Bible

Episode 299-Rethinking the Quiet Time

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Disciple Up # 299
Rethinking the Quiet Time
By Louie Marsh, 3-22-2023

Intro. Sorry for mix up and briefly posting Sunday’s sermon on this feed! State of the podcast, what about next week? We’re hitting number 300! That’s quite a run. What would you like to hear on that one?

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/april/quit-quiet-time-devotions-bible-literacy-reading-scripture.html

Is It Time to Quit ‘Quiet Time’?

Effective biblical engagement must be about more than one’s personal experience with Scripture.

DRU JOHNSON AND CELINA DURGIN

MARCH 13, 2023

I began to realize that their poor grasp of Scripture wasn’t necessarily due to a lack of reading, although that’s also a large problem in the US. From 2021 to 2022, Bible engagement—scored on frequency of use, spiritual impact, and moral importance in day-to-day life—fell 21 percent among American adult Bible users. It was the American Bible Society’s largest recorded one-year drop in its annual State of the Bible study. And almost 1 in 5 churchgoers said they never read the Bible.

But for my students, many of whom read the Bible daily and have chosen to attend a Christian college, their poor grasp on and application of Scripture seems to be due to the way they engage with it. It is a way many American Christians have been reading the Bible for decades: through “daily devotions” or “quiet time.”

The way daily quiet time is typically practiced today is unlikely to yield the fluency required to understand and apply biblical teaching. Only when devotional time is situated within a matrix of Scripture study habits can it regain its power to transform our thinking and our communities.

How could my students be reading the Bible so much yet have so little understanding of the Torah, pay almost no attention to its focus on the new heavens and new earth, and be confused over concepts like salvation and evil? CT previously discussed the Lifeway Research statistics that reveal this trend of Bible illiteracy among the wider population. Their daily devotion to Scripture seemed to distance them from understanding key parts of it.

My students were not Bible literate. They didn’t really know the stories, characters, ideas, and themes in the Bible, much less how the literature itself fits together and argues for a particular view of the world. And as Christians, we must aim beyond basic literacy. We hope to know and practice the thinking and instruction of Scripture fluently, extending its wisdom into all the areas of life that it doesn’t directly address.

Johnson traces the modern practice of quiet time to the 1870s, when American evangelicals merged two previously separate Puritan devotional practices: private prayer and private Bible study. This fusion of prayer and Bible study morphed into “morning watch,” which emphasized intercessory prayer. From there it became “quiet time,” which deemphasized intercessory prayer in favor of quiet listening or meditation. This new emphasis on individuals receiving daily insights from God transformed the nature of the Bible engagement taught to generations of American Christians.

Daily devotions have been characteristically solitary and have not usually involved rigorous study of Scripture. Instead, readers often focus on one chapter or even a few verses per session, from which they may expect to receive God’s guidance for their personal life in that moment. Daily devotions typically include a period of prayerful “listening” for God’s voice, which is believed to manifest either in the verses read that session or via direct communication to the mind of the listener.

Though this listening may be expectant, it is essentially passive. It’s often guided by a tacit belief that God’s Word speaks and transforms through sudden insights directed at individual readers, rather than through sustained study and active questioning in community.

In contrast to sermons and group Bible study, daily devotions became exercises in inward, individual formation, sharing tendencies with the secular modernism of the era. Quiet-time advocates began identifying the main benefit of daily devotions as “a transformed self rather than a transformed world,” Johnson writes in his dissertation.

While personal character formation is essential, in isolation it aligns better with modernist tendencies than with the biblical focus on character formation through habits, rituals, and guidance from the community. This inward focus can also cast the formation of justice in communities and systems—a primary concern of the biblical authors—as adhering to individualistic ethical principles.

