Legalism feat. San

What is legalism? Join me and San in a conversation about the struggle to be true to God's Word without becoming legalistic.

PSALMS to God · Legalism Feat. San

⁸For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— ⁹not from works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 CSB

About San

I've known known San since I was born, since she is my cousin. San is a devout student of The Word; and although she was not looking to become a pastor, she completed a degree in theology at Knox Seminary.

Definitions from this episode

definition

Legalism [1]

noun

1. : strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code the institutionalized legalism that restricts free choice
2. : a legal term or rule

definition

Antinomianism [2]

noun

1. Complete rejection of the law
2. literally, against the law

If you start off answering the question will you be in heaven with "yes, because I ...," you're on the wrong track San

Legalism causes judgmentalness and fractures in the Church.

There's a difference is doing something because you love Christ or because the Holy Spirit has convicted you and doing something to be saved.
It's supposed to be about relationship not religion!
It's hard to find the right balance between the extremes of getting too caught up in following God's Word (legalism) and not following it at all.
Fellowship with diverse believers allows us to balance each other out and pull each oter back from the extremes.

Bible verses mentioned in the episode:

• "Why call Me good?" — Mark 10:18
• "Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God" — Micah 6:8
• "He who knows the right thing to do and doesn't do it, sins" — James 4:17
• A time for everything — Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
• Removing the plank in your eye — Matthew 7:1-5
• The tax collector (publican) vs. the Pharisee — Luk2 18:9-14

Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? Matthew 7:3 CSB

References & Footnotes

1. "Legalism". Merriam-Webster; visited October 6, 2020
2. "Antinomianism". Encyclopædia Britannica. January 20, 2020

You Are What You Eat

I grew up seeing Christians eat pork like Leviticus 11 didn't speak against it. Not once did anyone explain why we living contrary to that law. Eventually I decided to find out for myself. Spoiler alert, I realized the Bible didn't give us permission to eat things God told us not to.

PSALMS to God · You Are What You Eat

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV

• What you eat matters!!
• What you eat affects your physical health[3][4][5]
• What you eat affects your mental health[1][2]
• Think about what happens to your mind and body when you consumer things such as: coffee/caffeine, heavy drugs (e.g., heroin), alcohol, medication, etc.
• When I changed my diet I saw major differences. When I cut out unclean meat, it was like a Claritin clear commercial. When I cut out meat entirely, I no longer struggle with eczema, I have less menstral cramping, and I have more energy.
• God gave us specific information concerning what we eat from the very beginning!

I actually have an episode from season 1 with the same title. 🤷🏾‍♀️ It's worth a listen to if you haven't heard it yet (it's about self control when eating)

Genesis 1:29 & Genesis 2:16-17

• God gives Adam and Eve permission to eat from all seed bearing vegetation
• God's only rule is that they cannot eat from the Tree of Knowledge—the first and only rule before the fall was about what people consumed as food.
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: The Original Diet

Genesis 9:3-5

• God introduced flesh into our diet after the flood
• Noah knew the difference between clean and unclean animals; this is evidenced in Genesis 7:2,8 and Genesis 8:20. If Noah had been expected to eat and/or sacrifice the unclean animals, God would have told him to bring equal amounts of those animals.

Leviticus 11

• This is where we (the reader) are introduced to the definition of clean and unclean meat
• This definition had to exist before Moses wrote this chapter as Noah already knew what clean and unclean was. A precedence had already been set that only clean animals were sacrificed (meat eaten was always sacrificed first). Also, Islam formed from descendents of Abraham's oldest son, Ishmael, who lived long beofre Moses. Islam adheres to a similar dietary law—differences in the law could be due to passing down word of mouth, versus God re-establishing the definition with Moses.

Isaiah 66

• During the end times there consuming swine (pork) is still considered an abomination
• Read Isaiah 65 to under the context that these verses reference the end of days
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: Isaiah 66

Why do people think we have permission to eat unclean meat?

Mark 7 / Matthew 15

• People generally skip to "it's not what goes in but what comes out that defiles a man"
• The context of the passage is that the Pharisees were upset the disciples didn't wash their hands before eating bread
• This passage doesn't address unclean food, and if it did Peter wouldn't have been so shocked in Acts 10 since he was present for Christ's lecture
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: Mark 7

Acts 10

• Peter has a vision where he is told to kill and eat unclean animals
• Peter rejects this idea and boasts that he has never eaten unclean meat (this how we know Jesus didn't give them permission to do so in Mark 7)
• As with most dreams/visions in the Bible, we are told what the dream represents: Acts 10:28 and Acts 11:1-18
• The "beasts" in the dream symbolized unclean nations (the Gentiles); this follows the pattern of dreams in the Bible (see Daniel 7)
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: Acts 10

Romans 14

• The weak man eats only vegetables, but the strong one eats meat
• Note that the contrast is between vegetarian and omnivore, not clean and unclean meat
• Parallels 1 Corinthians 8 and 10, which are about meat sacrificed to idols
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: Romans 14

1 Timothy 4:1-7

• Can you actually eat all things? You can't eat bleach, poison, things you're allergic to, etc.
• Key phrase: "God created to be received with thanksgiving"
  What was created to be received with thanksgiving? Seed bearing plants and clean meat
• Notice that both forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from clean meats is something that is done in the Catholic Church (and some protestant churches that kept traditions such as Lent)
• for more information check out: You Are What You Eat: 1 Timothy 4:1-7

Colossians 2

• This is about man made docrtines—while the Jews were notorious for adding to the law, there is a dietary law given by God
• Eating healthy is not an ordinance that is against you—the ordinances that were against the Israelites were the ones that required death and/or sacrifice when they broke them
• The list of things not to be judged on all related to the feast days and the ceremonial law (sacrifices)

¹⁷“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ¹⁹Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.Matthew 5:17-19 NKJV

References & Footnotes

1. Jeremy P. E. Spencer. "Food for thought: the role of dietary flavonoids in enhancing human memory, learning and neuro-cognitive performance: Symposium on ‘Diet and mental health’". Cambridge University Press; Volume 67, Issue 2. May 2008, pp. 238-252
2. Adrienne O'Neil, PhD et al. "Relationship Between Diet and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review". American Journal of Public Health. October 2014
3. "Diet and Health: Implications for Reducing Chronic Disease Risk". National Research Council (US) Committee on Diet and Health. 1989
4. WC Willet. "Diet and health: what should we eat?". Science ; Volume 264, Issue 5158. April 22 1994, pp. 532-537
5. Marian Glick-Bauer and Ming-Chin Yeh. "The Health Advantage of a Vegan Diet: Exploring the Gut Microbiota Connection". Nutrients. 2014

How I Keep the Sabbath

Last we talked about "why" I keep the Sabbath but most of the questions I receive deal with "how" I keep the Sabbath. This week I want to talk about the beauty of the Sabbath. Yes there are things I don't do, but the Sabbath isn't about do's and don'ts, its about worship and the original state of peace the LORD created for mankind.

PSALMS to God · How I Keep The Sabbath

¹³“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, ¹⁴Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14 NKJV

Check out the episode on "don't" vs. "can't" vs. "won't"—it's important concerning the mentality I approach Sabbath with.[1]

Verses about what not to do on the Sabbath:

• Exodus 16:22-23: Collect food
• Exodus 20:8-11: Work (done by you or for you)
• Exodus 35:3: Kindle a fire
• Nehemiah 10:31; 13:15: buy or sell
• Isaiah 56:2: Pollute it or do evil
• Isaiah 58:13-15: Your own pleasure, Speaking your own words
• Jeremiah 17:21-22: Carry a burden

Important things to think about:

• Contex (for instance, the amount of work it took somone in Biblical times to kindle a fire vs. the work needed today)
• Overall goal/purpose for the day
• Exodus 12:16 and Deuteronomy 16:1-8 show food preparation on the day of Passover considered to be a Sabbath

What did Jesus amend?
Jesus set the Pharisees straight about the purpose of the Sabbath. While there are things God told us not to do, Jesus reminds us that there is a larger picture. As long as our actions align with this larger picture we are in accordance to God's will. It is always acceptable to do good, to do things that bring glory to God even if it may consitute work (example: the preists did work to carry out sacrifices on Sabbath). Here are some examples:

• Perhaps the most quoted example is that from Matthew 12, in which Jesus and the disciples are picking grain to eat on the Sabbath
• Jesus heals on the Sabbath. (Mark 3:1-4)
• Jesus speaks of freeing people on the Sabbath. (Luke 13)

There are things outside of our control. Jesus said if your sheep fell in a ditch, you'd lift it out. Similarly, if your house catches on fire you'd put it out. If someone is sick, they need medical attention. If someone is starving they require food. In the same vein, if you are the firefighter or the doctor, you should rush to help those in need! It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.

Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”Matthew 12:12 NKJV

My philosophy concerning Sabbath is to treat it as though God is spending the day with me; He is the guest of honor. How would I treat Him? Would I spend the whole day ignoring Him or doing things that He would not take part in? This also reminds me to focus on planning/time managment. If I know someone is going to visit me, I wouldn't wait untli they get there to clean up, I'd do it before hand. My general rule-of-thumb is if I can plan it, I should get it done beforehand to free up my time with God. If I can't plan it, it's out of my control and the I rely on discernment.

My personal don'ts and why (as you'll see, these are not rooted in scripture but in my personal conviction for myself).

• Play video games: I don't think about God or God's creation when I play video games. For me this falls under "doing my own pleasure" so I save gaming for other days of the week
• Secular media: TV shows, movies, music, etc. that is not meant to glorify God or edifying me so that I can better glorify God is something I save for non-Sabbath hours. I do still consume certain media, such as nature, health, historical, and environmental documentaries that can help me take care of God's creation (Earth and myself) or learn more about the history of God's people. For me its about the day being different and set apart that keeps me from watching even wholesome TV. Also, if God literally came to visit I probably wouldn't spend that time watching movies.
• Attend social functions: this one is nuanced—I still attend potlucks and gatherings at friends homes but usually only certain friends. I usually don't spend Sabbath with my friends who are going to be interested in conversations, activities, etc. that I don't feel are Sabbath appropriate. (Remember what I said about it being lawful to do good? If one of these friends needed me for moral support, I would go to them on Sabbath. When I say "secular functions" I'm referencing things like birthday parties.)
• Attend other secular/social functions: An example would be sporting events. Most of these events require people to work, which I think is a scriptural no-no,but I also find the focus to be questionable and feel that I would be doing my own pleasure.
• Travel long-distance: Flying or driving a long distance during Sabbath usually conflicts with buying (purchasing gas, for example) or requiring people to work for me (e.g., the pilot, flight crew, etc.) I more likely to drive a distance that to fly (at least I can find self-serve gas stations). Again, in an emergency, I would get to someone in need.
• Certain chores: Some people find cleaning theraputic—I find a clean home theraputic, but the process of getting there is work to me. I hate washing dishes, for example, so I usually leave my dishes until after Sabbath. However, if I visit a friend and use their dishes, I would clean after myself because I feel like that is what Christ would do.

Great things to Do on Sabbath:
This is just a list (and not and exhaustive one at that) of options or typical things people do on Sabbath, not a "you should do this" type of list. None of these are required.

• Attend Church
• Spend time with family/friends
• Participate in a ministry
• Bible Study
• Openning/Closing the Sabbath[2]
• Spend time in nature
• Visit the sick
• Visit the elderly
• Visit those who may be downtrodden, feel alone/mistreated, from marginalized groups who need reassurance that they are loved, etc.
• Community service
• Learn about God's creation

References & Footnotes

1. Ree Hughes. "Can't, Won't, or Don't?". PSALMS to God. April 15, 2020
2. I had never heard of this before I met people who grew up in Sabbath keeping households. I'm not sure of all the details, but most people I know who do this do a prayer, devotional, and maybe a song.

Why Do I Keep the Sabbath?

PSALMS to God · Why I Keep The Sabbath

⁸“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
¹⁰but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
¹¹For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11 NKJV

Unlike the other 10 commandments, the Sabbath was instituted at creation (Genesis 2:2-3).

When God commands the Israelites to keep the Sabbath, He says "remember"—it is the only commandment that He prefaces this way.

Many assert that the commandments are done away with, but there are several places in the New Testatment where Christ says "if you love Me, keep My commandments" and even in Revelation, it talks about the people of God keeping the commandments. What commandments do you think they keeping? (Note: when Christ said love God and love your neighbor, the first 4 commandments concern our love for God and the last 6 commandments concern our love for our neighbor; He simply summarized the whole of the law.)
Christ and the Sabbath
Speaking of Christ and the Sabbath, let's look at what Christ actually said about the Sabbath.

• Perhaps the most quoted example is that from Matthew 12, in which Jesus and the disciples are picking grain to eat on the Sabbath
• In Matthew 24:20, Christ tells the people to pray that the hour of destruction does not come upon them on the Sabbath
• Christ stays in the grave during the Sabbath; it is only after Sabbath that He is risen. (Matthew 28:1-7)
• Jesus heals on the Sabbath. (Mark 3:1-4)
• His custom was to teach the word in the synaguoge on Sabbath. (Luke 4:16)
• Jesus speaks of freeing people on the Sabbath. (Luke 13)

Context is important when looking at these verses. The Pharisees were legalistic; they believed they could be saved by keeping the law and had created laws on top of the laws to keep from breaking the original law. In Romans 7:6, Paul talks about the letter of the law verses the spirit of the law and in other places he talks about us being in the Spirit, not under the law. Remember the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, part of the Godhead that wrote the law. Christ Himself said that He came to fulfill the law, not abolish it (Matthew 5:18; 24:34). Paul is not saying "do what thou wilt" (that is a satanist motto), Paul is saying the Spirit will guide you. The Jews had laws about how far one could walk on the Sabbath and wether you could pick something up or not. It had become a burden of "don't"s. When you follow the Jesus in the gospels, you will see that He had a custom of keeping the Sabbath, it just didn't look like what the Pharisees defined. What did Christ do on the Sabbath that the Jews objected to? He healed (did good), He freed (loosed from the bonds of sin), He ate straight from God's creation. Christ was reminding them not to get so caught up in the letter of the law that they miss the whole point.

Daniel 7:25 speaks of an antichrist who thinks to change times and law. The Sabbath is the only commandment given that is both a time (Sabbath) and a law (keep it holy). Ironically 1 Timothy 4:1-3 talks about "doctrines of devils" that include forbidding to marry and abstaining from meats. Keeping the Sabbath was abolished and replaced with Sunday worship by the Catholic church.[1] The Catholic church also forbids their preists to marry[2] (despite the fact that the Bible says in 1 Timothy 3:2 that a bishop/pastor is a man with one wife), and during lent (which is not observed in the Bible), they forbid their members to eat meat on Friday.[3]

⁶Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth— to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” ⁸And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” ⁹Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” ¹²Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. ¹³Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:6-13

The first angel in Revelation 14:6-7 proclaims a message about giving glory and worshiping God, "who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water." Notice the following:

• In Exodus 20:8-11 where the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy is given, God gives us a reason to keep the Sabbath: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." This language is almost identical to what the angel says in Revelation.
• Those who do not receive the Mark of the Beast—"the patience of the saints"—are keeping the commandments of God
• Those who die in the Lord are given rest (which is the literal translation of the word Sabbath). Christ desires to give His people rest in Matthew 11:28-29 as well. Paul outlines more on rest in Hebrews 4.

The Bible talks about signs, seals, and marks. Two are of particular interest to us: the Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast. First let's define a seal. A seal signifies authority, acts as a signature, and is a mark of an office.[4] If you think about a formal signature or seal, it usually has three parts: a name, title, and territory. For instance, if I were to sign a formal letter or email in my career, I would sign: "Shiree Hughes, Ph.D., Embedded Systems Engineer, <Company I Work For>" Leaders do the same thing today: Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America. The 4th commmandment is the law that contains this information about the Lord: the Lord, Creator of Heaven and Earth. Now, with that information, compare the following passages:

• Exodus 13:9
• Exodus 31:12-18
• Deuteronomy 6:1-8
• Deuteronomy 11:13-18
• Revelation 7:3
• Revelation 9:4
• Revelation 13:16-18
• Revelation 14:1;9
• Revelation 17:5
• Revelation 20:4

The seal of God is following Him and His commandments; the mark of the Beast is following man and the laws man comes up with (this goes well beyond the Sabbath, but the Sabbath is a start).

In Exodus, the reason given for keeping the Sabbath is that God is the creator. In Deuteronomy, the reason given is that He brought the Israelites out of bondage. Both of these reasons show us a full picture of who God is: He is the Creator and He is the Redeemer. The Sabbath is a reminder that He both created us and saved us from bondage. It also points forward (and backward) to God's perfect creation where there exists rest and freedom from bondage.

