Dr Eckman discusses Paul’s teachings to the Corinthian people on the wisdom of God: how it is revealed to believers by His Holy Spirit, and why the matters of the Holy Spirit are not understood by the non-believer.
It is obvious to everyone: Something is occurring in America right now. There is a sense that things are out of control. What had always seemed right is now called wrong. What had always been considered wrong is now considered right. Language that was once unacceptable for use in public is now common and accepted. Evidence of this cultural upheaval is in the language we use. Presbyterian minister John P. Sartelle writes: ?We are witnessing the deconstruction of a civilization. Across our land, the major institutions that are foundational to any nation are in a downward spiral, whether we speak of education, government, business or the family. Isaiah and Jeremiah were observers of a similar deconstruction of their nation and wrote about it. One of the characteristics of that fall was the decline in the civility of everyday language.?
Dr Eckman continues the study of 1st Corinthians: Paul teaches more on the message of “Christ-crucified” & how it stands opposed to human wisdom.
I just finished reading a book by media theorist Douglas Rushkoff entitled Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now. It is a penetrating and thought-provoking book. [The title is an obvious play on the Alvin Toffler?s 1970 classic book, Future Shock.] To me, it captures quite brilliantly the unsettledness and disorientation that many feel as we begin the 21st century. It offers an analysis of our culture unlike any other I have read recently. Yet, with his analysis, Rushkoff offers few solutions and little comfort. So, in this Perspective, I seek to summarize the principal arguments of the book and add a biblical response to each major point, for I believe that God offers a cure to the ?disease? called ?Present Shock.?
Paul addresses the problem of division amongst the people in the Church at Corinth.
Dr. Eckman continues his series on the Bible with 1 Corinthians 1:1-9.
Last week, George Zimmerman was acquitted of charges of murder and manslaughter in the 26 February 2012 killing of 17-year old Trayvon Martin. The trial and the circumstances that led up to the trial were filled with intense emotion, controversy and ethical meaning. It should foster some soul-searching on the part of the nation, especially for Christians. Arguably, this was an extremely difficult case for the prosecution. . .
That marriage and family are changing is now a given. Law, insurance practices and government policies all reflect this change. Both are defined in many different ways and marriage is no longer solely heterosexual in its nature. Furthermore, Stephanie Coontz of Evergreen State College in Washington recently observed that ?marriage is no longer the central institution that organizes people?s lives. Marriage is no longer the only place where people make major life transitions and decisions, enter into commitments or incur obligations??
Many remember this tragic 2010 story: In Gainesville, Florida, Pastor Terry Jones threatened to burn copies of the Qur?an on 11 September 2010 (he called it ?International Burn a Koran Day?). He said that his purpose was to ?bring awareness to the dangers of Islam and that the Koran is leading people to hell. Eternal fire is the only destination the Koran can lead people to so we want to put the Koran in its place?the fire!? Although I believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), I question whether Pastor Jones was laying out an effective strategy to give witness to the truth about Jesus. I find nothing in the Bible that would view this as an effective kind of witness. Let me suggest two thoughts:
Stem cells are the building blocks of the human body. Stem cell research has enormous potential to deal with disease and various genetic disorders. The most controversial aspect of stem cell research is embryonic stem cells, which necessitate the killing of the embryo to retrieve the stem cells. In 2010, scientists reported on a new technique that provides an alternative to using human embryonic stem cells for research. Basically, the process enables scientists to convert ordinary skin cells into cells that appear virtually identical to embryonic stem cells. This same strategy can then be used to ?coax? those same cells to morph into specific tissues that would be a perfect match for transplantation into patients.
