Black Dot Perspective

Look at the image above. What do you see? Typically, random people on the street I’ve asked almost unanimously responded by telling me they saw a black spot or dot or a period (also known as a full stop). However, interestingly enough, no one commented on the white background. But then I asked my Bible study group and to my pleasant surprise, many of them responded with unique answers. Jacob saw throwing dice. David saw a black hole. But my favorite answer came from Kelli in that she saw “light overpowering darkness.” 

Typically, when the humans look at that image, they place their focus on the black spot/dot because it’s an imperfection when compared to the white backdrop. It stands out like a sore thumb. In fact, when we get a sore thumb, our focus becomes immediately drawn to the negative/bad of that thumb, right? But what happens? We somehow lose focus of all our other body parts that function properly and are in good health. Instead, our focus is on the thumb and our complaints ensue: “My thumb! I can’t take my eyes off my thumb!” It’s the same if we get a headache or stub our toe. Our focus shifts to the negative/bad (the black spot/dot) and then we end up magnifying the bad. But what happens if we place our focus on the bad and magnify it? That black spot becomes a black hole that sucks in all our joy, our hope, and our vision for the future.

But what if I told you that I showed you that image so that you could examine the abundance of space within the white background? What if I told you that all of that white background is your potential and the good in life? What if the image to be seen is actually not a black dot on a white background, but like Kelli said in our Bible study, the entire background used to be black but now the light is overcoming the darkness? [#perspective]

Like a blank canvas for an artist, all of that white background is space that can be used to illustrate anything that is possible with the Lord. Essentially, it would be like praying, “Lord, I know that hideous black spot exists on my canvas, but open my eyes to the potential and possibilities of all that other space not being used. Show me what You want me to see. How should I use that available space?”

In recent news, we had the second largest collapse of our banking system, we have record inflation, we have an ongoing invasion at our border, the World Economic Forum is trying to turn us into slaves who will “own nothing and be happy about it,” the news claims that our former president Donald Trump might be arrested, we are extremely close to exploding into World War III, etc. You might have even received a bad report from your doctor. You might have heard many things from many different people. But what does GOD’s Word say? What is the Holy Spirit speaking to us? Where is our focus? Where is our vision? Where is our hope? Where are the solutions to the problems? Where is our focus? On the black hole or the canvas of creation and possibility? The darkness or the light?

1Peter 5:7 tells us to cast our anxiety on the Lord because He cares for us. That word “anxiety” is the English translation of the Greek word μέριμνα [G3308] merimna (mer’-im-nah), which means anxiety, but it is something that is derived from division, through the idea of distraction. That black dot is a distraction. And when we place our focus on it, our mind becomes divided. In other words, the merimna you cast on Jesus is all worries and anxieties that are separating you from Him and His Word (which is the division through distractions). The worries/anxieties make us double-minded, which James 1:5-8 informs us that this double-mindedness is due to doubts and fear, lacking in faith, which makes us unstable in all our ways. So, we’re not to be double-minded and distracted from our devotion to the Lord by the doubts and fears from this world. James confidently told us that we can ask the Lord for wisdom and He will grant to us this wisdom on how to navigate through life if we ask without doubting that He will give to us this wisdom. In fact, it is for this reason the Holy Spirit was given to us as the Guide.

So, what does this ultimately mean? How can we actively apply this to our lives so that we won’t be double-minded? Let’s examine four different scriptures of solutions. 

Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Philippians 4:6-13 says, “6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Paul conversed with the philosophers of his day. Even the dominant philosophic school at that time, Stoics, recognized that anxiety was counterproductive; Fate, they thought, could not be resisted. Rather than an unguided “fate,” Paul instead emphasizes an active dependence on the benevolent GOD who hears our cares and takes care of us, if not always the way we expect, always in love and with ultimate restoration and glorification (Romans 8:28). Paul’s advice is essentially to take all worries that pop up, take them captive (2Corinthians 10:5), transform them into prayers, and then send them up. Release them to the Lord. Let go and let GOD. That’s the same advice Peter gave to us when he said to cast our anxieties on the Lord. Well, philosophers could speak of peace as tranquility in contrast with anxiety as if peace exists when anxiety does not, but the peace that surpasses all human understanding is the kind of peace that exists even during the most chaotic situations. Think of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego before being thrown into the furnace of fire, or Daniel while he was in the lion’s den. GOD’s peace is different from the world’s way of thinking. True peace is not found in positive thinking, good feelings, or even in absence of conflict. It comes from knowing that GOD is in control and this life is not all there is. Greco-Roman thinkers emphasized the value of being content and thus needing nothing more than oneself. Paul’s dependence, however, is on Christ rather than himself. Why? Because his trust was not in himself. And this brings us to ancient wisdom that Paul would have been quite familiar with:

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

Matthew 6:25-34 says, “25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Listen, it’s good to be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the moment. So many people are so worried about what the future holds that they aren’t even able to enjoy the beautiful moment they’re currently in. 

What is worry? Truly, think about it. What is worry? Well in that passage in Matthew 6:25-34, it is the same Greek word (used six times) that Peter used in 1Peter 5:7 when he told us to cast all of our anxieties on the Lord. Our English dictionaries define “worry” as the act of allowing your mind to dwell on potential or actual difficulties, troubles, or problems. So, we would be making our campsite in the negative. Is that really where you want to camp? Is that where you want to dwell? In 2019, Psychology Today published an article describing how a study revealed that 91% of all worries people allowed to dwell in their minds never even came to pass and were declared as false alarms. So, what is a worry? Well, 91% of the time, a worry is a false alarm. But isn’t it also to merely lack trust in the Lord? Should we allow 91% of false alarms to create a division in our devotion to the Lord?

So, in conclusion, what are you allowing your mind to dwell on and what are you practicing? What are you putting into practice? We must remain steadfast, being single-minded in the pursuit of our calling. To do this, we must trust in the Lord while consistently practicing righteousness.

1Corinthians 9:24-27 says, “24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

2Timothy 4:7-8 says, “7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Hebrews 12:1-3 says, “1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Galatians 6:9-10 says, “9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

[ I sent my message (above) to my brother, Jason White (TheArtistJ), and asked him to not only send me his thoughts in writing, but I also challenged him to create something from the black dot… ]

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TheArtistJ:

Let us consider the wondrous truth that through Christ, we can have a different perspective and outlook on life. In Romans 8:28, we find one of the most comforting verses in all of Scripture: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This means that even the trials and difficulties we face can ultimately be used for our good and for God’s glory. We can trust that He is in control and that He is working all things together for our ultimate good, and that really is only a perspective that those who hope in Christ can have.

This is the reason why Paul tells us “not to be anxious about anything” in Philippians 4:6, because if we are truly in Christ then He will work the situations for our good and His ultimate glory. That’s why in Psalm 55:22, we read “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” What an awesome promise! Once we cast our burdens on God, we no longer carry them alone. Just like in Exodus 17:12, when Moses’s hands grew heavy, Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under Moses, and he sat on it, while they both held up his hands until the sun went down and their circumstance had ended, which in that case was a battle. Likewise, God sustains us. We sit upon the ROCK, the firm foundation, who sustains us while we are heavy in spirit, lifting us up as our mediator, and our savior until the circumstances have passed. How awesome is Jesus!

