Blog — Samuel Mills

Christ & Cancel Culture: How would Jesus respond?

When someone says something contrary to current cultural preferences, they are deemed worthy of being silenced. The practice of boycotting a person or business because of a contrary opinion is a popular tactic to win an argument or establish a viewpoint. Instead of engaging an idea and debating it with facts, shaming a person out of the public square is, unfortunately, the preferred method. It is easier to shame a person into silence and obscurity than to converse and debate ideological differences.

Is Justice Possible?

The justice of God’s kingdom should inspire us to influence public policies and legislation that create a just society. By identifying social structures that allow oppression and inequality to persist, we can rectify existing broken systems. While some actively perpetuate abuse, others may unknowingly receive privileges from unfair social structures. We have to ask ourselves sincerely, do we actively or passively commit injustice?

5 Ways to Confront Racism

We live in a world where skin colour, language, and religion have been used as a basis for systematic discrimination and brutality. Eliminating racial prejudices in ourselves and our society is not easy and demands introspection and effort. We need to reject any racial tendencies as well as engage and educate those who propagate racial insensitivity and bigotry. God hates racial prejudice. Every human being is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). We diminish God and question his creation when we elevate one group of people above another. Racism is a serious sin because it produces hatred and conflict which can lead to oppression, violence and murder. It is also an attempt to thwart God’s ultimate purpose of reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:17). The Christian vocation is to serve the world as God’s representatives (image-bearers), reflecting his love to all humanity.

3 Reasons Why Uncertainty Is Good For You

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty, and it feels like we are living in unprecedented times and in uncharted territory. We’ve had to cope with restrictions and are forced to adapt to new ways of doing things. We have no idea when life will return to normal, if at all. We long for the day to dine at a restaurant, attend a sporting event, visit friends, or participate in a church service. But we also know that these things that we did in the past will look different in the future. How or when, is anyone’s guess.

From the beginning of time, uncertainty has been part of the human experience and development. How we handle uncertainty will determine how well we do in life.

While uncertainty is usually viewed as a negative thing, I would like to highlight the necessity of uncertainty. We all desire to live with certainty and have an assurance that tomorrow will be a better day. But we also need uncertainty in order to grow and mature.

TheologySamuel MillsMay 11, 2020Uncertainity, Covid-19, Pandemic, Humility, Jesus, God, Excitement Comments

Where is God in this Covid-19 pandemic?

The Covid-19 pandemic has not only spread a virus throughout the world, it has also spread fear and uncertainty. Infection and death rates are exponentially increasing. The stock market has seen some of the largest declines in history. Economists fear that we are possibly on the verge of a Great Depression. Professional sporting events, conferences, concerts are canceled, and schools have shifted their teaching online. Travel bans and social distancing have become a part of life. Grocery stores are filled with people panic-buying. Hospitals don’t have sufficient protective gear and medical equipment to manage the influx of patients. And healthcare workers are facing exhaustion as they risk their lives to treat the sick. Over a million people and counting worldwide have been infected with the virus and tens of thousands have died.

It appears that things are getting out of control. There are a lot of questions and fewer answers. In these unprecedented times navigating through a pandemic like this is difficult for elected officials, community leaders, and parents. So, what do we do? What can we do?

TheologySamuel MillsApril 8, 2020Covid-19, Virus, Pandemic, Samuel Mills, God, Jesus, Where is God?, Toronto Comments

Does God permit or cause afflictions?

The disciples ask Jesus if the man’s blindness is the result of his or his parents’ sins (John 9:2). Jesus replies, neither, because his blindness is designed to display the works of God. One may wonder, is God the author of sickness? Can all physical deformities or defects at birth be used for God’s glory? Why are some people healed and others not? Jesus’ response does not focus on the origin of the blindness but points to what it will lead towards.

TheologySamuel MillsMarch 25, 2020Sickness, Thomas Aquinas, Samuel Mills, Theological Interpretation, John 9, Man born blind, Blindness, Sin, SufferingComment

Asceticism: Are you relying on grace or performance?

As Christians, there is a need for acceptance by our peers, families, and, most importantly, God. In an effort to feel loved and recognized, we often rely on our own efforts to please others by our good works and acts of kindness. Christians may struggle with many doubts, such as, “Does God love me? Will I go to heaven? Am I really saved?” These doubts can propel us to seek inner peace and acceptance by God through what we do rather than allowing us to appreciate who we are in Christ. Centuries ago, a group of Christians in the Middle East sought to find a state of perfection, purity, and oneness with God. They believed that by renouncing their possessions, families, and careers (and by living a simple life in isolation), they would please God and reach a state of perfection.

The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

In today’s society a lot of emphasis is placed on maintaining physical health. Although this focus is important, practicing Spiritual Exercises may have greater incentives for our earthly and eternal lives. Apostle Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy and admonished him by saying, “Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1Tim 4:8). Exercising our spiritual senses is vital to discerning good and evil, so that we can navigate in a world where evil is called good and good is called evil.

What does it mean to be truly human?

The award-winning movie, Hacksaw Ridge, portrays the true story of the World War II US Army medic with the 307th Regiment, 77th Infantry Division, Desmond T. Doss, who without firing a single bullet received the Medal of Honour. Doss was a brave, modest and strong-willed character that upheld an authentic belief in Christ. The theological anthropology revealed in this movie is evident through the convictions and perceptions of Desmond Doss. Even in the wake of the Fall, wherein people are disfigured, distorted, self-abused, or self-contradicted, they are still gloriously loved by God.

TheologySamuel MillsMarch 26, 2019Hacksaw Ridge, Theological, Anthropology, Human, ChristianityComment

What’s your spiritual pathway?

Should everyone be expected to relate to God through the same spiritual pathway? At times we assume that because another Christian does not worship or connect to God in the same way as us, there must be something wrong with their faith. Unfortunately, we as Christians tend to question or criticize the legitimacy of any experience unfamiliar to us. God wants us to connect to him spiritually in worship and devotion according to the way he has made us. Understanding our spiritual temperaments allows us to discover how we best relate to God so that we can develop new ways of drawing close to him.

How is your prayer life?

Prayer is simply communication with God. It is one of the most critical spiritual disciplines that Christians are to engage in to grow in their relationship with God. Yet prayer is often a daunting task for most Christians. Richard Foster’s book, Prayer, provides a comprehensive understanding of various types of prayer. Foster divides prayer into three major movements. First, prayers that move inward focus on seeking the transformation we need. Next, prayers that move upward focus on the intimacy we need. Finally, prayers that move outward focus on the ministry we need.

PrayerSamuel MillsMarch 24, 2019Prayer, Richard Foster, Spiritual DisciplinesComment