In Isaiah 55:11 God says, "My word which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me void, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." Jesus said in Mark 7:13, "The traditions of men make void the word of God." So in one place God says His word can't be made void & in another He says it can, thus these must be talking about different "words."
God got the idea across in Isaiah 55:11 of, "I will accomplish what I desire." Something like that pertains to keeping promises. God makes a similar statement in Isaiah 45:23 while making a specific promise at the end, "I have sworn (made a promise) by Myself, the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance." Remember also 2 Timothy 2:13, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful. He cannot deny himself."
Another interesting thing about Isaiah 55:10-11 is that it is actually future tense. He says, "the word from my mouth shall be as trustworthy as the rain coming from above to water the earth before it evaporates." Thus, at the very least, we cannot assume "the word" He is speaking about is scripture written before Isaiah.
In Mark 7:5-13 Jesus first quotes Moses (scripture) then He quotes a tradition which makes a truth claim. Here the "word of God" being referred to is the truth of God found in scripture. It can be made void by man made traditions.
The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 also gives us this idea of the word/truth of God being made void. There Jesus speaks of "the word of the kingdom" referring to the truth of the kingdom, something we now have written in scripture. Jesus says "the word can be snatched away by the evil one," "the word can fall away because of affliction or persecution," & that "the word can be choked & made unfruitful by the worries of the world & the deceitfulness of wealth."
So it is evident from the teachings of Jesus & the original context of Isaiah 55:11 itself, God saying, "My word will not return to Me void" does not refer to scripture or the reading of it but instead to the effectiveness of His promises.
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scripture. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The Idea that We Should Read the Bible Every Day
I wonder how many of us are actually led by the Spirit to read the bible. Most of us think we are supposed to do it so we find a place to read & pray "God teach me what this scripture means." Since we prayed the prayer we assume that whatever we think when we are done reading must be what it means. We assume we have no bias in an unrenewed part of our mind that will block us from the truth. Jesus even said, "the traditions of men stop the word of God." So if you believe in those traditions or traditional doctrines how do you expect to learn from God? You've already stopped Him from teaching you with your presuppositions. Considering all these things why do we think we can randomly pick a place in scripture & God will show us the full truth of it?
Because I thought I was supposed to I read the bible every single day from February 1999 to November 2006 & I learned almost nothing. I read through the bible in a year based on one of those plans & all I remember was crowning Leviticus as the boringest book. We can be like a 2nd grader opening up a calculus book & pointing to a random page saying, "Teach me this." There is a lot to learn before you can get there. Yet with scripture we assume that any place is a good place to start & that we won't deceive ourselves in our ignorance while reading it. Churches pretty much tell us, "Forget about knowing the gospel or being rooted & grounded in God's loving grace for you, just start reading the bible somewhere & listening to sermons & everything will be ok." Life doesn't work like that!
I picture God answering our prayer like this, "How can I teach you that scripture? I didn't even tell you to read that. You need to learn 7 more things & unlearn 36 more things before you can be ready to learn what that says."
Legalistic bible reading (seeing it all as law or even reading it as an obligation because you think it is a law to do so) leads to self-condemnation more than anything else. Scripture hopping, chapter picking, or even reading along with a commentary often result in you believing falsehood even deeper than if you had never picked up the bible at all.
When God said, "My word will not return to me void" He wasn't talking about the reading of His scriptures, He was talking about the effectiveness of His promises. Maybe we should stop thinking "the scriptures will guide us into all truth" & believe what Jesus actually said, "The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth."
It is great to trust God to teach you the scriptures. But when is it a good idea for the student to say "teach me this" when the wise teacher knows the student is not ready to learn that yet? Jesus said "the Holy Spirit would guide you into all truth" not "you will guide yourself & the Holy Spirit will still get you to all truth." Sure you'll get some truth that way but life will end up being insanely harder & much more wasteful. I know I've been there.
See also: The Meaning of "My Word shall not return to Me void"
Because I thought I was supposed to I read the bible every single day from February 1999 to November 2006 & I learned almost nothing. I read through the bible in a year based on one of those plans & all I remember was crowning Leviticus as the boringest book. We can be like a 2nd grader opening up a calculus book & pointing to a random page saying, "Teach me this." There is a lot to learn before you can get there. Yet with scripture we assume that any place is a good place to start & that we won't deceive ourselves in our ignorance while reading it. Churches pretty much tell us, "Forget about knowing the gospel or being rooted & grounded in God's loving grace for you, just start reading the bible somewhere & listening to sermons & everything will be ok." Life doesn't work like that!
I picture God answering our prayer like this, "How can I teach you that scripture? I didn't even tell you to read that. You need to learn 7 more things & unlearn 36 more things before you can be ready to learn what that says."
Legalistic bible reading (seeing it all as law or even reading it as an obligation because you think it is a law to do so) leads to self-condemnation more than anything else. Scripture hopping, chapter picking, or even reading along with a commentary often result in you believing falsehood even deeper than if you had never picked up the bible at all.
When God said, "My word will not return to me void" He wasn't talking about the reading of His scriptures, He was talking about the effectiveness of His promises. Maybe we should stop thinking "the scriptures will guide us into all truth" & believe what Jesus actually said, "The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth."
It is great to trust God to teach you the scriptures. But when is it a good idea for the student to say "teach me this" when the wise teacher knows the student is not ready to learn that yet? Jesus said "the Holy Spirit would guide you into all truth" not "you will guide yourself & the Holy Spirit will still get you to all truth." Sure you'll get some truth that way but life will end up being insanely harder & much more wasteful. I know I've been there.
See also: The Meaning of "My Word shall not return to Me void"
Friday, December 14, 2012
The Knowledge of God's Will
Paul said to the Colossians (v1:9) "We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Our problem comes when we assume "the knowledge of His will" refers to "the knowledge of His will for our lives." It does not. Jesus said in John 6:40, "This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and trusts in Him will have eternal life." So to be filled with the knowledge of God's will is to have a deep & unmixed understanding of the gospel & of God's love for mankind. God will gladly teach you that if you ask Him & if you don't try to teach yourself by referring to men/authors/preachers/commentaries. You want to trust the Spirit of God to teach you & lead you to all truth as Jesus promised He would. You don't do that by running to a man to give you answers. If you don't trust Jesus (especially to teach you) you won't learn from Him & you will be easily deceived by the falsehood out there in sermons & other things.
God speaks to us using truth found in the bible but just because we are reading the bible doesn't mean we are learning the truth. The bible is the easiest book to be deceived about because we put so much confidence in what it says or rather what we think it says. Believe it or not whether or not it is good for you to read the bible depends on where you are in your walk with God. Jesus never told anyone to read the scriptures. If we start with wrong perceptions of God & of ourselves, we will have wrong premises & wrong paradigms, we will twist the scriptures to our own destruction without even meaning to.
The main way to have God's voice clear from your side is to know the type of things God says & the type of things He wouldn't say (read Help in Knowing God's Voice for that). Ask God questions, not about your life but about truth He wants to teach you. His truth will impact your life. He has answered every question of mine regarding His truth.
If you spend more time thinking about your failures than you do your Father & His favor you need to know a lot more about how incredibly much God loves you. The same goes if you focus on other people's failures, you need to know a lot more about how incredibly much God loves them. God wants to reveal His heart for other people by revealing their hearts to you.
God speaks to us using truth found in the bible but just because we are reading the bible doesn't mean we are learning the truth. The bible is the easiest book to be deceived about because we put so much confidence in what it says or rather what we think it says. Believe it or not whether or not it is good for you to read the bible depends on where you are in your walk with God. Jesus never told anyone to read the scriptures. If we start with wrong perceptions of God & of ourselves, we will have wrong premises & wrong paradigms, we will twist the scriptures to our own destruction without even meaning to.
The main way to have God's voice clear from your side is to know the type of things God says & the type of things He wouldn't say (read Help in Knowing God's Voice for that). Ask God questions, not about your life but about truth He wants to teach you. His truth will impact your life. He has answered every question of mine regarding His truth.
If you spend more time thinking about your failures than you do your Father & His favor you need to know a lot more about how incredibly much God loves you. The same goes if you focus on other people's failures, you need to know a lot more about how incredibly much God loves them. God wants to reveal His heart for other people by revealing their hearts to you.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Grace is God's Love for You
When I think of the word "grace" I get a vague idea of some positive power & goodness that comes from God. Personally I think grace is a religious word because the unsaved & most saved can't quite define it. The word grace is best translated as "favor." Grace is God's love for you. I challenge you to look at scriptures and exchange the word grace with the phrase "God's love for you" & see how scripture explodes with God's love. I have done so below.
