Dewayne Bryant's Blog, page 10

Twelve Days of Christmas #6: Was Jesus Born in a Stable?

[image error]As we saw in our last post, Joseph and Mary weren’t turned away from an inn when they arrived in Bethlehem. The town was probably too small to have an inn, anyway. Instead, Luke indicates that there was no room for them in the upper room, presumably in the house of one of Joseph’s relatives. So, Mary had to give birth elsewhere. When she did, she laid the infant Jesus in a manger, which was a food trough for animals. So, poor Mary gave birth in a filthy stable surrounded by animals. Or did she?

The presence of the manger in the story has led some to conclude that Mary delivered Jesus in a stable or barn. An early Christian tradition states that Jesus was born in a cave near Bethlehem. However, we have to point out that the text does not demand this interpretation. It doesn’t mention a stable, barn, or cave—this is an assumption based on the inclusion of the manger and nothing more.

The typical blueprint for homes in ancient Palestine followed a simple pattern. A single-story house would be divided into living quarters for the family and another room that served as a guest room. This extra room could be on the first floor or built on top of the roof. At the end of the family room was another space where animals could be brought indoors (unless you were exceptionally wealthy, in which case you might have a detached area for animals). Mangers were straw-filled depressions in the floor accessible to the animals inside the home.

Here is our reconstruction of the picture as it might have happened: Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem because of the census. They arrive in town at Joseph’s ancestral home, but with the influx of relatives coming to town, the guest room is already taken by those who arrived earlier. Mary has to give birth in the common room of the home where the rest of the family would be located, assisted by other women. After Jesus’ birth, Mary lays him in one of the mangers, where the other relatives probably welcomed the newborn into the family. Any animals present would have been in a separate area of the house.

How did the picture we see in Christmas pageants, children’s plays, and nativity scenes get it so wrong? Possibly because we tend to view the Bible through Western eyes. We don’t keep animals in the house, unlike someone living in first-century Palestine (or Old Testament times, for that matter; cf. Judges 11:30-31; 1 Samuel 28:24). There is also a certain romance behind the intrepid Joseph and Mary going at it alone, heroically defying everything and everyone to bring the Savior of mankind into the world. The real story is probably much more like what we would expect under normal circumstances. Jesus, like any other newborn, was likely welcomed with love and celebration. Although, we must admit, probably not as much as he deserved as the Son of God.

Image courtesy of Skiterphoto / Pexels.com

Twelve Days of Christmas #5: Was there No Room at the Inn?

[image error]An indispensable part of the Christmas story is the moment when Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem and arrive at the local inn. The uncaring innkeeper, turning a blind eye to Mary’s desperate need, tells them that he has no rooms and that they must go elsewhere. Naturally, we shake our heads in sympathy for poor Mary, knowing that this first moment of rejection foreshadows the difficult life she will lead. As an unwed mother, she and her (perceived) illegitimate child will face many hardships (cf. John 8:19, 41).

While this is a popular notion for many believers (based on Luke 2:7), the Greek term doesn’t indicate an inn (or hotel) in the same sense as we might assume. This kind of establishment is known in Greek as a pandocheion (cf. Luke 10:34). Luke uses the word kataluma, which means a “place to stay.” Scholars have often opted for the translation of the “guest room.” This word also appears in Luke 22:11, describing the place where Jesus will eat the Passover with his disciples.

Usually, travelers would stay with relatives. It seems that Joseph and Mary intended to stay with family in Bethlehem because the census required them to return to Joseph’s hometown (Luke 2:3). Unfortunately for the expectant couple, their relatives did not have adequate guest quarters to house them. So, Mary probably had to give birth on the first floor.

Joseph and Mary, far from being turned away in their hour of need, seem to have arrived in Bethlehem with time to spare. The text says that the time came for Mary to deliver her child after they had arrived (Luke 2:4-6). Luke doesn’t give us precise details but leaves us with the impression that some indeterminate amount of time had passed after the couple had come to town.

The “room in the inn” has long been an established part of Christmas lore. It even inspired the name of the organization “Room in the Inn,” which provides shelter for the homeless. While it does seem to be a misunderstanding of the biblical text, we have to admit that this minor point takes nothing away from the joy of the birth of Christ.

