One of the first doctrines to be thrown overboard by theological liberalism is the concept of Hell. This is available to do if one is not committed to the authority and reliability of scripture. But for those who are there is a wealth of content that explicitly teaches about eternal judgment after death, separation from God, and a day of wrath. Additionally, there is much content that implicitly feeds into the idea of hell and a dichotomy between those on two sides of judgment. For instance, the very idea that we should repent, believe, and be saved implies something about those who are unrepentant, do not believe, and are not saved.
Continue reading “The Biblical Case for Hell”“It’s About a Relationship”
“It’s not about religion, it’s about a relationship with God.”
This phrase is said by evangelicals so regularly that it’s become almost an annoying platitude. It’s not that it is untrue; it is just that it is commonly offered as a self-explanatory statement without context. We need to understand that non-Christians and even new Christians can be mystified by such Christianese language.
So what, exactly, is meant by “religion” and just what does this “relationship” with God entail?
Continue reading ““It’s About a Relationship””Preach the Gospel at All Times. Use Words, They Are Necessary.
I’m constantly seeing people post quotes like these:
“The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.”
“It’s more powerful to live your truth than preach it.”
“The life you live is more important than the words you speak.”
I’ve even seen Christians cite this as one of their favorites, which is wrongfully attributed to St. Francis: “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”
I agree with these sentiments in the sense that an opinion or belief by itself does nothing, and putting our beliefs into action is both proof of our commitment to them and can be winsome to those around us. But, as even Gandhi understands, there is an intimate causal connection between our beliefs and all our outward expressions. The importance of beliefs cannot be overstated. Our opinions and beliefs are what cause us to act, guide us in how to act, and to what end we should act.
Continue reading “Preach the Gospel at All Times. Use Words, They Are Necessary.”The Case For Substitutionary Atonement
Here are some of the many references in scripture and the early Church Fathers that support the idea that Jesus died as a substitute for our sins, and an exchange of righteousness for unrighteousness. Even if some do not find in this a case for penal justification, it at least makes clear that an important and necessary work was done on our behalf on the cross in relation to our sin and salvation.
Continue reading “The Case For Substitutionary Atonement”What is the Calvinist-Arminian Debate and Why Should I Care?
The “Calvinist-Arminian Debate” is the common name used to describe a particular dispute in the area of Christian soteriology. “Soteriology” is the area of theology that addresses salvation and how it is obtained. In this case, it relates to how one comes to believe the Gospel, what human will is capable of, what God’s role is in this, and whether we could lose our salvation. It is primarily a Protestant debate, but many of the same questions can be entertained between Protestants, Catholics, and the Easter Orthodox.
Continue reading “What is the Calvinist-Arminian Debate and Why Should I Care?”
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