Cornerstone Bible Courses new thirteen unit course provides a detailed study of the five books known as the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. The course focuses on the backgrounds and messages of these books and provides many insights not gained by other methods of study. All materials for the course – including textbooks and lesson materials – are free and can be downloaded directly from the Cornerstone website. For those who desire it, a free personalized certificate of completion is also available after finishing the course and taking a short final test. This new course is now available here.
A New Free Certificate Course in the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament
Cornerstone Bible Courses new thirteen unit course provides a detailed study of the five books known as the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. The course focuses on the backgrounds and messages of these books and provides many insights not gained by other methods of study. All materials for the course – including textbooks and lesson materials – are free and can be downloaded directly from the Cornerstone website. For those who desire it, a free personalized certificate of completion is also available after finishing the course and taking a short final test. This new course is now available here. Most of us know what it feels like to finally accomplish something we have worked toward for a long time: a goal, a dream, a project to which we have dedicated time and energy. Even with relatively small-scale things, it can be a triumphant feeling. The larger the accomplishment, the greater are the emotions of triumph, thankfulness and deep happiness that come with accomplished plans and goals.
This feeling ties in to the story given in all of the four Gospels of the supreme sacrifice of the Son of God on behalf of humanity. That had surely been a project a long time in the planning – from before the world was even formed (1 Peter 1:20). It had been over thirty years of the physical life of Jesus in the actual making: growing, building, preparing, patiently working toward the eventual goal of the sacrifice itself. The sacrificial death of Christ is a somber and heart-wrenching thing to ponder, yet it seems more than likely that even as he perished in excruciating pain, there was for the Son of God a feeling of triumph and thankfulness at the very end. We know that even beyond the physical pain Jesus bore, because of the human sin he had taken upon himself, he endured the terrible feeling of being cut off from the Father – as can be seen in his almost final words: “Why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 – and see Psalm 22:1). But we must always remember these were not his final words. Putting the Gospel accounts together, we find that the last recorded words of Jesus – three small words in English translation, spoken directly before he died – show a much more positive ending to the story of the physical life of the Messiah. Those words, according to John, were simply: “It is finished!” (John 19:30). In the original Greek of the New Testament the expression is a single word (tetelestai), but the sense is certainly that of the three English words – “It is finished!” The positive nature of the expression becomes clear if we look at it closely. The Greek word tetelestai carries a number of related meanings. In the English New Testament it is translated as “finished” (as with a job), “fulfilled” (as with a purpose), “accomplished” (as with a task), “performed” (as with a command), “completed” (as with a goal), and in other similar ways. But the central idea in each case is a positive one. While it is natural for us, as we come to the end of the crucifixion story, to think of “it is finished” as a negative expression – we see it as a supremely sad ending, almost like an admission of defeat – nothing could be further from the truth. When we translate the word tetelestai in any of the other ways it could be rendered, the meaning is much clearer. “It is fulfilled!” “It is accomplished!” “It is performed!” “It is completed!” These are not three words of defeat, but three words of triumph! Despite the pain, the humiliation, and the anguish of his own impending death, the Son of God knew that he had succeeded – he had accomplished the very reason for his human life in a victory that would touch all human lives throughout all time. To that point in history no single event had accomplished so much good or incorporated such a victory. The last words of Jesus – “it is finished” – were surely the three most triumphant words ever spoken. They were equaled only by another three triumphant words spoken a few days later: “He has risen” (Matthew 28:6). The Triumph of Trust Ultimately, the lesson we can draw from the story of the last words of Jesus is one of trust. Jesus trusted God throughout his life and ministry and even throughout a slow and terrible death. He trusted that God was fulfilling his purpose when he was in pain, when he felt cut off from God, even as he felt his very life ebbing away. Far from being an expression of defeat, his words “it is finished” were the final and complete expression of his trust. The last words of Jesus were, in that sense, the fulfillment of a prophecy contained in the book of Isaiah: “The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen’” (Isaiah 14:24). When we see the final words of Jesus in context, with the sense they really convey, we can rejoice that they can – and will – apply to our lives also. Just as Job wrote of God “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:15), the last words of Jesus remind us that we too can trust that despite any and all appearances, whatever may happen in our lives, if we continue to trust God he will complete his purpose in us. That is a tremendous truth that can underlie our desire to follow in the steps of Jesus and to strive to learn lessons from his sonship, signs, sermons, service and sacrifice. Sometimes, as Christians, I think we need to remind ourselves that it is human to doubt. When we occasionally wonder if we are sure about some point of our faith – or even in extreme cases, about our faith itself – we may get caught up in concern about our doubts as much as in the doubt itself and effectively double our problems!
