The Journey

Snow, No, that was not His purpose. His pupose was to tell us true truth about things we could not know otherwise. Those topics tend to be rather weighty and easily misunderstood. - Steve

CWJ, Well I didn't respond to James 1:27 because well...because you didn't make an argument. I agree with James 1:27. I have answered the arguments you have made by pointing out that you cannot seperate Dec 25th from the rest of the year by calling it "worship". Your answer to my argument was to ask what I would call the days of the week. I call them by their names because it doesn't change my relationship with the Master. Santa and trees and rudolph doesn't change my relationship with the Master. But, everyone has a different walk with the Lord and maybe He knows that your heart would be unfaithful to Him if you sang Silent Night and read Luke 2 to your children under a beautiful tree wth snow gently falling outside. I call it paradise...you consider it cultivating the wrath of God. Maybe we will just have to agree to disagree....I will always know that come Christmas morning there will always be this one Christian brother who gets up that morning and goes to work in a subtle protest against the idolatry of the rest of the world. And for that dedication you have my admiration. - Steve

CWJ, Man, I tried to stay out of this but such self promoting drivel. I think you've patted your back enough. We know...we know...your a great warrior...so pious...and holy. Consider that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The individual believer is holy ground. You cannot separate "worship" from everyday living. The Apostle Paul admonishes that in all we do it is to be done for the glory of God. That is worship!! I worship the Master by walking with Him through all the mundane details of daily life. Going to the clinic everyday is an act of worship. Making breakfast for my family is an act of worship. Bringing roses to my wife is an act of worship. CWJ, you are willing to compromise with the world and accept days of the week, months and a myriad of other pagan influences in your temple...but are quick to judge fellow believers when they violate your peculiar beliefs. - Steve P.S. In answer to your question...yes, the Word of God carves down the edges of my heart on a daily basis so that at the end of my life I will look like Jesus.

Carl, This will be my last post on this issue. Your interpretation of weak/strong is the way most Chrisitians interpret this passage especially when they want to beat up on other believers. When one is feeling particularly proud its nice to envision ourselves strong mature warriors with a honed sense of right and wrong. Those who are weak don't know any better. Nothing could be farther from the truth as presented in Romans 14. The apostle's point is that we are free to partake of idol meat, observe or not observe religious holidays...but those who are STRONG are the Christians who are partaking of the freedoms. The WEAK are those who feel its wrong. The STRONG Christians are those who understand that these silly things don't change our relationship to the Master. I took a look at Matthew Henry's commentary and he speaks of judging....but the judging has nothing to do with whether or not they are a believer. The apostle states he would limit his use of the FREEDOMS we have in Christ if it would make a weaker brother stumble. This is a problem Americanized Christianity has wallowed in for years. We have little stomach for true exegesis and study of a passage of scripture. Whole sermons are preached on topics that have nothing to do with what the text actually states. - Steve P.S. Peculiar convictions not grounded in scripture makes you the norm in the organized church. You would be a welcomed speaker in most all congregations...your an evangelist now with a message!! The end of your sermon would involve repeatidly saying the word Satan when you meant to say Santa and then point out how sly the ole' devil is because you simply switch the n and t in Santa and you have SATAN!!! It might make you rich....but it wouldn't make you a pharisee.

CWJ, Everything we do is about worship. Yes we have the Holy Spirit, but God still wants us to use our minds. The Holy Spirit will not give us private interpretations of His word. Celebrating the birth of Jesus in the month of December may be a sin for you. I guess my point is that through the years I have seen Christians with peculiar beliefs and convictions ride like Don Quixote against the windmills...only its not windmills that they hurt its their brothers and sisters in the Lord. Many will spare nothing to beat down those they see as more worldly than themselves. Each of us have a little different relationship with the Master. And thats ok. In your further exegesis of this portion of the apostles letter to the church at Rome you'll come across the concept that if it violates your conscience then its sin for you. IF Santa is sinful to you...then stay away from him. IF singing Silent Night in December is sinful to you...then sing other songs and work through the holiday season to show the Lord your dedication. But don't put other believers under the yoke of your peculiar convictions. Your not their Master....and they are not your servants. - Steve

No, I meant use a system of exegesis....not just type what you think the verses mean.

