at home, thinking

Five Pillars (Solas) of the Reformation

2006-08-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about the Five Pillars of the Reformation. In the previous issue, (No. 18), I mentioned the Five Pillars of Islam. They are: Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad, daily prayers, alms-giving, fasting, and pilgrimage.

Whereas the Islamic pillars deal primarily with religious duties, the Five Pillars of the Reformation, also known as the Five Solas, each deal with our core, Christian beliefs. They establish a root system, or a matrix (No. 5) out of which our faith grows and is nurtured. Before we look at them though, let’s look first at the Latin word sola, and its significance in this fivefold distillation of core, Protestant beliefs.

The Latin word sola means “alone,” and is utilized in this application to distinguish Protestant beliefs from Catholic beliefs. The Reformers, seeking to reclaim what they concluded to be the essential truths of Christianity, sought to make clear that these five, named, central, cohesive elements of the Christian faith were not encumbered with man-made religious trappings. Thus they prefaced each cardinal component with this Latin word.

1. Sola Scriptura (by Scripture alone): The Reformers believed the church had been weakened by the doctrine that only the Pope and church bishops were qualified to interpret Holy Scripture. They also rejected the Catholic teaching that “Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honoured with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.”(1) The Reformers renounced both of these doctrines, declaring Scripture alone as the sole source and inerrant rule for deciding issues of faith.

2. Solus Christus (by Christ alone): The Catholic church taught that Mary, the saints, and priests can act as mediators in bringing salvation to the sinner. The Reformers flatly rejected this doctrine, insisting that only Jesus Christ, the Son of God, could mediate a reconciliation between a Holy God and sinful humankind. They declared that only the sacrifice, shed blood, and death of the sinless Christ is sufficient to breach the gap between estranged God and man.

3. Sola Gratia (by Grace alone): The word “grace” means unmerited favor. The Reformers believed that salvation comes by grace alone, that it is an absolute, undeserved, unearned, gift of God. The Catholic church from which the Reformers broke, taught otherwise, stressing baptism, penance, and the Eucharist as ways of meriting or earning salvation.

4. Sola Fide (by Faith alone): In 1517, Martin Luther posted his famed 95 theses in protest against the selling of indulgencences by the Catholic church, and unexpectedly launched the Protestant Reformation. In contrast to the teachings of the Catholic church, Luther believed that only the faith of the believer in the pure grace of God (see above), can bring salvation. Through faith, the Christian appropriates the obedience of Christ, making him/her acceptable in the eyes of a Holy God.

5. Sola Deo Gloria (for God’s Glory alone): The Reformers challenged the Catholic church regarding her glorification of idols and images. They also claimed that the office of the Pope glorified men instead of God. Likewise, they objected to the glorification of Mary, who was elevated to equality with Christ. Sola Deo Gloria became the preeminent doctrine of the Reformation.

(1). Catechism of the Catholic Church, Logia 82
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Visit Monergism.com to learn more about the Five Solas.

No. 18: Orthodoxy vs. Orthopraxy

2006-08-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about the contrast between orthodoxy and orthopraxy. In issue no. 10, I introduced the term “orthodoxy,” and attempted to explore its significance in the Christian world. But the word orthopraxy is used far less frequently in Christian circles. What does it mean and what are its implications?

Several weeks ago I wrote: “the word orthodoxy is built from two Greek words: ortho, which means right or correct, and doxa, which means thought or teaching.” I went on to explain that the word orthodoxy means “right thinking” or “correct teaching.”

In defining orthopraxy, the same Greek root ortho means right or correct, but “praxy” is drawn from the Greek praxis, which means doing. Our English word “practice” comes from the Greek word praxis which literally means doing or action. Thus orthopraxy means “right action” or “correct practice.”

It is interesting to look at these two words and how they contrast, when comparing Christianity and Judaism. The gulf becomes even clearer when comparing Christianity with Islam.

Among these three faiths, Christianity is the only one in which theology plays a major role. I examined theology in issue no. 12, explaining that theology is really a science. It is literally “the science (or study) of God.”

As a general rule, Jews and Muslims are not as concerned with theology or knowing God as they are with the rules and practices proscribed in their religious texts. But in Christianity, we explore the Scriptures not only to learn of how God wants us to act, but also to understand who God is. We are interested in His nature, His character, and His ways. Thus, Judaism and Islam are primarily religions, Christianity is primarily relationship.

He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: (Psalm 103:7 NIV)

Moses knew God. He knew God because He spent time in His presence. He spoke to God and listened to God speak. The prophets of Israel also knew God. They listened to Him and bore His burdens.

The books of the psalms and the prophets are laden with the prayers of men and women seeking for intimacy with God. The prophets particularly carry the weight of God’s sorrow for His wayward people. The prophets and the psalmists knew God.

Judaism, while certainly making room for a personal God, attempts to find that relationship primarily through ritual and practice. The Jewish calendar marks seven distinct feasts or celebrations, each having significant meaning in the life of the Jew.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the foundation of the Muslim faith. Only the first pillar—Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad—deals with a theological theme. The other four pillars address only the practices of Islam: daily prayers, alms-giving, fasting, and pilgrimage.

Christianity also involves orthopraxy. The New Testament instructs us in how to behave. But unlike Judaism and Islam, our behavior is an outworking of our internal orthodoxy, the fruit of our changed lives.

Orthodoxy speaks of our ability to know and understand. Orthopraxy speaks only of what we must do.

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No. 17: Worship

2006-07-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about worship. What is worship and what relationship does it have with culture?

In its simplest form, worship is the love, affection, adoration, and reverence that we show to a deity. Our worship can be appropriately directed toward the One True God, the only real Deity, or it can be directed toward one or many false gods, little deities of our own making or imagination.

We are all created with a need to worship. From birth to death, we live with an intuitive yearning for our Creator, the One who made us. And this yearning exists whether we acknowledge Him for who He is or not. We humans are made first and foremost to be worshipping beings.

