Foodie Jargon

This page will contain words and phrases to help you navigate the food world. I'll also define a lot of the "diets" people are on (pescatarian vs. vegetarian vs. vegan). Even if you eat any and everything, it's good to know about other's dietary needs if you're planning or hosting an event. I know it can be confusing, so as I find new words/phrases (and find time) I'll be updating this page!

Diets and Lifestyles

Name	What is eaten
Halal	Halal food meets the dietary restrictions from the Qu'ran. You can read more about Halal here.
Kosher	Kosher food meets the dietary restrictions laid out in the Bible (plus a few additional rules). Unclean meats such as pork and shellfish are not consumed. Dairy and meat are not allowed to be consumed together. You can read up on the more intricate details here.
Raw Vegan	Same basic restrictions as vegans, but raw vegans only eat uncooked meals so no grains or veggies that must be cooked)
Pescitarian	The only meat they eat is seafood
Vegan	No meat and no animal byproducts (for many this will include honey since it's made by bees)
Vegetarian	No meat (for many vegetarians this will also mean no broths made from meat nor veggies cooked in meat)

Christian Terminology/Jargon

Have you ever been in a setting where you have no idea what the people are talking about because, even though they're speaking your language, you don't understand the words? One thing I've noticed is that the more entrenched in something we are, the less likely we are to realize that others are unfamiliar with our terminology. Not only does it make communicating hard, it's pretty off-putting to those who are not "in the know."

Introduction

Have you ever been in a setting where you have no idea what the people are talking about because, even though they're speaking your language, you don't understand the words? One thing I've noticed is that the more entrenched in something we are, the less likely we are to realize that others are unfamiliar with our terminology. Not only does it make communicating hard, it's pretty off-putting to those who are not "in the know." In the movie Easy A, there's a scene where the main character goes to seek spiritual guidance. When she requests to speak to the pastor of the church, she struggles with what word to use, rambling from words like "priest" and "minister" to "wizard." As she rambles, the church member assisting her looks at her as though she's absolutely insane. I wouldn't wish that on anyone! All should be welcome in the house of God and it should be a welcoming environment where such a situation is handled in love, not ridicule. Since I've grown up in the Church and taken two theology classes, it's likely I'll use words some of you aren't familiar with or you've heard before but you aren't quite sure what they mean (or the difference between a minister and a pastor, for example). So, I'm providing a glossary, of sorts. For heavy concepts, I'll summarize and link to more exhaustive explanations. If I missed a word, feel free to leave it in the comment section (or use the contact form) and I'll add it. (I would never judge anyone for asking to learn more, but I know many people are afraid to ask questions our of embarrassment of fear of ridicule. The contact form will allow you to submit anonymously, and I think the comment section will allow for that too, so don't let fear of embarrassment stop you from asking!)

Abbreviations Christians Use

Bible Translations

*Note, "Standard" doesn't actually mean this is an agreed upon standard; the editors made executive decisions to use this word.

Abbreviation	Meaning
ESV	English Standard Version
HCSB	Holman Christian Standard Bible
KJV	King James Version
MSG	The Message
NASB	New American Standard Bible
NIV	New International Version
NKJV	New King James Version
NLT	New Living Translation
RSV	Revised Standard Version

Words Christians Use

This section is in progress as I come up with popular words and phrases I've heard that might not be familiar to those who didn't grow up in church. In the mean time, feel free to suggest some words below

What Will You Choose?

Decisions, decisions. Life always presents you with choices; you may not like the choices, but they're always there.

What the most important aspect of your life?

Perhaps you thought of your family or your friends, people you love and intend to love for the rest of your life. Maybe you thought of your career or a passion you have hopes of succeeding with (such as art or music). Maybe you're a humanitarian and you thought of the service you do for community, the children you mentor, or the elderly you care for. I wonder how many people thought of God?

What I Spend the Day Thinking Of

As much as we'd like to deny it, God is not at the forefront of our minds 24/7. How often we think about Him varies from person to person. You might expect believers to think about God much more than non-believers, since we claim He hold ultimate priority in our lives. You might even think we would think about Him more than any other topic. When I attempted to plot out what I think about each day and how much time I spend thinking on the topic (shown to the left), I realized an interesting nuance to representing how we should be thinking about God.

In the pie chart to the left, there's a slice dedicated to how much time is spent thinking of God, but it implies this time is separate from the other topics. We can think about God while thinking of other aspects of our life. In fact, all of these topics can overlap. We should have God evenly sprinkled in each area of our thoughts. When I start making decisions or plans with my friends, God should be included; when I study for class, God should be included. Most of us who have been believers already know this, though.

This concept is illustrated in the phrase "giving honor to God who's first and foremost in my life." If you grew up in a Black church or watched enough awards shows, this is a familiar phrase. I was never a fan of the phrase, perhaps I disliked the disingenuity of a canned phrase. It always felt like something people say because they're supposed to, not because they actually feel moved to by the Spirit (emphasis on the word felt, who am I to say what goes through people's minds or hearts as they speak). Regardless of what people mean or feel as they speak the words I want to talk about the idea and the practice of putting God first in our lives and incorporating Him in all areas of our life.

