Scripture affirms that Jesus is the temple—the place where God and humans meet is Jesus (John 1:14; 2:22). But that presents a number of challenges for us. In the first place, how can a person be a temple? In the second place, why does it matter if Jesus is the temple? What is the significance of all of this?
To sketch an answer, we need to study the scriptures because they provide a profound answer to all these questions. [Read more…] about How Is Jesus the Temple?
Theology
Will We Remember Our Life in Heaven? Even the Trauma?
Imagine entering into heaven. Joy fills your soul. But you see some object that triggers a traumatic memory from your life. What happens to that joy now? Or say you had lived a life without trauma, yet your loved one did not share your faith. Can you rightly enjoy heaven when your spouse, child, or loved one perdures in eternal perdition?
Could we really call it heaven if we experience memories of trauma or grief over loved ones who do not reside with us? Since God does not delight in the death even of the wicked (Ezek 18:23; 33:11) and desires all to be saved (2 Pet 3:9), would we not be right to lament the suffering of our loved ones—even in heaven?
At the heart of these questions lies the concept of memory and what happens to our memory in heaven. [Read more…] about Will We Remember Our Life in Heaven? Even the Trauma?
Is Hell Forever?
Universalism is making a come back. In an age of tolerance and social-morality, the idea that God might condemn many to eternal perdition seems immoral and outrageous. Yet Scripture claims that our eternal destiny has its endpoint either in everlasting heaven or everlasting hell (e.g., Rev 20:10).
We need to be realistic about our claims here. If sins that we commit in life merit our eternal perdition and not just temporal purgation, we must ask why this is. When we answer that question, then the eternality of hell becomes easier to understand. [Read more…] about Is Hell Forever?
We should have more confidence in the sheer obviousness of God’s existence
We should have more confidence not just in the Gospel and Spirit, but also in the sheer obviousness of God’s existence—and not just God as such, but the God that Scripture presents in his power to create and sustain as well as his eternal existence and nature (and so simplicity, immutability, and so on). [Read more…] about We should have more confidence in the sheer obviousness of God’s existence
Existence probably is the best evidence that God exists
Existence probably is the best evidence that God exists. Why do we exist at all? Why at this moment do we exist? What logical causes hold together our existence even now (gravity, matter, etc.)? Every caused thing must have some logical cause here-and-now to exist. And if we trace the logical (not temporal) casual train, at one point we have to admit that some uncaused cause holds together existence even now.
To understand causation, Scripture gives us guidelines for how we should understand God and his relationship to the universe. And one particularly useful place to look is Acts 17. [Read more…] about Existence probably is the best evidence that God exists
God Is Love. So Shall All Be Saved?
“God is Love,” writes John (1 John 4:8). Out of this love, God loved us even while we were yet enemies (Rom 5:10; cf. 5:8). And this love accords with the divine desire that none “should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). Hence, God takes no “pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek 18:23).
Given all of this, shall all be saved in the end? Do God’s love and power mean that God has both the motive (love) and means (power) to save all? Of course. He truly has made salvation available for all by his death and resurrection. But this perfect sacrifice does not entail that all will, in fact, be saved since not all do, in fact, believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation.
Here are 3 reasons why I believe that not all shall be saved. [Read more…] about God Is Love. So Shall All Be Saved?