One Verse Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jeremy Myers
Liberating Scripture from the Shackles of Religion … One Verse at a Time. Brought to you by Jeremy Myers and RedeemingGod.com
As we seek to follow Jesus, Paul invites us to walk as light in this dark world (Ephesians 5:7-14). He describes what this light looks like and what darkness looks like, and calls us to wake up and rise from the dead so that darkness can be transformed into light ... not just in your life, but in the world as well.
Do you want to live in peace with God and others? Do you want help making decisions and living in relationships with others? The key is simple: LOVE. It is all about love. This is the truth of Ephesians 5:1-6. All you need is love!
How do you deal with sin? Most try to shove it down and control it. But Paul shows us that to deal with sin, we must accept it and forgive it. Then we can redirect it toward something healthy. Listen to this podcast on Ephesians 4:31-32 to learn more.
Christians often think that bad language consists of certain four-letter words. In Ephesians 4:29-30, Paul show us bad language REALLY is. And most Christians engage in it all the time. As a result, we are constantly grieving the Holy Spirit.
Are you a thief? You maybe do not rob banks, but there are probably ways you do steal. So stop it! In this study of Ephesians 4:28, we consider several ways you might steal, and what Paul says about how to stop stealing.
What should we do with anger according to Ephesians 4:26-27? Paul says it is okay to be angry, but we must get rid of it quickly so that it does not lead to sin. But anger itself is not sinful. So be angry! But use it in the right way.
Sometimes we think that lies and half-truths aren't that big of a deal. But in Ephesians 4;25, Paul instructs us that lying and deceit is one of the first sins we should get rid of because it damages ourselves and others.
Do you want to change something in your life? Do you want to get rid of something from your old way of living? The way ahead is quite simple—it’s not easy—but it is simple—learn from Christ, hear Him and be taught by Him. Let Him walk with you through the house of your life to clean it up and turn it into what He wants. Your life will never been the same. Ephesians 4:20-24 shows how Jesus teaches us to put off the old man and put on the new.
In Ephesians 4:17-19, Paul seems to condemn all Gentiles for certain beliefs and behaviors. But is this really what the gracious Apostle to the Gentiles is doing? No. Listen to this study of Ephesians 4:17-19 to learn more.
This podcast episode provides a preview of the audiobook by giving you Chapter 5: What a Non-Violent View of the Atonement Reveals about Scripture.
In this podcast episode, you will learn how to read and understand the violent portions of Scripture in light of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
When people think of church growth they think of a church that has more people attending on Sunday morning services, or getting more money in the tithing plates, or adding a wing to the church building. But according to Ephesians 4:15-16, true church growth occurs when people develop spiritually into Christlike maturity.
In Ephesians 4:14-16, God, through the pen of Paul, provides some clear instructions on what the church is supposed to do. There are two parts to these instructions of God about the task of the church, and so we will consider them in two different studies. This study will look at Ephesians 4:14, and the next one will look at Ephesians 4:15-16.
In Ephesians 4:13, Paul provides the best church growth model in history, which was provided by God. Namely, Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:13 provides the three dimensions of this church growth model, the width of unity, the depth of maturity, and the height of Christ-likeness.
When you think of the work of the ministry in the church, what do you think of? Most people think of the work that pastors and missionaries do. But in Ephesians 4:12, Paul shows us that the work of the ministry is not done by church leaders, but rather by the people of the church. In this study of Ephesians 4:12, you will learn how you can get involved in the work of the ministry.
If you want the church to grow, it is important to know the four spiritual gifts that God has provided to guide the church into proper church growth. Paul reveals these four roles in Ephesians 4:11, and this study explains what these four roles are and how they work to lead the church into church growth.
Do you want church unity? In Ephesians 4, Paul tells us how. Here is what Paul is saying about how to develop unity in the church:
Ephesians 4:1-3: Check your own attitude first. Ephesians 4:4-6: Focus on all the things you have in common. Ephesians 4:7-10: And regarding the things you do NOT have in common, praise Jesus for those, because He made you all different by giving you different gifts.
In Ephesians 1-3, Paul explained that God has given us great spiritual riches so that we can lead the world into peace. In the first part of Ephesians 4, Paul tells us Christians that the first way we can show the world how to live in peace is by living in peace with one other.
This begins, as we learned in the last study, by looking to our own heart first and developing certain attitudes of the heart.
In this study, we learn that as we seek to live in peace with other Christians, we should focus on seven key truths that all Christians have in common. When we focus on what we have in common rather than on on what divides us, we will begin to create peace in our midst.
Everyone wants unity, but nobody really knows how to achieve it.
Most people today seem to think that unity requires conformity. We think that unity is achieved when everybody thinks the same way, talks the same way, dresses the same way, and has the same opinions. Where differences occur, division results, and unity dies. And some people seek to achieve unity by silencing and cancelling those who have different opinions.
You see, when we are in a conflict with someone, we think it is the responsibility of the other person to change their ways, so we can get along with them. We point at their faults and what they said, or what they did, and say that if there is going to be peace, they have to change. Paul challenges all of this in Ephesians 4:1-3. In these verses, Paul shows how we can have unity with others even when there is disagreement.
Have you ever tried to actually love your enemies? It's next to impossible, isn't it? In Ephesians 3:18-21, Paul provides two ways that we can learn to love our enemies. These seem impossible as well, until we understand what Paul is actually saying about how to love our enemies.
In Ephesians, Paul has instructed his readers to live at peace with people they used to hate, and to begin loving their enemies instead. This is much easier said than done, so in Ephesians 3, Paul shows how he himself is doing this, and how his readers can follow in his example in loving their enemies, just as Jesus did. This is what we begin to learn in Ephesians 3:14-17.
Are you happy with the current state of the world? Do you wish things could change? Do you want the world to improve? Do you want to fix the world? In this study of Ephesians 3:8-13, we discover Paul's solution for how to fix the world. It's a shocking, challenging proposal, but it is the plan that God has put in place since the beginning of time, and it is the only plan that God has. There is no Plan B.
In Ephesians 2, Paul encouraged his readers to live in peace with people they used to hate. Since this is much easier said than done, Paul begins Ephesians 3 by showing how he himself is living in peace with those who used to be his enemies. Indeed, Paul is prison as a result of his stand for peace, but Paul knows that this will only serve to prove the truth of what he is teaching. Paul leads by example, just as we, the church, are to be an example to the world. This is what we begin to learn in this study of Ephesians 3:1-7.
Strife, division, and hostility are not new in our day. They have been present since the beginning of the world when Cain killed Abel, or even before that when Adam blamed Eve for why he ate the forbidden fruit. Blame, accusation, violence, and death are the foundational characteristics of our culture. But it does not need to be that way, and this is not what God wants. God calls us to live differently in this world, and Jesus showed us how this could be done. In Ephesians 2, Paul explains how Jesus showed this to us and how we should live in light of what Jesus showed us.
Ephesians 2:18-22 is the final section in Ephesians 2 which shows us how God brings peace and unity to this world through the church. If we want peace and unity in this world, then it begins by living in peace and unity with other members of the family of God. Ephesians 2:18-22 shows us how this happens.
Vaccinated or unvaccinated? Surprisingly, Ephesians 2:13-17 speaks to the issue. Sort of. In this study of Ephesians 2:13-17, we begin with a question from a reader about COVID vaccinations, and then turn to our ongoing study of Ephesians, where we discover that Jesus actually revealed to us what to do with people who have different views than we do, whether they are religious, political, social, or cultural differences, or even whether they are views about vaccination status.
There were six things that caused division and strife between Jews and Gentiles. Paul discusses these in Ephesians 2:11-12. These same six things are found in various ways today in our culture and country. As we learn how Paul wanted the Ephesian Christians to respond to these sources of division, we can learn to live at peace with others today as well. All of this is covered in this study of Ephesians 2:11-12.
Did you know God has prepared good works for you to do? In this study of Ephesians 2:10, we look at what these good works are, when God prepared them for you, and how this explanation of Ephesians 2:10 fits within the overall message of Ephesians 2. Prior to that, we will also answer a question from a reader about baptism in the Bible.
