Biblical Literacy Podcast

[None, OrderedDict([('@xmlns:itunes', 'http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd'), ('#text', 'Join Mark for Lesson 12 in “The Greatness of God” series as he concludes the “God of war? or, God of Peace?” segment. Using the Socratic Method, Mark pursues truth through four questions he poses for our consideration on the topic of Evil. What is evil? Why is evil in the World? Where is God in the midst of evil? What is the future of evil? This video is part of a series: The Greatness of God - Mark Lanier, a trial lawyer by trade, examines the truth of God’s greatness by examining His Curriculum Vitae (CV). In consecutive lessons, Mark uses God’s CV to understand who He is, what His greatness has to do with us, why God has done horrible things and allows evil, what is the truth of God’s greatness, does God’s CV indicate that he keeps His promises and does God’s CV include references that back up the claim to His greatness?')])]

As the series has progressed the concept that God is good and great must be reconciled with his commands to put entire cities to death. The question is then more aptly stated, "Is God Guilty of Fraud?" As the series title morphs into this question, listen to final installment of Chapter 6: Is God Guilty of Fraud? War and Peace.

Watch Mark Lanier attempt to answer the profound question, how can God sanction killing and still be a good God?

Mark continues with: Is God Guilty of Fraud? - An investigation into the foundations of our truths. This lesson is part 1 of a series discussing God and evil using example passages from the Old Testament and New Testament that appear to show a different God. Through the ages, people have asked how a loving God would allow so much misery? Is He a God of war or a God of peace? Scholars have debated a good God with the realization of evil. Three solutions are offered: altering scripture to fit our opinion of what we’d like Scripture to say; altering God to soften God to man’s anticipation of what God should be, which is heretic; or alter the way one reads scripture, contrasting different levels like literal, moral or allegorical. Listen to Mark expound on the ways scholars have viewed and interpreted God through the ages.

Mark continues with: Is God Guilty of Fraud? -  An investigation into the foundations of our truths. A misrepresentation can be inducement to believe false or fraudulent information. Christianity offers a belief system that makes sense of the world and mankind. Mark shows us God is not guilty of Fraud. God came to earth through Jesus. God indwells through His Spirit. Listen to Mark teach about the reality of Jesus throughout scripture beginning in Genesis through the New Testament.

Brent Johnson taught the greatness of God - Examining Gods CV. This week’s lesson focuses on the reality of struggles. Genesis 32 shares when Jacob is destined to meet his twin brother Esau after the conflict between them. Before their meeting, Brent explained how Jacob wrestled with God’s messenger in the form of an angel or possibly Jesus. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, the father of the 12 tribes of Israel, and the struggles have continued. The older we get, struggles do not dissipate. All of life involves both physical and spiritual struggles. From those, we grow closer to God. Why did Israel struggle? Why do we struggle? What are the causes of struggle? Listen to Brent talk about the struggles of Jacob/Israel and all humanity.

Mark continued his class on The Greatness of God: Examining Gods CV. Mark began the lesson by explaining the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9 with a look into the language and concepts of the ancient Mesopotamia area. Forever people have been looking for God. The tower was a ziggurat, a structure several stories high with a staircase to entice gods to come down to earth. The passage is written in the literary technique of that day - chiastic structure: using a ‘mirroring’ effect and placing the punch or point of the story in the middle. The morale of the passage is God is not our genie. Yet God does descend to earth.

The existence of God is beyond man's understanding. God is above or superior to our understanding of the world.

God is above or superior to nature

God is supernatural

God is transcendent

God is immanent.

Listen to Mark provide insights into the Tower of Babel accounting and what it means to us today.

Mark discusses the greatness of God by examining it like a taxonomy, which is the science of classifying things. By using this method we are looking at "what makes God, God?". Using this approach he discusses the questions, "who is He?", "what is He?", "why it makes a difference to us?", "how we know this?". As humans we tend to classify God by gender or as a super hero, and reduce Him to something we can understand, which makes Him nothing more than an idol. Join Mark as he uses this approach also drawing from scripture, to enhance our understanding of God and God's greatness, so we don't put limits on who He is.