Commonly Misused Bible Verses #9 – Is. 54:17a

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper” - Is. 54:17a Like most verses on the “Commonly Misused Bible Verses” posts, today’s verse is a popular and familiar one.  There’s even a gospel song with this verse in the title. So, surely Christians have a clear grasp of its meaning, right? Well, not exactly.  Before we review the meaning of the text, let’s look at the verse...

Red Pill (Manosphere) and the Bible

 A while back, I was led down the infamous YouTube rabbit trail. You know, where the algorithm throws videos in your direction that they think you’ll be interested in? Well, that rabbit trail allowed me to find a brand new world.  It started with a video by someone who called himself “Joker” and eventually ended with discovery of one of the more prominent figures in the movement, the...

Commonly Misused Bible Verses #8 – Deut. 28:12b-13a

“And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 13 And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail” - Deut. 28:12b-13a Common (Mis)usage: When improperly used, many Christians believe these verses are meant to communicate their more prosperous standing in the earth. That one will “lend not borrow” suggests wealth due to being in the position to lend rather than a...

Commonly Misused Bible Verses #7 – (Rom. 5:6?)

“God helps those who help themselves.” - Algernon Sydney (c. 1698; later quoted by Benjamin Franklin) This is yet another saying that isn’t really Scripture, but some people think it is. Although it sounds like “Bible” and sounds like something from Proverbs, it isn’t. The Bible actually says something quite different. As we explore this statement more, we’ll look at a Scripture...

Exegetical and Apologetic Faithfulness

 On the surface, exegesis and apologetics may seem like two unalike disciplines of Christian studies, but they have more in common than it may appear.  After all, exegesis entails the interpretive approach of “ extracting from” the text and apologetics deals with the idea of providing a written or oral defense of the Christian faith. Yet, these two concepts converge in a way that I...

Commonly Misused Bible Verses #6 – Is. 11:6

“…And a little child shall lead them.” - Isaiah 11:6d ESV Common (Mis)usage: Whether it’s stated as “a child shall lead them” or “a child shall lead the way,” the phrase that’s taken from this passage of Scripture is usually meant to communicate a child’s capability within a Christian context. The implication is that children have their role in God’s kingdom (and they...

King David and Bathsheba: Adultery or Something Else?

 The below post seeks to address the recent and now common refrain that David raped Bathsheba.  In it, I address rape in a rather direct fashion.  It’s not my goal nor intention to cause any victims of rape to relive trauma as a result of this straightforwardness. While that may be a negative consequence for some regarding this post, I still believe this to be worthwhile because of a...

A Word of Caution to the Hypercritical Christian

 This post highlights my personal observations. It also includes a warning that will be especially applicable to a sect of Christianity: Reformed (aka Calvinists). Though I wouldn’t categorize myself as Reformed, I find a lot of their teaching helpful to the church. I write this with the utmost love, caring for the Church, which undoubtedly includes Reformed Christians. I pray that...