What Doesn’t Produce Righteousness

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

…for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God. – James 1:20 It’s a familiar verse… one that is easy, in hindsight, to apply to the rash actions of a believer who has let his temper fly with disastrous results. Those who have a temper problem may acknowledge the truth of this verse when everything is going according to plan. But awareness of such truth seems to flee when they need it the most. Those of us who do not have a problem blowing up may think we are safe here. Yet, we can take the word ‘anger’ out, replace it with another word, and the verse will address our weaknesses also. …the love of man does not … Continue reading →

A Personal Apologetic: Corrupt Beings

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

The world of nature we live in is amazingly complex and well-tuned, from the macroscopic (general cycle of life) level, down to the microscopic level. Virtually all of life works to keep the system in balance and flourishing. In one part of the cycle, bees pollinate flowers so plants can produce fruit. Animals eat the fruit, and in doing so scatter the seeds so the plants can reproduce elsewhere. All of the participants in the cycle benefit. It appears simple when you look at the overall picture, but it is mind-bogglingly complex when you examine the role individual creatures play to keep the cycle going. When we add man into the equation, however, nature tends to get out of balance. … Continue reading →

“Have this mind in you…”

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

“Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” – Philippians 2:5 This phrase begins the best known hymn of the early church, a hymn of praise to Jesus who humbled Himself to the level of a slave, and died a slave’s death, to reconcile us to God. But we tend to overlook this command for all the good doctrine about our Savior that follows it. And when we consider obeying it, we think only in generalities. Next time you spend time in the gospels reading about Jesus, frequently recall this phrase: “Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Every time you see Jesus heal the sick, instruct His disciples, speak of the kingdom … Continue reading →

A Personal Apologetic: Morality and Justice

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

{Again, I have a two part argument. This first part is about man’s moral inclination and a general desire for justice. I don’t consider it as strong an argument as that from consciousness, but I feel it is strong enough to include here. The second part will be about the difference between what man believes morally and how he acts.} Man is a moral being. Regardless of a belief in the existence of God, everyone believes some things are right and other things are wrong. We might have significant differences of opinion on these things, but we do have opinions. If God does not exist, there are no absolute moral standards. Each of us can then define right and wrong … Continue reading →

A Personal Apologetic: Independently Conscious

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

(In the previous post, I talked about how our material existence is insufficient to explain self-awareness in general. While I think that argument was fairly strong, it might not be enough to convince a skeptic. So, in the following post I’ll use a stronger one based on something the skeptic is a constant witness of: his own personal and unique self-awareness.) Our bodies are made of atoms and molecules. Each of us has the same kinds of molecules. There’s nothing special about the oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and other elements that make up our bodies. They are common, everyday elements. Just the proportions are slightly different for each of us. If we are the same in physical essence, why do … Continue reading →

A Personal Apologetic: More Than Matter

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

(In this and the next post, I want to open the door for the atheist to consider the existence of the spiritual realm. Materialism is the biggest stumbling block towards belief in God. My purpose is not to convince the atheist that materialism is false, but to get the materialist to think it through so he himself can recognize the inadequacy of his supposition and discard it.) Science and science fiction have dealt with the subject of consciousness. What makes someone aware of his existence? Many science fiction characters such as Andrew in Bicentennial Man, and Commander Data in Star Trek Next Generation have expressed the idea that an android can become self-aware, to the point of becoming a person. … Continue reading →

A Personal Apologetic – Introduction

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

(What follows is the beginning of a series of blog posts I’m putting together on the defense of the gospel. Because my intended audience is those who have a purely materialistic world view, I’m going to use what I believe are reasonable arguments, personally convincing if given serious thought. My approach is to use arguments that the reader can investigate on his own, rather than rely on hearsay. I intend to express the results of my own thoughts and research rather than just reword what others have already said. Some Christians dismiss apologetics, saying you can’t argue someone into the kingdom of God. I agree with the premise, but disagree with the conclusion. I know I can’t argue someone to … Continue reading →

Fashion Show

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

(Here’s a half-developed idea for your perusal…) In the clothing industry, big name fashion designers show off their latest designs at fashion shows. Each model wears the designer’s clothes and walks up and down a catwalk while photographers and others look on. This is so they can see how the clothing looks and fits as the model moves and poses. Yesterday, I thought of a strange twist on this. I’m a down-to-earth guy who’s not so much interested in form as function. I’d rather see how useful the clothing is than how it looks. (My wife would rather me be otherwise.) So, I wondered how typical designer fashions would fare in real-world conditions. My idea is to have a fashion … Continue reading →

January 2014 Update

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

My posts have been sporadic lately, but that’s kinda normal for me. Writing still doesn’t come easy. But I do have some more posts in the works. I haven’t abandoned the Church Impossible series of posts. I have the next one mostly finished, but there are some other things in the works that I think are more important, so it might be a while before you see the series continue. I am putting together a personal apologetic where I give my own intellectual reasons for belief in God and the inspiration of the Bible. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time, and I’m finally getting around to it. This will initially be released as a series … Continue reading →

First Or Last

Andrew Bernhardt's Home Page Posted on by

Supernatural revelation played a major part in how people saw Jesus when He was born. There were those who welcomed Him as the Messiah, and there were those who knew nothing of Him or tried to kill Him. Zacharias knew Jesus was coming through an angelic visit in the temple. Mary also received a visit from an angel. Joseph saw an angel in a vision, and the shepherds saw a host of angels. God told Simeon he would see Jesus before he died, and the Magi came through a supernatural star. Without revelation from God, nobody would have known who Jesus is. Everyone would have assumed Mary was a fornicator, and Jesus an ordinary child born out of wedlock. (Even … Continue reading →