Unveiling Mormonism

Today's bonus conversation discusses the recent purchase of the Kirtland Temple by the LDS Church and explores the history and significance of the temple. The purpose and design of the Kirtland Temple are examined, along with the departure of the Saints from Kirtland. The conversation also touches on the splintering of Mormonism and the purchase of the temple by the RLDS Church. The episode concludes with final thoughts on the Kirtland Temple and why – for Christians – it's no longer necessary.

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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

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Takeaways:

• The Kirtland Temple, the first temple of the LDS Church, was recently purchased by the LDS Church for $190 million.
• The Kirtland Temple holds great significance for Mormons as it is a holy building where Joseph Smith received multiple revelations and experienced spiritual manifestations.
• The Kirtland Temple was a preparatory temple and differed from modern Mormon temples in terms of its design and rituals.
• The RLDS Church, now known as the Community of Christ, purchased the Kirtland Temple in 1880 and held ownership until the recent purchase by the LDS Church.
• The purchase of the Kirtland Temple by the LDS Church signifies the restoration of a historic and sacred site for Mormons.

James and Jolene share their personal history with Mormonism and their journey of questioning and doubting their faith. They discuss the challenges they faced as they discovered historical discrepancies and began to explore alternative beliefs. James shares his experience of seeking truth in the Bible and having a mountaintop experience where he surrendered his life to Jesus. Jolene talks about the pain and struggle she went through as her husband chose Jesus over their previous beliefs. Ultimately, both James and Jolene found their faith in Jesus and became Bible-believing Christians. Click on this link to check out Jolene’s book with their whole story:

Into God's Arms

Takeaways:

• Questioning and seeking evidence is essential in the search for truth.
• Mormonism and biblical Christianity have significant doctrinal differences.
• The Bible is a reliable and trustworthy source of truth.
• Transformation and joy can be found in embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

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• Into God's Arms: A Woman and Her Family Come Out of Mormonism and Find Jesus!

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Today we’re looking at the famous story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’ll give us some insight into our question for the day: How should you pray in your hour of need?

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

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Today we’re looking at the famous story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He’s moments away from his betrayal and death, and he knows it. His actions – and by contrast his disciples’ actions – give us some insight into our question for the day:

Q. How should you pray in your hour of need?

• Maybe this is exactly what some of you need to hear today. You’re in an hour of need…
• With your emotions: fighting anxiety, depression
• In your marriage
• Looking for a spouse
• With your finances

Personal example:

Let’s go to the text…

Mark 14:32-34 (NLT) They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

“Stay here and keep watch with me”

• Jesus brought the three disciples with him for a reason: “Stay here and keep watch with me” in view of his distress and grief. He didn’t want them to pray WITH him (to have a prayer meeting): “Sit here while I go pray.” He wanted them to pray FOR him and be available to him (“keep watch with me”) while he was going through his anguished conversation with the Father.
• Jesus just wanted a wing man. Can you relate? 
• Personal story: 

But here’s the most interesting part:

“he became deeply troubled and distressed” and “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death”

• “The two verbs translated ‘deeply distressed and troubled’ together ‘describe an extremely acute emotion, a compound of bewilderment, fear, uncertainty and anxiety, nowhere else portrayed in such vivid terms as here.’ (EBC)
• Why so much angst? It goes against what we’ve come to expect from Jesus: measured, confident, at peace. 
• Personal story: my angst re: panic attack, felt so weak. Jesus experienced this?

Here’s what was happening: the picture of Jesus at Gethsemane shows us the human side of Christ. 

• “Gethsemane reveals the humanity of Jesus with astonishing fidelity. He is shown to be ‘anything but above temptation. So far from sailing serenely through his trials like some superior being unconcerned with this world, he is almost dead with distress.’” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)
• Remember hypostatic union?
• The Council of Chalcedon, held in 451 AD, affirmed the doctrine of the hypostatic union, declaring that Jesus Christ is "perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body." This formulation reconciled the seemingly paradoxical aspects of Jesus being both fully divine and fully human.
• The council also condemned several heresies, including Nestorianism, which emphasized the distinction between the divine and human natures of Christ to the point of suggesting they were two separate persons. The Chalcedonian Definition, the statement of faith produced by the council, rejected this view and affirmed the unity of Christ's person.
• Hebrews 4:15-16 (NLT) 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

And here’s why it was crushing: not because Jesus was afraid to die, but because he would have to absorb the wrath of God for our sake. 

• God wouldn’t cancel his wrath against humanity, he would spend it on Jesus.
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Not his own mortality, but the specter of identifying with sinners so fully as to become the object of God's wrath against sin – it is this that overwhelms Jesus' soul "'to the point of death'" (v. 34).

Let’s read on to hear his actual prayer:      

Mark 14:35-36 (NLT) He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

“If it were possible” – maybe there’s another way, an “out”, a pathway that avoids suffering

• Have you ever prayed this way? Are you praying this way now?
• With your anxiety, depression
• In your marriage
• Looking for a spouse
• With your finances
• Abraham and Isaac - he had the knife raised… and then God provided an “out”
• Genesis 22:9-14 (NLT) When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) That is a prayer for God not to strike the shepherd (14:27). Is it possible for Jesus to fulfill God's will in all ways but this one, or in some other way? Perhaps like Isaac the sacrifice can be averted even though the arm of Abraham is raised for the dagger's plunge. The plea of Jesus suggests that he is genuinely tempted to forsake the role of the suffering servant.
• So is that a promise? Will God provide for me? Will he answer my prayer?
• Or consider a second example: 
• The famine in Egypt - God used Joseph to deliver the Israelites to Goshen
• Genesis 47:2-6 (NLT) Joseph took five of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?” They replied, “We, your servants, are shepherds, just like our ancestors. We have come to live here in Egypt for a while, for there is no pasture for our flocks in Canaan. The famine is very severe there. So please, we request permission to live in the region of Goshen.” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have joined you here, choose any place in the entire land of Egypt for them to live. Give them the best land of Egypt. Let them live in the region of Goshen. And if any of them have special skills, put them in charge of my livestock, too.”
• Pharaoh granted their request, and they avoided suffering. 
• Was there another way God could forgive the sins of human beings? Apparently not. A price had to be paid. God could not simply wipe the slate clean by an act of his choice, because that would violate his justice and holiness. 