See Also
God's Love in The Old Testament
God's Love in The New Testament
- The Law was given through Moses; but God's love for us and God's truth were made evident through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
- Stephen, full of power and the knowledge of God's love for him, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8)
- When Barnabas witnessed God's love for the assembly in Antioch he rejoiced. (Acts 11:23)
- The people were urged to continue to recognize God's love for them. (Acts 13:43)
- We trust that we are saved & made whole through the love the Lord Jesus has for us. (Acts 15:11)
- I sincerely testify of the good news of God's love for mankind. (Acts 20:24)
- We have been made righteous by trusting God. We have unending peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through trusting Him we have obtained our access into God's love for us. In His love is where we stand. We rejoice with the expectancy of experiencing God's magnificent love throughout our lives. (Romans 5:1-2)
- Those who receive the abundance of God's love and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)
- Sin shall have no power over you because you are not under law but under God's love for you. (Romans 6:14)
- If salvation is by God's love for us then salvation is not based on our works. If it were based on our works then His love would not really be love. (Romans 11:6)
- It is because of God's love for me that I am who I am. (1 Corinthians 15:10)
- It is not I who labor but the love of God accompanying me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)
- You know the love of our Lord Jesus Christ for you. Though He was rich He became poor for your sake. Through His poverty you have become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
- God is able to make all of His love superabound to you. His love gives you everything you need & is more than enough for you to do every kind of good work. He simply makes you rich in everything and produces countless reasons for thanksgiving. The love of God in you is transcendent, it is beyond everything else. Thank you God for Your indescribable gift! (from 2 Corinthians 9:8-15)
- The Lord said to me, "My love is all you need. My power brings an end to weakness." I will gladly rejoice about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may move in & take control of my weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
- You who are seeking to be justified by law have made Christ useless to you; you have fallen from the awareness of God's love for you. (Galatians 5:4)
- In Christ Jesus we have salvation through His blood, the removal of our sins, according to the riches of the love which He has lavished upon us. (Ephesians 1:7-8)
- God is so rich in mercy He made us alive together with Christ while we were still dead in our sins. He did this because of the great love that He has for us. You are saved by God’s love for you! God has raised us up and seated us in heavenly places with Christ Jesus so He can forever show us the surpassing riches of His love for us & His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. It is by His love for you that you have been saved through trust. This salvation is God’s gift to you. It is not a result of any good deeds you've done, so there is no reason for anyone to brag about how good they are because it is all about God's goodness. He gives us enough value through loving us that we don't even feel like boasting in our deeds because we are so busy basking in His unconditional love. We are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to join Him in doing the loving things He has decided for us to do. (Ephesians 2:4-10)
- God has given me the honor of dispensing to you His love for you. (Ephesians 3:2)
- Don't speak bad things but only things that are good for building people up according to the need of the moment. In short, remind people of God's great & giving love for them. (Ephesians 4:29)
- We all partake of God's love for us. (Philippians 1:7)
- The love of the Lord Jesus Christ for you is with your spirit. (Philippians 4:23)
- You truly understood the love of God for us all. (Colossians 1:6)
- Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of every opportunity. Always speak of or with God's love towards mankind so that you will know how you should respond to each person. His love is like a fine seasoning that draws people to Him for more. (Colossians 4:5-6)
- Please recognize & remember that our Father always has love towards you & that the love of our Lord Jesus Christ is always with you. (1 Thessalonians 5:28)
- The name of our Lord Jesus is glorified in you, and you are glorified in Him when you confidently live knowing that He loves you. (2 Thessalonians 1:12)
- Allow the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father to comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word because He has loved us and given us eternal comfort & good hope by His gracious love for us. (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
- God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and His love for us which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the good news. (2 Timothy 1:9-10)
- Be strong in the love that Christ Jesus has for you. (2 Timothy 2:1)
- The love of God for mankind has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. His love for us trains us to reject godless ways & worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. His love for us makes us eager to do what is good. He gave Himself for us to restore us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people who belong to Him as His very own dearly loved children. (Titus 2:11-12,14)
- Listen to what I am about to say because it is reliable. "When the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of good deeds we have done, but according to His compassion. We have been made whole by the Holy Spirit's washing which restored us to who we were uniquely meant to be and changed us into children of God. He richly poured out His Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior and we have been made righteous by His love for us. We are now heirs with Christ to everything God has as we are holding onto the expectancy of continuing our eternal life with Him." When people who come to trust in God understand this they will seek to do good with eagerness & wisdom. (Titus 3:4-8)
- Because of God’s love for us, Jesus tasted death on behalf of everyone. (Hebrews 2:9)
- Let us confidently draw near to the throne of God's gracious love for us so that we may receive kindness and find His love for us which helps us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
- See to it that no one comes short in their understanding of how much God loves them. No root of bitterness will spring up & cause trouble if we understand His love for us. No immoral or godless person can stand the pure love of God without being sucked into it & freed or angrily walking away from it. (Hebrews 12:15-16)
- It is good for your heart to be strengthened by God's love for you. The love of Jesus Christ for you is the same yesterday and today and forever. He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we could confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” The more you recognize God's love for you the less you will be carried away by various teachings. (Hebrews 13:5-6,8-9)
- God loves all of you and His love is with you all. (Hebrews 13:25)
- If you humble yourself, resist the devil, & engage God you will experience His love for you in greater & greater ways. (James 4:6-8)
- May you experience God's love for you & His peace to the furthest extent possible! (1 Peter 1:2)
- Fix your hope completely on the love that God has for you. (1 Peter 1:13)
- Show your wife that you value her as an equal partner in the life God loves to give you both. (1 Peter 3:7)
- Use the special gifts our Father has lovingly given you to serve one another. Be good at directing the beautifully multi-colored love of God for us to the right people at the right time. (1 Peter 4:10)
- If you value yourself & others as God does you will see God's love for us everywhere. (1 Peter 5:5)
- Though you suffer for a little while, the God of all gracious love has called you to His eternal glory in Christ and He will Himself completely mend you, make you stable, strengthen you, and settle you. (1 Peter 5:10)
- Stand firm in the true love of God! He loves you! (1 Peter 5:12)
- Your experience of God's peace & His love for you multiplies through your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. Know this, the Lord, by His divine power, has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. We can only take advantage of what He has given us by having knowledge of Him. (2 Peter 1:2-3)
- Keep on growing in your knowing that God loves you. Learn of Him from Him & you will not be carried away by the error of those who seek the flesh, instead your mind will stand firm in the knowledge & love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)
- God's gracious love for us, His compassionate kindness, & His indescribable peace will certainly be with us forever in the truth & love of the Son & the Father. (2 John 1:2-3)
- May all have God’s loving-favor. Trust and let it be so. (Revelation 22:21)
See Also
God's Love in The Old Testament
God's Love in The New Testament
Friday, July 6, 2012
Sola-Scriptura is Idolatry
Sola-Scriptura (scripture alone) is idolatry. We should never disregard scripture but disregarding the living God is much worse. Jesus didn't promise the scriptures as our teacher but the Spirit. Following the Spirit is not "going beyond what is written." It is written in John 16:13 "The Spirit will guide you into ALL truth."
While the scripture is good and true and useful Jesus didn't make a promise that scripture would guide us to truth. Notice how many people know the scripture but don't know truth (see 2 Timothy 3:7). When you ignore the living God, who lives in you, in favor of the scriptures and/or various preachers & teachers you will be led into lies that twist the scriptures into a lifeless religious prison.
Don't trust the bible more than you trust the living God. If you do then you will end up only being certain about your interpretation of scripture. When you are certain yet wrong your life will be miserable. This misplaced or imbalanced trust closes your heart to God bringing you the truth. Being sure is not the same thing as being assured by God.
While the scripture is good and true and useful Jesus didn't make a promise that scripture would guide us to truth. Notice how many people know the scripture but don't know truth (see 2 Timothy 3:7). When you ignore the living God, who lives in you, in favor of the scriptures and/or various preachers & teachers you will be led into lies that twist the scriptures into a lifeless religious prison.
Don't trust the bible more than you trust the living God. If you do then you will end up only being certain about your interpretation of scripture. When you are certain yet wrong your life will be miserable. This misplaced or imbalanced trust closes your heart to God bringing you the truth. Being sure is not the same thing as being assured by God.
"You don't need anyone to teach you what is true. The Spirit teaches you everything you need to know" (1 John 2:27).
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Mistranslation of Words in The Bible
Many words are poorly translated in the Bible because of the lens the translators look through. Pretty well all of them look through an institutional or authoritative lens (concerning men). I think it is fine to say, "This word was translated wrong. It does not mean what the authors intended." Just because we see a word in the Bible does not mean it is the right word, a good word, or a word to defend. I don't think Christianeze is helpful especially when the original words in the text were common words of the times and not special, exclusive, religious, or spiritual words.
Most words that you'd only hear in church are translated wrong and are common words and should be translated as such. The Spirit will teach truth but the Bible warns so much about false teaching because lies told as truth blind you to the real truth. That is a fact and millions have been deceived. I never intend to fight about words but to expose the truth. Improper word usage can leave you confused (usually unknowingly) and even lead to poor choices and beliefs.
The King James Version translators had a rule from King James and Anglican Archbishop Richard Bancroft to "use The Old Ecclesiastical Words," that "the Word Church is not to be translated Congregation etc." They wanted the words used by the organized church to be used in the translation to validate themselves to the people who will now have the Bible available to read. Before this "authorized version" came about several people who translated scripture into English were murdered for doing so. Interesting that one of them, William Tyndale, used "congregation" instead of "church" in his translation.
Most translations follow the KJV in one degree or another and because institutional churches still stand today we get the same ecclesiastical words in our new translations. Protestants retranslated the words "bishop" and "presbytery" which are found in the KJV because those words don't apply to protestantism, they aren't protestant "positions of authority" so there was no need for them to use these words to back themselves up for having those positions. Of course they still retained the words pastor & deacon in their scriptures because their lens supports their non-biblical hierarchical authority system that displaces Christ.
Most words in scripture, are regular words defined by context. English translators took these common, neutral words and chose to translate them into special words that existed in the church systems of their era. Some mistranslations are intentional or started out that way and some remain because of ignorance. Be assured that the translators do know the real meanings of these words but their bias or lens keeps them from translating them properly.
Preach
One outrageous example of translators bias is how the Greek word behind "preach" means "proclaim" or "announce." It has been translated as the special word "preach" when referring to Jesus or the apostles but when "common men" who were healed by Jesus "preach" the translators chose to use the word "proclaim." They should use proclaim or announce in every case but they decided, because of their authoritative lens, to only use the word "preach" when referring to the "special" men and not with the "common" men. There is no justification for this distinction. It is simply the biased lens they look through. From what I've seen intentional or unintentional lies make it much much harder to trust God because they hide His trustworthiness.
