Category: Christian Living

Pursuing a holistic expression of Christian faith that is true to the Bible and applicable for today’s world.

Don’t Be a Troublemaker

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 16, 2024

Sheba Leads a Rebellion Against David

After Absalom’s coup attempt to take over his father’s throne is squelched, a troublemaker tries to lead a rebellion against David. Here’s what happens:

When Absalom takes David’s throne, David and his entourage flee the city. Safely away, his army fights against Absalom’s army. When Joab kills Absalom, his short-lived coup ends.

It’s time for David to return home and retake his throne.

David’s people—the tribe of Judah—take the lead in returning him to Jerusalem. The rest of Israel, however, takes offense that they couldn’t be part of his reunion.

That’s when Sheba tries to rally their support to follow him instead of David. The Bible calls him a troublemaker.

This is the only account of Sheba in the Bible. We know nothing more about him except that he’s from the tribe of Benjamin. His chief characteristic—the singular trait he is known for—is as a troublemaker.

Troublemaker

A troublemaker is someone who stirs up trouble or causes strife between people. This stands as an apt description of what Sheba does in this passage.

We’re left to wonder if his life is one of being a troublemaker.

Though Sheba could have been an instrument to bring about unity between the people, he chooses to bring about division by trying to divide the nation.

He may have done so to seize power and rule the ten tribes in place of David. But the Bible gives him no such motivation. It simply calls him a troublemaker.

We may know people who delight in stirring up trouble, causing strife between people. They’re a troublemaker. Conflict and division follow them.

We need to avoid being around such people lest we get sucked into their divisiveness.

Unifier

More importantly, however, is that we must take every effort to not be a troublemaker ourselves. We should look for opportunities to promote unity and bring about reconciliation between people.

Then we can be known as being a unifier and not a troublemaker.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is 2 Samuel 19-21 and today’s post is on 2 Samuel 20:1.]

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.

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Tags Joab, King David, unity

Christian Living

Don’t Judge Christians for Their Theology

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 14, 2024

Forgive and be Forgiven

As followers of Jesus, we shouldn’t judge others, but we do. Too often, we judge Christians for their theology. We must stop.

When we evaluate others based on what they believe, we diminish them in the process. And we smugly elevate ourselves over them. When we do this, our egos show through.

Do Not Judge

Jesus clearly teaches that we shouldn’t judge others. If we judge them, we too will be judged in like manner (Matthew 7:1). This judgment can cover anything.

It might be judging what others do or say, how they dress or where they live, but too often it is over what they believe. But we shouldn’t judge Christians for their theology. If we do, we will likewise face judgment.

Luke records it a bit differently. He writes that Jesus says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.” He continues by saying do not condemn and you won’t be condemned. Instead we are to forgive, and we will be forgiven (Luke 6:37).

It’s a simple concept.

A few translations use the word criticize instead of judge. This may help us to better understand what Jesus is saying. If we criticize others, we will likewise be criticized. We must stop criticizing our fellow followers of Jesus.

This includes their theology.

In James’s teaching about judgment, he also uses the word slander (James 4:11-13). To slander means to say something false or malicious about someone.

It’s a sobering thought to consider that when we judge others—that is, when we criticize them—we slander them.

Judgment Is Discrimination

James gives us some practical teaching about judging others. He says that judging others is discrimination, and it’s evil (James 2:2-4).

In his teaching, James addresses judging people over their appearance and their attire. But this is just an example.

Therefore, it’s not wrong to apply this to other forms of evaluation, such as when we judge Christians for their theology. By extension, we can call this evil.

Judge Those Inside the Church

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that they were to judge those on the inside, their brothers and sisters in Christ (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). Does this mean we are to judge the people we go to church with?

Yes and no.

Paul specifically addresses wrong behavior, not theological differences. He teaches them to not associate with sexually immoral people, as well as the greedy, the swindler, the adulterer, and the slanderer.

These are moral issues, not theological perspectives.

To not associate with people who hold differing views on theology is a misapplication of Paul’s teaching about judging others within the church.

