Studies on the Fringe of Christianity
A recent message came into my office asking, “Define ‘Christian’ for me. That word gets thrown around, with no clear definition. If possible, use the Bible to define it.” I’ve gotten many similar questions over the years and the writer of that message makes a good underlying point. Authors and speakers keep using this word …
The dog isn’t referenced in the Bible in a very good way, as there are more than fifty verses describing dogs in a negative manner. That attitude goes for all canines: jackals, wolves, hyenas, etc. To the Hebrew people, canines were created to serve a particular purpose in God’s plan — they are the scavengers …
The Epistle to the Hebrews is a “battleground of discordant opinion and conjecture: its author is unknown, its occasion unstated, and its destination disputed”1 and chapter six, which tells about the perils of falling away from the Christian faith, is one of the most misunderstood parts of the book. Before we dig into chapter 6, …
Most people believe science and religion don’t mix, but I’ve always believed that God set up this universe with specific physical laws to lay out the reality we live in, and part of our purpose is to learn these laws and use them to benefit humankind. Sometime back, I wrote a rather lengthy discourse about …
Most people think of Jonah and the whale as a child’s Bible story, but besides being swallowed and spit-up by a whale, there are very adult messages embedded within the narrative. It is a phenomenal tale that also includes a great storm, a prolific plant, an attacking worm, and a blistering sultry wind, all to …
Here we go again! Recently I explained how Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia were being persecuted,1 and now we hear that Christians in general are being persecuted in China. This information comes from an article in The Christian Journal, which stated that on 17 July 2018 authorities demolished another Christian Church because they wanted the land …
I want to talk about God and Jesus and their relationship, but I don’t want to argue about it, for arguments have been going on for a couple thousand years. I do, however, wish to present some evidence to give you something different to think about, because while most large modern denominations claim God is …
The Bible gives many examples of God’s position concerning those who do not have faith or do not believe that his laws are just and necessary, but only a few shows the extreme extent of his capabilities to punish amoral behavior and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is one of them. These citizens lost …
Great are the works of the LORD, Studied by all who delight in them. (Psalm 111:2, NRSV) Although many Christians believe that science has nothing to do with faith, learning the science behind God’s creations can help us understand him as well as his purpose. I’ve said before that our Creator set up this universe …
This may seem like a silly question, but does it really matter how we pray? Think about it, most people pray because they want something; they send up a prayer and ask God for a favor or item and hope for the best. With this attitude, they should call it ‘ask and hope’ instead of …