How Do We Know

Matthew tells a story of a man coming to Jesus and asking what he had to do to have eternal life. Jesus' response was to keep the Law. When the man said he did that Jesus told him he should sell what he had, give the money to the poor and come follow Jesus. In the story of the prodigal son the youngest son asked for his share of the inheritance. His father gave him the share which was 2/3rds of the value of the estate. Must have not put the father into the poor house because he continued to have servants etc. So when Jesus told the man to sell what he had and give to the poor I think it reasonable to understand it did not mean a totality of his possessions.

Luke tells the story of the farmer who had so much harvest he built bigger barns instead of sharing. How do those compare with us today investing our money instead of sharing it?

Jesus told his disciples, which today are us, to not be anxious about their life, what they will eat, nor about their  body, what they would put on.  We discount that and say that Jesus does not want us to be poor. Who would pay the preacher or pay for the building if no one had any money?

Jesus also said whomever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 

How do we know when Jesus means what he says and does not mean what he says?

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com  
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

You are getting old when you just can't stand people who are intolerant.

When we use common English in place of church words some concepts are easier to comprehend.

• Saved by Grace turns out to be saved by the kindness of God. 
• Saved by Faith is saved by the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 
• Preach the Gospel is preach the Good News. 
• Baptism of the Holy Spirit is immersed by or in the Holy Spirit. 
• Confessing Jesus before man is acknowledging Jesus before man.  

Maybe we do not understand the Bible because we prefer to speak a different language than that of the Bible.

Church Growth Should Be Outside In

While there are nearly 100 million unchurched people in the U.S, more than 80% of the current growth registered by Protestant churches is biological or transfer growth. If the gospel really is good news, then why do most Christians avoid evangelism? 

Christ Like

When I hear the United States is or was a Christian nation I wonder which of our actions mimicked Christ. Was it our invasion of Iraq to save Kuwait from being conquered by their neighbor or was it our doing nothing while genocide occurred in Rwanda and Sudan? Could it have been our practice of slavery or possibly segration of the races?

Worship is Serving

John tells us:

 

John 13:3

    Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 

 

What did Jesus do with this divine authority? Again, John tells us,

 

John 13:4-5

    (Jesus) rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 

 

Possessing all power in heaven and earth and knowing he is about to be betrayed and die a horrible death---and what does Jesus do? He assumes the position of a common household servant and washes the disciples' dirty, smelly feet---the very people he knows will betray and forsake him before morning!

 

This is what it means to follow Jesus. If you have all power in heaven and earth, use it to wash the feet of someone you know will betray you!  

 

Several hours later the same power was manifested in the Garden of Gethsemane. As temple guards were about to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the slave of the high priest (John 18:10).

 

The world perpetuates violence but Jesus did not come to continue that. So, again, far from using his divine authority to fight back, calling legions of angels and forcefully controlling his enemy's behavior, Jesus used his divine authority to heal the ear of a man who came to arrest him. Jesus example is one of unconditional love by serving him, by healing him. Jesus was saying, "though you seek to do me harm I will serve you and heal you." Insofar as we trust this kind of power and think and act accordingly, we are bearers of the kingdom of God. Insofar as we do not we are simply participants in the kingdom of the world.

 

Paul wrote to the church in Rome,

 

Romans 12:1  

    I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (service). 

 

If we want to show homage to Jesus, to God, we practice servant leadership. We follow Jesus' example

John 14:9  

    Jesus said to him, "… Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. …? 

 

and obey his commands.

 

Worship is serving others. Worship is not singing to each other, not praying for ourselves, not contributing for our own comfort but serving others. As Jesus did, as Jesus would do today.

 

 

 

 

 

Re: Shock on NBC this morning

People who believe America is "one nation under God" may be inclined to view government as the handmaiden of God and inclined to rely on it to carry out the work God has called the church to carry out. More specifically, as with most other Americans, many Christians assume it's the church's job to take care of people's spiritual needs and the government's job to take care of people's physical needs. We preach the gospel while government is supposed to care for the poor, the homeless, the oppressed, the disabled, or the sick. Many deny they believe this but based on how the church acts which is always a better indication of true belief than profession the point is undeniable. With some exceptions, the Church of Christ as a whole is not known for its willingness to assume responsibility for these areas. I believe it fair to suggest this is due to the fact that we trust government to carry out these duties.

It is good for government to take care of people's physical needs but it is not a good thing for Christians to rely on government to carry out this function and thus limit themselves to ministering to people's spiritual needs.

