David Wilber's Blog, page 4
June 14, 2020
Christians and Tzitzit (Tassels)
Author: David Wilber
If you were involved in a church youth group during the nineties, you likely remember a trendy wristband that kids used to wear as a symbol of their faith. On these wristbands was the acronym WWJD, which stood for, “What Would Jesus Do?”
These wristbands were meant to serve as a physical reminder to live honorable lives for Jesus—Yeshua—the Messiah. It was a neat idea to help Christians remember that they are representing the Messiah and that they should act accordingly.
We see...
June 8, 2020
Follow the Cloud
Author: David Wilber
Israel had been delivered from Egypt and they were on a journey to the Promised Land. During their journey, they were to follow the lead of Yahweh and move forward only in accordance with his will.
How did they know when it was time to move forward? The cloud that rested over the tabernacle determined when they would continue on their journey. When the cloud moved, they were to move (Numbers 9:22-23). The movement of the cloud was announced by the blowing of the two silver tru...
June 7, 2020
Thoughts on George Floyd, Police Brutality, and Racism
Author: David Wilber
Like nearly everyone else in America, I was profoundly disturbed and enraged to see the video of George Floyd’s tragic death. Everyone—from the black community to the law enforcement community, from the President of the United States to pundits on all sides of the political spectrum—has condemned the actions of the officer who killed Floyd. Everyone has called for justice.
Indeed, nearly every American agrees that police brutality and racism are evil and not to be tolerated. A...
May 24, 2020
Matthew 5 DOES Prove We Should Continue Following the Old Testament
Author: David Wilber
Recently, a Christian blogger named Jimmy Issa published a blog in which he argues that Matthew 5:17 “does not prove that Jesus said Christians should continue following the whole law.”
I’m not familiar with Issa’s work besides this article. After perusing his blog, it does look like he has some really good material in other areas. However, the arguments presented in this particular article are weak.
Issa states that atheists often cite Matthew 5:17 “to claim that Christians ha...
April 27, 2020
Are the Torah's laws against homosexual activity applicable today?
Author: David Wilber
One of the most controversial verses in the Torahreally, the entire Bibleis the ban on homosexual activity found in Leviticus:
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. (Leviticus 18:22)
Just like other commandments in the Torah restricting sexual behavior, such as the laws against adultery and incest, this commandment is pretty straightforward. Recently, however, liberal Christians have attempted to find ways to undermine the Torah's authority in...
April 20, 2020
Are the Torah's Ritual Purity Laws Sexist?
Author: David Wilber
Some feminists cite the Torahs ritual purity legislation, such as laws concerning menstrual impurity (Leviticus 15:19-24) and childbirth (Leviticus 12), as evidence of sexism in the Bible. Its argued that the Bible regards women as generally unclean and offensive to God because of their physiology. As the feminist author, Lauri Weissman, puts it: Menstruation, and having a female reproductive system generally, is an impurity and an offense to god, for which women require...
April 14, 2020
Defending Paul: A Response to Justin Best of Christian Truthers
Author: David Wilber
Justin Best of the Christian Truthers YouTube channel released a video last night titled "50 Reasons to Never Quote Paul Again Part 1." As the title makes clear, Justin's video lists fifty reasons that he believes demonstrate Paul to be a false apostle. In the video description, he says, "here's a list of some of the biggest reasons why Paul (Shaul) should not be considered 'scripture' based solely on his own words and the true scriptures alone."
After seeing this video...
April 13, 2020
A Holy Diet
Author: David Wilber
In the New Testament, the apostle Peter gives an interesting commandment to Christians. He says that we are to be holy:
But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:15-16)
According to Peter, Christians are to be holy in all their conduct. But what does it mean to be holy? Well, since Peter appeals to the Scriptures as his authority (it is written), we can get some insight into what...
April 9, 2020
What is the Firstfruits Ceremony?
Author: David Wilber
Connected to the Passover season is an incredible ceremony known as the firstfruits. God told His people to observe the firstfruits ceremony in His lawthe Torahthat He gave through Moses at Mount Sinai. Ever since Israel entered the Promised Land after being delivered from Egypt, His people have practiced this custom.
So what is the firstfruits ceremony? We read about it in Leviticus 23:
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When...
March 12, 2020
God and the Problem of Evil and Suffering
Author: David Wilber
The problem of evil and suffering is not merely an academic or theoretical question. Its a reality that affects all of us in a deeply personal way.
For instance, perhaps no experience is more painful and devastating than losing a loved one to death. And yet, this is a difficult road most of us find ourselves having to navigate at times in our lives. When we lose someone we love, like a child or friend or our spouse, and were faced with that paralyzing grief, its hard not to...
