How to Use and Understand This Website
This website is not meant to be read straight through like a traditional textwebsite. It is a collection of short, focused papers designed to help you examine your own life and the life of the Church in light of Scripture and the marriage motif.
Why the “Counting the Cost” Format?
Every paper on this website follows the same consistent structure, which we call the “Counting the Cost” format. This was chosen deliberately for several reasons:
- 1. Clarity and Accessibility: The format breaks each topic into clear, repeatable sections (Thesis, Biblical Background, Typology & Marriage Motif, Ante-Nicene Understanding, Practical Steps, Already and Not Yet, Logical Syllogism, Pastoral Summary, Reflection Question, and Common Counterarguments). This makes complex or emotionally charged subjects easier to understand and process.
- 2. Consistency with the Message: The central theme of the website is that following Jesus requires counting the cost. By using this format for every topic, the website itself models the kind of thoughtful, honest examination we are calling the Church back to.
- 3. Christ-Centered and Practical: Every paper keeps Jesus and the marriage motif at the center while moving quickly from theology to practical application. The goal is not just to inform your mind, but to transform your heart and life.
- 4. Easy to Use in Groups or Personal Study: The short length and built-in Reflection Question make each paper ideal for personal devotion, family discussion, or small group study.
How to Use This Website
- 1. Read slowly and prayerfully. Take one paper at a time. Don’t rush. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart as you read.
- 2. Use the Reflection Question. Don’t skip this part. It is the most important section. Write down your honest answers. This is where real change begins.
- 3. Discuss with others. The papers work especially well in small groups. Read one paper together, then discuss the Reflection Question and Practical Steps.
- 4. Apply what you learn. The Practical Steps section is there to help you move from knowledge to obedience. Choose one or two steps and put them into practice.
- 5. Return to Scripture. The goal is not to agree with these papers, but to return to the Word of God with fresh eyes. Use the footnotes and biblical references to study further.
- 6. Remember the purpose. This website is not about tearing down, but about recovering the simplicity and beauty of a pure Bride wholly devoted to her Bridegroom. Every critique is made with love and with the hope of restoration.
A Final Word
This is not “the author’s website.” It is an attempt to gather and organize what Scripture and the early Church already taught, so that Christ alone remains the central voice. The format itself is meant to keep the focus on Jesus rather than on any human teacher.
May the Lord use these pages to draw you closer to Himself, to purify His Bride, and to prepare us all for the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb.