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Why do bad things happen to 'good' people?

...rpret the Old Testament through the 'lens' of Jesus and what he represents, says and does, we must conclude that Job's experience or story principle isn't the norm in light of Jesus' response in Luke 13. It may not always seem like God cares or is with you, but often when you are in a tough situation it's hard to see beyond it as it can become all-consuming and blinds us to his involvement. This is when we really need to put our trust in God to lead us and comfort us, as we often forget, God is outside of the situation and can see much farther ahead than we can. He can see where we're going and knows where he's taking us - even if we can't see it at the time,...

What are the Seraphim, and was the devil one of them?

...Have you ever wondered about what the devil is — or was, pre-Fall? You’ve probably been tOld that he used to be an angel with God, so then why is he often described as a snake, serpent or dragon? Though there isn’t a great deal given away in Scripture as to the nature of angels, or the heavenly realms in general, we get some glimpses from the visions of the prophets. But what we can also look at is the words which the Bible uses; some of which aren’t translated and so lose their original meaning in English. The Seraphim The word “seraphim” is a transliteration of a Hebrew word, rather than a translation, so in English we often will miss the me...

Did the Early Church invent the Trinity?

...The doctrine and concept of the Trinity is encapsulated in Matthew 28:19, where Jesus instructs the apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. John, who was very close to Jesus and obviously knew him well, alludes to this teaching frequently in his Gospel, too. For example: John 1:1; John 8:58; John 10:30; and John 10:38. Yet, despite this, and numerous other examples throughout the New Testament which point towards the threefOld nature of God, plenty of myths and legends abound online and in books which state that the divinity of Jesus (and therefore the Trinit...

Palm Sunday and the End Times

...ghout the Old Testament to signify the sovereign judgement of God coming upon a nation. If you want to understand more about this concept, see my other article: The Coming of Jesus: Coming on the clouds. When Jesus says that he is coming again, hinted at in the parable, and at other times that he will come “on the clouds”, we must remember that this is a reference to a prophecy set within a context of God doing some judging (Dan 7:10). This language isn’t unique to Daniel either, but is a typical example of apocalyptic imagery used by prophets. He then returned “in the clouds” in the Roman-Jewish War of AD 66-70 to bring that judgement on the “dele...

From Dust to Redemption: The Meaning of Ash Wednesday

...Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance, fasting, and preparation for Easter in the Christian calendar. It is observed by many Western Christian traditions, including the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Lutheran churches, and some Methodist and Reformed communities. The day falls 46 days before Easter Sunday and is always on a Wednesday. Origins and Historical Development The practice of Ash Wednesday can be traced back to the early centuries of Christianity, though its formal observance developed over time. The use of ashes as a sign of repentance has deep biblical roots, appearing frequently in the Old Testament. People w...

Lent: Day 2 - Mathetes to Diognetus, pt. 1

...from the Old Testament. Maybe superstition meant something else back then than it does today? This reading then finishes with a description of how Christians live and intermingle with society, yet are distinct from the world around them. I found this challenging and wondered if the description still applies to what we see today in the Church? [The Christians] display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of the...