Easy Chair No. 149, July the 9th, 1987 — Money and Debt: Paper Wealth, Real Slavery

Wisdom: True or False?

True wisdom isn’t found in forcing others to change it begins with being changed ourselves by God’s grace and His Word. The world is full of people who try to fix society by imposing their own ideas, but in doing so they become the very problem they claim to oppose. Scripture is clear: wisdom does not originate in fallen man, but in the Lord, and stability in a troubled age comes from building our lives on Christ, the Rock. Real wisdom is proven daily as we submit our thoughts and actions to God’s Word, not our own opinions. The question that matters most is simple: is your wisdom rooted in Christ or in yourself?

Fear and Patience

Fear and impatience are inseparably linked, for fear drives men either to reckless retreat or to rash attack, both of which are attempts to escape the strain of waiting on God, whereas true courage is marked by patience and trust. The impatient man fears that life is cheating him, that delay is loss, and so he rushes ahead to secure by his own devices what he doubts God will provide; in doing so, he runs not only from himself but from God’s providence. Patience, by contrast, is an act of faith and a confession of fearlessness, declaring confidence that God’s timing is neither careless nor cruel but wise and sure. As Paul teaches, tribulation works patience, patience produces experience, and experience gives rise to hope that does not disappoint, because it rests in the love of God. To fear is to be impatient; to trust God is to wait without fear, confident that He will restore what is lost and bring His purposes to completion in His perfect time.

God's First Command

In this opening episode of the new podcast season on Dominion, Nathan F. Conkey challenges a doctrine widespread in evangelical and reformed circles: the idea that Christians are exiles on the earth, just passing through on their way to heaven, with no real business in wealth, work, politics, or culture. Walking through Genesis 1–3, he argues the Bible teaches the opposite. Man was formed from the earth and commanded to take dominion over it — a mandate written into human nature (Gen 1:26) and issued as God's very first command (Gen 1:28). From gold and gems in Genesis 2 flow trade, banking, craftsmanship, science, and family life; none of it a distraction from the kingdom, all of it dominion work done God's way. Exile, by contrast, makes its first appearance in Genesis 3 — and there it is God's judgment on sin, not the believer's identity. Conkey contends that "exile theology" is a prison of words that has neutralised faithful men and left Bible-believing churches with little cultural impact. His call: repent of living like an exile, recover your identity as a dominion man, and start building. Next episode turns to Cain — the first man God actually made a stranger and vagabond on the earth.

Easy Chair No. 151, July 17, 1987 - Laurie Eck & the Christian Conciliation Service

Laurie Eck discusses the Christian Conciliation Service, a ministry designed to resolve disputes among Christians according to biblical principles rather than secular courts. Inspired by his own marital and professional struggles, Eck emphasizes reconciliation, restoration of relationships, and applying God’s law to conflicts. The service trains local church members—often elders or spiritually mature individuals—to mediate disputes, including marital, business, and property conflicts, fostering accountability, peacemaking, and corporate responsibility within the congregation. Eck highlights the challenge of churches being consumer-oriented and avoiding conflict, stressing that real reconciliation requires submission, servanthood, and adherence to biblical standards. The ministry has spread nationwide, adapting to local contexts while aiming to restore the authority and witness of the church."

Standards

Prices, ages, and even fish stories seem to change over time but the real issue is not the thing being measured, it’s the yardstick. Money has shrunk in value, not food; houses haven’t changed, but the standard we measure them by has. The same confusion infects moral and public life: when standards shift, everything looks distorted. Nothing can be judged rightly without a fixed, trustworthy measure. Scripture alone provides that unchanging yardstick when the standard is wrong, every conclusion will be wrong too.