Once a person becomes a Christian, he or she naturally wants to pass the faith onto as many others as possible. After Andrew met Christ, he then found his brother Simon Peter and told him the good news (John 1:40-42). That seems uncomplicated enough, but it is not always so. …
While reviewing some meditations on the cross by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I came across his summary that ‘Socrates overcame dying; Christ overcame death.’ It is one of those startling comments which force one to stop and think in order to capture the meaning. It also reminded me of a lecture that …
We are all prone to plead that we have been understood, but the apostle Paul
was in reality a man much misunderstood. The word ‘nuanced’ can be a weasel word,
but Paul did possess a nuanced mind. He could claim the right to be paid for his
labours as an …
We live as those who live not knowing what the next day will bring. We are also creatures of habit, and that works both ways. Once we have developed certain habits, be they good or bad, it is not altogether easy to break them. As we seek to meet together …
HOW TO DECEIVE WITHOUT REALLY LYING
Soon after falling into sin, Adam was confronted by the God whom he had offended: ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ (Gen.3:11) All good teachers ask questions when they …
PRESSING ON OR TREADING WATER?
There is still a strange eerie feeling about the community at the moment. It was present during the bushfires, and it is still here with the coronavirus. If normal life was all about parties, crowds, and living it up, then normality has yet to return. …
We expect life to be normal, by which we think of something resembling Utopia. However, we find it full of troubles, and it dislocates our thinking. Christians have an explanation for this: the world bears marks of its original goodness, but it is everywhere fallen, and groans for redemption (Rom.8:18-25). …
CHRISTIANS RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC
It seems that there is but one topic of conversation these days: COVID-19. If we are not suffering from the virus, we must be suffering from fatigue as a result of news about the virus. Nevertheless, it might be worthwhile for us to make some …
LIVING IN AN AGE OF ANXIETY
In 1965 E. R. Dodds wrote an historical work entitled Pagan and Christian in an Age of Anxiety where he dealt with the period between the Roman Emperors, Marcus Aurelius, who reigned from 161-180, and Constantine, who was victorious in Rome in 312 and …
THE CURSE OF PLAGUE; THE BLESSING OF FAITH
Dr Samuel Johnson is supposed to have written to a hopeful would-be author: ‘Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.’ One can sympathise with …
