The Bible, Government, and the Law

There was a whole lot of Bible-quoting going on in the news last week, and most of it poorly done. That’s what happens when you marshal selected verses out of context to provide support to whatever policy you want to justify. The verse in question was Paul’s statement in Romans that human government has a...

How to Not Follow Jesus and Still Be Biblical

Yes, you can do the opposite of what Jesus says and claim to be perfectly biblical, quoting chapter and verse, and do so without violating the integrity of the passage you are quoting. That’s because in the Old Testament, there is an argument going on. In ancient Israelite religion, there are two paths that...

We Need a New (Testament) Definition of Sin

  Message given May 29, 2016 by Larry L. Eubanks “All things are lawful,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any...

Why Different Doesn’t Matter

What distinction was Paul trying to make between the Law and faith in Romans? For years it was assumed that the Law was about earning your salvation while faith was about receiving it by grace. But Israelite religion was never about earning God’s favor—that favor was given to them through God’s choosing of...

The Ethics of Eating Shellfish

Why was it a sin for the ancient Israelites to eat shellfish? Leviticus 11:9-12 says, “These you may eat, whatever is in the water: all that have fins and scales, those in the water, in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers, that do not have fins and scales...