“I’m only human. Of flesh and blood, I’m made. Human. Born to make mistakes.“ (Human, Song by The Human League, 1986) Imagine a game where you put someone in an Escape Room, telling them that unless they figure it out, you’ll burn the room with them in it. It sounds …
Sin
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Calvinism’s “God Can’t Stand You” Theology Debunked
by Dr. Eitan Bar 17 minutes readAn article titled, “Why do I face the consequences of Adam’s sin when I did not eat the fruit?” on the popular Reformed website “GotQuestions” reads: The Bible says, “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because …
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The Doctrine of ‘Hell’ in Modern Christianity
by Dr. Eitan Bar 5 minutes readHere is a brief summary of the most prevalent views on hell in contemporary Christianity, detailing the main advocates and the evolution of each perspective: Annihilationism (Conditionalism) Annihilationism asserts that the wicked will ultimately be destroyed or cease to exist rather than suffer eternally. Annihilationism believes that only the saved …
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The Doctrine of ‘Hell’ in Early Christianity
by Dr. Eitan Bar 18 minutes readThe understanding of hell has varied significantly throughout Christian history, reflecting differing theological frameworks across the early church. While views on the afterlife, especially hell, appear to have been underdeveloped during the early days of the church, below are some noteworthy statements from key figures in early Christianity that merit …
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A significant misconception within Calvinistic theology is the idea that Jesus’ power to atone for sins must lay in the extent of cosmic suffering, pain, and abuse he endured from God. This concept suggests that the magnitude of human sin necessitated Jesus’ extreme suffering. Calvinist preacher and former president of …
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Was Adam’s Relationship With God Broken?
by Dr. Eitan Bar 4 minutes readIf God cannot even look at sinners, it implies that He cannot be near them. If God is unable to be near sinners, it suggests that He hates them. If this is true, then the argument that God must send all sinners—all of humanity—to hellfire is validated. As the renowned …
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The doctrine of Original Sin holds that Adam and Eve’s transgression in the Garden of Eden left humanity with permanent guilt. This belief suggests that humans inherit a fundamentally flawed or “totally depraved” nature from birth, thus rendering them guilty from the outset. This belief posits that because of Original …
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The figure of Satan, or “the satan” (Hebrew: הַשָּׂטָן), appears in the Hebrew Bible primarily as an accuser or adversary, rather than the fully developed devil figure seen in later Christian theology. The term “satan” is derived from a Hebrew verb meaning “to obstruct” or “to oppose.” In the Old …
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Why the God of the Old Testament Wasn’t as Scary as You Think
by Dr. Eitan Bar 3 minutes readThe Old Testament portrayal of God often evokes images of wrath, judgment, and fear. Many people in the modern Western world—where people actually respect social boundaries and rules—find it difficult to reconcile this image with the God of love and grace presented in the New Testament. However, understanding the historical …
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If you have followed me long enough, you have probably noticed two things. First, I emphasize love and grace in a way that really annoys some types of religious people. Second, I have developed the same “Matthew 23 style” of antagonistic chutzpah against religious legalism. This is because, ever since …
