I had my first Practical Reasoning class this evening. I knew that going into it, the class was going to be difficult. As Christians we have values, principles, and commands from God Himself that must be obeyed and cannot be contravened by man's reason. My first class was about the fair-minded, critical thinker. The instructor gave us an essay that he had written and that he uses as an introduction to his course.
There were many things in this essay that I could agree with, but most I have to hold at arms length and examine them in light of Scripture.
I hope that you will engage me in this topic that was very prevalent in Mr. Hilton's essay: Open-mindedness.
I simply want to ask some questions, and perhaps get some responses back.
Two of the essay's definitions of open-mindedness are
receptive to new ideas,
a willingness to be persuaded.
How receptive can a Christian be to new ideas? Or should I say, how receptive should a Christian be to the new philosophies of the World? How does one define receptivity? Is receptiveness an attitude of freely listening?
Should a Christian be willing to be persuaded in any argument? How do we draw the line? How do we discern which arguments we can be willing to be persuaded on and which we cannot before we hear the argument?
As you can see this is an interesting question. I hope you don't think I am floundering. I am not. "But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14 KJV). So please ponder this and answer or ask more questions.
jmb
I've never actually revisited a post that I wrote until now.
In A Vision for the Lost, I made the statement "[My Sunday School teacher] said that Satan gives his children (the unsaved) a special vision to see what Christians are doing wrong. [This] is such a simple statement of truth."
One of my dear friends asked me for Scripture on this. And it occurred to me that I didn't have any. This wasn't an argument between us, she just wanted to think about this statement more and it forced me to do some more thinking too.
I just wanted to add a little to what I said. I believe this is true. The only example that I could come up with in the Bible (out of my head) was the Pharisees and how they constantly sought for Christ's one mistake. But as the Son of God, Jesus was blameless before them and all men.
I think what I failed to make clear was that this statement is a spiritual insight, not a specific reference to Scriptures about Satan and the unsaved. It is about experience, and although God uses our experiences to teach us, what He makes clear is that "we have the prophetic word made more sure" (2 Peter 1:19 NASB). It is ultimately the Bible and not our feelings, nor our experience that we must rely on.
jmb
My substitute Sunday School teacher, a deacon in our church, made the most profound statement yesterday. It was in relation to his testimony and I hope that it will stick with me and you as we live our Christian lives.
He said that Satan gives his children (the unsaved) a special vision to see what Christians are doing wrong.
It is such a simple statement of truth. I know we aren't perfect people. By God's grace, we are what we are (1 Cor. 15:10). But we have to be careful not to hinder God's work. We have to be on guard because Satan isn't going to allow unsaved people to see the good we do often times, he is going to give them a special vision to see those things we are failing at.
But don't be discouraged, because Paul says, "but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57 NASB).
peace and grace to you,
jmb
The word "peace" is found 429 times in 400 verses in the King James translation of the Bible. This is a study of the words for peace in the Old and New Testament to help us understand what God says about peace. I have used Strong's Dictionary and the NASB, KJV, and NIV. I plan to cross reference with the LXX (Septuagint) sooner or later, too.
shalowm (or shalom)�it is found 236 times in 208 verses. It is the peace that men can have with each other; it is the peace that man can have with himself; it is the peace that man can have with God. It is the peace that God gives to man (Isaiah 26:3) or keeps from man (Isaiah 48:22). Sometimes it is translated abstractly concerning a person's health (e.g. Genesis 29:6 "Is he well?"). In the same way, it is translated as "welfare" (Genesis 43:27). It is translated, "greet" or "salute" (1 Samuel 10:4), for this was the custom of the Israelites. It is translated as "safe" (Job 21:9) or "safety" (Isaiah 41:3). It is translated as "prosperity" or "well-being" (Psalm 35:27). It is translated "rest" or "health" (Psalm 38:3). It is translated "familiar" or "close" in relationship to a friend (Psalm 41:9; aslo see Jeremiah 20:10 "All my trusted friends" [NASB] or "All my familiars" [KJV] or "All my friends" [NIV]; Jeremiah 38:22). It is used to describe God: "The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). It is translated "wholly" to emphasize that something is done completely (Jeremiah 13:19). The Lord has "plans for welfare" (NASB) or "thoughts of peace" (KJV) or "plans to prosper you" (NIV) (Jeremiah 29:11).