Today, daily quiet time often doesn’t involve Scripture at all. As CT has noted elsewhere, 2023 Lifeway Research revealed that although 65 percent of Protestant churchgoers spend time alone with God daily, only 39 percent read the Bible during that time. If this statistic means that Christians are trading hurried and fragmented devotional reading for holistic group Bible study, then perhaps so much the better. But the drop in overall Bible engagement in the ABS study suggests that more Christians simply aren’t reading it.

The danger is clear: Listening for God’s insights from Scripture and in prayer without communal accountability can produce a tenuous understanding of Christianity.

If Bible literacy is declining, even for those who read devotionally every day, then what is the way forward? Most of the parachurch ministries we talked to reported that they have been considering methods that provide a wider perspective of Scripture. These include ancient Scripture reading rituals that many evangelical churches have rarely practiced (such as lectio divina, the Daily Office from The Book of Common Prayer, and so on). But the practice most mentioned by ministry leaders was the public, or communal, reading of Scripture.

In some ways, this form of Bible engagement is the opposite of quiet time. Rather than reading, communities listen to long stretches of Scripture together—sometimes 30 minutes to an hour long—either using audio Bibles or having people read aloud. Bible professors have long noted that the natural habitat of Scripture is in the ears of gathered Christians, not the eyes of individuals. The effects of long-form Scripture engagement on Bible literacy are all anecdotal at this point.

From Moses to Josiah to Nehemiah, communal Bible reading was normal at key points of Israel’s history. Public reading of Scripture occurs at Sinai (Ex. 19:7), during Josiah’s reforms (2 Kings 23:1–2), and for all the returnees to Judah in Ezra’s day (Neh. 8), among other instances. And the synagogue practice of reading the Torah and Prophets every Sabbath (Luke 4:16–17; Acts 13:14–15) emerged around the third century prior to Jesus.

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Episode 294-Is John MacArthur Enabling Abusers

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Disciple Up # 294
Is John MacArthur Enabling Abusers?
By Louie Marsh, 2-15-2023

Grace Community Church Rejected Elder’s Calls to ‘Do Justice’ in Abuse Case

While a former leader hopes for change, women who sought refuge in biblical counseling at John MacArthur’s church say they feared discipline for seeking safety from their abusive marriages.

KATE SHELLNUTT| – FEBRUARY 9, 2023 03:00 PM

 https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/february/grace-community-church-elder-biblical-counseling-abuse.html

 Last year, Hohn Cho concluded Grace Community Church had made a mistake. The elders had publicly disciplined a woman for refusing to take back her husband. As it turned out, the woman’s fears proved true, and her husband went to prison for child molestation and abuse. The church never retracted its discipline or apologized in the 20 years since.

 As a lawyer and one of four officers on the elder board at Grace Community Church (GCC), Cho was asked to study the case. He tried to convince the church’s leaders to reconsider and at least privately make it right. He said pastor John MacArthur told him to “forget it.” When Cho continued to call the elders to “do justice” on the woman’s behalf, he said he was asked to walk back his conclusions or resign.

 No one from GCC responded to requests by CT to discuss the church’s counseling philosophy or response to abuse, or to questions about specific cases. Six pastors and elders were contacted for comment by phone and email repeatedly over a three-week period prior to this article’s publication, as well as one former pastor and elder. (Update: Following publication, Grace Community Church released a statement: https://www.gracechurch.org/news/posts/3672 “Our church’s history and congregation are the testimony.”)

 “Now that the facts are indeed known, it is not too late to ‘do justice’ even at this late stage, almost 20 years later,” he wrote to the elder board. “One’s own integrity, and upholding justice and righteousness, and being faithful even in the small things, even for something 20 years ago, all matter immensely.”

 “They sided with a child abuser, who turned out to be a child molester, over a mother desperately trying to protect her three innocent young children. “Numerous elders have admitted in various private conversations that ‘mistakes were made’ and that they would make a different decision today knowing what they know now.”

 After that, Cho said, he was told by elder board chair Chris Hamilton that he would need to “walk back” his findings about the church’s mistakes if he wanted to remain an elder. (Hamilton did not respond to requests for comment.) Cho and his wife resigned their membership the next day.