God is a master at using even the most difficult circumstances to produce greater good in us and for us. As it says in Romans 5:3-4, “we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Through our trials and hardships, God is molding and shaping us into the people He has called us to be, meaning sanctification, as well as using the situation for His own glory.

Consider the life of Joseph as an example. He was betrayed by his own brothers, sold into slavery, and falsely accused of a crime he did not commit. Yet through it all, God was at work in Joseph’s life, preparing him to become a leader through these tough circumstances to become a source of salvation for his people. As Joseph himself said in Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Furthermore, the story of Joseph serves as a powerful illustration of our ultimate example of working bad situations for good: Christ. Just as Joseph was betrayed and suffered unjustly, so too was Jesus Christ betrayed and falsely accused. And just as Joseph ultimately became a source of salvation for his people, so too did Jesus Christ become the ultimate source of salvation for all mankind through His sacrificial death on the cross.

In the midst of our own trials and hardships, let us remember that we serve a God who knows our struggles intimately and who has overcome the world. As we look to Jesus Christ, our ultimate example, we can have hope and confidence that even in the midst of suffering, God is at work to bring about His ultimate purposes. That’s the perspective we are to have, the fact that our God is completely sovereign over all things. As Hebrews 2:8-9 reminds us, “For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him, But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of His suffering death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”

This means that even the events that may seem chaotic or beyond our control are ultimately under the sovereign hand of our God. Therefore, we have no real need to worry or be anxious about the future. Our God knows the end from the beginning, and He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Even in the midst of trials and difficulties, we can rest in the knowledge that God is in control and that He is using every circumstance to accomplish His perfect will.

So let us trust in the sovereignty of our God and lay aside all worry and anxiety, and do as Paul instructs in Philippians 4:8, to focus our minds on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. By dwelling on such things, we cultivate a positive perspective on life and are better able to navigate the challenges that come our way, because we know that God is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer, and nothing can separate us from His love, and we can rest and find peace in God’s sovereign care for us.

I’ll end with a poem I wrote years ago called “Perspective”:

You ever notice how beautiful a valley is when you’re seeing it from a higher perspective,
but it seems atrocious when it’s in your way and you have to travel through it to get to your objectives.
Look how awesome a storm is to behold when you’re not in the midst of it?
How wondrous a fire is when you’re not in the thick of it.
God’s sight is so much greater than our own, what we think is obscured He sees high above on His throne.
God cares for His own but sometimes His greatest work doesn’t come while sitting on a pew,
but it comes by molding us when our life seems skewed.
When seeking God’s face is all you can do. It’s in these valleys that He’s shaping us into something stronger and new.
When you’re closed in on all sides, looking up is your best view.
We want all of our prayers answered on our own cues,
but what if learning to trust and wait on God is the breakthrough.

BEFORE                                                                          AFTER

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Trenton:

Now, I don’t know why Jason decided to use that black dot for Jesus’s eye, but it seems perfect to me. It is just as Jason mentioned from Hebrews 2:9 in that “by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” That’s exactly what Jason’s illustration depicts. Jesus has His eye set on that black dot, that black hole of death because He came to conquer death and set us free from sin. And do you know what Jesus has His eye set on right now? You. Me. Remember that in Matthew 28:20, Jesus said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” And in Matthew 18:20, Jesus promised, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” And so our Lord is here with us right now.

In conclusion, James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

So, I want to challenge us today (myself included). What distractions are we holding onto that are causing us to be double-minded? What are we dwelling on? Where have we made camp? Have we made our camp in all that is negative while focusing on the black dot problem? Or are we camping in the solution of our Savior, placing our entire trust in Him? What black hole have we allowed to divide us from our devotion to the Lord? Both Peter and Paul told us to cast all of that on Christ! James told us to confess to each other so that we can receive healing and restoration. So, I challenge you to go confess to your local body with whom you fellowship and receive prayer for restoration of your mind and will. May the peace that surpasses all human understanding abide in you. Amen.

Contradiction? Who Killed Goliath?

A critic once claimed that the Bible contradicts itself regarding the death of Goliath.

The perceived problem and apparent contradiction is that 1Samuel 17:50-51 states that David cuts off the head of Goliath after striking him with the stone from his sling. However, according to 2Samuel 21:19, it was Elhanan the Bethlehemite who killed Goliath. So, who killed Goliath?

But where there are perceived problems and apparent contradictions, there are always Scriptural solutions. The passage in 2Samuel 21:19 is obviously a copyist error since the words “the brother of” are not in the Hebrew text. But what do I mean by that? This is substantiated by the fact that there is a parallel passage in 1Chronicles 20:5 that specifically says that Elhanan “killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite.” And this is why both passages say that “there was war with the Philistines again.” As in, after one that had previously occurred. Moreover, this is why 1Chronicles 20:8 concludes by saying, “These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.” Thus, there was more than one giant who had been slain.

Further, if the critic had examined 2Samuel 21 in proper context, he would have discovered that this battle was later in David’s years in the chronological timeline when both Saul and Jonathan were already dead (2Samuel 21:12). And he also would have noticed that David became weary in the battle and Abishai had to come help David (2Samuel 21:15-17). And finally, just like 1Chronicles 20:8, he would have read that there were other giants who “fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants” (2Samuel 21:22). Thus, proper context in the correct chronological timeline reveals that the corruption of the passage in 2Samuel 21:19 is traceable to the confusion by a copyist of several letters and words which, when combined in a certain way, could yield the reading found in the 2Samuel passage. And so this is probably an example of scribal dittography, which is a mistaken repetition of a letter, word, or phrase by a copyist.

The Bible is not guilty of a true contradiction between these two passages under examination because the perceived problem was easily resolved by additional information due to proper context and chronological timeline. A writer is only guilty of a true contradiction when two facts are affirmed that can’t both possibly be true at the same time and in the same manner. Multiple things must be considered before charging the author of a true contradiction. For example, it would seemingly be a contradiction to say, “the apple is red and the apple is not red,” but what if the author was referring to two different apples and didn’t bother spelling out that fact? Or perhaps the author had referred first to the skin and then to the pulp. Or maybe the author described the apple over a span of time, from when it was ripe and red to when it rotted and became brown. One must acquire a lot of information before concluding that a true contradiction is present, and writers often don’t supply more-than-necessary details. Authors should be considered innocent until proven guilty. This demand is not a special privilege for the Bible; rather, it is the way we handle all human communications in alignment with justice. Those who claim the Bible contains contradictions must prove the statements in question could not be resolved by additional information. Are their difficulties in the Bible? Yes. Are there perceived problems and apparent contradictions? Yes. Are there actual contradictions? No. The problem comes from the person reading GOD’s Word, not the Word itself; the mistakes are not in the revelation of GOD, but are in the misinterpretations of man.

Genuine mistakes have been found in copies of Bible text made hundreds of years after the autographs. GOD only uttered the original text of Scripture, not the copies. Therefore, only the original text is without error. Inspiration does not guarantee that every copy is without error, especially in copies made from copies made from copies made from copies. For example, the King James Version (KJV) of 2Kings 8:26 gives the age of King Ahaziah as 22, whereas 2Chronicles 22:2 says he was 42. The older age cannot be correct, or he would have been older than his father. This is obviously a copyist error, but it does not alter the inerrancy of the original. First, these are errors in the copies, not the originals. Second, they are minor errors (often in names or numbers) which do not affect any essential doctrine. Third, these copyist errors are relatively few in number. Fourth, usually by the context, or by another Scripture, we know which is in error. For example, Ahaziah must have been 22 because he was not older than his father. Finally, though there is a copyist error, the entire message still comes through. For example, if you received a letter with the following statement, would you assume you could collect some money?

