November 2021 – Considering the Bible

Posted on 2021-11-302022-02-06 by consideringthebibletogether · 148 Comments

Book Look – Jesus Undefeated – Passage 5

Recently I have been in discussions with some friends that read my blog fairly consistently and they have, in an effort to understand my beliefs, have baited me by calling me a universalist.

That is fair, since I may not have defined every specific teaching as they may want, most likely due to the fact I honestly haven’t come to a settled persuasion on some of the teaching they may ask about me.

Initially, as I have stated in previous posts, I was surprised with the number of passages that support an evangelical universal reconciliation teaching. Please do not think that this teaching is the same as the “all roads lead to heaven” teaching, which I consider to be blasphemous. There is only one way to the Father, and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

With this, I would like to begin delving into some of the New Testament passages Mr. Giles brought to my attention, for your consideration, edification and civil discussion.

Regarding the book itself, I read it in one sitting, not simply because it was under 200 pages, but that it was challenging my though process and I found it enjoyable reading. If this topic interests you, please pick up a copy. It is well worth your time.

Our fifth blog post will begin with passage 5, Colossians 1:14, 19-20. Mr Giles provides a very good introduction to the passage and supplies points that I had never considered before. I do hope you will take a few minutes to consider this passage with me.

Passage 5

Colossians 1:14, 19-20
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

As my readers may notice, this passage is the Colossian equivalent to the previous post Book Look – Jesus Undefeated – Passage 4 on this topic.

With this difference, Paul makes a slightly astounding comparison. But before we get to the comparison, consider the following two key verses in this book that defend the complete and utter unapologetic claim that Jesus is God Almighty.

Colossians 1:19 ESV – For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

Colossians 2:9 ESV – For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

Notice that both of these verses state that the fullness of God, all the fullness of God, not a portion of the fullness of God, not a certain percentage of the fullness of God, but all the fullness of God dwells in Him. He is the Messiah – God with us! The term “all” in these verses are the basis of this claim, in that Paul did not state –

For in Him deity dwells

Dang, we can say that about believers and we are simply beggars at the throne of God, granted tremendous privilege’s based on the righteousness of our Savior! He is the One in whom ALL the fullness of Deity dwells

OK Carl – as a believer, I understand and believe that Jesus is God. What is the point?

Let’s go back to the context of the original verses

Colossians 1:19-20
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Paul introduces the same phraseology as in Ephesians, but this time the “all things” is compared with the deity of the Lord Jesus.

This causes me to stop and consider how to understand Paul’s message. In Ephesians, the “all things” of verse 10 was related to the mystery of God’s will, set forth in Christ. The Ephesian passage speaks to uniting “all things” in Him. This passage speaks of reconciling all things to Himself.

Reconciling, dear reader!

The Greek term used in this passage is ἀποκαταλλάσσω apokatallássō, and is used to define three different actions by God toward sinners.

to reconcile completely,
to reconcile back again,
bring back a former state of harmony

You see, an argument in the Ephesian passage could be that the unity referred to is a forced unity, a uniting of all things based on the authority of the Messiah. Jesus is the Lord and has all authority and this may be Paul’s intent in Ephesians.

The argument of authority only doesn’t hold water for me in this passage, unless my readers can provide a cogent reason for reconsidering. Paul is speaking of reconciliation, that is a bringing back, a relationship being returned to between God and “all things”. Reconciliation is an action that screams of relationship, of two “people” looking at each other, relating to one another, at peace with one another!

Returning to consider the “all things” of verse 20, we read in Romans 8:22 that all of creation groans until the redemption of our bodies, yet when I read that passage I default to excluding most of humanity in the “all of creation” description.

Should the “all things” of Colossians 1:20 condition our thinking when we read a passage such as Romans 8:22?

Yet the “all things” of Colossians 1:20 must refer to a portion of humanity, since we know that some have not been reconciled. Therefore the “all things” must be understood to refer to “some things”. And if that is true, should we understand verse 19 to teach us that some of the fullness of the Godhead dwells in the Messiah?

If not, why not? Why would Paul change the intent of the term “all” from one verse to the next. It seems a difficult verse to argue against from the Universalist Reconciliation stance.

Your thoughts?

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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Posted on 2021-11-292021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #79

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #79

Description

Born the Savior

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 22:9-10

Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.
On you was I cast from my birth,
and from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

New Testament Fullfillment

Luke 2:7

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-282021-11-25 by consideringthebibletogether

Parable Surprises – The Rich Man and Lazarus

The “go to” parable to learn of the terrors of hell.

How often I have been under preaching and teaching that has used this passage to scare the living out of the congregation. Many preachers/teachers consider this to be the stellar passages that describe, from the lips of Jesus, the eternal fate of the lost and the bliss of the redeemed. Let’s take a few moments to consider.

Luke 16:19-31
19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house– 28 for I have five brothers–so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'”

Questions to Consider

Who were the audience?

Luke 16 begins with teaching directed to the disciples, yet the Word informs us that the Pharisees were within ear shot, listening to every word that came out of the mouth of Jesus.

For this parable, it seems obvious that the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, became the intended audience. Hopefully, it landed on a few willing ears that turned to Him, and rejected the love of money in their life. It appears in Acts 15, a number of Pharisees turned to the Lord, and this parable, among many others directed to the Pharisees may have been instrumental in that turning.

When did the Lord give this parable?

This parable was given within three months of the passion week. For a helpful document, providing a list of all the events in Jesus Life, check out the following download.

Event of Jesus Life Download

Where did the Lord teach the parable?

During the last three months of the Lord’s time in Israel, much of it was spent in Perea, on the eastern side of the Jordan, and finally in Jerusalem.

Why did the Lord give this message?

For what purpose would the Lord provide this parable? Why did he provide this story?

Did Jesus give this teaching for future Christians to know of eternal conscious suffering of the wicked in the lake of fire?

