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Why Was God Upset that Israel Wanted a King in 1 Samuel 8?
1 Samuel 8 is an interesting passage of Scripture because both Samuel and God seem displeased that Israel asked for a king (1 Sam 8:6-9). The reason this is initially surprising is that God had promised Abraham that kings would come from him (Gen 17:6), and that same promise is repeated to Jacob (Gen 35:11). Furthermore, God’s revelation to Israel foretold a king who would come from Judah (Gen 49:10; cf. Num 24:7, 17). Not only was there to be an expectation of a king of Israel, but in Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God had given Moses specific guidelines about installing a king once Israel was in the land of Canaan. So, Israel had prophecy creating the expectation of a king, and they also had laws given by God to help their king govern. So, why was God upset that Israel asked for a king? Why did both Samuel and God view…
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How Should Christians Think about Pets?
Americans love pets! It is reported that 67% of American households own a pet (the top pets being dogs). The amount of money Americans spend on their pets grows each year, increasing over 50% between 2013 and 2018. That means people spent $87 billion on their pets in 2018! I shudder to think what that cost is today in 2025! To put these numbers in perspective, in 2018 couples spent $845 on average per year on pets! Over 10 years (an average life span of a dog), that would mean spending $8,450 on one animal! Given the value that people put on their pets, it comes as no surprise that many hold to the viewpoint that pets are inherently equal to human beings. Although pets should be important to us, if we follow the cultural line of thinking, we risk elevating pets to an unbiblical place. I think it is…
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Should Christians Use Preferred Gender Pronouns?
Should Christians use the preferred gender pronouns for transgendered individuals? This is a question that has a variety of answers in the Christian community. Some individuals, like Preston Sprinkle or JD Greear have in the past espoused an approach called Pronoun Hospitality, where the Christian refers to the transgendered individual by their preferred gender pronouns in an effort to show love and kindness. Others have argued that Christians ought to use pronouns that match with God’s created intent. How should a Christian think through this issue biblically? At the outset, it should be noted that this is not just a theoretical question. Many individuals have already suffered consequences for deciding they cannot, in good conscience, use preferred gender pronouns and thus call a female a male or vice versa. There are many examples of this, whether it be a Christian doctor in the UK who was fired for refusing to…
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The Historic Connection between the Easter Celebration and Baptism
Easter is one of the most significant celebrations for Christians, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This celebration of Christ’s resurrection is arguably the centerpiece of the Christian life. After all, if Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile and we are still in our sins (1 Cor 15:17). It is no wonder that Easter is one of the most joyous occasions of the Christian life! A lesser-known part of the Easter celebration is its historic connection to baptism. Traditionally, Easter was recognized as a prime time for the baptism of new converts. The association between a believer’s baptism and Christ’s resurrection was viewed as central. But, it was not an issue that was without differing opinions. The Easter Baptism Debate in the Early Church Leo I was the bishop of Rome from 440 to 461 AD. Also known as Leo the Great, Leo exercised his…
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What Does Being Filled with the Spirit Mean?
Ephesians 5:18 commands believers to “be filled with the Spirit.” But what does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? This phrase has been understood in a variety of ways. Some have interpreted it as a spiritual manifestation of speaking in tongues. Others have said being filled with the Spirit is the same as being filled with Christ. Although there are many notions as to what being filled with the Spirit means, if we pay attention to the grammar and broader context of Ephesians, we can understand this passage. Understanding the “With” Preposition First, there is the problem of what it actually means to be filled “with” the Spirit. Many of the English versions (NASB, ESV, KJV, etc.) choose this translation, but it is slightly ambiguous. Although it could take a variety of nuances, two different options are primary. As it turns out, this is probably a more important…
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What Does the Image of God Mean?
Both men and women are made in the image of God (Gen 1:27) and are created with physical and spiritual components of their humanity. This is why human life is sacred and protected (Gen 9:5-6). Being created in the image of God is in contrast to the rest of creation. Only humanity has the privilege and honor of being created in God’s image. Hence, humanity’s value is infinitely more than animals or plants. But what does it mean to be made in the image of God? Various Views on the Image of God We can list at least five different views on what it might mean to be made in God’s image. I think it’s helpful to divide these views into two overall categories: (1) the ontological view and (2) the functional view. The ontological view teaches that being made in the image of God means we are like God…
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Was Homosexuality Added to the Bible in 1946?
It is quite popular to argue that the Bible speaking against homosexuality is a recent innovation that was added to the Bible to make Scripture anti-gay. One very common iteration of the argument is that the word “homosexual” was not in any Bible prior to 1946. The implication of such argumentation is that the Bible does not speak against homosexuality, and that the church should therefore accept a gay lifestyle as being compatible with biblical teaching. Those who put forward such argumentation typically point to Luther’s German translation of 1 Corinthians 6:9, which uses the word Knabenschänder, or “boy molester” rather than the typical idea of homosexual found in modern translations. Additionally, proponents point to the KJV translation, done in 1611, which translated 1 Corinthians 6:9 as, “nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.” It was not until 1946 with the translation of the RSV that the term homosexual…
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Sensus Plenior vs Confluence: Understanding How God Inspired Scripture
Scripture is not merely the product of human thought or literary creativity, but the divinely guided Word of God. In our study of biblical inspiration, two views are often contrasted: the idea of sensus plenior—the “fuller sense”—and the concept of confluence. While proponents of sensus plenior argue for a latent, deeper meaning in Scripture that even the human author might not have fully grasped, the confluence model asserts that God’s revelation and the human author’s message are in perfect unity. This article will summarize and examine both views, focusing on the example of Caiaphas, a text often appealed to in support of sensus plenior. I will argue that Scripture was written with a complete harmony of intent—both human and divine—and that proper exegesis must rely on the historical and grammatical context of the text. Understanding Sensus Plenior The Latin term sensus plenior means “fuller sense,” and it suggests that the…
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Jesus as the Good Shepherd: An Appeal to Ezekiel 34
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Most Christians are familiar with the picture of Jesus as the good shepherd. Typically, the meaning of the good shepherd comparison focuses on Jesus’ care for Christians. I have heard multiple sermons on what it means for Jesus to be the shepherd. In particular, I remember a sermon where the question was asked, “What is a shepherd?” The proposed points in the sermon went something like: Now I do not dispute that these points are indeed true of a shepherd. Further, I do think there can be an analogy between these points and the love and care of Christ. However, I think we are missing something if we don’t examine this reference to the good shepherd in light of the authorial intent of John himself. The Reaction to the Good Shepherd Claim A…
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The Time of the Three Concurrent Popes: the Avignon Papacy and the Great Schism
One of the central doctrines in the Catholic Church is that of the papacy—a belief that has shaped Catholic Christianity for centuries. Catholics assert that the pope is the direct successor of Saint Peter, forming a continuous chain of apostolic succession. Although I think it can be argued that the papacy should not even be considered Christian, minimally, we should recognize that the papacy is plagued with the failings of human ambition and political maneuvering. For evangelicals who hold Scripture as the final authority in the life of the church, the dramatic events of the Avignon Papacy offer a clear illustration of the corruption of the papacy. The Catholic Problem: The Papal Claim of Divine Authority Catholics have long maintained that each pope inherits “the totality and supremacy of the power Christ left on earth for the building up of the kingdom of God.” This claim of divine empowerment is used…