Does the Bible have a dress code?  Great question!

I wish it did because that would be easier, but Jesus doesn’t give us a list of clothes we can and can’t wear.  And that’s probably a good thing because His picks would likely revolve around 2,000 year old fashion and I’m not a fan of robes unless they are of the Jedi variety.  While the Bible doesn’t list articles of clothing that are right and wrong, it does talk quite a few times about modesty.  Here’s a few:

1 Timothy 2:9-10 — Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.

Proverbs 11:22 — Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.

What is modesty?  We are sexual.  Our bodies were made with our sexuality in mind.  That sexuality is very good, holy, sacred, beautiful, glorious, and deeply enjoyable within the context of marriage.  That’s where God intended for our sexuality to come out and have fun.  It’s like a fire that belongs in a fireplace which causes devastation when it leaves that context.  Outside of the context of marriage, our sexuality isn’t good, it’s sinful.  It’s not holy, it’s common.  It’s not sacred, it’s profane.  It’s not beautiful, but perverse.  It’s not glorious, but shameful.  It brings shallow enjoyment and lasting pain.  Our sexuality is meant to be private and kept for the context of marriage.  That’s the goal of modesty.  Modesty’s goal is to keep our good sexuality private between self, God, and spouse.  

We can do that by dressing in ways that don’t put our sexuality on display.  It’s pretty obvious that there are some things we can wear that draw attention to our sexuality.  If a guy walked up in boxer-briefs or a girl walked by in a mini skirt and tube top, it’s far-fetched to imagine any of us could look at them without the thought of their sexuality crossing our minds.  

But modesty is also more than that.  It’s not just about how we dress.  It also encompasses the way we speak, our body language, the way we flirt, and more.  Modesty seeks to keep our sexuality private in all areas.  Most commonly, the topic comes up regarding clothes, so more on that later.

So that’s what modesty is.  Why is it important?

Please note that everything I say below is true if you switch the genders, but I’m a guy so that’s the perspective I’ll write from.

Modesty honors God and the purpose He designed for our sexuality.  As we saw in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and Proverbs 11:22, God cares about this.  That means we should too.  If God wants us to be modest, then we should strive to honor Him in that.  Ephesians 5:22-33 is an amazing passage that tells us that God’s purpose behind human marriage and sexuality transcends the things of this world.  In fact, human marriage and sexuality are designed by God to reveal glorious truths about the oneness of the Trinity and the union between Christ and His church.  What we often don’t realize is that when we go outside of God’s plan for marriage and sexuality, we are actually twisting and perverting the very tool that God desires to reveal Himself to the world through.  Our modesty is wrapped up in something that is so much bigger than just “It’s my life, I’ll dress how I want."

Modesty helps others in their struggle with lust.  In Matthew 5:28, Jesus tells us that lusting after someone is just as sinful as committing adultery with them!  That means that as we seek to follow Christ and obey Him, we need to battle lustful desires and keep our hearts far from that sin.  I’m a pastor and I consider myself a fairly godly man by the grace of God, but, if a woman walks by in a tight and low cut red dress, guess what I’m going to think about!  Hint: It’s not chess!  

I’m not saying that whatever sexual thoughts I linger on are her fault.  Not at all.  My thoughts are my responsibility and as a Christian it’s my duty to take any lustful thoughts captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).  However, what a blessing it would be in my life and the lives of many men, if that woman woke up that day and decided to dress in a way that would not stir up a battle in my heart and mind when she walks past me.  What a burden lifter she would be if she understood that her dress could actually help or hinder her brothers in Christ.  Praise God for women who realize that!  

Modesty attracts the right kind of attention.  Christy (my wife) has always dressed modestly.  When I first met her, I thought to myself, “She’s pretty.”  When I heard her pray, I thought, “She really loves God.”  When I saw how she treated people, I thought, “She’s really compassionate.”  Eventually, I realized I really loved this woman and I wanted her to be my partner, my wife, and the mother of my kids.  At that same time in my life, there were other girls I knew, even at church, who did not dress modestly.  Do you know what I thought when I first met them?  “She’s hot!”  And that was it.  Apart from an initial physical attraction, I had no desire to pursue them.

Christy’s modesty allowed me to be attracted to the things that really matter.  Her modesty allowed me to be won to her by her love for the Lord and her character.  And now that we’re married, I have the privilege of seeing just how smoking hot she is.  Sorry dudes, that’s all for me and not for you. 

