The Short Bible Blog

#18 The Saving Love of God

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 18:07:57 GMT

# 18 The Saving Love of God

The Essential Message of the Bible

The Holy Bible is a collection of ancient documents that tell the story of how the God of the universe was revealed to people, loved them, and became a human to help everybody understand what God is like. The Bible describes a God who wants a relationship with all people, without regard to their background, beliefs, or actions. This blog summarizes the entire story of the Bible and how people can know God. A few references to specific parts of the Bible are included in parentheses.

A Unique God Created the World

Before time began, a God with unusual qualities existed throughout the universe and will live forever. The one true God has multiple forms and was all-powerful, existed everywhere, and knew everything. God also has a moral dimension, knowing the difference between good and evil. In this sense, God has a “personality” that is always loving, forgiving, and patient, always helpful, merciful, and kind.

God first created angels to help influence events in the universe, then light and an amazing physical world with billions of stars and planets. On one planet, God created waters and dry lands that eventually produced living things.

God then made the world’s most important and unique creation, human beings. God wanted to interact with them and gave them some of the same qualities of God: they were creative, aware of their surroundings, able to relate to others, could tell the difference between good and evil, could love others without any conditions, and were willing to put the interests of others before their own.

The two human “images of God,” male and female, had a soul that would live forever. They were to join together and produce children so the human race would grow. God gave them the entire planet to enjoy. They were to care for the planet and obey certain rules so they would live with each other in peace.

Evil Entered the World

Everything was good, but a group of angels led by Satan wanted God’s power for themselves and rebelled. This caused evil to enter the universe, which revealed itself in selfishness, deception, corruption, and injustice. Evil angels still exist in the world, and all that is good exists alongside evil forces that fight against what is good.

People were given the freedom to make their own decisions, and evil forces caused the first family, Adam and Eve, to disobey God’s commands. This disobedience created an invisible disease called “sin” which broke the relationship between God and people. This sinful condition caused injustice and hate to expand in the world. An invisible conflict now constantly takes place throughout the world between the spiritual forces of good and light and the forces of evil and darkness.

God Chose the Israelites to Show the World How to Live

God (also called Lord) started saving people from their sinful ways by making an agreement with a specific tribe of people. God promised to bless them so they would bless others (Genesis 22:16–18). To get this blessing, the tribe had to be faithful and obedient to God and live in ways that showed love and justice for others.

Abraham was the first leader of this tribe. He moved his family to Canaan, east of the Mediterranean Sea (Palestine). One of his grandsons was named Jacob, who was later called Israel. Jacob had many children, and the extended family was known as the Israelites.

The tribe’s leaders were given the same promise God gave Abraham – God would bless them if they honored God and lived in a holy and just manner. They were to model how people should live together on earth – honoring God, loving others, and providing justice within the community. If they failed to live this way but confessed their sin, their sins would be forgiven by God, which maintained their relationship.

The tribe moved to Egypt during a famine and thrived there. But the Egyptians later made them slaves. After suffering there for several centuries, God gave unusual powers to an Israelite man, Moses, to deliver the tribe from slavery. God’s powers were shown in many ways to the Egyptians, and the Israelites were saved in an unusual way – they put the blood of a perfect lamb on their door frames so the angel of death would “passover” their homes. When the first born of all the Egyptian families died in the night, the Israelites were ordered to leave.

Moses led everybody on a long journey through the wilderness back to Canaan. God provided food, water, protection, and directions during the trip. God also gave Moses many commands about how the Israelites should worship God and live with each other. People were to love God and their neighbors as themselves (Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5-6; Leviticus 19:18). Laws were established to provide justice and take care of those in need.

But the people often disobeyed the commands and laws and failed to honor God. When they disobeyed, they made sacrifices to show they were sorry for their sins. Some sacrifices involved killing a high-quality animal, spilling its blood that symbolized life.

Eventually the Israelites entered Canaan and defeated the armies of those living in the region. God had saved the Israelites and blessed them, and now they had a home where three continents merged, the perfect place to show the world how to live on earth.

The Israelites Fail to Follow God and Provide Justice

Although God continued blessing the Israelites and forgave them when they repented, they usually ignored God’s laws and often honored other gods that were worshiped by others in Canaan. A few Israelite men and women leaders honored God and provided justice in the land, but most of the time, the tribe was wicked and fought among themselves. One part of the tribe lived in Judah, a large area in southern Canaan. This led others to call the tribe Jews.

God chose several men to be king of the Israelites, but conflicts within the tribe divided it into two kingdoms. A few kings honored God, but when life got better because of God’s blessings, the people became complacent and wicked again. Many prophets spoke for God and told the Jewish leaders and people to admit their sins, repent, and honor God again, but the prophets were usually ignored, and some were killed. They told everybody they would lose God’s protection and be captured by other nations if they didn’t stop sinning. It wasn’t enough for people to conduct ceremonies of worship – actions to love others and treat everybody fairly had to occur as well. Through Isaiah, a prophet who wrote to people in both kingdoms, God said:

Do you think I want all these sacrifices and offerings? When you raise your hands in prayer, I don’t see you; when you pray to me, I’m not listening. Do you expect me to listen to your prayers and bless you when you don’t treat others fairly? Stop doing evil! You have not been fair to others, you have not helped those who suffer, and you have not supported orphans and widows. (Isaiah 1:11–17; 58:1–11)

Eventually, because of their wickedness, both kingdoms were conquered by foreign empires, and the Israelites were led away as slaves. God had been faithful to the Israelites, being patient with them and forgiving them, but the Jews were constantly unfaithful to God. Their agreement to honor each other had resulted in a “divorce.” Israel was like God’s vineyard, but it failed to produce the desired fruit, so the vineyard was destroyed. Nearly all the Jews were scattered across the region of southwest Asia, far from Canaan.

Hope for the Future

Isaiah and other prophets predicted a future king would lead a worldwide kingdom that will last forever. Evil would be destroyed and God’s vineyard would be fruitful again. Isaiah wrote about a righteous leader to come – Immanuel (“God with us”), also known as the Messiah (Christ in Greek) – who would be “Mighty God” in human form and rule the entire world (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6). The Jews looked forward to when the Messiah would save them from their oppressors. However, the Messiah was predicted to come as a servant, not a military king, and his kingdom would include all people, not just the Jews.

After many centuries, the Messiah finally arrived as a baby. A virgin gave birth to a boy named Jesus in a humble barn, and God was the father. Jesus was the visible expression of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:2). Seeing and hearing God in human form was the best way for people to understand who God is. The details of his life met all the prophets’ predictions about who the Messiah would be, but the Jews expected the Messiah to be a military conqueror, so they didn’t recognize him as the Messiah when he grew up.

Jesus led a sinless life and had unusual powers, but he only used them to help others. He modeled and taught about serving and forgiving others, unconditional and sacrificial love, and extreme generosity. He spoke mainly to the Jews – they were God’s people but had misunderstood what God tried to teach them. Jesus’s actions and teachings also showed God’s acceptance of all people, not just the Jews. His focus on those who were disadvantaged in some way showed a different set of priorities, and his refusal to conform to strict religious rules showed a new way of thinking. Love was the highest priority, not obeying rules. Loving others heals people’s bodies, minds, and spirits, and sacrificial love and forgiveness bring peace in the human heart and harmony in relationships with others.

Jesus Becomes the Final Sacrifice

Jesus’s teachings threatened Jewish religious traditions, and religious leaders saw him as a false prophet who misled the Jews. When Jesus became very popular, the leaders plotted to have him killed by the Romans who occupied the region. Jesus was captured by the leaders in Jerusalem and sent to the Romans to be killed. He was nailed to a cross and died.

His death became the last blood sacrifice of a perfect lamb. The sacrifice was similar to the blood of a perfect lamb sacrificed by the Israelites during the Passover in Egypt to save them from death. It was similar to the blood sacrifices Jews made using unblemished animals to reestablish a relationship with God. It had always been God’s plan to have Jesus be the last sacrifice – the periodic shedding of animal blood could not take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). Only God could forgive sin. Jesus knew this and didn’t resist being killed.

Jesus Conquers Death

Jesus was buried on a Friday afternoon, but early Sunday morning, he came back to life – death could not stop the God of the universe. While his sacrifice saved people, his resurrection from the dead means those who follow him will defeat death and live forever with God in heaven.

Jesus lived 40 more days and met with hundreds of people. He explained why his death and resurrection had to occur. He told his followers to tell people all over the world about him. He said God’s spirit would enter them and provide moral guidance to their minds, wisdom about how to live, power and authority over evil spirits, and energy to persevere during difficult times. Then Jesus rose into the sky and disappeared.

A few days later, the Spirit was unleashed among the believers and gave them new powers, including the ability to speak the truth boldly in other languages, cast out demons, and heal the sick. They spread out across the region and beyond, telling people about the saving love of Jesus’s sacrifice and resurrection (the good news, or “gospel”), and inviting them to follow him and join their movement. The Spirit helped and comforted them as they traveled (Romans 8:26–27). The number of people who decided to follow Jesus grew rapidly.

A new more inclusive agreement had been established – everybody is loved and accepted by God, not just the Jews. The first agreement was exclusively for the Jews, but it became obsolete when the new, more inclusive agreement was made (Hebrews 8). Everybody can now be saved from death – it doesn’t matter what a person’s birthplace, tribe, race, age, gender, actions, or beliefs may be. Moreover, blood sacrifices are no longer needed for people to have a relationship with God – everybody is invited to meet and understand God. This is very good news for the whole world!

Those who follow Jesus, the Christ, are known as “Christians,” and collectively, they are known as the “church.” The church is the “body of Christ” and a “new Israel,” and is called to bless the entire world, the same calling the Israelites had. This “new nation” of God’s people are to live a certain way – loving and following God, loving and forgiving others (including their enemies), and promoting peace and justice in the world. These actions are what the world needs for people to thrive in today’s world.

Jesus said he will return to earth some day and eliminate Satan and evil forever. But until that day comes, good and evil coexist on earth. So life is often unpredictable and unfair – good people suffer and evil people thrive. But God can use evil to produce good (Romans 8:28). His followers are to persevere with endurance when they are persecuted because of their faith – they have hope and confidence in knowing good days will come. They have inner peace and the moral purpose to serve others. Jesus will ultimately judge all people, condemning many to hell and inviting his followers into heaven.

Following Jesus

The sacrifice of Jesus, the perfect lamb of God, saves all people from death forever. Death loses its sting when we have this assurance (1 Corinthians 15:54–57; Hosea 13:14). People of the whole world are invited to have a relationship with God. Some believe God is impersonal, aloof, and unknowable, but the one true God described in the Bible is the opposite – personal, near, and knowable. Jesus is like a shepherd who actively looks for lost sheep to bring them into the flock of believers. He pursues us and wants us to know him.

To know Jesus is to know God. He is the only one who provides people access to heaven. God’s forgiving and loving nature gives everybody hope that they can have a meaningful life and enter heaven after they die. To have a relationship with God and enjoy its benefits, people need to decide if they want to have that relationship. Gaining access to eternal life is free – there’s nothing we can do to earn it, and we certainly don’t deserve it (it’s God’s gift to us).

Jesus stands at the door of our lives and knocks. He gives each person the option to reject him or let him into their life. Those who do start communicating with God in different ways. God protects believers from evil and guides them on the right path when they are in danger as he loves them unconditionally.

Those who decide to follow Jesus and his teaching turn away from their old ways of living and enter a new phase of life – they are “born again” (2 Corinthians 5:17). They symbolically show this internal change in allegiance, from self to God, by being baptized with water, leaving death and their old ways behind and starting a new life. They seek to be more loving, for God is love (1 John 4:7–18).

God’s free gift of eternal life is a sign of God’s “grace,” an undeserved blessing to those who sin. Paul, a Jewish leader who became a Christian and traveled to other countries to share the good news about Jesus, explained it this way to believers in Ephesus:

Our sinful human nature makes us deserve death, but because of God’s great mercy and love for us, God made us alive with Christ. We were all dead in our sins, but God’s grace saved us... You have been saved by God’s grace because of your faith. (Ephesians 2:3–5,8)

Those who decide to follow Jesus enter an exciting but difficult life. Their purpose for living changes, and they represent God’s kingdom to others on earth (they are “ambassadors” for heaven). Their values and priorities will conflict with those of the local culture. They are not to do what an ungodly world wants them to do, but they must love and serve others while living in world. Individually and as a group, Christians are to be examples of God’s love and forgiveness, living humbly as they promote peace and justice. When we know we are loved and forgiven just as we are, we gain emotional and spiritual freedom that enables us to love and serve others in the ways Jesus did when he was on earth.

Christians live in a world where many bad things cause pain, suffering, and death. Evil forces affect many aspects of life and try to disrupt the forces of good in individuals and society. Christians are soldiers of light in a battle against the invisible forces of evil, providing love, hope, and truth to others. Evil forces often focus their efforts on Christians – they try to reduce God’s influence in the world by creating internal divisions and distractions within the church and by influencing Christians to embrace aspects of the local culture that don’t reflect Jesus’s character and priorities.

Making a commitment to put one’s faith in Jesus and follow his teachings is just the beginning of the process. It takes time and discipline to become a mature Christian. One must always be learning about what God wants believers to become and do. The Spirit gives different “gifts” to Christians so they can support the church and serve others. Over time, the life of a faithful Christian is transformed to be more like Christ. Spiritual maturity is shown by the “fruits” of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). Mature Christians are gracious, humble, trustworthy, merciful, compassionate, and just, traits that always benefit the whole world.

Summary

God first promised to bless Abraham and the Israelites so they could be a blessing to others. They were to show the world what a relationship with God and a just society looked like. But they were often unfaithful to God, disobeying the commands they received, and not loving others. They were to make sacrifices to show their sorrow for their sins, but due to their continued disobedience, God removed the blessings. A few faithful Jews waited for the day when a king (Messiah) would come and save them.

God came to earth in the person of Jesus. He provided people with a concrete example of who God is – he demonstrated God’s character and modeled how God’s people should live. God is love, and he taught that love was the primary trait of God’s people. Life was not to be lived according to rigid rules, but according to the rule of love. The first agreement showed that it’s impossible for people to have a close relationship with an invisible God being by following rules and making sacrifices. Jesus became the final sacrifice for all people and erased the natural consequence of sin, being separated from God. His death saves all people from their sins, not just the Jews, and allows all people to come to God blameless and clean. His resurrection conquered sin, death, and Satan. Jesus paid the price for us to be reconciled to God. There is nothing we must do, other than follow Jesus, to be saved from permanent death. Believers are to tell others about Jesus and to reflect the values of God’s kingdom to those living in earthly kingdoms.

* * * * *

You are invited to know God and start leading a new and exciting life with those who have similar values and beliefs. If you want to follow Jesus or know more about the one true God and what the Bible teaches, consider telling a Christian you trust about it. Contact one or two pastors or priests and let them know of your interests and why you contacted them. Consider attending a few different church meetings, possibly with a Christian friend. Each gathering has its own “feel” and culture, so see what seems right for you. Collectively, these steps will help you continue your spiritual journey.

#17 The Bible in A Nutshell

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 17:57:46 GMT

# 17 The Bible In A Nutshell

The Holy Bible is a collection of 66 documents written by many authors during a 1,600-year period, starting in about the 15th century BCE (there is no agreement about when the first book was written). The documents (“books”) were not organized in chronological order. This is a condensed summary of all 66 books in 24 sections that cover the contents of the 24 chapters that appear in The Simplified Short Bible: A Short Chronological Summary of the Old and New Testaments. Each section indicates the parts of the Bible that are summarized.

