Is Hanukkah Biblical?

Is it biblical for Christians to celebrate Hanukkah? Yes!

1. Jesus celebrated Hanukkah. "Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon's Colonnade." (Jn. 10:22-23 NIV) Hanukkah means dedication. Jesus went to the temple during Hanukkah, a festival celebrating the dedication of the temple. There is no reason for John to mention this unless he wants his readers to infer that Jesus recognized the significance of Hanukkah. Of course, Jesus is Jewish and celebrated all the Jewish festivals, so this should not be a surprise.

2. The story of Hanukkah is in the Bible. Daniel 8 and Daniel 11 give detailed prophecies of all the events related to Antiochus Epiphanes and the desecration of the temple. Daniel 8:14 specifically speaks of the temple's rededication, the event that Hanukkah celebrates.

3. The New Testament specifically calls on Christians to look to the heroes of Hanukkah as heroes of the faith. Hebrews 11:35 (the "faith chapter") says, "Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection." The "others" must be a woman who was tortured while placing her hope in the resurrection. This story is told in 2 Maccabees 7, and it is a powerful story of faithfulness to God's Word in a time of intense persecution. This is part of what Hanukkah remembers. True, 2 Maccabees is not part of the canonical books of the Bible. However, the author of Hebrews refers to the events described there as true events. We can learn from books even if they aren't part of Scripture.

4. Jesus, referring to Daniel, called on his followers to prepare for a time of persecution (Matthew 24-25). Daniel and Revelation connect the events of Hanukkah with the end-time antichrist. Hanukkah is like a preview of what the final seven year period will be like. Christ's return will itself result in a rededication of the temple. Celebrating Hanukkah is a great way to prepare for and look forward to this time.

5. Hanukkah reminds us that we are God's temple. We must seek purity and flee from idolatry.

6. But isn't Hanukkah a Jewish holiday? Well, yes. But Christianity is a Jewish religion. Jesus and the apostles were Jewish. The writers of the Old and New Testaments were Jewish. Christmas is a celebration of the Jewish Messiah coming into the world. Good Friday remembers God's Passover lamb slain for us. Communion was instituted during the Jewish Passover. And so on. Just because something is Jewish does not imply that Christians need to avoid it, otherwise there wouldn't be much that Christians could do.

None of this means that Christians have to celebrate Hanukkah, or that there is anything wrong with celebrating Christmas. In my opinion, the more the merrier! Adding Hanukkah traditions to your holiday celebrations can have helpful spiritual benefits.


Trust the Bible's purpose is to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." You can join the Facebook group by clicking here. Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. Listen to previous programs online: www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

The Impossible Census?

Every December, critics of the Bible will share thousands of posts declaring the impossibility of the biblical story of Christmas. They will claim that no Roman census would require everyone to return to their ancestral homeland. They will say that any such census should be well known from other sources, and none exist in the right time period (just prior to 4 BC.) They will add that Quirinius was not governor at that time, but that there was a census when he was governor...more than 10 years later. And they are mostly right! 

I have never been satisfied with the standard Christian responses. They go something like this: There was a census in AD 7 and 14 years later. Perhaps there was a census 14 years earlier, in 8 BC, that we don't know anything about. Perhaps it didn't occur all in one year, but in stages throughout the empire, meaning that it did not occur in Israel until a few years later, the year Christ was born. Perhaps Israelites were required to return to their homeland when people of other lands weren't. Perhaps! It sounds like Christians are grasping for straws.

This is frustrating because I believe there is a much better answer. There are two reasons why even Christian scholars usually overlook it. First, centuries of tradition about the Christmas story cloud our interpretation of what the biblical text actually says happened. Second, most people incorrectly date the birth of Christ to 4 BC or earlier. It is true that no record of a census occurred in that time, but that is the wrong time to look.

The census occurred in 2 BC when the Roman Senate conferred on Caesar Augustus the title "Pater patriae," meaning, "Father of the fatherland." It was not a tax (Luke never says it was). Nor was it a census to count people (Luke never says that either). It did involve a requirement that heads of households register a loyalty oath to the emperor, acknowledging and agreeing with the title. Augustus approved of the measure and made the decree that the registration requirement go out. This is well-known and well-documented registration. See, for instance,

https://www.britannica.com/topic/pater-patriae.

