James's Weblog

The Americans: Sacrifice Everything

Thu, 12/12/2019 - 10:30 -- James Oakley
Elizabeth and Paige Jennings

I sometimes note illustrations here that may be useful for me to find later, and that may be useful for others as well.

Here's the teaching of Christ:

Give up everything to follow Christ

This is a familiar part of what Jesus taught: It costs to follow him.

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Election Hustings Thoughts

Mon, 02/12/2019 - 13:27 -- James Oakley
Credit: Elliott Stallion

Yesterday evening, I attended a General Election hustings organised by Churches Together in Sevenoaks and District. All 6 candidates for the Sevenoaks Constituency attended, and did a good job at tackling a range of questions fairly efficiently. The event was full, with most seats in the large nave of St Nicholas Sevenoaks taken. The tone was positive and engaging.

Coming away, I had a few thoughts, that I share here in no particular order.

Start with a couple concerning how Christians engage with politics.

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The stench of death

Mon, 30/09/2019 - 10:30 -- James Oakley

2 Corinthians 2:15-17 says this:

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

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Free Markets and Berlin Housing

Thu, 26/09/2019 - 10:30 -- James Oakley

Some regular readers may know I'm a fan of a free market.

Free Markets

That's to say: When someone buys something, and someone else correspondingly sells, it should be a free exchange. Both parties are convinced that they would rather buy / sell than remain as they are. Which means the price is whatever price is fair and agreeable to both parties.

I think it is harmful if the state interferes and tries to control prices on things.

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Christians and the Stock Market

Wed, 25/09/2019 - 12:10 -- James Oakley

The other day I was asked, certainly not for the first time, whether Christians may invest in the stock market.

Part of my job is to help Christians think through how biblical teaching applies in the nuts and bolts of daily life, so this is a very good question indeed. I've never written down my thoughts on this, and as the question recurs from time to time I thought it would be a help to jot things down.

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Psalm 2 and 2 Peter 1

Tue, 17/09/2019 - 15:55 -- James Oakley

So often, when you read a commentary on part of the Bible you're studying, you have pages and pages of material but the commentator doesn't seem to be puzzling over the same details of the passage as you are.

How refreshing when the commentator asks exactly the questions you were asking, and has some very sensible things to say.

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