Whether you are a man or a woman, please listen.  Dressing modestly will prevent you from attracting people who are only after sex.  It will help you to attract attention from people who are pursuing you because they actually like your personality and your character.  Dressing immodestly will call the attention of people who are after you because you are HOT!  The problem is that they are seeking a relationship with you for mostly physical reasons.  They aren’t looking to be faithful and committed.  They aren’t looking to walk together with you in faith toward Christ.  And there won’t be much to stop them from dropping you to chase the next HOT person they see walk by.  

Modesty keeps our hearts yearning for God’s approval and not man’s attention.  Wrapped up in part of the reason we want to dress immodestly is the desire we have to feel loved and worthwhile.  Dressing in sexually revealing ways is an easy way to get the attention of others.  It feels good when guys or girls pay us that kind of attention.  It can even feel good knowing that other guys or girls are jealous of our looks.  But ultimately, that’s not the kind of attention that is going to satisfy the deep needs of our heart and soul.  John 12:43 is a reminder to us that we need to long for God’s approval and not the approval of others.  When we dress immodestly for that kind of attention, we are disobeying God in order to gain the praise and approval of men.  As Christians, we should obey God because His approval is our chief desire.

So, how do I dress modestly?

Unfortunately, Jesus doesn’t give us a list. So any attempt to answer this is going to be pretty opinionated.  My recommendation is that you think this through prayerfully and talk it through with fellow believers.  Every culture and context is going to have different opinions on this.  I’m not going to call you a sinner if you don’t hold to my particular opinion on the issue.  But each of us needs to actually be thoughtful and prayerful about this so that we have an intentional and biblically-guided opinion.

Here’s mine, I hope this doesn’t offend you:

• The Underwear Rule:  If it’s pretty much the same as underwear, then it belongs under the rest of your clothes.  Two piece bikinis, the shortest of short shorts, speedos, etc.  I can’t comprehend why a woman would blush at the thought of being seen in her bra and panties yet not bat an eye when walking down the beach in a bikini.  It’s the same thing!
• Cleavage is a no-no.  The Bible talks about that part of your body as something for your husband to enjoy in Proverbs 5:19.  Leave that for your husband.
• Fingertip Rule:  A good rule of thumb when determining if a dress, skirt or shorts are too short is to place your arms at your side and make sure your clothing goes at least as low as your fingertips.  Basically, let’s not play a game of "How much thigh can I show before I’ve given you a peek at the goods?”  This applies to guys too.
• Skin Tight Ain’t Right:  Super tight, curve-revealing clothes are out of bounds.  If you had to jump fifteen times to fit into those jeans, feel like your shirt is going to break when you breathe, or I can tell what kind of phone you have when it’s in your pocket…change your clothes.  When outfits are so tight that they leave nothing to the imagination, you might as well be naked.  Again, this applies to guys too.
• Shirts On:  Guys, seriously, quit finding excuses to take your shirt off and show off your abs.  Sorry Matthew McConaughey, this applies to you too.  (Girls too, but I really hope that’s obvious).
• Midriff Coverage:  Your belly button should be a ninja.  Unseen.

But wait...

Here’s some things we might hear in objection to modesty dress codes and how I’d respond as straightforward as possible.

No one sells modest clothing.  It can be hard to find modest clothes, especially for young girls.  But they really are out there if you look a little harder.  If you think dressing modestly is right, then go the extra mile to find clothes that work.  Since modest swim wear is especially hard to find, check out this link: http://www.reyswimwear.com 

Tight clothes are more comfortable.  Maybe.  I personally find that hard to believe.  But if super tight is really comfy for you and you are convinced that tight clothes are not modest, then you need to make a decision.  What’s more important to you?  And just because tight is more comfortable for you, that doesn’t mean non-tight clothes are crazy uncomfortable or painful.

This is just my style and not about sexuality.  Well, if your style is revealing your sexuality, then your style is immodest.  Since immodesty is dishonoring to God, it’s time to change your style.

I’ll look ugly if I dress modestly.  Well you won’t look super sexy.  And that’s the point.  But you don’t need to dress sexy to dress well or to dress beautifully.  And sadly that’s a distinction people don’t seem to make much these days.  Please don’t believe the lie that the only way to look beautiful is to look sexy.

Alrighty, that's enough out of me.  May God give you the wisdom to discern how you can honor him with your clothing.

As a pastor, I get questions about homosexuality all the time.  That's great!  I'm here to teach the Bible and I love chances to do it.