“Everything is possible for you…Please take this cup of suffering away from me.” 

• With one exception: it is not possible for God to act in a way contrary to his nature. It is not possible for God to NOT be holy or just. Thus, in a real sense, it was not possible for God to take the cup of suffering from Jesus, if he was to accomplish redemption.
• Sometimes our wants don’t line up with God’s will, and it’s not always a sin thing. 
• Not always sin to want something else, but always a sin to consciously reject God’s will.
• Jesus never sinned, yet he’s expressing a real desire here that doesn’t line up with the Father’s will. 

In the most human moment in Jesus’ life – in the Garden of Gethsemane – he says the thing that’s hardest for a human to say: “not my will, but yours be done.” 

• This is the essence of godly prayer. Express your heart to a personal God. Then submit to his will no matter what. 
• That’s a dirty word these days: “submission”. 
• “The cup is the same one Jesus referred to in 10:38-39 - the cup of the wrath of God. In the OT it is regularly used as a metaphor of punishment and judgment. Here it obviously refers to Jesus’ death. Jesus’ desire was for the removal of the cup. But he willingly placed his will in submission to his Father’s will.” (EBC)
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Gethsemane… presents us with a uniquely human interplay between the heart of the Son and the will of the Father. Jesus' prayer is not the result of calm absorption into an all-encompassing divine presence, but an intense struggle with the frightful reality of God's will and what it means fully to submit to it.

“Abba, Father” - look at the personal language. “Daddy”

• Do you pray this way? Informal, pleading
• Story: Kenzie’s first stitches, looking at me with pleading eyes: “Daddy, how could you let this happen?”
• Romans 8:15 (NLT) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
• We can be raw with God! Honest
• Consider the Psalms…
• But watch how Paul finishes the thought:
• Romans 8:17 (NLT) And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
• “Everything is possible” for God, but that doesn’t mean he’ll always lead us down a pathway that avoids suffering.

But look at how hard that is for us: 

Mark 14:37-38 (NLT) Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Observations: This all occurs at a very late hour. Sleep is understandable given the hour, the stress of the day, etc. Yet they had an assignment, which they could have fulfilled.

• “The verbs ‘watch’ and ‘pray’ are both imperatives…. The conquest of temptation can only come through these two actions. The spirit (a reference to the human spirit) might be willing to do what is right, but the human body is weak.” (EBC)

Mark 14:39-40 (NLT) Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say.

Interesting: the same prayer as before. Let’s spell it out: ““Everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Mark 14:41-42 (NLT) When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

NIV: “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come.”

• The words “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest.” are either ironic (Sleep then, if that’s what is so important to you) or a question (Are you still sleeping and resting?). The latter seems better in view of the situation. (EBC)
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The third time Jesus finds the disciples sleeping he retorts, "'Enough!'" (v. 41). This translation is simply a guess at the meaning of the original apechei, which seems to be an utterance of exasperation, perhaps "'What's the use?'"

Look at the incredible contrast: Jesus is in anguish; his disciples are snoring! And then the climax: “The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”

“Up, let’s be going”

• This is the resolve that flows out of godly prayer - let’s do this. God, I’m submitted to you no matter what happens. Your will, not mine. 
• “‘Let’s be going’ cannot be intended to suggest flight, for the Lord had always reserved himself for this ‘hour’ and had now finally embraced the Divine Will concerning it. Jesus did not go to flee from Judas but to meet him.” (EBC)

Close:

Q. How should you pray in your hour of need?

• Be honest, vulnerable - share you heart w a personal God
• Be willing to submit to his will, even if it means suffering
• Then move forward, trusting his will to be done.

In this conversation, Bryan, Ross, Bo and KD discuss the misinterpretation of Mormon doctrine into the Bible. They explore passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:39-42, 1 Peter 3:19, and James 2:17-18, which Mormons use to justify their beliefs. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the language, context, and author's intent when interpreting biblical passages. They debunk the Mormon interpretations and emphasize the biblical teachings of salvation by grace through faith, while exploring the role of works in Mormonism and comparing it to the Christian perspective. The episode dives into the interpretation of James 2:14-26 and the relationship between faith and works. It concludes with a personal testimony of experiencing newness in Christ.

Takeaways:

• Misreading Mormon doctrine into the Bible can lead to a distorted understanding of biblical passages.
• Understanding the language, context, and author's intent is crucial for accurate interpretation of the Bible.
• Mormon interpretations of passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:39-42, 1 Peter 3:19, and James 2:17-18 are not supported by the larger context of the New Testament.
• The biblical teachings emphasize salvation by grace through faith, not by works or ordinances. Mormonism places a strong emphasis on works as evidence of faith and as a means of salvation.
• In contrast, Christianity teaches that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and good works are the result of genuine faith.
• James 2:14-26 is often misunderstood, but it emphasizes that true faith will produce good works as evidence of its genuineness.
• Accepting Jesus and experiencing newness in Him brings a transformation in motivation and a reliance on the Holy Spirit.

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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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Mentioned in this episode:

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In this conversation, Bryan, Bo, KD, and Ross discuss the misinterpretation of certain Bible passages by Mormons. They focus on three specific passages: Ezekiel 37, Isaiah 29, and John 10. The hosts explain how Mormons often read their own beliefs into these passages, claiming that they prophesy the coming of the Book of Mormon and the restoration of the gospel. However, they demonstrate that these interpretations fail to consider the language, context, and author's intent of the original texts. By examining these passages more closely, they debunk the Mormon misinterpretations and provide a more accurate understanding of the biblical message.

Takeaways:

• Mormons often misinterpret certain Bible passages to support their beliefs, particularly regarding the Book of Mormon and the restoration of the gospel.
• These misinterpretations fail to consider the language, context, and author's intent of the original texts.
• By examining the passages more closely, it becomes clear that they do not prophesy the coming of the Book of Mormon or the restoration of the gospel.
• It is important to read the Bible in context and be aware of proof texting, which can lead to misinterpretations. Focus on the broader story and Jesus when studying the Bible.
• Beware of proof texting and misreading Mormonism into the Bible.
• Mormon cultural folklore can perpetuate misinterpretations.
• Understanding language, context, and author intent is crucial for Bible study.

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The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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The New Testament tells us the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the spread of Christianity. This overview of its message will help you understand the New Testament.