Doctrine
A doctrine is "a teaching." I wouldn't need a doctrine about my wife because I just have a relationship with her. Since God is invisible and relates to many people teachings about Him are useful. Doctor is an old religious word for "teacher" so doctrine is a religious word for "teaching." I'd rather not use the word "doctrine" because it conjures up the idea of overly intellectual academic facts or beliefs that don't really affect how we live (even if they should) that are meant to be argued about. Some view the word "doctrine" as spiritual, official, established, and true but it only means "a teaching," one that can be true, false, or mixed.
Ministers
The only flip-flop translation I can think of is minister. Today we think of minister as a leader but the Greek word it was translated from simply means "servant" which is the opposite! Someone grows up in a church & hears the word minister being used only for leaders so when they go to read the Bible and see the word minister they think of the leader guy at the church building and not a servant. I don't think God is the author of such confusion.
Common Mistranslations, etc.
Faith - Trust
Believe - To Trust
Forgive - Remove A Burden, Take Away, Set Free
Forgiveness - Freedom, Removal
Grace - Favor, Loving Favorable Opinion
Gospel - Good News
Fear - Revere, Respect, Worship
Confess (in 1 Jn 1:9) - Agree, Say the Same Thing As Another
Repent - Change your mind
Repentance - Change of mind
Convict - Convince
Righteous - Right With Relationally, Guiltless
Justified - Made Right With, Made Blameless
Minister - Servant (not an authoritative position)
Pastor - Shepherd (not an authoritative position)
Elder - Older Person (not an authoritative position)
Deacon - Servant (not an authoritative position)
Bishop - Overseer, Guardian (not an authoritative position)
Evangelist - One who proclaims good news
Apostle - Delegate, One Sent on Behalf of another
Prophet - Spokesman
Ministry - Service
Church - Assembly
Ordain - Recognize
Doctrine - A Teaching
Preach - Proclaim or Announce
Sanctuary, Altar - Not Found in the New Testament
Sermon, Pulpit, Surrender, Revival, Rededicate - Do not Appear in the Bible
Devil - Adversary
Angel - Messenger
Prophecy - Message from God
Prophesy - Speak from God
Baptize - Immerse
Believer - One who Trusts
Faithful - Trustworthy
Hypocrite - Actor, Pretender
Heresy - Sect
Scripture - A Writing
Holy - Pure
Saint - Holy person, Pure person
Sanctify - Purify
Sanctification - Purification
Related Posts
The Problem with Mistranslations
How "Preach" is Used with Bias in Translating the Bible
All Posts on Mistranslations
Most words that you'd only hear in church are translated wrong and are common words and should be translated as such. The Spirit will teach truth but the Bible warns so much about false teaching because lies told as truth blind you to the real truth. That is a fact and millions have been deceived. I never intend to fight about words but to expose the truth. Improper word usage can leave you confused (usually unknowingly) and even lead to poor choices and beliefs.
The King James Version translators had a rule from King James and Anglican Archbishop Richard Bancroft to "use The Old Ecclesiastical Words," that "the Word Church is not to be translated Congregation etc." They wanted the words used by the organized church to be used in the translation to validate themselves to the people who will now have the Bible available to read. Before this "authorized version" came about several people who translated scripture into English were murdered for doing so. Interesting that one of them, William Tyndale, used "congregation" instead of "church" in his translation.
Most translations follow the KJV in one degree or another and because institutional churches still stand today we get the same ecclesiastical words in our new translations. Protestants retranslated the words "bishop" and "presbytery" which are found in the KJV because those words don't apply to protestantism, they aren't protestant "positions of authority" so there was no need for them to use these words to back themselves up for having those positions. Of course they still retained the words pastor & deacon in their scriptures because their lens supports their non-biblical hierarchical authority system that displaces Christ.
Most words in scripture, are regular words defined by context. English translators took these common, neutral words and chose to translate them into special words that existed in the church systems of their era. Some mistranslations are intentional or started out that way and some remain because of ignorance. Be assured that the translators do know the real meanings of these words but their bias or lens keeps them from translating them properly.
Preach
One outrageous example of translators bias is how the Greek word behind "preach" means "proclaim" or "announce." It has been translated as the special word "preach" when referring to Jesus or the apostles but when "common men" who were healed by Jesus "preach" the translators chose to use the word "proclaim." They should use proclaim or announce in every case but they decided, because of their authoritative lens, to only use the word "preach" when referring to the "special" men and not with the "common" men. There is no justification for this distinction. It is simply the biased lens they look through. From what I've seen intentional or unintentional lies make it much much harder to trust God because they hide His trustworthiness.
Doctrine
A doctrine is "a teaching." I wouldn't need a doctrine about my wife because I just have a relationship with her. Since God is invisible and relates to many people teachings about Him are useful. Doctor is an old religious word for "teacher" so doctrine is a religious word for "teaching." I'd rather not use the word "doctrine" because it conjures up the idea of overly intellectual academic facts or beliefs that don't really affect how we live (even if they should) that are meant to be argued about. Some view the word "doctrine" as spiritual, official, established, and true but it only means "a teaching," one that can be true, false, or mixed.
Ministers
The only flip-flop translation I can think of is minister. Today we think of minister as a leader but the Greek word it was translated from simply means "servant" which is the opposite! Someone grows up in a church & hears the word minister being used only for leaders so when they go to read the Bible and see the word minister they think of the leader guy at the church building and not a servant. I don't think God is the author of such confusion.
Common Mistranslations, etc.
Faith - Trust
Believe - To Trust
Forgive - Remove A Burden, Take Away, Set Free
Forgiveness - Freedom, Removal
Grace - Favor, Loving Favorable Opinion
Gospel - Good News
Fear - Revere, Respect, Worship
Confess (in 1 Jn 1:9) - Agree, Say the Same Thing As Another
Repent - Change your mind
Repentance - Change of mind
Convict - Convince
Righteous - Right With Relationally, Guiltless
Justified - Made Right With, Made Blameless
Minister - Servant (not an authoritative position)
Pastor - Shepherd (not an authoritative position)
Elder - Older Person (not an authoritative position)
Deacon - Servant (not an authoritative position)
Bishop - Overseer, Guardian (not an authoritative position)
Evangelist - One who proclaims good news
Apostle - Delegate, One Sent on Behalf of another
Prophet - Spokesman
Ministry - Service
Church - Assembly
Ordain - Recognize
Doctrine - A Teaching
Preach - Proclaim or Announce
Sanctuary, Altar - Not Found in the New Testament
Sermon, Pulpit, Surrender, Revival, Rededicate - Do not Appear in the Bible
Devil - Adversary
Angel - Messenger
Prophecy - Message from God
Prophesy - Speak from God
Baptize - Immerse
Believer - One who Trusts
Faithful - Trustworthy
Hypocrite - Actor, Pretender
Heresy - Sect
Scripture - A Writing
Holy - Pure
Saint - Holy person, Pure person
Sanctify - Purify
Sanctification - Purification
Related Posts
The Problem with Mistranslations
How "Preach" is Used with Bias in Translating the Bible
All Posts on Mistranslations
Friday, April 13, 2012
God's Love in The New Testament
The Son of Man was lifted up on a cross so that whoever trusts in Him will know God. God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever trusts in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but to save and cure the world through Him. (John 3:14-17, Post-Cross Paraphrase)
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him. (Mark 10:21)
Jesus said, "Don't disregard the love of God." (Luke 11:42)
“Lord, behold, Lazarus whom You love is sick." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, “See how Jesus loved Lazarus!” (John 11:3,5,35-36)
Jesus loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (John 13:1)
The disciple whom Jesus loved was reclining on Jesus’ chest. (John 13:23)
Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you. I have loved you so that you may also love one another." (John 13:34)
Jesus said, "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have loved you; rest in My love." (John 15:9)
Jesus said, "No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
Jesus said, "The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have trusted that I came forth from the Father." (John 16:27)
Jesus said, "Father You sent Me, and loved my followers just as much as You have loved Me." (John 17:23)
Jesus said, "Father I have made who You are known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:26)
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” (John 19:26)
Hope does not bring shame because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)
Christ made His love towards us obvious by dying for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8)
God has given us right standing with himself. Who or what then will condemn us? No one, nothing, for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us. He is sitting at God’s right hand, participating in our lives and interceding for us. Who or what then can separate us from the love of Christ? There is no such thing! We overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:33-35,37-39)
Pray by the love of the spirit. (Romans 15:30)
The love of Christ surrounds us & completely holds us. He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
God loves the one who is happy to give. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
The God of love and peace is with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)
The favor & grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the companionship of the Holy Spirit is with you all! (2 Corinthians 13:14)
I live by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)
The fruit of the spirit is love. (Galatians 5:22)
Let us praise the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us in Christ giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to make us pure and holy and blameless in spirit before Him. In His love and with kind intentions He predestined us through Jesus Christ to be adopted as His sons & daughters. He did this to show the magnificence of His favor which has been freely bestowed on us in the Beloved Jesus. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the removal of our sins. We have this because of the riches of His favor & grace which He lavished upon us. (Ephesians 1:3-8)
God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His favor in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. By God's favor you have been made whole. By God's favor you have been saved through trust; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:4-8)
May you know by experience the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask, think, or imagine, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:19-21)
Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)
Christ loves His people and gave Himself up for them. (Ephesians 5:25)
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give the family of God peace and love with trust. (Ephesians 6:23)
You yourselves are taught by God to love one another. (1 Thessalonians 4:9)
The Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father have loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by Their gracious favor. They comfort and strengthen our hearts in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
The Lord directs hearts into the love of God and into the patient endurance of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:5)
God's love filled opinion of us is too wonderful for us to ever fully handle. It brings the trust and love which are found in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14)
God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but of strength and love and competence. (2 Timothy 1:7)
When God our Savior made His kindness and love for humanity appear, He saved us & made us whole, not on the basis of good things we had done but because of His merciful kindness and good will towards us. He made us whole by the washing of new birth and renewing by the Holy Spirit. He richly poured His Spirit out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior. We are made righteous & guiltless by His favor & grace. We have become heirs and we are confident that we have everlasting life. (Titus 3:4-7)
My son, do not lightly regard the guidance of the Lord, nor be irritated or grieved when He refutes you attempting to lead you out of false beliefs. For the Lord nurtures the one He loves like a father nurtures a son he is pleased with. (Hebrews 12:5-6)
The love of God has truly been perfected in the person that treasures God's words, trusts Him, & loves others. (1 John 2:5)
The Father loves us so much that He calls us His very own children (1 John 3:1)
We know love by this, that Jesus laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16)
All love is from God. God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
Love does not come from our love for God but God's love for us. God defined love by making His love known to us by sending His only begotten Son into the world for our sins thus overcoming our distrust so that we can live through Him. (1 John 4:9-10)
If we love one another God is living in us and God's love is accomplished in us. (1 John 4:12)
We have come to know, rely on, and have put our trust in the love God has for us. God is love (1 John 4:16).
