The term "brotherly love" came to prominence with the Christian Gospel. Prior to this, the Greeks and Romans practised infanticide, rape and violence as a matter of form. Jesus introduced brotherly love as a new Christian commandment, by which they would know His disciples Jn 13:34-35. It is a premium mark of the godly. It …
Category: Personal development
The future for Scottish Presbyterianism
There is a debate about the future of Presbyterian churches in Scotland. The debate is inadequate because it does not begin with Scripture but with historical and theological analysis, presumably to detect where things went wrong in order to put them right. There is certainly a role for this, but the cure should arise from …
Presbyterian prejudices
I have recently published a few blogposts on Presbyterianism. I am familiar with other branches of Christ's visible church and I critique many unbiblical doctrines promoted by these, but zugological balance necessitates the critique of those that are nearer home. I have already done so with evangelical errors but Presbyterianism itself needs not only a …
The Reformation of Presbyterianism
Current Presbyterianism needs a Reformation as surely as Roman catholicism needed it in the 16th century, and still needs it in the 21st century. Roman catholicism never learned from the Protestant Reformation, but instead it battened down the hatches and carried on worse than before. This is a natural reaction, and not many people learn …
The spirit and form of Presbyterianism
If you ask what Presbyterianism is, you may be told that that it is a form of church government in which the church is structured in a hierarchical manner with lower courts subordinate to higher courts until a General Assembly oversees them all. This is inadequate. This describes the form, not the substance nor the …
The religion of politics
There are many forms of religion in the world. The religion of politics is preached by politicians who promise equality, justice and peace on Earth and young people are duped into believing them. This is not a religion about the salvation of one's soul but about the improvement of one's bodily and social conditions. Many …
Music and puppet government
Dominic Cumming has confirmed, what I have often suspected, that Government ministers are just nodding heads for the civil service. They are briefed by the civil service and even cabinet meetings are choreographed. It must be depressing for thinking politicians that they are not allowed to express their own thinking. It is all scripted for …
The biblical Book of Psalms
Some things are hidden in plain sight. Such is my copy of the 1650 Scottish metrical version of the biblical Book of Psalms. It sits beside my chair and is one of the most influential books of the Bible, simply because I use it every day. Many Christians overlook the Psalms. The advantage of a …
Influential books in my life
A few years ago, on 1 Jan 2022 to be precise, I began a series of blogposts entitled Christian books and my Christian friends. However, it grew so long and complicated that I never found the opportunity to begin to publish it. I have now decided that I can begin the same project with books …
Authority, qualifications or excellence
Excellence should be able to demonstrate itself without appeals to authority or qualifications. Let those who claim to have authority or expertise demonstrate it by their conversation and teaching. The apostle Paul demonstrated the standard: "... but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.” 2Corinthians 4:2. …
