Theology for the Masses

Here is an interesting (new?) Bible that is published by the International Bible Society, called The Books Of The Bible. It is very interesting. What it does is it first takes out all of the chapter and verse titles that you would see in a standard Bible. Then it places the books in Chronological order. I think that it is very interesting because it takes away many distractions that are in the Bible and allows for a better reading, because it reads more like a novel. Some differences in order seen is that the New Testament starts with Luke-Acts, two volumes of the same history, the follows into Paul’s letters. The Old Testament ends in Daniel.

While this may not be the best study tool, it appears to be a better read than a typical Bible. It uses the TNIV translation. It may also make it much easier for a new Christian to read and understand. I encourage everyone to check it out.

It is interesting, and also very frustrating, to read how people justify actions. This seems to be the most posh argument that people use nowadays, “Jesus didn’t talk about it, so it must not be important.” The people who make this argument seem to use it as a magic wand to wave away people calling certain actions sin. This is the one of the most horrible arguments, ever. The people who use this argument the most are the people who say that homosexuality is a perfectly acceptable behavior. However, when this argument is used to justify that behavior, what other behaviors are being justified at the same time? They also manage to create a rift in the Bible between what Jesus says and what everyone else says. Lastly this thinking degrades scripture to only mean what a person wants it to mean and fails to recognize the cohesiveness of all scripture.

People fail to realize the types of things Jesus never talked about. While they know the things he did not talk about that justified their own behavior, or behavior they believe is proper, they fail to see what else Jesus never mentions. As mentioned before, the people who use this argument the most are those who accept homosexuality as an acceptable behavior. They justify this by saying that Jesus never calls it sin and the only other time it is mentioned is in Leviticus, which is not true, in a section called purity laws. Leviticus has been abrogated, therefore homosexuality is OK. What other behavior is justified by the same reasoning? There is an easy answer to this. It is also mentioned in the same chapter of Leviticus, however no one seems to want to justify this behavior. The behavior is incest. Does Jesus ever mention it? No. It is in the same chapters of Leviticus that homosexuality is mentioned that being Leviticus 18 and Leviticus 20. However it is unlikely you will find incest pride parades on weekends or find churches hiring ministers that are actively involved in a sexual relationship with their sister. Clearly most “higher thinking” Christians would object to incest but accept homosexuality. Usually their reasoning is how Jesus never talked about it.

This thinking also creates a rift in scripture between what Jesus says and what the rest of the Bible says. First what would the Bible say about itself here. 2 Timothy 3:16 says how ALL scripture is inspired by God. So anything in the Bible is the word of God. Many times in the Bible when it reads “scripture says” it is equated with “God says”. So scripture, no matter who it was written by, can be equated with being the word of God. Jesus himself claimed to be God, John 10:30. So, if scripture is the Word of God, everything that is written, and Jesus is God, one could say that when Paul writes in Romans 1 about men and women giving up natural relations it is something that Jesus would have been in full agreement with and would have said himself.

Lastly, people who only want to believe what Jesus said directly in the Gospels fail to realize the importance of all scripture and only wish to believe certain parts of scripture. This part may be the most troubling. This is where people can be misled and completely led away from God. One can make scripture say whatever they want it to say if it is not taken as a whole. While this debate could rage on with possibilities about who is actually being misled and who is doing the misleading, once again the example should be taken from scripture to when scripture can be used to try and lead people astray. In Matthew 4 Jesus is tempted by the Devil himself. First Jesus is tempted to turn stones into bread. Jesus answered with scripture saying “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God,” Deuteronomy 8:3. Next Satan takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and tells Jesus to throw himself off telling him, as Psalm 91:11-12 says, that Angels will protect him. Here Satan is making an argument from scripture. Odd how the Devil is saying, “See what scripture says.” It says this is good. Act in this way. Its OK. God wants you to. Jesus, knowing the totality of scripture, responds with scripture saying “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test,’” Deuteronomy 6:16. Lastly Jesus is tempted to worship Satan and once again Jesus uses scripture and says “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only,’” Deuteronomy 6:13. Once again Jesus fends off temptation with scripture. The most intriguing part of this passage is when Satan uses scripture as a justification for wrong action. However Jesus, knowing all scripture, was able to know how to correctly behave. He knew what every passage meant and knew how it all worked together. So when he was tempted by a bad argument based in the word of God, he was able to do what was right. All of scripture in its totality speaks on how one should act, not just a small portion.