God's perfect love removes fear because God will not punish those who trust Him. Their standing in the world is identical with Christ's. If you fear punishment or judgment from God you do not understand God's perfect love for you. (1 John 4:18)
We love because God first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Jesus, the truth, lives in us and will be with us forever. Truly from His love comes grace, favor, mercy and peace which will be with us from God the Father and from Him, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father. (2 John 1:2-3)
Keep yourself aware of God's love for you by building yourself up in pure trust and praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20-21)
Jesus gives us grace and peace. He loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood. (Revelation 1:4-5)
Jesus says, "I lead those I love out of false beliefs and cause them to learn the truth. Let my love motivate you to the eager sincerity to change your mind." (Revelation 3:19)
“I have loved you,” says Jesus. (Revelation 3:9)
See Also
God's Love in The Old Testament & Grace is God's Love for You
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him. (Mark 10:21)
Jesus said, "Don't disregard the love of God." (Luke 11:42)
“Lord, behold, Lazarus whom You love is sick." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, “See how Jesus loved Lazarus!” (John 11:3,5,35-36)
Jesus loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (John 13:1)
The disciple whom Jesus loved was reclining on Jesus’ chest. (John 13:23)
Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you. I have loved you so that you may also love one another." (John 13:34)
Jesus said, "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have loved you; rest in My love." (John 15:9)
Jesus said, "No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
Jesus said, "The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have trusted that I came forth from the Father." (John 16:27)
Jesus said, "Father You sent Me, and loved my followers just as much as You have loved Me." (John 17:23)
Jesus said, "Father I have made who You are known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:26)
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” (John 19:26)
Hope does not bring shame because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)
Christ made His love towards us obvious by dying for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8)
God has given us right standing with himself. Who or what then will condemn us? No one, nothing, for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us. He is sitting at God’s right hand, participating in our lives and interceding for us. Who or what then can separate us from the love of Christ? There is no such thing! We overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:33-35,37-39)
Pray by the love of the spirit. (Romans 15:30)
The love of Christ surrounds us & completely holds us. He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
God loves the one who is happy to give. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
The God of love and peace is with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)
The favor & grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the companionship of the Holy Spirit is with you all! (2 Corinthians 13:14)
I live by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)
The fruit of the spirit is love. (Galatians 5:22)
Let us praise the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us in Christ giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to make us pure and holy and blameless in spirit before Him. In His love and with kind intentions He predestined us through Jesus Christ to be adopted as His sons & daughters. He did this to show the magnificence of His favor which has been freely bestowed on us in the Beloved Jesus. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the removal of our sins. We have this because of the riches of His favor & grace which He lavished upon us. (Ephesians 1:3-8)
God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His favor in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. By God's favor you have been made whole. By God's favor you have been saved through trust; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:4-8)
May you know by experience the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask, think, or imagine, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:19-21)
Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)
Christ loves His people and gave Himself up for them. (Ephesians 5:25)
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give the family of God peace and love with trust. (Ephesians 6:23)
You yourselves are taught by God to love one another. (1 Thessalonians 4:9)
The Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father have loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by Their gracious favor. They comfort and strengthen our hearts in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
The Lord directs hearts into the love of God and into the patient endurance of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:5)
God's love filled opinion of us is too wonderful for us to ever fully handle. It brings the trust and love which are found in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14)
God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but of strength and love and competence. (2 Timothy 1:7)
When God our Savior made His kindness and love for humanity appear, He saved us & made us whole, not on the basis of good things we had done but because of His merciful kindness and good will towards us. He made us whole by the washing of new birth and renewing by the Holy Spirit. He richly poured His Spirit out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior. We are made righteous & guiltless by His favor & grace. We have become heirs and we are confident that we have everlasting life. (Titus 3:4-7)
My son, do not lightly regard the guidance of the Lord, nor be irritated or grieved when He refutes you attempting to lead you out of false beliefs. For the Lord nurtures the one He loves like a father nurtures a son he is pleased with. (Hebrews 12:5-6)
The love of God has truly been perfected in the person that treasures God's words, trusts Him, & loves others. (1 John 2:5)
The Father loves us so much that He calls us His very own children (1 John 3:1)
We know love by this, that Jesus laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16)
All love is from God. God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
Love does not come from our love for God but God's love for us. God defined love by making His love known to us by sending His only begotten Son into the world for our sins thus overcoming our distrust so that we can live through Him. (1 John 4:9-10)
If we love one another God is living in us and God's love is accomplished in us. (1 John 4:12)
We have come to know, rely on, and have put our trust in the love God has for us. God is love (1 John 4:16).
God's perfect love removes fear because God will not punish those who trust Him. Their standing in the world is identical with Christ's. If you fear punishment or judgment from God you do not understand God's perfect love for you. (1 John 4:18)
We love because God first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
Jesus, the truth, lives in us and will be with us forever. Truly from His love comes grace, favor, mercy and peace which will be with us from God the Father and from Him, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father. (2 John 1:2-3)
Keep yourself aware of God's love for you by building yourself up in pure trust and praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20-21)
Jesus gives us grace and peace. He loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood. (Revelation 1:4-5)
Jesus says, "I lead those I love out of false beliefs and cause them to learn the truth. Let my love motivate you to the eager sincerity to change your mind." (Revelation 3:19)
“I have loved you,” says Jesus. (Revelation 3:9)
See Also
God's Love in The Old Testament & Grace is God's Love for You
Thursday, April 12, 2012
God's Love in The Old Testament
Lord, in Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy abiding place. (Exodus 15:13)
The Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with Moses as he called upon the name of the Lord. Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness, mercy, and truth; who keeps lovingkindness and mercy for thousands of generations, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; He forgives the guilty and limits the consequences of their actions to the third and fourth generations.” (Exodus 34:5-7)
The Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)
The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you. (Deuteronomy 23:5)
Indeed, the Lord loves the people. All His holy ones (saints) are in His hand. (Deuteronomy 33:3)
May the Lord show lovingkindness and truth to you. (2 Samuel 2:6)
The Lord makes salvation and deliverance evident and shows lovingkindness to all His people forever. (2 Samuel 22:51)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
The Lord's lovingkindness is everlasting. (1 Chronicles 16:41, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3, 7:6, 20:21)
Our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, You are a gracious and compassionate God who keeps lovingkindness and in Your great compassion does not forsake. (Nehemiah 9:31-32)
You God have granted me life, mercy, and lovingkindness; And Your care has preserved my spirit. (Job 10:12)
All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth (Psalm 25:10)
I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul (Psalm 31:7)
Lovingkindness surrounds those who trust in the Lord (Psalm 32:10)
The Lord loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord. (Psalm 33:5)
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. (Psalm 36:5)
The Lord loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever. (Psalm 37:28)
You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. (Psalm 40:11)
The lovingkindness of God lasts all day long. (Psalm 52:1)
God accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. (Psalm 57:2-3)
You love is so great it reaches the heavens; your trustworthy faithfulness reaches to the clouds. (Psalm 57:10)
Your love O Lord is better than life (Psalm 63:3)
In Jesus lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10, New Covenant Paraphrase)
For You, Lord, are good, and eager to put your forgiveness on display. You are abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. (Psalm 86:5)
You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, patient and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. (Psalm 86:15)
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You. (Psalm 89:14)
If I should say, “My foot has slipped,” Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up. (Psalm 94:18)
The Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His loyal trustworthiness extends to all generations. (Psalm 100:5)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; He pardons all your sins, He heals all your diseases; He redeems your life from the pit, He crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; He satisfies your years with good things. (Psalm 103:2-5)
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, patient and abounding in lovingkindness. He no longer strives with us, Nor does He retain His anger towards us. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our faults. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who trust His Son. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our sins from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord, our Father, has compassion on those who trust Him. (Psalm 103:8-13, New Covenant Paraphrase)
Consider the lovingkindnesses of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43)
The Lord's lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:2)
Put your hope in the Lord Jesus. He has lovingkindness and has abundantly paid for our debt with His blood. He has delivered all His people from all their guilt. (Psalm 130:7-8, New Covenant Paraphrase)
Give thanks to the God of gods, the Lord of lords, for He is good. He gives food to all beings. He alone does great wonders. The Lord has remembered us in our low estate and has rescued us from the adversary. Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (from Psalm 136)
The Lord is gracious and merciful; Patient and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. (Psalm 145:8-9)
The Lord executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets the prisoners free. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind & raises up those who are bowed down. The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord protects the strangers, He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked. (Psalm 146:7-9)
My son, do not lightly regard the guidance of the Lord, nor be irritated or grieved when refuted by him. For the Lord teaches the one he loves like a father instructs a son he is pleased with. (Proverbs 3:11-12)
By lovingkindness and truth guilt is removed. (Proverbs 16:6)
Thus says the Lord, your Creator, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! I am the Lord your God, The Holy One, your Savior. You are precious in My sight. You are honored and I love you. Do not fear, for I am with you. You are My witnesses and My servants whom I have chosen, So that you may know and trust Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and I am God. Even from eternity I am He, and there is no one who can deliver you out of My hand; I act and no one can reverse it." (from Isaiah 43)
"With everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you” says the Lord your Redeemer. "I have sworn that I will not be angry with you nor will I reject you. For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:8-10)
God has given us great things and done many great things for us by His compassion and from the abundance of His lovingkindnesses. (Isaiah 63:7)
In God's love and in His mercy He redeemed us. (Isaiah 63:9)
Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth because I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
The Lord appeared saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness." (Jeremiah 31:3)
The Lord’s lovingkindnesses certainly never cease because His compassions never fail. His love, kindness, and compassion are new every morning. Great is Your loyal trustworthiness O Lord. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Where there is sorrow & grief the Lord will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. (Lamentations 3:32)
In that day I, the Lord will make a new covenant, “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ and they will say, ‘You are my God!’” (Hosea 2:18-20,23)
I will heal your backsliding. I will cure you from turning away. I love you freely. I have no anger towards you. (Hosea 14:4, New Covenant Paraphrase)
There is no God like you. You pardon guilt and do not hold rebellious acts against us. You did not retain anger against us beyond the cross of your Son. You delight in unchanging love. You have compassion on us. You crushed our sinful deeds under foot. Yes, You cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You have given truth and unchanging love to us with your Son. (From Micah 7:14-20, New Covenant Paraphrase)
The Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, patient, abounding in lovingkindness. (Joel 2:13)
You are a gracious and compassionate God, patient and overflowing with lovingkindness. (Jonah 4:2)
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. (Malachai 1:2)
Continued in..
