Category: Exhortations (Page 2 of 14)

Knox, Latimer and the Fear of God

4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Lk. 12:4-5)

Jesus’ words here can be, at least at first, shocking. He told His disciples, people whom He addressed as “My friends,” not to be afraid of men because all they can do is kill them. How is that for a rationale? ‘Don’t be afraid. The worst they can do is kill you.’ At first such a statement is jarring until we are reminded of the nature of our existence and the limitation of man’s power over us. We are more than our physical bodies. We are comprised of material (our bodies) and immaterial (our souls). Man can kill the body but he cannot kill the soul; therefore, he is limited as to the damage he can inflict upon other men. God however is not so limited. He has the power to not only kill but to cast into hell (vs.5b).

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Supposed Bible Contradictions – Should We Steal? (Ex 20:15; 19:13; Ex 12:35-36)

Upon reading the question in the title you probably immediately thought – ‘That’s easy. Of course not!’ And you would be correct in that assumption. Be that as it may, there are some who contend that the Bible contradicts itself on this subject. They argue that the same God who orders people not to steal encouraged the Israelites to steal in the Old Testament. Let’s look at the verses they use and see what’s going on.

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Supposed Bible Contradictions – Is God Peaceable? (Rom. 15:33; Ex. 15:3)

One of the supposed Bible contradictions that people use to denigrate the Bible’s authority is centered on the question, “Is God peaceable?” Detractors will cite verses like Romans 15:33 where God is called “the God of peace” and hold that against Exodus 15:3 where it is said, “The LORD is a man of war.” The question then becomes, “Which is God? A God of peace or a God of war?” The answer, however, is a relatively simple one: God is both.

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Supposed Bible Contradictions – How Should Adulterers Be Punished? (Lev 20:10; Jn 8:3-11)

Does the Bible contradict itself as it relates to the punishment of adultery? Is it a contradiction that under the Mosaic Law the penalty for such a sin was death (Lev 20:10), while in the New Testament Jesus let a woman who was caught in the act of adultery go away free and uncondemned (Jn. 8:3-11)? Manuscript issue aside, the answer is – no, this would not be an example of a Bible contradiction. But now let’s see why not.

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Supposed Bible Contradictions – Who Moved David to Number Israel?

Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” (2 Sam. 24:1)

1 Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.” (1 Chron. 21:1-2)

The opening verse of the closing chapter of 2nd  Samuel brings with it some interesting textual and theological questions. First we might ask, “Why ‘again?’” You’ll notice the beginning of the verse states, “Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel…” What was the prior event of God’s anger that preceded this occasion of His righteous indignation? Perhaps the best answer is found in Israel’s previous nation-wide sin of supporting Absalom and/or the more recent Sheba-inspired rebellion. Next, why exactly was God’s anger aroused against Israel at the time of this text? We are not given the precise reason but we can rest assured, based upon Israel’s prior disobedience and God’s unfailing righteousness, that they were deserving of His wrath. Third, there’s the theological question, “In what way did the sinless Sovereign move or, better translated – ‘incite,’ David to number Israel?” 

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