Making Jesus a sort of divine super being (Superman if you will), when He was a human being was an early heresy in the coming church. Docetism was an error with several variations concerning the nature of Christ. Generally, it taught that Jesus only appeared to have a body, that he was not really incarnate, (Greek, “dokeo” = “to seem”). Ignatius of Antioch (died 98/117) and Irenaeus (115-190), and Hippolatus (170-235) wrote against the error in the early part of the second century. Docetism was condemned at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, but it’s alive and well today in many denominations. Continue reading ‘# 33- Docetic Delusions!’
Monthly Archive for June, 2007
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Have you ever thought about how someone outside of the Christian community must feel when they hear that there was this man from Nazareth who lived 2,000 years ago and He purposefully “died for our sins“? And then you have to logically follow this logic, which may not seem quite so logical to them. Follow along now. Continue reading ‘Logical Or Looney?’
Each football season you can find a couple of fruit-loops holding up a sign at the end zone of the stadium as the extra point kick is tried. I’d make a lot of money playing the odds that those holding the signs are not only very, very odd themselves, but also politically extreme right, and fundamental literalists. Wanna take the bet? And by the way, the sign merely says John 3:16. Continue reading ‘Revisiting John 3:16′
The ontology, cosmology of Jesus was subtle but there none the less for those who wanted to SEE. Our lives are highly fragmented. Many alluded to the fragmented and compartmentalization of the life of Bill Clinton that allowed him to continue on in office and the Lewinsky drama as a good thing. I wonder what a “bad thing” would be? <--more-->
Jesus was about opening up the hearts of men.
Since God, the Father is love, how could Jesus not be the same? We have become too isolated from the heart, from our own hearts, and in so doing we have cut off the flow from everything and everyone.
Living in the NOW and allowing God to determine our steps, opens the door for the future and goodness to flow into our lives. No matter how low the water table gets, we stay below it allowing for the natural “trickle down“.
Love cover a multitude of sins.
But if we don’t enjoy each moment, we’re ill-prepared for whatever is next on the radar screen. We not only need to slow down, but we need to celebrate each moment.
Like NOW!
Quit reading and just BE for a few minutes.
Just listen to the silence, and let the goodness of what’s next flow into you.
June 15, 2007 – Religion has become so routine and ritualistic that we repeat the words and hold on to concepts that are 2,000 years old and in many ways meaningless today. Jesus is a most unique and one of a kind individual, but not because of the religious constructs that the church hierarchy has built. Let’s discover Jesus anew!
I am becoming more and more disenchanted with church life in America. Being a pastor, minister, or leader of one, that could be a real problem if it weren’t for the fact that I love the potential that the church has, and so therefore I am committed to doing whatever I can to bring transformation to the church. The GOOD NEWS is that I’m not the only one with these feelings. In fact, it’s a growing chorus of men and women that are rapidly gaining stature and trust in this area. Continue reading ‘Spiritual Innocence & Faith’
You’re probably not going to like what I’m about to write. To tell the truth, it makes me a bit uneasy, but within this commentary is a truth that love nees to discover and follow. It’s been said by many that the greatest discovery of mankind has been monotheism! One God! And while I believe in one God, I do so in love and with a peace that doesn’t make me think I need to put my views on anyone else. Now, to a Southern Baptist and other fundamentalists, that pure heresy! Continue reading ‘Monotheistic Mayhem!’
We are so indebted to millions of people we’ll never know, but intuitively we understand that we can see as clearly as we do because we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. I am no longer a Baptist, and there is so much that they believe that I can’t begin to embrace; however, they fed much of my earlier life and gave me spiritual food that sustained me. But it’s not just those of of Christian persuasion that we owe much to. Continue reading ‘Obligations Abound!’
As obvious as the nose on our face. So in front of us that we can’t see it. A lush green forest and yet we see no trees. Pick a cliche for the OBVIOUS! In the spiritual world of Jesus we’re talking about two words that get so lost in the miraculous that we miss the greatest of all miracles- the I AM bridge! Without it we will never see the Kingdom here on earth or to put it as the 17th century mystic, Angelus Silesius, did “Christ could be born a thousand times in Galilee- but all in vain until He is born in me.” Continue reading ‘The Power & Bridge Of ‘I AM’’
Jesus- The Son Of Man
Over and over again, the Gospels record Jesus as saying I am the Son of Man! If my memory serves me rightly, Jesus is said to have made that statement some 80x or more. And yet the church and religion have done all they can to hide that fact that people give up on trying to FOLLOW HIM, because who can follow or be like a person who is “fully God“. I mean they have such an unfair advantage on us. Then to tease us with “FOLLOW ME” as though we really could?
Ah, but what if Jesus really was who He said He was, the son of man (can you say Joseph)? The we have no excuses for not following Him. Now, the reality is that we too are not only sons of men, but Sons of God, as Jesus was. Let’s revisit a couple of the Scriptures. Continue reading ‘Jesus- The Son Of Man’