We live in a society that decries religion as something that is supposed to be contained in one's personal space. Many will tell you it doesn't have a place in public spaces or in the workplace; it's even one of the topics you aren't supposed to discuss in polite conversation. This worldly mentality makes it easy to push God out of certain aspects of our lives. We have been conditioned to sacrifice God to succeed in the world, despite His Word telling us that we are not of the world.

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.John 17:14 KJV

When I started keeping the Sabbath according to the Bible, I started to notice just how difficult it is to separate yourself from the world and how much the enemy has programmed our brains against putting God first. It's not that we are consciously denying God or purposefully putting something before Him. Instead we have been taught not to see anything wrong with our actions. Certain actions are considered normal, everyone does them, so we don't even stop to think about what God has already said about this action.

For instance, if I go to a restaurant for supper after church on the Sabbath, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing on the surface. Most people probably don't think anything of the act. Even those who think about the people working at the restaurant may think the workers would work even if they didn't come in or rationalize that they themselves are not working. Some may try to rationalize that the have to eat; after all, Jesus let the the disciples pick grain for themselves during the Sabbath right? However, God tells us that we aren't to require those in our presence to work for us on the Sabbath in Exodus 20:10. At the restaurant the waiter/waitress, host, and chef become our "maidservants" and "menservants." Our money goes to pay for their services, thus we have employed them and required them to serve us during the Sabbath. Furthermore, Nehemiah 10:31 tells we aren't supposed to be buying (or selling) on the Sabbath anyway!

What I mean to say, is a lot of seemingly normal activities or habits we have picked up and think nothing of are actually examples of us subconsciously choosing the world over God.

A friend and I were discussing the issue of working on the Sabbath; this is one of those issues that people are more likely to realize is a conflict and confront directly. My friend took the position that not everyone can have a job that gives them the Sabbath off, our society just doesn't work like that. My friend went on to say if a person needed to feed their family, God would understand them working on the Sabbath.

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Kostas Tsirogk

Many people take this stance, despite the fact that 50-60 years ago, almost everything was closed during the weekend and everything (except emergency personnel) was closed on Sunday. While Sunday isn't the Sabbath, despite majority of Christians in the world treating it as such, this proves that society functions just fine with these businesses closed for one day. The act of staying open today is merely a keeping up with the Jones effect: they're doing it, so I have to do it too.

From a believer's stand point, much of the confusion on how to behave lies in the contrast of Jesus' examples New Testament and God's commands in the Old Testament. I often hear people quote Jesus' dialogue on the Sabbath to attempt to rationalize not keeping the day holy, so let's take a quick look at the context of these passages. Between God's instructions in the wilderness and the arrival of Jesus, the Jews greatly added to the law.^[1][2] Jesus, who blatantly states that He didn't come to destroy the law^[5] addresses the problems with some of these extra laws in the New Testament. He reminds us of three areas that permit us to do "work" on the Sabbath: doing good for our fellow man, emergencies, and worshipping the Lord. Each of the areas Jesus permits can be defended via examples from the Old Testament: 1 Samuel 21:1-5, Numbers 28:9-10, and Hosea 6:6.^[3][4] Jesus didn't re-writing the Sabbath, He simply clarified what was already written. (A full discussion of this can be found in the post "Keeping the Sabbath Holy.")

So, if we're using the Sabbath as an example, the tricky part of placing God first in our lives stems from the emergency/necessity category. Like my friend suggested, if my job requires me to work on the Sabbath, is that a necessity in the eyes of God? There are people who would say yes. They would say that you need the money to survive, or that refusing to work on the Sabbath may get you fired, therefore it constitutes a necessity. This is where it gets interesting because unless you're an emergency responder, medical provider, or humanitarian (providing for the homeless, elderly, etc.), there's no reason for your boss to require you to work on the Sabbath, except greed.

Retail stores, grocery stores, etc. do not have to be open on the Sabbath. You can't control when you'll get sick or injure yourself. You can't control when lightning will strike your roof and catch the house on fire or when you'll absentmindedly turn on the wrong burner and catch the stove on fire. You can't control when criminals will attack you or break in to your house. As a farmer, I can't control when the cows will bust out of the pen and start wandering, or when their water will freeze and I need to break up the ice so they can drink. These are the types of tasks Jesus reminds us are inevitable. However, you can make time to buy shoes or groceries or carpet or what have you; these tasks do not have to be carried out right that moment and are not urgent. You may have to plan your week out to fit these tasks within the other 6 days of the week, but it's about whether you're willing to put in the effort to plan for God to have 24 hours of your time, not necessity.

Back to the worker my friend mentioned. She probably isn't the boss, and definitely isn't the consumer. She can't individually control the hours the store opens (though collectively, if no one were to be available to work on the Sabbath the owner couldn't operate on the Sabbath...). As my friend pointed out, we aren't all bosses, nor are we all in industries that present us with an Monday through Friday 8-5 work schedule. The truth is, it is very possible that people will deny you work if you tell them you can't work on the Sabbath. I know for a fact that in Clemson, SC you can't get a job at most places downtown or around the city if you're unwilling to work during football games (which coincidentally occur on the Sabbath unless it's a night game). However, there are options of working on campus which don't have the same requirements. You may have to work harder to get one of those jobs, but God will make a way for those following His lead.

