Monthly Archives: December 2024

Daily Bible Study

December 22, 2024 Bible Study — Experiencing Faithfulness Should Inspire Us to Be Even More Faithful

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

The first thing which struck me in this passage was when Peter wrote, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” This reminded me of Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good;” which is my favorite explanation of how faith works.  By writing that, Peter tells us that, having experienced God’s goodness, we should crave more of God, more holiness.  We experience that holiness we crave by abstaining from sinful desires and doing good.  Peter gives us a partial list of things to avoid: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.  We should live such good lives that even though they accuse us of doing wrong they will find themselves glorifying God for what we have done.  We should eagerly seek to do good, so that those who wish to harm us for our faith will be able to find no excuse for doing so and will have to admit to themselves that their hostility is based on their unwillingness to obey God.  At all times we should be prepared to explain why we act as we do and hold to our faith.

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

Daily Bible Study

December 21, 2024 Bible Study — Resist Temptation and Flee From Evil

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

I love the Book of James, but there is so much in it that I always struggle deciding what I want to write about.  I want to write about all of it, but I don’t have the time to do that.  I am going to start writing about what James says about temptation at the beginning of this letter and quarrels later because I think he intends them to be two parts of the same message.  First, he tells us that temptation occurs when our evil desires drag us away and entice us.  I like that imagery of our evil desires dragging us to someplace we don’t want to go, but I also like the implication he makes that we often don’t resist being dragged there as much as we like to pretend.  Then we come to what James says about the cause of fights and quarrels.  He tells us that they also come from our desires.  We desire and covet things, but are unable to get them, so we behave with hostility.  Further, James tells us that we do not have the things we desire because we do not ask God for them.  Or, if we do ask for them, we ask for them in order to satisfy our sinful desires (see what he says earlier about temptation).  Unspoken is that God does not give us those things we only ask for in order to satisfy our earthly desires is because it would be bad for us to receive them).  Or, perhaps not so unspoken, since James goes on to write that being friendly with the world means being hostile to God.  So, let us flee from evil, let us resist being dragged into temptation, then evil will flee from us and we will become ever closer to God.

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

Daily Bible Study

December 20, 2024 Bible Study — Persevere by Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus

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

I want to write about a couple of different elements in today’s passage, but I am not sure that what I write will link together.  At the beginning of today’s passage the writer tells us to focus our attention on imitating Jesus.  In doing so we will face opposition from those who refuse to accept righteousness, we should follow Jesus’ example and struggle against sin.  We should be willing to remain faithful even up to the point of facing death, just as Jesus did.  The hardships we face are God disciplining us as a father disciplines his son in order to develop his son into a better person.  God applies such discipline because He loves us, facing hardship provides us with evidence of God’s love.  Part of that struggle is striving to live in peace with everyone.  Interestingly, the writer links doing everything we can to live at peace with others to being holy.  As if we cannot be holy if we don’t do whatever is in our power to live at peace with others.  Of course, that link also creates a limit on what the writer thinks we should do in order to live at peace with others.  In particular, he does not, and tells us that God does not, expect us to do anything which is not holy in order to live at peace with others.  Which brings me to another thought: the areas where we fail at being holy are the areas where we fail to live at peace with others.  The final piece to focusing on Jesus, which will lead us to strive to be at peace with others and to be holy, is showing hospitality to strangers.  The writer reminds us that we never know what blessings we might receive when we show hospitality to strangers and we should be careful to never pass up such blessings.

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

Daily Bible Study

December 19, 2024 Bible Study — By Faith…

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

I really feel what the writer has to say about faith today.  He starts by telling us that faith allows us to understand that the universe was formed out of nothing by God’s command, rather than believing that nothing just became everything which is.  Then he writes that it was by faith that Abel brought his offering to God, a sacrifice which accorded to the Law given to Moses many years in the future.  The writer goes on to describe others who were praised because of their faith.  He tells us that they considered themselves foreigners and strangers on this earth.  They looked forward to a heavenly home in the city which God had prepared for them, which God has prepared for us.  By faith the Israelites passed out of Egypt on dry land on their way to the country God had promised them, while the Egyptians, lacking that faith, were drowned in the Red Sea.  In the same way, we will pass through the threats and dangers of this life in order to enter into God’s holy city.  By faith, he tells us, these examples chose to face persecution and suffering because they would not embrace this world and its pleasures as their home, instead striving for a home with God.  The world was not worthy of them.  I am not worthy of them, but I strive to maybe one day be worthy of what they suffered.

