Posts by Truth and Life

The definition of who we are boils down to what we believe we are. If we are materialists we believe that physical matter is the fundamental substance of nature. Mind and consciousness arise from material interaction and depend on physical processes. Materialism believes Christianity has become unnecessary. The resurrection of Christ, as Adam Francisco writes…

Most would sum up the issue of aesthetics–that branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of art, beauty, taste and style with the age-old response, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Jeremiah Schultz, writing from a Christian perspective, says that everyone has a way of seeing from their own perspective.  There was…

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.Matthew 7:21 Knowing the difference between God’s will and my will reveals the tension between human desire and divine purpose.  Martin Luther said we do not have…

The year was 1947 in the United States. The Second World War was over and a farm boy from North Dakota was part of the occupation forces in Germany. A pastor there who had been a navigator in the Luftwaffe, still stinging from the defeat, had a daughter who fell in love with the farm…

We live in a world that captures our attention through our senses. Much of this happens between our eyes and the all-pervasive screen in our pockets, or the laptop in our brief case, the desktop in our homes, and the iPad. In an interview with Ross Douthat from the New York Times, Paul Kingsnorth in…

With the advancements in technology, the speed of travel, and the constant political changes, we as humans have not changed all that much since Biblical times. Thousands of years of what we call historical advancements do not separate us from early civilizations.  We fall victims to the same fears, anxieties and desires. Styles may differ,…

The gospel of John tells us that In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word was with God and  the Word was God. Martin Luther says that only the Holy Spirit from heaven above can create listeners and pupils that accept this doctrine. Biblical scholars…

On Maundy Thursday, the most important meal ever served, was served. As Amy Mantravadi writes, it was there that Jesus Christ revealed His plan for an entirely new institution, the Holy Christian Church. In that new institution, Mantravadi writes, “He would give of Himself through three ordinary means, through His Word, through the preaching of…

The sin of unfaithfulness darkens the Pulpit. In his blog, Magnus Persson writes that God is not a tool in our hands.  He does not exit to serve our goals. It is the oldest temptation, making Him into our image, into our preferences. When we preach a preferred God we have become entertainers. We preach…

“We are beggars. This is true.” In her blog, Blessed Beggars, Heather Schulz tells us that those words had been written by Martin Luther on a scrap of paper found in his pocket after he died. Such is the cry of a destitute sinner. “Lord, help and save me, not because of righteous things I…