Many times when I have heard a message on this passage, the teaching goes directly to the portion describing the condition of the rich man, and of his suffering. Rarely do I hear of the “set up” of the parable, how Luke provides a context of verses 14 through 18 to introduce the parable.

Let’s take a minute to review.

Luke 16:14 – 18
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Why did the Lord gave a message of a rich man and a beggar? What does the text say? Remember, this is your faith that you are seeking to develop, and to grow into. Forget about all the teaching you have heard on the subject and simply allow verse 14 – 18 to introduce the story.

Let me describe my thinking when I considered the introductory verses above. Some of my questions were…

Did Luke introduce this story by speaking of resurrection?
Did Luke introduce this parable by talking of the rapture and the end times?
Did Luke mention the Lake of Fire, the false prophet, the anti-Christ, the judgement seat of Christ, the Great White Throne…..

Need I go on?

Reread verse 14 and tell me (in the comment section below) why the Lord gave this parable to his intended audience.

What was the message for the original audience?

This is tough! Nevertheless, I shall take a stab at my understanding of the message to the original audience for your consideration. And as usual, a raft of questions flooded my mind, that may not at first seem apparent.

Why does the rich man have a dialog with Abraham rather than with God?
- Did the Pharisees equate Abraham with God?
Why is Lazarus brought to Abraham rather than to God?
- Didn’t the Jews consider God to be the judge of all mankind?
Why ask Abraham rather than God to have pity on him?
- Was Abraham the Jewish equivalent of St Peter for Christians? (I am being waggish in this statement, for St Peter doesn’t have “pity pardons” for believers either!)
Does living in luxury make you liable to hell?
- This is extremely bad news for all in America (and any other first world country), for we live at a level of luxury 90% of the world does not enjoy.
Does the rich man ignoring the existence of the beggar seal his fate?
- This again is extremely bad news for most of us in America, and any other first world country.
Does being poor in this life entitle you to enter Heaven?
- Where does the work of Christ enter into this? If being poor allows entrance to heaven, Christ died unnecessarily.
Why do we assume that Lazarus is buried when the story states the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abrahams side.
- This last point shows how we insert our assumptions – that Lazarus was buried, therefore in hades. The rich man was in hades. Lazarus was “afar off”, with Abraham.

All of these questions lead me to think that the Lord was not giving doctrinal teaching on the hell or the lake of fire, but used a common story that pagans recited, (and that had become Jewish lore).

What? What heresy are you pushing now Carl?

I don’t often refer to commentaries, but in this instance I would direct the reader to the New International Greek Testament Commentary, on the Gospel of Luke, by I. Howard Marshall. I have highlighted a discussion in the pdf available below (pg 730 – 731 of 1095, or “alt” and click on link in table of contents), and provided a link for your further research.

The Gospel of Luke A Commentary on the Greek Text by I. Howard Marshall.epub

Was the Lord using a commonly accepted story amongst the Jews to bring home a moral lesson on the love of money? Or was he teaching on the subject of hell, precepts in the story that would be in conflict with Biblical revelation, as in the ability to enter heaven based on personal wealth. It seems to me that this parable/story is not a passage we should depend on for soteriological doctrine, but for life teaching on God’s attitude on our love of money.

Given this background to the story of Luke 16, I would like to suggest a number of parallels in the Word that Jesus may have intended to make the story directly applicable to those within ear shot.

Parallels, Hints and Connections

Looking at the larger context of this parable/story, we find interesting parallels to the Jewish nation and it’s leadership

Judah (father of the remaining tribe composing the nation Israel) had exactly five brothers through his mother, Leah.
Abraham’s servant was named Eliezer.
- Lazarus in the Greek!
Eliezer had no blood ties to Abraham.
- The Jewish religion depended heavily on blood lines to justify their religious exclusivity!
Eliezer was a “foreigner” from Damascus (Gen. 15:2).
- An intended parallel to the gentiles of the day?
The final statement of Jesus in this parable actually is prophetic
- The Ones (the Pharisees!) who boasted in trusting Moses and the prophets refused to be convinced though Lazarus was raised from the dead.
  - Check out the reaction of the Pharisees upon the resurrection of Lazarus a bit later in the ministry of Jesus. Hint – they made plans to kill Jesus
- Jesus summary statement condemns the ones who boasted of trusting in Moses by way of a sign – the rejection of a resurrection! He spoke the truth that would give the Pharisees ample warning of their true condition – that is they did not trust God and love Him

Could this parable be aimed at two parties that Jesus taught on often? The Jewish ruling class, the Pharisees, the “rich man” in the story, and the rejected unclean gentile represented by Lazarus?

What is the message for us today?

First, I would like to mention is that I fear this passage, if used for eschatological teaching (information on hell) may provide more information on the topic than was intended. This passage implies entry into heaven by being poor, and subjection to suffering by being rich. Is there any other passage in the Bible that justifies this teaching?

Luke tells us the end game of the parable, noting that the Pharisees who loved money – they were “rich men” – were in ear shot of the story.

Two messages occur to me for our modern lives.

Message 1 for us today – Don’t love money! Love God. Loving the moolah, the coin, the buck in this passage is associated with ridiculing the Messiah. Not a good thing for the one who says they love the Master!

Jesus summary statement (verse 31) needs to be taken as the purpose of the story, and that even resurrection from the dead will not convince those who do not trust the Old Testament Scriptures. For us today, the same can be said. The Word of God is sufficient for conversion and salvation of our “5 brothers” How often have you heard of some that depend on miracles or signs to convince the lost?

The Lord told the leaders of the religious elite that the great miracle of resurrection would not convince some, and that the lost should “hear Moses and the Prophets”. A resurrection only hardened the leaders resolve to eliminate the One they ridiculed!

Message 2 – Depend on the Word of God, not miracles or signs!

Consider.

