Category Archives: Theology

Redefining Marriage is Unbiblical

Posted on 28/01/2012 by | 9 Comments

Photo Credit: © Amy Walters – Fotolia.com

The fracas around the impending redefinition of marriage in Australia has been escalating at a great rate. A private members bill is likely to be put forward in federal parliament in the near future redefining the definition of marriage. If passed, it will mean that marriage will include the legal union of two people of the same sex. Martin has already addressed the issue briefly on this blog with regards to the obvious cascade effect towards polygamous marriage. This is a very important issue, with wide-ranging consequences, and one which the Church should be deeply concerned about, and more actively combating. Distressingly, much of the church is silent on the issue, and many churches are pro-gay marriage (including 10 Baptist Union of Victoria churches).

Further controversy was caused by Margaret Court, recently. She is a former tennis champion, and church pastor, who spoke out against homosexual marriage and has copped a barrage of criticism. Obviously everyone is allowed Continue reading →

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Posted in Contemporary Issues, Theology

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God Ever New

Posted on 15/01/2012 by | Leave a comment

Gregory of Nyssa compares God to a spring:

“As you came near the spring you would marvel, seeing that the water was endless, as it constantly gushed up and poured forth.  Yet you could never say that you had seen all the water.  How could you see what was still hidden in the bosom of the earth?  Hence no matter how long you might stay at the spring you would always be beginning to see the water.  For the water never stops flowing, and it is always beginning to bubble up again.  It is the same with one who fixes his gaze on the infinite beauty of God.  It is constantly being discovered anew, and it is always seen as something new and strange in comparison with what the mind has already understood.  And as God continues to reveal himself, man continues to wonder; and he never exhausts his desire to see more, since what he is waiting for is always more magnificent, more divine, than all that he has already seen.”

HT: Peter Leithart

Photo Credit: Icon of St. Gregory of Nyssa
(14th century fresco, Chora Church, Istanbul)

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Posted in Reflection, Theology

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Bible College or Bust

Posted on 02/01/2012 by | 5 Comments

Photo Credit: © jobhopper – Fotolia.com

For years I have held the belief that you do not need to go to Bible College to go into ministry or even to be a good minister. One of my heroes of church planting in the last century is Steve Murrell who planted a church in Manilla in 1984 and now has over 50,000 people meeting across his Victory Fellowship churches every weekend. He is famous for saying that all you need to go into ministry is ‘a bible and a passport’. He places a massive emphasis on discipleship but not on understanding everything or studying for years before you get to work fulfilling the Great Commission.

Given my admiration for the work Murrell has done without a large emphasis on ‘theological’ training why do I find myself about to move my family from Melbourne to Sydney to attend and study at one of the most academically rigorous and highly regarded theological colleges in the Southern Hemisphere?

Ultimately it has come down to a couple of key reasons. Continue reading →

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Posted in Church, Theology

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Christian Hope

Posted on 03/12/2011 by | 6 Comments

The Blueprint studies by Matthias Media on Christian doctrine are excellent.  In paper 9 it speaks of “godly heresies”.  These are Christian teachings that are false (heresy), but arise from godly desires.

It is godly to desire that all people be saved.  Universalism however is a heresy.  The Bible teaches clearly that not all people will be saved, but only those who trust in Jesus.  It is also a godly desire to want an end to sickness, or an end to injustice, or poverty, or sin.  However, we will not have perfect health in this life, or perfect justice, or perfect prosperity, or sinless perfection.

Each of these godly desires has given rise to heresies within the church, such as the prosperity gospel or sinless perfectionism.  Then there are ministries that can lose sight of the gospel by placing all their emphasis on healing or social justice.

For Christians who are involved in these ministries they would no doubt assert that they believe in the return of Jesus.  What Christian would say that they Continue reading →

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Posted in Fallen & Flawed, The Gospel, Theology

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