“#OU HAVE WON $20 MILLION.”

Even though there is a mistake in the first word, the entire message still comes through -you are 20 million dollars richer! And if you received another letter the next day that reads like this, you would be even more certain:

“Y#U HAVE WON $20 MILLION.”

The more mistakes of this kind there are (each in a different place), the more certain you are of the original message. This is why scribal mistakes in Biblical manuscripts do not affect the basic message of the Bible or alter any essential doctrines – especially when there are more copies and earlier manuscripts for the Bible than we have for other antiquities of history, such as Aristotle or Alexander the Great. All difficulties in the Bible can be explained with critical thinking, which the critic seriously lacked in his presented argument because he neglected to do his due diligence as a detective. Also, all textual variants have been clearly notated in the margins and/or footnotes of our Bibles; none of them are hidden nor does any true Christian desire to hide them. The Bible is not only open to scrutiny, but it can stand under it. The Bible has withstood the criticisms of the greatest skeptics, agnostics, and atheists for centuries, and it is still able to withstand the feeble efforts of unbelieving critics today. The Bible does not contain any errors or true contradictions, only perceived problems and apparent contradictions that the confused critics often vomit out of their ignorant mouth-holes.

In conclusion, 1Samuel 17:50-51 and 2Samuel 21:19 do not contradict each other for two main reasons:

• 1Chronicles 20:5 is a parallel passage which reveals that Elhanan the Bethlehemite killed abrother of Goliath.
• Proper context of the chronological timeline reveals that 1Samuel 17:50-51 and 2Samuel 21:19 describe two different battles.

Therefore, the critic fails to prove a Bible contradiction yet again.

Picture Scripture: “GOD-Breathed” (2Timothy 3:16-17)

(2Timothy 3:16-17)
“16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

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Perceived Problem:
Paul wrote that “all” Scripture is given by inspiration of GOD. Some  people think that the word “all” should be replaced by the word “every.” Plus, some believe that the copula “is” should be placed after the remark concerning the inspiration of the Scriptures, not before. In doing so this can lead to the conclusion that some Scripture is not inspired.

Solution:
First, most versions translate this verse “All Scripture is God-breathed,” except those that translate this verse with the copula “is” after the word “God.” This makes it sound like there are some Scriptures that are not inspired of GOD (e.g., RSV, ASV), although the marginal notes in these translations give a more accurate rendering. But, most Bibles see the verse as reading “All Scripture is inspired of God.”

Second, concerning whether the word “all” should be translated “every,” some argue that it should on the grounds of, if the definite article is missing in reference to this word, the verse should be translated “every.” However, whenever the word “Scripture” [graphē] is used in the New Testament, it always refers to authoritative and inspired writings — never the opposite — with or without the definite article in Greek. This word is used of the Hebrew Scriptures (as in our present verse) or New Testament writings (2Peter 3:16).

Third, the Greek word for “inspired by God” suggests that GOD so guided the New Testament authors as to write the very word of GOD. As we notice in 2Peter 1:20-21, no prophecy of Scripture came about by the will of man but by the Holy Spirit moving (carrying along) the writers of Scripture to speak from GOD. The word for “moved” [phero] in 2Peter 1:21 is the same word used in Acts 27:15 where the ship which carried Paul was so caught up in a storm that they could not face the wind. They gave way to it, and they let themselves be “driven along” by the storm. This is true of the Holy Spirit inspiring the authors of Holy Scripture to write the Word of GOD. But if all the authors of Scripture were moved by GOD, then the words of Scripture were breathed out by GOD and without error, since GOD cannot err (Numbers 23:19; 1Samuel 15:29; Isaiah 40:8; 55:11; Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2; John 17:17).

Finally, even if it could be argued from the New Testament that not every use of “the Scriptures” refers to an inspired writing, nonetheless, it would not undermine Paul’s teaching (in this specific verse under examination) that the entire Old Testament is inspired of GOD. For the context makes it clear that the “Scripture” to which he refers is “the Holy Scriptures” (2Timothy 3:15) which Timothy’s Jewish mother and grandmother had taught him (2Timothy 1:5), and this could be none other than the whole Jewish Old Testament.

Inspiration:

The word “inspired” is the English translation of the Greek word theopneustos, which is a compound of the words theos and pneuma. The word theos is the word for God and the word pneuma comes from its root word pneo, which communicates the idea of the dynamic movement of air as to breathe hard or blow, like a gust of wind. Therefore, the word theopneustos means God-breathed.

For instance, the concept of this movement of breath can mean to blow air as through an instrument in order to produce a distinct musical sound. But there are also places in Scripture where it is translated to breathe or to emit a fragrance. And finally, this root word can be used to denote the projection of emotions, such as anger, courage, or goodwill. But when the root word becomes pneuma (as in this specific verse under examination), it carries a more profound range of meanings, including life, force, life-force, energy, dynamism, and power. The Jews considered the pneuma to be the powerful force of GOD that created the universe and all living things, and the force that continues to sustain creation. In the Old Testament, the pneuma of GOD would sometimes move mightily upon a person, enabling him to do supernatural feats.

And so this “inspiration” is the image of GOD breathing or emitting His own substance into something/someone. Just as a musician would blow in an instrument to produce a distinct sound, the breath of GOD moved through willing human participants who penned the Scriptures; consequently, they became the unique instruments through whom GOD expressed His heart and will. They were the physical writers of Scripture, but GOD — who is Spirit (John 4:24) — was the Great Musician who breathed through them. And each one of them produced their own distinct ‘sound’ according to their distinct personalities. Thus, the Bible is GOD’s message delivered through human writers to the human race.

Just as the word pneuma can carry the idea of a fragrance, the Word was breathed out from GOD and thus carries His very essence and fragrance within it. And since this word can also portray the projection of emotions, this tells us that GOD projected the totality of His emotion into the written Word when He inspired its writing. Therefore, the Word not only conveys an intellectual message, but GOD’s heart is revealed within that message.

It’s important to understand that the pneuma of GOD didn’t merely create the Scripture and then depart from it. This power — the same power that originally created and continues to sustain the universe — is still working inside the Word, upholding and empowering it to be just as strong as it was the day it was penned by “God-breathed” writers.

An example of this theopneustos (“God-breathed”) can be illustrated with a balloon. If I blow into a deflated balloon, the balloon will inflate. The blowing of my breath causes the balloon to fill up so that its true form becomes visible. After the balloon is fully inflated, I tie a knot at its base in order to trap the air within. And now the air that filled the balloon and caused it to take form becomes the substance that empowers it to sustain its form. And if the molecules inside the balloon were to be analyzed, my DNA would be discovered within. Likewise, GOD’s breath produced life-giving words until the end result was the finished work of the Bible. And if each human writer was a unique instrument, then the Bible is an entire orchestra that’s playing a heavenly symphony, which conveys a message of love from GOD to all humanity. Thus, GOD is the Great Composer and the Bible is His heavenly symphony.

