Dr Paul Allen

I’ve recently had conversations with younger Christian friends who have been reeling from experiences and observations of confounding evil. As a man more than double the age of the friends I have in mind, I can vouch that comprehending what appears to be senseless evil doesn’t get easier the longer you live. Perhaps that sounds discouraging, especially since I remember, as a younger Christian, hoping I’d have greater wisdom in my golden years. After all, isn’t sagacity part of “the splendour of . . . grey hair” (Proverbs 20:29)? I hope this is true of me. But as I grow older, I’m discovering that the more significant part of wisdom isn’t accumulating a more excellent knowledge of good and evil so much as learning how to deal more faithfully with my deficit of such knowledge. So, if I have any wisdom worth imparting to Christians struggling with incomprehensible evil, it lies in cultivating the spiritual discipline of handing back the fruit. Problem of Evil Theologians and philosophers ...

The Parables of the kingdom : a. The Sower ( Matt. 13:1-9 & 13:10-23) -  The point -  One’s response to the gospel shows one’s relationship to the kingdom. - In Matt.  13:19  calls the gospel “the word of the kingdom”. - Matt.  13:19  comments on those who hear the gospel and don’t respond, Matt. 13:20-22 comments on those who hear and respond positively (but not in saving faith), and Matt. 13:23  comments on those who hear and respond in saving faith; namely the message of the gospel produces fruit (though that “fruit” isn’t explained, but Matt. 13:18-23 suggest that it has something to do with  persevering in trial, as well as avoiding “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches“.   It would see to be some sort of vague “fruit” that is the natural product of saving faith; perseverance and righteousness.). b.  The Weeds (Matt. 13:24-29, 13:36-43) -  The point  ...

Canon tree (Photo credit: @Doug88888 ) “Woe unto them! . . . trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” ( Jude 1:11-12 ) Many illustrations in Scripture compare the responsibility of trees to bear fruit and the responsibility of Christians to produce righteousness. The reason for the frequent comparisons is that “a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” ( Luke 6:43 ). It is easy to tell what kind a tree is because “every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes” ( Luke 6:44 ). Jude is making the point, however, that there are “trees” planted amidst the orchard of God’s Kingdom churches that have withering “fruit” or have already been rooted up as worthless, fruitless, and twice-dead. These trees have absolutely no place among the healthy trees. At best they scar and mar the beauty of the orchard, and at worst the...

Fig Tree (Ficus Carica) - detail - geograph.org.uk - 562736 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 21:18–22 “Seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it…. And He said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once” (v. 19). Anti-Christian philosophers often misuse this passage to defame Jesus and deny that He is God incarnate. How can a good man curse an “innocent” fig tree? they ask. And, if Jesus is omniscient, why does He expect figs when it is not fig season (Matt. 21:18–19; Mark 11:12–14)? These objections are easily answered.First, Christ , as God the Son , has defacto authority over His creation and the sovereign right to do with it what He wills. Jesus, therefore, can curse the fig tree if He so desires. Second, understanding what it means for figs to be in season shows us how Jesus can expect fruit when it is not fig season. During springtime,  Palestinian fig...

Curtain Fig Tree, Queensland, Australia (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. [Matt. 21:19a] Think of what problems might arise from the fact that the Bible was written in terms of a culture different from our own. One problem in teaching the Bible to inner-city children, for example, is that they may have no idea what a sheep is. A more serious dilemma may be faced by a missionary who takes the gospel to a tribe whose gods are terrifying demons. How do they learn the concept of a loving God ? Sometimes we get tripped up when we read the Bible because we don’t know the customs of the ancient world. For instance, when Jesus approached the fig tree in Matthew 21:18 –22 he turns around and curses the fig tree because it is barren. We can take this story as an object lesson concerning Israel , which it clearly is. But the historical incident seems peculiar, until we learn about figs in the Near East . Th...

English: Apple Tree walk Walk to the garden gate http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/841005 lined with fruit trees (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Just about every Christian has memorized the closing verses of Galatians and Paul's description of the fruit of the Spirit : love, joy, peace, patience , kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. This is the character of the man or woman who has been justified by grace through faith. Yet as we review the list, and especially as we review it slowly and prayerfully, we may find ourselves growing weary and discouraged by how little of that fruit we see. We are still angry at times, still struggling with self-control, still not nearly as gentle as Jesus Christ was and is. Paul's metaphor of the "fruit" of the Spirit can help us, though. Here are five things that are true of fruit trees and, therefore, true of the fruit of the Spirit. 1. Growth is Gradual . We are an impatient people accustomed to instant grati...