Image courtesy of Gareth Harper

/ Unsplash.com

Twelve Days of Christmas #4: Was Christmas a Pagan Holiday Originally?

[image error]Some people oppose the celebration of Christmas today based on the assumption that it can be traced back to pagan religious events. Others connect it to the Roman Catholic Church, which—in their opinion—is just about as pagan as anything else. They see it as a combination of Christianity, polytheism, sun worship, and pagan beliefs about the cycles of nature.

There is a great deal of scholarly speculation about the origin of Christmas and its traditions—which, in my opinion, needs to be handled very carefully. Scholars can gloss over significant differences between religions and cultures in trying to make connections between Christianity and paganism. Scholars of religion did this often in the late 1800s and early 1900s, especially in what is called the History of Religions School (Religionsgeschichtliche Schule). While this approach flamed out quickly in the early 20th century, critics either are not aware of it or else are reluctant to give up something that seems to undermine Christianity so effectively. Unfortunately, this long-debunked scholarship is still used today and even cited as authoritative (on a side note, if you see someone mention anything written by James Frazer, Godfrey Higgins, Gerald Massey, Alvin Boyd Kuhn, or Dorothy Murdock/Acharya S, you can dismiss it immediately. These writers were total quacks).

The very fact that the early church did not celebrate the birth of Christ, and by the third century had not yet associated it with 25 December, gives us ample cause us to question the assertion that Christmas was a church-sanctioned event influenced by paganism.

The early church did not choose a winter birthdate for Jesus because it happened to be near the winter solstice, as critics and conspiracy theorists almost universally allege. Rather, they did so because of the belief that Jesus was both conceived and crucified on the same day: 25 March. We find this in the writings of Tertullian (Against the Jews 8) and other writers. Working backward nine months, the date of Jesus’ birth, according to Tertullian’s calculations, was 25 December. This idea appears in other early Christian writings. An anonymous fourth-century Christian mentions that Jesus was conceived on the same date of his crucifixion (On Solstices and Equinoxes). Augustine of Hippo connected Mary’s womb with the grave in which Christ was laid after his death (Sermon 202).

Contrary to the beliefs of conspiracy theorists, the date for Christmas did not arise out of pagan celebrations. Modern scholars understand that these celebrations probably did not exist in the Roman Empire before the third century AD. For instance, “The Day of the Unconquered Sun” was instituted in AD 274 and celebrated on 25 December, but this was long after early Christians had already chosen it as the birthdate of Christ.

Other elements of Christmas are also claimed to have an ancient pagan origin. We see this with Christmas trees, which are assumed to have derived from pagan religious celebrations. Trees were a part of paganism, to be sure (The Hebrew Bible mentions the Asherim, or Asherah poles, which were a stylized version of that goddess’ sacred tree). But Christmas trees did not become associated with Christianity until the time of the Renaissance. It began with Germans decorating trees taken from nearby forests. This custom later migrated to England with George I in the 1700s and continued on to America.

Some Christians try to dismiss Christmas as pagan in origin but can be exceedingly careless in doing so. For instance, some believers will condemn Christmas trees based on a reference in Jeremiah 10:1-4, which condemns those who go into the forest, cut down a tree, and bring it home to overlay it with gold and silver. Our zealous friends may not realize that this passage is not condemning Christmas trees, but idols made from wood and overlaid with precious metals (cf. Isaiah 44:9-20). This passage in Jeremiah is often taken out of context, which is made clear by the reference to idols in the very next verse (v. 5).

There are a lot of popular misconceptions about Christmas, some of which involve its origins. Others include elements of the birth narratives of Christ, and how inaccurate details have become enshrined in popular stories and hymns. We’ll take a look at those in our next couple of posts.

Image courtesy of Emre Can / Pexels.com

Twelve Days of Christmas #3: Was Jesus Born on 25 December?

[image error]We hear a lot about Jesus during the holidays – more than any other time during the year. We see Christmas specials focused on the birth of Jesus, and we see nativity scenes, some of which include Santa Claus for some reason. We even see people who throw a birthday celebration for him at Christmas. But there’s no doubt that around the world, people often see 25 December as the birthdate of Jesus. But is it?

