This “One Third Wrong” Site Is Inspired By A Saying Of N.T. Wright Who Said Something Like:
Read On For Thoughts On Christianity, Theology And Whatever Else… All Is Guaranteed To Be 66.6% Correct
(Or 2/3 Correct If You Are Eschatologically Paranoid).
Relationships bring absolute joy, deep sorrow and everything in-between. We, in our fallen state, devote ourselves much more to self interest than to the one and only endeavor that will ever matter. (Matt 22:37-40)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer, but why some do not.” C. S. Lewis
Rather like a child who longs to be a “grown-up”, we can’t help feeling melancholy, at times, over the slow progress in attaining the full measure of the fruits of the Spirit.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Pride, in fact, is a greater sin than drunkenness or whoredom; and humility is as necessary as sobriety and chastity” Richard Baxter
Prayer is for our own benefit as God certainly does not need the information. There are four major functions of prayer that can be easily remembered by “ACTS”: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“People who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks: they are facing only one direction; they can never turn back; and they no longer have plans of their own.” A.W. Tozer
When formulating our “individual” theologies, we must take extreme care not to strip God of his revealed attributes. All too often Almighty YHWH is compromised in favor of considerably less important doctrinal issues.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “All right, then, have it your way.” C. S. Lewis
The “sermon on the mount” testifies to the huge chasm between us and an absolutely righteousness and uncompromising God. There is no reward for pride manifesting as legalism, it completely misses the point.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“The greater joy is everywhere preceded by the greater pain.” Augustine
We’re bound in the excesses of modernity where our complex life defies attempts to live in simple purity. Put all the junk in the bottom drawer and only open it when absolutely necessary.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do his work through me.” James Hudson Taylor
The assumed right to the democratic process has become a deep fundamental assumption in contemporary western thinking patterns. So much so that it has undermined our perception of the absolute sovereignty of God.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.” C. S. Lewis
Every denomination carries far too much baggage of human tradition and every belief system is corrupted in some way by carnal reasoning. The human mind pollutes every pure thought that enters into it.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Let your truth teach me. Let it guard me, and keep me safe to the end. Let it free me from all evil affection and badly ordered love, and I shall walk with You in great freedom of heart.” Thomas Kempis
We must strive after those further ahead, encourage those behind and become the brightest beacon possible for the lost. The more excess baggage you manage to shed the faster your progress will be.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“I did not mourn my ignorance, but rather was puffed up with knowledge.” Augustine
“Many puzzle themselves about the origin of evil. I’m content to observe that there is evil, and that there is a way to escape from it, and with this I begin and end”. (John Newton – Former slave ship captain and writer of “Amazing Grace)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“ If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.” C. S. Lewis
The Roman Catholic Church emphasizes Peter and tends to promote absolute church authority. The Protestant church emphasizes Paul and stresses theology, while the Orthodox Church emphasizes John and focuses on love and humility.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Our religious activities should be ordered in such a way as to have plenty of time for the cultivation of the fruits of solitude and silence.” A.W. Tozer
Many churches feed their congregations on a sweet diet of melodramatic topical musings. Ironically if someone simply opened a bible and preached the word it would be a totally new experience for most.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so” Karl Barth (this is the most profound revelation of Barth; the foremost 20th century theologian)
There are three main areas of Christian perspective when reconciling an omnipotent good God and the existence of evil. The “free will” defense, the “evil defines good” defense and the “greater good” defense.
A good sermon by C. Michael Patton: http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2008/08/the-problem-of-evil-suffering-and-pain
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“I asked what wickedness was, and I found that it was no substance, but a perversion of the will bent aside from thee, O God, the supreme substance” Augustine
The old covenant is like a room that is dimly lit by the embers of a fire and flashes of prophetic lighting. The lamp of the new covenant reveals what was always there.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” C. S. Lewis
Consider a garment, with a hole. The hole is the evil. What happens if the hole is somehow removed? The garment is improved. What happens if the good is removed? You have nothing. (ApologiaPhoenix)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Falsehood is nothing except the existence in thought of what does not exist in fact.” Augustine
What an absolute honor and privilege it is to be a disciple of Christ! The many connotations now imbedded within the term “Christian” and over-familiarity have severely diluted its impact and meaning.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.” C. S. Lewis
Whatever we cannot correct within ourselves we should bear patiently until God ordains otherwise. Perhaps it’s for our testing. Therefore, appeal to God for the grace to endure it with a good heart.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“To correct my wandering footsteps, thou did secretly employ their perversity and my own.” Augustine
Elaborate Roman Catholic rituals were formed from a perceived need to appeal to medieval societal expectations. The same process happened to evangelicalism within the modern context and will continue into the postmodern era.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Praise adds nothing to your holiness, nor does blame take anything from it.” Thomas Kempis
If we don’t have the capacity to mould ourselves as we wish, how can we expect others to be entirely to our liking? If all people were perfect how would we exercise grace?