Are our religious leaders depending on miracles, signs or such to warn the lost, or to preach to the believer?

When you share the grace of God to your neighbor, do you depend on miracles or signs in your life or on the promise of God provided in the Word of God?

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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Posted on 2021-11-272022-02-06 by consideringthebibletogether · 29 Comments

Book Look – Jesus Undefeated – Passage 4

Recently I have been in discussions with some friends that read my blog fairly consistently and they have, in an effort to understand my beliefs, have baited me by calling me a universalist.

With this, I would like to begin delving into some of the New Testament passages Mr. Giles brought to my attention, for your consideration, edification and civil discussion.

Our fourth blog post will begin with passage 4, Ephesians 1:7-10

Passage 4

Ephesians 1:7-10
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Mr. Giles continues with his list of Bible passages, providing Ephesians 1:7-10 for our consideration this morning. Sometimes I like to read the passage identifying the pronoun as I read through the passage. Lets try that with this passage.

Ephesians 1:7-10
In him (Christ) we (believers) have redemption through his (Christ’s) blood, the forgiveness of our (believers) trespasses, according to the riches of his (Christ’s) grace, which he (Christ) lavished upon us (believers), in all wisdom and insight making known to us (believers) the mystery of his (God’s) will, according to his (God’s) purpose, which he (God) set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

God has lavished grace on believers. This grace includes the redemption we cherish, and the forgiveness of our trespasses. Although I previously thought of these two aspects of our relationship to God as being the same thing described in two different ways, I believe these are two separate acts of grace provided to the saint. See Simple Thoughts – Colossians 1:14.

Paul is speaking of the multiple benefits of the grace of God to the believer.

God has allowed believers to know the mystery of His will. Within the will of God, His purpose is in the Messiah, as all things of God are centered in the Messiah. In the Messiah, God has invested all of His will, all of His plan and all of His love.

If my thinking is correct, Paul has elevated the Christ to preeminence and only rightly so. He is the Lord of all. So why does Paul continue with the phrase “to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth”

Unity is a grand theme in the Scriptures. This is not revelatory as the Word often describes God’s pleasure in the unity of the brethren. This is referring to the life of the brethren, yet is this the intent of the apostles message?

The term “unite” in this verse is the Greek word anakephalaioō, and I am not going to ask anyone to pronounce it!

Thayers Greek Lexicon is somewhat helpful.

In Ephesians 1:10 God is said ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι τὰ πάντα ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ, to bring together again for himself (note the middle) all things and beings (hitherto disunited by sin) into one combined state of fellowship in Christ, the universal bond

Vines also is referred to below

Eph 1:10, RV, “sum up” (AV, “gather together”), of God’s purpose to “sum up” all things in the heavens and on the earth in Christ, a consummation extending beyond the limits of the church, though the latter is to be a factor in its realization.

Ok, the plan of God is to sum up, or “combine” all things in heaven and on earth. Our God is a rebuilder, One who brings together. It is a teaching that Paul identifies later in this book when he teaches of the Christ knocking down the wall of separation between the Jew and the Gentile. Could Paul be breaching this topic in our verse here? It is a common method of his to introduce a topic somewhat generally, prior to the main teaching being fleshed out.

Maybe.

But what are we to make of the term “all things”. So generic. So “fuzzy”.

Could Paul mean all souls that are in heaven and on earth? All things certainly sound inclusive, and may actually mean all things, without exception. It is a possibility!

Could we be dogmatic on this verse? Certainly not, since it is so generic, so “fuzzy”, and yet there are “fuzzy” passages in the Old Testament, that in thier fulfillment, was much more expansive than many (all?) could have hope for or believed.

With this passage that Mr. Giles provided, a possibility of Universal Reconciliation is allowable in my thinking at this time.

What think you?

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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Posted on 2021-11-262021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #78

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #78

Description

“He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him”

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 22:8

“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

New Testament Fullfillment

Matt 27:43

He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.'”

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-252021-11-24 by consideringthebibletogether

Proverbial Thoughts on Thoughts – Part D

Thoughts on the topic of thoughts from the book of wisdom

The book of Proverbs has much to say about the topic of our thoughts. Let’s continue considering the wisdom of Proverbs regarding our thoughts.

In our last post in the book of proverbs, we considered the thoughts of the wicked, being an abomination to the Lord, compared to the words of the pure being pleasant.

In this proverb, we are comparing a false “front” with a “hesitant” thought process.

Let’s read the verse and consider the message.

Proverbs 21:29
A wicked man puts on a bold face,
but the upright gives thought to his ways.

I referred to a false front in my introduction, since in my mind, a wicked man has no true basis for any confidence, other that a fleeting, appearance of confidence. This is a bold face, not a bold heart, not a life of confidence, but a bold face! An appearance of confidence. Make no mistake. Much of the confidence we experience amongst our peers is a manufactured confidence, a “confidence” that is based out of a fear of failure, or of desperation, or of competition with others.

As a young believer, I would exude a confidence to provide encouragement to others, and yet this often produced a separation amongst the believers. I may have shared this story before, but it is so applicable to this passage and was a great teaching lesson for my spirit

We were in a church, leading two home Bible studies and teaching a Sunday School Adult class, when my bold face fell away. It was a Tuesday night, and I was pontificating over some doctrinal item I thought all of Christianity depended on, when one of my sons came into the room and expressed a concern I would have rather kept secret.

Quickly I herded my son to his room, assured him I would discuss the issue with him after the folks leave for the night, and then returned to the study.

But something had changed.

I was no longer Saint Carl, teacher of many, knower of Bible, blah blah blah. I had become a sinner, saved by grace, just the same as the rest of the group. That few minutes of reality that my son brought to the group exposed a truth to the group that was life giving. (It is a good thing I wasn’t teaching on how to be a good and loving papa!) I had been carrying a false front, a bold face, that had slipped somewhat that night, and it was the best thing to happen for the group, and for me.

