Year: 2008

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Bible

Are You an Alien—Or Do You Belong Here?

The Bible sometimes calls the followers of Jesus, aliens. This seems like a strange and insulting label. An alien is someone who doesn’t belong, an outsider. In common usage, an alien is from another country, but jumping to the world of sci-fi, an alien is from another world or alternate existence.

Is this starting to come into focus? If we follow Jesus, we don’t belong here; we are just passing through to the home that awaits us in heaven.

We are indeed aliens—but do we act like it? Acting like aliens means we have a different focus, different goals, and different priorities. It means we are different and people should see that difference.

Are you an alien—or do you belong here?

[See Ephesians 2:19, Hebrews 11:13, and 1 Peter 2:11. Instead of aliens, some translations use words like exiles, migrants, strangers, and temporary residents. The Message uses the phrase, “this world is not your home.”]

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Jesus was Jewish

Jesus was a Jew.

That statement catches many Christians (that is, followers of Jesus) off guard. It is easy to label Jesus, since he is the impetus for Christianity, as a Christian, even though his time spent on earth was as a Jew.

Indeed, he was born a Jew, into a Jewish culture, and had a clear Jewish lineage. He was raised and educated in Jewish beliefs and traditions. 

His ministry was primarily to Jewish people (though he certainly ministered to non-Jews and made it clear that his message was for all people, his focus was the Jews). Plus, most of his disciples were Jews, as presumably were most of his followers. 

In fact, initially Christianity was viewed as a sect of Judaism. [Acts 28:22]

Yes, Jesus was Jewish.

As such, there is much that his followers owe to and can learn from Jewish traditions and beliefs. This is one important reason to study the Old Testament and to embrace our common ground with our Jewish brothers and sisters.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Are You a Wise Guy?

Are you wise? Do you possess wisdom?

According to The Free Dictionary, Wisdom is “The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight; common sense; good judgment”

However, according to the Bible, Wisdom—that comes from God (James 3:17) is:

  • peace loving
  • always gentle
  • willing to yield to others
  • full of mercy
  • full of good deeds
  • doesn’t show favoritism
  • is always sincere

That sounds a lot different, doesn’t it?

By this standard, are you wise?

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

The Curtain in the Temple was Torn in Two

The “Holy of Holies” (also called “the Most Holy Place” or “the Holiest of all”) was the innermost part of the tabernacle and later, the temple.  It was so sacred that only the high priest could enter it and then only once a year.

When Jesus died, the veil (which was very thick, more akin to a wall) in the temple around the Holy of Holies was torn in two, from top to bottom.  This is significant for two reasons:

First, being torn from the top down signifies that it was God’s doing.  Since it was 30 feet high, a person would only be able to tear it from the bottom up.  In effect, God was saying, I’m changing the old way of doing things.

More importantly, this opened up the Holy of Holies, showing that everyone could now approach God, at any time—not just the high priest once a year.

Jesus changed things indeed, making it possible for all us to directly approach God.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Sarah Laughs at God

In Genesis 18:10-15 we read the amazing story of Sarah being promised a son in her old age. When she hears this, she laughs—I would to; it seems preposterous (but for an all-powerful God, nothing is impossible). 

In fact, God rhetorically asks Abraham (Sarah’s even older husband) “Is anything too hard for [me]?”

Sarah’s laughter at God’s promise may have been delight, but more probable, it was doubt. Even so, God did as he promised and Isaac was born to Sarah and Abraham within the year.

Despite Sarah’s laughter over what was humanly impossible, God later commends her for having faith, Hebrews 11:11. Although she doubted, she apparently had enough belief so that God would later esteem her for her faith.

We may not have immense faith, but a little faith, even with some doubt sprinkled in, is enough for God.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Does God Give Love or Justice?

Most people correctly understand that God is love.  They then reason that out of love, he will unquestionably accept them as they are, welcoming them into heaven when they die.  This is an oversimplification of his love.

God is also just.  His just nature requires that there be a punishment for the wrong things that we do.

If, out of love, God didn’t require punishment for wrongdoing, that would make him unjust.  Lacking justice and being unfair is unloving.  Therefore, he must punish wrong living.  That punishment was taken on by Jesus (if we accept it); otherwise we must face the punishment ourselves.

So God’s just nature requires punishment, but his loving nature covers that punishment through Jesus.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Do You Bless God?

I often say the word “bless.”  In prayer, I frequently ask for God’s blessing on myself and others.  In essence, I am asking for God’s divine favor or grace to be imparted.

Other times I have seen one person bless another by “conveying well-being or prosperity” to them.  Sometimes this is done in the context of prayer, a commissioning ceremony, or a benediction.

Both of these examples make sense to me and are readily understandable — because in both instances a “person” of authority or power is blessing someone of lessor standing (Hebrews 7:7.)

However, I recently heard someone “bless” God.  Initially, I assumed that he misspoke.  When he said it again, I thought he had it backward.  After all, it seems a bit arrogant to bless God in the same way that we ask him to bless us.

Then I began stumbling on this in the Bible.  Some translations of Psalms 26:12 and 34:1, for example, talk about blessing God.  Other versions instead use the words “praise” or “extol.”

Fortunately, the dictionary provides some help in understanding this seeming dichotomy.  One of the definitions of “bless” is to “To honor as holy; glorify: Bless the Lord.”

So in expanding my understanding of “bless” to include honor and glorify, then, yes, I bless God!  Do you?

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

A Question With Life and Death Ramifications

Peter cried when he realized that he had denied even knowing Jesus (Mark 14:72).

What makes this even more ironic is that earlier that same day he pledged his support to Jesus, claiming to be willing to die with him (Mark 14:31).

For most people, admitting that we “know” Jesus is a relatively easy thing to do, yet Peter was confronted with a seemingly life and death situation: say “yes” and he too could be crucified with Jesus; say “no” and he could avoid further scrutiny, thereby saving his skin.

In the life-in-the-balance pressure of the moment, Peter caved in and said “no.”

In some parts of the world, admitting that you followed Jesus could easily result in death or at least suffering.  How well would we fare in such a test?  Would we cave in or be bold regardless of the consequences?

However, beyond the literal, natural meaning of this story there is a more profound supernatural perspective.  In the spiritual sense, we can say “yes” we know Jesus and live — forever; saying “no” is what leads to death.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Would You Steal for Jesus?

In Mark 11:2-7, there is the story of Jesus sending out his disciples to “borrow” a donkey for him to ride into Jerusalem.

When this request is considered in a modern context, what he asked them to do is even more astounding.  It would be much like Jesus telling us to go boost a car or at least take a bike.

The disciples were not told to ask permission first (which seems prudent), but they were merely instructed what to say if questioned—implying that they would, in fact, be stopped and questioned.

Certainly this was a risky thing to do, as they could likely have been arrested and punished for steeling. Yet they did as Jesus instructed — and without question.

Would we be willing to do the same?

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible

Biblezines

BiblezinesTM are the Bible in magazine format, with additional info and content packed in. For many who wonder if the Bible is relevant to them and their lives, this modern format with compelling sidebars, makes the Bible come alive in practical and vibrant ways.

There are 11 Biblezine versions, geared towards different age groups and demographics. Check them out and find the best one for you.

Biblezines are published by Thomas Nelson.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.