Comments for Jesse Medina

Comment on Changing the World: Christianity’s New Idol? by Jesse Medina

Jesse Medina — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:40:36 +0000

Thanks, Vincent. I appreciate your kinds words. I’m not surprised that your institution is marketing this way. Changing the world is universally desired – by Christian and non. Who wouldn’t want to look back on their life and say, “I changed this or that and because of it, all this other good stuff happened.”

Comment on Changing the World: Christianity’s New Idol? by Vincent

Vincent — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:29:58 +0000

Love this article. I am a graduate student in a theological program. This has been the major push of the university that I attend. I think it is a false doctrine leading to a one world religious mindset.

Comment on Pledge of Allegiance in Church = Idolatry? by theschwarz1

theschwarz1 — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:24:44 +0000

Excellent discussion!

Comment on Can An Evangelical be a Universalist? by Jesse Medina

Jesse Medina — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:46:21 +0000

I think you’re exactly right, Steve. Our sin nature distorts the reality of the matter, causing us to see the hell-bound as basically good, and the just judge exceedingly wicked. Great insight!

Comment on Can An Evangelical be a Universalist? by Steve Spotts (@DocSpotts)

Steve Spotts (@DocSpotts) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 05:29:53 +0000

I like your thinking, Jesse. It seems a fairly common misconception today to see God as the one who sends people to hell rather than the one who lovingly and sacrificially rescues us from the inevitable destruction of turning our back on Him.

Psychologically, this would be called an attribution error of self-serving bias. People tend to attribute positive, fundamentally good, and even “God-fearing” internal attributes to those being “sent to hell” and unfair, injudicious, and impossible standards to a “wrathful” God. Could it be that even this distortion is part of our sin nature; that we really can’t (or won’t) see ourselves or God clearly. Since the human heart is deceitful and sick (Jer 17:9), maybe it shouldn’t surprise us that many would attribute human characteristics to God and Godly characteristics to humans.

Comment on How to Get Closer to God by l

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 04:01:36 +0000

Yes…… we need to learn to cease “striving” but there is much more to learn about “abiding.” A plant doesn’t decide to grow a flower… or a tree an apple. We may not be aware of our spiritual growth, but we should recognize the need to “abide” and let the vine nourish us. Without that, we all know what happens to the branch.

Comment on About by Jesse Medina

Jesse Medina — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:10:01 +0000

Thanks, Anthony. I appreciate that. It’s always nice to find others who are growing in similar ways (and addicted to the same foods!).

I hope that, during your time at seminary, you come to a fuller knowledge of the width, depth, and breadth of God’s grace and become well-equipped in proclaiming that in every area over which God has made you steward.

Comment on How to Get Closer to God by Jesse Medina

Jesse Medina — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:06:33 +0000

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for your comment! I definitely agree that, having received God’s grace and put into right (and close) relationship with Him through Christ, the change that results should produce fruit.

Amen to that!

Comment on About by Anthony Delgado

Anthony Delgado — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 04:16:29 +0000

Jesse,

I’m a lot like you. I’ve been running a blog inconsistently for years. I got my BA in theology from Sterling College. 29, happily married, kids, addicted to Chipotle. I’m starting The Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley, CA in August. My prayer for you is that God will provide the means for you to do the same as well.

God bless you!

Comment on How to Get Closer to God by Anthony Delgado

Anthony Delgado — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 04:12:16 +0000

I appreciate your commentary on the topic. I would argue that we can get closer in relationship to God, but that this is a temporal institution. Certainly, a relationship with God is not salvific, but a relationship with God is a gauge for our usefulness in this life.

As we seek God in prayer and search the word, we learn more about God. As we are obedient in this life, God reveals himself more and more to us. It’s as Christ said, you can tell his disciples by the fruit they produce (paraphrased). It is in the proportion that we submit ourselves, that God will use us, all for his own glory.