But you know what's not great?  You know what crushes my heart?  When Christians who know what the Bible says about homosexuality make excuses for it and pretend it's ok.  

Before you read any further, let me clarify that this beef I have here is with Christians who know what the Bible says about this.  So if you're an atheist, Buddhist, Flying Spaghetti Monsterist (is that what they're called?), or even a new Christian who just hasn't learned what the Bible says about this, then I'm not upset with you, but feel free to read this and see what I think and what the Bible says.  But if you are a Christian and have been for some time, then my beef is with you.  Read on and maybe I can convince you that excusing homosexuality is harmful and not helping anyone.  You may feel that your accepting attitude is a way to attract people to God, but you’re doing more harm than good by distorting the truth.

The Bible & Homosexuality

So I'm not going to spend a ton of time talking about what the Bible says about homosexuality.  The summary is that the Bible says it is a sin.  Is it the only sin?  No.  Is it the worst sin?  No.  Is it a sin?  Yes.  Who says?  The Bible.  Where?  Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 for starters.  

If you want more info, feel free to read an article I wrote a while back on the topic.  Here's the link:  The Bible and Homosexuality You can also read my response to a guy who argued against my claims in that article, but it's pretty long-winded stuff: In Depth Comments

Common Questions/Excuses and Why They're Not Helpful

Here are some common excuses and questions I hear from Christians that are trying to find ways to be tolerant and accepting of homosexuality.  And here is why I think those excuses/questions fall short.

Why would God make them that way if he didn't want them to be gay?

Did He?  This is the whole Nature vs. Nurture argument and it hasn't been resolved.  Are people born gay because of genetics or are people gay by choice or perhaps because childhood events and other things have shaped them to be that way?  The jury is still out on this one.  While there are some studies that indicate homosexuality could be linked to genetics, there has been no conclusive proof.  We have not found and proved the existence of a "gay gene."  At the same time, there are studies that show that homosexuality is linked to your childhood development years.  For example, this study found that 46% of homosexual men were victims of childhood molestation while only 7% of heterosexual men were.  There is plenty to the debate, but at least this seems to indicate that there may be more to it than simply being born with a certain genetic makeup.

So despite the Gaga song, people may not be born this way.  But let's assume for the sake of discussion that they are.  Let's say that people are born gay as a result of a "gay gene" or something of that sort.  Does that automatically mean that God made them that way and desires for them to be homosexuals?  

If you say yes, then you have to follow that logic through.  That would mean that the way someone is born is the way God intends them to be, live, and act.  What about alcoholism, which has also been linked to genetics and heredity?  Does God want those born with an alcoholic disposition to live lives as addicts and drunkards?  What about those born with schizophrenia, dopamine imbalances that lead to depression, or the mental problems that drive some people to be serial killers?  

You see, the argument that being born a certain way means that God made you that way and desires you to live and act that way doesn't hold water.  From a biblical worldview, we see that God originally made the world and people perfect and sinless.  However, we chose to rebel against God and we chose to sin.  Since the fall, sin has contaminated everything.  That's why people are born with deformities, diseases, or tendencies like alcoholism, because we live in a fallen and twisted world, not because God intended it that way.  Through Jesus, God desires to redeem us and heal us and will one day set everything back to the way it was supposed to be.  Until then, nature is a very twisted thing and we shouldn't look to it to tell us what is right and wrong.  Where should we look?  To God's Word, which is pretty clear on this issue.

Doesn't God accept everyone?

Yes and no.  God is both inclusive and exclusive.  Here's what I mean by that.  The Gospel (the good news of salvation from sin and death through Jesus) is an open call to everyone who hears it (that's inclusive!) but it is also a call to acknowledge your sin and repent of it (that's kind of judgmental and exclusive) and it's only through Jesus (that's super exclusive).

Inclusiveness of the Gospel:  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Exclusiveness of the Gospel:  "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6)

Call to Repentance:  "'I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'"  (Luke 5:32)

What I'm trying to show with all of this is that God does forgive and save anyone who comes to Him through faith in Jesus.  Salvation is offered to liars, the arrogant, homosexuals, and everyone.  But God calls us also to change our lives when we come to Him.  He calls us to repent of sin which means to turn away from it.  God accepts people of all pasts who come to Him for salvation through Jesus but He never accepts their sin.  He desires to cleanse them of their sin and help them change and live a life of repentance.  As the saying goes, "God loves you the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way."