 “the man who taught me that was John MacArthur.”

Those are just a few excerpts from this article, which I urge you to read in full!

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Episode 291-Louie VS the AI

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Disciple Up #291

Louie VS. ChatGPT

 Intro – Crazy schedule, origin of this idea, etc.

Here’s what the Chatbot wrote, read by Word’s voice. I find it fitting and proper to have a software program read what another software program wrote!

Sermon on Salt of the Earth

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

In these verses, Jesus is telling his disciples that they are the salt and light of the earth. Salt is a preservative and a flavor enhancer, and Jesus is telling his disciples that they too must preserve and enhance the world around them. They are to be a positive influence on society and to bring flavor and richness to people’s lives.

Jesus also compares his disciples to light. A light cannot be hidden; it shines brightly for all to see. In the same way, Jesus’s disciples should not try to hide their faith but should let it shine for all to see. Their good works should be visible to others so that they may give glory to God.

We all have the potential to be the salt and light of the earth. We can enhance the lives of those around us and bring flavor and richness to the world. We can also let our light shine by living out our faith and being a positive influence on society. Let us strive to be the salt and light of the earth, and bring glory to our Father in heaven.

Write a sermon on Ephesians 2

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

In this passage, Paul is describing the state of humanity before salvation, as being dead in sin and under the power of Satan. He is also highlighting the fact that salvation is not something we can earn by our own good works, but it is a gift of grace given to us by God.

God, in his love and mercy, made us alive in Christ, saved us and raised us up with him to sit in heavenly places. This is not something we can earn or deserve, but it is a gift of God’s grace.

Paul also emphasizes that this salvation is not just for now but for the coming ages, and that God’s grace is immeasurable and eternal.

The message for us today is that we are saved by grace, not by our own works. We can have the assurance that God’s love and mercy are available to us, and that we have been raised to new life in Christ. Let us live in thankfulness for the grace given to us and share this good news with others.

Sermon on Romans 6:1-3

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

In this passage, Paul is addressing the question of whether or not Christians can continue to live in sin since they are saved by grace. He answers this question with a resounding “no.” He reminds the Romans that they have been baptized into Christ and united with him in his death. This means that they have died to sin and are now called to live a new life in Christ.

Paul is emphasizing that salvation is not a license to sin, but it is a call to a new way of life. We are united with Christ in his death, and that means that we have died to sin and are now alive in Christ.

In baptism, we are buried with Christ and raised to new life, just as he was raised from the dead. This new life in Christ requires that we walk in a new way, a way of righteousness and holiness.

The message for us today is that salvation is not a license to sin but a call to a new life in Christ. We have been united with him in his death, and we are called to live in a way that is worthy of our new life in him. Let us strive to live in righteousness and holiness, and to walk in the newness of life that we have received through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?

The Bible does not specifically mention the term “homosexuality,” as it is a modern term. However, the Bible does address same-sex sexual activity in several passages. In the Old Testament, Leviticus 18:22 states, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Similarly, in the New Testament, Romans 1:26-27 states, “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”

It’s important to note that these passages, and others that mention same-sex sexual activity, also condemn other sexual practices such as adultery and promiscuity. These passages should be understood in the context of the culture and laws of the time they were written, and not be taken out of context.

The Bible teaches that all sexual activity outside of the context of marriage between a man and a woman is sinful. However, it’s important to remember that the Bible also teaches that we are all sinners, and that God’s love and forgiveness is available to all who repent and turn to him.

It’s important to remember that the Bible teaches that all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, are created in the image of God and should be treated with love, compassion, and respect. It’s also important to remember that interpreting biblical texts is a complex task that requires careful consideration of the historical, cultural, and literary context, and should be done with the guidance of scholars and theologians.

According to the New Testament who goes to hell?