God's Love in The New Testament & Grace is God's Love for You
The Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with Moses as he called upon the name of the Lord. Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness, mercy, and truth; who keeps lovingkindness and mercy for thousands of generations, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; He forgives the guilty and limits the consequences of their actions to the third and fourth generations.” (Exodus 34:5-7)
The Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)
The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you. (Deuteronomy 23:5)
Indeed, the Lord loves the people. All His holy ones (saints) are in His hand. (Deuteronomy 33:3)
May the Lord show lovingkindness and truth to you. (2 Samuel 2:6)
The Lord makes salvation and deliverance evident and shows lovingkindness to all His people forever. (2 Samuel 22:51)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)
The Lord's lovingkindness is everlasting. (1 Chronicles 16:41, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3, 7:6, 20:21)
Our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, You are a gracious and compassionate God who keeps lovingkindness and in Your great compassion does not forsake. (Nehemiah 9:31-32)
You God have granted me life, mercy, and lovingkindness; And Your care has preserved my spirit. (Job 10:12)
All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth (Psalm 25:10)
I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul (Psalm 31:7)
Lovingkindness surrounds those who trust in the Lord (Psalm 32:10)
The Lord loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord. (Psalm 33:5)
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. (Psalm 36:5)
The Lord loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever. (Psalm 37:28)
You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. (Psalm 40:11)
The lovingkindness of God lasts all day long. (Psalm 52:1)
God accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. (Psalm 57:2-3)
You love is so great it reaches the heavens; your trustworthy faithfulness reaches to the clouds. (Psalm 57:10)
Your love O Lord is better than life (Psalm 63:3)
In Jesus lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10, New Covenant Paraphrase)
For You, Lord, are good, and eager to put your forgiveness on display. You are abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. (Psalm 86:5)
You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, patient and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. (Psalm 86:15)
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You. (Psalm 89:14)
If I should say, “My foot has slipped,” Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up. (Psalm 94:18)
The Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His loyal trustworthiness extends to all generations. (Psalm 100:5)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; He pardons all your sins, He heals all your diseases; He redeems your life from the pit, He crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; He satisfies your years with good things. (Psalm 103:2-5)
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, patient and abounding in lovingkindness. He no longer strives with us, Nor does He retain His anger towards us. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our faults. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who trust His Son. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our sins from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord, our Father, has compassion on those who trust Him. (Psalm 103:8-13, New Covenant Paraphrase)
Consider the lovingkindnesses of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43)
The Lord's lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:2)
Put your hope in the Lord Jesus. He has lovingkindness and has abundantly paid for our debt with His blood. He has delivered all His people from all their guilt. (Psalm 130:7-8, New Covenant Paraphrase)
Give thanks to the God of gods, the Lord of lords, for He is good. He gives food to all beings. He alone does great wonders. The Lord has remembered us in our low estate and has rescued us from the adversary. Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (from Psalm 136)
The Lord is gracious and merciful; Patient and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. (Psalm 145:8-9)
The Lord executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets the prisoners free. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind & raises up those who are bowed down. The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord protects the strangers, He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked. (Psalm 146:7-9)
My son, do not lightly regard the guidance of the Lord, nor be irritated or grieved when refuted by him. For the Lord teaches the one he loves like a father instructs a son he is pleased with. (Proverbs 3:11-12)
By lovingkindness and truth guilt is removed. (Proverbs 16:6)
Thus says the Lord, your Creator, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! I am the Lord your God, The Holy One, your Savior. You are precious in My sight. You are honored and I love you. Do not fear, for I am with you. You are My witnesses and My servants whom I have chosen, So that you may know and trust Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and I am God. Even from eternity I am He, and there is no one who can deliver you out of My hand; I act and no one can reverse it." (from Isaiah 43)
"With everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you” says the Lord your Redeemer. "I have sworn that I will not be angry with you nor will I reject you. For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:8-10)
God has given us great things and done many great things for us by His compassion and from the abundance of His lovingkindnesses. (Isaiah 63:7)
In God's love and in His mercy He redeemed us. (Isaiah 63:9)
Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth because I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
The Lord appeared saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness." (Jeremiah 31:3)
The Lord’s lovingkindnesses certainly never cease because His compassions never fail. His love, kindness, and compassion are new every morning. Great is Your loyal trustworthiness O Lord. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Where there is sorrow & grief the Lord will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. (Lamentations 3:32)
In that day I, the Lord will make a new covenant, “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ and they will say, ‘You are my God!’” (Hosea 2:18-20,23)
I will heal your backsliding. I will cure you from turning away. I love you freely. I have no anger towards you. (Hosea 14:4, New Covenant Paraphrase)
There is no God like you. You pardon guilt and do not hold rebellious acts against us. You did not retain anger against us beyond the cross of your Son. You delight in unchanging love. You have compassion on us. You crushed our sinful deeds under foot. Yes, You cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You have given truth and unchanging love to us with your Son. (From Micah 7:14-20, New Covenant Paraphrase)
The Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, patient, abounding in lovingkindness. (Joel 2:13)
You are a gracious and compassionate God, patient and overflowing with lovingkindness. (Jonah 4:2)
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. (Malachai 1:2)
Continued in..
God's Love in The New Testament & Grace is God's Love for You
Monday, January 9, 2012
My Righteous Identity in Christ
These aren't promises of me to God but promises of God to
me. He has made me completely righteous in Jesus Christ so now
everything He has said about the righteous I am also. These aren't
things I strive to be but my true identity that flows out of my genuine
self, a righteous child of God.
| Christ died once for me & all of my sins, He brought me to God, He put my flesh to death, He made me alive in the spirit. | 1 Peter 3:18 |
| I will hold to God's way, I have clean hands and will grow stronger and stronger. |
Job 17:9 |
| I see and am glad | Job 22:19 |
| God does not withdraw His eyes from me. He has seated me with kings on the throne forever, and we are exalted. | Job 36:7-8 |
| The LORD loves me; I will behold His face. |
Psalm 11:7 |
| God is with me. | Psalm 14:5 |
| God encompasses me with strength and makes my way blameless | Psalm 18:32 |
| The eyes of the LORD are toward me and His ears are open to my cry. | Psalm 34:15 |
| I cry, and the LORD hears and delivers me out of all my troubles. | Psalm 34:17 |
| The LORD sustains me. | Psalm 34:17 |
| I am gracious and I give. |
Psalm 37:21 |
| I am not forsaken nor does my family beg for food. | Psalm 37:25 |
| I utter wisdom, and speak justice. My steps do not slip. | Psalm 37:30-31 |
| My salvation is from the LORD; He is my strength in
time of trouble. He helps me and delivers me; He saves me, because I trust in Him. |
Psalm 37:39 Psalm 37:39 |
| I trust in the loving kindness of God forever and ever. | Psalm 52:8 |
| When I cast my burden upon the LORD He sustains me and will not allow me to be shaken. | Psalm 55:22 |
| I am glad in the LORD and will trust in Him; I shine | Psalm 64:10 |
| I am blessed. | Psalm 112:2 |
| Light arises in the darkness for me; The LORD is gracious and compassionate towards me. | Psalm 112:4 |
| I am gracious and compassionate and right with God. | Psalm 112:4 |
| I will not put forth my hands to do wrong. | Psalm 125:3 |
| I give thanks to God's name and dwell in His presence | Psalm 140:13 |
| The LORD loves me. | Psalm 146:8 |
| The LORD is intimate with me. |
Proverbs 3:32 |
| The LORD blesses my house. | Proverbs 3:33 |
| My mouth is a fountain of life. | Proverbs 10:11 |
| I have an everlasting foundation | Proverbs 10:25 |
| My hope is gladness | Proverbs 10:28 |
| I will never be shaken. My mouth flows with wisdom, My lips bring forth goodwill | Proverbs 10:30 |
| I am delivered from trouble. Through knowledge I will be delivered. | Proverbs 11:8 |
| My descendants will be delivered. | Proverbs 11:21 |
| My desire is only good. | Proverbs 11:23 |
| My thoughts are just | Proverbs 12:5 |
| I am a guide to my neighbor | Proverbs 12:26 |
| I will be given good things. | Proverbs 13:21 |
| I have enough to satisfy my appetite. | Proverbs 13:25 |
| My prayer is God's delight. | Proverbs 15:8 |
| My heart ponders how to answer | Proverbs 15:28 |
| The LORD hears my prayers. | Proverbs 15:29 |
| I will inherit good. | Proverbs 28:10 |
| I live by trust. | Habakkuk 2:4 |
| God is my strong fortress and He sets my in His Way (Jesus). | 2 Samuel 22:33 |
| I have eternal life. | Matthew 25:46 |
| I am not called to repentance. | Luke 5:32 |
| The Law is not for me. | 1Timothy 1:9 |
| My prayer accomplishes much. | James 5:16 |
| I will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of my Father. |
Matthew 13:43 |
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
My Thoughts on Jesus Washing the Disciple's Feet in John 13
John 13:1-14:1
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’
“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will trust that I am who I am. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God; trust also in me."
