Mare – Song of Songs 1:9
Song of Songs 1:9 KJV: I have compared thee, O my love, / To a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots. NIV: I liken you, my darling, to a mare / among Pharaoh’s [...]
scripture
Confronting Boundaries — Part 1
I recently wrote about my recognition that some boundaries aren’t as universally absolute as some Christians believe. Murder is wrong across the board, but can the same [...]
Perverse Submission
Some Christians have hangups about role play, bondage, and other arrangements wherein the man is in a submissive, weak, or helpless posture before the woman. This, they [...]
Preaching Hell like New Testament Authors
Aside from Jesus, do we see the New Testament authors and influencers participating in or instructing us to preach hell? [...]
Confronting Boundaries — Part 2
I take a systematic, methodical approach when confronting boundaries (or assessing any potential truth) because it produces reliable results. I've adapted John Wesley's quadrilateral to this task, since my personal boundaries are essentially doctrine or truth applied to me personally. [...]
Under the Needle – Tattoos in the Bible
It wasn’t that long ago when a man with tattoos would be shunned by society at large and likely barred from most churches. Today, getting ink done is far more widely [...]
To Drink or Not to Drink
We’ve covered all sorts of topics here, from the general site motif of sexuality to the entertainment value of foam weaponry. Christian life is far from boring, and [...]
Raisins and Flagons – Song of Songs 2:5
Song of Songs 2:5a KJV: Stay me with flagons… NIV: Strengthen me with raisins… NASB: Strengthen me with raisin cakes… Given the raisin-oriented [...]
Breath – Song of Songs 7:8
Song of Songs 7:8d KJV: And the smell of thy nose like apples NIV: the fragrance of your breath like apples NASB: and the fragrance of your breath like apples Bad breath is [...]
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Effeminate (malakos)
The word malakos in 1 Corinthians 6:9 is one of the more difficult to translate on the list. The NASB and KJV use “effeminate” while the NIV offers “male [...]
Holy Erotica, Batman — Song of Songs = Biblical Erotica
The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s. So says the first line of this book of the holy Canon, and it’s telling that one can’t even get past this [...]
On Christian Modesty in Dress
Are Christians supposed to dress modestly? And what does that even mean? Can my wife wear a plunging neckline or a miniskirt for me to enjoy on a date night? What is [...]
The Bible on Cursing
Well, finding broad commands to not curse was surprisingly more difficult than finding the same for not swearing. Whereas swearing was forbidden directly and clearly, cursing seemed to be handled more circumspectly. [...]
Ramifications of Hebrews 13:4 – Free [Indeed] Sex
Previously, I wrote about the precise language used in Hebrews 13:4 that offers a clearly-drawn line in how we as married couples can honor or defile our marriage bed or the [...]
What is Lust?
The New Testament speaks pretty clearly on the subject of lust being unhealthy and/or sinful. The obvious go-to Scripture for this can be found in Matthew 5:28 where Jesus [...]
The Bible on Unwholesome Talk
There's a third way explicit language comes under attack, empowered by Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth..." [...]
Sin of the Mouth – Is Oral Sex Sinful?
Sodomy. Not good, right? I mean, look how it turned out for Sodom. Their sin was “grievous” according to the outcry reported by the Lord, and He destroyed the [...]
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Idolaters (eidōlolatrēs)
Idolatry. The word just sounds rustic. Ancient. It brings to mind images of giant golden statues of animals surrounded by people in robes and other period attire. It [...]
Perfume at the Table – Song of Songs 1:12
Song of Songs 1:12 KJV: While the king sitteth at his table, / My spikenard sends forth the smell thereof. NIV: While the king was at his table, / My perfume spread its [...]
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Fornicators (pornos)
The first word Paul uses in his 1 Corinthians 6:9 list of kingdom-noninheritors is pornos, a word translated as “fornicators” in the NASB and KJV and as the [...]