One key element of modern Christianity is the concept of salvation. It is often at the center of endless theological debatesâsalvation by works versus salvation by faith, the question of whether one can lose salvation, or the doctrine of âonce saved, always saved.â These debates ultimately narrow down to a singular, anxiety-laden question: Are you saved? This approach often feeds off fearâthe fear of judgment, the fear of what happens after death, and the fear of being excluded from Godâs … [Read more...] about Salvation: Whoâs In and Whoâs Out
Uncategorized
Measurements of Spiritual Growth
Spiritual growth is measured in two main ways â motivation and action. Action is a literal external behavioral change - the evidence of the motivation. This is what James calls works. It is a change that can be perceived and observed in our daily lives. All motivation and actions are triggered by our thoughts â by our way of thinking. This brings to mind the process of Godâs thinking becoming a part of our thinking which is often hampered by our failure to comprehend the huge gulf that … [Read more...] about Measurements of Spiritual Growth
The Great Deception: Satan Masquerades as an Angel of Light
From the beginning, Satanâs desire has been to work contrary to Godâs plan, deceiving the minds of those whom God desires to have a relationship with. This deception began in the Garden of Eden, where Satan planted the first seeds of doubt in Eveâs mind, leading her to question God's word: "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, âYou shall not eat of every tree of the garden?' 2 And the woman … [Read more...] about The Great Deception: Satan Masquerades as an Angel of Light
The Son Makes Us Free
The publication called The Hedgehog Review is an intellectual publication written by intellectuals for intellectuals. One article that particularly stood out began with this sentence: âHow do we foster the conditions conducive to a truly enduring moral and ethical order?" There are highly intellectual people writing, trying to find this moral and ethical order for themselves. There are a couple of comments in the book section, one mentioning a graduate student in the Germanic Studies … [Read more...] about The Son Makes Us Free