My Thoughts
A reason Jesus washed their feet was that everything He had the Father gave to Him.
Jesus said Peter could have no part with Him if he did not let Jesus wash his feet. Peter then tells Jesus to wash his hands and head also. Jesus tells Peter that a man is totally clean if only his feet are washed. I think this pictures our response to God's grace and forgiveness. He makes us totally clean but we think that He needs to clean us even more.
I also see an idea of "Ok God since you are going to serve me then I want you to do this, this, and this too. I don't want you to serve me just how you want. I want you to do it my way too." But we can see by Jesus' response that He knows what we need when He serves us. We ask for things that are unneccessary at best. Peter had good motives and strong desire but good motives and strong desire do not equal wise motives and wise desire. That wisdom comes from God.
Another interesting thing is that Jesus says "You don't what I am doing now but you will know.." How often does Jesus "clean" us, meaning change our character and heart, and we have no idea what He is doing? When we get out of the circumstance then we see how God was cleaning us.
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’
“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will trust that I am who I am. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God; trust also in me."
My Thoughts
A reason Jesus washed their feet was that everything He had the Father gave to Him.
Jesus said Peter could have no part with Him if he did not let Jesus wash his feet. Peter then tells Jesus to wash his hands and head also. Jesus tells Peter that a man is totally clean if only his feet are washed. I think this pictures our response to God's grace and forgiveness. He makes us totally clean but we think that He needs to clean us even more.
I also see an idea of "Ok God since you are going to serve me then I want you to do this, this, and this too. I don't want you to serve me just how you want. I want you to do it my way too." But we can see by Jesus' response that He knows what we need when He serves us. We ask for things that are unneccessary at best. Peter had good motives and strong desire but good motives and strong desire do not equal wise motives and wise desire. That wisdom comes from God.
Another interesting thing is that Jesus says "You don't what I am doing now but you will know.." How often does Jesus "clean" us, meaning change our character and heart, and we have no idea what He is doing? When we get out of the circumstance then we see how God was cleaning us.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Jesus is The Word of God
The Word of God is Jesus and Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would lead us to all truth. He did not say that about the holy bible. I'm not saying that the Bible isn't important. The book itself is not essential but its truths are. God can and did teach people those truths without the book. For many hundreds of years Christians did not have bibles in their homes. How did they possibly make it? They had a real spiritual relationship with God.
Today we think "If I haven't read the Bible I can't possibly know God's heart." Do not beat yourself up about not reading the Bible as much as you think you should. As a child of God the words of God should never condemn you. The Bible in the Christian life is not meant to be used as, "I'll follow the rules in the book and then I will meet Jesus."
Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from HIS sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of HIM with whom we have to do."
The Word of God this scripture is talking about is Jesus not the Bible. & Jesus is certainly living and active. 1 Chronicles 28 says, "The LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts."
To think that quoting scripture to someone is guaranteed to pierce to their soul is a false idea. The living God is the one who does this, you can not force it. It is His job to do. Jesus is the sword of the Spirit spoken of in Ephesians 6:17. Jesus is a life giving Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 15:45). The Word of God is the loving, present tense Jesus speaking to the heart.
A lot of churches will teach that the Christian life is about oughts, shoulds, musts, supposed tos, trying to live by the laws that God had put in place, coming up with and following principles and methods for Christian living. What all of that is really doing is looking at pages in a bible and looking at a historical figure for methods and rules. The reality of the Christian life is Christ in you right here and right now, we are in union with Him. We live not by methods, rules, and trying to replicate past happenings but by living right here, in the here and now, with Jesus Christ and His life living in us.
Paul gives us great insight into the value of knowing Jesus in Philippians 3:8,
"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as turds, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I became righteous through trust in Christ."
Today we think "If I haven't read the Bible I can't possibly know God's heart." Do not beat yourself up about not reading the Bible as much as you think you should. As a child of God the words of God should never condemn you. The Bible in the Christian life is not meant to be used as, "I'll follow the rules in the book and then I will meet Jesus."
Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from HIS sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of HIM with whom we have to do."
The Word of God this scripture is talking about is Jesus not the Bible. & Jesus is certainly living and active. 1 Chronicles 28 says, "The LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts."
To think that quoting scripture to someone is guaranteed to pierce to their soul is a false idea. The living God is the one who does this, you can not force it. It is His job to do. Jesus is the sword of the Spirit spoken of in Ephesians 6:17. Jesus is a life giving Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 15:45). The Word of God is the loving, present tense Jesus speaking to the heart.
A lot of churches will teach that the Christian life is about oughts, shoulds, musts, supposed tos, trying to live by the laws that God had put in place, coming up with and following principles and methods for Christian living. What all of that is really doing is looking at pages in a bible and looking at a historical figure for methods and rules. The reality of the Christian life is Christ in you right here and right now, we are in union with Him. We live not by methods, rules, and trying to replicate past happenings but by living right here, in the here and now, with Jesus Christ and His life living in us.
Paul gives us great insight into the value of knowing Jesus in Philippians 3:8,
"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as turds, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I became righteous through trust in Christ."
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
In Context: "Forsake not.." & "I can do all things.." Revisited
There were no chapter or verse separations in the original texts of
scripture. The presence of these separations cause us to read a chapter
or memorize a verse yet have no understanding of the story and the
context.
Many bible studies are based around "reading a chapter" when the next chapter often in the first few verses clarifies what the previous was about. I have come across places in scripture where chapter breaks the context and where verses break the sentence. Many of those places are very popular such as:
Hebrews 10:24-25
"Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not
neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
A small portion of this text is used to get people to frequent a church building when the meeting doesn't even involve the "one anothers" mentioned not just in the context but in oft quoted verse itself. "One another" means "each and everyone involved." In a typical church service a few perform in front of many and the many have little to no interaction with anyone. The modern church service bares almost no resemblance to the assembling that is being talked about here in Hebrews. Today there are a few big mouths talking to a multitude of passive ears. Is an impersonal and non-interactive monologue (sermon) the same thing as everyone "encouraging one another"? Obviously not. Yet "forsaking not the assembling" as it is taught has ignored the context and come to be taught as "You must sit in the audience at church every week or you are in sin."
Philippians 4:12-13
"I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and
every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I
go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all
things through Christ who strengthens me."
Of course "all things" is still "all things" but I find it interesting that contentment, one of humanity's most elusive features, is the context in which Paul says "I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is often taken as a license to follow my own selfish ambition in God's name and chase after "greatness" rather than God enabling me to be content with wherever He has me right now.
Read The First Visits: In Context: "Forsake not the assembling..", In Context: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Many bible studies are based around "reading a chapter" when the next chapter often in the first few verses clarifies what the previous was about. I have come across places in scripture where chapter breaks the context and where verses break the sentence. Many of those places are very popular such as:
Hebrews 10:24-25
A small portion of this text is used to get people to frequent a church building when the meeting doesn't even involve the "one anothers" mentioned not just in the context but in oft quoted verse itself. "One another" means "each and everyone involved." In a typical church service a few perform in front of many and the many have little to no interaction with anyone. The modern church service bares almost no resemblance to the assembling that is being talked about here in Hebrews. Today there are a few big mouths talking to a multitude of passive ears. Is an impersonal and non-interactive monologue (sermon) the same thing as everyone "encouraging one another"? Obviously not. Yet "forsaking not the assembling" as it is taught has ignored the context and come to be taught as "You must sit in the audience at church every week or you are in sin."
Philippians 4:12-13
Of course "all things" is still "all things" but I find it interesting that contentment, one of humanity's most elusive features, is the context in which Paul says "I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is often taken as a license to follow my own selfish ambition in God's name and chase after "greatness" rather than God enabling me to be content with wherever He has me right now.
Read The First Visits: In Context: "Forsake not the assembling..", In Context: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Faith is Trust
Pistis the noun
Pistis is the Greek noun usually translated "belief" or "faith." There is variation among Christians as to its meaning. To some, pistis merely means "mental acknowledgment," others recognize that pistis usually includes "confidence" or "action." Still others define it differently. Unfortunately, the usage of the words "belief" or "faith" in every-day English is too vague to accurately translate pistis in the New Testament.