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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The New Testament tells us the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It then describes the spread of Christianity. It ends looking forward to Jesus’ return and his future reign. In order to help you understand the New Testament, we've put together this overview of its message, and how the message relates to the books of the New Testament.

As we learned in the last episode, in the Old Testament, God had made a promise to a man named Abraham: the promise that God would save the entire world from sin and its bitter effects. Sin alienates people from God and calls for his just condemnation. Sin brings death and trouble into the world. Yet when the Old Testament ended, God had not finished this part of the promise. He hadn’t yet rescued and redeemed the world. That’s what Jesus’ coming was all about. He came as the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, as well as many other promises in the Old Testament. 

The very first verse in the New Testament is rooted in the fact that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise.

• Matthew 1:1 (NLT) This is the record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham. 

The coming of Jesus fulfills the story of the Old Testament. That’s why, as Christians, it is so important to read the Old Testament, because it tells us everything God was doing until the coming of Jesus. It also provides a context to understand the death of Jesus and his resurrection. 

Jesus came to this earth to die on the cross for our sins. He did a lot of other important things, but Jesus’ most important action was to die in our place, on the cross, for our sins, so that we could be rescued. 

This is the emphasis of the Gospels, the four books that appear first in the New Testament. The Gospels are accounts of Jesus’ life. The first, Matthew, was written to tell Jewish people how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. Matthew presents Jesus as an authoritative teacher, including five large blocks of Jesus’ messages. The second, Mark, provides a vivid, dramatic overview of Jesus’ life. He emphasizes what Jesus did more than what he said, pointing to his identity as the suffering Son of God who offers himself as a sacrifice for sins. Luke traveled with the apostle Paul. His gospel stresses that Jesus is the Savior for all people, including the lowly and marginalized. Jesus brings the promise of rescue to all ethnic groups.  Like Matthew, John was an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry. His is the most theological of the four Gospels. He points to Jesus as the eternal Son of God, the self-revelation of God the Father in human flesh. While each of the gospels reveals aspects of who Jesus is, they all reach a climax by giving extended attention to his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. 

This focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection is maintained throughout the New Testament. It contains many letters written by apostles like James, John, Peter and Paul to individuals and churches, in part to explain how Jesus is our Savior, and reinforcing his death and resurrection.

Paul wrote many of these books with this same message. For example, the book of Romans gives us perhaps the most basic explanation of Jesus’ role in God’s plan of salvation, including an understanding of sin, justification, and new life. For example:

• Romans 5:1 (NLT) Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

This verse explains how Jesus’ death on a cross connects to our lives.  When we believe (put our faith in) him, we receive forgiveness for our sins. The connection with God that humanity lost in the Garden of Eden was restored through Jesus Christ. We’re forgiven of  our sins and we receive eternal life. That’s a really important theme, not just in the New Testament, but through the whole Bible. 

For example, Paul also wrote Galatians, in response to threats by false teachers, stressing that we are made right with God by faith in Jesus alone, not by obedience to religious laws or by religious rituals. His letter to the Ephesians covers many topics, but centers on God’s eternal purpose and grace. He explains how Christ has reconciled all creation with God, and how Christ has united people from all ethnic groups with himself and into his church. In 1 Corinthians, Paul strongly reprimands the church for problems in their conduct, and includes a strong section about the resurrection of Jesus and what it means to believers.

No one knows who wrote the book of Hebrews, but it helps to make the connection very clear between the Old Testament and the saving work of Jesus. Jesus is the substance of all Old Testament laws and rituals, so he is the one who fully reveals and mediates God’s grace.

Before Jesus returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father (where he is right now) he gave us an important command. After he saved us and rescued us, he then commissioned us and sent us out. These words apply to us as much as the first hearers. 

• Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The rest of the New Testament explains how Christians did this, how they went out into the world and told their friends - and strangers even - about the good news of Jesus Christ and his salvation for them. 

Much of this is recorded in the Book of Acts. It was written by the same Luke who wrote one of the Gospels. Acts captures the story of how Jesus worked in his church through the Holy Spirit, leading his people to fulfill his commission. It describes how the church grew numerically and expanded across the Roman world. The first half focuses on Peter’s role, while the second half follows the work of Paul. Acts helps us understand how you and I can go out into the world and tell people about Jesus.

Earlier, we saw how the letters of the apostles reinforce the saving work of Jesus on the cross and his wonderful resurrection. They also help those who become his disciples to live as followers of Jesus in ways that honor God.

Paul wrote many New Testament letters, which are called the “Pauline Epistles.” He wrote several to churches. 2 Corinthians is his second letter to the Christians in Corinth. He recounts the troubles he has faced in his ministry and expresses his joy in their response to his first letter. He then defends his authority as an apostle of Jesus and confirms the disciples in their faith. Paul wrote Philippians to thank the church for a gift they had sent him. He urges them to stand firm in the face of persecution, to rejoice in every situation, and to live as citizens of the heavenly kingdom. Paul wrote to the Colossians to refute false teachings about Jesus. Jesus, he says, is the very fullness of God, the Creator, and the head of the church. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in him. Paul also wants them to know who they are in Christ, and how they should accordingly live.

Paul wrote four individual letters, including two to his long-time coworker Timothy. 1 Timothy gives him instructions about how to lead the church with sound teaching and godly example. In 2 Timothy, Paul again offers guidance in ministry, knowing that his life will soon be over. He focuses on Timothy’s own life and character, and encourages him to be steadfast and to prepare others for ministry. Paul wrote Titus to another coworker. He had left Titus on Crete to help the new believers there, so he sent him advice for how to organize the churches and help the believers pursue godliness. He wrote Philemon to a friend, about one of his slaves who had run away. This slave met Paul in Rome and came to faith in Jesus. Paul interceded for him with his master.

The central theme of following Jesus as a disciple is also central in the “General Epistles” - those written by other apostles apart from Paul. 

The letter of James, written by the brother of Jesus, tells Christians that genuine faith will result in a life of good works, including faithfulness in trials, listening to God’s word, and avoiding favoritism and prejudice. 

The apostle Peter wrote two New Testament letters. In 1 Peter, he seeks to encourage believers who are persecuted or suffering, instructing them to look to Jesus for hope, and to remain faithful and to live a God-honoring life. In 2 Peter, he warns about trouble that will arise within the church, such as false teachers.