Why are people against keeping the Sabbath?
God said "I'm going to give you a day where you don't have to do anything. You can take a break, relax, enjoy the planet I gave you, fellowship with your friends, etc." and people are saying "No, I don't have to do that." We'll pick up with this thought in next week's episode on how I keep the Sabbath.

The blue thread I mentioned that symbolizes the law: Numbers 15:37-41

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 NKJV

References & Footnotes

1. Rev. Peter Geiermann, C.SS.R. The Convert's Catcheism of Catholic Doctrine, pg 50. 1910
2. Clerical Celibacy in the Catholic Church". Wikipedia; visited August 10, 2020
3. Marisa Iati. "Can Catholics eat the Impossible Burger during Lent? Sure — but it’s kind of missing the point, experts say.". The Washington Post. February 28, 2020
4. "Seal". Merriam Webster Dictionary; visited August 10, 2020
5. Ree Hughes. "Keep the Sabbath Holy". PSALMS to God. June 2015
6. Ree Hughes. "Keeping the Sabbath: Was it Abolished?". PSALMS to God. July 2016
7. Pastor Ivor Myers. "The Blueprint Prophecy Series Pt. 1: The War in Heaven". YouTube. May 1, 2020
8. Pastor Ivor Myers. "The Blueprint Prophecy Series Pt. 2: The War on Earth". YouTube. May 2, 2020
9. Pastor Ivor Myers. "The Blueprint Prophecy Series Pt. 3: The Final Conflict". YouTube. May 3, 2020

4 Biblical Reasons Why I Don't Celebrate Christmas

It's been quite a while since I stopped celebrating Christmas, and no I'm not a Jehovah's Witness. Christmas is America's favorite holiday, and as the season dawns I am inevitably asked to explain why I don't celebrate Christmas. I have several posts on the blog about the history of Christmas and it's pagan origins, I'll list them in references for those who are new to the site. However after overhearing a church leader who knows the history of Christmas "explain" to members of the church why he thinks they can celebrate the holiday, I realized I needed to approach this topic from a Biblical basis not a historical one.

The leader's main point was from 1 Corinthians 8:

⁴As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. ⁵For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) ⁶But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. ⁷Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.1 Corinthians 8:4-7 KJV

His argument was that because we know that the pagan deity originally worshipped on this day is not real, we are free to celebrate the holiday as we choose. I can see how if you have a strong attachment to the holiday and are looking for support, this quote would seem to do the trick. However, we can't just take one quote from the Bible and transplant it into our modern world. We have to look at context and scripture as a whole. It is for that reason, I want to present my reason for not celebrating it from a Biblical context.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Did Not Bow To The Idol

In Daniel 3, the king of Babylon creates a golden statue of himself meant to be worshipped—an idol. The king declares that anyone not bowing to the statue would be thrown in the fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not bow to this statue when the time came and were thus thrown into the furnace, but were saved by God, Who joined them in the midst of the furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were obviously loyal followers of God; they had strong faith and trusted in God to see them through their situation. They knew that the idol set up before them was not a god and had no power over the true God. However, it would have been a sin for them to bow before this statue and would have revealed much about them:

• Their fear of death
• Distrust that God protects those who stand for Him
• A desire to fit in
• False witness: pretending to worship and thus giving credence to a false god
• and many more

So, what's the difference between bowing to an idol and eating meat offered to idols? That's what we need to know to understand how this applies to us today.

Historical Context

Today, when you want meat, you go to the local grocery store and buy it. In Biblical days, that's not how things worked. Animals were always slaughtered as an offering to some deity. Sometimes it meant the animal was reduced to ashes, but sometimes it was probably closer to a cookout or a barbecue. If you read the beginning of Leviticus as well as the passages on the Feast Days, you'll notice that the priests and the offerers, were meant to eat the meat of the sacrificed animal. The most well known example of this is the Passover lamb. They were to kill the lamb as a sacrifice to God, and then eat the meat of the lamb in celebration of the Passover. Animals weren't just killed and consumed because someone had a craving for chicken the way we do now. Wether a person had their own animals to kill or had to buy meat from a marketplace, that animal was killed in a sacrifice before it made it to the table.

So, if you lived in Israel, the meat sold in town or served to you at your neighbor's house was probably offered to God first. However, if you lived in the city of Corinth, as the recipients of Paul's letter did, the meat around town was probably sacrificed to some pagan god worshiped by the Romans or the Greeks. This is why people were concerned about consuming that meat.

The difference in consuming this meat and bowing to a statue is active and direct participation in worship of an idol versus an indirect participation. There's a major difference in me taking an animal to a pagan temple and offering it to this false deity then eating the meat and me simply accepting meat offered to me at my neighbor's dinner table. The former being closer to what the king of Babylon was attempting to get Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to do, requires the person to go through the motions of worshipping a false deity, whereas the latter is simply a consequence of living in a fallen world.

Modern Examples

Because it is the season, most things in the store have Christmas packaging. Just the other day I saw Walgreen's had made an aisle for "Christmas" candy. If I go to the store and buy a piece of chocolate that has Santa on it, that's a consequence of the fact that I live in America (Rome). I'm going to tear the wrapper off and throw it away, because I just want the chocolate inside. That's different from purposefully buying decorations and decorating my house.

God Does Not Change

One of the arguments the leader brought forth was that Christmas isn't associated with paganism today. I imagine that was brought up in rebuttal to Jeremiah 10:2-4 or 1 Thessalonians 5:22. These verses tell us not to participate in pagan customs and to maintain an image of goodness. The logic put forth here only holds in a select circle. I disagree with the concept that Christmas isn't associated with paganism, or rather I would argue that Christmas isn't associated with Christ.

1. If Christmas was associated with Christ, there would be no reason for the slogan "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"
2. If Christmas was associated with Christ, there would be a massive uproar and breach of separation of church and state in that it is a federal holiday
3. Many of my friends who are atheist, agnostic, or members of an entirely different religion love and celebrate Christmas
4. Every Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movie is about finding love, magic, and enjoying the season, but has not a single mention of Christ

I could go on for days, but I think the above list should suffice. Besides, I want to look at this point as though the assumption that Christmas is associated with Christ and Christianity is true. Would it be ok for us to celebrate it now just because it's no longer associated with paganism?

Well, first and foremost, ignorance is bliss (until it gets you in trouble). I don't believe God holds us accountable for things we have no way of knowing. Information hasn't always been easily accessible; that's one of the reasons traditions stick better than the actual Word of God. I know people today who truly believe Christ was born on the 25th of December, and without a doubt over the centuries many people truly believed this. I don't think God is going to say them "hey, you didn't know, but eternal death to you anyway." What I'm discussing concerns those of us that do know or have the ability to learn but choose not to because we don't want to change.

For I am the Lord, I change not;Malachi 3:6

Malachi 3:6 says God doesn't change. When you think about the verses I mentioned earlier (Jeremiah 10:2-4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:22), it's easy to say that it is wrong to participate in pagan festivals. Most Christians today would agree that they have no business playing with a Ouija board or trying out voodoo. Many would still tell you it's wrong to celebrate Halloween, for the same reasons. When Christmas was Sol Invictus or Saturnalia, the early Christians would have known not to go near it. If it was not ok then, how can it be ok now when Malachi 3:6 tells us God doesn't change?

Murder was wrong when Cain killed Abel. Murder was wrong when David had Uzziah killed. Murder was wrong in Jesus' day (Matthew 5:22). Murder is wrong today. The same is true of worshipping idols. To quote Shakespeare, "a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet" and a pagan holiday by any other name is still a pagan holiday.

No Other God

Let's go back to the idea that we know there are none in the same league as God. The pagans actually thought their gods could defeat the Most High God—we see these examples throughout the Bible—but we know there is only one God in Heaven and He reigns supreme. Knowing that God is the only God and only serving God seem to be different things sometimes, though.

Unfortunately, we create our own gods and give them power over us. This is precisely what Adam and Eve did in Genesis 3. Remember, the word "lord" means master. The Lord God is our master. By listening to someone or something over Him, we have chosen a new master. Even though that person or thing may not be a god, we have made them a god in our life. That is, by definition, what consumerism has done to Christmas. People have to have the perfect tree, the perfect lights, the perfect presents, etc. There's a concept of a "good" Christmas vs. a "bad" Christmas. If Christmas is about worshipping God, how do you have a bad one? It's only possible if you let other things creep in.