God desires for us to worship Him and Him alone. We are constructed to have God at the center of our lives. But God has granted us the freedom to set our love and affection upon whomever or whatever we choose—to center our existence upon something other than our Creator. However, regardless of who or what we worship, we are all worshippers.

We all long and yearn. We each possess a “God-created void.” This “void,” or intuitive yearning, reveals our createdness. We are not complete. But God does not share these same longings and yearnings. For although we are created and have an innate need to worship, God is not created. He is complete.

Transcendence. As Creator and creature, we coexist. And we share many of the same attributes. After all, we human creatures are made in the image of our Creator. But that is where the similarities end. For God is separate and distinct from His creation. He is other than us. He has sometimes been called the “Holy Other.” In the Creator/creature distinction, The Creator transcends His creation.

Transcendence, though not a commonplace word or concept in our post-modern world, is yet a critical building block in our understanding of culture. Without transcendence, lesser ideas such as political freedom and civil rights exist without an identifiable source. It is easy to take our freedom and civil rights for granted. But from whence do they come? If there is no God, to whom or what do we appeal when the civil authorities abuse our liberties and rights? We could attempt to appeal to the objects of our worship—the gods of our own making, the idols of our hands. But do they possess the power to deliver us?

Worship Shapes Culture. Cultures are shaped by what they worship. A culture's view of God determines a culture's view of man. A culture's view of both God and man determines a culture’s nature, flavor, and attributes. In a monarchy, a king possesses all power and authority. But where does the king’s power come from? In a republic, power is invested in the representatives of the people who in turn are subject to the laws of the land. But where do the laws come from?

Whether we worship God, or gods of our own making, we cannot avoid transcendence. Politicians who promote abortion rights do so at the altar of a “woman’s right to choose.” Where does that right come from? Some sort of transcendence, though never mentioned, is assumed. The radical environmentalist seeking to restrict growth and development elevates his or her ideas and ideals to a position of transcendence. Where do these ideas come from?

Every culture worships something or someone.

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No. 16: Infrastructure

2006-07-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about infrastructure. Infrastructure is a common enough word. We hear it from time to time referencing our nation's roads and bridges, our rail systems, our communication and power-lines, our underground water and sewer systems, and our public institutions such as schools, post offices, libraries, hospitals, and even prisons.

Technically, the word “infrastructure” refers to an underlying base, foundation, or even a framework. Many types of infrastructures exist. Among them are military infrastructures, financial infrastructures, and political infrastructures. Individual churches, along with para-church ministries like Focus on the Family are, in practical terms, the infrastructure of the larger body of Christ. A building’s framework can also be referred to as an infrastructure. Essentially, an infrastructure is that which lends support to something larger than itself.

Since the early 1970's, I have worked in the "infrastructure" industry. Plans for water and sewer lines, drainage systems, roads, bridges, and even underground electrical systems have graced my desk for many years. I am very familiar with infrastructure, and I understand that without it our world would be grossly underdeveloped and likely dysfunctional.

But the word "infrastructure" somehow seems out of place when we discuss the themes found in this kind of newsletter—a publication devoted to Biblical matters such as theology, creeds, kingdoms, and doctrine.

Because I work in the infrastructure industry, I think about infrastructure almost every day. And I can’t help but make a connection between the infrastructure in our physical world, and the “infrastructure” of our thought-processes.

Let us step back just a moment and consider if the word "infrastructure" might have a place in our conversation about developing sound, Biblical thinking and a clear-headed Judeo-Christian Worldview. Those things are, after all, the mission of this weekly newsletter.

In the upper right hand corner above, in the heading of this newsletter, are the words “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Our thought life is critical. The way we think determines who we are—at least to a very large degree. And if our thoughts about important things are out of sync with reality, then we ourselves too, will be out of sync.

Our theology, our doctrine, and the creeds to which we hold, are very much like an internal infrastructure, providing support and stability to our lives. Even as our cities and towns require underground utilities and public institutions for support, so we humans require Truth to be rooted internally within our minds and our consciences for us to live out our lives in a sound and God-pleasing way.

With a right-minded, internal, Truth-rooted, Biblical infrastructure, we can expect to possess good mental and spiritual health and a well-rounded vitality. This is the life God intended us to live.

No. 15: Patterns in Creation

2006-07-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about the Trinitarian patterns found in creation—marveling actually at God’s imprint upon this planet we call earth, and all of its contents and surroundings.

The Trinity in Creation. All three members of the Trinity were active in the creation. The Holy Spirit hovered over the waters of creation making the earth habitable for man (Gen 1:2). The Father breathed life into creation (Ps 33:6). All things were made through the Son, the Word made flesh (John 1:3). All things were created by Him and for Him (Col 1:16) and he upholds all things by His Word (Heb 1:3).

The Trinity of Creation. History began when God spoke time, space and matter into existence. (Gen. 1:1; Heb 11:3). What did God create first? Did He bring all three of these primary components together simultaneously? We do not know.

What we do know is that a simple observation reveals a multitude of trinities in creation. W. A. Pratney, in his book titled The Nature and Character of God, lists thirty separate categories of the triune expression within God's creative order. Perhaps the first noticeable expression of the Trinity in creation is creation itself, consisting of time, space and matter. Within this trinity there are additional trinities:

The trinity of time—past, present and future
The trinity of space—height, length and breadth
The trinity of matter—solid, liquid and gas

The Scriptures also reveal multitudes of other trinities throughout God's created order. A serious student of the Word will find great joy in uncovering the magnificently artistic handiwork in God's design.

Three Types of Angels. Angels are messengers of God. They were spoken into being by the word of God's mouth (Ps 33:6). There are multitudes of them in creation (Dan 7:10; Matt 26:53; Rev 5:11). Their dwelling place is heaven (Matt 18:10). They serve many functions. God again reveals his Trinitarian nature by establishing a trinity of authority within the angelic structure. He created the archangels, the cherubim and the seraphim. There are also three named archangels—Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer, the fallen angel.

