It’s been 20 years and The Matrix is still my favorite movie. One of its most memorable scenes is Neo’s encounter with Spoon Boy: Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth. Neo: What truth? Spoon boy: There is no spoon. Neo: There is no spoon? Spoon boy: Then you’ll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself. Alternative Realities I like The Matrix because... Read more
Have you ever tried to have a conversation about sin only to have someone say, “Hey, Jesus told us not to judge!” For this person, any attempt to classify an act as sinful is a judgment that Jesus expressly prohibited. This is based on Jesus’ words in Matt 7:1, “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” Is Jesus’ statement really a sweeping prohibition against making judgments? If you answered “no,” you are correct. Instead, Jesus is actually... Read more
Of Monsters and Men As a culture we are obsessed with destructive monsters. I mean, how many vampire movies and TV shows do we really need? “Always one more” seems to be the answer. In the last decade or so, zombies have also made a major comeback, spurred on by the success of shows like “Walking Dead.” What do all these monsters have in common? They eat or suck the very life force out of people. Blood and flesh are... Read more
Stanley Being Stanley Apologetics can be tricky. I once heard Stanley Hauerwas say something like, “Never think you need to protect God. If you think you need to protect God, you can be sure that you are worshiping an idol.” I like this quote because it exposes our insecurities about God. We’ve learned, perhaps the hard way, that the God of Scripture cannot be proven. Faith is actually required. Sure we can argue through observation that the universe conveys order... Read more
In popular views of the end times, the antichrist is identified as a ruler who will rise and govern the entire world. This will take place in the years leading up to Christ’s return. For most most people who hold to this interpretation, this antichrist is associated with the beast of Revelation. Personally, I’m not convinced that this is what John meant. Instead, I’m persuaded that he used the term antichrist in reference to people who lived at his time.... Read more
“Do you take the Bible literally?” asked an inquisitive church member not realizing that a simple, yet more loaded question could not be asked. If I answered “Yes” I would be implying that Christians must do everything written therein literally. By saying “No” I would be impinging upon the reliability and authority of the Bible. Of course, anyone involved in such a discussion knows the matter is far more complicated than those two options. And often it revolves around definitions.... Read more
Beginning in early childhood we are taught to share. While sharing is primarily taught by our parents, it is not emphasized solely in the home. Children’s television programming frequently reinforces the importance of sharing. That’s because we are not born with a willingness to share. On the contrary, it is a learned attitude. Anyone who has spent even a short time with children knows this is true. As I’m sure we’ve all observed, some people learn it better than others.... Read more
Having considered why Christians might date and the chemical realities involved in dating, it’s time to explore the place of physical intimacy. I find it helpful to locate intimacy within a four-stage process leading to marriage: (1) pre-dating, (2) dating, (3) engagement, and (4) marriage. These are not timelessly right or even biblical categories. They are a modest proposal for how to plan for lifelong marriage in ways that factor in the chemical reactions that govern our bodies. Pre-Dating Since... Read more
In my previous post, I discussed how and why Christians might date according to Scripture. In this post, I explore the physical aspects of dating according to science. Those seeking lifelong marriage with a Christian spouse should take both Scripture and science seriously. Lessons from Science Since lifelong faithfulness is God’s design for marriage, it makes sense that God designed our bodies accordingly. A brief foray into human physiology is therefore relevant to Christian approaches to dating. Full disclosure: I... Read more
Let’s be honest, the Bible doesn’t say much about dating. And what little it says about finding a spouse, few people eagerly apply: Abraham sends his servant to a distant land to find a wife for Isaac (Gen 24) Jacob goes on a blind date and ends up with a surprise wife (Gen 29:16-28) Ruth freeloads off an older man’s crops, lays at his dormant feet, and pops the question when he wakes up (Ruth 3:7-13) Samson tells his parents... Read more
Walk and Word
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In