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An Examination of Conditional Immortality (Part One)

...he way of salvation and following God is always presented as a choice between life and death; eternal life with God, or destruction and perishing. Both of these consequences for our choices are eternal as well, but it’s the how of it which is the key factor here. In the first verse below which renders the Greek as “hell”, I’ll put in brackets the underlying word for clarity, which you can contrast with the previous section where I discussed these words. This Matthew passage is especially important in this discussion as it is where Jesus makes a strong point that what humans can do to one another (ie. kill the physical part), God can do to the spiritual...

Did Herod’s Massacre Of The Innocents Historically Happen?

...story of salvation itself, remembered because they were first endured. Epiphany reminds us that Christ is revealed not only in gold, incense, and myrrh, but in fear, sorrow, and unrecorded suffering. The light shines, and the darkness resists — but the light is not overcome (John 1:5). Read in its historical and demographic context, the account in Matthew fits what we know of Herod’s character, the scale of rural life in Judea, and the way traumatic events were remembered locally. It is historically possible, and internally coherent, as a record of what was passed on by those who lived close to the events. History may forget the children of Bethlehem....

The Temptations of Jesus: Pride

...k out our salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)!...

From Paradise to Presents: The Christian Story Behind the Christmas Tree

...story of salvation from the Fall to the Redemption. In a later tradition the wafers were replaced by cookies of various shapes, and candles, symbolic of Jesus as the light of the world, were often added to the trees. Pre-Christian Traditions and the Evergreen Evergreens have long been associated with life and resilience in the darkest days of winter. In pre-Christian European traditions, evergreen boughs were used during festivals like the Roman Saturnalia and the Germanic Yule. These practices celebrated the endurance of life through the cold and darkness, offering hope of the spring to come. While these customs were not inherently Christian, they provided a...

The Mystery Of Epiphany And The Star Of Bethlehem

...eace, and salvation to all who follow Him. Whether we gaze at the stars or reflect on the scriptures, may we be drawn to worship the King of Kings, born in humility yet reigning in glory. This is the message of Epiphany: the Light has come, and the nations are drawn to its splendour. Further Reading Conjunctions, the Star of Bethlehem and Astronomy| National Catholic Register The Star of Bethlehem — Imprimis Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, 21 December 2020 | BBC Sky at Night Magazine Star of Bethlehem — Wikipedia Epiphany (holiday) — Wikipedia Great conjunction — Wikipedia  ...