That night helped me to begin to understand that Bible knowledge is not the “be all and end all” of a teaching ministry, but that sharing a life of painful honesty is critical in the Christian life. A bold face, a proud look, a high faluting manner only separates believers and causes walls to be erected.

Since then, I have found that, though Bible truth is important for our knowledge, carrying it in pride can actually be detrimental to the ministry. People won’t relate to you, and a feeling of “us vs them” starts to develop. They may begin to think that a teacher has a different level of spirituality than they, that their secret weaknesses or sins need to be hidden in order to look good, to be accepted by the teacher, who is hiding a few secrets also. What a rat race, a game of hide and seek, a time of fear and self protection.

My dear readers, as you go about your day today, drop your proud face, your false front, and be real with just one person, with one believer that you are seeking to encourage. Show that your need of Christ is real, that your needs are real, and that as a believer, you struggle with life everyday.

But with this admonition in verse 29, note that Solomon also gives additional wisdom, that the upright gives thought to his ways. This truth provides guidance after understanding the danger of the proud face, the false front.

A person who gives thought is not a reactionary person, but one who considers his response with wisdom and understanding of the situation he finds himself in. He not only considers his response to a situation with wisdom and understanding, but also looks at his own ways, the ways of his past, that he may learn from them.

I will readily admit that my past is littered with this proud face I spoke of above. For some reason, I fall into this image of myself far too often, hurt someone I love and then have to repent of my attitude and ask for forgiveness. As I look into my past, I have found two benefits of giving thought to my ways.

With every instance of pride welling up in my heart, I have also experienced a subsequent shaming, a death to the pride I nurtured, that is painful, yet necessary. This is the life of the believer, a life of repentance and returning to God and the Body of Christ.
With the benefit of remembering my history, I have found that the times of pride (hopefully) have become shorter, and the repentance somewhat less grievious. Don’t get me wrong – true repentance is a poison pill for the pride of the heart. True repentance is a direct attack on the pride of the heart!

Consider your ways. Give thought to your ways.

Look to your past and be honest with yourself. Have you built walls and set up barricades to true relationship by assuming a superiority over others? Have you humbled yourself before God and others in order to prioritize relationship over self fulfillment?

Drop the false face, be honest with someone (to the point of trust you have in the person). Build a bridge to another person through a humble spirit and an open heart.

God will be in the middle of it!

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-242021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #77

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #77

Description

They shoot out the lip and shake the head

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 22:7

All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

New Testament Fullfillment

Matt 27:39-44

And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads

and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying,

“He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.'”

And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-232021-11-22 by consideringthebibletogether

Proverbial Thoughts on Thoughts – Part C

Thoughts on the topic of thoughts from the book of wisdom

The book of Proverbs has much to say about the topic of our thoughts. Let’s continue considering the wisdom of Proverbs.

Proverbs 15:26
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD,
but gracious words are pure.

This passage gives a link between our thoughts and our words and is a proverb that describes opposing truths. I would like to provide a few additional translations of this verse to get a wee bit of clarity.

Proverbs 15:26 (NKJV) The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD,
But the words of the pure are pleasant.

Proverbs 15:26 (RSV) The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD,
But the words of the pure are pleasant.

Proverbs 15:26 (WEB) The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

I love spreadsheets, and this verse begs a table to compare the “root” of our actions with the “fruit” of our thoughts. Confused?

What I want to try to show is that this verse has a cause and effect action. This principle is clearly taught in the New Testament, in that fruit is the result of the type of root (tree)!

Matthew 12:33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.

*“Root”*	*“Fruit”*
Wicked thoughts	Abomination to the Lord
Words of the pure	Pleasant

Two roots are being referred to in this verse. Let’s consider both.

Thoughts of the Wicked

Wicked thoughts (or more pointedly – the thoughts of the wicked) produce disgust to the Lord, a feeling of abhorrence within the Godhead. These thoughts are disgusting to the Lord, an abomination, a vile thing. It is not wicked words that are being described here, but the very thoughts of the wicked. Of course, as the wicked thinks, so will he speak. But Solomon is focusing on thoughts here.

Let’s remember that God is a living “person”. Please do not misunderstand – I am not trying to take away from the truth that He is the one and only living God, but we sometimes think of Him as so lofty and high (rightly so) that we sometimes forget that He experiences anger, sorrow, disappointment, joy, abhorrence ….

I need to intentionally remember this!

Words of the Pure

Words of the pure are pleasant to Him, and by extension to all that hear them. Of course, our verse strictly states that the words of the pure are pleasant words, yet if we follow the initial thought of the verse, there is an association of the Lord’s response with this last clause.

According to Matthew 12:33, we know that speaking pure words comes from a pure heart. And because our topic of this post is our thoughts, lets remember Paul’s admonition in Philippians 4:8.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

As believers, we are told not only how to think, but what to think. Notice that in this list of thought “objects” is the “positive” aspect for each category. (Truth as opposed to lies, honor as opposed to shame…) If we are to seek pure words in our communication, (in order to bring pleasantness to the Lord and all around us) then we need to train our thinking per the instructions provided by the apostle.

Think about it! To provide the Lord pleasantness is surely a calling we should join into each day.

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-222021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #76

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #76

Description

Darkness upon Calvary for three hours

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 22:2

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.

New Testament Fullfillment

Matt 27:45

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-212021-11-22 by consideringthebibletogether

Calvin’s Concerns – 1 Corinthians 2:14

A few weeks back, I published the first of a series of posts offering 60 second short discussions on alternatives to the popular Calvinistic teaching in our churches these days.

The videos were provided by Dr. Leighton Flowers, and addressed a number of topics that related to Calvinism and it’s resultant effects on the believer.

Since then I have provided a few additional videos describing different aspects of a provisionalist perspective on the Scriptures.