Summary of Inspiration:

Since the GOD of the Bible is all-knowing (Psalm 139:1-6; 147:5), all-good (Psalm 136; 1Peter 2:3), and all-powerful (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 19:26), it follows that He would not inspire books for the faith and practice of believers down through the centuries and then fail to preserve them. Lost inspired books would be a lapse in GOD’s providence. The GOD who knows and numbers the stars by name (Psalm 147:4; Isaiah 40:26) and cares for the sparrows and numbers the hairs on your head (Luke 12:6-7) will certainly care for His Scriptures so that His Word will not be lost nor return void (Isaiah 55:11). In short, if GOD inspired the Scriptures (2Timothy 3:16), GOD will preserve them. GOD completes what GOD begins (Philippians 1:6; Revelation 22:13). To say that the Bible is not inspired because GOD produced and preserved His Word through finite and fallible humans is to try to change the definition of GOD to fit the finite and fallible flaw of the humans themselves. That’s why in Luke 18:27 it is written, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” The Bible is inspired because the very people GOD used to produce the Bible were inspired and guided by the infallible GOD. And if any books were written that were not inspired and contained heresies, wouldn’t GOD be able to communicate the heresies to His children via the Holy Spirit? In fact, that is what GOD did and that’s why there were apocryphal books that were rejected and never included as being inspired. GOD is Truth (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17); GOD is Light (Genesis 1:3; John 1:4; 8:12; 1John 1:5). When GOD shines the light of Truth into the darkness, the darkness cannot remain (John 1:5) and lies are exposed and Truth is revealed (Daniel 2:22; Mark 4:22; John 3:19-21).

The 66 books of the Bible were written over 1,600 years (from approximately 1500 B.C. – A.D. 100) by more than 40 people (kings, prophets, leaders, and common folk). The Old Testament has 39 books (written approximately 1500-400 B.C.). The New Testament has 27 books (written approximately A.D. 45-100). The text of the Bible is better preserved than the writings of Caesar, Plato, and Aristotle. A thorough examination of the Bible reveals that the 66 books within were/are inspired by GOD.

Equipped:

Verse 16 continues by saying that the inspired Word of GOD is profitable for teaching. The word “profitable” is the English translation of the Greek word ophelimos, which means helpful,  useful, advantageous, and profitable in the sense that it brings forth increase and is of benefit. The word “teaching” is the English translation of the Greek word didaskalia, which means doctrine or that which is taught from the teacher. This, of course, denotes the teachings we affirm and believe to be true. The Lord is the Teacher (Matthew 23:8; 26:18; John 13:13-14). Doctrine is the foundation of what we believe and it affects our worldview, impacts what we think, and determines what we believe is right and wrong. It guides us in life, determines our convictions and standards, and affects all of our actions and activities in life. Thus, the inspired Word of GOD will teach us what is true and it will be of great benefit to us, causing us to grow. It is for this reason that Jesus told us that if we establish our lives on His Word and act in obedience to His Word, then we will have established our lives on the firm foundation of Him who is the Rock, and we will not fall apart in the storm that we will certainly experience in life (Matthew 7:24-27). And Paul says that if Christ is our Teacher and Head of the body, then we won’t be carried about by every wind of false doctrine (Ephesians 4:14-15) because we will be secure in the true teachings of the Lord.

The inspired Word is profitable for reproof. The word “reproof” is the English translation of the Greek word elegchos, from elegcho, which means proof or evidence by rebuking another with the truth so that the person is convicted. We see an example of this same word in Matthew 18:15 when Jesus said, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private.” Thus, the inspired Word not only benefits the one who reads the Word, but also those who listen to the spoken Word.

The inspired Word is profitable for correction. The word “correction” is the English translation of the Greek word epanorthosis, which means to be reformed and straightened up again. The word literally means a restoration to an upright state. In Luke 13:11-13, we see a physical example of this when Jesus healed a woman who had been bent over for 18 years, and then she was made straight, able to stand erect. But the deeper meaning of epanorthosis is one of a spiritual reformation. In all sense of the word, it is a correction that adjusts someone who is spiritually bent or slumped over so that the person will come back into alignment with GOD’s will in an upright state.

The inspired Word is profitable for training in righteousness. The word “training” is the English translation of the Greek word paideia, which means educational or training instruction that a child would receive through disciplinary correction. In Hebrews 12:5-11, using the same word paideia, it is written that GOD the Father deals with us as children and disciplines us for our good so that we may share His holiness. And this, of course, is why it is training in righteousness. The word “righteousness” is the English translation of the Greek word dikaiosune, which is the character or quality of being right or just. It’s an attribute of GOD. As children of GOD, we are being trained to live holy lives, reflecting the Lord just as the Son reflects the Father (John 14:15; 15:10).

Verse 17 concludes by saying, “so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” The word “adequate” is the English translation of the Greek word artios, which means complete or perfect. This word stresses that in which nothing is maimed. It refers not only to the presence of all the parts that are necessary for completeness but also to the further adaptation and aptitude of these parts for their designed purposes. The word “equipped” is the English translation of the Greek word exartizo, which is a compound of the words ek (or ex) and artios. The word ek denotes origin, meaning from or out of. But the subtle changes in this compounded word produces an entirely new meaning: to equip fully, to thoroughly furnish. So, not only are the necessary parts present for completeness, but now as if coming out from perfection to finalization, it is thoroughly equipped, as if an advanced model, lacking nothing and equipped for everything. This ancient word was used to describe a ship that had been completely and thoroughly equipped with all the necessary equipment and gear so that it was able to sail anywhere in the world, complete and ready for any weather conditions it may encounter. Paul used this word to tell us that we are not prepared to set sail in life until the inspired Word of GOD has thoroughly equipped us for the journey.

In fact, the only other occurrence of this specific word in the New Testament is found in Acts 21:5: “When our days there were ended, we left and started on our journey.” In context, Paul had been sailing the Mediterranean Sea from Miletus toward Jerusalem with a group of fellow believers. The phrase “were ended” is the same Greek word and thus means their time at that location had been accomplished, completed, and brought to a state of finalization. Only then did Paul and Luke leave that location to set sail for their new destination. To illustrate this point further, In Acts 20:20-24, Paul declared that he taught the disciples the “profitable” Word, and that he was bound by the Spirit to travel to Jerusalem, being informed by the Holy Spirit that bonds and afflictions await him. But Paul said he was ready to finish his course. And then in Acts 21:11-13, fellow believers, through prophecy, informed Paul that he would be persecuted in Jerusalem and so they begged him not to go there. However, Paul answered, “For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul knew that he was traveling into a great storm; however, because the inspired Word throughly equipped him for the journey, he was already complete and lacked nothing, ready for everything.

In the beginning of the original disciples’ walk with Christ, they encountered a storm in an ill-equipped boat which matched their ill-equipped spiritual state (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25). The disciples reacted in fear and panic because they did not have GOD’s Word rooted within them. And because they did not have GOD’s Word as their firm foundation, they were not fully equipped for the journey. Even years later, the disciples had still not been fully equipped and so they broke apart in the storm of persecution in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50-52). But eventually, the disciples were all fully equipped and sailed boldly into the storm knowing that the Lord guides them through the valley of the shadow of death (Acts 4).

Conclusion:

The truth is that in this life we are going to be hated and persecuted (Matthew 10:22; 24:9; Mark 13:13; John 15:18-20; Acts 14:22; 2Corinthians 4:8-12; 2Timothy 3:12). So, do you have the inspired Word of GOD within you so that you may be thoroughly equipped for the journey?