According to the New Testament, those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and reject his gift of salvation will go to hell. The Bible states that all people are sinners and in need of salvation, and that salvation can only be found through faith in Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus himself speaks about hell as a place of eternal punishment for those who reject him and his teachings.

For example, in Matthew 25:46, Jesus says, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” In Mark 9:43-48, Jesus speaks of hell as a place of fire where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.

It’s important to note that the Bible teaches that God is a loving God and that he desires that all people come to salvation. However, God also gives each person the free will to accept or reject his offer of salvation.

It’s also important to remember that interpreting biblical texts is a complex task that requires careful consideration of the historical, cultural, and literary context, and should be done with the guidance of scholars and theologians.

Is Calvinism a correct interpretation of the Bible?

Calvinism is a theology that is based on the teachings of the 16th-century French theologian John Calvin. It emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humanity, and the concept of predestination, which holds that God predestines some individuals for salvation and others for damnation.

Many Christians believe that Calvinism is a correct interpretation of the Bible, as it is based on a careful study of scripture and emphasizes the sovereignty of God. Calvinism has also had a significant impact on the development of Christian theology and has been influential in the formation of many Protestant denominations.

However, it’s important to note that there are other Christian denominations and theologians that interpret the Bible differently and have different perspectives on the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humanity, and the concept of predestination.

For example, Arminianism, which is an opposing theology, holds that God’s grace can be resisted and that human beings have the free will to accept or reject salvation, and that is also based on a scriptural understanding.

It’s also important to remember that interpreting biblical texts is a complex task that requires careful consideration of the historical, cultural, and literary context, and should be done with the guidance of scholars and theologians.

In summary, Calvinism is a valid interpretation of the Bible, but it is not the only one, and different Christian denominations and theologians may have different perspectives on the teachings of the Bible.

Which is the most accurate Bible translation in the English language?

The most accurate Bible translation is a matter of debate among scholars and theologians. Different translations have their strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of which translation to use often depends on an individual’s personal preference and the purpose for which the translation is being used.

The King James Version (KJV) is a popular translation that is known for its poetic language and historical significance. It was first published in 1611 and has been widely used for centuries. However, it is based on texts that are over 400 years old and it may use the language that is not commonly used today.

The New International Version (NIV) is a widely used translation that is known for its accuracy and readability. It was first published in 1978 and has undergone several revisions to ensure its accuracy and clarity.

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) is an ecumenical translation that is used by many scholars and theologians. It is known for its accuracy, and for its inclusive language, which is designed to be more inclusive of women and people of different ethnicities.

The English Standard Version (ESV) is considered as a word-for-word translation and it is known for its formal equivalence and accurate rendering of the original texts.

It’s important to remember that any translation will have some degree of interpretive bias, but many of the most widely used translations are considered to be highly accurate and are based on the latest scholarship and research. It’s advisable to consult with a pastor, theologian or a Bible scholar to help you choose the best translation for your needs and purpose.

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Episode 286-Positive & Negative Energy

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Disciple Up # 286
Positive & Negative Energy
By Louie Marsh, 11-29-2022

Dear Louie Marsh,

My name is Xavier. I am emailing you as I been meaning to bounce some ideas off you and wanting to hear some truth and depth to them. First, I apologize for how long it took to get this going as I am a double major student, step-father/father (however you want to put it haha), and I am playing basketball professionally in Armenia away from my family. I listen to your podcast when I feel I need encouragement or guidance. Recently though I been finding myself more in tune with who I am needed to become and willing to accept the challenges. I am 28 years old and excited with my journey in the Lord so far.

My subject title “Positive and Negative” came a few months back when I was with my sister in law and heard she doesn’t believe in negative energy or negative forces but says positive energy is real. She isn’t one to believe in the Word. But she isn’t one to just ignore it. I feel that the childhood her and my wife were brought into was a blinded truth and left in darkness. I have been working with my wife on her own discipleship but this is besides the point haha.