[This summary is part of the book, The Bible I Never Knew (Byblio Press, 2024), and may be reproduced entirely or in part without permission from the author as long as it is used for study and non-commercial purposes. Any complete reproduction of this summary must include this information about its reproduction. © Copyright by Peter J. Bylsma. All rights reserved.]

THE OLD TESTAMENT

1 – The Beginning

Genesis 1–31

A loving God created a wonderful world and humans in God’s image. Evil forces infected the world with sin, causing people to disobey God. God told Abram to move to Canaan where he eventually had a son, Isaac. Abraham proved he trusted God and was told he would lead a special group of people who lived in Canaan – his descendants would be countless as long as they obeyed God; they would be blessed, and every nation would be blessed by them. Isaac married Rebekah and had twins, Esau and Jacob, and Jacob tricked Esau into giving away the normal blessings that belonged to his older brother. Esau wanted to kill Jacob, who escaped to live with his relatives many miles away. Jacob worked with his relatives for many years, and he eventually had 12 sons and a daughter with Rachel and his three other wives. God told him he would be blessed and have many descendants, the same promise God made to Abraham. When Isaac decided to return to Canaan, his awkward departure strained his relationship with his relatives. Eventually, they worked out their differences and left each other as friends.

2 – Jacob Returns to Canaan

Genesis 32–48

Jacob returned to Canaan and God changed his name to Israel. He mended his relationship with Esau, and his wife Rachel died when she had a son, Benjamin. Joseph was Rachel’s first son and was Jacob’s favorite. His older brothers hated him and staged his death and sold him to traders who took him to Egypt. Joseph was so wise that the Egyptian leader (Pharoah) put him in charge of the entire country, including supervising food sold to foreigners during a long famine. When his brothers came to Egypt to get food, they didn’t recognize him – they all thought he was dead. At first, Joseph didn’t let them know who he was, but later he told them the truth – he was alive and would take care of them. The evil done to him was used by God to bless them. Joseph arranged for all his relatives to move to Egypt where they were given the best farmland.

3 – Life in Egypt

Genesis 48–50, Exodus 1–12

Members of Jacob’s tribe were called Israelites and spoke Hebrew. Their population grew powerful and threatened a new Pharoah who made the Israelites his slaves. An Israelite baby named Moses was saved from death and adopted by Pharoah’s daughter. When he was fully grown, he was upset with how the Israelites were treated, and he killed an Egyptian soldier and escaped to avoid arrest. While living in the wilderness for many years, God appeared to him in a burning bush. God told Moses to return and tell Pharoah to let the Israelites leave Egypt and his brother Aaron would help him. God gave Moses special powers to show Pharoah God was on his side, but the king made life more miserable for the Israelites. Moses told the people that God was on their side and would deliver them from Egypt, but they didn’t believe him. Moses confronted Pharoah many times and created many problems for the Egyptians by using God’s power, but the king didn’t let the people go. After God killed all the first-born children and animals one night (but not those of the Israelites who put blood around their doors so death would “passover” their homes), the king ordered them to leave, and they left to go back to Canaan.

4 – The Israelites Leave Egypt

Exodus 13–40, Leviticus

Pharaoh soon tried to recapture the Israelites, but Moses used God’s power to open a path through vast waters, and the pursuing Egyptian army drowned when the water returned to its normal depth. The Israelites understood God saved them, and God faithfully provided water and food as they traveled in the wilderness. Moses was God’s spokesman, and an agreement was made – God would love and protect the Israelites if they obeyed God. While camping near Mount Sinai, Moses received many commands and rules from God that the people were to obey in order to create a just, healthy, loving, and holy society. There were rewards and blessings if people obeyed God’s laws, but punishment would occur if people don’t follow God’s commands. When they disobeyed, the people were to seek forgiveness and make high-quality sacrifices and offerings to God. Shedding blood was a key sacrifice to mend a broken relationship, and God forgives those who are sorry for their disobedience. God warned the Israelites that if they continued to break their agreement with God, they would lose their land and be enslaved by their enemies. God lived in a special tent (tabernacle), and male descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s sons, were made priests to lead the people’s worship of God. When people rebelled against God and Moses, the Levites killed them.

5 – Life in the Wilderness

Numbers, Deuteronomy

When the Israelites got close to Canaan, 12 men went to learn about its conditions. When they returned, 10 of them said it would be impossible to conquer the region. However, Joshua and Caleb disagreed and said that if God was on their side, they would occupy the land. The Israelite leaders were angry that Moses led them out of Egypt to a land they couldn’t occupy. As punishment for their lack of faith, God had the Israelites wander in the wilderness for 40 years. During this time, the people constantly complained about their living conditions. After 40 years, they traveled toward Canaan and defeated the armies they met on the way. They camped on the banks of the Jordan River and Moses provided instructions about what they should do when they crossed into Canaan. Moses reminded the people several times to love and obey God because the Lord first loved them. If the Israelites didn’t obey God’s commands, they would lose their land. They were stubborn, but the wickedness of the people living in Canaan was much worse. They were to drive them all out, destroy their images of their idols and gods, and not intermarry with others because they would God’s people to stumble.

6 – The Occupation of Canaan

Joshua

Joshua led the people who crossed the Jordan River. The Israelites camped near the walled city of Jericho and the army marched around it many times. When trumpets blew on the seventh day, the walls fell and the Israelite army killed everybody except the prostitute Rahab and her family (she had lied to shelter two Israelites investigating conditions in Jericho). The army then conquered all the other nations in the region. After seven years of battle, the Israelites had conquered all the local nations, and the land was divided so the 12 tribes of Israel (descendants of Jacob) had their own land. But some areas were not occupied, so Canaanites continued living in the region. Joshua reminded everybody to be faithful to God and not mix with the Canaanites, and that God would destroy them if they behaved in evil ways. They all agreed to do this.

7 – Israel Struggles in Canaan

Judges, Ruth

The nation of Israel was a disjointed set of tribes that didn’t work together effectively. They didn’t follow the warnings of Moses and Joshua, and the people adopted the ways of the local Canaanites. As a result, God took away the blessings promised to them. When the tribes were attacked by other nations, leaders sometimes rose and used God’s power to lead the Israelites into periods of peace. But these good times were always followed by periods when the people returned to their evil ways. A young Moabite widow traveled to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law during a famine and married a wealthy landowner, and the couple had a son.

8 – Crowning a Unifying King

1 Samuel

The Israelite tribes fought each other and neighboring powers and didn’t follow the God who had blessed them. God called Samuel, a prophet and judge, to lead the people back to the Lord. The leaders of the tribes asked him to appoint a king so the Israelites could be unified and be like other nations. Saul was crowned the first king, but he lacked the personal qualities needed to be a good leader. A young shepherd, David, was picked to eventually become the next king, and he proved his courage and faith in God by killing Goliath in a dramatic confrontation with their enemy, the Philistines. Saul was jealous of David’s fame and tried to kill him, but David always escaped.

9 – King David and King Solomon

2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 1–2 Chronicles

Saul died in battle, and David became king and defeated many foreign powers, and extended the land of the nation in every direction. Jerusalem became the political and religious center of the nation. But David had an affair with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. After being confronted, he repented, but their child died. Their next child, Solomon, became the next king after David died. Solomon built an elaborate Temple where God would live, and he was known around the world for his great wisdom. But his wealth and fame led him to adopt other customs and ideas that were not consistent with God’s values.

10 – The Divided Kingdom

2 Kings, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah

There was no plan for picking the next king, and when Solomon died, a leadership struggle developed into a civil war. The nation divided into two kingdoms, Judah in the South and Israel in the North. As a divided nation, the kingdoms were weak and often attacked by foreigners. Both kingdoms had many kings, and most of them didn’t honor God, although some kings lead religious and social reforms that led to periods of peace and prosperity. Various prophets warned the people and leaders of both nations about the negative consequences of being corrupt, not providing justice, and not following God, saying other nations would conquer them and God’s blessings would be taken from them if they continued doing these things. Micah said people were to “act fairly, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.” Isaiah harshly condemned the moral decline of the Israelites, saying that people will be judged based on justice and correct living. He also predicted there would be a servant king, a Messiah, who would be a descendent of David, that would lead a worldwide kingdom that lasts forever. The blood of the Messiah’s death would save all people, including those of other nations, from their sins.

11 – Both Kingdoms Fall

Jeremiah, Joel, Zephaniah, Obadiah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Lamentations

The Assyrians were the first foreign power to conquer the Israelites, who were collectively known as Jews (from the term Judah). The Assyrians occupied the Northern Kingdom and took thousands of Jews captive. The Assyrians who moved into the region intermarried with the Jews that still lived there (people who lived in the region were called Samaritans because Samaria was the main city). In the Southern Kingdom, several kings were faithful to God, and the Kingdom lasted 136 years longer than the Northern Kingdom. But prophets often warned the people that God would judge them for their disobedience. They were to repent because God is merciful and forgiving; those who don’t repent and obey would be captured, but there is hope for those who love God and survive. Eventually the Babylonians conquered the Southern Kingdom; the Temple was looted and Jerusalem was burned to the ground. The Jewish leaders hadn’t listened to the prophets’ warnings, and the people suffered as God said they would.

12 – Life in Exile, Then Restoration

Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, Malachi

While the Jews lived in the land of their conquerors, they became active in the local economies and maintained their distinctive way of life. A few had leadership positions in the government (Daniel, Nehemiah, Esther) and stayed faithful to God, even though they faced possible death. Many wondered when the Jews would return to Canaan (Palestine), and Persian kings supported the people’s return. Several prophets encouraged people to return, and those who returned found Jerusalem in ruins. The city and Temple were rebuilt, and Zechariah predicted a glorious future for God’s people led by a servant leader who entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The Jews started waiting for the Messiah who would come and establish a new kingdom, and for a messenger who would come first to prepare the way for the Messiah.

13 – Biblical Poetry and Unique Books

Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, Jonah, Song of Solomon

The Old Testament contains six books that represent other forms of literature and are not part of a chronological history of the Israelites. Poetry in the Bible reflects strong emotions and imagery about God and the human condition. Several books provide lessons about life – wisdom for correct living and how to deal with difficult situations when life turns in unexpected directions. Stories about individuals are used to teach different lessons.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

14 – The Messiah Arrives

Luke 1–5, John 1, Matthew 1–4

For 400 years, the Israelites waited for a Messiah to deliver them from foreign domination. The Greeks and Romans conquered the region and Jewish religious leaders developed elaborate rules so the people would please God and get the Messiah to come. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and when he was 30 years old, John the Baptist announced that the Kingdom of God was coming. Jesus was baptized and spent 40 days in a wilderness before starting his ministry. After resisting Satan’s temptations, he started preaching and performing miracles. When he spoke in his hometown of Nazareth, he spoke as if he was the Messiah, and those who knew him turned against him. He then called several men to follow him to be his disciples, and word spread about his healing powers.

15 – The Acts of Jesus

Luke 5–10, 18–21; John 2–5, Matthew 8–9, 11–12, 14–15, 17

Jesus spent several years performing different types of miracles and relating to people who were not respected in society – women, social outcasts, foreigners, and those with physical limitations. His powers and popularity threatened the religious leaders because he violated their traditions and revealed their misplaced values. He valued people more than rules and rebuked those with religious pride. He sent trusted followers to perform more miracles and spread news about him. In a message to John, Jesus confirmed that he was the Messiah, the son of God.

16 – The Teachings of Jesus

Luke 11–21, John 6–9, Matthew 5–7, 10–25, Mark

Most of Jesus’s teachings were new to his audiences, and some of his messages were hard to understand. He changed the meaning of long-established religious laws and customs, and he said people should serve and support others without conditions, especially those with great need. He strongly condemned the views held by religious leaders and said that being a loving, generous, and forgiving person is more important than following rules people were told they must follow. He said he was the human form of God, gave advice about how to communicate with God, and redefined what people need to do to gain God’s favor. But his core teachings about loving, serving, and forgiving others and being merciful, generous, and compassionate to all people were counter-cultural and not easy to follow.

17 – Arrest, Trial, and Execution

Luke 22–23, John 10–19, Matthew 26–27

After Jesus traveled and taught in the region for three years, his time on earth was ending. His teachings threatened the religious traditions of Judaism, and its leaders wanted to kill him. Jesus clarified some of his main teachings with his closest disciples during their last meal, and one of them betrayed him. Jesus was arrested in the middle of the night and the religious leaders said he must die because he said he was God. They arranged to have the Roman leader sentence him to death. He was brutally beaten but rarely spoke and never complained, and he didn’t try to avoid his death sentence. He died a few hours after being nailed to a cross, and he was buried in a stone tomb, which was then covered by a large stone and guarded by Roman soldiers.

18 – Life After Death

Luke 24, John 20–21, Matthew 28, Acts 1

After Jesus died Friday afternoon, he came back to life early Sunday morning. The frightened Roman guards at the gravesite left their post and were bribed to say the disciples stole his body. Jesus appeared to many people in different areas of Israel over the next 40 days, and he explained how he fulfilled the Biblical predictions that as the Messiah, he had to die as a loving sacrifice to save the entire world. The sacrifice of the blood of a perfect man permanently allowed all people to have their sins forgiven – sacrifices were no longer needed for people to be acceptable to God. Jesus told his disciples to tell everybody what he taught them and how they should live. He said he would return in the future and that God’s spirit would guide people who lived on earth. Then he rose into the sky and disappeared.

19 – The Apostles Respond and Scatter

Acts 1–11

God’s spirit soon filled the disciples, and they started healing people and preaching about who Jesus was. Thousands believed he was the Messiah and the religious leaders started arresting the disciples. The number of people who followed “the Way” of Jesus grew, and more leaders were appointed to help new believers. Those who followed Jesus started being persecuted, and Saul, a Pharisee, led this effort. But Saul became a believer after a dramatic experience on a trip to Damascus and became known as Paul, and many Jews tried to kill him. Peter, the lead disciple, continued preaching and healing people, and God revealed to him that forbidden practices, such as eating unclean food, were no longer forbidden. He met Cornelius, a Gentile military leader, and realized that Jesus came to save all people, not just the Jews. This news spread throughout the region, and the movement kept growing. People who followed Jesus were called Christians, and collectively they were called the church.

20 – Paul’s Travels, Part 1: Trips to Asia Minor and Greece

Acts 12–20

Paul took three long journeys to spread the gospel in Asia Minor (Turkey) and Greece. He traveled with different men, and many Jews and local people opposed him because they were threatened by his message about Jesus. Paul and his followers were jailed and nearly killed several times. Word about Gentiles becoming believers resulted in decisions about what rules they should follow – they didn’t need to follow Jewish rules and traditions. Paul’s trips started many churches throughout the region. When he returned to Palestine after his third trip, he expected to encounter more hardships.

21 – Paul Travels, Part 2: From Jerusalem to Rome

Acts 21–28

Paul went to Jerusalem and was accused of false teachings by Jews who knew him from his travels in Asia. After being arrested by Roman soldiers, he used his privilege as a Roman citizen to tell the authorities why people opposed him. He avoided plots to kill him, and his false accusers couldn’t provide any evidence against him. He won his appeal to have his case heard in Rome. On the trip to Rome as a prisoner, his ship faced a very strong storm and the ship was destroyed on the shores of Malta. Paul provided leadership on the boat and everybody survived the shipwreck. After arriving in Rome and while he waited for his trial, he spoke to many people about Jesus being the Messiah, and he wrote many letters to Christians he had met on his previous trips.

