Peter Goeman: Was Jesus Jewish? Does it Matter?

Justin Peters and Jason Lisle Discuss the Evidence of a Young Universe

Book Review: The Many Faces of Evil by John S. Feinberg

There are many in the world that wonder about why is there evil in it if we have a good God. The problem of evil has become a stumbling block for many to accept the claims of Christianity. There are some Christians that cannot grasp the concept of evil. Most of it is not their fault. There are a lot of churches that are unequipped to tackle this issue. 

John S. Feinberg's book, The Many of Faces of Evil, addresses the theological and practical issue of evil in the world as well as the theological systems on the subject. The book is very academic and might be a tough read for some, but it is worth to have on your shelf or your e-reader as a tool to help yourself and others in understanding the problem of evil.

After giving an introduction to the book, Feinberg addresses the logical problem of evil by looking at it from different viewpoints. He addresses how theonomy looks at the problem of evil along with the free will defense, and how God view natural and moral evil.

Next, Feinberg the evidence regarding the problem of evil. A lot of people have an issue with why God has not removed evil from the world. It's not because God is a wimp, but He does use evil, not as the author of it, to accomplish His will. We may not understand it, but it does happen. If there evil in the world, that means there must be some ultimate good in it as well. Feinberg goes on to address the doctrine of hell and the religious problem of evil along how suffering is in the world.

As I mentioned earlier, this book is very academic and can be a tough read. This book is worth your time whether you read as in one setting or in bits and pieces from time to time. Theologians and pastors should have this book in their library.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

The John 1 Trinity Debate: James White vs. Dale Tuggy

This debate features James White and Dale Tuggy discussing if John 1 is a trinitarian passage:

From Do Theology: The Difference Between Christians and Mormons

Voddie Baucham: Contending for the Faith

A Lecture on Justification from David de Bruyn

This video features David de Bruyn addressing the doctrine of justification by faith alone at St. John Viennay Seminary, which is a Roman Catholic seminary, followed by a Q&A session. 

Why Are Christians Supporting Unbiblical Positions?

Megan Basham, Alisa Childers, and Natasha Crain join the Cross-Examined, hosted by Frank Turek, podcast addressing why Christians and Church leaders support ideas and positions that go against the Bible.

Dear Charismatics, Is Christ Enough?

The following is from Matter of Theology:

To my Charismatic friends, if Christ were all you received—no tongues, no miracles, no manifestations—would He still be enough for you?

That question lies at the heart of this article, and it’s one that the modern charismatic movement must confront with sober judgment. In many circles today, Christianity is no longer centered on the glory of Christ and the wonder of salvation through Him, but on the pursuit of experiences: the spectacular, the supernatural, the emotionally overwhelming. But is that the faith once for all delivered to the saints? Is that what the apostles died to proclaim?

Or are we quietly saying with our practices: Christ is not enough.

Read the entire post here.

What is Contemplative Prayer?

The following is a post from Got Questions:

It is important to first define “contemplative prayer.” Contemplative prayer is not just “contemplating while you pray.” The Bible instructs us to pray with our minds (1 Corinthians 14:15), so, clearly, prayer does involve contemplation. However, praying with your mind is not what “contemplative prayer” has come to mean. Contemplative prayer has slowly increased in practice and popularity along with the rise of the emerging church movement—a movement which embraces many unscriptural ideas and practices. Contemplative prayer is one such practice.

Contemplative prayer begins with “centering prayer,” a meditative practice where the practitioner focuses on a word and repeats that word over and over for the duration of the exercise. The purpose is to clear one’s mind of outside concerns so that God’s voice may be more easily heard. After the centering prayer, the practitioner is to sit still, listen for direct guidance from God, and feel His presence.

Although this might sound like an innocent exercise, this type of prayer has no scriptural support whatsoever. In fact, it is just the opposite of how prayer is defined in the Bible. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6). “In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:23-24). These verses and others clearly portray prayer as being comprehendible communication with God, not an esoteric, mystical meditation.

Contemplative prayer, by design, focuses on having a mystical experience with God. Mysticism, however, is purely subjective, and does not rely upon truth or fact. Yet the Word of God has been given to us for the very purpose of basing our faith, and our lives, on Truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17). What we know about God is based on fact; trusting in experiential knowledge over the biblical record takes a person outside of the standard that is the Bible.

Contemplative prayer is no different than the meditative exercises used in Eastern religions and New Age cults. Its most vocal supporters embrace an open spirituality among adherents from all religions, promoting the idea that salvation is gained by many paths, even though Christ Himself stated that salvation comes only through Him (John 14:6). Contemplative prayer, as practiced in the modern prayer movement, is in opposition to biblical Christianity and should definitely be avoided.

Costi Hinn and Ken Ham Discuss Abortion

Ken Ham on What God was Doing Before Creation

MacArthur on the Origin of Evil

Philosophers struggle to explain the origin of evil. One thing is certain: God is not its author, creator, or efficient cause. Everything He created was good. Evil was no part of His creation. Who then created evil? No one. Evil is neither substance, being, spirit, nor matter. It is not a created thing. It is simply a want of moral perfection in moral agents who were originally created sinless. Evil has no existence apart from fallen creatures.

God, although absolutely sovereign over all things, is not the author or instigator of sin. He did not concoct sin, encourage it, sanction it, condone it, approve it, or otherwise countenance it. But He created moral agents with a capacity to make moral choices, and they fell (in Calvin’s words) by their own evil intention.

