The Bible and Our Culture

The word Eucharist literally means "to give thanks."

What problems was Paul was responding to in his first letter to the church at Corinth.  

1Corinthians 11:17f

There are pitfalls within the Lord's Supper.

Why we celebrate the Lord's Supper (also called Communion or the Eucharist).

Why do most churches have such small portions for the Lord's Supper?

 

 

The word "denial" is not mentioned in most Bible translations; but living in the darkness is.

When we see our propensity to be deceitful, we will be less likely to trust in man.

Human nature suppresses the truth and it brings terrible damage.

Put your confidence in the LORD.  

The Founding Fathers understood the deceitful human heart talked about in Jeremiah 17, John 3, Romans 1 and 1 John 1.

Denial will destroy your life, which is why God's wrath is toward "suppressing the truth".

Romans 1:18-32

Honesty is a Far Surer Sign of Wisdom than Intellect

Honesty is better than intellect at everything including mental health.

Living in darkness includes more than denial, but it certainly includes denial. 

Denial will destroy your life and society which is why God's wrath is toward "suppressing the truth".

How God empowers us to grow to a new level of faith, glory and strength.

Glory to Glory; Faith to Faith; Strength to Strength.

Most believers don't understand the glory that we will display after we see Jesus.  There may be even a greater glory after we have been in heaven with Jesus for billions of years.

Without diminishing our growth in faith thus far, God expects us to continue to grow to a new level of faith, glory and strength.  

"Patience" in the KJV might better be translated as "toughness" or "endurance".  

God doesn't test us so He knows if we pass; God knows everything from the end to the beginning.  He test us so we can pass gloriously.   

The gospel starts with the righteousness of God compared to sinful humanity's unrighteousness.

"Faith is the breath of the righteous." -Martin Luther

Romans 1:16-19 "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith."

Translation problems hinders us from understanding terms that come from a different time, place, culture and language.  Many words we use only in a religious, spiritual context today, were not originally religious terms at all.

The gospel delivers us from hell and death, but also any bondage we need saving from.  

One people of God, but two "Israels".

Too many Bible versus tell us who God's people are and they are not a natural race of people.  

2 Cor 5:16  "Don't regard anyone according to the flesh" is a command ignored by those who claim "Israel First" theology. 

Contrary to what many Christians believe, there is an "Israel" by faith in Jesus.

The Church was the church Moses pastored (Acts 7:38) so the Church has been around ever since God had a covenant people.  

All who are a new creation in Christ Jesus are part of a spiritual race.

"For the Jew first, and also for the Gentile" (Romans 1:16b) is often misunderstood.  

Supporting Israel politically and standing against antisemitism does not mean you have to be a "Hebrew Supremist".

All who are a new creation in Christ Jesus are part of a spiritual race.

There is a huge advantage for new converts with a background in Judaism (as opposed to Secularism or Roman mythology).  

"For the Jew first, and also for the Gentile" (Romans 1:16b) is often misunderstood.  

Supporting Israel politically and standing against antisemitism does not mean you have to be a "Hebrew Supremist".

There is a huge advantage for new converts with a background in Judaism (as opposed to Secularism or Roman mythology).  

One reason Paul wrote Romans was to deal with the antisemitism Acquila and Priscilla told him about in Acts 17.

There are no 2nd class citizens in Christ!

Why did Paul write the book of Romans.

Way too many Christians see Romans 1:16b with a racial lens.

With a few passages taken out of context, it might sound like God is a racist, but the entirety of Scripture disproves such.  Context matters.

Racism: Looking at individuals through the lens of race.