In a recent discussion about the nature of God, someone asked me a pointed question: "So, are you a polytheist?" It’s a fair question—and an important one—especially when you believe that the Father and the Son are two distinct beings. Adding to the confusion, some teach that God created the Son—that Jesus had a beginning. However, this is not what the Bible teaches. Rather, the Bible teaches that the Father and the Son are distinct beings, but both are eternal. They have … [Read more...] about Are We Polytheists? Rethinking God as a Divine Family
Godly Attributes
Grace Redefined: How Gnostic Thinking Warped Christianity’s Most Important Teaching
What Is Grace… Really? Grace is one of the most talked-about—and misunderstood—concepts in Christianity. Central to salvation, it’s debated across denominations, with few agreeing on exactly what it means. For many today, grace boils down to this: “I don’t have to do anything—Jesus did it all.” But is that what the Bible teaches? Or has the definition of grace subtly shifted over time, shaped not by Scripture, but by ancient philosophies that crept into Christian thinking? The Modern … [Read more...] about Grace Redefined: How Gnostic Thinking Warped Christianity’s Most Important Teaching
Avoiding Simple-Mindedness
I want to begin with a clearer understanding of simple-mindedness with a quote from Signs of Being Simple-Minded: "Understanding what it means to be simple-minded involves recognizing certain characteristics and their implications for how individuals perceive, process information, and interact with the world. While the term “simple-minded” can carry different connotations depending on context, it generally refers to a style of thinking characterized by a lack of complexity, or depth in one’s … [Read more...] about Avoiding Simple-Mindedness
Gratitude, A Life Altering Virtue
The command to praise God and Jesus Christ can bring into question the what, why and how to. Those called out of the world as God’s people are to proclaim the praises of God the Father, and by extension Jesus Christ: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9). The Greek word for “praises” in 1 Peter 2:9 means virtues, or … [Read more...] about Gratitude, A Life Altering Virtue
Handling Conflict
We all deal with conflict daily, in many forms. Even the church has conflict, internal and external, from time to time. With the Bible as our guide, which biblical examples can teach us about a specific quality that foils conflict? Where does this quality come from? What does it lead to? Let’s consider Gideon’s example to identify this quality. Chosen by God as a judge of Israel he was assigned to defeat a threat from neighboring Midian (Judges 6:1-8:21). He assembled an army of 32,000, but … [Read more...] about Handling Conflict
Time and Chance Happens to All
Solomon addresses an issue that causes a great deal of perplexity to people because he’s made this statement that the righteous and wise and their works are in the hand of God (Ecclesiastes 9:1). At first that sounds like a great place to be. Then he says: “All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who … [Read more...] about Time and Chance Happens to All
Speak No Evil
Speaking evil of others is wrong! Don’t be judgmental! The book of James tells us so, end of story. But is there an important nuance to truly understand this seemingly straightforward instruction? “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge … [Read more...] about Speak No Evil