Don’t Allow Others to Judge You

Paul adds to the discussion by telling the Colossians to not let anyone judge them. Jesus is what matters (Colossians 2:16-17).

This includes what they eat and drink. It also includes their religious practices in how they celebrate and regard special days.

These are theology issues. Just as we shouldn’t judge Christians for their theology, we shouldn’t let them judge us for ours.

People sometimes try to do this to me. I understand why, but that doesn’t make it okay. They ask where I stand on various theological issues.

To them it’s a litmus test to decide if I’m in or I’m out, if they’ll read my words or reject them.

Sometimes they approach this indirectly, such as asking what type of church I go to, the style of worship I prefer, or how I regard the Sabbath. Even so, it’s still judgment. Just as Paul teaches the Colossians, I dismiss their attempts to judge me.

If we believe in Jesus and follow him, nothing else matters. Not really. Beyond the foundational truth of Jesus, it’s wrong to judge Christians for their theology.

Let God Judge

God’s judgment is the only judgment that matters (Romans 14:10).

It’s not our place to judge others for where they fall short, be it for their sins or their theology.

Our Lord will judge us (Hebrews 10:30). We must be content with that.

Judge at the Appointed Time

Yet there are also times Scripture talks about judging others. But this is a future-focused perspective. Paul writes that we are to judge nothing before the appointed time, which will be when Jesus comes again (1 Corinthians 4:5).

Then we will judge the world. Then we will even judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). But this only applies after our Savior returns. It doesn’t apply today. And it doesn’t give us permission to judge Christians for their theology.

Stop Judging Others

Until that time when Jesus returns, we should stop judging others.

Instead, we must hold our theological views loosely. After all we might be wrong—and they may be right. Therefore, it’s wrong—and foolish—to judge Christians for their theology.

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Tags forgiveness, James, Jesus, Paul, theology

Christian Living

When Will You Retire?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date April 7, 2024

Honor God and Worship Him through Our Work ... and Our Retirement

God Created Us to Work, So Don’t Stop

I’ve worked from home since 2000. That’s a long time, and I doubt I could ever return to a more typical workplace environment. Through most of this time, neighbors would ask if I had retired. (How old did they think I was, anyway?)

I’d smile and tell them I was too young to retire.

Then they’d often ask about my retirement plans. I’d shake my head. Even now I tell them I have no plans to retire. I want to work as long as I can. My prayer is I’ll be able to keep writing until the day I die.

Keep Working

Retirement is a more recent phenomena, ushered in with the industrial revolution. Before then—except for military service—people worked as long as they could. They had no choice. They had to. Their livelihood depended on it.

When they could no longer work, their family took care of them. Even then they’d do whatever they could to help and not be a burden.

Aside from that—and more importantly—God created us to work (Genesis 2:15). Work gives us purpose. We must avoid idleness (Ecclesiastes 11:6). Idle hands are the devil’s workshop (Proverbs 16:27).

Therefore, we should work for as long as we can. This honors God, gives us purpose, and keeps us productive.

Reinvent Your Work

But what if you dislike your job and can’t wait to retire? Then find a different job.

Look at what you like to do, and then go do it. You may not earn as much money, but that shouldn’t matter because you wanted to retire anyway.

I relish my work as a writer. Yet not all aspects of it are enjoyable. No job is perfect.

So I tweaked my work. I eliminated incidental tasks that dragged me down and outsourced what I didn’t enjoy or wasn’t good at. I streamlined and simplified.

The result is that most of the day overflows with work I savor, with activities I embrace.

Each morning I arise excited for the day ahead. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with so much anticipation for what I’ll write in the morning that I have trouble falling back to sleep.

So instead of retiring, find your dream job and dive in. It may mean reinventing what you do. Or it might mean tweaking what you already do.

Life is too short for a job that pulls you down, so find one that invigorates you.

Follow Your Call

What has God called you to do?

He’s called me to write, to write for my Lord. I obey his call on my life. To retire from his call prematurely would dishonor him. As long as I can write, I’ll write for him. I’ll do this as long as I can—or until he calls me to something else.

