The beginning of men's rebellion against God was, and is, the lack of a thankful heart.
The ancients were afraid that if they went to the end of the earth they would fall off and be consumed by dragons. But once we understand that Christianity is true to what is there, true to the ultimate environment - the infinite, personal God who is really there - then our minds are freed. We can pursue any question and can be sure that we will not fall off the end of the earth.
We may not play with the new theology even if we may think we can turn it to our advantage.
The inward area is the first place of loss of true Christian life, of true spirituality, and the outward sinful act is the result.
Doctrinal rightness and rightness of ecclesiastical position are important, but only as a starting point to go on into a living relationship - and not as ends in themselves.
In passing, we should note this curious mark of our own age: the only absolute allowed is the absolute insistence that there is no absolute.
I believe that pluralistic secularism, in the long run, is a more deadly poison than straightforward persecution.
Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world.
