“The scapegoat is the innocent party who polarizes a universal hatred, which is precisely the complaint of Job” (Girard, Job: The Victim of His People, pp. 4-5).
Evolution as the Devolution of Gratitude
Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord! Make a joyful noise to God, all nations; Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him overflowing with music. Know that He is God; He is the one who fashioned us; We did not evolve by ourselves, We did not climb to …
Be Careful
One time there was a man who did not like the legalistic and fussy way many Christians approached their lives. They always had scruples about everything. There was always a problem with something. And although he had a point, I am afraid he over-reacted, and he began to do things just to get a reaction …
The Context of the Institution
We know that the Lord Jesus is the one who established this meal, but when did He do so. He did this in the general context of the Passover meal, but there is also a distinction made. Luke tells us that He presented the cup of the new testament “after supper” (Luke 22:20). But He …
The One and the Many
In this space I have often referred to the various controversies that blew up over the last three or four years. The controversies, in alpabetical order, were: baptism, boarders, elder qualifications, federal vision, new perspective on Paul, perjury allegations, plagiarism allegations, postmodernism, satiric bite, slavery, tax apportionment and assessment, and of course last, zoning. I …
Moleskins at SkyCow
If you are close to a writer, here is a great gift idea for commonplaces. I keep one of these in my briefcase, and when I run across an odd phrase that makes me think of another odd phrase, or an odd phrase just pops into my head, I make a point of writing it …
Love for Aslan
One of the great things about the Narnia stories is their very personal nature. That is, all through the books, the person of Aslan ties everything together. Not only is he the object of the loyalty and love of all true Narnians, it is a personal dislike of him that characterizes those who are bad. …
Please Build This House
Father and gracious God, we thank You for all the Lord’s Days you have given to us, and we thank You for this opportunity of Sabbath rest. We are grateful that this commandment was made for us, and that we were not made for it. We are so grateful for the opportunity to build the …
Aesthetic Vulnerability
“We must risk being taken in, if we are to get anything. The best safeguard against bad literature is a full experience of good; just as a real and affectionate acquaintance with honest people gives a better protection against rogues than a habitual distrust of everyone” (C.S. Lewis, An Experiment in Criticism, p. 94).
The Root Supports the Branch
“But the Reformers saw that some such distinction [between visible and invisible Church] was necessary. Without it, men fall readily into the trap of thinking that all that is necessary for salvation is to be in good standing with the visible Church. And because that is something they can readily arrange, they think that all …