We're all sinners and God's grace will cover it

Paul dealt with that same excuse two thousand years ago in his letter to the Romans.  If there is total forgiveness through Jesus, then why does it matter if I keep on sinning?  If God truly does forgive and give grace to sinners, then why not let people keep living homosexual lifestyles?

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"  (Romans 6:1-2)

Just think about this for a moment.  Would you apply this logic to a Christian who was living in any other sin?  Think of a Christian who is married and also has a mistress.  Would you say, "No big deal.  We're all sinners.  God's grace will cover it. He doesn't need to change or repent"?  What about a Christian who lies a lot to manipulate everybody?  What about a Christain with a drug addiction?  I'm pretty sure you'd call that person to change and repent.  You'd try to get them help.  But you wouldn't say, "Keep doing what you're doing!"  

So why should we pretend that this sin, homosexuality, is somehow different and special?
  
Why can't you just let them be happy, they're not hurting anyone

First, because a homosexual lifestyle will not lead to real happiness.  The Bible tells us that true joy is found only in walking with God. 

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV) 

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

True joy in life does not come from pursuing worldly pleasures like money, possessions, or sex.  It doesn’t even come from things that are worthwhile like marriage or children, though those things can certainly bring us some joy and happiness.  True joy that lasts and endures and deeply satisfies the soul can only be found in God and walking with Him.  When we live in a lifestyle of sin, whether it be homosexuality, alcohol abuse, affairs, or the like, we are robbing ourselves of true joy while chasing after empty wells to quench our thirst.  When we tell our homosexual friends that what they’re doing is fine, we’re leaving them to pursue empty joy rather than inviting them to find true happiness in God.

Second, people are being hurt.  People who live homosexual lifestyles, and Christians who excuse such behavior, are by example and word telling a watching world that this is a valid option for human sexuality.  Young teens are especially vulnerable here as puberty and hormones provide plenty of confusion about their identity as it is.  Seeing homosexuality lived out and hearing Christians excuse it will only lead more people to assume that this lifestyle is a valid option that will lead to a happy life and will not hinder their relationship with God. 

Third, children are being hurt.  God designed the family to consist of a mother and father.  There are unique ways that children need to be affirmed by a father that no woman can satisfy and, likewise, there are needs from a mother that no man can fill.  Gay couples who adopt children are not equipped to give that child the ideal home and care they need.  Children flourish most when in a home with a married mother and father.  Don’t want to take just my word for it?  Take a look at this study by Dr. Regnerus which indicates that children who were at some point raised by lesbian moms are at a 21% higher risk for sexual abuse (among other things) than children raised by a traditional family. 





Christians who excuse homosexuality are often unknowingly encouraging a lifestyle that will not lead to true happiness, encouraging young people down this road, and encouraging a behavior that harms adopted children, rather than calling people to Christ.

Final Thoughts

Look, I'm not advocating that we stand in people's bedrooms with a striped shirt and a whistle calling foul if two guys or two girls decide to sleep together.*  To some extent, people are just going to do what they want to do.

What I am saying is that we as Christians need to be consistent and honest about what the Bible says about homosexuality and we need to stop excusing what the Bible says about it!  God doesn't need you to clean up the scandal of what He said about homosexuality. God desires for you to speak for Him to the people around you.

We need to speak lovingly and truthfully.  We need to stop making excuses for sin so that those in a life of homosexuality will not wrongly assume that God approves or that they'll find happiness there.  We need to stop making excuses for sin so that those who are believers will not wrongly grow up thinking homosexuality is a viable option to pursue.  We need to speak God's truth to call people to repentance, faith, salvation, healing, and true happiness in God. 

*That referee joke was shamelessly borrowed from various Mark Driscoll sermons.  I like it and hope you did too.

From time to time, people ask or send me questions about the Bible.  I love answering these kinds of questions and I try to put my answers on here in case other people are wondering about the same thing.  This is one of those questions and answers.  If you've got a question, click HERE or just click the Ask ?'s tab above.  

Great question.  The Holy Spirit is often the most overlooked member of the Trinity.  Many people don't know much about Him and some are even a little afraid to talk about Him because they don't want to seem too charismatic or wild.  I believe there are two pieces to understanding the answer to this question.  

First, we need to understand what the Bible means when it refers to God being present somewhere.  Second, we need to understand the difference between the way the Holy Spirit worked in the lives of believers before Christ's sacrifice and after it.  And before either of those, let me clarify a bit about who the Holy Spirit is.

