I don't necessarily find it surprising that my Facebook feed is flooded with "Christian" postings. Facebook offers everyone their very own soapbox upon which to stand and shout to the masses and spiritual beliefs are among the most deeply rooted beliefs that people hold. Given that--and given also that many of my Facebook friends ascribe to the ( Read more... )

When I was young, we had a Labrador named Sampson. For any of you who haven't had the pleasure of owning a Labrador: they are one of the most loyal, good-natured, and loving breeds of dogs. They love to play just as much as they love to sleep at your feet and while they make excellent hunting dogs if trained to be, to describe them as intelligent ( Read more... )

I spoke in a previous entry about the Greek term aiōnios--translated in most English bibles as "eternal" or "everlasting"--and how it is more properly understood as being a very long period of time with an unknown duration. Moving along from that, I would like to delve into the actual English term "eternal" and how a proper understanding of that ( Read more... )

{{ This entry is a continuation of a series on Heaven and Hell. You can read the previous entries here: [ Preface] [ Part 1] [ Part 2] [ Part 3] [ Part 4] [ Part 5] [ Part 6] [ Part 7] [ Part 8In the 25th chapter of Matthew's gospel, Jesus tells of a time when he will separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep represent those who display Christ's love ( Read more... )

{{ This entry is a continuation of a series on Heaven and Hell. You can read the previous entries here: [ Preface] [ Part 1] [ Part 2] [ Part 3] [ Part 4] [ Part 5] [ Part 6] [ Part 7Most children--at some point in their lives--are annoyed enough at the perceived injustices perpetrated upon them by their parents that they leave the dinner table, storm to ( Read more... )

{{ This entry is a continuation of a series on Heaven and Hell. You can read the previous entries here: [ Preface] [ Part 1] [ Part 2] [ Part 3] [ Part 4] [ Part 5] [ Part 6As far as I can find, there is no mention in the New Testament of the widely held Christian belief that one's fate is sealed the moment one dies. I suppose that certain passages could ( Read more... )

{{ This entry is a continuation of a series on Heaven and Hell. You can read the previous entries here: [ Preface] [ Part 1] [ Part 2] [ Part 3] [ Part 4] [ Part 5] }}

Evil is not a thing in itself. Rather, it is the deprivation of a good thing.[1]This can best be understood when thinking of darkness and light. Light is a very real thing. Taken in ( Read more... )

{{ This entry is a continuation of a series on Heaven and Hell. You can read the previous entries here: [ Preface] [ Part 1] [ Part 2] [ Part 3] [ Part 4] }}

In Matthew's account of the gospel, Jesus is approached by a man who asks him point blankly, "What must I do to get eternal life?"[1] For many modern-day Christians, this question is the question ( Read more... )

{{ This entry is a continuation of a series on Heaven and Hell. You can read the previous entries here: [ Preface] [ Part 1] [ Part 2] [ Part 3Key to an understanding of Jesus' teaching on the Heaven and Hell is a knowledge of the context of his teachings. The Scriptures were not written in a vacuum. Although they transcend time and have a unique ( Read more... )

{{ This entry is a continuation of a series on Heaven and Hell. You can read the previous entries here: [ Preface] [ Part 1] [ Part 2When I was young, my father had a pretty lucrative side-business of lawn maintenance. He would take me along with him to assist him and my first job usually entailed scouting the grounds for trash and thick sticks which ( Read more... )