The history of how 25 December came to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus is pretty convoluted. Critics claim that Christians accepted the date because of its pagan origins, which means Jesus himself has connections to paganism. Some Christians have argued that early believers hijacked this date because of its pagan origins so that they could demonstrate the superiority of Christ over the pagan gods. Others have argued that the Roman Emperor Aurelian instituted a pagan festival in AD 274 called the “Birth of the Unconquered Sun” to serve as an alternative to a date that had some importance to early Christians. Despite their popularity, some of these suggestions are more myth than fact.

Many people may not know that the association of 25 December with the birth of Christ took centuries. Biblically speaking, no reason to connect the birth of Christ with this day exists. Even in the early church, Christian authors gave little thought to the issue. Eventually, believers did make attempts to determine the date of Jesus’ birth, but the earliest writers say absolutely nothing about it. Writers like Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-200) and Tertullian (c.160-225) don’t mention anything about celebrations of Christ’s birth. Origen of Alexandria (c.165-264) mocked Roman celebrations of birth anniversaries. In the third century, Clement of Alexandria offered several possible dates for the birth of Christ, with this date being found nowhere among his suggestions. Clement wrote that he was aware of several candidates for the day of Christ’s birth, which included dates in March and May, with several suggestions in April.

So, should Christians see 25 December as the day of Christ’s birth? Here we’re going to have to say no. Scholars have mined the biblical text for clues as to the time of year when Jesus was born. They are virtually unanimous that he wasn’t born during the winter. Luke indicates shepherds were out tending their flocks (Luke 2:7-8)—something that they wouldn’t have done past October when the weather began growing colder.

If we go back to the very earliest years of the Christian movement, we find no records of them celebrating Christmas. They memorialized his death, burial, resurrection, and enthronement in the Lord’s Supper instead. They envisioned baptism as a death and resurrection (Romans 6:3). Christ’s birth didn’t seem to be as important in the life of the church as other important events from his life.

When we hear about someone celebrating Christmas with, “Happy Birthday, Jesus!” we have to realize that no one in the early church ever did. But even if it isn’t Jesus’ birthday, his birth does have vital significance for Christians. It makes his sonship incredibly relevant for us as human beings (John 3:16). It also means that his life on earth had a starting point, like ours, even though it was quite different from the lives we have (John 1:14). We see him triumph over the same temptations with which we struggle (Hebrews 4:15). He is the eldest of our spiritual brotherhood of believers (Romans 8:29).

This time of year does remind us of Jesus’ humanity, which humbles us, inspires us, and ultimately serves as an integral component of the salvation we enjoy.

Image courtesy of Genaro Servin / Pexels.com

Twelve Days of Christmas #2: Was Jesus born in 1 AD?

[image error]Around Christmastime, we often encounter the assumption that Jesus was born in 1 AD (AD representing the phrase anno Domini, meaning “in the year of the Lord”). Our modern calendars are based on this assumption thanks to a monk named Dionysius Exiguus (c. 470–544). The exact date isn’t quite so clear, because we’re working with ancient documents whose authors had very little interest in giving precise dates for important events. (Also, contrary to what some people might think, there is no “Year Zero.”)

Most scholars place the birth of Christ around 6-4 BC. They arrive at this date by calculating as much as two years (Matthew 2:16-18) backward from the death of Herod the Great (c. 4 BC). However, this date has a few problems as well, primarily involving an alleged historical inaccuracy in the Bible. Luke mentions that John began baptizing people in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3:1-2), which would have been approximately AD 28-29. He also mentions that Jesus was about thirty when he began his ministry (Luke 3:23). If we subtract thirty years, we arrive at a date of 1-2 BC. That puts the birth of Christ after the death of Herod, which creates a contradiction with both Matthew’s and Luke’s chronology.

Several important factors come into play here. One involved the date of Herod’s death, usually dated to 4 BC. This is based on a reference to a lunar eclipse in the writings of Josephus (Antiquities 17.6.4). A minority of scholars have dated Herod’s death to 1 BC, arguing that the lunar eclipse in 4 BC was rather unspectacular, and there was a much more memorable one that occurred in 1 BC (two, in fact). Neither option is free of problems.

A second consideration is that Luke does not say that Jesus was exactly thirty years old. He says that he was “about” thirty (Luke 3:23). This was the age when a man became eligible to serve as a priest in Israel, which leads some to conclude that this is supporting evidence for the belief that Jesus was precisely that age when he began his ministry. The text does not demand this, however, and men in ancient Israel could serve as a priest anywhere between the ages of thirty and fifty (Numbers 4:3).