Although sin is no part of creation, neither is it something that sneaked in and caught God by surprise. Sin was not something that thwarted the plan of God; rather, it was part of God’s plan from the beginning. He had a good purpose in allowing it, but still He was neither the instigator nor the author of His creatures’ evil deeds. Rather, He made them moral agents and gave them freedom to act, and they fell into sin by their own choice.

Evolution offers no explanation for the human dilemma, much less any solution to it. Why is human existence fraught with so many moral and spiritual problems? Evolution will never be able to answer that question. In fact, pure naturalistic evolution cannot account for anything that is moral or spiritual.

Scripture says we were made in the image of God but are fallen creatures, born with an inclination to sin. We inherited our sinfulness from Adam. When he sinned, he plunged the whole race into a helplessly fallen state of bondage to evil. That, in a nutshell, is the doctrine known as “original sin.”

Evidence of the sinfulness of our race is all around us. It is published in the daily newspapers, it is shown to us on the evening news, and it is writ large in human history. No one in all our acquaintance is sin-free. Most of all, if we’re honest with ourselves, some of the most persuasive proofs of our hopeless depravity are presented to us by our own consciences.

Adapted from The Battle for the Beginning: The Bible on Creation and the Fall of Adam by John MacArthur

Book Review: A Biblical Theology of Climate Change by Virgil Walker and Darrell B Harrison

Climate change is one of the hottest issues in the world today. It is being discussed in the classroom, the office, our homes, and even in our churches. There is no escape from this topic. Seems like everything going on in the world is blamed on climate change as if it was the scapegoat of the 21st century.

How are Christians supposed to engage the culture regarding this issue? What does the church need to know to think biblically on climate change? Virgil Walker and Darrell Harrison have written a book to help Christians grasp a biblical worldview on climate change titled, A Biblical Theology of Climate Change.

This book begins with an understanding of what climate change is all about. Walker and Harrison dive into exposing climate change not just a worldview but as a religion for many. They also teach on being good stewards in caring for creation. Christians are not called to worship creation, which includes the planet Earth, but to care for all of creation.

Walker and Harrison dive into some historical theology and see what men in the history of the church have said regarding creation. They also address how Christians need to reclaim a biblical view regarding science. Many times, Christians look at science as anti-God. Yes, men have used sciences to discredit God, but if we look at science biblically, we can see it as a means of common grace to see it as a way of identifying God's work in creation.

Walker and Harrison look at the pagan influences into climate change and how Christians can respond. What our authors challenge their readers is for Christians to return to a biblical worldview regarding creation and reject all of these pagan influences because they are no benefit including the worship of mother earth.

 

Walker and Harrison explore what is called Net Zero. To be honest, I never heard of term but have heard the concept behind it. Net Zero is "the idea of human activity must balance all carbon emissions, effectively eliminating any carbon footprint, by offsetting emissions through various means, such as carbon capture technologies, renewable energy, and reforestation." As our authors say, this does sound like a noble task, but when you really dig down deep into this discussion. it is another attempt by sinful man to play God and use technology and political power in attempt to control the climate of the world. 

There is so much to unpack in this book that my little review will not do it justice. This book comes with discussion guides for individual and group studies. There is even a guide for family devotions and homeschool studies. This issue is not going away anytime soon, and Christians need to be aware and equipped on how to engage our culture biblically.

I highly recommend every pastor, elder, deacon, Sunday School teacher, student, layman, and yes, parent, to get this book and read it. It is not lengthy, but it does contain a lot of information you need to know.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review.

Christianity Begins with God

Christianity has a different set of presuppositions. It begins with a God who is there, who is the infinite-personal God, who has made man in his image. He has made man to be the verbalizer in the area of propositions in his horizontal communication to other men. Even secular anthropologists say that, somehow or other, they do not know why, man is the verbalizer. You have something different in man. The Bible says, and the Christian position says, “I can tell you why: God is a personal-infinite god.” There has always been communication, before the creation of all else, in the Trinity. And God has made man in his own image, and part of making man in his own image is that man is the verbalizer. That stands in the unity of the Christian structure.

Adapted from He Is There and He Is Not Silent by Francis A. Schaeffer

James White Discussion Protestants Drifting to Catholicism

James White was on Grounded with Steve Hartland, where he discussed the drift of Protestants going to Roman Catholicism.

Ken Ham on Aliens

Back during my college days, my friends and I had a discussion about the existence of aliens. I obviously took the view that aliens were not real while others s were saying if God made them then my discussion was invalid. I know that makes no sense, but it how some arguments ended in a Christian college.

Recently, Ken Ham produced a short video on this issue which is where I stand on the existence of aliens. 

Major Concerns About Christian Music

In this video, Alisa Childers addresses concerns over Christian music:

Richard Moore on the Dangers of Lectio Divina

Wikipedia defines Lectio Divina as "a traditional monastic practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's word. In the view of one commentator, it does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied, but as the living word."

To some this is a good way to read the Bible. Is it really? In this video, Richard Moore explores what is Lectio Divina and the dangers that come with it.

Ken Ham on the Days of Creation

There has been some debate over the years whether or not the days of creation in Genesis means an actual 24-hour day or millions of years. Young earth creationists, such as myself, believes the days of creation were an actual 24-hour day whereas old creationist believe the days of creation were millions of years. 

In this video, Ken Ham addresses whether or not the days of creation were 24-hour days or millions of years: