scripture

a gate in a wooden fence

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. [...]

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cross tattoo on back

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 [...]

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cup of raisins

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 [...]

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couple kissing

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 [...]

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Valentin de Boulogne - Saint Paul Writing His Epistles

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 [...]

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two moms pushing strollers in revealing clothing

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 [...]

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engaged couple ready to kiss

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 [...]

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no cussing sign from Virginia Beach

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..." [...]

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close up of lips

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 [...]

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Still-Life with Fruit, Nuts and Cheese

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 [...]

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Valentin de Boulogne - Saint Paul Writing His Epistles

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 [...]

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Valentin de Boulogne - Saint Paul Writing His Epistles

1 Corinthians 6:9 – Summary

In Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, he offers a lot of tough but encouraging words of instruction regarding how to live life. Within these few chapters, he [...]

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no cussing sign from Virginia Beach

The Bible on Swearing

I thought the idea strange —one series of sounds from someone's mouth forms an unacceptable word while another series of sounds makes an acceptable word. Sounds are sounds, right? But like a "good" Christian noob, I obeyed first and asked questions later. [...]

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woman dressed as Peter Pan

Is Cross-Dressing Sinful?

I was nervous. It was a first of many things. My first major project of my senior English class, my first time trying to teach anything on literature, my first serious tease [...]

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stormtroopers avoiding Darth Vader's offensiveness

Defense against Offense – Scripture on Offending Others

For years, I was taught offending other people is sinful, citing verses like Romans 14:21 and 2 Corinthians 6:3. I learned Christians are supposed to be each others' morality police; if the herd says we should or shouldn't do something because they like it or don't, we should obey so we do not sin by offending their sensibilities. [...]

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