Virtually everyone recognizes that Jesus was not born in 1 AD. The actual year of his birth remains uncertain, but we have some good guesses. The majority opinion is that it could have been in 4-6 BC, but a solid case can be made for 2-3 BC also if we’re willing to do a little detective work:

Luke states that John began to baptize in the fifteenth year of Tiberius (AD 28-29; cf. Luke 3:1-2).
Jesus begins his ministry around the age of thirty (Luke 3:23)—roughly the same time John begins baptizing.
Working backward, we arrive at a date of 1-2 BC for the birth of Jesus.
Herod died during a lunar eclipse, which we know occurred in 1 BC.
Herod ordered the deaths of infants aged two years and younger (Matthew 2:16-18).

Considering all the evidence, there is a possibility that the date for Jesus’ birth was c. 2-3 BC. The timeline is pretty tight, and it also calls into question the work of Josephus, which is used as the basis for establishing the date of Herod’s death. However, it would be difficult to imagine that Luke—who is often extremely careful in reporting fine details—would make such a monumental historical blunder by putting the birth of Christ during Herod’s reign if it were not so.

Image courtesy of Vinicius Vieira Fotografia / Pexels.com

Twelve Days of Christmas #1: What’s the Big Deal about Christmas?

[image error]Christmas isn’t just a day for candy canes, gift-giving, and hopes for snowfall. For many people, it has explicitly Christian overtones. We see this in nativity scenes, Christmas pageants, and television specials, and in stories like “The Tale of Three Trees” and the legend of the candy cane (the latter of which seems to be mostly false). Of course, there are always online resources debunking Christmas myths, exploring the “real origins” of the holiday, and productions that question the biblical Gospels. So, what is the big deal about Christmas?

People think of Jesus’ birth regularly at this time of year (for reasons we will explore in subsequent posts) because it has become quite traditional to do so. This has been the case for centuries. But it doesn’t go back to the first century. We have to confess that Scripture doesn’t devote much space to Christ’s birth when compared to other episodes from his life. Various individuals celebrated his birth when it was announced (Luke 1:46-55; see also Luke 1:26-38) and after it occurred (Luke 2:8-21). We know that the prophet Isaiah announced the virgin birth centuries before (Isaiah 7:15; Matthew 1:18-25). But that’s about it. The rest of the Bible contains very little about the event.

The biblical writers devoted a vast amount of space to other events in Jesus’ life. On average, about a fourth of the material in the Gospels describes Jesus’ final week (Matthew 21-28; Mark 11-16; Luke 19-24; John 12-20). Paul spends an entire chapter discussing the resurrection of Christ and his people (1 Corinthians 15), indicating elsewhere that it is part of the basis of our faith (Romans 10:9) and served as an essential aspect of Christ’s saving work (Romans 4:25). Christians observe the Lord’s Supper weekly in remembrance of what he accomplished through his death, burial, and resurrection (Acts 2:42; 20:7).

We can surmise that Christians observed the Lord’s Supper frequently based on statements Paul makes in his correspondence with the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:20, 25). The language Paul uses indicates that believers did this as they gathered for worship. This means that Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and enthronement require regular consideration have always called the church to reflect upon the cost of salvation (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:20).

Even though Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection—and aspects of theology (belief) and worship (practice)—occupy much more space than his birth, it still stands as one of the most uniquely remarkable events in human history. As he had done so many other times before, and in such marvelous ways, God once again broke into human history with a masterstroke loaded with historical and theological significance. It was the beginning of the end of darkness, sealing the fate of the unholy trinity of sin, death, and the devil.

Should we celebrate Christmas? Some people refuse to do so because they disagree with its religious connections—to be consistent on this point, however, we should push to rename all the days of the week, refuse to drive certain automobiles, and probably stop wearing wedding rings because of their pagan associations. We could rightly criticize this time of year for its commercialization (and we wouldn’t be the first!), for the temptation to use money unwisely, for the permissive attitude toward excess, and even for its unscriptural religious connections. But it does create an unparalleled opportunity to talk to others about the gospel.

