Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father's Questions about Christianity

by Gregory A. Boyd

God creates free people who can do as they please, not determined instruments who always end up doing what He pleases.

This makes sense, as otherwise God would have created toys.

the proportionality between the possibilities of good and evil inherent in freedom is what’s called a metaphysical truth. It’s like the three sides of a triangle. If you have freedom, you have to have this risk.

Could I say it's like the two sides of a coin? While there is one side representing the possibilities of good, there has to be the other side representing the possibilities of evil.

the main business of this life, from a Christian perspective, is not this life at all, but the next.

Hmm... this is a bit tricky. It is like suggesting that this life is transient--we are here to prepare for the next life? Is this life meant just for taking a test for admission to Heaven?

the Law of the Old Testament failed to achieve what God wanted to achieve with the Israelites—a loving, trusting relationship.

Hence my understanding is God sent Jesus to the world to create a loving, trusting relationship between humanity and God.

start with what is clear (the lordship of Christ) and then work to understand the unclear (the Bible).

I think it is a piece of good advice.