Many Americans turn to the Old Testament more than the New Testament in their understanding of America and of the role of the church within America. They turn to models of Old Testament "watchmen" as in Ezekiel and of John the Baptist to understand what they are supposed to be doing in the culture instead of to the model of Jesus. Instead of living to sacrifice for others, we become the official "sin-pointer-outers." Instead of gaining a reputation of being humble servants who manifest Jesus-quality love, we gain a reputation for being moralistic and self-righteous. Thus as the Pharisees did,we drive off the prostitutes and tax-collectors rather than attracting them, as Jesus did.

There is no biblical basis for separating a person's physical needs from their spiritual ones.

Since Jesus did not fight to maintain Israel's place as God's people we cannot presume he has switched his favoritism to the United States.

Intellectually understanding versus Application

Recently in several classes we have discussed "not judging others."  We are told we will be judged with the same mercy we judge others. Since we will be judged with the same mercy we judge our judging must have some affect on the judged.

 

When Jesus had John write to those seven churches, he did not instruct or even encourage the "obedient" to leave the "disobedient?" In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote: "Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand." James wrote: "There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?" In each case the intended audience was people who had been immersed for the remission of their sins.

 

The non-instrumental division of the Church of Christ has many divisions that refuse to associate with each other. By refusing to assemble with other divisions isn't one division showing they think the other(s) are wrong and therefore "lost." When one group of people immersed for the forgiveness of their sins refuses to assemble with another group or people immersed for the forgiveness of their sins aren't they judging them?

 

What is the judging we are not to do?

 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com  
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

"Telling shoeless people to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps is not only cruel, it's also pointless."
Martin Luther King

At What Point are we Allowed to Not Love but to Judge

Jesus told his disciples they were to love each other. Considering the individual continued to follow Jesus, at what point could he have done something that would permit the others to stop loving him?

 

When Jesus had John write to those seven churches, he did not instruct or even encourage the "obedient" to leave the "disobedient?"

 

Jesus told the people they should not judge others. In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote: "Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand." James wrote: "There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?"

 

At what point are we allowed to condemn others to Hell and therefore refuse to associate with them?

Nehemiah's Prayer

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

 

"O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your dispersed be under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.' They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man."

 

Ezra's Prayer

Last night we discussed Ezra's prayer. Sometimes when you take the verse numbers out and let the continuity flow the result is interesting.

 

At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD. They also delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps and to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and they aided the people and the house of God.

 

After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said,

 

"The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost."

 

As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled. Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God, saying:

 

"O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today. But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery, for we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

 

And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, 'The land that you are entering, to take possession of it, is a land impure with the impurity of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness. Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.' And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, shall we break your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practice these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape? O LORD the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this."

 

While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. 

 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com  
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

"Telling shoeless people to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps is not only cruel, it's also pointless."
Martin Luther King

Facebook and the Church

Part of the issue has been created by our lazy speech. Immersion does not make one a Christian. A Christian is one who follows Jesus. Following Jesus requires obeying his Commands. According to the author of Hebrews following Jesus includes assembling with others who have been immersed and encouraging them to love and good works.  Obeying Jesus' commands requires one to read and to study the Bible to know his commands. Anyone who has not been immersed as shown in examples in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles and does not assemble with fellow believers is not Christian. Facebook will have no affect on Christians but it will give an out to pretenders.

Prayer in Public Places

Prayer is not a weapon nor is it a demonstration of one's piety, nor is it competition; it is communication with God. And God said:

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:6

The only thing a Christian should bring to their job are honesty, ethics, morality. Specifically what is expected to come from saying the "Lord's Prayer?"

 

Loaning our Building

Concerning playing a CD or DVD or MP3 etc with instrumental music as apparently happened during the recent Ladies get together in our building:

 

While I do not advocate the use of instruments during our assemblies it is not because I believe it to be wrong but because I cannot find it in the New Testament. I am convinced introducing anything not found in the Bible especially if it causes a division is wrong and just might be the greatest wrong.

 

I understood someone from our congregation was going to be present during the activities. For future reference should they be authorized to stop unwanted behavior? Should the requesting congregation be told we will stop any activity we consider sinful? Is someone going to add to the rules on the Building Use form? Will those Ladies be permitted to use if they submit a request? It will happen again.

 

If they are not permitted to play an instrumental DVD or CD along with their singing because the activity is considered worship and one of our men is present can those women make announcements or lead prayers? Or do we take the position many take that allowing a congregation to use our building does not suggest we agree with everything they will be doing?

 

Does He or Doesn't He

Hi Al,

 

Am I the only one who sees us as a bit inconsistent? We say God puts opportunities in our path but then we have discussions such as yesterday concerning how to determine if God put the opportunity in our path or Satan or maybe it just popped up. In the past I said it would be a long time before GSMCOC walked by faith. Not being knowledgeable of the finances I am not sure but from the general tone of the discussion we may be getting close to, as they say, putt our money where our mouth is. The men obviously have never been in a situation where they were told they have -0-. Recently Gary Dick and I came in contact with a man in the parking lot ( I forget why it was just he and I) with the typical sob story. We both gave him something. God either gives us opportunities or he does not. God will either help us to be discerning or he will not. Might be worthwhile to decide what we believe. No one responded to Richard Sortore's question concerning Grace. When everything is in sight it is easy to walk by faith. 