The following video, (although not a 60 second short!) supplies a good review of 1 Corinthians 2:14, and might be considered with an earlier post provided on Sept 9th of 2021 – Calvin’s Concerns – Comment Response 7 – 1 Corinthians 2:14.

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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Posted on 2021-11-202021-11-20 by consideringthebibletogether

Proverbial Thoughts on Thoughts – Part B

Thoughts on the topic of thoughts from the book of wisdom

The book of Proverbs has much to say about the topic of our thoughts. Let’s continue considering Proverbs wisdom on our thoughts.

Proverbs 14:15
The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

My momma used to say “ignorance is bliss”. It has stuck with me, along with bunches of sayings she would recite. She was a wonderful mother, but with this saying, I’m not sure she spoke the truth. (Thinking back, she would say this often to me specifically – starting to wonder if she was implying something!)

Anyhow, the Word tells us of the gullibility of the simple. They believe everything they are told, that they hear, that they come across. It implies that the simple understand the world to be their servant, that the messages provided by everyone within their life circle are positive, right and beneficial for their lives. This passage implies that critical thinking, a solid knowledge base, and a commitment to truth is of no importance to the simple.

To be “simple”, in the book of proverbs speaks of inexperience, gullibility and a lack of judgement. It is usually associated with youth, but this proverb also provides a solution to this destructive lifestyle.

Give thought to your steps!

I may be extending this passage out further than is obvious, but hear me out. My wife and I have been “planners” for the last 25 years of our married life. It started when we considered moving into the USA from the GWN. We sat down and made a 5 year plan, set intermediate goals to accomplish this target and worked to these ends.

One of our first plans included attaining citizenship in the USA. In our simplicity, we judged a five year span of effort would be sufficient to meet this goal (legally!) Golly, I don’t know if any of my readers have ploughed through dealing with the bureaucracy such as we faced, especially after 911, but without that goal we would have surely given up.

My point is that, to give thought to your steps, in my opinion, speaks of where we are going, of planning our path in the will of God and to work with an understanding of the world around us. I say “the world around us” since wifey and I planned this prior to 911, and with the knowledge we had at the time, the five year goal was still aggressive. After 911, it appeared impossible. It became apparent during one summer, that we would loose all that we worked for. Our house, our freedom to stay in the US, our church fellowship and my career. (I actually am one of a very few men that has ever been let go by a government agency – fired by a state government!)

In all that, the Lord led the way through all the fears and dangers, all the disappointments and changes, and looking back, has instilled in this family a tenacity that may not have grown without the trial.

To reiterate, this particular effort taught us to be critical thinkers also, since believing what others told us led us down wrong roads, conflicted with other messages and was simply foolish.

Always question the message being heard and filter it through the truth God has provided us through the Word of God and His Spirit. Even the Word of God needs to the compared with the Word of God and to simply believe a passage without “arguing with it” seems to be unwise in my eyes now.

As you may know, I am an engineer in my occupation, and I tend to question everything. But to question God’s Word, not in its truthfulness, but in seeking to understand it’s intended message has been a key issue for me for the last 15 years or so.

Many of my previous beliefs have undergone serious development, and some of them have had to be repented of. This is a very uncomfortable experience. Changing my thinking on any aspect of my faith changes multiple aspects of my daily life. Thankfully, as an added benefit, the general tenor of my thought life has greatly improved.

Don’t be simple. Don’t simply believe the Bible. The message is deep, complex and wonderful. Who can know the mind of the Lord? The further you dig the more wondrous Jesus becomes.

Don’t be afraid to reverently ask questions of the text, to ask God for understanding, to challenge your own thoughts in subjection to the Word of God. The prophets did. The apostles did.

Should we not seek to understand the message instead of simply “believing everything” you hear?

Consider!

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Posted on 2021-11-192021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #75

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #75

Description

“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?”

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 22:1

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

New Testament Fullfillment

Matt 27:46

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

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Posted on 2021-11-182021-11-14 by consideringthebibletogether

Proverbial Thoughts on Thoughts – Part A

Thoughts on the topic of thoughts from the book of wisdom

Somehow I fear this introduction may be a bit confusing, but if y’all think on it long enough I think all y’all may come up with the correct thought I am trying to get y’all to think about.

Ya think?

Thoughts, Ya ever think of thoughts? I know – that is a strange question and one that may be self defeating. This may take me down a rabbit hole that I will regret.

So instead of getting all messed up with pondering of an ol’ man, lets consider a few verses of the good book, and see if they bring any clarity to our lives.

It turns out that the book of Proverbs has much to say about the topic of thoughts.

4:26 Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure

We are to consider, ponder, reflect, think on our lives. The word ponder has the meaning of “to weigh out, to balance, or to make level or smooth”.

“Ponder” is a verb – we are instructed to ponder our lives, our history. To consider our past as a teaching guide for our future.

Check out your history.

In your Christian walk, have you been a Proverbs 6 believer? You know – the type of person that does not reflect the kindness and love of God?

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Or have you sacrificed your own desires for the sake of others? Have you considered peace with your brother to be more important than a pet teaching, or do you refuse to listen to others? Have you sought peace with your Christian brother, the one who seems to think differently than you? Or do you seek ways to find fault, an error seeker, a self justifier?

Golly, even to love your enemy is to be a goal for the believer. Have you sought peace with your co-worker who recently hung up on you when you were chatting with him? (a bit too specific there Carl – Maybe you got some work to do there!)

Be honest, for self deception is the greatest enemy in this exercise. To what benefit is waxing over our faults? To what advantage is the ignoring of our history,

I often boast of my stability in the Christian walk I live (at least in my thoughts!) and yet this boasting is a self deception. We need to reflect on our lives, consider our walk with God, failings and all.

Painful? Most likely! Growth and maturity, or in the words of the proverb “surety of our way” does not come out of leisure and comfort!

