Quote: R.C. Sproul

“I dream of a new reformation, a reformation that is not simply a renewal of life but a new vision of life: a vision that yields new forms and structures in society and culture. As long as Christians restrict their Christianity to a religion, a faith that is compartmentalized and isolated from life, they can have revival but never, ever reformation. We need to hear and do the Word of God in all of our lives.”

~R.C. Sproul

Stay Tuned!

Yes, next week we all are starting The Holiness of God. It should be very exciting. I will try and keep you up to date on what we are reading and learning. And if you didn't see my last post, we are finishing Omnibus I in two weeks. So keep an eye on this blog. So long. Over & out.

-David A. Kruse

Is the idea that one sin is as bad as another biblical?

To answer this question we must go to scripture and reason it out. James 2:10 says, "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it." In this passage James is telling us that if we break the law, even in just a small thing, we are accountable for as if we had broken all of the law.

Although this is true, it is not necessarily saying that all sins should be looked at on the same level. Some sins are worse then others. But, even in one small sin it is an offense to God and His law. To break the law is to disobey the law-giver. Every man is born with a sinful nature, we have inherited it from Adam. Sin, no matter how big or small, can lead us away from God. Only one tiny sin is able to condemn us to hell.

However, God has send His son Jesus to die for us. Through His death our sins are forgiven. No matter how small or large our sins are, Jesus took them upon Himself and payed the punishment. We need to now repent of our sins, believe in God and walk a Christian life.



-Destiny

Roman Philosophy and Dogs and Cats

While the popular religion of Rome served a large, complicated pantheon of gods and goddess, we can more fully look at their culture by looking at two main Roman philosophies- Stoicism and Epicureanism.

• Stoicism- Stoics believed that reality is material. There is a cosmic force or that they call the Logos, which is their version of god or fate. The Stoics main goal in life is to live in harmony with this force, by practicing justice, wisdom and courage. They thought that the most important thing was to know your duty and do it well. Stoics emphasize the importance of submitting to fate, whatever it may be.
• Epicureanism- Epicureans, on the other hand, deny that gods exist at all, or if they do, they have nothing whatsoever to do with the world. Because no gods of fate direct the world or ones lives, the actions of our free wills determine history. Epicureans believe strongly in their own free-will and that ones own actions determine fate.

An easy way of remembering these two philosophical ideas, is to look at dogs and cats. Dogs are Stoics, and cats are Epicureans. A dog is ever faithful to his masters and his commands. He knows his duty and you can depend on him to follow it, even unto death. Now picture a cat, he is friendly, but he basically looks out for number one. He has his won free will, and thinks he does not need a master to boss him around. Stoics are defined by their faithfulness to virtue and their duty. Whereas, Epicureans are completely self dependent, and rely only on their free will.

By knowing the philosophy of the Romans, we can better understand the context of the Bible. It equips to know what the apostles were up against, and to know the world that Jesus came to live in, and to die for.
Acts 17:16-21- "Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new."

By learning about the culture that the apostles lived in and preached too, we can better understand the Bible, and better apply it to our lives!

Julius Caesar and the end of Omnibus 1

We are almost finished now with the Omnibus I Curriculum. I'm excited to move on but regretful to leave it after so many months. Anyway, we are just starting Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. It is more enjoyable, than not, to read because, well, it's, SHAKESPEARE!

As of now, we are reading Shakespeare (as mentioned above) and The Screwtape Letters written by C.S. Lewis. After that we'll read The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul and the book of Revelation in the Bible. Then we're done. Yep, it is indeed a victory and I cannot wait for Omnibus II. This year's course has taught me so much and I look forward to more study.

In Christ,
-David A. Kruse