G Notes

Over time words can take on a meaning which is completely different than their original intent. As culture and society change so does the language. Words evolve and their semantic ranges shift. Most of the time this is a non-issue. However, there are occasions in which a word must be rescued from improper use and returned to its proper meaning. Some words matter too much! Some words so perfectly capture an idea that to allow their meaning to meander is to allow the significance of that idea to be destroyed. Among Christians there's a word which has radically departed from its original and intended meaning. This word has evolved into something less biblically accurate. Christians are misusing and misapplying this word, and in so doing the word is being stripped of the idea it once perfectly captured. It's time to recover this word and to rescue it from its meandering. So with that, I set out on a potentially dangerous quest: to redeem the word "sacrifice." It...

Most of us in the U.S. don't have to go out and split wood. During the winter months, our homes are maintained at a comfortable 74 degrees fahrenheit by either a gas or electric heater. Many homes still have wood burning fireplaces but they are more of a novelty. They are more part of the homes decor rather than a functional heater. At best, wood burning fireplaces are simply nice to have if ever the mood strikes the homeowner.  What is interesting is that most of us genuinely enjoy a good wood burning fire. There's something about the smell of a wood fire, the sound of the cracking and popping, the sight of the flickering flames. But more than that, there's something especially warming about a wood fire. It not only warms our skin but somehow the warmth reaches down into us. Yet, we are quick to forgo the soothing pleasantries of a fireplace. We are quick to exchange the smells, sounds, sights, and warmth of a fire for the convenience of a heat pump. We are quick to set...