This is a fairly heavy post and will end here. I am sure I will return to this topic a bit later, since the book of Proverbs has much to say on our thoughts.

Hope to visit again soon

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-172021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #74

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #74

Description

Forsaken because of sins of others

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 22:1

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

New Testament Fullfillment

2 Cor 5:21

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

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Posted on 2021-11-162022-02-06 by consideringthebibletogether · 140 Comments

Book Look – Jesus Undefeated – Passage 3

Recently I have been in discussions with some friends that read my blog fairly consistently and they have, in an effort to understand my beliefs, have baited me by calling me a universalist.

With this, I would like to begin delving into some of the New Testament passages Mr. Giles brought to my attention, for your consideration, edification and civil discussion.

Regarding the book itself, I read it in one sitting, not simply because it was under 200 pages, but that it was challenging my thought process and I found it enjoyable reading. If this topic interests you, please pick up a copy. It is well worth your time.

Our third blog post will begin with passage 3, Romans 5:18-19

Passage 3

Romans 5:18-19
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

It is interesting, as I look for solid teaching on the rebuttal of this verse, that many teachers go out of the way to explain what Paul is not teaching. In one commentary, by James Montgomery Boice, he makes the following statement regarding verse 18. (italics mine)

All men… all men – Paul is using all men with two different meanings for the sake of parallelism, a common practice in the Hebrew Old Testament, which is similar Paul’s repetition of the phrase the many in Romans 5:15 (note). The first all covers all humanity who are born into Adam. The second all refers to that part of the first all who by grace through faith are reborn into the Last Adam, Christ (Paul repeatedly emphasizes righteousness and faith – see notes Romans 1:16; 17; 3:22; 3:28; 4:5; 4:13. To reiterate – Paul is not teaching universal salvation.)

How is it that in using the same phrase, we can negate Paul’s possible intent simply by referring to parallelism? (I understood parralelism to be a method of teaching that reiterated a particular truth in a parallel phrase – Is that incorrect?)

It is telling that this master teacher has to repeat – “Paul is not teaching universal salvation” This reiteration seems to be provided since without it, the text, when simply read, speaks of “One act of righteousness leading to justification and life for all men”. Paul does not explain how this works out in the plan of God, but does give us a summary of his argument in verses 18-19.

Mr Giles quote is helpful from his book.

“Paul leaves us very little wiggle room to read this any other way than what it plainly appears to say: That in the same way everyone was made a sinner due to Adam’s sin, everyone will be made righteous because of Christs obedience.”

I agree with Mr. Giles logic, and yet I refuse to be a “one verse” Christian. I am sure you may have met the believer who rests his entire trust in a specific teaching on a few favorite proof texts, not considering passages that may provide balance, that may provide the whole counsel of God. I grant that focusing on a few verse to maintain a position is appealing, yet it may not produce the well rounded, mature believer that we are to grow up into.

As I have mentioned many times in this blog, the Bible is not equal to a comic strip such as Garfield. A sideways glance at a verse will not produce a deep faith. An overemphasis on a few verses will not result in a balanced faith.

Is the Universal Reconciliation teaching too good to be true? I would ask my reader why we restrict the good news of the life and death of our Messiah?

Why do we take the elder brothers stance when we consider that the love of God may extend much farther that we understand or comprehend.

How do you understand this challenging verse. Can you find a way to avoid the conclusion Mr. Giles offers above, without referring to other passages, but simply from the immediate context?

I look forward to the discussion.

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Posted on 2021-11-152021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #73

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #73

Description

The horn of salvation

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 18:2-3

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies.

New Testament Fullfillment

Luke 1:69-71

and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-142023-07-23 by consideringthebibletogether

Psalms for Psome – Ps 33.2

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 33
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;
14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.
16 The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

We want to trust in anything other than God. Great armies, great strength, great weapons. All of these “idols” are ultimately red herring’s for our soul, when we abandon the living God.

He is looking for those that fear Him, and that hope in his steadfast love, that look to the mercy of God in all His actions and attitudes. He is kind, desiring to be our help and shield, our protector and defender.

Each morning as I arrive at work, I take a 15 minute walk in my parking garage, reviewing some memory verses (on the way up to the 7th floor) and praying for my family, friends and specific daily concerns on the way down from the 7th floor. All this to say, it was just a few days ago, that verse 21 of this chapter came up in my memory review and it was a blessing to consider.

Note “our heart is glad in Him because we trust in His holy name”

In our trust towards the only One who deserves our trust, we experience gladness, a rejoicing that is simply an over flow of the very life of God being worked out in our day to day lives. Our experience is to be full of joy, a rejoicing in the many benefits of our Holy Savior.

In the midst of good news, the rejoicing of our heart is to be relational, exuberant, obvious, open and full.

In the midst of bad news, the rejoicing of our heart is also relational, but with a subdued settled confidence that in the midst of the trial, God is still on the throne, that in the strength of God, our heart can not simply survive the storm, but if exercised by the Spirit, increase in hope, faith and love.

Trust in His holy Name, in the Name of Jesus and as you trust, experience the gladness of heart the psalmist sings of.

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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Posted on 2021-11-132021-11-13 by consideringthebibletogether · 5 Comments

Calvin’s Concerns – Comment Response 13 – John 6:29

As mentioned in the introduction, I have been been discussing the differences between Calvinism and Provisionalism with a fellow blogger. One particular response grabbed my attention and I am trying to understand his position, by referring to his proof texts and logic.

This is the fifth portion of his response (in red), along with the corresponding verse he referred to. I shall seek to comment on the verses and find his argument within the verses he has provided.

Natural man can’t tell the difference between good and evil and Jesus said none are good except for God. They are responsible because God is Sovereign. He has the right to do with His creation as he sees fit His righteousness isn’t to be judged by fallen man’s sense of righteousness imputed from the Garden of Eden. Belief is the work of God John 6:29

John 6:29 – Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

It has been a while since I have published any responses to the “Calvin’s Concern” series, and coincidentally “tripped” over the video below.

