UNDERSTANDING THE CHRIST-CENTERED EPISTEMOLOGY OF COLOSSIANS “How do I know?” is usually called the epistemological question. Epistemology is the study of, “the nature and scope of knowledge, its presuppositions and basis, and the general reliability of claims to knowledge.”1 What Paul says Paul’s basic response to, “How do I know?” is that when we…
HOW DOES PAUL’S ARGUMENT IN COLOSSIANS RELATE TO PHILOSOPHY? Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col. 2:8) Every time one verse or passage becomes the center of a large discussion, it is imperative to ask…
Many Christians have warned against the perils of philosophy, arguing that it is, at best, human speculation.1 These people often quote Paul’s warning to the church at Colosse: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col.…
From the Editor: About a year and a half ago Dr. David Murray made a questionnaire with 29 questions to help you figure out how addicted you are to everything digital. Here it is again (below). Challenge a friend to complete this with you. Or bring it home and show it to your family and see…
Calling all Young People! An elder in the URC churches is taking a survery—and he wants you to participate. The survey is anonymous, takes 1 and 1/2 minutes (or less), and is on the use and view of marijuana. He’s hoping he can get many young people between the ages of 15 and 30 to…
First I have to say to you all: Congratulations! Your “Ask a Pastor” questions have completely overwhelmed us pastors and have now officially become a backlog, a logjam, a complete gridlock. However you want to call it, the list of questions is long, and the list of pastors to answer them… well, not so long.…
Since summer is the time of weddings, that means spring (for the pastor) is the season for premarital counseling. Once a week (or so) my wife and I find ourselves sitting with a stary-eyed couple, listening as they gush about how easy it is for them to work through their arguments together (Oh, they have…
Entreat me not to leave thee I’ll be ever at your side When you’ve sorrowed I have sorrowed When I cried You dried my eyes I will always call you mother All others I ignore Adoring the one God of your fathers Trusting Him forever more Wherever your foot steps take you You…
Scripture teaches us that the effects of sin are always serious. They are threefold: 1. Death in various forms The Bible teaches that sin leads to death, in all its forms, physical, spiritual, and eternal. As Dr. Ferguson says: As a result of sin, a “virulent disease” began “to spread through the whole of…
Perhaps one of the greatest tensions in the Christian life is that a we are at peace but also at war. We are at peace with God through the reconciliation made at the cross, and yet are called to war against indwelling sin. There is not only an individual part to this warfare, but…
