The deep evil of which humans are more than capable, lies in this: Not content with open rebellion against their maker, they engage in Machiavellian religion; they pursue their course against God while professing devotion to him.  They think to use God for their purpos...

Clearly, this is not an exhortation to lovelessness per se. We are not asked to turn a cold shoulder to everyone and everything. The 'world' is the ego in all its individual, cultural, political, nationalist and racial expressions. It is relentless in its determination...

What would make a human being come out with such a statement; an expression--not of autonomy, but of subordination, dependence and ignorance.  It flies in the face of 21st century human consciousness. Are we not now--in addition to being merely self-conscious-- self-ma...

With this single sentence, John lays bare the phoniness of so much religion; so much that calls itself Christian.  This does not mean that followers of Jesus are sinless (see 1 John 1:8). It means that the rallying point, the central interest, the inspiration, instruct...

Beginning with Abraham, circumcision was invested with religious significance. It signified the covenant relationship between God and his people.  But it was only ever a sign. It did not make fact, what it signified. That would require the cooperation of its recipients...

An all too common mistake on the part of those who would be godly, is to think, after much self-correction, that they have succeeded in occupying moral high ground; that they have moved beyond fault.  In this they have deceived only themselves.   A better devotion to t...

Kindness, justice, righteousness are joyously present in the heart of God. Here stated, then, are the chief concerns of a consecrated life. Where these are not central, religion is a blight on humanity. Well might this be taken in to account when considering why religi...

Are there any wise men? Yes, there are. Are there any strong? Of course. Are there rich men? Plenty of them. So why ought they not glory in their natural or cultivated gifts?  Because they are only men! They are mere humans, and what a man is in relation to God is what...

John makes an astounding assertion; not astounding because he claims to have witnessed Jesus' career first hand with his own ears and eyes, but because he believes that in his personal acquaintance with Jesus the man, he encountered God.  This is the reason for his exu...

What a claim!  One hard to argue against, though, given that the he who spoke it had been crucified, dead and buried just three days prior. It means everything that Jesus, despised by every category of human life, could not be overcome by death; could not be extinguish...