I'm not saying it's easy to put God first, it most definitely is not: people will judge, options will disappear. While in the wilderness, the Israelites were always ready to give up. They thought they were better off in bondage than following God, just as we often think it's better to be in sin than on the path to Heaven. Its not an easy road and sin will often look like the better option.

Sometimes these opportunities are obvious no-nos, such as sleeping with a producer to jumpstart your acting career. But what about singing songs with lyrics you don't approve of to jumpstart your singing career? For example, Destiny's Child's sophomore album The Writing's on the Wall has songs like "Confessions" and "If You Leave" which promote adultery, alongside the outro which is gospel. Is it ok to teach evolution above creation because you're a teacher?

The quote that Jesus died so that we could have life more abundantly is often brought up to excuse questionable behaviors or decisions. "My job requires me to do this, so it's ok." Well, if you're job title is hitman, your job requires you to kill people, is that ok? No, God told us not to kill people, and though He may have made exceptions in the Old Testament, Jesus left us with instructions and examples that we are not to kill people today. No Christian would say it was ok for you to be employed as a hitman (though some might say it was ok to have a similar job in the police force, FBI/CIA, or Army).

The ease of the decision when it refers to something such as murder comes from you placing weight on sin. It is the idea that killing someone is worse than breaking the Sabbath. You can't rationalize murder as easily as you can breaking the Sabbath. James 2:10 tells us that breaking the 4^th commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) is the same as breaking the 6^th commandment (Exodus 20:13).

Your conscience, beliefs, and morals aren't supposed to come 2^nd to your job. Contrary to to what the world teaches, you aren't supposed to be aligning your beliefs with the company's beliefs or society's beliefs. You are to stand firm in God's Word.

²¹From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. ²²Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. ²³But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. ²⁴Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. ²⁶For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.Matthew 16:21-27 KJV

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References

[1] The 39 Prohibited Sabbath Activities. The Nazarene Way. 2016
[2] Deffinbaugh, Robert L. "16. The Sabbath Controversy in the Gospels". Bible.org. May 2004
[3] Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg. 1598. 2014
[4] Matthew 12:1-14
[5] Matthew 5:7

Thou Shalt Not Covet

A look at the tenth commandment: thou shalt not covet. Coveting is more than just wanting; it involves jealousy and envy. Romans 7:7 tells us that lusting is to covet. From this we can gather that coveting goes beyond a mere want, erring toward obsession. Envy is something we feel when we aren't satisfied with what we have. Coveting is what we do when we become envious. An important distinction to make is the difference between wanting and coveting, and why God would tell us not to covet. We all want things, and wanting is one way of setting goals for ourselves.

Introduction

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house,
thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Exodus 20:17 KJV

Coveting is more than just wanting; it involves jealousy and envy. Romans 7:7 tells us that lusting is to covet. From this we can gather that coveting goes beyond a mere want, erring toward obsession.
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Commandment

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.Exodus 20:17 KJV

Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.Deuteronomy 5:21 KJV

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Bible Verses

1. Deuteronomy 7:25
2. Job 31:24-28
3. Psalm 62:10
4. Luke 12:15-14
5. Romans 7:7
6. Romans 13:9
7. Ephesians 5:3-5
8. Hebrews 13:5
9. James 4:1-2

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Discussion

Envy is something we feel when we aren't satisfied with what we have. Coveting is what we do when we become envious. An important distinction to make is the difference between wanting and coveting, and why God would tell us not to covet. We all want things, and wanting is one way of setting goals for ourselves. For instance, I want to go to Heaven; going to Heaven is my goal, from this I will order my steps toward that goal. Coveting occurs when we want something some one else has, or because someone else has it. The Bible gives us the example of coveting someone else's wife (or husband). A less obvious example is wanting to be (or be like) someone else. In middle and high school, we often wish we were as cool or as popular as a particular person, we wish we had their style or their ease at talking to the opposite sex. As we age, this form of coveting tends to lessen, however we may still suffer from coveting others' hair, legs, smile, etc. This form of coveting stems from insecurity, but also is a subconscious denial of God:

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Pslam 139:14 KJV

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. God didn't make any mistakes on us! When you wish you were someone else, you imply God didn't make you well enough, that yourself isn't good enough. while I'm sure God doesn't want you to think that, this is also dangerous for yourself. If God had wanted two John Does, He would have made two John Does, but He didn't, He made you because you are the one He wanted.

So why is coveting worse than wanting? As I said in the previously, want is a way of setting goals, but coveting is tied to lust. When you merely want something, you are willing to work for it and won't lose your mind if you don't get it, however when you covet something, you become lustful of it and will do whatever it takes—right or wrong—to get what you desire. Coveting is about wanting to take something from someone else or wanting something without putting in the work; when you covet you don't worry about how other people are affected in your pursuit. It would be covetous of me to want my neighbor's house and to think I should have their house or a better house. However, wanting to work so that I can have my own place with my own style is a totally different matter—I'm not trying to take someone else's house, I don't want to show them up, and I'm willing to put in the work to get to that point. Coveting is a fruit of an entitlement mentality.
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Examples from the Bible

Haman, the antagonist in Esther, clearly covets power. He specifically covets the king's power and thus trivial actions, such as Moredcai's refusal to bow to him, trigger him into a rage. Haman attempts to kill an entire race of people because one man refused to honor a request. Haman wanted a respect he hadn't earned.