22 – Paul’s Letters to Believers

Galatians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, Titus, Philemon, 1–2 Timothy

Paul wrote letters to Christians who lived in Galatia, Corinth, Thessalonica, Rome, Colossae, Ephesus, and Philippi and to three Christian leaders – Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. He described and explained Jesus’s teachings and actions and discussed what they meant for believers. He also provided practical advice and encouraged those who received his letters. Paul’s longer letters included many concepts about God as he clarified and defended the faith. Here are the main ideas in his letters.

Jesus was the human form of God and came to earth to give himself as the final sacrifice to forgive and save all people from their sins. People can’t earn God’s approval by following rules and laws. God’s free gift of eternal life is available to everybody – non-Jews were adopted into God’s family. Being free from sin through God’s forgiveness and unconditional acceptance gives people spiritual and emotional freedom, which helps them to be better models of holy living and a beneficial presence in the world.
Jesus provided us with a concrete example of how we should live and act, and those who put their faith and trust in him are called to be like him. His followers should show elements of God’s character, including love for others, compassion, forgiveness, helpfulness, hope, humility, kindness, patience, peace, and perseverance.
God’s spirit lives in people and helps them become more like Jesus and do what God wants them to do. Christians must stay focused on Jesus’s teachings and example and be united within their diverse community, and they are to resist the distractions and alternative belief systems that exist in society.

23 – Other Letters to Believers

1–2 Peter, James, Jude, 1–3 John, Hebrews

Other Christian leaders wrote letters to various believers. Peter’s two letters offered encouragement and instruction about the way to live a godly life, and he warned believers about following false teachings. The short letter by James was practical in nature, and the very short letters by Jude and John dealt with false teachings that circulated in the region. A general letter, Hebrews, makes the case to Jewish Christians about how Jesus related to the Old Testament and the importance of having faith during difficult times. These letters stressed some of the same themes found in Paul’s letters: Christians should love one another, live a good life, serve others through their actions, endure hardship, and resist evil and false teachings.

24 – Predictions About the Future

Matthew 13 and 24, Revelation

Jesus and others predicted certain things will happen in the future, including the judgment of those who are evil and rewards for those who remain faithful. These predictions are hard to understand because they use symbols that are unclear, and nobody knows when the final judgment will occur. Christians were being persecuted because their allegiance was to God, not to the Roman leaders, and John encouraged believers not to compromise their faith in order to blend in with others in society. At some time in the future, certain things will happen that indicate the final judgment is near. These include intense warfare and natural disasters and the persecution of Christians. A final battle between the forces of good and evil will eventually take place, and Jesus will return and defeat the forces of evil, which will be destroyed forever. Jesus and all the faithful will then live forever in heaven. The prediction of the final victory helps Christians endure during difficult times.

#16 The Complete Christmas Story

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 14:19:37 GMT

#16 The Complete Christmas Story

This modified excerpt from Chapter 15 of The Short Bible: A Chronological Summary of the Old and New Testaments (WestBow Press, 2021) is based on accounts in Matthew 1:1–2:21 and Luke 1:5–2:20.

In 5 BC, when Herod was the Roman king in charge of Judah, a priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were living in Hebron, about 25 miles south of Jerusalem. Both were descendants of Aaron, the first high priest, and both were righteous in God’s sight and obeyed all of God’s commands. They had grown old without having any children, even though they often prayed to have a son.

One day an angel appeared to Zechariah when he was on duty burning incense inside the Temple. He was startled and instantly became afraid when he saw the angel. But the angel told him, “Don’t be afraid. God has heard your prayer. Your wife will have a son, and you will call him John. He will be great in God’s sight. He will never drink from the fruit of the vine. The Holy Spirit will fill him, even before he is born. He will bring many disobedient people of Israel to the Lord, and he will prepare the people for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man, and my wife is also old.”

The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in God’s presence and was sent to tell you this good news. But you won’t be able to speak until the child is born because you didn’t believe me.”

When Zechariah came out of the Temple, he couldn’t speak. Using hand motions, he described to those waiting for him that he had seen an angel but wasn’t able to talk about it. He went home and told Elizabeth about it in the same manner. When she got pregnant, she stayed in seclusion for five months.

When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, the same angel appeared to a young teenager named Mary who lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee about 70 miles north of Jerusalem. She was engaged to Joseph, a descendant of King David. The angel said to Mary, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!” Mary was confused and afraid when she heard this from a complete stranger who had suddenly appeared. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid. You have found favor with God. You will give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and be called the Son of the Most High. God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever.”

Mary asked the angel how it could happen — she was still a virgin. The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will be the father, and your relative Elizabeth will also have a child, even though she is very old. She is already in her sixth month.”

Mary was amazed that such an impossible thing would happen to Elizabeth. She immediately went to see Elizabeth, who lived nearly 100 miles away. As soon as Mary entered the room and greeted Elizabeth, the baby inside Elizabeth jumped and the Holy Spirit gave Elizabeth insight into what had happened to Mary. She said to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child of your womb! I am so blessed that the mother of the Lord has come to me.” Mary responded by glorifying God, and she stayed with Elizabeth for three months until her baby boy was born.

When it came time to circumcise the child, everybody expected he would be named Zechariah after his father, since that was the tradition. But Elizabeth said his name would be John. Her neighbors and relatives were puzzled — nobody in their families was named John. They turned to Zechariah and asked him to write the child’s name on a tablet. He wrote that it would be John. He immediately was able to talk, and he explained what had happened to him. He also made predictions about the boy’s life.

Praise be to the God of Israel who has come to redeem us. God has raised up a king of salvation in the house of David as the holy prophets said long ago, to remember the covenant made with our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies and enable us to serve God without fear all of our days. My child will be called a prophet of the Most High because he will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for God, to give people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. The rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death and guide us into the path of peace.

The Birth of Jesus

When Mary returned from being with Elizabeth, her fiancé Joseph found out she was pregnant. He was a faithful man who obeyed the Law, but rather than divorce her openly for being unfaithful (they were legally bound to be married even though they were only engaged), he considered divorcing her quietly. But as he was thinking about it, an angel appeared to him in a dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. The Holy Spirit of God is the father. She will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save people from their sins.”

This had been predicted by the prophet Isaiah: “The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called Immanuel” (meaning “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel said — he took Mary home as his wife. But he would not consummate their marriage until she gave birth.

While Mary was pregnant, the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus decreed that there would be a census. Everybody had to return to their hometown where they could be counted. When Mary was close to giving birth, she and Joseph traveled south from Nazareth, in Galilee, into the hills to Bethlehem, a town close to Jerusalem, the City of David, because Joseph was a descendant of David.

The town was full of people returning home due to the census, and there was no place for them to stay. They were offered a place in a barn, and that is where Mary gave birth to her son. She wrapped him up using long strips of cloth, and she used a feeding trough for animals as a crib.

That night, a shining angel appeared to shepherds nearby who were watching their flocks. The shepherds were very frightened, but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news that will make everybody happy! A Savior was born today in Bethlehem. He is the Messiah, the Lord. Go and see him. He is the one wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Then suddenly, many other angels appeared and boldly shouted, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth. He will bring peace to those he favors.”

Then the angels disappeared. The shepherds all agreed to go find the baby. They hurried into town and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. After they saw him, they told others about what had happened. Everybody was amazed when they heard their story.

When the child was eight days old, Mary and Joseph had him circumcised and named him Jesus. They also took him to the Temple in Jerusalem to go through the rite of purification that was commanded by Moses, and they presented him to the Lord with the required sacrifices. An old and faithful man named Simeon was in the Temple. God had told him that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. When Jesus appeared in the Temple with his parents, Simeon was overcome with emotion. He took Jesus in his arms and said, “Lord, you can take me now in peace. As you have promised, I have seen your salvation that you have prepared for all nations: a light for the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”

Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, “This child will cause many people of Israel to fall and rise and will be spoken against, so the thoughts of many hearts are revealed. Also, a sword will pierce your own soul.”

After Simeon finished speaking, a very old woman named Anna came up to Mary. Anna was a prophet who had lived with her husband for a few years and then become a widow. She worshipped at the Temple night and day, fasting and praying. She gave thanks to God when she saw Jesus and spoke about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Three Wise Men

Prior to the birth of Jesus, priests from Persia (Magi) who studied the stars saw a bright light in the sky that convinced them that a new king was born in Judah. They traveled hundreds of miles and went to Jerusalem. They asked King Herod where the Jews’ king was born. The thought of another king worried the paranoid Herod and others in Jerusalem. Herod found out from the Jewish leaders that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, and he told the Magi to find the boy and report back to him about where he was. Herod told the Magi that he wanted to worship the boy himself.

The bright star hovered over Bethlehem a few miles away. The Magi went and found Jesus with his parents, and they fell down and worshipped the baby. They also gave the baby gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Before they left, they were warned in a dream to return home using a different route and not to tell Herod where Jesus was staying. After the Magi left, Joseph had a dream. He was to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt and stay there. Herod was looking for Jesus in order to kill him. Joseph got up immediately, and the family left for Egypt in the middle of the night.

When Herod realized that the Magi had left without telling him where Jesus was, he was furious. He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old or younger. Jeremiah had predicted this would happen.

The family stayed in Egypt until Herod died. This fulfilled what the prophet Hosea said: “I called my son out of Egypt.” Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law, and they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. Jesus grew up strong and was filled with wisdom. His ancestors went back many generations and included Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, Jesse, David, Solomon, Rehoboam, Hezekiah, Amos, and Josiah. Four women, including Rahab and Ruth (both foreigners), were also among his ancestors.

#15 The Pursuit of Truth

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 16:19:58 GMT

#15 The Pursuit of Truth

This article is adapted from Chapter 8, Science, Truth, and Miracles, in The Bible I Never Knew: A Closer Look at Christianity’s Main Themes (Dr. Peter Bylsma, Byblio Press, 2024).

People have been pursuing the truth for many centuries. Aristotle lived in Greece in the third century BC and pioneered techniques of observation and inquiry we still use today. Galileo, the Italian astronomer and physicist, questioned conventional wisdom and used scientific methods in the early 1600s to discover the earth was not the center of the universe. [1]

The field of study that deals with knowledge is called epistemology: how to discern truth and what it means to “know” something. Having knowledge means we understand something, its relative importance, and how it can be used (or abused) in daily life.

Knowing the truth can lead to emotional, psychological, and spiritual freedom. Jesus spoke these words to those who followed him: “If you continue in my word, then you are truly my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32). He was telling them that knowing Him sets us free from sin, fear, condemnation, and worry, which gives us confidence and the freedom and courage to go into the world, spread the gospel, and do good works.

Our beliefs about what is true are developed through the influence of family, friends, social circles, media, political leaders, and our experiences with each of these. But lies, half-truths, superstitions, and the culture are enemies of the truth — evil forces use many types of deceptions to distort what is true. Those who lie take advantage of people’s trust, gullibility, simplistic thinking, fears, beliefs in common myths, and trust in those who think like them. They tell us to use our intuition (not our brain) to reach conclusions about what is true and that truth is what is inside us. But our emotions are easily manipulated, our intuitions reflect deep prejudices, and we like to blame others for our problems.

Jesus called the devil the father of lies and the evil one (John 8:44, Matt 13:19). Satan tempted a vulnerable Jesus in the wilderness by quoting the scriptures out of context, but Jesus knew the truth and countered the temptations with better quotes of his own. False and misleading information erodes trust and contributes to divisions within society. It also makes it harder to have conversations with friends, family, and neighbors when people don’t share the same facts.

Constant exposure to the same perspective has a lasting impact on our ability to interpret events and messages. Being isolated from other points of view makes it easy for those with evil and biased motives to influence us by using disinformation (lies with no factual basis) and misinformation (knowingly or unknowingly telling lies or partial truths that distort or ignore the truth, such as using facts or statistics to make a point but leaving out details that would lead to a different conclusion).

Falsehoods and lies that are repeated many times become “truth” to the speaker/author and their listeners/readers because of the psychological influence repetitive messages have on our mind. Repetition deepens the neural pathways in our brain, just as walking the same dirt path over and over makes it wider and harder. Deep neural pathways are difficult to change and eliminate. This process of repetition has been termed “brainwashing” and is used worldwide in overt and subtle ways. When lies become our truth, we unwittingly spread falsehoods to others with sincerity.

It takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, and self-reflection to leave a path that has become deeply entrenched in our mind. Being constantly surrounded by incomplete, incorrect, or biased information makes it hard for us to be open to new ideas, even when they are correct. This is what had happened to the Jewish leaders who interacted with Jesus. He used the following analogy of wineskins.

Nobody uses a piece of a new garment to patch an old one. If they do, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old one. And nobody pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out, and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. Nobody who first drinks old wine wants the new wine: they say, “The old is better.” (Luke 5:36–39)

Jesus was saying that new ideas are often incompatible with our traditional ways of thinking and acting, so we resist changing our mind and behavior. Making these changes is usually very hard, and compelling evidence is often not enough to get us to change our mind or behavior. Embracing new ideas means giving up old ideas and established new habits, which is a painful process that includes a sense of loss and failure. It’s easier to be comfortable with our usual customs and practices than to entertain the validity of new ideas that challenge our habits and beliefs and may require us to change. The Jewish religious leaders were convinced they had figured out how they should live and what they should believe. However, their limited and inflexible perspectives conflicted with the teachings of Jesus, so they rejected him.

One way to identify a lie is to focus intently on what is true. The Christians in ancient Rome were surrounded by a pagan society, and Paul told them not to conform to that culture. Instead, they were to “be transformed by the renewing of their minds” (Rom 12:2). Having a strong grasp of the truth makes it easier to identify lies, false arguments, and misinformation. My father once told me that those in charge of identifying counterfeit coins mainly listened to the sound of legitimate coins bouncing on a table. That way, a fake coin stood out because it made a slightly different sound. (I’m not sure if this was actually done, but it’s a good illustration. When we hear both lies and truths, it’s hard to know what is true.)

Retaining our holiness in an evil world requires a consistent focus on God’s word and being in the fellowship of others who speak the truth. Research has found that a changed focus helps us overcome depression, trauma, loneliness, heartbreak, and a sense of loss. Observing nature’s beauty or acts of kindness and listening to music brings peace and reduces inflammation. God brings us “beauty from ashes” and blesses those who “meditate on God’s words day and night” (Isa 61:3, Psa 1:1–2). Paul understood the importance of maintaining the right focus when he wrote, “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, anything that is excellent or praiseworthy, think about those things” (Phil 6:8).

The sciences have shown us that understanding life and the universe is a challenge. When we first learn things as a child, the concepts are simplified to make things easy to understand and remember. But as we grow older, we realize things aren’t so simple. Paul says, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I grew up, I put my childhood ways behind me” (1Cor 13:11). We should therefore resist the tendency to have simple answers to complex issues. H.L. Mencken once wrote, “For every complex problem, there's a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.” We often have confidence in what we know, which can lead to pride, but we may have an incomplete understanding of a topic.

Instead, we should take time to understand the truth about our world. We need media literacy and should confirm “facts” from multiple sources. We need flexible minds that absorb new information and perspectives when warranted. Accurate information is crucial for making informed decisions. Jesus tells us to be “wise as serpents and pure as doves” (Matt 10:16). Jesus used this simile to convey the need for believers to make good use of their mind while being harmless, to be wide-eyed critical thinkers who discern the truth while retaining our innocence. When we pursue knowledge, we shouldn’t be afraid of what we find because, as St. Augustine and many others have said, “all truth is God’s truth.”

