Discerning the Doctrine of Election

The doctrine of election has confused many people and it is difficult to fathom the balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Is our eternal destiny entirely left up to us, or is it sealed by God without regard to our own will and actions? My personal opinion on this matter is that Scripture clearly speaks to both sides of the equation.

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The True Meaning of Thanksgiving

The first thing that comes to many of our minds when we think about the Thanksgiving holiday is food, along with a few days off from work and school. We have lost the true meaning behind this wonderful holiday, so I would to remind us of the origins behind it.

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The True Meaning of Christmas

People often talk about the “spirit of Christmas” and discovering its true meaning. In our culture, the true meaning of Christmas has been reinterpreted to be “good will toward men.” By that expression they mean that people should get along with one another, have good feelings toward one another, and be nice to one another. I would agree that not to appreciate the human longing for love, happiness, and goodness would be dreadful indeed. However, we must also recognize that the “true meaning” of Christmas lies elsewhere.

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The Origin of Halloween

Over the years I’ve had numerous conversations with different individuals on the topic of Halloween. Questions that came up ranged from whether or not Christians should let their children participate, and if not, do we lock ourselves in the house with the lights turned off or should we in some way try to fight back against this evil? One side of the spectrum says that it’s the most dangerous time of the year, and the other side thinks that it’s nothing more than a secular time of fun and games. Personally, I don’t find it my place to tell you whether or not you should participate in Halloween. That is a decision for you and your family to make on your own, before God. However, I do find it important for everyone to understand the origins of Halloween so you are best equipped to make an educated and rational decision about your family’s participation in this event. Each family must be persuaded in their own mind about how they approach Halloween, so the purpose of this paper is to provide you with an unbiased perspective on its origins, the early church’s response, and nothing more. Once you have prayerfully considered the information contained in this paper, and a decision is made, please be sure to communicate the reasoning behind that decision to your children. It is important for them to understand the origin of this ritual for themselves, as well as why your family chooses to participate or not. So, without much further ado…

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