“…bear with the failings of the weak…” (Rom 15:1)
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Nothing so mars and defiles the heart of man as impure attachment to created things.” Thomas Kempis
Weaknesses in others are obvious but for some reason we think our own weaknesses are somehow hidden. Covering our weaknesses appears prideful. Admitting and boldly confronting our weaknesses is edifying to all concerned.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“What we call Man’s power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument.” C. S. Lewis
The state of our emotional arousal has little correlation with the extent of the Holy Spirits activity within our heart. We can often be emotionally oblivious to the most powerful of spiritual breakthroughs.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“How little is it that the most learned know, in comparison of that which they are ignorant!” Richard Baxter
The patristic church fathers would never make the presumption that they could somehow ordain supreme authority into holy writ. They were merely given the grace to recognize the Christ that was already there.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“No one can ignore Jesus forever.” Anonymous
I love having a world full of siblings and the eternal companionship of Jesus Christ. A worldview that accounts for everything, knowing who I am, where I’ve been and where I am going.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Belief cannot argue with unbelief, it can only preach to it.” Karl Barth
Rather than craving after paranormal events and mystical visions that merely stimulate our thirst, seek supernatural clarity into common situations that quench and fulfill us and leave us overflowing with living water. (Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ -John 7:38)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“We are not only to renounce evil, but to manifest the truth. We tell people the world is vain; let our lives manifest that it is so. We tell them that our home is above and that all these things are transitory. Does our dwelling look like it? O to live consistent lives!” James Hudson Taylor
Basic genetic material and the principalities of a fallen world can be easily analogized with computer code and a depraved mind. Both instances produce viruses that were not premeditated by their primary creators.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” C. S. Lewis
Many are quick to blame Eve for being deceived by the serpent, however, Adam was clearly present and did nothing to protect his wife. Failure of male leadership is consistently satan’s greatest asset.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Let assemblies be often gathered; enquire after all by name & despise not servant-men or maids” Ignatius
When building “flatpack” Ikea furniture you must initially leave all but the screws in the base somewhat loose otherwise you will have to bend and distort subsequent pieces to get them to fit.
(In case you don’t get this one; this is an analogy demonstrating the need to avoid anchoring your theology to non-essential doctrines, before you have a clear understanding of the big picture or overarching metanarrative)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“I (Jesus) am wont to visit My elect in two ways; by temptation and by consolation. To them I read two lessons daily; one reproving their vices, the other exhorting them to progress in virtue.” Thomas Kempis
Many make the error that the opposite of judgmentalism is tolerance. Jesus showed no tolerance for sin, he showed mercy and forgiveness. No sinner has any less value than the holiest of saints.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“You speak but once to a sinner, for ten or twenty times that the emissaries of Satan speak to them” Richard Baxter
No matter how obedient we are to God’s will in our growth, serious change is often necessary and can grind against our ego. However, when our ego is damaged our hearts should rejoice.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” Corrie Ten Boom
If Christianity is false it’s of absolutely no consequence and should be rejected, but if it is true, it is of infinite importance. The one thing Christianity cannot possibly be is moderately important. (C.S.Lewis paraphrased)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“The safest road to hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” C. S. Lewis
Evangelizing unbelievers is like explaining a renaissance masterpiece to a blind person, or describing a Beethoven symphony to a deaf person. They can only really understand by observing your own reaction to it.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.” Karl Barth
In ministry there are two issues of primary importance. To find the lost and to mature the body of Christ. From these two primary duties the entire scope of church activity springs forth.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“When boiled down to its essence, unforgiveness is hatred.” John R. Rice
Worship is the ultimate expression and final consequence of pleasure but there is only one recipient worthy to complete joy. Do everything in the name of God and you will avoid contemporary idolatry.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.” Theodore Epp
CS Lewis said that reading classics of the past develops a buffer against the inherent presuppositions of the current age. I wonder which contemporary works will still be “in print” in 200 years?
