Understanding the Bible: Patriarchal Period

         The Bible is a wonderful book that God has given us. It teaches us who God is, what He desires, and how we can be saved. Everyone can understand the Bible. However, there are aspects of the Bible that causes people confusion. In this article, we will begin to examine the different divisions in the Bible.

         The Bible is written over a period of about 1,500 years. God used about 40 different men to give us the Bible. It contains 66 different and unique books. In order to better understand it, we need to break the Bible down into simpler and smaller parts. When we examine the smaller parts of the Bible in the larger context of God's purpose of the Bible, then we can gain a greater understanding of the Bible.

          Our Bible has two main divisions in it: The Old Testament and The New Testament. It may be easy to understand this division if we use different names: The Old Covenant and The New Covenant. A simple definition of the word covenant in the Bible is an agreement that God is making with mankind. In a covenant, God is promising to do something and man is promising to faithfully follow God. The covenants in the Bible have the understanding that God is the great king and the people are His servants.

         The Old Covenant was given to the Israelite people. The period of the Old Covenant is actually divided into two other divisions. The first division is sometimes called the Patriarchal Period. It is called this because God is mainly dealing with the heads of the household. The major people are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. This time period is recorded in the book of Genesis. Some believe that the book of Job took place during this period as well, but that is open for debate. This period is unique and different from the rest of the Bible.

          There is no known written word from God mentioned during this period. The first book of the Bible is Genesis, which is written by Moses. Moses lives about 400 years after the time of Abraham. Since there is no known religious writing, we do not have a written law during this time. For example, when God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He gave Moses a written law to explain what sin is, how to atone for sin, the design of the Jewish religion, and the every day behavior of the Jewish people. When we read the book of Genesis, we should keep this in mind. The Bible is recording how men behaved without a written Word. The accounts of Noah, the tower of Babel, and Sodom and Gomorrah teach us how wicked the world can be without the Word of God restraining evil. This time period also teaches us that man cannot save himself.

         Even without the written Word, God did implant into man an understanding of right and wrong. Throughout the book of Genesis there is an understanding that murder, rape, drunkenness, lying, stealing, and idol worship is wrong. However, the conscience of people during this time was warped and ignored what God had implanted in them. God made them accountable for breaking His moral code. While God overlooked some foolishness, He did not completely ignore sin. People were punished for their wickedness.

         The fathers, or head of the household, were seen as priests of the family. They made sacrifices and offered prayers to God during this time. It was something that was passed down from Adam to his children. Unfortunately, not everyone learned it. Even after the time of Noah, false worship arose and led many astray.

         During this time period, God is focused on beginning His plan to bring the Savior into the world. God makes a promise to Adam and Eve that through them would come a Savior. Genesis 3:¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. ¹⁵ And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” This is the first prophecy about Jesus Christ.

         The book of Genesis shows how God was bringing this promise into the world. He continues this promise when He kept Noah and his family alive during the time of the flood. Without Noah and his family, the world would have died with no hope of salvation and all men/women who lived before the flood would have been lost in an eternity in hell. After Noah, God choose a man named Abraham to continue this promise. God gave Abraham this promise: Genesis 12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. ² “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” The rest of the book of Genesis shows how God fulfilled the promise to Abraham and how He protected that promise in a hostile world.

         When we study the Patriarchal Period (book of Genesis), there are some things that we need to remember that will help us understand the Bible clearer:

1. Read Genesis in its moral, religious, and ethical context. The rest of the Bible contains laws and commandments that these people did not appear to have access to. Therefore, the followers of God during this time period may do some things that we are forbidden to do. Their lives are not a complete example for us to follow. We must follow their example while examining the commandments given to us to day. For example, they did practice polygamy but that does not mean we should. God clearly forbid it in the commandments in the Bible. Follow the commandments of God.

2. Read Genesis with its purpose. The purpose of Genesis is to inform us how we go from Adam to the time of Moses. We see why the Jewish people are important. The purpose is to show us how God's plan came together. It also shows us how wicked man is without the written Word of God.

3. Read Genesis in its timeframe. Some want to make the Bible look hypocritical or point to inconsistencies by reading Genesis out of its timeframe. Genesis, and the Patriarchal Period, occurred before the law and before the commandments of the New Testament. These people did not live under those laws and requirements. We should not hold a standard against them that God did not.

4. God's moral standard is consistent. Even without a law, God's moral standards are consistent throughout the Bible. His stance on human life, human sexuality, and human behavior is the same. This shows us that God does not change. It also shows us that He requires us to follow that moral code no matter what. There is no excuse for us since we have access to that moral code.

