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Introducing a New Covenant

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  There seems to be no real consensus about the year each of the gospels was written, but it is fairly clear that the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written before A.D. 65, while John’s Gospel was not written until somewhere between A.D. 90 – 100. At the end of the first century, the Christian world was made up mainly of Gentiles, while the early gospels appeared during a time dominated by Jewish Christians. In addition, the 30+ year time difference represented a maturing of the Christian community regarding its understanding of doctrine since the lion’s share of New Testament works had been circulating among the churches for many years. It also meant that doctrinal deviations and heresies were appearing. John's Gospel and his letters addressed some of these heresies, including Gnosticism and Docetism, which challenged the humanity of Christ and the value of the material realm. Ultimately, John accepted and acknowledged to others his agreement with the facts prese...
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Determination

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  And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined [krino - judge in one's own mind as to what is right, proper, expedient; to deem, decide, determine, resolve] to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified .                   1 Corinthians 2:1-2   Paul’s first letter to Corinth addressed many issues the church and its leadership faced, beginning with a problem of factions within the church. He encouraged them that there be no divisions among you (1 Corinthians 1:10). Through a deeper conversation about the word of the cross, he highlighted that the wisdom and power of God are not derived from men’s efforts or ability but through the Holy Spirit. Paul taught them that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world...
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What is a Disciple?

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  The Lord God has given Me the tongue [ lason – tongue, language] of disciples [ limmud – learned, practiced], that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens [ ur – stir, arouse] My ear to listen as a disciple.  I saiah 50:4 Isaiah was given a number of specific prophecies about the coming Messiah, particularly His first coming as a “Suffering Servant.” Isaiah 42:1-4, 49:1-6, 50:4-11, and 52:13-53:12 contain specific references to My Servant who has been given My Spirit (Isaiah 42:1). He would be the Learned One who would deliver the words necessary for His disciples to continue the work that he would start during His public ministry. Preparing His disciples for His return to heaven would be consolidated into a three-year timeframe. The Jews then were astonished, saying, "How has this man become learned, having never been educated?" So, Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent ...
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Living in Absolutes

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  According to Martin Luther , leader of the Reformation , "I shall never be a heretic; I may err in dispute, but I do not wish to decide anything finally; on the other hand, I am not bound by the opinions of men." This means that if the truth is not absolute, it is not the truth at all. Aristotle states, “The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.” According to him, if we consider ourselves to be wise individuals, our concern should be to find the truth, not to submit to opinions. Truth is objective, originating outside of oneself, and provides certainty since it can be applied to all people at all times.   There are absolute realities and standards that define what is true and what is not. Actions can be determined to be either right or wrong by how they measure up to those absolute standards. If there are no absolutes, no reality, chaos ensues. If the law of gravity were not absolute, no one would have clarity about any dynamics of life...
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