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What Does This Parable Mean?

In the light of teaching on God's grace, I have some issues with the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. Traditionally, this text has been used by legalistic churches in order to "press gang" beleivers into doing "something" for God. Even though some beleivers have come to church with all kinds of hurts, sorrows and burdens - this has not stopped many preachers from using this text to patronise Christians into making efforts to put on, what can only be desc… Continue

Introduction

1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Hebrews 6:1-2 nkjv

There is much debate in the church regarding the subject of repentance. There are some people who hold fast to the belief that believers ought to confess… Continue

There is a saying in the church, “Love the sinner – hate the sin”. But like many sayings in the church, the reasoning behind it is flawed and unscriptural. Such sayings belong to a bygone age of the church and should have long since been forgotten.

A lot of the errors that we are seeing in the church are caused by confusion over the truth which causes some Christians to cling to Old Testament ideals. Jesus came to refute such erroneous thinking. In the Old Testament we see the phrase, “A… Continue

Introduction

I was thinking to myself recently that the content of many Christian sermons tend to fall into what I see as being three broad categories: challenges, platitudes and pep-talks.

Challenges

There seems to be something rather exciting about being challenged in church. There is something that appeals to us when we are asked something like, “Will you be the one to rise-up and go the extra mile for God?” Maybe it makes us feel special and privileged, like our Daddy… Continue