 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com  
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

"Telling shoeless people to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps is not only cruel, it's also pointless."
Martin Luther King

Jesus Taught a Message of Repentance

Jesus taught a message of repentance, forgotten or ignored today. God has historically called for people to repent, to change their lives, to follow him. Peter wrote: 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." On Pentecost Peter told the people: Acts 2:38 "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Repentance was the most prominent characteristic of the preaching of the prophets. Repentance meant to return to active obedience to the Law of Moses. The standard of repentance was then and is today God's word. Jesus taught: Matthew 4:17 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and Luke 3:10-14 "'Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, 'Teacher, what shall we do?' And he said to them, 'Collect no more than you are authorized to do.' Soldiers also asked him, 'And we, what shall we do?' And he said to them, 'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.'"

Repentance meant polygamists were called to monogamy, drunkards were called to sobriety, homosexuals were called to behave according to God's law, idolaters were called to worship the true God, those who practiced Judaism were called to submit to the Christ. Repentance meant and means to leave a sinful lifestyle or ungodly religious practices and turn to God and His will. These are not works they are the way one lives their life. Examples in the Bible show one must be able to repent in order to be immersed and receive forgiveness of their sins.

We talk about the symbolism of immersion but one fact remains, examples found in the Bible indicate it is only by being immersed can we receive forgiveness of our sins. It is only by following the Christ that we can be saved. One does not join the church, one does not become Christian when one is immersed for the forgiveness of their sins God adds them to the number previously immersed, the saved. One becom a Christian when they follow the Christ, when they follow the Christ's teachings. As on Pentecost, the question is not how do I join the church or how do I become Christian, it is: Acts 2:37 "when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Or as the jailer: Acts 16:29-30 "And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" As on Pentecost the answer is: Acts 2:38 "And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" and as with the jailer: Acts 16:31-33 "'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.' And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family."

Anything else does not work.

Relying on grace is not enough. Jude 1:4-8 "certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire."

While God wants everyone to be saved not all will be. Unless God is willing to do away with the free-will of His creation, some will be lost.

The Lost Generation

Don Campbell:

Don Campbell:

 

Reference your article The Lost Generation in the March 2010 Gospel Advocate. I enjoyed your article but I have a question.

 

You mention "Today we are confronted with a worldly church ---not in the 19th century sense of a dancing, smoking, card-playing, mixed bathing church but in the sense that the church has turned into just another secular institution with vague spiritual aims."

 

Since before Christ each generation has thought the following generation was going to Hell. Today the church generally accepts behavior considered anathema by earlier generations. Could it be we so decadent we do not realize how evil we are or could it be the next generation is not as secularized as you might think and why? Consider your article as if you had written in during the early 20th century about the direction the church was going at the time. The church as we are today.

 

Just a question.

 

Good article.

 

My grandmother on my mother's side was a Campbell and I was born in 1943. I mention the year in case the year in your email refers to the year in which you were born.

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com  
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

"Telling shoeless people to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps is not only cruel, it's also pointless."
Martin Luther King

Was that an inch or a millimeter

On December 11, 1998 NASA launched the Mars Climate Orbiter at a cost exceeding $327 million. The orbiter carried a wide range of equipment to observe weather data from mars and to relay the information back to Earth. Nine months later, the spacecraft  reached Mars. It began an orbit of the planet but was almost immediately lost in a catastrophic mishap. The contractor providing the software that steered the Orbiter used English units of measurement whereas NASA built the spacecraft to receive instructions in the metric system. Before the error was detected the Orbiter flew too close to the surface of Mars and was burned up in the Martian atmosphere. Bummer....

 

 

Thanks, John Jenkins
865-803-8179  cell
Gatlinburg, TN

Email: jrjenki@gmail.com
Website: http://www.greenbriersolutions.com  
Blog: http://littlepigeon.blogspot.com/

"Telling shoeless people to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps is not only cruel, it's also pointless."
Martin Luther King

The Old Testament Scriptures

In the NT when scriptures are mentioned they are referring to the OT. Paul "powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus." Luke wrote that "a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures."

Do you suppose if Christians were competent in the Scriptures, the OT Scriptures, the church would be more evangelistic?

Faith / Works

One of the problems we have when discussing bible topics is that we use bible words which mean nothing and anything. Faith is such a word.