God’s word has something to say about this. It is clear that “untreated” doubts can erode our relationship with God, but a doubt is essentially no different from any other human weakness to be faced and worked on. We need to remind ourselves that the disciples often doubted (Luke 24:38) – even after Jesus’ resurrection: “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). The interesting thing is that in all these cases Christ gently asked his doubting disciples “Why do you doubt?” but never condemned them for it or said “You must not doubt!” – he knew that doubt was a part of life for fallible humans. The fact is, we all have doubts about many things in life and do not usually feel badly about that – only when our doubts come within the realm of our faith do we tend to feel that we are failing because of them. In his book Know Doubt (see our short review in the Book Reviews section), John Ortberg shows that doubt is actually a necessary part of growth. Our doubts are often based on lack of information and can prompt us to search for truth – in the long run actually strengthening our convictions. We can still trust despite our doubts, and God wants us to learn to trust him even when we may doubt the details. The Bible shows clearly that God can often continue to work with us despite our doubts. He did it with Peter (Matthew 14:22-33) and He can do it with us. God’s word expressly tells us to “Have mercy on those who doubt” (Jude 1:22), and He does not deal with us any differently. So how do we deal with the doubts that we get? First, we ask God to help us in that specific area. One of the best examples of this is the way in which the doubting father pleaded for help with his doubts and was rewarded by Christ. The father’s cry of “Help my unbelief” can be ours, and we can expect help in exactly the same way. In times of doubt it’s easy to make things more complicated for ourselves, however. We can tell ourselves that the doubting father was unconverted and did not fully know the truth – that we who know more should do better. Perhaps the best answer to this comes from the Bible itself, in the account of John the Baptist. While John was imprisoned and facing execution, he sent to Jesus to ask him if he really were the promised Messiah (Matthew 11). Rather than chastise John for his doubt, Jesus pointed to the miracles and signs that he was doing and thus to the answer to John’s doubt. But the important part of this story that we must not miss is that it was at that exact point in time – just as John had admitted his doubt – that Jesus told his disciples: “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11). It was at precisely the moment of John’s greatest doubt that Jesus called him the greatest among men. Clearly, God knows it is human to doubt and is willing and desirous to point us to the answers to our doubts. But like John, we must ask Him. “… we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure” (2 Thessalonians 1:4 NKJV).
The Bible often speaks of faith and patience in combination – prompting us to ask, “Can we have true faith without patience – or even true patience without faith?” The answer to these questions is found in understanding the relationship between the two qualities. Every Christian knows the importance of faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13), but sometimes we need to be reminded that these things are completely interrelated rather than existing in isolation. It is sometimes hard to see this, because different terms are often used, so we don’t always see the connection. An example is the way in which faith and patience interact. Biblically, patience is a form of hope. We see this fact in many scriptures: “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:25); “We remember … your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance [patience] inspired by hope …” (1 Thessalonians 1:3). But patience can mean different things in the Bible. For example, the Greek word makrothumia, often translated “longsuffering,” relates to patience with people, whereas the word upomone is generally patience with regard to things or circumstances. It is this patience with the circumstances and conditions in which we find ourselves that ties into faith – supporting it and being supported by it. Notice how the two qualities of faith and patience interact. Paul tells us: “… we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance [patience]” (Romans 5:3). James tells us “ … count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3 NKJV), and Peter elaborates: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that … your faith ... may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7). These scriptures, and many others, show us that two things occur when we suffer as Christians. On the one hand, the sufferings refine our faith making it better, stronger (mentioned by Peter). Sufferings also produce patience in us (mentioned by James and Paul). The two qualities are both needed to withstand problems. Faith without patience produces Christians who may start off well, but who eventually falter in their faith and fall away or burn out. On the other hand, patience without faith produces individuals who experience suffering but do not profit from it in the way God intends. It is to the degree that we employ both patience and faith in our suffering that we are strengthened and endure, and it is that endurance which is ultimately necessary to succeed in the Christian life (Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:13). Simply put, patience needs faith and faith needs patience. As the Book of Hebrews confirms, we need both qualities in our lives if we are to: “Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:12). Check out the NEW Tactical Christianity!
After seven years of operation, the original TacticalChristianity.org sister website has been completely remade! We are extremely happy to welcome you to the new site and know that you will find it even more helpful than it has been in the past. Our newly remade site features an improved layout, as well as navigation and search features that are a great advance over what the earlier site was able to offer. You will find that the page redesign also makes reading easier and more enjoyable. Perhaps the greatest difference you will find in our new website is the new Blog layout which now shows the blog post images and a short sample of text so you can get a better idea of which past blogs you might like to read. We would like to give a mention of special thanks to Anthony Joseph for his help in the new website design and production – we think he did a great job and are confident that you will think so, too. Enjoy the new site and what it has to offer here! SPOTLIGHT ON THE PROVERBS:
TIMELESS WISDOM FOR TODAY’S WORLD When it comes to wisdom, many Christians default to what the apostle James tell us: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God ... and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). But this does not mean that prayer has replaced study in the New Testament. The book of Proverbs remains a key way in which God does, in fact, give us wisdom – to the degree we study and internalize its principles! Our new e-book will open up your understanding of many of the proverbs, show you some surprising spiritual principles contained in the work, and enrich your knowledge of one of the most practical and helpful books of the Bible. You can download a free copy of Spotlight on the Proverbs in several formats for reading on computer, e-book reader, or smartphone (without having to register or give an email address) from the download page on our sister site, here. Acts 9 tells the story of the conversion of Saul, one of Christianity’s greatest early enemies, to Paul - one of the faith’s greatest servants. The chapter not only tells us that Saul was “breathing out murderous threats” against the early disciples, but also that he was hunting them down and conveying them to prison. As Saul neared Damascus, however, intending to hunt Christians in that city, Acts tells us that the resurrected Jesus stopped him and, taking away his sight, commanded him to go into the city and to wait till he was told what he must do. The account says that for three days Saul was blind, and did not eat or drink, but prayed. We can only imagine how Saul must have felt at this time – realizing the evil he had been committing. This was doubtless one of the most soul-wrenching conversions ever to take place, and Saul’s level of repentance was clearly as deep as humanly possible (Acts 9:1-9). But that’s the story as we know it, from our perspective – in nice safe hindsight. Now see the story from the perspective of Ananias – a Christian living in Damascus who was well aware of the destruction Saul was wreaking on the faithful. “In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered. The Lord told him, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight’” (Acts 9:10-12). It’s probably almost impossible to imagine how that instruction really felt to Ananias, but we get a glimpse of his reaction in his reply to the Lord: “‘Lord,’ Ananias answered, ‘I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.’ But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel’” (Acts 9:13-15). I think we have to put this in modern terms to even begin to understand the situation. Suppose you were a Jew living in hiding in World War II Europe, and God told you to go meet one of the highest ranking officers of the SS or the Gestapo. Imagine you lived in Soviet Russia, or today in North Korea, where Christians are routinely executed, and were told to go help the head of the secret police responsible for eliminating Christians. But look at Ananias’ response: “Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized (Acts 9:17-18). We read over those last few words telling us that Saul “got up and … was baptized,” but imagine Ananias’ feelings waiting to see exactly what Saul would do once his sight was restored. Was this just a trap? What would Saul do next? The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. It was an act of faith and bravery equivalent to helping a lion out of a trap. And notice one more detail about the way in which Ananias did this. It may seem like a small detail until you think it through, but the extent of Ananias’ faith was such that the man not only obeyed God’s instruction, but also fully accepted his enemy by addressing him with the words “Brother Saul.” The level of Ananias’ faith is seen again toward the end of Acts 9 which records that after his conversion Saul returned to Jerusalem, and that: “When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple” (vs. 26). Ananias not only accepted God’s word in faith while it was still unclear what Saul’s intentions were, but also he accepted Saul as a brother. Ananias is one of the many who, although not mentioned by name in the great “Faith Hall of Fame” found in Hebrews 11, can nevertheless be included in the “all these” individuals of Hebrews 11:39 – the many others who are likewise worthy of inclusion. His name in Acts is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Hananiah: “favored of the Lord,” and Paul himself later described Ananias as “a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews” (Acts 22:12). According to tradition he was eventually martyred, but we can presume that this man of God died in full faith. New Testament scholar F. F. Bruce sums up the life of Ananias in saying that he “has an honored place in sacred history, and a special claim upon the gratitude of all who in one way or another have entered into the blessing that stems from the life and work of the great apostle [Paul]” (F. F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of the Acts, page 201). The Berean Study Bible (BSB) is a recent translation of the whole Bible, first published in 2016 (2020 version reviewed) by the ministry behind the online Bible study site BibleHub.com. According to its dedicated website, the Berean Bible consists of four components or “translation tiers,” including the Study Version which is recommended for personal study, public reading, memorization, and evangelism.
The translation of the BSB was accomplished by a team of scholars associated with the Bible Hub ministry, and although the team was relatively small – it was composed of six scholars – this is not necessarily a bad thing, as the translation avoids many of the pitfalls associated with both single-person and large committee translation efforts. See our new review of this very worthwhile translation here, and download a free copy in your choice of several electronic formats here. During the course of this past year we published well over a hundred blog posts here and on our sister sites. The list below gives the twelve posts that were most popular on this site, so check out the list to see how it compares with your own favorites and to see if you missed any of these popular posts ...
Are New Year’s Resolutions Unbiblical? Running Up Sunbeams Why the Philosopher Was Wrong Huldah: The Power of Influence Does the New Testament Quote the Old Testament Accurately? The Questions in Job Do the Resurrection Accounts Conflict? What Does It Mean “The Violent Take the Kingdom of Heaven by Force”? Behind the LORD’S PRAYER Was David Proud of his Own Righteousness? Mark – The Gospel of NOW Keeping the Door Open * You may also enjoy this year's favorites on our sister site. You can check them out here. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters ... Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me …” (Psalm 23:1-4).
It’s hard for modern Christians not to think of Psalm 23 when the word “shepherd” comes to mind. But that beautiful psalm reflects only some of the aspects of shepherding. Leading the sheep to pasture – providing for them – and through the valley of darkness – protecting them – are certainly vital aspects of the job, but as a shepherd himself David knew that there was more to the job than just feeding and protecting the sheep. We find additional insights into the role of the shepherd in another of David’s psalms: “Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever” (Psalm 28:9). In the first half of this single verse we see the same aspects of protecting the sheep and providing for them, and in the second half David also mentions guiding the sheep (the Hebrew urom is a verb – to shepherd or guide, not to be a shepherd) and carrying them. In this short but remarkable verse, David captures perhaps all the major aspects of the shepherd’s role in four verbs: To protect the sheep from death, to supply their needs, to guide them and finally to carry them when they are weak or injured and need the shepherd’s strength in addition to their own. This picture meshes well with Christ’s role as shepherd, which we see in the prophecy quoted by Matthew: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah … out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel” (Matthew 2:6). Jesus himself elaborated on the same four aspects of that role mentioned by David in Psalm 28. As the prophesied shepherd, Christ did all these things for his people: Protected them from eternal death: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Provided their needs: “I am the gate for the sheep … whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:7-9). Guided them: “When Jesus… saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things” (Mark 6:34). Carried them: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he … go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home” (Luke 15:4-6). The people of ancient Israel in David’s day, and those of Judea in Christ’s day, knew well that these things were all involved in being a shepherd. That’s why Christ used that analogy often, and why his hearers may have understood more fully than we sometimes do what it means that the Lord is our shepherd. They knew, as we should come to know also, that the flock need never doubt that the Shepherd will always protect, provide for, guide, and carry the sheep. It’s what shepherds do. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 ESV).
