The Journy of Paul

There was a time in my life when I worked as a corrections officer. For me, this was a bitter sweet job. There were some really great moments and some really horrible ones too. Many inmates came and gone, most were harmless people full of empty threats. Others, a few, you could count on them carrying out their threats. There were always some that you feared. You knew they could and most likely would go off on you, lose their composure and attack. One such inmate, Jones, was this short fellow, a walking muscle I liked to call him. He bench pressed well over 300 pounds. I could envision him tearing a door off its hinges with little effort as well as my head. Somehow, I become the designated person when it came time to lock inmates up. Yes, I know, sounds crazy, locking inmates up. After all I was working in a prison, how on earth do you lock someone up who is already locked up? Well, I worked in minimum security institute. Lock up meant sending them straight to maximum security. Whe...

I want to share with you my pain and agony. let me start with this quote, "They then reduce the gospel to the least common denominator, 'God is love,' in this way they banish from the moral discussion not only the natural law, but the divine (revealed) law as well" Reverend Langlais Ph.D. Speaking about postmodernist, Dr. Langlais holds that some Christians have become confused in their understanding of the relationship between the Law and the Gospel. Failing to distinguish between moral laws, and ethnic (ceremonial) laws within the bible. In Dr. Langlais' words, "As a result, they throw the moral baby out with the ceremonial bathwater." Dr. Langlais is speaking on moral relativism of the modern church. While those who abide by the law, such as observant Jews, are extreme, so to, those who take the words, "God is love" are extreme, throwing out moral absolutes and opening the church to things not before allowed. Below are four examples of the...

I really love this statement in that it states my spiritual feelings, "They then reduce the gospel to the least common denominator, 'God is love,' in this way they banish from the moral discussion not only the natural law, but the divine (revealed) law as well." This one sentence has a ton of stuff packed into it. However, let me start with 'God is love.' by no means am I trying to say this is not so, nor is the author of the sentence, Rev. Langlais Ph.D. This quote comes from a article written by Rev. Langlais in response to an article written by Robert Benne who was writing in regard to the Evangelic Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) moral ethical position on certain aspects of sexuality. This article and response are apropos for a segue into a discussion on the subject of the law and gospel. Benne was writing in regard to the loosening of the ELCA's moral position on human sexuality. Rev Langlais is postulating that the modern church has ab...

Is my church better than yours? What a question. We are human after all are we not. I wonder how many so-called Christians hold pride in their hearts for their church. Again, we are only human. My pastor is the best, he is on fire, filled with the Holy Spirit, have you ever heard someone say this? Oh, our church has the best kids programs, an awesome worship band and so on? The better question is, has church become a social event? So many churches now have coffee stands built into the foyer, some offer up doughnuts. Worship services have become a Sunday morning concert. In my profession, teaching, I have come to recognize a truth. That truth is this, "If I cannot teach my subject inside a bamboo classroom, using nothing more than a piece of slate and chalk then I don't need to be teaching." What I mean by this is that there is a tremendous amount of technology at my disposal. None of which will make me a better teacher. My core is my teaching skills. If my core is correct...

In the last post, part one, I asked nine questions: 1. That does it mean to move beyond the elementary teaching about Christ? 2. What does it mean to be taken forward into maturity? 3. What does it mean, not laying again the foundation of repentance and acts that lead to death and of faith in God? 4. Why is Paul telling the believers in Corinth that they are still worldly? 5. That they are mere infants in their belief? 6. What does he mean by "I gave you milk" 7. Why does he tell them they are not ready. 8. What is going on in Hebrews that the author tells them they should be teachers but still need teaching, of the elementary truths? 9. Why does this author also tell them the need milk and not solid food? Let us look at judgment. Each and every day we apply judgment to inanimate objects and people as we move through the day and make decisions. No matter how much one may say, "Who am I to judge." Yet, when we pick out a church to attend, when we decide to call someo...

Hebrews 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God . What was the author of Hebrews talking about when he wrote this passage? Let us first understand the contexts of the letter. The author was writing to a church that was mostly if not completely made up of Jewish converts. This was a time of persecution and in fear, some may have been reverting to old Jewish ways in order to hide. The author was trying to open their eyes, to help them stay strong in their faith in the Lord Jesus. There are many commentaries with varying perspectives on Hebrews and especially on chapter six. We could draw a parallel between Hebrews chapter six and Isaiah 53. For the Jews, Isaiah 53 has been very problematic because this passage clearly speaks of Jesus. One explanation Jewish theologians have offered is that there were two Isaiahs, and that the sec...

We often talk about and sing a song that states, God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, unchanging. If this is so, then we need to heed the Old Testament. We need to know it and understand it and what God did and why he did it. Let us have a look at an Old Testament Story, Joshua Chapter seven. What a time it is. You are an Israelite, God is active all round you. He has sent the very commander of his army to fight alongside you. You've seen miracles as you wondered in the desert now, this same God is helping to destroy your enemies. As these places fall, he gives you one command, do not take devoted things from Jericho. Sadly, Achan took some devoted things from the ruined city of Jericho. His greed and desire got the best of him. The bible says the Lord's anger burned against Israel. The Lord's anger burned not just against Achan but all of Israel. Joshua sent a small army out to attack another city, AI, but this small city managed to defeat the Israelite's ...

I have been struggling for some time now. It started with the concept of LOVE. Yes, love. Over the last few years, I've noticed that many of my friends have been using love to such a point that for some it seems as if there is no wrong. At least we cannot correct people because that is not love nor unity. The battle cry is "Truth in Love." which boils down to , "Don't say anything unless it is only couched in love. This really creates a situation in which not much can be said. The second part of the concept is unity. If you do or say anything contrary to mainstream belief, at least mainstream within any one give context, you are creating disunity. Add to the peace. I cannot talk about this because when I do there is no peace. Holy cow. Okay, step back a bit. In my first church the pastor taught, "No gossiping." His instructions were, any time you say something against a brother or sister you are gossiping. He was so stern in this that no one could bring...