Michael J. Svigel

Yes. And baptism of repentance and its accompanying pledge to righteousness literally—not metaphorically—releases a person from a life of sin.

Skipping 1–4, however, and using other means to get to 5, is not good.

Theology 101: It’s actually a good thing for 1) a growing number of Christian citizens to 2) exhibit Spirit-empowered virtue resulting in 3) virtue-driven voting and political action leading to 4) a more virtuous society reflected in 5) laws that promote righteousness.

I never read a single page of any “Left Behind” book nor saw a second of any “Left Behind” movies. Surprised? Disappointed? Relieved? Don’t care?

Theology 101: In ministry, don’t let the one that goes astray cast a shadow over the many who stayed faithful to the end.

Theology 101: For almost 2000 years Christians of every generation thought they were in the end times, experiencing tribulation, apostasy, the oppression of antichrists, and the deception of false prophets.

They were right.

Theology 101: Trying to grow in your relationship with God without attending to his written Word is like trying to grow in a relationship with a friend while ignoring everything they say.

Theology 101: There is a difference between “the priesthood of the individual believer” and “the priesthood of all believers.” The former means “I’m my own priest,” the latter, “we are each other’s priests.” The second is the classic biblical doctrine; the first is a distortion.

Theology 101: If you agree with everything you believed 20 years ago, you may be unteachable. If you agree with nothing you believed 20 years ago, you may be unstable.

Theology 101: In ministry, preach, teach, exhort, encourage, admonish, correct, train, discipline, confront, and shepherd. But don’t rant, rage, avenge, attack, harm, oppress, demean, deride, control, manipulate, or destroy. It’s not that complicated.

Theology 101: The untrained and un-discipled are simply not qualified to train and disciple others. (2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Peter 3:16)

A musical would be gas.

And why hasn’t anybody made a Biopic of John Wesley? It would be great.

Exactly!

Theology 101: One of the best zingers in church history—

“He told me I was rotten at heart and supposed I was one of Wesley’s followers. I told him, ‘No, I am Wesley.’” (John Wesley)

Theology 201: One part apologetics, one part sci-fi, one part too-close-to-home: The AItheist.

a.co/d/h86mSv2

Theology 101: to me, a lot of modern-era biblical commentaries and systematic theologies do nothing for my love of the Word of God or the God of the Word. Their intricate analyses and critical exegesis function like a complex machine that spins gold into straw.

Theology 101: I’ve noticed that when people say “So-and-So” is a better preacher, they almost always mean the enjoyable delivery of the messenger, not the doctrinal fidelity of the message.

Too many posters’ platforms are built on a flimsy foundation and boost flimflam and folly.

Theology 101: American Christianity needs an exorcism from the demons of cronyism, good-old-boyism, cartel-building, logrolling, and smoke-blowing.

Theology 101: “You have acres and acres of arable land: fields and orchards, mountains and dells, rivers and springs. But what comes after this? Is not all that awaits you a six-foot plot of earth?” (Basil of Caesarea)

Theology 101: You know those pivotal scenes in movies where a crumby character has an epiphany and immediately changes into a heroic figure? Yeah, that hardly ever happens in real life. Real growth in character is a long-term, daily struggle with ups and downs and gradual change.

Theology 101: In God’s great plan of redemption, real progress is impossible without discontinuity, and reliable promises are impossible without continuity.

Theology 101: I’m more than a little concerned watching modern Christianity’s influential people do everything they can to hold onto their power, position, platform, and prestige, even if it means trashing other Christians. It’s as if Philippians 2 doesn’t apply to them at all.

Theology 101: With Genesis 1–3 and Revelation 20–22, everything in between makes much more sense.

Theology 101: Teach those under your spiritual care the difference between settled doctrine, unsettled doctrine, and unsettling doctrine.

Theology 101: At least the Corinthians had enough sense to rally around godly apostles and teachers; today’s Christians senselessly rally around godless parties and politicians.

Theology 101: God’s plan for the original creation was always to outdo his original creation.

Theology 101: Divide the years of true spiritual revival and awakening by 2000 years of church history, and they account for maybe 1% of Christian experience. Focus your ministry of faithful word and sacrament for the 99% of the normal church experience.

Theology 101: If a church’s whole ministry philosophy rests on one verse, it’s not a healthy church. No verse was meant to bear that weight.