The apostle John wrote three letters. 1 John is the longest. It addresses a false teaching that claimed God would never become flesh, because flesh is bad. John offers us assurance of salvation based on Jesus’ work. It also warns how Christians who stray from the truth can also easily stray from their obedience to God. 2 John and 3 John are very short letters dealing with specific people and issues that John was familiar with. 

The last General Epistle is Jude, the brother of Jesus. He writes to encourage believers to stand up for the faith, and to warn them about false teachers who sought to undermine their obedience.

In these New Testament books, we see that through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, as God’s people, we can be changed. We can be mature disciples of Jesus. And we learn that together with God’s people, we can change the world. We can make disciples for Jesus. The New Testament shows us that God’s church is not perfect. Christians are not perfect by any means. But under the lordship of Jesus Christ, fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can transform the world and bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ. 

Now let’s look at the final part of the story of the New Testament…

After explaining what happened with Christians in the first century, and giving us a lot of ideas about how to live lives of faith, of honoring God and helping others, the Bible looks to the future. It tells us how Jesus will return one day. And when he returns, God will deal with sin and death forever, to eternally restore his relationship with his people. This theme appears frequently in the New Testament. For example, in 1 Thessalonians, Paul expands on the future coming of Jesus. In 2 Thessalonians, he exhorts believers to stand firm in their faith until Jesus comes back.

But God’s future for his creation is most vividly expressed in the Book of Revelation. This book is mainly a record of the apostle John’s visions of events that are to happen in the future, surrounding the return of Jesus. Using “apocalyptic” language, full of symbols and images, it warns of the final showdown between God and Satan, which is ultimately won by Jesus when he comes. His appearance will usher in an eternity of blessedness. Revelation explains that God and Jesus are on the throne, and it describes what God’s future plans for his people look like.

• Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT) “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

God’s future for us is depicted as paradise. For those who believe in Jesus, it says that we will be connected to God - and to God’s people - for all eternity. We will live lives of deep meaning and purpose as we worship God. This future God is calling us toward is the hope-filled end of the New Testament. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, it’s not just some fairy-tale future. It is your assurance.  

I hope you will read the New Testament. As you read it, I hope that you will get to know Jesus Christ, and get to know God’s great plan for you, for the whole universe, and for his church.

The Old Testament tells us the story of the creation of the earth, the history of God's people, and God's plan to rescue the world.

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

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God is eternal, but everything else is created. So at some point, God decided to create. We read about this in the very first verse of the Bible.

• Genesis 1:1 (NLT) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

At one moment, there was nothing. Then immediately, something existed. God began to shape and form creation, as we find in the rest of Genesis 1. The universe wasn’t an accident. God put it here, and he created it for a purpose. Creation teaches us about the glory of God and the majesty of God. It also tells us that we’re not here by accident. That’s the next point in the story of the Old Testament.

God made us to be connected to him and connected to each other. This is a fundamental aspect of what it means to be human. The Bible also says that humans are created in the image of God - something that is unique to humanity.

• Genesis 1:27-28 (NLT) So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

God put us on this earth to take care of his creation and reflect his image. 

But sadly, sin ruined everything. It didn’t take very long before the first humans - Adam and Eve - sinned. They went their own way. They didn’t listen to God. The result was a terrible problem for humanity, and in fact, for all of creation. In fact, the connection we experience with God, and even with other people, was wrecked because of sin. 

But thankfully, God wasn’t done with the human race! God had a plan to rescue the world, a plan he had decided upon before the creation of the world. That plan began to reveal itself in the Old Testament through a man named Abraham.

All of this is introduced in the Book of Genesis, which opens the Old Testament. Genesis describes the beginning of everything. It describes not only the creation of the world and of human beings; but also the fall of humanity into sin and the effects of sin in human experience. Genesis leads up to and includes the story of Abraham, his family and his descendants.

The Book of Job also comes from this timeframe. It is not about Israel or Abraham, but reflects on the power and compassion of God. 

In Genesis 12, we find one of the most important passages in the entire Bible. This passage, in fact, sets up everything that comes after it in the rest of the Bible. In these verses, God begins to explain how he is going to rescue the world from sin. Around 2000 BC, he tells Abraham (then known as Abram), about his great rescue plan.

• Genesis 12:1-2 (NLT) “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation…. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” 

God was going to save the world through a descendant of Abraham. As the Old Testament unfolds, we see how God fulfills his promises. He does give Abraham a lot of descendants, and from this lineage, God does create a great nation, called Israel.  God does give Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites, their own homeland. Finally, God fulfilled the promise that from Abraham’s lineage, all of humanity would be blessed.  

The last chapters of Genesis show how Abraham’s descendants arrived in Egypt.

The Book of Exodus tells how that one family became a populous nation, and how they were enslaved by the Egyptians. It describes how, many years later, God raised up Moses (around 1500 BC) to free them from slavery and to take them to the homeland God had promised them. In fact, God identified himself to Moses as the “God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob”. Exodus also describes how God entered into a special covenant with Israel and gave them his law to govern the nature of that relationship.

The Book of Numbers describes how God led the people toward the promised homeland. 

Leviticus tells us about the system of sacrifices that God instituted to cover the people’s sins.

Deuteronomy records the words Moses told the Israelites just before they entered into the land, recapping the terms of their covenant with God and the blessings they would experience if they were faithful to him.

The Book of Joshua tells how the people entered and conquered the land God had given them.

Unfortunately, not everything was great from that time on in the Old Testament. God’s people made a lot of bad choices.

Sadly, Israel did not follow God’s law and honor him. Instead, Israel went into spiritual decline. They were stuck in a cycle of sin that was repeated generation after generation. So you read different summaries about the spiritual life of God’s people in the Old Testament. 

• Judges 2:12 (NLT) They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. 

It was pretty clear that Israel, even as Abraham’s lineage, wasn’t going to be able to save the world. Sin is too big of a problem in the human heart. What we really need is to be rescued, not just from the evil in the world, but from the evil within ourselves. 

The Book of Judges gives plenty of examples of how, instead of obeying God, everyone in Israel did what was right in their own eyes. This was in spite of courageous leaders called “judges” who repeatedly rescued Israel from invaders.

The Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel describe the transition of Israel to a monarchy, and the reign of King David (around 1000 BC). Like the people, David sinned against God, but he also sought to obey and worship God. 

David and others wrote the Book of Psalms, which reflects his trust and worship toward God.

1 Kings begins with the reign of David’s son, King Solomon. Along with 2 Kings, it tells the long story of Israel’s decline from God, punctuated by an occasional righteous king who led Israel to repent and return to God from their typical idolatry.

Solomon wrote the Book of Proverbs, which expresses the wisdom God gave him, and the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is a reflection on the meaninglessness of an approach to life that leaves God out. His book Song of Songs is a celebration of marital love.

During this period of Israel’s spiritual decline. God sent prophets to warn them of his judgment for their unfaithfulness. The prophets also promised that after judgment, God would restore them to a better future. The major prophets writing in this period were Isaiah and Jeremiah. Jeremiah also wrote the Book of Lamentations to grieve the devastation that fell on the nation because of their idolatry.

Several smaller books by prophets also came from this period. All of them call Israel to turn back to their covenant relationship with God. After King Solomon, the ten northern tribes of Israel split from the two southern tribes to create a second kingdom. The prophets Joel, Amos and Hosea wrote mainly for the northern kingdom (called Israel), while Micah, Zephaniah and Habakkuk wrote for the southern kingdom (called Judah).

Three prophetic books show God dealing with other nations surrounding Israel. Obadiah announced God’s judgment on the nation of Edom. Jonah tells the story of his mission to Assyria. Later, Nahum spoke God’s warning to Assyria as well. 

The long pattern of Israel’s sinful choices underscores their (and our) needs for a Savior. Thankfully, that was part of God’s plan from the very beginning. As we continue to read the Old Testament, we learn more about God’s plan to rescue us from our sins.

Unfortunately, Israel continued to sin and walk away from God. As a result, God allowed other nations to come in and take over the land, and to take the Israelites, the Jewish people, out of their homeland. The northern kingdom fell to the Assyrian empire in 722 BC. The southern king fell to the Babylonian empire in 587 BC. Some years later, the people of Judah returned to their home. And when they did, God reminded them that they didn’t need to be worried that God had forgotten them or abandoned them. 

1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles (like 1-2 Kings) recount the failure of Israel to follow God, but from the perspective of the people returning from exile.

The Book of Ezra describes how God brought his people back to their homeland from their time of captivity. 

The Book of Nehemiah talks about how Israel fared back in the land, and how they rebuilt the walls of its capital city, Jerusalem.

Prophets who wrote during the exile and the post-exile periods include Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

All along the way, God told his people that he would send his Messiah (his King, his Chosen One), to rescue Israel. This Savior would be a descendant of Abraham, and would fulfill God’s promise to Abraham to bless the entire world. This is because he came to rescue not just Israel, but all humanity. Anybody who would believe in him would be saved. That was God’s promise to Israel.

That promise of a coming Savior pervades the whole Old Testament, but it particularly takes shape in certain books.

2 Samuel reveals that King David is a prototype of the future King, who will be a descendant of David. The books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings include other rulers in David’s lineage who embody aspects that point toward the Messiah. The Book of Ruth tells the story of God’s faithfulness to King David’s great-grandparents, The Book of Isaiah says a great deal about the identity and mission of Israel’s future Savior and King. Other glimpses of the Messiah are found in Micah and Zechariah.

The Old Testament can be confusing if you don’t grasp the overall story. But don’t hesitate to read it. Though it reveals the sad reality that people are really messed up, it also points to God’s plan to send his Savior and King. Even though that didn’t happen during Old Testament times, the Old Testament ends looking forward to the assurance that the great, powerful, glorious God we serve would stop at nothing to save us. He would send his Savior, his Messiah, to make things right.

In this conversation, Bryan and Ross discuss how to read the Bible effectively. They emphasize the importance of having a plan and choosing a starting point that is accessible for new believers. They introduce the SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) and the CHARA method (Context, History, Author, Research, Apply) as helpful tools for Bible study. They also discuss the use of Bible commentaries and caution against pitfalls such as innovation, relying solely on information, and anachronism. Overall, they encourage listeners to approach Bible reading with a disciplined and open heart, seeking to understand and apply God's Word in their lives.

Takeaways:

• Having a plan and structure for Bible reading is important for consistency and understanding.
• The SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) and the CARA method (Context, History, Author, Research, Apply) are helpful tools for Bible study.
• Bible commentaries can provide valuable insights and context for understanding Scripture.
• Avoid pitfalls such as innovation, relying solely on information, and anachronism when studying the Bible.
• Approach Bible reading with a disciplined and open heart, seeking to understand and apply God's Word in your life. Be aware of anachronisms in historical texts and consider their reliability.
• Understand the genre of biblical passages and interpret them accordingly.
• Avoid isolating verses and proof-texting to prevent misinterpretation.
• Recognize the role of the Holy Spirit in illuminating the meaning of Scripture.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: How to Read the Bible

03:00 The Importance of Having a Plan

08:11 Choosing a Starting Point

14:21 Using the SOAP Method

19:08 Understanding Context and History

25:17 Using Bible Commentaries

30:18 The CARA Method of Interpretation

39:55 Pitfall #1: Innovation

41:56 Pitfall #2: Information Alone

43:24 Pitfall #3: Anachronism

46:00 Anachronisms in Historical Texts

46:55 Ignoring the Genre

50:01 Isolating Verses

53:57 The Role of the Holy Spirit

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Full Outline:

• Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

When you read the Bible, the starting point is to approach it thoughtfully and prayerfully - regardless of what methods or tools you use. Meditate on it. Saturate yourself with it, as Joshua says: “day and night.” Then put what you read into practice to “obey everything written in it.” With that attitude in place, let’s look at four pieces of advice to get started reading your Bible.

A lot of Christians struggle with reading the Bible because they don’t have a plan. They open it up and randomly pick a passage to read. Then they do that again another day. So whatever they read is always out of context. They’re not really sure what they’re reading. Of course, God can work through that, but most readers will find that approach frustrating over time. 

A better plan is to pick a book of the Bible to read. If you haven’t read the Bible ever, or in a long time, a good place to start is the book of John, in the New Testament. This is one of the gospels. It tells us about the life of Jesus. You will see his teaching and his miracles, and you will understand his mission. That makes John a great place to start. If you’ve read John recently, you could go to one of the epistles, which are written for Christians. Or in the Old Testament, you could begin with Genesis. 

