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#444650 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 05 January 2013 - 04:29 PM in Theology

Why can't I delete my own posts?



#444303 Commentaries on Thessalonians

Posted by Richard on 12 December 2012 - 09:08 PM in Theology

I've only ever come across one - the one by George Booker. It's OK.



#444118 The Trinity...

Posted by Richard on 22 November 2012 - 08:00 AM in Theology

Don't get upset because you cannot provide a verse which you think thwarts the Trinity....I have yet to find a Unitarian who can...of which, pretty much tells me their confidence level in their world-view...yes?[/size]


Personally speaking I have more confidence in the lack of evidence for the Trinity in the Bible than just about any other topic. It's simply not there. The whole Bible, all its principles, are contrary to it. If I accepted the Trinity I would have to throw the Bible message away. It's hard to debate something that is so outside the realm of what the Bible teaches.



#443784 "That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying..."

Posted by Richard on 09 November 2012 - 11:16 AM in Theology

Actually there's Moses too in Hebrews 9:19-20. The writer might be making a subtle point about the blood of the old covenant in saying "Moses had spoken... saying..."



#443775 "That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying..."

Posted by Richard on 09 November 2012 - 07:01 AM in Theology

The use of quotations in Hebrews is pretty unique and it links in with the opening of the epistle which simply says "God... spoke..." There is nothing like "the apostle Paul to the ecclesia in Jerusalem" and we don't even know who wrote it. That's because Hebrews is basically saying "forget any human ideas here: God already said this in the Old Testament." I.e. this is nothing new - God already spoke about the superiority of the things to do with Christ over the elements of the old covenant. And so the epistle is a series of Old Testament quotations proving this point. In chapter 1, for instance, instead of saying "as the prophet Isaiah says" it says "he said", i.e. God said it (Hebrews 1:1).



#443742 "That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying..."

Posted by Richard on 07 November 2012 - 07:06 PM in Theology

Not sure that's the point of what the writer of the Hebrews is saying. He's not concerned with that level of detail from the context. What would be the point if it was present tense? In a practical way?



#443602 The Covenant Animals in Gen 15

Posted by Richard on 24 October 2012 - 07:33 AM in Theology

The cross before the crown.



#443592 2 Tim 3:16

Posted by Richard on 23 October 2012 - 06:55 AM in Theology

I very much doubt he had the Septuagint in mind.



#443263 Christianity disproved?

Posted by Richard on 19 September 2012 - 07:55 PM in Theology

Notice it says Christianity disproved.



#443218 There are no true Biblical Literalists

Posted by Richard on 17 September 2012 - 12:55 PM in Theology

We need to concentrate on a theology of creation and that is too often forgotten in this subject.


1,000,000% agree.



#442967 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 10 September 2012 - 04:44 PM in Theology

Methinks I was misunderstood. Never mind. :blink:



#442961 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 10 September 2012 - 01:08 PM in Theology

Jonno, you are a horrible person online.

Once again I have had enough of communicating with you and instead of trying to understand me you've put many words in my mouth and it's plain disgusting.

I won't try and explain myself because it's pointless talking to you.

And just for the record I have done a whole whack of preaching and hardly ever come up against these sorts of issues. Now please twist what I said.



#442959 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 10 September 2012 - 11:00 AM in Theology

I personally (in real life) know nine people who have a problem with this stuff. Four of them have left. I'd be willing to bet that people with this problem don't talk to you about it Richard, because it's not an easy subject to broach.


But I ask people about it. I am also getting people to write articles on things like the canon of Scripture. But most people are like "textual criticism is nonsense, the Bible is the word of God - look at Israel!"



#442957 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 10 September 2012 - 10:47 AM in Theology

Right. And what I am saying is that Jonno's concerns should be tempered by the fact that it has not been an issue for many years, and only recently has the atheist challenged come more to light. So that's why people are not "genuinely being challenged by this" because they haven't even thought about it.



#442955 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 10 September 2012 - 10:34 AM in Theology

The reason it's challenging is because very few Christadelphians have looked into things like textual criticism and so forth.


You certainly got that right.


