This post host some good and vital tools for studying the Bible. If you have any questions regarding these tools feel free to contact me. I have or do use all these tools in by personal Bible studies and sermon preparation.
Tools:
1. Study Bibles: NET Translation (http://www.bible.org/netbible/index.htm)
2. Concordances: Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the New Testament; Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the Old Testament; Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance; The Greek-English Concordance to the New Testament (John R. Kohlenberger III, Edward W. Goodrick and James A. Swanson) (Goodrick / Kohlenberger Numbering); Note: Be sure to have a concordance which fits with your translation.
3. Bible Dictionaries: Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary; The Anchor Bible Dictionary
4. Handbooks: Hayford’s Bible Handbook
5. Encyclopedia: The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
6. Word Study: Theological Dictionary of the New Testament; Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament
7. Lexicons: Bauer Lexicon (Greek),
8. Commentaries: Word Biblical Commentary Series; New International Commentary on the New Testament Series; Old International Commentary on the New Testament Series; NIV Application Commentary Series.
9. Computer Programs: Esword; Libronix Digital Library; Logos Bible Software; Bibleworks 7.0
10. Internet Resources: www.ntgateway.com; www.bible.net; www.blueletterbible.com; www.biblegateway.com
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
How To Study the Bible, PT2 - Bible Translations
Versions of the Bible:
It is important to note the type of translation to use when reading and studying the Bible. Literal translations are word for word. That is, word of the original language for word of translated language.
The dynamic equivalence are thought for thought translations. This means that the translators have already preformed some of the hermeneutical process. However, it is still prudent when using these translations to do the proper discipline of study.
Paraphrases is a different “kettle of fish”. They are a person’s commentary with scripture or scripture written in the author’s own words. These should only be used as supplemental and not treated as God’s Holy Word.
It is important to note the type of translation to use when reading and studying the Bible. Literal translations are word for word. That is, word of the original language for word of translated language.
The dynamic equivalence are thought for thought translations. This means that the translators have already preformed some of the hermeneutical process. However, it is still prudent when using these translations to do the proper discipline of study.
Paraphrases is a different “kettle of fish”. They are a person’s commentary with scripture or scripture written in the author’s own words. These should only be used as supplemental and not treated as God’s Holy Word.
THE CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION (CEV)Reading Level: Grade 5.6
The Contemporary English Version (New Testament, 1991, full Bible, 1995) "was begun in 1984 by the American Bible Society. The mandate for the ABS translation team was to craft a translation that was biblically accurate, reader friendly, and understandable— even for first-time Bible readers. Among special concerns were ease of reading without sounding 'childish,' comprehensibility when read aloud, modern formatting, quality of style, and literary value. An international, interdenominational group of over 100, including translators, English language experts, and biblical authorities [comprised] the CEV translation team" (Thomas Nelson brochure). In general, it employs natural and uncomplicated English.
GOD'S WORD
In 1936, Dr. William F. Beck "started the task of diligently searching and studying the best available manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments in the original languages. ... Once he accurately comprehended the text, he made every effort to express its meaning in a way that communicated God's thoughts in an unambiguous and easy-to-understand form.
"Beck's aim was accuracy of meaning and the absolutely clear expression of that meaning for all the English readers of his day. ... But language tends to change even within the lifetime of translators. ... It has now been over 50 years since Beck began his ... work. ... But already in 1978 the question had arisen: should Beck's translation just remain a pioneer effort or is it worthy of an updated revision? A team of Bible scholars and pastors felt that the above-mentioned translation was worth the hours of time needed to revise it in order to produce a superior product. Thorough revision/translation work began in 1982" (from the Preface to God's Word to the Nations: New Testament). The first edition appeared in 1988, with minor revisions in 1989 and 1990. "God's Word" has yet to receive broad recognition or be widely distributed.
THE KING JAMES VERSION (KJV)Reading Level: Grade 12
This, the most famous of English versions, is named after King James I of England who initiated the work. It is basically a revision of previous translations: Tyndale's, Coverdale's, the Great Bible and the Geneva Bible. Over fifty scholars worked on the project, which started in 1607. It was finished in 1611.
"The King James Version, known in England as the Authorized Version because it was authorized by the king, has become an enduring monument of English prose because of its gracious style, majestic language, and poetic rhythms. No other book has had such a tremendous influence on English literature." (Comfort, pp. 48-49)
However, the KJV translators had access to only a few ancient manuscripts. Since their day many older manuscripts have been discovered, resulting in a more reliable Greek and Hebrew text. In addition, many words in the KJV are now obscure; others cannot be traced back to the most reliable manuscripts. While IBS is glad to provide the historic KJV, we feel the NIV/TNIV is both more accurate and more readable for today's audience.
THE LIVING BIBLE (LB)Reading Level: Grade 8.3
"In 1962 Kenneth Taylor published a paraphrase of the New Testament Epistles. ... The entire Living Bible was published in 1971. .. Using the American Standard Version as his working text, Taylor rephrased the Bible into modern speech—such that anyone, even a child, could understand the message of the original writers. In the preface to The Living Bible Taylor explains his view of paraphrasing:
'... to say as exactly as possible what the writers of the Scriptures meant, and to say it simply, expanding where necessary for a clear understanding by the modern reader.'
THE MESSAGE (TM)Reading Level: Grade 8.5
The Message, published in 1993 by NavPress, is a free, highly colloquial and interpretive translation/paraphrase of the New Testament by Eugene H. Peterson. An earlier form of the book of Galatians appeared in 1988 under the title Traveling Light.
"This version of the New Testament in a contemporary idiom keeps the language of the Message current and fresh and understandable in the same language in which we do our shopping, talk with our friends, worry about world affairs, and teach our children their table manners. The goal is not to render a word-for-word conversion of Greek into English, but rather to convert the tone, the rhythm, the events, the ideas, into the way we actually think and speak" (from the Introduction).
