Gospel Living

Getting a bit dated now but still good: (from Sacred Sandwich )

Read Part 1 here . Third, we need to point out the dangers to them. This also falls under the purview of love, and we must couch it in these kinds of terms.  We do not prove the hope that is within us by showing the negatives of another view; however, by shining truth upon the presuppositions and inconsistencies of particular viewpoints, we give the person pause to reconsider his position. Remember that the common denominator among all lost souls is that they have fallen short of the truths and glory of God.  The religious elite sometimes do so by replacing God’s truth with statements that sound spiritual (might we also say, sound "Christian?") while rejecting God’s message. For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'   — Luke 7:33–34 Others question whether ...

I was asked to speak on a subject that I am still in the midst of understanding: relativism. More to the point, I was asked to speak on "dealing with relativism." Oh, boy. Hopefully, it is helpful! ______________________________________ When I was a young man learning about my new faith, I was still learning about life in general. I was greatly disturbed by one phrase used by the adults around me: “The world is not black and white.” What did this mean? Are there no transcendent moral judgments, no absolute truths, or no way of determining whether something is right or wrong? It seemed like a satanic statement, not wise advice. As I’ve grown older, I’ve developed an appreciation for what my elders were trying to convey. They were not (at least, not those of close relation to me) saying anything like what I thought. The simple truth of life is that things are rarely what they appear, and it is foolish to hasten toward decisions on situational questions. A proverb tha...