How can we tell if someone is going to be toxic before they have had enough time to wreak lives? How can we prevent bad things happening, particularly in the church? We know that there are those who preach a strange God, or that we should accept this world as it is, and become part … Continue reading Boastful sterile apostates.
Spengler
Malthus, total war, the West.
There are many people banking on the goodwill of the USA, and the West. Even at war. Even in a war to the knife. That we will not do what it takes to win. Now, I am less sure. A New Zealand General ordered Monte Cassino to be flattened, regardless of culture. There were plenty … Continue reading Malthus, total war, the West.
A centurion, prison and Paul.
The consequences of Paul's commission to the gentiles are that he became a prisoner in Rome. And he knew it: if you refer to Acts he said that in every port he had prophets telling him that if he went to Jerusalem he would end up arrested, and then go to Rome. This was not … Continue reading A centurion, prison and Paul.
Faith is not appeasement.
A couple of days ago I slipped a line into a comment, that this blog deliberately finds the third rail in the lectionary and skips down the third (electrified) rail. If the passage makes my head hurt, it goes in. For our faith is simple, but as many have said, the simple is not easy. … Continue reading Faith is not appeasement.
Cripples who need to walk.
Jesus was not averse to either doing signs and wonders or provoking the pious. In this situation he did both. We have to be careful here -- because if and when the spirit moves and things happen often our usual assumptions get challenged along the way. Now Jesus annoyed the rulers by telling the man … Continue reading Cripples who need to walk.
Liberalism is dying. And that makes it dangerous.
I've been thinking about peak feminism and peak liberalism. Somewhat slowly: jetlag exists and resetting the body clock is harder when it is one degree... and you don't want to get out. Today the Herald talks about the Anglicans having marriage ceremonies for gay couples. This is the high point of liberalism. Homosexuality, like polyamory, … Continue reading Liberalism is dying. And that makes it dangerous.
The cult of death, or the tabernacle of life.
As I've been travelling I have been re reading Spengler, On Kindle. On my phone -- which is barely doable, I prefer a real book or a real Kindle. I've ended up buying books -- but he talks about when a society loses hope personal pleasure becomes the only thing that protects one from a … Continue reading The cult of death, or the tabernacle of life.
Common Grace.
This really is a series of notes and qutoes. Let's start with with Phil Johnson. The distinction between common grace and special grace closely parallels the distinction between the general call and the effectual call. Common grace is extended to everyone. It is God's goodness to humanity in general whereby God graciously restrains the full … Continue reading Common Grace.