To learn the truth and make changes, we need to avoid biased information that (1) masquerades as news but has undisclosed sources, (2) mixes facts with opinions, (3) doesn’t rely on objective facts, (4) intentionally excludes important facts, and (5) focuses on stories designed to incite strong emotions (e.g., fear and anger). Transparency and critical thinking are helpful remedies to combat lies.

Humility is the natural response to understanding how little we know. Pride, arrogance, hubris, conceit, and cockiness are characteristics of those who lack insight into their own ignorance (or they are trying to mask it). Atheists hold a position that implicitly believes they have all knowledge, which means they know what exists and what does not exist. Such a position is intellectually untenable — no human knows everything, but their assertion that God doesn’t exist provides them comfort while being blind to their ignorance — they don’t know what they don’t know.

[1] He was arrested by the Inquisition in 1633 and ordered to deny his beliefs, but his methods of study revolutionized Europe and sowed the seeds for the Enlightenment in the 18th century. In 1992, Pope John Paul II said the church had wronged Galileo.

#14 Science and Truth

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 16:12:00 GMT

#14 Science and Truth

This article is adapted from Chapter 8, Science, Truth, and Miracles, in The Bible I Never Knew: A Closer Look at Christianity’s Main Themes (Dr. Peter Bylsma, Byblio Press, 2024).

Science and religion are often seen as polar opposites on the “truth” spectrum, but this is based on a misunderstanding of both. In fact, they complement each other.

Science is a general field of study of different parts of the world (the natural and social sciences) and has many fields and subfields that sometimes overlap (e.g., paleontology combines biology, geology, and history). The goal of science is to understand the truth about the universe and our interactions with nature and each other in order improve the quality of life on earth.

The scientific process is a method of learning to discover the truth about a topic. It uses tools and techniques that are used in many fields of research (e.g., pictures, audio recordings, math, statistics). The goal of research is to collect evidence that leads us to a better understanding of a specific topic, which can lead to making more accurate predictions, better decisions, and better products for the world to use.

Science and the scientific process are politically neutral. The knowledge gained has been used for evil and selfish purposes, and biased studies and research that support a particular point of view are dangerous despite their disguise as authoritative truth. However, what we have learned has increased our understanding of the world and improved our standard of living, which have brought about many positive changes. The work of science and the methods its uses should always be transparent so others can check and replicate the findings to verify the truthfulness of the claims.

Historically, the church has been suspicious of science and its methods because they sometimes appear to undermine religious faith. For example, the Scopes “monkey trial” in 1925 pitted science and the teaching of evolution against literal interpretations of creation described in the Bible. A Tennessee state law prohibited the teaching of evolution, and the trial was broadcasted nationally by radio. A highly critical journalist ridiculed Biblical teachings during the trial, which caused some Christians to oppose science and the press because they were seen as anti-Christian forces. A “fortress” mentality developed among some Christian groups who felt the faith was being attacked, and they thought true believers needed to be protected from sinful and unorthodox influences in the world. These groups viewed science, the press, and intellectuals as secular forces that opposed the faith.

But the Bible is full of different types of literary devices, and the context of what was written must be taken into account. Thus, not everything in the Bible is to be taken literally — something can be true without being factual. Some stories in the Bible were told to make a point rather than report actual facts or events.

For example, our investigation of the universe and its properties reveals it is billions of years old, and through natural processes, it has taken almost all that time for conditions on earth to be ready for productive human activity. The idea that the world would only be a few thousand years old but was made to look billions of years old would mean God created the universe as a giant hoax. Time is part of God’s creation, and God uses time to create change. [1] Genesis 1 says God created the world over time, which was to “bring forth” life using natural processes. A belief in a divine creation doesn’t rule out the validity of ideas and theories about how life changed on earth over time. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a paleontologist and Jesuit priest, noted that evolution is a process in which simple things become more complex. It’s humbling to realize a powerful God made an amazing universe that is constantly changing.

Science, with its pursuit of truth, and religion complement one another. Science reveals the majesty of God’s creation that has natural laws throughout the universe. Everywhere we look, the laws of physics are the same. Albert Einstein wrote, “The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.” The natural world is exceedingly complex, but it’s also somewhat predictable, so it can be studied, understood, and changed. The world makes sense and reflects a knowable God. In addition, the earth appears to have been uniquely created over time specifically so humans can thrive, which makes it different from anything else in the universe.

In an age where our scientific knowledge helps us create all types of inventions and technologies, religion should raise moral and ethical questions about their use. This applies to different types of weapons used in war and medical questions related to the beginning, middle, and end of life (e.g., cloning, genetic engineering, fertility, organ and tissue donations and transplants, life support, and assisted suicide). Since science and technology can be used for both good and evil purposes, decisions about if and when certain procedures should be conducted require collaboration with theologians and scientists sitting at the same table. We should have neither uncritical devotion to our past beliefs nor uncritical enthusiasm for new ideas and methods. Our pursuit of knowledge and progress must be guided by a moral compass in order to avoid creating forces that can destroy life and the earth.

[1] On earth, a “day” is 24 hours because that’s how long it takes for our planet to rotate one time. But other planets take more time, so the term “day” is relative. We should not insist on interpreting the word “day” as a literal 24-hour period — this would define time in the entire universe in terms of our own ideas of hours and days. The days of creation are commonly interpreted as meaning a long period of time.

#13 Nationalism, Patriotism, Citizenship

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 16:07:23 GMT

#12 Nationalism, Patriotism, Citizenship

This modified excerpt comes from Chapter 17, Government, Politics, And Citizenship, The Bible I Never Knew: A Closer Look at Christianity’s Main Themes. (Dr. Peter Bylsma, Byblio Press, 2024). The chapter summarizes the Bible’s stories and teachings related to government, politics, and citizenship and the related themes of laws, taxes, submitting to authority, nationalism, patriotism, and freedom.

Nationalism is generally defined as a political belief that a person’s loyalty, devotion, and allegiance to a group of people who share a history, culture, language, and religion takes priority over the interests of individuals or other groups. It can be expressed in different ways, including the promotion of and adherence to the group’s culture, religion, and economic system. In this sense, a nation is different than a country, which is a political term that applies to an area of land. For example, the United States is a country, not a nation, because it consists of many different groups of people who share the same history, culture, language, and religion. Some of these “nations” are formally recognized, such as those of native American tribes. Nationalism implies a belief that one’s own group is better than other groups and should be defended against other groups, which makes it “exclusive.” Nationalist movements currently exist around the world to defend a group’s race, language, history, and way of life. The “nation of Israel” had no land of its own for many centuries but still retained its identity.

Patriotism is similar to nationalism but focuses on love, support, and the defense of one’s country (patrios in Greek, meaning “of one’s father” as in “fatherland”). It assumes a defense of all people who live in the country, even those who have a different way of life. However, it doesn’t imply an advocacy for the country’s interests in the world, and it doesn’t imply one’s country is better than others. But like nationalism, it implies a willingness to fight to defend one’s country. In some cases, the two terms apply to ethnic groups rather than a country because there may not be a political entity that represents the group. Like the term “citizenship,” the two terms imply a sense of collective companionship with others. Charles de Gaulle, the leader who led France against Nazi Germany during World War II, defined patriotism and nationalism this way: “Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism is when hate for people other than your own comes first.” In a diverse society, patriotism and nationalism can be enemies.

Starting with Abraham, the Israelites and Jews developed a collective identity as God’s chosen people, the nation of Israel, which gave them a nationalist perspective and a sense of superiority. God blessed the Israelites, but part of the covenant required them to honor God and provide justice to others, not just other Jews. All people were to be treated fairly. While the Israelites were proud of their nation and many fought to keep it safe, the military expansion by David and Solomon beyond Canaan represented nationalism, the extension of power and use of foreign lands and resources at the expense of others.

Gentiles were later adopted into God’s kingdom after Peter’s exchange with Cornelius, but some Jews rejected the idea because they loved their nation above any others and wanted to keep God’s blessing to themselves. Later, the Jews who followed Jesus wanted Gentile believers to follow the same Old Testament laws they followed. But at the Council of Jerusalem, the apostles decided this wasn’t necessary, that one’s faith didn’t include following rules set up for a different time. It was always God’s intention to include all people in the Kingdom: God loved the world and Jesus saved the world (John 3:16–17; Gal 3:26–29; 1Cor 12:12–14). The good news is that all people can access a loving God who wants a relationship with all people without regard to their tribe, gender, race, age, or birthplace and without regard to what they do or believe. The gradual increase in the revelation of God’s desires for the world reveals a movement from exclusiveness to inclusion — there is no longer favoritism or special privileges for a selected people.

Citizenship

Christians are citizens of heaven and God’s ambassadors in this world. We live in the world with temporary citizenship under an earthly authority, but our ultimate allegiance is to God’s kingdom. We are told to love God, our neighbors, other Christians, and our enemies. The Bible has no verse that supports loving one group over another, and there is nothing biblical about loving one’s country. This doesn’t mean it’s wrong to love one’s country — it’s natural to appreciate our own land, people, and customs, and it’s appropriate to honor those who serve and celebrate freedom from tyranny and oppression — the Jews had similar celebrations. But for Christians, our allegiance to and love for our country must never take priority over the commands to love God and our neighbors.

Given that God loves all people, it’s inconsistent for Christians to love God and our neighbors but then show favoritism to one group or civil authorities or those who share our earthly citizenship. In some countries, the flag is a widely visible sacred symbol of national pride and may become closely associated with the cross. But blending the two symbols as equals, a nation’s flag and a cross (love of country and love of God), is a form of idolatry (extreme love or devotion for something or someone) and syncretism (blending beliefs). It’s similar to the sins of the Israelites who proudly valued their special status as much as, if not more than, worshiping God. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be. Nobody can serve two masters” (Matt 6:21,24). We must not pledge to Caesar what belongs to God, which is our total allegiance.

At a minimum, we should use our right to vote to advocate for justice and a better society in the country of our citizenship. Using non-violent methods, we should oppose improper rules and practices and speak truth to power. Working within a government is another way to promote just causes and a civil society. Serving in the military and the diplomatic corps are unique roles that can help promote justice and peace within a country and in other parts of the world. Voting for leaders who value promoting world peace and justice is another way to show our love for the world. When good people do nothing, evil grows at home and abroad.

The command to show a special love for other Christians affirms a Christian’s duty to have an international perspective. Most Christians live in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and millions of them live in severe poverty. We know that major disparities in wealth and justice exist, so we have no excuse for not helping our Christian brothers and sisters who are in need and live outside our country. We can’t honestly say to the king, “When did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?” (Matt 25:44).

Thus, Christians should have an international focus rather than an allegiance to their country. God loves the world, and before Jesus left the earth, he told his disciples to “make disciples of all the nations” and be his witnesses “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” These verses are collectively known as the Great Commission (Matt 28:19–20, Acts 1:8). Most Christians initially stayed near Jerusalem, but God used persecution to move them out of their comfort zone. As they moved elsewhere to be safe, they shared the gospel with others. As a result, the gospel has been heard around the world.

Being an effective world citizen requires a better understanding of world issues. My experiences living in and traveling to many countries has opened my eyes to the cultures, beliefs, and needs of others. Global migration patterns also bring to us those from other countries who have different religions and cultures — God brings the world to us so we can share the gospel with those who have never heard it. To communicate effectively with those from other countries and cultures, we need to understand their context.

As a Christian who takes the Bible very seriously, I have pledged my total allegiance to being a citizen of the kingdom of God, which carries with it an unwritten pledge to serve the world. When I worked for the government, I also temporarily pledged my limited allegiance to serving my country. I use my rights as a citizen to pick good leaders and advocate for just laws and services that help others and improve society as a whole, including what is good for the world, not just my country. Finally, I have used the privileges and freedoms that come with my citizenship to make vocational and life choices that focus on helping others, both at home and abroad.

#12 The Biblical View of Freedom

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:58:53 GMT

#13 The Biblical View of Freedom

The term freedom is used in different ways in the Bible. The freedoms that governments provide are implied in the biblical narratives. People were free to live and travel where they want, to do business with others and spend their money how they want, to follow and believe different religions and philosophies, to choose their vocations and friends, to discuss and debate the merits of an argument, and to act in immoral ways that don’t interfere with the freedoms and safety of others. Good governments don’t try to control these aspects of society, don’t intrude into a person’s private life, and don’t force people to do something against their will. Some governments include these basic principles in their charter or constitution.

God never forces people to obey — good relationships never depend on force and control. We are given freedom to choose, including the freedom to make bad decisions, for which there will be consequences. But hopefully we learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others.

Adam and Eve were free to live as they chose in the Garden of Eden and they had only one restriction. Both Moses and Joshua told the Israelites that they had a choice about how they could live. In Deuteronomy 30, Moses said, “Walk in obedience, love and serve the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul. Keep God’s commands and decrees I’m giving you today for your own good. This isn’t too difficult for you. Today, I set before you life and prosperity, death and destruction. Choose life.” When Joshua was about to die, he said people should stay faithful and concluded, “If serving the Lord seems hard for you, then you need to choose who you will serve, whether the gods of your ancestors or the gods of the Amorites where you live now. But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (Josh 24:15). When the Israelites didn’t follow God and made bad decisions, they were eventually punished. In the story of the prodigal son, the father set his son free to pursue his earthly desires but hoped and prayed he would come back home.

Of course, freedoms need to be restricted to ensure the safety and well-being of society. Laws are created to ensure justice, fairness, and public safety. Parents put restrictions on their children for their own good and for the good of the family, neighborhood, and society. Those who grow up without restrictions and accountability become reckless and selfish and endanger society. But laws should not oppress or exclude some people in order to benefit others. Sometimes selfish people who wield power create laws and rules that keep themselves in power and favor their own interests at the expense of others. When this happens, we should speak the truth and call for changes in the laws and rules.

The term “freedom” is explicitly used in two ways in the Bible. First, it referred to the literal freedom people had from being controlled by others. The Israelites were freed from working as slaves for the Egyptians, and Moses and many others often reminded them how God saved them from slavery. The Israelites lost their freedom and were taken prisoners of the nations that conquered them. The apostles were set free from jails. Paul and Peter wrote that one’s freedoms should not be abused. “You say you have the right to do anything, but some things are not helpful. You were called to be free, but don’t use your freedom to indulge the flesh; instead, serve one another humbly in love” (1Cor 6:12, Gal 5:13). “Live as free people, but don’t use your freedom to cover-up evil; live as God’s slaves” (1Pet 2:16).

The Old and New Testaments also talk about “freedom” in the spiritual and emotional sense, and it was often contrasted with a spiritual form of slavery and bondage. The first public speech by Jesus included a reading from Isaiah 61, which referred to the Messiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me: God has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. God sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free and proclaim the year of Jubilee. (Luke 4:18–19)

Jesus was using the terms both literally and metaphorically as he claimed he was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy (the Jews thought of the terms literally). The year of Jubilee was the 50th year when all debts were released, giving freedom to those who had long-term debts. The Psalms also refer to freedom this way (Psa 18:5, 119:45). Justice can bring both literal and emotional freedom for those who are oppressed and falsely accused.

Many New Testament passages talk about the spiritual dimension of freedom and slavery. Jesus talked about freedom and truth when he talked to Jews who believed him: “If you embrace my words, you are my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. If the Son sets you free, you will be truly free” (John 8:31–32,36).

Paul wrote to the churches about freedom and slavery in a spiritual sense.

Our old self has died; we are no longer slaves, and we have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. The law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. So those who follow Christ are no longer condemned. The law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. God’s Spirit doesn’t make you a slave and make you afraid again. (Rom 6:6–7,18,22; 8:1–2,15)

Paul told the churches in Corinth and Galatia the same thing: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Christ has set us free. Stand firm and don’t become burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (2Cor 3:17, Gal 5:1).

