Dan at

From the January/February 2012 issue of Modern Reformation magazine,

When transformation becomes your reason for existence, you are tempted to see transformation where it isn't, and you fail to notice areas that remain bound in the chains of original sin.  You fear not seeing transformation, because it might indict your faith.  So you start spinning reality.

Could this be why so many evangelical churches are not talking too much about original sin?  Is Jurgen "Moltmannism" seeping too much into our theology with a false and different-than-the-Biblical "theology of hope?"

Boundaries

I was thinking  a few days ago that one of the basic problems in America today is the massive weakening of boundaries.  This includes personal boundaries, national boundaries, spiritual boundaries, etc. In the church I was in a few years ago, I kept seeing the high school and college kids constantly massaging each others' shoulders, combing others' hair and so forth.  This wasn't just girls to girls but also guys massaging girls shoulders and combing their hair and vice-versa.  I think that has gotten too familiar and is a result of weakened boundaries.  In the secular society we have 90% of boys and 80% of girls having sex by 18. Another example of weakened boundaries.  In our country we let anyone in which may include terrorists seeping over our borders. We also give so many rights to criminals that the victims are victimized a second time.  In the church we have lessened the gospel so much and allowed so many other "gospels" in that again, we are blurring good boundaries, so that many really don't  know what to believe anymore.

On the other hand, in the church and America in general of the past, the boundaries may have been way too narrow and rigid.  Legalism in the church and prejudice and lack of opportunities for women and minorities are examples. So, can we hit the perfect middle ground, that is a perfect balance, between the two extremes?  I think we had better try.  And I think the church should be leading the way and being the example.

Christian Carnival for the Week of December 28th

Welcome to the December 28th edition of the Christian Carnival.

*Maryanne of Ichthus77 always is writing about fascinating things. Lately she has undertaken something called the Bible Project in which she presents the Bible chronologically, combining parallel passages. Her post entry this week is entitled, "Bible Narrative Project year-in-review. At the end of the post she also tells us what she plans for the project for 2012.


*More and more Christians, and even Christian leaders, are coming out to tell us they do not believe in a rapture, or a pre-trib rapture. Jack of the What Christians Want to Know blog tells us what some views about the rapture are and who holds them in his very informative post entitled, What is the Rapture? A Look at the Different Views

*Matt of the Zowada blog has an excellent post on how losing your will to God's will is the only way to live in his blog entitled, Lose Your Will.


*Christian of BibleSeo presents a study of Psalm 1 in his post, Blessed is the Man. He shows us the four points in this Psalm that tells us how to be blessed.


*Universalism is being discussed more and more due to Rob Bell's book, Love Wins, which was published recently. Dan at Keyboard Theologians presents an interesting question based on an algebraic equation concerning universalism, in his post, Sets, Possibility, Logic, Salvation . Even I, who almost failed algebra, understood the equation, so I am sure all of you will understand it too.


*Chris at the American Church History blog discusses the recent hate spewed at poor Tim Tebow (he's a football layer for the sports challenged). Bill Maher (he's a comedian--kind of) especially has come out and made fun of Tebow. Chris discusses this dilemma in his post entitled, Tim Tebow and Bill Maher.


That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of christian carnival ii using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

God and Satan: Dream Snatchers

Goad gives us dreams and plans for what He wants us to do in the future. These can be authentically called prophetic words to us. Satan's job is to come against these dreams and plans, snatching them away before they can be realized. I believe, from my 48 years of observation as a Christian, that if we don't get them back through standing in faith and at times spiritual warfare, those plans will not happen. I do realize that many say that God is going to do it anyway, but that certainly hasn''t been my observation with many Christians. God simply uses someone else to fulfill his plans.

But God is a dream snatcher too. He snatches, or at least tries to snatch if our wills aren't in the way, our dreams and plans that aren't from Him; that is, those from our own flesh. So, we must be alert as to where our dreams and plans come from. If from God, stand firm in them. But if from us with satan's influence, then we must allow God to snatch them away and replace them with His agenda.

No Sin?

I finally figured out why Christianity has taken such a nose-dive in the past 25 years. Very little mention or teaching about sin. Because so many were hurt by legalism, churches have gone to the other extreme. Now all you have to do is "receive Jeuss", or "follow Jesus," or some such thing, but no mention of repentence, confession of sin....nada. That brings up the very interesting question the Young Calvinists keep asking. Are people who "receive Christ" without repentence truly born-again Christians? Is that perhaps why the church is so fleshly and worldly? It's an interesting thought.

Women Not Submitting to Men?

This blogger wants women to stop submitting to men. No, it isn't quite what you think, but the blogger, Russell D. Moore, is right on IMO. Here is a snippet from the post. The link is below. Please do read the entire post.

Sisters, you owe no submission to Hollywood or to Madison Avenue, or to those who listen to them. Your worth and dignity cannot be defined by them. Stop comparing yourselves to supermodels and porn stars. Stop loathing your body, or your age. Stop feeling inferior to vaporous glamor. You are beautiful.

Sisters, there is no biblical category for “boyfriend” or “lover,” and you owe such designation no submission. In fact, to be submissive to your future husband you must stand back and evaluate, with rigid scrutiny, “Is this the one who is to come, or is there another?” That requires an emotional and physical distance until there is a lifelong covenant made, until you stand before one who is your “own husband.

Here is the link to the entire post: http://www.russellmoore.com/2011/12/05/women-stop-submitting-to-men/