What does Jacob (James) 4:11-12 mean when it speaks against judging other believers or speaking evil of them? Is it right for a Christian boyfriend and girlfriend to kiss? Should we read the Book of Enoch today? Listen live here 2-4 pm EST, and call into the show at (866) 348 7884 with your questions and comments.
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I appreciated what Dr. Brown said about the limitations and risks of knowing the Greek or Hebrew. This is especially meaningful coming from a linguist.
As a person who has spend _a lot_ of time learning the Greek, I will say a similar thing. Even though I can read the New Testament, in its original language, I would use the same dictionaries and word study books that anyone else could use.
It’s like saying that because you can read English, you have some great insight into it. Of course not!
It has its value, of course — especially in poetry, chiastic structure, puns, etc. But, very little of that is critical to the meaning of the text.
I almost never bring in the Greek when I’m preaching. Besides the fact that people’s eyes tend to glaze-over, I believe it sends the wrong message to the audience — that the preacher has some special access to scripture that they do not.
These are crazy times. In the state where I live the voters by initiative voted for the legalization of marijuana and after it passed, the police were seen on TV handing out free bags of Doritos at a marijuana festival which had some of the restrictions of marijuana smoking printed on the bags, paid for by taxpayers I suppose, in order to educate the smokers as to where they may not freely smoke.
The voters also voted for gay marriage.
If we let the devil in, what should we expect but some type of stealing, killing, and destroying, for that is his agenda. (John 10:10)
The media loves to “report” liberal things, and it seems to me that so many voters allow themselves to be conditioned to what they hear on the TV news.
I wonder if things will get so bad that in order to find something controversial, the news media will begin to report how people are working and speaking up against such things.
Is it right for a Christian boyfriend and girlfriend to kiss?
I think it would be wonderful if they both decided to save that for marriage, though if they did, it seems to me that one or the other might get to thinking the other one is gay or something.
Crazy times we live in.
I wonder about what the Jehovah’s witnesses really believe about Jesus being “Michael”.
Do they believe that he is called “Michael” somewhere in the Bible, or do they really believe Jesus is simply an angel of God, not significantly different than the other angels?
I suppose the best way to find the answer is to ask Jehovah’s witnesses about that and see what they say, rather than listen to what someone else says they say.
Maybe I’ll go do a search on the internet and see if I can find something from the Jehovah’s witnesses just to see if I can find out what it is that they really believe about Jesus.
2 Timothy 3 seems to speak of these times. One could argue it speaks of times past, but does it matter? Sin has always destroyed societies. Even the righteous corrupt themselves in more and more ways turning from what is good and just to what is “good” and “just”. God’s ways are just. His ways are right. We can never improve on them, but in our arrogance and pride we sure try.
The justifications people come up with make them sound so foolish. “Everything is relative? There are no absolutes.” What of gravity. What if it wasn’t absolute? There would be chaos. With all of the order we see in nature how can we accept disorder in our faith? Isn’t the faithfulness of the Sun rising and setting a testament to the unchanging faithfulness of the Living God? Even the resilience of his word is a testament to it’s own validity. Americans today deny much of what is staring them in the face. It’s really disheartening to see people so spiritually blind.
Dr Brown. Why can’t you provide your podcasts in small format like 3gp as well so that I can download many with ease? huhh. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven’t listened to the podcast but indeed I believe kissing (lip kissing, smooch) is absolutely very wrong outside of marriage.
Ray,
I am generally against legalizing drugs but is it really “crazy” to want marijuana legalized?
Locking up pot users is a budget-busting efforts that is costing us tax payers a fortune. Can anyone honestly claim to be anti-marijuana and also a fiscal conservative?
And, locking up pot users is a ruination for a lot of young kids — dooming them to a life of poverty, stigma and second-class status.
And then there are the gang and drug cartel killings and corrupt power from their accumulated millions
Is pot really so dangerous and damaging that it is worth the extremely high price of keeping it illegal?
Is it really crazy to ask that question?
How perfect must ones world be, if premarital kissing ranks high on their moral concern list?
I grew up in a very conservative circle\\ that preached a hard-line on fornication or any sort of pre-marital — well — anything.
My impression is that the ones who moralized the loudest did not “wait until marriage” when they were young.
Their kids certainly were not! And, those same kids, are probably now preaching against the same old stuff.
Jacob,
>>Why can’t you provide your podcasts in small format like 3gp as well so that I can download many with ease?
Who has heard of 3gp?
I, personally, appreciate that Dr. Brown lets us download his shows. Some sites only allow streaming.
Are you using dial-up? I have pretty slow DSL and his show doen’t take too long to download.
RE Greg post below
____________________________________________________
>I appreciated what Dr. Brown said about the limitations and risks of knowing the Greek or Hebrew. This is especially meaningful coming from a linguist
Greg I appreciate the change in your tone that I have seen in your post lately. I think that you are growing on being on this site and listening. It is heart warming to see this.
