Something that the church either hides or is not privy of (and if not, why not) is the history of the Nicene Creed and thus what we today call modern and Western Christianity. When you get down to it, much of the church today could be rightly call Constantinians, rather than Christians. Otherwise known as Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (280–337 AD), commonly known as Constantine I, (among Roman Catholics) and Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine (among Eastern Orthodox Christians), was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops in 306. And the connection is? Continue reading ‘Christians Are Constantinians’
Archive for the 'Beyond Theism' Category
It’s time to bring this series to a close by asking what sort of a MAN Jesus was. Seems fair doesn’t it? Let me begin by bringing up what’s NOT SAID in II Cor. 5:19. First what it DOES SAY is that God was IN Christ reconciling Himself to the world. So therefore what it does not say is that Jesus WAS God! Fundamentally how could Jesus BE GOD and still be HUMAN, a MAN at the same time. I know that religion just simply says, as many Creeds did and do, that Jesus was fully human and fully divine. Just BELIEVE! Let’s try and UNDERSTAND as much as possible as well. Continue reading ‘#5- Jesus Was A Man!’
Like you and I, Jesus was a product of the process of life. He had genes just like you and I! He was subject to the same environmental forces that we are. He grew weary and tired. When He was sad, He cried. Here’s how the church pictures Jesus, “The little Lord Jesus no crying He makes….” The truth is, that a better statement would be something like this, “Tears and smiles like us He knew.” It’s a truth that the world can relate Continue reading ‘# 4- Jesus Was A Man!’
Pope Leo put it this way, “It is as dangerous an evil to deny the truth of the human nature in Jesus as to refuse to believe that His glory is equal to that of the Father.” And then John Knox would add, “Unless it is agreed that Jesus as truly man, it does not greatly matter what else can be said of Him.” In other words, it is better to over emphasize His humanity than it is His deity, which is what the church has done. Continue reading ‘#3- Jesus Was A Man!’
Let’s face it, there is a psychological yearning in mankind to separate Jesus from the rest of us when it comes to our humanity; however, to do so totally denies the purpose for which He came. Flesh can only be redeemed by flesh. If Jesus were of a virgin birth, then He didn’t share our origin, or nature, and then we must ask how could He ask us to follow Him? But, if He was born as a human like all of us, then what he did and what he achieved we can too. It’s so much easier to take the easy way out and make Jesus divine. Continue reading ‘#2- Jesus Was A Man!’
I know that this title is going to cause many to think that I’ve further lost my compass; however, if you’ll hang with me on the couple of commentaries that I plan on writing on this subject, I think you’ll maybe have a second thought (worse?). There’s simply no way that I could say what I feel and live in one segment. I may not post every day, but at least every other day. I usually have a “series” in mind when I begin: like how many commentaries it will take, what the outline will be life (like the current 5 part one on LRC Houston) I don’t on this one. I just know that while laying in my swing Wednesday, I felt the prompting of the Spirit to share what I hear Him saying. May the Spirit guide my fingers as I type out a what I hope represents Him rightly. Continue reading ‘#1- Jesus Was A Man!’
People don’t actually come out and say it, but in the words they speak they’re sure beating around the bushes pretty soundly. Any passerby who overhears the religious conversation comes away with this picture. Jesus is a comet. He came from outer space some 2,000 years ago, zipped past planet earth (the passing took 33 years) and for the last 2,000 years He has been making this journey through the universe and one day the trajectory will bring Him back to earth. The promise is that He will come again. Who believes this stuff: implied or otherwise? Continue reading ‘The Christ Comet’
Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die. You’ve probably heard that. Everyone is sick and tired of their life, but no one wants to change. I wonder how long it will take before we get it? How long before we come to grips with the reality that CHANGE is the matrix of renewal. Continue reading ‘Matrix Of Renewal’
Every now and then I like to at least remind myself, if not the occasional reader as to why I spend some time writing on one of the two dozen web sites that I loving call my “spiritual net“. Different people respond to different things. You can’t use the same “bait” on every fish (pun intended). And by the way, you don’t catch fish in the Sporting Goods Store (can you say church), because fish are OUT THERE in what’s called WATER! Ask a fish to define WATER and he can’t because he doesn’t have anything (think land) to compare water to. Oh yes, and fish can’t speak as well; but, you knew that one. Ah, and therein is a key for people who call themselves Christians (Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic), because since they are afraid to read a book by someone outside their pedigree, they just live life religiously incestuously (is that good English?): and you know where that leads in the natural (weaker and weaker). Continue reading ‘Hit The “Refresh” Button’
People approach the Bible in so many ways- and all are with a BIAS! I know, I know, you’re completely objective, and if so, you’re the only one my friend. Seriously, we all read the Bible with filters that carry labels such as: denominations, parents, teachers, and culture to name a few. But, even more fundamental that all of those is the fact that the very READING of the words on the paper, we’re interpreting what we’re reading. But, I want to share with you four views that a spiritual mentor of mine (long deceased) came to. His name- John. A. T. Robinson. Continue reading ‘What’s Your Biblical Approach?’
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