And the reason is that for the vast majority of Christadelphians it's not an issue. It's becoming more of an issue lately due to exposure to ideas because of increased communications, but most Christadelphians don't even bat an eyelid when it comes to accepting the Bible as the word of God.

It's just not something that's ever been an issue for the past x number of years.


For whom? This thread is proof that it is an issue for individual Christadelphians, and you can bet your last Canadian dollar that palladium isn't the only one who's grappled with it over the past x number of years.


No, but they are in a small minority. I hardly ever, and I talk to a lot of people, come across anyone grappling with these things. I don't doubt the number is growing, but still for your average Christadelphian these things are not an issue.

Your response here merely underscores the perils of the apathetic sloth which has weakened our community over the past 5 decades.


Maybe it does, but the point still stands that the vast majority of brothers and sisters in Christ accept the Bible as the word of God and have never even thought about going into things like textual criticism. I was merely answering Jonno's concerned post and that he doesn't have to be as concerned as he sounds because for most people it's a non-issue.

'Oh, it's never really been a problem.' Yes it has. That's the whole point of this thread.


But only for a small niche section of our community has it been a problem. Perhaps blind faith that the Bible is the word of God can be seen as a negative, but not necessarily so.

I suspect most of the people who don't think it's a problem are those who are ignorant of it altogether.


Yes precisely!

Most of the rest will have a loose idea of what it is, but won't understand the subject beyond a vague sense that 'it all works somehow.' The tiny remainder will have made some attempt to grasp it; we can probably divide them between those with a solid comprehension and those who only know the basics.

It is the former two groups who are most at risk. Their ignorance renders them vulnerable to atheist challenges which are are superficially strong but lacking in substance.


Most don't even get into debates with atheists. Not many people are like you and Jonno and Ken and so forth. Most don't spend their lives debating atheists and discussing online and reading stuff.

It's just not something that's ever been an issue for the past x number of years.


Only the last 100 years or so. The early editions of the CMag were full of this stuff, for the first 30 years or so.


And since then the vast majority of Christadelphians have looked at things like textual criticism as old hat, sorted out, and now we can move on to other stuff since it's been settled.

Looking into things like that in today's busy world is difficult for most people. The spare 10 minutes people have to do some of this sort of study doesn't cut it.


Ah, priorities.


Yes. Most people get on with life and don't worry about this or that supposed contradiction in some obscure part of the Bible. Most are satisfied that Jesus rose from the dead, that there is a God in heaven with a purpose, that Israel is the great sign of the coming kingdom and that the Bible is the word of God and they can trust it. And there are people who are getting on with more important things like the more important aspects of Bible study, like exhorting one another to love and good works, and getting on with living the truth. Yes there's a lot of lousy Bible "study" out there but there's a lot of good stuff, helpful stuff, too.

So while what you're talking about on here is useful for some, it's a small niche element of Christadelphia. At the moment, the numbers may grow, but in conversations I have had over the years about 1% of the time my brothers and sisters are worried about these sorts of things.



#442951 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 10 September 2012 - 08:09 AM in Theology


This thread has been very interesting. It's certainly true that many people will come across these issues and be challenged by them. It's good to see them discussed.


You can find this stuff aired and answered extensively in the CMag, Testimony, and a number of works in our community. The answers are also readily available online. If people in our community are genuinely being challenged by this, then it's a tragedy. It makes me utterly embarrassed to be a member.


The reason it's challenging is because very few Christadelphians have looked into things like textual criticism and so forth. It's just not something that's ever been an issue for the past x number of years. Looking into things like that in today's busy world is difficult for most people. The spare 10 minutes people have to do some of this sort of study doesn't cut it.



#442902 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 09 September 2012 - 03:54 PM in Theology


This probably won't be helpful but for what it's worth, apart from prophecy especially concerning Israel,


I have started a new thread to discuss prophecy. See here.

the fact that the Bible contains astonishing wisdom about human nature and the development of the spiritual mind, and the way it connects together to form a beautiful tapestry of truth, are all reasons to have faith that it is the Word of God.

Sure, I could use this as proof when talking with the software engineers I work with. How do you like my chances of convincing them?


