3. Where do you stand on the inerrancy of Scripture and why?

What’s the issue?

The question of Biblical “inerrancy” has been raised a number of times particularly in the past 50 years or so. Before answering this question, I think it’s important to simply highlight what the real issue is. ( continued… )

[ view this post ]     [ comments ]

Follow the (Crazy) Leader

Leadership takes guts and authenticity. Lead well and you’re unstoppable.

Exile & Renewed Hope

This post is part of a series on explaining the whole bible.

Exile

The kingdom of Judah ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of the brightest young people to Babylon. However, Jeremiah had predicted that the exile would last only 70 years, and Isaiah even predicted a king named Cyrus would be the one to return the Jews to their homeland. It turned out that both were exactly right. [ read the rest ]

Thoughts on the Problem of Evil

It seems so capricious and uncaring that a God would allow his own son to suffer, until you get the bigger picture that God loved the sinful world so much that he sacrificed one son, for three days, to gain billions of children for a sinless eternity.

We look at all pain and suffering from the human side of the cross, from the perspective of the disciples on Friday. From that angle, the crucifixion is the most terrifying work of evil ever done. Evil got Jesus, and it might get me too. God sacrificed his son, and he might sacrifice me too.

However, if we wait around just three days, we can gain a glimpse of the cross from God’s side, and in light of the resurrection, we see that the worst possible evil, was only temporary. The apparently careless God was working out an eternal plan.

Evil is temporary. Good is forever. The most apparently evil moment in history was simultaneously the moment of the greatest good.

Why does God let us face trials?

James 1:2-3 gives the standard Christian answer to this question:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance…

Of course, knowing the Sunday school answer and being okay with it are two different things entirely, but this week, I have gained a new perspective on the question that I thought I would share with you. Here are some significant verses from my devotional reading this week: [ read the rest ]