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE (NAB)Reading Level: Grade 6.6
"The first American Catholic Bible to be translated from the original languages is The New American Bible (not to be confused with the New American Standard Bible). Although this translation was first published in 1970, it was updated in 1991. The New American Bible has short introductions to each book of the Bible and very few marginal notes. Kubo and Specht provide this description of the translation:
'The translation ... is simple, clear, and straightforward and reads very smoothly. It is good American English, not as pungent and colorful as the N.E.B. [New English Bible]. Its translations are not striking but neither are they clumsy. They seem to be more conservative in the sense that they tend not to stray from the original' [p. 165, Kubo and Specht, So Many Versions?). "
(Comfort, p. 82-82)
THE NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (NASB)Reading Level: Grade 11
"The Lockman Foundation, a nonprofit Christian corporation committed to evangelism ... organized a team of thirty-two scholars to prepare a new revision [of the American Standard Version of 1901]. These scholars ... strove to produce a literal translation ... in the belief that such a translation 'brings the contemporary reader as close as possible to the actual wording and grammatical structure of the original writers' "' [from the preface].
"After the New American Standard Bible was published (in 1963 for the New Testament and 1971 for the entire Bible), it received a mixed response. Some critics applauded its literal accuracy, while other sharply criticized its language for hardly being contemporary or modern.
"On the whole, the New American Standard Bible became respected as a good study Bible that accurately reflects the wording of the original languages yet is not a good translation for Bible reading" (Comfort, pp. 77-78).
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL READER'S VERSION (NIrV)Reading Level: Grade 3.5
The New International Reader's Version (NIrV, 1996) "is a new Bible version developed to enable early readers to understand God's message. Begun in 1992 and co-sponsored by the International Bible Society and Zondervan Publishing House, the New International Reader's Version is a simplification of the New International Version (NIV), today's most popular translation of the Bible. " (from the NIrV "Sample Booklet").
The NIrV was designed to make the Bible clear and understandable to early readers, and can be read by a typical fourth grader. For this reason, it is also of value to the millions for whom English is a second language. It intends to be distinguished by five fundamental characteristics—readability, understandability, compatibility with the NIV, reliability and trustworthiness. It serves as a natural stepping-stone to the NIV when the time is right.
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)
Reading Level: Grade 7.8
"The New International Version is a completely new rendering of the original languages done by an international group of more than a hundred scholars. These scholars worked many years and in several committees to produce an excellent thought-for-thought translation in contemporary English for private and public use. ...
"The translators of the New International Version sought to make a version that was midway between a literal rendering (as in the New American Standard Bible) and a free paraphrase (as in The Living Bible). Their goal was to convey in English the thought of the original writers. ... The New Testament of the New International Version was published in 1973, and the entire Bible, in 1978. This version has been phenomenally successful. Millions and millions of readers have adopted the New International Version as their 'Bible.' Since 1987 it has outsold the King James Version, the best-seller for centuries—a remarkable indication of its popularity and acceptance in the Christian community. The New International Version, sponsored by the [International] Bible Society, ... has become a standard version used for private reading and pulpit reading in many English-speaking countries" (Comfort, pp. 79-81).
THE JERUSALEM BIBLE (JB)
"The first complete Catholic Bible to be translated from the original languages is The Jerusalem Bible, published in England in 1966. ...This Bible, which includes the Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical books, contains many study helps—such as introductions to each book of the Bible, extensive notes on various passages, and maps. The study helps are an intricate part of the whole translation because it is the belief of Roman Catholic leadership that laypeople should be given interpretive helps in their reading of the sacred text. The study helps in The Jerusalem Bible were translated from the French, whereas the Bible text itself was translated from the original languages. ... The translation of the text ... is considerably freer than other translations, such as the Revised Standard Version, because the translators sought to capture the meaning of the original writings in a 'vigorous, contemporary literary style'" [from the preface] (Comfort, pp. 81-82).
THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION (NKJV)
Reading Level: Grade 8.5
The New King James Version (1982) is a revision of the King James Version, called for primarily due to the same reasons given for the New Revised Standard Version. It retains the elegant literary style of the KJV, but is easier to read.
THE NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT)Reading Level: Grade 6.3
The New Living Translation (Tyndale, 1996, 2004) is a "thorough revision" of The Living Bible. "More than ninety scholars from various theological backgrounds and denominations [were involved] ... with the goal that it be exegetically accurate and idiomatically powerful.
"Most significantly, the New Living Translation is not a paraphrase but a translation. Every verse has been carefully compared to the most reliable editions of the Hebrew and Greek texts in an effort to make a translation that accurately conveys the meaning of the original texts" (from the Preface to the review copy of Romans).
THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION (NRSV)Reading Level: Grade 8.1 (but Zondervan says it's actually 10.)
"The New Revised Standard Version [was] published in 1990. ... In the preface to this revision, Bruce Metzger, chair-person of the revision committee, wrote:
'The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible is an authorized revision of the Revised Standard Version, published in 1952, which is a revision of the American Standard Version, published in 1901. ... The need for issuing a revision of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible arises from three circumstances: (a) the acquisition of still older biblical manuscripts, (b) further investigation of linguistic features of the text, and (c) changes in preferred English usage' (Comfort, p. 85).
THE REVISED ENGLISH BIBLE (REB)
" (1989) ... is a radical revision of the New English Bible" (Comfort, p. 85).
THE REVISED STANDARD VERSION (RSV)
Reading Level: 12
"The organization that held the copyright to the American Standard Version ... authorized a new revision in 1937. "The New Testament was published in 1946; and the entire Bible with the Old Testament, in 1952.
"The principles of the revision were specified in the preface to the Revised Standard Version: 'The Revised Standard Version is not a new translation in the language of today. It is not a paraphrase which aims at striking idioms. It is a revision which seeks to preserve all that is best in the English Bible as it has been known and used throughout the years.
"This revision was well received by many Protestant Churches and soon became their 'standard' text. ... Evangelical and fundamental Christians, however, did not receive the Revised Standard Version very well—primarily because of one verse, Isaiah 7:14...." (Comfort, pp. 66-67). The RSV has now been replaced by the NRSV.
Comfort, Philip W., The Complete Guide to Bible Versions. Wheaton: Tyndale, 1991. Kubo and Specht, So Many Versions? Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.
NEW ENGLISH VERSION (NET)
Reading Level: NA
The NET was commissioned to be offered for free by way of the internet. The commissioner wanted to make available and good translation that anyone could access. The NET Bible can be found online at www.bible.org. The website contains great resources for Bible study which are easy to use along with the NET translation. Today, the NET is available in print.
ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (ESV)
Reading Level: 10
The ESV is a new literal translation that is highly acclaimed by top scholars. This translation brings a solid word for word translation which is imperative for Bible Study.
AMPLIFIED VERSION (AMP)
Reading Level: 8
The AMP is a great word for word translation. The AMP includes words in brackets which are other words which could be used. This greatly helps biblical understanding.
The Contemporary English Version (New Testament, 1991, full Bible, 1995) "was begun in 1984 by the American Bible Society. The mandate for the ABS translation team was to craft a translation that was biblically accurate, reader friendly, and understandable— even for first-time Bible readers. Among special concerns were ease of reading without sounding 'childish,' comprehensibility when read aloud, modern formatting, quality of style, and literary value. An international, interdenominational group of over 100, including translators, English language experts, and biblical authorities [comprised] the CEV translation team" (Thomas Nelson brochure). In general, it employs natural and uncomplicated English.
GOD'S WORD
In 1936, Dr. William F. Beck "started the task of diligently searching and studying the best available manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments in the original languages. ... Once he accurately comprehended the text, he made every effort to express its meaning in a way that communicated God's thoughts in an unambiguous and easy-to-understand form.
"Beck's aim was accuracy of meaning and the absolutely clear expression of that meaning for all the English readers of his day. ... But language tends to change even within the lifetime of translators. ... It has now been over 50 years since Beck began his ... work. ... But already in 1978 the question had arisen: should Beck's translation just remain a pioneer effort or is it worthy of an updated revision? A team of Bible scholars and pastors felt that the above-mentioned translation was worth the hours of time needed to revise it in order to produce a superior product. Thorough revision/translation work began in 1982" (from the Preface to God's Word to the Nations: New Testament). The first edition appeared in 1988, with minor revisions in 1989 and 1990. "God's Word" has yet to receive broad recognition or be widely distributed.
THE KING JAMES VERSION (KJV)Reading Level: Grade 12
This, the most famous of English versions, is named after King James I of England who initiated the work. It is basically a revision of previous translations: Tyndale's, Coverdale's, the Great Bible and the Geneva Bible. Over fifty scholars worked on the project, which started in 1607. It was finished in 1611.
"The King James Version, known in England as the Authorized Version because it was authorized by the king, has become an enduring monument of English prose because of its gracious style, majestic language, and poetic rhythms. No other book has had such a tremendous influence on English literature." (Comfort, pp. 48-49)
However, the KJV translators had access to only a few ancient manuscripts. Since their day many older manuscripts have been discovered, resulting in a more reliable Greek and Hebrew text. In addition, many words in the KJV are now obscure; others cannot be traced back to the most reliable manuscripts. While IBS is glad to provide the historic KJV, we feel the NIV/TNIV is both more accurate and more readable for today's audience.
THE LIVING BIBLE (LB)Reading Level: Grade 8.3
"In 1962 Kenneth Taylor published a paraphrase of the New Testament Epistles. ... The entire Living Bible was published in 1971. .. Using the American Standard Version as his working text, Taylor rephrased the Bible into modern speech—such that anyone, even a child, could understand the message of the original writers. In the preface to The Living Bible Taylor explains his view of paraphrasing:
'... to say as exactly as possible what the writers of the Scriptures meant, and to say it simply, expanding where necessary for a clear understanding by the modern reader.'
THE MESSAGE (TM)Reading Level: Grade 8.5
The Message, published in 1993 by NavPress, is a free, highly colloquial and interpretive translation/paraphrase of the New Testament by Eugene H. Peterson. An earlier form of the book of Galatians appeared in 1988 under the title Traveling Light.
"This version of the New Testament in a contemporary idiom keeps the language of the Message current and fresh and understandable in the same language in which we do our shopping, talk with our friends, worry about world affairs, and teach our children their table manners. The goal is not to render a word-for-word conversion of Greek into English, but rather to convert the tone, the rhythm, the events, the ideas, into the way we actually think and speak" (from the Introduction).
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE (NAB)Reading Level: Grade 6.6
"The first American Catholic Bible to be translated from the original languages is The New American Bible (not to be confused with the New American Standard Bible). Although this translation was first published in 1970, it was updated in 1991. The New American Bible has short introductions to each book of the Bible and very few marginal notes. Kubo and Specht provide this description of the translation:
'The translation ... is simple, clear, and straightforward and reads very smoothly. It is good American English, not as pungent and colorful as the N.E.B. [New English Bible]. Its translations are not striking but neither are they clumsy. They seem to be more conservative in the sense that they tend not to stray from the original' [p. 165, Kubo and Specht, So Many Versions?). "
(Comfort, p. 82-82)
THE NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (NASB)Reading Level: Grade 11
"The Lockman Foundation, a nonprofit Christian corporation committed to evangelism ... organized a team of thirty-two scholars to prepare a new revision [of the American Standard Version of 1901]. These scholars ... strove to produce a literal translation ... in the belief that such a translation 'brings the contemporary reader as close as possible to the actual wording and grammatical structure of the original writers' "' [from the preface].
"After the New American Standard Bible was published (in 1963 for the New Testament and 1971 for the entire Bible), it received a mixed response. Some critics applauded its literal accuracy, while other sharply criticized its language for hardly being contemporary or modern.
"On the whole, the New American Standard Bible became respected as a good study Bible that accurately reflects the wording of the original languages yet is not a good translation for Bible reading" (Comfort, pp. 77-78).
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL READER'S VERSION (NIrV)Reading Level: Grade 3.5
The New International Reader's Version (NIrV, 1996) "is a new Bible version developed to enable early readers to understand God's message. Begun in 1992 and co-sponsored by the International Bible Society and Zondervan Publishing House, the New International Reader's Version is a simplification of the New International Version (NIV), today's most popular translation of the Bible. " (from the NIrV "Sample Booklet").
The NIrV was designed to make the Bible clear and understandable to early readers, and can be read by a typical fourth grader. For this reason, it is also of value to the millions for whom English is a second language. It intends to be distinguished by five fundamental characteristics—readability, understandability, compatibility with the NIV, reliability and trustworthiness. It serves as a natural stepping-stone to the NIV when the time is right.
THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV)
Reading Level: Grade 7.8
"The New International Version is a completely new rendering of the original languages done by an international group of more than a hundred scholars. These scholars worked many years and in several committees to produce an excellent thought-for-thought translation in contemporary English for private and public use. ...
"The translators of the New International Version sought to make a version that was midway between a literal rendering (as in the New American Standard Bible) and a free paraphrase (as in The Living Bible). Their goal was to convey in English the thought of the original writers. ... The New Testament of the New International Version was published in 1973, and the entire Bible, in 1978. This version has been phenomenally successful. Millions and millions of readers have adopted the New International Version as their 'Bible.' Since 1987 it has outsold the King James Version, the best-seller for centuries—a remarkable indication of its popularity and acceptance in the Christian community. The New International Version, sponsored by the [International] Bible Society, ... has become a standard version used for private reading and pulpit reading in many English-speaking countries" (Comfort, pp. 79-81).
THE JERUSALEM BIBLE (JB)
"The first complete Catholic Bible to be translated from the original languages is The Jerusalem Bible, published in England in 1966. ...This Bible, which includes the Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical books, contains many study helps—such as introductions to each book of the Bible, extensive notes on various passages, and maps. The study helps are an intricate part of the whole translation because it is the belief of Roman Catholic leadership that laypeople should be given interpretive helps in their reading of the sacred text. The study helps in The Jerusalem Bible were translated from the French, whereas the Bible text itself was translated from the original languages. ... The translation of the text ... is considerably freer than other translations, such as the Revised Standard Version, because the translators sought to capture the meaning of the original writings in a 'vigorous, contemporary literary style'" [from the preface] (Comfort, pp. 81-82).
THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION (NKJV)
Reading Level: Grade 8.5
The New King James Version (1982) is a revision of the King James Version, called for primarily due to the same reasons given for the New Revised Standard Version. It retains the elegant literary style of the KJV, but is easier to read.
THE NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT)Reading Level: Grade 6.3
The New Living Translation (Tyndale, 1996, 2004) is a "thorough revision" of The Living Bible. "More than ninety scholars from various theological backgrounds and denominations [were involved] ... with the goal that it be exegetically accurate and idiomatically powerful.
"Most significantly, the New Living Translation is not a paraphrase but a translation. Every verse has been carefully compared to the most reliable editions of the Hebrew and Greek texts in an effort to make a translation that accurately conveys the meaning of the original texts" (from the Preface to the review copy of Romans).
THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION (NRSV)Reading Level: Grade 8.1 (but Zondervan says it's actually 10.)
"The New Revised Standard Version [was] published in 1990. ... In the preface to this revision, Bruce Metzger, chair-person of the revision committee, wrote:
'The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible is an authorized revision of the Revised Standard Version, published in 1952, which is a revision of the American Standard Version, published in 1901. ... The need for issuing a revision of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible arises from three circumstances: (a) the acquisition of still older biblical manuscripts, (b) further investigation of linguistic features of the text, and (c) changes in preferred English usage' (Comfort, p. 85).
THE REVISED ENGLISH BIBLE (REB)
" (1989) ... is a radical revision of the New English Bible" (Comfort, p. 85).
THE REVISED STANDARD VERSION (RSV)
Reading Level: 12
"The organization that held the copyright to the American Standard Version ... authorized a new revision in 1937. "The New Testament was published in 1946; and the entire Bible with the Old Testament, in 1952.
"The principles of the revision were specified in the preface to the Revised Standard Version: 'The Revised Standard Version is not a new translation in the language of today. It is not a paraphrase which aims at striking idioms. It is a revision which seeks to preserve all that is best in the English Bible as it has been known and used throughout the years.
"This revision was well received by many Protestant Churches and soon became their 'standard' text. ... Evangelical and fundamental Christians, however, did not receive the Revised Standard Version very well—primarily because of one verse, Isaiah 7:14...." (Comfort, pp. 66-67). The RSV has now been replaced by the NRSV.
Comfort, Philip W., The Complete Guide to Bible Versions. Wheaton: Tyndale, 1991. Kubo and Specht, So Many Versions? Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983.
NEW ENGLISH VERSION (NET)
Reading Level: NA
The NET was commissioned to be offered for free by way of the internet. The commissioner wanted to make available and good translation that anyone could access. The NET Bible can be found online at www.bible.org. The website contains great resources for Bible study which are easy to use along with the NET translation. Today, the NET is available in print.
ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (ESV)
Reading Level: 10
The ESV is a new literal translation that is highly acclaimed by top scholars. This translation brings a solid word for word translation which is imperative for Bible Study.
AMPLIFIED VERSION (AMP)
Reading Level: 8
The AMP is a great word for word translation. The AMP includes words in brackets which are other words which could be used. This greatly helps biblical understanding.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
How To Study the Bible, PT1
The average Christian along with most non-Christians do not know how to properly study the Word of God. So over the next couple of posts I want to give some notes on how to properly study the Bible. Before I start, I want to recommend a great resource called, "Herman Who?" by Todd Friel. This DVD goes through this process of Biblical interpretation.
Now before we look at who to study the Bible we must first answer two questions:
Why Should We Study God’s Word?
To keep our ways pure and to be in right relationship with God.
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:9-16, ESV)
Why should we learn how to study the Bible.
To properly use the scriptures.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV)
What is Hermeneutics?
The Science and art of Biblical interpretation
Hermeneutical Rules:
Now here are the hermeneutical rules we use for proper Biblical study. These same rules can be used for any type of liturature because they are rules which help to properly understand any writing.
1. A text cannot mean what it never meant to its author or his or her readers.
2. Whenever we share comparable particulars (i.e. similar specific life situations) with the first-century setting, God’s Word to us is the same as His Word to them.
3. One should first distinguish between the central core of the message of the Bible and what is dependant upon or peripheral to it.
4. One should be prepared to distinguish between what the New Testament itself sees as inherently moral and what is not.
5. One must make special note of items where the New Testament itself has a uniform and consistent witness and where it reflects differences.
6. It is important to be able to distinguish within the New Testament itself between principle and specific application.
7. Determine the cultural options open to any New Testament writer.
8. One must alert to possible cultural differences between the first-century and the current time that are sometimes not immediately obvious.
