Then all of you approached me and said, “Let us send men before us, that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up and the cities which we shall enter.” Deuteronomy 1:22 NASB All of you – Who initiates sending the spies? According to Deuteronomy,…
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27 ESV Religion– In recent conversation a young man expressed his determination for spiritual truth in this way: “When I rely on the Holy Spirit to lead me to the truth, I know…
So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Romans 7:12 NASB Holy– I wonder how long it will take before Christianity recognizes that its caricature of the Jewish Torah is a gross error. Oh, I can probably answer that. Forever! Why? Because the existence of Christianity depends on an implicit anti-Semitism. Lloyd Gaston made…
Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” Genesis 32:26a NASB Dawn– There are a lot of strange verses in the story of Jacob’s encounter with the “man” at the brook Jabbok. If you’ve read Crossing,[1]then you know just how odd the story really is. Recently I read a comment by Michael Wyschogrod that provides…
For the last ten days I have been in Jakarta with the “Children Under the Bridge” project. I was joined by two readers from Ohio and two from South Africa. The experience was transforming for all of us. Usually updates about this project are sent only to those who help support it, but today I…
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27 NASB Religion– A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away—we investigated thrēskeía, the Greek term James uses in this verse translated “religion.” The translation obscures some of the…
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, Philippians 2:14-15 NASB Blameless / innocent – There’s little doubt that we live in a “crooked and perverse generation.” I really…
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, Philippians 2:14-15 NASB Grumbling / disputing– “You know, I don’t like to say this, but . . .” “Did you…
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” Genesis 17:17 NASB Laughed– Now we have looked at Genesis 17:17; 18:12; 28:16 and 32:26. In each case we have suggested that…
