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Showing posts from August, 2016

The Substance of Things not Seen

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Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1, KJV I reviewed Sam Harris' book at http://readwit.blogspot.ca/2014/10/the-end-of-faith-sam-harris.html. I would encourage reading the review and the commentary by Hugh Savage that follows.(Cut and paste the URL.) Do I have faith ? Do I know what people mean when they say they’ve lost faith ? Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” The interpretation of this verse seems to have been a struggle among translators and theologians forever. For a long list of a variety of understandings, click HERE . Hebrews 11:1 sounds like Paul’s attempt to define faith as if he were writing a dictionary entry: Faith (n.) \f ā th\ the substance of things hoped for; evidence of things not seen. In other words, If you are hoping that there will be peace on earth, for instance, and although there isn’t

Salt and Light

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The Mennonite Preacher Anslo and his Wife - Rembrandt Salt and Light (Matthew 5: 13-16) You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven. Salt is not steak; salt and pepper are not egg. Steak without salt is bland, bleak. Egg without salt and pepper is, well, just egg. Nobody says, though, when eating a steak, I’m enjoying barbecued salt . Nobody says, I had salt and pepper for breakfast . And you are light , that wonderful quirk of the laws of physics that allows you to act both as a wave and as a particle, making possible the