by Staff | Aug 10, 2014 | Updates
We have a great selection of biblically-based blogs planned for the coming weeks – topics to help you in growing your understanding and strengthening your walk. The same is true for our sister site,
LivingWithFaith.org, so be sure to check that site out as you go along. Our websites are now reaching many thousands of people in over forty countries, so we will be striving to provide material of interest and value to you – wherever you are.
by R. Herbert | Aug 7, 2014 | Fellowship, The Church & the World
A recent issue of
Christianity Today carried a very interesting interview with researcher and author Dr. Philip Jenkins on Global Christianity. Dr. Jenkins was asked: “What are some differences in global attitudes to the nature of the Bible and the Old Testament?” Here, in this short excerpt, is part of his answer: “When you are in Europe or the United States, if you are dealing with ordinary, secular people, the Old Testament can be almost an embarrassment. ‘We do not understand [it]. This is an ancient, primitive world. This is of no relevance to us.’
If you go to many parts of Africa there’s the opposite problem – which is that people can be tempted to read the Old Testament, see it as so relevant, so immediate that they don’t need anything else. The church in the Sudan, for example, tries very hard not to issue translations of the Book of Leviticus because the danger is the people will just read that and not want the New Testament, because Leviticus was so obviously written for their [kind of] society.
Think about that in terms of evangelism. If I am talking to an American or a European and I’m trying to explain a concept like atonement, that’s a very strange idea. Blood sacrifice is strange and alien. But now imagine trying to spread that same message in a society in Africa where they’re very used to the idea of animal sacrifice. They know the idea that blood pays the price of sin. All you have to get across is the idea that all these sacrifices are trivial. There is one sacrifice, which is Christ. They can understand that.” You can read the whole interview here (
Christianity Today: Mar 21, 2014, subscription required).
The article certainly makes one think about the many other differences in viewpoint that must apply to Christians in various cultures looking at the Bible from a primarily Old Testament perspective, or an almost wholly New Testament perspective. Moral of the story: being aware of this difference can help us in interacting and working with people of like mind – but different cultural perspectives – around the world.
by R. Herbert | Aug 4, 2014 | Service
The words of Jesus concerning how many times we must forgive others – “till seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22) – are words every Christian knows and tries to keep in mind, but do we apply this principle in other, more positive areas?
Consider the story of Joshua. We remember Joshua as the great military leader who oversaw the conquest of the Promised Land, yet Joshua does not seem to have started out as a fearless leader. We see that in instructing him, Moses told Joshua twice to “be strong and courageous” (Deuteronomy 31:6-7), and when God formally commissioned him, He told Joshua to “be strong and courageous” (Deuteronomy 31:23). Then, again, in the opening chapter of the Book of Joshua God tells him three times to “be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6,7,9), and even the people of Israel encourage Joshua to “be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:18). So the man who became a great leader was encouraged on at least seven occasions to have the strength and courage he needed, then the statement doesn’t appear again. Eventually, in fact, once he grew in confidence, we find Joshua using exactly these same words to encourage the Israelites (Joshua 10:25)! Just as God, Moses and the people continued to encourage Joshua until he had gained experience and confidence, it is only as we persevere with encouragement and help that people come to where they don’t need it to the same degree.
When we look elsewhere in the Bible we see many other examples of this willingness to help others in an ongoing manner, to do good to them as many times as it might take. In the New Testament, the story of the Good Samaritan is an excellent example. The Samaritan did not just give some first-aid to the man in the ditch and go on his way – he worked through the problem step by step, with repeated actions: “He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’” (Luke 10:34-35).
In the same way, Paul tells us: “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak…” (Romans 15:1 ESV), and the plural “failings” or “weaknesses” does not just mean at one time, but through time – as long as there is a need. This is why Paul also tells us: “Let us not become weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9), because the needs of others are often ongoing and at no time do we reach a point where we have “done enough” if a need still exists. If we can embrace the concept of forgiving others “till seventy times seven,” perhaps we should also be willing to continue to help others keeping this same attitude in mind.
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