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All Blog Posts (2,162)

The Rules

Here are some links to the rules here on Theologica as well as some other posts with posting advice. They all contribute to what we are trying to do here at Theologica.

Rules of Engagement

About the Blogs...We Need to Talk…

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Added by Daniel on September 28, 2008 at 2:00pm — 24 Comments

How Does God Decide Who is Born Where?

Question: How did God decide who would be born into a Christian family where the newly created being has a greater chance of coming to know and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior verses someone born into an anti Christian nation or family where they are taught the exact opposite?

Answer: The short answer to your question is that God makes these decisions the same way he makes all of his decisions: By his sovereign will. God is the Creator and Ruler of all things… Continue

Added by Carl Gobelman on September 26, 2008 at 10:52am — 6 Comments

Thrown Gauntlet: Christians and Mountains!

When we study the Bible let’s make sure to do it systematically finding out all that the Scriptures have to say on a subject and deducing our conclusion. In fact, you can even start the process by thinking about the attributes of God then finding out how the Scriptures fits into your thinking. Read on, and see how the Scriptures teach that we are to worship on mountains.

God is high and above all things. He is the God of a thousand hills and over all His creation. How do we react to…

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Added by Rey Reynoso on September 25, 2008 at 1:00pm — No Comments

The Law Written On Our Hearts!

“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” (Romans 2:14-15; English Standard Version)

One of the issues that plagues our culture (and by “culture” I am referring to Western Civilization, particularly in North… Continue

Added by Carl Gobelman on September 25, 2008 at 8:38am — No Comments

Overwhelmed

Thirty-eight days after requesting it, I finally got my case file from the crooks that denied my long-term disability claim. According to the rules that we are all supposed to be following, they were to have mailed it to me no later than the 5th of September. They didn't send it until the 25th, three days after I complained about having yet to receive it.

They are trying to overwhelm me with paperwork. The "file" weighed in at 3 pounds and wouldn't fully fit in a 4" box. There is… Continue

Added by Daniel on September 24, 2008 at 5:30pm — 4 Comments

Evangelical "going Green"?

The latest Barna survey was published last night. Its intent was to evaluate the Evangelical position concerning the environment. You can find it here.

One paragraph in particular caught my attention:

"Most Christians are not satisfied to be mere observers of the green movement. Three-quarters of self-identified Christians (78%) agree they would like to see their fellow… Continue

Added by Michael Patton on September 23, 2008 at 2:54pm — 21 Comments

No One is Righteous!

“Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:19-20, ESV)

In my last article, I spoke briefly about the theological doctrine of Total… Continue

Added by Carl Gobelman on September 22, 2008 at 1:43pm — 4 Comments

How, Then, Are We to Live the Bible Today? (Zondervan Review Pt. 2)

Here is a post from my blog: http://theologyandculture.wordpress.com/

This is a segment in my series reviewing “The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible” by Scot McKnight. It will be in stores November 2008. You can view the table of contents and links to each segment of the review by clicking… Continue

Added by Theophilus on September 21, 2008 at 5:13pm — No Comments

The Struggle and Pilgrimage of Faith

The Struggle and Pilgrimage of Faith

Thoughts by Adam Orr

8-31-08

In the US, we live in a pluralistic, post-modern culture. As such, we are going to be, and no doubt, we all have been, confronted with ideologies and philosophies of life and faith that would counter the status quo of our personal Christianity if not our national Judaeo-Christian heritage. Many "blindly" adopt the faith of their parents. Still many more, George Barna tells us, are walking away from the… Continue

Added by A.O. on September 21, 2008 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Salvation, Infallible Assured?

"Are you saved?" asks the Fundamentalist. The Catholic should reply: "As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13)."

Added by Loujean Miller on September 21, 2008 at 6:06am — 2 Comments

Cosmetology at the Funeral Home

I am not the best sleeper, so I will often wake up at night and have these random thoughts which I think, at the time, are rather profound. The following morning I recall my insomniac insights, and generally discard them as unusable, wacky, or just plain moronic. You can decide to which category this one belongs. I apologize in advance for the negative and somewhat gruesome tone of what follows.

