I blog frequently on tips and tools for improving your Bible study skills, but what about discernment when listening to others?
7 Marks of False Teachers
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Blog
Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
Judging other believers
If a local church developed a schism such that it divided into opposing camps, both camps might be tempted to judge the other side using 1 John 2:9-:11. But the Apostle John did not write these verses to be a club to condemn each other.
Marriage God’s Way
Even the best couples are constantly working on their marriage. Join David & Krisan Marotta (married 31 years) as they examine what the Bible has to say about the commitment of marriage.
God is light
In 1 John, the Apostle John is writing to clarify the true gospel from the false gospels spreading through the early church. His first point is God is holy and you are not.
What is the Word of Life?
Is the gospel message of the Word of Life, a “pie in the sky” other worldly gospel? Suppose I give a starving person enough food to eat to this week and next week she starves. Have I failed?
Are older women invisible in the church?
Is “youth focused Christianity may be sidelining the gifts of older women”? In a sea of artful hipsters, older women feel invisible and overlooked.
Why calling does not begin with marriage
Does God have a “one-plan-fits-all” calling for women: marry, conceive children, raise children and become a grandmother?
John’s Letters Bible Study Resources
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study John’s first epistle.
The purpose of 2 John and 3 John
2 & 3 John contain the same ideas as 1 John. So what was the purpose of these short letters?
What does it mean to abide in Christ?
Understanding what it means to “abide in Christ” is one of the major themes of 1 John.
11 Deliverance from Sin (Romans 8.1-12)
Most believers waste time trying to figure out how “to do” Christianity better. We search the Scriptures and self-help books looking for the “12 steps to faith,” “5 steps to better Christian living,” “3 keys to grace”, etc. I’ve got good news and bad news.
10 Law and Sin (Romans 7:7-25)
Paul answers the question: “So if the Law multiplies our sin, is the Law sinful?”
09 Grace and the Law (Romans 6:15-7:6)
If I am no longer under the threat of the Law, then I have no incentive not to sin? So if I have no threat of punishment, why can’t I “eat dessert first?”
08 Grace and Slavery to Sin (Romans 6:1-14)
The promise of the gospel is not that we will have victory over every daily battle of sin in our lives right now. The promise is that ultimately, one day, we will win the war.
07 Grace Abounds (Romans 5:12-21)
By end of Romans 4, Paul made case for why justification by faith. In Romans 5, he answers the question “so what?
06 The Hope of the Gospel (Romans 5:1-11)
What practical personal importance is it that we’re justified? Is this all theological argument? Or does it mean anything on a day-to day level?
Agreeing with Young Atheists
When Larry Alex Taunton of Fixed Point Foundation explored why many American college students are atheists, a “composite sketch” emerged — which I found I agreed with.
05 The Example of Abraham (Romans 4)
The Apostle Paul argues in Romans 4 that everyone who will ever know God must follow the example of Abraham. The question is what is that example exactly?
04 Objections Overruled (Romans 3)
The disease of sin so damages the heart that nothing short of a heart transplant will cure the disease. Have you tried topical cures like serving the poor, church attendance, charity and bible study without submitting to actual conversion?
03 God’s Wrath and the Religious (Romans 2)
The early chapters of the book of Romans are like a courtroom drama where Paul acts as a prosecuting attorney, systematically proving the guilt of the human race in its rebellion against God.
02 God’s Wrath and the Pagan (Romans 1:18-32)
If you were to ask the average person on the street whether God exists and who He is, what do you think you’d get?
01 The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1:1-17)
The book of Romans will change your life. Many scholars have claimed that Romans is the most important letter you’ll ever read.
Romans: Justification by Faith
The apostle Paul writes to explain the good news of Jesus Christ, who as Messiah, is the Savior for all people; who as the Transformer of lives writes His Law on our hearts; and who as the Lord of history is carefully bringing this salvation to all nations — culminating in the restoration of Israel.
Who are you listening to?
Today we often seek preachers who tell us stories, make us laugh, and tickle our ears with poetry and platitudes. We would rather listen to Jon Stewart than Jonathan Edwards. We ought to think critically about how far we have slipped down the slope of valuing style over substance.
Observations on the Empty Nest
Random comments on life after children fly the nest.
Resentment: a biblical lesson
How do you handle it when life isn’t fair? It’s easy to grow frustrated with our own lot in life and resent those who seem to have it better. Consider the story of Miriam.
What is Tithing?
Is the tithe still applicable today? Does God really care how we spend our money? Can I wait until I can give cheerfully? Ken Elzinga answers these questions.
Rethinking the 20s
My grandmother remarked that when she was 20 marriage was the adventure — for both men and women — and career was a icing on the cake. Now education and achievement are considered the adventure while marriage (indeed any long-term relationship) is an afterthought. But it’s not working.
Women’s Retreat Survival Kit
A conference I attended gave each participant this simple and heartwarming “Conference Survival kit” which contained the following items and Scripture.
Easter celebrations
In the midst of all these glorious Easter celebrations — however appropriate they are — it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that Easter calls for humility and repentance.
Lance Armstrong and fallen heroes
Fallen heroes teach us that we need more than an earthly hero. Throughout biblical history, God gave us fallen heroes and failed solutions to prepare us for the only solution that works.
Solomon’s wisdom and last resorts
Solomon had real wisdom to offer a broken world. Yet, he failed to learn the most important lesson: Solomon valued the gift of wisdom more than the Giver of the gift.
Bible Study Disagreements: 2 Fixable Causes and How to Promote Understanding
Why do we have so much interpretative disagreement over the meaning of the Bible? Two explanations: one we can solve and one we can’t.
The Vow of Jephthah
The story is tragic in part because he expected an animal, but also because his vow reveals his lack of faith in God.
Where was the manger and what was the inn?
You have seen, heard, and sung the Christmas story so often you can recite the details by heart. Most of what you know is likely “cultural mythology.”
Parable of the Friend at Midnight
The parable of the Friend at Midnight does not promise that God will meet our every need or give us everything we ask for. Instead it teaches that God will give us the ultimate gift: righteousness.