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

Daily Bible Study

December 18, 2024 Bible Study — Jesus, Our High Priest Forever

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

When the writer of this book writes about Melchizedek people often get caught up in the details about the Melchizedek mentioned in Genesis.  The writer is describing the symbolism of Melchizedek.  When he writes that Melchizedek does not have parents, I do not think that he believed that the lack of Melchizedek’s parents being mentioned in Genesis necessarily meant that Melchizedek did not have parents.  Rather, he was using the fact that no genealogy was given for Melchizedek as a metaphor for Jesus’ lack of pedigree to be a priest.  The point of the writer noting that Melchizedek has no genealogy is not that Melchizedek was a figure whose existence was miraculous.  The point the writer is making is that Melchizedek’s priesthood did not rely on his genealogy, unlike the priests who were in the order of Aaron.  The writer does not talk about Melchizedek to reveal something to us about Melchizedek.  Instead he uses Melchizedek to illustrate the perfection of Jesus and His ministry.  Jesus is holy and blameless which means that He is able to save us for eternity by His sacrifice.  Further, He continues to intercede for us with no chance that death will interrupt Him in that task.

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

Daily Bible Study

December 17, 2024 Bible Study — Today, if You Hear His Voice…

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

I am not sure that where I am going with today’s blog accurately reflects the message which the writer intended to convey, but I do believe it is a biblical thought.  The writer writes “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ”  As I initially read that, the writer is telling us to be careful that we do not rebel against God.  However, the next sentence after the one I quoted reads, “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. ”  Which suggests to me that the writer is telling us to encourage and build up our fellow believers in order to assist them in resisting temptation.  The writer says a lot about the failure of those who rebelled to obey God’s instructions, but he also tells us that those who rebelled did so because they did not share the faith of those who did obey.  So, let me write out my take aways from this passage:  When God instructs us we must listen and obey, but our obedience will grow out our belief and trust that God has saved us.  Further, we need to build up and encourage the faith of those around us so that they do not fall short of what God desires for them.  We are each responsible for our own actions, but we should seek to take responsibility for helping others do good as well.

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

Daily Bible Study

December 16, 2024 Bible Study — Characteristics for Which All Believers Should Strive

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Today, I am reading and commenting on  Titus and Philemon

In Paul’s letter to Titus while Titus was on Crete, he gave a description of the characteristics a man must have to be considered for a leadership position in the Church.  A few years ago I realized that when we pay attention to this passage we focus on how to interpret applying this passage to selecting leaders in the Church and not enough on the fact that all followers of Christ should strive to have these characteristics (to the degree to which they apply to that individual).  We should all strive to be blameless.  Those of us who are married should be faithful to our spouse.  Those who have children should strive to raise them to be believers and so that they are not seen as wild and disobedient.  We should not be violent or quick-tempered.  We should be self-controlled and disciplined, upright and hospitable.  Again, while we should not appoint anyone who does not have these characteristics to leadership positions in the Church, more importantly, we should strive to have those characteristics in our own lives.

When Paul wrote to Philemon about Onesimus, who was legally a slave to Philemon who had run away, he writes that he was sending him back because Philemon had legal claim to Onesimus.  Paul does not outright tell Philemon that he should free Onesimus, nor does he in any way write that slavery is wrong.  However, he does tell Philemon that he should welcome Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ.  It seems to me that Paul was telling Philemon that he was not obligated as a follower of Christ to give Onesimus, now a fellow follower of Christ, his freedom, but that doing so would be the better thing to do.