The Holy Spirit is God.  The Bible teaches that God is one Being who eternally exists as three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  In Acts 5:3-4, Peter pretty clearly says that the Holy Spirit is God.  You can see references to the Trinity all throughout the New Testament in places like Matthew 29:19 where Jesus tells His disciples to baptize people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as well as places like 1 Cor 12:4-6, 2 Cor 13:14, Eph 4:4-6, 1 Peter 1:2, and Jude 20-21.  

Two Types of God's Presence

It's important to know that the Holy Spirit is God because we know that God is omnipresent.  In other words, the Holy Spirit is everywhere.  The Holy Spirit is not confined to a box and He is not only present in specific places on earth.  He is God and He is not limited by time or space.  

But if the Holy Spirit is everywhere, then what's the point of asking where He is?  Why would David worry that the Holy Spirit would leave him?  He can't leave because He's everywhere right?  Why would Jesus tell the disciples the Holy Spirit hasn't arrived yet?  Just like He can't leave, He can't show up either because He is already present everywhere right?

Well, that's part of the trouble when using human language to describe an infinite God.  The Bible speaks about God's presence in two general ways.  

First, there is God's omnipresence.  What the Bible means with this kind of presence is that God is everywhere.  You can't run away or hide from Him.  Nothing can keep Him away or lock Him out.  He is at all times ruling and reigning over every portion of His creation.

Second, there is God's active presence.  This is sometimes called God's manifest presence.  What the Bible means with this kind of presence is that God is not only present, but acting in His power to accomplish a specific and special task.  This is what those above passages are talking about.  When David is begging God not to let the Holy Spirit leave him, he is begging God not to stop working in his life in a personal way.  When Jesus says the Holy Spirit hasn't come yet, He means that He hasn't shown up to do His great work in the church yet.     

Two Ways the Holy Spirit Ministers to Believers

The Holy Spirit acted very differently in the lives of Old Testament believers than He does now in the lives of believers like you and me.  In the Old Testament, we often see the Holy Spirit actively showing up in the life of a believer for a short period of time to help them accomplish a specific task and then departing when the task was done or when the person sinned greatly.  In Judges, we see the Holy Spirit coming to occasionally empower Samson, leaving when he breaks his Nazerite vow, and returning when Samson prays one last time.  In Psalm 51 mentioned in the question at the beginning, we see David begging the Holy Spirit not to leave after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband.  The only place that God's presence actively dwelt on any sort of permanent basis in the Old Testament was the Temple of God in Jerusalem.

There is a dynamic and critical change after Jesus' death and resurrection.  Because Jesus' death was the final sacrifice to pay for sins once and for all, the place that God chooses to permanently dwell completely changes.  God no longer causes His active presence to rest in the Temple in Jerusalem, instead He chooses a new Temple to dwell in.  1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that our bodies (those who have believed in Christ) are the new Temples of God.  The Holy Spirit now dwells actively in us to guide us and empower us on a day to day basis.  Ephesians 1:13 tells us that the Holy Spirit no longer comes and goes but has permanently been sealed within believers for good by saying, "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit."

That's the kind of presence of the Holy Spirit Jesus was talking about when He told His disciples He was going to send the Holy Spirit.  After Jesus returned to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to permanently take up residence within all believers everywhere.

Where in the World is the Holy Spirit?

In a real sense, the Holy Spirit is everywhere.  There is not a place you can go to escape His presence.

In another sense, the Holy Spirit is actively present and working within every single person who believes in Christ.  This presence is permanent with no take backs.  In Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit would only come and go among believers.  But you and I are blessed with a great gift!  The Holy Spirit is daily and always alive and working within us to guide us, encourage us, empower us, convict us, correct us, and conform us to be more and more like Christ.  David had to beg for the Holy Spirit to remain with him and you and I will never have that problem.  Praise God!

• Have you received the Holy Spirit to empower your life by placing your faith in Christ?  If not, today is the day!  Trust in Christ to save you from your sins and tell a pastor or Christian friend you know so they can help you take your first steps of faith!
• Are you trying to live your life day to day on your own strength or are you daily leaning on and relying on the Holy Spirit?  What struggles or burdens can you ask the Holy Spirit for help with right now?
• Got a question of your own?  Click HERE to ask!

