Context, back-story and knowing God

Posted on November 19, 2012 Written by Mitchell Hailstone Leave a Comment

A hip hop lyric illustrates the need for context in relationships. This is as true of our relationship with God as it is in human relationships.

N. T. Wright on Intellectual Totalitarianism

“The intellectual coup d’état by which the Enlightenment convinced so many that ‘we now know that dead people don’t rise,’ as though this was a modern discovery rather than simply the reaffirmation of what Homer and Aeschylus had taken for granted, goes hand in hand with the Enlightenment’s other proposals, not least that we have […]

Character, darkness and secrets revealed

Character is doing the right thing even when no-one is looking, yet God always sees and eventually the truth will win out. Stay the course and victory is assured.

On eloquence (or lack thereof) in prayer

I must confess that I am sometimes intimidated about praying in a church gathering such as a prayer meeting or small group. My brain is not wired to call up Old Testament images about restoring what the locusts have eaten or calling down mighty angels. These references make those adept at praying sound so . . . so . . . spiritual and powerful.

A Christmas Reflection

So while we enjoy the gifts that we give and receive this Christmas, let us be continually mindful of the greater gift that lends his name to this holiday. Without him, all our celebration this season would be nothing more than whistling in the dark.

Why call your religion Christian if you don’t want to obey Christ?

Several church groups this summer have either abandoned traditional marriage or are considering doing so. My question is why call your religion Christian if you do not wish to obey Christ?

On division in the church

The point I take from these verses is that we need to exercise caution when deciding to make ourselves distinct from the churches around us. If we are to be distinct, it is to be in our commitment to preaching and living out the gospel, a distinction that we should be happy to observe in the other churches around us. Any other distinction brings division rather than unity.