The Process
Now here is how we do the process of Hermeneutics
1. Literary context - Context, Context, Context… Context is everything!
The intended meaning of any passage is the meaning that is consistent with the sense of the literary context in which it occurs.
2. Context provides flow-of-thought
3. Context provides accurate meaning of words
4. Context Delineates correct relationships among units
5. Circles of context
6. Immediate context
a. Book context
b. Author’s corpus of writings context
c. The pertinent testament context
d. The Bible context
e. Historical-cultural background
7. Explore the general background of the book
8. Examine the Historical-Cultural Factors of a specific passage
9. Word Meanings: What did the word mean then and in that culture
10. Do a word study
a. Select word(s) that require detailed analysis
b. Determine the Range of meaning for the word
c. Select the meaning that best fits the context
11. Grammatical relationships: To understand the meaning of any statement one must understand how words, phrases, sentences and paragraph units interact. Note: This is used when looking at the original language.
12. Natural division(s)
Other Considerations
There are a few other things to consider when interpreting the Bible
Literary genre:
Remember, this does not necessitate the degree of literal or allegory reading, but is important to consider.
1. Prose
2. Narrative
3. Poetry
4. Law
5. Prophesy
6. Wisdom
Interpretive Styles
This is one area that one must be very careful when interpreting the scripture. There has been many times where people have considered parts of text as figurative when it was literal. One such example is Genesis 1-11. Theistic evolutionists love to treat this passage as figurative, but they make a grave error; it is literal.
1. Literal
2. Figurative/Symbolic
Simplified Steps
1. Read the context
2. Check another version
3. Word Study
4. Seek commentaries and other tools
5. Check original language
6. Seek help from spiritual leader (i.e. Pastor, Bible College Professor, Experts)
Next post will deal with translations of the Bible.
Now before we look at who to study the Bible we must first answer two questions:
Why Should We Study God’s Word?
To keep our ways pure and to be in right relationship with God.
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:9-16, ESV)
Why should we learn how to study the Bible.
To properly use the scriptures.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15, ESV)
What is Hermeneutics?
The Science and art of Biblical interpretation
Hermeneutical Rules:
Now here are the hermeneutical rules we use for proper Biblical study. These same rules can be used for any type of liturature because they are rules which help to properly understand any writing.
1. A text cannot mean what it never meant to its author or his or her readers.
2. Whenever we share comparable particulars (i.e. similar specific life situations) with the first-century setting, God’s Word to us is the same as His Word to them.
3. One should first distinguish between the central core of the message of the Bible and what is dependant upon or peripheral to it.
4. One should be prepared to distinguish between what the New Testament itself sees as inherently moral and what is not.
5. One must make special note of items where the New Testament itself has a uniform and consistent witness and where it reflects differences.
6. It is important to be able to distinguish within the New Testament itself between principle and specific application.
7. Determine the cultural options open to any New Testament writer.
8. One must alert to possible cultural differences between the first-century and the current time that are sometimes not immediately obvious.
The Process
Now here is how we do the process of Hermeneutics
1. Literary context - Context, Context, Context… Context is everything!
The intended meaning of any passage is the meaning that is consistent with the sense of the literary context in which it occurs.
2. Context provides flow-of-thought
3. Context provides accurate meaning of words
4. Context Delineates correct relationships among units
5. Circles of context
6. Immediate context
a. Book context
b. Author’s corpus of writings context
c. The pertinent testament context
d. The Bible context
e. Historical-cultural background
7. Explore the general background of the book
8. Examine the Historical-Cultural Factors of a specific passage
9. Word Meanings: What did the word mean then and in that culture
10. Do a word study
a. Select word(s) that require detailed analysis
b. Determine the Range of meaning for the word
c. Select the meaning that best fits the context
11. Grammatical relationships: To understand the meaning of any statement one must understand how words, phrases, sentences and paragraph units interact. Note: This is used when looking at the original language.
12. Natural division(s)
Other Considerations
There are a few other things to consider when interpreting the Bible
Literary genre:
Remember, this does not necessitate the degree of literal or allegory reading, but is important to consider.
1. Prose
2. Narrative
3. Poetry
4. Law
5. Prophesy
6. Wisdom
Interpretive Styles
This is one area that one must be very careful when interpreting the scripture. There has been many times where people have considered parts of text as figurative when it was literal. One such example is Genesis 1-11. Theistic evolutionists love to treat this passage as figurative, but they make a grave error; it is literal.
1. Literal
2. Figurative/Symbolic
Simplified Steps
1. Read the context
2. Check another version
3. Word Study
4. Seek commentaries and other tools
5. Check original language
6. Seek help from spiritual leader (i.e. Pastor, Bible College Professor, Experts)
Next post will deal with translations of the Bible.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Questions, Questions, Questions.
If you have a question about the Bible, Christianity and God I invite you to ask your questions in the comment sections of the post you are wanting understanding in. If you have a question to which I have not yet posted on please ask your questions in the comment section of this post. I welcome all questions and will do my best to answer any question which seek to understand and know God.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
What does the Church believe?
This question can be both simple and complicated all at the same time. It all depends upon the tradition of the church/denomination. To keep to the simply side one could ask the question what is essential for the church to believe to be considered a Christian church. One could even ask the same question of the individual believer: What is essential for a Christian to believe? First off we must be careful to not miss use the scriptures because if we do miss use the scriptures we are in danger of making up our own god which becomes idolatry thus breaking the first commandment to not have any other god before Him (Ex 20:3). So what are the essentials the Christian believes?
1. God has disclosed Himself through the written Word, the Bible (Jn1:1; 2 Tim 3:16; Rev 1:19).
2. The Scriptures were fully inspired and originated by God, hence being named, “The Word of God” (2 Pet 1:19-21).
3. The Scriptures are inerrant (without error) and believe the whole of Scripture (2 Sam 22:31; Pr 30:5).
4. God exists and existed before all of creation (Gen 1:1; Jn 1:1; Col 1:15-17; Rev 21:6).
5. God is eternal; without beginning or end (Gen 1:1; Gen 21:33; Duet 33:27; Jer 10:10; Is 9:6; Col 1:17; Rev 1:8; 22:13).
