Letters to My Students

Mailbag is a tool I utilize with students of Scripture and theology anytime I have the opportunity to teach. The questions that are sent in are ones that we did not have time for in the moment, or the scope of our passage did not directly answer them.  Students email me their questions, I reply with either my own answers, or trusted sources, and then I require that they engage the responses and sources cited before scheduling a meeting with me to discuss further. I am sharing these here for an archive of such questions and responses. Here are the questions... What are some good resources and passages that talk about Biblical self defense? I have been a bit confused on if it is ok to defend yourself when we talk about not avenging and not giving evil for evil. Maybe I am just confusing defense and avenge and maybe this is two separate questions but where could I find some material about that? Along with self-defense, how does loving others connect to defending yourself and/or family...

Mailbag is a tool I utilize with students of Scripture and theology anytime I have the opportunity to teach. The questions that are sent in are ones that we did not have time for in the moment, or the scope of our passage did not directly answer them.  Students email me their questions, I reply with either my own answers, or trusted sources, and then I require that they engage the responses and sources cited before scheduling a meeting with me to discuss further. I am sharing these here for an archive of such questions and responses. Here are the questions... Is God always perfectly satisfied? Because God does all that He pleases, and can never lack anything or be taken by surprise, God must be supremely happy. How is this so? And how does this work when people sin against God? Here are two resources that will help provide a basis for the unchanging happiness of God: Can God Really Be Happy? Desiring God, Chapter 1   What did God’s existence look like before the creation ...