I firmly believe that the Bible teaches that we receive eternal life by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. But is that what Paul is teaching in Ephesians 2:8-9 when he writes, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"? Though many Christians think so, I do not. This study of Ephesians 2:8-9 will explain what I think Paul is really talking about in these verses.
As we continue our study of Ephesians, this study considers Ephesians 2:5-7 and the meaning of the word "salvation." We see that a misunderstanding of the word "salvation" leads to a misunderstanding of the entire chapter of Ephesians 2. But when we properly understand what "salvation" means in context, we can then better understanding the whole of Ephesians 2.
Trivia time! What's the biggest but in the Bible? We will discover the answer to that question today in our study of Ephesians 2:4. I will also answer a quick question from a reader about the topic of Calvinism.
Ephesians 2:1-3 explains the greatest problem humanity faces on this earth. Ephesians 2:3 reveals the root cause of this problem, and how it leads to the destruction of humanity. This podcast study explains all of this from Ephesians 2:2. Before that, however, we look at a question from a reader about Critical Race Theory.
Do you understand what is going on in the world? You would, if you understand the real problem with humanity. Ephesians 2:2 begins to show us what this problem is. The verse contains three phrases that point to one single reality as the identity of our problem. Before we get to our study of Ephesians 2:2, however, we will be answering a question from a reader about hell and ultimate reconciliation.
Ephesians 2 is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied chapters of the Bible. This study provides a brief overview of how to understand Ephesians 2, and then takes a deeper look at Ephesians 2:1 as an introduction to the chapter. We also discuss a question from a reader about the problem of peace in the Middle East.
Do you feel exhausted and overwhelmed by life? Is sin and temptation beating you at every turn? Do you feel defeated and ineffective in your attempts to follow Jesus in discipleship? If so, then the truths of Ephesians 1:20-23 are for you! These verses reveal that you have all the power of God at your disposal. Therefore, you can be victorious in your Christian life! This podcast study on Ephesians 1:20-23 also includes a discussion about crusade evangelism like those put on by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Greg Laurie.
Ephesians 1:15-19 contains a list of things that Paul prays for. Seeing this helps us know what we can pray for as well. In fact, I do pray for these exact things, not only for myself, but also for everyone who reads my writings or listens to my teachings. So join me in this study of Ephesians 1:15-19 to discover what I pray for you! Before we get to that, however, we answer a question from a reader about what is going on in life and whether or not he will ever bear fruit again for the kingdom.
What is the sealing of the Holy Spirit? What does it do, how is it received, and how can you know that you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit? These are the questions we answer in this study of Ephesians 1:13-14. We also consider a question from a listener about Calvinism and the fear of changing theological beliefs.
What is the sealing of the Holy Spirit? What is the filling of the Holy Spirit? How are they different? These are the questions we will answer in this study of Ephesians 1:13. We will also look at a question from a listener about why I changed by beliefs about hell.
What is the mystery that was hidden for generations, but is now revealed in Jesus? And what is salvation? Is salvation when we get eternal life so we can go to heaven when we die? These questions will be answered in this study of Ephesians 1:9-13.
Christians love to sing and talk about redemption and forgiveness, but strangely, few Christians really know what the Bible teaches about these two topics. We look at both terms in this study of Ephesians 1:7-8. Though we are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, this does not mean that the blood of Jesus was used to pay God for our sins. God does not need to be paid off. He is not the mafia who demands payment for protection. Instead, the redemption of Jesus shows us how to live free from sin, which is what the forgiveness of God shows us as well. Listen to this study on Ephesians 1:7-8 to learn more.
Do you know what it means to be adopted? Of course you do. We all know people who have adopted children. Maybe you have adopted a child, or maybe you yourself are adopted. But did you know what the modern form of adoption has almost no similarities with adoption in biblical times? If we don't know how adoption worked in Bible times, we will misread and misunderstand Scripture. This study on Ephesians 1:5-6 explains how adoption worked 2000 years ago, so that we can better understand Ephesians 1:5-6.
Have you ever struggled with predestination? This study of Ephesians 1:5 will define predestination and will help you find great encouragement in the truth of predestination. We will also look at the current event topic of racism in a Bible College, and answer a question from a reader about the Parable of the Ten Talents.
Ephesians 1:4 provides us with the the who, what, and why of election. If you have ever been confused about election and why God chose certain people, this study of Ephesians 1:4 will clear up the confusion about election and provide you with some encouragement about what to do with the fact that you have been chosen by God.
Does God forgive suicide? Spoiler alert: YES! And what is Paul referring to in Ephesians 1:3 when he writes about heavenly places? Is that heaven or something else? These are a few of the questions that get addressed in this episode of the Redeeming God Podcast.
In this podcast episode about Ephesians 1:2, we discuss the gun violence and the shooting in Boulder, CO this week, answer a question from a reader about the warning passages of Hebrews, and take a detailed look at Ephesians 1:2, in which we discover two of the greatest blessings we have from God.
I am returning to verse-by-verse studies through books of the Bible. We begin in this podcast episode with Ephesians 1:1. The episode also contains a brief discussion of the humanitarian crisis at our southern border, and also a question from a reader about how to understand the violence of God in various biblical passages. Listen to the podcast for these two sections.
In this podcast episode, I discuss how to avoid hypocritical thinking in politics, answer a listener question about Jude 4, and discuss what the eternal fire in Jude 7 refers to.
Along with an explanation of Matthew 21:31 and why tax collectors and prostitutes are closer to the kingdom of God than religious leaders, this podcast study also looks at the election fraud cases that will be considered by the Supreme Court, and answers a question from a reader about whether or not faith is mental assent.
Money! Money! Money! It's the money episode! In this podcast study, I talk about cryptocurrency, a reader email about tithing, and the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19:16-24. We see that Jesus was NOT telling the young man that he had to give up all his money in order to go to heaven. The story is about something else entirely.
In this Redeeming God Podcast episode, we discuss the Second Impeachment of President Trump, a question from a reader about the warning passage of Hebrews 6:1-8, and then look at Matthew 16:19 and what Peter did with the keys of the kingdom that he received from Jesus.
This podcast considers the GameStop event, a reader question about pornography and masturbation, and the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 to show why this parable does NOT endorse capitalism.
In this podcast episode, we look at what to expect from a Biden/Harris administration, how to know you have not committed the unforgivable sin, and a parable from Jesus that speaks to both issues (The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares in Matthew 13:24-30).
Items discussed in this podcast about Matthew 13:1-23 and the Parable of the Four Soils: -The Impeachment of President Trump 2.0, and his unlawful ban from social media -A letter from a reader about Calvinism -The Parable of the Four Soils in Matthew 13:1-23
This Redeeming God podcast episode contains My thoughts on the election protest, How to know you have eternal life and why God is not just.
1 Corinthians 15 does not contain the entire gospel. Nor is it a comprehensive list of what a person must believe to receive eternal life. To the contrary, how to receive eternal life is not even in view. Eternal life is assumed, and some elements of the gospel are proclaimed to help those who already have eternal life live in light of it.
The gospel in Romans is the same gospel we have seen elsewhere in the New Testament. It is a message for both unbelievers and believers. Unbelievers should place faith in Jesus for justification and eternal life; believers should live a life of faith so that the power of God can deliver them from the power of sin in their lives.
So what is the gospel in the Gospels? The gospel in the Gospels primarily focuses on discipleship truths about how to follow Jesus so that His rule and reign expands in our lives and upon the earth.
Colossians 1:15 and Colossians 2:9 invite us to understand God (and ourselves) by looking at Jesus. Jesus is the core and central revelation of God. If you want to know what God is like, just look at Jesus.
The truth presented in John 5:19 is that Jesus perfectly reveals God to us. Jesus says that He only does what He sees the Father doing. In all of the earthly ministry of Jesus, Jesus did nothing that God was not already doing, and which God would not do. Jesus imitates God and only acts in the manner that God would act.
