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Husband. Father. Soldier. Christian.
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A Fight With Depravity
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On Surety and the Death of Infants
(written Feb. 2010)I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
I don't know why, but, since I returned from Kuwait in November, the subject of the salvation of infants that die in infancy is one I've been confronted with a number of times in a number of different ways. First, the subject reared its (ugly?) head when an old friend lost her infant son to SIDS on Thanksgiving Day and I was sought, by some friends close to the family, for insight and comfort.Next, I had a long conversation with a friend concerning the surety of salvation of children ...
Posted Oct 16, 2010 9:48 AM by Ray Nearhood
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JEROME (Discussing history and treating saints properly)
I wrote this as a response to a thread on Theologica (A great, diverse, theological discussion forum, btw), so it's going to read - in places - like a response. The thread and replies to which I am responding are linked in the blog.
It took some work and is truly a labor of love, so I'm disseminating it as much as possible. The blog is long because it is thorough. Enjoy.
In the thread "The Canon:What books Are in the Canon and How is it Determined?," I was struck, a couple of times at the misuse of historical evidences in defense of the pro-Deuterocanon inclusion position. Specifically, I was struck by the misuse, and utter misrepresentation, of ...
Posted Aug 12, 2010 9:12 PM by Ray Nearhood
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Embracing the Divide
A number of years ago, before "converting" to Calvinism, I was involved in an ecumenical push to "reunite" Evangelicals with the Catholic Church under the ideas that we were all followers of Christ, all socially conservative, and not so different after all. At the time I was a student at a Christian (CoC) College and a Youth Minister at a Nazarene Church. Being a student of the Stone/Campbell ecumenicism, I sort of felt (I say "sort of" because I always some hidden reservations) that it was only the prudent choice to extend the reconcilliation between the Christian Church and the Church of Christ to all believers. My desire for "unity" was taught and reiterated by my professors and pastor ...
Posted Aug 12, 2010 9:10 PM by Ray Nearhood
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REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER: A short story from the British Reformation
A QUICK AND INSUFFICIENT BACKGROUND (but I'm usually too wordy, so I'll keep it brief)The earliest years of the 17th century were a tumultuous time on the British Isles. The years leading up to the turn of that century had seen many political and religious changes that kept the Isles teetering on edge of Civil war. First there were the breaks from alliance with France and Roman Catholicism by Henry VIII while Scotland was strengthening its alliance with France and the Roman Catholic Church. Then came the ascendency to the English throne of Mary I (Bloody Mary). Under Queen Mary's five year rule Roman Catholicism was forcefully restored to England. Queen Mary I of England was ...
Posted Aug 12, 2010 9:09 PM by Ray Nearhood
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On a Lack of Tact and a Love for a Saint
Early in my Christian life I had to come to terms with the sad fact that I lacked a certain quality that might make me effective in communication. It seems that the lack of this quality “turned people off” when discussing doctrine amongst friends and witnessing to the lost. I counted this as a fault and worked through prayer, study, and under guidance to rid myself of the fault. Over a period of years I was able to approach conversations in a manner better received that, as far as I’m concerned, had lost a lot of depth and forced me to often miss the point I was trying to make.
As you may have guessed from past interactions with ...
Posted Aug 12, 2010 9:08 PM by Ray Nearhood
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