Joel Halcomb

Christ Follower, Bible Reader, World Watcher. Lover of Boston Terriers, Golf, Pickleball, Hiking. Husband since '94, Dad x 3.

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

It would be difficult to make a more erroneous (&self-contradictory) statement

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to renounce to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, RIGHTEOUS (dikios) and godly lives in this present age,”

Titus 2:11-12 NIV
https://t.co/yoqXtbxos7

““He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and LIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS;”

1 Peter 2:24 NIV
https://t.co/GY1534g3rW

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@ronhenzel Making sweeping generalizations based on one verse while ignoring the rest of the Bible is a recipe for disaster

“With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.””
Acts 2:40 NIV
https://t.co/vMwY9bQNU8

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@GringoPapist Medieval Catholics were selling indulgences to poor German peasants in order to fund the basilica of St. Peter, as well as an additional bishopric for Albert of Brandenburg

They promised these peasants that their purchase would surely free their dead relatives from Purgatory

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@MidwestGolfJake Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@CatholicDrip___ You obviously misunderstand

Sola Scriptura has nothing to do with “private” interpretations

It’s merely the acknowledgement that, as the word of God himself, the scriptures have the very highest authority

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

Amen to that

In the ancient world, there was a Greek word used to describe the loyalty or allegiance owed to a king

It was pistis, the same word often translated “faith”

Many Christians think this means we must respond to Jesus in passive belief or trust

In reality, we’re called to submit to Jesus in loyal obedience

“What Is Faith?”
https://t.co/63K0UiYiED

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

We’re justified by our allegiance to Jesus the Messiah

Justification couldn’t come thru works of Torah because a) Torah was only given to Jews, thus shutting out the Gentiles b) Israel was in the flesh; that is, hard hearted & rebellious

Thru the Spirit, Christians offer God the obedience & righteousness he requires

At the final judgement, all people will be judged based on what they’ve done; those who have been loyal to Jesus will be justified (vindicated) & thereby saved

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@needGod_net Greek word for “faith” is pistis
It also refers to loyalty or allegiance
The gospel announces Jesus as the Messiah, Gods anointed king
We respond by submitting to Jesus in loyal obedience

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

Amazing how much effort is wasted by Christians attempting to build an ordo salutis, arguing endlessly about regeneration & faith

Biblical regeneration (or the new birth) is simply a metaphor for what happens when a person repents of wickedness & submits to Jesus in faithful obedience

It's a different image for the same thing

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@Vincent_Writes The best resource - by far - is a relatively small book "The Theology of the Book of Revelation" by Richard Bauckham

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

Amen to that

Far too many Christians think about salvation as getting into "heaven"

True salvation requires the rescue & redemption of God's creation

humans must be restored to the image of God so that we might fulfill our vocation, to govern the creation wisely so that the world might flourish; until that happens, salvation is not complete

"Standing Before the Pearly Gates"
https://t.co/ungmLXGLh5

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@ClayTravis Universities are one of the few places where stupidity can reign supreme, because foolish ideas are not put to the test of reality

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@AMDG_Derek Not really difficult at all

the books of the NT were all written by 90 AD & widely acknowledged throughout the church by the mid 2nd century

This transpired long before Leo I began claiming that the bishop of Rome had authority over the entire church in 450 AD

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@GraftedTheology @ProvisionistP The Bible everywhere assumes (& often states) that humans have agency to make decisions for which they are responsible

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

Josephus is but one representative among many

1st century Jews all acknowledged the Law, the Prophets & the Writings as sacred scripture & they all knew what these contained

There was hardly any debate about their canon (a few thought Esther &/or Ecclesiastes didn’t merit inclusion)

Jesus had many confrontations, but the gospels never describe any debate about what constituted scripture

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

Paul was not making a blanket statement about all good behavior; he was talking about Israel in the flesh attempting to keep Torah

Christians are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit; the Spirit does what the Torah was powerless to do: empowers us to obey God

“For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous verdict of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

What Frank fails to grasp is ongoing work of Jesus thru his Spirit in us, empowering us to act righteously & thus pleasing God

“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.”

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

Most Christians think about salvation merely as a matter of meeting some criteria which will ensure entry into “heaven”

But true biblical salvation requires restoring Gods original purposes: God made humans to reflect his image so that we might govern the creation wisely, thereby allowing the world to flourish

Once we grasp this, it becomes clear that salvation cannot be a matter of passive acceptance; it requires conforming us to the likeness of Jesus

“Standing Before the Pearly Gates”
https://t.co/ungmLXGLh5

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@roddreher What a ridiculous tweet

“if you’re not a professional politician, don’t bother running for office!”

How bout we let the voters decide?

[Joel Halcomb @JoelHalcomb]

@Aaronaeus @CatholicDrip___ False

The Jewish canon was widely recognized as having 24 books corresponding to the 39 in the OT

“The Other Joseph”
https://t.co/WcRgMqDglJ