Faith that Works: On Why the Lazy Make Us Mad

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Before we answer further why Christians work even though they’re saved by faith in Jesus and not works — even those who do not work, we have to consider why, oh why, we care.

Why do we care that a Christian is lazy if God saves the Christian who doesn’t work? And we do care — very much. And we should.

I think it’s because those who are more mature care about the things of God. Lazy Christians don’t convert the lost — and we love the lost. Lazy Christians don’t feed the poor — and we love the poor. Lazy Christians don’t care for their brothers and sisters as they should — and we love our brothers and sisters. Continue reading →

Posted in Faith That Works, Grace, Uncategorized | 20 Comments

Progressive Church of Christ Blogs and Groups

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Either due to my incompetence or due to the hacking, I lost the list of progressive blogs and discussion groups once posted on this site.

But I found a copy in an old back up, predating the loss. I doubt that it’s entirely up to date, but it’s pretty close.

Whew!!!

If your favorite blog (other than this one, of course) or discussion group is missing, please let me know by comment and I’ll add it.

If one of the links is out of date, please let me know that, too.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Faith that Works: On the Meaning of “Does Not Work”

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Jay F Guin

(Rom 4:5 ESV) And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Does this mean that Christians aren’t expected to do good works? The verse sure seems to be saying that Christians are those who do not work.

Continue reading →

Posted in Faith That Works, Grace, Romans, Uncategorized | 39 Comments

On How Never to Be Hacked Again

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Jay F Guin

One In Jesus has been hacked twice in the last few weeks — and has never been hacked before. It’s a common problem. Edward Fudge and Cecil Hook had their sites hacked, as have many major corporations. But you’d think that running a standard, popular blogging program like WordPress would prevent such things. But, no, it doesn’t.

It’s a terrible feeling — like being stolen from. These particular hacks weren’t designed so much to crash the site as to provide a launch point for phishing efforts — that is, the site was taken over for the sake of theft.

I’ve now subscribed to a service called Sucuri, which monitors the site for malware and cleans up any hacks, all for $89.99 per year. I’ve also installed a plugin called Bullet Proof Security, which makes several changes to the site making it much harder to hack. Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Happy Birthday to Me

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Jay F Guin

This is ju…u…u…st a little late, since my birthday was last Sunday. But it’s been a hard week, what with preacher interviews, travel, a hacked website, and back problems — leading to a variety of medicinal ministrations. (As I sit here typing, I have three ice packs wrapped about my tronchanteric bursae and sacroiliac.)

But despite the delay caused by all the distractions, I deeply appreciate all the birthday greetings. It was an astonishing number — from at least 5 continents. I was greatly encouraged during a time when I really needed it.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Faith That Works: On the Meaning of “Justification”

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Jay F Guin

As shown by the preceding post, “works” refers to far more than works of the Law of Moses — indeed, to anything that is claimed to be a path to justification other than faith in Jesus. Therefore, passages such as Galatians 2:16 do not allow us to create a New Testament version of the Law of Moses as a path to justification.

(Gal 2:15-16 ESV) 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;  16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

The usual conservative Church of Christ response to this is to assert that “justification” is only our initial salvation and so Paul is only talking about how saved we are the moment we arise from the baptistry. After that, we’re dealing with “sanctification,” and the rules get tougher! Continue reading →

Posted in Faith That Works, Grace, Romans, Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Faith That Works: On the Meaning of “Works”

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Just a couple of thoughts from a couple of comments from several days ago.

Skip wrote,

In scripture, our salvation lies in whom we believe not in what we do.   Deeds are not meritorious.  Faith is the focus.   Deeds are a consequence of faith not the source of our faith.   Jesus saves because we first believe.

Romans 4:5 “However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” Continue reading →

Posted in Faith That Works, Grace, Romans, Uncategorized | 24 Comments

Community Disciplines: Bonhoeffer’s Life Together, Part 12

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Jay F Guin

The practice of discipline in the community of faith begins with friends who are close to one another. Words of admonition and reproach must be risked when a lapse from God’s Word in doctrine or life endangers a community that lives together, and with it the whole community of faith. Nothing can be more cruel than that leniency which abandons others to their sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than that severe reprimand which calls another Christian in one’s community back from the path of sin.

(p. 105). Church discipline is a tough, tough subject because it’s so often done so very poorly. And yet the Bible addresses the topic frequently. Continue reading →

Posted in Bonhoeffer's Life Together, Christian Disciplines, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Community Disciplines: Bonhoeffer’s Life Together, Part 11

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Here, bearing the burden of the other means tolerating the reality of the other’s creation by God—affirming it, and in bearing with it, breaking through to delight in it.

This will be especially difficult where both the strong and the weak in faith are bound together in one community. The weak must not judge the strong; the strong must not despise the weak. The weak must guard against pride, the strong against indifference. Neither must seek their own rights.

(p. 101). It’s a standard argument in Church of Christ debates that the strong must submit to the weak. Therefore, those insisting on this or that argue that the other side should see them as weak and thus submit to them. Continue reading →

Posted in Bonhoeffer's Life Together, Christian Disciplines, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Leadership: Mark Driscoll on Church Growth

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Mark Driscoll pastors the Mars Hill Church in Seattle, which is quite a large and effective congregation. Here’s his advice on church growth —

1. Begin with the end in mind and know how large you want to be.

… Lyle Schaller, considered one of the best church consultants in the world, states in his book, The Very Large Church, that the two most comfortable church sizes are under 45 people and under 150 people, likely making them two of the hardest thresholds to pass through, in addition to the 800 mark. Continue reading →

Posted in Church Growth, Uncategorized | 9 Comments