Examples from Real Life

The most common expression related to coveting is "keeping up with the Joneses." This phrase is used to refer to people who strive to be as rich, worldly, cultured, etc., as a particular group. For instance you may want a car because all of your friends have a car, not because you need a car but because you want to be like your friends. Some people are never happy with what they have, and have a need to be the first to get the latest technology, or have to upgrade their belongs when people around them "out do" them. I've even seen people who tried to 1-up each other over the number of kids they had! This mentality has become so prevalent in our society that one of the most popular TV shows, "Keeping up with the Kardashians," is all about wanting to be the Joneses!

Keeping Up with the Kardashians

In titling their show "Keeping up with the Kardashians," the Kardashian family is implicitly saying "we want you to watch us, and wish you were us." They are encouraging their followers to be envious and covet their life style. Never mind whether their actions glorify God or not, young girls idolize the Kardashian girls and mimic many of the things they do, from "Kylie Jenner lips" to contouring to fashion. They've become star struck and are molding themselves in the image of a Kardashian instead of in the image of our Savior, Jesus. We're supposed to be trying to be like Jesus, not like our neighbor. Holding ourselves to the standard of another person—trying to be as tall or as rich or as pretty—does not help our self worth. It doesn't help us to value ourselves, nor does it encourage us to stand strong in what we believe in; it encourages us to follow. On top of that, in this case their actions do not reflect the fruits of God. Kim Kardashian, possibly the most famous of the family, claims to be a Christian,^[5] yet her break into stardom came from a leaked sex tape, she married a man for 72 days,^[3] and is now married to Kanye West who named one of his albums Yeezus, which led to someone desecrating a Bible by replacing every instance of God in Genesis with his.^[4]

Explaining that [Kanye] initially discussed his ideas with a pastor, he admitted that his now-fiance Kim Kardashian had questioned if it might be “weird” if Jesus came on stage.

Not at all, he explained: “We do plays all the time where people play Jesus. What’s awesome about Christianity is that we’re allowed to portray God.”^[1]

What Mr. West has neglected in his statement is that we are not allowed to portray God. Where in the Bible does it say it's ok to pretend to be God or act like God or portray God? The 2^nd commandment says not to make an image of God (or anything in Heaven). Part of the reason they killed Jesus is because they thought He was pretending to be God; when Jesus forgave sins and said He was the Son of God, He was stating that He was God, but the Pharisees did not believe Him, if He was not God then He had to be lying and therefore pretending. To pretend you are God is to bear false witness since you are not God, are not perfect, and cannot understand the mind of God, thus breaking the 9^th commandment as well. We see that Mrs. Kardashian West questioned this at first but eventually was convinced to go along with it (after all she was only his fiancé at the time and they've been married for more than 72 days so it wasn't an issue). On the album in question Mr. West has a song entitled "I am God" with lyrics in which Kanye claims to be a god.^[2]. This is antichrist behavior, not Christ-like behavior. They're selling the bootleg, "cool," version of Jesus, where you pose naked in front of cameras, glorify yourself, and show up to award shows drunk with a bottle on hand. Those who want to "keep up" see no problem in this and may even begin to do the same. They will refer to Mr. West as "Yeezus" and go bed at night wishing they had a butt that would break the internet.

These are not actions God would want you to aspire to! Many make mistakes, some lead horribly lives before finding Jesus, but she has not changed her behavior to reflect that of Jesus. Just like the devil can quote scripture, anyone can say they're a Christian. Many are only a Christian when its convenient but it doesn't work like that. Either you follow Jesus (which may still lend to mistakes along the way) or you do not and the actions of those involved in this show suggest they do not.
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Social Media

It's not just the show or the Kardashians, in fact Mrs. Kardashian West may be a victim of this next topic herself. Social Media is the breeding ground for a "keeping up with the Joneses" (or Kardashians) mentality. People create fictional images of themselves just to gain followers and to be envied, meanwhile others see the lifestyles of others and become jealous. To be a successful celebrity these days you must be a master at Instagram, Twitter (the place in which Mrs. Kardashian West professes her faith), Facebook, and all other social media platforms. Posting Bible quotes is not likely to "break the internet" but tweeting controversial photos, mixed with some Bible verses might. It's obvious how celebrity influence in social media can cause jealousy, but this trend can occur for normal people as well; when everyone is posting pictures of their new babies and you are unable to have one, or when everyone is out buying a house but you're still trying to pay off your student loan and stuck at your momma's house. Social media not only makes these things readily available for you to see, but prompts us to be more forthcoming with the information. Mingled with the issue of envy is the desire to be envied. We want to get as many likes as we can or as many followers. We want to be the Joneses that everyone else is trying to keep up with. Which means we're more likely to flaunt our new car, or our new engagement ring, or what have you, because we have a place that allows us to do so while simultaneously gathering data on people's reaction. We have to be careful as we proceed in this world. If you find yourself envious while using social media, it may be time to unplug.
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References

1. "Kanye West reveals religious message behind Yeezus tour and talks Illuminati Classim and using his "white voice"". FactMag. October 2013
2. Thomasos, Christine. "Kanye West Reveals Meaning Of 'Yeezus' Album Title". The Christian Post. June 2013
3. Blumm, K.C. "Kim Kardashian Thought Her Career 'Was Over' After Split with Kris Humphries". People. June 2015
4. Stone, Natalie. "'The Book of Yeezus' Bible Replaces Every Mention of God With Kanye West". Billboard. April 2015
5. Thomasos, Christine. "Kim Kardashian Making Jesus Her Priority?". The Christian Post. April 2014

Thou Shalt Not Steal

A look at the eighth commandment: thou shalt not steal.

