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The Gospel of Jeffrey Dahmer

...r God’s grace.   Many Christians are aware of Paul’s words in Romans 3:23: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. I often see this quoted online as inspirational images and posters, or as a way to explain human failings, since no one can live up to what God requires of us through our own efforts. But when you apply this to a repentant murderer, suddenly it’s no longer valid? That’s not how grace works. Look at the surrounding context; Paul makes it abundantly clear that there are no exceptions — for falling short or being saved by grace: …the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For ther...

Lent: Day 6 - Ignatius to the Magnesians

...received grace”, which you can see is a statement echoing Paul’s sentiments throughout his letters to the churches – “you are not under law, but under grace” as he wrote in Romans 6:14 (and Rom 7:4,6; Gal 4:21 etc). This whole chapter is pretty much a short summary of Paul’s teaching on the Law and how we Christians are no longer bound by it; "You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace" (Gal 5:4), or as Ignatius phrases it, "it is absurd to profess Christ Jesus, and to Judaize" – the message is consistent, Christians are no longer under the Law of Moses, but “have come to the po...

Slavery in the Bible – Does God Condone Slavery?

...given as grace for those in slavery.We see at least two forms of slavery in the Bible and God gives guidelines, seemingly approving of one of those forms of slavery. We see the type of forced slavery that the Jews, God’s own people, were forced into (Exodus 1:13-14). The Lord delivered Israel from that slavery. So we know that this type of slavery certainly does not have God’s approval (Exodus 6:6). God would not need to “deliver” a people from something that is not sinful and wrong. So God gives guidelines on one from of slavery, seemingly approving of it to a certain extent, while condemning another form of slavery and delivering His people from it....

BOOK REVIEW: Four Views on Hell 2nd edition

...the ‘disgrace and everlasting contempt’ facing the resurrected wicked, noting that ‘contempt’ [deraon] occurs only here and in Isa 66: “The term evokes the same imagery in Daniel, suggesting that those resurrected to ‘contempt’ are awakened for judgment and punishment.” (Burk, 25) But that the wicked are viewed with contempt forever by the saved in no way means that these wicked have to be alive forever! Again, this amounts to creative eisegesis on Burk’s part, as Stackhouse accurately retorts: “This text says literally nothing about whether the damned are conscious forever to be ashamed of their contemptible reputations. Their reputati...

Melchizedek to Jesus: The Divine Thread of Bread and Wine

...ceive His grace. This transformative act of Jesus is highlighted further in John 6, where He delivers His Bread of Life discourse. Jesus declares, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51). He continues, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day” (John 6:54). These statements caused confusion and controversy among His listeners, yet they hint towards the spiritual reality of the Eucharist as a true participation in the body and blood of Christ and affirm t...

Lent Day 35: Ambrose of Milan: Concerning the Mysteries: 1-4

...ou by the grace of the sacraments After the deacons have said the above, the following words were then declared over the catechumens: “Epphatha, which is, Be opened” (Mark 7:34). Similar to what Cyril taught, the new converts renounced the devil by facing West, and then turning East towards Christ, as though face to face, they declared their acceptance of Him. The bishop gives a message or blessing to the convert, who is instructed to acknowledge him as though he were an angel of the Lord, and to not pay attention to his outward appearance as a man, but to respect the Office he holds as an authority. God’s presence in baptism “What did you see?”,...