More words to come...
jmb
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Here are the references for shalowm in the Old Testament:
Genesis 15:15 (HG)
Genesis 26:29 (HG)
Genesis 26:31 (HG)
Genesis 28:21 (HG)
Genesis 29:6 (HG)
Genesis 37:4 (HG)
Genesis 37:14 (HG)
Genesis 41:16 (HG)
Genesis 43:23 (HG)
Genesis 43:27 (HG)
Genesis 43:28 (HG)
Genesis 44:17 (HG)
Exodus 4:18 (HG)
Exodus 18:7 (HG)
Exodus 18:23 (HG)
Leviticus 26:6 (HG)
Numbers 6:26 (HG)
Numbers 25:12 (HG)
Deuteronomy 2:26 (HG)
Deuteronomy 20:10 (HG)
Deuteronomy 20:11 (HG)
Deuteronomy 23:6 (HG)
Deuteronomy 29:19 (HG)
Joshua 9:15 (HG)
Joshua 10:21 (HG)
Judges 4:17 (HG)
Judges 6:23 (HG)
Judges 8:9 (HG)
Judges 11:13 (HG)
Judges 11:31 (HG)
Judges 18:6 (HG)
Judges 18:15 (HG)
Judges 19:20 (HG)
Judges 21:13 (HG)
1 Samuel 1:17 (HG)
1 Samuel 7:14 (HG)
1 Samuel 10:4 (HG)
1 Samuel 16:4 (HG)
1 Samuel 16:5 (HG)
1 Samuel 17:18 (HG)
1 Samuel 17:22 (HG)
1 Samuel 20:7 (HG)
1 Samuel 20:13 (HG)
1 Samuel 20:21 (HG)
1 Samuel 20:42 (HG)
1 Samuel 25:5 (HG)
1 Samuel 25:6 (HG)
1 Samuel 25:35 (HG)
1 Samuel 29:7 (HG)
1 Samuel 30:21 (HG)
2 Samuel 3:21 (HG)
2 Samuel 3:22 (HG)
2 Samuel 3:23 (HG)
2 Samuel 8:10 (HG)
2 Samuel 11:7 (HG)
2 Samuel 15:9 (HG)
2 Samuel 15:27 (HG)
2 Samuel 17:3 (HG)
2 Samuel 18:28 (HG)
2 Samuel 18:29 (HG)
2 Samuel 18:32 (HG)
2 Samuel 19:24 (HG)
2 Samuel 19:30 (HG)
2 Samuel 20:9 (HG)
1 Kings 2:5 (HG)
1 Kings 2:6 (HG)
1 Kings 2:13 (HG)
1 Kings 2:33 (HG)
1 Kings 4:24 (HG)
1 Kings 5:12 (HG)
1 Kings 20:18 (HG)
1 Kings 22:17 (HG)
1 Kings 22:27 (HG)
1 Kings 22:28 (HG)
2 Kings 4:23 (HG)
2 Kings 4:26 (HG)
2 Kings 5:19 (HG)
2 Kings 5:21 (HG)
2 Kings 5:22 (HG)
2 Kings 9:11 (HG)
2 Kings 9:17 (HG)
2 Kings 9:18 (HG)
2 Kings 9:19 (HG)
2 Kings 9:22 (HG)
2 Kings 9:31 (HG)
2 Kings 10:13 (HG)
2 Kings 20:19 (HG)
2 Kings 22:20 (HG)
1 Chronicles 12:17 (HG)
1 Chronicles 12:18 (HG)
1 Chronicles 18:10 (HG)
1 Chronicles 22:9 (HG)
2 Chronicles 15:5 (HG)
2 Chronicles 18:16 (HG)
2 Chronicles 18:26 (HG)
2 Chronicles 18:27 (HG)
2 Chronicles 19:1 (HG)