The fact is, the holiday was created for a pagan deity. Even though he is powerless in the face of the Most High God, people have given this deity power and no matter how hard you try to Christianize the holiday, that pagan deity is lord over it. That's why it's so easy to fall into the trap of consumerism. When asked about the meaning of Christmas, most Christians (and non-Christians) do not say Christ. I've heard "it's about giving" and "it's about family" the most.

My question is, knowing that God never told us to celebrate birthdays (Ecclesiastes 7:1), knowing that Christ was not born on December 25, could you skip Christmas? Whatever it is you do traditionally for the holiday, could you put it aside and treat that day like a regular day? Can you imagine doing it for one year? For two? For ever? If the idea of abstaining from the holiday for even one year bothers you, a false god has power over you. If the idea of giving it up for a little while seems doable, but you could never give it up forever, a false god has power over you. The reason I can tell you this is because I struggle with giving up things too. It took me 4 years to start keeping Sabbath after I started coming to the realization of its importance. I still haven't given up cheese or soda. I'm not judging you, because just like Christmas has power over you, cheese has power over me. I'm simply making you aware of the fact, because you can't combat it until you admit it's a problem.

False Witness

There are plenty of passages telling us not bear false witness, though usually specified against a neighbor, there are also passages telling us not to add or subtract from the Word of God (re: don't bear false witness against God, either). Bearing false witness against God is the devil's greatest tool. How do you take down a leader? Defame his character, and make him look unreliable. I could write a whole book on ways the modern church bears false witness to God, but let's stick to the topic at hand...

For Those Who Engage in Santa

Among Christians who choose to celebrate Christmas, some allow Santa and some don't. I have a whole blog post on the trouble with Santa, so I won't go into detail about that, but I want to reiterate the harm of lying (bearing false witness) to your children about Santa. In an episode of 7th Heaven, when the youngest daughter discovers that Santa (along with the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, etc.) aren't real, she assumes her parents lied to her about God too. A growing portion of society believes God is a fairy tale like Santa. We, as Christians, have a responsibility to treat God differently, to take Him seriously and to make clear distinctions between fantasy and truth.

Discovery of the Truth

I remember being about eleven or twelve when I discovered that the name I call my uncle is not his name. It's not his first name; it's not his middle name; it's not descriptive... Imagine you've known someone your whole life thinking their name was Robert and you find out their name is actually William John (names are completely random and not my uncle's actual names). I was so confused.

I recognize this confusion in my friends who have abandoned God due to the lies of the church. Let's face it, most people aren't steeped in the Word. Most people don't read the Bible monthly, let alone weekly or daily, not to mention digging deeper to be able to understand context or correlating across books and chapters. A lot of people's entire world has been shattered by the revelation that Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus (among other things). When people discover the religion of the antichrist, the mother god, father god, and son god worship that began with Nimrod, Semiramis and Tammuz,[14] they see parallels in the modern church and decide the whole thing is false. They've been taught their whole life that pagan worship is false, and now what they've been worshipping all their life is the same as what they were taught to reject.

The antichrist isn't a single person that acts in a blatant sinister and evil manner. The antichrist is a power, a fusion of government and religion that seeks to take the place of God's true kingdom. That's always been Satan's goal: to replace God. It's not that this religion is the exact opposite of what God has commanded us, it's that it is being followed in place of God. Some of it will be true and very compelling, but the way we can spot the difference is by identifying the lie.

Here is the lie:

• Replacing Semiramis with Mary and then elevating Mary. Examples include claiming that Mary was a perpetual virgin, praying to her, creating and bowing to statues of her
• Asserting that Mary's miracle birth coincided with Semiramis', essentially demoting Christ to the role of Tammuz (who was not a miracle birth and is not the Son of God).
• Including all the original sun worship elements, such as aligning the date with the winter solstice, halos, and traditions of Sol Invictus/Saturnalia/Yule

Then, before you know it, you're celebrating the false religion in place of the true Word of God.

So many people have trouble separating Christ's birth from the pagan holiday, that understanding the above negates His entire birth in their mind. The first time someone told me Christmas was not in the Bible, I could not differentiate between the holiday we celebrate and the narrative of Christ's birth in Luke 2. It takes a strong foundation and understanding of scripture to learn the truth about Christmas and understand that it has no bearing on Luke 2 because Christ wasn't born on December 25 and Satan has been trying to counterfeit God's promise of salvation since it was prophesied in Genesis 3:15. The reason this is so hard for most people? The church is bearing false witness against the God they claim to serve. In doing so, we endanger the souls of many.

What Does it Mean?

Primarily, it means you will never hear me telling people "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." I am not going to be shouting lies from the rooftop. I am not putting up a tree in my house or "decking the halls" with garland, because I know why that tradition exists. I am not out spending all the money I don't have to buy gifts for people because the world has said that is what Christmas is about. If I see something I think you'll like, I'll buy it when I see it and give it to you when I see you. Giving is 24/7/365.

Do I watched the hallmark movies? Sometimes. Like with the Nutcracker (which I'm going to see a variation of this evening), the story isn't always about Christmas, it just takes place during Christmas. If the focus of the movie is pagan (like The Santa Clause series, Elf, etc.) I'm not going to watch it. You have other examples like This Christmas, which is about a family coming together and it just happens to be set around Christmas. Or the Nutcracker (I just love the music), which is simply about the dream the main character has on Christmas Eve. In those cases I let the Holy Spirit determine what is and is appropriate. Who knows, 5 years from now I may look back at this post and say the god of Christmas still had it's hooks in me and I shouldn't have been watching any of this either.

Am I rude to people who do celebrate Christmas? Not at all. I know that most people celebrate the holiday and most are not aware of the complex history of it. Think of how long this post is, and I have numerous posts that go into more detail and discus things I haven't mentioned here listed below. That's a lot of research, a lot of time, and a long journey. I don't expect people to be in the same place I am. I also know that when the cashier at the grocery store says "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" they don't want a dissertation. I have no problem with "Happy Holidays" as it includes Hanukkah, which Jesus celebrated (John 10:22). When people say "Merry Christmas", I simply say "I don't celebrate it but thanks, and I hope you enjoy yours."

References

1. Ree Hughes. "Day 1: The Etymology of Christmas. PSALMS to God. December 25, 2015
2. Ree Hughes. "Day 2: The Origin of December 25. PSALMS to God. December 26, 2015
3. Ree Hughes. "Day 3: The History of Santa Claus. PSALMS to God. December 28, 2015
4. Ree Hughes. "Day 4: Giving Gifts. PSALMS to God. December 28, 2015
5. Ree Hughes. "Day 5: Lights of the Season. PSALMS to God. December 29, 2015
6. Ree Hughes. "Day 6: The War on Christmas. PSALMS to God. December 30, 2015
7. Ree Hughes. "Day 7: Carol of the Bells. PSALMS to God. December 31, 2015
8. Ree Hughes. "Day 8: Depression and Christmas. PSALMS to God. January 2, 2016
9. Ree Hughes. "Day 9: Why Red & Green?. PSALMS to God. January 3, 2016
10. Ree Hughes. "Day 10: Frosty the Snowman & Co.. PSALMS to God. January 5, 2016
11. Ree Hughes. "Day 11: Christmas Was Un-American Once. PSALMS to God. January 5, 2016
12. Ree Hughes. "Day 12: The Meaning of Christmas. PSALMS to God. January 6, 206
13. Ree Hughes. "Is Santa Claus Replacing Jesus". PSALMS to God. December 5, 2015
14. I found a claim online that the idea the idea of Semiramis, Nimrod, and Tammuz is actually made up. (See here) I did not research the claim so I cannot speak to it's legitimacy, but regardless of where the the trio of mother god, father god and son god came into being, you can in fact see this pattern repeated in many religions. The History of Religion series by TruthUnedited on YouTube is a great way to learn about this deception.

Keeping The Sabbath: Was it Abolished?

Part one of the Keeping the Sabbath series focuses on whether or not the Sabbath was abolished, as some claim.

Introduction

When I mention the keeping the Sabbath, I often get the weirdest reactions from people. The reason for the variety of reactions I receive, is the variety of teachings and beliefs people have acquired about God's law. You have people who think it doesn't matter if you keep the Sabbath or not; they see it as optional. Similarly, there are people who think it should be observed, but that it doesn't matter what day you keep the Sabbath. Of course, there are also those who think you're crazy if you observe the Sabbath on the Sabbath instead of Sunday. Conversely, those who observe the Sabbath on the Sabbath and usually believe it wrong to keep Sunday. Within all of these groups, are people who can't fathom devoting a whole day to God, which has an interesting effect on their interpretation... I've written posts about the Sabbath before, but I feel like I should address the questions that come with the reactions above, as well as, dive into the topic in more depth.
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Photocredit: Your Divine Connection

Did Jesus Abolish Sabbath?