In John 17, Jesus prays for Himself, for His disciples, and for all who would believe in Him. One constant theme throughout His prayer is glory. What is this glory, why is Jesus praying for glory, and how do we receive this glory?
In John 15:1-8, Jesus talks about the importance of the branches abiding in the vine in order to produce fruit. If branches do not produce good fruit, they will be burned. Is Jesus saying that if Christians do not have good works they will be sent to hell? No! Not at all. Listen to the study to see what Jesus IS teaching and why this is important for properly understanding the gospel.
In Matthew 13:22-24, Jesus talk about he fourth soil in the Parable of the Four Soils, and says that only this fourth soil produces good fruit. Does this parable show us how to tell true Christians from false Christians, or how to know who truly has eternal life? No! Not at all. Listen to the study to see what Jesus IS teaching and why this is important for properly understanding the gospel.
In Matthew 12:33-37, in the context of warning the religious leaders about the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, Jesus talks about good fruit and bad fruit. Is Jesus telling people to look at the lives of other teachers to see if they have good works? No! Not at all. Listen to the study to see what Jesus IS teaching and why this is important for properly understanding the gospel.
In Matthew 7:15-19, Jesus tells His disciples how to tell good teachers from bad teachers. He tells them to look at the fruit. Is Jesus telling people to look at the lives of other teachers to see if they have good works? No! Not at all. Listen to the study to see what Jesus IS teaching and why this is important for properly understanding the gospel.
In Matthew 3:8-10, John the Baptist invites his audience to bear fruit worthy of repentance. Is he talking about good works? No, the context indicates that the good fruit does not refer to good works, but to good words that are in alignment with Scripture. This is important for properly understanding the gospel.
I interviewed Lucas Kitchen today about his book Naked Grace. In this book, he tells the story of how he discovered the truth about grace, and why it is so important for you and I to learn these truths as well. If you have questions about eternal life, the message of the gospel, what it means to follow Jesus as a disciple, or how grace helps us defeat sin in our lives, listen to this interview.
Lots of people are very confused about the topic of Forgiveness in the Bible. This study looks at what the book of Acts teaches about forgiveness, and in this way, we see a glimpse of what the Bible teaches about forgiveness. This study is an excerpt from from my Gospel Dictionary online course.
There is great confusion among Christians about the unforgivable sin. Jesus talks about it in Matthew 12:31-32. This brief study summarizes what the unforgivable sin is, and how you can know you have not committed it. This study is an excerpt from my Gospel Dictionary online course.
In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul writes about the flesh. What does he mean by this term? Is it just our physical body? Is it the sin nature? Is it the human tendency to engage in sensual pleasures? The answer is NO to all these questions. Listen to this study to find out what Paul means by the term FLESH.
In Galatians 5:19-23, Paul writes about the flesh. What does he mean by this term? Is it just our physical body? Is it the sin nature? Is it the human tendency to engage in sensual pleasures? The answer is NO to all these questions. Listen to this study to find out what Paul means by the term FLESH.
In 1 Corinthians 15:35-58, Paul writes about the flesh. What does he mean by this term? Is it just our physical body? Is it the sin nature? Is it the human tendency to engage in sensual pleasures? The answer is NO to all these questions. Listen to this study to find out what Paul means by the term FLESH.
in 1 Corinthians 3:1-4, the flesh is not described as sensual living, or any sort of “sin nature,” but is instead the religious mindset that causes people to condemn and accuse others in God’s name. It is a religious sense of superiority based on external behaviors such as ecstatic utterances and fervent conformity to religious laws.
In Romans 6-8, Paul writes about the flesh. What does he mean by this term? Is it just our physical body? Is it the sin nature? Is it the human tendency to engage in sensual pleasures? The answer is NO to all these questions. Listen to this study to find out what Paul means by the term FLESH.
This study of Ephesians 6:18-20 looks at the final piece of equipment for the Christian on the field of spiritual battle. We see what this piece of equipment was for the Roman Soldier, what it is for the Christian soldier, and how we can use it to send messages to God and receive messages from Him.
In Ephesians 6:17, Paul writes about the sword of the Spirit, and equates it with the Word of God. This study explains how to take up and use the Sword of the Spirit. We first consider how the sword worked for the Roman soldier, then what the sword is for the Christian, and finally, how we can take up and use the Sword of the Spirit in our daily lives as followers of Jesus.
Despite what many think, the helmet of salvation in Ephesians 6:17 is NOT when we know we have eternal life. The word salvation means something different. In this lesson Ephesians 6:17, we see how the helmet worked for the Roman soldier, how it works for us a Christians, and how to put on the helmet of salvation.
This study looks at the shield of faith in Ephesians 6:16, which is another part of the armor of God. We first consider how the shield worked for the Roman soldier, then how the shield works for the Christian, and finally, how we can take up and use the shield of faith in our daily lives.
In Ephesians 6:15, Paul writes about having our feed shod with the readiness of the gospel of peace. In this study, we learn what the sandals were for the Roman soldier, what the sandals are for Christians, and then how we can wear the sandals as we follow Jesus into the world.
The Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14b) is the second piece of the armor of God. This study explains how we can wear the armor of God in spiritual warfare. We look at how the breastplate worked for Roman soldiers, what it is for the Christian, and how we can put on the breastplate of righteousness and wear it as we follow Jesus into battle.
When Paul turns to write in Ephesians 6:14 about the spiritual armor we are to wear, he begins with the belt of truth. With the very first piece of armor, he tells us that God has given us something to help us break through all the dark lies of Satan, and his deceptive twisting of the truth.
According to Ephesians 6:12, we are not to struggle against humans, but against spiritual enemies. This study on Ephesians 6:12 explains what it means to wrestle against these spiritual enemies, and also what Paul means by the four titles of spiritual enemies that he mentions.
When it comes to Spiritual Warfare, we need a plan of attack. Ephesians 6:11, 13, provide the Battle Plan. By seeing the three elements of this plan, we can stand strong against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:10 is the opening statement to the instructions of Paul about how to put on the armor of God for spiritual warfare. It contains important introductory information about this battle we find ourselves in.
Dan Kent has written a fantastic book about humility. You might think the topic sounds boring (so did he!), but he has discovered something about humility which makes a lot of sense and helps us better understand what humility is, and how to live humbly in this life.
There are five warning passages in Hebrews. Two of them, Hebrews 6:7-8 and Hebrews 10:27, are often used to teach that Christians can go to hell if they turn away from Jesus or stop believing the truth. But is that what the author of Hebrews is saying? No. A careful study of the context reveals what the author IS teaching.
By carefully studying the context of 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, we learn that the references to fire, vengeance, and everlasting destruction in this passage are NOT warnings about people suffering forever in the burning flames of hell. There is a dire warning here, but it is not about everlasting punishment in hell.
The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is probably the premier passage in the Bible that convinces people about the reality of hell as a place of eternal suffering and torment. But is this really what Jesus is teaching in this text?
Many believe and teach that the imagery of unquenchable fire and corrupting worm in Mark 9:42-50 refers to the suffering and torment of unbelievers in everlasting hell. But is this what Jesus meant? No. This article looks at the context and the verse that Jesus quotes, Isaiah 66:24, to see what Jesus really meant.
Some think that the everlasting fire of Matthew 25:41 refers to eternal torture in the pit of hell. But this is not what Jesus meant. When the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24-25 is studied in order and in context, we see that Jesus is teaching something much more serious and practical for how to live our lives TODAY.
When Jesus speaks of a fiery hell in Matthew 18:8-9, is He warning people about being tortured forever in flames of fire? No. The context makes it clear what He is referring to.
Does the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares in Matthew 13:24-40 teach that some people will go away to everlasting torment in a furnace of flames where they will scream and suffer and wail and gnash their teeth for all eternity? No.
Some think that the unquenchable fire of Matthew 3:10-12 refers to hell. But the context shows that this is not what John the Baptist had in mind at all. The context clearly shows he is referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in 70 AD.
Isaiah 33:10-16 is a text which helps us understand all the fire imagery in the Bible. It shows what the fire does, where the fire comes from, what goes into the fire, and what happens to the things that are burned by the fire. In the end, we learn that this passage is not about hell.
