Category Archives: General

Is Immigration a Biblical Issue?

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First of all, this is not an endorsement or condemnation of Donald Trump or the U.S. government’s immigration policies in general.  This article is simply addressing biblical interpretation errors and other fallacies in a Washington Post article written by a Yale Divinity School professor which takes issue with Franklin Graham’s insistence that immigration is not a Bible issue.  Here is the article:
 
 
This is not the first article I have read this week on this subject.  All of them have a common theme: Christians should let anyone immigrate to the United States because of how “strangers” are treated in the Bible.  Here’s my take:

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Did Jesus Exist?

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It seems like every Christmas season the very existence of Jesus is debated.  Here is one article from this year.

https://www.rawstory.com/2016/12/here-are-5-reasons-to-suspect-jesus-never-existed-2/

The lady who wrote this article is a former evangelical and sadly demonstrates the failure of many evangelical churches in grounding people in the truth.  Her points (in bold) and my brief refutations of them are below. Continue reading →

How Christians Determine Truth

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Keith Mascord, an Anglican pastor in Australia, wrote an opinion piece entitled “The Bible is the true prejudice in Christian opposition to marriage equality”.
When I read the title, my response was “Yes, that’s true.”  But he uses the article to argue that Christians basically need to get over the Bible’s opposition and just accept that same-sex marriage is okay.  After all, he argues, the Bible is full of ancient, outdated thinking which we need to just move beyond.  And science and experience has shown it to be full of misinformation.  Wow!  This is news to me.  The Bible has been around a long time and has been attacked and critiqued by many.  Yet it has survived.  The reason is that it is God’s Word.  It has been shown to be true time after time.  This sets it apart from every other religious text.

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Charles Caldwell Ryrie Goes Home

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Today a giant of the faith and a humble servant of the Lord went home.  Charles Ryrie was a gifted theologian, teacher, and writer.  His ministry shaped the lives of many—both those who came in direct contact with him and those, like me, who were impacted by his books.

The Ryrie Study Bible taught a generation how to read and understand the Scriptures.  Dispensationalism Today (later republished as just Dispensationalism) helped many comprehend a vital, yet sometimes difficult topic.  So Great Salvation revealed the simple truth that Jesus saves and broadened that theme to help our understanding of what we have in Christ.  Dr. Ryrie authored more than 50 books which uphold the authority of the Bible, teach Its truths, and honor Christ.  They will be influential for generations to come.

In seminary, I was taught by one of Dr. Ryrie’s students.  He told me that when he was a struggling student at Dallas Theological Seminary and needed a place to live, Dr. Ryrie welcomed him into his home and gave him a room to use.  He spoke highly of Dr. Ryrie as a teacher, a mentor, and a brother in Christ.  He will be missed, but Dr. Ryrie lives today with the One he devoted his life to.

What To Do When You Are Afraid

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Psalm 34:4  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Fear is a part of life.  Some fears are minimal, but others can be debilitating.  Regardless, when fear comes upon us, we should seek the Lord.  The Hebrew word translated “sought” has a range of meanings including “resort to”, “enquire of”, “consult with”, and “seek with care”.  These meanings convey dependence upon God rather than ourselves.  It is saying, “I need help.” Continue reading →