Category: Column: David Kowalski

The same reasoning that develops a five-fold ministry doctrine from Ephesians 4:11 could develop a seven-fold or eight-fold ministry doctrine from other scripture verses.

Since Christ's sacrifice for believers is said to suffice for our cleansing for sin, making animal sacrifices unnecessary, some people see the description of millennial sacrifices in Ezekiel 40-48 as contradicting New Testament teaching about the finality and sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

Many people who have taken to themselves the role of shepherding God's sheep use the rod and staff to beat the sheep when they should be gentle, yet they stand by idly when wolves attack the sheep.

Christians who think of themselves as more spiritual than common believers are usually less spiritual in the things that really matter to God.   

"I used to be a deluded, ignorant, and hateful Christian like you until I learned to be better than you!" This is the essence of personal testimonies (variously called "deconversion stories," "ex-timonies," or "anti-testimonies") given by people who claim to have de-converted in some way from orthodox, Evangelical Christianity.

It seems anytime revelations of sexual harassment or other misconduct in a corporate, government, educational, sports, entertainment, or religious organization surface, we learn that people who had tried earlier to expose the misconduct were ignored, their evidence was swept under the rug, and the whistleblowers were often punished in some manner.

This dynamic develops because the case is usually not handled by a truly neutral party and the group politics involved do not favor the whistleblower.

Truth is not measured by the pleasant feelings it elicits and truth-telling is not determined by the pleasantness of the sentiments expressed.

Whereas some Christians seem to think that the ultimate virtue is to be agreeable, God's, true spokespeople never sacrifice accuracy for agreeableness.

An old teaching has been recently reinvigorated.

Its advocates claim the teaching is a "grace revolution." But many critics see it as merely a fresh spin given to the rebellious, ancient heresy of Antinomianism.

The Bible clearly commands us to change our sinful ways but also makes clear that we must rely on God's strength to do so.

The battle for godliness is won or lost within. The outward acts subsequently show what has already conquered our hearts and minds.