The first question we need to answer is "did Jesus abolish the Sabbath." Everything else rides on the answer to this question. Many people think Jesus abolished the law on the cross (see my post "The Law" for more details on this topic). From there, they come to the conclusion that they don't have to keep the Sabbath. The command to keep the Sabbath holy is one of the 10 commandments, so do they now conclude it's ok to kill people? Of course not! The 10 Commandments are still very much in effect, but the devil has set a trap in the form of allowing us to twist God's words into thinking we have a choice in which laws we want to follow.

¹⁷Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ¹⁸For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. ¹⁹Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.Matthew 5:17-20 KJV

Jesus talks about the Sabbath plenty in His ministry and never does He say the Sabbath is done away with. What Jesus did say is that he didn't come to destroy the law (Matthew 5:17-20). Jesus said with His own mouth that His mission was not to destroy the law, yet so many churches teach that the law was abolished by Jesus... Is that not odd?
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What Did Jesus Do on the Cross?

What Jesus actually did was clarify and triumph over the law. Jesus is the only man to never break a single letter of the law, including the Sabbath. He upheld the law exactly the way God intended for man, and thus fulfilled the law. When He died on the cross, He was blameless, which allowed Him to be worthy enough to take on the sins of everyone else. In the Old Testament, as they describe the sacrifices that were made for sins, you will notice that the sins of the person were symbolically transferred to a pure and innocent animal, and then it was the animal's blood that paid for the sin. In more severe cases, the person had to pay for the sin with their own blood and received a death sentence for their sins. Jesus took all of this upon Himself, thus paying the price for our sins and eliminating the need for us to sacrifice animals or ourselves. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies foreshadowing His first coming, along with the holy days that symbolized His purpose and mission (you can read the specifics on this here). This is what Jesus did on the cross, and after He did all of this for us, He defeated death. The wages of sin are death, but Jesus defeated both, so when we follow Him we are guaranteed victory.
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What Did Jesus Say About the Sabbath?

When Jesus discusses the Sabbath, it's always to correct the Pharisees' distortion of the law. One thing you have to remember when reading the Bible, is to put the text back into the context of the time period it takes place, which means you have to understand the history of the era. A key fact in this discussion is that the Jews took the law of Moses and drastically expanded it.

This expansion of the law effected the Sabbath, as well. God forbids specific actions (like buying and selling or carrying a burden), but the Israelites created a detailed list of prohibited activities, many of which were never specified by God. Activities such as writing and even tying a knot were forbidden—good thing they didn't wear lace-up shoes back then! Below are a few Jewish websites that outline some of these prohibitions:

• Aish
• Chabad
• Judaism 101
• My Jewish Learning

Jesus clashed with the Pharisees because they were taking the letter of the law to a rigid and ungodly level. In His confrontations, Jesus proves that you can always do good on the Sabbath. In Luke 6, Jesus heals someone on the Sabbath despite objections. The message He's sending is that if you fall and break your arm on the Sabbath it is perfectly fine for a doctor to fix your arm. There are things that are out of our control, particularly in the realm of health, which may cause for attention on the Sabbath. For example, a woman may go into labor on the Sabbath; she can't just not have the baby and Jesus' actions imply that it would be perfectly fine for a midwife or doctor to assist the woman. In Matthew 12:1-8, Jesus and the disciples are chastised for picking corn to eat on the Sabbath. Here, Jesus compares feeding themselves to King David eating the shewbread (which was only for the priests) because he was hungry. Jesus informs the Pharisees that it is OK to feed yourself during the Sabbath. For instance, it may not be lawful to pick a bushel of corn because it is excessive and preparation for business or the future, but it is perfectly fine to pick enough to eat right then. Jesus is stressing necessity again. There will be things that are necessary that occur on the Sabbath and you will have to tend to them (such as hunger).^[1] Essentially, Jesus says that it's permissible to do things out of kindness, in the service of God, and out of necessity; this does not abolish the Sabbath at all.
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Did Paul Abolish the Sabbath?

Many people choose to cite Paul as the source of their belief that the Sabbath has been abolished. Before we get into the verse from Paul that suggests the Sabbath is no longer valid, I want to point out that only God can make or void a law. Every law Moses wrote was given by God, and as such, Moses introduces the laws with phrases such as "thus saith the Lord." As a mere man, Paul doesn't have the authority to change laws without instruction from God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit. We know from Jesus' assertion that He didn't come to destroy the law but to fulfill it, that He wouldn't be the one to tell Paul to change a law.

Keeping that in mind, this is what Paul said about the Sabbath that leads people to believe it has been abolished.

¹⁴Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; ¹⁵And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. ¹⁶Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:Colossians 2:14-16 KJV

²⁰Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, ²¹(Touch not; taste not; handle not; ²²Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?Colossians 2:20-22 KJV

Remember above, where I discussed the Pharisees adding laws to God's law? Colossians 2:22 makes an explicit reference to the laws of men. This is a huge indicator that Paul is not talking about walking away from God's law, but is echoing Jesus' teachings that man has made up his own law and is following God's law incorrectly.

So why does Paul say not to let anyone judge us about sabbath days? This is one of those New Testament passages that should remind you that to understand the New Testament, you have to understand the Old Testament. After the exodus, Moses lays out a series of what people refer to as "ceremonial" laws. These laws included offerings, holy days, and feasts. Feasts were done both in remembrance of their journey from bondage in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land, as well as, to prophesy the spiritual journey Jesus has provided for us. I discussed how Jesus fulfilled these feasts and sacrifices in the post on Leviticus 23. What's important in this passage, is not so much how Jesus fulfilled these things, but what He fulfilled. These feasts and holy days were identified by the new moon, had requirements of meat and drink offerings, and/or forbade the Israelites to indulge in certain foods at that time. The holy days were also called sabbaths. As you can see by context, Paul isn't referencing the 7^th day Sabbath, a day which God made holy before sin entered the world. Paul is talking about the annual sabbaths, the feasts and ceremonies the Jesus fulfilled which His ministry.
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Conclusion

As you can see, Jesus never abolished the Sabbath. That means, definitively, that we should be keeping one day holy. In the other posts of the series I will discuss the questions of which day, what it means to keep the Sabbath holy, and why it is important.
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References

1. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.R., Brwon, D. "Matthew 12 Commentary". Bible Study Tools; visited July 2016

Deuteronomy 5-26: The Second Address (Part 3)

This post covers the last third of Moses' second address in Deuteronomy 21-26. In these chapters Moses talks about familial issues (such as marriage and parenting), murder, rape, tithes and fair business practices.

Introduction

This post covers the last third of Moses' second address. The address spans from Deuteronomy 5 to 26, but this post focuses on the information covered in Deuteronomy 21-26. In these chapters Moses talks about familial issues (such as marriage and parenting), murder, rape, tithes and fair business practices.

Unknown Murderers

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Teran Chestnut

In some cases (probably most cases if the murderer could help it), a murder may occur without a witness. The city closest to the where the murder occurred was assumed to harbor the victim's killer. It's not like they could flee by car or plane. Therefore it was up to the elders of that city to make it right. This required a ritual in which the elders brought a female cow that had never been used for work to a valley that was not sewn or cultivated; there the cow was to be beheaded. After killing the cow, the elders washed their hands of the blood. This was the testimony of the elders that the people the city had neither seen or committed the murder.

Captives as Wives

In the case of captives, an Israelite man could take a wife, if he desired (women couldn't take husbands because men were never taken as captives). However, there were steps that had to be taken. The woman had to shave her head, which was symbolic of her humility—even today cutting off hair often symbolizes a new beginning. The man had to allow the woman a full month to mourn her parents along with anyone else she'd lost in the battle/war. The woman was to be elevated to an equal as his wife, as opposed to a slave. If the man chose to divorce her at a later point, he could not sell her as though she were a slave; she was to go freely wherever she chose. Since rape is condemned in Deuteronomy 22:25-27, this passage is addressing consensual relationships between captives and Israelites. This also debunks the myth that the Bible forbids interracial or cross-cultural marriage. As long as both the man and woman worshipped Him, He didn't seem to have a problem.

