Musing – Are you inherently good or evil?

Hebraic Musing – Are you inherently good or evil?

Your answer to this question is surprisingly important.  How do you think of yourself?  (Don’t worry.  I can’t read your mind and I’m not the judge.)

Most religions, philosophers and self-helpers stress that man is inherently good and thus we have ‘feel good’ messages being preached in large and well-known churches. The inherently good concept sells; we all like to think of ourselves as do-gooders.  And the truth is we all do some good.

The apostle Paul wrestled with the question of “Are we inherently good or evil?”  “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing.”  Romans 7:15-20     NIV

Paul was not alone.  Jesus’ half-brother, James, seems to agree with Paul that man is divided!  “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” James 4:17 NIV   James thinks we are sinful creatures because even though we have good impulses we cannot obey them for an hour, let alone a whole day.*

Back to the question – which are we?  The world likes to point out the goodness and we all like to point out the good we have done.  On-the-other-hand, the Bible starts with the fall of man, continues showing significant character flaws in each of OT men of God; and we have NT saints telling us we are bent on evil.  Which is it?    Is this question critical?

If you agree with the world’s view as many people do, including faithful church-attenders and many religions, then you have no need for a savior.

If you believe the consistent messages in the Bible concerning our fallen nature, then we are in need of a savior, Jesus Christ, Our Savior.

Is there any religion or belief system besides Christianity whose view of mankind requires a savior?

Another quote from James – “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  Rom 7:21-25 NIV

Points to ponder

How can you convince someone that they need to be saved
from the ultimate consequence of their sinfulness
if they think they are okay the way they are?

Should we continue to make people feel good by saying
 “I’m okay-- you’re okay!” *

I love everyone, but I am deeply concerned for those who believe they are “Okay.”    

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd,   Author:                                                         August 25, 2015    

“Hebraic Insights”  “Biblical_Marriage” “Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”
“Musings v.2 – The Torah and New Testament” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   
www.InsightsByYosef.com

* “The Deadliest Monster” by J.F.Baldwin
** “I'm OK--You're OK” - a practical guide to Transactional Analysis – Circa 1972  by Thomas Harris

Musing - Does Traditional Theology Line Up with the Bible?

Hebraic Musing - Does Traditional Theology Line Up with the Bible?

Have you ever had concerns that theology sometimes distorts what the Bible says? Do people believe in theology instead of the Bible?  Theology is man’s creation; taking snippets of the Bible and piecing them together in an effort explain the man's thoughts.  Can theology result in misunderstanding of the Bible? 

I frequently find a lack of understanding of the Hebrew language and customs due to what I’ll call the Hebrew-Greek conflict.  Our Biblical understanding can be corrupted because we in the West are accustomed to the Greek culture and way of thinking in which we have a leader/teacher (pastor) and a congregation (students).   Greek focuses on the cognitive or intellect (what we think), while Hebrew is based on doing or activity, participation and experience. For example -- God is love [Gr.]; or We serve a loving God [Heb.].  To complicate things, Hebrew is full of idioms, just as we have in our culture we might say, "I could have died" when embarrassed.  Here are some differences in the way Hebrew and Greek languages and cultures function:

  Hebrew                      Greek

Doing                          Thinking

Active                         Cognitive 

Appeals to heart          Appeals to intellect

Process oriented          Program oriented

Participation                Educational program

Experience faith          Taught about faith, not personal

Small intimate             Large groups

Love others                 Toleration of others

Believe in Torah          Believe in either law or faith (gospels)

All too often, we hear Luther's “law versus grace” theological model being taught.  How could he have could have read the Old Testament without seeing grace?  Grace is all through the OT.  This leads to imposing the false requirement that we choose either the OT or the NT.  God’s word is from Genesis through Revelation; including the Torah which was erroneously translated “Law”, unfortunately.  The NT book of Hebrews tells us that faith is what the “Ancients were commended for”; so salvation in the OT was by faith, not through obedience to the Torah.  In the lessons from the Dt. 27&28 in the Torah we find that a lifestyle of obedience to Torah brings blessings; while not obeying the Torah brings curses.  Gal. 3:10 refers to Dt. 27:26 - "Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." (note the focus on action!)

Another problematic theology is dispensationalism!  The Bible should not be chopped up into pieces by time frames.  It makes no sense that the Torah has been done away with, or that the gifts of the spirit were only for the first century.  Yehovah continually references covenants and instructions as everlasting.   He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Does our theology line up with the Bible in prayer, i.e., praying to Yeshua or to Mary?  Praying repetitive prayers or sincerely communicating with Yeshua?  Confessing sins to Yeshua or confessing them to a man?  

Are you following Yehovah's worship calendar or man's?  We have a Saturday vs. Sunday issue. Do you observe the other appointed times commanded by Yehovah in Leviticus 23, which are prophetic of Yeshua's first and second coming?  We see Yeshua in every festival on Yehovah's calendar.  Why not do both?

