Making theology a priority
One aspect of the Apostle Paul's prayer for the church at Colosse was that they might "increase in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). Is there anything better? Is there a subject in all the world that should consume our time more than this? I have included below some notes that I handed to the people at Mt. Cathedral Community Baptist Church on Sunday and I felt that they may be beneficial to the wider
The Bible is the word of God: Superiority of Bible teachings
Ten reasons why I believe the Bible is the word of God. Fourth, on the ground of the immeasurable superiority of the teachings of the Bible to those of any other and all other books It is quite fashionable in some quarters to compare the teachings of the Bible with the teachings of Zoroaster, and Buddha, and Confucius, and Epictetus, and Socrates, and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and a number of other heathen authors. The difference
Why the abused stay: Fear (part 2)
Here are more fear-based reasons the abused stay. The reputation of Christ Another fear Christian wives have that makes them stay is thinking that a separation will hurt the cause of Christ—especially if her husband has a presence in the community or is a leader in the church (yes, he can be the pastor). What she should understand is that supporting and hiding the abuse is what will hurt the testimony of Christ. A while
The Bible is the word of God: Unity of the book
Ten reasons why I believe the Bible is the word of God. Third, on the ground of the unity of the book This is an old argument, but a very satisfactory one. The Bible consists of sixty-six books, written by more than thirty different men, extending in the period of its composition over more than fifteen hundred years; written in three different languages, in many different countries, and by men on every plane of social
Why the abused stay: Fear (part 1)
"Why in the world doesn't she just leave him?!" Did that question pop into your mind too while reading about all that the abused endure in Series 1? The answer is not simple. There are so many intertwining factors, but the foundational reason is fear. "Let Not the Wife Depart" An abused wife who loves her Lord fears displeasing him. Many churches give an abused wife no option of setting boundaries or consequences. Sadly, the
The Bible is the word of God: Fulfilled prophecies
Ten reasons why I believe the Bible is the word of God. Second, on the ground of its fulfilled prophecies There are two classes of prophecies in the Bible—first, the explicit, verbal prophecies, second, those of the types. In the first we have the definite prophecies concerning the Jews, the heathen nations and the Messiah. Taking the prophecies, regarding the Messiah as an illustration, look at Isaiah 53, Mic. 5:2, Dan. 9:25-27. Many others might
Spotting an abuser before you marry one
In the last five posts, we have covered physical and verbal abuse patterns, but this is, in concise form, how to spot an abuser before you marry one. "My boyfriend gets furious when I won't dump all my friends and spend all my time with him. I was so thrilled to have a devoted boyfriend, that I ignored all he warning signs of abuse. I convinced myself that he loved me and that things would
R.A. Torrey’s ten reasons the Bible is the word of God
The following is the first in a ten-part series written by R. A. Torrey. ed. I was brought up to believe that the Bible was the word of God. In early life I accepted it as such upon the authority of my parents, and never gave the question any serious thought. But later in life my faith in the Bible was utterly shattered through the influence of the writings of a very celebrated, scholarly, and
Financial and spiritual abuse
So far, we've covered physical violence and the cycle of abuse, plus emotional/mental abuse. Another method an abuser uses to get and maintain control of his wife is... Financial abuse He may make her account for every dollar she spends, limit her access to money, and keep her in the dark about income and outgo and investments. Often he will withhold basic necessities or keep her from pursuing her career. If she has a job,
Emotional and mental abuse
Like the tiny destructive termite in part one, a marriage can be destroyed by "a thousand little razor-cuts of perpetual contempt, put-downs, sarcasm, lies, rudeness, rages, insults and silent treatments, even though a physical mark is never left."1 Control As with physical violence, emotional and mental abuse has as its goal: control. Control of thoughts, feelings, and actions. Making his wife feel like she has to constantly "walk on eggshells" to avoid a blow-up is