CWJ, Romans 14 has nothing to do about salvation. What in your exegesis of that passage led you to that interpretation? - Steve

Bible Boy, I love the ESV. Take a look at their website. http://www.gnpcb.org/home/esv/ http://www.bible-researcher.com/esv.html J.I. Packer is the general editor. Need I say more? - Steve

No it doesn't...but we'll fight side by side on some other battle field. Till then.. - Steve

Fish, What the passages clearly states is that a believer's relationship to God does not change if he participates in the buying and eating of temple idol meat. Kinda makes this whole December thing look like small fries. - Steve

Well Fish in my ESV it takes me about a page back to chapter 8 where the Apostle states that an idol has no real existence and that eating food offered to idols does not change our relationship to God...as it would have under the law (v. 4,8).

John3:3, Tigershark's point is that you cannot look at the English translation and find some obscure interpretation just based on the English. You have to look at the Greek and the context of the culture they were written in. "In the name" refers to authority...just as "Stop! in the name of the law!" yet there are thousands of laws...but only one operating authority for a police officer to make that demand. - Steve

Fab, This is actually a major point of contention for a modern apologist. Modern modern man says "truth" is whatever you make it to be. One has to be true to ones own truth. To Christians this sounds funny...but then the rules have changed. To use the term truth in discussion with with modern modern man you have to understand that what they hear is completely different than what you as a believer mean. That is why truth has to be defined as reality. We must seek the light of reality. Its the actual state of affairs as they exist. God's revelation both illuminates and conforms to reality. - Steve

Fish, Now wait a minute you were using an injunction for Israel to stay away from idolatry and applying that to the celebration of Jesus birth during the month of December. Using that same logic you can prohibit almost any part of secular society. There was a specific reason that Israel was to be seperate in every way from the nations around them. The mission was to bring the Christ to the Earth. Its a tremedous stretch applying these to the Church. Would you eat the meat that has offered as a sacrifice to a pagan god? - Steve

Cat, as always, very well said. - Steve

Biscuit, Most likely a nose bleed. - Dr. Steve

Well Angel no one really answered your question. Many pointed out where truth can be found..etc. Truth is reality. When we live a lie we live in an unreality that we must make up ourselves. - Steve

Snow, I think we can forgive...but I do pray that Cat's sweet spirit would be a fruit that more Christians would grow. - Steve

Karen, Thanks for that warm welcome...I have stepped into some heated discussions on this board and may have already made some enemies. I am a Family Physician who takes care of the general base population including sometimes pilots. I will ask some of the flight surgeons what they know about pilots and amphetamines....but I tell you the whole thing smells fishy. - Dr. Steve

Cat, As a USAF physician I have never heard of any pilot taking methamphetamines. They do use "No-Doz" but then I lived on legal stimulants as a medical student and later resident physician where I was working 120 hours/week. Really it would amount to drinking a lot of coffee. The USAF has a zero-tolerance policy on any drug abuse. I read carefully through the entire long posts...most of which had useless information.....and could never make out exactly what form of methamphetamines the pilots were supposidely taking. I cannot speak to the case but it sound like lawyers are now involved putting just the right spin on the facts to mount a vigorous defense for their clients. - Dr. Steve

God-man, Actually vitamin K is produced from a bacterium in the bowel called Escherichia coli. The baby is born with no active bacteria in the bowels but by day 7-8 the growth is suficient that there is a surge of vitamin K. Vitamin K is important as a cofactor in the clotting process. - Dr. Steve

I agree with M. Scott Peck, M.D. that the best definition of a Christian was penned by Saint Theresa of Lysieux, "If you are willing to serenely bear the trial of being displeasing to yourself, then you will be for Jesus a pleasant place of shelter." A Christian is one who will "be for Jesus a pleasant place of shelter." - Steve

Fish, That would be great if we lived in the theocracy under a mosaic economy with the hope of a promised land if we kept the covenant. I live in a democracy under a grace economy and live with the fulfillment of the promises everyday. Its great to sit in my favorite local coffee shop and over delicious latte with just a hint of irish creme debate with close friends. Its another thing to sermonize that fellow believers are pagans for putting up a tree and living the excitement of the season with their children. - Steve

God-man,