The Bible and Our Culture

When we see our propensity to be deceitful, we will be less likely to trust in man. Human nature suppresses the truth and it brings terrible damage. Put your confidence in the LORD.   The Founding Fathers understood the deceitful human heart talked about in Jeremiah 17, John 3, Romans 1 and 1 John 1.

Romans 1:18-32 Honesty is a Far Surer Sign of Wisdom than Intellect Honesty is better than intellect at everything including mental health. Living in darkness includes more than denial, but it certainly includes denial.  Denial will destroy your life and society which is why God's wrath is toward "suppressing the truth".

Glory to Glory; Faith to Faith; Strength to Strength. Most believers don't understand the glory that we will display after we see Jesus.  There may be even a greater glory after we have been in heaven with Jesus for billions of years. Without diminishing our growth in faith thus far, God expects us to continue to grow to a new level of faith, glory and strength.   "Patience" in the KJV might bette...

"Faith is the breath of the righteous." -Martin Luther Romans 1:16-19 "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith." Translation problems hinders us from understanding terms that come from a different time, place, culture and language.  Many words we use only in a religious, spiritual context today, were not originally religious terms at all. The gospel delivers us from hell and death...

Too many Bible versus tell us who God's people are and they are not a natural race of people.   2 Cor 5:16  "Don't regard anyone according to the flesh" is a command ignored by those who claim "Israel First" theology.  Contrary to what many Christians believe, there is an "Israel" by faith in Jesus. The Church was the church Moses pastored (Acts 7:38) so the Church has been around ever since God h...

"For the Jew first, and also for the Gentile" (Romans 1:16b) is often misunderstood.   Supporting Israel politically and standing against antisemitism does not mean you have to be a "Hebrew Supremist". All who are a new creation in Christ Jesus are part of a spiritual race. There is a huge advantage for new converts with a background in Judaism (as opposed to Secularism or Roman mythology).   "For...

There are no 2nd class citizens in Christ! Why did Paul write the book of Romans. Way too many Christians see Romans 1:16b with a racial lens. With a few passages taken out of context, it might sound like God is a racist, but the entirety of Scripture disproves such.  Context matters. Racism: Looking at individuals through the lens of race.  

Romans 1:16-19 "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith." "Faith is the breath of the righteous." -Martin Luther Translation problems hinders us from understanding terms that come from a different time, place, culture and language.  Many words we use only in a religious, spiritual context today, were not originally religious terms at all. The gospel delivers us from hell and death...

Romans 1:16  What is the gospel and why does Paul warn not to be ashamed of it. Luke 9:26 Jesus warns us not to be ashamed of Him.  Exciting ways people are coming to Jesus! Even before the assassination of Charlie Kirk, people have been coming to Jesus in record numbers--more than at any point over the last 50 years!  Many of these are college age students especially football players.  At the Mem...

The world cannot compete with the unity and love we as the Body of Christ.   Build wealth in people! Where are you investing your time and resources?  In trash or in treasure? The world's counterfeit is impressive, but it pales compared to the genuine bond of the Spirit God's people have.   Paul's priorities included relationship intentionality.

Romans 1:11-13 Paul was an achiever, as spiritual entrepreneur looking to bear much fruit in as many places as possible. Farming fruit trees was something the culture in Paul’s day could relate to. One might think if the Bible were written today, it might use financial investment analogies more than farming analogies, because the idea with fruit is you want high-yield investments multiplied over t...

As Jesus was rejected, so we will be rejected. Too many want to change the message to "reach people with the gospel". Too many want to genetically alter the seed to "reach people with the gospel". Understand Jesus as the Rock of Offense! Don't let your lack of passion for the issues of today, cause you to frame those with passion as haters or fanaticism.  

Why is the gospel so offensive? Too many "Christians" are afraid of controversary. If somebody is offended by God's Word, they are a step closer to the Rock of Offense the seed is planted.   If you don't feel the need to be comforted by God, maybe you aren't really saying anything that matters.

1 Peter 2:7-8 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6; 1Peter 5:5) Jesus is a Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offense. The word of God is a seed, which must be planted.  Some people are not ripe for the harvest because they haven't heard the message clear enough to be offended. "Rather than worry about who will be offended if you tell the truth,  consider who will be mis...

The devil has made the word "Church" come to thought of as a non political term.  That is the opposite of what it meant in the New Testament. There is a cost of following Jesus: we will hated by those who hate Him if we act like Him and do His will. Who is the Church really according to the New Testament?

Saints in the Church? God has many pet names for His people.  Each designate its own purpose He has for us.   Neither Saints nor Church were religious words in the original Greek. We don't understand either term, especially Church, because we don't see a Senate or City Council as a Church.  Acts 19:23-41 reveals what the term "Ecclesia" or "Church" means.  They were a non-Christian "church" who wo...

The “sign of Jonah” is all the validation one needs. The empty tomb validates all Jesus said and did. The New Covenant is seen through Old Testament types and shadows.

Jesus shows off by fulfilling so many Old Testament prophecies; we should boast in Him. Separated to Gospel involves being in the world not of the world. Many are offended by the "good news" but God calls it "good news".   Living "separated to the gospel" is to live according to the Word of God rejecting the values of the world.  

The central focus of the gospel is the Person of Jesus Christ God’s Son our Lord.  What about other philosophies and ideologies?  The Messiah had to be human and His humanity had to be of the “seed of David” or He didn’t qualify. David is underrated as a historical figure. Our Salvation is through the Seed of David.  

Romans 1:1 Paul introduces himself to the Roman Church as "Separated to the Gospel". If you don't separate yourself to God and His Gospel, you will seek to separate yourselves somehow (Big-government Leftism, Islam or some other religion, transgenderism, etc.)  Everybody wants to be separated but the Church whose very name means to be separated.   It is so important to be separated. Do not let the...

Jesus shows off by fulfilling so many Old Testament prophecies; we should boast in Him. Separated to Gospel involves being in the world not of the world. Paul's title is different than what Christians today might expect.  

How Jesus lived His life is our floor not our ceiling.  John 14:11-12   God is restoring back what the enemy stole in multiplication. God is restoring truths that were lost to something better than what was stolen. There is nothing that was stolen from the first century Church, that God isn't restoring to better in quality and quantity.  

Beware of proof-texting; it's dangerous. Though the Bible doesn't command us to speak in lounges, it is important to avoid making up claims that support your preferences.  Ceasationalism should cease when the Bible is valued. Context shows "that which is perfect" has not yet come as we have not seen Him "face to face:".  1 Corinthians 13:12 

Ephesians 4:3-13; Romans 1:1 Intro into the fallacies of Ceasationalism What is an apostle and how do Christ's gifts work together?

The Bargain of all time: become Christ's slave. Though Jesus has made our identity amazingly positive as His child, co-worker, bride, ambassador, etc.; but we come to Jesus first as a slave to a Master. How else can you come to the Almighty but first as a slave because He is the Transcendent, Sovereign, King of the Universe? Be a slave who loves His Master for all His amazing goodness, generosity...