The video walks us through a word for word teaching of the passage, highlighting the intent of the verse, that is, the emphasis on the person of Christ. Jesus third person reference to himself when speaking to this particular audience (Pharisees) shouts out the Deity of His Messiahship. The Scripture speaks of Him, and it serves us well to consider the pre-eminence of His person when approaching the Word.

Beyond the refreshing refocus on the person of Christ in the discussion on this passage, to say that “belief is the work of God” seems to be missing the mark when considering this verse. Does not the passage inform us of the work of God, that is that “you believe”. The directive of action is associated with the audience, and the only work directly associated with God is that He sent His Messiah.

Now that God has sent His Messiah, you need to believe in Him.

The context speaks of Jesus answering the Pharisees in their (sarcastic) request “What must we do, to be doing the works of God? The Pharisees, at this point in the ministry of the Savior, were not humbly coming to the Master for guidance, but mocking Him and seeking ways to entrap Him. Jesus refocused them with this verse, by referring Himself in the same manner that God refers to Himself in the Old Testament, and laying on the Pharisees the responsibility to believe in Him.

As you watch this 2 minute clip, humor me as he speaks the greek, but notice the skill this teacher has is walking us through this famous verse. After his explanation, consider the message that Jesus spoke 2,000 yrs ago. Believe in Him.

Let me know your thoughts. I look forward to a cogent and precise discussion.

I do hope you will continue with me as I seek to understand the verses he supplies and if the verses he supplied support his argument of fatalism/determinism which he speaks of.

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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This is the sixth (and final) portion of his response (in red), along with the corresponding verses he referred to. I shall seek to comment on the verses and find his argument within the verses he has provided.

God is saving a people unconditionally Romans 9:11 according to election God promises to save a people and He can’t wait around for someone who has no desire or the ability to come. I will rely on scripture that he shows mercy unconditionally to whom he chooses.

Romans 9:11 – though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad–in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls–

I do hope you will continue with me as I seek to understand the verses he supplies and if the verses he supplied support his argument of fatalism/determinism which he speaks of.

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-122021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #72

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #72

Description

The resurrection predicted

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 17:15

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

New Testament Fullfillment

Luke 24:6

He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

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Posted on 2021-11-112021-11-10 by consideringthebibletogether

In Christ Alone – Sounds Like Reign

I have sung this hymn often in the church I first joined the saints in song. This is a beautiful song done beautifully by this humble group.

In Christ alone
I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory
Let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
Is Christ alone

Tell me your thoughts, and how this song spoke to you!

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Posted on 2021-11-102021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #71

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #71

Description

Was to arise from the dead

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 16:9-11

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being[a] rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.[b]
You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

New Testament Fullfillment

John 20:9

for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

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Posted on 2021-11-092021-10-02 by consideringthebibletogether

I Wonder as I Wander – Simon Khorolskiy

I have never heard this hymn, and what a great contemplation.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

how Jesus my Savior did come for to die

for poor ordinary people like you and like I

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

Tell me your thoughts, and how this song spoke to you!

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Posted on 2021-11-082021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #70

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #70

Description

Was not to see corruption

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 16:10

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption

New Testament Fullfillment

Acts 2:31

he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

Acts 13:35

Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

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Posted on 2021-11-062023-07-23 by consideringthebibletogether

Psalms for Psome – Ps 33.1

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 33
1 Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.
2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.

Can we settle on one verse this morning. So many great verses in this chapter but verse 5 has stuck in my craw, and it won’t let go.

Psalm 33:5b …the earth is FULL of the steadfast love of the LORD.

Is it? Is it really?

My friends , as we walk this path with the Lord through the lives that He has granted us, we make many decisions. Out of these decisions, our lives are expanded to new understandings and appreciation of the Lord Jesus, or we are shrinking in our love and desire to know Him. Thoughts like this occur to me at the oddest time and I am thankful for the still small voice that whispers truth to me.

Let me share a time of hearing a still small voice.

As many of you know, I am an engineer, encased in numbers and schedules, with pressure and deadlines always upon me. Lately staff shortages and the winning of new work has exacerbated this condition. It was only yesterday that I was on the phone with my mechanical lead (a mechanical engineer who leads his group to complete a task I have assigned for a certain deadline), discussing how thinly spread we are in getting our tasks done, when he mentioned how ugly his surroundings are.

You see, we had to send him to a desert of California to oversee the construction of a boiler install for a couple months. Each time I have chatted about his conditions, he states that his surroundings are ugly, windy, too hot (or too cold) and too dry.

Much to complain about I suppose, but I argued there must be something of beauty in the area. He claimed none and challenged me to consider when I first moved to Texas, being in the Panhandle area, where nothing grows, the wind always blows and the ground is flatter than a pancake. I agreed that the first few months in the panhandle were barren for beauty, especially since I had moved there from the beautiful shores of Lake Superior in Canada.

And yet, after a few months of living in the area, I began to see a beauty in the area. Of course I am not speaking of the oil pump jacks, or the abandoned factories, or of the rusting storage tanks. We have to remember that man has had an effect on this world. But given this concession, there appeared to be a beauty I did not expect. A vastness, an expanse that argued for the greatness of God, and of how little I was! That is a good lesson to learn for a proud man like I!

Am I equating the love of the Lord with beauty of my surroundings? Not at all. His love is steadfast. My surroundings change. Whether I’m experiencing the rocky shores of Lake Superior, or the flat vastness of the Texas panhandle, His love is steadfast.

The earth is FULL of the steadfast love of the Lord, yet we look at our surroundings as if He provided only difficulties and hurdles to “put up with”.

Do you believe the earth is FULL of the steadfast love of the Lord?