But what about Jesus being born on or before 4 BC? Although it is cited often, there is little evidence for it. The date is based on several references in Josephus about Herod's death, which the gospels say occurred sometime after Jesus was born. Josephus mentions that a lunar eclipse occurred shortly before Herod died. There was a partial eclipse in 4 BC, but there was also a total lunar eclipse in 1 BC that fits Josephus' description much better. Josephus also records dates for other events that scholars use, some of which are based on late and unreliable manuscripts of Josephus's work. For a detailed explanation of why the Nativity should be dated to 2 BC, see: https://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2012/PSCF12-12Nollet.pdf.You can find many other helpful resources here: http://www.bethlehemstar.com/academic-resources/.

What about the requirement that everyone return to their ancestral homeland? As far as we know, this did not happen, but Luke does not say it did either. He merely says that "everyone went to their own town." I would take that to mean they went to the place of legal residence. Joseph probably lived in Bethlehem. Matthew implies that Joseph owned a home in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11, 2:22). Today, we assume that Joseph could not have lived in Bethlehem because of the wildly speculative part of traditional Nativity stories that have Mary and Joseph riding into Bethlehem as she was beginning labor. The story continues that all the hotels were full that night.

Of course, an examination of the customs of the time and the Greek words Luke uses reveals that this is simply not the case. Mary and Joseph were staying in a home in Bethlehem, possibly weeks before Jesus was born. They continued living there after Jesus was born. The best explanation as to why they stayed is that it was Joseph's home. Joseph may have been staying in Nazareth temporarily to find work in the town of Sepphoris, where many "carpenters" or construction workers were being hired at the time. Naturally, a legal registration would have to take place in the town of your legal residence. So Joseph returned home with Mary to fulfill the census obligations.

As for Quirinius, there is some mystery here, but we really don't know who was governor of Syria at the time. The articles referenced above have plenty of more information about this.

There are many implausible elements of the way the Nativity story is traditionally told, but nothing difficult at all about what the biblical text actually says.

Trust the Bible's purpose is to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." You can join the Facebook group by clicking here. Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. Listen to previous programs online: www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

Who are the Jews?

This question is so important to understanding the Bible. There are many different angles from which to approach this question. I'm going to answer it from my personal story, a story that has given me even more reason to trust the Bible over the last few months.

My mother was adopted and I never knew my father or anything about his family background. I have long loved Israel and the Jewish people, and I have believed that they play a central role among the nations both in the past and in the future of God's redemptive plan. I have also previously shared how many commandments in the Bible directly address the Jews, giving them different standards to live by and setting them apart in certain ways from the rest of the nations.

You might expect that I would want to know if I might in some sense be Jewish. But I've never really thought about it...until recently. I knew it was a possibility, although I figured it was unlikely. But I took a DNA test last March and discovered that I am 46% Jewish!

Now, that's not quite right. You can't really be 46% Jewish any more than you can be 46% Christian. You either are a Jew or you aren't. Nevertheless, the discovery sent me on a quest to find out more about what it truly means to be Jewish, and it gets complicated.

According to Orthodox Jews, if your mother is Jewish, you are Jewish, regardless of your religious beliefs. Reformed Jews believe you can be Jewish through a Jewish father or mother, but you must practice Judaism to qualify. I don't fit by either standard. My mother took a DNA test and discovered that she is not Jewish at all, which means  that my father was Jewish. However, I have no cultural Jewish background. But should that matter? Does it matter what Orthodox Jews or Reformed Jews say about my Jewish background? I wanted to know, what does the Bible say?

Here's where the trustworthiness of Scripture comes shining through. This seems like an obscure case. Should someone who has a Jewish father but not a Jewish mother but never knew their father and was not raised Jewish consider themselves Jewish? Could the Bible really say anything about something like that? Well, yes, actually, as I began to think about relevant Scriptures I started finding one passage after another.

Think of Moses, who had Jewish ancestry but was raised in a pagan home. He was Jewish, but God did require that he begin living like a Jew and circumcise his children before he could lead the Israelites.

Ezra has a lot to say about Jewish men having children with Gentile wives. The children were not considered Jewish Throughout the book a great emphasis is placed on keeping accurate genealogical records.

Then there is the case of Timothy in Acts 16. Or Ruth from Moab. There are other genealogies throughout the Bible that trace someone's Jewish lineage through fathers.

