Just saw this quote over at Grace Online and thought it was a good reminder for all of us who consider ourselves to be reformed. …I am afraid there are Calvinists, who, while they account it a proof of their humility that they are willing in words to debase the creature, and to give all the glory of salvation to the Lord, yet know not what manner of spirit they are of. Whatever it be that makes us trust in ourselves that we are comparatively wise or good, so as to treat those with contempt who do not subscribe to our doctrines, or follow our party, is a proof and fruit of a self-righteous spirit. Self-righteousness can feed upon doctrines, as well as upon works; and a man may have the heart of a Pharisee, while his head is stored with orthodox notions of the unworthiness of the creature and the [ ... ]

One of the things I have learned as a reformed Christian is that I do not have the answer to every query or objection folks raise concerning my theological position. I still have questions. There are still uncertainties. Moreover, I have learned that God’s word can be paradoxical, sometimes leaving us with questions on top of answers. Still, many refuse to accept these biblical paradoxes. Thus, they push biblical concepts together until they morph into logically cohesive theological ideals. Calvin, however, offers a different approach, one I think we would do well to consider and adopt.  It is called learned ignorance. Learned ignorance is simply the practice of allowing God’s word to speak for itself, without over rationalizing it or pressing it to answer questions that go beyond the revealed truths it sets forth. For example, on the issue of predestination, Calvin suggests that it is folly to desire any knowledge outside [ ... ]

Recent headlines involving sexual abuse and rape of children (most notably the scandals at Penn State, involving Jerry Sandusky, and at Syracuse, involving Bernie Fine – both of whom were coaches in high profile college sports programs) have folks talking about what punishment these men should face if found guilty. Although many states give child rapists what amounts to a relative slap on the wrist; many folks I have talked to believe that these crimes  justify the death penalty, and on the surface, this certainly seems reasonable. As a father of a young child myself, I cannot begin to describe how angry and sickened I am by even the thought of this monstrous act. In fact, death almost seems too easy a punishment. However, as a Christian I have to look at this from a biblical standpoint, which brings me to the subject of this post. Back in 2008, shortly after the Supreme Court ruled against imposing the death [ ... ]

Here is a website I think some Christians will find interesting. It is called evilbible.com (and before you click the link, let me warn you that it contains some offensive language and is extremely mean-spirited in its hostility toward Christians and Christian doctrine). As the name suggests, the mission of the site is to demonstrate the immorality of the Bible (and by association, those who uphold it as a holy book). It also contains some of the typical “biblical contradictions” stuff. As is often typical with anti-Christian voices, the arguments offered on this site reflect a humanistic worldview as well as an inability to deal honestly with biblical context. The value of this site for the Christian, however, is that it provides some insight into the common thinking of those who are openly hostile toward the faith. While I am not necessarily advocating that we engage in debate with these folks, I do think it [ ... ]