         The Patriarchal Period is just one section of the Bible. Another section is the Mosaic section and we will examine that next.

Understanding the Bible: Mistakes People Make

         The Bible is still one of the most popular books in the entire world. It is God's gift to mankind. God gave us a book that we can read, understand, and follow. God would not be so cruel as to provide us a book, command us to read it, and then make it so difficult that people could not understand it.

         However, I believe that the church has done a poor job in teaching people how to read the Bible. It is important for the church to teach people what the Bible says. Yet, it is equally important for people to know how to read the Bible for themselves. The world is full of false teachers that abuse the Bible. In order to make sure that we do not follow false teachers we need to make sure that we are studying the Bible personally at home as well as collectively when we are at church.

         As with any activity, it is important to know what not to do as well as what to do in order to be productive. In this article, we will look at some mistakes people make when reading the Bible that causes confusion.

1. Understand the Divisions in the Bible. Your car engine is a complicated piece of machinery. In order to understand it properly, you need to understand how the individual parts work, their purpose in the engine, and the placement in the engine. The Bible is very similar. The Bible is made up of 66 different books. Each book takes place in 2 major divisions (Old and New Testament). Each division has smaller divisions (Books of Law, History, Prophecy, etc.). This means that different books of the Bible actually have a different purpose. For example, the book of Leviticus is written under the Old Testament. Its audience is to the Jewish people before the time of Jesus Christ. Leviticus is part of the books of the Law, which taught the Jews what God commanded concerning their morality, behavior, and religion. The book of Romans, on the other hand, was written after the time of Jesus Christ. It is written to Christians about their faith, religion, morality, and church conduct. The mistake that many make is assuming that each book serves the same function in the Bible. The ultimate purpose of all 66 books is to lead one to salvation in Jesus Christ. However, each book has its own function in the Bible. Many misunderstand the biblical text because they fail to understand the purpose and function of the book they are reading. I will be writing another article describing each section of the Bible and its overall purpose in the Bible.

2. Context. One of the biggest mistakes of the Bible is taking an individual verse out of context. Chapters and verses were not an original part of the Bible. Each verse was designed to be read as a part of the section it belonged to. The mistake that many make is to take an isolated text and determine its meaning without the passage before and after it. Two of the most famous quotes of the Bible is "an eye for an eye" and "judge not." Since these two verse were read without the context, most people do not properly understand their meaning. The "eye for an eye" passage was a judicial command for the Jewish people. The design was not for personal revenge but to protect both the innocent and the guilty in a trial. The "eye for an eye" was designed to give a fair punishment for the crime that was committed. It was not designed to give the Jews permission to seek revenge. Since it was a part of the Old Testament Law, it does not apply to a Christian. In fact, Jesus taught Christians to "turn the other check." The "judge not" passage does not forbid people from calling activities sinful or wrong. In fact, pointing out sin is essential to proclaiming the Gospel. Instead, its purpose was to make the person examine their own life, to be humble about their own sinfulness, and to make sure that they are not ignoring their own need for salvation. When we do not read the full context of a passage, we do not know what it truly means.

3. History is not permission. The Bible records the lives of individuals. Some of these individuals are good, godly people. Others were evil individuals. With the exception of Jesus Christ, none of the people in the Bible are perfect. God records the sins of Noah, Abraham, David, Peter, and Paul for a couple of reasons. First, God is showing the universal need of all men to be saved. Even godly people make mistakes and need to be saved. Second, God is showing us the price these men paid for their mistakes. God records both the sinful deed and the consequence of those actions. Some have incorrectly believed that if God recorded a behavior He approved of it. Truthfully, God recorded a lot of behavior that He called sinful. Some individuals have attempted to justify behaviors by citing the fact that the Bible recorded it. A modern example is the debate of the definition of biblical marriage. Some have correctly pointed out that the Bible records polygamous marriages and then falsely stated the Bible has multiple definitions marriages. The Bible defines marriage through the commands of God, not the examples in the Bible. Also, the record of polygamous marriages shows the pain that comes from such marriages.