Perhaps no other time of the year—excepting Easter—are people more receptive to the gospel message. During this holiday season, we have the chance to explain to others why we do good for goodness’ sake, or because Santa keeps a list, or because the creepy little Elf on the Shelf is watching our every move. We take pleasure in goodness because it honors Christ (Matthew 25:35-40), and manifests the same kind of love God first gave us even though we didn’t deserve it (Romans 5:10).

Image courtesy of Bruce Mars / Pexels.com

 

Series: The Twelve Days of Christmas

[image error]Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has developed a reputation for encouraging parents to pull pranks on their children. In the most infamous trick, parents tell their children that they have eaten all of the kids’ hard-earned Halloween candy. Predictably, the children scream, cry, throw their Halloween buckets around the room, or curse their parents.

In a different trick, Kimmel tells parents to give their children terrible presents and record the response. Children received presents consisting of rotten produce, half-eaten sandwiches, used tools, or gifts intended for the opposite gender. Many cried in disappointment; some screamed in anger. One boy told his family that he hated them and demanded a refund.

For children, presents are the centerpiece of Christmas. As we mature, we understand that giving gifts often brings more joy than receiving them. So much of the Christmas season includes connections to the Bible. At this time of year, we think of Christ’s birth—even though it didn’t occur in December—and associate gift-giving with the wise men who visited Jesus after his birth.

We’re going to start a series of posts this Christmas season dealing with the real stories behind Christmas. We’ll be exploring not only the biblical text but legends and holiday myths also. Our goal is to separate fact from fiction. Personally, the Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year. In perhaps no other season do we find such an emphasis on goodwill and charity. At the same time, we must also understand that this is a somewhat artificial connection. With this important caveat in mind, we’re going to in twelve days leading up to Christmas (FYI, the twelve days isn’t biblical either, as far as I can tell):

#1: What’s the Big Deal about Christmas?

#2: Was Jesus Born in 1 AD?

#3: Was Jesus Born on 25 December?

#4: Was Christmas a Pagan Holiday Originally?

#5: Was there No Room at the Inn?

#6: Was Jesus Born in a Stable?

#7: About Those Three Wise Men

#8: Who was the Real Saint Nick?

#9: What was the Star?

#10: The Death of the Innocents

#11: The War on Christmas

#12: Do We Keep Christ in Christmas?

I hope you’ll join me as we explore each one, and have a wonderful holiday season along the way.

Is the Bible a Book of Fables?

[image error]Critics can be misguided in their attempts to discredit the Bible. A common claim is that the Bible is a book of Jewish fables. The late Christopher Hitchens, for instance, identifies the Bible and other religious texts as “transparent fables.”[1] Hitchens wasn’t the first atheist to make such charges, of course. The second-century critic Celsus raged that Christians believed in fables and often altered their documents to paper over glaring contradictions.

Properly defined, a fable is a fictitious story in which animals, plants, and inanimate objects serve as the main characters and behave like human beings. This type of literature is not intended to be taken literally but communicates a moral lesson. Biblically, they are closely related to other forms of wisdom literature. We distinguish these stories from those that include human actors, which we call parables.

Ancient writers attributed some of the best-known fables to the Greek author Aesop. Most people are familiar with his stories involving the tortoise and the hare, wily foxes, and the ill-fated golden goose. Even earlier examples of fable appear in the ancient Near East, such as the Babylonian “Dispute Between the Tamarisk and the Date Palm,” in which two trees planted in a royal courtyard argue over which of them is greater. Another example is the fable of the Serpent and the Eagle, which appears in the Legend of Etana. Both of these stories seem to date to at least the third millennium BC.

The Hebrew Bible contains at least two noteworthy fables (Judges 9:8-15; 2 Kings 14:8-10). The most famous of these is told by Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, who compares his half-brother Abimelech to a dangerous thorn bush. The other is told by Jehoash, king of Judah, as a response to Amaziah of Israel when he attempts to provoke hostilities between the two. Moderns must read these compositions as the ancient authors intended: a story that contains valuable moral teaching. However, we must also understand that a close reading of the biblical text shows that the actors in the stories represented real persons in a specific historical context.[2]

To say that “the Bible is full of fables” is both inaccurate and misleading. Scripture contains a few examples of this type of literature. When they do appear, they clearly serve an instructive purpose and are not meant to be taken literally. Teachers and speakers often do the same thing when using hypothetical examples or parabolic stories in their classes and presentations.