You don’t have to read the Bible from beginning to end. That’s not the most important approach. In fact, it can be a struggle for many people to read the Bible from cover to cover. So try picking one book, reading it, then picking another book, to eventually work your way through the Bible.

Part of your plan will be to decide how much you intend to read in a day, or in a week. One chapter a day, ten chapters a week, whatever you decide. Whatever you choose to do, hold onto your plan loosely. As you experience reading the Bible, you might need to adjust your plan to read more or to read less every day. It’s not a failure to scale back a plan that is too much for you. The point is just to keep reading at whatever level you can. But if you don’t have a plan, you probably won’t ever get around to really reading the Bible.

Many great Bible reading plans can be found on the YouVersion app (Bible.com), which you can read along with others. But when you use a reading plan, don’t just read to check off a box or complete the assignment. Don’t rush through so that you get nothing out of it. Don’t feel guilty or ashamed if you fall behind. Having a plan should be an encouragement and guide. The goal is to grow in your relationship with God, not to complete some specific plan.

You’re not trying to speed through the Bible, like a novel, to find out how things work out in the end. It’s not like reading a newspaper or magazine just to catch up on the facts. Instead, the point in reading is to listen to God and follow what he has to say, and to interact with the Holy Spirit as he speaks to you in your reading. So go slowly. Take your time. If you don’t finish the chapter in the time allotted, that’s okay. Just pick up next time where you left off. Because you want to be thoughtful and prayerful. Remember Joshua 1:8. It said to meditate on God’s words. But it’s hard to meditate if you're in too much of a hurry, trying to count how many pages you read. It’s better to reflect on what you’re reading.

This relates to another aspect of making a plan. Pick a time and place that will help you listen, meditate, and not get distracted or be in a hurry. What time in your day is most likely to allow you to slow down? What space can you go to that will allow you to think and pray?

If you don’t understand something you read, stop, go back, and read it again. Spend time thinking about what you’re reading, and asking God for help. It’s okay to use Bible study tools to help you figure out what you’re reading, and to answer some of those questions. But reading about the Bible is never a substitute for reading the Bible itself. Go to other sources when you need to, but most of your time should be spent in the text of the Bible itself, because that’s where God speaks.

Many Christians struggle with reading the Bible because they’re not sure how to apply it to their lives. It doesn’t jump off the page to them. This is why, when you read the Bible, ask questions about what you’re reading. You probably won’t understand everything you’re reading. You will have questions: “Why did God say that? Why did God allow this to happen to his people? What was God’s point in these verses?” Write those questions down. You’ll probably find many of the answers emerge as you read more of the Bible.

One way to be interactive with the Bible is to take notes while you read. If you have insights or comments, write them down. If you don’t write those insights down, you will likely forget them. That will be frustrating! You might have prayer requests that come to mind as you read the Bible. That’s great! Again, write them down.

Then, when you get to the end of the chapter or complete your reading for the day, ask yourself this: “How do I apply this to my life?” We don’t want you to have just a lot of trivia in your head. Just learning some Bible facts is not enough. What brings transformation is to apply God’s word to your life. Along those lines, ask: “Is there a command here I need to obey? Is there a promise here that I need to grab hold of? Is there something I need to grapple with that will change my thinking or my behavior?” The point is: apply the Bible to your life. As you do that, you’re going to see the Bible come alive. 

Many Christians have come up with methods that help you ask questions, write down insights, and apply what you read. Some use a form that they fill out every day. Others use a format that guides them through the process. One simple example is the pattern S-O-A-P. This is very popular because it provides a plan for how to read the section you have decided to read for that day.

• Scripture. This is simple. Just read the passage you’ve chosen. 
• Observation. Ask questions about what the passage is saying. What do you actually observe in the text? List your observations. This step helps you draw out the meaning of the passage, and avoid fanciful conclusions.
• Application. Make it personal and put it into practice. How does this apply to my life today?
• Prayer. Talk to God about what you’ve been reading and observing.

As you develop some experience in Bible reading, you might want to learn how to go a bit deeper into understanding what the Bible is saying. Start with the steps above. But at some point, try your hand at a more serious process of interpretation. Here is a pattern of study suggested by the Chara Project:

• Context: How does what I’m reading fit with the rest of the Bible, starting with the larger chapter, the whole book, the totality of what this particular author has written, and finally, with the entire Bible?
• History: What was the message to the original audience? How would they have heard it? What is the particular setting (both local conditions and larger historical events) that would help you determine that? 
• Author: Who wrote the book? What do you know about him? What is the author’s overall purpose in this book, and how does this verse or passage fit in that?
• Research: What trustworthy study notes or commentaries can I turn to in order to dig into the original meaning? Do they bring a bias into their work that you should recognize? Only consult others after you have done the first three steps to the best of your ability. 
• Apply: As I now understand what the Bible means, how can I put its principles into practice? This is where every Bible reading session should end, whether you are simply reading or are studying in greater depth.

As you seek to interpret what the Bible is saying, here are some ways Bible study can go wrong. A few pitfalls to avoid…

• Innovation. The goal of sound Bible study is not to come up with ideas no one has ever thought of before. This is how cults get started. You want to discover the eternal truths of the Bible, then ask how they uniquely apply to your life.
• Information Alone. The reason we read the Bible is not just to know more facts. You can study the Bible, and master the most obscure ideas in it, but never put anything into practice in your life. 
• Anachronism. This happens when we read modern ideas into the ancient text. For example, you can read modern legal concepts into biblical laws, or find contemporary political ideals long before anyone ever thought of them.
• Romans 16:16 (NLT) Greet each other with a sacred kiss.
• It would be a mistake to read the modern meaning of kissing back into the first century, where the sacred kiss reflects the warmth and welcome of the faith community.
• Ignoring Genre. Many people misinterpret the Bible because they don’t recognize how a given genre is meant to be read. For example, Proverbs give general principles of life, but are not universally true in every situation. Jesus used parables to explore his kingdom, but the details of parables should not determine our doctrine.
• Isolating Verses. It’s easy to cherry-pick isolated verses, and make conclusions about what you read, while disregarding the surrounding passages or the overall message of the book. 
• Philippians 4:13 (NLT) I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 
• Paul is talking about contentment in a variety of life situations, when he has plenty and when he doesn’t have much. Isolated, this verse might be misused to justify any personal desire or goal.

