by admin | Oct 18, 2014 | My Reasons and My Reason, Section Three
Late that summer before we began our senior years of high school, I asked B if she wanted to have sex for real. “I think you already know the answer to that,” she said. Actually, I didn’t. That’s why I asked. But I took her evasion for a negative answer. When I...
by admin | Oct 8, 2014 | Apostles and Prophets, Section Three
As I considered the relationship of Moses the prophet and Aaron the priest in Numbers 16 it occurred to me that my religion all but outlaws apostles and prophets. I even wrote that in the essay. But as I turned to Jesus’ response to the argument he walked down the...
by admin | Sep 25, 2014 | Numbers, Section Three, The Fear of the Lord
To Korah the Levite, the Reubenites Dathan, Abiram and On, and the 250 leaders of the community[1] who accused Moses and Aaron of exalting themselves above the community of the Lord,[2] Moses said (Numbers 16:16, 17 NET): You and all your company present yourselves...
by admin | Jul 25, 2014 | Condemnation or Judgment?, Section Three
To reveal my own position and velocity[1] it is probably past time that I at least outline my own religious background. And here, I’ll take the lazy way out. Matt Slick has done it for me in his “Doctrine Grid”[2] online. He acknowledged that “some of these are...
by admin | Jul 23, 2014 | Chapter 12, Do not lag in zeal, Love, Romans, Section Three
So, how can I view—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord[1]—as a definition of love (ἀγάπη) rather than as rules? Again, I’ve constructed the following table to help. The Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET) love (ἀγάπη) Therefore,...
by admin | Jun 26, 2014 | Section Three
Twice in the New Testament Jesus told us what to say when we pray: So pray this way[1] (οὕτως οὖν προσεύχεσθε ὑμεῖς; literally, “in this manner then pray you”) and When you pray, say[2] (ὅταν προσεύχησθε λέγετε). I compared them this morning thinking about the...
by admin | Jun 17, 2014 | My Reasons and My Reason, Section Three
My first dates were all about driving—driving and not killing us, and talking to a girl when I wasn’t driving (and while I was for that matter). Then I met A. I’ll call her A. Girlfriend has a meaning I don’t want to imply, more like wife, or concubine I suppose. (In...
by admin | Jun 10, 2014 | Condemnation or Judgment?, Section Three
The third assumption I found in Richard Wayne Garganta’s attempt to eliminate “hell talk” from the Bible was: 3) Punishment is not merely consequential but effectual in purging or purifying sin. I’ve selected a quote from “Bible Threatenings Explained”[1] that led me...
by admin | Jun 5, 2014 | Section Three
In another essay[1] I wrote, “This form of religious worship [idolatrous worship (including its drunken sexual practices)] was still practiced openly in Corinth.” But I failed to footnote it. Though the idea was new to my conservative upbringing,[2] I thought I was...
by admin | May 3, 2014 | Section Three, Torture
I don’t want to leave the impression that I am so perfected in love that I never fear punishment.[1] I’m a creature of habit. The possibility that God is punishing me for something is the first thing that comes to mind whenever it seems that things aren’t going my...