People become slaves to those they follow (Rom 6:16), so those who follow Jesus take on a different kind of slavery, a devotion to Christ. “When you were slaves, God called you and made you free. Those who are free are now Christ’s slaves; you were bought with a price, so don’t become slaves of others” (1Cor 7:22–23). [1] But this is not too big of a burden. Jesus said his yoke is easy and light, like the yoke on animals that guide them (Matt 11:29–30).

* * * * * * *

In the entrance to the CIA headquarters building in Virginia, there is a structure that says: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The verse has merit as part of the CIA’s mandate to provide accurate information to America’s political leaders about what is happening in the world. However, Jesus’s words were not about political or individual freedom. While the truth can lead to political freedom, we are to put our trust in God, not in our nation, military, money, or minds.

[1] Many forms of slavery existed during Biblical times, and it was different from how we think of slavery today. Sometimes it was an economic arrangement that had specific conditions, like paying off a debt. However, slavery could be involuntary and cruel, and both Nehemiah and Paul condemned it (Neh 5, 1Tim 1:10).

#11 Principles About The Government

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:51:01 GMT

#11 Biblical Principles About Governments

This excerpt comes from Chapter 17, Government, Politics, And Citizenship, The Bible I Never Knew: A Closer Look at Christianity’s Main Themes. (Dr. Peter Bylsma, Byblio Press, 2024). The chapter summarizes the Bible’s stories and teachings related to government, politics, and citizenship and the related themes of laws, taxes, submitting to authority, nationalism, patriotism, and freedom.

The Bible teaches a number of principles related to government authority and power. The first principle is that God is the supreme authority. The Old Testament has many verses that say God is sovereign over the kings on Earth (Prov 8:15–16; Isa 9:6–7, 45:1; Dan 2:21,37; 4:17; 5:21; Job 12:23). The Psalms say, “It’s God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another” (Psa 75:7) and “Kingship belongs to the Lord, who rules over the nations” (Psa 22:28). Jesus claimed to have authority over governments and told Pilate, “You would have no authority over me if it hadn’t been given to you from above” (John 19:11). Just before Jesus left the earth, he told the 11 disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt 28:18).

As the supreme authority, God establishes and delegates authority to human governments to maintain peace and order as they restrain evil and avert anarchy. “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings” (Dan 2:21). The Israelite leaders then delegated authority to levels closer to the people. For example, God had Moses appoint judges and officers in all the towns who were to judge the people with righteousness (Deut 16:18–20); King Solomon appointed 12 district governors over all Israel who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household (1Ki 4:7). Other verses apply to this principle (Dan 2:37–38, John 19:11, Rom 12:19). Several other principles related to government are described in Romans 13, the Bible’s most complete description of the role of government. Paul’s letter was sent to believers in Rome who feared persecution. They didn’t like the Roman rule, but Paul told them to submit to it.

Everyone should submit themselves to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except what God has established. Those who rebel against their authority are rebelling against what God has instituted, and they bring judgment on themselves. For rulers don’t threaten those who do right, but those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of those in authority? Then do what is right and you will be thanked. For those in authority are God’s servants for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers don’t bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on wrongdoers. So you should submit to the authorities, not only because you might be punished if you don’t, but as a matter of conscience. This means you should pay your taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants who work full-time in their governing. (Rom 13:1–6)

This passage leads to the next principle: we are to submit to government authorities. Since governments are authorized and ordained by God to function for the good of society, we are to obey its rules. This means paying our taxes, following laws and regulations, and being good citizens. Those who resist authority are opposing God and may be punished. A law-abiding society benefits all people. Paul used the Roman system of justice to help him share the gospel in the Mediterranean region. Jeremiah 29:7 says, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Since governments provide benefits to society, it would be hypocritical to receive the benefits without paying for them. Without taxes, a government collapses and society is left in anarchy.

The “sword” Paul refers to doesn’t mean leaders had the power to kill people — only Romans in the military could do this. Rather, it represents the general right the government has to punish those who break the law, which can include the death penalty. Paul may have been warning the Christians in Rome not to be rebellious — if they were, they would probably be killed. The best way to create change is to work within the system rather than to try to overthrow it, especially when the odds are stacked against you. Submission can be an act of self-preservation.

Other New Testament passages stressed the need for Christians to obey the government. Paul told Titus to have people in his congregation obey the secular leaders (Tit 3:1), and he told Timothy to have his congregation pray for them (1Tim 2:1–2). Peter’s first letter told Christians to submit to human authorities:

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by God to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it’s God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but don’t use your freedom to cover up evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love other believers, fear God, and honor the emperor. (1Pet 2:13–17)

Finally, while human governments have God-given authority, God doesn’t approve of everything they do. Peter referred to Pontius Pilate as one of many “godless men” (Acts 2:23, 4:27) but Jesus affirmed Pilate’s authority (John 19:11). In other words, God allows things to happen but doesn’t necessarily direct or cause them to happen. The Bible doesn’t recommend any form of government, and many governmental structures are mentioned in the scriptures. But they are all created to promote peace, safety, and justice.

#10 Options For Opposing the Government

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:06:44 GMT

#10 Biblical Options for Opposing the Government

Paul wrote letters that provided insights into a Christian’s relationship with human authority. He said our true citizenship is in heaven and we are God’s representatives (ambassadors) to those who live on earth (Phil 3:20, 2Cor 5:20, Eph 6:19–20); Peter said we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, foreigners” (1Pet 2:9–11). Our ultimate loyalty is to God, not an earthly authority; we represent God and should not obey rules that conflict with God’s rules.

My experience living for many years outside the United States has given me insights into these verses. I served five years as a diplomat for the United States government while I lived in Europe and traveled to many countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. I had to obey the rules of the countries where I went, but I didn’t give up my U.S. citizenship. During my time abroad, if I was ordered to do something that violated the oath I took to the U.S. Constitution, such as pledging my allegiance to another country or revealing a secret I was sworn to keep private, I would not follow that order. I met with ambassadors who had the same perspective — they represented their country as they lived in another country. While they lived in another country, they had different loyalties and represented the perspectives of their own country.

In the same way, those who follow Jesus are ambassadors who represent the kingdom of heaven to others on earth. We are to live in this world but not violate God’s mandates. So as citizens of heaven, we are not to obey governments that require us to violate God’s commands and laws. Being God’s representatives on earth can be a dangerous and uncomfortable job, and standing against those in power can even be fatal. The prophets, apostles, and early Christians were jailed, persecuted, and martyred (Heb 11:35).

Those who stayed true to God’s teachings used three non-violent methods to oppose ungodly rules and practices.

God’s people speak truth to power. When the Israelites and their leaders disobeyed God’s commands, prophets said they needed to repent and change their ways. Some of them were killed, and some were harassed and persecuted. John the Baptist told King Herod that he should not have married his brother’s wife, and the king honored his wife’s request for John’s head.

God’s people engage in civil disobedience. This form of resistance involves intentionally disobeying a government rule or requirement that violates God’s laws. The Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharaoh’s command to kill newborn boys. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defied the Babylonian king’s order to worship a statue of himself, they told the king, “If you throw us in the fire, our God can deliver us from it. But even if our God doesn’t save us, we want you to know that we won’t worship another god or bow to the golden image you set up” (Dan 3:17–18). The three men were then forced into the burning furnace. Daniel defied the Persian requirement to worship the king and was thrown to the lions. Obadiah, a faithful leader in the government of the evil king Ahab and queen Jezebel, disobeyed a command to kill all the prophets, and he saved 100 men by hiding them in a cave. Many of the disciples defied orders to stop preaching, and some were thrown into prison for it. Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

God’s people flee evil. There are many examples of how faithful people left a situation in an act of self-preservation to escape the dangers of evil forces. Lot and his family fled Sodom, the Israelites fled from Egypt, David fled from Saul, and Elijah ran away twice to avoid the armies Jezebel sent to kill him. In the New Testament, Christians fled for their lives because Jewish leaders were arresting and killing them. Paul and his traveling companions were constantly being threatened, which forced them to move to other cities.

None of these three methods of opposition involved physical rebellion or violence. (The only possible exception was when Samson killed himself and several thousand Philistines in an act of suicide that brought down the roof and walls of their house of worship. But as a blind prisoner, he had no other options.) When armed men came to arrest Jesus, Peter moved quickly to defend him and cut off the ear of a man who approached Jesus with his sword. But Jesus told Peter, “Put away your sword; those who use the sword will die by the sword” (Matt 26:52). There is no Biblical basis for individuals to use violence against others or to overthrow a government. God tells us not to seek revenge or use evil means when evil is done to us. God says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay; overcome evil with good” (Deut 32:35, Prov 20:22, Rom 12:17–21, Heb 10:30).

Those who act as agents of the government have different responsibilities. As noted in chapter 5, commands for individuals are different for governments, which God uses to administer justice and protect people. So judges need to follow the law, even if the law could be considered immoral. Soldiers must follow orders to kill their enemies because they are part of a government that is responsible for protecting others, including taking lives when lives are taken (Gen 9:6). Resisting evil is an act of love, and governments have this responsibility. Some acts of violence in the Old Testament were justified because they were carried out against evil people by those representing God. [1]

However, there are exceptions when the human authorities issue orders that are not legal or moral. We are not to lie or take bribes to protect those with evil motives. When soldiers are given orders to kill others without a good reason, soldiers must not obey the orders — blind compliance to such a command is unlawful and considered murder; “following orders” is not an acceptable excuse for murdering others. Some people “flee” and avoid required military service on the grounds they feel the actions of the military are unjustified and morally wrong.

Finally, there is no scripture or precedent to support the idea that God’s people should try to change a secular government into a theocracy or have it follow God — that’s not why governments exist. In fact, a government should protect a person’s right to believe what they want, for God always gives us a choice. The Israelites who were captured by the Assyrians and Babylonians didn’t try to convert their captors to Judaism or change the government. The armed rebellion against immoral Greek orders by the Maccabees in the 2nd century BC was never mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus, his disciples, and the apostles made no attempt to rebel or question Roman authority, even though it exerted harsh control throughout its empire; this would be inconsistent with obeying God’s delegated authority. They focused instead on informing people about our spiritual condition and beliefs. The angry Crusaders used force to restore Christian values and traditions in Palestine, which damaged the reputation of the Christian faith.

The Bible contains many passages and teachings related to governments and politics, including the topics of justice and living peacefully in society. Although Christianity was an illegal religion and many believers were killed throughout the Roman empire, Christians tried to be good citizens and didn’t use violence to defend themselves. The faith grew quickly, and according to Tertullian’s Apology written in about AD 200, Christians “filled the cities, islands, fortresses, towns, marketplaces, the army itself, tribes, companies, the Imperial Palace, the Senate, the Forum” (in other words, Christians were found everywhere). The spread of Christianity was also influenced in part by the promises of life after death to believers and by the predicted downfall of the Roman Empire. Justin Martyr tried to convince the Roman authorities that Christians were good citizens, even though they would not worship the Roman gods, but he was beheaded with some of his disciples in AD 165. Other Christian leaders were persecuted and killed in spectacular and gruesome fashion... Christians are still persecuted and ostracized in some parts of the world.

[1] Usually the violence was conducted by Jews toward other Jews who had abandoned God within their theocracy. This “violence” was really a form of justice being administered by those in charge of the government. For example, Moses had rebels killed several times and Elijah had 850 prophets of Baal killed.

#9 Author’s Personal Views of The Bible’s Teachings

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 15:52:32 GMT

#9 Author’s Personal Views of The Bible’s Teachings

The early chapters of the Bible describe God’s beautiful creation that was tainted by evil forces. Humans were given the ability to discern right from wrong and the freedom to choose their own path. Those pursuing selfish interests instead of following God ultimately harm themselves and others. Nobody is perfect, and God always forgives and loves everybody despite our shortcomings. God’s blessings often benefit those who do not believe, while at the same time, evil in the world has a negative impact on those who follow God as well as those who do not. Life is not always fair and is often unpredictable.

Evil Still Runs Rampant

The predictions made in Revelation about the destruction of evil have obviously not yet come true. Injustice, immorality, and misplaced value systems still cause pain, suffering, and death. Subtle evil forces infiltrate many aspects of life and seek to minimize and disrupt the forces of good in individuals, in human institutions, and in society’s economic, social, and political systems. In both biblical times and now, oppression and injustice are signs of evil influences.

Paul told those in Ephesus, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of darkness in this world, and against the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12). The ways of evil can be alluring and attractive, but Satan poses as “an angel of light” but perverts the truth and ultimately is revealed as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The end result of evil actions is often some form of terrible pain and anguish, and nobody knows when the evil in this world will end.

Those who follow and practice the teachings of Jesus are ambassadors who represent the kingdom of heaven to others on earth. Just as today’s ambassadors to other countries do not obey laws that violate the laws and mandates of their home country, Christians are to live in this world but not violate God’s mandates. Individually and collectively, Christians are to model God’s love and forgiveness on earth. God’s people, the church, are to reflect a different value system and be the salt of the earth, making everything more flavorful and preserving that which is good. Christians are God’s “exhibit A” to the world about how humans should live on earth and promote peace in the midst of chaos.

Being God’s Ambassador Is Very Challenging

Unfortunately, being an effective ambassador is not an easy task. Not only do human imperfections keep Christians from being perfect examples, but the church is constantly under attack by evil forces that concentrate their efforts on believers and their institutions. One strategy used by evil forces is to minimize and undermine the influence and messages of the church. The tactics of this spiritual warfare include creating divisions and distractions, sowing doubts and discord, making small things important while more important things are ignored, and getting Christians bogged down in religious discussions instead of acting with love.

A more subversive strategy used by evil forces is to slowly and subtly influence Christians to conform to the values of the non-Christian world. Paul warned Christians about this: “Don’t conform to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). The world’s criteria for success include being wealthy, healthy, and living comfortably. By these standards, many Christians are successful, yet none of these provide lasting happiness or inner joy.

Relatively few believers make a significant difference in the world because doing so requires pursuing God’s priorities. Making a difference requires self-sacrifice, sometimes to the point of death (the Greek word for “witness” is martyr). We must all decide what to do with our lives, what to live for and what to die for — and our life and death should have meaning. Following Jesus requires people to sacrifice some worldly pleasures and help others. Although entering the kingdom has no entrance fee, there can be a high personal cost to those who follow the countercultural teachings of Jesus.

Jesus’s parable of the farmer who sowed seeds discusses this challenge. Two of the three types of seeds that take root produce no crop. One set of seeds refers to those who fall away when things get hard because they are not yet mature in their faith. The other set of seeds refers to those who are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures. This parable is included in three books of the Bible (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and still applies today.

Doing What Is Required

Christians are called to fight the forces of evil with love and compassion and to promote justice. Believers are to be motivated by the prophet’s words, “This is what God requires of people: act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8). Jesus chastised the Pharisees for making their religion a show but neglecting these three things. In fact, Jesus only got angry when he spoke to hypocritical religious leaders who judged others harshly and to those who used religion to further their own interests.

Micah’s message is simple, but living it is very hard. It is only possible through the slow and steady process of being transformed gradually to become more like Jesus and by being led by God’s spirit to act in ways that provide healing and hope to those need them. The task is easier when the cause is just and bigger than ourselves and when supported and encouraged by like-minded, mature people. The kingdom of God on earth expanded rapidly because the early Christians loved others in unusual ways. They were the sheep who fed the hungry, gave a drink to the thirsty, invited the stranger in, clothed the naked, cared for the sick, and visited those in prison. True faith and belief are revealed through one’s actions.

