This link is to the entire document, Everybody Wants to Kill Somebody: An Epistle for Killers Everybody wants to Kill (1)

Capital Punishment: Does God desire the death of a sinner?

We have already mentioned that in the case of abortion and suicide (as well as martyrdom and heroic death) that any taking of a human life is displeasing to God, breaks Shalom, is contrary to a life of holiness, and is harmful to one’s soul. Yet, the same God who has commanded, “Thou shalt not kill,” has also given his clear consent to the taking of human life for certain grievous crimes. Proponents for the death penalty do us no good service when they deny the first. Advocates for the sanctity of human life do us no good service when they deny the second.  Too often we try to resolve the issue in our  favor by playing with the overly nuanced definition of terms thereby, using many words, we complicate and confuse the issue rather than clarify it. Another tactic, which the Christian ought to shun, is to reach for an obscure and difficult to understand passage and then, rather than admit that we don’t understand it, impose a meaning upon it which the Holy Spirit never intended. Continue reading “Everybody Wants to Kill Somebody: Part 3 Capital Pumishment” →

This is the link to the entire document, Eberybody Wants to Kill Somebody: An Epistle for Killers Everybody wants to Kill (1)

War: Stuff Happens!

In a sense war is the continual state of unregenerate humanity. Scripture uses the language of war to describe our fallen relationship with God. We are at enmity with God. We are in rebellion against our Creator. We are in a constant state of war. Continue reading “Evertbody Wants to Kill Somebody: Part 4 War and Self Defense” →

This is the link to the entire document, Everybody wants to Kill Somebody: An Epistle for Killers Everybody wants to Kill (1)

Conclusion: Thou shalt not kill Continue reading “Everybody Wants to Kill Somebody: Conclusion” →

Excerpts from the individual sections of this document are vailable from the homepage of this site.

Many of us have repeatedly asserted that human sexuality is a poor proxy for the real division in the UMC. It is the pluralism that leaves us incapable of speaking with one mind or with any integrity on any matter. As a result,  people needlessly suffer. Continue reading “Everybody Wants to Kill Somebody: An Epistle for Killers” →

(How sad it is that the state of the UMC is such that any satire must be clearly labeled as such. This is satire. It is more tragic satire than comic. It is akin to the irony of, “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” However, I can imagine any number of U.S. bishops who could deliver this message as written and with a straight face. So, I reiterate: This is satire. Bishop Achrestos offered us assurance and calm following the 2019 General Conference. While the bishop is fictional, all events, quotes, and actions he describes are actual. One may take issue with their characterization or their significance but not the reality.} Continue reading “Bishop Achrestos Addresses the South Carolina Annual Conference” →

The Blood of Christ. We have forgotten how to speak of it. The debate in theological circles has moved from which theory of atonement best describes the work of Christ on the cross to a debate as to whether there is any atonement at all. Contemporary Christian music avoids the blood. Mainline hymnals edit it out. I have heard a district clergy meeting sing out, “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the love of Jesus.”

This fourth of seven Lenten devotionals by the late Dr. Carl Hoefler does not answer the “how” but the more important “why” the blood of Christ is needed in our life. 

Keith Sweat, 25 March 2019.

Continue reading “Dr. Carl Hoefler: Bought Back By Blood” →

The Third Word

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, “Woman, behold thy son!” Then saith he to the disciple, “Behold thy mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. (John 19:25-27)

(If this is your first reading in this series then please see the fair use statement and tribute to Dr. Hoefler here. )

THE FAMILY OF THE FORGIVEN

When we stand before the cross and truly catch a vision of its meaning, we discover not only something new about our relationship to God and to ourselves, but we also discover something new about our relationship to others. Continue reading “Dr. Carl Hoefler on The Family of the Forgiven” →

Trust, noun,
1 assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something;
2 a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship.

In years past the church has borrowed from management practices of the corporate world. Too often, we have imported much of what is amoral of that world along with it. I offer two lessons in morality that I learned in secular business. Continue reading “Lessons in Morality for the UMC, From Corporate America” →

A much better sermon on the thief on the cross by Dr. Carl Hoefler can be found here. This is a greatly abbreviated version of an evangelical sermon of my own which addresses common misapplications of lessons from the thief. It may be criticized as belonging to another century. The critic is right. It’s from the first century. Continue reading “You Are Able: Are You Willing?” →