Biblical Christianity from Peter DeHaan

Are You a Christian?

Discover What Label Best Describes Our Faith

Are you a Christian? Be careful before you answer. By definition I am a Christian, though I seldom use the Christian label. Why?

In my book How Big is Your Tent?, I write: “Christian is a loaded term. It means many things to different people. To some, Christian implies narrow-minded.

To others, Christian means hateful. Still others think Christian is a political party or secular movement. And what about mean, militant, murdering, manipulative, and money-mongering?” (page 32).

This explains why I don’t like the Christian label. Most non-Christians think negatively towards Christians.

Though Jesus has a different goal in mind, that our love for others will create a positive impression, we’ve given the world many reasons to conclude the opposite.

Christian in the Bible

It’s interesting that the word Christian only appears three times in the Bible (four more if you count subheadings that aren’t part of the original text).

The most notable is in Acts when Luke introduces the term as a new name for Jesus’s squad (Acts 11:26).

However, after what seems to emerge as a significant development, Luke only uses the term one more time, as does Peter. The word Christian doesn’t catch on in the Bible.

Obviously, Scripture doesn’t favor the Christian label. So what does it use?

Followers in the Bible

Instead of using the Christian label, I often say, “I’m a follower of Jesus.” One of the most common instructions Jesus gives people is to follow him. That’s what I’m doing. That’s why I’m a follower of Jesus.

The word follower appears twenty-four times in both the Old and New Testaments, but most references are to following someone else, such as Korah, Abimelek, David, and Omri in the Old Testament, as well as Paul and Judas (not the disciple) in the New Testament.

And, of course, we can follow Jesus.

The Way in the Bible

The Way is another label the Bible uses to refer to the group of people who align with Jesus. Though intriguing, it only occurs twice in the Bible, both in the book of Acts.

Believers in the Bible

Making one appearance in the Old Testament, the word believer occurs fifty-nine times in the New Testament, half of them in the book of Acts, but it only shows up three times in the Gospels, all in the book of John.

Though I’m tempted to call myself a believer, I shy away from this label because of what James writes. He says that even the demons believe in God—and shutter (James 2:19). This tells me that believing isn’t enough.

Disciples in the Bible

Another intriguing label is disciple. With the exception of twice in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the word disciple pops up almost 300 times in the New Testament, all in the biographies of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and the book of Acts.

Some references specifically address the twelve disciples and a few others to John the Baptist’s disciples, but most are to the larger group of Jesus’s disciples.

It’s one thing to follow Jesus: to make a U-turn in our life and go all in for him. However, being his disciple implies an even greater level of commitment.

Though I like to think of myself as a disciple of Jesus, it’s a weighty claim. I question if I live up to it, despite striving to do that exact thing.

But the Label Doesn’t Matter

However, whether we call ourselves a Christian, a follower of Jesus, a follower of The Way, a believer in Jesus, or a disciple of Jesus, it doesn’t matter.

Until we change our behavior and love others as Jesus tells us to, the world will still think less of us and have a negative impression of our faith, along with the God we claim to serve.

If we say we’re with Jesus, we need to start acting like it. Then our faith label won’t so much matter.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags believer, Christianity, disciples, follower of Jesus

Bible Insights

Do You Know How to Hear God?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 4, 2018
4 Comments on Do You Know How to Hear God?

If We’re Ready to Listen, God Can Speak to Us through His Holy Spirit

In the book of Ezekiel we come across an interesting passage. Some of the leaders of the nation of Israel approach Ezekiel. They ask him to seek God’s input for them. They want to hear God, but they can’t do it themselves. They need help.

Either they don’t know how to hear from God or are afraid to approach him directly.

Being afraid of hearing God was exactly what afflicted his chosen people when they left Egypt. They begged Moses to serve as a go-between because they feared God. How this must have saddened him (Exodus 20:19).

Seek an Intermediary to Hear God for You

In the Old Testament the people believed that they couldn’t approach God themselves, that they needed an intermediary to act on their behalf. That usually meant a prophet or priest.

Those folks knew how to hear from God. And the regular people didn’t.

Many people do this today. They want to know God’s will in their life, so they seek the advice of a minister or spiritual leader. But they can seek God themselves, if only they know how.

Hear God for Yourself

Though not everyone in the Old Testament knew how to hear God, it’s different in the New Testament—and for us. After Jesus overcame the finality of death and left earth to return home, his father sent us the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If we follow Jesus, we have is Holy Spirit in us.

The Holy Spirit allows us to hear from God ourselves without going through someone else.

For some people hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit comes easily and for others it doesn’t happen.

