Too Many Voices, Just A Bunch Of Noise

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:1-2

Dear Friends,

I was visiting my grandma Wollenburg in Nebraska one time when she had all 13 of her children home. In addition, there were several of her daughters and sons in-laws, many grandchildren and great grandchildren. As you can imagine, things got a bit noisy with all the discussions and frivolity.

At one point my…

Words

This is what [the Lord GOD] showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” - Amos 7:7-9

Friends,
I love words. I love the etymology of words. I love to see how words are translated into English. I love words.

In the above passage…

The Sermon On The Mount

Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Matthew 7:28-29

Friends,
The words printed above are the words which conclude Jesus’ ‘Sermon on the Mount’ in the book of Matthew, chapters 5, 6, and 7.

I have decided to use the summer to study the ‘Sermon on the Mount’. My hope is…

Ethics

8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.  9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. – Roman 13:8-10

Friends,
I went to a liberal arts college and majored in Classical Languages and Philosophy. Let me tell you, the job offers were pouring in. (I am being facetious)

In my philosophy classes, I came to believe that there are two types of ethical systems in the world…