Three Heavens. There is more than one heaven. The apostle Paul professes to have been caught up to the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2). Paul, like several others in Scripture (Isaiah and the apostle John among others) was somehow transported into heavenly realms, into the dwelling place of God. Again we discover another trinity. The heavens just above the earth's surface which the clouds and birds occupy are the first heaven. The realm of the stars, the planets and all the rest of the physical universe are the second heaven. The place where God dwells with the angels is the third heaven.

Many other examples can be found in creation and in Scripture which speak of God’s Trinitarian nature. For example, man is a trinity of spirit, soul, and body (I Thess 5:23). Red, blue and yellow are the three primary colors. And mathematics is clearly an area where threes are abundant (eg: 1+1=2, A2+B2=C2). Seeing these threefold patterns in creation boosts our faith and confidence, that the God we worship is indeed who He claims to be!

No. 14: Kingdoms

2006-07-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about about what Jesus had to say about His kingdom. He said,

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33 KJV)

The world is filled with kingdoms. Authority is inescapable. From the moment we take our first breath, we are subjects under rule and jurisdiction. But take heart. God reigns supreme over each and every one of them.

Did you know that there are 117 mentions of the word "Kingdom" in the gospels, yet a scant 7 mentions of the word "salvation" in the gospels? In fact, careful study reveals that Jesus came to preach, not a gospel of salvation, but rather the gospel of the Kingdom.

Prior to Jesus' entry into public ministry, His cousin John the Baptist, the one spoken of in Isaiah 40 sent to prepare the way for the Lord, prefaced his introduction of Christ with these words: "The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15 NIV).

Jesus arrived shortly thereafter.

Jesus Himself, chastising the Pharisees for falsely associating His ministry with the work of the devil, said this: "... if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you." (Matthew 12:28 NIV)

Jesus' disciples, like all Jews of their day, suffered under the unjust governing authority of Rome. Not yet understanding the essence of Christ's ministry, they looked for an earthly resolution to their dilemma, hoping that Jesus might somehow lead a revolution, and remove Rome's grip on their land. But Jesus redirected their thinking. He explained that "The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the Kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17: 20b-21 NIV)

Recently, a friend of mine thoughtfully characterized the kingdom of God as having properties similar to DNA. What he meant I believe, is that by God's grace, the Kingdom of God gets inside of us and slowly changes us to look more and more like Jesus.

How can we tell if the kingdom of God is within us? Because we find ourselves wanting to do the will of God. Teaching us to pray, Jesus uttered these words: "your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10 NIV)

Jesus' mother, Mary, when first visited by the angel announcing that she was pregnant with the Son of God, responded, "Let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38b NKJV) Mary's response demonstrates a spirit truly humble and submissive to God's authority. At that moment, she embraced the Kingdom of God.

Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night He was arrested, prayed this prayer: "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you ill." (Matthew 26:39b NIV) Preparing His heart for His destiny on the cross, Jesus too, embraced the Kingdom of God.

May we do so as well.

No. 13: Creeds

2006-06-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about the Christian creeds. The two primary Christian creeds are the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.

A creed is a confession of faith. It is the proclamation of a core set of beliefs that we are seeking to live by. While theology addresses the large scope of the knowledge of God—and that in great detail—the Christian creeds have reduced the many truths of Scripture into essential, foundational statements of faith. The English word "creed" comes from the Latin, credo, which simply means "I believe."

When Jesus asked Peter, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter gave a short, yet profound response: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." (Matt. 16:15-16 NASB). At this moment in Peter’s life and understanding, these words reflected his core belief about the person and nature of Jesus Christ. This statement was Peter’s creed.

The Apostles’ Creed: The earliest trace of the Apostles’ Creed is found in the writings of Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, who was martyred in Rome sometime in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD. Among the many words found in his writings is the statement that Christ was born "of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified and died and was raised from the dead."

The Nicene Creed: Formulated at the First Ecumenical Council held in Nicea in 325 AD, the Nicene Creed is the most widely used of all the Christian Creeds. It is the only creed created by an ecumenical council. The Nicene Creed preceded the canonization of the New Testament.

The creeds emerged early in Church history as a defense against false teachers and their apostate teachings. And they capture in concise but profound terms, the essence of our faith.

Not long ago I attended a baseball game at RFK Stadium between the Nationals and the Phillies. Before the game began, all stood, removed their hats, and turned reverently toward the flag above the centerfield bleachers. We listened as a chorale from North Dakota sang our National Anthem. I got to thinking about our nation's unifying songs and our pledge: "Oh say, can you see ..."; "Oh beautiful, for spacious skies ..."; "God bless America, land that I love ..."; "I pledge allegiance, to the flag ..."

Even as Americans are united in our common citizenship through public songs and declarations, so the Christian creeds unite believers in our common Christian faith. I was raised in a traditional, liturgical church. Our Sunday services included public responsive liturgical readings, public collective confessions of sin, recitation of the creeds, and praying the Lord's prayer in unison.

In most of our evangelical churches today, we no longer practice these traditional forms of worship. Beginning in the early 19th century, as Americans headed west to pursue freedom and individuality, churches also began to diverge into multiple forms of expression. We lost some of the rich traditions that have bound us together for many centuries.

The Christian creeds unify us, binding us together in a common confession of our faith. “I believe …”

.........

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty

Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

Born of the Virgin Mary,

Suffered under Pontius Pilate,

Was crucified, dead and buried;

He descended into hell;

The third day he rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,

And sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in The Holy Spirit;

The Holy Catholic Church;

The Communion of Saints;

The forgiveness of sins;

The resurrection of the body;

And the life everlasting.