James 3:6 and James 5:3 help us see that hell is not a place of everlasting torture for the unbelieving dead, but is instead a kingdom of destruction here on earth now. It sets our lives on fire now. As such, the kingdom of hell is set in direct opposition to the kingdom of heaven as founded by Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus, we must live and operate according to His kingdom, rather than the kingdom of hell.
The image of the Lake of Fire in the book of Revelation has caused much consternation about the living conditions for the unredeemed dead. The thought of swimming around forever in a molten lake of lava is extremely distressing. So what is the Lake of Fire? Is it hell? This article shows what (and where) the Lake of Fire actually is.
Is hell a good translation of the Greek word hades? No. It is not. While the most basic meaning for hades is similar to sheol, the grave, further development in the New Testament era reveals that hades can primarily be understood as the power of despair, decay, and destruction that enslaves human beings in this life.
This study considers the words 'abyss' and 'tartarus' to see if they teach us about hell. The answer is that they do not. Neither word tells us about the dwelling place of the unregenerate dead for all eternity. Unbelievers will not spend eternity suffering in the abyss or in tartarus.
The outer darkness in Matthew is NOT a reference to hell, but is instead a way of describing the profound shame and regret that some Christians will experience when Jesus returns physically to this earth. Rather than celebrate in the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, some Christians will be in the darkness outside the party. This article explains more.
This study is pulled from my book, What is Hell? This study shows that Gehenna was an actual place that existed in the days of Jesus (and still exists today), and so when we understand what Gehenna was, we better understand what Jesus was teaching when He warned people about going to Gehenna.
The word sheol occurs sixty-six times in the Hebrew Scriptures, and a few of these are occasionally translated as “hell” depending on which Bible translation you are reading. Yet “hell” is not a good translation of any of the occurrences of sheol in the Bible.
Frank Viola has a new book out titled ReGrace. I interviewed him about it, and in it, he said that some of my views are CRAZY. But I think some of his views are crazy too. And this is completely fine. We ALL have some crazy views, just like every other Christian in history. So rather than condemn each other for them, we can learn how to love and live together instead.
Millions of Christians have questions about church and how to find true Christian fellowship. In this podcast interview, Richard Jacobson and Jeremy Myers discuss how to be the church and why Hebrews 10:25 does not teach that all Christians must attend a church service on Sunday morning. Church fellowship is critical, but there are a variety of ways God leads us to find this fellowship.
I sat down with Eric Nevins today to discuss Mark 1:40-45, a passage where Jesus interacts with a leper. If you have ever felt like an outcast, or that people reject and despise you, you will really enjoy this discussion of the interaction between Jesus and the leper in Mark 1:40-45.
Did you know it is possible to have a relationship with someone, but not have any fellowship? God wants us to have BOTH a relationship AND fellowship with Him and with other Christians. Passages like 1 John 1:6-7 show us how.
Whenever I teach that eternal life is received by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, someone always quotes James 2:19 at me, that demons also believe. But if we study James 2:19 in context, we see that James is not refuting the gospel truth of faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. This study shows what James truly meant in James 2:14-26.
There are Christian books and teachings out there which say that the Greek word pistis is best translated as faithfulness or allegiance. But is eternal life gained by allegiance to Jesus? No. This is a gospel of good works, which is no gospel at all. Indeed, I believe that there is not a single use of the Greek word pistis in the New Testament which is properly translated as faithfulness.
The Bob Dutko Show (noon – 4pm, Mon-Fri) is Detroit’s number one talk Christian radio show. He is heard on radio stations across the country, making him one of the most listened to Christian talk show hosts in the United States. Today he interviewed me about my book, What is Faith?
Some Christians say that they don’t need reasons or explanations for what they believe, because they have faith like a child or childlike faith. When they say this, they mean that they don’t ask questions about their beliefs, nor do they wonder if what they believe is true. Childlike faith is often described as a faith that does not doubt, question, or seek explanations; it just believes. But this is not childlike faith. So what is childlike faith?
Faith is not a gift from God. Every person is able to believe in Jesus for eternal life just as they are able to believe any other fact or piece of knowledge that is presented to them. Not even Ephesians 2:8 teaches that faith is a gift from God.
Many people get confused when Jesus talks about great faith and little faith in the gospels. This article shows the difference between great faith and little faith, and uses the faith of the Centurion in Matthew 8:10 as an example of great faith.
In an attempt to get people to not be afraid of questions and doubts, some suggest that faith includes doubt. I disagree. But how then do we keep our faith from collapsing like a house of cards? We do this by using a better illustration for faith, namely, an Excel Spreadsheet. This post explains the illustration and uses John 11 as an example of the Excel Spreadsheet of faith at work in the mind of Martha.
Have you ever heard the wheelbarrow tightrope walk over Niagara Falls as an illustration for faith? It is a terrible illustration, because it does not accurately portray what faith really is or how faith works. This post considers the illustration and defines faith from Scripture.
What is evangelism? What needs to be said in evangelism? Who do you say it to? How long does evangelism take? What Scriptures should you use? How do you know when someone has been evangelized?
Since there is so much confusion around evangelism, maybe we should start talking about gospelism instead.
There have been lots of strange teachings about the Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19:16-21 (and Luke 18:18-23; Mark 10:17-22). Did Jesus really mean that the rich can earn eternal life if they give all their possessions away? No. By understanding the cultural and theological view of riches in the days of Jesus, we can better understand what Jesus was telling the Rich Young Ruler.
In this interview with Shawn Lazar, we discuss his book "Chosen to Serve" and how divine election is to service; not to eternal life. After presenting the concept of election as it is taught in Scripture, we discuss Acts 13:48, 1 Peter 1:2, and 2 Peter 1:10-11.
By listening to the episode, you can learn how to get 50% off his book.
In this teaching on Ephesians 1:4-5, I explain the biblical concepts of election, predestination, and adoption, showing you that God does NOT choose some to receive eternal life while everyone else receives eternal death. Election is to service; not to eternal life.
What does Paul mean about divine election in Romans 9 when he writes about God loving Jacob and hating Esau, making what he wants from clay, and hardening Pharaohs heart? This article answers these questions from Romans 9, and also looks at what Romans 11 teaches about divine election.
The biblical teaching on election is a controversial issue in the church. But it need not be so. By carefully defining our terms and then looking at how the word election is used in context, we see that what the Bible teaches about election is not something to be debated, but celebrated.
While the Gospel of John shows that eternal life is the free gift of God to anyone who believes in Jesus for it, it also shows that the path of discipleship has numerous other conditions and requirements. The Gospel of John does a great job showing the different conditions and results between eternal life and discipleship.
It is critical to recognize that the Sermon on the Mount does not contain the offer of eternal life, because if we get confused on this fact, we will think that one gains eternal life by fulfilling the conditions and requirements Jesus talks about in this Sermon.
Here is a truth that will help you unpack many tricky and often-misunderstood Bible passages: Though all believers have eternal life, not all believers are disciples, and not all disciples are believers. Once you understand the difference between believing in Jesus for eternal life and becoming a disciple of Jesus during this life, many tricky Bible texts will make a lot more sense.
Just as eternal life is a life lived in eternity where we live life to its full potential, so eternal death, or the second death is a life lived in eternity where people achieve none of their potential. It is a life of everlasting death. Of no escape from the consequences of selfish human decisions.
When John writes in 1 John 3:14 that we know we have passed from death to life because we love our brethren, he is not talking about how we know we have eternal life, but how we know we are in fellowship with God and one another.
Frank Viola, author of Insurgence, joins me to discuss the Gospel of the Kingdom and what it really means to seek the Kingdom of God in our lives here and now. They also look at Luke 17:20-21 and Matthew 11:12 and what these passages teach about the kingdom of God.
When James writes about dead faith in James 2:14-26, many people think he is referring to faith that does not exist. But this is not the message of James. What is dead faith? It is useless faith. It is faith that does exist, but is not accomplishing what God wants or desires for it.