These words of Christ are among the best known in the Bible and are the subject of many religious quotations. We all know them, but we usually think of them out of context – as an invitation to open our hearts and minds to Christ and to turn to him in conversion. As Christians we need to understand that the context of the verse has much more to do with where we are now than it has to do with our initial conversion! In Revelation 3 the apostle John records the words of Christ not to the unconverted, but to the church at Laodicea – a church described as being lukewarm and in real danger of failure: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see” (Revelation 3:15-18). It is within this context, immediately after this scathing rebuke, that Christ says: “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock ...” (Revelation 3:19-20). The context in Revelation 3 makes the specific meaning of this metaphor clear. Christ tells his followers who have become lukewarm that he still stands at the door and knocks – we still have the opportunity to open that door wide and to fellowship with him. The fact that Christ extends the analogy to say that if we open the door he will dine with us – “I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20) – is also an important part of his message. Eating together was a mark of true and intimate fellowship in New Testament times and Jesus uses the analogy with purpose. He clearly tells us that no matter what our present relationship with him, we can improve it at any time if we so choose, by opening the door. The only warning we must give ourselves is that the opportunity does not last forever. In Luke 13 we see Christ inverted the analogy of the open door in a very potent way: “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’” (Luke 13:24-27). Notice again the image of the meal. These are people who had dined with Christ at one time, but had since fallen away from close fellowship. Elsewhere in Luke, Jesus urged his disciples to be: “like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him” (Luke 12:36). So we see in the teachings of Jesus a frequent use of the analogy of the closed door that must be opened, a door we may open if we choose, but a door that will not always be possible to open. In Revelation 3, Christ tells his Church that the opportunity for close fellowship with him is available, but that we must not only open the door to him at our conversion – we must keep that door open till the end. To some he says “be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19), but to all of us he says we must continue to keep the door open to him. How do we know if our door is open? If we are “contented Christians” – if we are doing only what our conscience or our church expects – if our expenditure of time, effort and love is often or usually less than it could be – if we do not feel a need for more – we need to ask ourselves if, like the Laodiceans, we feel we “do not need a thing” (Revelation 3:17) and we have begun to close the door. It is only when we keep the door of our hearts and minds open to him that we will have the kind of fellowship with Christ that he characterized as the sharing of a meal together. That fellowship is something to which the whole of the Book of Revelation points. It is the reason it tells us “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:9a). But if we truly want to participate in that fellowship and want him to open the doors of that dinner to us, we, in turn, must keep our door open to him! Twelve thoughts you can read and perhaps tweet this week – each with a point worth thinking about. The thanksgiving difference: 1) “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” Willie Nelson 2) “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” William Arthur Ward Say it with thanks: 3) “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” William Arthur Ward 4) “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and give thanks continuously.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Thanks beyond things: 5) “Thankfulness includes being grateful for all the problems we do not have.” Anonymous 6) “We must find the time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” John F. Kennedy Gratitude makes us all richer: 7) “Give thanks for a little, and you will find a lot.” Hausa Proverb 8) "Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.” Fred De Witt Van Amburgh Lives of thanks and giving: 9) “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving.” W.T. Purkiser 10) “If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” W. Clement Stone Don’t stop now: 11) “Thankfulness expressed today and forgotten tomorrow is like an unkept promise. True thanksgiving never dies young.” Anonymous 12) “My thanksgiving is perpetual.” Henry David Thoreau CORNERSTONE CERTIFICATE BIBLE COURSE
It may be exactly what you have been looking for. You can download Cornerstone's free course units and study them on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, at your own pace. The carefully prepared courses are non-denominational and non-commercial in approach and provide in-depth information on the Bible for those who cannot attend Bible school or seminary, or who simply want to understand the Bible at a deeper level in their own personal study. All course materials are provided free of charge and there are no costs of any kind. Courses can be completed offline and an optional final exam can be taken online for a personalized certificate of completion. A twenty-four unit course in the Old Testament is currently available that offers a detailed examination of key biblical events and provides many insights not gained by other methods of study. A course in the New Testament is also now in preparation. All cornerstone courses combine careful biblical scholarship – utilizing information from theology, archaeology, and biblical history – with practical insight and applications. Download a free course from the Cornerstone website today – we are sure you will learn and profit from it! From "10 Reasons Christians Should Vote in the Election" by Dr. Krish Kandiah.