How do you “receive” the surroundings you are in? What is your perception? How do you translate your situation?

There are a number of passages that inform me that my decisions, which result in actions I perform, come back around on me. This isn’t the karma thing that seems so prevalent, since that includes a non-personal force that supposedly reacts to our actions.

No, what I am speaking on is the realization of God’s steadfast love in all our experience, being thankful and doing all things without murmuring and disputing’s. In this decision to trust God in His communication of His steadfast love, we have the opportunity to experience His love in a deeper and fuller way. When we distrust our loving Father, and interpret our situation as being from the hand of an angry God, one who will seek to trip us up, or that is angry with us, we cause our lives to become bitter, lonely and full of suspicion. Our very fears become a reality, become a self fulfilling prophecy, and our lives go down the proverbial toilet.

Consider the following passages

Ps 18:25,26
With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

Notice the Lord shows Himself to us in response to our character. Yet the Scripture states that the earth FULL of the steadfast love of the LORD!

What gives? If the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord, why do some experience Him as tortuous?

Consider

Psalm 109:17-18
He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!

One more time where our decision to perform an action (cursing, not delighting in blessings) results in a similar action coming back to us.

Consider

Proverbs 3:34
Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.

This verse is in the same vain as Psalm 18, but as I began to see this pattern in the Word, it continued to become a recurring theme in the Old Testament.

The New Testament also speaks of His reactions to our actions.

Consider

James 4:6,8,10
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Will you trust the Word and believe that the earth is FULL of the steadfast love of the Lord?

Take a step back, examine your life and consider if you are one who complains, finds fault or is generally negative. Find a friend or relative that you consider to be an honest person. Sit them down and ask for an honest evaluation of your life. It may be very enlightening!

You see, your base understanding of God is critical! You have, in the past, somehow assumed Him to be one who complains, finds fault and is negative towards you. What you believe about the LORD will ooze out of your life in the attitudes and actions you live in. Your actions and attitudes will be responded to in like manner, and the downward spiral continues!

If that is your understanding of God, your understanding of God is not according to truth.

Consider the goodness and loving kindness of our God!

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Posted on 2021-11-052021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #69

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #69

Description

Judge the world in righteousness

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 9:7-10

But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
    he has established his throne for justice,
and he judges the world with righteousness;
    he judges the peoples with uprightness.
The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
And those who know your name put their trust in you,
    for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

New Testament Fullfillment

Acts 17:31

because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

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Posted on 2021-11-042022-02-06 by consideringthebibletogether · 1 Comment

Book Look – Jesus Undefeated – Passage 2

As I have stated in previous posts, I was surprised with the number of passages that seem to support an evangelical universal reconciliation teaching. Of course many may think, as I initially thought, that this teaching didn’t include a form of hell, or that the cross was not necessary. This is not so.

Also, please do not think that this teaching is the same as the “all roads lead to heaven” teaching, which I consider to be blasphemous. There is only one way to the Father, and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

With this, I would like to begin delving into some of the New Testament passages Mr. Giles brought to my attention, for your consideration, edification and civil discussion.

Our next post will consider 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Okay lets consider the two verses above, and consider some thoughts on possible interpretations.

One author I read concerning this set of verses taught that Paul is using this passage to teach that without transgression, no death would have come into the world. A man (Adam) sinned and brought death into the world. A man (Jesus) obeyed and brought resurrection into the world. This is true, but is that Paul’s point here, to speak of theoretical truths?

Maybe, but the issue to address from the topic under consideration is the second “all” in verse 22. Yes Jesus brought life and immortality to light for all of creation. Romans 8 teaches that all of creation groans until the redemption is realized. Could “the creature” in Romans 8 passage be considered support for UR? We may need to consider that at a later time!

It seems blunt to say it, but if the first all in verse 22 means all humanity (and it does since all have died, with few exceptions – Enoch, Elijah, maybe Moses), then all shall be made alive. Of course my determinist friends will want to insert “kinds of men” in the second phrase, so that it may read as such…

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all kinds of men be made alive.

Other than adherence to a systematic theology that has a number of Biblical concerns and philosophical problems, inserting text into a verse causes me a wee bit of consternation. Not a fan!

Is there an interpretive solution to this verse that negates what it seems to be saying, and that is that … all die…all shall be made alive”?

Come on Carl – Read the verse!

Paul qualifies each group (those who die, and those who live) by the representative man who brought in the “condition” of death or life. I kind of understand it as..

Since you are in Adam, you will die (all humans are in Adam!)

Since you are in Christ, you will live (all those who have faith in the Messiah are in Christ!)

Although Mr. Giles offered this text as a proof for universal reconciliation, he had to justify the “all in Christ” as being every person ever created. Although he made a valiant effort at proving this particular text, I didn’t find it convincing.

What think ye? Let me know your thoughts.

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Posted on 2021-11-032021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #68

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #68

Description

His humiliation and exaltation

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 8:5-6

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings[a]
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,

New Testament Fullfillment

Heb 2:5-9

For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.

It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?

You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,

putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

Posted on 2021-11-022021-10-02 by consideringthebibletogether

Sing Hallelujah to the Lord – Simon Khorolskiy

English and Russian voices together praising the Father Son and Holy Spirit.

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Posted on 2021-11-012021-06-12 by consideringthebibletogether

Old Testament Messianic Prophecies – Prophecy #67

The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is

Prophecy #67

Description

The mouths of babes perfect His praise

Old Testament Prophecy

Psalm 8:2

Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.

New Testament Fullfillment

Matt 21:16

and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

351 Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.

Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us

Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

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Passage 5

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Questions to Consider

Who were the audience?

When did the Lord give this parable?

Where did the Lord teach the parable?

Why did the Lord give this message?

What was the message for the original audience?

Parallels, Hints and Connections

What is the message for us today?

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Passage 4

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Passage 3

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