The Artist J:

Have you ever stopped and thought about just how important the word of God is for a Christian? It is only because of the word of God that you can even become a believer in Christ. Although it is the substitutionary death on our behalf by Jesus that allows sinners to be forgiven by God the Father, it is in fact the hearing or reading of the WORD of the Gospel that the Holy Spirit uses to initiate our faith, allowing us to cling to Christ for that salvation. Without ever hearing the good news of Jesus placing our sins upon Himself and paying the wages of them, we would have never known the good news existed. If God hadn’t been faithful to preserve His word then people would have stopped being saved over 2000 years ago. Yet God is always faithful, and our faith is obtained through Jesus the same way today as it was then, hearing the words of God.

Romans 10:13-17 says “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

These verses are basically saying that people are saved through faith, but how are they going to put faith in someone who they’ve never even heard of? The only way they’ll put their faith in Jesus is by them reading or hearing the words of God spoken to them. You can’t believe in Christ without believing His word, because the word is the vessel that provides the faith to believe. It is the catalyst to salvation. The Holy Spirit uses the scriptures that He Himself inspired authors to write, in order for people to discern His good and perfect will, to separate what is true from what is false, to reflect your own sin and wickedness before God, yet also provide a comfort in knowing there is hope of salvation and redemption for those who have fallen short of those words.

Hebrews 4:12 says, ”For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

The word of God is living and active because the Holy Spirit is living and active, using the word to convict of sin and provide you knowledge to the means of life. The word of God gives life through the Spirit, and it’s only through the Holy Spirit that it can be understood.

John 6:63 says “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

In this verse Jesus says “The flesh is no help at all.” In context, Jesus was talking to His disciples because they could not understand something that he had spoken, and so He told them “It is the Spirit who gives life. Jesus was saying that in our flesh it is impossible to understand the word of God. The pharisees spent their entire lives devoted to trying to understand the word of God, and yet they crucified the very savior they were waiting for and were reading about. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the truth of God to a person.

Paul says in 1Corinthians 2:7-16, “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. ‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”

This passage is basically saying that the only way a person can understand the spiritual truths of scripture is if the Holy Spirit who is actively behind that scripture reveals it to that person’s spirit. So it doesn’t matter if you have a degree in theology like the pharisees, or happen to be the smartest person alive, unless the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to you then you won’t understand. Take Peter for example in Matthew 16:16-17. Peter was a simple fisherman, not trained in scripture like the pharisees had been for years, yet when Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was, Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah [Peter]! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

We as Christians stand on the word of God because it has power. It is actively alive because there is an actively alive Spirit of God moving behind the scenes on the hearts of those who hear it. Every time we speak the scripture we can know that it doesn’t return void, because the Holy Spirit is actively working as we speak the word. We’re just scattering seed. It’s not up to us to make it grow, because we have no ability to do so. We can nurture the soil and create a good environment for it to grow (discipleship), but ultimately we just share the word and the let God reveal it to the ones whom He wills to.

So what words in scripture are we to proclaim? Well, ALL scripture is the word of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. ALL SCRIPTURE.

Jesus Christ is the word. They’re one and the same. If you’ve read the scripture, then you’re hearing the words of Jesus Christ. John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Jesus was from the beginning, and Jesus is all throughout scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. Every word in scripture is for the purpose of revealing in some measure to the reader about Jesus Christ, and producing faith in you to believe on Him.

Take the book of Job for example. The book of Job in the Bible is more than just a book about a man who God allowed to go through hard times and then be blessed for going through it faithfully. The book of Job is at its very core a type and shadow, or you could call it a portrayal of Jesus Christ.

Scripture says Job was a man with great glory whom God Himself called blameless. God then brought him low by allowing the devil to throw everything he could at Job, to be tempted, surrounded by death and take on sickness, only for the devil to be defeated by Job in the end. God then tells Job to pray for his friends and God would not deal with them according to their foolishness for the sake of Job’s prayer. Then God restores Job to his former glory and gives him sons and daughters whom he gives an inheritance.

Can you think of anyone else in scripture that the story of Job sounds like? Can you think of anyone else who had ALL glory and was blameless before God only to be brought low, and humbled Himself to be tempted and take on all sin and death, and everything that the enemy could throw at Him and still come out victorious in the end, defeating Satan? Someone who then became a mediator, speaking on behalf of those who wronged Him to God the Father? Someone who prays for those who have sinned and were foolish against Him so that God may spare them, and God does spare them thanks to His prayers? Someone who God restored to His former glory, and gave Him a family who now has an inheritance thanks to this His obedience to God the Father? That other someone is JESUS CHRIST!

So in some form or fashion all scripture points to Jesus Christ and reveals to us that we have a savior who was willing to die in our place to save us from our sins, and adopt us as His own. All scripture is also for our own benefit and teaches and equips us to live righteously in a way that is pleasing God, by giving us examples and even mistakes of those who have put their faith in God before us.

So in closing, use all scripture to spread the good news of Jesus Christ and what He has done to save sinners!

Don’t feel like it’s your job to give somebody faith, but instead just be faithful yourself to do as God has commanded and share the Gospel, and just let Holy Spirit do His job of revealing the truth to their spirits.

Finally, God’s word is also for our benefit. It gives us hope, and rest, and peace, and life, and is full of promises that God has given us to stand on.

Proverbs 15:30 says, “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and GOOD NEWS refreshes the bones.”

What better news is there than the Gospel, (which means good news)? It refreshes the bones of its hearers. Dead men listen to the word of God and by the Spirit they believe and their dry bones come back to life, refreshed. Whenever we go out to share the Gospel we are always like Ezekiel in the Old Testament standing in front of a valley of dead and dry bones and nothing humanly speaking can be done to bring them back to life, except the message of Jesus Christ, the word of God! THE WORD OF GOD IS THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE DRY BONES REFRESHED!

What Is Love?

The following article is Lesson 3 from my book, Superhero University: The Ultimate Superhero Training Manual:

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Superheroes, having the correct understanding of what is good and right, are full of love, and they are compelled to act out from love. This is the only reason we can distinguish the hero from the villain. Spider-Man doesn’t save a falling person from splatting on the ground because he hates the person he saves, right? The superhero saves someone from danger/death because he/she has love for the person he/she is saving. In stark contrast, the villain performs acts of evil, not love. Again, evil is merely a privation of what is good; hatred is a privation or lack of love. It is written in James 2:8 that we are doing right by living a life of love toward others. But what is love? 

Love is not something we can have or hold like materialists would like us to believe. Not everything in life can be boiled down to materialism. Think about it: Can you describe the physical features of love or even the thought about love? How much does love weigh? Of what is the love molecule comprised? There is no infinity stone of love we can possess that can be contained in a gauntlet. In fact, of all the infinity stones Thanos (from the Avengers) had been able to collect that provided him with seemingly unlimited power and ability, it is evident that he lacked love, and that is why he had no qualms about murdering half of the created creatures in the universe—including his own daughter! In fact, Thanos had to sacrifice love in order to be able to obtain one of the infinity stones. Ultimately, Thanos traded love for power because he could not possess both. 

But what is love? And why do humans possess the capability to love? If love is not a material that can be weighed, or measured, how are humans able to possess love? How do we even know that love exists? Does love exist? We know that love exists—not because humans have defined the term—but because the Creator provided the definition of love and humans live by that defined divine design. 