I'm not going to give a detailed explanation on every verse here. My point is that even I was surprised at how much material there is in the Bible on this topic. Here is my conclusion: I have Jewish ancestry, but I am not Jewish. Like anyone else, I could become Jewish by formally adopting all the Jewish customs given in the Old Testament. But Paul discouraged Gentile Christians from adopting a Jewish identity. (1 Corinthians 7:17-18) However, in the case of Timothy where there was some confusion (Timothy had a Jewish mother), he encouraged Timothy to embrace a Jewish identity. So it is somewhat optional in my case, but I am not choosing to do so. I also do think there are valid reasons for holding to the Orthodox Jewish understanding on this issue. 

Through my study I have come to a much deeper appreciation of the Jewish people and the ways in which God continues to work among them, even those who do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. I am enjoying connecting more with Jewish Messianic ministries. I am also realizing how much more there is to the Bible when you begin to see it through Jewish eyes. I have discovered so many more reasons to Trust the Bible, and I will share more in time.


Trust the Bible's purpose is to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." You can join the Facebook group by clicking here. Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. Listen to previous programs online: www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

Hard Verses: Free from the Law?

"But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law." (Rom. 7:6 NIV)

Many Christians celebrate that they are "free from the law," based on Paul's teaching in Romans 7. Now, I do believe that I am free from the law, but, what does "law" refer to in this verse? If you believe it is the "Old Testament Law," or the "Law of Moses," or anything like that, I want to urge you to reconsider. I am not free from that law, and neither are you, and that's a really good thing!

Consider a few verses for context. The Bible teaches that it is the Word of God. Paul himself says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (2 Tim. 3:16 NIV) He is not only including, but focusing on the Old Testament in this passage because the New Testament was only beginning to be recognized as Scripture at this point.

What does the Old Testament say about the laws that are found there?:

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Jos. 1:8 NIV)

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-- whatever they do prospers. (Ps. 1:1-3 NIV)

"Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD." (Ps. 119:1 NIV)

Verses that speak highly of the law and the blessings it brings are abundant in the Old Testament. I simply chose three examples above. The same is true in the New Testament.

James wrote, "But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-- not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-- they will be blessed in what they do." (Jas. 1:25 NIV)

Paul himself added, "So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. (Rom. 7:12 NIV)

Now, John did say, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (Jn. 1:17 NIV) Christians often quote this verse to say, "See, we used to have to follow the law, but now we are under grace." However, look at what John said in the previous verse: "Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given." (Jn. 1:17 NIV) John was saying that "grace and truth" came through Jesus Christ in addition to the "grace already given," meaning the law given through Moses.

Jesus unequivocally said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:17 NIV)

So what was Paul saying in Romans 7?

Let's trace the whole line of his argument, starting in the beginning of Romans:

1. Romans 1:18-3:20: Jews and Gentiles alike are guilty of sin and are condemned by "The Law," even if they don't know specifically about the Law of Moses:

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." (Rom. 3:19-20 NIV)

2. Romans 3:21-4:25: Both Jews and Gentiles are made righteous through faith and not by keeping all of the commandments of the law. The idea of salvation through faith was always in place, both before and after the Law of Moses was given. In fact, the Law itself teaches this:

"But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify." (Rom. 3:21 NIV)

"For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." (Rom. 3:28 NIV)

"It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith." (Rom. 4:13 NIV)

3. Then, in Romans 6 Paul teaches that we "have died to sin," (Rom. 6:2 NIV) "our old self was crucified," (Rom. 6:6 NIV) and "sin shall no longer be your master." (Rom. 6:14 NIV) He never implies that the law has died or that the law is no longer a guide for believers who want to enjoy the blessings of following the law, or that any part of the law has been replaced by a different law.

In Romans 7, Paul uses an illustration to explain more. He says that a married woman cannot marry another man while her husband is still living. If she did, she would break the law, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." But if her husband dies, she is now free to marry another man without breaking that law. Paul concludes,

"So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God." (Rom. 7:4 NIV) He goes on to say that we have been "released from the law." (Rom. 7:6 NIV)

Now, in this illustration, note that the law itself does not die, only the woman's relationship to it. It was still a sin to commit adultery both before and after her husband died. Paul is talking about being bound to the law in a way that leads us to condemnation (see Rom. 3:19-20 above). As long as we pursue righteousness through works of the law, we cannot pursue it through faith in Jesus Christ. When we die with Christ, we are released from our slavery to works-based righteousness that produced death in us, and we can now pursue it through faith in Christ, resulting in obedience to the commands under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. (See Romans 8)

What "died" is not the Old Testament Law, but "another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me." (Rom. 7:23) We are now set free from "the law of sin and death," (Rom. 8:2) not the "holy, righteous and good" commandments of God. 