The Bible defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, based on the KJV identifies all words translated ‘faith” in James as #4102. #4102 is defined as conviction (of a religious truth, or the truthfulness of God, or a religious teacher) especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstract constancy in such a profession’ by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: ---assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines faith as: 1) unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence; 2) unquestioning belief in God, religious tenets etc. 3) a religion or system of religious beliefs; 4) anything believed; 5) complete trust, confidence, or reliance; 6) allegiance to some person or thing; loyalty.

When James says faith without works is dead all he is saying is our assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen have not affected our lives at all. Our reliance upon Christ for salvation has not changed us in the least. Our unquestioning belief in God has not had any affect on us. How can anyone believe in God, rely on Christ for salvation, have assurance and hope without it causing major changes in our life? James is saying it cannot.

When Paul writes to the church in Corinth “we walk by faith, not by sight” he uses the same word James uses. To walk by faith is to walk by our assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen; our reliance upon Christ for salvation; our unquestioning belief in God. To do that our lives of necessity will have been changed. When we walk by sight we are walking as we are able to see. We are relying on ourselves not God the Father not the Son and not the Holy Spirit.

When Paul writes to the church in Ephesus “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Again the word translated faith is #4102. Instead of walking by faith we are saved through faith. The word translated “through” is #1223 in Strong’s Concordance. #1223 is defined as: denoting the channel of an act; because of; by; for (cause); by reason of; for sake; that, thereby, therefore. “Works” is #2041, (to work), toil, (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act: ---deed, doing, labor, work.

We are saved through our unquestioning belief in God, our reliance upon Christ for salvation which causes changes to occur in our lives. We are to be a channel where God’s will may be done on earth (in our lives) as it is in Heaven.

The Ten Commandments or the Great Commandment

When we study the bible we should look through First-Century Glasses. That requires that we learn what the author had in mind and then understand what the people to whom he wrote understood the author to say.

Throughout his letters Paul refers to “us” referring to himself and the people with him while he is writing or the people to whom he is writing or mankind across all time. To understand Paul we must understand the us(s).

Paul wrote to the church in Rome “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” That is if we are children of God. He told the Christians in Corinth to “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” Reading it does not make it refer to us.

Not understanding the us(s) leads many to think they have the same background as Paul. Paul told Christians in Rome God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It is possible that on the day Jesus was crucified Paul may have been one of the reasons most of the apostles were hiding. Jesus died for Paul while Paul was a sinner. Jesus died for me before I was.

Paul told the people of Galatia “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian (schoolmaster) until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian (schoolmaster), for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.”

That is correct for Paul and others of Jewish descendant of the time. Unlike Paul, Gentiles were never captive under. According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible which is based on the KJV classifies it as #3807 a boy-leader i.e. a servant whose office was to take the children to school; by implication a tutor; instructor, schoolmaster.

Today many people claiming to be Christian believe the Ten Commandments are part of their Christian heritage thus their strong views on Ten Commandments in government buildings and elsewhere.

In the beginning God had a relationship with Adam and Eve. Due to sin that relationship changed. Today we call it the Patriarchal Age. God dealt directly with the heads of families. When God chose Abraham-Isaac linage to provide for the Messiah the relationship changed for them and their descendants. There is nothing in the bible that indicates the relationship changed for everyone else so I must conclude the relationship remained as it had been. God dealt directly with heads of families as he had done from Adam to Abraham.

Until Cornelius, the people outside the linage of Abraham-Isaac continued with the same relationship to God as Abraham had before God told him to leave Ur. Paul defines that relationship in Romans. “. . .when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.” That is they do the moral aspects of the law that had been in affect from the beginning.

The law given to Moses did not affect them. The Patriarchal age did not end with the beginning of what we call the Mosaic age. It paralleled it and continued until Cornelius.The purpose of the law was to preserve a people and to prepare a people. Once God selected the Abraham-Isaac linage he had to work with them. Jesus, talking about marriage and divorce, said because of the hardness of the people’s heart God changed the rules intended from the beginning. Imagine the creator of everything had to bend to the stubborn will of his creation. Of course he could have destroyed his creation but unless he was to do away with free-will he had to bend enough to ensure a remnant would remain so the Messiah could be born. Once the Messiah was born the law had fulfilled its purpose. Once the Messiah had arrived God had no need to bend anymore. Understanding this might help folks understand how Jesus fulfilled the law. It might help them to understand that the same parts of the law that justified the gentiles when they did by nature the things of the law are in Jesus' teachings. Should help them to understand that there never were two plans and that Jesus is not Plan B.

Maybe then Christians would fight to have what Jesus considered the great commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind; and a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself displayed in courthouses, school buildings, and other public places.

It just might help Christians understand the United States does not have to help Israel return to their promise land so Jesus can return.

Clarifying and understanding the us(s) may be a good first step for Christians better to understand their history as well as their relationship with God.