Baptized for the Dead

When I was in school I was told that if I worked hard and gave the right answers than I would get good grades and then people would pat me on the head and tell that me that I was bright. Okay nobody ever said that last part would come true. I guess that's just what I hoped would come true. Regardless each one of us believes that if we do something we should get something whether it's prestige, payment, power or all of the above. An there is truth and justice to this way of thinking. It's the way we're wired. The problem is however that we don't want to be paid for all the things we do, just some of them and this type of thinking is illogical. It's like telling your boss that you only want to be paid for half of the report you wrote on changing conditions in the marketplace. It's like telling the contractor that you only want to be paid for half of the dry wall that you put up. Sure your employers want to do it, but if there fair people they'll know that ...

When I was little my parents used to commute to work. My day care awaited me near where they worked so everyday we would load up the car and be on our way. There were many times that we would be in the car for several hours as we waited in traffic. You can imagine the boredom and certain frustration that would often ensue as we tried to get to work or home. As we made those journeys day in and day out I began to look forward to the signs that indicated we were getting close to our destination. In the spiritual world there are also signs. The Rainbow was a sign that God would keep is covenant never to destroy the earth again by a flood. Perhaps we take for granted this beautiful arch, but to the people immediately following Noah's day this was a wonderful reminder of God's mercy and provision. Abraham was told to circumcise his household. From the day God made a promise or covenant with Abraham circumcision was a physical sign that through Abraham's descendants all the world...

Could there be a first principle in the universe? Is there one singular concept that outweighs all the others? In addition is there a foundational axiom from which every other concept, idea and principle can follow? This principle not only exists, but is named in the words of scripture. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:13 "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love." Love is a foundational principle. In fact it is the foundational principle. Faith and hope are not far behind, but love is first and foremost. Thus upon love, the principle and the actual outworking in reality, are built every other concept both spiritually and physically. This is why John could succinctly state in his self title epistle of 1 John 4 that "God is love." Thus love is entwined with both the spiritual world and the physical world. God built His universe on love. The principle of love spiritually means that beings are to be others-centered. The...