Christians who reflect God’s character exhibit certain types of “fruit.” Paul told the early believers in the churches of Galatia, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). Those who call themselves Christians but who do not exhibit these fruits are deceiving themselves and are not good models for others to emulate. We will know mature Christians by their love for others, not by their theology or number of converts.

Is It Worth It?

I have found deep personal fulfillment and meaning by studying the events and teachings of the Bible and pursuing a life that serves others. My beliefs are demonstrated through my actions, and I have honor and peace from doing good (Romans 2:6–10). The experiences of my life and others have convinced me that God is very real, and Jesus is the best example to follow.

My life has unfolded in unplanned ways and has been an incredible adventure. I never had a desire to pursue a particular vocation. Instead, I went with the flow and stayed open to all possibilities. Like Abram when he was called by God while living in Ur about 4,000 years ago, I listened and acted, not knowing where I was going next. I haven’t pursued wealth and haven’t been afraid to take risks. I wanted to make a difference and lead a life that had meaning, and in retrospect, I see how and why God closed doors I was pursuing while opening others that were more compatible with kingdom values. God’s invisible hand has blessed me all my life. (Being a healthy white heterosexual male living in America with two mature parents also helped.) I’ve experienced normal human sufferings, but I’ve been shielded from trauma and many temptations. My life has been spared several times through what I consider to be miraculous interventions. I haven’t experienced many obvious miracles, but when I have, they came just at the right moment. They convinced me God is always present, so I don’t need to worry or be afraid.

I don’t need hard, scientific proof of God’s existence in order to believe or act, for “not everything that counts can be counted” (a quote attributed to Albert Einstein). There is an overwhelming amount of documentary, physical, testimonial, circumstantial, and anecdotal evidence of God’s presence in the world. Many have experienced things that have no logical explanation and have defied scientific principles. My whole soul is in this race as I run it with perseverance on an extraordinary path that continues to unfold. This race has given me purpose, belonging, and motivation, all of which enhance one’s physical and mental health, and I have a reason to live.

My faith and experiences give me hope for the future and the inspiration and energy to love others without expecting anything in return. The longer I live, the more I’m convinced that love and service are what the world needs now more than ever, even if there is no reward after death. Jesus is a trustworthy North Star, a guiding light that often remains unseen. He used his power for the good of others, not for himself. Those who study and follow his example of love, service, forgiveness, humility, and grace within the context of a charged religious and political environment will make the world a better place.

This is consistent with what Confucius wrote 2,500 years ago:

If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home.
If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nations.
When there is order in the nations, there will be peace in the world.

A life of service may be exhausting and sometimes dangerous, but it need not include burnout. The branches of a tree don’t struggle to make fruit — they simply stay connected to the living tree. When the weary thirst for fresh water in a dry desert, they find a well and the handle of a pump, then crank it over and over again until it brings forth water. As long as the pump’s line extends deep enough into the vast resources of fresh water and continues to pump, it effortlessly produces water. The pump is an instrument to bless those in need, and it continues to function regardless of how many times it is cranked. The secret to staying fresh for sustained service is staying connected to the dynamic and living source that sustains life.

The Christian life can be risky. To paraphrase Søren Kierkegaard, the Christian philosopher from Denmark, taking risks initially produces anxiety, but one doesn’t truly live to the fullest without taking risks. Speaking the truth, especially to those in power, is risky but necessary if the world is to be a better place. I’ve had several jobs where speaking the truth to power ended that career. But doing so also resulted in changed policies and practices that benefited individuals and society in different ways and made better use of billions of dollars. Throughout history, those who have risked speaking the truth have sometimes lost their jobs, been arrested and put in prison, and have even been killed. True believers who stay connected to the living source have the courage to speak the truth in love and stand up for what is right. Taking risks may lead to failure in the eyes of others, but God uses flawed people and their weaknesses to brin g about desired changes. That way, God gets the glory, and those who obey God never really fail.

If you are motivated to know more about the Bible and its messages, consider telling a trusted Christian friend about your interest and why you want to know more. Reading a few chapters or books of the Bible in a modern paraphrased translation also would help (the book of John, the fourth book in the New Testament, is a good place to start). Also consider contacting one or two pastors or priests in your area and let them know of your interests and why you contacted them. Ask them what they think are the main messages of the Bible and about the meetings their congregation has. Consider attending several meetings as a visitor — each gathering has its own “feel” and culture, so see which seems right for you. Collectively, these steps will help you continue your journey and help you decide what to do next.

#8 Epilogue To The Short Bible

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 15:36:07 GMT

#8 Epilogue To The Short Bible

Revelation is the last book of the Bible and was written by John around AD 95. The Christian movement grew rapidly throughout the Roman Empire for several centuries thanks in part to the 200 years of peace in the empire (Pax Romana) and an excellent road system. These made it easier for people to travel safely over long distances. The Jews were scattered throughout the empire after Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70, and they brought with them an understanding of the God of Abraham, the history of the Israelites, and all the prophets. This made the messages of those spreading news about Jesus and the implications of his teachings more understandable.

Even though Christianity was an illegal religion and many believers were killed throughout the empire, according to Tertullian’s Apology written in about AD 200, Christians “filled the cities, islands, fortresses, towns, marketplaces, the army itself, tribes, companies, the Imperial Palace, the Senate, the Forum” (in other words, Christians were found everywhere). The disciple Thomas is said to have taken the good news about Jesus all the way to India.

The spread of Christianity was influenced in part by the promises of life after death to believers and by the predicted downfall of the Roman Empire. Justin Martyr tried to convince the Roman authorities that Christians were good citizens, even though they would not worship the Roman gods, but he was beheaded with some of his disciples in AD 165. Other Christian leaders were persecuted and killed in spectacular and gruesome fashion. Because of the strong persecution against the Christians, most believers at the time thought they were in the midst of the tribulation. Other apocalyptic writings at the time provided further hope and evidence that the end of the world was coming soon. The Roman Empire eventually stopped persecuting Christians in AD 313 during Constantine’s rule. More than 1,700 years later, Christians are still persecuted and ostracized in some parts of the world.

In 1517, a monk in Germany named Martin Luther raised concerns about the theology of the Roman Catholic Church and how the church operated. His protests led to the Protestant movement, during which major religious scholars started new forms of the church. Since that time, many other protesting groups (“Protestant denominations”) have formed mainly on the basis of their different theological and organizational views. The institutional power of the church was reduced as each believer’s interpretation of the scriptures became more the norm. If people did not agree with what was being taught or anything else that was happening in the church, they merely left and went elsewhere or stopped being part of any church. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church is led by one person (the Pope) and has stayed intact and integrated while it continues to evolve over time despite the internal differences among its leaders and attendees.

In the past 200 years, there has been increased interest by some groups of Christians to spread the gospel throughout the world (a process known as evangelism), sometimes as they provide needed services to others, such as education, health care, and economic development. Jesus’s final words on earth commanded believers to “make disciples of all the nations” (the “Great Commission” found in Matthew 28:19–20). The word nation applies to ethnic groups, not political entities, and this command motived many to find ethnic groups in the world who have not yet heard the messages of Jesus and to communicate these messages to their people in terms that are appropriate for their culture.

In the early 1800s, a tall and charismatic Protestant preacher named Charles Finney help start a revival movement to get people to return to the church and to convert people to Christianity. He used psychological principles and new emotion-laden methods, including altar calls and tent meetings, to increase the number of converts. A new metric for defining a successful Christian and church became the number of people who made a decision to follow Jesus.

In the past 150 years, Protestant churches in the United States have differed significantly in their approach to various social issues, such as slavery and racial relations, and theological issues, such as the accuracy and interpretation of the scriptures and the relative importance of one’s faith versus action for social concerns. These differences have led to many divisions within the larger church. The label Christian now means many different things.

Those who call themselves Christian represent about 30% of the world’s population, and Christianity is the world’s largest religious group. About half of the 2.4 billion Christians are Catholic, and most are found in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Muslims represent the second largest religious group (about 25% of the world population), and Islam has the fastest growth rate among of the world’s major religions.

#7 Main Themes of the Bible

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 02:07:47 GMT

#7 Main Themes Of The Bible

Whenever an author plans to summarize a vast amount of complicated material, the first step is to identify the common themes and messages. Once these are identified, the themes and messages need to be woven together into a narrative that flows naturally from a beginning to the end. A story that is filled with unnecessary details and not organized properly strains a reader to understand and retain the content, and it limits a reader’s ability to understand what the author means to convey.

The 66 documents that were combined into one book, the Bible, has a beginning that moves progressively to a conclusion. None of the documents tell the entire story, but collectively, they build on many common themes. Despite their diversity, the documents all contribute to a plot that centers on the nature of God and the invisible and enduring conflict between the spiritual forces of good and evil in the world.

Besides this central plot, the Bible contains a number of unifying themes that run from the beginning to the end. Here is a list of the themes.

The world has two planes of reality — one that is physical and can be seen and measured, and another that is invisible, supernatural, and spiritual that cannot be measured empirically.

Invisible forces have unusual powers. Some forces have good and loving motives, but others have evil motives that destroy what is good.

There is only one true and supreme force (God) that has different forms. Some people believe there are other gods, but these don’t have the characteristics or power of the true God.

There is life after physical death, and the quality of one’s life after death depends on God’s decision regarding the life a person leads when they are alive. God’s forgiving and gracious nature gives hope that everyone has the possibility of entering some form of a heavenly afterlife.

God is good, just, merciful, forgiving, loving, and gracious. God wants people to live life abundantly and gives people far more than what they deserve (grace). God’s mind can change from judgment to forgiveness and healing when hearing people’s earnest appeals (prayers).

God chooses people to show the world how life and relationships should look on earth. At first, God worked through individuals and families, then through a special tribe of people (the Jews of Israel) that was chosen in one area of the world. An assortment of people provided special messages to this tribe to remind them how they should live. Eventually, people throughout the entire world were adopted to be God’s people. These people are to exhibit specific qualities that distinguish them from others — they are to be known by their love for others and by their provision of and advocacy for justice.

God wants to maintain relationships with all people without regard to their actions, beliefs, gender, tribe, race, age, or birthplace, even when they don’t obey. The gradual increase in the revelation of God’s character and desires for the world reveals a movement from exclusiveness to inclusion.

There are right and wrong ways to live, things to do and things to avoid. Obedience to God’s principles and guidance helps us through life’s struggles in a world filled with evil. Not following these principles may result in more severe struggles and separation from God. Great effort is needed for good to overcome evil, but with God’s help, personal transformation and change are possible, and good can prevail.

God’s people often fall away from living the right way. As a result, they suffer the consequences of their disobedience, including a refining process that reduces their numbers and brings them much pain. But a remnant of God’s people always remains to continue the mission to communicate the loving nature of God and how we should live in harmony with God and each other.

Some form of offering or sacrifice is needed to restore a broken relationship. Blood symbolizing life were sometimes used in offerings and sacrifices to acknowledge that we have fallen short of expectations and that we must forego our interests to make matters right. However, these symbolic gestures are only outward expressions and don’t automatically communicate a changed heart. God looks for a changed heart that is shown by obeying God’s commands and treating others with justice, mercy, and love.

Life is complicated and often unfair. In a world that has both good and evil, everyone suffers. While many people get what they deserve, good people may suffer and evil people may thrive. Faithfulness to God and our response to our circumstances are what matter the most, especially during times of trial and when tempted by evil. God’s unlimited love, forgiveness, and grace are wonderful gifts to all people, even though we don’t deserve them.

God is very concerned about justice and helping those who are disadvantaged. God is especially passionate about helping foreigners and the sick, poor, abandoned, despondent, and disenfranchised. Acts of service, compassion, and sacrifice for these groups provide evidence of a God-like disposition.

A tension exists in how we live our lives on earth. We are not to conform to the ways of an ungodly world, but we are asked to serve others in that world. Some choose to separate themselves physically from anything that is ungodly while others live and work alongside those with other value systems while practicing godly principles. Each of these two forms of resistance and approaches to bring “salt and light” to the world has its own benefits and dangers.

God’s principles and guidance often contradict prevailing earthly values and priorities. The paradoxes and counterintuitive nature of biblical teachings are at the heart of some of the more difficult actions God wants people to follow. For example, loving your enemy may not make sense, but it is required of those who follow God. Dependence on God and the faith community is more important than personal independence and self-sufficiency. Allegiance to God is more important than national patriotism and following cultural norms. Being a humble servant is more important than attaining power. The pursuit of happiness by any means other than being centered in God’s ways will not satisfy humans’ deepest needs.

The Nature of God

An analysis of the Bible’s content reveals that the noun used most often is “God.” The Hebrew term God is a plural noun that is defined as a powerful force that has different forms, similar to how elements and compounds have different forms (solid, liquid, gas). The term Lord is used in the biblical writings as another word for God. The different terms for God were typically masculine pronouns (he, his, him) or the term Father. However, God is not a masculine deity and is neither male nor female. As a multidimensional force, God created both male and female humans in God’s own “image,” which means people are able to distinguish between right and wrong, possess a soul, have self-consciousness and awareness of our surroundings, are able to have meaningful relationships with God and others, and are willing to love others in a sacrificial way. This sets humans apart from other living things.

God’s Communication Methods

God communicates with humans in many different ways. Although the events described in the Bible took place many centuries ago, there is ample evidence that God communicated with people in all these ways throughout history and does so even today.

1. The awesome beauty of the universe and its predictable cycles and “laws of nature” have inspired humans to see the planet and the worlds beyond as an orderly and beautiful creation that is not randomly designed.

2. God communicates by way of God’s “Spirit” form, which influences the human mind and emotions and provides direction to humans about their moral choices related to right and wrong.

3. When humans take time to listen and seek direction, communication can occur through divinely inspired insights and an inaudible “small voice” in the mind.

4. Sometimes communications are more direct — through dreams, visions, or messages from angels or “holy strangers.”

5. On rare occasions, God disrupts the normal laws of nature to intervene directly in human activities, and God sometimes intervenes using rare natural events at strategic times. These obvious deviations in how the world normally works as well as the timely coincidences are called “miracles.”

6. Sometimes humans themselves are inspired or “possessed” by the Spirit to speak the words of God to others in extraordinary and convincing ways.

7. Other believers can provide godly advice and rebuke others by using their “spiritual gifts.” There are many such gifts. For example, a prophet is somebody who is gifted to speak God’s thoughts and teachings to others. (A false prophet is somebody who speaks with authority but misrepresents the truth and God’s messages to others.)

8. The Bible itself is available to study so we can learn about God’s ways long after the events occurred. In most cases, the biblical documents were written long after the events occurred but were based on eyewitness accounts or were passed on by word of mouth from generation to generation using the oral traditions of the time. The messages of the Bible are reliable and still relevant.

9. Finally, God took on a human form and lived on earth, giving us the most concrete example of how we are to live and love one another.

God Can Be Unpredictable

God uses many different strategies and tactics to meet the overall goal of showing the world how to live and how God intervenes in human history. Many characters in the Bible speak for God, and some of them act and speak in unusual and bizarre ways. Punishment comes in different forms, sometimes in unexpected ways, including letting evil forces administer the punishment. Different types of miracles occur. While the intrinsic nature of God does not change, God’s methods are unpredictable and often changing.

