On of the blogs I frequently read is Tim Challies. Challies.com is a great blog of book reveiws, answers to theological questions, critical commentary on culture and more. Recently Tim wrote a book that is ready to be released about spiritual discernment. While I haven’t read it yet, I will dare to say Challies will have a lot of good insights in his book.

Since we talked about discernment and how to be lovingly intolerant on Sunday night, I thought that his interview with Justin Taylor of Between Two Worlds would be a good and helpful read. Check it out: (more…)

For all you Facebook junkies out there, we’ve added a Connexion page to Facebook (”Connexion, ECC”)! Check it out, become a fan, write on the wall, and join in the discussions.

Tonight the Dali Lama lead an interfaith prayer service in Bloomington. I recently spoke out about why I would not participate in this service, but I think I may have been misunderstood. Some have told me they thought this was wasting a great opportunity to engage in some interfaith dialogue. I guess I see it differently.

Please know, I engage in interfaith dialogue. I enjoy getting to know others from faiths different faiths. I am a member of a group that involves Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, and Christians of every stripe. This interfaith prayer service, however, is not dialogue, but worship. Maybe you don’t think prayer is worship. I don’t know what else it could possibly be.

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This question is not as cut and dry as one might think. The natural impulse is to say, yes, of course. But don’t be so quick, or you might not like the corner you paint yourself into!

For example, even those who claim to take the Bible literally must admit that there is metaphor, simile, symbolism, etc. No one I know of takes the picture of a sword coming out of Jesus mouth in Revelation 19 literally – it becomes quite a grotesque picture if you do. Or Psalm 64:7 speaks of God shooting his arrows at his enemies. Again, I don’t know anyone who thinks God’s got a big compound bow in heaven and is taking aim. So, does anyone really take the Bible literally? (more…)

Can a Christian Sin?

Last night the above question became a point of very heated discussion in one discussion group. It was maintained by one individual that a real Christian, someone who had been “baptized by Christ” could not sin anymore. If in fact you sinned at all since you were saved, according to this individual, you were not really saved at all. The text used to support this claim is 1 John 3:9. I’ll give it to you in the KJV and then the ESV. (more…)

After Connexion I went home (after a stop at the smore bbq!) and logged on to see what read up on some of my favorite blogs. This one by Justin Taylor was worth sharing here since it spoke to what we discussed tonight. Actually, it’s not by Justin Taylor, he’s quoting JI Packer at length:

J. I. Packer, in an essay on “Justification in Protestant Theology”:

Faith is a conscious acknowledgment of our own unrighteousness and ungodliness and on that basis a looking to Christ as our own righteousness, a clasping of him as the ring clasps the jewel (so Luther), a receiving of him as an empty vessel receives treasure (so Calvin), and a reverent, resolute reliance on the biblical promise of life though him for all who believe. Faith is our act, but not our work; it is an instrument of reception without being a means of merit; it is the work in us of the Holy Spirit, who both evokes it and through it ingrafts us into Christ in such a sense that we know at once the personal relationship of sinner to Saviour and disciple to Master and with that the dynamic relationship of resurrection life, communicated through the Spirit’s indwelling. So faith takes, and rejoices, and hopes, and loves, and triumphs.

J. I. Packer, Honouring the People of God, p. 228.

Tonight I mentioned Luther’s conversion experience and how he finally came to grips with how God’s righteousness being revealed could be gospel (good news). This came to him as he was reading Romans in his study, his tower, and remarkably, it came two years after he posted his 95 theses on Wittenberg Castle Church door. Here is his account: (more…)

In case you didn’t remember, today is D-Day - the day the allied forces broke back into Europe and dealt the decisive blow the the Axis armies. Once the Allies won the day and established their presence on the continent, victory was assured.

What a great illustration of our Christian hope. The decisive victory has already been won - the Kingdom of God has already invaded in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The death blow has already been delivered to Satan and all of God’s enemies. We live in the time between D-Day and V-Day (Victory Day). God’s victory is assured, but we wait for the final realization of that. It is our great hope.

Today, as I drove to work I drove past Genesis - the church across from the Stadium. I made me think of my friend Bobby and how much I want to get together with him soon. I love his heart for unity and his passion to see the church of Christ come together for worship and prayer. As I was driving and thinking, I was reminded that this unity we strive for is already a reality. When I got to the church, I put my thoughts up on the Purpose United blog. You can read it here, but I’d recommend checking out the sight for other’s thoughts, pictures and even an original worship song penned by Josh! Here’s what I wrote: (more…)