Always the critic
Tuesday, 25 January 2005
Whenever I encounter other believers, I find myself ashamed at all of the critique that automatically flows like a river through my mind. I’m painfully aware that I’ve prided myself on being able to find something doctrinally wrong with any religious person or group I’ve ever encountered. What was I thinking? Of course, I can
- Published in Commentary, Love
Out of the mouth of babes
Wednesday, 19 January 2005
Sometimes it is uncanny how easily kids grasp things that adults, because of our philosophies and ideologies, have trouble grasping. My middle son, Jaden, who isn’t exactly known for liking dinner, noticed tonight that he liked this one (an Italian dish called a frittata) because the eggs hid the flavor of the green herbs and
- Published in Commentary, Unity
The whole Bible is our creed
Wednesday, 19 January 2005
The whole Bible is our creed, but what exactly does that mean? This is one of the most difficult issues for any Christian to think through, as evidenced by the number of debates over creeds through the millennia. Campbell, in the Parable of the Iron Bedstead, was gently urging his brothers at the time to
- Published in Alexander Campbell, Bible, Commentary
The fellowship of the saints
Tuesday, 18 January 2005
The following is from Carl Ketcherside’s “In the Beginning,” Chapter 19 (Thoughts on Fellowship #7). Fellowship is not a fruit of agreement but agreement is the fruit of fellowship! Does the Bible teach that? Do we come to be in the fellowship because we are of the same mind, or do we come to be
- Published in Alexander Campbell, Commentary, Unity, W. Carl Ketcherside
A less circular view of Romans 14
Tuesday, 18 January 2005
I know I’ve written about this before, but I need someone to help me see how the popular view of Romans 14 isn’t spinning in circles. Romans 14, remember, deals with the issue of two brothers whose consciences are in different places on the subject of meat offered to idols or observing days in honor
- Published in Bible, Commentary, Unity
Zero-sum love
Tuesday, 11 January 2005
In a zero-sum world, where the books must be reconciled each month, there is a fixed supply of love. In this model, when one feels it and expresses it toward new acquaintances in his life, there is less love available to the people who have always been there. It should be readily apparent to Christians
- Published in Commentary, Love
Playing it safe
Monday, 10 January 2005
One of the greatest concerns in associating with Christians of diverse opinions is that it is somehow unsafe to do so. The idea is that we are in some way compromising our beliefs to enjoy Christian communion with folks who do things or understand things differently, and that we ought to play it safe and
- Published in Commentary, Unity
Where do you draw the line?
Monday, 10 January 2005
Good people have made the point that those who argue against drawing lines in the sand with regard to Christian associations have lines themselves and they are really just arguing about where the line goes. Not so. Lines in the sand provide security and a comfort zone. On that basis, it may scare some of
- Published in Commentary, Unity
To stop division, stop dividing