Recent content by Kai

To start with, it's important to recognize that God isn't the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). However, many people come to Scripture with the assumption of determinism—the idea that since God has already established all events throughout history and they can't be altered, certain...

I'm aware that's the typical practice in the LDS faith, but the Catholic Church's official doctrine doesn't operate on a fixed 10% basis—they’re actually quite flexible. I suppose there could be parishes out there that are uniquely problematic.

Perhaps someone could kick off a fresh thread where I can dive deeper into that topic, but honestly, my ex and I have always had a pretty friendly dynamic, so I’ve never felt bothered that she decided to hold onto my last name. I understand that it was simply a matter of convenience for her...

In the eyes of God—not the state—we are still one flesh. She can get remarried if she wants, but I intend to stay single for the remainder of my days. Fortunately, we maintain a cordial relationship.

I found it rather flattering that my ex-wife chose to keep my last name. :Biggrin Though, I’m sure it was just to avoid the hassle of having to update her passport and driver’s license.

That is consistent with the teaching of most Reformed Baptist churches. Chapter 3, Paragraph 1 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith states that God has eternally and unchangeably decreed "whatsoever comes to pass". Many RBs want to avoid calling this what it actually is—fatalism.

I'm not familiar with that claim regarding the Catholic Church. Could you be referring to the LDS Church instead?

I think the main reason is that Reformed Baptist churches often want to maintain a distinct theological identity, particularly regarding Calvinism and covenant theology. The SBC allows considerable theological diversity, so a church can be Calvinistic and remain Southern Baptist. But some...

Where I'm not now, but they are independent.

I used to go to a church affiliated with the SBC, and while they didn't identify as reformed, they did lean on the work of Calvinist theologians like John MacArthur and Warren Wiersbe during our Bible study sessions. Eventually, the senior pastor decided to step down, and his son-in-law took the...

Concerning the Greek, can you identify where the agent (genitive or dative noun) is in the passage? I'm not proposing that it should be rendered as "disposed themselves to eternal life," nor am I claiming that anyone arranges their own appointment. You've shared an interpretation that aligns...

Reformed Baptist churches are generally distinguished from the SBC by their commitment to Calvinist theology, particularly the doctrines of election, predestination, and irresistible grace. They also typically practice covenant theology and hold to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith...

I've certainly been in churches where I believed the teaching around giving missed the mark, especially with what I believe to be an inappropriate application of the Malachi 3 passage. However, financial concerns were never what prompted me to walk away from a church. Our pastor practices...

I took another look at this, and here's what I found: since there's no agent present—no ὑπο + genitive or dative noun, which you'd normally see with a passive construction like "by God" (ὑπο του θεου or τῳ θεῳ)—I don't believe that it can be grammatically proven one way or the other whether the...

I was being hypothetical. I think my church does a pretty good job of community outreach. Why can't you do both? I'm not saying that I have ever donated to a Catholic charity, but would that be any different than donating to a non-religious organization as long as someone in need gets the...