The “Jesus never said it” fallacy is a mere justification for sin. It justifies wrong actions with a thin veil that appears to be from God. It makes most scripture to be nothing more than the words of man. It denies that all scripture is from God. It perverts scripture to be whatever one wants it to be instead of being totally the inspired word of God which is to show everyone who God is and what He requires.

So in teaching my 5th grade class this sunday we covered Psalm 51 as part of the lesson. The prase “Joy of your salvation,” was read and I asked what joy meant. Of course I got the typical answer, happy. Unfortunately I believe that is a very inadequate definition. I believe joy is so much more, yet I suddenly found myself lost for words, because I tried to define it without using the word happy.

Henceforth, I must ask this question, how do you define joy, without using the word happy?

So, I am going to add someone else’s two cents on Original Sin, which I in general agree with.

Are all men born sinners?

Once again, I mostly agree, and I will try to answer questions without getting too offended.

Ok, so most of you will say two weeks later he answers this shortly. Well I was distracted and not very motivated to write. Now I have finished. I am ready for you to read my answers to the questions. A little explanation, I answered the questions on the top, and then put the references with the corresponding number. I hope you can understand, and spend some time reading the passages, and then try and make a Biblical argument if you disagree with me.

1. What is the Gospel, what is its purpose, and what is it working towards?

The Gospel is that man is sinful, and separated from God. Jesus came to be the sacrifice for sin, and rose again, to prove the scriptures true, so that those who believe in him shall be saved from wrath an no longer be slaves to sin. The purpose of the Gospel is quite possibly the same as the purpose of Jesus, to seek and to save the lost. What the Gospel is working towards echoes its purpose. The Gospel is made to make Christians out of all people of all nations

2. When viewing the world, what problem requires most of our (Christians) attention, social injustice, sin, or other?

Sin is the problem with the world. Sin is what separates us from God. Sin is the cause of all problems with the world. Sin is the reason Jesus had to die, and sin is the reason man faces condemnation.

3. How should man interact with human laws and government?

Christians are supposed to submit to the Laws of the government unless they inhibit the spreading of the Gospel. If they do not hinder the Gospel and what it works towards, then they need to be followed or it is sin, if they hinder the Gospel then let this be the only flaw people find in us, we follow God instead of man.

4. Does economic inequality show a lack of true Christian behavior?

No. I guess I will define economic inequality, at least for me. It would be people making more money than other people. Now the early church did give up what they had so that every one’s needs would be met. They did this out of love for each other. I personally do not believe that just because someone makes more than another person it means that they have to split the difference with everyone else. I believe that if you know of and have the capacity to meet someone else”s need, whether you are rich or poor, that if you do not do that you are sinning. Of course I also believe that it essential that those who are able to work do so, so that they do not become burdens on others. Also we should not help those who are lazy either, because that is not showing love to them.

5. Do equality, fairness, and sameness all have the same meaning?

Equality has to do with existence. Fairness has to judgment. Sameness has to do with roles. All Christians are equal in Christ. All people will be judged according to their deeds. Yet each Christian has a different role in the body. This requires different gifts in both the physical and spiritual variety. This may also allow for a difference in roles for both men and women.

6. How should a Christian behave in a world where social injustice is not only allowed but even encouraged?

While Christians are to obey the law, which may allow for social injustice, they do not have to go to the extremes of what the law allows. We are to treat all Christians as brothers, and we should love each other. When Christians are in the role of what may be seen as an oppressor, they are not supposed to act as an “oppressor”, even though the law may allow for that. When a Christian is in the role of “oppressed” they are to submit the authority above them, out of love for Christ. Each of these are to do this so that those around you may see God through you and so God may be glorified.

1. Romans 3:23, Genesis 3, John 3:1-21, Matthew 1:18-24, Luke 14:16-31, John 4:1-26, John 6, John 8:12-59, Mark 14:22-24, Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 8:31-38, Hebrews 7, Hebrews 9-10, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10 Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 15, Luke 19:10, Acts 1:6-12, Matthew 28:16-20, Revelation 7.

2. Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 13:1-30, Matthew 18:1-9, Hebrews 12, James 1:19-27, James 5:13-20, 2 Peter 2, 1 John 3:1-10, Romans 6:23, Jude 1, Revelation 20:7-21:8.

3. Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-25, Acts 4:1-21

4. Acts 2:43-47, James 2-5, Matthew 25:34-40, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

5. Galatians 3:23-29, Revelation 20:11-15, Ephesians 4:1-16, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Timothy 2-3.

6. Ephesians 6:1-9, Philemon, Colossians 3:12-4:9

Many often refer to Romans 13 as the guide to how Christians should act in accordance with the government. Romans 13 states that all authority have been established by God, and we should therefore submit to such authority::

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience” sake.

This passage is used to justify a great many things – wars, unjust laws, violence as a punishment, etc. Yet do the same people that use this passage in such a way really take this passage seriously?

If one believes that all goverments are established by God, why do these same people believe that it is okay to overthrow goverments outside of the United States?

Why do these people this principle is only true in the United States? Why does this not hold true in Iran? Iraq? Afghanistan? Palestine? North Korea?

How is it possible to support the overthrowing of a government if one holds to the belief that all goverment authority is established by God?

[cross posted at Mindful Mission]

Dear Christians,

In an effort to try and understand your ideas and thought processes more, I want to ask a few questions and I want a Biblical answer, with some rules that need to be followed with that, that helps me to understand some things that I seem to be at odds with people about. These are things that run through my head and cause me to be frustrated, but I think that most of the frustration comes with lack of understanding. So here are the questions:

• What is the Gospel and what is its purpose, and what is it working towards?
• When viewing the world, what problem requires most of our (Christians) attention, social injustice, sin, or other?
• How is it that man should interact with human laws and government?
• Does economic inequality show a lack of true Christian behavior?
• Do equality, fairness, and sameness all have the same meaning?
• How should a Christian behave in a world where social injustice is not only allowed, but even encouraged?

Now here are the rules:

1. You must have a Biblical reference for all your answers, or you will have a hard time proving that what you say is actually Biblical.
2. No stand alone OT verses. OT verses are good to use, but only with a NT verse that has either the same words, or same ideas. If it does not use the same words, it may be good to explain how they connect.
3. Stay away from current issues as your main point, I feel that these questions greatly affect how the issues are viewed without singling out one particular issue.
4. No saying, “You said this before” or “Well you are against this”, without their being mention to it in the comments.
5. Try and use this as an understanding tool, not an attack tool. I am intending this to be a way for me and others to understand each other, not fight each other.

Quickly, name a passage of scripture where Jesus commands what the government should do. I would dare say that this is not possible. Quickly do a search for these words in the Gospels; King, Caesar, Pilate, and Herod. How many commands do you find here directed at people with these titles? I believe you may find one comment that is directly about what one of these people was doing, and it was not even Jesus who said it, but it was John the Baptist saying that it was not lawful for Herod to have his brother’s wife. So if Jesus never made a political command, how is it that today and in years past we have tried to marry our political and theological views, and create some kind of pseudo religion in which if you do not have perfect political views we no longer have correct theological views? Of course Jesus was here to establish a Kingdom, but it was never intended to be a political nation, but a spiritual one, perhaps it is time to reevaluate what this kingdom is and how to become a part of it and how to aggressive expand the Nation of God.

Jeremiah 31:27-37

27 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will plant the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the offspring of men and of animals. 28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD. 29 “In those days people will no longer say,

‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

30 Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes’his own teeth will be set on edge.

31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.

32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,”
declares the LORD.

33 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.

34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the LORD.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”

35 This is what the LORD says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar’
the LORD Almighty is his name:

36 “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,”
declares the LORD,
“will the descendants of Israel ever cease
to be a nation before me.”

37 This is what the LORD says:
“Only if the heavens above can be measured
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,”
declares the LORD.

In this passage there is no doubt that God desires a nation, a Holy nation that follows his commands. He will be their God, and they will be his people. He will forgive their sins, and he will never forget them. This is a new covenant. So the question is, has this New Covenant be established, and if so what does this nation that God wants to establish look like.

