INTRODUCTION: As we work out way through the book of Amos, we have to remember the two great themes—the violence of oppressive cruelty and the abandonment of right worship. The prophet Amos requires us to reject all those who embrace either sin. These are the two great themes of this prophet of God. THE TEXT: …
Always Learning, Never Getting It
The word hamartano is used once in 1 Timothy, when Paul warns that Timothy is not to permit an accusation except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who are found to have sinned need to be rebuked publicly so that the others might fear (1 Tim. 5:20). Hamartia comes up three times …
Colonies of Heavean
INTRODUCTION: On Ascension Sunday, we mark the glorious coronation of the Lord Jesus. After His resurrection, He established to His disciples that He was in fact alive forever, and then He ascended into the heavens. When He did this, He was received by the Ancient of Days, and was given universal authority over all the …
Compassion Radar in the Private Sector
One other comment is necessary on my interaction with Jim Wallis a few posts ago. He said that the abortion debate had grown “stale,” and that we ought to concentrate on reducing abortions instead of outlawing abortion. As I was thinking about it, this question occurred to me — “where has he been?” He speaks …
Go Get Your Own Parable, Hayek
This is kind of an odd talk-around way way to do it, but here is a bit more on our discussion of Third World debts and N.T. Wright’s book Surprised by Hope. To sum up my take, Wright wrote a glorious book that had a small atrocious section on global economics. I interacted with that …
The Roar of God: Amos I
INTRODUCTION: As God gives us the grace, we will now begin to work our way through the prophecy of Amos. Apart from what is revealed in his writing here, we know nothing about the man. Among the minor prophets, he occupies the vanguard in this period of Israel’s history, even though he is placed third …
Enough Troubles
Hamartano is used a number of times in 1 Corinthians, but hamartia doesn’t come up until chapter 15. Paul first tells believers to flee from fornication because every other sin is outside the body, while sexual sin is a sin against one’s own body (6:18). But to marry is not to commit a sin (v. …
Badly Informed Clerics
Now that I have finished Surprised by Hope, let me reiterate that it is an outstanding book, and just what the doctor ordered for all my conservative friends who are standing in the pond of dualism, up to their chins. But I should also say that I agree completely with the questions/concerns raised in the …
Heavier Than Wet Sand
INTRODUCTION: In this series, we are considering the temptations presented to us by desire, envy, competition, and ambition. Last week we looked at desire—the quarry from which many sins are hewn—and is a word which, thankfully for the writers of rock ballads, rhymes with fire. We now turn to the thing that our spirits’ desires …
Brad and Nicole
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen. At the beginning of the history of our race, the Lord gave us dominion over all the creatures. He told us that they were our responsibility, and this cultural mandate has never been revoked. Not only has it not been revoked, but in the …