My Apology to James

I used to say that the letter of James shouldn't be in Scripture, because his doctrine of Justification by Faith and Works was incompatible with Paul's doctrine of Justification by Faith alone.

I'm sorry I said this, because I maligned God's Word, and I told many people this error.

I now see that James is talking about Justification before man (the context is "show me your faith... and I will show you mine."). Paul is talking about Justification before God ("...what will you have to say at the Judgment Throne?" from "Trust in Jesus" by Third Day is playing as I write this). "If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God." (Rom. 4:2). Totally different concepts.

Thanks to Dr. James White for clarifying this. Also, this article is helpful, though I came to my senses before finding it: http://www.presenttruthmag.com/archive/II/2-9.htm

Faith Alone

Just found this defense of the doctrine of sola fide by a Scottish Presbyterian Covenanter, from about 400 years ago.  As fresh a controversy as it is today, just go to Catholic Answers and search for sola fide, and you'll see how they try to wiggle around the clear testimony of Scripture.

I thank God that it is by faith alone, because otherwise, I'd be sunk.

The Pilgrim Path: Answering Questions #4- Protoprotestants and Sacra...

Looky what I found!  I think I found me a new label for myself:  Protoprotestant.



The Pilgrim Path: Answering Questions #4- Protoprotestants and Sacra...: Who were the Protoprotestants? Could you explain Sacralism a bit more? Is there a difference between Sacralism and Constantinianism?

Did C. S. Lewis Go to Heaven?

The Trinity Foundation - Did C. S. Lewis Go to Heaven?

I'm very sad about this.  C. S. Lewis was my mentor (through his writings) when I first became a Christian, and some of the things he wrote have been written into my soul.  But I can't deny the truth of what John Robbins said:  C. S. Lewis was no Evangelical.  I feel like a huge trunk full of unpleasant things has dropped on the ground right in front of me.

As for whether he went to Heaven or not, that's a different matter, and I think he did.

It's the chance of a lifetime...

While listening to Ron for the Roses, by Dan Fogelberg (yes, I'm a sap, and proud of it!), I realized that the modern and postmodern person worships Cush, or Chaos, or Chance.  This worship works its way into Physics, where the fundamental tenet of Quantum Mechanics is the inherent randomness of all things, and all the certainty you can hope for is statistical.  It also works its way into philosophy, in the definition of Free Will.  At bottom is a random number generator, because people abhor determinism.  But the only alternative to determinism is randomness.

I don't want to have at the heart of 'me' some random process.  I reject Cush.

A Common Mistake

I hear Roman Catholics often make the charge that they're the one true church that has withstood the test of time. They discredit Protestantism as a relative novelty. Well, the Evangelical faith has been around since the beginning. Witness the Donatists, Novatians, Vigilantius, Berengarius, the Paulicians, the Culdees (who saved Western Civilization, by the way), the Vaudois (aka the Waldensians), the Arnoldists, the Petrobusians, the Henricians, the Albigensians, the Patarines, the Cathari, the bogomils, the Lollards, the Hussites.  And don't forget the Church of the East.

The Faith once delivered to the saints has been around since day 1, and is still alive and well, because the Holy Spirit animates the true believers and leads us into all truth.

Through Your love and through the ram

In Genesis 22:13, Isaac wasn't the type of Christ. He was the type of the Christian. The ram caught in the thicket was the type of Christ.

There never was a change of plans.

What Can I Do For You? -- by Bob Dylan

"You've done it all, and there's no more anyone can pretend to do. 
What can I do for You?" 

Amazing theology in this song!