Work for Free

If you’re retirement age, use your retirement funds, pension, or social security to pay the bills and then work for free. That is, volunteer your time to causes that matter.

What are you passionate about? What do you enjoy doing to help others? What have you always wanted to do but didn’t because it didn’t pay enough?

Since earning money doesn’t matter if you’re retired, pursue your passions. Just make sure your pursuit is about others and not yourself. Seek to make the world a better place, and don’t look inward with a self-serving motivation.

Forget Leisure and Don’t Coast

There’s nothing wrong with leisure activities, and we all need to rest (Genesis 2:3).

Yet we must take care to make sure leisure activities don’t fill our day. We shouldn’t retire and then coast to the end. Instead we must make each day count.

Find Your Purpose

Regardless of where you are in life—working for a living, nearing retirement age, or retired—seek an outward-looking purpose. Think about what you can do to give to others. Then do it.

Retire When You Can’t Work

When you’re no longer able to work, it is time to retire. To retire wisely, focus on three areas. Pursue them with diligence.

1. Do What Gives You Life: Many people toil in jobs that suck the life from them. I feel for them. I’ve been there. Now I’m not. My work as a writer gives me life. It provides a reason to get up each morning.

2. Do What Honors God: Our lives should serve as an act of worship. This includes all that we do, and it extends into retirement. Find retirement activities that honor God.

3. Do What Helps Others: A self-absorbed life is a selfish one. Instead of focusing on what we want for ourselves, we should redirect our attention on how we can serve and help others, to make our world a little bit better.

Final Thoughts about Retirement

As I consider these three retirement actions, they are exactly what I’m doing now in my work as a writer.

My work gives me life. My work honors God. And my work helps others.

As a bonus the books I write now will help others in the future, even when I’m no longer around. This is my legacy. And it’s work that matters to the world and advances the kingdom of God.

So it should be.

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Tags creation, serve God, work, worship

Christian Living

Stop Saying Dysfunctional Family

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 24, 2024

Don’t Be Bound by What Was and Embrace a Better Way Forward

We need to stop using the phrase “dysfunctional family.” Every family is dysfunctional. Only the degree of dysfunction varies.

Dysfunction exists on a continuum, from highly dysfunctional to marginally dysfunctional, but all families—as with all relationships—have some dysfunction.

Not an Excuse

When people say they come from a dysfunctional family, they often use it as justification for their own dysfunction and an excuse for their own less-than-ideal behaviors.

Yet embracing this label as who they are holds them captive to dysfunction and allows them to pass on their negative behaviors.

Though dysfunction may explain their issues and help them to understand the root cause of their actions, it need not—it should not—stand as an excuse.

Where they once were does not need to determine where they are now or dictate where they will be tomorrow.

The Result of Sin

Dysfunction is the result of sin. And we all sin and fall short (Romans 3:23). So, too, with our families: they sometimes fall short. As long as we have sin in the world, dysfunction will exist.

But this doesn’t mean we should accept dysfunction as inevitable—or irreversible. Whatever degree of dysfunction we experienced growing up does not need to determine our future.

With God’s help, we can change. He gives us the strength to do so (Philippians 4:13).

Worldly Influences

Since we live in a fallen world, we live in a world full of dysfunction.

When the world influences our behavior, we follow its example and embrace its dysfunction (1 John 2:15-17). We perpetuate it in our lives and pass it on to our children.

How this must delight Satan—and disappoint God.

The Biblical Approach

Instead of embracing what the world does and blindly letting it guide our conduct, we should let Scripture influence our behavior, pointing us toward God and away from evil.

We must hide God’s truth in our hearts (Psalms 119:11).

Since dysfunction is the result of sin, to live in dysfunction is to live in sin. The Bible points to a better way—God’s way.

Functional Families

The opposite of dysfunctional is functional. Therefore, the opposite of dysfunctional families must be functional families. Just as every family has a degree of dysfunctionality, every family also has a degree of functionality. Pursue functional.

A functional family attends to the needs of its children. It feeds, clothes, and nurtures. It provides a safe environment, a haven from life’s storms and the world’s negative influences.

