As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“And what is now the largest Christian university? According to federal enrollment data Liberty also cites, that title in the U.S. — and perhaps the world — belongs to Grand Canyon University, a for-profit Christian school in Phoenix. Like Liberty, it has benefited from heavy investment in online education.” RNS
Death is an occasion and funeral homes are a place marked by much sadness and grief. And yet, according to Holy Scripture, there is something potentially beneficial about such an occasion and such a place. As the writer of Ecclesiastes puts it, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to a house of feasting” (7:2 NIV). To paraphrase, “Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties” (NLT). Why would the Bible make such an assertion? What is this passage teaching us?
To begin with, let’s consider what this passage is not teaching:
“Wobbly research is way too often used as the justification for new government policies and programs.” WORLD
Nobody knows who Diognetus was, but he was apparently a Hellenist who was interested in learning about the Christian faith. The unknown author (some believe it could be Polycarp) wrote this letter to explain a bit more about the Christian faith, likely sometime during the late 2nd century.
Most of us are familiar with the distinction between facts and the interpretation of facts. Objective facts are often interpreted based upon the worldview, paradigms, assumptions, culture, and even personality of the interpreter. Facts do not change. Our interpretation of facts may.
“Millennials were also misinformed. Over forty percent believed that only two million Jews were killed, rather than over 6 million.” WRN
Reposted from Pursuing the Pursuer, with permission.
“Your skirt length is a heart problem.”
“Music with a 2-4 beat is demonic.”
“Christians should never step foot in a movie theater.”
Maybe you remember hearing things like this in your church.
By Jordan Standridge. Reposted from The Cripplegate.
Funerals are a gift from God. I know that sounds crazy, but they are a God-given tool to force us to reflect on the brevity of life, and how finite we are as human beings. I truly do believe that humans should attend as many funerals as possible during their lives. It is that good for your soul.
I had the privilege of attending two recently, and they could not have been more different from each other.
Discussion