6. God is independent from all things and His creation is totally dependent upon Him (Jn 5:26; At 17:28; Col 1:17).
7. God is all powerful (2 Cor 4:7; Ps 21:13; 66:7; 106:8; 147:5; Rev 19:1).
8. God is always the same; He never changes; He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Heb 6:17-18; 13:8).
9. Lying is the only impossibility for God (Heb 6:18).
10. Believe in the unity of the trinity in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Gen 1:26; Mt 11:27; 28:19; Col 1:15; Jn 10:30; 14:26; RM 15:6; 1 Cor 2:10; 1 Pet 1:2).
11. God is not the author of sin, rather He created the possibility of sin to occur (Gen 3:1; Jos 24:15; Job 1:22; Ps 40:8; Mt 26:39; Jam 1:13-14).
12. Heaven and Hell do exist; Heaven is the eternal home of those who confess their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ. Hell is the eternal home for all those who reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (Rev 20:14-15; Rev 21:2).
13. All of human-kind are born into sin (Rom 3:10-12, 23; 5:12; Jn 2:5-7).
14. The ultimate consequence for sin is death and this final death is eternity in Hell (Eze 3:18; Matt 5:30; Rom 3:23).
15. In order for humans to escape the penalty of sin, sin must then be paid for and cleansed by blood (Heb 9:22). The penalty was paid for by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ through His death on the cross and His blood cleanses the sin of all who believe in Him. This is the only way to salvation and eternity in Heaven (Rom 6:4,23; Phil 2: 8; Heb 10:12,14).
These are essential to what the Church/Christian believes. There are several other things that the church/Christians believe that are not dependant upon salvation but are still important discussions. The key is within these non-essential conversations each Christian must realize that we must be seeking what God means and not what we believe. If our theology is wrong God may use other Christians to correct our theology. We must seek to be in complete agreement with the truth of God’s word and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in all truth.
1. God has disclosed Himself through the written Word, the Bible (Jn1:1; 2 Tim 3:16; Rev 1:19).
2. The Scriptures were fully inspired and originated by God, hence being named, “The Word of God” (2 Pet 1:19-21).
3. The Scriptures are inerrant (without error) and believe the whole of Scripture (2 Sam 22:31; Pr 30:5).
4. God exists and existed before all of creation (Gen 1:1; Jn 1:1; Col 1:15-17; Rev 21:6).
5. God is eternal; without beginning or end (Gen 1:1; Gen 21:33; Duet 33:27; Jer 10:10; Is 9:6; Col 1:17; Rev 1:8; 22:13).
6. God is independent from all things and His creation is totally dependent upon Him (Jn 5:26; At 17:28; Col 1:17).
7. God is all powerful (2 Cor 4:7; Ps 21:13; 66:7; 106:8; 147:5; Rev 19:1).
8. God is always the same; He never changes; He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow (Heb 6:17-18; 13:8).
9. Lying is the only impossibility for God (Heb 6:18).
10. Believe in the unity of the trinity in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Gen 1:26; Mt 11:27; 28:19; Col 1:15; Jn 10:30; 14:26; RM 15:6; 1 Cor 2:10; 1 Pet 1:2).
11. God is not the author of sin, rather He created the possibility of sin to occur (Gen 3:1; Jos 24:15; Job 1:22; Ps 40:8; Mt 26:39; Jam 1:13-14).
12. Heaven and Hell do exist; Heaven is the eternal home of those who confess their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ. Hell is the eternal home for all those who reject Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (Rev 20:14-15; Rev 21:2).
13. All of human-kind are born into sin (Rom 3:10-12, 23; 5:12; Jn 2:5-7).
14. The ultimate consequence for sin is death and this final death is eternity in Hell (Eze 3:18; Matt 5:30; Rom 3:23).
15. In order for humans to escape the penalty of sin, sin must then be paid for and cleansed by blood (Heb 9:22). The penalty was paid for by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ through His death on the cross and His blood cleanses the sin of all who believe in Him. This is the only way to salvation and eternity in Heaven (Rom 6:4,23; Phil 2: 8; Heb 10:12,14).
These are essential to what the Church/Christian believes. There are several other things that the church/Christians believe that are not dependant upon salvation but are still important discussions. The key is within these non-essential conversations each Christian must realize that we must be seeking what God means and not what we believe. If our theology is wrong God may use other Christians to correct our theology. We must seek to be in complete agreement with the truth of God’s word and allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in all truth.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The Marks of a Christian
What should a Christian look like?
The Beginning
The first part of the answer to this question is what has a person done to warrant the title “Christian.” The person will have first realized that they have broken God’s law, the ten commandments and confess their sin to God, asking for forgiveness and placing their faith in Him. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV) There is a second part which is attached to salvation, that being baptism. Now baptism does not save, but it is the first act of obedience a person is called to once they have become a Christian and is a part of becoming saved from sin and eternity in hell. Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk 16:16, ESV) Every Christian is expected to be baptized. It is a symbol of submitting to God. Then there is a third part, once a person is a Christian, having been baptized, the person is sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul writes, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” (Eph 1:13, ESV) These three speak to salvation and sealed in Christ.
Fruit of the Spirit
The next part of what a Christian looks like deals with character. Paul writes about the fruit of the Spirit. If a Christian is truly growing in their faith these characteristics should be evident in their lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23, ESV) This fruit is in them because they submit themselves to the Holy Spirit who instils this fruit into their lives. The Christian truly cannot do any good without the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power.
How a Christian Acts
This section deals with the actions of the Christian. First the Christian no longer sins intentionally. The Apostle Paul writes, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal 5:24, ESV) In addition to this the Christian is obedient to God. The Christian obeys the Ten commandments as well as the new Commandments Jesus Christ has given. Jesus commands are these: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mk 12:30-31, ESV) Another command Jesus gave all disciples before He ascended into heaven is, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20, ESV) For more on what Jesus has commanded the Christian read the New Testament.
The Christian’s Power
One cannot forget that the Christian’s power is not his/her own, it comes from Jesus Christ. But Jesus did say, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (Jn 14:12-14, ESV)
Other Signs that may follow the Christian
There are some other signs that may follow the Christian. Again, let us not forget that the Christian’s power comes form Jesus. Here are Jesus’ words, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mk 16:17-18, ESV)
This is a simplified look at what a Christian looks like.
Next post: What does the Christian church believe?