Points to ponder

Don’t read the Bible to prove what you believe, or to support what you do.
Read the Bible to see what it says.

Lord God, we thank you for your Word.                           August 18, 2015

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd,   Author::

“Hebraic Insights”  “Biblical_Marriage” “Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”
“Musings v.2 – The Torah and New Testament” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   
www.InsightsByYosef.com

Inspired by email from – Johanna Shager Hocker - FAITH MINISTRIES INT’L - behockers@bevcomm.net

Musing – How well do we utilize available technology?

Hebraic Musing – How well do we utilize available technology?

What is the absolute greatest technological information that we tend not to utilize?  … to our own detriment!

Moses related to the Israelites the laws God gave them and the Israelites emphatically said "We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey." Ex 24:7  NIV  

Then Moses had to say  “If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers.  He will love you and bless you and…”      Deut. 7:12-13  Someday I’d like to do a whole message on the “IF, THEN” logical statements in the Bible!

God provided wonderful technological knowledge to his children.  But our understanding of His gift reminds me of a popular FaceBook video from a while ago.  Apple came out with their pricey but awesome iPad and the video captured the greatness of the technology as well as how it could be lost on many. In the video, a woman is seen preparing a meal with her elderly father. As he chops vegetables, she asks, “Dad, how do you like the iPad that we gave you for your birthday yesterday?” The father replies, “It’s good.” At that point the viewers see that the “chopping board” is actually the iPad. As his daughter watches in utter shock, the man takes the iPad, rinses it in water, and places it inside the dishwasher!

Maybe the value of technology and knowledge depends on how we use it!

Points to ponder

How thoroughly do we utilize the technology or knowledge
available to us in the Bible?

Is there technology in the Torah we are not utilizing,
thus short-changing ourselves? “Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”

Lord we thank you for all of your Word.                           August 11, 2015

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd,   Author::

“Hebraic Insights”  “Biblical_Marriage”
“Musings v.2 – The Torah and New Testament” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   
www.InsightsByYosef.com

Inspired by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein   “Use it well”   8/3/15

Musing – What will our children be taught?

Hebraic Musing – What will our children be taught?

Now that same-sex marriage has been legalized by the Federal Government, what will the government teach our children?  And recognize that teachers have been educated, or brain-washed in some cases, by liberal colleges for at least two generations. Many teachers’ lack awareness of Biblical morality; they are like fish being unaware they are wet. We are into multiple generations of creeping agnosticism.

Who is responsible for a child’s education?   Moses was speaking for God to the fathers when he said  “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deut. 6:6-9 NIV   Mothers and women do most of the educating of children, but God holds fathers responsible to be sure it happens.  And in the above verse He encourages use of “teaching moments” (a strength of home-schooling).  BTW – the word “parents” does not appear in the Bible, fathers, mothers, husbands and wives all have purposeful roles in the family.

Our children go to schools run by the government, and marriage has now been re-defined.  Do you think that will influence the subject matter being taught?  Can parents keep their precious children from hearing and being influenced by topics of sex education and family life?  The law in Massachusetts recently supported the teachers who claim “it’s impossible to notify parents” when the topics come up. 

Here are three ways to look at forthcoming challenges:

1.      Parents’ rights to direct when and how their children are taught about topics concerning sexuality, family and marriage. These topics are not “opt out” options since they permeate the entire curriculum, not just sex-ed and health courses.  Teachers can claim “It is legal now” when teaching LGBT topics.

2.      Students’ free speech rights to express a biblical point of view.  Will tolerance work both ways?

3.      Private schools’ and home schools’ freedoms to set their own standards, regulations and curriculum. Will families have the freedom to choose Christian education environments and curriculums for their children?  Will the government stay out of this arena?  Don’t count on it.

Add to this, have you noticed the openness of LGBT topics on TV.  There is uncontrollable content that the entertainment media is pumping into our children?  And adults are being brain-washed as well!

If you are feeling overwhelmed, do not lose heart but hold fast.  Consider the backlash the abortion rights folks are encountering now in the Planned Parenthood controversy which took abortion activity to the next level.  And the next level for that sin has turned the stomachs of the nation!

It seems apropos to repeat concluding questions in last week’s musing:   How are we to deal with these questions?  (a) Who we choose to marry? (b) What does marriage mean to us? (c) What does “love” really mean? (d) When does life begin? And (e) How to treat what God calls sin but is now being flaunted and legalized?   As we face the changing times, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Points to ponder

How many “teaching moments” can we find with our children?
…our grandchildren?  …other children?  …other adults?

And on which issues will we have to take a stand?

Lord, we thank you for your Word.  What would we do without it?!?!       August 4, 2015    

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd,   Author::

“Hebraic Insights”  “Biblical_Marriage” “Musings v.1 – A Victorious Life”
“Musings v.2 – The Torah and New Testament” Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   
www.InsightsByYosef.com

Inspired by Focus on the Family – “How Does Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Impact Our Schools?