Gresham and Today
I have been reading the book by J. Machen Gresham named Christianity and Liberalism in the last few days.
It is a reread for me with the intention of taking in the content of the material at a slower pace than when I first read it.
I was much surprised the first time I read it as it seemed the content was written in that year I read it. I marked it up a bit because of a lot of the marked-up statements resonated with me.
One of his opening comments is “In the sphere of religion, as in other spheres, the things about which men are agreed are apt to be the things that are least worth holding; the fundamental things are the things about which men will fight.”
This comment sets the stage for what is to come. His main argument in the book is that the claims for liberalism as a form or improvement on historical Christianity is wrong as it does not improve but rather is a different religion.
I have just resumed rereading it in the light of the news around the world as well as in the view of the apparent redirection of the culture obtainable around me as it affects the liberalism that is so pervasive and more than ever, Gresham sounds like a prophet.
He sounds like prophet because the issues discussed as evidence of historical Christianity versus Liberalism of the current age is so spot on for something written in 1922. He writes like someone observing the news reports and commenting on it except for the small issue that he is not.
What I find very interesting is how he understood the weighty matters of the claims of liberalism and contrasted them with the truth of Christianity.
He split his discourse into sections which are Doctrine, God and Man, The Bible, Christ, Salvation, and The Church.
In each section, he explains the misconceptions of liberalism as it affects that section then describes the Christian understanding of the issues discussed.
This is far from a review but a short reminder of the way God speaks to us through his word and ordinary means and people like J. Machen Gresham.
Another Year by His Grace
May 29, 2019 by Jide Ajayi • Issues • Tags: birthday, celebration, life •
I marked my birthday earlier this week and it was another opportunity to thank God for his grace and mercy and compassion.
It was another opportunity to thank him for my wife and children and how he has granted to us all the knowledge of his grace and person.
When I speak to people who are marking their birthdays, one of the questions I ask them is if they feel older on the day and they usually reply that they don’t feel any different than in the previous days or even months. I agree with them, I do not feel older if the feelings were the indicator of age but I KNOW that I am older and I see it all around me especially when I consider the things have happened in the last 20+ years, I do not need the feeling to acknowledge God’s love.
I have learned a lot in the last year, I am loving my books again and trying to establish a system to clear the backlog of books but it has been wonderful.
I have not published an app to the app store yet or written the book that I know I want to write but I won’t spend time thinking of the things I have not done because I have done so much more maximizing each passing moment in relationships and opportunities.
I bless the name of the Lord for his loving kindness for if he has been my rock and sustenance it would have been impossible to speak of any success.
I look forward to the steadfast love of God in the new year as I know he is in charge of all things and nothing happens without his say so.