Jesus says in Luke 22:20 ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’ Jesus says this at what is classically known as The Last Supper before which he is crucified. Jesus during this time is telling his disciples his whole purpose. He is fulfilling the promise that he is to come and be the sacrifice that will forgive sins. Jesus here is equating himself with the Passover lamb. When the Israelites were held captive by the Egyptians he had sent a deliverer in Moses. Pharaoh, though seeing the power of God in many plagues had refused to let the Israelites go. Thus God sent a final plague on the land of Egypt. This was the plague in which the firstborn sons were to die. The Israelites were to prepare for this. They were to kill a perfect lamb, and put its blood over their doorposts, and they would be passed over, and only those who did not have the blood of the lamb would die. It was after this plague that the Israelites were set free. Jesus equates himself with this lamb. Matthew 26:28 says ‘This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’ The Passover feast was to be a reminder of how God freed the people of God from the oppression of the Egyptians, but not only that it was to point to a savior for their sins. Just as the Israelites were passed over and freed from their earthly oppressors, Jesus came to be the sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins so that God would see that they were covered in the blood and that they are His people and He is their God.

God, is not looking to establish a political Kingdom on earth, his kingdom is not to be an earthly one but a spiritual one. Perhaps people have a flawed view on how to change people. They believe that if their government has the correct laws then God will somehow view them more favorably than all the other nations. Maybe if the government has the right social programs helping the poor, God will consider them righteous. This is not what God is looking for. Has God not already done this with the nation of Israel? Is there not books of the Bible that clearly show how it failed? God gave the Law to the Israelites, they had laws directly from God, yet their nation failed.

The other flaw that people make is they confuse the role of government and the role of the church. Perhaps we have decided in our minds to make the government the driving evangelistic force for the church. Not only that but also use the government to create a heaven on earth, a perfect world, instead of realizing that God has a perfect place waiting for us in heaven, and it is our job to make disciples who follow God and join his nation so that they may go to heaven someday.

Perhaps Christians should quit on the government. Well, maybe that is extreme, but maybe we spend too much time trying to change the government instead of trying to teach the world who Jesus is and what he taught and what he gives us and how to follow him. Instead Christians tell the government what to do in slow tedious process that tends to create more division than unity among people in general. Then at the end of this process it forces a code of morality on people which tells them what they can or cannot do how to spend their time and money whether or not they agree with it, which in turn creates more animosity towards religion than converts.

Of course its not that there everything will be perfect if Christians leave the government alone. There will be persecution and animosity will still grow against Christians. Instead of people being mad though because Christians change the government, they change the people first. Then because the people change it causes animosity towards the Nation of God.

Perhaps Christians should use the book of Acts as their example on what Christians should do in this world. People that believe in Jesus and go out teaching, encouraging, correcting, training, and evangelizing the world about who Jesus is and how to become a member of the nation of God. Instead of trying to change the government they changed the people around them. Instead of forcing laws made by men they showed people the superiority of following God. They let their actions and their love for each other do the talking. The only flaw that the law could find in them is that they were Christians.

In summary, the Nation of God is not a nation united under a ruler on earth trying to create a political Utopia by trying to change the government by spiritual teachings. The people of God are also not a group of people with the same ethnicity united under a political banner that has all the right rules. The Nation of God is people who follow God, believe in his Son, Jesus, have been saved, and live in accordance with what Jesus taught. It is a nation that has no physical boundaries; all people can have citizenship, and is not of this world. Christians should change the world. Not by a decree of man which requires proper behavior, but by living a life in total agreement with the teachings of Christ.

I am going to start this out with a good topic. I believe that every Christian has a basic belief in nine doctrines. Here they are:

1. There is only one God and he is a personal one. Is. 45:5 Deut 4:35-39
2. God is triune he is three equal persons in one. Mt. 5:16-17, Luke. 3:21-22 2Cor 13:14
3. Christ is the very nature of God incarnate. Col 2:9, Heb 1:1-3 John 1:1ff
4. Mankind is in a fallen state and his total perception is defiled. Rom 3:1-18 Jer 17:9
5. Man is saved by faith alone and not by his own efforts. Eph 2:8-9 Rom 4:23 Rom 3:22
6. The Church is to do the ceremonies commanded by Jesus.
   1. Baptism: Mt 3:11, Mt 28:18.
   2. Communion: 1Cor 11:23-29, Luke 22:17-20
7. The second coming of Jesus. Acts 1:11 1Thes 4:16-17 Zech 14:(4?)
8. The Bible Is the inspired word of God. 2Tim 3:16-17 2Pet1:20-21
9. Man will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Wicked: Mt 25 2Thes 1:9 Luke 16:23 Saints: 2Cor 5:6 John 8:5