4. Understanding the culture.  Some of the misunderstandings that people have of the Bible is a lack of knowledge of the culture in which the Bible was produced. The last book of the Bible was written about 2,000 years ago. The first book of the Bible was written, approximately, 1,500 years before that. Most of the Bible took place in the Middle East (Israel and the surrounding countries). This is a different culture than many who live in the Western world in 2015. Some of the commandments, accounts, and writings of the Bible dealt with the culture of that day. There is still a lesson for us to learn and the Bible is still relevant for us today. However, some twist what the Bible teaches because they misunderstand the context of the culture. One example that people often quote is the Old Testament commandment which says that if a man rapes a woman he must marry her. Our modern society cringes at this command but what we do not understand is how it is designed to protect women in that culture. First, men in that culture did not want to marry a woman that was raped. Since women had limited opportunities to make a living, they would either live in poverty or continued to be abused by becoming a prostitute. If a man made a woman undesirable for marriage by raping her, he had to be responsible for her the rest of her life. In other words, he had to provide food, shelter, clothing, and protection for the rest of her life. Second, the woman was not forced to marry the man. It was still her choice. Today, woman in the Western world have a different place and have different opportunities. They have different choices to make. Women in that time period had few opportunities and choices. When one examines that command in its cultural context, one begins to see how it is not cruel as our society believes. The same could be said about issues of slavery in the Bible. Once you understand the context, you see a greater lesson and you see what our righteous God intended for us to learn.

         Anyone can learn how to study, learn, and understand the Bible. God designed it so that we could. We will continue this theme by examining how the Bible is divided into the Old and New Testament.

A Christian's View of Gun Violence

         What is happening in our society? That is the question we have been asking too often today. Every time we read about another mass attack by an individual with a gun, we ask why is this happening. It seems that everyone is in agreement that the gun violence needs to stop. So why does it continue? As our society grows more secular, we cease to look for the spiritual causes of gun violence. Instead, many believe that the answer is simply take away guns. Many good people with good intentions believe that. However, as a student of the Bible, I understand that the problem of violence in our society is a deeper problem than simply taking away an object. If we want to fix the problem, then we have to examine our hearts. Jesus taught in Matthew 15:19, For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. If we do not fix the heart, then violence will continue whether or not guns exist. How did our hearts become so corrupt?

         Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. If we want to know what is happening to our society, we should pause to see what we are teaching our children. We live in a post-Christian society, which means that the Christian worldview is not the dominant worldview. What is the dominant worldview? The philosophies of secular humanism, post-modernism, and cultural relativism (among others) are the dominant worldviews. When these worldviews are combined they teach: that there is no God, we are evolved animals that exist by accident, there is no truth (or at least truth cannot be determined) or absolute morality, humans are the highest authority, and we are not accountable to a higher being. If we teach kids that they are just animals without any fixed morals and no accountability, then why are we surprised when they act like immoral animals who believe they are not accountable for their actions? If we want to change their minds, it begins with what we are putting in their minds.

         Matthew 6:22-23 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness. The Bible teaches us to guard our eyes. Why? Our hearts are shaped by what we see. Modern pop culture is filled with violence. Take a look at the video games, music, movies, television shows, and books. They are filled with death, murder, and violence. If that is what our society is putting into our minds then why are we surprised when we see it happening. If we want to change the violence in our culture, then we need to examine what we are subjecting ourselves to.

         Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. One of the amazing aspects of our current society is how we no longer know how to talk to each other. When we disagree, we end up calling each other names and accuse each other of evils. Our attitude is that if you disagree with me, then you must be an evil person who hates everything that is good and I will destroy you in arguments until you submit to my will. I will admit, I have even been guilty of this myself. We no longer patiently talk with one another about why we disagree. It is easier to call each other names than it is to bear with one another's differences. Sadly, Christians in the church are just as guilty as non-Christians. Some of the worst accusations I have heard come from Christians who disagree with each other on spiritual matters! We should be ashamed and repent of that sin. There is a danger in calling each other haters, bigots, and evil for disagreeing with each other. It generates true hate and disdain. Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, Christians and atheist are EQUALLY guilty of this accusation. This motivates some individuals to act on their anger. If we want the violence to end, quit using violent, hatefully rhetoric when discussing (not arguing) about our differences. If you insist on using such harsh language, then understand you are part of the problem of the culture that promotes violence.

         Acts 17:31: For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. The Bible is clear: we will be held accountable for our actions. We sin and we have a price to pay. Our society has stripped individuals of accountability. We have provided every excuse for people not to be held accountable for their actions. Our society blames parents, conditions, illnesses, communities, and objects as the problems. As long as people do not believe they are accountable for their actions then, they will not try to control themselves. The violence in our society will continue until people understand it is their choice to commit actions and they can prevent it.

         Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Our society is questioning everything that God called good. We believe we can change God's decree of righteous and wicked behavior and there is no consequences. This is not new. Our society has been doing this for generations. The Bible is clear, when we ignore God's Word we will fall further down the road of sin. We are reaping what we sow. In order to stop it, we have to understand that God's morality is fixed, does not change, and that we cannot rebel. The attitude of rebellion is destroying our culture. If we do not stop, things will get worse.