1. Voting publicly recognizes that we submit to the authority of the political system in our nation as established by God. (Romans 13:1-7) 2. Voting recognizes the equality of all people and their right to speak and be heard. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19) 3. It is one way that we can obey God's command to seek the good of those around us and our nation as a whole. (Jeremiah 29:5-6) 4. It shows that we care deeply about who our leaders are as we are urged to offer prayer and intercession on their behalf. (1 Timothy 2:1,2) 5. It is a simple yet significant way we can do something about politics in our nation. "All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing," Edmund Burke. (Psalms 34:14) 6. It makes a difference the way a grain of salt makes a difference, and that is how we are to influence our society for good. (Matthew 5:13) 7. It is a privilege not to be taken for granted. Those of us who reap the benefits of living in a democracy should play a part in upholding democracy. 8. Not voting is a form of voting, as it will influence the outcome. We need to take responsibility for our actions, as well as our lack of actions. (Luke 10:25-37) 9. Voting has biblical precedence, for example Acts 14:23 describes that the early Christians elected elders by voting. 10. Voting is part of our stewardship to use all the resources we have been given in ways that honor God; to waste a vote is to squander a gift. LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS: PRACTICAL INSIGHTS FROM THE GOSPELS – NEW EDITIONS!
Our free e-book, Lessons from the Life of Jesus, has always been one of our most popular titles, and tens of thousands of copies have been downloaded since its publication in 2017. Now we are happy to announce that a new and revised (but still free!) second edition is available. This book is a perfect companion while studying the Gospels or can be read just by itself. Lessons from the Life of Jesus contains twenty-five topics, each drawing from biblical history, archaeology, or culture and giving a fresh insight into some aspect of the life and ministry of Christ – along with practical lessons you can apply in your Christian life today. Like all our e-books, Lessons from the Life of Jesus is free for instant download in the format of your choice here. Also this month we are excited to announce the publication of a French language version of Lessons from the Life of Jesus. You can download a free copy of this new translation here. One of the most notable traits of the Gospel of Mark is its immediacy. In Mark things happen now – or sooner! We see this from the beginning of the Gospel in the way important events are described. Mark tells us that at the onset of Jesus’ ministry “At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness” (Mark 1:12). Without delay he called his disciples (1:18); they immediately followed him (1:18, 20); news about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee (1:28).
The pattern continues throughout the Gospel. The Greek word eutheos, translated "immediately,” “straight away,” “at once,” etc. occurs no fewer than forty-two times in Mark and frequently colors the narrative. This and other terms of time give a preciseness and immediacy to important events and also to everyday actions. When Mark tells us regarding Jesus and his disciples that “As soon as they left the synagogue they …” (1:29), he conveys a sense of pressing dedication to what they were doing. When he tells us of the man healed by Christ: “immediately the leprosy left him” (1:42), we see the power that effected not an eventual but an immediate change. And it is not just Jesus and the disciples that act with speed. Often the agents of evil do also. When John the Baptist is imprisoned, Salome’s daughter doesn’t just ask for the head of John – she asks for it “right now” (6:25). Mark paints a verbal picture of a cosmos in which good and evil are completely dedicated to their goals and the battle between them is being fought not in some distant past or potential future, but constantly in the here and now. Why does Mark’s Gospel differ from the other three portraits of Jesus in this way? To a large extent, it may have been the result of Mark’s audience. Most scholars believe that the primary original audience for Mark’s Gospel was a Roman one. There is plenty of internal evidence – such as the frequent use of Latin terms (for example, denarius in 12:15, quadrans in 12:42, praetorium in 15:16, and flagellare in 15:15) and details such as Mark’s use of the Roman system of dividing the night into four watches instead of the Jewish system of three divisions (6:48, 13:35) – to suggest this is true. Mark’s Roman audience lived in a somewhat different world than the largely quiet and pastoral Judea. Romans were used to a faster pace of life enabled by straight Roman roads, organized commerce and efficient messenger systems. In the Roman world, if something was important it would usually be done quickly – and something done quickly was often likely to be important. But to only see the immediacy of Mark’s account as a product of Roman attitudes and expectations is to miss the point that Mark, like all the Gospels, speaks to a situation that goes beyond this world’s political and social realities – to the underlying spiritual reality of the story he tells. Mark’s use of constantly active narrative showing the dedication and non-stop work of Jesus, along with his frequent use of the “historical present tense,” gives every reader of this Gospel a sense of a story that is occurring in the present – a story that includes continual pointers to the need for dedication and an attitude of urgency in doing the work of God. Mark is a Gospel of now and his story challenges us to live out our part in God’s calling not in dwelling on events of the past or plans for the future, but in doing what we have been given to do, now. *Extracted from our e-book Inside the New Testament. Download a free copy here. Some Christians believe that the kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven are two different things. According to this view, the writers of the New Testament were referring to a “millennial kingdom” (the kingdom of God) or a “universal kingdom” (the kingdom of heaven). But does the New Testament really make such a distinction?