Introduction

Thou shalt not steal.
Exodus 20:15 KJV

Another simply stated commandment is the eighth commandment which tells us not to steal. For most of us, this is common sense. We're taught not to steal from our youngest age regardless of religion. The logic of why this principle came to be so universal follows the do unto others as you would have them do unto you principle Jesus stated in His sermon on the mount, but most laws of the ancient world held that stealing was unacceptable.
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Commandment

Thou shalt not steal.Exodus 20:15 KJV

Neither shalt thou steal.Deuteronomy 5:19 KJV

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Bible Verses

1. Exodus 21:16
2. Exodus 22:1-4
3. Leviticus 19:11
4. 1 Samuel 12:3-5
5. Proverbs 6:30-31
6. Proverbs 29:24
7. Proverbs 30:7-9
8. Jeremiah 2:26
9. Isaiah 1:20-25
10. Hosea 4:2
11. Matthew 15:19
12. Mark 10:19
13. Luke 18:20
14. Romans 2:21
15. Romans 13:19
16. 1 Corinthians 6:9
17. Ephesians 4:28

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Discussion

While many people steal due to circumstance, addiction problems, or simply because at the time it seems easier, most will admit stealing is wrong—it is after all illegal. Is there a single country in the would where you can simply walk into someone's house take something you like and it be considered ok in the eyes of the law? I highly doubt it. For Christians it is easy to say this law was given to us by God; as discussed in my posts on the law specifically, it is evident that God gave the people some form of law or conduct to adhere to even before Moses' day (otherwise there would not have been sin cause Him anger). I believe God told the first humans not to steal, that this universal law passed from Adam and Eve through Seth to Noah, through Shem, Japheth, and Shem all over the world.

The only question anyone ever has about theft is circumstance: if my child is starving and I have no money and no job, can I steal something from the grocery store? Is that still wrong? Time has romanticized the storyline of taking from the rich and giving to the poor with characters such as Robin Hood, but what would God think of these things? How do they fit in this commandment? One thing to note is that there are no amendments, additions, or clarifications to this commandment, just the simple command not to steal. Another thing to note is that throughout the Bible God commands those who have to take care of those who do not.

⁷If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: ⁸But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.Deuteronomy 15:7-8 KJV

This means that we shouldn't have to steal to get the things we need. In all cases in the Bible, God provided a way for His people. One example is the mana He provided the Israelites while they were in the wilderness. We also have to be careful to remember that need and want are not the same thing. If you are following God and having financial trouble, you are to keep your faith, pray, and continue to do your best—keep job hunting, check with local charities, etc. Similarly, if you have money to spare, you are to be mindful of those struggling: volunteer at a local soup kitchen, donate clothes to goodwill, whatever you can give.

The beautiful thing about God's commandments, even those that are simply phrased, is that there is so much more when you begin to think about it. In 1 Corinthians 8 we are told not to be a stumbling block to others. The example given deals with meat sacrificed to idols, however Luke 17 confirms that we aren't to tempt anyone with sin in general.

¹Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! ²It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.Luke 17:1-2 KJV

Therefore the eighth commandment tells us not to steal, an action we control, but by Luke 17:1-2 (and many other verses) we are also being told to be compassionate and generous toward the poor. If we gorge on food and lavish in our money in the face of a beggar, are we not tempting those who have less to steal? I believe Jesus would want us to offer this person a job or teach them a trade; He would want us to do what we could to get the beggar back on his feet again.
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Examples from the Bible

To come...

Honor thy Father and thy Mother

The fifth commandment—Honor thy Father and thy Mother—is discussed.

Introduction

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may
be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Exodus 20:12 KJV

The fifth commandment and the only commandment that comes with a direct promise (keeping the others inherently comes with the promise of being the chosen nation), is that we honor or father and mother. To honor is to respect or revere someone. The root Hebrew word in which is translated as "honor" in the English Bible, means to give weight to^[1]. This means that we should give weight—or authority— to our parents. There's a lot more to be thought about than simply obeying your parents however; in this post we'll looks a bit deeper into the meaning of the fifth commandment.
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Commandment

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.Exodus 20:12 KJV

Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.Deuteronomy 5:16 KJV

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Bible Verses

1. Exodus 20:12
2. Exodus 21:17
3. Leviticus 19:3
4. Deuteronomy 5:16
5. Deuteronomy 21:18-21
6. Deuteronomy 27:16
7. Jeremiah 35:18-19
8. Proverbs 6:20
9. Ephesians 6:1-3
10. Colossians 3:10
11. Matthew 15:4-6
12. Matthew 19:19
13. Mark 7:9-13
14. Mark 10:19
15. Luke 18:20

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Discussion

As a child, my biggest question concerning the Ten Commandments, stemmed from this commandment. I wanted to know what if my parents told me to do something wrong? Was I still supposed to obey? My Sunday school teachers were quick to say that they knew my parents wouldn't tell me to do something wrong and dismiss the question. However, my question wasn't about me and my parents in particular, but in general. God's Commandments apply to everyone, but everyone's parents aren't like mine. Furthermore, parents are human just like anyone else—they may not know what they are telling you is wrong. What about the countless Southern white parents that told their children to be racists in the early 1900's? Atheists who tell their children not to believe in God?
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What Does the Bible Say?

