Nice Hobby

The Gospel: Good News or Bad News?

The gospel confronts us with the hopelessness of our sinful condition. But we don't like what we see of ourselves in the gospel, so we shrink back from it. We live in a land of self-improvement. Certainly there are steps we cantake to make ourselves better. So we modify what the gospel says about us.
We are not evil, we think, and certainly not spiritually dead. Havent' you heard of the power of positive thinking? I can become a better me and experience my best life now. That's why God is there - to make that happen. My life is not going right, but god loves me and has a plan to fix my life. I simply need to follow certain steps, think certain thinks, and check off certain boxes, and then I am good.
Both our diagnosis of the situation and our conclusion regarding the solution fit nicely in a culture that exalts self-sufficiency, self-esteem, and self-confidence. We already have a fairly high view of our morality, so when we add a superstitious prayer, a subsequent dose of church attendance, and obedience to some of the Bible, we feel pretty sure that we will be all right in the end. 
Note the contrast, however, when you diagnose the problem biblically. The modern-day gospel says, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Therefore, follow these steps, and you can be saved." Meanwhile, the biblical gospel says, "You are an enemy to God, dead in your sin, and in your present state of rebellion, you are not even able to see that you need life, much less to cause yourself to come to life. Therefore, you are radically dependent on God to do something in your life that you could never do."
The former sells books and draws crowds. The latter saves souls. Which is more important?  -David Platt Radical

Shroud of Turin

Reposting an article I read from another blog about the latest research on the Shroud of Turin.

Does Theology really matter? (Part 2)

What kind of Theology really matters?  

   ¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters,^e if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
¹⁸ But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. ¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder. ²⁰Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? ²¹Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. ²³Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. -James 2:14-24

James says that "even the demons" by worldly standards have very good theology. Contrary to what many people might assume - demons are monotheists! They quite possibly have a clearer idea of certain concepts like the Trinity or wrath than we might have. Does that produce godliness in them? Does that save them? By all means, NO! So we have to think deeper about how theology matters to get to the bottom of this. Does it matter for salvation? How?

James says it has little value if it is not coupled by "works". Believing the right truths are only of value if those truths permeate every area of your life - a life lived coherently to the truth believed.