Wickedness in the Bible: I have written on this before, but I have recently made a simple connection between two verses in Psalms that I want to share. Psalm 10:4 reads, “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” Psalm 14:4 reads, “Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord.” I read both of these verses within a few days of each other and considered them together. According to the Bible, God describes a wicked, or proud person, as someone that
- does not seek the Lord
- does not think about the Lord
- does not call on the Lord
Basically, it is the opposite of what Matthew means when he writes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” in Matthew 5:3. In other words, blessed are those who recognize their need—their spiritual poverty. This is such a deeper, more interesting, and more comprehensive view of what it means to be evil. It also shows that a person can be “good” in the eyes of society but evil in the eyes of the Lord.
Charlotte’s Web: If I read this book as a child, then it has been too long for me to remember. Over the next few weeks, I am going to share my thoughts on this book. Friendship, the doctor’s openness to the supernatural, a sacrificial life, grief, and hope characterize this story around every turn. I can honestly say that it is one of my favorite books. We just finished reading it aloud in our home and I found it to be really moving. One night, for fun, I took my daughter’s ukulele, strummed the strings, and created a song for Charlotte after she died. My daughter loved it although the song was horrible. That aside, this book touched my heart, and that is not a phrase I use much.
Profundity: Sometimes the simplest thought can be profound. Profundity is not always related to intelligence or complexity. That which is profound is often pithy in nature and powerful due to the fact that it doesn’t allow you to escape its truth and relevance. A few words can cut to the heart and turn your world upside down.
Abortion: I think most conservative, evangelical Christians in the church might be surprised to know that some evangelical, Bible-believing Christian ethicists believe that abortion is morally permissible for Christians if the woman’s life is in danger. At that point, the woman is choosing between two lives, and if she has other children, there are multiple factors that must be considered in making a biblically-informed decision. John and Paul Feinberg go as far as to say that choosing to give birth in such a situation is a great example of a supererogatory act. Agree or disagree, it is interesting.
I Am Enjoying This Book: Choosing the Good: Christian Ethics in a Complex World by Dennis Hollinger
BJ Condrey, Ph.D. 