Pistis is best translated as the noun trust.
Pisteuo the verb
Pisteuo is the Greek verb usually translated "believe." The word "believe" means to accept information as being true, but it is not personal and does not necessarily include action. Therefore, "believe" is inadequate to translate pisteuo.
Pisteuo is best translated as the verb trust.
The Greek verb for trust is translated most often as believe. The Greek noun for trust is translated most often as faith. So when scriptures say believe it means have faith or most clearly "trust."
Believing is often thought of as impersonal, distant, and unsure. Trusting is personal and confident. There are plenty people who "believe" the facts of the good news but by no means trust the person of Jesus interactively. Belief is something I think. Trust is what I give to someone else.
How the Translation Impacts our Understanding
Believe is a short sighted word that usually stops at "thinking a fact to be true." So when John 3:16 says whoever "believes in Him" it renders best to whoever "trusts in Him." Trust holds a lot more weight than belief.
So knowing that the Greek word for "believe" clearly means "trust" lets look at some scriptures:
The one who believes in the Son has eternal life.
The one who trusts in the Son has eternal life.
Already we have something much more personal and real regarding God. You can "believe in" something that is not real or something you have never encountered. Trust is present, real, and personal.
I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned.
I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and trusts him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned. What is Jesus talking about? Regarding the Father as simply truthful or trusting Him interactively? See how much meaning is lost here?
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also trust without works is dead.
This reaffirms the definition of the Greek word. Hebrews 11:8 says "By pistis (trust) Abraham, being called, obeyed to proceed to a place which he was about to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going." Abraham not only accepted what God told him as being true, but also had enough confidence in it to act upon it (Abraham obeyed). Hebrews 11 shows us that faith is not an unclear mystical idea. Faith is trust. Who do you trust?
Even with trust being the best translation belief could be translated in place of the word faith because it is the noun form of believe.
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also belief without works is dead.
So faith/belief/trust is interactive confidence, security, in God and His truth that results in action according to His truth. If you "believe in/trust in" God that means you know and love God.
The language itself (perhaps not by anyone's fault in this case except that faith is a more religious word than trust) hides the meaning of true salvation and it makes it about what I hold in my head (belief) rather than WHO HOLDS MY HEART IN HIS HAND because He is my life. Trust in God means you are entrusting Him with your very self. Trusting God is like trusting your mother, father, spouse, or best friend. Biblical belief, biblical faith, biblical trust then is not an idea that you hold to be true. It is a spiritual relationship with God based on trust. You trust God like you would any human. You trust that God is trustworthy, worthy of trust, and you live like it.
All these things line up with context of scripture. It is surprising how true meanings of the words convey the scriptures so well and make it that much clearer and bolder. I encourage you to read the scriptures knowing that "to believe" means "to trust" and that "faith" means "trust." I pray that it will give you greater insight into the heart of Christ as it has for me. God wants us to know Him as living, loving, and local not dead, detesting us, and distant.
English Etymology
Belief used to mean "trust in God," while faith meant "loyalty to a person based on promise or duty." Faith took on the religious sense beginning in 14th century translations. Belief had by 16th century become limited to meaning "mental acceptance of something as true."
Current English dictionary definitions.
Believe
To be persuaded of the truth of, upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by circumstances other than personal knowledge
to regard or accept as true
to place confidence in
to have a persuasion approaching to certainty
to hold an opinion : think
to consider to be true
to hold as opinion
Believe in
have a firm conviction as to the goodness of something; "John believes in oat bran"
To ascribe existence to; To ascribe some powers or other attributes to
To believe that the subject of the thought (if a person or thing) exists, or (if an event) that it has occurred, or will occur; - as, to believe in the resurrection of the dead.
To believe that the character, abilities, and purposes of a person are worthy of entire confidence; - especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy.
To believe that the qualities or effects of an action or state are beneficial: as, to believe in sea bathing, or in abstinence from alcoholic beverages.
Faith
Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.
Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.
Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance
strong or unshakable belief in something, esp without proof or evidence
complete confidence or trust in a person, remedy, etc.
Mental acceptance of and confidence in a claim as truth without evidence supporting the claim.
A feeling or belief that something is true, real, or will happen.
A trust in the intentions or abilities of a person, object, or belief in spite of a lack of knowledge in the person, object, or belief.
Belief
Mental acceptance of a claim as truth regardless of supporting empirical evidence.
conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence
Trust
To place confidence in; to rely on
Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something
To rely on the truthfulness or accuracy of
To give credence to; to believe; to credit.
To hope confidently; to believe
Pistis is the Greek noun usually translated "belief" or "faith." There is variation among Christians as to its meaning. To some, pistis merely means "mental acknowledgment," others recognize that pistis usually includes "confidence" or "action." Still others define it differently. Unfortunately, the usage of the words "belief" or "faith" in every-day English is too vague to accurately translate pistis in the New Testament.
Pistis is best translated as the noun trust.
Pisteuo the verb
Pisteuo is the Greek verb usually translated "believe." The word "believe" means to accept information as being true, but it is not personal and does not necessarily include action. Therefore, "believe" is inadequate to translate pisteuo.
Pisteuo is best translated as the verb trust.
The Greek verb for trust is translated most often as believe. The Greek noun for trust is translated most often as faith. So when scriptures say believe it means have faith or most clearly "trust."
Believing is often thought of as impersonal, distant, and unsure. Trusting is personal and confident. There are plenty people who "believe" the facts of the good news but by no means trust the person of Jesus interactively. Belief is something I think. Trust is what I give to someone else.
How the Translation Impacts our Understanding
Believe is a short sighted word that usually stops at "thinking a fact to be true." So when John 3:16 says whoever "believes in Him" it renders best to whoever "trusts in Him." Trust holds a lot more weight than belief.
So knowing that the Greek word for "believe" clearly means "trust" lets look at some scriptures:
The one who believes in the Son has eternal life.
The one who trusts in the Son has eternal life.
Already we have something much more personal and real regarding God. You can "believe in" something that is not real or something you have never encountered. Trust is present, real, and personal.
I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned.
I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and trusts him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned. What is Jesus talking about? Regarding the Father as simply truthful or trusting Him interactively? See how much meaning is lost here?
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also trust without works is dead.
This reaffirms the definition of the Greek word. Hebrews 11:8 says "By pistis (trust) Abraham, being called, obeyed to proceed to a place which he was about to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going." Abraham not only accepted what God told him as being true, but also had enough confidence in it to act upon it (Abraham obeyed). Hebrews 11 shows us that faith is not an unclear mystical idea. Faith is trust. Who do you trust?
Even with trust being the best translation belief could be translated in place of the word faith because it is the noun form of believe.
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also belief without works is dead.
So faith/belief/trust is interactive confidence, security, in God and His truth that results in action according to His truth. If you "believe in/trust in" God that means you know and love God.
The language itself (perhaps not by anyone's fault in this case except that faith is a more religious word than trust) hides the meaning of true salvation and it makes it about what I hold in my head (belief) rather than WHO HOLDS MY HEART IN HIS HAND because He is my life. Trust in God means you are entrusting Him with your very self. Trusting God is like trusting your mother, father, spouse, or best friend. Biblical belief, biblical faith, biblical trust then is not an idea that you hold to be true. It is a spiritual relationship with God based on trust. You trust God like you would any human. You trust that God is trustworthy, worthy of trust, and you live like it.
All these things line up with context of scripture. It is surprising how true meanings of the words convey the scriptures so well and make it that much clearer and bolder. I encourage you to read the scriptures knowing that "to believe" means "to trust" and that "faith" means "trust." I pray that it will give you greater insight into the heart of Christ as it has for me. God wants us to know Him as living, loving, and local not dead, detesting us, and distant.
See also: My More In depth Look at the Meaning of Faith. & My look at the term believer.
Read more about the meaning of the word trust in scripture.
Read more about the meaning of the word trust in scripture.
English Etymology
Belief used to mean "trust in God," while faith meant "loyalty to a person based on promise or duty." Faith took on the religious sense beginning in 14th century translations. Belief had by 16th century become limited to meaning "mental acceptance of something as true."
Current English dictionary definitions.
Believe
To be persuaded of the truth of, upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by circumstances other than personal knowledge
to regard or accept as true
to place confidence in
to have a persuasion approaching to certainty
to hold an opinion : think
to consider to be true
to hold as opinion
Believe in
have a firm conviction as to the goodness of something; "John believes in oat bran"
To ascribe existence to; To ascribe some powers or other attributes to
To believe that the subject of the thought (if a person or thing) exists, or (if an event) that it has occurred, or will occur; - as, to believe in the resurrection of the dead.
To believe that the character, abilities, and purposes of a person are worthy of entire confidence; - especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy.
To believe that the qualities or effects of an action or state are beneficial: as, to believe in sea bathing, or in abstinence from alcoholic beverages.
Faith
Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.
Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.
Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance
strong or unshakable belief in something, esp without proof or evidence
complete confidence or trust in a person, remedy, etc.
Mental acceptance of and confidence in a claim as truth without evidence supporting the claim.
A feeling or belief that something is true, real, or will happen.
A trust in the intentions or abilities of a person, object, or belief in spite of a lack of knowledge in the person, object, or belief.
Belief
Mental acceptance of a claim as truth regardless of supporting empirical evidence.
conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence
Trust
To place confidence in; to rely on
Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something
To rely on the truthfulness or accuracy of
To give credence to; to believe; to credit.