Deuteronomy 21:18-21 says that a stubborn and rebellious son that will not obey his parents should be stoned. We generally think of rebellion as a bad thing, but rebellion is simply the act of going against authority. Many verses in the Bible (in both the Old and New Testaments) confirm that God expects us to obey our parents. Even if it's wrong? I think this is one of those things God intends for us to use our common sense with. Remember even though there are several passages in the Bible where we are told to obey our parents, our parents are told not to provoke us to wrath. In addition, Matthew 19:29 says that some will have to forsake their parents. Furthermore, the commandment is to "honor" our parents not simply to obey. Honor means you respect and show respect for your parents, which generally means you obey them, but not necessarily. For instance, if your parents were atheists, that doesn't mean you can't have a respectful conversation about your beliefs. It also doesn't mean you shove God down their throats and disrespect their house by doing things your way.
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Abusive Parents?

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.Ephesians 6:4 KJV

In more extreme cases, such as abusive parents (physically or otherwise), I think to honor them means to forgive—note that forgive does not mean to stick around and continue being abused! If you are a child in an abusive home I encourage you to seek help from a trusted adult (such as a teacher, coach, or guidance counselor). I think this commandment is not saying you should submit to those who are abusing their status as parent and allow yourself to be continually abused, but not to go through life hating your parents or bad mouthing them to everyone you meet. Take for instance Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You," she shines a light on the effect her parents' divorce had on her. In an interview I saw once, she talked about how she discussed the song with her mom before releasing it for the world to hear. I think this is exactly what God meant—I mean how embarrassing would it be to have the fact that you fell apart and were unable to take care of your child broadcast to the entire world, especially if you didn't know it was coming? She honored her parents by asking if it was ok to discuss/air their personal business before she did so. In short for parents that fall into this category, God is commanding you to retain your love for them, forgive them, and pray for their change (but safely from afar!). A great post that goes more in depth on honoring abusive parent can be found here.
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The Reward

To make matters more complicated, this is the only commandment that comes with an individual promise. We are told that if we honor our parents, we will have a long life. Many logical reasons can show us why this would be true. If one honors their parents, they consult and listen to their parents about their life decisions which means they have the added benefit of learning from their parents' mistakes without having to make them. Also, if you take the children who listen to their parents about, say, eating their vegetables, they will grow up healthier than those who do not. I actually know someone who was born with an illness that placed her life expectancy at a very young age. She was the primary care taker for her mother (who was disabled) for as long as I can remember; not surprisingly, she has (and is still) outliving the doctor's estimate for her life span.
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Examples from the Bible

Genesis 9 — Ham is the first person in the Bible that is explicitly guilty of dishonoring his father, for which his son Canaan is punished.

more to come...

References

1. Elwell, Walter A. "Entry for 'Honor'". Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 1997

No Graven Images

God has commanded that we make no graven images nor bow to idols.

Introduction

The second commandment we are given from God is not to make idols and images or be given to idolatry. In a way (and it's most common interpretation) it simply continues the commandment before it, in which God tells us not to have any other gods before Him. However, we would not consider this the second commandment if it were merely another way of saying the first—there has to be some distinction. During the time of the Old Testament, most kingdoms worshiped carvings and statues made in the image of their gods, such as Zeus or Ra. The first commandment already told us we were not supposed to worship other gods, therefore, it self explanatory that we should not worship or bow down to their statues. So, why does God give us this second commandment? God was not simply telling His people not to worship the idols of these other nations, but telling us not to create idols and attribute them to Him. The statues and images pagans created were symbolic of their gods, but God was telling us not to create these types of symbols for our worship.

⁴Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth.
⁵Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them...
Exodus 20:4-5 KJV

Many Christians either miss or ignore this point. People often hang images of a man they claim to be Jesus in their homes and churches, Catholics kiss the feet of a statue they say is of the apostle Peter, and then there are the crucifixes and rosaries. Movies and folklore imbue these symbols with holy power, asserting that the cross will protect from demons and Satan. Catholics pray holding the rosary. However, God is not confined to these objects; He lives within us and we don't need them to invoke His power. On top of that, they're misrepresentations of Him. No one today knows what God or Jesus looks like. God appeared to many as an angel, and to Moses as fire. Moses sees God from behind, but there is no image of God included in the Bible (think about Tolkien's sketches of Middle Earth included with The Lord of the Rings) because God told Moses not to create them. Jesus walked on Earth, but no portraits were created of Him, at least if they were, they were destroyed due to His status as an outlaw. What is the difference in praying before a statue of Ra and praying in a church with a painting of this random man hanging above the pulpit? Not only are you praying before an image (violation of the 2nd commandment), you are praying before an image that is not the image of God...

