Category: Biblical Exegesis & Thoughts
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The Golden Rule
If you’d like to stir the pot, tell folks that the “Golden Rule” doesn’t apply to everyone. If you’d really like to stir the pot, say the same thing about the entire sermon encompassing the Golden Rule (Matthew 5-7, the “Sermon on the Mount”). Lest one think my dispensational convictions have…
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Desire God’s Approval
“Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?’” Job 1:8; 2:3 NKJV God said there was none like Job in all the earth because of…
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From Woe and Suffering to Joy and Gladness: An Overview of Romans 6-8
I preached this message Sunday, May 15, 2016 at Orwell Bible Church. You can download a copy here. How does one go from hearing the just declaration of God’s universal wrath (1:18) to exulting in God’s gracious love (8:38-39)? Paul established that every man without distinction is condemned in sin…
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Ezekiel 9
In Ezekiel 9 the prophet saw a vision where Jerusalem was slaughtered because of their great wickedness. God commissioned an angel to mark any in Jerusalem who had remorse and regret over the sins taking place in the city (vv. 4-6). Those bearing this mark would be delivered from judgment. Only one…
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There is but a step from Lent to Carnival
J. C. Ryle’s remarks on John 18:28– It is no uncommon thing to find people excessively particular about the observance of trifling forms and outward ceremonies, while they are the slaves of degrading sins and detestable immoralities. Robbers and murderers in some countries are extremely strict about confession, and absolution,…
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The Praise of Others
“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” Proverbs 27:2 It is easier for me to be proud than humble, and my pride is stroked by other’s praise. I have the tendency, when praised by others, to “share” that. “So and so…
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Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 127:3-5
I don’t like the way Spurgeon often spiritualizes the OT (probably the result of his reading the OT in light of the NT). However, I’ve never read anything unorthodox from him; I just don’t care for his exegetical method all the time. That said, Spurgeon says some great thing about…
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The Truthfulness of Christianity
“Christianity, if it be not the true religion, is certainly the greatest cheat that ever was put upon the world; and, if so, it must be of the devil, who is the father of all lies: but it is certain that the doctrine of Christ is no doctrine of devils,…
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Defend the Faith Biblical Challenge
I received an email today from one of many news services about religious items. Wow, talk about invective! The low-down: An author asks folks to supply evidence that he has used the Bible incorrectly in his latest book, The Case Against Evangelical Christianity, specifically these points: The book makes several controversial…
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A Good Reminder About Government
The context of this quote is a discussion about Israel’s desire for a king… It is easy to forget that “we the people” in the long run must always pay for whatever the government does for us. Only fools suppose that by committing a matter to the government, they can…
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God’s Transforming Grace
Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison (Acts 8:3) …serving the Lord with all humility and tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; I did not shrink from declaring…
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Psalm 119:97-99
O how love I thy law! it is my study all the day: It makes me wiser than my foes; for it doth with me stay. Than all my teachers now I have more understanding far; Because my meditation thy testimonies are.…
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A Great Illustration of Faith
After Naaman protests Elisha’s instruction to wash in the Jordan seven times to be cleansed of his leprosy, Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do somegreat thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says…
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Upcoming Bible Class
I’ll be teaching a new Bible Class at Orwell Bible Church beginning next month on the Old Testament. The primary focus of the class will look at each individual book of the OT, but also give consideration to important aspects of the OT such as how did they worship (looking…
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Introduction to the Gospels
You can download a PDF of this here. Having introduced the New Testament, let’s now briefly consider some basic things about “the Gospels.” The English word Gospel comes from the Anglo-Saxon word godspell and is made up of god (God) and spell (a story). Gospel, then, means either God-story or…
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Introduction to the New Testament
For our Wednesday Bible studies at Orwell Bible Church we’ve begun a new series I’m calling Scripture Summaries. The objective is to give a clear, concise overview of one book of the Bible at a time. We started this past week with an Introduction to the New Testament. You can download…
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An Evangelistic Essential
“…so that the world may believe/know…” (John 17:20, 23) A “church” may have all kinds of external evidences of “success” but if there is no true spiritual unity such is but an outward façade. Jesus’ intention for his body (in which are unified both Jews and Gentiles) is that, by…
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Psalm 119:69-72
69 The men that are puff’d up with pride against me forg’d a lie; Yet thy commandments observe with my whole heart will I. 70 Their hearts, through worldly ease and wealth, as fat as grease they be: But in thy holy law I take delight continually. 71 It hath…
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Psalm 103
The Lord our God is merciful, and he is gracious, Long-suffering, and slow to wrath, in mercy plenteous. He will not chide continually, nor keep his anger still. With us he dealt not as we sinn’d, nor did requite our ill. O bless the Lord, all ye his works, wherewith…
Dan Greenfield 