fisher of men

Kinism is rooted in the belief that God designed each race to be separate from every other race. The Kinism ideology takes Old Testament verses, such as those below, and misinterprets the passages to justify racial separatism. “The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the LORD God of Israel, ate the Passover.” (Ezra 6:21) “So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel.” (Nehemiah 13:3) According to Matt Slick on Christian Apologetics & Research Ministries (CARM), Kinists teach that “God, in the Bible, has ordained a specific means of cultural behavior that is based on same-race families, or ‘kin.’  [Kinism] maintains that people are to be involved ...

Introduction The third Sunday in Advent (Advent III) shifts from a tone of expectation of Christ’s coming to one of rejoicing at the arrival of God’s kingdom with the coming of Jesus. The Scripture and Theology of the Third Week of Advent Scripture readings for Advent III reflect on the salvation and restoration Jesus brings, which is cause for rejoicing and perseverance. Old Testament Readings         Old Testament readings for Advent III highlight the universal restoration Jesus accomplishes. In Isaiah 35:1, the prophet looks forward to the future promised for the people of God—a future inaugurated at the first coming of Christ and consummated at his second coming. When Jesus returns, the effects of sin’s curse will be removed: the wildernesses and dry land will bloss...

The people who will experience the fullest meaning of Christmas on Tuesday are the people who know and feel that there is something in them that needs to be destroyed. It is true, as John said (John 3:17), that “God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” But he saves by destroying. Like a doctor who amputates a foot full of gangrene or cuts out a cancerous lung. Jesus Came to Destroy Something Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous but sinners” (Mark 2:17). The only people who understand Christmas and embrace Christmas for what it is are people who feel sick, and who desperately want their sickness destroyed. Unless you welcom...

Despite the column inches given to daily horoscopes, there’s only one example of stars ever being used to direct human lives and predict the future and it’s in the Bible. Yes, in Matthew 2:1, God sent a star to guide wise men and point them to the future plan of God for the salvation of sinners. As we gaze at this star with these wise men we learn six lessons. 1. Jesus fulfills prophecy How did the wise men (also known as the magi) know that a star would announce the arrival of the Messiah King? Most likely it was through Daniel who, 600 years before, had been appointed head of the magi (Daniel 5:11), and who probably shared Balaam’s ancient prophecy of with them (Numbers 24:17). Maybe there was also a heightened expectation among the Persian magi, as Daniel had also given indications of t...

Introduction               On the fourth Sunday of Advent (Advent IV), we celebrate God’s faithfulness in sending Jesus, and we remember that faithfulness as we look forward to Christ’s second coming. The Scripture and Theology of the Fourth Week of Advent Scripture readings for Advent IV focus on the coming of the Messiah who fulfills God’s covenant with David, bringing salvation for all people and the eternal reign of God on earth. Old Testament Readings         Old Testament passages for the final week of Advent reflect on prophecies, which are fulfilled by Jesus’ birth. Isaiah 7:10 recounts the story of King Ahaz, king of Judah at a time when Judah was facing a foreign invasion. Ahaz hoped for help from the king of Assyria. The pro...

2012 was a year filled with politics and controversies, persecution and protests, tragedy and hope. Here are the stories the editors of ReligionToday.com believe most affected Christians around the world during the past 12 months. 1. The 2012 presidential election: In what some called the most consequential election in recent history, President Barack Obama won a second term as president of the United States. The election results, which drew diverse reactions from Christians around the world, revealed a deeply divided nation — not just at the political level, but at the worldview level. The results also showed fundamental changes to the American electorate: increased ethnic, cultural and ideological diversity, as well as increased secularization. Republican presidential candidate Mitt...

  Like most people, as we head into 2013 I am hungry for change. In our cities, our culture, our families, and even in ourselves we want some things–many things–to be different. A new year brings hope that “it” will get better. The underlying reality of this desire is that things are not as they should be. The world is corrupt, our lives are incomplete, and people are broken. But for all of the change I do desire, my greatest hope for 2013 is actually no change at all. You see, the fact that change is possible is rooted in another truth–God does not change, but remains constant. The fourth question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism is, “What is God?” I memorized the answer to this question years ago, and the biblical truth contained in it is a constant source of comfort and courage...

Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. “Consider your ways!” (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them. Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It’s so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we’re going and where we should be going. The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God. 1. What’s one thing you could do this ye...

On the cover of TIME this week is this headline: 40 Years Ago, Abortion-Rights Advocates Won an Epic Victory with Roe v. Wade. They’ve Been Losing Ever Since. The story – “What Choice?” – is written by Kate Pickert. The main point of the article is that Roe v. Wade hurt the pro-choice cause by delivering the movement’s main goal and by energizing a generation of pro-life activism. Not surprisingly, the story is biased against the pro-life cause. Though the issue of “personhood” and “life” is alluded to (see below), Pickert never explores the reasons for a surge in pro-life activity. Had she sought to explain the pro-life perspective, she would have shown how this debate is really a showdown between reproductive rights and humanrights, and which rights are...

What is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of YHWH The Kingdom of God is mentioned in the Old Testament as the Kingdom of Jehovah (Jehovah being the English expression of the tetragrammaton – YHWH – the four consonant letters that make up the holy name of God in Hebrew). The Universal Kingdom The Kingdom was never meant to imply the mere rule over Israel. “He says: ‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’” (Isaiah 49:6) The Kingdom of God is universal, taking in as subjects every creature and thing in the universe. “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick dark...

No parent wants to give his or her child unfettered access to the Internet. But neither is it realistic or wise to forbid any access whatsoever. How then do we plot a course that avoids these two extremes and yet maximizes their moral and spiritual safety? 1. Educate First, educate yourself. Hiding your head in the sand, ostrich-style, is not an option for the serious Christian. You must get on the Internet and start learning. Begin with websites that cover technology at a popular level. One of the best is www.getnetwise.org . They have articles highlighting good sites with advice on how to avoid dangerous sites. They will cover things like phishing, scams, viruses, firewalls, filter and site-blocking software. Second, educate your children. Explain that the Internet is like a jungle. It h...