Added my take on "Does 'Many are invited; few are chosen' (Matt 22:14)  mean that God will save only a few people?".

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August 6, 2001 Lastly, a (very) short explanation of what it means to 'bless' God.

Followed-up some issues to the piece on the destiny of the unevangelised: "What might Jesus is the ONLY Way mean to an inclusivist?" and "Why evangelise if people already have salvific access?".  Also wrote down some thoughts on Christian Hedonism.

Posted a response to suggestions that John 6:35-44 entails Calvinistic notions of 'double predestination'.

Added a book review of 4 Views on Divine Sovereignity & Freedom; also added lots of new books.

Posted a piece discussing an issue close to my heart, "What about those who have never heard?".  I expect a lot more work and follow-up on the issues therein.
  It's been an enjoyable start to the Chinese New Year of the Snake over here in Kuala Lumpur (hope the rest of you members of the 'Chinese Diaspora' out there feel the same way too, *smile*).

Added brief responses to suggestions that 1) the unborn are merely physical extensions of the mother (and hence not yet a 'life') and 2) homosexuality shouldn't be an issue since it's 'their choice'.

Posted a one-year overdue piece on the significance of the Resurrection of Christ (from various angles, not least the 'apologetic' one).  Also added an essay on Luke's dating of the census of Quirinius (I tried to get my local newspaper to publish it but no progress there, *sob sob*).

Putting on (yet again) my open theism defender hat, I take a look at John Piper's argument against Greg Boyd that passages like Jer 3:19-20, if read the way the latter reads it, would have a God who makes mistakes.

Finally, an upload of a response to objections against the notion of absolute truth (plus a follow-up question).

Added a commentary on the judgment of Sodom & Gomorrah, which I hope can shed some more light on the loving heart of the Father.  I wrote the piece in response to a question about Genesis 18:21 and the implication that if the passages on divine repentance (for e.g., in 1Sam 15) were to be taken 'literally', then it should also follow - from Gen 18:21 - that God doesn't know even the present.
 

Added a piece, "Did Moses' prayer change God's mind?" Reflections on Exodus 32:11-14, to the Essays section.

I've also revamped the Links page a bit - hope it looks less confusing now, ;>)

Am delighted with two books from N.T. Wright which just came in:  Jesus & the Victory of God looks set to be every bit the definitive apex of Jesus and 1st-century church scholarship many have said it is; The Climax of the Covenant, written more than half a decade earlier, appropriately anticipates the later project with a marvelous integration of Pauline thoughts.  Wright argues for an understanding of Jesus as Messiah in terms of Adam- and Israel-Christology (i.e. Jesus was Israel's representative to accomplish what they couldn't achieve as the true humanity commissioned after Adam's failure).  Scholars like Wright constantly amaze me with what the real historical Jesus was like as compared to my (often stereotyped) impressions of Him.  My awe of (and love for) my Lord, this Perfect Person of Love, grows with every flip of the page...(smile).

Also added a response to an issue about Christmas and its link with pagan holidays (although perhaps we also need to ask just how 'Christian' Christmas is nowadays...sigh).

From a short discussion with a dear relative of mine out came a (revised) piece on gambling and investment (and the Christian attitude towards these two balls of wax).  Also, updated the essay on what a persevering faith might 'look like'.

Added two 'preachy' pieces on BGR and Insurance to the Essays page.  The former is a 'request-item' in response to a good friend of mine who's grappling with the issue, as I presume many currently are. On the other hand, Christian perspectives on insurance is something I hardly come across, so felt that maybe I could contribute something in this area.

I'm gaining huge respect for the work of Gary Habermas, truly a most powerful intellectual for the Christian faith.  Two books (co)-authored by him form part of the new 'tenants' to my Bookshelf.

Also, wrote a review of The Openness of God (whose authors have been branded all but heretics by Reformed theologians).

It's Open-Theism month and this is reflected in a series I started as a response to John Piper's (one of the top Calvinist theologians today) rebuttals to the work of Gregory Boyd (undoubtedly the rising star of the Open View).  I've juxtaposed this with another essay on the repentance of God as shown in 1Sam 15, written as a critique of the Reformed interpretation of the passage (as presented by a superb theological 'sparring partner' of mine, *smile*).  I've also taken the liberty to include both Boyd's and Piper's very popular websites in the links page, which also has (I hope you'll agree) a good mixture of new sites (at least they're pretty new to me...duh!).

Another addition to the Essays page are two pieces on tithing and mercy-killing (the former in response to a colleague's questions and the latter a revision to a two year-old article).  Plus, added a coupla new books (plus mini-reviews to some existing ones) to the store, mainly on Christian spiritual warfare, intelligent design and quantum physics.

Lastly, I hope the new graphical props aren't too much of a horror to the eye, *fingers crossed!*, but do let me know if they are,  ;>)

The month began terribly with yours truly hit bad by a 5-day fever.  Still, thank God it's over and I'm also grateful to Him for the time afforded me to add a coupla more pieces to the site.

First off, I invite you to share in a reflection on divine omniscience and the implications for divine providence and intervention into history.  Hopefully you will understand why I'm one of many who've rejected the Calvinist view of God, especially its teaching on divine sovereignity.

I also posted a series on the Roman Catholic doctrine of Penance.

Welcome to the site!  It's this cyber-beginner's first attempt at getting published online and I gotta say it's been 'frustratingly fun' (for clarification of term:  ask anyone who's ever taken it upon him/herself to get a Web page up, *smile*).

I uploaded the first 10 or so pages (a major chunk of which was the Romans 9 write-up) in late July and I've spent most of me time after that working on the Recommended Books page and trying to post more essays.

The last thing I've added was a 'mission-statement' (of sorts) before deciding it's probably time to 'officially' track the development of this site through this history page.

So take a look around, make your mental notes (I do those all the time on the Net, don't you? *grin*) and I hope you find something here which brings you closer - even it's only one teenie-weenie step - to an enjoyment of truth and life, and the Person who makes all of it possible.
 

Warmly,
AL