Tried With Fire

Commitment to the truth is a sign of personal integrity and ethics, but it is also obedience to the 9th commandment. It's easy to think that it only pertains to telling outright whoppers, but what about slander? What about passing on information that is unverified? Social media certainly provides plenty of opportunity to share hoaxes, fake news, and false cures with just a click. What about choosing to ignore or deny the truth because it does not conform to our narratives or implicates our idols? In light of that, I think these quotes from All That's Good are worth considering. "Facts are not the sum total of all that is true, but truth is not a set of privately held beliefs that cannot be tested by other people. The information that we use to come to our decisions must be available to them, and we must be prepared for our decisions and opinions to come under scrutiny. We must not be offended when people ask us to prove them. We must not expect people to accept them s...

Do not act unjustly when deciding a case. Do not be partial to the poor or give preference to the rich; judge your neighbor fairly. Lev. 19:15 Do not deny justice or show partiality to anyone. Do not accept a bribe, for it blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. Deut. 16:19 I've been troubled with the partisan ethics that have come to the surface since the 2016 election cycle. Perhaps these were always in place, but they seem to be more prominent now and increasing rather than decreasing. "If my guy is under scrutiny, it must be a conspiracy. If it is someone on the other side, then throw the book at him." These things ought not to be. And yes, the president, Roy Moore, and Brett Kavanaugh come to mind. As Christians, we should have one standard regardless of whether a person is an ideological friend or foe. If others act partially, they will have to answer to God for their unjust scales. But that is no excuse for me to do the same....

My pastor preached on Sunday from 1 Cor. 10 and the lessons in the passage for us today. The 2nd point in the sermon gave me a lot to ponder. Paul refers to Numbers 25, which tells of the Israelites' idolatry, God's righteous response, and Phinehas staying that judgment. While the exact nature of Phinehas' intervention would not translate to the present, Pastor Ryan remarked that his zeal for the Lord may not be that well-received today. Maybe he would have been told to back down, chill, and show a little grace. But this is a warning for us to not use the grace of God as a license to sin or an excuse to stop fighting sin .  We may not be tempted to worship Baal this week, but where is "grace" used to excuse sin today? As an excuse to: 1 - Disparage and mock people who disagree with us because we are obviously "right?" Thus our "rightness" takes precedence over loving our neighbor? Not only is pride at stake but the fear of los...

It may be silly for me to post this for my little blog, but hey, why not? Writing is a way to get thoughts out of my head for further examination, so whether it is read or not is secondary. But this also gives me an idea of which subjects struck a chord or possibly a nerve. Based on this list, those subjects are: domestic violence, women in the church and society, the eternal subordination of the Son (ESS) debate, John Piper's rather perplexing statements on justification by faith, and thinking through difficult, ethical issues. Given my interests and concerns, I'll probably keep writing about them in the coming year. 10. If I had my druthers 9. These were tied:  Questioning a false dichotomy  &   The ESS elephant is still in the room 8.  Justified and not sanctified? 7. Roles: Another Andelin Connection? 6. It took "Hidden Figures" 5. Does this say what I think it says? 4. Domestic violence in the Australian church 3. "Me, myself, and I" spirit...

I was just thinking about this very thing when this pic providentially showed up on a friend's FB wall. (Thank you, Brandi!) If I had my druthers, I would be part of a group of Christians who regularly discussed difficult topics. Not for the sake of pressuring consensus or to vent but to ask hard questions and not assume there are easy answers. I've been able to find this to a certain degree online. It is harder face-to-face, which is really where my heart is. It seems that discussing our place in the public square is not exactly a favorite topic among Christians. We don't want to start arguments. We don't want to disagree, but how can we challenge one another to make doctrine in the pew a matter of practical Christian ethics if we don't talk about these things? I also wonder if we mistakenly put consensus and conformity in the place of unity in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then it is easier to norm and assume we all vote the same, have the same educational ...

I enjoy watching the wildlife in my small backyard. I've scattered seed on the deck to attract the songbirds and squirrels. It makes a mess, but I'm glad to help them out when the weather turns cold. When there is construction in the area, I wonder what happens to the critters who lost homes. I am not going PETA and arguing for animal rights over people's, but someone or something always has to pay. Construction of a shopping center will give people jobs and bring income to the community, but the cost is borne by the environment. I don't know what development would have looked like before the fall, but I don't believe there would have been a conflict between human beings and the rest of God's creation. One side would not have to suffer for the sake of the other. But nothing is free since the fall. Someone has to pay. I am troubled by President Trump's executive order temporarily barring certain refugees. I am concerned over the constitutionality of it. But...