Category Archives: Sin

Spiritual Warfare – Our Enemy

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Richard Heyduck

Spiritual Warfare has been a popular topic in some segments of American Christianity. In the age of Christendom we were prone to take the “warfare” aspect too literally. Though many instances of “killing people for Jesus” come to mind, just … Continue reading →

Posted in Love, Ministry, Sin | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Being Human

Posted on August 15, 2022 by Richard Heyduck

Sunday’s message was on theological anthropology – the Christian view of what it means to be human. I made two broad claims: Humans are made in God’s image. Being made in the image of God is better understood functionally or … Continue reading →

Posted in Dallas Willard, Discipleship, John Wesley, Salvation, Sin, United Methodism | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The “Angry, Offended” God

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Richard Heyduck

I ran across this quotation on Twitter the other day: “God, apart from Christ, is an angry, offended Sovereign. Unless we behold God in and through Christ, the only Mediator–the terrors of His Majesty would overwhelm us. Because of our … Continue reading →

Posted in Atonement, God, Sin, Theology, United Methodism | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Psychiatry and Ministry (sort of)

Posted on February 25, 2018 by Richard Heyduck

Pretend this piece on Slate Star Codex isn’t about psychiatry but about ministry. Alexander describes two ways of understanding psychiatry: Attitude 1 says that patients know what they want but not necessarily how to get it, and psychiatrists are there … Continue reading →

Posted in Epistemology, Ministry, Sin, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

I Want a Principle Within

Posted on February 22, 2018 by Richard Heyduck

The Charles Wesley hymn, I Want a Principle Within, isn’t sung as often as it used to be. It’s a powerful tool in our quest for holiness, however, so it’s well worth recovering. At first glance the “principle” we “want … Continue reading →

Posted in Holiness, Sin, United Methodism, Worship | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jesus, (Not a) Friend of Sinners?

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Richard Heyduck

Though our experience in church might incline us to think so, this is not how Jesus operated. Jesus intentionally, strategically, and lovingly, spent time with sinners. If we’re going to walk in the way of Jesus, i.e., be Christians, we’ll need to do … Continue reading →

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Surprised by… Sin?

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

If you watch tv, I bet you’ve seen a show where someone no one suspected turned out to have deep, dark secrets. A man everyone knew to be a loving and engaged father was really a molester. A woman who … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Discipline, Sin, Will Willimon | Leave a comment

Original Sin

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Richard Heyduck

Though ostensibly a theological doctrine, original sin has been secularized at least since the time of Thomas Hobbes. (David Brook’s recent column is not too far afield.) Hobbes described the original and natural state of humans as the “war of … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Politics, Sin | Leave a comment

Christian Perfection

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Richard Heyduck

Christian Perfection is something John Wesley taught. It has been retained in the current United Methodist Church in the question asked of those being ordained Elder: “Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?” The expected … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Perfectionism, Sin, Spirituality | 1 Comment

“Here there be sinners”

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Richard Heyduck

One of the signs of a health church is the presence of sinners. Well, sure, people will say. Everyone is a sinner, so if there is anyone there, sinners will be there. No way around it. What’s the big deal? … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecclesiology, Sin | Leave a comment