Is Paul teaching in Ephesians 2:1 that unbelievers cannot even believe in Jesus for eternal life unless God first regenerates them? Must God give unbelievers new life (regeneration) before they believe and so that they can believe? No. This is not what it means to be dead in trespasses and sins.
Most Christians are doing more harm than good with how they attempt to share Jesus with others. Many of the modern evangelistic efforts of Christians only do harm to the cause of Christ and the message of the gospel. If you want to see what I mean, I explain it all in parable form through my new book, Adventures in Fishing for Men.
In Romans 5:12, Paul writes that through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. Almost everybody thinks that Paul is referring to the event in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But is this what Paul has in mind? It doesn't seem so ...
The Crown of Life is not eternal life. Eternal life is a free gift. The Crown of Life is special reward for a special act of service and dedication to the King. Just as you win an award for winning a race, so also God gives rewards to people who run well in this life. This article looks at the crown of life and what we learn about it in James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10.
There are several verses in the Bible which seem to teach that you need to make a public confession of Jesus in order to be saved. One of these is Romans 10:9-10. Many people interpret this to mean that if you do not let others know that you are a follower of Jesus, then you do not truly have eternal life and will therefore not spend eternity with God in heaven.
Does 1 John 1:9 mean that if we do not confess our sins to God, He will not forgive us? No, the truth is that God has already forgiven you for all your sins, past, present, and future. So what does 1 John 1:9 mean? This article explains more.
The titles Christ or Messiah refer to someone who has received a special anointing by God to perform a specific task or purpose. Such a definition is true of every anointed person, whether it is a king, a prophet, a priest, or Jesus Himself. This article defines the word Christ and considers John 20:31 and how a proper understanding of the title Christ helps us understand the offer and invitation of the Gospel.
The reason that some people wonder if they can be blotted out of the book of life is because passages like Revelation 3:5 seem seem to indicate that this is a distinct possibility. However, when you understand what the Book of Life actually is, you will also come to understand what Revelation 3:5 actually means.
According to 1 John 1:7-10, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin by exposing sin for what it is and then calling us to no longer live in the way of sacred violence.
The blood of Jesus is not a spiritual antidote to sin which somehow removes the polluting presence of sin from our lives. Instead, the blood of Jesus exposes our sacred violence to us so that we can see in our own lives how we make scapegoat victims out of others, and then calls us to no longer live in this way.
You and I can forgive others without requiring them to shed their blood. So why do some Christians teach that God requires the shedding of blood in order to forgive us? One reason is because of Hebrews 9:22 which says that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. But the text does not teach what most people think it teaches. This post gives 10 reasons why Hebrews 9:22 does not teach that the shedding of blood is required for the forgiveness of sins.
In Ephesians 1:7 and Ephesians 2;13 we learn that we have redemption through the blood of Jesus because He redeemed us from our sinful and violent way of living and revealed to us God's way of living. His bloody death released us from addiction to sin and scapegoating, and showed us how to live in the way of love and forgiveness.
Some people say that Jesus died to buy forgiveness from God, and they use passages like Matthew 26:28 to defend this idea. In this study, I provide a different explanation of Matthew 26:28, showing you that the blood of Jesus was NOT shed to purchase forgiveness from God.
Why is the Bible so bloody and violent? It is not because God is violent and bloody. Jesus reveals quite the opposite. Through His life, death, and teachings, Jesus reveals that God is not violent at all, but always loves and only forgives. So why is the Bible so violent? Jesus explains why in Matthew 23:29-35.
When you were baptized, what words were said? Do you remember? Some people look to Matthew 28:19-20 as the proper words for baptism, while others look to the practice of the Apostles in Acts. In this post, I dispel this entire baptism debate with one crazy suggestion. Read it and let me know what you think!
In 1 Peter 3:21, it appears that Peter is saying that we must be baptized in order to be saved. He writes that baptism saves us. But if this is true, then how is eternal life by faith alone and not of works?
First Corinthians 9:27 is sometimes quoted to show that not even Paul was certain that he would go to heaven when he died. Paul writes that he keeps close watch over his body so that he does not end up disqualified (adokimos). So what does this verse mean?
Several years ago, I was interviewed by Jason Wiedel for his podcast. For some reason, he never aired this interview. I don't know why. But I am airing it now. Enjoy!
Modern adoption was not like ancient adoption. It was not about giving parents to a child who had none, but was about giving honor and inheritance to a child who had done something good for the family. It was about naming a child as an heir.
Some Christians use Galatians 1:8-9 as a proof text for the bad behavior of cursing other people. But Paul was not actually cursing others in Galatians 1:8-9. He was making a joke about circumcision. This article explains more.
Did you know that many of the New Testament letters are actually dialogues between the author and a teacher he is trying to refute? This form of writing is called Epistolary Diatribe. I introduce this idea in this article, and give you several examples.
Does Paul pronounce a curse on anyone who does not love Jesus? Does this sound like Paul? Should you and I be cursing people who do not love Jesus? Would Jesus Himself do this? I say NO to all these questions in this post.
Some use 1 Corinthians 12:3 as a way to determine who is a true Christian, or who is possessed by a demon. But this is a poor understanding of 1 Corinthians 12:3 (and terrible theology!).
What do you think 1 Corinthians 12:3 mean? Read my post to get my view.
In Romans 9:3, Paul writes that he wishes to be accursed from Christ for his brethren, the Jewish people. Is Paul saying that he wished he could go to hell if it would mean that his Jewish brethren would believe in Jesus and become Christians? I think not, but what do you think?
To properly understand the Gospel, we need to understand the biblical terms related to the gospel. One of these key words is the word abide. This article provides a short definition and looks at a few key texts from 1 John that use the word abide.
What is the book of Jonah all about? Is it about God’s heart for all the people of the world? Is it about how God wants you to get involved in world missions? In this final study of the book of Jonah, you will learn what the book of Jonah is all about.
Jonah 4:10-11 contain the final question of God to Jonah. But Jonah does not answer. The ending of the story is very abrupt. We will see why in the final study of Jonah next week. For now, we learn that God loves all people, even those we consider evil.
Have you ever been disgusted with God? So disgusted with how God lets evil go unchecked, and how God doesn’t seem to protect you or your family or your plans, or how God seems to bless the wicked people while not helping the righteous? Jonah was so disgusted with God that he asked God to damn him. This is what we learn from Jonah 4:9.
Is God a divine enabler? The book of Jonah says He is, which is why Jonah is so upset. As we see in Jonah 4:8, Jonah wants God to kill him, so that God will also kill the wicked and violent people of Nineveh. But this is not the way of God. God prefers to bless and forgive the people of Nineveh.
You might have heard someone say that God is a God of love, but He is also a God of justice. It this true? Must God punish people for their sin? Does God punish people for sin? While it is true that God is both merciful and just, both forgiving and just, the question is How? This study of Jonah 4:7 explains more.
What is evil? Do you know evil when you see it? We all think we know what evil is, that we can recognize it, and that we are able to accurately judge between good and evil. Jonah 4:6 reveals that judging between good and evil should be left up to God.
There are lots of calls for justice in the world today. And God is a God of justice, but most Christians are not really aware of how God carries out justice. We are going to learn more about justice today as we study Jonah 4:5. Jonah wants Nineveh brought to justice, and takes steps to see if God will act.
Have you ever been angry at how God runs the world? Have you ever felt like that? I have. And Jonah did too.
This is one reason the book of Jonah was written. It shows a prophet who is angry at God for how God runs the world. And we see in the book what God says to Jonah about it. This is what we learn in this study of Jonah 4:4.
Two pressing questions in the book of Jonah are why he fled to Tarshish instead of going to Nineveh, and why Jonah preferred to die instead of obey.
In this study of Jonah 4:3, we finally discover the answer to both questions. And the answer is shocking. So shocking, in fact, most fail to see it. But I will point it out to you in this study.
Have you ever been angry at God? Of course you have. Life has a way of crushing us all, and when that happens, we often get angry at God about it.
