Tag: faith

Spiritual Gifts

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One of the reasons that the Church is great is that God assigned specific roles to each believer and gave them spiritual gifts to ably serve their local church, and the universal Church, in those roles. Discover what spiritual gifts are, how they work, what gift you have, and how to use it.

By Mark D. Harris

The Apostle Paul wrote to the fractious Christians in Corinth that the kingdom of God is not merely in word but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20). People differ in how they view the Church. Some see the Church as billions of people from every race and tongue for all history led by the Almighty Himself and trampling every opponent, physical and spiritual. Paul would agree. Sadly, such a picture of the Church escapes most people, including Christians.

To many, the church is an old (maybe historic) building visited weekly by aged and foolish (or at least uneducated) people who listen to fables from an ancient book. Greedy pastors pressure parishioners to give money while preaching about a supposed God who Himself is cruel and vain. The Church is anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-science, and anti-progress. Some consider the Church to be against “people of color.”[1]

Devoted Christians read the news about the decline of the Church. From the biased media reports, they fear that young people outside are ignoring the church and young people inside are charging for the door. Christians of all ages pine for the past and fret about the future. The rich and powerful raise their glasses to celebrate the supposed triumph of secular humanism which Voltaire prophesied in the 18th century. These “elites,” like Satan himself, try to turn our eyes away from the local church, the universal Church, and its Divine Source.

Ultimately, God, through the Church will prevail. The gates of hell will not stand against it (Matthew 16:17-19). Jesus created His Church with exactly the right amounts and types of teachings on freedom, order, doctrine, ritual, peace, war, earth, and heaven.  He did not require large sums of money, warriors, or a slick marketing plan. Jesus and His successors did not allow Greek or Jewish cultural baggage to hinder the Church (Acts 15). He left the Holy Spirit to ensure the success of His venture.

In the first century “the Way” movement developed into the enduring organization of the Church, in its many forms. The transformation happened through the establishment of the deaconate (Acts 6), elder leaders (1 Timothy 3:1-7), and the adaptation of a congregational structure and practices like the Jewish synagogues. Another contributor to the endurance of the Church was the God-ordained use of complementary roles in the Church and in local churches. Everyone had work to do, but the Lord wanted them to do it in accordance with His assignments. God provides each of His children (those who believe in and follow Jesus) with a special ability to serve Him in a unique way. These abilities are called spiritual gifts (Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 4:11-12). Spiritual gifts are mentioned in many places in the New Testament.

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Immigration, Religion, and the West

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How do the religious practices of immigrants to the Western World affect their integration? How does the process of immigration affect their faith?

By Mark D. Harris

The Syrian Civil War and the advent of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have caused a human disaster of the highest degree. According to recent media estimates, 300,000 have died and 10 million have been made homeless since demonstrations began in the fateful “Arab Spring” of 2011.[1] A terrible situation has become worse. US, Kurdish and Iranian forces are attacking ISIS, but Russian forces in Syria are also targeting US-backed Syrian rebels who are trying to overthrow Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad. There is no end in sight.

Unsurprisingly such misery has generated millions of refugees. Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan have accepted 3.5 million between them,[2] but a tide of refugees is beginning to roll towards Europe. Many countries have absorbed some, and Germany has agreed to accept 800,000.[3] Libya, sub-Saharan Africa, and many other failed states also send tens of thousands of migrants to Europe, and the United States, every year.

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A Christian Intellectual

~ MD Harris Institute ~ 2 Comments

Faith and Scholarship: What does it mean to be a Christian Intellectual? Let’s see…

By Mark D. Harris

Years ago my wife and I were buying Christmas gifts for our children and we ran across some information cards that proclaimed in bold letters “It’s OK to be smart.” I was a little surprised that anyone would think that it is not OK to be smart. Having that announcement on a stack of cards is a little like printing “It’s OK to be healthy” on a bag of apples; who would dispute it?

Nonetheless, the marketers for those cards put it there. Over the years I have noticed the same message again and again. It is on products, in the media, and even on the playground. Hearkening back to my childhood, I remember the “nerd” and the “pencil necked geek”. The “jock” would get the girls and the “brain” would get the scorn. This is not a new phenomenon.

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A Child Leaving Home, and the Providence of God

providence of God
~ MD Harris Institute ~ 1 Comment

Parenting is not over when a child leaves home. In many ways, the hardest part is just beginning. Parents must trust in the providence of God.

By Mark D. Harris

I was chatting with a friend, a professor of government late of Georgetown University, during our Wednesday night church dinner.  He mentioned several Christian youth he had recently met who had lived a sheltered life of homeschooling and church activities, and his concern of how they would do when confronted with the belligerent anti-Christian staff and libertine lifestyles prevalent in most secular universities.  As my oldest will be starting a state college this fall, I was intrigued by his observation.  This educated and devoted man was certainly right to be concerned, and mentioned that he wanted his children to attend a Christian school when the time comes.  There are many sad tales of students raised in Christian homes who are too unprepared intellectually and too undisciplined morally to resist the temptations of living on their own.  How many make mistakes that haunt them for the rest of their lives?

At the same time, Jesus and His disciples lived and worked in Galilee, the most cosmopolitan place in Palestine.  He clearly tells us to be in the world but not of the world (John 15:19, 17:14-16), and to be as salt (Matthew 5:13) to preserve and light (Matthew 5:14) to illuminate the fallen world.   How does a faithful Christian know what to do in the face of such important principles?

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Key Concepts of Paul in Salvation – Romans

concepts of Paul
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The Apostle Paul emphasized righteousness, faith, redemption, and justification in his letter to the Romans. What concepts of Paul do we see in this powerful book?

By Mark D. Harris

The book of Romans has been described as the magnum opus of the Apostle Paul.  In it, Paul laid out his theology of Christ and salvation in his clearest, most concentrated style.  Scholars have labored to plumb the depths of Paul’s words and concepts for centuries, and much is still to be written.   Luther and the other Reformers found in the first five chapters of Romans their fundamental idea for the Reformation, justification by faith alone.

Righteousness

Righteousness (δικαιοσύνη dikaiosynē) to Paul was not a result of good works, earned by the person, as though he could gain a favorable account with God by his deeds.  Rather, righteousness is a standing imparted by God as a result of faith (Romans 4:3), which is itself a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).  For centuries, Christian scholars have contrasted righteousness by faith, a Pauline Christian teaching, with righteousness by works, a Judaistic teaching.  E.P. Sanders work minimized “righteousness by works” in Judaistic teaching in the first century and emphasized “righteousness by covenant”.  This has significantly shaped the modern discussion, and borne some good fruit by improving Jewish-Christian understanding.  However, Sanders’ “covenantal nomism” has a serious flaw.  If the Jews are saved because they are God’s covenantal people, but must still perform good works to stay in that relationship, salvation still depends on works.

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