[1] Christopher Hitchens, God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (New York, NY: Twelve, 2007), 229.

[2] Jack M. Sasson, Judges 1-12: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2014), 375.

This article is reblogged from The Daily Apologist. You can check out their website for other faith-building articles.

Seven Signs You’re a Faithful Christian #1: Loving One Another

[image error]

Lots of definitions for love exist, but we might define it as “a deep affection that seeks to improve the lives of others.” We might add that it means making someone else’s life better regardless of the cost or the consequences. It requires genuineness, commitment, and sacrifice.

Demonstrating a love for one another touches upon many different things. Paul indicates that it includes humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance (Ephesians 4:2-3). He identified it as the cardinal virtue for the Christian (1 Corinthians 13). Peter says that kindness, humility, and generosity stem from love (1 Peter 3:8-9). John says that it cannot be considered mere words, but must be lived out (1 John 3:18).

John also says that the one who does not love his brother has given evidence that he belongs to the devil (1 John 3:10). This lack of love can take the form of any number of things, including indifference, callousness, exclusion, or elitism. Seeking to exalt self at the expense of another is the very antithesis of love.

Quotations from early Christians reveal how much they thought about the needs of others. The second-century Christian apologist Justin Martyr (100–165) wrote, “We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another race or country. Now, because of Christ, we live together with such people and pray for our enemies” (First Apology 14). If there were ever a message needed by our fractured society today, it’s this.

Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–c. 215) said that Christians showed generosity toward others even when it proved difficult. He says the Christian, “impoverishes himself out of love, so that he is certain he may never overlook a brother in need, especially if he knows he can bear poverty better than his brother. He likewise considers the pain of another as his own pain. And if he suffers any hardship because of having given out of his own poverty, he does not complain” (Miscellanies 7.12). Unfortunately, many Christians today will give and serve as long as it doesn’t make them too uncomfortable or inconvenience them too much.

The way Christians loved one another got the attention of their neighbors. Tertullian (c. 155–c. 240) wrote that the Romans would say of Christians, “See how they love one another!” (Apology 39). Even the Roman emperor took notice. Julian the Apostate (331-363) wrote, “it is disgraceful that, when no Jew ever has to beg, and the impious Galilaeans support not only their own poor but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us” (Letters 22). For Julian, the fact that Christians (whom he called “godless Galileans”) gave so charitably to others was nothing short of scandalous. In the same letter, Julian stressed the need not to allow them to be outdone in good works by the Christians (cf. Romans 12:10).

God’s people demonstrated a remarkable ability to help others in need. We have the same opportunities to do so today. Although we live in a different time and culture, with a different level of technological sophistication, the basic needs of the human condition remain. We have no shortage of opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ to a hurting world.

 

 

New Series: Seven Signs You’re a Faithful Christian

[image error]What is a Christian? The answer will vary depending upon whom we ask. For some, being a Christian means being born into a Christian family. For others, it means adopting some of the general moral principles taught in the New Testament. Still others may see it as little more than participating in some introductory ritual, such as being baptized, praying the Sinner’s Prayer, or inviting Jesus into their hearts through verbal acknowledgment. According to Scripture, these things are insufficient.

Scripture indicates that faithful Christian living is integral to our identity as God’s people. This commitment to Christ means that we will try to ensure that our speech, behavior, and thoughts conform to the example of Christ. Our goal is to imitate him as perfectly as possible (Matthew 5:48; Philippians 3:12).

Though we try to imitate Christ in all things, no one will do everything perfectly. As Paul says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Whether or not we are living as Christ intended hangs as much on how we succeed as on what we do when we fail.

I think most Christians go through a time when they don’t feel their faith. They wonder whether they truly believe or if they are merely going through the motions. We are going to explore a list of things that can help us during those times when uncertainty creeps in. This month, we will examine the following signs:

#1: Loving One Another

#2: Abstaining from Sin

#3: Feeling Remorse Over Sin

#4: Hungering and Thirsting for God

#5: Regular Prayer and Bible Study

#6: Seeking to Glorify Christ

#7: Reaching Out to the Lost

I hope you’ll join me for what I intend to be an exciting, encouraging, and edifying look at what it means to be a faithful Christian.