The closest the Bible comes to saying that any commands have been done away with is in Hebrews 8:

"By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear." (Heb. 8:13 NIV)

"Obsolete" should probably be translated "old" here, which is how the word is used earlier in Hebrews and the author is using it to contrast with "new" in this verse. Here, the author is specifically talking about the Old Testament sacrificial system. He identifies that the problem was not with the system, but with the people themselves. The New Covenant is a better covenant, so the Old Covenant system is no longer as important as it was before. Eventually, it will no longer serve any purpose. But note that even here the author says it will "soon disappear." He recognizes that a role (albeit a diminished one) still exists for the Old Testament sacrificial system. He is saying nothing at all about the other commands in the Old Testament.

Does this mean that all Christians need to keep all the commands in the Old Testament, including strict restrictions on Sabbath day activities and dietary laws? For more on this, see my post, "Hard Verses: Be Perfect??"

In short, because we have died to the "law of sin and death" we are now free to "delight in God's law" (meaning all the commands in the whole Bible) (Rom. 8:2, 7:22). 

Trust the Bible's purpose is to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." You can join the Facebook group by clicking here. Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. Listen to previous programs online: www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

Hard Verses: Be Perfect??

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt. 5:48 NIV)

The church today emphasizes that we can come to Jesus, "Just As I Am," and that the church is full of "imperfect people" who need God's grace. I believe it is right to say this, but then why does Jesus tell us to "Be perfect"? In our culture, we look down on being a perfectionist because it indicates an unhealthy obsession with achievement or conformity. What did Jesus mean?

Let's examine the context of the passage. It comes in the middle of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount." Earlier in the sermon, Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matt. 5:17 NIV) He even adds, "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:20 NIV) The disciples would have been overwhelmed. They probably asked themselves, "How can we possibly compete with the righteousness of the Pharisees, who are more faithful in following the commandments then anyone else?" As Christians, we may wonder the same things. In addition, we wonder why Jesus would say he didn't come to abolish the Law. Aren't many of the commands in the Law and the Prophets like restrictions on eating pork and shrimp done away with? 

Many Christians are troubled by these statements, especially when joined with "Be perfect." As a result, many interpret these three verses to mean that Jesus is saying something like this: Let me teach you how hard it is to follow the law. When interpreted correctly, no one can do it. No one can be perfect, no one can have the level of righteousness necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, I will do it for you. I will keep all the law, including the Old Testament laws for you (thus "fulfilling it"). That way, you don't have to keep the law. You will be righteous without worrying yourself about following all the commandments. You can be perfect only by trusting in me and letting me give you your perfect righteousness."

Now, it is true that Jesus offers to be our righteousness. The trouble is that that is not what Jesus is talking about in this sermon. According to Matthew, this sermon is an example of Jesus' regular call for repentance (Matt. 4:17). 

Jesus adds, "Anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:19 NIV) Here, "these commands," refers to all the commands in the Old Testament. 

Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount by saying, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." (Matt. 7:24 NIV) "These words of mine" are his authoritative interpretation of how to follow the Old Testament commands, which he quotes from extensively in his sermon.

Jesus ends his earthly ministry by calling on his disciples to "Make disciples of all nations...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matt. 28:19 NIV)

When read in context, there can be no doubt that Jesus calls on all his disciples to carefully obey everything they are commanded to do in the entire Bible. There is no hint that laws are done away with or that Jesus wants us to relax in our striving to follow the laws because he has done it for us.

So, do we have to be perfect in following every command in the Bible, having our own righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees, if we are going to enter the kingdom of heaven? Not at all! We have to understand Jesus' words in the context of all Scripture.

First, Jesus was not saying we must have a certain amount of righteousness in order to be saved. He is saying that those who are saved will have this kind of righteousness. Paul explains in great detail in Romans 6-8 (I will post on this soon) that we must be saved in order to have this kind of righteousness. Jesus calls on us to follow the commands not as a means to becoming righteous, but in order to experience the joy and peace that come with following the commands.