         We need to quit looking at the world through politics and begin to look at this world through the lens of the Scriptures. It seems that every time a shooting happens, we rush to our political view instead of the interest of human beings. Anti-gun people rush to say that if we did not have guns this would not happen. Pro-gun advocates rush to say if a good guy with a gun were there this would not happen. How about weeping for the loss of life before we make our political points? What about saying a prayer before making a post? The truth is our society has a hard heart about these shootings. We are more concerned with our political point of view than we are about those involved. This is sad, but true.

         2 Timothy 3:1-5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. The Bible reminds us that as a society moves away from God, it will grow wicked. Every generation of Christians believe they are living in the last days. I will join those of the past and say I believe the return of Christ is coming soon. However, I do not know when it will truly happen. I know that my culture is acting like the individuals that Paul described. If so, we will see more violence and not less. That makes my heart weep. If we want to stop the murder, then we need to repent of all wickedness. The truth is once we begin to accept any form of wickedness we will continue down road that leads to more immorality, not less.

         However you view the gun violence in our society, I encourage you to look deeper, beyond the surface, for answers to our problems. We have a problem in our society. It is not a gun problem; it is a heart problem. There are not enough laws that will change a heart; only the gospel of Jesus Christ can do that.

Christianity and Racism

         Can a person claim to be Christian and be a racist? In order to answer this question we need to define both terms. A Christian is one who has made a commitment to Christ (according to biblical conditions) and is faithful in following His commandments in life. A person who neither knows the biblical teachings of Christianity nor follows them in their life is not a Christian. Unfortunately, Christianity is defined so loosely in our society that one who has never made a commitment to Christ, does not know or less follow biblical teachings, or does not attend church can call themselves a Christian. This is not biblical and such a person is not defined as a Christian here.

         A racist is one who hates another individual simply because of their color, nationality, or race. A racist also believes that one race is superior to other races. Sadly our society does a poor job defining racism. Some of this is due to political correctness. For example, disagreeing with President Obama or Senator Rubio is not racism. However, believing that a black man or a Hispanic man should not hold a position of power solo based on their color is racist and it is wrong.

         Can one who is committed to following the principles of Christianity in their lives be a racist and believe they are in good standing with Christ? The short answer is no. Here are some biblical reasons why a Christian cannot be a racist.

1. Christ probably did not look like you. This statement is most likely true for 99% of people that will read this. Paintings, movies, and television shows have done us a disservice. Most depict Jesus as looking like us, for example a white Western male. Jesus was born in the Middle East. Jesus would have looked like a Middle Eastern male. Assuming that a Middle Eastern male looks the same or similar to a Middle Eastern male today, Jesus would not have looked like us. Neither would the apostles for that matter. Sadly, this would mean that in some circles, neither Jesus nor the Apostles would have been welcomed to preach in the Church. If you are racist in your heart, you would have missed the Messiah when He walked the earth.

2. We all come from one man. Acts 17:²⁶ And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place (ESV). The Apostle Paul is stating a biblical truth. All races have come from one man and one woman, Adam and Eve. Races developed as a result of sin and began at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). However, that race you may not like is actually your brother or sister. We all come from one ancestor. You came from the same place as the white, black, brown, etc. man in this world.

3. We are commanded to love all people. Jesus made it clear; love all people. Matthew 5:⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, (ESV). Even if you hate another person, you are commanded to show them love in your life. Christians are not to promote hate but love. This includes people of all races, color, and nationality.

4. We are called to preach to all nations. Jesus did not want the gospel to only go to one group or nation but He wanted all people to know the truth of the Gospel. Mark 16:¹⁵ And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (ESV). Jesus said that if we love Him we will obey His commands. He commands us to preach to every race, nation, and person of color.

5. There is only one church. Unfortunately, in America we have "white churches", "black churches", "Hispanic churches", etc. This is sad. Some have joked that the church worship service is the most segregated hour in America. I find this sad. There is only one church. Ephesians 4:⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (ESV). It is time for the church to tear down the walls that divide the church and be the one group that Christ always desired.

6. God looks at the heart and not the body. God does not play favoritism in this world. When it comes to our salvation, God does not look at things such as color, language, sex, or nationality. He looks at the heart. The church should do the same.

7. God already settled this issue. The early church struggled with the differences between Jew and Gentiles. Acts 15 describes this struggle. God led the Apostles to the conclusion that He accepted the Jews and the Gentiles equally and so should the church. This is not even an issue, it has been settled by God. It is not a race that saves us but the blood of Jesus Christ.