Firstborn Inheritance

In the case of polygamy, there was the possibility that one wife would be loved and the other despised (like Jacob's wives, Rachel and Leah). If the firstborn son was the son of the despised wife, he was not to be cheated of his inheritance. Instead, he was to receive a double portion of the inheritance. This would likely ease jealousy among brothers, avoiding situations like that between Joseph and his brothers.

Rebellious Children

Most children go through a "rebellious" phase, and all of us get in trouble at some point. However, some children are uncontrollable. If a child was unbearably rebellious and still wouldn't heed his/her parents, the child was to be brought before the elders and stoned. Key words in describing the children that were to be punished are glutton and drunkard, which not only indicated something more serious than sass-mouthing, but the age of the children. Likely this is referring to post-adolescent children, perhaps even adult offspring.

Like most of the 10 commandments, the penalty for not honoring your parents was death. The command to honor our parents parallels our relationship to God, the Father. If we can't love and obey our earthly parents who physically clothe, feed, and protect us, how can we love and obey God? This may be part of the reason God set the penalty for breaking this law so high.

Death by Hanging

Those put to death for sin were often hung from trees, perhaps as a reminder of their shame. Israel was not to leave such a body hanging after sunset. Since dead bodies were unclean to touch, the curse of the dead body would spread to land if they left it hanging too long. Death in this manner was considered a most shameful way to die—a disgrace not only to the man but to God, as we are made in His image and thus a reflection of Him—because only those who transgressed the law died in this manner.[1]

Various Laws

Lend A Hand

If you saw your neighbor's livestock roaming free or running away, you were to take them to your neighbor (as opposed to watching idly). If you didn't know who the animals belonged to, you were to hold them until someone came to claim them. This principle was true of anything one found that had been lost—clothes, animals, etc. If you saw someone's ox fall, you weren't to hide away, but to approach and offer a hand. God is commanding compassion and helpfulness among man. The basic concept is, if you see someone in need, you are to go help that person: a precursor to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Attire

Women and men were not to wear each other's garment. People often make this one of the hardest and most difficult commands to understand today. Some denominations interpret this to mean women can't wear pants (for instance, Pentecostal). I saw a blog post where a woman gave up clothing we consider unisex like t-shirts (I'm quite curious as to whether she gave up sneakers and tennis shoes as well). The problem with these interpretations is that pants aren't reserved for men, especially not in the way society sees skirts and heels for women today. No one would bat an eyelash if they saw a woman in pants, but people will stare if they see a man in a skirt. The irony is that at one point in time, no one wore pants... Robes, which were basically dresses and skirts, were worn during most of Biblical history.

If one doesn't want to take into consideration the change of fashion over time, recognizing the fact that there are women's pants and men's pants just as there were women's robes and men's robes in Moses' day, then I would think they would also have to advocate dressing in the same manner that Moses' contemporaries dressed. Why would pants, which weren't made for men at that time, ever be ok for a man if fashion was not allowed to change?

I think God's intent for this passage, was to inform us that it should be easy to distinguish a man from a woman. Women should not be masquerading as men (i.e. Mulan) and men should not be masquerading as women (i.e. drag queens). I'm sure we've all met people that we couldn't figure out if they were male or female just by looking at them. I know I've met several people like this.

From there, of course, comes the question of transgenderism. Unlike L, G, and B in the LGBT community, transgenderism isn't specifically condemned in the Bible. Some would probably use this verse (Deuteronomy 22:5) to suggest it condemns transgenderism, but does it?

I would say that in order to come to the conclusion that the Bible condemns transgenderism, you have to use multiple verses and think through the process. With this verse, you have to ask, if you have a sex change—let's say male to female—does God consider you a female now, or are you still a male? In that case, you are a male dressing as a female, which God calls an abomination. Also, during the transitioning time, you were definitely a man dressing as a woman, so it seems you would have to break God's law to get to the end result Further, we saw in the last part of Moses' second address, self disfigurement is forbidden. Would not changing your external reproductive organs into other reproductive organs be disfiguring your original organs? Further, the assumption that a person is one gender in their mind and another gender physically, implies that God made a mistake: that He put your consciousness in the wrong body. God doesn't make mistakes, however. Further, one could argue the idea that you are being a false witness against yourself by presenting your self as one gender when you were actually born another.

I think the Bible gives us reason to believe God does not approve of transgenderism, but I do not think there is one specific verse that outright condemns the practice; you can only come to that conclusion by using the context of several verses to draw a conclusion. More importantly, I think that a person who has undergone gender reassignment surgery, but repents and returns to God spiritually is saved. I don't know if the surgery is reversible (it probably costs a ton if is), but I would assume the ramifications of that would be between that person and God. Remember it is not our position to judge people but to love and share the truth.

Preservation of Life

When the colonists began moving West in the U.S., they found sport in hunting the buffalo, as well as, to cut off supplies needed by Native Americans. This act put the American Buffalo in danger of extinction (luckily conservation efforts have kept the species from disappearing).[2][3] God created each animal with a purpose and wanted to make sure the Israelites respected the balance of nature. It would do them no good if they hunted their source of food, clothing, and cleansing to extinction. God tells the Israelites that when they came upon a nest with a mother and her eggs (or babies), they were not to take both. This was to assure that either the mother or the babies survived to create more life.

Construction Guidelines

When you build a house today, there are rules and regulations that require certain safety features or precautions usually specific to the location. God issued the same type of guidelines for the construction process in Israel. The types houses they built had flat roofs, which were often used for sleeping. This opened the door for the possibility of someone falling off the roof, so God required them to have a railing on the roof.

Mixing Types

This is another one of those interesting passages that take a few read throughs, and some studying to understand. In Deuteronomy 22:9-11, God forbids the Israelites from mixing types together. Oxen and donkeys weren't allowed to plow together, seeds could not be mixed together, and clothes of blended cloth were not to be worn. (I discussed these commands in more depth when they appeared in Leviticus 19:19 in my post on Leviticus 19).

Of course the stand out question is does this mean the 50% cotton, 50% polyester shirt you have is against God's law? In the first iteration of this law (Leviticus 19:19), the materials specified are wool and linen. In Deuteronomy, God mentions this specific combination again. Most sources agree that God is specifically talking about wool and linen as opposed to the general mixing of clothes.[4][5][6][7] It is important to note the possible reasons why God instituted this law before we can understand how and if it is applicable today.

According to some sources, the priestly garments and and many of the adornments for the tabernacles were to be woven of both linen and wool, but when I reread the chapters on these topics, I only see linen being used. One source clarifies that the wool element comes from the dyed threads they were to use (see Exodus 28:6-8). From this, the claim is that the prohibition was to separate the holy from the average, similar to the way only a king wears a crown.[5][8] The implication is that it was not a moral issue so much as a separation issue. Still there are others who state that this is an issue of quality; garments that are 100% anything (silk, cotton, linen, wool) are more durable and of higher quality than those that are from mixed materials.[6] The third possibility listed is the fact that wool and linen when blended have been scientifically proven to cause problems.[4] I am still looking to verify this final claim. A final claim is that the mixing of things is symbolic, relating to Paul's command in the New Testament not to be unequally yoked. This claim asserts that mixing types is like mixing sin with righteousness, which is of course not something we are to do.[13]

Premarital Sex Allegations

If a man was to accuse his new bride of not being a virgin at the time of their marriage, he brought shame upon her. A man could not idly accuse a woman of such without having a chance to prove otherwise. The parents of the bride were to produce the "tokens" of her virginity—likely the cloth were she bled on her wedding night. If the man was proven wrong (the parents produced the tokens), he was to be chastised and required to pay the father of the bride 100 shekels of silver for tainting the name of the woman. By studying the original language and the historical context of the Bible, scholars conclude that the chastising was a physical punishment, not merely a verbal scolding.[9] After the ordeal, the man could not divorce the woman.

On the other hand, if the man was found to be right and the woman's innocence was not proven, she was to be stoned. Sexual purity was (and still is in God's eyesight) considered a huge deal. On top of this, there is the implied issue of lying. Deuteronomy 22:28-29 tells us what is to happen to unwed, unbetrothed virgins who have sex (hint: death is not the answer). Clearly, the issue in a man finding that his new wife was not a virgin is that he had been lied to and betrayed. Sex outside of marriage was essentially the same as committing adultery. Marriage between a man and a woman is symbolic of the covenant between man and God. Just as God calls idolatry whoredom, which was punished with death, sleeping with anyone other than your spouse, even if you didn't have a spouse yet, was considered whoredom and punished with death. God makes it perfectly clear that His people were only to have sex within the confines of marriage. Note that in cases of premarital sex, it was nearly impossible to prove a man had committed the crime unless he was caught in the act or admitted to it, which is why we are only given a scenario in which the woman is accused.

