Romanticism a different perspective.

Romance can be a very attractive word considering in encapsulates our culture through and through. We are fascinated with the idea that love or should I say lust is all there is to our lives, and to live in a world where there is no love if you will would be a completely boring and drab existence. But how do you define the word love? An ecstasy, an infatuation, a thrill, those in my estimation is what diminishes the quality of our existence. Picture a man with a strong craving for peanuts and I would bet you this man if not already is or will be fat. Logical? Well picture a man now with a craving for some peanuts, would not this man be a man of self control and virtue? Logically speaking, love in it's purest form is not the romanticized kind of love that we dream about, or even live out vicariously through the media or other outlets. Love exists because we were created to live in the image of God and being made in his image we are called to love one another in a harmonious way. Out with the sexual misconceptions of what we think love is and in with true chastity or virtue, for those who's hearts are made to love in this way, and recognize that out of the swamp of inharmonious affection lies the true virtues that give my life meaning.

Recognizing that you are in a swamp is one thing doing something to get out of that swamp is another. Very difficult when you feel that the majority of society has chosen a path of if it helps me now I'll take it. In other words I am helpless to be a virtuous person unless I live in a world where virtue is rewarded. But since that is not the case, or so it seems that openly being a vile person will bring contempt, and hidden virtue is seldom if every rewarded openly, which shall I choose? To debase my self will not only bring contempt from other who believe themselves in self control, but virtue will bring contempt from those who have already debased themselves but are seldom aware of how much?

So the answer lies not with am I a virtuous person, but how much of that virtue am I willing to share with the rest of humanity? There lies virtue for the common good, but if the common good is bad who am I being virtuous for?

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The Parable of the Ten Virgins.

Matthew 25:1-13 I have discovered a remarkable interpretation of this parable that I would like to share with you. The story in the Bible goes like this: “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy som...

Age of Brokenness.

We are living in an age of brokenness, no matter what age you are, you probably have been touched with relationships falling apart, which causes more and more people to live in isolation. In this generation there is less of an incentive to heal and reconcile relationships, but that doesn’t excuse the amount of people who are broken. Why people don’t seem to be motivated to heal relationships is because our beliefs about faith and God have changed, really giving us less of an incentive to do what our religion says. If I act from my personal beliefs, but the person that I am responding to has abandoned religious beliefs, than the response to my wanting things to be better can be misinterpreted and rejected then by someone else. Generally when a society has expectations about broken relationships, loneliness and isolation, and the beliefs are generally accepted, society becomes a more compassionate society, because all value the same things. When religious values are undermined and ...

The Biblical Meaning of “Life in the Spirit.”

“Life in the Spirit” is an example that the Apostle Paul gives in the book of Romans starting in chapter 5 and going through to chapter 8. He begins by telling us we are justified by faith (5:1), and have gained access by faith into the grace of God (5:2). We have been delivered from God’s wrath (5:9) and we have been reconciled to God through the death of His Son (5:10). He goes on to explain that through Adam all die (5:12), and that the free Gift of God brings justification and righteousness to the believing sinner (5:15-17). Through our conversion we are baptized into Christ and into his death, which frees us from the law and makes us dead to sin (6:2-4). He explains that just as Christ was raised from the dead, we are given new life in Christ (6:4). Our old unregenerate self was crucified with Christ so that our body of sin might be done away with (6:5-6). Because we have died to sin, we now submit ourselves to God being that we are now under grace, not the law (6:8-1...

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