Paul’s statement in Romans 5:20 seems surprising, strange and counter intuitive even. We expect him to tell us that the Law came to constrain and reduce the impact of sin and wrongdoing by teaching us how to live and by creating sanctions for and deterrents against wrongdoing. However, he insists not just that the Law’s… Continue reading Why does Paul say that the law came to increase our wrongdoing?
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Growing in dependence
Something struck me as I was writing about spiritual discipline. Normally when we think about human growth and development we thing about becoming more independent. A child learns to feed and clean themselves. Learning to ride a bike means that bike stabilisers are removed. We are said to develop in a skill first by watching… Continue reading Growing in dependence
What’s the value of your GCSE or A-level results?
It’s GCSE results day. If you, or someone in your family are getting results today, then I hope things have gone well and that you are happy with the grades. I remember my own GCSE’s being a mixed bag. I was pleasantly surprised to do better than expected in some areas, disappointed in others and… Continue reading What’s the value of your GCSE or A-level results?
Is Scripture the Word of God?
I frequently see arguments that run along the following lines. The Bible isn’t God’s Word, Jesus is. Therefore, we should prioritise the words and actions of Jesus over the rest of the Bible. The bible never claims to be God’s Word or inerrant, so we should not make those claims for it. First of all,… Continue reading Is Scripture the Word of God?
Signs and symbols of God’s presence
It might be tempting for some to skip over the next 15 chapters of Exodus. However, we should know better than to ignore a significant section of Scripture. It looks like we merely have a list of instructions here, building instructions, interior design instructions, clothing instructions etc. Yet, if we believe that all Scripture is… Continue reading Signs and symbols of God’s presence
All that I have is yours …except the toothbrush
The other evening, without really looking, picked up my toothbrush and started brushing my teeth. I walked briefly back into our bedroom to ask Sarah something. It was at that point, she spotted what I’d missed. You’re using my toothbrush.” Now, you may have different opinions on whether it’s okay or gross to share toothbrushes. … Continue reading All that I have is yours …except the toothbrush
Was murder treated less seriously than anti-racism?
The case of Henry Nowak”s murder is distressing. It’s clear that the police made mistakes and that a young man and his family were seriously let down. It is also clear that an evil and violent crime was committed. However, we need to be careful in our responses. We are seeing Nowak now used as… Continue reading Was murder treated less seriously than anti-racism?
How should we respond to the marches?
There are two marches working their way through London today representing seemingly opposing ideologies. One is the next in the “Unite the Kingdom” rallies associated with Tommy Robinson. The other is to mark the so called “Nakba” day which coincides with Israel’s independence. Nakba Day In Arabic “Nakba” refers to a catastrophe. In this case,… Continue reading How should we respond to the marches?
Keir Starmer, Peter Mandelson and questions about culture
It has emerged this week that despite claims and suggestions to the contrary, Peter Mandelson did not pass the necessary security checks before being appointed as the US ambassador. This has created further problems for Keir Starmer as he had previously insisted that due process had been followed. Opposition leaders are now arguing that he… Continue reading Keir Starmer, Peter Mandelson and questions about culture
Are those who “work hard” leaders? More engagement with Preston Sprinkle on complementarianism and egalitarianism
Preston Sprinkle in his analysis of Romans 16 picks up that women are frequently described as those who “work hard” (kopiaō). I want to avoid hasty conclusions based simply on word associations, and we still need to work through other passages that might exclude women from leadership (like 1 Tim. 2:8–15). But my complementarian seminary professors. … Continue reading Are those who “work hard” leaders? More engagement with Preston Sprinkle on complementarianism and egalitarianism
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