Studies on the Fringe of Christianity
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 …
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 …
One of my precious wife’s little dogs escaped from its backyard pen the other day and began to snoop around our small urban vegetable garden. The garden is located way out back of the property and near an area of dense weeds and thickets. I realize it is not good to have our garden near …
Our Lord Jesus, gave us a model prayer1 in his Sermon on the Mount, and most Christians follow his example when petitioning God, either privately or publically. In steps, we pray to: (1) praise and bring honor to God, (2) ask that his will and kingdom be forthcoming, (3) give thanks for the necessities of …
Our country, like many others, is divided over the issue of abortion. You may be pregnant and thinking of getting one, or you may know someone who is, and you want to know what God thinks about this avenue to problem solving. Many people will try to decide this problem for you, but they all …
My wife, Mary, tells me (many times) that I’m stuck in a rut; I guess that may be true in some cases, but I don’t think of it as a bad thing. I’m also a creature of habit (she says), because my life is based on many routines every day: making coffee at the same …
Over the years I’ve often been asked, by women, if I believed women should really be silent in religious instruction, as it says in the Bible. They were all seeking comment or advice in reference to 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, which states: “Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them …