The expression “kingdom of God” occurs some 68 times in the New Testament, while the phrase “kingdom of heaven” occurs only 32 times. Importantly, while “kingdom of God” is found in ten New Testament books, all the references to the “kingdom of heaven” occur in the Gospel of Matthew. While the “two kingdoms” advocates suggest that Matthew was describing a “millennial kingdom” and the other Gospel writers were speaking of a “universal kingdom,” there is no biblical basis to presume this. On the contrary, there is good biblical indication that the two expressions are not referring to two different things, but are two ways of referencing the same thing. We see this in the words of Christ himself in his conversation with his disciples after he spoke with the rich young ruler who did not want to give up his possessions to follow Christ: “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24, emphases added). Looking closely at these verses we see that Christ used both expressions – the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven – at the same time and clearly speaking about the same thing. Why then does Matthew usually use only the expression “kingdom of heaven”? The answer is simply because Matthew originally wrote his Gospel to a Jewish audience that by tradition – in order to not break the commandment against lightly using God’s name – often tried to avoid speaking the name of God and frequently substituted a euphemism. As a result, the Jews frequently referred to the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” – using the one expression for the other in much the same way that we nowadays might say “The White House announced” meaning the President or his administration announced something. The other Gospels usually used “kingdom of God” where Matthew used “kingdom of heaven” in recording their parallel accounts of the same spoken words. We can see this by comparing, for example, Matthew 11:11-12 with Luke 7:28; or Matthew 13:11 with Mark 4:11 and Luke 8:10. In these and many other instances Matthew used the expression “kingdom of heaven” in deference to his Jewish audience, while the other Gospels used “kingdom of God.” For all these reasons, the New Testament makes it clear that the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are exactly the same thing. The free and excellent MannaBooks App for reading Bibles, devotionals, and a wide range of Christian books on your Android smart phone or tablet has been our recommended app for Christian e-book reading on-the-go since the app’s release. Now, that same app is available on the iOS platform for use on the iPhone.
The new app allows you to browse MannaBooks’ growing collection of classic and new Christian e-books, devotionals and children's books (a great many of them free) and to enjoy them instantly on your smartphone. You can search for books by author, title, or topic, or browse the new, most popular, and trending e-books categories which are updated weekly. The MannaBooks App has many additional benefits, not least of which are the customization options it provides. You can choose the background color for reading and also text in the size and style you prefer. Night Mode makes reading easier on your eyes before bedtime, and you can lock the screen in portrait or landscape mode for added comfort. You can also start reading on one device and pick up on another – the MannaBooks App always remembers where you left off, so you can keep reading across all your compatible devices. The new app is also quite interactive. You can post your favorite quotes, notes, and thoughts from what you’re reading directly to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and you can rate and review the books you’ve read or read reviews from fellow Christian readers. If you want to have a Christian library with you for reading anywhere – without having to carry a bulky laptop or e-book reader – the free new MannaBooks iOS app is available for download now from the Apple Bookstore. And, of course, if you are an Android user, the app is also available from the Google Play Store. Whether you are an Apple or an Android user, be sure to download this great app for Christian reading on your smartphone! Asking and giving may seem like polar opposites to us, but when it comes to asking for something from God, or even giving something to Him, these actions have something in common in that they involve our relationship with our neighbor.
Two verses in the New Testament show this fact. It’s easy to see one of them and then to think the other is just a parallel account or a slight variation, but the two verses make two distinct statements: “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25). “… if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). Notice that these situations are not the same at all. Mark 11 speaks of occasions when we are asking something from God – specifically forgiveness in this case – and shows us that we cannot receive this from God (and perhaps anything) if we ourselves are not willing to give forgiveness. In Matthew 5, the occasion is one in which we wish to give something to God, but he makes it clear that he will not accept the gift (perhaps any gift) if we know others have something against us and we are not willing to accomplish reconciliation. Taken together, these verses show how important right relationships with our neighbors are for a right relationship with God. In both these cases, God does not want to accept something - a request or a gift - from someone who is estranged from another, who is holding back something from another, whether we are holding back forgiveness or reconciliation. In the case of our forgiving others, nothing must stop us doing this, though God understands that in situations where others have something against us we can only do our best to reconcile with them. Sometimes, others are not going to accept our attempts at reconciliation and there is nothing we can do about that, other than to pray for them. Normally, however, in our relationship with God, whether we are asking or giving, if we hold back from our neighbor, God holds back from us. On the other hand, if we are giving forgiveness and attempting reconciliation where it is possible, God does not hold back from us in accepting that which we are asking or giving. “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God. All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight” (Psalm 18:20-24).