If an unmarried woman who was not engaged had sex, the man was required to marry her as well as pay the father 50 shekels of silver. This money was compensation of the dowry that would have been traditionally required in a typical marriage. The verse doesn't specify if the sex is consensual or if this is a case of rape, which seems so drastic compared to the strong condemnation of rape earlier in the chapter! Why would God force a woman to marry her rapist? This verse parallels the law given in Exodus 22:16-17, where we see that the marriage could be refused, forcing the man to pay without receiving a bride.

There are many things to be taken into consideration when thinking about this situation. Now that the woman was not a virgin, it would be hard for her to find a husband; she would have been considered defiled even though it was not her fault. On top of that she would be unable to take care of herself as a single woman. Women did not work, and her father's inheritance would have passed to her brothers (unless she had none). This arrangement was to ensure the woman had at least one choice for a husband. (Also note that in the case of consensual sex, this law forced men to marry the women they convinced to sleep with them, which discouraged leading women on to get sex.) In addition, the man could not divorce the woman if the marriage was accepted; he was stuck with that decision. He couldn't divorce her even in the case of adultery! Likely, however, the father would refuse the marriage in the case of rape and if the woman never found a husband, her brothers would be responsible for caring for her. No one in the Old Testament is ever forced to marry their rapist.[10][11]

Furthermore, there seems to be contention on whether the phrase "lay hold" means "seize" which implies rape, or simply means convince. Earlier in the chapter the word "forced" is used to indicate rape. Well known theologian John Gills contends that the original Hebrew used in this verse doesn't mean rape, but refers to consensual sex.[12] Gills' explanation makes the most sense to me. From this perspective, this is merely forcing men not to be players. Unlike today's society where some men try to sleep with as many women as they can before settling down, this would force them to be serious about any woman they chose to have sex with.

Adultery

Which brings us to the topic of adultery. In the case of adultery where both the man and woman were identified, both the man and the woman were to be stoned. However, if the act was a result of rape, only the man dies. God reminds us that there is no sin (fault) in the woman who is raped. The sin of rape is equated to killing a man. Many believe that Deuteronomy 22:24-27 seems to imply rape only occurs outside the city, however, this is not what is the verses are saying. Within the city, it was expected that if a woman was raped, she would cry out and someone would hear her. The person who heard the woman crying out would either rescue her and prevent the rape, or act as a witness to the event. Contrarily, in the country, it was unlikely that anyone would hear the woman cry out, thus they were to believe her by her own word without witness.

Decency

God also warns sons not to sleep with their father's wives (as Reuben did to Jacob). This seems like a given considering God forbids both incest and adultery.

Exclusions from the Congregation

From official churches to rogue individuals, there are lots of people today who try to exclude people from the body of Christ. Before Jesus opened the door to all of humanity, God actually specified who could not be accepted into the congregation of Israel in Deuteronomy 23. None of the people excluded where being punished for committing a sin so much as fro being the evidence of sin. Generally speaking, the congregation included adult males (at least 20 years old) who had been circumcised per the covenant and represented the holy community. God restricted those that would taint the holiness of the community as a reminder to the Israelites of the lingering effects of sin. Included in the list of excluded persons were those who were eunuchs, anyone born out of wedlock, Ammonites, and Moabites.

These people were not at fault and exclusion from the congregation was not a punishment, but a reminder to those who were in the congregation. The person born out of wedlock was the evidence of sexual impurity in the nation. Ammonites and Moabites were created through incest (Lot's daughters' sons were the progenitors of these two groups); also they were hostile to Israel during the journey through the wilderness. They too were a reminder of abominations man had taken part in since the fall. The more people that were excluded from the congregation spoke negatively on those who were included. The people who were excluded were not sinners themselves, but byproducts of sins. Thus, it wasn't an issue where if 90% of the population was excluded, the 10% were elite; the fewer people excluded from the nation, the closer the Israelites were walking with God (he blesses their offspring to be healthy and no children are born out of wedlock when the Israelites are obedient). Scholars believe that this command not only served as a reminder, but a deterrent to keep the Israelites from creating eunuchs.[14]

The exclusion lasted forever in the case of illegitimate children, Ammonites, and Moabites. However, Isaiah 56:3-4 tells us the eunuch, though excluded from the congregation, are promised a home with God if they keep His commandments. Clearly God is not abandoning these people. The exclusion did not keep them from worshipping God or exclude them from salvation. Likely, they were simply barred from being counted in the census or holding office.[14]

Inclusions in the Congregation

God also describes who is included in the congregation of Israel. They were not to turn their backs against the Egyptians and Edomites. The Edomites are described as their brothers, which is quite literal since Esau, father of the Edomites, was the brother of Jacob, father of the Israelites. The Egyptians were to be forgiven for their treatment of the Israelites and could enter the congregation at the 3rd generation. It is interesting to see that God had mercy on these people—particularly the Egyptians who participated in idolatry. What was different about them verses the Ammonites or Moabites? Was it their inability (or lack of desire) to covert the Israelites?

A parallel thought to remember when considering God's inclusion of the Egyptians is that this act magnified His ability to deliver them but minimized their cruelty the Egyptians. Jesus tells us we are to forgive people, this is exemplified in God's command to first forgive their brothers (Edom) and then their captors (Egypt).[16]

Uncleanness

Purity was a must, so uncleanness was not allowed in the camp—especially during war. If someone became unclean in their sleep they were to depart that morning, then wash their self that evening and return. They were to relieve themselves at the side of the camp, using a paddle to uncover a hole for their waste, which was to be covered afterward.

Slaves

Interestingly, the Israelites were told not to return runaway slaves to their masters, nor to oppose their slaves. While they were not to turn away or force slaves back to their masters, they were commanded to turn away the sexually impure, particularly those involved in cult prostitution. Along with not accepting these people into the congregation, they were not hire these people either. If it wasn't obvious before, clearly God was not ok with prostitution.[15]

Usury

Usury is the practice of charging obscenely high interest rates. The Israelites were not to place these types of interest rates on anything they leant to their neighbors. On the other hand, lans to strangers could be leant with high interest rates, probably because strangers would have a higher risk factor. All Israelites were bound to the same morals and obligation to pay back their debts and deal honestly, while strangers were not.

Vows

Once a vow was made to God, though it was made voluntarily and thus not required, it was considered stealing not to continue to uphold or complete a vow taken. As such, it was considered a serious sin to renege on a vow to the Lord.

Stealing

If a man walked through his brother's or neighbor's vineyard (or field of corn—possibly any field, but only corn and vineyards are specified directly), it was fine for him to take a little but he was not to take enough to place in a vessel (a basket, bag, etc.). The person could have just enough to fill their hunger—which seems to go hand in hand with leaving crops for the poor—but couldn't make a profit from someone else's handiwork.

Domestic Life

Moses discusses a series of issues that affect the Israelites' domestic life.

Marriage and Divorce

Marriage was a serious contract; it was supposed to last forever. God likens His relationship with His people as a marriage which explains why marriage was so important to Him. It's a lot easier to commit to someone who is flesh and blood than someone you can't see. Like our relationship with God, marriage was supposed to be binding for life.

Divorce was only allowed on certain occasions. In these verses, God is addressing divorces based on "uncleanness." Men were not allowed to simply divorce their wives because they liked someone else better, and throughout the New Testament we see that adultery is listed as the only legitimate reason to divorce someone. However, the law provides rules for divorces not concerning adultery to prevent men for treating their wives poorly after they decide they no longer wish to be married.[17] In Deuteronomy 24, we learn that if a man divorced his wife, she was free to marry another, however, under no circumstance was she ever allowed to go back to her first husband if she took a second. This stipulation was to force the man to really think about his action. Neither divorcing her second husband nor the death of her second husband made this woman available to her first. The divorce made them dead to each other because death is the only thing that severs the bond of marriage.[17]

Another marriage issue Moses discusses at the beginning of chapter 24, is the honeymoon phase. A newlywed man was to be free from work for an entire year! His sole duty during that time was to make his wife happy. He was also exempt from war for this same reason. God expected the husband to put all his effort in to pleasing his wife and building a home together during that first year.

