Genesis chapter four discusses Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve’s first sons. Cain means, “Acquired,” as Eve says, “With the LORD’s help I have acquired a male” (Gen. 4:1). Abel is derived from a word meaning, “Son.” Cain “worked the ground” and offered the Lord produce (Gen. 4:2-3). Abel offered firstborn animals (especially their fat…
Category: Theology
The Divine Plethora
Painting by Van Gough Jesus died and rose again. The entire Christian faith is comprehended in those few words. Easy to say but to know, to bow the soul without reserve before Reality…that is another matter. The Holy Spirit is gradually bringing our experience in line with Reality Himself. Scripture describes this as renewing the…
Scripture vs. Tradition
Scripture versus tradition…. Most of us have heard something of this debate, which goes like this: Does scripture or tradition hold higher authority for Christians? For some, scripture is the obvious answer. Jesus lambasted the Pharisees because tradition caused them to violate God’s word (Matt. 15:3). Paul also warned the Colossians about the “empty deceit…
What If a Vacuum Is the After-Effect of Dark Matter?–Cameron Fultz
What follows is a mind-bending post by my friend, Cameron Fultz; it blends scripture and quantum physics. Even if you don’t get physics, you’ll still get Christ in this post 🙂 Cameron is author of The Jesus Pictures and Spiritual Knowledge. Cameron has a deep desire to know Christ by revelation and to be transformed by the seeing…
Laying Down and Taking Up
Sketch by Patrick Murphy This is why the Father loves Me, because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it…
Resurrection Wounds
Recently, I mentioned I’m a fan of the Lord of the Rings books and movies. In the first book/movie, Frodo comes into possession of a magic ring. This ring is so powerful it controls all other magic rings in middle-earth. The ring’s original owner, Sauron, learns Frodo has the ring and sends a group of…
The Commonality of the Indwelling Christ–Mallory Patrick
The following is an excerpt from an essay by Mallory Patrick. Read the full essay here. Mallory is my sister-in-law and founder of Gathered Fragments Book Sanctuary. Gathered Fragments seeks to preserve books of all times and places that present Christ crucified. *** The Commonality of the Indwelling Christ The Need Any believer who hungers…
CS Lewis’s Triple Threat
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said…
The Biggest Small Word
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ….” (1 Peter 1:1) “Of” is a mighty word in scripture. It can show source–something that originates in something else and shares its nature, substance, reality. Ownership is another connotation. “Of” also suggests “from”; coming in another’s stead and on their authority. Such big ideas in such a little word!…
More Apostate than Apostle
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ….” (1 Peter 1:1). Over the years, I’ve concluded that “apostle” is a greatly abused term. For the most part, we’ve turned it into an honorific title. The office of apostle looms large in some movements, with prophet as a close second. Such movements seek to bring local congregations under…
The Voice of One 