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

Daily Bible Study

December 15, 2024 Bible Study — Do Not Be Quarrelsome, Instead Gently Instruct Those Who Disagree

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

Paul begins this letter to Timothy by encouraging him(and us) to not be ashamed of the gospel nor of his fellow believers who were imprisoned and/or otherwise suffering for the gospel, because Christ has saved us and called us to a holy life.  Christ did this for His own purposes, not because of anything we have done (Paul includes himself along with us among those who did nothing to obtain salvation).  Paul goes on to warn us against quarrelling and godless chatter.  He tells us that we should not be quarrelsome, instead we must be kind to everyone and not resentful.  We must gently instruct those who disagree with us, hoping that God will grant them repentance and lead them to understanding the truth.  Otherwise, they will remain captive to the devil to do his will (instead of God’s).

I was not originally going to go here, but in the middle of that Paul mentioned that a large house has articles made of gold and silver, and other articles made of wood and clay.  The former being made used for special purposes and the latter being used for common purposes.  This resembles what he wrote in  1 Corinthians 3, where he wrote that if we built on the foundation of Jesus using good materials what we built would last, but if we used poor materials what we built would be burned up.  In either case, we would be saved.  Here he seems to suggest that those who fully follow his instructions abut living a holy life will be given glory in God’s kingdom, while those who do not will serve in more menial roles, but both will still spend eternity in God’s House (as long as they built on the foundation of Jesus, to mix his metaphors).

 

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

Daily Bible Study

December 14, 2024 Bible Study — Seek to be Rich in Good Deeds, Not in Material Possessions

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

Paul concludes his letter of instruction to Timothy by saying that those who teach otherwise to what he just laid out are conceited, understand nothing, and do not agree to sound teaching.  Paul gives us some clues on how to recognize such people, and how to recognize if we are becoming one of them.  Paul writes that they have an interest in controversies and quarrels which result in strife, malicious talk, and friction between people.  These false teachers think that godliness is a means to financial gain…which is the clearest counter to the various types of “prosperity gospel”.  Paul tells us that the true gain, the blessings, of following the gospel comes from being content with what God gives us as we live a godly life.  In fact, Paul writes that the love of money, and its pursuit has led many people into being the false teachers which he has just warned against, thus warning us not to fall into the same trap.  Paul instructs us that rather than pursuing material wealth we should pursue spiritual wealth which can be found as we acquire righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.  I want to note that Paul’s warning against false teachers who have an interest in creating friction between people can help us recognize those who are not acting in good faith in other areas.

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

Daily Bible Study

December 13, 2024 Bible Study — The Law Was Not Made for the Righteous

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

Paul wrote that Timothy should command “certain people” to stop teaching false doctrines and promoting controversial speculations.  Both of which took people away from advancing God’s work.  Those to whom this command is directed have abandoned focusing on having a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith in favor of meaningless talk.  They seek to be seen as teachers of the law, as spiritual leaders, but fail to understand what they are talking about.  Paul then explains that the law is not for the righteous, it does nothing for them as they do what is right without needing a set of rules to tell them what to do.  Rather the law exists for lawbreakers and rebels.  It exists to show them all of the ways in which they fail to be righteous.  I never noticed today that Paul lists slave traders among the ungodly and sinful for whom the law is intended.  And why is that significant?  Because there are some who claim that Paul defends slavery.  So, while Paul did not seek to do away with slavery, he clearly considered it something which was not a good thing.

Paul also writes a bit about how men and women should behave.  He writes that men should pray without anger or disputing and that women should adorn themselves with good works rather than with elaborate hairstyles, jewelry, and expensive clothes.  I would say that all of us should pray without anger or disputing AND adorn ourselves with good works rather than elaborate hairstyles, jewelry, and expensive clothes.  This is followed by a passage which has caused much controversy in the Church.  Most translations record that Paul wrote that women should learn in quietness and submission and that he would not permit them to teach or assume authority over a man.  The translators’ notes for the NIV say that the word translated as “women” could be translated as “wives”, and the word translated as “man” could be translated as “husband”.  That change takes away most of the controversy.

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