Jon,
Thanks. But, just wait. People will probably disagree with me soon enough.
I know this may be hard to believe… but I really am an Evangelical Christian.
While I disagree with Dr. Brown on a short-list of often-argued cultural issues, I have a lot in common with him.
Has anyone ever talked with the *actual* wind? I was thinking that I might be high on drugs or something, but somehow I really do have conversations with the wind? It’s hard to explain.
Do you believe in fate and destiny?
Greg, As far as what it costs to keep marijuana illegal, consider the cost of keeping bank robbery illegal.
From what I hear, the marijuana of today isn’t the same as it was back in the 70’s. Today’s pot is much more potent.
I’ve heard that 400,000 emergency visits a year in America are due to people coming in because of an experience with some potent marijuana, psychotic incidents and such.
If the euphoria part can be taken out of marijuana, and the medical part kept in and if it can be used responsibly to treat certain illnesses, that would be fine with me.
The question we should ask ourselves as Christians is, “Is getting high on marijuana an act of faith, a manifestation of the holy Spirit, a way of pleasing God, or an act of the flesh to fulfill the desires thereof?”
And to argue that it’s not any worse than alcohol abuse, let’s consider if breaking a headlight on a car because of a broken tail light is a good fix for the car.
There is some good use for alcohol. Used in moderation it’s OK. One drink a day is often recommended for health reasons, and used that way, euphoria isn’t a problem. It’s not an issue.
I see no legitimate way for a Christian argument for smoking marijuana for recreation, or for encouraging it.
Standing against evil is always costly. Look at what it cost God at the cross. Look at what it cost Jesus.
Yes Greg I am glad you are a christian, and soon I myself take issue with many of your stances. We have compromised in our faith to such a degree that we are causing these afflictions on our country. I am hoping that we will start to stand up and know that we need to follow God and not our own ways.
About John 8:58 in my KJV, I take what Jesus said to mean that there was a time when Abraham existed on earth in the flesh, and now (the very day that Jesus said this) is the day that Jesus himself exists, walking the earth in the flesh, as Abraham had done.
The reason I take it this way is because of how it is written.
In my KJV, it does not say, “Before Abraham was, I was.”, though if it would say that, it would make sense to me and it would also be correct use of the English language. That to me would be saying that before Abraham existed, Jesus existed, which thing is true.
However my Bible doesn’t say that. It says, “Before Abraham was, I am.”
I take that to mean that before, or previously, Abraham existed, and that now Jesus exists. (speaking of existing in the flesh, which is how Abraham existed in his day. Now at this time when Jesus spoke whatever he spoke here, it’s Jesus’ day, that is to say it is the day when he exists in the flesh and walks among men.)
I do not take John 8:58 to be saying “Before Abraham was, I am he.” , for my Bible doesn’t say “he”, and it wouldn’t be good English.
If one was writing a story and used English in that manner, it wouldn’t get past the English teacher without red marks all over it, for the improper use of the English language. A good editor would catch it and recommend it be re-written, in my opinion.
If my Bible would say, “Before Abraham was, I was Christ.”, that would make sense and it would also be a proper use of the English language.
So it seems to me that the least amount of changing anything that is presently written in my KJV, would be to read it as if it is saying, “Previously, Abraham was. I am.” which is a proper use of English to communicate that Abraham had his day, and now (at the time Jesus said whatever it was that he said) Jesus is having his time in the flesh walking much like Abraham walked.
Anyway that is what it looks like to me.
I believe Jesus wanted men to come to the realization that Abraham looked forward to the day when Christ would come and that he is the Christ, for that is about the gospel, and it seems to me that with Jesus, it was always about the gospel.
Jesus did not agree with their interpretation of what he said just previously, which was that Abraham saw his day and rejoiced, which thing they took to mean that Jesus was saying that he was existing at the same time as Abraham, which thing indeed is true, but wasn’t what he was saying at the time.
I suppose there could be something in the translation into English that didn’t come out very well, I don’t know, but I get where I am in this because of how it is written in my KJV Bible, as well as what I understand from the rest of the gospel.
Ray,
Thanks for the response.
I was challenging a narrow point than drugs in general — it was you saying that is is “crazy” to want to legalize marijuana.
I have never smoked pot and almost surely never will, even if legalized.
But, I’ve seen close-up the human price of keeping it illegal.
I’m also aware of the stunning cost to us taxpayers — something like 12 billion dollars a year.
Even if one is against marijuana (as I am) it’s not crazy to question if it is worth it.
Could we take some of the money we spend imprisoning drug users and use it for treating them?
There are A LOT of things that are not a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Should they all be criminalize? We do that with only the really, terribly bad ones.
Sometimes I wonder if pot is one of those really bad ones.
jon,
But I don’t believe I am compromising in my faith.
I think that correctly applying the bible to gay couples is a loving expression of my faith.
