“Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.” I have seen that quip on a T-shirt once in the attempt to be amusing. But what if one claims to be a physician, but has no medical knowledge and no credentials? This person would be a fake! This person, if trying to practice medicine, would be rightfully punished. However, […]
Thou Shalt Be Strange
Are Christians supposed to be “peculiar people?” At first blush this might seem true, and it is in some ways (1). However, it is false if one means that we have to be “strange”, “weird”, or “peculiar.” Biblical exegesis seems to be the issue here, the Bible passages are being confused on who is doing […]
Big Thoughts on Christianity
These “big thoughts on Christianity” have been rattling around in my head. These are areas in my life that I have been trying to work on. Hope you can also put these principles to use! Focus on Scriptural Integrity. 1) Reading passages/verses in context reduces error and poor exegesis.2) Coming to the Scriptures to understand a concept, […]
Vulnerability And The Christian
God’s wisdom. God has greater wisdom than us, when he commands we should follow even if it goes against what we feel would be wise. Being a Christian is a vulnerable position. It is not a “bed of roses.” There may be persecution and hardship. Can we expect less if Christ and the Apostles went […]
When John Came to Town
Bercot: …modern Christians think that if John were to walk into any conservative church today, he would feel right at home. He would find that twenty-first century western Christians think and reason just like first-century Christians living in the Mediterranean world. He would find that today’s western Christians worship in the same manner as he […]
Words, Actions and Enjoyments of Some Professing Christians
It confuses and concerns me to see a professing Christian use profanity and blasphemy with no remorse (1). Also, it is disconcerting when professing followers of Christ do actions that the Scriptures teach as evil. Some openly enjoy sin, immorality and evil with no remorse or desire to flee these worldly and sinful things that we […]
Uniformity Versus Biblical Unity
Uniformity does not constitute unity. When Christian fellowship is dependent upon extra-biblical uniformity, the source of division does not lay at the feet of those who do not abide by these demands, but rather the demanders. On the other hand, when scriptural directives are pronounced as unnecessary or even wrong, the transcendence of biblical directives […]
The Biblical Definition of the Word “World”
The world’s population is great. Many live in different worlds on the earth of ours, some are followers of Christ looking forward to the world to come, and some are focused on the evils of this world. No wonder those who are not followers of Christ are confused by the word “world.” Also, Christians can […]
Who Is My Brother?
In the famous account in Luke 10, a Mosaic law lawyer asked Christ who was his neighbor. Jesus responded by telling him a parable of the “Good Samaritan“. What about another question, who is my brother? Now I will not give an exemplum, but I want to discuss what the Bible teaches. Some feel that only […]
The Christian’s Culture Elements
What should be a Christian’s culture foundation? I think Bercot makes a great statement below and it needs to be foundational to our thinking. Let’s move into a more robust form of Christianity: following the Biblical commands! “I think the wisest course is to simply stick to the customs to which there is a reference […]