This makes life itself unpredictable. We often don’t understand why things happen — God’s ways are not our ways, God’s timing is not our timing. When good and evil forces coexist and God gives people freedom to choose their own way, crises will occur. But the crises of life can be used for good — they test and deepen our character, build our stamina and grit, focus our priorities, and help us empathize with others who suffer. Darkness is followed by light for those who endure. As dark shadows provide depth in beautiful paintings and diamonds are created under prolonged pressure and then carefully chiseled and polished by a master jeweler, humans are developed and shaped in difficult times. But for those who love God, all things work out for good, either in this life or the next. Death is a comma, not a period, in a life that has no end.

#6 Read The Bible In One Year

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 01:50:04 GMT

# 6 Read The Bible In A Year

#5 Interpreting The Bible

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 02:27:46 GMT

#5 – Interpreting The Bible

Interpreting the Bible can sometimes be a challenge. In some cases, the author or character in the story tells the audience the meaning of a story. At other times, the author just tells a story without describing its significance, usually because the audience understood the point being made. Sometimes a verse can be quite obscure because it relates to local customs we don’t understand. The historical context also provides insights to understand for the full meaning of some stories, but we often do not know that context.

The field of study related to the interpretation of the Bible is called hermeneutics. In general, the correct interpretation of a story or verse will be consistent with the main themes that run through all the Biblical documents. Since the local context influenced what was written, specific guidance provided to people in one location at a particular time may not be appropriate to those living in other areas or times — the guidance may be cultural or situational instructions rather than universal truths for all to always follow.

For example, Timothy said women should not wear braided hair or wear gold or pearls (I Timothy 2:9). Paul said women should not talk in church — they were less educated and were interrupting the speaker by asking questions during the service (I Corinthians 14:34–35). But earlier he wrote about women who spoke and taught in church with their head uncovered (I Corinthians 11: 5). He rebuked women who didn’t cover their head but said nothing about them speaking in church. (Covering their head was a local custom at the time.) Paul simply was giving practical advice to ensure an orderly gathering. Peter also quoted the prophet Joel when he spoke about women teaching (Acts 2:17–18). Thus, specific instructions must be viewed in light of the local customs and situation.

Understanding the specific meaning of the words is also important. Some of the original words in Greek or Hebrew may might not be translated accurately into other languages. For example, the Greeks had three different words for love: agape involves action and sacrifice for others and is not an emotional feeling, philia relates to friendship, and eros relates to physical love. When Paul writes about love in I Corinthian 13 (the “love” chapter), he uses the word agápē. Thus, in-depth study is important to get the best interpretation of the writings.

Finally, not everything that was written in the Bible is literally true. The various authors used different literary devices and symbolism to convey essential meanings: allegories and metaphors, irony and hyperbole, satire and similes, parodies and parables. The authors used these devices to convey their messages, and their audiences knew they were meant to make a point rather than to be taken literally or report historical facts. For example, Jesus told his followers that if their eye caused them to sin, they should tear it out, and if their hand caused them to sin, they should cut it off (Matthew 5:29–30). His words were exaggerations and his audience knew he was talking about how awful sin was, and he didn’t want them to cut out their eye or cut off their hand.

Confusing Verses

Some of the stories and symbolism can be confusing to the modern reader. The authors assumed their readers knew what they were talking about and could “read between the lines” to understand the meanings of the message. But modern readers don’t have the benefit of understanding the context and subtle meanings.

Verses About Burning Coals

For example, in both the Old and New Testaments, there is a reference to helping your neighbor that used the following statement: “If your enemy is hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them water to drink. This will heap burning coals on their heads, and the Lord will reward you” (Proverbs 25:21, Romans 12:20). These sentences could have two meanings, both of which have a positive intent.

The phrase can be taken literally within the context of that culture, alluding to somebody who gives a large amount of charcoal to rescue a neighbor’s dwindling fire. In ancient times, people sometimes carried their loads on their heads.

The phrase also has a deeper meaning, in which a person’s extravagant generosity toward the enemy stirs their conscience about how to treat others. The practical result of such a gesture is to increase the likelihood of a more peaceful relationship between the two parties.

The phrase does not mean hurting your enemy by burning their head in some way, but a modern reader might take the instructions literally and think this was a way to punish the enemy. The point was to love your enemy in excessive ways.

Verses About Crooked and Rough Roads

The prophet Isaiah used another obscure reference when he predicted the coming of the Messiah. He wrote, “A voice calls in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight and the rough places smooth’” (Isaiah 40:3–5). The part about making “paths straight and rough places smooth” refers to a king who sends his workers ahead to ensure the road he will travel on is direct and smooth, thus making the king’s trip faster and more comfortable. Jesus said John the Baptist was the voice that was getting people ready to meet the Messiah (Luke 3:4, 7:27; Matthew 11:10).

While the Bible can be confusing at times, it’s possible to figure out what is being taught most of the time. However, sometimes just the events are reported, and it’s left to the reader to ponder it’s significance. Some events in the Bible are quite horrific, and this does not mean that they are what God intended.

#4 Important Information Missing From The Bible

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 01:58:07 GMT

#4 Important Information Missing From The Bible

The amount of detail that the Bible includes ranges from a great deal to very little. Since the Bible is a collection of 66 different books that were written over a 2,000-year period, there are major differences among the authors. Some wrote poetry, others recorded historical facts; some wrote letters that both encouraged admonished others, and some wrote letters to explain or clarify the meanings of the scriptures and events from the past.

But some important historical facts were not written about at all. There is nothing included in the Bible that covers the 400 years between the last book in the Old Testament (Malachi wrote his prophecies in 420 BC) and the events related to the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus. Historical records that discussed events during that time were not included in the Bible. As a result, when a person moves from reading the Old Testament to the New Testament, there is no explanation about the political and religious events and society that must be understood in order to make sense of the stories in the New Testament. The authors of the New Testament books didn’t realize their works would be read for thousands of years, so they did not think about including basic facts about their recent history. They focused on important events during their lifetime and assumed everybody already understood the current context—there was no need to write about such things.

400 Years of Missing History

Many important events took place in that part of the world at that time, and major political changes continued to influence the Jews, wherever they lived.

Over a 10-year period (336–326 BC) the Greeks, led by Alexander the Great, conquered Asia Minor and then the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians to create an empire reaching all the way to India. The Greeks brought new ways of thinking about the world through their religious and political philosophies. They also influenced the architecture and arts throughout the empire, and the Greek language became widely spoken and written (Hebrew and Aramaic were also used by the Jews). Jewish communities enjoyed relative peace during Alexander’s reign.

When Alexander died in 323 BC, he was replaced by two of his generals, who created their own dynasties. The followers of one general banned Judaism in Palestine, and a few devout Jews started a rebellion against the rulers who had required Jews to make pagan sacrifices. This Maccabean revolt spread throughout Palestine, and after 25 years of fighting, the Greeks were expelled in 142 The Romans later conquered Palestine and took control of Jerusalem in 63 BC. They had no tolerance for rebellion and ruthlessly executed many priests and Jewish leaders. In 37 BC Herod the Great got Rome to declare him the king of the Jews and started constructing many buildings, including a larger Temple in Jerusalem. When he died in 4 BC, Rome put other leaders in his place.

The People of Palestine

Because of the immigration of non-Jews into Palestine and the emigration of Jews out of Palestine, most of the people living in Palestine 2,000 years ago were not Jews, and most Jews were living elsewhere. Of the estimated four million Jews in the Roman Empire, only about 700,000 lived in Palestine. There were more Jews living in Alexandria, Egypt, than in Jerusalem and more living in Syria than in Palestine. Although the Romans established a good infrastructure of roads throughout the empire, the transportation system in Palestine was not well developed. People usually walked from place to place or traveled by donkey or mule. Some inns existed along the roads, but they were generally dirty, so better-off travelers relied on their network of friends and family for housing as they traveled.

During those four centuries, many Jews continued living outside of Palestine, mainly in Babylonia and Egypt, and their communities became quite large. To maintain their faith in God, these communities set up places of worship (synagogues) that were led by a religious scholar (rabbi) who read and explained the books (Tanakh) written about God’s covenant with the Israelites. [ Tanakh is an acronym of the Hebrew initials of each of the three traditional divisions: Torah (“Teaching,” also known as the five books of Moses), Nevi'im (“Prophets”), and Ketuvim (“Writings”).]

During the 400-year period, Greek (Hellenistic) ways of thinking became attractive to many of the Jews, and differences emerged among the Jews about how they should interact with the Hellenistic world while preserving their faith.

The Pharisees were a small but influential group who focused on strict obedience to God’s commands. They also wanted to be separate from the world rather than “mingle” with nonbelievers. They stressed maintaining personal piety and held a legalistic view of right and wrong. Independence from foreign influence was very important to the Pharisees, and they followed additional rules (the Talmud) that were made to ensure Jews did not come close to breaking any of God’s essential commands. They were proud and expressed their religious beliefs to others in very visible ways.

The Sadducees were another small but influential group, but they focused on morality and rejected the notion of supernatural powers. They were more accepting of foreign influences, especially the ideas of the Greeks and the principles of ethical philosophy. The Sadducees were typically wealthy and well-educated, and they did not accept the additional rules followed by the Pharisees.

The Essenes focused on self-control and withdrawing from the world. This small group of mystics retreated to remote parts of the region, mainly into the desert west of the Salt (Dead) Sea.

Zealots wanted to use physical force to ensure no foreign power controlled the lives of God’s people. They were willing to die for their cause.

There were other subgroups of people within Palestine who were distinct. Some were labeled based on where they lived.

The Samaritans and Galileans were viewed with contempt because they had often intermarried with non-Jews or were not Jewish at all. (Galilee was the northern part of Palestine, Samaria was the central part, and Judea was the southern part that was previously known as Judah.) Galileans were also known for being rebellious against foreign authority.

Some groups were distinct based on their profession, such as the scribes, who wrote important documents (often religious in nature) and were experts in the Law, and members of the Sanhedrin, a large and diverse group of leaders who watched over the religious life of the Jews and had the power to punish Jews. Some were known for their allegiance: Herodians were Jews who followed Roman traditions and beliefs, Hellenists were Jews who followed Greek traditions and beliefs, and Nazarites still existed (those taking a vow to dedicate themselves to God).

Many of the prophets had written about a Servant-King who would come and bring the nation back to glory. The Jews wondered when God would send the person and why it was taking so long. Events in the region were certainly ripe to have the Jews think that somebody would deliver them from the grip of powerful nations. Roman oppression reminded them of when their ancestors had been oppressed in Egypt and when they were conquered by the Assyrians and Babylonians. It had been 400 years since they last heard from a prophet about somebody who would suddenly appear. They were watching closely for the coming Messiah (Christ in Greek), the Anointed One who would come and save them as Rome crushed Jewish rebel leaders and executed them slowly by nailing them alive to crosses that dotted the region.

#3 Basic Facts About The Bible

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 02:50:07 GMT

#3 Basic Facts About The Bible

The Holy Bible is a collection of ancient documents written by many authors over nearly 2,000 years. When combined together, the 66 “books” in this small library would total about 2,000 pages in a typical 21st-century book. In this context, the Bible means “the authoritative set of little books,” and its content is called scripture, which means “something written.” Some of the books are quite long; others are only a few paragraphs. Centuries after the documents were written, they were divided into chapters and verses so readers could find specific texts more easily. Unlike modern books, chapters are rarely more than one page long, and sometimes these divisions do not occur in logical places (there are more than 1,100 chapters in the entire Bible).

Almost all the authors were Jewish, and nearly all the books were written in Hebrew or Aramaic, then translated into Greek. All the known authors were men (although it is possible women wrote boos that were written anonymously), and some books had more than one author. The authors had their own styles, which reflected various literary genres.

The Bible has two parts. The Old Testament has 39 books and spans about 1,500 years of history of God’s people (the Israelites). The New Testament has 27 books and were all written during a 50-year period in the first century (AD 45–95) and covers events in the first century AD in Palestine and other parts of the eastern Mediterranean region (mainly Greece and Turkey). These 27 books describe the main events and teachings related to Jesus and his initial followers. The two parts are also called the Old Covenant and New Covenant. A period of 400 years separates the events described in the Old and New Testaments. The Jewish Bible has additional books and no New Testament, and the Catholic and Orthodox Bibles have additional books. (The Short Bible does not provide a summary of these books.)

The Bible’s authors usually described the events and ideas to a writing secretary who was sometimes given freedom to put the author’s ideas into their own words. The words were initially recorded on papyrus, and more durable materials like sheepskin were used later. The original documents were copied by others so more people could read them. As demand for the documents grew, many copies were made, and sometimes the people creating the copies made minor errors and clarifications along the way, which were then copied by others. Some authors read the original books and corrected misunderstandings that had been recorded earlier. Thus, there are slightly different accounts of some events. None of the original documents have been recovered.

Other documents were written about the life of Jesus and his followers in the next few centuries. Some people wrote using false names in order to create an air of legitimacy for their documents. In the late fourth century, all the available documents were reviewed and discussed by church leaders at the Council of Carthage. There were disagreements about which documents should be considered divinely inspired and authoritative. The church leaders decided on a final list based on certain criteria, and the final set of documents was known as the canon. The books were then organized in their present order and translated into Latin.

Development of the Modern Bible

Various versions of all the books have been written over the centuries. The earliest translations did not reflect insights learned from later discoveries about the meanings of the original Greek and Hebrew words. The earliest English version was created in the early 1600s by religious scholars working for King James of England. That initiated efforts to create translations of the Bible into other languages. Archeological findings in the past 150 years have added further insights into the meaning of the books, and many more translations and versions of the Bible have emerged based on these insights.

Paraphrased Bibles

In the past 60 years, a number of paraphrased versions have been written to make the text more easily understood by those living in modern times and in different cultures. Here is information on the best paraphrases.

The New Testament in Modern English was written by J. B. Phillips, an Anglican clergyman. He translated the New Testament by referring to the original Greek text. This translation was first published in 1958 using British spellings, and some editions do not include verse numbers. Phillips did not translate the Old Testament into more readable text.

The Good News Bible is a translation of the Bible by the American Bible Society. The New Testament was originally published in 1966 using the name Good News for Modern Man. The complete Bible was finished in 1976. It uses simplified language that children can read. This paraphrase is also known as the Good News Translation and is used in many countries and by many denominations.

The Living Bible was created in English by Kenneth Taylor in 1971 and has been translated into many languages. Taylor wrote it so his children would understand the biblical text when his family conducted their devotions. An updated version (New Living Translation) was published in 1996 based on recommendations by a team of scholars who were experts in understanding the original Hebrew and Greek texts.

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language was written by Eugene Peterson, an American Presbyterian pastor and author. This translation relies heavily on American idioms and slang to a more modern understand of the original text. Experts in the Old and New Testaments reviewed the translation to make sure its text stayed true to the meaning of the original text. This translation of the entire Bible was finished in 2002.

Writing Styles of the Bible

The books of the Bible reflect various types of literature. These include heroic and embellished narratives, historical accounts, legal presentations, biographies, poetry and songs, genealogies and census information , wisdom literature and proverbs, collections of short stories, parables, inspirational letters, and highly symbolic predictions about the future.

The Bible’s content often lacks details that the reader might want to know, which makes the stories subject to much interpretation and can create doubt about their authenticity. In contrast, some sections include many details. The various books of the Bible are not presented in sequential order, which makes it difficult to get a comprehensive view of the main events and ideas. Since most of the writings occurred in an agrarian culture, there are many references and metaphors using common items at that time (e.g., sheep, goats, soil, seeds, water, wheat, fish, vineyards, the desert, and wilderness). The stories are often rich in symbolism, and dialogue is mixed in with a narration provided by the authors.

