Matthew 5:5 (A Bible Translation Comparison)

 (ESV)"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."  

(LSB)"Blessed are the lowly, for they shall inherit the earth."  

(NIV)"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."  

(CSB)"Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth."  

(NASB95)"Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth."  

All these Bible translations are very similar on their rendering of Matthew 5:5.  The ESV has the most traditional translation.  

Each version maintains the word "blessed" at the beginning.  The ESV and NIV have "meek." The LSB has "lowly", the CSB has "humble", and the NASB95 has "gentle." The ESV, LSB, and NASB95 have the traditional word "shall." The NIV and CSB translate it as "will." 

ESV (English Standard Version)

LSB (Legacy Standard Bible)

NIV (New International Version)

CSB (Christian Standard Bible)

NASB95 (New American Standard Bible 1995)

How Do You Answer An Unbeliever Who Rejects The Bible?

 How do you answer an unbeliever who rejects the Bible?  The book of Proverbs provides us with a wise answer.  

(Proverbs 26:4-5)"Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes." (ESV) 

The unbeliever is called a fool because of his rejection of God, not because he is deficient as a person.  These verses provide a two step process in answering the unbeliever.  

In the first step we are told not to answer a fool according to his folly.  It is often said that Christians cannot use the Bible when doing apologetics (defending the faith).  This approach is actually answering a fool according to his folly.  

The unbeliever is not operating on neutral ground because there is no neutral ground.  He is assuming or presupposing a foundation of unbelief.  One must have a starting point of belief or unbelief.  The Christian must operate on the foundation of belief upholding the authority of God and his Word.  The Bible is the ultimate and final authority, it is not dependent on any other authority for it's validation.  Scripture is self attesting, there is no greater authority to which it can appeal.  

In the second step we are told to answer a fool according to his folly.  For the sake of argument we are to assume the worldview of the unbeliever and do an internal critique.  All worldviews based on unbelief will ultimately end in contradiction, nonsense, and absurdity.  

Only the Christian worldview provides the necessary preconditions for intelligibility.  It is what must be in place in order for anything else to even be.  Apart from the Biblical worldview nothing even makes sense. 

Love Is Love (Biblical Thinker Responds)

Love is love is a favorite phrase of the LGBTQ community meant to normalize and legitimize homosexuality.  They seek to persuade people that homosexual relationships are the same as heterosexual relationships.  The worldview behind love is love assumes human autonomy (self rule).  In other words love is whatever you decide it is.  But humans are not the ultimate and final authority.  God is the ultimate and final authority who defines love, as well as right and wrong.  

(Genesis 1:1)"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." (ESV) 

God is the Creator and everything else is creation.  Therefore God is the ultimate and final authority.  We must maintain the Creator/creature distinction.  If we do not our thought and our life will end up being wrong. 

God considers homosexuality to be an abomination (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13), unnatural (Romans 1:26-27), and says those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  

God hates homosexuality, it is contrary to nature and a violation of his creative design. Those who practice homosexuality are on the road to hell, not heaven.  

(1 Corinthians 13:6)"it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth." (ESV) 

The Word of God says that love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Those living and promoting the homosexual lifestyle do the exact opposite.  They rejoice at wrongdoing and reject the truth.  

(Romans 12:9)"Let love be genuine.  Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." (ESV) 

Homosexuality is rebellion against God, therefore it is evil.  We should abhor homosexuality while loving the people involved in it.  The homosexual lifestyle is not rooted in love, it is sin against God.  Love is never opposed to God, instead it honors and obeys him.  

(John 3:16)"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (ESV) 

Homosexuals need to repent of their sin and turn to Christ for salvation.  This is the message of true love.    

Mars Hill Examiner Now Biblical Worldview Review

My blog title has now changed from Mars Hill Examiner to Biblical Worldview Review.  

biblicalworldviewreview.blogspot.com 

Books You Should Read About The Origin, Reliability, And Authority Of The Bible

 Scripture Alone by James White

Scribes And Scripture by John Meade & Peter Gurry 

Canon Revisited by Michael Kruger

The Heresy Of Orthodoxy by Andreas Kostenberger & Michael Kruger 

The Origin Of The Bible edited by Philip Comfort

Will You Have A Mansion In Heaven?

(John 14:2)"In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were no so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you." (KJV) 

(John 14:2)"In my Father's house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" (ESV) 

The King James Version has "many mansions" while the ESV has "many rooms." Most modern translations have either rooms or dwelling places.  Does saying in a house are many mansions even make sense in modern English?  

In 1611 when the King James Version was originally done, the word mansions could actually mean something like rooms.  So rooms or dwelling places is actually the best translation.  It is worth noting that the Geneva Bible which preceded the King James Version, had dwelling places.  

My Father's house refers to heaven and there will be plenty of room for God's people there. When Jesus says that he goes to prepare a place for you, he probably does not mean it in a literal sense.  The Lord likely means that through his death and resurrection, he prepares a place for us in heaven.    

Who Is Jesus?

 Matthew 16:13-20 deals with the very question of who Jesus is.  The Lord asks his disciples who people say he is and they reply that people consider him to be a prophet (16:13-14).  Jesus then poses the question to his disciples.  

"He said to them, But who do you say that I am?  Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  (Matthew 16:15-16) (ESV) 

In response to Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Lord tells Peter he is blessed and that this has been revealed to him by God the Father (16:17).  

Jesus confirms the confession made by Peter as correct because he is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Christ means Messiah or Anointed One.  Jesus is the only, unique Son of God.  He is co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father.  

Jesus is more than a good teacher, moral example, or inspirational figure.  He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  This confession is the rock on which the church is built (16:18).