Dichotomy or Trichotomy… what people are made of If approached purely from a humanistic point of view, mankind is typically seen as nothing more than a physical, material beast. One, as it were, with the universe in which they dwell. This is called “monism” and in most religious circles it is rejected as completely materialistic (which of course it is). Most commonly, in the religious world, there are two additional views – that of humans being as a two part being or a three part being. These two views are known as Dichotomy and Trichotomy respectively. Dichotomy – This […]
Continue readingAuthor Archive: Pastor Mark
1 John 1:9 What the Bible REALLY says
Does 1 John 1:9 address Christians who are in need of forgiveness or was it addressing the lost? An article on 1 John 1:9, would, at one time, have been excessively brief, but truth always requires more explanation than lies, and with all the misinformation out there needing to be addressed – this article is MUCH longer than I would have liked. Let me begin by outlining a few simple facts that may keep many from having to read the entire article. 1 John chapter 1 NEVER tells anyone to come to Jesus by faith in His finished […]
Continue reading
Docetism and Gnosticism in the New Testament
I do not enjoy writing about false doctrines, but I suspect that neither did Paul. Nevertheless, any serious reader of the New Testament cannot side-step the fact that Paul, Peter, John & James spent much of their letters addressing issues of false doctrines and the need for spirit-led teachers, grounded in the Word teaching sound doctrine. So with that in mind… I am addressing both Docetism and Gnosticism predominately because I refer to it in another article addressing I Jn. 1:9 & the believer. So I thought that rather than turning THAT study into two studies, I should write this […]
Continue readingSheep
This is Shrek the sheep. Shrek is a Marino sheep which is a breed especially prized for its fine, soft wool. He became famous in the spring of 2004 when after avoiding being caught and shorn for six years he was found hiding out in caves. Of course, during this time his fleece grew without anyone there to sheer (shave) it. When Shrek was finally found and shaved, his fleece weighed an amazing sixty pounds! Most Marino sheep have a fleece weighing just under ten pounds, with the exception usually reaching thirty-three pounds. Beginning in 1998, this sheep began to […]
Continue reading
1 John 1:9
Let me begin by saying that I believe the entirety of this letter is to believers, not unbelievers or a mixed group of both unbelievers and believers – I believe this to be the obvious truth of all the letters from all the apostles. That is NOT to say that they were unaware of unbelievers being among them for we know they were aware, but that the letters were written for the edification and further instruction of true saints, to me is not even a subject worth debating, since all of scripture was always addressed to God’s covenant people in […]
Continue reading