When you’re angry at God, what do you do? Do you try to handle it yourself? Or do you lash out at God in your anger? In this study of Jonah 4:2, w see what Jonah does, and you will find it very encouraging for your own prayer life going forward.
After Nineveh experiences a city-wide revival in response to his preaching, Jonah becomes angry at God in Jonah 4:1.
What do you think about that? Have you ever thought that he should have rejoiced instead?
In this study of Jonah 4:1, we see Jonah’s response, and come to understand that Jonah’s response is actually quite normal and natural. You and I might have had a similar response. Maybe we do.
What is repentance? What is evil? If you think you know, here are some harder questions: Does God ever need to repent? Does God commit evil?
Jonah 3:10 seems to indicate that God does commit evil and does repent of it. Yikes! What does that mean? This is what we look at in this study.
What is repentance? How do we repent? Does God ever need to repent?
It is these sorts of questions we are considering today as we look at Jonah 3:9, where the king of Nineveh expresses his hope that God will repent.
What if there was another way to defeat violent groups of people, other than with more violence? What if there was a better, godly ways to defeat violence? This is one of the questions we consider today from Jonah 3:6-8.
This is what we are going to learn about today, as we see how God brought the violent and evil empire of Assyria to its knees in sorrow and repentance. If you want to defeat evil, if you want to beat an evil empire, the best way is to follow the way of God, which is also the way of Jesus.
God can start a city-wide revival through the smallest of acts. You don’t have to be Billy Graham. This is what we are going to learn today from Jonah 3:5.
How do you evangelize? Do you use tracts? Invite people to church, or to an evangelism crusade? Do you use the Roman’s Road? Do you shout into a bullhorn that people are going to hell unless they repent?
In Jonah 3:4, we see how Jonah shared the message of God to the people of Nineveh. We’ll also see that his approach to evangelism left much to be desired.
What does God think of evil people? What does God think of people who disobey Him, and are opposed to Him and His ways? Well, according to Jonah 3:3, God thinks they are great. We’re going to see that the wicked and violent people of Nineveh are great to God.
Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, and so this is why I titled today’s podcast Making Assyria Great Again. Assyria was in modern day Iraq, so maybe I could have said Make Iraq Great Again. I know, that’s a challenging thought. But if God thinks they’re great, who are we to disagree? This is what we learn from Jonah 3:3.
Do you ever feel like you are stuck on a hamster wheel in the life of discipleship to Jesus? That you hear the same things over and over? You go through the same steps over and over? That you just keep going round and round and never seem to make any progress or do anything new?
If so, what you learn today from Jonah 3:2 will be helpful for you.
Jonah 3 begins in almost exactly the same way as Jonah 1. Jonah 3:1 is nearly identical to Jonah 1:1.
Jonah 3:1 reveals that God is a God of second chances. After Jonah’s blatant rebellion and shameful disobedience of chapter 1, and after Jonah’s self-righteous, unrepentant behavior in chapter 2, God still calls Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach to it the message that God to him.
As we have studied through Jonah’s prayer in Jonah 2, I have been fairly critical of Jonah and what he says. But what does God think of Jonah’s prayer?
This question is answered in Jonah 2:10. This verse contains God’s response to Jonah’s prayer, which is what we look at in this episode of the One Verse Podcast.
If I say “salvation is from the Lord,” what do you think of?
If you are like most Christians, you think of how God forgives your sins so you can receive eternal life and go to heaven when you die.
Well, the phrase “salvation is from the Lord” is found in Jonah 2:9, which are looking at in this podcast episode, and we will see that it means something quite different from what many Christians think it means.
Do you think that theology can be an idol?
That is, do you think that we sometimes allow our study of God, or even what we think we know about God, to get in the way of actually worshiping and obeying God? In other words, do you think we Christians ever make our theology of God more important than God Himself?
Is it possible for our theology to become idolatry?
That is what we discuss in my podcast on Jonah 2:7-8.
What is your prayer life like? Do you ever wonder if you are praying properly? As we continue to look at Jonah’s prayer in Jonah 2:5-6, we learn some more lessons today about how to pray, and how not to pray.
In Jonah 2:4, Jonah states that he prayed to worship God in His holy temple. In this way, Jonah seems to take credit for his deliverance from drowning. And though he has no interest in obeying God by going to Nineveh, Jonah is happy about the prospect of worshiping God in the temple. But which do you think God would prefer?
Do you fear death? I do not.
But as we study the book of Jonah, we see that Jonah sort of wanted to die, but he did not want to die by drowning. We see why in this study of Jonah 2:3. We see that Jonah prefers to die by digestion that to die by drowning.
When the Bible talks about hell, or hades, or sheol, a completely different picture emerges about hell than most people think. We talk a bit about this today when we look at Jonah 2:2, where Jonah goes to hell.
My two recent books have referenced René Girard's Mimetic theory. If you want to learn more about this theory, and why it is so important for understanding life, Scripture, and ourselves, below is a video I recorded about all of this last year.
In my own prayer life, I find it helpful to pray the prayers of Scripture. I sometimes pray the prayer of Daniel in in Daniel 9. Or the prayer of Jesus in Matthew 6. Or any of the numerous prayers of Paul found throughout his letters, such as the one at the end of Ephesians 3. I especially find it helpful to pray the Psalms. There is a Psalm for every emotion.
If you do something like this, the one prayer in the Bible I encourage to never pray is the prayer of Jonah in Jonah 2. It may be the worst prayer in the Bible.
That is what we are going to begin seeing today as we look at Jonah 2:1.
It is Easter week, and it just so happens that we are looking at Jonah 1:17 today, in which we read that Jonah spent three days in the belly of a fish. In Matthew 12:40, Jesus uses this event to talk about how He will spend three days in the grave.
After Jonah teaches some terrible theology the sailors, we see in Jonah 1:13-16 how the sailors respond. In the process, the author of Jonah clearly contrasts the behavior of the sailors with the behavior of Jonah. As we consider this contrast, we will also learn why some non-Christians today are better Christians than some Christians.
Today we are going to look at Jonah 1:10-12 in which Jonah teaches some very bad theology to the sailors. We will look at what he says that is so wrong, and then try to find an explanation for why he would teach theology that he knew was so obviously wrong.
Do you fear God? Are you afraid of Him? Should you be afraid of God? Does God want you to be afraid of Him? As we study Jonah 1:9. We see that Jonah fears God and he instructs the sailors to do the same thing. But is Jonah right in what he says? Should he fear God? Should the sailors? Should you and I fear God?
Jonah 1:6-8 shows some questions that Jonah gets asked. The sailors on board the ship reveal a better understanding of God, and life, and justice, and right and wrong than Jonah reveals in his answers. When you respond to the theological questions of others, what are you teaching them about God?
In Jonah 1:5, we gain an interesting insight into the heart of Jonah … and in the process, an insight into our own hearts as well. Remember, we’re on this journey with Jonah, and on this journey, we learn some important things about God, about Jonah, and especially about ourselves.
Jonah 1:4 says that God sent a storm.
Does God send storms into our lives to punish us? If you sin, will God send disasters into your life to punish you? Does God send sickness, disease, famines, floods, earthquakes, or the loss of jobs, income, health, or even the death of a family member? Is this what God does?
In Jonah 1:3, Jonah pretty much slaps God in the face. He spits in God’s face. To put it more crudely, Jonah gives God the finger.
We will see in future episodes how God responds.
If you feel like you have sinned pretty badly, then make sure you keep listening to the podcast because you will be both challenged and encouraged.
In Jonah 1:2, we see that God calls Jonah to go preach against Nineveh. This podcast episode looks at why this happened, and also looks briefly at Jonah’s surprising response.
It is critically important as we begin our study of the book of Jonah to understand some of the historical background to the book. If you do not understand the background, you will not understand the point of this story either. Once we understand this background information and what was going on in the days of Jonah, we will see that the message of the book of Jonah is quite appropriate for us today as well.
This is an Introduction to the story of Jonah. It looks at two ways Jonah is often taught and also presents a few central themes to the book.