The overall tone is somewhat somber and serious. There is little humor, romance, or fiction (some fictional stories were written to convey important messages). All the complexities of life appear in the writings: life and death, good and evil, guilt and forgiveness, justice and judgment, grace and mercy, love and hate, reason and emotions, individualism and community life, sibling rivalry, reflections of the past and visions of the future, patience and expediency, discipline and impulsiveness, power and servant-hood, selfishness and sacrifice, health and sickness, trust and deception, sequential logic and paradox, idealism and realism. There are many tragedies and heroes, many disappointments and victories.

Some of the stories and symbolism can be confusing to the modern reader. The authors assumed their readers knew what they were talking about and could “read between the lines” to understand the meanings of the message. But we don’t have the benefit of understanding the context and subtle meanings.

#2 How I Wrote The Short Bible

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 02:36:17 GMT

#2 How I Wrote The Short Bible

Before writing a book, one first needs to understand its main purpose and major themes. A good story has a beginning, a plot and subplots that build on each other, major and minor characters, conflicts and drama, and a clear ending. These all had to be presented in the right order to create a cohesive and logical story. The book also needs the right amount of detail—not too much and not too little.

A summary needs to be accurate and true to the complete works. Many others were much more qualified than I was to write a summary. Some can read the original texts in Hebrew and Greek, and many have devoted their entire careers to conveying its teaching to others. I wondered if I would omit an essential story or theme and if I would be able to capture the events accurately. As a confident optimist, I decided to try summarizing the first book (Genesis) and see how the writing process would unfold. I knew I could stop at any time if it became obvious it would be too difficult or time-consuming.

I first sought input from others about the major themes. My father had been in Christian ministry for 65 years, and I talked to him for several hours about what he thought were its main messages. I talked with people from my church about what they thought were the Bible’s essential themes. Using their input, I created a list of main themes that I would use to focus my summary. Then I surrounded myself with my college textbooks and various commentaries and study Bibles that I had collected over the years to begin the writing process.

I soon faced a number of challenges.

I had to decide how to handle accounts for which there were no possible eyewitness accounts but that described events as if the author was present. In some cases, the accounts were not meant to be taken literally. The seven days of creation is an example.

Some famous events were described very briefly and were somewhat peripheral to the main messages (e.g., the Tower of Babel). What should I do with these passages?

Key details were missing from some of the stories. For example, Abram lived in Ur, but where was it and how far did he travel on his way to Canaan? Those who lived 3,000 years ago in that area knew the answer, but today’s readers don’t know these details. I felt the reader needed to understand the geography and context of the stories, especially when the places mentioned no longer exist or use different names in modern times.

I found conflicting accounts about the same event, and I had to find a way to describe an event accurately. For example, two different descriptions were given about how Judas Iscariot died. (I decided to write that he committed suicide; how it occurred was not a crucial detail.) The gospels also have different accounts of Jesus’s encounter with a demon-possessed man in the Gerasene region: was it one man or were there two men?

I had to determine which translation from the original Hebrew and Greek to use. On one website, I found 60 versions available in English, and each was slightly different. I accessed the text online and examined various translations, and then I simplified and paraphrased the text so the book would be shorter and easier to understand. I used several study Bibles but relied mainly on the New International Version (NIV) as the initial version from which my summary started. (Appendix E of The Short Bible lists the 2,000+ paraphrased scripture verses I quote in the book.)

After writing a few chapters, I invited others to read the draft to get their reaction. I wanted to know if I was on the right track, if my writing was clear and logically sequenced as well as accurate and easy to read, and if I had left out anything that was important. This made the writing process iterative in nature as I added and changed words and explained the context to add important details to the narrative.

The only resistance I experienced was something that proved to me that I was doing something good. As I researched and wrote, I was often distracted by what I believe were evil forces that seemed determined to slow my progress. My computer would periodically crash or act strangely. My mouse would move around randomly to other areas of the page, even after I changed its battery. All types of distractions would take my attention away from my work. Later, the processes for completing the book with the publisher included many unusual delays and miscommunications. But I felt God’s encouragement and protection as I wrote. In fact, my state of mind was like a continual prayer as good ideas entered my mind about what I should include or change as I quietly meditated alone while performing routine chores. I became convinced that this book was going to be very important because it was God’s book, not mine.

As I summarized the entire Bible, I had to decide what to include and what to exclude. Some parts are totally excluded because they are redundant or are peripheral to the main themes, and some parts are replicated entirely as they were written because they contribute to our understanding of the main themes. In order to make the events and ideas clear, the story does not always follow the sequence in which they are revealed in the original documents, and nearly all the quoted sections are paraphrased or shortened. I also augmented the summary with archeological findings, historical and geographical facts, and other clarifications to explain the contexts and meanings of the stories.

I had to make hard choices about what to include and what to leave out. When it came to the 150 Psalms, I decided to include 13 of them in their entirety rather than summarize all 150. (Some will not like the paraphrased versions because they aren’t the same as the way they were memorized.) There were many stories I left out of the Old Testament because they related to minor historical events or characters, and I simply summarized what happened. In some cases, high-profile stories were omitted entirely because they were not central to the story of the entire Bible (for example, the short story of the Tower of Babel was omitted). I could not include every story and topic, and some readers will think some exclusions were unnecessary. However, I had to make judgments about how to make the book a reasonable length—it was just not possible to include everything. But all the important stories and messages are included.

I read, researched, wrote, and revised over an eight-month period while keeping multiple audiences in mind. I wanted Christians who have never read the entire Bible to read this summary to help them understand how all the main messages tie together. Those who had already read the Bible would also benefit from reading a shorter version; I gained new insights and learned new things while “connecting the pieces of the puzzle.” I also wrote for those who simply want to read an interesting book that has important messages about life. I kept the text free of religious jargon and excessive wording, similar to how a journalist would report events and relevant quotes along the way. I hoped educated atheists and agnostics, the curious, and those who have never heard or read any of the Bible stories would read the book.

After many delays, the book was first published by WestBow Press in August 2021. But it did not serve all readers. My writing style (vocabulary and sentence structure) was geared for older readers, those who were at least 16 years old. Moreover, some of the stories in the Bible had disturbing and gruesome, and they were not fit for younger readers. And although the book was a summary, it was still very long (the Bible summary covered about 300 pages, and the book’s introduction, concluding sections, and appendixes add another 100 pages). As a result, I decided to write a simplified version of the book that is even shorter, easier to read, and more appropriate for those with minimal education and children (minor characters and gruesome events were removed or sanitized).

I also created other forms of the book. The Student Version contains study and reflection questions and tasks that would help readers wrestle with the text. This version is appropriate for use in public schools and does not include my perspective about the merits of Christianity. And since I want The Short Bible to be available in other languages, a Spanish version was created by Author Reputation Press and published in December 2021 (WestBow Press does not publish books in other languages). As funds become available, the book will be published in other languages, including French, German, Chinese, Korean, Bengali, Japanese, Indonesian, and Tagalog. Finally, audio versions are being created in both English and Spanish and will be available in Winter 2022. A guide to help readers pronounce many unusual words will be added as another appendix in the first edition of The Short Bible. (Resources that are available to help people say the unusual words in the Bible sometimes give different pronunciations.)

#1 Why I Wrote The Short Bible

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 02:32:07 GMT

#1 Why I Wrote The Short Bible

In February 2020 I was getting ready to retire and was starting to shelter in place for an unknown amount of time until the chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic subsided. I still wanted to be active after retiring, and I didn’t want to waste a crisis. I had lived an unusual life and wondered how I could use my life experiences and skills in the next chapter of my life for good purposes while we all waited for life to become somewhat normal again.

I had been a student of the Bible for more than 50 years but still felt I didn’t understand how parts of it fit into the overall story. It was as if the Bible stories I heard as a child were random pieces of a puzzle that couldn’t be put into their proper places until I could see the picture on the box. As a Christian, I had focused my studies on the New Testament and had spent 10 years working in different types of Christian ministries. I had heard thousands of sermons and had taken Bible classes at Wheaton College.

I had spent more than 30 years working in various nonpartisan public service organizations at the international, national, state, and local levels. Much of that work involved researching complex organizational and societal problems and summarizing the issues and possible solutions in reports written in a linear and logical manner and using language that was easy to understand.

Through training in graduate school and at work, I had learned to write concisely and objectively using a style geared for busy people who needed to grasp the issues quickly and make decisions about what to do next based on available evidence.

I was a world citizen and aware of many different cultures, languages, and religions. I lived in many states growing up, and I lived in four other countries as an adult. Two of them had large populations that were Buddhist, Muslim, or Hindu. My work had taken me to 20 countries, including Israel and Turkey. I served the government overseas with diplomatic status and several top-secret clearances, taught world geography and world history at the secondary level, and took courses about international affairs and economic development in graduate school.

With all these experiences in mind, a thought popped into my head: Maybe I should summarize the Bible. If nothing else, I will understand it better. The Bible is a very long and complicated collection of books that was not organized in chronological order. Understanding it is a challenge, and I thought a shorter version that summarizes the key events and characters in historical order might help me and others understand it better (less is more). I would need to decide what parts were essential and what could be omitted. Although it was all important in some way, certain parts were more central to the messages than others. Every word would need to count, and I had the time.

I then wondered if we really needed another book about the Bible. There are already thousands of books written about its parts and implications, and there are many translations and paraphrases of its contents. But this was a symptom of the problem: the Bible is so long and complicated that many books are written to explain all its intricate meanings and contexts.

To my surprise, I found no summary existed that laid out all 66 of books in a logical sequence while explaining all the key messages. Some books came close but left out major parts of the content, and these books were still quite long and written for a Christian audience. I wanted my book to be relatively short but still include the essential messages. I also wanted to write in a way that non-Christians would find appealing — more like a novel that could be read in a few days. After all, the Bible is widely considered to be the most profound collection of books in all of history, and it includes messages and stories that are still referenced today in the secular world. While there are more Bibles in print than any other book in history, many who own a copy have not read it because it’s very long and confusing. Many others have not read any part of the Bible because they aren’t interested in religious issues, and many have only read parts of it. I’ve been surprised at how many people have never heard the timeless stories of David and Goliath, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan or know little about some of the Bible’s key characters. And if they know about the stories, they often don’t know the context or central message. I figured any educated person should at least know the basic stories and messages of the Bible, and a shorter book would help accomplish that purpose.

Another reason I wrote The Short Bible is because the length and organization of the Bible makes it vulnerable to misinterpretation and “selection bias.” People with little knowledge of the Bible assume their limited perspective is enough to reject its teachings. An atheist friend of mine said he rejects any book that approves of pedophilia and slavery. When I said the Bible does not teach that these are acceptable, he said the Bible includes the story of Lot getting both his daughters pregnant and that there was nothing written that showed God was against slavery. He assumed that if a story was in the Bible, then religion considers what happened as acceptable behavior. Such thinking illustrates a fundamental misunderstanding of how and why the Bible was written.

But atheists aren’t the only ones who misunderstand the Bible. Many Christians ignore the teachings of the Old Testament and don’t see them in the context of the entire story. Lately, many Christians emphasize perspectives that are antithetical to New Testament teachings — a person can find scripture verses to justify many different political, social, and economic perspectives. A shorter book that makes the basic teachings of Christianity clear has the potential to guide both atheists and Christians onto the right path.

Finally, I did not intend The Short Bible to be read by or to one group of people: children. The readability of its content (e.g., vocabulary, sentence structure, concepts) is appropriate for people who are at least 16 years old. Moreover, the concepts of the Bible are deep, and many of the events require emotional maturity. If the Bible were condensed into a movie or television series, it would be R-rated. I did not want to sanitize the gruesome details that were described in the Bible. Instead, I have written The Simplified Short Bible that is shorter and more appropriate for children and those who have less formal education.

When I mentioned my idea of writing a summary of the Bible to others, everybody was enthusiastic and wanted to read it when I was finished. Many who wanted to read the entire Bible had not been able to finish it because it was so long and complicated in places and they didn’t have the time. Friends who had spent many years sharing the Bible’s stories in other countries said a summary with the essential events and messages in chronological order would be helpful in their work.

Two Issues to Consider

One friend questioned the title of the book. The friend noted that there are verses that say nothing should be added or removed from the Bible, and book’s title violated this admonition because it used the word “Bible.” I considered this view and did more research on the verses. The first time it is mentioned is in Deuteronomy 4:2, and it clearly does not apply to my book. There were many other books of the Bible that were written later, so this verse had a context that was limited in time. Revelation 22:18–19, written in John’s prophecies about the end of time, also contains the verse. But again, this verse is specific to only this part of the scriptures—it was written when others were writing their own prophecies related to the persecutions of the Christians. I concluded that these verses did not apply to my book, and I clearly state The Short Bible is not the Bible and is a reorganized summary. In addition, if these verses applied to all scriptures, then any person who read or wrote about the Bible and explained its meanings would be guilty of violating these admonitions.

When considering this issue, I also thought about The Living Bible, a paraphrased version of the entire Bible. It was created by Kenneth Taylor in 1971 so his children would understand the Bible when his family had their devotions. When it was first published, many Christians condemned the book for the same reason (as well as other reasons). But by 1997, more than 40 million copies had been sold in North America, and The Living Bible has now been translated into 100 other languages. In my view, understanding the Bible is more important than just reading it, so I support whatever is done to have people read and understand it. (The Living Bible was updated in 1996 based on recommendations by a team of scholars who were experts in understanding the original Hebrew and Greek texts. It now is called the New Living Translation, was published in 1996.)

I also considered what would happen if the book generated substantial royalties. I didn’t want the hassle of handling a lot of money and dealing with the tax implications of the income. I didn’t need the money, so I decided to create the non-profit Bylsma Foundation where the profits from the sale of the book would be placed (see www.bylsmafoundation.org ). No taxes would be withheld from the royalties, and the Foundation would distribute the funds to charitable causes around the world to “help people in need, promote justice in the world, seek and spread the truth, help others understand the stories and meanings of the Bible, and encourage those who need good news.”

Having dealt with these two issues, I got excited about starting the process of writing the book.

The Short Bible Blog

#18 The Saving Love of God

# 18 The Saving Love of God

#17 The Bible in A Nutshell

# 17 The Bible In A Nutshell

THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE NEW TESTAMENT

#16 The Complete Christmas Story

#16 The Complete Christmas Story

#15 The Pursuit of Truth

#15 The Pursuit of Truth

#14 Science and Truth

#14 Science and Truth

#13 Nationalism, Patriotism, Citizenship

#12 Nationalism, Patriotism, Citizenship ﻿

#12 The Biblical View of Freedom

#13 The Biblical View of Freedom ﻿

#11 Principles About The Government

#11 Biblical Principles About Governments

#10 Options For Opposing the Government

#10 Biblical Options for Opposing the Government

#9 Author’s Personal Views of The Bible’s Teachings

#9 Author’s Personal Views of The Bible’s Teachings

#8 Epilogue To The Short Bible

#8 Epilogue To The Short Bible

#7 Main Themes of the Bible

#7 Main Themes Of The Bible

#6 Read The Bible In One Year

# 6 Read The Bible In A Year

#5 Interpreting The Bible

#5 – Interpreting The Bible

#4 Important Information Missing From The Bible

#4 Important Information Missing From The Bible

#3 Basic Facts About The Bible

#3 Basic Facts About The Bible

#2 How I Wrote The Short Bible

#2 How I Wrote The Short Bible

#1 Why I Wrote The Short Bible

#1 Why I Wrote The Short Bible

#12 Nationalism, Patriotism, Citizenship

#13 The Biblical View of Freedom