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Commandment

⁴Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁵Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; ⁶And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.Exodus 20:4-6 KJV

⁸Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: ⁹Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, ¹⁰And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.Deuteronomy 5:8-10 KJV

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Bible Verses

This commandment is directly quoted in at least 21 places throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible:

1. Exodus 20:4-6
2. Exodus 32:8
3. Exodus 34:17
4. Leviticus 19:4
5. Leviticus 26:1
6. Deuteronomy 4:15-20
7. Deuteronomy 5:8-10
8. Deuteronomy 7:25
9. Deuteronomy 32:21
10. Joshua 23:7
11. 2 Kings 17:35, 38
12. Psalms 97:7
13. Psalms 115:4-7
14. Isaiah 44:12-20
15. Matthew 6:24
16. Luke 16:13
17. Acts 17:29-31
18. 1 Corinthians 8:4-6
19. 1 Corinthians 8:10-13
20. Colossians 3:5
21. 1 John 5:21

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Importance

My understanding of this commandment's importance is directly linked to the ease in which believers can be deceived into following pagan customs such as idol worship under the veil of worshiping God (this is a major problem in the current church, it will be discussed in more detail on the site in the near future). For instance, you can call a full grown tiger a kitten, but that doesn't mean if you try to pet it it won't bite your hand off. The same is true here, just because you call it an image of Jesus, doesn't make it an image of Jesus and praying before it is still praying before an idol. The second commandment is warning us of this fallacy and reminding us not to try to imitate pagan worship.
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Examples

The Golden Calf

Perhaps the most notorious example of idolatry in the Bible. God's people created a calf (an animal on earth) and worshipped it as though it was God. They imbued all of the work God did for them into this inanimate object that was worthless. God was so enraged that he threatened to destroy the entire nation right then and there!

Adding As I Go

Coming Soon: More examples of God's people holding fast to (or failing to uphold) the 2^nd commandment.
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References

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Seth

Seth is the third son of Adam and Eve and an ancestor of Noah (i.e., we're all descended from Seth). With Abel dead and Cain in exile for murder, Seth inherited the promise of God to save mankind; it is through his progeny that we find Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Judah, David, and finally Jesus.

Introduction

Seth is the third son of Adam and Eve. Born after Cain killed Abel it is likely he never met either of his older brothers—obviously, Abel was already dead, but with Cain banished it is unlikely (though no impossible) the two ever crossed paths. Seth lives to be 912 years old.
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Bible Verses

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.Genesis 4:25

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:Genesis 5:3 KJV

Other Verses on Seth

• Genesis 4:25-26; 5:3-8

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Disclaimer: Liberty taken with the depiction of Abel.
Please remember the Bible does not
specify a description for most individuals.

Character

We are not told anything about Seth's personality or actions. Our best understanding of Seth is given in Eve's, declaration that he is a replacement for Abel, which implies he was faithful to God like Abel.
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Descendants

All of mankind descends from Seth. Noah, survivor of the great flood, descends from Seth's son Enos; there are 9 generations between Noah and Seth.
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Other Posts About Seth

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References

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Abel

Abel was the first victim of murder and the second son of Adam of Eve. We don't know much about him, but we know he gave his best to God. If that's all anyone can say about me when I'm gone, I would think it's perfect. Abel was the first martyr.

Introduction

Disclaimer: Liberty taken with the depiction of Abel.
Please remember the Bible does not
specify a description for most individuals.

Abel was the younger brother of Cain and Adam and Eve's youngest son when he died. Abel was herdsman who tended flocks of sheep. He gives the better offerring to God, for which his brother Cain becomes jealous. In his jealous, Cain kills Abel, cutting his life short. Since it is not mentioned that he had a wife chances are high that he never married, however if is possible that he married but hadn't had children yet making it pointless to mention. We do know that he did not have children and thus his lineage died with him. The name Abel is from the Hebrew word Hevel or Havel, which means breath^[1].
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Character

Abel is portrayed as a man of faith in New Testament references, though we do not glean much about him in Genesis. Verses in the New Testament confirm that God preferred Abel's sacrifice to Cain's because of Abel's faith.
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Bible Verses

And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.Genesis 4:2 KJV

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.Hebrews 11:4

Other Verses on Abel

• Genesis 4:4,8-10, 25
• Matthew 23:35
• Luke 11:51
• Hebrews 12:24

Other Posts About Abel

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References

1. Campbell, Mike. "Abel". Behind the Name. 2015

Cain

Cain was mankind's first murder, and the infamous son of Adam and Eve. We can actually learn a lot from Cain because his struggle with jealousy is something I think we all deal with at some point in life—hopefully we can learn from his mistake so we don't repeat it!

Introduction

Disclaimer: Liberty taken with the depiction of Cain.
Please remember the Bible does not
specify a description for most individuals.

