bears a strong witness.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Coram Deo
Coming up are some of my favorite Latin theological terms. Here is my very favorite.
Coram Deo means before God. This term is a reminder to me that I am always before God no matter what, and as such, I am reminded of how I ought to live. Do we really believe this to any real degree? If so how much different ought our lives be to line up with such a profound notion?
Coram Deo means before God. This term is a reminder to me that I am always before God no matter what, and as such, I am reminded of how I ought to live. Do we really believe this to any real degree? If so how much different ought our lives be to line up with such a profound notion?
Monday, October 8, 2007
Self Esteem? Or Chief of Sinners?
It is only when we feel as if we cannot go on that God is closest to us and uses us most. In our weakness he is made strong. What makes us weak but sin?
Humility of spirit leads to a true understanding of who we are apart from God. When God raises our spirit we are exalted by and in God. Stripped of pride and all human ability we have find our true identity and purpose in life, which is to know and Glorify God. A low view of our selves is the result of and leads to having a high view of God. A healthy view of ourselves is to see ourselves as justified in Christ. We should be cautioned at this point not have an unbalanced view of our weaknesses, overemphasising them, because this would lead to a problem in and of itself.
We should stay fixed on Christ for it is only in Christ where we find the only source of self esteem (if we can even call it that) as opposed to popular thought. Paul was the chief of sinners. But that was two thousand years ago! I am the true chief of sinners.
How can one carry such a burden? One cannot. Christ does.
The thought of Christ as my source of sanctification causes me to press on towards godliness--in him. The thought of attaining sanctification on my own leaves no room for happiness of life at all, much less any sort of self esteem. I know I need to be more than what I am now. But I cannot be what I need to be apart from Christ. Apart from Christ there is nothing but despair. In Christ I find the curse of life lifted and the road home ahead.
Humility of spirit leads to a true understanding of who we are apart from God. When God raises our spirit we are exalted by and in God. Stripped of pride and all human ability we have find our true identity and purpose in life, which is to know and Glorify God. A low view of our selves is the result of and leads to having a high view of God. A healthy view of ourselves is to see ourselves as justified in Christ. We should be cautioned at this point not have an unbalanced view of our weaknesses, overemphasising them, because this would lead to a problem in and of itself.
We should stay fixed on Christ for it is only in Christ where we find the only source of self esteem (if we can even call it that) as opposed to popular thought. Paul was the chief of sinners. But that was two thousand years ago! I am the true chief of sinners.
How can one carry such a burden? One cannot. Christ does.
The thought of Christ as my source of sanctification causes me to press on towards godliness--in him. The thought of attaining sanctification on my own leaves no room for happiness of life at all, much less any sort of self esteem. I know I need to be more than what I am now. But I cannot be what I need to be apart from Christ. Apart from Christ there is nothing but despair. In Christ I find the curse of life lifted and the road home ahead.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
a Kempis Quote
"Thus it comes about that I, poor piece of humanity, am the theatre of civil war, a burden to myself, with the spirit trying to soar aloft, and the body endeavouring to stay below" (Thomas a kempis, Imitation Bk. III Pg. 188).
Monday, October 1, 2007
Truth and Gray Areas
When I was younger I saw all things as gray. What you did was up to you and what I did was up to me. We can all be right, was my motto. As a young Christian I saw more in terms of black and white than I do now. I emphasised objective truth to the detriment of subjective truth and experience. As I have matured somewhat on the subject, I am more sympathetic to the subjective than I was.
Over the last few years I began to allow for the possibility of there being legitimate gray areas in knowledge as relates to truth. But what I was not prepared for and what nobody told me (at least I was reluctant to hear it if they did) was that there is not only gray areas in life, but there are various shades of gray! What I speak of is not the fundamentals of Christian doctrine or of life, but concerns that are more controversial, where there is not much light given to know the truth of a matter with certainty.
Naturally there is an answer one way or the other, but arriving at the truth of a matter is at times impossible. Sometimes the fault lies with us and not that there is not enough light on a subject. We simply see gray when we are too ignorant to come to the knowledge of truth. The mode of baptism is a good example of a thing that is not gray, but is surrounded in controversy. While the use of alcohol in the life of the Christian can be a very gray issue, even allowing for truth for one and not for the other, depending on the persons conscience.
If you are like me and subjectivity is regaining a hold back in your life what are we to do? Keep a good balance using scripture as our guide for life.
Over the last few years I began to allow for the possibility of there being legitimate gray areas in knowledge as relates to truth. But what I was not prepared for and what nobody told me (at least I was reluctant to hear it if they did) was that there is not only gray areas in life, but there are various shades of gray! What I speak of is not the fundamentals of Christian doctrine or of life, but concerns that are more controversial, where there is not much light given to know the truth of a matter with certainty.
Naturally there is an answer one way or the other, but arriving at the truth of a matter is at times impossible. Sometimes the fault lies with us and not that there is not enough light on a subject. We simply see gray when we are too ignorant to come to the knowledge of truth. The mode of baptism is a good example of a thing that is not gray, but is surrounded in controversy. While the use of alcohol in the life of the Christian can be a very gray issue, even allowing for truth for one and not for the other, depending on the persons conscience.
If you are like me and subjectivity is regaining a hold back in your life what are we to do? Keep a good balance using scripture as our guide for life.
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