Monthly Archives: March 2019
“Then God said, let us make man [אָדָם, Adam] in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over . . . all the earth” Genesis 1:26. “Adam” [אָדָם] here, in Genesis 5:2 (“And when they were created, He called them ‘man’ [אָדָם, Adam])” and in other passages, “man” [אָדָם] refers to both the man and the women — “humans.” Sometimes “man” [אָדָם, Adam] refers just to Adam as the husband of Eve as in Genesis 3:8. The context…..
People look forward to lots of things: their next paycheck, a date, vacation, the weekend, the big game, going shopping, eating out, Christmas, the birth of a child, Spring, getting healthy, a great meal, getting married, a new job, retirement, sex, sleep, and lots more. What are you looking forward to? Sometimes we are very much aware of what we’re looking forward to. We think about it, talk about it, and prepare for it. Sometimes what we’re looking forward to…..
Early Sunday morning I had to run an errand which took me past two churches. It was early enough that the only people at the church buildings would have been the pastor(s), the worship leaders, and a handful of other key staff and volunteers preparing for the laters arrival of the congregations. In Church A, which has a very large parking lot, there were twenty or thirty cars. A few were scattered around the parking lot, but all quite close…..
The characters in Bible stories are not all holy people doing holy things which we should replicate. The Bible is an honest book which reveals the nature of fallen people and the consequences of their sometimes-evil choices and actions. The Bible truthfully tells some horrible stories about horrible people doing horrible things. “Go and do likewise” is NOT inscribed over every sordid tale. Those who read the Scriptures with reverence and respect will distinguish between a Psalmist railing in frustration…..
Continuing gender age gap: Women in Michigan earn 23 cents per dollar less than men (3/19/19 headline). It’s hard not to see this long-perpetuated, systemic injustice against women as a powerful indicator of the gender bias and inequality which has pervaded nearly every culture since Genesis 3:16 which indicates that one tragic consequence of living in a sin-broken world is that men would rule over women. This was not God’s plan, intent, or desire. Like death, painful childbirth,…..
The Greek word προστάτις (prostatis) is used in Rom. 16:2 to describe Phoebe as a “help”—probably following Jerome’s influential Latin Vulgate translation,“astiti”meaning one who “assists.” Rom. 16:1, 2 says,“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any helpshe may need from you, for she has been a great helpto many people, including me”[emphasis added]……
Jesus was intentional . . . and shocking . . . when He taught His followers to love their neighbors and made the hero of His story a SAMARITAN. The Samaritans were despised by Jesus’ fellow citizens even as many people today despise those who are different from them. The Samaritans were different in their ethnicity and religious. So powerful was Jesus’ story that 2000 years later those who help strangers are often called “Good Samaritans” even by many who…..
To the Rich Young Ruler Jesus said, “sell EVERYTHING, give to the poor, and follow Me” (Luke 18:22). Jesus commended Zacchaeus for his commitment to “give HALF of all he possessed to the poor” (Luke 19:8, 9). Jesus commanded ALL His followers to “sell their possessions and give to the poor” (Luke 12:33). What do we conclude from these three stories from Jesus’ life and teachings? Limiting one’s wealth and possessions to enable giving to the poor is a mandate…..
In Romans 16, there are two shocking illustrations of possible gender bias in the translation of many English Bibles which potentially have hidden the truth that God intended for women to serve as elders and deacons in His church. In Romans 16:1, Paul writes a strong commendation of Phoebe, his ministry colleague in the Cenchrean Church. In that verse, diakonon is translated “servant” rather than “minister” or “deacon” thus failing to identify her apparent official leadership role in the Cenchrean church……
While in a few parts of the world, some churches and denominations are in decline, globally, Jesus’ church is exploding with growth. In China more people worship Jesus than in America. In Africa, the number of Christians has grown to 500 million. In Asia, Christianity is growing at twice the rate of population growth. More Muslims have come to Christ in the last 15 years than in the previous 15 centuries. Every day the average number added to the body…..