Anyway, I am curious, what is there that proves negative energy/forces do exist? Where am I able to show this? Explain more in depth how they work. In a sense of how one knows it’s a positive or negative influence upon them. I have tried to show with actions and not words as this side of the family is much more about the actions. But I believe if having words with my actions align then the course of light will dim on them more and allow them to find a truth by following the light.

I believe, after just listening to your stewardship part 5 on children, ministry, and weakness, that my gift is to help with action. I am a huge go getter in terms of achieving. I have had many downfalls but I’ve had many successions. For one addiction. Two being patient. These are just a couple of downfalls I have very strongly yet lead to even greater achievements. Which aren’t even my accolades.

I hope this is something you’re willing to share and talk about. I apologize again for my long await and for the word email.

Feel free to email me and just know I’m always listening!

Peace be with you.

Thank you,

Dear Xavier,

Thanks so much for writing – twice in one week! That’s a big encouragement! Oh, by the way, this is my personal email address. It’s just easier to answer from here so that’s what I usually do.

Sorry it’s taking me so long to get back to you but things around here are keeping me busy. As a Father, husband and basketball player I’m sure you know all about that. So this e-mail will just focus on your question about positive and negative energy and I’ll cover some of the rest in another one. I’m also thinking about making this a subject of a podcast soon.

You asked: “Anyway, I am curious, what is there that proves negative energy/forces do exist? Where am I able to show this? Explain more in depth how they work. In a sense of how one knows it’s a positive or negative influence upon them. I have tried to show with actions and not words as this side of the family is much more about the actions. But I believe if having words with my actions align then the course of light will dim on them more and allow them to find a truth by following the light.”

Notice I put parts of what you wrote in bold, because you are really asking two (at least) different questions here. The first one is does positive or negative energy exist? That’s a good question since so many people just assume they do in fact exist. When you talk to them about it they’ll reference times when they felt positive or negative energy from someone or something as proof of this. But is it true?

My answer is a hard no. There’s nothing in the Bible nor science to prove or even suggest that people can somehow transmit any kind of energy between us. You’ll notice that unlike our current culture the Bible doesn’t talk about positive or negative at all. The Bible focuses us on what’s true and false. This is critical because the truth can often feel (and even be) negative, while what’s false often feels very, very good, at least at first (ask anyone addicted to anything).

So how do we explain these feelings? For example when you stand up before a crowd to perform, as you do in basketball and I work before crowds when I speak, you often feel approval and support, or disapproval and a lack of support. Many people will say that’s positive or negative energy that’s being transmitted to them. Many musicians often say they are carried along by the positive energy of their audience, or they can be brought down by the negative energy they feel.

So what’s happening if science and the Bible are right and there’s no energy moving around here? It’s very simple actually. You can get a good reading on whether or not the people in the audience are in favor of you or not by their body language and what they say of course. Then you react to this and if you’re feeling support that opens up your adrenal glands and you feel that sudden surge of energy. If you were receiving other people’s energy you wouldn’t feel so drained after a performance. But most of the time we do because we are drawing upon our adrenal reserves and once those are exhausted we need rest.

There’s no positive or negative energy involved at all. Just the human reaction to being supported or not supported. It’s really quite simple when you look at it from a factual point of view.

Now that doesn’t mean you can’t and shouldn’t be a good influence on others (your second question). I do want to be a good witness to others and to be as supportive of them as I can be. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if I’m succeeding at that or not. I think the best way to know for sure is to either watch them closely and see how they respond to your efforts or just ask them! That way you’ll know for sure what they think.

So I hope this has helped you a bit. Let me know if I’ve missed the point or have been unclear. I’d like to know what you think of all this.

God bless you and keep on walking with Jesus!

but test everything; hold fast what is good. – 1 Thess. 5:21

 

Episode 247

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Disciple Up # 247
The Passion Translation – Translation, paraphrase or…?
By Louie Marsh

Intro.

