Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Sheeple ... Raise Your Eyes!

I once asked the question regarding how people would classify themselves and received various responses. Many said they were a Christian, a few said they were American. I had one friend say emphatically, 'I am an American first!' (His rant continued) I was secretly hoping he would say he is a human.
People have different perspectives which is why we must necessarily create an atmosphere that fosters the furtherance of understanding, carefully and deeply considering others point of view, taking away that which adds to our understanding. It is the overabundance of ignorance which increases imbalance and unfairness, grinding to a near halt much needed growth, both personally and communally. I wonder why it is that the one thing which is constant, the one thing we can count on to always be, we fight so hard against. The very word ‘growth’ implies change yet change is the one thing we fight hardest against. I bet you have heard people say, as I have emphatically, ‘I’m not going to change.’ I would also bet, as I’m sure you would, that these same people would not say, ‘I’m not going to grow.’ It matters little if you consider yourself an American or a human we must necessarily aggressively pursue progress.
Money is behind all the bleating in the world today. The uninformed opinion bleats its opposition to progress, regurgitating the pablum they have been fed as if it is Gospel. Common people, I urge you to exercise your grey matter and become informed.... Approach the subject at hand with as few presuppositions as you are able, and make well informed decisions. Together, we can positively effect growth and development for our families, our communities our nation, our planet!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Inerrancy; Baseball is Drawing to a Close as The NFL Season gets Underway;

I offer this statement in the spirit of God’s humility and grace, leaving open the possibility for further discussion that may arise from time to time as we continue to grow in the knowledge of God’s character and nature. In the matter of inerrancy and infallibility one must necessarily have knowledge of the terms definitions as well as an understanding of the differences in application as they pertain to biblical text. Inerrancy and infallibility must necessarily be both defined and separated. Inerrancy is understood simply as being without error. Infallibility means not liable to mislead or deceive, also trustworthy in that it is incapable of error in defining doctrines touching faith or morals. The authority of biblical text is at the center of our faith. We, who profess faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, are called to a lifestyle of surrender and obedience to God, following Jesus by the power of the indwelling Spirit. Biblical text is not only a guide for defining our position as joint heirs with Jesus and a guide for behavior but also a revelation of the very character and nature of the Creator. The Spirit inspired the various authors but their personalities were neither overrode nor were their words chosen. This fact allows biblical text to be read with richer texture, color and greater depth. Allowing the human element into the text allows us to accept contradictions rather than try to explain them away. 1)'Manipulating biblical text in order to manufacture consistency or support the unbiblical doctrine of inerrancy only shows disrespect for both God and scripture.' In my opinion the understanding of biblical authority through the lens of infallibility as opposed to inerrancy is a sure foundation for any age.
The preceding comments come from the scholar in me, and the following come from the pastor. 2)'As the Spirit prospers our study we should trust and submit to all biblical teaching about Jesus, salvation, life and any other topic the text deals with. We should also constantly be working to fulfill our commitment to God as our grasp of biblical text grows. For us to live in Christ is more important than which words we use to explain biblical authority.'

It is 2:29CST and I am still rubbing my eyes in wonderment; The YANKEES have swept the RedSox ... yes, you read exactly what I typed, The NY YANKEES beat the RedSox like redheaded stepchildren over and over again. In fact, the YANKEES swept the series. The RedSox scored a run here and there but they didn't win a single game of this series. This has not happened for almost a quarter-century. The question I have been asked is are they peaking to early with just over fifty games remaining in the regular season. Peaking? Who said they are peaking. In my opinion they are merely beginning to build up a head of steam to take them to and through the playoffs to the World Series.

With the return of Osi Umenyiora, the intensity of the GIANTS D-Line has increased exponentially to unmeasurable limits. Manning is seeing and completing better than ever as long as he gets the ball from center. The regular season opener is 35 days away and this NY Football GIANTS fan has already stocked his fridge and cabinets with everything needed to enjoy each and every crack of the helmets and pads.

I'll save the 'On The Home Front' information 'til next time.

*Special thanks to 1)Kent Leslie and 2)Al Hearne for their ideas about the subject of inerrancy and infallibility.