Pledges

A pledge was basically collateral, such as how they take your license before you can tour an apartment.[18] In some cases, this may have been an "I owe you" situation and in others it may simply have been a temporary trade (for instance I may give you something of value as a pledge to use your horse for the day). Millstones could not be taken as a pledge, because they were required for grinding food. Both the upper and lower stones were necessary for survival and God didn't want people forcing others to die (or suffer more debt) over a pledge. He thus forbid anyone from taking such an object for payment or collateral. in addition, God specifies that pledges to taken from the poor were to be returned before night so that they would not have to be cold. This is also discussed in Exodus 22:26-27.

Leprosy

The Israelites were to learn about the plague of leprosy from the Levites. With this knowledge, they were to be diligent in quarantining those identified with leprosy. Moses gives the example of his sister Miriam being quarantined in the wilderness. In using this example, Moses was also declaring that it didn't matter who had the plaque, they were to be quarantined regardless. Miriam was the sister to both the leader and the high priest, and she was still quarantined.

Slavery & Kidnapping

The Israelites were commanded not to steal people, especially not for he purpose of servitude or selling. Anyone who was found guilty of such a thing was to be put to death. Regardless of whether the man was a stranger or brother, a servant was not to be oppressed. The Israelites were to pay their help on time and without delay.

Sin & Family

Children who damage someone's property usually aren't held liable for the damages, but it is very likely that parents will have to pay the bill. In the case of sin, however, parents can't bail out their children. They were not to die for their child's sin. Similarly, a child was not to be put to death for his father's sins. Here we learn that each person is ultimately responsible for his own sins.

Fairness

The Israelites were not to twist the law to harm the strangers, orphans, or widows. Neither were they to change to the law to help the rich. Taking a widow's garments for a pledge is discussed as Moses impresses fairness upon the people. Like millstones, the widow's garment couldn't be taken from the her as a pledge. God tells them to remember that they were one slaves in Egypt and how they were treated, but God spared them. For this reason they should obey God, and for this reason, they should spare those around them.

Crops were to be left in the field for the less fortunate (widows, orphans, and strangers). They were to freely glean from these crops—this is how Ruth meets Boaz. Both olive trees and vineyards fell under this law as well. This made sure that the poor had something; while it may not have been the best of the crop (beggars can't be choosers, right?), it would keep them from starving. This method provides for the poor, but still leaves reason for one to want to get out of poverty. Remember, the poor had to pick their own food, they weren't simply handed the crops. This is God's version of public assistance.

This mercy was also applied to animals. The Israelites weren't to muzzle an ox as they tread through the cornfield. The ox was owed the fruits of his labor.

Relationships & Mercy

When problems arose between people, a judge was to determine who was guilty of wrong doing. If the judge found the act worthy of punishment by lashing, they were restricted to 40 lashes, anything more was deemed cruel and vile. For comparison, in the American South, the number of lashings a slave could receive was dependent upon the master. There is evidence to show that some slaves received as few as 39 (within the Biblical range), to as many as 200 lashings as punishment.[19] The Quran (the basis of Islam) allows for up to 80 lashes, but Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia are much like the so-called Christian slave owners and may deliver well beyond that limit. Saudi Arabia issued a sentence of 7000 lashes for two men in 2007 (though they are not given all at one).[20]

Duties of a Brother-in-Law

Known as a Levirate marriage, a woman widowed before having children was to marry her husband's brother to produce a line to inherit the deceased husband's possessions and name. This is seen in Genesis 38 with Judah's daughter-in-law Tamar. When Judah's eldest son passed away before Tamar could conceive, he sent his middle son to marry her (read more about this example here). The firstborn child was to receive the deceased husband's name. The other children would received the brother's name.

If a man did not perform this duty, the woman was to take him before the elders. If he was found guilty and still refused his duty, she was to remove his shoe and spit in his face. While this punishment seems strange today, it would have been demoralizing back then (actually, it would be pretty demoralizing today, too). He would then be known as "the house of him that hath his shoe loosed" (how embarrassing?).[15]

Immodest Women

"Kick him were the sun don't shine" is a common phrase and popular for getting back at a man, but God would never give you that advice. The Bible tells us that a woman who attempts to help her husband in a fight by taking hold of the other man's "secrets" (i.e. private parts) was to lose her hand and no one was to pity her. Besides the obvious, the logic is that this action may prevent the man from having children, hence the harsh punishment. The ability to continue one's line, as discussed above in "Duties of a Brother-in-Law", was the closest thing to immortality people had and it was a huge deal. A man who couldn't produce heirs or a woman who was barren was considered incomplete.[15] Another possible reason for the severity of the punishment was the concept of fairness. Most societies had rules of honor in fighting. Even today, one would consider it a "low blow" or an unfair shot if someone were to go for the groin in a fight. On top of that, she would be interfering with a fight that should have been settled between the two men. Further, if the woman did damage the man's ability to reproduce or injure him, he may have been considered an eunuch, which would then exclude him from the congregation.

Just Weights

The Israelites were supposed to carry just weights. These weights would have been used to measure money when buying or selling. In Deuteronomy 25:13-16, God is condemning the practice of cheating people of their money. Everything was to be fair.

Amalek

Deuteronomy 25:17-19, God gives us the reason why He despises Amalek and the Amalekites. He reminds the Israelitesthat Amalek brought an army to attack their rear, smiting the weak and feeble. Amalek did not fear God, which automatically made him an enemy. In return, God wanted the Israelites to blot Amalek's existence out of history. Paradoxically, God commands them never to forget blotting Amalek out of history. I think what is meant by this series of commands from God, is that their ability to wipe away the memory of Amalek was to be an example for all generations to come. All the people would ever know about Amalek is that at one point he existed, he made God mad, and the Israelites destroyed his legacy. Aside from that information, the response would be "Amalek, who?" We will see the continuing conflict between the Israelites and the Amalekites over the course of the next few books.

Offering First Fruit

When the Israelites were settled in the promised land, they would eventually plant and/or harvest crops (some things were already planted). The first of these crops were to be given to God at the Temple via the priest. They were to recite their history from Israel's entry to Egypt through God delivering them—the highlights at least—before giving the first fruits to God. Likely, this is a reference to the Feast of Harvest (or Pentecost).

Tithes

Every 3rd year tithes went to the Levites, strangers, widows, and orphans. During the other two years, the tithes went directly to God. This measure helped the less fortunate in the same manner welfare or public assistance help the poor today. In the New Testament, Jesus continues to stress the importance of giving to others in need.

35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. ... 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.Matthew 25:35-40 KJV

Keep the Commandments

Once again, God reminds the Israelites to keep His commandments. Remember, this task is their end of the bargain in the covenant, so it is often stressed by God.

References

1. "Deuteronomy 21:22 Commentary". Bible Hub. 2016
2. "American Buffalo Are Endangered". Endangered Species. 2000
3. "Are buffalo endangered?". Reference.com. 2016
4. "Mixed Fabrics". Beyond Today. January 2011
5. "Why does the Bible speak against wearing clothing made of different types of fabric?". GotQuestions.org. 2016
6. "Should a Christian Wear Clothing of Mixed Fibers (Leviticus 19:19)?". Church of the Great God. 2016
7. Gilson, Tom. "Why Wearing Clothes of Mixed Fabrics (Leviticus 19:19) was Warong". Thinking Christian. January 2013
8. "What’s So Wrong with Mixing Wool & Linen?". Our Rabbi Jesus. July 2013
9. "Deuteronomy 22:18 Commentaries". Study Light. 2016
10. Hanegraaff, Hank. "How could the Bible command a rape victim to marry her rapist?". Christian Research Instituate. 2016
11. "Does Deuteronomy 22:28-29 command a rape victim to marry her rapist?". GotQuestions.org. 2016
12. Gills, John. "Deuteronomy 22:28 Commentary". Bible Study Tools. 2016
13. Ford, Mike. "Wool and Linen". Church of the Great God. 2015
14. "Deuteronomy 23:1". Bible Hub. 2016
15. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg. 338, 340. 2014
16. "Deuteronomy 23 Commentary". Bible Study Tools. 2016
17. "Deuteronomy 24 Commentary". Bible Study Tools. 2016
18. "Pledge. Merriam Webster. 2016
19. Simkin, John. "Whipping of Slaves". Spartacus Educational. August 2014
20. Malone, Noreen. "How Many Lashes Can One Man Take". Slate. November 2008