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No. 12: Theology

2006-06-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about theology. It is a word that scares some Christians, but it is also a word that excites others. Although not super popular in modern evangelicalism, theology was once known as the “queen of the sciences.”

Though rarely thought of as such, theology is technically, a science. The suffix “ology” is a Greek word meaning “science of” or sometimes “study of.” Technically the suffix “ology” denotes a “branch of study” in a particular field. From that Greek origin we have derived such words as biology, geology, archaeology, zoology, and many others. Theology is thus literally “the science (or study) of God.”

Paul admonished Timothy to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (I Timothy 2:15 KJV) Theology helps us to do just what Paul said. In the Greek, the word “dividing” in its transliterated form is Orthotomeo, which literally means to cut straight, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly.

In the study of biology, scientists divide life into categories and sub-categories: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. Through categorization, organisms—both plant and animal—are examined and studied and better understood.

Likewise, theologians have divided the study of God into several sub-branches of their field of “science.” The most common among them are:

Theology Proper: the study of God
Anthropology: the study of man
Soteriology: the study of redemption
Eschatology: the study of things to come
Ecclesiology: the study of the church

By dividing and categorizing the truths of Scripture in this way, theologians enable us to better understand God, His creation, and our place as fallen, yet redeemed sinners. Theology helps us to know God more fully.

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:1-5 NIV)

On the downside, the temptation of theologians and the study of theology, is to limit our relationship with God to merely a cerebral one. Theology is not meant to be an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. In this case, the end is a fuller, deeper, richer understanding of, and relationship with the God we love and serve.

........

thē-ol'ə-jē

“… the means by which God gives us understanding to the things concerning Himself and our relationship to Him. In a broader sense, theology is Christ living out His life in our lives through His Spirit that we may know God as He knows God, and be One with the Father, as He and the Father are One. Theology properly understood is not just mental knowledge of the Bible. God is a living God, and His word is living. We know His word through a relationship with Him and a daily hunger and feeding on His word.”

The above definition is courtesy of: The Apologia Project

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No. 11: Doctrine

2006-06-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about doctrine. It is a word that has fallen out of favor with many American Christians in the past generation.

I recall a number of times in my early years as a believer hearing someone say, “We don’t need doctrine. We just need Jesus.” I have probably said it myself.

Now, ask yourself two simple questions. 1) “Who is Jesus?” 2) Why do we need Him?” To answer these questions correctly, one needs doctrine. I will address this point further in just a moment, but first, a bit of history.

Doctrine has more than one meaning. No doubt, you have heard of the Monroe Doctrine. In a policy set in place in 1823 by our fifth U.S. president, James Monroe, the Monroe Doctrine declares that future colonization of the Americas by the European nations would no longer be tolerated by the United States. In return, Monroe promised that the U.S. would not engage itself in any European wars.

Perhaps you have also heard of the Bush Doctrine. In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, President Bush declared in an address to the United States Congress on September 20, 2002, that the U.S. would "make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them,"

In both cases, a statement by a U.S. President established the nation’s future course. In these cases the idea of doctrine involves a nation’s foreign policy.

Christian doctrine is similar to foreign policy doctrine in that it establishes something of permanence, often marking a moment in time as a reference point. But Christian doctrine also adds a layer of meaning.

“Who is Jesus?” Without doctrine, Jesus is but a mere figure of history, a good teacher, a prophet, perhaps, and someone whose ideas are probably worth considering. We might even agree that He suffered a crucifixion. But so what?

Doctrine establishes not only the facts of Jesus’ life, it also affirms the significance of those facts. Christ’s life and teachings and death are meaningless unless we believe His claim that no one can come to the Father, except through Him (John 14:4); that He has power to forgive sins (Luke 5:20,21, 24); that He is one with the Father, and that seeing Him is the equivalent of seeing the Father (John 10:9-10); and that He would rise up from the dead (John 19:17).

To believe these things, and the many other claims that Christ made about Himself, one also must believe that Christ is more than just a mortal man. He is God incarnate.

“Why do we need Him?” Man’s fallen state is clear and obvious. Our individual and collective dysfuntionalities evidence our corrupted, human state. Broken families, crimes, and wars demonstrate the gap between what we are, and what we are meant to be. We are lost. Countless human remedies to our collective lostness have failed us time and again.

The doctrine of Christ adds the layer of meaning to the facts of His existence. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6 NIV)
But if Christ were not God, His suffering and death would not have the power to take away our sins.

Without doctrine, clinging to Jesus would mean very little.

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No. 10: Orthodoxy

2006-06-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about orthodoxy. Yes, it is a big, “five-dollar” word. But it is a word that every Christian should be both familiar with and comfortable using.

The word “orthodoxy” is built from two Greek words: ortho, which means right or correct, and doxa, which means thought or teaching. Taken together, these two Greek words simply mean “right thinking,” or perhaps more specifically, “correct teaching.”

Before I get too far down the pike with this exploration of orthodoxy, I should note that I purposefully use a small “o” when discussing the word. This is done so as not to confuse the reader with the Orthodox Church, which is one of many expressions of the Christian faith in the world, and some say, the most ancient, although my Roman Catholic friends would no doubt contend with that last statement.

Small “o” orthodoxy speaks of the core beliefs of our historical Christian faith. It is most often associated with the statements of faith found in the classical Christian creeds, particularly the Apostles Creed.

Christian orthodoxy is our first line of defense against false teachings and false teachers. Scripture warns us that throughout our lives, we will encounter our share of them.

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep." 2 Peter 2:1-3

We even find warnings about false teachers in the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy 13:1-18 and 18:14-22).

The benefit of Christian orthodoxy is that we are not left to struggle with our own, self-derived definition of God. This is because God has chosen to reveal and define Himself to us. He has not left us to guess who He is. (See No. 9)

Visit a college campus and ask the question, “Who is Jesus Christ?” How many different answers do you think you will hear? There are many Jesus’ today. To some He is the healer and the burden-bearer. To others He is a teacher, a philosopher, or maybe a really good example. To others still He is the liberator or the revolutionary.