2 Chronicles 34:28 (HG)
Ezra 9:12 (HG)
Esther 2:11 (HG)
Esther 9:30 (HG)
Esther 10:3 (HG)
Job 5:24 (HG)
Job 15:21 (HG)
Job 21:9 (HG)
Job 25:2 (HG)
Psalms 4:8 (HG)
Psalms 28:3 (HG)
Psalms 29:11 (HG)
Psalms 34:14 (HG)
Psalms 35:20 (HG)
Psalms 35:27 (HG)
Psalms 37:11 (HG)
Psalms 37:37 (HG)
Psalms 38:3 (HG)
Psalms 41:9 (HG)
Psalms 55:18 (HG)
Psalms 55:20 (HG)
Psalms 69:22 (HG)
Psalms 72:3 (HG)
Psalms 72:7 (HG)
Psalms 73:3 (HG)
Psalms 85:8 (HG)
Psalms 85:10 (HG)
Psalms 119:165 (HG)
Psalms 120:6 (HG)
Psalms 120:7 (HG)
Psalms 122:6 (HG)
Psalms 122:7 (HG)
Psalms 122:8 (HG)
Psalms 125:5 (HG)
Psalms 128:6 (HG)
Psalms 147:14 (HG)
Proverbs 3:2 (HG)
Proverbs 3:17 (HG)
Proverbs 12:20 (HG)
Ecclesiastes 3:8 (HG)
Song of Songs 8:10 (HG)
Isaiah 9:6 (HG)
Isaiah 9:7 (HG)
Isaiah 26:3 (HG)
Isaiah 26:12 (HG)
Isaiah 27:5 (HG)
Isaiah 32:17 (HG)
Isaiah 32:18 (HG)
Isaiah 33:7 (HG)
Isaiah 38:17 (HG)
Isaiah 39:8 (HG)
Isaiah 41:3 (HG)
Isaiah 45:7 (HG)
Isaiah 48:18 (HG)
Isaiah 48:22 (HG)
Isaiah 52:7 (HG)
Isaiah 53:5 (HG)
Isaiah 54:10 (HG)
Isaiah 54:13 (HG)
Isaiah 55:12 (HG)
Isaiah 57:2 (HG)
Isaiah 57:19 (HG)
Isaiah 57:21 (HG)
Isaiah 59:8 (HG)
Isaiah 60:17 (HG)
Isaiah 66:12 (HG)
Jeremiah 4:10 (HG)
Jeremiah 6:14 (HG)
Jeremiah 8:11 (HG)
Jeremiah 8:15 (HG)
Jeremiah 9:8 (HG)
Jeremiah 12:5 (HG)
Jeremiah 12:12 (HG)
Jeremiah 13:19 (HG)
Jeremiah 14:13 (HG)
Jeremiah 14:19 (HG)
Jeremiah 15:5 (HG)
Jeremiah 16:5 (HG)
Jeremiah 20:10 (HG)
Jeremiah 23:17 (HG)
Jeremiah 25:37 (HG)
Jeremiah 28:9 (HG)
Jeremiah 29:7 (HG)
Jeremiah 29:11 (HG)
Jeremiah 30:5 (HG)
Jeremiah 33:6 (HG)
Jeremiah 33:9 (HG)
Jeremiah 34:5 (HG)
Jeremiah 38:4 (HG)
Jeremiah 38:22 (HG)
Jeremiah 43:12 (HG)
Lamentations 3:17 (HG)
Ezekiel 7:25 (HG)
Ezekiel 13:10 (HG)
Ezekiel 13:16 (HG)
Ezekiel 34:25 (HG)
Ezekiel 37:26 (HG)
Daniel 10:19 (HG)
Obadiah 1:7 (HG)
Micah 3:5 (HG)
Micah 5:5 (HG)
Nahum 1:15 (HG)
Haggai 2:9 (HG)
Zechariah 6:13 (HG)
Zechariah 8:10 (HG)
Zechariah 8:12 (HG)
Zechariah 8:16 (HG)
Zechariah 8:19 (HG)
Zechariah 9:10 (HG)
Malachi 2:5 (HG)
Malachi 2:6 (HG)