I don't think you can use it as a preaching idea, it's something you come to appreciate through Bible study.

I have a very real problem with the fact that relatively few scientists, engineers, and similar technically minded people are christians. Can you help me understand why that might be the case?


Really? I know plenty of technically minded people in the truth. I think the logic of Bible study appeals to that mindset a lot of the time.



#442863 What evidence can we base our faith on?

Posted by Richard on 08 September 2012 - 09:40 PM in Theology

This probably won't be helpful but for what it's worth, apart from prophecy especially concerning Israel, the fact that the Bible contains astonishing wisdom about human nature and the development of the spiritual mind, and the way it connects together to form a beautiful tapestry of truth, are all reasons to have faith that it is the Word of God.



#442763 Roberts vs Bradlaugh

Posted by Richard on 01 September 2012 - 06:47 AM in Theology

I would debate Hitchens right now. I'd fancy my chances too.



#442459 How correct does our interpretation need to be for salvation?

Posted by Richard on 17 August 2012 - 08:43 AM in Theology

Another thing is that God never said his purpose is just to save people. If that was his purpose then we would question why some people never get to hear the gospel message.



#442458 How correct does our interpretation need to be for salvation?

Posted by Richard on 17 August 2012 - 07:51 AM in Theology

I have struggled with these sorts of questions before and it's when I looked at Christ's parables that a helpful answer came to mind. He deliberately was obtuse in telling parables, and Matthew 13, for instance, says that he spoke in parables to hide the truth. Combine this with the fact that true faith is not just about believing in God but diligently seeking him (Hebrews 11) then I believe God is looking for people who actually make an effort to understand and get in tune with God. It doesn't mean the Bible is written in some secret code we have to unlock; it means that we need to approach the Bible with an open mind, using critical thinking skills, and a teachable attitude. That's why the disciples could understand Jesus' parables but others couldn't. There are probably people who are seeking God in that way in non-Christadelphian circles, and there are probably people who aren't seeking God that way within Christadelphian circles too.



#441881 Ezek 44.11 - Why are burnt sacrifices reintroduced in the Kingdom?

Posted by Richard on 30 July 2012 - 08:03 AM in Theology

I can certainly see how the death of something may bring home a reality- but none of us needed such a physical display before we put this into action with our own lives, this message was demonstrated easily enough through the written word and the life of Christ, why is it you think in the future this will be a valuable tool? (even if occasionally)


Because mortality is all around us today. With the conditions during the Millennial reign of Christ people might need a stark reminder of the problem of death.

I don't see anything wrong with giving people graphic object lessons. If we don't need them then why did God bother with the Law of Moses in the first place?



#441856 Ezek 44.11 - Why are burnt sacrifices reintroduced in the Kingdom?

Posted by Richard on 29 July 2012 - 12:48 PM in Theology


In that case, why aren't we making sacrifices now?


We don't need to, any more than they will be needed in the Kingdom. But if we choose to enact sacrifices for learning purposes (as we sometimes enact the Passover), that's fine too. I believe that's how they'll be used in the Kingdom.


That's it. I don't know why this is hard to accept.



#441836 Ezek 44.11 - Why are burnt sacrifices reintroduced in the Kingdom?

Posted by Richard on 28 July 2012 - 08:26 AM in Theology

How are burnt sacrifices in Ezekiel's temple going to educate anyone when we have done without them for all this time?


Possibly because of the enriched lives people will have in the Millenium, it will all be a graphic reminder of sin and mortality.



#441820 The spirit and the new covenant

Posted by Richard on 27 July 2012 - 09:29 PM in Theology

Acts 16.14 is interesting because "the Lord opened Lydia's heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul". So far the consensus exposition of "God changing our heart" seems to be that "we change our heart by reading God's word" or similar. I find it hard to read that sort of process into Acts 16.14. The process in Acts is that God works on our heart so that we come to respond to his word. We might read God's word all our lives and not respond.


"The Lord opened Lydia's heart" could mean anything. It could mean she had been encouraged by reading the Scriptures. It could mean she had experienced the mercy of God. It could mean something had happened in her life to make her think about things. We don't know.