"In the beginning, God created..."etc, etc, so on and so forth.  I've heard the Genesis creation account so many times that it's actually hard to read because I get the impulse to skip to the next page.  I'm teaching it to the kids this Sunday and I was half tempted to skip reading it and just prepare my lesson from memory.

Boy am I glad I didn't.  It wasn't that I noticed a verse I hadn't seen before.  Instead, it was the same old truth that I've heard since I was a kid and believed for the past thirteen or so years.  It was the same old thing that hit me like a ton of bricks.  I don't know if I'll be able to duplicate the eureka moment I had, but I'll try.

"And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light." - Genesis 1:3

That right there is pretty much the way each day goes.  God speaks and whatever He says comes into existence.  I've known that for a long time.  You probably have too.  But have you ever sat down to think about that?

Day 1:  In the midst of infinite darkness God says "Let there be light" and light is born into existence.  By the command of His words, light which was never there before suddenly exists now.  Bright and glorious light.  All of the colors of light.  White, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and everything in between.  The whole visible spectrum leaps into existence at the power of God's word.

Day 2:  God creates the sky and the sea.  By His word 326,000,000,000,000,000,000 gallons of water (that's 326 million trillion) are created and guided into a constant process of evaporation, cloud formation, and rain.  Big clouds, small clouds, fluffly clouds, feathery clouds, white clouds, dark clouds... all of them formed by His words.  

I could go on and on for each day but let me sum it up.  Everything that exists today was brought into existence by the power of God's word alone.  From the vast stretches of the universe to the tiny quarks of particle physics.  From the frigid cold of arctic glaciers to the searing heat of lava that melts stone!  From beautiful and tiny butterflies in your backyard to the fierce and huge great white sharks you saw on Shark Week earlier this month.  All of it created by His word and His power.

That's breathtaking.  But that's not what blew me away last week.  

It was all of that when combined with this thought: All of that power lives inside of me.

Say what?  The new testament is full of verses that tell us that the Holy Spirit Himself lives in and dwells within us.  


Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. - 2 Timothy1:14

That's just one example.  By the way, the Holy Spirit is God Himself.  He is a full blown member of the Trinity.  He isn't part God, wannabe God, or God's little step-brother.  He is God with all of the perks of being God meaning He is all-knowing and all-powerful.  So take a moment to think about that because that blew my mind last week.

The same power that spoke the universe, volcanoes, stars, glaciers, lions, DNA, and all of that stuff into existence, that very same power, lives in me.  And it lives in you too if you've been redeemed through faith in Christ.  

That same power is there to comfort me in sad times, guide me in confusing times, empower me in difficult times, and enable me to live rightly for God all the time.  It's there.  Rather, He's there.  All the time.  Within me.  I just need to reach out for help instead of doing it all on my own.  So often though, we don't.  We just try to do it all ourselves and miss out on the power of God available to us.

I read a book over the summer that really helped me remember to constantly lean on the Holy Spirit for help.  The book is Not a Fan and it was written by Kyle Idleman who quotes a guy named Bill Bright who came up with an illustration called "Spiritual Breathing."  That sentence is almost as convoluted as this scene from Spaceballs, but I'm trying to give credit where credit is due.  Before I describe it, let me clarify that this is not some magic formula to God's power.  It's a tool that may help you rely on the Holy Spirit more.  

In the book, he says that we need to have a moment by moment awareness of the Holy Spirit and His presence and work in our lives.  The moment we become aware of sin or some need in our lives, we exhale.  As we exhale, we confess our sin or explain our struggle and need to God. In doing so, we are emptying ourselves of our pride, ego, and do-it-myselfness.  Then we inhale.  As we inhale, we pray that the Holy Spirit would fill us, empower us, guide us, and we surrender control over to Him.   

I hope you've found this as encouraging as I did.  Remember, the power of God Himself is available to those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation.  Whatever your method, find a way to daily walk in step with the Holy Spirit.  And don't ignore Bible passages just because you've read it before or you really know this one like the back of your hand.  You may be surprised what new ways God can use the same old verse in your life.

Saw this video today and had to share it.  If you're looking for reading on this kind of thing, I've put some links below on things I've written.

• Cosmological Argument
• Design Argument
• Fine Tuning Argument
• Moral Argument
• Fulfilled Prophecies
  

"You keep quoting the Bible saying that sex before marriage, homosexuality, or whatever is sinful but Leviticus says not to eat shellfish or wear clothes made out of more than one fabric!  How come you don't obey those commands?  You can't pick and choose, that's hypocritical."