Your Bible reading doesn’t have to be dry. It can be life-changing. So go get started! The most important step you can take is not listening to us talk about this topic. What matters is to read God’s word for yourself. Do it with a friend, with your spouse, with your children, with a mentor or a small group. But make a plan and put it into practice. Adjust the plan as you get more experienced. Add more elements as you get more comfortable. But always be sure to apply what you are discovering to your life! Then see what God will do in and through you.

Today we’ll talk about how to overcome your shameful past to experience the freedom we can have in Christ. We’ll look at David’s example in the story of Bathsheba and Uriah. 2 Samuel 11:1-4

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

Donate Now

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Intro: We’re talking about resilience:

• Resilience is harnessing difficult emotions to build your faith.
• Today’s difficult emotion: Shame (guilt, condemnation)

Defining Shame

• I know what you’re thinking: shame is always bad, never good  
• But not so fast! Think of shamelessness: “The world delights in bold sinners who flout God's Word and expect no punishment whatsoever. Our culture celebrates the skillful cold-blooded assassin, bold thief, self-righteous vigilante, foul-mouthed recording artist, creative rebel, blasphemous stand-up comedian, naked actress, fornicating "glamour couple," self-worshiping athlete, occultic mystic, and the like. Perhaps the clearest example in our day has been the movement of homosexuality from something almost universally seen as shameful to something that ought to be delighted in. The gay rights movement is seeking not merely tolerance of what God calls sinful, but society-wide celebration.” - Ligonier “Our Shameless World”
• Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT ”It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.“ ‭‭‬‬
• Romans 1:24 (NLT) So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
• Romans 1:27 (NLT) And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
• Romans 1:32 (NLT) They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
• So we see the progression: sinning with a sense of shame → sinning without a sense of shame → encouraging others to do it
• Does this not describe today’s culture!?
• Shame (Oxford): a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
• Can you see how this can be bad… or good?
• Bad: Shamelessness, one end of the spectrum
• This is where the enemy wants you; what sin?
• Google doesn’t even know the word! (dictating sermons)
• Also bad: Shamefulness is on the other end, stuck in it
• This is just as helpful for the enemy
• Self-loathing, depression, anxiety, etc.
• Can’t handle the guilt, so eventually you stop pursuing
• This is NOT resilient
• For many, eventually leads to shamelessness
• Or you try to deal with the burden on our own:
• So you try to “work off” your shame by being a better person. You try to take by force what you can only obtain by grace. 
• Or you medicate your shame
• Wow! How could shame ever be GOOD? Answer: When shame leads us to Christ (the answer is not on the shame spectrum; it’s a whole new level, dimension)
• Romans 7:24-25 (NLT) Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Romans 8:1 (NLT) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
• Difference between conviction and condemnation
• We’ll get to this at the end, but first an example

How David handled shame

2 Samuel 11:1 (NLT) In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

• Tell the rest of the story:
• He sends for her, finds out she is Uriah’s wife, sleeps with her
• She gets pregnant
• How shameful: he was supposed to be at war with his men!
• Now he gets one of their wives pregnant
• But it gets worse:
• He sends for Uriah, tries to get him to sleep with her
• He’s trying to cover up his sin; never works
• Uriah is too honorable, won’t enjoy his wife while his homies are fighting it out on the battlefield (ouch)
• So David gets even deeper into shame: sends Uriah to his death on the frontlines
• STOP: Is there any hope for this guy?
• Goes from bad to worse
• Some of you might be thinking that; Paul was there: “what a miserable person I am”

But God sent a gift in the form of a truth-teller. This is so powerful, it’s worth reading the whole text:

2 Samuel 12:1-7 (NLT) So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”

David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!

• STOP: How would YOU handle this?
• This might be you right now, feeling conviction for your sin
• Condemnation is different, would give you no chance
• But God wants to give second chances
• The key is how you respond to a truth-teller

2 Samuel 12:13-14 (NLT) Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD by doing this, your child will die.”

• Can’t always escape consequences of sin
• Can escape lifelong feelings of shamefulness. David’s example:
• He fasts and prays all week
• The baby dies, and he lets it go
• 2 Samuel 12:20 (NLT) Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the LORD. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.
• God blesses him with another son, Solomon
• Name means “God is his peace”
• This is the lesson David learned in the Tabernacle

• Shameless
• Psalms 51:1-4 (NLT) 1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
• Psalms 51:9-10 (NLT) Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
• 
  
• Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
• Jesus was shamed at the cross, though he did nothing wrong
• Romans 10:11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
• Romans 8:1 (NLT) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
• Difference between conviction and condemnation
• Condemnation: Satan leverages your shame to push you away from God
• Conviction: Holy Spirit harnesses your shame to point you to the cross

The Bible is composed of 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. It's not organized by date, but rather by genre - like a library.

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The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at [email protected].

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How is the Bible laid out? What’s in the table of contents? This one book has a lot of smaller books in it, so it can seem confusing - until you understand the structure of the Bible.

The Old Testament is called “old” not because it is obsolete, but because it came first, over the span of around 1,000 years. Another way to refer to it is the Hebrew Bible. It’s what the Jews had. This is the Bible that Jesus and his first followers used. There’s much we can learn from the Old Testament. We hope you will make that part of the Bible a part of your regular reading. 

We also have the New Testament. The New Testament was written over the span of about a generation. It started being written shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s a collection of books written to churches and to individual Christians. Over time these writings began to be collected together by the churches, to create what we call the New Testament. By the 300’s, the New Testament was affirmed by the Christian church as a whole. A large majority of the Bible’s books were recognized far before that. These two parts of the Bible come together to tell us God’s story for today.

Think about the relationship between the Old Testament and New Testament. 

• The New Testament builds on and elaborates the themes of the Old Testament.

The New Testament builds on Old Testament themes like creation, sin, salvation, the Day of the Lord. It gives further insight on these matters, but doesn’t negate the Old Testament meaning.

• The New Testament authors are familiar with and well-versed in Old Testament text.

