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Lent Day 19: Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church: 10-18

...brotherly love”. Using 1 Cor 13 to back up his point, Cyprian goes on to say that though they may die or do works, to do it without love and unity of the Church, it is nothing; to not remain in the unified brotherly love of the Church Body is to go against what John wrote in 1 John 4:7-8;12 too. “For both to prophesy and to cast out devils, and to do great acts upon the earth is certainly a sublime and an admirable thing” – but these things do not guarantee the Kingdom to you, as Jesus made clear in Matthew 7:21-23, “unless he walks in the observance of the right and just way” of Christ and the Church, as outlined by Jesus in Mark 12:29-31, which te...

26 Differences Between Muhammad and Jesus

...said God loves everyone, and he came to lay down his life for the world. (John 3:16; 10:11; 16:27; 1 John 3:16; 4:7–8) Muhammad said, “I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah” (Muslim 1:33)  ? Jesus said, “He who lives by the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) and, “But I say to you: Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also” (Matthew 5:9) Muhammad stoned women for adultery. (Muslim 4206) ? Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” (John 8:7 [for t...

7 things the Lord hates (spoiler: questioning doctrine isn't one of them)

...you have love for one another, "everyone will know that you are my disciples" (Matt 7:16; Jn 13:35). There are ways to discuss and correct people who have wronged you (cf. Matt 18:15; Galatians 6:1), or who you think are saying/teaching the wrong things (cf. Acts 18:26), or times to just listen and wait (cf. James 1:19-20; Proverbs 18:13). "Jars of Clay: Cracked!" by nakedpastor David Hayward   The Kingdom of God is counter-culture. That means the ethics and morals often go against what secular culture says and approves of. Just look at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Everything Jesus says to do it pract...

Christians and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

...urther, beloved brethren, what is it, what a great thing is it, how pertinent, how necessary, that pestilence and plague which seems horrible and deadly, searches out the righteousness of each one, and examines the minds of the human race, to see whether they who are in health tend the sick… Around the year 260 AD, Dionysius the Great (Patriarch of Alexandria), wrote in one of his letters about this plague, describing how badly “the heathens” treated their sick in contrast to the Christians: But among the heathen all was the very reverse. For they thrust aside any who began to be sick, and kept aloof even from their dearest friends, and cast the sufferer...

Rob Bell's “love Wins” (Review)

...another, love wins. Whatever your thoughts or opinions on Rob Bell, whatever your beliefs about heaven, hell and everything in between, I highly recommend this book. Go in without an agenda – read it with an open mind and a willingness to learn and let the Spirit guide you. You may not come out agreeing with everything written, but if you at least question and think about your views on hell and who goes there and, more importantly, why you think that – then I believe this book has served purpose. Five stars – Well-written, easy to read and a thought-provoking book that everyone who takes Jesus' Gospel seriously should read at least once, even if they th...

The Historic Practice of Abortion and How Ancient Christians Responded

...abortion, love and charity Abortion is nothing new though, but the worldview that all life is precious was quite revolutionary in the ancient world. Christianity took this idea and really ran with it more than any other social or religious group of its time. Romans, and others, were often happy to look after their own… and by “their own”, I mean those in the same upper-class social groups who could repay the favour, as “charity” was to increase your own reputation and make people beholden to you. The poor and lower classes were seen as basically worthless and expendable since they could never repay any acts of charity. This led to the common practic...