To hope confidently; to believe
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Trusting and Faithful
The Greek word pistos is a word that is translated into English as faithful, trustworthy, or believer. Pistos is similar to the verb pisteuo which means “to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust, to believe.” Faith does mean belief and trust. Today someone who is a believer isn't always thought to be faithful or trustworthy. By use of this word (pistos) God defines what we translate as "a believer" one in the same as someone who is faithful or trustworthy.
"He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)
The word pistos is an adjective. An adjective is a word that expresses an attribute of something. The words faithful & trustworthy are adjectives while the word believer is a noun.
One definition of pistos is used "of someone proven to be reliable and trustworthy in and by the execution of a given action." So someone who is faithful has not only confessed their faith in Jesus, but their life is also characterized as “faithful” to what God has declared.
I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Those who are faithful do place their faith in Christ but they are more than simply "believers." A believer trusts and has faith in what they believe is true. While a faithful person not only has trust and faith in what they believe is true but is also trustworthy and faithful to live by their beliefs. “Faithfulness” is a near synonym for “obedience.” The faithful accept God's truth and live in accordance with His commands (Want to know what God's will is? His commands are His will). Faithfulness to God is wrapped up in doing what He commands—that which pleases Him.
In 1 Corinthians 1:9 & 2 Corinthians 1:18 this same word (pistos) is used to declare that "God is faithful." As God makes us into His own character we become more and more faithful just as He is faithful.
"Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who calls you, is faithful and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
In closing we return to the verb pisteuo which again means "to believe, to trust, to have faith in." We return because this word is sometimes translated as the noun believer(s) also. When translated as believer(s) it should instead say "those who believe" or "those who trust." This may seem small but is worthy of note that scripture does not use a noun that means "believer." We have a verb, pisteuo, which focuses on the action of faith, trust, or belief. We have an adjective, pistos, which is used to describe someone who as trustworthy or faithful.
God does not use the word believer for His children. God says His children believe, trust, & have faith in Him. God calls those same children faithful and trustworthy because of their obedience to Him. Why is this significant? Because in terms of faith God does not give us a name to rest in (believer). Instead God wants us to actively have faith and for our character to be described as faithful. Our faith/belief/trust is not determined by a name we call ourselves but by our character that results from obeying Christ's commands. Truly faith without works is dead.
-
-
-
"He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)
The word pistos is an adjective. An adjective is a word that expresses an attribute of something. The words faithful & trustworthy are adjectives while the word believer is a noun.
One definition of pistos is used "of someone proven to be reliable and trustworthy in and by the execution of a given action." So someone who is faithful has not only confessed their faith in Jesus, but their life is also characterized as “faithful” to what God has declared.
I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Those who are faithful do place their faith in Christ but they are more than simply "believers." A believer trusts and has faith in what they believe is true. While a faithful person not only has trust and faith in what they believe is true but is also trustworthy and faithful to live by their beliefs. “Faithfulness” is a near synonym for “obedience.” The faithful accept God's truth and live in accordance with His commands (Want to know what God's will is? His commands are His will). Faithfulness to God is wrapped up in doing what He commands—that which pleases Him.
In 1 Corinthians 1:9 & 2 Corinthians 1:18 this same word (pistos) is used to declare that "God is faithful." As God makes us into His own character we become more and more faithful just as He is faithful.
"Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who calls you, is faithful and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
In closing we return to the verb pisteuo which again means "to believe, to trust, to have faith in." We return because this word is sometimes translated as the noun believer(s) also. When translated as believer(s) it should instead say "those who believe" or "those who trust." This may seem small but is worthy of note that scripture does not use a noun that means "believer." We have a verb, pisteuo, which focuses on the action of faith, trust, or belief. We have an adjective, pistos, which is used to describe someone who as trustworthy or faithful.
God does not use the word believer for His children. God says His children believe, trust, & have faith in Him. God calls those same children faithful and trustworthy because of their obedience to Him. Why is this significant? Because in terms of faith God does not give us a name to rest in (believer). Instead God wants us to actively have faith and for our character to be described as faithful. Our faith/belief/trust is not determined by a name we call ourselves but by our character that results from obeying Christ's commands. Truly faith without works is dead.
-
-
-
Detailed Grammatical Description
Greek adjectives can be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. The word believer is always a noun but the word faithful can be an adjective or a noun. I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Yes the faithful are "those who believe", "those who have faith," that meaning is inclusive within faithful. Believer is not a title or name God has given us. Faithful (one who has faith or one who is trustworthy) is the proper meaning of pistos & can be used with clarity as it's translation in all cases.
Greek verbs in the participle mood can also be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. An example would be if the Greek verb pisteuo, meaning trust or believe, were in the participle mood it would mean "one who believes/trusts" or "those who believe/trust." This is why some Greek verbs are translated into English nouns. The problem with translating the Greek verbs as English nouns is that the verbs denote action & have a tense and a voice. [The voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), the recipient of the action (passive voice), or ther performer and receiver of the action (middle voice)].
Let us take the English word driver, referring to one who drives a vehicle, as an example. As a noun driver is a name or a title. A person who is employed as a truck driver doesn't have to be driving a truck right now to be called a driver. If we use the verb drive as a participle meaning "one who drives" it can refer to a driver but the focus is on the action of driving. The tense indicates when the action of driving occurs. The tense could refer to the "one who drove" (past tense) or the "one who drives" (present tense), etc.
When the word believer is used as a title or name (a pure noun as it would appear to those reading the bible) one doesn't have to be presently believing or trusting to be identified. When the word believe/trust is in the participle mood & present tense it refers to "one who believes/trusts." In this case the one who believes/trusts is identified by present belief/trust and not by the name or title of "believer." The Greek verb pisteuo (believe/trust) is translated as believer(s) 4 times in many translations (Acts 4:32, Acts 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:10) in every case the verb's mood is participle.
Greek adjectives can be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. The word believer is always a noun but the word faithful can be an adjective or a noun. I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Yes the faithful are "those who believe", "those who have faith," that meaning is inclusive within faithful. Believer is not a title or name God has given us. Faithful (one who has faith or one who is trustworthy) is the proper meaning of pistos & can be used with clarity as it's translation in all cases.
Greek verbs in the participle mood can also be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. An example would be if the Greek verb pisteuo, meaning trust or believe, were in the participle mood it would mean "one who believes/trusts" or "those who believe/trust." This is why some Greek verbs are translated into English nouns. The problem with translating the Greek verbs as English nouns is that the verbs denote action & have a tense and a voice. [The voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), the recipient of the action (passive voice), or ther performer and receiver of the action (middle voice)].
Let us take the English word driver, referring to one who drives a vehicle, as an example. As a noun driver is a name or a title. A person who is employed as a truck driver doesn't have to be driving a truck right now to be called a driver. If we use the verb drive as a participle meaning "one who drives" it can refer to a driver but the focus is on the action of driving. The tense indicates when the action of driving occurs. The tense could refer to the "one who drove" (past tense) or the "one who drives" (present tense), etc.
When the word believer is used as a title or name (a pure noun as it would appear to those reading the bible) one doesn't have to be presently believing or trusting to be identified. When the word believe/trust is in the participle mood & present tense it refers to "one who believes/trusts." In this case the one who believes/trusts is identified by present belief/trust and not by the name or title of "believer." The Greek verb pisteuo (believe/trust) is translated as believer(s) 4 times in many translations (Acts 4:32, Acts 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:10) in every case the verb's mood is participle.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Which one is the great commission?
Go therefore and build church buildings in all nations, telling them to come, & leading them in the sinner's prayer. And surely I will be with you at the rapture.
OR
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Questions I have received concerning this.
What do you think is a good way to encourage and challenge our brothers and sisters to do so?
OR
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Questions I have received concerning this.
What do you think is a good way to encourage and challenge our brothers and sisters to do so?
Teaching scripture concerning it is good for those who accept and act upon it's validity. But the main way would be to actually make disciples spend time and pour God's truth into our brothers and sisters. To make disciples is to lead them to Christ (if necessary) & teach them to treasure all the things of the person of Christ. The heart of disciple making is to know God loves you and to be His disciple, then anything Christlike God has put in you put into others as the Spirit leads.
What's wrong with planting churches?
In the sense of the goal being to have a church building that people come to, Jesus never commanded it. He commanded us to make disciples, if we aren't doing that we shouldn't be wasting our time doing things He didn't command. Those things aren't as effective for His kingdom as what He did command.
What's wrong with spreading the gospel to other nations?
Spreading the gospel is included in discipleship. Evangelism is step one in discipleship. Baptism comes right after conversion (see when people are baptised in Acts)."baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit"
People generally need to be Christians or at least seeking in order for them to be disciples...
True, someone must be a Christian in order to be a disciple of Christ.To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." -John 8:31-32
Telling people to come to church & leading them in the sinner's prayer often creates false or perpetual baby Christians because no one ever teaches them how God loves them. They just hear sermons and teaching that can be over their head and are primarily one way lectures.
I ask you this,
Which is better?
To plant a church that people come to once a week
To plant God's Word (Jesus) in someone's heart who will go out with God's Word and spread it
Revised 10/31/11& 5/9/14
Friday, October 9, 2009
Arguing
When Discussing am I doing it to..
- present truth
- defend truth
- clarify truth
- learn truth
- correct falsehoods
- "Jesus died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves but to Him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Corinthians 5:15)
- “Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (Romans 15:2)
- “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
- "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works .. encourage one another" (Hebrews 10:24)
- "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the good news of Christ." (Philippians 1:27)
- God said to Job, "Would you indeed annul my justice? Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?" (Job 40:8)
- Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. (2 Timothy 2:23-24)
- Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. (Titus 3:9)
- Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. (2 Timothy 2:14)
- Command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work—which is by trust. (1 Timothy 1:3-4)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)