Author: David Ellis

Don: Doubt is a double-edged sword. It can be a Christian virtue that drives one to seek deeper spiritual understanding, to open one’s mind to god. Or, it can be destructive and lead to spiritual disillusionment, leaving one paralyzed in faith. Jacob’s story provides a window on some of the struggles we have with our…

Don: Doubt seems to run counter to faith and is therefore to be discouraged. For example: James 1:5-6: But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for…

Don: Although it might be possible, after one understands the stages of faith, to recognize where one stands in one’s own journey through them, the journey seems not to be under one’s direct control. It has its own natural progression, which I like to think of as the kindling of the inner light, as the…

Jay: Last week, we began to discuss the factors that influence transitions between stages of faith, including the factors of prayer, faith, free will vs. god’s will, community, teacher, grace and works, and time/maturity. To what extent can we direct and control these various influences? The stages progress along a continuum from selfish (stage 1)…

Jay led the discussion. He prefaced it with a reminder that god’s word is not difficult to understand and that there may be dangers in over-analyzing it. In Matthew 11:25, Jesus said: “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed…

Don: We have noted that prayer has been ubiquitous throughout all cultures and all times, which hints rather strongly of its universality and its fundamental importance in life. In our six-month discussion of prayer to date, what has emerged as its most important aspect? What have we learned? What insights have helped us in our…

Don: Last week, Kiran reminded us that Romans 7 and 8 have a lot to say about the contrast between the flesh and the spirit, and might help us understand what Jesus meant and how prayer might overcome the weakness of the flesh. Galatians 5 and 6 also discuss the topic. In 2 Corinthians 5:7,…

Don: Last week, Alice pointed out that the fall of Man from the Garden of Eden came about through his exercise of his will, whereas the restoration of Man—the way back to the Garden of Eden—came about through Jesus’ relinquishing of his will in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus raised the issue of will with…

Don: The prayer Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane in his last days on earth is recounted in all of the gospels, including the synoptic. The version in Matthew 26 reads as follows: Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over…