Stop wondering what the book of Revelation is about. Learn these 7 keys to the Book of Revelation, and start your study of this book in the right direction.
I have said numerous times before that Genesis forms the foundation for the entire Bible. Today we are going to jump forward into the New Testament and take a brief glimpse at how the Gospel of John pulls themes and ideas from Genesis 1–3, and also how the first Epistle of John pulls themes from Genesis 4.
What event is at the foundation of all human society and civilization? We see what the answer is as we look at Genesis 4:16-26.
It is important to understand what forms the foundation of society and civilization because doing so helps us understand our own lives, and also what is going on all around us all the time in current events and culture.
What event is at the foundation of all human society and civilization? We see what the answer is as we look at Genesis 4:16-26.
It is important to understand what forms the foundation of society and civilization because doing so helps us understand our own lives, and also what is going on all around us all the time in current events and culture.
There is lots of turmoil in the United States right now because of the election results. The increasing turmoil makes me nervous because history, theology, and psychology show that there are typically only three ways out of such turmoil, and I am not yet sure which way our country will go.
In this episode, I briefly discuss these three ways out of violence and turmoil, and explain from Genesis 4:13-15 which of these three approaches humans usually choose.
In Genesis 4:10 we read that the blood of Abel cried out to God from the ground. Have you ever wondered what it said? Well, the book of Hebrews gives us a hint, and we will be looking at this question in today’s podcast episode.
If you have been listening to my podcast for the past year, you may recall that as we were working our way through Genesis 3, I kept mentioning the six foundational and revolutionary truths from Genesis 2, 3, and 4. We looked at the first 5 of these, and then I haven’t really mentioned too much more about them. So maybe you were thinking, “Hey! What about the sixth?”
Well, that is what we are finally getting to today. Genesis 4:8 contains the sixth and final revolutionary and foundational truth. Understanding this will help you understand the Bible, God, yourself, your relationships, politics, economics, history, and pretty much everything else that goes on in the world.
Where is the first sin in the Bible? What is the first sin in the Bible? I explain more in this podcast episode.
Have you ever wondered why God did not accept Cain’s offering in Genesis 4? You have probably heard some sermons on this or have read about it in books. In this study of Genesis 4:4-5, we look at some of the theories of why God rejected Cain’s offering, and then seek an answer to this question by looking at why God accepted Abel’s offering, and what this tells us about Cain’s offering.
Have you ever wondered why Cain brought an offering of fruit to God in Genesis 4? Have you wondered what was wrong with Cain’s offering so that God did not accept it?
In Episode 53 of the One Verse Podcast, we look at Genesis 4:1-3 for answers to these questions.
This study looks at Genesis 4. And rather than dive right into the text, I thought I would first tell you a story. Hearing this story will help you better understand what is going on in this critical chapter of the Bible.
This episode of the One Verse Podcast provides a summary of what we have seen from Genesis 3. There is still some new stuff in this episode, so if you have listened to all the previous episodes on Genesis 3, you will still want to listen to this one. But if you are just joining us on the One Verse Podcast and have missed most of the previous episodes, this one will get you up to speed. Of course, since what I share today might be a bit challenging, you might also want to go back and listen to some of the episodes from Genesis 3 to get a further explanation and understanding of what we discuss today.
What do you think about death? Maybe, if you are like most people, you try not to think about it. But if and when you are faced with the issue of death, what are your thoughts about it? In this episode of the One Verse Podcast as we look at Genesis 3:22-24, I am going to invite you to start thinking about death differently than the way most people think about it.
When did the first sacrifice in Scripture take place? Lots of people think it happened in Genesis 3:20-21 when God gave tunics of skin to Adam and Eve before He kicked them out of the Garden of Eden. But this is not the first sacrifice in the Bible.
Did God curse Adam after he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? Nope. Remember, God does not curse humans and God does not punish. Of course, in Genesis 3:17-19, God does pronounce a curse, so we will see what that is about in this episode. Our study will also lead us into a little fun speculation.
Is it God’s will for men to rule over women? Lots of men sure think so, and one verse that has been used to defend this idea is Genesis 3:16 where God tells Eve that her desire shall be for her husband, but he shall rule over her.
So is this verse describing God’s ordained order for the marriage relationship? Is God commanding women to let men rule them? That is what we are looking at in today’s episode of the One Verse Podcast.
Have you ever heard a woman use Genesis 3:16 to say that the reason women experience pain in childbearing is because God cursed Eve? In other words, have you ever heard someone blame God for the pain that women experience in giving birth?
Genesis 3:16 shows God telling Eve He will greatly increase her pain. Does God inflict pain on people? Does God hurt women? Is God a cosmic wife beater?
Does God curse animals and people? Genesis 3:14 indicates that God cursed the serpent. But what did the serpent do to deserve being cursed? And what is the whole thing about the serpent crawling on the ground and eating dirt?
And then there is Genesis 3:15 which talks about the serpent striking the heel of the woman’s seed, but the seed crushing the serpent’s head. What is all that about? Is it truly a prophecy about Jesus?
There are six revolutionary and foundational truths in Genesis 2–3. Today we see the fifth.
These truths help you understand God, Scripture, society, culture, and yourself like never before. The one we see today is absolutely critical for understanding why God appears so violent at various places in the Bible. If you have ever wondered how to understand the violence of God in the Bible, make sure you listen to today’s episode.
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If you have ever been afraid of God, or have thought that God is out to get you, to punish you for some sin, if you think that the bad things which happen to you in life are because God hates you or is making you pay for something you did, this study of Genesis 3:8-10 is for you.
Genesis 3:6-7 are the central two verses of Genesis chapters 2–3. In a previous episode, we looked at Genesis 3:6, and learned a foundational truth about humanity. This episode reveals another foundational truth from Genesis 3:7.
This study considers an important concept from René Girard’s mimetic theory to see how a key concept is found in Genesis 3:6 and is foundational for understanding life and Scripture.
Was it wrong for Eve to engage in dialogue with the serpent in Genesis 3? If not, what was her mistake? What can we learn from this conversation between Eve and the serpent that will help us face temptation in our own life? This is what we look at in this discussion of Genesis 3:1-5.
Why was the serpent in the Garden? If the serpent was Satan, as some New Testament passages teach, why did God allow the serpent to be there in the Garden, knowing that it would tempt Adam and Eve? What’s going on here?
It is these sorts of questions we consider today in this episode of the One Verse Podcast. Listen to this discussion about Genesis 3:1-7 to learn more!
This look at Genesis 3:1 introduces you to the most important truth in all of Scripture. I believe that the truth you will learn today is discussed or explained or revealed in some way on almost every page of the Bible, and yet, amazingly, most of us have never seen that it is there. This is because the truth we see today is a truth hidden from the foundation of the world. It is also a truth revealed most clearly by Jesus.
I believe there are many more significant truth from Genesis 3 that we miss. I will point those out in future podcast episodes.
In this summary episode of Genesis 2, we review the 5 key ideas from Genesis 2, which include 2 revolutionary truths for life and theology. Listen now!
If you have been struggling about how to have that talk with your son or daughter, Genesis 2:25 might just provide the encouragement to stop being ashamed and afraid, but instead to revel and rejoice in one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind.
What does Genesis 2:24 mean when it says that a man will leave his parents and cleave to his wife? Does this mean we should abandon our parents for the sake of our wife? Well, maybe, but if so, how then can we honor our father and mother all the days of our lives as Scripture also instructs?
This is what we’re going to talk about in this study of Genesis 2:24.
People say that a dog is a man’s best friend, but when God sets out to create a partner for Adam, he rejects all the animals in the world, even the dogs. It’s a good thing too, because then God creates the woman.
The creation of the woman is what we look at in Genesis 2:20-23, the Beauty and the Beasts.
This podcast episodes reviews the 7 key activities of God and how we are called to imitate God in them. Through this we see the foundational truth of imitation, including the benefits and the boundaries.
This discussion of Genesis 2:18 looks at the first thing in God’s creation that is not good. We see the first foundational truth about the human experience, what God did about Adam being alone, and seven truths from Genesis 2:18 about loneliness.