For much of my life, I didn’t know what to do or how to do it, until a wise friend taught me how to hear from God. Since then I’ve been able to hear from God on a regular basis.

Hear God for Others

Even so, not everyone can hear from God or fully trust what they think they may hear. But if we’re able to hear from God, we can serve as an intermediary for them. This is what Ezekiel did for the elders who came to him.

But what God revealed to Ezekiel wasn’t what the leaders were hoping to hear, but that’s another story.

Today’s story is that through the Holy Spirit we can hear the voice of God. That’s what he desires for us, to hear him when he speaks.

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Ezekiel 18-20, and today’s post is on Ezekiel 20:1-3.]

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Tags hear God, Holy Spirit, trust

Christian Living

Reconsider the Two Parts of the Bible

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date September 2, 2018
4 Comments on Reconsider the Two Parts of the Bible

Where Does the Law of God End and the Love of Jesus Begin in Scripture?

The Bible divides Christian Scripture into two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament looks at the rules God required to be right with him and anticipates a future when he will send us a Savior.

The New Testament looks at that savior and this new way of approaching God. We commonly view the Bible in these two testaments.

Yet this theological transition doesn’t seem to occur until the death of Jesus and his coming back to life. In doing so he becomes the ultimate Old Testament sacrifice, one to end all sacrifices.

He dies and then he lives again, so that when we die, we can also live again.

When looking at things thematically, this seems to more properly mark the turning point between God’s old way and his new way of doing things.

Jesus’s View of This Theological Transition

However, Jesus offers us a different perspective.

Since it came from his mouth, this is the one we should embrace, as opposed to the traditional Old and New Testament division or even looking at his death and resurrection as a pivotal theological switch in the Bible.

Instead, Jesus indicates that this transition point starts with the Ministry of John the Baptist.

Jesus says that the Law and the Prophets were taught up until the time of John. Starting with John, this good news of God’s kingdom and telling others about it marks the point where God’s emphasis changes (Luke 16:16).

The good news of Jesus and the kingdom of God doesn’t begin with Jesus’s ministry, but it starts a few years earlier with the ministry of John.

The ministry of John the Baptist marks the Bible’s theological transition point by ushering in God’s long-promised faith reformation, of coming to God in faith instead of pursuing impossible-to-meet rules.

Though Jesus is our ultimate faith solution, John the Baptist points to it.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Jesus, New Testament, Old Testament, salvation

Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Rachel

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 30, 2018

Rachel is an interesting character. She’s the wife of Jacob and also his first cousin. Talk about ick! We read about her in Genesis 29-31 & 35.

For some reason, I’m drawn to her, but I don’t know why.

We know she’s beautiful. For Jacob, it’s love at first sight. But there’s calamity when her dad pawns off her older sister, Leah, on Jacob, her unsuspecting betrothed.

Though Rachel does marry Jacob, too, the sisters spend their lives vying for his attention.

Jacob favors Rachel, but doesn’t completely ignore Leah, either. While the younger wife has Jacob’s affection, it’s the older Leah who keeps getting pregnant.

Their competition heats up and the sisters each offer their maids to their husband to make more babies, and they each have two boys.

Later in one of the oddest moves ever, Rachel trades a night with her husband for food. I guess she was really hungry. As a result Leah has another son.

Eventually Rachel gets pregnant, too, and she has Joseph. Instead of being satisfied over finally having a child, she immediately asks God for another son.

Her story ends a few years later when she dies giving birth to her second son, Benjamin. It’s a tragic end to a tragic life.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Genesis 30-32 and today’s post is on Genesis 30:22.]

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Jacob, Rachel, Women of the Bible

Bible Insights

Consider God’s Punishment

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 28, 2018

God Had a Purpose for His People and They Let Him Down

God established Jerusalem as the center of all nations. This suggests he intended them to set an example and be a global leader, showing everyone how to live right and pointing them to him. But this isn’t what they did.

In their wickedness, they rebelled against him, even more so then everyone else. They rejected God’s ideals. In their disobedience they were worse than all the countries around them (Ezekiel 5:5-8). Talk about an epic fail.

Finally, God had enough. Punishment will come. Here’s what he’s going to do:

He Will Turn Against Them

The idea of God turning against us is a horrific thought. As an all-powerful being, he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Though we hope he will use his vast power for our benefit, it’s not guaranteed.

If we turn against him, don’t we realize he has every right to turn against us?

He Will Punish Them Openly

God says he will discipline his people for what they did. More frighteningly, he says he will inflict punishment on them. And this won’t happen privately, it will occur publicly for all to see, heaping embarrassment upon their penalty.

