Applied Theology
A brother in Christ recently asked, “Did God cause the Connecticut school shootings?” I am attempting to answer that question with this blog post because I imagine that question—or something similar to it—is on the minds of a lot of Christians. So, let me begin by clarifying some language. Clearly, God did not cause the... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, twenty kindergarten children were mercilessly murdered by an evil young man. Some have shouted, “Where is God?” in the face of this utterly unspeakable tragedy. A friend of mine posted a quick reply to the cynical inquisition: “Where is God? He was kicked out of schools in America years ago.” There is truth... Continue Reading →
Andy Williams famously sang of December as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” With the smooth, mellifluous tenor that also floated our emotions down “Moon River,” Andy Williams made December special, calling friends and family to unite around the gift-giving spirit ushered in originally by God Himself. Nowadays, Williams has passed on, and God... Continue Reading →
A costly mistake by the goalie at the end of their game against El Salvador cost the U.S. men’s soccer team the opportunity to play in the London Olympics. Because the Olympic team is made up of men under the age of 23, most of those on the team will never have an opportunity to... Continue Reading →
I own a coffee roaster and a small coffee roasting business. The secret to roasting great coffee is controlling the flame. The roaster uses real fire to heat a turning and churning stainless steel drum. As the drum turns and churns the coffee beans, the heat from the flames begins to warm the beans; then... Continue Reading →
I have been thinking through the section of my upcoming book on Christian persecution, and I am cataloging the different reasons which might explain why Christians in America are not suffering persecution. Here's the deal. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:12, do not be deceived, anyone who attempts to live a godly life in... Continue Reading →
Another incident has erupted in Lahore, Pakistan, as Muslims have raided a Christian school complex and threatened Christians there with violence. The incident occurred after a local Muslim leader announced over the loudspeaker that Christians at the school were guilty of tearing pages from the Quran. Within minutes, a mob had attacked the school... Continue Reading →
The Holy Trinity--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, operating in complete unity of will and purpose (though 3 distinct, divine persons)--is unique to Christian theology. The Trinity belongs to no other religion, and, thus, no other religion can explain the complexities of the universe. The universe is filled with individual, particular realities which must also... Continue Reading →
You Can Fool Everybody But God And Your Conscience. Give A Full Days Work - NARA - 534350 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Martin Luther once famously said, “I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one's conscience is neither safe nor sound.” His life was on the line for his Christian beliefs, and he reasoned that... Continue Reading →
I am still sad from the November elections because of the damage Obamacare does to human life and to the fabric of our English: Hobby Lobby store in Stow, Ohio (Photo credit: Wikipedia)republic. I have listed below a letter from David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby concerning why he had to file a lawsuit... Continue Reading →
No Scripture is quoted more often than the proverbial, “judge not” passage of Matthew 7:1. Whatever its iteration, this statement appears welcome in every college classroom and any political conversation. It’s probably the only Bible verse with universal appeal. The sayings, “We mustn’t judge” or “I try not to judge others,” are threatening to overtake... Continue Reading →
If what has been said already about Israel is true, then a question arises, “What about the nation of Israel today?” In this final part (of a three-part series), we’ll look at what the Bible says about Israel as an ethnic/national people. The key text for this discussion is Romans 11. The question we are... Continue Reading →
Happy Thanksgiving! We set aside today to remember Him to whom all thanks is due. Thanksgiving was instituted by proclamation of the President of the United States--George Washington--on October 3, 1789. You do not need for me to explain it to you because you can read it for yourself below. As you can see, the... Continue Reading →
Danger? Suffering? Isn’t that what Jesus said would follow those who follow Him? In the fall of 1895, Alphonso Argento made his way from his native Sicily to London, where he was scheduled to undergo extensive training for China Inland Mission. Argento had been burdened for China four years earlier, when he committed his life... Continue Reading →
For 11 years, Cedar Grove Baptist Church has been working to get Christians together on One Night for the World. Sunday night, November 11, is the one night we have set aside this year to pray for persecuted Christians. We will be praying for Christians in Nigeria. The entire event will be streamed live at... Continue Reading →
Gregory C. Cochran 