At first sight, verses such as these might appear to show a self-righteous attitude and perhaps that David was proud of his own righteousness. If you were to say the same things to your friends, you know how they would react! But there are two factors to consider in looking at verses like these and understanding what David meant: 1) What righteousness means in the Old Testament. First, we must understand that the concept of righteousness in the Old Testament is somewhat different from what we find today and even in the New Testament. In the Hebrew Bible the word sedek which is often translated as “righteousness” literally means “straightness” as opposed to “crookedness,” but it is usually used of the status of relationships rather than as a measure of perfection. Under the Law of Moses one could be righteous by simply maintaining one’s relationship with God and others according to basic legal norms – the term did not denote some kind of perfect purity or spiritual perfection. Anyone who did not literally murder, cheat, lie to, or otherwise harm other individuals maintained a proper relationship with them and was therefore “righteous.” In the same way, those who, for example, did not take God's name in vain and who kept the Sabbath day maintained a basic relationship with God that was regarded as righteousness. This is different, of course, from the deeper expectations of the New Testament, which more frequently stress the spirit of the law, as well as the importance of right motivation and the attitude behind our behavior. But according to the earlier concept of righteousness found in much of the Old Testament, when a person fulfilled the basic demands of his relationship with God and others he or she could be said to be “righteous,” and many of the times that David uses the term sedek, it is from this perspective. David was righteous in Hebrew terms simply because he lived within the expectations of the covenant community of which he was a part. 2) What David also says regarding sin and righteousness. Even though David could see himself as usually being righteous in terms of how his society used the term, we find plenty of evidence that he was not proudly self-righteous. We know that David sinned and knew that he sinned (Psalm 51, etc.), so it is clear he did not imagine himself perfect in our modern sense of righteousness. We also know that David earnestly asked God to help him walk in the way of righteousness, as we see, for example, in Psalm 19: “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression” (Psalm 19:13). Finally, we know that beyond asking God’s help to walk righteously, David openly gave God the credit when he did do what was right! In Psalm 18 – the same psalm we quote above regarding David’s expressions of righteousness – we also find: “It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect” (Psalm 18:32). This same attitude of humbly crediting God with his righteousness is frequently confirmed in other psalms, as when David says: “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You” (Psalm 16:2). So, there is no indication in the psalms of David, or elsewhere, that David was self-righteous or proud of his own goodness. It is clear that while David knew that at most times he did walk righteously according to how this concept was understood in his own culture, it is equally clear that he asked God’s help to do so and gave God credit when he succeeded. * For further understanding of the psalms of David, download our free e-book Spotlight on the Psalms from our sister site here. UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE:
THREE STEPS TO ENRICH AND DEEPEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCRIPTURES By R. Herbert The Bible is sometimes called “the most-read and least-understood of all books,” and most Christians admit that it does contain many verses that seem confusing or difficult. This new e-book addresses that situation by working through the three steps necessary to better understand almost any Bible verse or to enrich your knowledge of the Scriptures. Whether you are a relatively new Christian or an experienced student of the word of God, this book is sure to increase your comprehension of the Bible. Like all our e-books, UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE is free for instant download in the format of your choice here. In his first letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul wrote: “Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15). It has sometimes been claimed that in saying this Paul contradicts the plain teaching of Jesus: “And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven” (Matthew 23:9).
Clearly, the teaching of Jesus is not against calling anyone’s human father by that name, but against using the term as a religious title – as we see by looking at the context where he tells his disciples they are not to be called “Rabbi” (Matthew 23:8), “Father” (Matthew 23:9), or “Teacher” (Matthew 23:10). These were all elevated religious titles in Jesus’ time, and he continued by stressing that his disciples were to be servants rather than elevating themselves above others (Mathew 23:11-12). So where does this place Paul’s comment? Was he not putting himself in a position inciting the Corinthians to call him “father”? The answer is – not at all. Just as the author of the book of Hebrews speaks of our human fathers (Hebrews 12:7, 9), the apostle John understood that there was nothing wrong with addressing human fathers by that name (1 John 2:13; etc.), and the apostle James knew that it was not wrong to refer to Abraham as his father (James 2:21). What Paul says to the Corinthians is that he was fulfilling the role of a spiritual father to them. He addressed the Corinthians as “my dear children” (1 Corinthians 4:14). Two verses after telling them “I became your father through the gospel,” Paul speaks of his assistant Timothy in the same way: “For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love” (vs. 17). Paul was certainly not telling the Corinthians that they should use the religious title “father” in their relationship with him, but rather he simply tells them how he feels he relates to them spiritually. Just as Jesus, after forbidding the use of father as a religious title, went on to say “The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matthew 23:11), so Paul frankly tells the Corinthians “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants” (1 Corinthians 3:5), and “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ” (1 Corinthians 4:1). It was clearly the furthest thing from Paul’s intention to set himself up and to encourage or incite the use of elevated titles for himself or other apostles. As a true pastor, Paul guided and admonished his Corinthian congregation with a father’s concern and love and was moved to express his fatherly feelings to them in what he wrote. In 1 Corinthians 4:15 Paul is not talking about the Corinthians calling him “father” – he was simply using a clear and apt analogy about his role as a spiritual parent to his flock. This is an identical situation to that which we find in the book of Ephesians where Paul is hardly inciting the Ephesians to call him “teacher” when he writes “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self” (Ephesians 4:22). s
Cultural background is often an important key to understanding the New Testament. We know that many aspects of the Jewish and Roman cultures in the time of Jesus shed light on details in the Gospels, especially. So what does that kind of information tell us about the prayer or prayer outline (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4) Jesus gave his disciples: the Lord’s Prayer? Perhaps the first things we notice when we look at the Lord’s Prayer compared to the prayers of the time of Christ are the many differences! Jesus prefaced his instruction on prayer by saying that the Gentiles prayed with a lot of words (Matthew 6:7-8), and that was certainly true of the Romans who ruled first century Judea. When Romans formally spoke or prayed to the Emperor, they often used all thirty or more of his titles. Jewish prayer could be extensive, too. The Jews used six titles of God in daily prayers – the main one being “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” By contrast, Jesus taught his followers to address God simply as Father. A side note here, but another important difference, is that in the Old Testament, “father” is used a number of times of God. But it is always a descriptive – used either as a simile or a metaphor – never a term of address. The Jews prayed three times a day, often utilizing the “shema” of Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and other scriptures and a prayer structure involving eighteen benedictions or blessings consisting of (1) three blessings of praise, (2) twelve petitions, and (3) three concluding blessings of thanks. Once again, Jesus simplified prayer for his disciples, with seven simple requests. Despite these differences of approach, there are a great many similarities between the Lord’s Prayer and those of the culture of the time. Some of the introductory phrases are similar to those of contemporary Jewish prayers; both mention the kingdom of God; and the request for daily bread occurs at about the same place in the middle of both Jesus’ prayer guide and the contemporary prayers of the Jews. Nevertheless, the differences between Jesus’ prayer and those of the culture in which he lived are more noticeable than the similarities and show the truly unique aspects of Jesus’ prayer. One such distinctive aspect of the Lord’s Prayer is that of the implied responsibility that it places on the one praying regarding the petitions being made. Each petition asks for an act of God that presupposes our own participation in fulfilling the request. Petitions – implied responsibility of the petitioner Hallowed be your name – we must not dishonor it. Your kingdom come – we must work for it. Your will be done – we must strive to fulfill it. Give us this day our daily bread – we must work for it. And forgive us our debts – we must forgive others. Lead us not into temptation – we must not follow after it. But deliver us from evil – we must do what we can to escape it. The participation of the petitioner in the various requests of the Lord’s Prayer may only be implied in the wording for the prayer, but its context – at least in Matthew – clearly shows the responsibilities of the disciple in all of the areas of petition. This is perhaps the greatest difference between the Lord’s Prayer and those of the Jewish people of the time. Cultural background shows a number of clear parallels between the two approaches to prayer, but the differences are major and significant. “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12 ESV).