We have softened the enemy. In our quest to discover peace in our souls, we have… Continue

Added by David Neiss on September 20, 2008 at 9:04pm — No Comments

The Tree That Would Not Die

Trees fascinate me. As a kid I loved to climb them, build forts up in them, enjoy their shade and fruit, marvel at their fall colors, and jump in their castaway leaves.

As an adult I still love them. They have a majesty that few other living things have. I'm not sure I can define why.

Trees play a role in God's story from the beginning. A tree was the first meeting place for Satan and man. A "tree" was the figurative term for the mode of Jesus' execution. A tree figures in… Continue

Added by David Neiss on September 20, 2008 at 9:00pm — No Comments

The Room by Joshua Harris

The Room... by Joshua Harris

{Mr. Harris was a young missionary when he had this dream while in Puerto Rico with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Team in 1995. Like most dreams from God, the details are vivid and worth our consideration.}

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room.

There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files.

They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by… Continue

Added by Callmeteacher on September 20, 2008 at 6:04pm — No Comments

God’s Righteousness Upheld!

“By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, ‘that you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.’” (Romans 3:4; English Standard Version)

The Bible describes the human heart as “desperately sick” (or “desperately wicked” as the King James words it). Another way of saying it is the human heart is “terminally ill.” Of course by “heart” I’m not referring to the blood pumping organ within our chest cavity, but to the soul or… Continue

Added by Carl Gobelman on September 20, 2008 at 1:20pm — No Comments

Genesis as Incarnational Myth? Peter Enns on Inspiration and Incarnation

Here is a post from my blog: http://theologyandculture.wordpress.com/

For those that still aren’t decided on how they interpret the Genesis creation account (young earth, old earth, theistic evolution, etc.), let me throw another wildcard at ya. Check out Peter Enns and his book, “Inspiration and Incarnation.” In it, he proposes (as has been done before) that the Bible is an incarnational book, both human and divine. God… Continue

Added by Theophilus on September 20, 2008 at 9:30am — No Comments

Sweet Sage Sweet Grass

I am excited to have a blog.

Added by Patricia Little on September 19, 2008 at 4:17pm — 1 Comment

War God - Part 4

It seems like as soon as I finish one of these posts, a flurry of insights come from random sources. This is a learning point in itself: the discipline of study opens up veins of knowledge that you often are blind to before you start digging. You enter the "classroom" intending to learn about a fourth of what you eventually discover. It is more akin to planting a seed and harvesting forty, fifty or a hundred fold. Sounds parabolic, doesn't it?

Anyway, a few more thoughts on this… Continue

Added by David Neiss on September 19, 2008 at 3:59pm — No Comments

War God - Part 3

The question came up at a recent Tuesday morning men's breakfast/Bible study. What's up with the apparent schizophrenic God of the Old and New Testament? Why is He a war hawk in the OT and a peace lover in the NT?

I have slowly been sparring with this question, and you can read my first two musings on this (War God & War God - Part 2) if you'd like. More random thoughts appear below.

1. In 2 Samuel 24 King David of Israel conducts a census of his military might. A… Continue

Added by David Neiss on September 19, 2008 at 3:55pm — No Comments

War God - Part 2

The solution is still evasive, but I have a few more thoughts on the tension which exists between the God of war in the Old Testament and the Prince of Peace in the New Testament.

I was listening to Dr. Greg Boyd speak (via mp3 during my Monday morning walk) as he discussed the purpose of Jesus' incarnation and sacrificial work on the Cross. He cited Hebrews 2:14 as a launch pad for discussing the warfare in which God is engaged. Some of the insights he shares are fabulous and are… Continue

Added by David Neiss on September 19, 2008 at 3:51pm — No Comments

War God

If I had to list a Top 5 of theological puzzles, I would definitely include the challenge of merging the Old Testament God of military conquest and the New Testament Jesus, Prince of Peace. It seems fairly clear that God calls Israel, as a people, to engage in warfare (at times the complete decimation of people groups who seem to be minding their own business) while protecting and providing victory for them in the process, and executing judgment on those who refuse to do so to accomplish His… Continue

Added by David Neiss on September 19, 2008 at 3:50pm — 1 Comment