Think about this: Oxygen—the air we breathe—exists whether humanity believes in it or not. In fact, oxygen exists even if humans call it something else. Humanity never created or invented oxygen; we merely discovered it. Likewise, love exists whether humanity believes love exists or not. Love exists even if humans call it something else. In fact, the definition of love is so confused by many humans because they believe it to be something it is not. Many people misuse the word love when they are actually referring to something else that love is not. And this is why it is important that the word love be clearly defined. 

(1 John 4:7–8, NLT)
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

(1 John 4:19, ESV)
“We love because he first loved us.”

Scripture makes sense. If GOD is love, then we would love because GOD first loved us because GOD created us. We are able to love because GOD is love and we are from GOD. If love is GOD, then we must know who GOD is so we can better understand what love is. So who is GOD? We will examine that in detail in Lesson 32, but for now suffice it to say that GOD is love and the absolute moral standard and therefore provides the definition of love (which we will soon examine and define). But we can also better understand love by examining what love is not. 

Love Is Not An Emotion 

Many people in the world claim that love is an emotion, but that simply isn’t true. Love affects our emotions and even causes us to produce emotions within us, but love is not an emotion in and of itself. You may claim that you can feel as if someone loves you, but love is not a feeling. 

Love Is Not Sexual Intercourse 

It is unwise to confuse sex for love and love for sex. Sex needs love to be relevant and meaningful; however, love does not need sex to be relevant and meaningful. A person can have sex with another person simply for the pleasure all while possessing no love for that individual. Examples of this, of course, is prostitution or rape. Such acts of sexual intercourse are meaningless because there is no love in the act of sex. That kind of sex serves a selfish purpose, but has no ultimate meaning. And of course, sex isn’t necessary for love to exist, to be relevant and be meaningful (I will expound upon this later when I define love). Now sex may be found in one of the definitions of love (Eros—I’ll get to this soon), but Eros is within the definition of love; love is ultimately selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. A distorted desire is often misconstrued, mistaken as love. It is unwise to confuse lust for love. 

Even if love is not an emotion, a feeling, or even the act of sexual intercourse, does it matter if love can be clearly defined? If so, why does it matter? Consider what is written: 

(1 Corin. 13:1–3, NLT)
“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”

The definition of love matters because GOD is love and GOD created us in His image (Gen. 1:27). For without GOD, love would not matter because life would ultimately be meaningless and purposeless. And if we are to be loving beings, it is important that we understand the definition of love. 

What Is Love? 

(1 Corin. 13:4–8, NLT)
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!”

Love Is an Action 

Though it is not specifically and solely the act of sexual intercourse, love is definitely an action; it is something we do. Read verses 4–7 again and take notice of the fourteen different active descriptions the Holy Spirit (via Paul) uses to define love (patience, kindness, etc.). It’s important to note that this is not Paul’s definition of love, but the definition of love written by Paul while he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

Love Is a Choice 

The fourteen active descriptions are actions that we choose to do or not to do. There’s a nonsensical saying that states, “You can’t help who you love.” But yes—you can! We get to decide if we love and who we will love if we decide to love. And this is because we have free will (discussed in Lesson 41). 

Also, there’s a saying that states, “I fell in love.” It sounds so romantic, but this is also nonsense. Love is not a hole or trapdoor we can fall in. You don’t fall in love any more than you fall out of love. Love is a choice. You choose to love. You choose not to love. People do not fall in love; people decide to love. People do, however, fall into the trapdoor of lust. When people talk about love at first sight, what they really mean is lust at first sight. Now is it possible to possess love for someone at first sight? General love? Yes. Complete love? No. Love in the sense that you want the best for someone? Yes. Love in the sense that you desire the best for someone despite all his/her flaws and mistakes? No. It’s not possible to love someone so deeply at first sight because you wouldn’t know the flaws and mistakes associated with the person. And how is it possible to truly love someone unless you love despite the flaws and mistakes? 

Love, in a nutshell, is the good you will show toward someone and/or others. It’s treating someone else with the qualities described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. Take the Supreme Superhero (Jesus) as an example (after all, the Savior is the definition of love and the ultimate example of love): 

(John 15:12–13, NLT)
“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

However, the Supreme Superhero goes even further by commanding us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43–48). And then the Savior did exactly that—Jesus went out and laid down His life for us by dying on the cross as our atoning sacrifice while being mocked, spat on, beaten, lacerated, and murdered by those who hated Him for no good reason. Love is caring more for others than for self because love is selfless. Love is sacrificial. Love is unconditional. 

Love Defined 

Unlike the English language, which uses the one word of love ambiguously, the ancient Greek language used different words to define the one word of love so that people wouldn’t be confused as to which definition of love should be inferred. Examine the four following words and their associated definitions: 

• Storge/stergo—This is a familial love such as the love of a parent toward offspring and vice versa. Devotion can be a key word associated with this type of love.

• Phileo—This love is companionable and relational. It means brotherly/sisterly love or friendship. It carries the idea of two or more people who feel compatible with each other.

• Eros—This is the word for sexual or romantic love. In fact, this is where we get the word erotic. This word implies a sexual demand. And because it is unwise to confuse lust for love, it is imperative that we not confuse lust for Eros. The passion and intimacy of Eros is to be confined within the covenant bond between husband and wife, as was designed by the Designer. Lust is only about the pelvic thrust, to seek pleasure and fulfill a selfish desire. Lust is committed only to fulfilling a distorted desire whereas love (eros) is committed to fulfilling the needs of the partner within the covenant union. Therefore, be wise: pursue love and reject thoughts produced from the lustful lair of the Liar—they are lies created in the cave of the contemptible con artist and Counterfeiter, the Salesman that is Satan. Don’t buy the lies. Even a lustful look is adultery in the heart (Matt. 5:28). Money can’t buy you love. And no—that’s actually not from the Beatles—it’s from the Song of Solomon 8:7.

• Agape—This is the highest and deepest level of love. This is the ultimate love and is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. This is the love of GOD. This is the type of love all superheroes should possess. 

(1 Pet. 4:8, NLT)
“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”

Love covers a multitude of sins? Is that true? Yes! In fact, that is exactly what Jesus did for us:

(Rom. 5:6–8, NLT)
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

For love, compassion is the key and empathy is everything: 

(Luke 23:34, NLT)
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

Jesus is able to see us as His precious people, not a pervasive problem such as a plague. The Savior sees us as eternal beings, not mortal enemies. The Supreme Superhero sees us as family who belong in His heavenly home, not failures to be flung in the fiery furnace. Hell is where evil belongs and will ultimately be quarantined, but GOD doesn’t desire for us to go to that awful place. In fact, the Lord desires for everyone to be saved and doesn’t take any delight in the destruction of the wicked (Ezek. 18:21–23; 33:11; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). 

Jesus is our awesome, ardent advocate who absorbed for us the penalty of sin. Apostle Paul assists us by providing an important reminder that helps us put people into proper perspective: 

(Eph. 6:12, NLT)
“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

It is of the utmost importance that all superheroes remember this: we are to hate evil/sin, but we are to love people. 

Conclusion 

1. Love never fails. 

(Song of Sol. 8:7, NLT)
“Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.”

