13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking ofContinue reading “Just Passing Through”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
The Scripture and Gender (3)
What does it mean to be masculine and what does it mean to be feminine? How do we guide our sons and daughters in this important area? In a previous post, I touched on some important basic truths: God created us as male or female. We image God through our masculinity and femininity. With theseContinue reading “The Scripture and Gender (3)”
Democracy And The Kingdom Of God (1)
If you live in America, democracy is ingrained in you. It’s in the air you breathe and the water you drink. In the language of technology, it’s our operating system. We don’t even think about it; which is another way of saying we’re not always aware of how it colors and shapes our thinking. It’sContinue reading “Democracy And The Kingdom Of God (1)”
We Need More Pearls!
The Torah’s good neighbor policy (Deuteronomy 22:1-4) was about more than simply making sure everyone’s lost ox, sheep, cloak, or “anything else” (see v. 3) found its way back to it owner. It was about cultivating community. Lost animals or objects simply provided opportunities for relationships to be enhanced and grown. Not everyone would lookContinue reading “We Need More Pearls!”
Hide or Seek?
Jesus summed up the Torah as being about loving God exclusively and loving your neighbor as yourself. But of course, He did more than talk about it, He modeled it in all aspects of His life so that when we look at Him, we see Someone who was the epitome of loving God and others. Continue reading “Hide or Seek?”
Blessing and Cursing
Balaam is a fascinating character who shows up about two-thirds of the way through the book of Numbers (chapters 22-24). Out of context, his story seems strange, but if you’ve been following along in Numbers you’ve already come across God supplying Israel with a ridiculous amount of quail (11), people being swallowed up by theContinue reading “Blessing and Cursing”
Thinking About the Tithe
Tithing is one of those things that can betray our approach to and understanding of the Old Testament if we’re not careful. It’s easy to note that it meant ten percent, assign to Israel an unconscious, semi-spiritual attitude and move on to making applications to our giving today. But as Lee Corso says, “Not soContinue reading “Thinking About the Tithe”
Truth Telling
The witness section of Deuteronomy 19:15-21 should lead us to think about truth telling as it relates to the community of Christ. After all, the text isn’t addressing honesty in general terms, its specific concern is with truth telling as it relates to the community of Israel and its judicial proceedings. The judicial system wasContinue reading “Truth Telling”
Community, Justice, & Truth-Telling
We’re in a section of Deuteronomy that’s largely concerned with governing. That being so, we hear about: judges (16:18-20), how to handle difficult court cases (17:8-13), instruction concerning the king (17:14-20), care of the Levites (18:1-8), prophets (18:21-22), cities of refuge, and witnesses (19:15-21). In all this, it’s not hard to see a focus onContinue reading “Community, Justice, & Truth-Telling”
Jesus and Bumper Sticker Theology
I have no wish to be offensive or insensitive in what follows, but there is also no need to equivocate or be anything less than straightforward in regard to Jesus’ teaching about sexuality. Listen to what He said in Mark 10:6-8: “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reasonContinue reading “Jesus and Bumper Sticker Theology”
