For the last couple of days, we’ve had a healthy, though difficult, discussion about whether forgiveness is meant to be conditional or unconditional. Not surprisingly, along the way, we’ve agreed and disagreed. There are good reasons for the push and pull of our conversation. Sometimes the Bible, itself, calls for forgiveness based on a change […]
The longest Psalm in the Bible has 176 verses. Over and over, and in so many ways, this song celebrates the words, principles, and laws of God. Interestingly, 119 is a lot like Psalm 1 and 19, but much longer. The first two verses of Psalm 119 give a taste of the sustained, repetitive praise […]
A few months ago I did a couple of posts on whether the implications we see in the Bible are: (1) necessary, (2) probable, (3) possible, (4) improbable or, (5) impossible implications. I mentioned that I learned this from Haddon Robinson who, from his years of experience as a pastor, seminary professor, and mentor to […]
Some of us tend to think in terms of black-and-white, clear-cut categories. To us, a statement or a conclusion is either true or false. Others are more likely to see how the same statement might be either true or false depending on the circumstances. Some of us work from a truth model which might say, […]
I appreciate so much all who have weighed in on my “Pastors and Counselors” post. It’s apparent that this is an issue that touches deep nerves of emotional pain and spiritual conviction. Since my last comment, I’ve gone back and found something that I wrote ten years ago. If you are inclined, and have time […]
In the past, some have reasoned that to have a Bible that is completely reliable, we need more than perfect original manuscripts. Such persons have insisted that divine preservation must extend to every word of our Bibles. They’ve said that if we allow for any error of transmission or translation, the Scriptures cease to be […]
Wasn’t able to post something on arrival last night in Jerusalem, but did get a picture of a new section of “the holy city,” at night, out of my hotel window. The 10 hour flight from Newark to Tel Aviv was long but uneventful (except that the plane’s video system wasn’t working :-). Even caught […]
Years ago, I read that there are 31,173 verses in the Bible, and that the median verse, the verse at the absolute center of the Bible, is Psalm 118:8. The same source went on to say that “from the very middle of the Scripture we are reminded that, “It is better to trust in the […]
Over time we all come across ideas that change the way we think about ourselves and one another. For me, one of those thoughts is closely connected with 12 Step programs and the Church that we’ve been thinking about together in my last couple of posts. It’s also one of those perspectives that I think […]
I heard it 40 years ago. I was taking what seemed to be a fairly uninspiring course on the historical geography of the Bible. At the time I didn’t realize that the professor was teaching his last class. His health failed mid semester and he didn’t return to teaching. Even though my memory is a […]
