The last two verses are the other major point of divergence in expressing the number and contents of the commandments. Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Lutheranism divide Exod 20:17 into two commands to achieve the number ten, a necessity in view of seeing Exod 20:2-6 as the first command. This dichotomy is perhaps puzzling, since the entirety o

At this stage we already see that nephesh in the Old Testament is a diverse term touching the many facets of life and living.By narrowing the scope of our study and focusing on the distinct features of the occurrences of nephesh in Deuteronomy, we see that the term has special significance in light of Israel's conduct and relationship with God. Whi

1. Words can fuel or diffuse anger. (Proverbs 15:1)Words have great power and it’s no different when it comes to anger. Proverbs tells us that a gentle word can turn away wrath and that a harsh one can stir it up. The power you have to fuel or diffuse anger in a tense conversation or situation is both heavy and fragile. You can completely change th

1. You are living as a “priestess” for the Lord.v. 3a “the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior”First, the godly character of the older woman in the faith is profiled. Without a reverent lifestyle behaving like a living sacrifice, dedicated to God—none of the rest even matter. That is why Paul starts here first!Paul first draws a

As to the present time, I am brought into His presence in the enjoyment of His favor. Grace characterizes my present relationship with God. Further, all my sins having been put away according to the requirements of God's glory, and Christ being risen from the dead, having met all that glory, I rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.It is a full, w

1. "Jesus answered them, 'Do you now believe?..."“... Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good chee

This was before the law of works was given on Mount Sinai, and long before the doctrine of justification by faith was preached unto the Gentiles, and they enjoyed the comfort of it. This is the Gospel, and it is no new doctrine, nor different from what was so early taught. The sum and substance of which lies in these words, “in you shall all nation

Romans has been called a constitution and manifesto for believers, containing the essence and essentials of the Christian life. Though personal in tone, it is a well-developed presentation of grace-filled, God-exalting theology that beckons the mind to stretch, the heart to soar, and the soul to sing.Background of RomansPaul did not establish the c

How our consciences are informed is crucial. At the Diet of Worms, Luther was called on by church and state to renounce his views. He declared, "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason — I do not accept the authority of popes and councils... my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot... recant anything, for to go against cons

1) The man who is mocked as king—is king.2) The man who is utterly powerless—is powerful.3) The man who can't save himself—saves others.4) The man who cries out in despair—trusts God. On that wretched day the soldiers mocked him,Raucous laughter in a barracks room,"Hail the king!" they sneered, while spitting on him,Brutal b

With those words, Rabbi Plaut honestly stated what he believed about the Bible, and specifically about the Torah. God is not the author of the text. The text was not divinely revealed to Moses, nor to anyone else. The Torah was the literary achievement of the Jews. God’s voice “may be heard through theirs if we listen with open minds.”That is

Abram stepped up and said, "Is not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go to the left" (v. 9, NIV).What had happened to Abram? A short time before, he had put into motion a scheme that enslaved his wife, made him rich, and almost killed the entire government body o

Self-Love: A Creation of GodJesus says in effect: I start with your inborn, deep, defining human trait—your love for yourself. This is a given. I don't command it; I assume it. All of you have a powerful instinct of self-preservation and self-fulfillment. You all want to be happy. You all want to live and to live with satisfaction. You want food fo

It's also worth noting in this 2 Kings passage that Jonah "was from Gath-hepher," a town in Galilee in the heart of the northern kingdom, just three miles from where another Galilean, the carpenter Jesus, would grow up in Nazareth many years later.Five centuries ago, the Renaissance painter Raphael created a brown-wash-on-black-chalk drawing of Jon

MODESTY IS ABOUT SERVING OTHERSI don’t care what people say—the reality is that if a woman dresses in a way that reveals significant portions of her body, it will tempt most men to lust after her. To quote Bruce Hornsby, “That’s just the way it is, some things will never change.” I’m not commenting on whether this reality is good or evil, I’m simpl

As John Stott put it, “Your mind matters.” As explained under the previous principle, God expects a thoughtful, careful human mind to discern and apply the principles of interpretation to Scripture. The concept of responding to biblical truth “with your spirit, not your mind” (e.g., Watchman Nee, Witness Lee, and “The Church”), reflects an unbiblic

4. Authenticity. It is a principle that is under the surface in the last two ideas but needs to be stated plainly. Sadly, though, the term authenticity has almost fallen to the place of a buzzword in our churches. You can be honest in the flash of a second, but to be authentically relating to other people takes time. The one being discipled and the

When I picked up Chandler’s book, it intrigued me for two reasons. First was his subject matter. Second was his cosmic sense of the gospel. I teach at a Christian school that is also an open school, meaning we do not require students to come from Christian families when they enroll here. So I often think about our responsibility to communicate the

After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer." The father of this boy loved his son. So much that he brought his child to Jesus and his disciples. He knew they could heal his son, but he also still had doubt. And he still said things to show his d

1 This is why he starts with a Jewish genealogy, quotes from the Old Testament at least thirty-five times, and uses the phrase "kingdom of heaven" as a Hebrew way of saying "kingdom of God" without using the divine name.2 Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 4:5-6, 16.3 Romans 3:20-28; 4:13-14; Galatians 2:21; 5:4-5.4 Genesis 12:2-3; 15:4-5; 22:16-18; 26:2-5; G