Maybe we see Jesus simply as One who loves us unconditionally. That way we can continue to live in sin and still feel good about ourselves. Religious leaders of Jesus’ day rejected Him because He did not conform to their expectations.

Orthodoxy, or “right thinking” about the person and work of Jesus Christ, is essential for all who claim to be Christian. Without Christian orthodoxy at the center or core of our belief system, we are cheated of genuine relationship with the King of the universe, and we end up settling for a self-derived, faux-Christian spirituality.

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No. 9: Revelation

2006-05-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about revelation—not the book of Revelation in the Bible, but the ways in which God has made Himself known to us. Our God is God among gods, the only One who can and has revealed Himself to us. There are basically three ways in which God has made Himself known.

Creation: The first way that God has revealed Himself to us is through His creation. God’s creative handiwork speaks boldly to all of His being and His nature so that no one can excuse themselves from not knowing of His existence.

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20 NIV)

The words “Intelligent Design” have recently come into play in our culture. They represent an alternative to the idea of pure, naturalistic evolution. William Dembski, a leading proponent of “Intelligent Design,” says, “there are natural systems that cannot be adequately explained in terms of undirected natural forces and that exhibit features which in any other circumstance we would attribute to intelligence.” Beyond the argument of whether “Intelligent Design” is a genuine alternative to evolution, or simply “junk science,” lie countless portraits of our Trinitarian God in nature. Below you will find a few. For further study, check out these scriptures: (Job 38-40, Psalm 19, Acts 14:15-17 and 7:22-31, Romans 1:18-21; 2:14-16)

Holy Scripture: The second way God has revealed Himself is through His Word—the Holy Scriptures. Martin Luther once remarked that “the Scriptures are Christ’s swaddling-clothes.” Study the Old Testament and you will quickly discover the hand of God at work, pointing the way toward the advent of the Messiah. You will see Jesus Christ in the garden of Eden, and as a ram caught in a thicket on Mount Moriah, and in the offerings of the Levites at Moses’ wilderness tabernacle. You will see Him manifested in many ways both as an actual appearance in time—a theophany—as in His wrestling match with Jacob, and in symbolism such as the serpent held upon a rod by Moses in the wilderness. Jesus said to the Jews …

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me …” (John 5:39 NIV)

Jesus Christ: There is no greater revelation of God to man than the third way, which is the advent of God in human form—Jesus Christ the Word made flesh (John 1:14). Jesus said …

"Don't you know me … even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father …” (John 14:9 NIV)

Understanding these things, we can go forward with confidence, knowing that God has chosen to make Himself known to us. There is no other god in heaven or on earth who can make that claim.

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For further consideration: Threes in Creation

Mathematics:
◦ pythagorean theorem: A2 + B2 = C2
◦ numbers: positive, negative, zero
◦ basic arithmetic: 1 + 1 = 2
◦ area = length · width
◦ sin of an angle = opposite / hypotenuse
◦ A = Πr2
Basic Accounting:
◦ debits + credits = balance
Physics:
◦ Mass / volume = density
◦ Speed = distance / time
◦ Matter = solid, liquid, gas
Creation Itself:
◦ The heavens = sun, moon, stars
◦ Our planet = earth, sky, water
◦ Spatial reality = height, width, depth
◦ Human existence = birth, life, death
◦ Time = past, present, future
Primary Colors:
◦ Red, Yellow, Blue
Relationships:
◦ father + mother = child
◦ hurt + forgiveness = healing
◦ hurt + unforgiveness = estrangement
Man—a Trinity:
◦ Man = body, soul, spirit
◦ Man’s body = flesh, blood, bones
◦ Man’s soul = mind, will, emotions
◦ Man’s spirit = conscience, intuition, communion with God

No. 8: Capital "T" Truth

2006-05-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about the nature of truth. Is it absolute, or is it relative? Is it public, or is it private? Is there one universal Truth that applies to all of life, or are there many, individual truths that vary from person to person?

Consider the O.J. Simpson trial. After months of testimony, the jury acquitted the accused. Many black Americans celebrated. Not so with white America. And yet we had both watched the same proceedings. How is it that we came to such vastly different conclusions? Based upon the evidence and testimony at the trial, each group decided what was really true—for them.

For the Christian, the answer to the first and third questions in the first paragraph above, is obvious and clear. There is one, universal Truth, and His name is Jesus Christ. He said ...

“I am the … Truth.” (John 14:6 KJV)

He also prayed for us ...
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17: 17 KJV)

Jesus Christ is also called the Word …
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1: 1-3 NIV)

The Word and the Truth are Jesus Christ. He is the Living Word made into human form. To embrace Him is to embrace the Truth. To embrace the Truth is to embrace Him.

Why is it so important to understand this fundamental idea? For many Christians, the answer to the first question posted above— “is [truth] absolute, or is [truth] relative?” —is easy. Of course Truth is absolute. But how about the second question?— “Is [truth] public, or is [truth] private?” The answer to that question may not come quite so easily.

Now, if we think carefully about the third question— “is there one universal Truth that applies to all of life, or are there many, individual truths that vary from person to person?” —the answer once again becomes crystal clear.

For the Christian, to believe in universal Truth must also mean a belief in public Truth. Some call it truth with a capital “T.” In other words, there cannot be a universal Truth that only matters to the private (religious or spiritual) realm. If Truth is universal, then it applies to all of life, not just to my own personal or religious life.

For those of us engaged in the battleground of ideas, a belief in one, universal Truth means that in the public arena, we hold firmly to a transcendent, uncompromised standard. This standard, This Truth, is set for us by a God who is separate and above—a God who has clearly made Himself known (Romans 1:18-20). This standard is not for Christians alone, but for all of God’s creation. Holding up God’s Truth in the world is what makes us salt and light.

