As our heavenly Father treats us with grace and kindness, Jesus calls us to treat others with grace and kindness (and not judgmentalism). This sums up the requirements of the Old Testament Law—and it acts as an indicator of our spiritual state. Living as Jesus calls us to live is an indicator that we are entering life by the narrow gate; hypocrisy in this area is a sign that a person may be heading to destruction.
Jesus addresses a group of people who are very concerned that their religious acts should be seen and observed by others. He insists that their religious acts are worthless if they are done for show—and he calls us instead to seek the approval of the Father and not of men.
In this conversation, Wyatt and Matthew explore the philosophical and theological insights of Boethius, particularly focusing on the nature of God, eternity, free will, and divine knowledge. They discuss how God’s eternal nature allows for a unique understanding of time and how this relates to human free will and divine providence. The conversation emphasizes the importance of philosophy in understanding theology and the comfort it brings in the face of suffering.
Jesus addresses a group of people who are very concerned that their religious acts should be seen and observed by others. He insists that their religious acts are worthless if they are done for show—and he calls us instead to seek the approval of the Father and not of men.
In his One Assembly, Jonathan Leeman observes a biblical pattern wherein local churches assemble together in one place. He also argues that the word ekklesia means assembly, or a gathered people. On these bases, Leeman concludes that the Bible forbids multiple services and sites. I agree with his observations. When Paul and Barnabas “gathered the church together” in Antioch (Acts 14:27), they brought everyone into one assembly. This is the normal pattern we see in Scripture. A church is a gathered people. I disagree, however, with Leeman’s further claim that the Bible forbids multiple services because his argument relies too...