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“If lips and life do not agree, the testimony will not amount to much.” H. A. Ironside
We were made to worship and if we don’t worship the Creator we worship His creation. Our intrinsic need to worship then degenerates into counterfeit variants such as lust, pride, greed and envy. (Romans 1:22-25)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” Hudson Taylor
We were made to worship and if we don’t worship the Creator we worship His creation. Our intrinsic need to worship then degenerates into counterfeit variants such as lust, pride, greed and envy. (Romans 1:22-25)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is finding his ‘place in it’, while really it is finding its place in him.” C.S. Lewis
Macbeth murdered king Duncan and therefore bears FULL responsibility for his death. It would be absurd to accuse Shakespeare of murder even though limited human logic could suggest that he was ultimately responsible.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Before an individual can be saved, he must first learn that he cannot save himself.”
M. R. DeHaan
Give a man a meal (topical preaching) and you feed him for a day, but give a man the knowledge to cultivate his own food (expository preaching) and you feed him for life.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“There is only one victorious life in Christianity and it is Christ’s not yours!”
B.B. Warfield
Notitia (Knowledge), Assensus (Assent) and Fiducia (Trust). Not only must you have heard the gospel message and accepted it, you must rest it in with complete trust in the finished work of Christ.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.”
Dwight L. Moody
A man who has never been through fire makes a lousy tour guide going through the furnace. Trials are imperative to shape you into the man of God you are going to be.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Love God and do what you please”
Augustine
The goal of heart surgery is positively good. However, if you take just one part of that process in isolation; the action of sticking a knife in someone’s chest would seem quite detrimental.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Religion today is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society’s own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender.”
A. W. Tozer
The pulpit is not the place for good advice it is the place for good news, preferably expository preaching. One-on-one or small group settings are the appropriate places for pertinent advice.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“It is, at best, a sign that a man hath not well digested a matter himself, if he is not able to deliver it plainly to others.”
Richard Baxter
The world, the flesh and satan. Satan has done a devastatingly good job in leading society to a completely “contradictory to Christianity” worldview that tolerates and actively promotes a legion of carnal dependencies.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“The true follower of Christ will not ask, “If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?” Rather he will say, “This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!””
A.W. Tozer
Much time is spent reminiscing in the past or planning / worrying about the future. God is in both venues but we can only interact with Him and other people within the present moment.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts.”
John Jay (1st Chief-Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court)
The Holy Spirit indwells us unceasingly. His presence doesn’t depend on the “conjuring-up” of an emotional experience and he is ever-present even when we think the “coast is clear” to sin.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Spare the rod and spoil the child – that is true. But, beside the rod, keep an apple to give him when he has done well.”
Martin Luther
The line between good and evil runs down the middle of each one of us. The Holy Spirit in our heart gradually realigns our desires away from satan’s lies and towards Gods truth.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“We believe that all men are created equal because they are created in the image of God.”
President Harry S. Truman
It’s perfectly okay to lament during those tough times when God seems to have abandoned and forgotten you. A large proportion of the psalms exemplifies lament as an extremely powerful form of worship. (e.g. psalm 22)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“All self-effort is but sinking sand. Christ alone is the Rock of our salvation.”
Dr. H. A. Ironside
The Christian worldview is fully equipped to explain all facets of our existence. The postmodern naturalistic worldview, cannot even reason for the existence of absolute truth let alone what that truth comprises of.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“The Law and the Gospel are two keys. The Law is the key that shutteth up all men under condemnation, and the Gospel is the key which opens the door and lets them out.”
William Tyndale
The purpose of the church is to gather and perfect the saints. Jesus didn’t say “go therefore and convert all nations”, He said “go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” – Big difference! (Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations….”)
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is Himself the way.”
Karl Barth
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