Second, Jesus is not saying that Gentiles must follow all the commands God gave the Israelites at Mount Sinai. The Old Testament gives many commands to Jews and Gentiles, but some commands are only given to the Israelites. Even among the commands given to the Israelites, some are just for the Levites, and some are just for men, while others are just for women. No one who has ever lived was ever addressed by all 613 commandments in the Old Testament. Even in the New Testament, Paul gives some commands to men and some to women, some to parents and some to children, and so forth. God calls on us to learn from all commandments, but to live by only those commands addressed to us. While I believe Jewish followers of Jesus are still called to follow all the commands that address the Israelites, Gentile Christians are not required, and never have been required, to follow all the specific laws about dietary restriction and Sabbath day prohibitions found in the Old Testament. Context is key in determining which commands we must follow. However, none of the laws have been done away with.

Third, Jesus is not saying that we must (or even that we can) follow the laws perfectly. Throughout the book of Matthew, Jesus makes the following points related to the verse about being "perfect" and having a righteousness surpassing the Pharisees:

1. The Pharisees weren't very righteous. Yes, they had an outward form of righteousness. They knew how to impress people with their prayers, Sabbath observance, and meticulous following of religious customs like washing hands. However, he proclaims that on the "inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence." (Matt. 23:25) That is why he said "The tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you." (Matt. 21:31) Disciples of Christ need to have more righteousness than the Pharisees in order to enter heaven, but not more than the tax collectors and prostitutes who were responding to Jesus message with repentance and faith. (I say "need" meaning that those who are saved will have the fruit of repentance in their life, not that it is necessary to be saved.)

2. Jesus was emphasizing an inner righteousness in the Sermon on the Mount. The word translated "perfect" in Matthew 5:48 can also mean "complete." Jesus had just given many examples of having hearts that follow the law completely, not just a form of external compliance. So we are not truly following the command "You shall not murder," simply by refraining from literally killing someone. We must also avoid being "angry with a brother," in our heart. (Matt. 5:22) Jesus says that it is not enough to "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." Rather, you must "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." (Matt. 5:44-45) Jesus is not changing or adding to the Law here, but telling us what the Law always taught. (The Law says to love your neighbor but does not say to hate your enemy.) 

Then Jesus adds, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." This means we are to love others inwardly and outwardly, whether they are nice to us or are our enemies. We need to have complete righteousness, not merely practice what we think is the minimum outward compliance (which is what the Pharisees were doing). 

Jesus does not say that we have to do this to be saved or that those who are saved will be perfect in doing this. But he does make this the model of what all disciples of Jesus will strive for in their life because they love Jesus and trust that his commands are given in love. The commands guide us to live the kind of lives we really want to live. 

Trust the Bible's purpose is to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." You can join the Facebook group by clicking here. Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. Listen to previous programs online: www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html

Living Biblically

The purpose of Trust the Bible is "to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." That means I want to encourage you to live biblically. Naturally, I'm interested in the new television show called Living Biblically (CBS, Mondays at 9:30) and the book the show is based on.

The premise of the show is that the main character, Chip, suddenly decides to live by the Bible. He wants to follow every command literally. At one point, Chip throws a rock at a co-worker he knows is committing adultery. He believes that if he is living biblically, he must "stone" adulterers. The assumption of the show is that living biblically is absurd. No one can follow everything commanded in the Bible, right? This is 21st Century America! While giving an overall positive view of Chip's intentions and plan, the underlying message is that no one can actually live biblically. If someone were to try it would merely provide great entertainment for everyone else. Even the priest in the show laughs hysterically when he hears what Chip is doing. 

As for the quality of the show itself, it is okay. I think the book is genuinely funny. I'm not as impressed with the sitcom adaptation. However, I do think both the book and the show raise some serious issues in a humorous way. What does it really mean to "live biblically?" Is it impossible to live biblically today? Don't we all just pick and choose which commands to follow in the Bible? 

First, I do believe we should live biblically. This is what it means to be a Christian! This was the core of Jesus' teaching. A Christian's mission is to make disciples, "teaching them to obey everything" Jesus had commanded. Jesus upheld the authority of the entire Bible. "Until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." (Matthew 5:18) Being a follower of Jesus means seeking to live biblically, and I do mean everything that the Bible commands us to do.

Now, does that mean we should throw rocks at adulterers, carefully avoid wearing anything that isn't made 100% out of one type of material (Chip wears 100% cotton on the show because of Leviticus 19:19) and avoid eating pork? Absolutely not. Why not? Because the Bible doesn't tell us to do these things. In fact, this is the opposite of living biblically. The book and the show have a very distorted way of reading that leads to the wrong assumptions of what it means to live biblically.