The Beginning
The first part of the answer to this question is what has a person done to warrant the title “Christian.” The person will have first realized that they have broken God’s law, the ten commandments and confess their sin to God, asking for forgiveness and placing their faith in Him. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV) There is a second part which is attached to salvation, that being baptism. Now baptism does not save, but it is the first act of obedience a person is called to once they have become a Christian and is a part of becoming saved from sin and eternity in hell. Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk 16:16, ESV) Every Christian is expected to be baptized. It is a symbol of submitting to God. Then there is a third part, once a person is a Christian, having been baptized, the person is sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul writes, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” (Eph 1:13, ESV) These three speak to salvation and sealed in Christ.
Fruit of the Spirit
The next part of what a Christian looks like deals with character. Paul writes about the fruit of the Spirit. If a Christian is truly growing in their faith these characteristics should be evident in their lives. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23, ESV) This fruit is in them because they submit themselves to the Holy Spirit who instils this fruit into their lives. The Christian truly cannot do any good without the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power.
How a Christian Acts
This section deals with the actions of the Christian. First the Christian no longer sins intentionally. The Apostle Paul writes, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal 5:24, ESV) In addition to this the Christian is obedient to God. The Christian obeys the Ten commandments as well as the new Commandments Jesus Christ has given. Jesus commands are these: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mk 12:30-31, ESV) Another command Jesus gave all disciples before He ascended into heaven is, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20, ESV) For more on what Jesus has commanded the Christian read the New Testament.
The Christian’s Power
One cannot forget that the Christian’s power is not his/her own, it comes from Jesus Christ. But Jesus did say, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (Jn 14:12-14, ESV)
Other Signs that may follow the Christian
There are some other signs that may follow the Christian. Again, let us not forget that the Christian’s power comes form Jesus. Here are Jesus’ words, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mk 16:17-18, ESV)
This is a simplified look at what a Christian looks like.
Next post: What does the Christian church believe?
Monday, July 28, 2008
Are You A Good Person?
Why would we need forgiveness of Sin if I am a good person?
We need forgiveness of sin because we are all under the law, God’s law. What is God’s Law? The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).
1. You shall have no other gods before me. (Idolatry)
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. (Idolatry)
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Blasphemy)
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Day of Rest and worship of God)
5. Honour your father and your mother (Obedience)
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. (Lying)
10. You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.
You believe you have kept these commandments? Do you believe yourself to be a good person? Let’s test whether you are a good person and kept the Ten Commandments.
1. Have you ever told a lie? Be honest!
What would you be called for telling a lie?... A Liar.
2. Have you ever stolen something? Be honest and remember, you just admitted to being a liar.
What would you be called for stealing?... A Thief.
3. Jesus says: “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt 5:28, English Standard Version) Have you ever looked at another person with lust?
4. Have you ever liked something someone owned and wanted it?
5. Have you ever used the Lord’s name in vain?
When you do this you are using God’s name to express disgust. You have blasphemed the God who created you.
6. The scriptures say: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15, ESV) Have you ever hated another person?
7. Have you ever disobeyed your parents?
Your answer for all of them most likely was a yes. Here is the thing, the scriptures say, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” (James 2:10) If you are guilty of breaking one law it is as if you broke all of the law. And on judgement day you will have to face God.
Will you be guilty or innocent of breaking God’s law? No excuses now. Excuses are not arguments for innocence. Remember God is a just God and justice will be done. The scriptures say, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23, ESV) Not some of sinned, ALL have sinned.
Were would you go: Heaven or hell? Jesus said: “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt 13:41-42, ESV) Let us use civil law as an example here. A man is found guilty of murdering another man. What must happen for justice to happen. He must be punished for his actions. The judge would not be just if he just let the guilty go free. The law would not be satisfied. No, the judge would pronounce judgement. Then the Law would be satisfied and justice proclaimed.
Does this concern you? It should!
This is why we need forgiveness for our sins.
What must I do to receive forgiveness of my sins? I’m glad you asked.
Now here is where God’s love and grace comes into play. Rom 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:23, ESV) There is a gift that Jesus offers freely; the gift of salvation. All you need to accept this gift. What is this gift of salvation. Let us go back to our court room scene. Now suppose a man comes into the court room and says “I will take this criminal’s place in jail.” The criminal is set free because the law is satisfied. The man has paid the criminals fine and is set free. This is what Jesus did by dying on the cross for our sins. You see, we deserve death for our sins, but Jesus died for our sins, in our place. He paid our fine.
What must we do to accept this free gift? The scriptures say: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Rom 10:9-10, ESV) First, we must confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. Secondly you must confess your sins to God. The scriptures say: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV)
Here is a sample prayer you may pray (Remember to mean this from your heart): “Lord Jesus, I believe that you are Lord and I believe in my heart that God the Father raised You from the dead so that my sins may be cleansed. I confess that I am a sinner and am in need of your grace to save me. Please forgive me my sins and take control of my life. Amen!
That’s it, welcome to the family of God. There are a few very important things you must to do grow in Christian maturity. First, sin no more. You are free from sin and so you need no longer sin. Second, go and get baptised. Baptism is our first act of obedience to God and shows that we are submitting ourselves to His Lordship. Third, find a church that preaches the Bible. Not one that talks about the Bible, but actually preaches from the Bible and explains what it means. Fourthly, find another Christian who is mature in their faith and encourage and disciple you in your new found faith. Fifthly, tell people who are not Christians what Jesus has done for you. You may even want to use this blog enter as example for how to share your new found faith and the gospel.
If you have made a decision to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour I encourage you to click onto my profile and email me to share with me the good news of your decision and so I can pray for you and encourage you. Blessings.
Next Post: The Marks of a Christian.
We need forgiveness of sin because we are all under the law, God’s law. What is God’s Law? The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).
1. You shall have no other gods before me. (Idolatry)
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them. (Idolatry)
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Blasphemy)
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Day of Rest and worship of God)
5. Honour your father and your mother (Obedience)
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. (Lying)
10. You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.
You believe you have kept these commandments? Do you believe yourself to be a good person? Let’s test whether you are a good person and kept the Ten Commandments.
1. Have you ever told a lie? Be honest!
What would you be called for telling a lie?... A Liar.