I’m not a Bible translator, or a Greek or Hebrew scholar, but I am a Bible teacher with nearly 50 years of experience and when things like this appear they need to be spoken on. My goal isn’t to attack anyone and that includes the people involved with the Passion Translation.

Links to websites used in this episode:

 Examples of Too Many Words AND Continual Improvements

 PHILIPPIANS 1:1-2:

“1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:1–2, ESV)

 

TPT (2016)  “My name is Paul and I’m joined by my spiritual son Timothy, both of us passionate servants of Jesus, the Anointed One. We decree over your lives the blessings of divine grace and supernatural peace.”

 

TPT (2022) 1From Paul and Timothy, both of us servants of Jesus, the Anointed One. To all his devoted followers in Philippi, including your pastors, and to all the servant-leaders of the church. 2May the blessings of divine grace and supernatural peace that flow from God our wonderful Father, and our Messiah, the Lord Jesus, be upon your lives.

GALATIANS 2:19:

“19For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.” (Galatians 2:19, ESV)

 

TPT (22016) “so that I can live for God in heaven’s freedom”

 

TPT (2022) 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.

Examples of Adding Words & Phrases to the Text:

THE LORD’S PRAYER IN LUKE:

ESV Translation: “1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3Give us each day our daily bread, 4and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”” (Luke 11:1–4, ESV)

 

TPT (2022) 1One day, as Jesus was in prayer, one of his disciples came over to him as he finished and said, “Would you teach us a model prayer that we can pray, just as John did for his disciples?”

2So Jesus taught them this prayer: “Our heavenly Father, may the glory of your name be the center on which our life turns.  May your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us.  Manifest your kingdom on earth. 3And give us our needed bread for the coming day.  4Forgive our sins as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us. And rescue us every time we face tribulations.”

TBT (2022) Lord’s Prayer In Matthew: 9Pray like this: ‘Our Beloved Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms, may the glory of your name be the center on which our lives turn.  10Manifest your kingdom realm, and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is in heaven. 11We acknowledge you as our Provider of all we need each day. 12Forgive us the wrongs we have done as we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us. 13Rescue us every time we face tribulation and set us free from evil. For you are the King who rules with power and glory forever. Amen.’

The Deeper Issue with this “translation”

It focuses the reader upon themselves rather than on God. The first part of the Lord’s prayer is all about focusing on God. This model prayer of Jesus teaches us to focus on God first – not ourselves. Yet the Passion Translation turns our attention immediately to ourselves with the Holy Spirit line.

So not only is there NOTHING about the Holy Spirit in the text – his choice to add to the Lord’s prayer derails what Jesus is trying to do with it! So we end up doing the exact opposite of what Jesus is leading us to do!

All translations struggle with being produced in a particular time and place. Your culture does impact how you translate things. The job of a good translator – and good Bible Teachers as well for that matter – is to minimize the impact.

Here we see the Passion Translation being as modern as you can get. It seems determined to get me and myself and my problems and my ego into view as often as possible. Even when the sinless and perfect Son of God make sure to exclude those!

Jesus is trying to get us to see that one of the first things prayer should do is to pull us out of ourselves and remind us how glorious, holy, perfect and pure God really is. Then, once I’ve got my eyes focused on Jesus again, once I can begin to see things from God’s perspective, then and only then do I bring my needs to my Father.

This translation destroys that and it does it by adding to the text while changing the focus of the passage. It actually perverts Jesus intention in saying this.

The Bottom Line:

1) It’s a paraphrase, not a translation, and that’s what it should be called.

2) The misuse of the Syriac Aramaic translation must be abandoned and corrected.

3) The practice of inserting entire phrases and sentences into the text must cease and be corrected.

If these things are not done then this so-called translation which is really a paraphrase, should be avoided by all who seriously seek to honor, understand and practice God’s Word.

