Chris MacKinnon

I first read The Hobbit when I was twelve years old and in 6th Grade. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I dove head first into the world of Middle Earth.

A very cool element of that world is its swords (or “letter openers”), which often held significance and influence in the story. (I was going to name a few, but there are so many!)

The story of Christians includes a sword as well: the Word of God, the Bible. It is included in the “armour of God” described by Paul in Ephesians 6.

But this incredible collection of God’s messages to us is a bit like a hobbit trying use William Wallace’s sword. How do we wield it without making a mess or being ineffective?

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Christians Need to Stop Using these Words

August 7, 2024August 7, 2024 Chris

Once upon a time, in an creative writing or English class, you probably learned about the eight parts of speech. These are the building blocks of how we communicate, both verbally and in writing.

One of these parts of speech has garnished a lot of attention in the past few years, discussing the use of pronouns. This post is not about that topic. There is actually a much more dangerous class of wording we should consider using less and less.

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Christian Living

5 Reasons We Make Bad Choices

March 24, 2022March 23, 2022 Chris

Every day is full of decisions. Some are simple and have little effect on what happens next or what happens a year from now. Others are so important they can change the direction of our lives forever.

Bad decisions have a way of setting life on a path of difficulty and pain. When we feel the pain early into the journey we are quick to make changes to get back to safety. We change jobs, end relationships, ask forgiveness from God and others.

But how do we get started down those trails of bad decisions and the scars they leave in and on our lives? Is there a way to avoid these pitfalls on our journey?

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Faith

What if God’s Love is NOT Enough (to save you)?

March 18, 2022March 22, 2022 Chris

“Jesus loves me, this I know.” Did you read the words or sing them? Those of us who grew up in church are familiar with the song we learned a long time ago. It was probably the first thing we absorbed in church. Jesus loves me. God loves me.

God’s love is a one of the most central themes of Scripture. Some would say that without the love of God, He would not have created the universe or put humanity within it.

Another staple of early learning in Christianity is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world…” The path to true life is founded on Heaven’s love. Imagine what would not exist without the motivation of that love: forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, relationship, purpose, mission, spiritual gifts and fruit, hope, everlasting life.

But is it really enough that God loves us? Is this inexplicable connection which breaks through time and space enough to fill us with the “blessed assurance” that Jesus and His promises are mine? Will God’s love alone save me, or you?

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Faith

Our Free Will Choices and God’s Response

March 2, 2022March 2, 2022 Chris

Have you ever heard God described as a “gentleman”? When painting this picture pastors and teachers generally refer to how God is unwilling to force Himself on anyone. He will always allow the individual to choose whether or not to accept Him.

The same is true of God’s hopes for our daily lives. There are ideals He wants us to live by and goals to fulfill. Yet if we choose a different path than what He would have us choose, He allows us to go as far as we dare.

In a previous post I wrote about how God saw all of time before time began, and He recorded, finalized, the outcome of history. We call this predestination. But what does it really mean when God allows us to be creatures of free will, allowing us to choose and then sealing our decisions?

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Faith

The Uncanny Partnership of Free Will and Predestination

February 23, 2022March 1, 2022 Chris

Predestination is a theological term full of meaning. Unfortunately, it is often misunderstood, leading to a false representation, which ends up with most people choosing to ignore it or write it off.

Free will is considered the hero fighting against the evil of Predestination. We consider how we are thinking beings, making decisions all of the time. We are not preprogrammed or piloted by someone else, not even God.

But these two ideas are not enemies. Rather than battle or work against each other they work in tandem partnership. In fact, Predestination is the ultimate result of Free Will.

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