Man not suited to life in heaven

"By this stage in history, we are familiar with the fact that it is impossible for a man to survive in outer space without artificial support. It is one of the great barriers to any idea of colonizing the moon. The moon’s atmosphere is alien to human life. Man is no more able to live unaided on the moon than he is to fly like a bird in the air or live like a fish in the sea.
It is equally true that man is not suited to life in heaven. The problem is not a lack of oxygen, a surfeit of water or an inability to fly. Rather the problem is moral. In heaven all things centre on God and, by nature, this is not man’s inclination."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 87

Humorous English Etymologies 16 Toddler

Toddler (n.)

The word toddler is used to describe children around 12 months to 36 months who have learned to walk but are not masters of the art. The word comes from the verb to toddle, which means "to run or walk with short, unsteady steps," which goes right back to 1600. Related to totter it is a Scottish and northern British word of uncertain origin. The word perfectly describes the slow and unwieldy gait of young children, usually in nappies.

Irrefragable

Another word I remember coming across for the first time is the word irrefragable. I can't remember exactly the contact but I know it was in B B Warfield. A likely place would be in his book on The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible as here

"The movement of thought is to the effect that, because it is impossible for the Scripture - the term is perfectly general and witnesses to the unitary character of Scripture (it is all, for the purpose in hand, of a piece) - to be withstood, therefore this particular Scripture which is cited must be taken as of irrefragable authority. What we have here is, therefore, the strongest possible assertion of the indefectible authority of Scripture; precisely what is true of Scripture is that it “cannot be broken.”"

Having some knowledge of German and knowing that fragen is the verb to ask, it was not too difficult to guess the meaning of the word.

Regeneration essential

 

"Being a new creation is what counts (Galatians 6:15) and to suppose that any action on our part, without new birth, is going to please God is plain wrong. In fact, such a person, in Boston’s words, has shut the door with the thief still in the house ... his prayers are an abomination to God (Proverbs 15:8). Inevitably, selfishness and an unchanged heart will dog his every step."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 86

New birth necessary for faith

 

"It is true that unbelievers can do what is relatively good but without new birth they cannot do what is truly good and pleasing to God. Without regeneration, a man has no true faith and so can never satisfy God. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please God. It is those who are born of God who receive Jesus by faith and who believe he is the Christ (John 1:12-13; 1 John 5:1). Faith is a flower that will only grow where the field has been prepared and transformed."

From my book What the Bible teaches about being born again, p 86