Reverse

Posted on August 17, 2011 by xulonjam

I had a discovery tonight. There is a very popular line within Christendom which I don’t like and I believe is wrong-headed and faithless. My own pastor uses it fairly frequently. It is: Pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you. I’m sure that I have mentioned it before.

In any case, I was reading a book tonight by Brennan Manning who traced this popular phrase back to Ignatius Loyola. Only in Ignatius’ writing it is Work as if everything depends on God, Pray as if everything depends on you which I think is far more right.

Posted in Culture/Society, Ethics, Flesh vs Faith | 1 Comment

Professional Apologists

Posted on August 3, 2011 by xulonjam

A few months back, I was in a conversation which was started by someone quoting Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces (Matthew 7:6). The question was asked what bearing this verse might have concerning the “apologist mill” or the professional apologist and his choice of how he does his work. Continue reading →

Posted in Culture/Society, The Church | 2 Comments

Sermon on the Mount: The Permanence of the Law – Matthew 5:18

Posted on July 16, 2011 by xulonjam

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. (Matthew 5:18)

In the previous article, I passed fairly quickly over vv 17-20. I said it does not contradict the idea that the whole of the Law of Moses has no authority on the believer. The key thought addressed there was the common splitting of the Law into parts – some fulfilled and not binding, some “fulfilled” but still binding – something this section and the rest of Scripture does not allow. This verse, however, says the whole law has permanence. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Ethics, Matthew 5-7, The Law of Moses, The Sermon on the Mount, Theology | 1 Comment

The Greater Righteousness of the Fulfilled Law – Matthew 5:17-20

Posted on July 14, 2011 by xulonjam

This article will combine a couple of my emphases. It continues my series of the Sermon on the Mount but it also connects with the series I did on the relationship between the Christian and the Law of Moses. I believe that the Law of Moses is done away as a rule of life for the believer while others point to these verses and say they teach otherwise. Theonomists, who teach that the Law of Moses is to be made the rule of law – the constitution – for the world, point to these verses as part of their justification. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount | 1 Comment

Sermon on the Mount: The Influence of the Righteous – Matthew 5:13-16

Posted on June 30, 2011 by xulonjam

I was listening to the radio, and heard a false teacher challenge the Gospel by saying, “If it’s true that all you have to do is believe and you are saved then why doesn’t God just take you to heaven the moment you believe?” One answer to his challenge is found in these verses. One result of righteousness by faith is that one influences those around him. The two metaphors point to two different ways that influence is felt. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount | 2 Comments

Flesh vs Faith Part 9: Gideon’s Strength

Posted on June 25, 2011 by xulonjam

And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? (Judges 6:14 KJV)

I’ve had Gideon’s story come up a couple of times recently. Surprisingly, though Gideon is mentioned in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 (v. 32), most people wish to key on how “faithless” and “fearful” Gideon was and how we should not imitate his (lack of) faith. Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics, Flesh vs Faith, Gideon, Judges 6 | 1 Comment

Capitalism and the Attack on the Imago Dei

Posted on May 25, 2011 by xulonjam

All men matter. You matter. I matter. It’s the hardest thing in Theology to believe – GK Chesterton

Like many, I have been watching the events in Wisconsin unfold. We have similar things going on in my state of Ohio. In my circle of theologically conservative Christians, some have taken to declaring their support for the Governor by claiming his stand biblical and at the same time calling the Unions immoral and anti-Christian. As I look at the issues and the people, I find another force is at work. I find that the tenor of business in America today is an attack against the Imago Dei. And, because corporations have tremendous – almost dictatorial – influence over the politicians, our country’s leadership is following suit and our Churches are complying with alarming docility. Continue reading →

Posted in Culture/Society, Ethics, The Image of God, Theology | 8 Comments

Imago Dei: Still The Image

Posted on April 27, 2011 by xulonjam

I have been mulling over the Image of God, what theologians call Imago Dei – Latin for Image of God. I brought it up in my blog on Christian Ethics, as biblically, ethical treatment of others is based on their being in the Image of God. I hope to have a couple of more articles in this series. Notably absent from my thoughts right now is a solid definition of what The Image is. Like many other thoughts, it is more defined by what it isn’t. Continue reading →

Posted in Culture/Society, Ethics, The Image of God, Theology | Tagged , | 5 Comments

The Foundation in Psalm 11

Posted on April 20, 2011 by xulonjam

Searching online today, I came across a theological blog which had as its banner,

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3)

This is a very popular quote. It is commonly used as a claim that the foundations of the country are being destroyed and then what can we (Christians) do? But the quote is out of context and in fact the Psalm is saying the very opposite of that use of the line. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Culture/Society | 4 Comments

The Cost Has Already Been Counted

Posted on April 10, 2011 by xulonjam

I – who do not have that much to which to point to as ministry – do not wish to disparage or to discourage those who are in the Good Fight. There is, however, a frequently quoted statement by Jesus which I feel is being applied wrongly with the result that people are given what sounds like a profound call to action but which in the end is short on details and which action is not theirs to take. It comes from the following passage. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Jesus' Questions, Luke 14:25-33 | Tagged | Leave a comment