8. Misunderstanding the Old Testament. Some will point to the Old Testament and say that God did not permit the Jews to marry other races. This proves that God does not want us to have intermarriage relationships. This is false for a few reasons. The Old Testament Law was written to prepare the Jews for the coming Messiah. He has come and the Law has been fulfilled. Second, God is clear on why He did not want the Jews marrying other races: idolatry. The other nations followed false gods and practiced sinful behavior. God wanted to prevent the Jews from being influenced by that behavior. Deuteronomy 7:³ Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, ⁴ for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.

9. Heaven will have people from all nations. If you do not like being with people of different color, you will be miserable in heaven IF you make it. Revelation 7:⁹ After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. We will be with people of all nations for all eternity. You had better be ready to be with them now.

         Racism is an unbiblical position and it is a sin. No racist behavior should be found in the Lord's church. You cannot be a Christian and be racist against another group of people.

Why Am I A Christian?

         I was raised in a Christian home. Going to church on Sunday is as natural to me as any other activity in my life. Some would say that the only reason I am a Christian is because I was raised to be a Christian. It is true that my parents are a huge factor in my spiritual life. I do not know if I would be a Christian today without them. However, I know other people who were raised in a Christian home, attended church, and are no longer an active Christian. I became a Christian in 1987 when I was baptized into the Lord. I remained a Christian because of what I have become convinced of through my growth as a Christian, my research, and my personal study. Here are the reasons why I am still a Christian.

1. A complicated world must have a great Creator. I am amazed at some of the inventions of man that have changed our lives. The automobile, cell phones, computers, and televisions are amazing creations. When I see them I am amazed that someone could create such inventions. I am more amazed at this world. This is a complicated creation. If it were not in the right spot, then life would not be possible. If I told you my house, which has complicated electricity and plumbing, was an accident and was not the result of design, you would laugh in my face. Creation is evidence for a Creator. To say that this world and universe is an accident is an insult to the Creator and common sense.

2. Our current existence proves the Creator is still active. My car is a complicated creation. I quickly learned that my car only continues to work if someone maintains it. Deism taught that God created the world then left it alone. This is not possible. Created objects require maintenance or it ceases to work. Even if the world were an accident the question must be asked, how does it continue to work as it is supposed to? While some will cry natural law, how does natural law continue to work correctly without assistance? For some, natural law is their god.

3. I have studied about the Word of God. Many are making false accusations about the Bible. Most people hear the accusations, accept them as fact, and do little or no research to validate the claim. Even worse is the fact that the church has spent little energy to teach people the truth about the Word of God. As a result of my studies in college and in preparation for the pulpit, I have researched the evidence. Though I do not have time in this article to address all the accusations (I do discuss them in my Bible Basics podcasts found at www.nhccfalmouth.com), I have found that these accusations are unfounded. Actually, my faith increased when I examined archaeological discoveries, the accuracy of the ancient manuscripts, the amazing ability of the Bible to survive thousands of years of attack, and the influence the Bible has on this world. When I have studied about the Word of God, I discovered the fact that the book we call the Bible is different than any other book on the earth.

4. I have studied the Word of God. I have spent nearly 20 years studying the Word of God for personal devotion, preparation for sermons and lessons, and for my college studies. I studied the Word of God for nearly 18 years at my home and church growing up. What have I found in nearly 18 years of study: the principles and teachings of the Word of God are true. Whether we are talking about the morals, ethics, or personal living teachings of the Bible, when I put them into practice I found that they were true. When I did not put them into practice, I regretted my choices. There is wisdom and knowledge in the Word of God if we listen to it.

5. My personal prayer life. I must admit; I have had personal moments of weakness in my life. However, God sometimes works through our weakness. When I have submitted to Him in prayer, I have seen Him move in both my life and in the lives of people around me. There are things that have happened in my life that I could not explain except through prayer and this has strengthened my life.

6. The impact of the church. Yes I know that the church has hypocrites in it. Yes, I also know that the church has done some things that I am ashamed of. Yes, churches and people in the church have personally hurt me. However, I have also seen incredible love in the church. I have seen incredible sacrifice. I have seen people minister to others in a way that I do not see in the world. The testimony of the ministry of the church has increased my faith that something or someone must be motivating people to love in a way that no other group on the face of the earth loves. Even with all of its flaws, there is no group on earth that loves the way the church does.

7. It is a battle of worldviews. I used to falsely believe that the argument between believers and nonbelievers was one of evidence. In other words, the one who collected the most evidence is the one who wins the argument. While examining the evidence helps us see the truth, there is more to the discussion than the amount of evidence. Our worldview impacts the way we examine the evidence. The truth is that Christianity is in conflict with many of the popular worldviews of the day (humanism, postmodernism, relativism, etc.). When you understand this, you can begin to study what these popular worldview teaches as well as the results of those worldviews. These worldviews are not new; they have a history. Examine the teachings and the history and you will see why the Christian worldview is superior. I am a Christian because I see the truth of its teaching.

