This chart (download in PDF format) depicts the seven ceremonial sabbaths of Leviticus 23, which were part of the various Jewish feasts, and shows how they were fulfilled (the antitypes) in the New Testament era.
Here is a mini-view of the chart. (The PDF version is much larger, designed to print on 11 x 17 inch paper.)
Church conflicts — whether over doctrines, matters of lifestyle, or policies — are often described as conflicts between “conservatives” and “liberals.” Given the Bible’s call to unity, this factioning of the church should be cause for concern.
The factioning of the church into conservative and liberal camps is a fascinating process. To the casual observer, it may seem that the many specific points of contention between the two camps are over unrelated issues. For example, what does a theological position on the human nature of Christ have to do with the length of women’s dresses? Though both are conservative positions, a studious observer would find little direct relationship between the points. Indeed, there are many who freely hold to only one or the other of those two points, and see no contradiction in doing so. Yet despite widespread exceptions over specific points, there is a noticeable polarization. Something draws church members towards either of these two groups, each representing a collection of diverse issues. In the end, people tend to adopt a collection of related ideas and practices, which could be classed as either liberal or conservative. Put another way, people who hold doctrinal views deemed conservative also tend to adopt conservative lifestyle choices and policies. Those who favor liberal church policies tend toward liberal theological and lifestyle stances. Of course, individually people tend to take various exceptions to their party platform.
A popular belief within Christianity is that all sins are equal. Those who hold this view will say confidently that in God’s view, sins like adultery, murder, and child abuse are no better or worse than any other sin, including tardiness, carelessness, and eating too much Tofutti ice-cream.
Although this doctrine seems egalitarian and scores high on political correctness, it fails the test of biblical accuracy. It is also an avenue through which unbiblical attitudes and policies are drawn into the church. Continue reading
You can believe a man is committed to a cause when he is willing to lay down his life — literally, willing to die — for the cause’s sake. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran theologian who was martyred during World War II in Germany for the sake of Christianity and the German people. His story is movingly told in the video Hanged on a Twisted Cross. (There is also a dramatized version, Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace, which I have not seen yet.)