No offense, but I honestly believe that misapplying the bible to deny gays equal rights is very damaging to the church.
OK — we disagree. Can we have an honest, respectful disagreement without accusing each other of bad faith?
… and, I should add, very damaging to our gay brothers and sisters!
Greg, I should not have the right to marry anyone of the same sex and neither should you. The same rights that go for me should be extended to you also, and that would be equal.
As far as being “right”, the scripture tells us all what is right.
Homosexuality is not right. It’s not right for a man to be with a woman the way a husband is to be to his wife, and that goes the same for the entire human race the same, in a very equal and fair sense, which thing is by God’s design.
It’s a farce to compare homosexual unions to a right. It’s in no way right. It’s so different than one man, one woman marriage, it’s not to be compared to it as if it is anywhere near “equal”.
It is so far off the mark! that’s why it’s called sin.
Have you been a Christian very long?
Look up the word “right” in a good English dictionary. Mine puts that word in light of words such as straight, in accordance with justice, law, morality, fact, set standard, correct, true, correct in thought, statement, or action, fitting, proper, favorable,…need I go on?
Homosexuality fails on all counts, and more. It fails in a very real and extreme sense.
It’s just plain crooked, evil,…..etc. It’s so corrupt!
Every Christian should know this. I suppose they did at one point.
>>I should not have the right to marry anyone of the same sex and neither should you. The same rights that go for me should be extended to you also, and that would be equal.
You have the right to marry your partner. Our fellow gay Americans do not have this right.
Your definition of equality leaves many people scratching their heads. How is that at all equal?
I heard the same kind of cynical “logic” when I lived in Muslim countries. It went like this:
“We treat Christians equally! Christians have exactly the same right to follow the Prophet as we do.”
I suppose if you completely dumb-down the definition of a marriage to body parts,(one man, one wman) then you are correct — gay marriage does not fit the definition.
But I happen to believe that marriage is much more than sex. It’s about covenant, it’s about service, it’s about friendship. But these higher, and I believe biblical, definitions a committed gay marriage can be very similar.
Greg,
You wrote:
“I suppose if you completely dumb-down the definition of a marriage to body parts,(one man, one wman) then you are correct — gay marriage does not fit the definition.
But I happen to believe that marriage is much more than sex. It’s about covenant, it’s about service, it’s about friendship. But these higher, and I believe biblical, definitions a committed gay marriage can be very similar.”
I guess you think that YHWH’s definition of who can be married is dumbed down. He said male and female. Maybe you have evolved past being made in the image of YHWH. Evolve means change…and not necessarily upward change. What is it that evolves spiritually? Demons are the only thing that I can think of. They and those that preach their doctrines get worse and worse. Righteousness, on the other hand holds a tight line and is unchanging like YHWH.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
Nobody is stopping anybody from making a covenant with another. YHWH is simply and explicitly against any sexual contact between two men or two women…because He did not make them to do such things. He made them male and female and the man is to cleave to his wife, which is female, not to his husband.
This was a good read.
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/40017-are-we-living-in-the-days-of-the-great-apostasy
Josh,
This was calling a spade a spade in the article:
“We see leaders inside Christian seminaries, denominations and churches who pretend to be servants of God yet who deliberately deny the clear word of truth found in Scripture. Yet millions of people remain in those churches, send their children to those seminaries and do nothing to correct the situation. What is worse, they continue to fund the ongoing apostasy with their tithes and offerings and become deceived as a penalty for their collusion.”
Shalom
Josh,
“Because of his ongoing duplicity, there came a time when Satan entered Judas and he went out to betray the Lord (see Luke 22:1-6). This is why I do not expect to see any turnaround in those denominations that have been living in compromise—supporting the murder of children in their mothers’ wombs, knowingly ordaining practicing homosexuals and adulterers, forsaking the Word of God as their infallible guide for faith and doctrine, and teaching others to do the same.”-http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/40017-are-we-living-in-the-days-of-the-great-apostasy
Two things…OK, three;
1) Messiah said that remarriage is adultery in the vast majority of cases. Is there much of any church that denies the remarried membership? Didn’t this creep into the church many years before homosexuality and the murder of the unborn?
Lu 16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.
Mr 10:12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
2) Didn’t the forsaking of the word of YHWH start when we started to think exactly the opposite of what Messiah said we should? Is this not when the church began its long slide backwards?
Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
3) Do we dare stay in what was once the betrothed Bride of Messiah, but is now Babylon? Are not the daughters of the harlot following in her footsteps? Can any church that gets its tax exempt status as a church not be riding the same beast? Can any church that accepts adulterers, as Messiah explained, not be at least beginning her spiritual harlotry?
Re 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Re 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Shalom
Good point about remarriage, Bo. I hadn’t even thought of that while reading that article. Remarriage acceptance has severely hurt the institute of marriage. It is a life long covenant and should be treated as such. Wouldn’t more marriages have lasted if those in the marriage respected their covenant for fear of God?