These words of Jesus recorded by Matthew are among the most difficult to understand in the New Testament – at least, as they are usually translated. The uncertainty associated with the verse can be seen in the ESV’s footnote to “the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence” in which it suggests the possible alternative “… has been coming violently” – in other words, the very opposite situation. The NIV likewise footnotes “the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence” as possibly “been forcefully advancing.” Most Bible commentaries are not particularly helpful in deciding between one or the other of these two approaches – either that Christ meant the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently or that it was advancing forcefully. But either possibility still leaves the strange closing words of the verse: “and the violent take it by force.” An entirely different meaning to this whole verse is possible, however. When we look at the context of Jesus’ words, we see he was speaking about John the Baptist being a forerunner to his own ministry (Matthew 11:7-15). Quoting the book of Malachi, Jesus affirmed: “This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you’” (Matthew 11:10; Malachi 3:1). If Jesus had the words of the minor prophet Malachi in mind when he spoke about John the Baptist, it is possible that he could have had the words of another minor prophet, Micah, in mind also. Micah wrote: “The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head” (Micah 2:13). The context to this initially strange-seeming verse is one in which Micah says that God will restore the remnant of Israel and “… will bring them together like sheep in a pen” (Micah 2:12). So what the prophet says regarding “The one who breaks open the way” and their king, “the Lord at their head,” is to be understood in this context. The word that Micah uses for “break open the way” is the Hebrew parats which can mean to break open violently or forcefully. Similarly, the Greek words translated “violence” and “the violent” in Matthew are forms of biasta meaning “forceful.” So in Micah’s word-picture the remnant of Israel are like sheep in a pen; the one entrusted with opening the pen will forcefully “break open” the gate of the pen to allow the sheep to exit; and they will then be led out to pasture by the shepherd who is their king. The Jewish scholars who studied these verses over the centuries have long interpreted them to represent the Elijah to come who would “break open the way” and the Messiah who would be Israel’s king, respectively. Jesus himself identified John the Baptist as the Elijah to come in this same section of Matthew (Matthew 11:14) and acknowledged the words of all the prophets (not just Malachi) relative to John (Matthew 11:13). Considering this background, if Jesus’ words in Matthew relative to the onset of the kingdom of heaven since the time of John the Baptist are understood in the light of the image in Micah, they would mean not that “The kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force,” but that the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully opened (like the “sheep pen”) by John the Baptist, and those who are taking hold of the kingdom are those who are forcefully breaking out (like the sheep following their messianic king). Perhaps the best way to see this connection is simply to read the two sections of scripture in Matthew and Micah, slightly paraphrased, side by side: “This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you… From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully opened, and those who take hold of it do so forcefully” (Matthew 11:10, 12, paraphrased). “The One who forcefully opens the way will go up before them; they will forcefully go through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head” (Micah 2:13, paraphrased). We have no way of knowing for sure if Jesus also had the words of Micah in mind when he quoted Malachi relevant to John the Baptist, but there is no doubt that the two minor prophets were speaking of the same eventual reality of the promised Messiah and the one who would forcefully open the way before him. Patience seems to come naturally for some people – even in very difficult situations – while others are not so fortunate. But learning patience with people and circumstances is a battle we must all fight to some degree. While many people acknowledge that patience is a virtue, it is easy to regard it as only a minor one – a distant cousin of the great spiritual virtues such as faith and love. Why Every Christian Needs More Patience makes it clear that patience is not only biblically commanded, but also of fundamental importance for every believer – far more so than many people would guess. Our newest e-book shows exactly what the Bible says about the need for this quality and looks at some of the unexpected ways the Scriptures guide and help us to make patience a part of our Christian lives.
You can download a free copy of Why Every Christian Needs More Patience in a number of formats to read on any computer, e-book reader or smartphone. No registration or email are needed – simply click on the link to download the format of your choice, here. And don't forget, of course, that many more free e-books are available on our dedicated website: FreeChristianEBooks.org. |
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Author :Unless otherwise stated, blog posts are written by R. Herbert, Ph.D., who writes for a number of Christian venues – including our sister site: TacticalChristianity.org Categories :
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