Whenever you read anything, you must put phrases and sentences in their context to interpret them correctly. Should we stone adulterers? No. The key passage is Deuteronomy 22:22, which actually doesn't mention stoning, but does say an adulterers should be put to death. Throwing a rock at someone does not count as following the command literally because it doesn't even follow the act described in the verse (putting to death). But in another sense, it is not following the command at all. That is because the context shows that this verse was given to Israelites living in the nation of Israel who were living under the covenant with Moses and acting as a governing community. An individual was never commanded to stone an adulterer. A Gentile was never commanded to stone an adulterer. A Jew living in a foreign country was never commanded to stone an adulterer. Today, even if you are a Jew, even if you are in Israel, even if you are acting as part of a governing community, the government of Israel just isn't set up to reestablish Mosaic law as the law for the nation.

Instead, a Christian is commanded to "submit himself to the governing authorities." (Romans 13:1) If I throw a rock at an adulterer to injure them I am directly violating a biblical command while trying to follow a command that never addressed me in the first place. That is living unbiblically.

Does this mean that some verses in the Bible are no longer valid? No. It's just that they never applied to everyone. When God told Abraham to leave his country and his household and go to Israel (Genesis 12:1), we all recognize that God is not telling everyone to do that. He was telling Abraham to do that. I am not required to move to Israel right away in order to "live biblically." The command to Christians is to go to all nations to make disciples (Matthew 28:19), not just Israel. I believe all of the Old Testament is still valid today. It's just that we have to pay attention to who God is talking to when he gives a command.

The Old Testament tells us when a command is to an individual like Abraham, when it is to a nation like Israel, and when it is to all nations. For instance, when God established the death penalty for murder in Genesis 9:6, he said that it was part of a covenant "with you [Noah and his sons] and with your descendants after you." Unlike adultery, the death penalty for murder is a command for all nations.

When God gives specific commands about what to do and not to do on the Sabbath, he says that it is for Israel: "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come." (Exodus 31:13). I believe that means that Jews should follow the Sabbath commands today.

The command related to this topic that has been discussed most frequently in recent years deals with homosexuality. Since we ignore other Old Testament commands, shouldn't we ignore the Bible on that one? No again. It is not a matter of ignoring commands, but recognizing that not all of them address everyone. No Christian should ever ignore a single command. The Bible specifically identifies homosexuality as something that is banned for all people, not just Jews and not just during the Old Testament, but always. Read the whole context in a passage like Leviticus 18:22-25.

In order to truly live biblically, we must actually pay attention to what the Bible says. That begins with looking at the big picture. The greatest command is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5) We begin to do this when we receive the gift of forgiveness of sin and eternal life by placing our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Then we can continue to grow as we meditate on God's word and seek to carefully obey everything written in it. (Joshua 1:8) The greatest error in the television show is the suggestion that we can live biblically by striving to follow the least of the commands (which the Bible doesn't even command) while ignoring the most important thing about beginning to pursue God through a relationship with Jesus.

Trust the Bible's purpose is to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." You can join the Facebook group by clicking here. Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. Listen to previous programs online: www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html 

The Bible and the Prosperity Gospel

I love God's promise to Joshua in the opening verses of the book of Joshua: "Keep this book of the law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8, NIV)

However, I must quickly point out that I do not believe in the "prosperity gospel." Now, to be sure, I do believe God wants us to prosper. He gives us his word because he wants us to know how to be prosperous. He promises us that if we keep his word, we will be prosperous.

But what does it mean to be "prosperous?" And, how does one achieve it? I believe that the "prosperity gospel," gives the wrong answers to both these questions.

I will demonstrate this by responding specifically to the teaching of Joel Osteen. 

Now, before I go any further I have to clearly state a few disclaimers. I am not attacking Joel Osteen personally. I don't know of anything that would cause me to question that he is a nice man, a good husband, and someone who has helped a lot of people. Many attacked Joel Osteen's character when he implied that he wasn't opening his church to victims of Hurricane Harvey. I was not one of them. With a church his size, he needed to work with emergency officials to know what would be most helpful to the community. People who did not know all the facts thought he was making some kind of self-serving decision. In time, the truth came out. 

Neither am I questioning his salvation. I don't think it serves any purpose for me to form or share an opinion on that. No, I am interested in what he is teaching, and whether it is supported by the Scriptures. Everyone should examine what a teacher is saying and compare it with Scripture. The Bible even commends the Bereans, who "were of more noble character than the Thessalonians." Why? Because they "examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (Acts 17:11) If it is noble to examine the teachings of the Apostle Paul in light of Scripture, certainly we should do so with preachers today, including myself. 