He Will Do Something Unprecedented

And this punishment he plans to inflict upon them will emerge as something so intense that it’s unfathomable. It’s something he’s never done before and will never do again.

This suggests how angry he is with his people for not living up to his expectations.

What is this vast punishment God plans for them? Though it’s hard to write, they’ll resort to cannibalism—of their own family members (Ezekiel 5:9-10).

What About Punishment for Us?

Ezekiel directs this punishment at Jerusalem, but as the political center of the nation, Jerusalem is a metaphor for the whole country. The nation doesn’t do what God expects of them: to advance his kingdom and influence the world.

The result is severe punishment. Just as this applied to God’s chosen people thousands of years ago, by extension doesn’t it apply to us today?

[Read through the Bible this year. Today’s reading is Ezekiel 5-8, and today’s post is on Ezekiel 5:5-10.]

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Tags disobedience, Ezekiel, punishment

Christian Living

Don’t Be Tolerant; Love Others Instead

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 26, 2018

God Calls Us to Move Beyond Tolerance and to Love Others

Our culture today talks a lot about being tolerant. Our politically correct society upholds tolerance as a virtue. It’s a position held by so-called enlightened people that we are to tolerate others regardless of their belief, behaviors, or ethnicity.

It all seems so right, so worthy. Yet this falls far short of what God has in mind, of the attitude he wants us to have for others.

Being Tolerant Isn’t Enough

Jesus never commanded us to embrace tolerance or told us we must be tolerant of others. The Bible never even mentions these two words. I guess it’s not important to God that we be a tolerant people and offer tolerance to others.

Instead of being tolerant, God calls us to a higher standard. He wants us to love others. Loving others is much more significant than merely tolerating them.

In reality we can tolerate others and still dislike them, even hate them. But loving others truly changes our attitude towards them.

When we love others we embrace them, except them, and learn to understand them. This goes far beyond today’s inadequate attitude of tolerance.

Love Others

The word love appears hundreds of times in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. In Leviticus we’re told to love our neighbor as our self (Leviticus 19:18).

Later when Jesus summarizes the Old Testament law and prophets, he says we are to love God and love others.

These are the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:37-40 and Mark 12:30-31).

Another time Jesus gives us a new command to love one another, for by loving one another we demonstrate we’re his disciples (John 13:34-35).

A final consideration is what Paul says about love. He writes that of the three essential, everlasting traits—faith, hope, and love—the greatest is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Tolerance is the world’s view of how we should treat others. God calls us to a higher standard of love.

Love trumps tolerance every time.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Leviticus 19-21 and today’s post is on Leviticus 19:18.]

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Tags love

Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Rebekah

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 23, 2018

Parents Shouldn’t Play Favorites with Their Children

Rebekah married Isaac and had twin boys: Esau and Jacob. Her story is found in Genesis 24 through 28.

The family tree of Rebekah is confusing. She is the daughter-in-law of Abraham and Sarah, as well as their great niece (the daughter of their nephew, Bethuel. Remember Abraham and Sarah share the same father.)

That means that Rebekah’s in-laws were also her great aunt and uncle. Talk about weird.

Abraham didn’t want his son Isaac to marry a local girl, so he sent his servant to his home country to find a wife for Isaac.

At God’s direction, the servant found Rebekah—when she offered to water his camels—and she agreed to go with him to marry a man (and a relative) she had never met.

This was a tribute to her character (or perhaps a reflection of her desire to leave home and marry). Isaac was forty at the time, but we don’t know how old she was.

Just like her mother-in-law, Rebekah was beautiful. And just like his father, Isaac passed her off as his sister: a bad lesson he learned from his parents.

It was twenty years before she could have children, but when she did, she had twins. While Isaac favored the older, Esau, Rebekah favored the younger, Jacob.

When parents play favorites, it is never a good idea. The boys didn’t get along and conflicts ensued.

So Rebekah was a beautiful woman of character, who (along with her husband) wasn’t such a good parent. May we not repeat their error.

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags family, Isaac, Rebekah, Women of the Bible

Christian Living

We Must Pick Up Our Cross Daily

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 19, 2018

Becoming a Christian Isn’t a Onetime Decision but a Lifetime of Daily Decisions to Follow Jesus

A friend in high school followed Jesus, and her life exemplified that decision. But after a while she fell into an extreme interpretation of the “once saved, always saved” doctrine. Then her life took a turn.

She reasoned that she had “prayed the prayer” and was good to go. This, she felt, freed her to live and act however she wanted.