Have you ever heard anything like that?  How do you respond?  An old friend recently asked me why Christians use some laws in Leviticus to condemn homosexuality, but then we apparently disregard any of the laws in Leviticus or Deuteronomy that we don't like.  So what's the deal?  

First, let's start by agreeing.  I totally agree that it’s not right to pick and choose parts of the Bible.  Here are the parts I like and will follow and the rest can go in the garbage.  That's no good!  However, that's not what Christians are doing when it comes to Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

We Christians do believe the Bible is true and is God’s Word.  But that doesn't mean we believe that every sentence in the Bible is supposed to be taken in the same way.  Some portions are poetry, others are narrative, others are epistles, others are commands, moral laws, civil laws, prophetic, and so on.  We run into problems when we open the Bible to a random verse or passage and read it without understanding what context it is in.  We can end up taking the Bible in a way it wasn't meant to be taken.

For example, if you’re reading in Genesis 38, you’ll see that Judah sleeps with his daughter-in-law whom he thinks is a prostitute.  Randomly flip your Bible to that spot, and you could be in trouble.  If you take everything in the Bible as a command, you just might think God is commanding you to be like Judah and practice incest, prostitution, or both.  This portion of the Bible is narrative.  It is telling us what happened, not that we should go and do the same thing!  Or check out Isaiah 55:12 where it says that the trees will clap their hands.  This is a prophetic portion and uses poetic language like we would in songs.  It doesn't mean trees have hands or will clap.  It is driving at a deeper point, that all creation glorifies God.  Those are extreme examples, but they show the danger of pointing at a passage or verse without understanding what context it is in and what God intends us to do with it.  

So…what about the Levitical and Deuteronomical laws?  What context are they in?  These laws were given by God through Moses to the Israelites after that whole Red Sea thing.  The Israelites had never been their own nation before and now they have emerged from slavery to Egypt as free people inheriting the Promised land.  This is over a million people with no government or laws of their own.  So God gives them civil laws by which to run a nation that’s purpose is to honor Him and be an example to the Gentiles.  They were also given to point to Jesus, the perfect man who would uphold them all.  The majority of the Levitical laws were given in that context.  They are laws for the nation of Israel to follow.  They were never imposed by God on Gentiles (those who aren’t Israelites).  Even in the New Testament, when lots of Gentiles were becoming Christians, the older Jewish Christians eventually decided not to hold these new converts to the Jewish laws.  Jesus fulfilled these laws and as a result, the Bible itself tells us we don’t have to live under them anymore in Colossians 2:16-17.  

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.  -- Colossians 2:16-17

If that’s the case, then what good are the Old Testament laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy today?  Well, we don’t have to follow them to the letter, but they do teach us about the heart of God and give us principles for how we should treat one another.  For example, one biblical law tells us not to move large stones on our neighbor’s property (Deut 19:14).  What?  Big stones in those days were ways of marking where your property starts and ends kind of like we use fences today.  What we learn is that God cares about whether or not we are ripping our neighbors' off and we should respect their property. 

What about the Levitical laws of not mixing clothing fabrics (Lev 19:19)?  God was teaching the people to be different from the rest of the world and this reflects His own holiness (set-apartness or differentness) and His desire for His people to be holy.  We aren't under the law anymore so we don’t need to avoid mixed fabrics but we should seek to dress in a way that sets us apart from the world and is holy and pleasing to God.

What about the Levitical laws of homosexuality?  Well, as I’ve been saying, we aren’t under the law.  So we don’t go around stoning homosexuals to death.  But what does this law teach us about God and how He wants us to act?  It teaches us that homosexuality is a sin and not part of God’s plan for human sexuality and marriage.

Is that a crazy interpretation?  If all we had were the Levitical laws, then some might be able to argue that we aren't under the law and this law doesn't actually mean homosexuality is a sin.  But we have lots more than these Levitical references.  We have God’s clear design in Genesis of Adam and Eve.  We have God’s condemnation of Sodom and Gomorrah for their sexual perversions.  We have not one, not two, but three explicit and clear condemnations of homosexuality as sin in the New Testament in Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and 1 Timothy 1:10. 

I’m not trying to harp on homosexuality or say it’s the worst or only sin.  I’m just trying to explain how Leviticus is to be understood and why Christians still consider homosexuality a sin.  

