“SIX INCHES!” This was the standard rule for members of the opposite sex through most of my childhood and into my teenage years. Touching was prohibited, which left even a handshake or high five with a girl seem oddly inappropriate. The basis for this was from a passage of scripture in 1 Corinthians chapter seven, and as far as verses that were to be memorized, it ranked right up there with John 3:16. This verse reads, “Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.  Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:1,2) The reasoning that was given for this statement was that since committing fornication requires touching, Paul is saying that the best way to avoid fornication is unmarried people to keep from touching each other. But the question that a study of the text, in context, brings is, “Did Paul really say that it is good for a man not to touch a w...

The book of Deuteronomy is well known as the last book of the Pentateuch. The book itself, as stated by Hamilton is, “In relationship to the rest of the Pentateuch, Deuteronomy is considered something of an oddity”. Hamilton, (p. 367) While it may be true, that the position of Deuteronomy in its place with the first books of the Bible may seem odd, we must understand a few key point that the book itself points us towards, in order to understand and believe it’s validity as part of the Pentateuch. Firstly, we can see that the book of Deuteronomy acts as a “doorway” of sorts to the rest of the old testament. While the book is not a narrative as many of the other books in the beginning of the scriptures, it makes the way for us to see the rest of the Old Testament in the correct light. We see that the book takes place during the, “two resting times are the times when God speaks (mostly through his servant Moses) definitively and extensively to his people. It is in these camping, les...

Can someone who is Christian have homosexual thoughts/lusts?  They most certainly can! Every person, no matter who they are, will deal with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). This is the consequence of the fall, but there may be differences in the exact ways that it affects us (1 Cor. 6:11).   We are not given the choice on how the fall shows itself in our lives. We must realize that the fight against the temptation to sin is a fierce and seemingly endless, but the fight itself is not sin. Temptation only becomes sin when we yield to it. Even though regeneration kills the old man in Christ, we still carry the habits of that old nature (Rom. 7). No matter what these habits are, they may not just disappear when they are born again. We do not put our faith in Christ to get rid of homosexual or any other sinful desire, we do not put our faith in Christ to become morally upright, but we put our faith in Christ to gain Christ ...

How do the elements of the promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 play out in the lives of Joseph and Judah? The promise of being a great nation we can see in the life of Judah. Judah would go on to bear children that would become the largest tribe of Israel. Ultimate this great nation would bring forth the Lion of Judah. God promised to bless Abraham. Joseph was blessed with the ability to interpret dreams as well the knowledge to serve the land of Egypt and ultimately preserve his family. God promised to make his name great. Joseph's name was made great in the land of Egypt when he saved the region from starvation by his interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:25) God promised Abraham he would be a blessing. Joseph was a blessing in being influential saving Egypt from famine. Judah would be a blessing as the line from which the chosen Seed would come.

How do the elements of the promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 play out in the life of Jacob in Genesis? The promise of being a great nation is seen most clearly in the life of Jacob. He was the father unto those that would quite literally be called the children of Israel. The decedents of his sons would go on to make up the twelve tribes of Israel. God promised to bless Abraham. Even being the second born and not in line for the blessing and birthright of his father, we find Jacob being blessed. (Genesis 27:30) God promised to make his name great. Like his father Abraham, God did make the name of Jacob great. In a similar fashion to his grandfather, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and would forever be known. God promised Abraham he would be a blessing. Like his father before him, Jacob was a blessing to his family. Jacob blessed his children in instructing them in the ways they should continue. (Genesis 49:1) In an extended way, we see the nations blessed by Jacob throug...