Monthly Archives: December 2022

Daily Bible Study

December 22, 2022 Bible Study — Live So That Those Who Hate Us Cannot Help But Praise God

Today, I am reading and commenting on  1 Peter 1-5.

Peter repeatedly writes that we should live such good lives that those who hate us because of our faith will have nothing with which to accuse us except lies.  As part of that we should submit to government authorities and do good so as to silence those who claim that Christianity is evil.  When others do us wrong, seek ways to repay them by doing good to them, when they insult us, let us seek to speak good about them.  Let us live lives so that when we suffer at the hands of others, those who witness it will see it as unjustified.  If we do the good to which God calls us, we need not fear attack.  And if someone does attack us, we can rejoice in being counted worthy to suffer as Christ suffered.  We live among those who live lives of reckless, wild living, who will make fun of us for not joining them in such behavior.

I find myself continuing to write more because I cannot get the words to express the thoughts I am having, so I am going to stop here.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 21, 2022 Bible Study — Learning To Not Say Anything Which Does Not Bring Glory To God

Today, I am reading and commenting on  James 1-5.

The letter which James wrote is full of many things which I would like to write about today, but I will only get to a few of them.  He writes that we should be quick to listen and slow to speak, and slow to anger.  I find it interesting that he seems to link speech and anger here by telling us that we should be slow to both while being quick to listen.  James also writes that we should not only listen to the word of God, but do what it says.  So, we should be quick to listen to God’s word, and then do what it says.  A little later James explains the importance of being slow to speak (and perhaps to a degree how that relates to being slow to anger).  He writes that if we can learn to regulate our tongue, regulate what we say, we will be able to control everything else we do with our bodies.  I believe that when James writes this he means that we should control both our outside and inside voices.  However, the first step to controlling ourselves is learning to not say out loud those things which do not bring glory to God.  As we do that we can gradually teach ourselves not to think things which do not bring glory to God (or perhaps I should say that we can be gradually taught by the Holy Spirit to not think anything which does not bring glory to God).

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 20, 2022 Bible Study — When You Face Hardship, Remember That God Will Never Leave You, Nor Forsake You

Today, I am reading and commenting on Hebrews 12-13.

When the writer tells us that when we experience hardship we should view it as discipline from God, he is not telling us to look at it as punishment for doing wrong.  Rather, we should view it as an action which  strengthens our ability to do God’s will.  For example, a coach will have his players run laps in order to build up their discipline with no connection to anything they did wrong.  In the same way, God sometimes allows us to go through hardship to develop the discipline to live a godly life.  The writer tells us to strengthen our feeble arms and our weak knees so that the lame may be healed.  I am not sure what he is trying to say there, but he goes on to tell us to strive to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.  Then the writer tells us what it means to be holy: love one another, show hospitality to strangers, remember those in prison and those being mistreated, and be content with what you have.  The writer then gives us two quotes from the Old Testament which should give us all confidence and courage:

God will never leave us, nor will He forsake us

The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

If we hold these two things close we will not fear, no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 19, 2022 Bible Study — Living A Life Of Faith

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Hebrews 10-11.

The writer of this letter tells us that our salvation comes from faith, just as Paul did in his letters.  He also tells us that faith has two elements.  If we have faith, we will be confident that our hopes will come to be and assured about things which cannot be seen.  He then goes on to write about many Old Testament characters who exhibited their faith by taking actions, some of whom were rewarded in this life for their faith, but many of whom experienced only suffering.  He gives us example after example of people who accomplished more than one would expect a mere human to be able to do.  He, also, gives us examples of people who refused to stop testifying to the power of God in the face of suffering and even death.  All of these examples the writer cites could have chosen to live as citizens of a country in this world, but instead they chose to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God, which had not yet appeared.  Let us choose to follow their example and live lives of faith.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 18, 2022 Bible Study — A Priest Forever In The Order Of Melchizedek

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Hebrews 6-9.

Much of this letter is an exposition based on Psalm 110, although the writer does take references from other portions of the Old Testament.  Today’s passage focuses on Psalm 110:4, where the psalmist writes:

You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.

He says that this means that the Levitical priesthood, and the Law which established it, could not provide for perfection to be obtained.  If perfection could have been obtained through the law which established the Levitical priesthood, a different order of priesthood would not have been necessary.  The writer then explains that perfection could not be obtained through the order of the Levitical priesthood because those priests had to offer sacrifices for their own sins year after year, and they would all eventually die.  However, Jesus offered a sacrifice once for all time, did not need to offer sacrifices for His own sins (since He did not have any), and, once He was resurrected, would never again die.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 17, 2022 Bible Study — Jesus Experienced Suffering And Temptation Which Was Just Like That Which We Experience

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Hebrews 1-5.

The writer of Hebrews starts out by establishing from Old Testament Scripture that Jesus is equal to God.  I would argue that he actually establishes that Jesus is God.  He goes on from there to show that in Jesus, God was made fully human, subject to the same temptation and suffering that every other human experiences.  In the process of making these points the writer tells us that God has chosen to subject the world to come to us.  Everything will be put beneath our feet.  There will be nothing that will not be subject to our rule.  The writer reminds us that this has not yet happened, except that God has already subject everything to Jesus.  The knowledge that God has already subject everything to Jesus encourages the hope in us that He will do the same for us.  So, since Jesus has conquered death, He has saved those of us who put our trust in Him from death.  And when we face temptation we know that Jesus likewise faced the same temptation, which should give us confidence that He can guide us into overcoming that temptation.

