Posts by Pastor Ed
Are Tongues for All Believers? What is the Mark of the Holy Spirit?
Some faithful followers of Christ believe that the Holy Spirit would like to give the gift of tongues to all believers. I will explain from Acts and 1 Corinthians why I think there is a better way to understand tongues, and a better mark of the Holy Spirit. These followers often arrive at this…
Homosexuality and Gay Marriage in the Bible – A Response to Matthew Vines (Ed Neufeld, 2015)
Christians agree for the most part that stealing is wrong, and adultery, and murder, and lying. But we debate if homosexual relations are wrong, and…
Theology for those Doomed to Fail in the Christian Life
My brother works at a medical clinic for street people. People come to that clinic who have real interest in God, but as far as what most of us consider normal Christian living to be, these people are doomed to fail. Substance abuse and mental illness are only a few of the problems they…
Response to Timothy Keller, Generous Justice, by Ed Neufeld
Timothy Keller, Generous Justice, 2010 Some years ago I read Keller’s The Reason for God, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Generous Justice is as thoughtful and readable as The Reason for God. Keller capably explains justice, social justice, and social righteousness, as developed in the Bible. “Generous…
A Theology of Yes and No
I am a paid minister. I had assumed that my job description at its core was to serve people and meet their needs. It did not occur to me that I should ever say “no” to loving and serving people, or that loving and serving Jesus Christ could take me away from the people in front of me. …
Which Cup did Jesus Drink? How was He Forsaken? (Matthew 26:39; 27:46)
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 26:39; 27:46). This paper argues that the unwanted cup represents suffering caused by humans, not by God; and that Jesus was forsaken by God just as the composer of Psalm 22 and the troubled…
Made Like Us, Tempted Like Us (Hebrews 2-5)
Made like Us, Tempted like Us: the Weakness of Jesus and the Perfecting of the Sinless High Priest in Hebrews 2-5.” One of the perfections of Christ in Hebrews is that he is a merciful and faithful high priest, a sympathetic and compassionate priest for those who need propitiating help. That perfection…