But why Joel Osteen? Because he is presenting a particular pathway to success and has sold tens of millions of books. His teaching is representative of many other teachers on this topic. It is a topic that I am passionate about. I want to help others know how to become "prosperous and successful," and I believe the pathway he is presenting is not correct.

First, what does it mean to be "prosperous?" Joel Osteen claims he is not a prosperity preacher because he does not focus on how to become rich. Instead, he focuses on "having good relationships, health, accomplishing your dreams, having money to pay your bills, it's being blessed so you can be a blessing." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1aAJSnZttM). However, he often speaks about having faith to receive promotions and raises. (https://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/Article.aspx?articleid=6518.) He gives an example of looking for a good parking spot to explain prosperity. He claims we should say, "Father, I thank you for leading and guiding me. Your favor will cause me to get a good spot." (Your Best Life Now, 41). He also says that Christians can "expect preferential treatment" from other people (Your Best Life Now, 39). For Osteen, being prosperous is not simply about being rich, but it is about doing well financially (where "well" is up to the individual to define)  and a host of other things, such as health and accomplishing your dreams. 

Second, Joel Osteen defines positive thinking as the way to be prosperous. In his latest book, "Think Better, Live Better" Osteen says that God has programmed us so that "Whatever you touch will prosper and succeed." The reason we don't achieve this promise is because we have low self-esteem. If we can just get rid of negative thoughts and replace them with thoughts like, "I'm blessed. I'm strong. I'm healthy. I'm confident. I'm attractive," then we will be. (Think Better, Live Better, Chapter 1).

However, the Bible gives us a completely different view of what prosperity is and how to obtain it. The Bible says that we were created for God's glory (Isaiah 43:7) and that we are to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." (Matthew 6:33) Paul writes, "What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." 

The Bible also tells us over and over again that the way to success is not in thinking positive thoughts about ourselves, but in thinking about God's word and obeying it. That is what God says in his promise in Joshua 1:8,  that if we meditate on God's word and carefully obey it we will be prosperous and successful. Osteen actually quotes Joshua 1:8 (or I should say, he claims to quote Joshua 1:8) in his latest book. But in order to make the verse fit his teaching, he actually completely changes the wording of the verse:

"This is what the Lord told Joshua after Moses had died and he was to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land: 'If you will meditate on what God says about you day and night, you will have good success and prosper in everything you do.' When your mind is filled with thoughts of faith, thoughts of hope, and thoughts of victory, that's what will become a reality."

                                                                                              -Joel Osteen, Think Better, Live Better

Anyone examining the Scriptures to see if these things are so need look no further than what Joel Osteen does with this verse. He is actually putting words in God's mouth, saying something that the Scripture simply does not say, and is totally different than what the verse actually says.

Rather than expecting preferential treatment from others, Jesus says, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you." (Luke 6:27-28) He tells us that the successful person is the one who "hears these words of mine and puts them into practice." (Matthew 7:24) He also describes this as taking his yolk on you and learning from him (Matthew 11:29) 

When we study Scripture and do what it says we will be blessed (James 1:25). We will also often think negative thoughts about ourselves, for the Scriptures reveal sinful thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes for us to keep working on (Hebrews 4:12). As a Christian, there is much to be positive about. However, negative thinking is often helpful if we are going to grow and truly become successful. Even a recent news article touts the "power of negative thinking." 

Ultimately, none of us can be successful without first recognizing our sinfulness and then turning to Christ as our only hope of righteousness and eternal life. Positive thinking will not help me in the slightest with my greatest problem- my guilt before a holy God.

We will see true prosperity in our lives when we make God's kingdom and righteousness the definition of success and humbly study and apply the Scriptures to our lives, seeking the help of Christ and the Holy Spirit. This will lead to joy, peace, and great accomplishments, as well as a reward beyond what we can imagine. It will not necessarily keep us from persecution and hardship. I think the book of Hebrews gives a powerful description of success, and I end with that:

Hebrews 11:32-40

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, ³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. ³⁵ Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. ³⁶ Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. ³⁹ These were all commended for their faith"

Trust the Bible's purpose is to grow your confidence that the Bible is true and the ultimate resource for life." You can join the Facebook group by clicking here. Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. Listen to previous programs online: www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html