We must escape dysfunction and embrace function. And with God’s help, we can.

All we need to do is ask him for the wisdom to do so (James 1:5).

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Tags family

Christian Living

Jesus Is the Way, Not the Destination

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 17, 2024

The Father Is the Destination and the Savior Provides the Path

Jesus tells Thomas, “I am the way.” The only way to get to the Father is through the Savior (John 14:5-6). He’s not a way. He’s the only way.

Though many people uphold the Christ as the primacy of the Trinity, we must remember that Jesus is the way. He is not the destination. The Father is the destination.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

John preaches a message of repentance. He baptizes those who confess their sins. This is to prepare the way for the Lord (Matthew 3:1-12).

Though many people assume John is the one foretold by the prophets, he plainly confirms he is not. In fact, he is so insignificant in comparison that he is not even worthy to untie the Savior’s sandals (Acts 13:24-25).

John’s father pronounced this truth that John will prepare the way at John’s birth (Luke 1:76). And this is exactly what John does (John 1:23).

Jesus Is the Way

John prepares the way for Jesus. Jesus is the way. The Savior provides the way to the Father.

Our sin separates us from God, from being in the Father’s presence. But Jesus redeems us from the wrong things we have done and restores us into right relationship with his Father—with our Heavenly Father.

Not only is Jesus the way, but he is also truth and life (John 14:6). He shows us the way to the Father. He teaches us the truth about the Father. And he gives us life with the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

This all comes through our Messiah, and he is the way to the Father.

The Church Shows the Way

The book of Acts refers to Jesus’s followers as the Way (Acts 9:1-2).

This doesn’t mean they replace Jesus as the way to the Father. Instead, they function more like John and show the way to the Father through Christ. He remains the only way to the Father.

As Jesus’s followers we should point the way to Jesus so that through him they can be brought into fellowship with the Father.

Jesus is the way, and the Father is the destination.

Our Role Today

The people we know may not know Jesus, but we can show them to him and he will provide the way to the Father. All they need to do is follow him.

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Tags baptism, Heavenly Father, Jesus, John the Baptist

Christian Living

Consider Moses’s Triennial Tithe

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 12, 2024

Help Feed Those Who Are in Need

The Old Testament law of Moses commands multiple tithes, not just one. The one in today’s passage is a triennial tithe—every third year. The purpose of this one is to help feed the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows.

Giving this tithe to the Levites suggest it may also include priests since they all descend from Levite.

The priests, however, are covered elsewhere, so we can understand the meaning of Levites in this passage to include all the rest of the Levites who are not priests.

Their job supports the work of the priests in worshiping God. They deserve to eat, and this tithe helps.

The other three groups of people covered by this triennial tithe are foreigners, orphans, and widows. They all face a disadvantage in life.

First, foreigners are outsiders and not included in God’s promises to his chosen people. Yet the Lord wants his children to provide for their daily nutrition.

The orphans and widows struggle to take care of themselves, which presents a challenge in the male-focused culture of their day. God wants his people to likewise help feed them.

In addition to this triennial tithe, God has other provisions to help care for the needy. He permits gleaning and commands that the harvesters facilitate the effort.

There’s also the year of jubilee, which occurs every fifty years. This provides for debt relief and property restoration. He also prohibits charging excessive interest. These provisions all serve to help the poor and needy.

Do we need to follow this example today and give a triennial tithe to help the staff at church, foreigners in our land, and orphans and widows? We can, but we don’t have to.

Remember that Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17).

Therefore, our Savior offers us a better way. Instead of a tithe, Jesus tells us to give generously to the poor (Luke 11:41).

We should do that. And generously may mean giving more than ten percent, that is, going beyond Moses’s triennial tithe.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Deuteronomy 25-27 and today’s post is on Deuteronomy 26:12.]

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Tags food, give, Jesus, Law of Moses, poor, tithe

Christian Living

It’s Ten Commandments Not Ten Suggestions

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 10, 2024

Ten Commandments Not Ten Suggestions: Do What God Says

Let the Bible—Not Society—Guide Our Behavior

God gives Moses Ten Commandments, which he passes on to the people. We find these listed twice in the Old Testament (Exodus 20:3-23 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21).

