God’s Gift to Total Scumbags
May 17, 2019
Tag: Christianity
Remembering the Body and Blood of Jesus
May 17, 2019
What did Jesus mean when he said, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life?” This video is a short explanation of the meaning and practice of the Lord’s Supper (or Holy Communion, or the Eucharist). For those who are unable to meet with other Christians at a church gathering, this video gives an opportunity to participate in the Lord’s Supper.
A Warning to Religious People
May 17, 2019
God’s Gift of Righteousness
April 26, 2019
Righteousness is a gift from God through Christ. Most Christians understand that forgiveness of sins and eternal life are a gift from God. But righteousness is also a gift to be received, not something that we can achieve by our own efforts to be good. It’s good to make an effort to be righteous, but true righteousness comes from what Jesus Christ did for us. And it is a gift we receive by faith.
Latest Video: “What is the Meaning of the Cross?”
March 30, 2019
The cross is a familiar Christian symbol. But what significance does it have? This video is a short description of the meaning of the cross.
Our Creator and Our Experiences
March 20, 2019
My basis for believing in a Creator is NOT based on subjective experiences. I believe in a Creator because it is the only logical conclusion I can come to based on the complex creation I see around me. It is not logical for me to believe that all the complex systems needed for life could come together without an intelligent being.
But who is this Being? That is a harder question to answer. I have come to the conclusion that the God of the Bible is the Creator. I made a video about the reasons I believe the Bible. Here is the link if you are interested:
https://youtu.be/P3adVK7qO3w “My Unscientific Reasons for Believing the Bible”
Now, regarding experiences: I don’t think our experiences with God necessarily confirm that our beliefs about God are all correct. It is possible and probable that I don’t have all the right ideas about God. But I don’t think God waits until all of our ideas are correct before he interacts with us. Who could he have a relationship with if he waited for us to have a perfect image of him? All humans are (in some ways) feeling around in the dark when it comes to truth. Some people have more truth than others. I truly believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world, and the only hope for humanity. But I have Muslim friends who seem to have a lot more truth than some Christians I know. Our ability to receive truth has less to do with our religion, and more to do with our openness to receive from God.
When I say that I can’t deny God because of my experiences, I’m not talking about my foundational belief in a Creator (which is acquired by simple reasoning). I am talking about 20 years of daily having my life touched in a variety of ways. I’m touched by the words of the Bible, I’m constantly enamored with the perfection of God’s plan of salvation. And though subjective, I’ve had hundreds of experiences of God’s presence. I’ve seen many people instantly healed of things. I’ve seen a broken bone healed in 30 seconds. I am daily talking with God and being in relationship with him. All of these experiences COULD be explained away. Group thinking and our imagination are powerful forces indeed. But if I dismiss all these experiences as group thinking or imagination, and I start from scratch trying to understand the universe, I still have to explain my existence. The only worldview that makes any sense to me is the one I have. I don’t have all the answers. I can’t explain why God seems to be deeply involved in my life while people in Yemen are in dire straits. But I can’t get around the fact of God’s existence. And I can’t come up with a better plan to fix the world than the one that the Bible describes.
Send Hell Straight to Hell
March 16, 2019
Quick Commentary on Sin
March 8, 2019
The seduction of sin is very powerful. It is very easy to be enticed, which is why the world is so messed up. But the beauty of God’s plan to save us is that it doesn’t require us to be powerful enough to overcome the sin. He was powerful for us. God did what was necessary to save the weakest scumbag in existence.
Latest Video: “Why Do We Die?”
March 1, 2019
How to Stop Judging People
February 19, 2019
The reason it is so easy to judge people is because people are frequently doing things that are worthy of judgment. But you can stop judging if you take God’s perspective. God respects, honors, and enjoys people without regarding their bad actions. God didn’t excuse bad behavior, he put it to death on the cross. God considered Christ’s death on the cross the death of corrupt humanity. 2 Corinthians 5:16 says, “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.” You don’t need to judge anyone by what you see from a worldly point of view. Why? Because “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. All things have been made new” (verse 17). We can give people perfect respect and honor because what remains of that old corrupted creation will be gone soon, and the new creation- perfect in beauty and glory- will be here for eternity.