2. Have you ever stolen something? Be honest and remember, you just admitted to being a liar.
What would you be called for stealing?... A Thief.
3. Jesus says: “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt 5:28, English Standard Version) Have you ever looked at another person with lust?
4. Have you ever liked something someone owned and wanted it?
5. Have you ever used the Lord’s name in vain?
When you do this you are using God’s name to express disgust. You have blasphemed the God who created you.
6. The scriptures say: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15, ESV) Have you ever hated another person?
7. Have you ever disobeyed your parents?
Your answer for all of them most likely was a yes. Here is the thing, the scriptures say, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” (James 2:10) If you are guilty of breaking one law it is as if you broke all of the law. And on judgement day you will have to face God.
Will you be guilty or innocent of breaking God’s law? No excuses now. Excuses are not arguments for innocence. Remember God is a just God and justice will be done. The scriptures say, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23, ESV) Not some of sinned, ALL have sinned.
Were would you go: Heaven or hell? Jesus said: “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Mt 13:41-42, ESV) Let us use civil law as an example here. A man is found guilty of murdering another man. What must happen for justice to happen. He must be punished for his actions. The judge would not be just if he just let the guilty go free. The law would not be satisfied. No, the judge would pronounce judgement. Then the Law would be satisfied and justice proclaimed.
Does this concern you? It should!
This is why we need forgiveness for our sins.
What must I do to receive forgiveness of my sins? I’m glad you asked.
Now here is where God’s love and grace comes into play. Rom 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 6:23, ESV) There is a gift that Jesus offers freely; the gift of salvation. All you need to accept this gift. What is this gift of salvation. Let us go back to our court room scene. Now suppose a man comes into the court room and says “I will take this criminal’s place in jail.” The criminal is set free because the law is satisfied. The man has paid the criminals fine and is set free. This is what Jesus did by dying on the cross for our sins. You see, we deserve death for our sins, but Jesus died for our sins, in our place. He paid our fine.
What must we do to accept this free gift? The scriptures say: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Rom 10:9-10, ESV) First, we must confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. Secondly you must confess your sins to God. The scriptures say: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV)
Here is a sample prayer you may pray (Remember to mean this from your heart): “Lord Jesus, I believe that you are Lord and I believe in my heart that God the Father raised You from the dead so that my sins may be cleansed. I confess that I am a sinner and am in need of your grace to save me. Please forgive me my sins and take control of my life. Amen!
That’s it, welcome to the family of God. There are a few very important things you must to do grow in Christian maturity. First, sin no more. You are free from sin and so you need no longer sin. Second, go and get baptised. Baptism is our first act of obedience to God and shows that we are submitting ourselves to His Lordship. Third, find a church that preaches the Bible. Not one that talks about the Bible, but actually preaches from the Bible and explains what it means. Fourthly, find another Christian who is mature in their faith and encourage and disciple you in your new found faith. Fifthly, tell people who are not Christians what Jesus has done for you. You may even want to use this blog enter as example for how to share your new found faith and the gospel.
If you have made a decision to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour I encourage you to click onto my profile and email me to share with me the good news of your decision and so I can pray for you and encourage you. Blessings.
Next Post: The Marks of a Christian.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Is Sin Real?
What does it mean to sin? And is it real?
Sin is real, because it is God how invented the word and who determines what sin is. To help to understand what the word sin means we must go to the original Hebrew. The Hebrew word for sin is chata' (ajx) which means “to miss the mark”. Sin isn’t about breaking rules; it is about missing a standard that is set so as to have an open relationship free from actions and said words which builds walls between two people or beings. It is not only possible to sin against God but also against other people. However, to sin against God has the greatest of consequences. We should not sin against each other as it causes fractures between each other, but just as in human relationships sinning against God causes the greatest rift of all. Missing God’s mark separates us from God. It is what keeps us from having true fellowship with Him. The Bible talks frequently about how we must not sin against God. Here are some verses which speak to not sinning against God:
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." – Gen 4:7
Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous – Gen 18:20
Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." – Gen 42:22
maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." – Ex 34:7
He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction. – Prov 17:19
When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall. – Prov 19:16
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” - Rom 3:23
Here are some of the consequences of sin:
maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." – Ex 34:7
“For the wages of sin is death…” - Rom 6:23
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, - Ex 20:5
Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it. - Ex 29:36
When they become aware of the sin they committed, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the Tent of Meeting. – Lev 4:14
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. – Prov 14:34
Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. – Psa 38:3
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; - Psa 66:18
Here are some passages on if we repent of our sin:
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah – Psa 32:5
If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” - Rom 6:23
So sin is very real. Because of it's grave consequences it is something that we need to be freedfrom; it is something for which we need a Saviour.
Next post: Why do we need forgiveness of sin?
Sin is real, because it is God how invented the word and who determines what sin is. To help to understand what the word sin means we must go to the original Hebrew. The Hebrew word for sin is chata' (ajx) which means “to miss the mark”. Sin isn’t about breaking rules; it is about missing a standard that is set so as to have an open relationship free from actions and said words which builds walls between two people or beings. It is not only possible to sin against God but also against other people. However, to sin against God has the greatest of consequences. We should not sin against each other as it causes fractures between each other, but just as in human relationships sinning against God causes the greatest rift of all. Missing God’s mark separates us from God. It is what keeps us from having true fellowship with Him. The Bible talks frequently about how we must not sin against God. Here are some verses which speak to not sinning against God:
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." – Gen 4:7
Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous – Gen 18:20
Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." – Gen 42:22
maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." – Ex 34:7
He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction. – Prov 17:19
When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall. – Prov 19:16
“All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” - Rom 3:23
Here are some of the consequences of sin:
maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." – Ex 34:7
“For the wages of sin is death…” - Rom 6:23
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, - Ex 20:5
Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it. - Ex 29:36
When they become aware of the sin they committed, the assembly must bring a young bull as a sin offering and present it before the Tent of Meeting. – Lev 4:14
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. – Prov 14:34
Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. – Psa 38:3
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; - Psa 66:18
Here are some passages on if we repent of our sin:
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah – Psa 32:5
If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” - Rom 6:23
So sin is very real. Because of it's grave consequences it is something that we need to be freedfrom; it is something for which we need a Saviour.
Next post: Why do we need forgiveness of sin?
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