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Episode 243

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Disciple Up # 243
Deconstructing Christianity – Nothing New
By Louie Marsh, 1-26-2022

Websites Used:

https://medium.com/backyard-theology/how-to-deconstruct-christianity-5a5bc498c86d

https://www.lffellowship.com/blog/2019/8/7/on-christian-deconstruction

https://churchleaders.com/news/413880-lecrae-deconstruction-isnt-a-bad-thing-if-it-leads-to-reconstruction.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quest_for_the_historical_Jesus

Introduction to this:

  • I heard about this so-called “deconstruction” movement just recently. I hadn’t known it was a big thing now days.
  • However, being old and having studied church history, both of which most deconstructionists can’t claim for themselves, I immediately recognized what was going on here.

A Little History:

 The idea of deconstructing your faith is anything but new. It’s been going on for centuries and has come in several waves. What we are seeing today is just the latest version of this.

Deconstructing the Deconstructionists:

https://medium.com/backyard-theology/how-to-deconstruct-christianity-5a5bc498c86d

The author is a self-described medium. That means he seeks to allow spirits to speak through him. Supposedly contacts the dead, etc.

What does the Bible say about mediums?  “31“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:31, ESV)

“19And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?” (Isaiah 8:19, ESV)

“20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:20–21, ESV)

“8But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”” (Revelation 21:8, ESV)

Keep this in mind as we go through this article.

Of course there are different Jesus’s running around the landscape. There always have been and always will be till the real one comes back again.

“3But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.” (2 Corinthians 11:3–4, ESV)

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Episode 240

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Disciple Up # 240
Biblical Character’s Signatures Plus…
House Churches in Iran & Christmas Carol Ban in Holy Land
By Louie Marsh, 12-8-2021

Links to Websites Used:

https://www.tmofjc.com/how-archaeologists-are-finding-the-signatures-of-bible-kings-ancient-villains-and-maybe-a-prophet/

 

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/december/wet-sift-shift-archaeology-israel-bulla-bullae-seals.html

 

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/december/iran-christian-house-churches-supreme-court-national-securi.html

 

https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/december/christmas-israel-jordan-orthodox-christian-unity-25-decembe.html

 

https://www.learnreligions.com/what-does-the-quran-say-about-christians-2003785

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Email – louie@discipleup.org

 


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Episode 227

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Disciple Up # 227
7 Letters to 7 Churches
By Louie Marsh, 9-8-2021

This is just about the only part of Revelation I will teach on. I’m not quite as bad as Martin Luther about this though.

He put both Revelation and the book of James into the appendix of his New Testament translation into German. He called the book of James, “a right strawy epistle.” And of Revelation he said that “Apostles ought not to write like that.”

I love the book of James and would not presume to tell an Apostle how to write. However, most of the book does leave me pretty cold. But not these 7 little letters.

False view of them as ages of church history. This was around when Luther lived because he accepted it, at least in part. When it really began, I don’t know.

Episode 219

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Disciple Up # 219
Is a Literal Translation Always Better?
By Louie Marsh, 7-14-2021

Article Read From: https://www.christianitytoday.com/partners/creative-studio/more-literal-than-thou.html

Legacy Standard Bible;  https://lsbible.org/

The Legacy Standard Bible has an app for both Apple and Android with as much of the Bible as they’ve completed available to read if you’d like to check that out go the store and type in “Legacy Bible app” and it should pop up.

The Literal Version: https://www.lsvbible.com/

My personal favorite translations:

ESV

The NIV and NASB are also good.

The NLT is good for people who don’t read well.

Won’t know about the LSB till it’s all out and I have chance to check it out.

What about the KJV?

If you had the perfect translation and you have a poor reader who can’t read it and so gives up. What good is it then?

What place should readability have in a translation?

Can you over do it on one translation?

As you read it in a different, because the word order is different, and different words are used, you’re going to see things that you missed before.

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Email – louie@discipleup.org

 


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