2. Love perfects us. 

(1 John 4:12–18, NLT)
“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

3. Love is supreme. 

(1 Corin. 13:13, NLT)
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”

Reflection 

If you want to be a superhero, you must possess love and choose to love others. A superhero can only be a superhero if the hero first and foremost possesses love for others. Do you possess love for others? If not, you resemble a villain. But wait—is that a fair statement? Consider the words of the Supreme Superhero:

(Matt. 12:30, ESV)
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

The late and great Martin Luther King Jr. once posed a powerful question to the clergymen of Alabama in his renowned letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He asked, “So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?” 

And that’s not a fallacy of false dilemma—if we’re not loving others, then…we’re not loving people. Therefore, I implore everyone to examine the motives and intentions of each and every choice/decision you make. Are you able to recognize good from bad? Right from wrong? Are you living a life of love or hate? For if you’re not living a life of love, what are you doing and what is your life? I choose to live an extreme life of love (not lust), and I urge you to do the same. Don’t scatter. Be a gatherer. Ironically, the best way to be a gatherer of people is to scatter seeds of love. How many seeds of love can you sow today? 

So ask yourself, do you love others? From where did you get this desire to love? Do you feel compelled to act out from love? If so, why do you think that is? All superheroes possess love for people. If you love people, then you possess one of the qualities of a superhero and you just might be one someday! 

How Did We Get The Bible?

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below:

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I’ve already revealed why the Bible is the most unique book of all time, but how did the Bible come into existence? We already know it is a compilation of 66 books, written by about 40 different authors from about 13 different countries, but who decided which writings should be included? Why were some writings rejected and excluded? How do we know the specific selection of sacred texts are right? What if the rejected writings were actually right? How can we know if the Bible is reliable and accurate? We will soon examine such critical questions, but first it is important to understand how we got the Bible in its current format. 

Writing Materials:

The difficulty with discovering an ancient manuscript (a handwritten copy of the Scriptures) is primarily due to the perishable materials that had been used for writing at that time. The original documents are called “autographs.” The original documents have never been found; however, we should not expect to find them if the autographs were written on papyrus as expected. (And don’t worry — we will soon examine if all collected copies amount to a compilation of reliable and accurate historical documentation.) Papyrus was the most common writing material of that time period up until the third century. In fact, the English word paper comes from the Greek word for papyrus (papyros). The papyrus plant grew in the shallow lakes and rivers of Egypt and Syria. I’m not going to go into detail about how the reeds were stripped, cut, pressed, and polished, but papyrus became a suitable writing surface for the people living in those ancient days. The oldest papyrus fragment known dates back to about B.C. 2400. Biblical scholar, F.F. Bruce wrote that “it is only in exceptional conditions that papyrus survives for any length of time.” Indeed, it was difficult for any papyri to survive except in dry areas such as the sands of Egypt or in the caves such as the Qumran caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. (We will soon examine the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls.)

But of course there were also other types of materials used for writing. Parchment was writing material made from the skins of sheep, goats, or calves. Parchment scrolls have survived from about B.C. 1500. Vellum was a form of fine, high-quality parchment, often dyed purple. And the writing on dyed vellum was usually done with gold or silver. But there was also unglazed pottery, clay tablets, wax tablets, and even stones that had been chiseled. But as for the documents that required ink, historians have discovered that the people in those ancient times typically made ink from a compound of charcoal, gum and water. However, even better ink came from the gallnut. 

Without going into great detail about the “evolution” of the book format we have now, suffice it to say that books began by first being scrolls. Papyrus sheets were glued or sewn together and then rolled up to form a scroll. The average scroll was about 20-35 feet in length. But in order to make the papyrus sheets or parchments less bulky, and also easier to locate and read a specific text, the sheets were assembled in leaf form and written on both sides. This format was called the codex. 

The Canon:

But without the autographs (the originals), how was it decided which writings were authentic? How was it decided which books would become part of the Bible? This question relates to canonicity. The word canon comes from the root word reed (English word cane, Hebrew form ganeh, and Greek form kanon). The reed was used as a measuring rod and came to mean, “standard.” The third-century church father, Origen, used the word “canon” to denote what we call the “rule of faith,” the standard by which we are to measure and evaluate everything that may be offered to us as an article of belief. But later on, the term meant a “list” or “index.” As applied to Scripture, canon means “an officially accepted list of books.”

Before we discover why certain books were accepted and others were rejected, it is first important to bring clarity to the reason of either acceptance or rejection. The church did not create the canon; it did not determine which books would be called Scripture, the inspired Word of GOD. Instead, the church merely recognized, or discovered, which books had been inspired from their inception. A book is not the Word of GOD because it is accepted by the people of GOD. Rather, it was accepted by the people of GOD because it is the inspired Word of GOD. That is, GOD gives the writings its divine authority, not the people of GOD. Think of it another way. People do not determine if a mineral is a diamond; rather, they merely recognize the diamond for what it is. Certainly, there are tests that people conduct to ensure that the mineral is in fact a true diamond (carbon, cut, clarity, carrot, and color), but the mineral didn’t become a diamond because people labeled it as such. Instead, the diamond simply is and the people recognize it. Likewise, GOD’s Word simply is and the people recognized it as such through the process of elimination via tests for reliability and authenticity. 

But why have a canon? The Old Testament is the documented covenant GOD made with Israel (Exodus 24:7; 31:18; 34:1,28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 29:21; 30:10; 2Kings 23:2; 2Chronicles 34:30). The purpose of the Old Testament is to provide us with origin (GOD created) and explanation of mankind’s problem (sin separates us from the perfect Holy GOD). The entire Old Testament showcases GOD’s unfailing love despite mankind’s unfaithfulness and inability to live up to GOD’s perfect standard of holiness. In fact, the Old Testament exists because GOD wants every generation to know what happened and why life is the way it is on this Earth (Exodus 10:2; 12:14, 26-27,42; Leviticus 23:43; Psalm 78:4; Isaiah 41:4; 51:8; Lamentations 5:19; Joel 1:3). 

Bart Ehrman wrote that “most scholars agree that by the time of the destruction of the second Temple in 70 C.E. most Jews accepted the final three-part canon of the Torah, Nevi’im, and Kethuvim…. This was a twenty-four-book canon that came to be attested widely in Jewish writings of the time; eventually the canon was reconceptualized and renumbered so that it became the thirty-nine books of the Christian Old Testament. But they are the same books, all part of the canon of Scripture.”

Judaism is an ancient religion. The historical evidence clearly supports the theory that the Hebrew canon was established well before the late first century A.D., more than likely as early as the fourth century B.C. and certainly no later than B.C. 150. A major reason for this conclusion comes from the Jews themselves, who from the fourth century B.C. onward were convinced that “the voice of God had ceased to speak directly.” In other words, the prophetic voices had been stilled. No word from GOD meant no new Word of GOD. The last book written and recognized as canonical was Malachi (around B.C. 420). However, Christians of the early church believed the Old Testament was incomplete and that Christ Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies and thus brought completion and fulfillment. If the Old Testament described mankind’s problem, then the New Testament describes GOD’s solution to mankind’s inability to overcome the problem. The New Testament is not contradictory to the Old Testament, but complementary. 

Testing For Authenticity:

But why were some writings accepted and others rejected? From Scripture and church history, we can discern at least five principles that guided the recognition and collection of the true divinely inspired writings. 