They provide the foundation for the rest of the laws in the Old Testament, which Bible scholars tell us number 613 commands. That’s a lot to keep straight, so boiling it down to ten main ones is helpful.

The Ten Commandments

Do not have any other gods.
Do not worship idols (“other gods”).
Do not use God’s name wrongly.
Keep the Sabbath day holy.
Honor your parents (which carries a blessing).
Do not murder.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie (give false testimony).
Do not covet.

The first four relate to our relationship with God, while the last six relate to our relationship with other people.

The fifth one, which is the only one with a blessing attached to it, serves as a transition between the four God-honoring commands and the six people-focused commands.

Though these were once affirmed by most people—including those who didn’t believe in God—this is no longer true.

The first four have slipped away from society’s consciousness, especially number four, which is something many Christians now disregard.

Of the remaining six commands, most are falling away from our culture’s moral perspective, with people having little concern about adultery, lying, and coveting.

The prohibitions against murder and stealing are now gray areas, and too many people fail to honor their parents.

Of these Ten Commandments, people tend to at best consider them as ten suggestions and at worse to disregard them completely.

Jesus Fulfills the Old Testament Law

Yet some people are quick to point out that these Old Testament laws, even the Ten Commandments, no longer apply. This is because Jesus says he came to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17).

Yet within the same verse he says he didn’t come to abolish them. And he says it twice. While he did fulfill—and thereby negate—the ceremonial commands in the Old Testament with his sacrificial death and resurrection, he built upon and clarified the rest.

Sometimes Jesus confirmed them, but most times he extended them.

Consider his expanded teachings about murder and adultery. He extended murder to include anger (Matthew 5:21-22). And he extended adultery to include merely thinking about it, that is, lust (Matthew 5:28).

Jesus’s Top Two Commands

Jesus’s chief teaching, however, comes when he summarizes the Ten Commandments, along with the expanded list of 613, down to just two.

He says we’re to love God and love others. It’s that simple.

Jesus teaches that the most important command is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. And he says the second greatest command is to love other people as much as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39).

Realize, however, he doesn’t tell us to love them more than we love ourselves, but we shouldn’t love them any less.

And we shouldn’t treat Jesus’s commands as suggestions, either—even though the world does. We should take them quite seriously and do everything possible to obey them fully.

To do anything less is unacceptable.

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Tags Bible, Jesus, obey God, Old Testament

Christian Living

WORLD News Group

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 8, 2024

A News Source Grounded in Biblical Truth

I stopped listening to the news on June 15, 2020. I had to. The negativity and biased rhetoric wore me down. It permeated my life and threatened my ability to function.

Though I didn’t like being out of touch, when I stopped listening to the news a weight lifted off me right away. I became happier and less agitated. It was a smart move on my part and overdue.

But after a two-and-a-half-year break, I started listening to the news again. It comes in the form of a podcast each weekday morning: “The World and Everything in It.”

It’s from WORLD News Group, which “produces sound journalism, grounded in facts and biblical truth.” This is exactly the news source I need.

It’s so counter to other news sources, that it took me a couple weeks to get used to it and embrace it, but I now so look forward to it every day.

They also have a biweekly magazine, which I subscribe to.

If you want to hear news that won’t confront your faith and challenge your beliefs, check out wng.org. It’s a news source you can trust.

My friend, Thomas Umstattd, recommended it to me. Now I’m recommending it to you. Please check it out.

Then you can recommend it to your friends.

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Tags podcast, truth

Christian Living

Do You Worship the Cross?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date March 3, 2024

We Must Guard Against Turning the Symbol of Jesus’s Death into a Modern-Day Idol

Do you worship the cross? The cross is the instrument of Jesus’s death when he died in our place for the wrong things we did—our sins. As such, it rises as a powerful symbol of our faith.

Yet some well-meaning people place too high of emphasis on this image. In effect, they worship the cross.