Going forward she would rely on God’s grace and mercy to open the door for her to heaven when she died. After all, he loved her and wouldn’t let her down.

After that her life didn’t so much point people to Jesus. And before long there was no evidence that she even followed him. I still grieve for her.

Yes, we can—and should—have assurance for our salvation. Yet this doesn’t give us the license to act however we wish and do whatever we want.

We have a responsibility to do our part in keeping with our decision to make a U-turn with our lives and follow Jesus. Theologians call this repentance.

Pick Up Our Cross Daily

Jesus says that anyone who wants to be his disciple must deny themselves, pick up their cross each day, and follow him. I’m still contemplating what it fully means to pick up our cross, but I do get the part about doing it daily.

Following Jesus is a decision we make each day. It’s not a one-time event when we said a prayer, signed a commitment card, or went through some religious rite. It’s a daily choice.

If you’re like me, some days we do better than others. There are times when following Jesus unfolds with ease. Other days become a struggle, but we persist.

Occasionally a few seasons evolve without giving Jesus much thought at all. And, I suppose, we may live other days in opposition to him and his ways.

Thankfully there’s always tomorrow (for most of us) where we can do it all over again. Each day we have a fresh opportunity to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus.

Following Jesus is a lifetime of decisions, of intentional day-by-day living for him. Our conversion experience isn’t the end. It’s the beginning.

I’ve not heard from my friend for decades, and I don’t know what her life looks like today. But please pray for her, others like her, and us that we will pick up our cross daily to follow Jesus.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 7-9, and today’s post is on Luke 9:23.]

Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags cross, follow Jesus

Bible Insights

Women in the Bible: Sarah

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 16, 2018

The story of Sarah is scattered among the narrative in Genesis 11 through 23. Not only was she the first wife of Abraham, she was also his half-sister.

Before we get too weirded out by this, recall that at this time, marrying your half-sister wasn’t prohibited.

Sarah, whose name means princess, was a looker, and Abraham worried would-be suitors would kill him to take her, so he asked her to just say she was his sister.

He even said this would be an act of love (Genesis 20:13). She agreed and did so twice, with other men taking her as their wife.

Both times God worked things out, but I can’t imagine what she went through when they took her and Abraham did nothing to stop them.

Although God promised Abraham children, Sarah grew tired of waiting. In her old age she concocted a plan where Abraham could have his promised child through her servant.

It was a boneheaded idea, and Abraham was even more stupid for going along with it. Heartache resulted.

Later God confirmed Abraham’s chosen child would come from Sarah. She laughed and was criticized for it. (Interestingly, Abraham also laughed but wasn’t chastised.)

A year later, the child was born; she was ninety and Abraham was 100.

They named him Isaac. Ironically, Isaac means laughter or he laughs. I think God’s still laughing now about a ninety-year old woman giving birth.

Sarah lived another thirty-seven years and died at 127.

Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in e-book, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Sarah, Women of the Bible

Christian Living

The Bible Isn’t a Christian Book

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 12, 2018

The Bible is a Book About Jews and Their Relationship to God

The Bible isn’t really a Christian book. It’s more so a Jewish book.

Without question the Old Testament of the Bible is Jewish. It’s about Jews, and it’s for Jews. It looks at their faith journey as a people, records their history, and provides the foundation for their beliefs.

However, the Old Testament also looks forward to a savior. That savior is Jesus.

Many people call his followers Christians. And many use the label Christianity to describe the faith practice that these believers developed.

The New Testament talks about Jesus and the movement his followers started, but it’s still more of a Jewish book then a Christian book. It’s about Jews, and it’s for Jews.

Fortunately for us non-Jews, it’s also for Gentiles. Except for Luke, all the writers of the New Testament are Jewish.

Remember, Jesus is Jewish. Let that sink in. The New Testament has a Jewish basis, even though it shows how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies to create something new.

A Christian Book Too

Yes, Christians—followers of Jesus—do revere the Bible, as we should. And for most of us that makes it a Christian book, the ultimate Christian book of all time.

However, we must not lose sight of the fact that, at its core, the Bible’s foundation is Jewish.

Because of this I have a great affinity for devout Jews. In the spiritual sense, their history is my history. And their hope is my hope. It’s only that I see my hope manifested in the reality of Jesus.

I love the Bible for it is the foundation of my faith. I love the people in the Bible—who are mostly Jewish—for they are the predecessors of my spiritual practices.

The Bible is my faith foundation, even though it’s essentially a Jewish book.

Read and study the Bible for what it is, not for what you want it to be.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Tags Bible, Jew, Jewish