Difficult Bible Passages Archives - Page 5 of 6

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Difficult Bible Passages: 1 Samuel 16:14

Mar 24, 2014

This is a passage which bothers many folks – both believers and non-believers. It seems to make God the author of evil, or at least make him responsible for particular evil outcomes. The verse says this: “Now the Spirit of

On Adiaphora

Nov 15, 2013

OK, to save you scrambling for your dictionaries or your Greek phrase books let me spill the beans here: this term means ‘things indifferent’. In theological jargon, it refers to those things which are neither sanctioned nor prohibited by Scripture.

Difficult Bible Passages: Matthew 21:18-22

Oct 4, 2013

The cursing of the fig tree is a familiar yet problematic passage. At least for some it is problematic: why is Jesus cursing a poor fig tree? Why the temper tantrum and petulance? Does this not seem to fit in

Surrogacy and Scripture

Sep 17, 2013

As advances in Assisted Reproductive Technologies continue to take place, more and more couples are taking advantage of these new means to have children. Surrogacy is one such method. While there are various types of surrogacy now available, they all

Difficult Bible Passages: Matthew 22:11-14

Aug 8, 2013

This text is problematic for some because of its seeming harshness and lack of love. In a parable of Jesus a wedding guest comes, but is sternly rebuked for not appearing properly attired, and is kicked out of the wedding.

On Drinking the Cup

Aug 6, 2013

OK, another obscure title – but not too obscure for the biblically literate. I here wish to deal with an ongoing controversy about Christ, the cross, and the wrath of God. As I have written just recently elsewhere, there are

The Divine Last Laugh

Jul 28, 2013

When believers think about God’s attitude toward sinners, they will automatically and correctly think along these lines: God loves sinners and wants them to forsake their sin and come back into a love relationship with him. Yes God indeed does

Difficult Bible Passages: Psalm 105:15

Jul 23, 2013

This is another Bible passage which is not so much difficult as one which has been badly handled, poorly interpreted, and often wrongly applied. The verse in question is this: “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no

What a Lousy World

Jul 15, 2013

Some of you will recall the 1967 hit tune by crooner Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World,” later re-popularised in the 1987 Robin Williams film, “Good Morning, Vietnam”. Unfortunately for many millions of people, the Satchmo tune is not really

On Not Praying

Jun 23, 2013

Yes, this is an article about not praying. More specifically, it examines the question, ‘Is there ever a time and place to refuse to pray for someone or something?’ That may seem like a strange question to be asking, but

Difficult Bible Passages: Philippians 4:8

Apr 15, 2013

Like some of the other passages I have discussed in this series of articles, this is not really a “difficult” passage as such. But it is a passage which is very often misused, especially by the “positive confession” folks. They

Difficult Bible Passages: Luke 4:18-19

Mar 7, 2013

This passage as such is not so problematic – it only becomes so when one realises what Jesus is quoting from. He seems to cite half an Old Testament passage, omitting a crucial bit. And this crucial bit may appear

Difficult Bible Passages: Exodus 21:22-25

Nov 11, 2012

This passage is difficult in the sense that it is a contentious passage, partly because of the way different English translations render it, and how we understand certain Hebrew terms that are used. The real difficulty is the way this

Difficult Bible Passages: Mark 16:17-18

Jun 2, 2012

This passage is as much a misused passage as a difficult one. And its misuse can often be deadly. There have been a number of fringe Christians who have died because of its misuse and abuse. Often found in America’s

Is Physical Healing in the Atonement?

Apr 29, 2012

Divine healing proponents look to Isaiah 53:4,5 as proof that healing is to be included in the atonement. Indeed, almost all of the faith teachers appeal to this passage. The NIV rendering of the passage in question is as follows:

Time For Some Clear Thinking on Homosexuality and the Bible, Part One

Mar 28, 2012

I am absolutely appalled, alarmed and ashamed that so many people who claim to be Christian leaders and pastors are mangling Scripture, twisting theology, and dumbing down the churches as they jump in bed with the homosexual activists and push

Time For Some Clear Thinking on Homosexuality and the Bible, Part Two

Mar 28, 2012

A more detailed examination of Leviticus 18-19 is in order as we look at how some so-called Christian leaders mangle the Bible to push the homosexual agenda. Somewhat more general considerations were found in Part One of this article.

The Imprecatory Psalms, Part One

Feb 2, 2012

If you read the Psalter through in one sitting (which can be done) or at least read all 150 psalms in a concentrated period of time (which I have just recently done), a number of things will stand out. One

The Imprecatory Psalms, Part Two

Feb 2, 2012

In Part One of this article I offered some general considerations as to how the Christian might approach the rather troubling imprecatory psalms. To properly tease these ideas out it is worth looking at a few imprecatory psalms in some

Difficult Bible Passages: Judges 6:36-40

May 20, 2011

The difficulty of this text really lies in its application. Are Christians today to make use of this method when they seek to discover God’s will? The passage is the familiar story of Gideon using a fleece to find out

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We live in an age where we see evidence of cultural decline, the erosion of values, the decline of civility, the denial of truth and the elevation of unreason. Many people are asking, “Where is our culture heading?” This website is devoted to exploring the major cultural, social and political issues of the day. It offers reflection and commentary drawing upon the wealth of wisdom found in the Judeo-Christian tradition. It offers reflective and incisive commentary on a wide range of issues, helping to sort through the maze of competing opinions, worldviews, ideologies and value systems. It will discuss critically and soberly where our culture is heading. Happy reading!

Bill Muehlenberg

CultureWatch

Bill Muehlenberg's commentary on issues of the day...

Difficult Bible Passages: 1 Samuel 16:14

On Adiaphora

Difficult Bible Passages: Matthew 21:18-22

Surrogacy and Scripture

Difficult Bible Passages: Matthew 22:11-14

On Drinking the Cup

The Divine Last Laugh

Difficult Bible Passages: Psalm 105:15

What a Lousy World

On Not Praying

Difficult Bible Passages: Philippians 4:8

Difficult Bible Passages: Luke 4:18-19

Difficult Bible Passages: Exodus 21:22-25

Difficult Bible Passages: Mark 16:17-18

Is Physical Healing in the Atonement?

Time For Some Clear Thinking on Homosexuality and the Bible, Part One

Time For Some Clear Thinking on Homosexuality and the Bible, Part Two

The Imprecatory Psalms, Part One

The Imprecatory Psalms, Part Two

Difficult Bible Passages: Judges 6:36-40

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