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Does the Bible Teach us to Wrestle with God?
In the early morning hours by the Jabbok River, Jacob wrestled with a divine being in a struggle that has intrigued theologians for centuries. An article by Desiring God suggests this encounter serves as a model for believers to wrestle with God in their own lives. But is this interpretation faithful to the text, or does it overlook deeper truths about divine encounters and transformation? I have written before about the bad habit of reading Bible stories inappropriately, but this is a good example of how not to read a Bible story. Like many well-intentioned Bible readers, the author assumes that the actions of the characters in the story are to be emulated and the events of the story should form our expectations of how God operates with us. For example, the author from the above-mentioned article notes the following: God will meet you in your anguish, fear, and uncertainty.…
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The Red Herring Fallacy and the Christian (with Examples)
Much like the broader society around them, many believers have become careless in their reasoning. I think this is obvious to everyone, but few are willing to claim they are susceptible to faulty logic. But logical fallacies are widespread, and we all are susceptible to poor thinking. It takes a wise and humble Christian to be willing to take steps toward growth in these areas. When talking about logic, a logical fallacy is a defect or mistake in reasoning that undermines an argument, rendering it unsound or invalid. We have covered two previous fallacies. The first fallacy was the “Either-Or Fallacy,” where we examined how Christians frequently oversimplify issues into a binary choice when, in reality, they are more nuanced. We also discussed the “Straw Man Fallacy,” which happens when someone distorts or alters an opposing argument to make it easier to defeat. Today, I want to delve into the…
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Understanding Corporate Solidarity Through Genesis 3:15
The concept of corporate solidarity, deeply ingrained in the biblical world, might be challenging for those accustomed to an individualized, democratic culture. However, grasping this concept is essential for a deeper understanding of various scriptural elements, such as the notion of being “in Christ” and the instances where groups are punished for the sins of an individual. At the heart of corporate solidarity is the idea that a single individual can represent a group or a body of people, similar to how a patriarch represents a clan, a father represents his family, and a king represents his nation. Corporate Solidarity Illustrated in Genesis 3:15 A classic illustration of corporate solidarity is found in Genesis 3:15, a verse crucial not only for its theological implications but also as a foundational text for understanding the entire narrative arc of the Bible. Known among evangelicals as the Protoevangelium, which means the first gospel,…
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Do We Use Jeremiah 29:11 the Wrong Way?
Many a Christian has found comfort in the words of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” But are we guilty of misusing this verse? The message of Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the oft quoted verses in Christian circles. I think I have seen Jeremiah 29:11 used in contexts of encouraging graduates, newlyweds, and new employees. There have also been many times where believers have quoted Jeremiah 29:11 in an attempt to comfort those who are suffering. The Problem with Using Jeremiah 29:11 as a Proof Text of God’s Love for Us I do not want to play the role of Debbie Downer, but I do want to point out how we are often guilty of misusing verses like this. The first thing I want to point…
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Fulfillment of Scripture is More than Prophecy
We see the use of “fulfillment” terminology all over the New Testament. For example, in reference to Isaiah 61:1-2, Jesus says, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Elsewhere John says that the events of the crucifixion happened “that Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 19:36). These are just two of the numerous examples in the New Testament where a fulfillment formula is used. The question is, what does it mean? Fulfillment as Prediction and Actualization of Prophecy The most common understanding of the fulfillment formula is that of prediction-actualization. The Old Testament prophets predicted certain things, and the actualization of that prophecy comes to pass (i.e., it was fulfilled). For example, in Isaiah 7:14 we see a prophecy concerning a virgin giving birth. In Matthew 1:22–23 we see that this prophecy is actually realized (fulfilled) in the virgin birth of the Messiah, Jesus. Similarly, there are…
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Reading Bible Stories the Wrong Way
Everyone loves stories. And we all enjoy stories in a variety of ways. We watch movies, read books, or simply tell stories to each other about our daily lives. Although some stories are more epic than others, stories are an essential part of us. We cannot escape them. The majority of the Bible is written in story form. This means that when you read the Bible, you have the highest probability that you will be reading a narrative of some kind. Because we are surrounded by stories all the time, one would think we would understand the Bible better—if for no other reason than our familiarity with stories. However, we often struggle in the Bible’s narrative texts because we are not sure what the application is for our own life. This often leads to reading Bible stories in the wrong way. Reading Yourself into the Bible Story The most common…
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The Cross Reference Curse: A Warning on How We Wrongly Use the Cross Reference
We cross reference all the time when we study the Bible. A cross reference is simply using one text of Scripture to help understand another text. But is it always good to cross reference? While it can be very helpful, the idea of cross referencing also can also lead us to mistakes in our biblical interpretation. Consider the following situation. Let’s say a friend or neighbor comes up to you and says, “The Bible is clear that baptism is necessary for salvation.” Now, you may be immediately put off by such a suggestion, but what if he goes on to quote Acts 2:38? Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” How would you respond to such a statement? Perhaps you would respond by saying,…
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Should We Expect a Future Kingdom for National Israel?
It is becoming increasingly popular to discount a future kingdom for geopolitical Israel. But both Old and New Testaments speak of a time when Israel will be restored as a national kingdom, with the Messiah ruling from Jerusalem. Passages such as Psalm 72:1–20, Isaiah 2:1–3, 11:1–9, 65:17–25, Zech 8:4–5, 14:16–19 are but a few of the passages which teach a future kingdom for Israel that is distinct from the eternal state. Although the Old Testament is very clear when speaking of a future kingdom for Israel, some biblical interpreters believe that the New Testament tempers our expectation for a future kingdom for Israel. Yet, there is no reason to deviate from what is clearly laid out in the Old Testament. The General New Testament Expectation of a Kingdom for Israel Rather than adjusting the expectation of a future kingdom for Israel, the New Testament confirms what the Old Testament told…
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Starting with Jesus is Terrible for Your Theology
It is good that we recognize Jesus as the sovereign Lord. But is it justifiable to start with Jesus when it comes to forming theology? Many Christians assume that is the place to start. For example, I was once listening to a podcast and the subject was raised about how we formulate our theology. One speaker said something like, “We must get our theology from the life and person of Jesus who is God incarnate. If your theology does not match with who he is, then go back to him and start over.” This is such a popular idea, there is even a book available that is entitled, Let’s Start with Jesus: A New Way of Doing Theology. In the previously mentioned podcast, one of the reasons this particular individual wanted to start with Jesus was to circumvent the validity of other parts of Scripture that seem to be quite…
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Does Baptism Save You? Looking at Acts 2:38
There are a few texts that seem to indicate that baptism saves an individual. A few churches even teach that baptism is the timing and place one receives God’s grace, meaning that without baptism, one cannot be saved. However, Christians recognize Ephesians 2:8-9 and that salvation is not dependent on works. This puts us in a bit of a quandry. Does baptism actually save us? Does everyone need to be saved to be baptized? In order to work through the apparent contradiction in Scripture, many will cross reference other texts to explain away the passages which speak of the link between baptism and salvation. Although a noble effort, I have mentioned in the past that we need to be careful reading one passage over another. There is potential danger in cross-referencing. It can be helpful and should be utilized. But the key to understanding Scripture is identifying authorial intent. The…