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil reveals something critically important about human nature. This episode of the One Verse Podcast looks at Genesis 2:16-17 and shows how all of us eat from this tree every single day, and how through His crucifixion, Jesus invites us to stop eating the fruit of this forbidden tree.
Many believe that in Genesis 2:16-17, God is threatening to punish Adam with death if Adam eats from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This episode of the One Verse podcast explains why this is not the best way to read Genesis 2:16-17. Death is not a punishment, nor was it a curse.
This study of Genesis 2:8-15 looks at why Genesis 2 is a temple text describing the temple of God, how humanity serves as both the statue of God and the priesthood of God in the temple, and why the role of humanity as the priesthood involves protecting the Garden of Eden.
This discussion of Genesis 2:7 looks at the unique religious features of the creation of man in Genesis 2:7. We see the parallel of Genesis 2:7 to the making of idols in Mesopotamia, and the 5 truths from Genesis 2:7 about how to know God, reveal God, and treat human beings.
Why is there a second creation account in Genesis 2? And have you ever noticed that when you compare the creation account in Genesis 2 with the creation account in Genesis 1, there are several key differences? What is going on? Do these differences prove that there are errors and contradictions in the Bible?
It is these sorts of questions we will be looking at today as we look at Genesis 2:4-6 in this episode of the One Verse Podcast.
This discussion of Genesis 1 looks at how Christmas, Easter, the cross, and the Gospels helps us understand Genesis 1 and the truth that redemption is a key theme in Scripture.
After summarizing how Moses interacted with the religions of his day, we see how God can also redeem our own religions today – especially the Christian religion
Before we move on in our study of Scripture, I wanted to take an episode to answer some of the questions that people sent in about Genesis 1.
I have already personally answered most of the questions sent in to the people who sent them, but I figured I would ask and answer these questions in a podcast episode as well since you might have similar questions.
This study of Genesis 2:1-3 will liberate you from Sabbath bondage. Your Sabbath observance will be liberated from the shackles of religion, and will be brought back into the way God intended it to be. By the end of today’s show, you will be excited to observe the Sabbath, because you will be invited to observe it as God Himself does.
Lots of people struggle with whether or not we should observe the Sabbath. On the one hand, Sabbath observance seems like a very religious and legalistic thing to do, but on the other hand, God did set up the Sabbath as an everlasting covenant (Exod 31:16), did He not?
This episode begins to look at Genesis 2:1-3 and Day 7 of the creation week as we begin to answer these important questions.
Warning: This episode of the One Verse Podcast is rated PG-13.
It has content which might be inappropriate for children. How inappropriate? Well, just look at the title of this episode to see. And no … I am not going into graphic detail. I just use the word a few times. But if there are kids around, and you have no interest in explaining to them what that word means, you may want to listen to this podcast later.
However, I bet you might be interested in hearing what I have to say about it from Genesis 1, so if the kids are out of listening range, start listening!
In the previous study of Genesis 1:26, we began to look at what it means to be made in the image of God. I said there were four contextual keys to what it means to be made in the image of God. This study looks at the final three contextual keys.
What does Genesis 1:26 mean when it talks about being made in the image of God?
Does it mean that we have intellect, emotions, and will?
Or maybe, just as God is a Trinity, is it referring to our three parts: body, soul, and spirit.
Or does it refer to something else entirely?
I go with the last option: something else entirely. We begin to see what that something else is in this episode of the One Verse Podcast as we begin to look at the image of God in Genesis 1:26.
In this episode of the One Verse Podcast, we see that as followers of Jesus, we should not be condemning the environmentalists, but should actually be leading the way in showing this world how to take care of this earth. Listen to the episode to learn more.
Have you ever wondered why God uses plural pronouns for Himself in Genesis 1:26? This podcast takes a look at this verse, summarizes the eight common views on these plural pronouns, and then proposes a ninth view for your consideration.
While I do not believe that Genesis 1 speaks directly against the theory of evolution, I do believe that the theology behind the theory of evolution has been around a lot longer than the theory itself, and Genesis 1:24-25 speaks directly against some of these theological ideas.
Is there something in your life you are ashamed of? If you are like most people, there are probably a multitude of such things. Maybe it is something evil that happened to you when you were younger. Maybe it is some addiction or temptation which you fall to almost every day.
In this episode of the One Verse Podcast, we see that God can bring glory out of even these evil and horrible things. He does this through redemption.
In this discussion of Genesis 1:20-23 we look at numerous items related to the creation of the fish and the birds. We focus specifically on the description of fish as having nephesh, a soul, and what this means for our theology and understanding of the human soul.
This is Part 3 of our study in Genesis 1:14-19.
This episode continues with the central theme of Genesis 1 being a polemic against the surrounding religions in the days of Moses. Specifically, we see the seven ways that Moses differentiates Yahweh from the deities of the surrounding nations and cultures.
When Moses sets out to differentiate the worship of Yahweh from the various religions of his day, he specifically targeted the worship of the sun, moon, and stars.
This is what we see in this podcast episode of Genesis 1:14-19.
In this episode of the One Verse Podcast, you will see why we cannot read Genesis 1:14-19 as a scientific explanation of how the sun, moon, and stars came to be, and you will also learn from the text what three purposes these celestial lights serve in God’s creation.
If you lived in biblical times, you might think that when your crops failed, the gods were angry at you, and that to appease their wrath, you needed to offer a blood sacrifice.
People do not do this today, but many of us still think that when bad things happen, it is because God has neglected us, or is out to punish us for something. So we pray, and tithe, and cry out to God for forgiveness and mercy. Strangely, this response is not that much different from the ancient pagan religious practice of offering blood sacrifices.
But in Genesis 1:11-13, we see that this is not what God wants or desires.
A scientific reading of Genesis 1:11-12 leads to some very strange conclusions about the world God made. If there was no death of any kind before the fall of Adam and Eve into sin, then we cannot say that God's creation was good, for it had a big flaw which would lead to oceans of bunnies and mountains of spiders.
What? Yes, listen to this episode of the One Verse Podcast on Genesis 1:11-12 to learn more.
Are you scared to stand before God in judgment? Lots of people are, but we’re going to today from Genesis 1:10 that you have nothing to fear from the judgment of God.
You will see this from how God names the earth and the seas, and you will also see that no matter what God does, He does it always and only for your good.
Have you ever tried to push back water so that you create a little space of dry ground in the midst of the water? It’s pretty much impossible, isn’t it?
Yet we see God doing this in Genesis 1:9, the text we are looking at today, and we are going to see why Moses wrote about the water and the dry ground this way.
Genesis 1:6-8 contains the description of the second day of creation. On this day, God separates the waters above from the waters below. This podcast episode shows how the Egyptian creation myths illuminate our understanding of what this text says.
Do you think the world was created over millions and billions of years? Or do you think that everything that exists was created in six 24-hour periods?
In this episode of the One Verse podcast, we will look at Genesis 1:5 and I will share my view on the days of creation.
This episode of the One Verse podcast looks at Genesis 1:4 and shows you how God separated light from darkness on the first day of creation.
From this we will draw some tentative conclusions about how you and I can separate from darkness without falling into the trap of religion.
Genesis 1:3 is packed full of truth and insight into something very important. This text provides a clear contrast for us.
It contrasts how religion tells us to deal with evil in the world, and how God deals with evil in the world. God’s way leads to light and redemption, but the religious way leads only to more darkness and evil.
This episode of the One Verse podcast looks at Genesis 1:2, where we see that although the text contains numerous dark and ominous elements, it ultimately points us to hope that our God is different than the gods of other religions.
In this episode of the One Verse Podcast, we look at Genesis 1:1. This passage is a battleground text over the scientific debate regarding creation and evolution. This is quite sad, for Genesis 1:1 is not a scientific text. We will see that Genesis 1:1 is not about creation vs. evolution at all.
Welcome to the One Verse podcast by Jeremy Myers, where we liberate Scripture from religion, one verse at a time.
This introductory episode explains what the One Verse podcast will focus on as we work our way through every verse in the Bible.