I will stop writing here.  I feel that some of what I have written above fails to convey my thoughts as I intended, but re-writing those parts would require re-writing the whole.  So, I will leave it as it stands.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 16, 2022 Bible Study — Avoid Foolish Arguments And Those Who Make Them

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Titus and Philemon

In his letter to Titus, Paul reiterates a point which he made in several of the letters which we read before this.  Since we have been saved from living lives of malice, hatred, and sin by God’s grace we should devote ourselves to doing good.  Paul emphasizes that doing good does not save us, does not reconcile us with God.  Rather, those who have been saved do good in response to God’s grace.  So, we should be subject to the rulers and government authorities where we live.  We should slander no one and be peaceable and considerate, gentle towards everyone, always prepared to do good.  We should avoid foolish controversies, arguments and quarrels.  In fact, we should warn those who insist on making divisive arguments twice and then no longer engage with them on any level.  I believe Paul is telling us to deal with those who insist on repeatedly bringing up divisive topics the same way he told the Corinthians to deal with the man who was sleeping with his stepmother.  It seems to me that much that has gone wrong in the modern Church results from a failure to follow Paul’s command here.

When Paul writes to Philemon he begins by praising Philemon’s love of his fellow Believers.  Paul then writes a character reference for Onesimus, a slave who ran away from Philemon.  It seems likely from what Paul writes that, when he ran away from Philemon, Onesimus had either stolen something, or damaged some of Philemon’s property.  Paul asks Philemon to forgive Onesimus his debts to Philemon and welcome him back as a brother in Christ.  While Paul sends Onesimus back to being a slave to Philemon, he indirectly reminds Philemon of what he had written, and almost certainly preached, about how masters should treat their slaves.   In fact, this letter to Philemon seems intended to remind Philemon of Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant.  What Paul writes to Philemon about how he should treat Onesimus is essentially the inverse of how the unforgiving servant treated his fellow servants.  Paul indirectly reminds Philemon that while Onesimus may be his slave, both Philemon and Onesimus were servants to God.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2022 Bible Study — Avoid Godless Chatter And Foolish Arguments

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Timothy 1-4.

As I read this I pulled out some verses which I think sum up Paul’s message to Timothy in this letter.  I may not quote them here as I try to write about how they connect together to help us manage our lives in Christ today, but I wanted you to know why what I write below comes out the way it does.

Paul calls on Timothy not to be ashamed of his testimony about the Lord, nor about the suffering which Paul was experiencing.  Paul himself had no shame in these things because he knew God in whom he believed and was completely convinced that God could guard his spirit and soul which Paul and entrusted unto Him.  I also know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard me until the Day when I will need guarding no longer.  This knowledge will help us to follow Paul’s advice on avoiding godless chatter and foolish arguments, both of which produce quarrels.  The more we get involved in foolish arguments, or spend our time talking about godless things the more ungodly we become.  On the other hand, the more we fill our thoughts with godly things the more we will find ourselves focusing on and doing God’s will.  When we find ourselves disagreeing with others, listen carefully to what they say, compare it to what is written in the Scriptures, and pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance.  If what they say passes these tests, allow yourself to be corrected.  On the other hand, if what they say does not align with the Scriptures, be prepared to gently instruct them in the hope that God will draw them to His truth so that they may escape the trap which the devil has laid for them.  The thought which helps me remain calm and gentle in such discussions is the realization that they will only come to the truth if God draws them to it.  Do not fall into the trap of thinking that you will bring them to God by force of reason, or force of personality.  I struggle with that.  All too often I fall into the trap of trying to use my intelligence and wisdom to bring someone to the Lord.  I have allowed God to speak through me just often enough to believe that He may do so again, but all too often when I try to speak God’s message I speak my message rather than God’s.

 

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 14, 2022 Bible Study — Do Not Believe Those Who Preach Godliness As The Path To Wealth

Today, I am reading and commenting on  1 Timothy 5-6.

Paul again warns Timothy against false teachers towards the end of this letter.  He describes them as being conceited and having an unhealthy interest in controversy.  Rather than pursuing godliness for the sake of goodness, they see godliness as a means to gain wealth.  Paul advises that we should be content with sufficient food and clothing, warning that those who who want to get rich run the risk of falling into traps and temptation.  In particular, Paul points out that the love of money has led many into sins of various sorts.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

December 13, 2022 Bible Study — Society Will Not Be Transformed For The Better By Enacting The Correct Laws

Today, I am reading and commenting on  1 Timothy 1-4.

Early in his letter to Timothy, Paul writes that Timothy should command some people to stop teaching false doctrines.  He tells Timothy that these people want to be teachers of the law, but do not actually know what they are talking about when it comes to the law.  Then Paul says something to which I think we should pay more attention than we do: the law is not for the righteous, but for lawbreakers and the ungodly.  The law is for those who are constantly looking for loopholes.  You know, the people who constantly say, “Well, there wasn’t a rule against it,” as justification for something they have done which caused problems.  On the other hand, those who seek to do good, who seek to advance the interests of others do not need a set of rules which lay out what is acceptable and what is unacceptable behavior.  So, we do not create a righteous society by having the correct laws.  No, we bring about a righteous society by following Paul’s second piece of advice to Timothy; pray for all people.  If we want to transform society into the kingdom of God, and we should desire to do so, we must lift our hands in prayer, without anger or dispute.  Instead of adorning ourselves with expensive clothes and jewelry we should adorn ourselves with good deeds.  Let us pray for everyone, especially those in authority, not praying that they do what we think best, but that they do God’s will.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.