Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NASB Without blame – How is this possible? Paul might pray that his followers be found blameless, but we all know…
“Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” Genesis 16:5 NIV You are responsible – “It’s not my fault.” Oh, how we love…
And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:2 ESV Who sinned – “Blaming others for our suffering is the world’s most tragic mistake. One who blames another – no matter who – not only blemishes emuna, but forfeits the Divine intervention that he…
“My lot is far more bitter than yours, for the hand of the LORD has struck out against me.” Ruth 1:13 JPS Than yours – The Hebrew phrase mar li me-od me-kem (“more bitter than yours”) can be read another way. It can also mean “more bitter because of you.” You can see a hint…
[Love] does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 1 Corinthians 13:5 NASB A wrong suffered – The Greek word is kakon (evil). There is a significant difference between the way this word is used in the New Testament and its usual…
And His disciples asked him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind.” John 9:2 NASB Who sinned – Someone has to be at fault! Life doesn’t go the way we want it to. Someone’s to blame! “Lord, this isn’t fair. I don’t deserve this. Who made this…
If it is the anointed priest who has incurred guilt, so that blame falls upon the people, . . . Leviticus 4:3 Blame – The principle characteristic of a biblical leader is reluctance. Men and women marked by God for leadership roles almost always wish they were not chosen. When you meet people who desire…
And the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I ate.” Genesis 3:12 You Gave – Sometimes the smallest details carry substantial implications. The story of Adam and Havvah is filled with very small details. Most are ignored by our all-too-familiar readings. What a…
