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Some of my Best Posts

Homosexuality and the Bible
I just completed my series of messages on the Bible (see sermon series Shhhh! God’s Talking) and during the series I spent a good amount of time dealing with tough questions of the Bible and tough questions about the faith, but one of the toughest questions that I had to deal with is God’s take on homosexuality.

Actually, I wasn’t able to give it the time it deserves in the brief message or two I was able to address it, so I thought I would go into a little more detail here on my blog.

During my senior year of college, one of my best friends sat me down to talk with me one night.
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.
Barack On Abortion
I was disturbed to see this video from Barack Obama talking about his intentions regarding the abortion issue…

I learned about this video from http://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/08/obama-and-freedom-of-choice-act.
There are no unplanned pregnancies
Yesterday was Mother’s Day 2005, and I preached a message on three women in the beginning of the gospel of Luke—Elizabeth, Mary, and Anna. While I was preparing for the message; though, God helped me to understand something that I had never really seen before. There are no unplanned pregnancies.
What Are You Afraid Of?
If you like to talk to tomatoes. If a squash can make you smile. If you like to waltz with potatoes up and down the produce aisle, then you need to talk to my son.
The Resurrection of Jesus (Easter 2005)
Every year at this time, I begin to think critically about the resurrection of Jesus. Yeah, you heard me right. I said, “critically“.
What’s wrong with premarital sex?
What’s wrong with premarital sex?

One of the questions I get a lot is the question about sexual morality as it relates to the Bible, and it’s one I have thought a lot about as well considering that I do quite a bit of marital counseling and also considering that I’m a guy and I think about these issues myself!

Of course, the biggest question about sexual morality is whether the Bible actually prohibits premarital sex, and if it does prohibit it, why?

I’m going to try to answer that question simply from three angles: What does the Bible teach about sex? What effect does sex have on people? Where should the limits be drawn (i.e. what is the Biblical definition of “sex”)?

What does the Bible teach about sex?

There are many passages in the Bible regarding sexuality and sexual behavior.
Questions on Tithing
This last Sunday, a lady in my church gave me a blue card with some questions on it regarding tithing. Since my email to her was rather long-winded, I thought I would share some of those thoughts here.

Deuteronomy 26:2-15 Verse 2 says to take “some” of the firstfruits.
Recommitment / Spiritual Progress
In the church I pastor, ReCOMMITMENT is something we do once a year in terms of church services, but it certainly shouldn’t be so in terms of our spiritual lives. The Bible is clear that the spiritual life is not one that can be lived on the basis of one commitment made many years in the past. Of course, the Bible teaches that once a person has come to faith in Jesus, that person will be forever in the grip of the saving grace of God regardless of future behavior.
Seven Minutes with God

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Thanks Rich for your comments. You are right that we should agree to disagree. In fact, people have been agreeing to disagree on this very topic for thousands of years. However, the biggest disagreements on this issue come from one side not truly understanding the other side, and from neither side truly understanding the middle road taken by the overall text of the Bible. Therefore, I need to clarify just a couple items from your comments so that we have greater clarity on both positions and greater clarity on the middle-road taken by the Scripture.

First of all, I AM willing to say that some people have no chance to come to God depending on how you define chance. If by chance you mean it is a hypothetical theoretical possibility, then I say that everyone has a chance to come to God because God has given free will to each creature. The Bible clearly indicates that everyone has a theoretical possibility of choosing God (Romans 1, John 8:31-32). If however, you mean by chance the reality of what is actually able to happen, then I say that no one has a chance because in fact sin has enslaved everyone. I am not alone in this. Both Jesus and Paul claim the same thing. (Romans 6, John 8:34-36).

Both Jesus and Paul also indicate that every human being has already rejected God, is in a present state of rebellion, and will never choose God unless God does a work to draw that person to himself (John 6:44, Romans 9:16-18, Ephesians 1:11-12). However, the Bible also indicates that humans have the responsibility to choose God (Ephesians 1:13, etc.).

I operate on one assumption and one assumption only, and it is this: if the Bible clearly teaches two concepts that appear on the surface to be contradictory, it is because I am unwilling or unable to see the relationship, but both must be true. In this case, I believe the Bible teaches two concepts of human responsibility and human inability. In response to that dilemma, the Bible clearly teaches that some are chosen and some believe.

My conclusion, along with Paul in Romans 9-11 and countless scholars through the centuries is that God chooses first, and we choose in response.

Finally, I do have the guts to say that some people will never get to heaven because they continue to reject God. I also have the guts to say that those same people would be able to accept God if God chose to work in their lives. I finally have the guts to say that if God chooses NOT to save someone, he has that right.

I don't believe any of this because it makes the most logical sense to me. I only believe what I believe because it is the only way I can see to reconcile the Biblical teaching on the subject. I'm committed to balancing the two notions of human responsibility and sinful inability because the Bible teaches both.

And therefore, I proclaim grace to any and all who will hear because grace through the death of Christ is the only thing that can save us (Ephesians 2:8-9).

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