1077. Dealing With the Information Overload of Conflicting Bible Beliefs

To a significant degree, Bible teaching consists of a perspective or opinion ... a point of view. You've probably noticed the seemingly infinite number of those different theories and expressions. Many times, one well-known church or pastor can express the polar opposite of another prominent—if not trendy—minister with a popular following. It becomes an academic or philosophical debate about things that are only spiritually discerned.

The viewpoints can often be traced back to narratives that were handed down from previous ideologies by those who came before us. When the narrative is embraced as the ultimate truth, it becomes the mission to fit the concepts into the boundaries of that narrative. It can also be the result of interpretation without context. Combining the old and new covenants may also be a contributing factor. Church groupies wander all over, looking for someone they can trust to give them answers and interpret the Bible for them.

Not everyone can be right, right? It can leave so many in a state of confusion. In this day of instant social media, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all of it when trying to get answers. And for those who have encountered the gospel of grace and been freed from many burdensome and misguided doctrines with the help of God's Spirit ... how can we possibly begin to have a positive impact on so many others who are trapped in a system that touts various forms of legalism and religious bondage? Here's a hint: It doesn't start by trying to convince them to think like you do.




"Clash of the Covenants" book available on Amazon

1035. Like the Apostles, We Don't Know Everything

It's easy to look at "Bible characters" such as the apostles and assume they were some type of spiritual super-humans who understood everything there is to know about God.

In their writings, there are references to growing in various ways when it comes to Jesus, our knowledge of the truth, His grace and love, etc. We'll always be learning, otherwise, eternity might get rather dull.

Regardless of how God chooses to use people in extraordinary ways, it doesn't change the fact that we're all humans who depend upon God to reveal truth and enlighten us to grow in our spiritual understanding. This week, we'll look at just one example which left many Jewish believers and apostles divided due to a lack of understanding when it came to the first covenant and the new one that replaced it.



   
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1033. Jesus: "Who Do You Say That I Am?"

"So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you'" (John 6:53).

This was one small piece of a passage that had people trying to figure out just exactly what Jesus was saying. This not only included those opposed to Jesus but also those who had been following Him. In fact, many of the disciples left at that point.

Jesus asked the twelve who were left if they also wanted to depart. There are things Jesus said that contained words of truth where the understanding with the mind was unfruitful ... but something within their hearts that had been revealed about Jesus caused them to realize that He was their only hope for eternal life.

The same is true today with people who lack understanding about spiritual things, statements from Jesus, and Bible writings. But this will not prevent God from revealing truth to us when it comes to Jesus. Believing doesn't require intellectual comprehension.



   
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953. Question: "How Can I Properly Interpret Bible Context?"

Many interpretations of scripture are rooted from a certain mindset. Assumptions about certain things related to the Bible and its content can lead to a point of view which may or may not be true. Bible verses that get singled out and quoted without the proper context of the passage or even the gospel message itself can result in people being misinformed.

A listener had written to us asking if there was any advice we could give regarding the proper understanding of context ... especially as it may relate to what was written directly for us as believers in Christ compared to issues being addressed by the writers to those specific people of that time in the early years after the cross.

There may not be a perfect answer to such a question, but we talk it out to provide some food for thought.



   
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661. Living in Grace and the Will of God - Part 2

Christians have often been working from a mindset that has encouraged them to continually seek the specific “will of God” in our everyday lives. It sounds religiously correct, and it will preach pretty good during Sunday sermons, but in some instances, it may lead people into a type of bondage that leads to fear and worry. There’s nothing wrong with seeking guidance from the Lord regarding specific situations in our lives. But you need not fear as to whether you are in God’s will as a believer in Christ.



   

660. Living in Grace and the Will of God - Part 1

Unlike those who lived under the Old Covenant, after the cross we’re told by the Apostle Paul that believers have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). With that in “mind,” it’s entirely possible that believers can begin to overthink when it comes to living our daily lives while seeking the will of God in all kinds of situations. The Spirit of God is able to communicate to our hearts in a way that surpasses our natural understanding. Live life, enjoy it, be free to make choices without fear and depend upon Him to accompany you every step of the way.



   

402. The Ultimate Demonstration of Unconditional Love

One of the greatest things God has given to the world is love. Sadly most of us have understood very little about the depth of this love that has no boundaries and no conditions. Often our perspective of God's love is viewed through the eyes of our earthly experience. The love we've experienced between people in this life is not equal to the love demonstrated by Jesus Christ. God is love and He desires us to know more of Him and this love that surpasses knowledge.

BTW, we've now posted two bonus podcasts to celebrate the occasion of our 400th podcast! Here is "GIGBite Bonus Podcast 1" and here is GIGBite Bonus Podcast 2.  Look for the third and final bonus podcast this coming Wednesday.

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"Watch" this episode on YouTube.

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This week's GIG Bite - A tasty sample of this week's program!

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399. Religion Chases People From God

Many have been exposed to various kinds of "religious" teachings in the past and it has led them to a place where they attempt to avoid anything to do with God in the present. This would indicate that they either haven't heard the actual gospel or never arrived at a place where they began to understand it. It can lead to a desire to hide from God or act as if He doesn't exist. Of course we really can't hide from the Lord but this can be the mentality that one can fall into. If you've ever felt like you weren't worthy of God or that you couldn't live up to His expectations as good as the "church" people you've been around, we've got good news for you!

Religion Chases People From God (14 Min, 9.6 MB)
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This week's GIG Bite (A quick highlight from this week's program.)

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