Tag: Apologetics

Morning Musing: Psalm 19:1-2

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“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Some things, once you see them, are hard to imagine not seeing. Consider the average optical illusion. When you look at some of them, they initially look like nothing or else perhaps something totally other than they actually are. Once you have learned to see them for what they truly are, though, you can’t not them that way even if you try. Knowing things works the same way. Some truths, once you learn them, shape your view of the world so profoundly that you literally can’t fathom not knowing them any longer. I was reminded of this yesterday while checking out a bunch of bees. Let me tell you about it.

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Digging in Deeper: 1 Corinthians 1:18

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“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Today’s post will represent something of an update of a continuing conversation I’ve been having via the comments section of several different posts now with a skeptical friend. Most of it you can find here and here. It has been a learning experience for sure. It has also been a reminder of several different things including the importance of clarity and kindness in our interactions as followers of Jesus with the unbelieving world around us. Perhaps more than anything else, though, it has served as a demonstration of just how true what the apostle Paul wrote here toward the beginning of his first letter to the Corinthian church really is. Let’s talk about why.

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Morning Musing: 1 John 4:13

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“This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

How do we know we are in a relationship with God? That’s a pretty important question. It’s a better question than its more common cousin: How do I know I’m going to Heaven? The ability – or not – to answer that question has had a profound impact on human history. For those who manage to convince others that they have the answer, these folks are able to accumulate enormous power for themselves of just about whatever type they want. Financial? Have you seen the net worth of the Prosperity Gospel preachers? Political? Of course. Cultural? Easy. Religious? Immense. But the ultimate answer to that question is a personal one. Let’s talk for just a few minutes this morning about how we can know.

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Morning Musing: 1 Peter 3:15-16a

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“…but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with gentleness and reverence…” (CSB – Read the chapter)

A little something different for you this morning. Part of the reason I started this blog so many years ago was to be able to spark conversations about things that matter through a faithful engagement with the Scriptures. The bulk of what I post on here takes the form of what I hope are encouraging devotional reflections on the Scriptures. I have covered a lot of ground during this time. I don’t believe there is a document in the Scriptures I haven’t written at least something about over the last six and a half years. Because I have covered so much ground, I have occasionally touched on big or hot button issues. Recently, a post I made drew the attention of a couple of different skeptics of Christianity. This has resulted in what is a still-ongoing conversation about a whole range of topics. I’m sure I haven’t gotten everything right in my method and approach in these conversations, but if you are interested in what engaging with someone who does not at all accept any of the truth claims of the Christian faith including the historical existence of Jesus in the first place can look like, I submit these two conversations to you as an example.

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Digging in Deeper: Luke 1:60-63

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“But his mother responded, ‘No. He will be called John.’ Then they said to her, ‘None of your relatives has that name.’ So they motioned to his father to find out what he wanted him to be called. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all amazed.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

I saw a chart the other day from the Pew Research Group showing by comparison the percentage of Americans who claim Christianity as their religious identity versus those who claim no religious identity at all. The former has been on a steady decline, and the latter, a steady rise, since the turn of this millennium. In other words, for the first time in our nation’s history, we are finding ourselves living in a culture that is increasingly more likely than not to push back against us for seeking to live out our faith in public and meaningful ways. The question for us is not whether we can turn back this tide, but how we will respond to it. As we continue into the final week of our Advent journey this morning, we are reminded that this is a place God’s people have found themselves before.

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