8. I understand that I am not good enough to save myself. Most people would not think that a minister would say that he is not good enough to go to heaven. However, once you study the Word of God you know the truth. One sin is all it takes to be sentenced to hell. I have committed more sin than that. Most people would consider themselves to be a good person if they only sinned once a week. However, if I sinned once a week for 50 years then I have 2,600 violations against God's moral and righteous law. If I appear before one of our judges with 2,600 violations of the law, I would expect to see the inside of a prison cell. No amount of good deeds would cover over 2,600 violations of the law.  I have to have those violations forgiven. The Christian faith is unique in that it has a sin bearer who pays the price of my mistakes. Other world religions have a "save yourself" teaching, Christianity teaches that only Christ can save you. I know I cannot save myself so I turn to the one religion that has the only cure.

         These are just a few of the reasons that I am a Christian today. Each individual has to make that decision for himself or herself; no one else can make that decision for you. What will you choose?

Why Is There Death In This World?

       One of the hardest questions to answer for people at a funeral is why did this individual have to die? Death, no matter your age, is tough to deal with. We often ask where was God when this person died. Sometimes death is expected. There are answers such as the person just got older, there was a terrible disease, or an individual did something to hurt himself/herself. Other times death is not expected. There are times when an unexpected accident happened or an individual did evil and killed people.

         The entire book of Job is about suffering. Job lost all of his wealth and his children. Job suffered some serious health issues. Why did Job suffer? Satan believed that Job would deny God and would stop following Him if Job suffered enough pain. Satan was wrong. Job remained faithful to God. Yet, Job still questioned God as to why all this happened to him. In the book of Job, God did not tell Job about His battle with Satan. All God did was tell Job about how mighty God is and how little about life Job really knew. After this conversation, Job praised God. It was trusting in God that helped Job find comfort.

         The Bible tells us plainly why there is death in this world.  Romans 6:²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Death is in this world because of sin. In Genesis 2, God warns Adam that if he sinned, death would be the punishment. When Adam and Eve sinned, death was part of the punishment they received (Genesis 3). Before Adam and Eve sinned, there was no death, no disease, and no destruction on this earth. God said that this world was very good (Genesis 1). It was a good world until it was infected with sin.

         Today, the world is infected with sin and death and destruction are a part of our every day life. This is sad and tragic. If sin were not in this world, there would not be any death. I am not saying that the person's personal sin necessarily caused their death. Babies die and they do not sin. No, I am saying that we live in a world where sin exists. Where sin exists, death exists. We die because we live in a world infected with sin. Since we deal with sin, we have to deal with death.

         This does not bring us much comfort. But that is why we have to learn the lesson of Job. Job wrestled with the issues of suffering and death before he simply surrendered and put all of his trust in God. We have questions about suffering and tragedy that we cannot always answer. God does know the answer. Better than that, God has the solution. We have to learn to trust in Him.

         One day God will put an end to all sin, all death, and all suffering. He will do this when Satan and everything that causes sin will be thrown into hell. He will recreate paradise.

         Revelation 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

         God will rescue us from death. If you want to escape death, believe that Jesus is the Christ, confess Him as Lord and Savior, repent of our sins, and be baptized. You can then receive a paradise without sin, without suffering, and without death. If you refuse, then the other reality is that you will have an eternity of suffering and the second death. We may have to deal with death on this earth, but we do not have to live with death forever.

What Christians Can Learn From Bruce Jenner?

        Over the past few months, our country has been obsessed with the decision Bruce Jenner made to have a sex change. People have taken sides and gave strong opinions. What can the church learn from this?

            First, we must remember that regardless of how we think or feel about Jenner's decision, we must remember that this individual still has a soul. Jenner is still a human being made in the image of God. The church should be concerned with where Jenner's eternal home will be. We are not Jenner's judges, but we are the agents in this world sent to evangelize all people wherever they are in life.  This is no exception.

            Second, I think the church needs to look at this moment to understand the world that we now live in. Too many Christians still view our nation as a country that is guided by Christian principles. While there is a healthy debate as to whether we (USA) were founded on Christian principles, we must agree that our society is becoming more post-Christian every day.  Jenner's decision reflects where our country now stands. This is also one of the reasons this decision has been held up high as a great moment. Let us take a moment to examine the attitudes behind this decision and how it is impacting our decision-making.