For example, Matthew’s gospel makes many references to Old Testament practices and quotes many Old Testament prophecies. Paul, in Romans 4, assumes that his readers understand the story of Abraham and his relationship with God. He uses this story to underscore that a right relationship with God is based on faith, not on performance.

• The Old Testament does not stand alone, because the themes it introduces are fulfilled in the person of Jesus.

The New Testament connects the dots between the Old Testament and the person of Jesus. For example, Hebrews explains how Jesus fulfills the Old Covenant and its sacrificial system.

• Matthew 5:17-19 (NLT) “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

What about other writings that don’t fit into the Old Testament and New Testament, like the Apocrypha? Or the so-called “lost gospels”? The question of which books belong in the Bible is the question of “canonicity”. The word “canon” means a rule or standard. Which books meet the standard to be included as Scripture? Several criteria were developed in the early church.

• Apostleship. Books written by the apostles were quickly recognized as authoritative. But Luke and Mark were not apostles. Those authors who were not apostles were eventually recognized as authoritative because they were part of the apostolic circle. Luke was a traveling companion of Paul. Mark was a protege of Peter.
• Universality. The writings in question reflect the unified view of the whole body of Christians, not just some fringe groups.
• Orthodoxy. The doctrines and values expressed are consistent with the rest of Scripture.
• Antiquity. The book originates in biblical times, and was not composed long afterward.
• Divine effect. The message of the book has life-changing power in people’s experience.

The so-called “lost gospels” fail to meet the tests of canonical authority, mainly the test of apostolic authorship. But they also fail the tests of antiquity, universality and orthodoxy. 

The test of “divine effect” can be subjective. Latter-day Saints would argue that the Book of Mormon has life-changing power in people’s experience. But it fails all of the other tests of canonicity.

We bring this up to underscore that Scripture is composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

“Genre” refers to the type of literature that is contained in each book of the Bible. The idea of genre is not limited to the Bible, but relates to literature in every language. English language genres include fiction, biography, essay, poetry, drama, and many more sub-genres. The point is that you don’t read an essay the same way you read a poem - or a personal letter, or an anime story.

As you open the table of contents of your Bible, you can see how it is organized by genre. For example, consider the Old Testament first: 

• Law: Genesis – Deuteronomy. These five books reflect the genre we call the Law. These aren’t only books of law. But they contained the way God wanted his people to live: the commands he gave them, how they were to worship, how they were to live their lives, how they were to interact with the surrounding nations. (Any given book of the Bible may reflect more than one genre, but usually one particular genre is prominent.)
• History: Joshua – Esther. Twelve books that tell us the history of Israel. How they entered into the Promised Land, set up their kingdom, how that kingdom became divided, how the people were taken off into exile, and eventually brought back to their homeland. This isn’t just dry history, but history interpreted through the eyes of God. Shows God’s activity in human affairs, so it is history applicable to us today.
• Poetry: Job – Song of Solomon (Song of Songs). Five books that are poems, by and large. Hebrew poetry is different from our English language poetry. Characterized, not by rhyming, but by parallelism. As poetry, they need to be read differently than history or law. Use smaller amounts of words to convey deep meaning and powerful ideas. 
• Major Prophets: Isaiah – Daniel. Five books. Major prophets these books tend to be longer. These prophets were alive during the times described in the books of history. They were telling the people what God was doing in their day, and what God was going to do in the future. 
• Minor Prophets: Hosea – Malachi. Twelve books. Called “minor” not because they are unimportant, but because they are smaller. With the same purpose and intent of the major prophets. Tell God’s people how to understand the events of the day, and what God was going to do in the future.

Moving to the New Testament, we have some different genres.

• Gospels: Matthew – John. Four books. Four different accounts about the life of Jesus. Followers of Jesus, or people close to the apostles, who did a lot of research, talked to eyewitnesses, to describe Jesus’ words and actions.
• History of the Church: Acts. Sort of a book of history, but very focused. Deals with the spread of the Christian church, starting with just a few Christians in Jerusalem, but tracking the spread of Christianity throughout the entire Roman Empire. 
• Epistles: Romans – Jude. Eight books. An “epistle” is a letter. These are letters written to Christians or to churches, usually from the apostles. They talk about the struggles Christians face. There are commands for today. A lot of material for us to think about and apply to our lives, in these books.
• Apocalypse: Revelation. Revelation has its own genre (apocalyptic literature). It’s a mix of prophecy and eschatology, full of symbols. Talking about the return of Jesus, the end of the world, and how God wants us to live until that time comes. A powerful picture of God’s vision for the end of the world and for the beginning of the rest of eternity. 

Those are the genres of the Bible. It’s important to understand something about these genres. You don’t have to be an expert. But it does help to have a basic sense of what genres are about.

It’s helpful to know a book’s genre as you read it, in order to make sense of what you read. We will apply any book of the Bible differently based on its genre. 

For example, you should understand something about the poetry of Psalms before you can apply it to your life. Think through: what are the images and metaphors? What are they trying to teach me?

• Psalm 1:3 – [Speaking of the righteous]: They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

As poetry, Psalm 1 talks about what a life pursuing God is like. Yet it doesn’t talk about specific aspects of that life, but uses a rich, familiar image to paint that picture.

When you read the book of Proverbs, genre helps you understand that Proverbs are simple sayings or aphorisms that are generally true, but they aren’t universal or guaranteed promises from God.

• Proverbs 12:21 – No harm comes to the godly. But the wicked have their fill of trouble.

Godly people don’t live a trouble-free life. We all know Christians who have lost loved ones, been laid off, and more. But generally, it is true that people who don’t follow God create trouble for themselves by their life choices. So this contrast between the godly and wicked plays out more often than not.

Yet when you read the epistles, you’ll discover that these are written to Christians much like us. Many of the commands written in those books apply directly to us and need very little alteration. 

• Romans 12:10-11 – Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

These instructions are true for all Christ-followers, whether living in the 1st or 21st century, whether living in Rome or the United States.

So it’s helpful to read the books of the Bible by understanding their genre. There is plenty more to learn about this. But we want to give you an overview of the structure and genres of the Bible, so that as you read God’s word, you can have a better sense of what you’re reading, as you apply it to your life.

You don’t have to be an expert in genre or literature. As you read your Bible with this topic in mind, you will quickly discern how the genres you encounter are different, and you will develop a greater level of understanding. The point is: get reading!