Monthly Archives: May 2020

How Should We Understand the Warning Passages in the Book of Hebrews?

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) A pressing question that vexes many Christians is the question of whether one can lose their salvation? This is a hot button topic among Christians and is considered what we would call “an in-house debate”. That is to say, that wherever one ends up on this question, it is an area of doctrine in which faithful brothers and sisters in Christ can disagree. That is not to say that the question is unimportant. It is indeed a very important question and will have ramifications … Read More »

Is Hell Really Just?

By L. Alfred James How could it be just for God to send a person to hell forever, or even for him to “allow” a person to consign themselves to hell forever? Isn’t eternal punishment overkill? Doesn’t it seem like a lack of justice? This is among of the most common questions people have about the doctrine of hell, and it is often a serious intellectual stumbling block for people who are seriously investigating Christianity. The Principle of Proportionality One of the most important components of a theory of justice … Read More »

Can God Do the Impossible?

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) The simple answer here is no, God cannot do the impossible. For God to perform that which is impossible is a contradiction in terms. For if God performed the impossible then that which was impossible was in fact possible because God performed it or accomplished, hence demonstrating that it was in fact possible. Now it is true that Jesus said, “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26), this statement should not be understood as the idea that … Read More »

Why Does Hell Exist?

By L. Alfred James In their gigantic hit song, Devil Inside, INXS singer Michael Hutchence spoke for millions of people when he said, “It’s hard to believe we need a place called hell.” Hell is, without a doubt, hard to believe in. It is not overreaching to say that the doctrine of hell has been the greatest stumbling block for intellectually minded people who are investigating the Christian faith. And this doctrine has proven to be a difficult concept even for spiritually mature Christians to hold on to. In fact, … Read More »

The Bible and Genocide

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) It is often claimed that the Bible condones genocide of entire people groups. This accusation is often utilized to discredit the Bible as being a source of objective moral values and duties. That is to say, that if the Bible is supposed to be the “Good Book”, then why does the God of the Bible seem so evil by commanding the people of Israel to wipe out the Canaanites in the Old Testament. This claim often shocks Christians who stay clear of the Old … Read More »

Does God Send Good People To Hell?

By L. Alfred James There is no Christian doctrine that is harder to accept than the doctrine of hell. The idea of people being punished forever is extraordinarily unpleasant. And, according to the Bible, anyone who does not trust in Christ for salvation will end up in hell. In the eyes of many people this amounts to believing that “God sends good people to hell simply for having the wrong religion.” Bad people suffering in hell forever is bad enough. But good people? How could a loving God do such … Read More »

Is there Evidence for Christianity?

By Elias Ayala (MDiv & M.A.T.) Yes, there is evidence for Christianity. Evidence refers to the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid. The available body of facts and information available to the interested seeker does in fact support and indicate the belief or proposition that Christianity is true. For instance, the evidence within cosmology points to the truth of the belief or proposition that there is a transcendent cause of the universe. The evidence of fine tuning for intelligent life … Read More »

If You Had Been Born In India, You’d Be A Hindu

By L. Alfred James We are currently dealing with objections to Christianity that assume religious pluralism. This is the idea that all religions are true in some vague, undefined way. Religious pluralism is often expressed by the saying, “What’s true for you is true for you. And what’s true for me is true for me.” And one of the most powerful ways to argue for this view is to claim that… “Religions Are Culturally Relative!” I was once having a chat with a couple of close friends of mine who … Read More »