So there you have it.  We don’t blindly point to any verse in the Bible and do what it says.  We read the Bible in its context.  If it is a command, then yes we obey!  If it’s narrative, then we try to understand what God wants us to learn from the story.  If it is national laws for Israel in Leviticus, then we understand we aren't under those laws but they can still teach us about God and how He wants us to behave.  I hope you've found this helpful.  Let me know if you have any questions!

I'm a vegan, but my favorite meal is a bacon wrapped meat loaf.  I eat one every night for dinner.  I don't see anything wrong with that!

I'm a scientist, but I think the scientific method is for suckers.  Experiments are stupid.  

I'm a Russian, but I don't have Russian ancestry nor am I a Russian citizen.  I've never even set foot in Russia.

Would you accept that if someone said any of those things to you?  I mean, those words they used have meanings right? Vegan means you definitely wouldn't be chowing down on ten pounds of animal a day.  If someone said that to me I'd either laugh or ask if they were joking.  You know what I wouldn't do?  Believe them.

So why is it that people do this with religion all the time and we let it slide?  Shoot, we even affirm it!  

"I'm Muslim, but I don't believe in all the stuff in the Koran."  Well, sorry, but you're not Muslim.  You're something else and you can choose to be whatever it is.  But let's not call it Muslim.  Cause it's not.  

"I'm Christian, but I don't agree with what the Bible says about... sex before marriage, Jesus being the only way, homosexuality, sin and judgment from God, alcohol, stealing, whatever."  Again, sorry, but that's like saying that you are a feminist but believe that women shouldn't receive the same pay as men for the same job.

I'm not trying to be harsh here.  Let me clarify by saying that I love you, whoever you are reading this, whether you are a Christian or not.  Recently, I've run into a lot of people who fully call themselves Christian, but then throw away everything that Christians have historically believed for the past two thousand years.  Can we just be honest and say that at this point, you've invented something new and it's not Christianity?

I'm not saying that you have to be perfect to be a Christian.  The Bible teaches just the opposite!  Sinners in need of a Savior turn to Jesus to pay for their sins and help them live a new life.  No.  You don't have to be perfect at all.  But we can't just invent our own definition of Christianity.  That's confusing, unhelpful, and I think hurtful to the church.  It causes people inside the church to be confused and it misrepresents true Christianity to those outside the church.  Real Christians make enough mistakes to cause those outside the church to question it.  We don't need misidentified Christians talking nonsense about Christianity to cause even more problems.  

As an example, you can't say there is no God and still legitimately call yourself a Christian.  As extreme as that is, it shows us that a line has to be drawn somewhere with what we mean by Christian.  There are just some things that go with the territory like the Trinity, Jesus' humanity and divinity, His death and resurrection, the Inspiration of Scripture (meaning we believe the Bible is actually God's Word), etc.

I guess I'm saying that I'd like to see people say what they mean and mean what they say when it comes to the "Christian" label/title.  If you have to say, "I'm Christian... but/except," and then you proceed to do away with a major part of Christianity, then I'd like you to reconsider.  Are you truly a Christian?  Do you really believe what the Bible says?  If not, I highly recommend you spend some time looking into the Bible to see whether or not it stands up as truly God's Word (it does!).  If you find that it does, then humble yourself and change your views to line up with God's Word.  If you aren't convinced and don't want to follow it, then I would humbly submit to you this thought: You are not a Christian.  I would love to talk with you.  I'll put my cards on the table.  I want you to sincerely be a Christian and follow Christ and be saved by His work on the cross.  Drop me a comment or question HERE in my Ask ?'s tab.  I'd love to help you think through the Bible and Jesus more.

What do you think?  Am I wrong?  Should we draw the line somewhere with terms like "Christian" or should we let people mean whatever they want?  Can a person flat out disagree with chunks of the Bible and still self identify as a Christian?  Why or why not?

**Edit:  Someone asked if I was referring to disagreements between denominations like the age of baptism.  I should clarify. I'm referring to issues of historical Christian orthodoxy, not minor issues of practice. Here are some things I would say count in this argument: The Trinity, Jesus' atoning death and resurrection, Jesus' humanity and divinity, the existence of Heaven and Hell. Here are some things that don't fall into this category: Age of baptism, Calvinism vs. Arminianism, trans/con/cosubstantiation of the Last Supper, what kind of outfit the pastor needs to wear whether it be a robe or a suit, or the style of worhsip. I'm talking about the big stuff that the three major branches of Christianity (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant) have agreed on for thousands of years.