Cain is the eldest son of Adam and Eve. Born sometime after they are expelled from the Garden of Eden, Cain is the first person to be "born in sin" meaning born in the fallen world. Whatever eye-opening that occurred when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit was passed on to Cain.
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Lineage & Progeny

Cain is the eldest son of Adam and Eve. He has a son name Enoch (not to be confused with Enoch that is a descendant of Shem and goes straight to heaven). Through Enoch Cain's line produces Lamech, the instigator of polygamy and a fellow murder; Jabal, the person who advanced husbandry; Jubal, the person who advanced the arts (specifically music; and Tubal-cain, the person who advanced smithing.
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Character

Cain commits one of the worse crimes imaginable to mankind. Adam and Eve disobey God but Cain kills a person, and his own brother at that! Nothing good is really said of Cain, before he kills Abel we are told of Cain's jealousy. The closest thing to a positive we see from Cain is that he names a city after his son.
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Bible Verses

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.Genesis 4:1 KJV

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.Hebrews 11:4 KJV

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.Genesis 4:8 KJV

¹⁰And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. ¹¹And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; ¹²When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. ¹³And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.Genesis 4:10-13

Other Bible Verses on Cain

• Genesis 4:1-17, 25
• Hebrews 11:4
• 1 John 3:2
• Jude 1:11

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Other Posts About Cain

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Forming the Bible Cannon

How did we decide which books were inspired and meant to be in the Bible?

Introduction

In most Protestant Bibles, There are 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. The Catholic Bible also includes the Apocrypha, which contains an additional 15 books. Then there are the Gnostic writings known as the codices, which were found in Nag Hammadi. With so many texts floating around how did they know what was supposed to be included and what wasn't?
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The Old Testament

There are two versions of the old testament—the original Hebrew which does not include the Apocrypha, and the Greek translation which does contain the Apocrypha^[5]. By the time of Jesus, there was an accepted canon of which Jesus frequently quotes^[1][2]. Jesus also confirms the Old Testament by referencing the three divisions of the Old Testament in Luke 24:44. BiblicalTraining.org has a thorough article on the canonization of the old testament which can be found here. Many discoveries concerning the Old Testament stem from the archeological find of the Dead Sea Scrolls
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The New Testament

The New Testament is much more complicated in terms of how the cannon was determined. Jesus confirmed the books of the Old Testament by fulfilling prophecies, quoting the scripture, and not condemning the books. If there was a problem or forgery in the Old Testament, Jesus would have called the Pharisees out on this error (after all He called them out on many other misguided practices). However, we don't have that luxury for the New Testament. In addition to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, there are has also been found gospels attributed to Mary Magdalene, Peter, James, Thomas, and others^[3]. How did people determine which should be included and which should not? Also, how do we know they chose the right books? Bible.org gives an overview on the canonization of the New (and Old) Testament in the article The Bible: The Holy Canon of Scripture. Most believers use the following criteria to confirm scripture as canon: Authorship, Witness of the Spirit, and Acceptance^[4]. Prayer and relationship with God is the only way to know for sure what is right. The best covering of this topic I've found can be found in the article entitled "How Do You Know that the Bible is Divinely Inspired."
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The Apocrypha

Coming Soon!
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Gnostic Writings

Coming Soon!
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Current Books Considered Canon

The following table lists the books currently considered to be inspired by some (or all) denominations within Christianity.

Old Testament Canon

1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Numbers
4. Deuteronomy
5. Leviticus
6. Joshua
7. Judges
8. Ruth
9. 1 Samuel
10. 2 Samuel
11. 1 Kings
12. 2 Kings
13. 1 Chronicles
14. 2 Chronicles
15. Ezra
16. Nehemiah
17. Ester
18. Job
19. Proverbs
20. Psalms
21. Ecclesiastes
22. Song of Solomon
23. Isaiah
24. Jeremiah
25. Lamentations
26. Ezekiel
27. Daniel
28. Hosea
29. Joel
30. Amos
31. Obadiah
32. Jonah
33. Micah
34. Nahum
35. Habakkuk
36. Zephaniah
37. Haggai
38. Zechariah
39. Malachi

New Testament Canon

1. Matthew
2. Mark
3. Luke
4. John
5. Acts
6. Romans
7. 1 Corinthians
8. 2 Corinthians
9. Galatians
10. Ephesians
11. Philippians
12. Colossians
13. 1 Thessalonians
14. 2 Thessalonians
15. 1 Timothy
16. 2 Timothy
17. Titus
18. Philemon
19. Hebrews
20. James
21. 1 Peter
22. 2 Peter
23. 1 John
24. 2 John
25. 3 John
26. Jude
27. Revelation

Apocrypha

1. 1 Esdras
2. 2 Esdras
3. Tobit
4. Judith
5. The Additions to the Book of Esther
6. Wisdom of Solomon
7. Sirach
8. Baruch
9. Story of Susanna
10. The Song of Three Children
11. The Story of Bel and the Dragon
12. The Prayer of Manasseh
13. 1 Macabees
14. 2 Macabees

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References

1. Robinson, Rich. "Jesus' References to Old Testament Scriptures". Jews for Jesus. September 2008
2. "The Canon of the Old Testament". BibleScripture.net. 2015
3. "Noncanonical Literature-Gospels". Wesley Center Online. Northwest Nazarene University. 2011
4. The Canon of Scripture. BlueLetterBible.org. 2015
5. McDowell, Josh. "What is the Apocrypha? Why Aren’t These Books Found in the Protestant Bible?". Josh.org. 2014

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