Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
The reason that I am a Christian is because of Jesus. There are many other interesting religions and some wise religious and philosophical teachings but Jesus is unique. I try to focus on Jesus as much as I can. Some people seem to think that the only message we need is “Believe that Jesus died … Read More “5 Things About Jesus That We Need to Emphasize” »
Hebrews 2:10-18 Introduction A few weeks ago, I reminded you of the way that God chose to communicate with us. God didn’t just send another teacher or prophet, God sent his Son. Not a half-god but the exact reflection of God’s glory. In some mysterious way, when God was sending his Son, he was sending … Read More “A Jesus Like Us” »
I once more had a conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness (and a new partner) focused largely (but not completely) on the kingdom of God. After numerous conversations on the kingdom of God, it is clear that we just don’t agree. I believe the kingdom has always been in heaven, began to appear on earth during … Read More “Conversations With Jehovah’s Witnesses – Part Five” »
People who subscribe to the Jesus Myth Theory argue that there is nothing unique to the incarnation of Jesus. They attempt to draw all sorts of parallels that end up disappearing as soon as you examine them. Far from being a copy of myths, the incarnation of Jesus Christ is very different. Here are four ways … Read More “4 Ways in Which the Incarnation of Jesus Christ is Unique” »
1 John 2:18-27, 4:1-3 Introduction We are going to be looking today at the doctrine of the incarnation, that is that God the Son became human in such a way that he was fully God and fully human. Are you bored yet? Who wants to hear about theology? This is not what we come to … Read More “Faith Test: Incarnation” »
A devotion based on 2 John 1:7. Not a lot of people read 2 John (less read 3 John) but there is some important teaching here. Some of it is a continuation of what John taught in his first letter. As with the first letter, John here mentions the antichrist. For many people, the antichrist … Read More “Devotions: 2 John” »
The point at which a movement usually moves from orthodoxy to heresy is its understanding of Jesus. If we get Jesus wrong, we get everything wrong. 1. Jesus is not a created being. The Arian heresy (similar to the Jehovah’s Witnesses) almost took over the Church. The reason the Nicene Council was called was to … Read More “7 Things You Need to Know About Jesus” »
The uniqueness of Christianity One of the most common claims is that all religions are the same. This is incredibly false. Each religion has its own claim to being unique. Here are five ways in which Christianity is unique. 1. Christianity is falsifiable. Did the Buddha achieve enlightenment? Did Muhammed receive revelations from Gabriel? Even … Read More “5 Ways That Christianity is Unique” »
I have decided to start a series on 1 John which happens to be one of my favourite books in the Bible. There is so much in this book that is helpful, both for understanding theology and for living the Christian life. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have … Read More “Faith So Real You Can Touch It” »
As I write this, it is Christmas day. While Dec. 25 is unlikely the day of Jesus’ birth, it is a good day to reflect on the incarnation. I find that the Church has some dangerous Docetic tendencies. Docetism was an early church heresy that taught that Jesus only seemed to have a human body … Read More “Taking the Incarnation Seriously” »
Orthodox Christian theology teaches that Jesus is God incarnate. When we speak of God, we speak of a being who is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. The problem is that when the disciples asked Jesus about his return, he said: “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, … Read More “Was Jesus Omniscient?” »
My favorite Christmas carol is Charles Wesley’s classic, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. Not only is Wesley my favourite hymn writer in general, this particular carol is filled with theological truth. This is a great example of how a Christian song does not have to be composed of intellectual fluff. In this memorable song, Wesley … Read More “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” »
I believe strongly in defending the Christian faith and putting forth the strongest argument possible. At the same time, I am a firm believer in not overstating our case or presenting claims not supported by the data. One example is this familiar passage that is often read at Christmas: “For to us a child is … Read More “A Child and a Son” »
I’m going to put this one out for discussion. What do you think of this view of Scripture? “The main difficulty seems to me not the question whether the Bible is ‘inspired’, but what exactly we mean by this. Our ancestors, I take it, believed that the Holy Spirit either just replaced the minds of … Read More “C.S. Lewis on Inspiration and Inerrancy” »
Romans 1:1-7 Introduction What is it that is essential for us to get right? Do we need to get the style of our worship music right? Do we need to get the balance of liturgy and spontaneity exact? What about the architecture of our churches or the translation of our Bibles or the length of … Read More “Miracle of the Incarnation” »
