Teaching for today

Men and women, made in the image of God, were created to work. We should therefore view our work, whatever type of work it is, as a means by which we can serve and glorify God.

In Romans 12 the apostle Paul talks about the importance of renewing our minds. Christians must seek to understand what the Bible teaches not just about 'religious matters' but about all aspects of life.

God in His grace has provided the means to restrain evil and to enable human life to flourish. This 'common grace' is necessary for both Christian and non-Christians alike. Our society rejects God's common grace at its peril.

If we are to be bold in standing for Christian truth, especially under pressure, it is vital that we are convinced that the Bible is true and without error in all that it affirms. This includes the Bible's teaching on science, history and morality as well as theology.

Suffering is surely something that no Christian can escape, yet there is much confusion on this subject. The idea of a sovereign God allowing tragedies to occur is one that all Christians struggle with, but we know that it is often through suffering that our relationship with God is deepened.12 December 1997

The Human race is destined to progress. This idea has come to dominate modern thought. Man will be his own salvation through science and democracy. Belief in God is not only seen as irrelevant, it is positively harmful. Enlightenment thinking which began 300 years ago has come to dominate the Western World. Its ideas were formally codified in the 1933 Humanist Manifesto.

If Enlightenment thinking (see Optimistic Humanism) leads to the death of God, Nihilism, according to Nietzsche saw 'the death of his murderer'. Nihilism rejects absolutes and objective meaning.

The twentieth Century has highly prized human freedom. Totalitarian state control in the former Communist countries has been seen to collapse. Is there now a moral danger from the political right where some advocate freedom unfettered by morality?

"Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel." (Psalm 22:3)"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." (Psalm 150:6)

"I will also appoint him my first-born, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. I will maintain my love to him for ever, and my covenant with him will never fail." (Psalm 89:27-28)"He will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two." (Zechariah 6:13)