We're Christians; we follow Christ. So why do we care what anyone else says? Makes sense, but many today ask, "Why do we care what people who aren't Jesus said in the Bible?" Are the red letters more important than the black ones?
I love the red letters, but we cannot be "red letter Christians." The red letters themselves tell us so.
When people attack traditional Christians for being traditional Christians, there are certain standard moves. Whether it's coming from progressive pastors, cafeteria Catholic comedians, or skeptical scientists, one of the favorites is to compare us to the Pharisees, "the people Jesus denounced most harshly". Let's talk about why that falls flat. Let's look at exactly why Jesus was so harsh with the Pharisees.
This week, I've got a selection of articles I've come across I think you'll find useful.
I'm a nerd, so gadgets appeal to me. Naturally, Dick Tracy smart watches are cool. I'd love to have spy smart glasses. Those cars with all the digital displays on the dashboard look like space ships! Fortunately, being deeply cheap keeps me from being broke. But I can take it too far. I will occasionally catch myself spending half an hour dithering over two options separated by $5. Thus one character flaw trumps another.
Sin can operate the same way.
What if we're sinning and don't even know it? One of the passages in The Screwtape Letters that has really stuck with me is the chapter where Screwtape explains that gluttony isn't what we think it is, that it's far more subtle and easier to commit than we assume. His discourse opens up a whole world of possibilities, and it's quite unsettling.
