Today, we will start a three-part discussion on light and blindness. It seems as if God takes us on a spiritual journey of sight and blindness, light and darkness, insight and ignorance.  In the very first chapter of the bible the Creation and the manifestation of Light together convey a certain truth about God. Let…

God’s grace is a concept that often transcends human understanding. In this world, we are accustomed to thinking in terms of fairness, cause and effect, and the notion that what we receive is proportionate to what we give. Our understanding of merit and reward is often centered on what seems just—where effort leads to an…

I have been fascinated by the topic of death for years now. Mystics and sages say that the only way to live life fully is to accept our deaths. That’s easy, you may say, I’m fully aware that I’m going to die, I’m just a human after all.  But Ernest Becker begs to differ with…

Grace, in its essence, is ubiquitous and everlasting. Like oxygen, it surrounds us, envelops us, and is freely available to all. Yet, a perplexing paradox emerges. If grace is so abundant, why won’t everyone be saved?  Last week David concluded that it is tough for one to fall from grace and the only way one…

Many Christians seem troubled by the idea of “falling from grace.” It is a fairly common phrase; at any rate, I seem to have heard it a lot. Funnily enough, though, I was able to find it in only two Bible verses, both from Paul:  “You who are trying to be justified by the law…

Introduction In last week’s class, Dr. Weaver discussed the story of the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume and the reaction of Simon. He briefly touched on what it means to fall into grace and fall out of grace. Carolyn asked a follow-up question about the role of belief in staying in grace or how…