Sin

Let's imagine that we as humans do have the ability to stop sinning. If that was so, what is it that would be holding us back? Maybe we like the pleasures of the flesh, perhaps we just don't know how to do the "right" thing. 

What if the real reason is because we cannot fathom the totality of God's love for us? How does God really feel about us? His love was so great that he sent his son to die for our sins. Even to human standards that is an example of a very deep love. If we were able to realize the depth of the love that God has for us, would we continue to sin? Is God's love one more thing we can't fully comprehend, which thus prevents us from having a very deep connection with God?

Pastor takes in convicted murderer.

Original Story

This is such a difficult situation, and initially I want to join the protesters and point the finger. But from what I conclude this is exactly what Christ would have done. I think it's outrageous that people are threatening to "burn down the house". I tossed this story around in my head, I feel for the families that constantly live in fear because of this man and his past. At the same time, my heart breaks for the family that has offered their home to him out of love and now they are getting spat on for it. According to Good Morning America, Guay goes to the basement during the protests and sits to pray. This action is so reminiscent of when Christ would escape to a quiet place and come to his Father in prayer. I can only hope and pray for peace in the lives of those who are involved in this situation.

Prayer for today

"Yet not as I will, but as you will"

An "Unknowing" of God

I love my Bible classes at school, but my mind is constantly going of on theological tangents. Today we began critiquing Christian Theism, it is so beneficial to step into the shoes of the skeptics. That's a whole different matter.

We had to choose categories in which we thought others would attack the argument for Christian Theism. A couple that I selected were the both man and divine nature of Christ and the Trinity.

Christians use the law of non-contradiction to support their argument for absolute truth. A square is either a square or non-square. A square cannot be both a square and a non-square. Christians would argue truth must be either the truth or non-truth.

If we apply the law of non-contradiction to Christ we meet some difficulties. Christ was both man and God. This presents a conflict with the law of non-contradiction. What are we to do as Christians with this conflict? I think this is a prime example of how limited and finite human logic and understanding is. We try to back God into a box where we can understand him and his ways, but he always evades us. We cannot comprehend God, and the prime example of God's nature that we do have to look to (Jesus Christ) is confusing to us as well. I feel like more and more that humans we can be in a personal relationship with God, but we really are never aware of his attributes. 

From what little I've read on apophatic theology, I understand it like this: we make negative statements such as God is not evil instead of saying God is good. When we state that God is good we are limiting Him to the human conceptions of good, God goes above and beyond these. How then can we say that God is not evil? I think of it like this, humans are evil in relation to God. We are sinful, depraved beings. I don't feel like we're all just horrible people, but in relation to God we are. We know evil because we are evil, we can declare that God is not like us, he is not evil. Can this apophatic theology apply to all aspects of God?

Mind Struggle

I am constantly turning ideas around in my head that are usually rather insignificant. I can't help it, I don't easily accept ideas or ways of thought. 

I wish I could be a "simple" Christian and not concern myself so much over Theology, or what I really believe at a deeper level.

At the very same time, I absolutely love it, I love to think and I love to learn new things. I love discussion with people on these subjects and I am so grateful to have Janelle who will not only listen to me but also engage me in discussion.

Thank you for my mind and the gift of thought. 

Thank you for your ever present love, your ever present grace and your ever present peace. 

the lines, the shapes

I love the lines of your face, although they may seem relatively simplistic they create the most beautiful face that I've ever seen.
I love the shapes of your face, although these shapes may be similar to anyone else, they create a most beautiful composition.
I love the exterior, although the interior is much better. I enjoy living on the interior of my home, it suits me much better than staring at the exterior. I enjoy living in your personality and enjoying its every aspect!

The mystery that is God

Transforming Theology is hosting a conference soon with some of the top theologians. Although they're bringing these guys in that have years of schooling, they want us, as in the "normal" people to post our most pressing God question on our blogs.

I love theology, I love philosophy and I know so very little. As I read more and more, I realize more and more that no one really has the answers to some of the biggest theological questions. We can debate and bicker back and forth, but honestly we can never be 100% sure, this is what I find so beautiful about the Christian faith.

People will often discuss the nature of God, and this is troubling for me. How can we as humans define divinity by human standards? Of course, we do have Christ to look at, but Christ was fully God and fully man something we can't understand either. Is God militant like we see in the Old Testament, or is he more like Christ: compassionate and caring. So I guess my ultimate question is: How can we emulate God, when it seems that we know very little about him?