1. Our society has, either knowingly or unknowingly, accepted the ideas and principles of humanism, relativism, postmodernism, etc. At the heart of these philosophies is the idea that man determines truth (if truth can be determined at all). When you combine these ideas with evolution, you begin to think that whatever society is now accepting is not only good but is morally superior to what was old. This means that we no longer look to the past for timeless truths for they no longer exist. It also means that we no longer look to a God to guide us, for man does not need Him. Romans 1 discusses what happens to man when they neglect God, and it describes where our society. In Romans 1, Paul describes how people become more wicked when they neglect, ignore, or deny God. Many ignore the Bible today because they view the Bible as out of date since it was written 2,000 years ago. Our ignorance and arrogance has blinded us to the fact that the Bible deals with everything we deal with today. Solomon was right when he wrote there is nothing new under the sun. We are repeating the same mistakes that others made before us. Our problem is that we are not willing to see what the results of past mistakes were. The calendar may change but God's Word does not. He has not changed His mind in the last 2,000 years.

2. Many claim that our bodies belong to us and therefore we have the right to do what we want as long as it does not hurt others. First, our actions do hurt others. I see this every day as a minister. For example, people who abuse alcohol and drugs affect the lives of their spouse, parents, and children. Second, we do not have the right to do what we want with our bodies because they do not "belong" to us. 1 Corinthians 6 makes it clear that Jesus purchased the body of the Christian and that body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit. If you are a Christian, your body belongs to the one who paid for it, Jesus Christ. Treat it like it is Christ's possession when making moral, ethical, and spiritual decisions. What about the non-Christian? Your body is a gift from God. You live because of Him. You need oxygen, gravity, food, and water to live. He provides that for you everyday. You live in His world and everything in it is His possession. You may not want to admit it but you are still under His rules. It may be your body, but it is His rules that you must live under.

3. Our desires do not give us permission. This world is full of temptation and sin. We are commanded to over come it. James 1:¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Increasingly, our society believes that if you desire something strong enough you should give into it. This includes (but is not limited to) sexual desires. What does that make human beings? God tells us that we will be tempted but that we have the free will ability to resist. He provides us a way out of temptation. Just because you desire something, does not mean you have the right to do it. Your desires do not equal permission.

4. Rebellion is not good. We live in an age that loves rebellion. In fact we make rebels our heroes. Even the church has bought into this line of thinking. Christians are not called to be rebels but to be submissive. We are submissive to God. Then we are submissive to parents, the elders of the church, governments, etc. The attitude of rebellion, if it is encouraged, will lead people to be rebellious to God. We are only called to be rebellious when authority figures are trying to lead us to disobey God. That is it. This rebellious attitude in the world makes us question God's commandment. In the Garden of Eden, Satan asked Eve the question "Did God really say...". This is the same question he asks us today. The church is actually helping to promote this rebellion by asking the same question: Did God really say? How can we expect the world to follow the commandments of God when the church is debating if He really meant it? God gave us His Word and it is clear, we just don't want to obey it.

            I believe that the church should spend some time examining Bruce Jenner's decision. How Bruce Jenner came to this decision is the same attitude and thinking that our generation is using to make decisions today. We cannot minister to a society that we do not understand. The church has failed because we have not been honest about where our society has been and is going for a long time. Will we see what is plain to see or continue to be blind?

Christianity is Not A Hobby

        Several years ago I had a magazine salesman call me. He wanted to sell me a magazine subscription but I had no interest in any magazine. In the process of our conversation he asked what my hobbies were. I had none. He asked what I did for a living. I answered that I was a minister. His response, "Oh Christianity. That is a hobby." Needless to say, we had a completely different view of Christianity.

         In fairness to the salesman, many Christians treat their faith as a hobby. It is something they do (when they choose too). When they are bored, they may read the Bible. When it is convenient, they pray. When there is nothing else to do on Sunday, they might go to church. In other words, their faith is on their time when they want to do it. They can put Christianity on like a coat and take it off like a coat. Years after my conversation with this nameless salesman, I truly understand why he thought Christianity was a hobby.

         Those who treat Christianity as a hobby have failed to understand the Christian faith. Christianity is far from a hobby.

1. It is a change of life. 1 Corinthians 6:⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. The Corinthian church was located in one of the most immoral cities in Rome at that time. Apparently, these Corinthian Christians had a sinful past. The list above is a list of activities that are clearly forbidden in the Bible. However, Paul tells them that is what they were, which implies that a change has occurred. The Bible tells us that in order to be a Christian we have to repent. This word means that we acknowledge that we have done wrong, that we are sorry for our mistake, and that we will change. Christianity means that we quit doing evil and start doing good.