Don’t Point to the Cross

When people worship the cross, they end up making it a modern-day idol. They place crosses prominently in their homes and on their cars. They wear them on their body, be it in the form of jewelry, clothes, or tattoos.

Yes, this symbol of Jesus can serve as a means for us to talk to others about him. But how often do we do that? To make this work, we must live our life like Jesus.

Yet too often when we fall short and don’t exemplify him well, the cross we adorn—and adore—leads other people to confuse our failings with Jesus and who he is. And that’s exactly the kind of witness we want to avoid.

I’ve also heard people who refuse to attend a church that doesn’t prominently display the cross of Jesus on the building and have it on the inside. But they’re missing the point.

Point to Jesus

Jesus is what matters. The cross is secondary. It’s a symbol of the savior, not the savior.

Have you ever seen people bow down before a cross? I have. When they do this, they appear to worship the cross. Though we can’t know their motives, and they may be worshipping Jesus in their minds, this isn’t how it appears.

You may wonder if a crucifix (a cross with the suffering savior upon it) solves this problem. Though it visually lessens the disconnect between the savior and the instrument of his death, it can also become an image of worship.

A crucifix can serve as an idol just as much as a cross.

It would be an overreaction, however, to remove these iconic symbols from our lives. They serve as important representations of our faith, pointing to the savior we worship.

But we must be careful to not worship the cross.

Instead, we should worship Jesus who died on the cross and then rose from the dead to save us.

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Tags cross, Jesus, worship

Christian Living

How to Deal with Poverty

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 25, 2024

We Should Continue to Remember the Poor

The Bible talks about the poor and teaches how to deal with poverty. Poverty shows up 21 times in the Bible, most in the practical advice-giving book of Proverbs. The word poor appears much more often at 176 times.

Combined, these passages give us much insight in how to deal with poverty and those who are poor.

Here are some key verses to consider:

Jesus tells us to be generous to those who are poor (Luke 11:41). This is the only verse we need. Jesus says it. We should do it. And don’t just give a little, be generous about it.

In addition, Peter, James, and John encourage Paul to continue to remember the poor, which he had been eagerly doing all along (Galatians 2:9-11).

We should follow their advice and example in how to deal with poverty, both that which is around us and throughout the world.

Jesus, however, says that we will always have the poor among us (Mark 14:7). This means we’ll never eliminate poverty—as some people hope to do. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

We should do whatever we can to help those who go without. And as we do so, we should do so in love (1 Corinthians 13:3).

These all address the problem of poverty. It reacts to what already exists. But what if we could be proactive and help people avoid poverty in the first place?

Consider this excerpt from my book Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide:

Many have cited the following three steps to avoid poverty. The source is unclear but may have originated with Ron Haskins of the Brookings Institution.

Young people can avoid poverty if they follow three essential rules for success:

1. Complete at least a high school education

2. Work full-time

3. Wait until age twenty-one to marry, and get married before having a baby

People who follow all three rules have a 98 percent chance of not living in poverty. Furthermore, they have a 72 percent chance of joining the middle class.

Many people criticize this claim, some citing all manner of hate-filled motivations or ignorance. Yet if we look at this list, we know in our hearts that it’s correct. It’s common sense.

We can also logically see how someone who ignores these three essentials places themselves on a path that will likely lead them to needing government assistance and living a life of poverty.

What can we do to encourage teenagers to embrace these three essential rules?

Beyond that, what can we do to help those who didn’t or couldn’t follow them and find themselves in need? I’m thinking especially of the teenage mom left to care for her children on her own.

These are big questions without clear answers, but a good place to start is to find an organization already addressing one of these areas and working with them to make a difference.
Peter DeHaan from Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide

Quite simply, one response in how to deal with poverty is to encourage young people to make wise decisions and not rush into adulthood.

To do this, we can encourage them to complete high school, find the full-time job, and wait until their 21 to get married and have children.

For each person we encourage to do this, we help them avoid poverty. This may be the best way in how we can deal with poverty.

And for those who find themselves impoverished, we should do what Jesus says and give generously.

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

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