Bridge of Reason

  I received a call from someone asking for help in developing a good apologetic in witnessing to Jehovah’s Witnesses. His enthusiasm was encouraging in a world where fear and apprehension, complexity and a sense of helplessness are the usual faire. It made me reflect on the process that might bring someone to this place of finally wanting to do something constructive when they answer the door. Christians who have never been in a cult will often imagine, whatever else might be said, it is an exotic experience, touched with a frisson of danger and romance. This really is incorrect, but people are sometimes drawn because of this mistaken notion. Neither the cult nor the ministry are romantic, certainly the ministry is not especially popular among churches and church leaders; too ‘confrontational.’ What I find is often the case, however, is an encounter with Mormons, or Jehovah’s Witnesses, or some other group, drives someone back to their Bible. There they search for answers to qu...

  In Part 2 we continue to consider the five solas of the Protestant Reformation. Sola Fide – Faith Alone "If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema." 1 Just as the RCC taught that it is Jesus and, they also taught that it is Faith and. They teach that faith in Christ alone is not enough to be justified, to be made right with God. As a Catholic, Martin Luther also believed this until the Lord used Scripture to show him differently. When Luther read Romans 1 his eyes and his heart were opened: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17) R.C Sproul speaking about this momentous event in Luther’s life c...

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. 1 This statement though true in general is especially true for the Christian Church. How quickly we forget, or should I say ignore, those who have gone before us. But then why should we who live in the twenty first century be in any way concerned about what was happening in the Christian Church hundreds and hundreds of years ago? What on earth can they teach us, that we do not already know? Aren’t we far more educated than they were? Sadly, such folly exists amongst the people of God; and such ignorance in turn leads to an embracing of the very same errors that our forebears fought and taught against. Standing up for truth cost many their lives; but what has that got to do with us? It is my contention that it has everything to do with us. In this first article we will take a trip back in time to the sixteenth century and consider why the five solas were of vital importance to the Protestant Reformers. What are the ...

  In Acts 17 the Bible describes the Internet in general, and social media in particular. A place where people spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing of something new. So, what do we do with that, and what can we learn from Paul? I was looking again at Paul and his journeys and trials in Acts. In Acts 16 he is imprisoned in Phillippi, along with Silas, after having been beaten with rods for preaching the gospel and, ‘turning the world upside down.’ Before the end of the chapter the jailer and his family came to a living faith in Christ, and the police and magistrate came and apologised for their treatment. They moved on from there to Thessalonica (Acts 17), preached Christ crucified, buried, and risen, only to find themselves being hunted down by a mob of jealous Jews. Not being found, and encouraged by the brothers to leave, they set out for Berea. Finding some success with Berean Jews (who were reportedly more noble than those in Thessalonica) they found the Jews...

Editor's Note:   We get asked from time to time about our use of the word 'cult.' I understand people's unease and discomfort but there seems no honest alternative. Here is an article, originally published in 2015, that explains how we arrive at the term. I hope you find it helpful. CULT! It seems such a pejorative word and certainly in ministry it is not intended as a compliment. But is it an insult? Is its use an example of disagreeing while being disagreeable? To listen to many there is no excuse for using it, especially when what people see as sensible alternatives are available such as sect, or the more acceptable “new (or alternative) religious movement.” So is “cult” used out of nothing more than spite? Or is there a legitimate  application in ministry terms? History “ Cult” comes from the Latin, cultus , from colore , to cultivate or to worship. Colore is the same root for the Latin cultura, from which we get culture. One of many ways of...

Paul's letter to Titus in the New Testament contains a remarkable and disturbing observation. Paul writes: 'One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in faith…' (1:12/13) Titus was a Greek convert to Christianity, Paul referring to him as, 'my true child in the faith.' (1:4) He had a challenging assignment, so Paul wrote words both of encouragement and of instruction, 'as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.' (2:1) This is a theme throughout this letter, indeed, in his whole ministry. The fact Titus was to appoint elders in every town tells us this was a new church plant. The above quote gives some insight into what Titus had to draw on to accomplish his task. It is a shocking thing to read, xenophobic one might think. Paul, of course, was making a generalisation, not implying every citizen of ...

Jesus' attitude to the lost is summed up perfectly in John 3:17, a verse perhaps not as familiar as the one preceding it: “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.” (NASB) In any and every aspect of the Christian life it has become commonplace to ask, “What would Jesus do?” But how does this text work out and what would Jesus do in relation to the cults? Did Jesus meet and interact with any cults? People usually think of the Pharisees here but, while they certainly did display classic cultic characteristics – such as a strong legalism, judgementalism, controlling leadership, adding to the Law – it is well to remember that the Pharisees were part of the orthodox religion of the day. We see the same in today's church, where a particular group may be a little legalistic, judgemental and disapproving, may make past tradition into a creed for today and so forth. But this does not disqualify such a group...

'The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.' (Hebrews 4:12-13) Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on 2 June 1953. She would spend her life living in castles and palaces. She would sit on thrones, ride in gold carriages, and leading designers would line up to make her the best clothes, She would wear the finest jewellery, eat the finest meals, and travel first class. At her coronation in Westminster Abbey, amidst all the pomp and ceremony, lords and ladies, dignitaries both spiritual and secular, she was handed a Bible with these words: Our gracious Queen: to keep your Majesty ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, we present you with t...

What do you think of when your hear the word ‘sanctified?’ Paul’s first letter to Christians in Thessalonica is best summed up in verse one of chapter four, ‘How to live in order to please God.’ The context is very important if we are to appreciate its application today. Paul was writing to a church living in what was a hostile environment for Christians, calling them to live sanctified lives. We are beginning to experience this environment in what was traditionally a ‘Christian country.’ You might be aware of recent controversial developments in Ireland regarding gay marriage. Ireland (Eire) has voted to change the constitution to allow gay couples to marry. This has proved an enormous challenge to the Catholic Church that takes a traditional, biblical view on marriage . You might remember also, in Northern Ireland, Ashers Bakery was successfully prosecuted for refusing to bake a cake with a pro-gay message on it. They didn’t refuse custom to a gay man, but simply refused to put ...