Quotes from Gregory A. Boyd

These observations strongly support the understanding that "us" refers to God in his Triune nature, and therefore, that the imago Dei refers to our relationality. Like God, we are created to live life as an "us," not just as an "I." But

How can anyone refute another person's personal experience? The answer is, by appealing to the Word of God. The Bible itself teaches that if an experience is not consistent with God's Word, we must reject it, regardless of how impressive the experience may seem (Gal. 1:8). Demons are capable of mimicking authentic spiritual experiences and masquerading as angels of light. Even on its own, the fallen mind is capable of deceiving itself and imagining things.

1. This view is not traditional. Opponents of the restoration view of creation often object that this view has few representatives in the church tradition. This is true, but two observations qualify its force as an objection. First, evangelicals, and Protestants in general, look to Scripture as their sole authority in matters of doctrine. Therefore, while the absence of precedent for a view should make us cautious, it cannot itself constitute a decisive objection. Second

So it is, I believe, in every area of our lives. The more we choose something, the harder it is to choose otherwise, until we finally are solidified—eternalized—in our decision. The momentum of our character becomes unstoppable.

While the true God lives in the now, false gods always live in the past or future. Chasing them to find our worth and significance always takes us out of the present moment.

First, evangelicals cannot appeal to church tradition to settle an issue. The affirmation of sola scriptura means that Scripture is the sole authority on matters of faith and practice. Christians should not easily set aside traditional perspectives, but they can and must do so if traditional views disagree with Scripture. Second

The kingdom of God is not a Christian version of the kingdom of the world. It is, rather, a holy alternative to all versions of the kingdom of the world, and everything hangs on kingdom people appreciating this uniqueness and preserving this holiness.

The most important anchor, and therefore our "greatest help and blessing," St. Teresa noted, is the fact that in Christ God became a man, hence someone we can concretely envision in our minds when we pray.

The way to focus our minds in prayer, therefore, is to picture mentally the one to whom we pray and the matter about which we pray.

This is the foundation of all sin: the lie that God is untrustworthy, the lie that God is not altogether loving and that he doesn't have our best interests in mind.

itself. An honest examination of Scripture leads to the conclusion that the Bible is thoroughly inspired but also thoroughly human. The human element in Scripture reflects the limitations and fallibility that are a part of all human perspectives and all human thinking. This human element can be clearly seen in at least three areas of Scripture. First

If we only love those who agree with us, we are in fact not loving others at all; we are only loving the (assumed) "rightness" of our own ideas!

The challenge, then, is not first and foremost to love like Christ. The challenge is to live in Christ's love, for only then can we love as Christ loved. And as with everything else about our lives, this can only be done in each present moment.

our knowledge of God, our salvation, and our spiritual growth all depend on our keeping our eyes fixed singularly on Jesus Christ.

Whenever people are separated by racism, the church is to work to manifest the one new humanity Jesus died to create (Eph 2:14).

Love is the all-or-nothing of the kingdom of God. Above all we are to love (Col. 3:14; 1 Peter 4:8). Everything we do is to be done in love and, thus, communicate love (1 Cor. 16:14). We are to imitate God by living in Christlike love (Eph. 5:1–2), and if we do this, we fulfill the whole law (Matt. 22:37–40; Rom. 13:8–10). If we lack this, everything else we do is devoid of kingdom value, however impressive it might otherwise be (1 Cor. 13:1–3).

All acts of God proceed from the transcendent Father, through his Son or Word or Image, in the power of  his immanent Holy Spirit. And this is true both during the Incarnation

This means that to be considered a child of the Father in heaven by Jesus, one had to be willing to break the OT commands to retaliate

in the kingdom that Jesus inaugurated it is precisely a person's love for their enemies and their pledge to never retaliate that is the ultimate sign of their loyalty to God.

He came to ultimately put the kingdom of the world out of business by establishing a counterkingdom of radical love that would eventually render it obsolete.

What makes a human being human? When does a human being become a person? When does a human being cease to be a person? What is the significance of being human? Is there an inherent value with inherent rights that go along with being human? These

3. Bibliolatry. The inerrancy theory tends to shift the focus of faith away from Jesus Christ and toward the accuracy of the Bible. This is bibliolatry. According to the Bible itself, faith should rest on Jesus Christ, not on one's opinion about the degree of accuracy of the Bible. Responding

Never suppose that God is more "there" than "here," or more "then" than "now." For the Father is always working—in all places, at all times, in all people. The steadfast love of God fills the entire earth (Psalm 33:15).

Love must always start free—but its goal is to become unfree. To be unable not to love is the highest form of freedom in love.