1. Was the book written by a prophet, original apostle of GOD, or someone extremely close to an apostle? 
2. Was the writer confirmed by acts of GOD?
3. Did the message tell the truth about GOD? No book with false claims can be the Word of GOD. For reasons such as these, the church fathers maintained the policy, “If in doubt, throw it out.”
4. Do the writings possess the power of GOD to supernaturally change lives? The Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). 
5. Was it accepted by the people of GOD? Was it widespread and long-withstanding? The definitive evidence is that which attests to its original acceptance by the contemporary believers over a period of time.

It was apostolic authority, or apostolic approval, that was the primary test for canonicity, and not merely apostolic authorship. The closer the author to Jesus, the better. The closer the dating of the writing to the time of the apostles, the better. But the main reasons there was a need to recognize, collect, and organize the inspired Word of GOD into a New Testament canon was the needs of the early church and the attacks on the church. As early as the first century A.D., false doctrine had already been infiltrating the new church, and many of the letters in the New Testament were written to address those errors (Galatians 1:6–9; Colossians 2:20–23; 1Timothy 6:3-4; Titus 1:10–11). Apostolic writings circulated throughout the new churches in order to help new believers completely understand what to believe, what to reject, and how to respond in certain scenarios. 

Later on, after the apostles had passed on, leaving all the disciples to carry on the message by discipling others, the infiltration of false doctrine inundated the new believers. The rise of heretics, circulation of spurious writings, and the need for right doctrine on missions forced the churches to partner in councils in order to make an official list of accepted writings. For example, when the heretic Marcion published a sharply abridged list of ‘canonical’ books (around 140 A.D.), the need for a true canonical list became imperative. Many other churches had also used apocryphal books in services; consequently, the need to expose lies and reveal Truth was of utmost importance. And if that wasn’t enough, persecution forced the Christians to identify Truth. The edict of Diocletian (around 303 A.D.) called for the destruction of the sacred books of the Christians. Who would willingly die for a book that was perhaps religious, but not sacred or divinely inspired? Just as the Jews of Berea examined the words of Paul thoroughly in order to put his words into alignment with Truth (Acts 17:11), the early Christians were guided by Wisdom (Holy Spirit) to examine all writings thoroughly in order to stay in alignment with Truth. The Christians tried to salvage as much of their sacred literature as possible by turning over to Diocletian’s officers the less important texts that were not considered inspired by GOD. But the main reason a New Testament canon was needed was due to the amount of confusion spreading amongst the people.

Satan has been confusing and perverting the Word of GOD since the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1–4; Matthew 4:6). False teachers, the servants of Satan, try to appear as “servants of righteousness” (2Corinthians 11:15), but they will be known by their fruits (Matthew 7:16). The tactical approach of subtlety is Satan’s most effective method of stirring, steering, and stealing. And as the father of lies (John 8:44), Satan’s strategy has always been and will always be confusion via counterfeits. And for this reason, counterfeit-faiths have spawned from the father of lies. Such examples are Mormonism and Islam.

The Canon Recognized:

From the earliest disciples to the church councils, the inspired Word of GOD was set apart from all other writings. Ignatius (50-115 A.D.) indicated the difference between the importance of his writings and the writings of the apostles when he wrote in his letter to the Trallians. But even the apostle Paul himself separated his opinions from the inspired Word of GOD (1Corinthians 7:10-12,25; 2Corinthians 11:17). And even though apostle Paul differentiated between the Word and his opinions, he wrote that the Gospel of Luke is Scripture (1Timothy 5:18; Luke 10:7), while also quoting Deuteronomy 25:4 as Scripture. Thus, Paul gave the Gospel of Luke equal status as the book of Deuteronomy; they were both to be considered sacred Scripture. Yet apostle Peter wrote that Paul’s letters were authoritative and should be considered as Scripture (2Peter 3:16). Polycarp (115 A.D.), who was a disciple of John, along with other early church fathers referred to both the Old and New Testaments with a phrase like “as it is said in these scriptures.” In fact, Polycarp quoted the book of Ephesians in 125 A.D. and referred to it as part of the sacred Scriptures. Even Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.) wrote “it is written” before quoting from the Gospels. Irenaeus (180 A.D.), disciple of Polycarp, wrote against heresies and testified to the fourfold Gospel, as well as other books found in the New Testament. The Muratorian Fragment mentions Luke as the ‘third’ Gospel and then it mentions John. But it also mentions other books found in the New Testament as well. Origen, who studied under Clement of Alexandria also provided a list of New Testament books that is nearly the same as the 27-book canon eventually affirmed by the later church. But Athanasius (367 A.D.) gave a list of New Testament books that is exactly like our present New Testament. The point is that the inspired Word of GOD existed from the moment Jesus spoke because He was the Word (John 1:1,14). The disciples preserved and shared the Word. But eventually, churches came together in councils in order to make the New Testament canon official. 

The Canon Affirmed and Confirmed:

Over the years, people made lists of what writings they believed to be inspired, what they were unsure about, and even those they rejected outright. All the debate eventually led to a few church councils and one unanimous decision.

Eusebius (320-330 A.D.) accepted 22 of the books, but considered 5 of them to be doubtful: James, Jude, 2Peter, 2John, and 3John. 

Cyril of Jerusalem (350 A.D.) accepted 26 of the books, but excluded Revelation because he didn’t believe John wrote it. Cyril also wanted to include the Gospel of Thomas, but he was the only one who did. The Gospel of Thomas was an early second century pseudepigrapha. During the first few centuries, numerous books of a fanciful and heretical nature arose that are neither genuine nor valuable as a whole. No orthodox Father, canon, or council considered these pseudepigrapha books to be canonical. 

The Laodicea Synod (363 A.D.) accepted 26 of the books, but excluded the book of Revelation. 

Athanasius (367 A.D.) accepted all 27 books we now have as our New Testament. 

Gregory of Nazianus (390 A.D.) also accepted all 27 books we now have as our New Testament. 

The African Canons (393-419 A.D.) also accepted all 27 books we now have as our New Testament. 

Jerome (394 A.D.) also accepted all 27 books we now have as our New Testament. 

Augustine (395-400 A.D.) also accepted all 27 books we now have as our New Testament. 

The Carthage Synod (397 A.D.) accepted 26 books, but still had doubts regarding the book of Revelation. However, when the Carthage Synod met again in 419 A.D., they accepted the book of Revelation and thus all 27 books found in our present New Testament. 

Conclusion:

In regards to the pseudepigrapha writings, catechetical writings, and the apocryphal writings, it is important to remember the following four facts:

1. None of them enjoyed any more than a temporary or local recognition.
2. Most of them never did have anything more than a semi-canonical status, being appended to various manuscripts or mentioned in tables of contents.
3. No major canon or church council included them as inspired books of the New Testament. 
4. The limited acceptance enjoyed by most of these books is attributable to the fact that they attached themselves to references in canonical books, because of their alleged apostolic authorship. However, once these issues were clarified, there remained little doubt that these books were not canonical. 

Ultimately, the Holy Spirit guided multiple people to agree on the 27 books we now have as our New Testament. But no one conferred upon those books any authority which they did not already possess; rather, the writings were merely confirmed. The debates that occurred throughout history only filtered out the lies and revealed the Truth. And the Truth is that the Bible is the inspired Word of GOD. 

But if the Bible is the inspired Word of GOD, then all that is written should be reliable and accurate. But are the writings of the Bible reliable and accurate?