Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. (Rom 1:3-4 NKJ) The declaration of the Christ as the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead was foreshadowed in the baptism of Jesus, which was in itself a foreshadowing of His death, burial, and resurrection; for that in essence is what baptism signifies. It is not a...
Faith as Absolute and Unconditional
"Faith is the foundation..." (Hb.11:1, SLT)The empirical philosopher, whose method is chiefly inductive in nature, fails to understand faith. For he sees the faith of God as impossible and the explanations of a theologian appear to suffer faith to die the death of a thousand qualifications. Such is the case illustrated in the Parable of the Invisible Gardener by John Wisdom. Antony Flew, in his agnostic period, analysed the parable in the following empirical terms:Let us begin with a parable. It is a parable developed from a tale told by John Wisdom...
Nothingness
"I am nothing" (2Cor.12:11)Nothingness is the threshold of a new beginning. Spiritual nothingness is a recognition of the everythingness of Christ and the nothingness of self: in Christ, everything; through Christ, everything; for Christ everything. The chorus of heaven is "God is everything". The dirge of hell is "I am everything". The Throne of God is surrounded by "How Great Thou Art!" The vaults of hell resound with "How Great I Am!" The devil begs and lures for recognition. God commands submission. The meek inherit the earth. The poor in spirit...
If The Doctrine of Trinity Is Illogical, Then Everything Else is Illogical
If the doctrine of Trinity is illogical, then by the same logic, everything else is illogical.Now, there are some who consider it to be an evidently foolish thing to believe in the reality of God as One and yet three persons. They say, 1+1+1=3 in every case, or else mathematics is absurd. But, let me show you by an ancient argument, once again, that mathematics can’t explain reality as it is. I will adapt only one argument from the many that a Greek...
Led by God
I can't see the entire road, but the road is still there.I'm just at this present spot, but God is everywhere.He leads and I can see the next steps to take.But, I must be perpetually alert, vigilant, and awa...
The Sun Rise
The sun has risen and his golden beams light up the horizon,He draws the day across the sky on a blazing trail of fire.But, he reminds me he's just a shadow of the soon coming Glorious One,That Righteous Sun whose path is lit by God's healing desi...
Building Relationship is Like Building a House
Inter-personal relationship is something akin to building a house. It is not a readymade house that can be bought; it has to be built over time. The most intimate form of inter-personal relationship is the family. Therefore, a family is also known as a house. And, the Church is called the House of God, or the Household of God, in the same sense.The first most important thing in a relationship is the foundation. The strength of the foundation...
Plato's Political Theory of Music
Ref: The RepublicGymnastic is for the body, and music is for the soul.Gymnastic as well as music should begin in early years; the training in it should be careful and should continue through life. Music includes literature and literature can be true or false. Therefore, censorship is necessary.When modes of music change, the laws of the State always change with them.The music style must be more narrative than imitative; the artist, willing to imitate only the good and virtuous. A song or ode has three parts--the words, the melody, and the rhythm....
Faith and Nothingness
"God..calls things that are not as though they were." (Rom 4:17)-----------------------------------------------Emptiness, the seeming void around;Frustration of silent blankness;Impatience, the restless hunger inside;Darkness, the unknown nothingness;Faith that triumphs over all, for it callsThings that are not as if they a...
Stewardship
"It is required in stewards that one be found faithful" (1Cor.4:2)Tit.1:7 - Steward of God
Luke 12:42 - Faithful Steward
For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (Luk 12:48 NKJ)
Steward:
1. The things in his possession don't belong to him.
2. He must protect what he has been given.
3. He must strive to increase and make better what has been entrusted.
4. He must keep a record of all things.
5. He must give an account of his stewardship at the...
False Guilt
In the same manner as there is false fear and false pride, there is also false guilt. False guilt is feeling guilty about something that you are not truly guilty of. You are guilty of something only if you violated your obligations in relation to it. A moral obligation is a binding that is governed by the principle of love. We know what love is from 1 Corinthians 13. This talks about real sacrificial love where your own desires and needs are not more important than the well-being of others. False guilt, however, can hurt both persons of a party....
Counseling in the Church
THE BIBLE upholds the importance of seeking counsel in times of need. We are told that “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Pro 11:14). If the law is taught by priests and the word proclaimed by prophets, then counsel was expected from the wise (Jer.18:18). The most important source of counseling in the world is the Bible; for, it is the Scriptures that make one wise for salvation (2Tim.3:15). And, the witness of Scriptures is of Jesus who is called the Wonderful Counselor (Isa.9:6)....