Universal Truth is public truth.

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No. 7: Worldview

2006-05-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about worldview. We have seen the word ‘worldview” in books, newspapers, and magazines, and we hear it on the news and even from the pulpit. But what exactly does it mean?

James W. Sire, in his book The Universe Next Door, writes that “A world view is a set of presuppositions (or assumptions) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously) about the basic makeup of our world.”

But I prefer W. Gary Phillips’ and William E. Brown’s definition found in their work titled Making Sense of Your World. They write, “A worldview is, first of all, an explanation and interpretation of the world and second, an application of this view to life. In simpler terms, our worldview is a view of the world and a view for the world.”

In the last decade or so, a wave of worldview-related organizations have sprung up across the land. The Worldview Academy sponsors leadership camps to help train Christians to “… live in accord with a biblical worldview…” Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries, describes the imperative of worldview as a need to know “the truth about truth.” Colson helped to create The Wilberforce Forum, which “offers a number of resources to help Christians gain an understanding of a biblical worldview and to equip them to think and act Christianly in all aspects of life.” Colson also sponsors The Worldview Church, an online resource center providing worldview related materials.

In the spring of 2005 I attended a conference sponsored by Worldview Weekend, an organization founded by Brannon Howse, and dedicated to help believers “think and live like a Christian.” I found the weekend experience very stimulating and encouraging. Plug the words “biblical worldview” into your Internet browser and see what comes up. You will be amazed at how many groups and organizations are focused on promoting and teaching a Biblically based worldview.

Everyone possesses a worldview, whether it is an intentional, well developed, systematic set of ideas, or simply a hodge-podge of notions collected together from various sources over time. A worldview is a mental map of sorts, locking in on certain realities that provide anchorage for our entire spectrum of ideas. Maps are essential of course, for orientation, helping us to see where we are in relation to everything around us. Without a proper worldview we become disoriented, not able to locate ourselves in the big scheme.

Why do we need a Biblical worldview? I suggest that at the center or core of every worldview is our idea of God. Secondary to that core is our idea of man. Our ideas regarding God and man determine our ideas about everything else. If our ideas about God and man are not correct, then everything thing else in our mental map will be out of place.

Cultures in the free world are shaped by the collective worldview of a people. Business, education, the arts and civil government emerge as a reflection of the composite beliefs of the whole. In nations where civil government is elected freely by the governed, worldview determines the mindset (see No. 6) of those elected to govern. Therefore, every Christian should be studying Scripture to help anchor them in Biblical truth, so that we are properly oriented in reality.

No. 6: Mindset

2006-05-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about how easy it is to become locked into a certain way of thinking without even realizing it. Yes, we all have mindsets, some good and some not so good.

Not long ago, my wife and I enjoyed dinner at a Chinese restaurant with two other couples. I sat next to a good friend of ours who is part Sioux Indian. Now she’s as American middle class as me and the people I generally hang out with, but she does have an interesting family background. She and her husband make occasional trips to the Great Plains states where they visit some of her family living on reservations.

During dinner we discussed the idea of a name change for the Washington Redskins football team. Talk of a name change has been floating around for years. But I was surprised to hear my friend’s husband be quite bold about declaring that he thought the Redskins should change their name. I would have never expected that from him. He explained to me that his wife’s Midwest family thinks of the word “redskin” the same way that our African American neighbors think about the dreaded “n” word.

I had never heard that idea before and it jarred my mindset. If you would have asked me about this topic an hour before our conversation I would have blown off the idea of a Redskin’s name change with a disgruntled shake of the head, a scowl, and a judgmental attitude. But suddenly I am looking at this question much differently.

"The one who searches our hearts knows what the Spirit has in mind. The Spirit intercedes for God's people the way God wants him to." Romans 8:27 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

"For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so," Romans 8:6-7 (NAS)

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6 (KJV)

In these two examples above, the Greek word for what we translate as “mind set” or “minded” is phronema (pronounced fron'-ay-mah) and it means to direct one's mind to a thing, to seek, to strive for, and to be of one's party.

We have discussed racial and ethnic mindsets. What about political mindsets? Do we have them? How about theological mindsets? Do they guide the way we read and interpret Scripture?
Can our minds be re-set?

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2 (KJV)

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," Philippians 2:5 (KJV)

"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Colossians 3:2 (NAS)

No. 5: Matrix

2006-05-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about the matrix lately. I am not talking here about the movie starring Keanu Reaves. What I am referring to is the ideological matrix from which our thoughts and ideas spring.

The word “matrix” literally means “womb.” It is taken from the Latin root “mater,” from which we derive such English words as maternity, maternal and mother. The Merriam Webster Dictionary tells us that the word “matrix” first appeared in 1555, and was employed to define a female animal used for breeding.

Have you ever considered that each of us possesses an ideological womb, an internal core of beliefs which feed our thoughts and ideas? Where do our ideas come from? What feeds them? This would be our internal, ideological matrix.

As Christians, we certainly desire for our ideological womb, our internal matrix, the seedbed of our thoughts and ideas, to be feeding our minds with Christian ideas. But the big question is whether or not our seedbed is complete.

Does our internal matrix favor the New Testament more than the Old? The gospels more than the epistles? Or do we have a fundamental understanding of the whole story—the big picture or the metanarrative as it is often called?

Is the metanarrative to which we subscribe bookended by Genesis and Revelation? Are we familiar not only with the creation story, but with the stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph? Do we have an understanding of Moses, the Passover, the deliverance from Egypt, the forty-year wilderness wandering, and the impartation of the law? Can we make a connection between the wilderness tabernacle, the Levitical priesthood, and the ministry of Jesus Christ? What do we know about Samuel and David and Saul?

