Thinking to Believe

I examine Jesus’ teaching on remarriage in Mt 19, focusing on His exception clause. Should we understand Jesus’ exception to be applicable to both divorce and remarriage, or only divorce? I argue that Jesus’ exception gives moral permission to the innocent spouse to both divorce and remarry. I also address why it is that the innocent spouse who was victimized by sexual immorality is free to remarr...

I have moved on to the NT teaching concerning remarriage. I begin with an examination of teaching in Matthew 5:31-32. The entire episode focuses on the critical question of how we should understand Jesus’ teaching that those who remarry following an unjust divorce are guilty of “adultery.” Was He speaking literally or hyperbolically? In isolation, the literal interpretation is to be favored, but b...

I examine the OT teaching regarding remarriage and conclude that the OT seems to have allowed remarriage more generally, only prohibiting it in very limited circumstances. I also address the relationship between Jesus’ teaching on remarriage and the OT teaching, and conclude that Jesus’ teaching elucidated rather than abrogated the Mosaic teaching, with at least one new element to His teaching tha...

I finish up my examination of the NT teaching on divorce, this time focusing on Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 7. I argue that Paul, like Jesus, is opposed to divorce. He commanded Christian couples not to divorce, but shockingly, allowed them to remain divorced if they had disobeyed Jesus’ teaching. He also commanded Christians in religiously mixed marriages to remain in their marriage, but abs...

Having completed the OT data last week, I start my examination of the NT data concerning divorce. I cover all four of Jesus’ teachings on the subject as found in the Synoptic Gospels.  I concluded that Jesus prohibited all divorce, except in cases involving sexual sin. I also address the meaning of porneia in Jesus’ exception clause, and why the exception clause is only found in Matthew’s Gospel. ...

I cover the remaining OT passages pertaining to divorce: Ezra 9-10, Hosea 2, Jeremiah 3, Isaiah 50, and Mal 2.  Ezra 9 demanded divorce for immoral marriages. Since this was a form of repentance, this divorce is not just morally justified, but morally good. Hosea 2 and Jeremiah 3 make it clear that God not only allows others to divorce, but He Himself participated in divorce when He divorced Israe...

This is part 1 of 2 parts addressing the OT teaching regarding divorce. I cover Gen 21:9-12, Ex 21:7-11, Dt 22:13-19,28-29, and Dt 24:1-4. Most of my time is dedicated to an examination of Dt 24 given the central role this passage played in Jewish debates regarding divorce, including the debate Jesus had with the Pharisees. In Gen 21, God commanded Abraham to divorce Hagar. Since God can't co...

What better place to begin my extended series on divorce and remarriage than by examining the nature of marriage itself.  Whether divorce and remarriage is ever permissible depends, in part, on one's view of the nature of the marital union itself. There are two competing views of marriage: (1) Marriage is a permanent spiritual union; (2) Marriage is a covenant.  The PSU view holds that marria...

In this 1-N-Done episode, I summarize my research on the Biblical teaching regarding divorce and remarriage. I’ve structured the episode around four principles: 1.       Marriage was intended to be a life-long union between one man and one woman. 2.       Divorce is always due to human sinfulness, but is morally permissible in certain circumstances 3.       The death of a spouse justifies remarria...

In part 2 of how to test religious claims, I start by offering some ad hoc thoughts on the intellectual life. Then, I finish up the test of observation, specifically looking at whether religious claims fit our moral experience and whether they can make sense of our deepest longings for the future. Christianity passes all of the tests whereas other religions fail.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email:...

In the prior series I argued that religious truth can be known and religious claims are testable. In this first installment of a two-part series, I explain how we can test religious claims to find religious truth.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ Truth: @ThinkingToBelieve Parler: @thinkingt...

I complete my critique of religious relativism and deconstruct two popular metaphors of religious relativism: all roads lead to Rome, the blind men and the elephant. This concludes not only my sub-series on religious relativism, but my series on relativism.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ...

I finish my discussion of why people subscribe to religious relativism, pointing to pragmatic concerns and the desire to be inclusivistic. Then I begin my critique of religious relativism, detailing a number of reasons it is an incorrect analysis of religion and religious truth.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Ge...

This episode begins our final sub-series in the relativism series, focusing in on religious relativism; a.k.a. religious pluralism. I lay out the three main forms of religious relativism and discuss the impact religious relativism has in the debate over religion. I started discussing the reasons why people are led to believe religious pluralism is true. Epistemology is a big factor. Pluralists rea...

Is it wrong to judge? That depends on what you mean by judging. Given most people's (false) understanding of judging, it is absolutely right to judge people. In fact, it is both imperative that we do and inescapable. We must distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil. We must also engage in moral correction of those who engage in morally wrong behavior. We are simply forbidden from hy...

In this episode, I discuss tactics for talking with moral relativists, respond to several objections and catchphrases, and expose what's wrong with the modern concept of tolerance.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ Truth: @ThinkingToBelieve Parler: @thinkingtobelieve

I deconstruct three forms of moral relativism: Society Does, Society Says, and I Say. This is the heart of the series, both explaining the various forms moral relativism takes, as well as what is wrong with them.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ Truth: @ThinkingToBelieve Parler: @thinkingto...

The existence of moral truth seems so obvious that it may be difficult to comprehend why anyone would deny it in favor of moral relativism. I argue that there are at least four reasons people subscribe to moral relativism: (1) It seems to follow from atheism; (2) To justify one's sin; (3) The desire for moral neutrality and non-judgmentalism; (4) They think moral disagreements means there is...

There are only two options when it comes to morality: some form of moral realism or some form of moral relativism. I explain the differences between these views, clarify the difference between moral relativism and moral skepticism, how to spot moral relativism, why moral relativism matters, and the extent of the problem.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: face...

In this miscellany episode, I cover a wide variety of unrelated topics. I start by arguing that many segments of the church are being influenced by the culture to change their theology rather than remaining faithful to Biblical teaching. I make the case that the reason some people do not change their theological persuasions is because they don't know how to evaluate the debate - not because t...

Skepticism is the fuel of relativism, so I tackle this issue by exposing why hyper skepticism regarding truth and reality is not justified. I also address the idea that it is arrogant to claim you know the truth, and respond to the "everyone thinks they are right" retort which is intended to relativize all truth claims.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Faceb...

Relativism is a popular notion in our culture – the idea that truth can’t be known. “THE truth” has been replaced with “my truth” and “your truth.” I detail four problems with relativism: (1) Self-refuting; (2) Non-sequitur; (3) Closes the Mind; (4) Impractical.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2be...

In this 1-N-Done episode, I explain the meaning of the atonement in a concise, simple manner, devoid of all the details provided in the 4-part series. It's easy to get lost in the details of the series, so this episode will help you put the pieces of the doctrine together in a simple manner and get a bird's eye view of the atonement.   Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@...

We know the benefits of the atonement, but how exactly did Jesus' death accomplish those benefits and how do they accrue to us? It was because Jesus was both our substitute and our representative. I show how the resurrection of Jesus is also included in the atonement, talk about some important implications of the doctrine, and address a few objections. Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: Thinki...

This episode focuses on the benefits/results of the atonement. The atonement results in the cleansing of sin, the satisfaction of God's wrath, a new covenant, redemption/ransom, and justification/reconciliation.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ Truth: @ThinkingToBelieve Parler: @thinki...