2. It is a lifestyle. Christianity is not something you do on Sunday. Instead it is something that is continuous. An example is prayer. We are told never to quit praying. Ephesians 6:¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. The point of this passage is that we do not just pray one day a week but every day. We do not just praise God on Sunday but every day. We do not help people on one day a week but every day. A hypocrite is a person who pretends to be one thing but is actually someone totally different. When an individual is a Christian around the church on Sunday but acts like a heathen 6 days a week, he or she is a hypocrite. And a hypocrite does not fool God.

3. Christianity is my hope. Hebrews 11: 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hope is not something unsure, such as I hope that it rains or I hope we make to work on time. The author of this passage uses hope as a confident assurance. We know that there is a God. We know that there is a heaven. We know that we have been forgiven. Since we know these things, we live with a confidence that we have a better future in our eternal life. Life is hard and difficult. We face many challenges. The reason I can move forward in life during these tragedies with hope is because of my faith.

4. Christianity is my commitment. Revelation 2: ¹⁰ Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. There are two vows of faithfulness until death that I have taken in my life. One was my marriage to my wife. I promised that I would not forsake her or betray her until death do us part. The other was my first vow, my commitment to God. When I was baptized I made a vow that I would follow Christ the rest of my life. A hobby can be laid down at any time; a vow is to always be kept sacred.

5. Christianity is my worldview. Romans 12:² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. How do I view the world? What determines my morality and ethics? What guides me in the decisions that I make? What influences me on what to spend my time, money, and energy on? How do I vote? My faith answers these questions and more. Our parents, teachers, entertainment, and friends influence us. They can shape our worldview. However, when we  become a Christian our greatest influence must be the Bible. We are claiming to be disciples of Jesus Christ but the only way to do that is to allow Christ to influence every aspect of our lives. This includes your marriage, parenting, work, and entertainment.

         We must never get to a place in our lives where our faith becomes a hobby. For if our faith becomes a hobby then we have lost our faith.

Sunday: Christ's Memorial Day

         Memorial Day is an American holiday meant to honor those who gave their lives for their country. We enjoy our freedoms because of their great sacrifice. It is a day to say thank you, not only to the soldier, but the family and friends who lost a loved one. Sadly, we do not even know the names of the vast majority of those that died for us.

         However, the meaning of Memorial Day is often lost because of our selfishness. It becomes about our cookouts, camping, family gatherings, shopping for deals, or whatever else we want to do. We forget about those who died for us. That is perhaps one of the most tragic statements we can make about our society.

         In Christianity, we also have a memorial day. It is a memorial for Jesus Christ. It is not Easter or Christmas; instead it is every Sunday. You see Sunday is the day that Jesus resurrected from the dead.

Matthew 28 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ⁴ And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

         During the first century, the church met together on the first day of the week. One of the reasons they gathered was to take of the Lord's Supper. This act is often referred to in the Bible as the breaking of bread.

Acts 20: ⁷ On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

         The purpose of the Lord's Supper is to remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He died for our sins. He paid our price of lawlessness. He paid for our home in heaven. He asked us to remember Him during His meal.

Luke 22:¹⁹ And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

         Jesus' sacrifice is worthy of remembrance and it is deserving to remember it as often as the church gets together every Sunday. We often forget the real purpose of the Sunday morning service. This is not a time to put on a show to attract a crowd. It is not a time to feed the ego's of people. It is not a time to tell people what they want to hear to make them feel better. No, it is a time for Christ. It is a time to say thank you for the cross. It is a time to celebrate the fact that we have eternal life. It is a time to celebrate the victory over death and sin. It is a time to gather as a church family to say thank you to the Father for sending His Son to die for us. It is all about Christ. It is not about the preacher, it is not about the church, it is not about how many people come to a building or about how much money is in the offering. If it is anything else but Jesus Christ, then it is idolatry.

         Sadly, for too many Christians, Sunday has been taken for granted. I hear the excuses from Christians all the time. They say, "It is the only day I can sleep in." I am glad Christ did not want to sleep in when it was time to go to the cross. Other says, "There are ball games my kids or my favorite team is playing." I am glad that Christ did not let sports come ahead of our salvation. Still some say, "People at the church made me mad and I do not want to be around other Christians." I am glad that Jesus did not let others stop Him from His act of service.

         Every Sunday is the Lord's Day. It is a memorial for Him. We need to set aside our selfish desires and remember Him as He asked to: around His table, for His Supper, with His church, and to honor His sacrifice. This coming Sunday is not about you but it is about your Savior. Please remember Christ's memorial day next Sunday.