Tag Archives: faith

Imagination, Illumination and Faith: a Proposed Connection

Imagination, Illumination and Faith: a Proposed Connection

This entry is part 9 of 9 in the series Christian Imagination You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

We have already showed the importance of imagination for shaping on overall Christian outlook and sensibility. Still, for many Christians these things seem abstract and somewhat arcane. But what if what we are calling imagination is very close to, or identical to the biblical concepts of faith and illumination? If imagination is either identical to… Continue Reading

“My Faith Looks Up to Thee”

“My Faith Looks Up to Thee”

The man had heard the stories, but he hardly dared to believe that they were true. A Teacher from Nazareth was said to be able to heal the sick. Some were even saying that this might be the Messiah Himself. Perhaps this Teacher could cast a demon out of the man’s young son. But when… Continue Reading

Reason and Faith

Reason and Faith

Last week I highlighted the fact that the Enlightenment essentially created a Worldview without God, elevating reason over faith. The elevation of reason over faith in the eighteenth century took two general forms. First, pure naturalists relied upon reason as the ultimate authority by which all notions must be judged; in other words, naturalists will not… Continue Reading

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 40: True Repentance and Faith in Christ

Bible Narratives Devotional, Week 40: True Repentance and Faith in Christ

This entry is part 40 of 52 in the series Bible Narratives Devotional You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Week 40: True Repentance and Faith in Christ Weekly memory verse: John 6:40 – “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Weekly hymn: “I Sought the Lord” (free download)… Continue Reading

On the relationship of faith and works

On the relationship of faith and works

I still confess the doctrine of justification by faith alone. The Scriptures teach repeatedly that no man is or can be saved by his works. This matter is central in importance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul teaches that the Gospel is that Christ died for our sins and rose again in accordance with… Continue Reading

Praying for what God has promised

Praying for what God has promised

The Scriptures teach us to pray for the things that God has promised. We often pray for things that we are unsure of. We often pray for health problems or for people to obtain employment or for a president to be of a certain political persuasions. This is good. We should continue to do this, for God… Continue Reading

The Lord is God (still)

The Lord is God (still)

As conservatives, it can be easy to grow discouraged. There are very few of us. It seems that all of American Christianity (sorry, David de Bruyn) is abandoning the way of worship that we understand to be reverent. The good, the  true, and the beautiful rarely brings in an audience. Our churches are shrinking. Fundamentalism… Continue Reading

Draw Near to God Through Jesus Christ By Faith

Draw Near to God Through Jesus Christ By Faith

This entry is part 9 of 10 in the series Worship in Hebrews You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

The theology of worship from the book of Hebrews is that Christian worship is drawing near to God through Jesus Christ by faith, and therefore it cannot be touched; not that there will be no physical involvement in earthly worship, for there is no such thing as disembodied worship. But the physical involvement or feeling is… Continue Reading

Continuities between OT and NT Worship

Continuities between OT and NT Worship

This entry is part 7 of 10 in the series Worship in Hebrews You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

What becomes apparent when studying worship in Hebrews, as exemplified by this central idea of faith, is that all of these continuities between OT and NT worship exist because they are metaphysical realities. Worship’s focus, consequences for refusing it, its attitude, and faith are all metaphysical in nature both in OT and NT worship. This… Continue Reading

Worship by Faith

Worship by Faith

This entry is part 8 of 10 in the series Worship in Hebrews You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Faith (πίστιϚ) stands in Hebrews as the supreme continuity between OT and NT worship since it functions as an essential link between the physical and metaphysical. The author of Hebrews defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1). Two modifiers in the author’s definition of faith reveal… Continue Reading