These are more than just wonderful Bible stories about individuals and their faith and failures. These stories and lives and imageries weave a tapestry, the whole picture, the metanarrative of God, His creation, and His purposes among men.

If we are casting about our lives with only a part of the story, only a minimal knowledge of the ministry of Christ from the Gospels, and we cannot see Him alive and at work throughout the Old Testament and indeed ALL of history, then our matrix is incomplete. Below are seven seeds that each of us should be cultivating in our ideological matrix-womb. Please examine them and consider how well your matrix-womb is seeded:

The Inerrancy of Scripture
A Creational View of Earth’s Origins
The Trinitarian Nature of God
The Moral Depravity of the Human Race
The Covenantal and Sacrificial Love of God
The Providence and Sovereignty of God
The Holiness and Perfections of God

No. 4: Understanding

2006-04-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about how vital it is for us to understand and see things the way they actually are. To thrive in our post-modern age, we need to be continuously cultivating the ability to discern what is true, what is right, and what is lasting. Gaining a heart of wisdom should be a lifetime goal as we pursue our relationship with God. The writer of Proverbs instructs us to get understanding.

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5

We live in what many have called, “The Information Age,” an era that actually began in 1844 with the invention of the telegraph. The first instrument to transmit information over long distances, the telegraph made it possible to convert words (and thus ideas) into electronic form. Today, with the communication tools such as the Internet, email, cable television, satellite radio, CDs, DVDs, Ipods, cellular phones and other types of handheld digital devices, information comes at us 24/7 with lightning speed.

Bombarded night and day with ideas, we are constantly forced to make choices, to discern, to judge, to sift and to sort. What is true? What is false? What is right? What is wrong? What is good? What is evil? We cannot escape the necessity of having to choose almost constantly. And the possibility of getting it wrong is very, very real.

But there is hope. We can learn from a prayer of Moses, recorded in the Psalms, how important it is for us to possess Godly wisdom. He said,

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

We can also learn also from Ezra, the High Priest, a man who ...

"...set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel." Ezra 7:10 NIV

Consider the threefold structure of this passage … Ezra set his heart to …

study the law
practice the law
teach others God’s statutes and ordinances

Ezra provides us a marvelous example. He set his heart to study, to practice, and to teach the Word. There is lesson for us here. We cannot effectively teach until will have put the Word into practice. And we cannot put the Word into practice unless we have studied it. Following Ezra’s pattern we can, over time, gain genuine, Biblical understanding and grow in godly wisdom.

No. 3: Gates and Doors

2006-04-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about immigration. I suspect many of you have, too. So, just how is the Christian to view our nation’s growing problem of illegal immigration? Well, I do not claim to have the definitive answer, but I do have some thoughts.

So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24 NKJV

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 NKJV

Here we have two fairly well-known passages of Scripture, one from Genesis, and the other from Revelation—a set of bookends one might say. In-between, we find a gross array of gates, doors, walls, boundaries, and borders. Scripture is full of them.

The first passage tells us how God placed a cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden to guard the way of the tree of life. In the second passage we read of Christ’s gentle knock on the door of our hearts.

Although the Genesis passage does not directly mention the word “gate,” the phrase “gates of Eden” is often employed to describe the entry and exit points into and out of Eden’s garden. The cherubim and flaming sword guarding Eden’s tree of life tell us that God thinks in terms of boundaries. The picture of Jesus’ knock tells us the same thing.

Throughout Scripture we see walled cities. Moses’ tabernacle and Solomon’s temple had doors. And Jesus proclaimed, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (John 10:7-9 NIV) Jesus Himself is the gate!

Abraham came out of Ur and entered into the promised land. The children of Israel went into Egypt, then came out four-hundred years later. Forty years after that, they entered the land of Canaan. Still later, Israel was taken captive into Babylon. Eventually, she came out. Paul traveled throughout the Mediterranean, entering and exiting cities and cultures.

I could go on. The point is, Scripture provides countless examples of exits and entrances. With each one, there is a threshold to cross, a recognized boundary that divides. The whole of the Bible is about going out and coming in. There is a right way to go about this. And there is a wrong way to go about this.

Consider Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron. Though not sanctioned to do so, they chose to enter the Holy of Holies to bring an offering to the Lord. But they were uninvited. God called their offering “strange fire,” and struck them dead.

I submit these stories and examples not as dogmatism, but as fodder for Biblical principle. Consider adding them to your internal Worldview filter.

No. 2: Chesterton's Shipwreck

2006-04-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about how our personal understanding and knowledge of God comes together. It seems that it mostly arrives in a haphazard fashion. Generally, we do not take a systematic approach to learning about Him. And oftentimes our understanding is incorrect. A friend of mine recently acknowledged that 20% of his theology is likely incorrect. He’s just not sure which 20%.

G.K. Chesterton was one of the greatest thinkers and writers of the 20th century, and one not trumpeted nearly enough. It is said that his work, The Everlasting Man, played a role in the conversion of a young C. S. Lewis. His work Orthodoxy is lauded as one of the great religious classics. And there are many other noteworthy works that flowed from his pen.

Chesterton once observed that our walk through life is much like stumbling upon a shipwreck. Strewn about in front of us, in chaos and disarray, are both worthless debris and precious treasures. Hidden somewhere in the mess is a story. Examining the pieces one by one, we can find a small amount of meaning. But when the pieces are re-assembled, reconstructing the essence of the original and revealing the whole, we begin to see the plan and the purpose that existed from the inception.

Our life in Christ is much like this, with understanding coming to us in tiny bits and pieces. It is up to us, with the aid of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, to assemble the many seemingly disconnected parts, and begin to reconstruct them into a cohesive whole. When we do, we experience the proverbial “aha” each time a little more of God’s purpose and plan come more clearly into focus.

Who among us would attempt to build a house without a set of plans? Who among us would begin ordering materials for a construction project without a detailed list of the items needed? Only the most foolhardy. And yet many of us live out our Christian lives just this way.

"Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Acts 17:11 NIV

In this passage, Luke lauds the Bereans. He associates their pursuit of Scriptural purity with noble character. They did not blindly accept the words of Paul, but rather poured over the Holy Scriptures to determine if Paul’s teachings were based in the truth. The Bereans set the standard for all Christians who have followed. They believed the Holy Scriptures to be the authoritative Word of God, the filter through which all ideas are to be sifted.

As God’s children, we need to become critical thinkers, learning to sift through ideas, comparing them to the truths of Scripture, and finalizing our own, firm set of convictions. If we are extremely fortunate, life in Christ becomes a series of revelations, epiphanies, and quickenings of understanding. But if we are inattentive, self-centered, and unenergetic in our pursuit of God, we may end up at the end of our days with the components of our lives like Chesterton’s proverbial shipwreck—still strewn about.

To learn more about G.K. Chesterton, visit The American Chesterton Society.

Or visit G.K. Chesterton's Works on the Web to read Chesterton's writings.

No. 1: Just Thinking

2006-04-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

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I have been thinking about thinking lately. Actually, I have been thinking about thinking for quite some time.

Something else I have been thinking about is how to more effectively communicate my burden for clear-headed, Biblically based thinking to a wider audience of people. And that is why I decided to create this one page, printable newsletter.

I am a thinker and a writer, and like all of us, a work still in progress. As such, I sometimes fail to make my communications concise. I know that many of my friends would like to be able to read my email newsletters, but because of their length, they elect to delete them, or move them to a folder in their email program for later reading. If they are like me, they probably never get to the reading part. So, I have created a one page, printable format for easier management. Now you can print me out, take me with you, and read me at your leisure.

Jesus commanded us to love God with all of our mind. Granted, He also commanded us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and strength as well. But loving Him with our mind is something we 21st century American Christians are not doing very well. In fact, according to Christian researcher George Barna, only 8% of Protestant Christians and a mere 0.5% of Catholic Christians hold a Biblical Worldview (source: barna.org).

A partial definition of Biblical Worldview according to Barna is as follows: believing that absolute moral truth exists and that the source of moral truth is the Bible; that salvation cannot be earned; that Jesus lived a sinless life on earth; and that God is the all-knowing, all-powerful maker of the universe who still rules that creation today.

I believe that one of the primary causes for such a low percentage of Christians actually possessing a Biblical Worldview, is that many of our churches do not teach the Scriptures from cover to cover. Or perhaps more precisely, we are not teaching that the Bible even imparts a comprehensive worldview.

I have titled my newsletter, “at home, thinking.” I found inspiration for the title from John Adams, second President of the United States. Known for his prolific correspondence with wife Abigail, and as a life-long diarist, one of Adams’ early journal entries included only the phrase, “At home, thinking.”

I probably think too much. But often, because of God’s great mercy and kindness, my thinking, coupled with prayer, study, and dialog with others, leads to a better understanding of God and His ways.

Why is thinking about the things of God so important? Consider these Scripture references:

The Psalmist declared that meditating upon God’s law night and day is a sign of God’s blessing (Psalm 1:2).
The writer of Proverbs admonished us to get understanding (Proverbs 4:5).
The Apostle Paul instructed us to think on things which are virtuous, praiseworthy, true, honest, pure, lovely, and of good report (Philippians 4:8).

I created “at home, thinking” to address these and other related issues. I am convinced that one of the reasons the Church in America of our day seems at times ineffective is because we, as a whole, still think much like the world. I will be writing again soon. I hope you will find this publication worth your while.

Index to All the Articles

2006-04-03T05:55:00.000-05:00

No. 13 - Creeds: A creed is a confession of faith. It is the proclamation of a core set of beliefs that we are seeking to live by.
No. 12 - Theology: Did you know that, technically, theology is a science? Did you know that just like other scientists, theologians have divided Theology, or the study of God, into various categories and subcategories?
No. 11 - Doctrine: Have you ever heard anyone say, "We don't need doctrine, we just need Jesus."? Who is Jesus? And why do we need Him? Doctrine seeks to address these two questions.
No. 10 - Orthodoxy: Orthodoxy means "right thinking," or "correct teaching." It is imperative that we, God's people, continuously develop the art of thinking properly, thinking according to God's Word.
No. 9 - Revelation: Unlike all other false gods in the universe, only One God has chosen to reveal Himself to us.
No. 8 - Capital "T" Truth: Is there one truth for me and another truth for you? Is there such a thing as private truth and public truth? Or is Truth the same for everyone?
No. 7 - Worldview: We have seen the word ‘worldview” in books, newspapers, and magazines, and we hear it on the news and even from the pulpit. But what exactly does it mean?
No. 6 - Mindset: Continuing with the theme of clear-headed, Biblical thinking, I examine how easy it is to become locked into a certain way of thinking without even realizing it. We all have mindsets, some good and some not so good.
No. 5 - Matrix: Continuing with the theme of clear-headed, Biblical thinking, I introduce the idea of a Biblical Matrix. You may be surprised to discover what the word actually means.
No. 4 - Understanding: Proverbs tells us that understanding is highly valued to God. To thrive in our post-modern age, we need to be continuously cultivating the ability to discern what is true, what is right, and what is lasting.
N o. 3 - Gates and Doors: With the issue of illegal immigration so much in the forefront of the news, I offer some thoughts about entering and leaving.
No. 2 - Chesterton's Shipwreck: Truth comes to us in a haphazard fashion. We listen to a teaching here, read a book there, and have an epiphany every now and then. GK Chesterton likens it to stumbling upon a shipwreck and trying to reassemble the story of what happened.
No. 1 - Just Thinking: Jesus commanded us to love God with all of our mind. But loving Him with our mind is something we 21st century American Christians are not doing very well.