Redeeming God

Liberating you from bad ideas about God

Learn the MOST ESSENTIAL truths for following Jesus.

Get FREE articles and audio teachings in my discipleship emails!


  • Join Us!
  • Scripture
  • Theology
  • My Books
  • About
  • Discipleship
  • Courses
    • What is Hell?
    • Skeleton Church
    • The Gospel According to Scripture
    • The Gospel Dictionary
    • The Re-Justification of God
    • What is Prayer?
    • Adventures in Fishing for Men
    • What are the Spiritual Gifts?
    • How to Study the Bible
    • Courses FAQ
  • Forum
    • Introduce Yourself
    • Old Testament
    • New Testament
    • Theology Questions
    • Life & Ministry

Bloody Head Evangelism

By Jeremy Myers
6 Comments

Have you ever heard a pastor give a sermon on Ezekiel 33? God tells Ezekiel to cry out against the unfaithful watchmen in Israel who did not warn Israel about impending judgment. He says that because they were silent, the blood of the people who die will be on the heads of the lazy watchmen.

Every time I hear this passage preached, the application is the same: “If you don’t tell people that they are going to hell, when they die, God is going to hold you responsible! Their blood will be on your head! So never miss an opportunity to tell a friend, a coworker, a neighbor, a relative, or even a stranger on the bus about Jesus!”

I heard this passage preached just last week with this exact application.

I have always been uncomfortable with preaching this passage this way, but only last week did I understand why. First, the passage has nothing to do with eternal destinies, but only with temporal judgment on sinful Israel. So from that perspective alone, the “bloody head evangelism” application is illegitimate.

But more than that, as I listened to this pastor preach, it hit me that all he was really endorsing was “hit and run evangelism.” He was basically saying that as long as a Christian got something out about sin, hell, and believing in Jesus for eternal life, their duty to warn others was fulfilled. They were no longer responsible for that person. The pastor’s exact words were “Their blood will be on their own heads rather than on yours!”

Aside from being a terrible application of this passage, such an approach to evangelism is simply scary, and probably does more damage than good. It gives a Christian the sense that as long as they get the gospel off their chest to anyone and everyone they come into contact with, they are no longer responsible for that person. Once the other person “hears the good news” they are solely responsible for what they do with it.

With such a perspective, it is not necessary for any Christian to befriend or develop relationships with other people. It diminishes evangelism down to a simple proclamation of a few Bible facts. Under the guise of “caring for people’s eternal destinies” it reveals a heart that really doesn’t care about the person.

This is not what evangelism is or how it should be done. Over the next couple of posts, I will suggest some better options.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship

Advertisement

Let Me Pray On That

By Jeremy Myers
10 Comments

My good friend Mike at Church For Men Florida posted a great article recently about the phrases “Let me pray on that” and “That’s not my spiritual gift.” Here is what he wrote:

The phrase “Let Me Pray On That” can also mean the following:

1. I have no intention of doing it.

2. I am stalling and or I don’t want to make a decision.

3. I am using the phrase “Let Me Pray On That” as a crutch

The phrase “That’s Not My Spiritual Gift” can also mean the following:

1. I am lazy

2. I don’t want to do it.

3. Isn’t there some other poor schmuck we can get to do it?

How true.

I remember once asking a member of my church youth group if he could help me out with something one weekend, and he said he had to ask his dad. I happened to overhear the exchange, and when the young man asked, his father said, “I’ll pray about it.” As the father walked away, the young man turned back to me and said, “That means ‘no.'”

People aren’t stupid. They see what we are doing.

God Told Me…
Another phrase that gets abused a lot is “God told me…” I personally think that many Christians use this to justify their own decisions and keep people from questioning the decision or voicing dissent. After all, you can’t argue with God.

Of course, if God did not really tell the person what they are claiming He did, then they are putting words into God’s mouth, and laying 0n Him the blame for our poorly made human decisions. This, I think, qualifies as using the Lord’s name in vain. Whenever we use God’s name to justify our own actions, we are on very dangerous territory.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship, Theology - General

Advertisement

Stop the Name Calling

By Jeremy Myers
28 Comments

What do you call people who are not Christians? Have you ever thought about the terms we use, and how these terms are either (1) condescending and rude, and/or (2) biblically inaccurate?

The words we use to describe people who have not believed in Jesus for eternal life reveal a lot about our theology, what we think of them, and how we will interact with them. It could be argued, I suppose, that we shouldn’t have a title or term for those who don’t believe in Jesus. We are all just “people.” But I think some sort of term is appropriate and necessary to give Christians a sense of community, and to help help differentiate ourselves from the rest of the world, while at the same time inviting them to join us in our mission.

Whatever term we use, it must not reveal an arrogance about our present condition, but must be loving and kind. It should also reveal an openness to other people joining us. If possible, it should also be biblical. Below are a few terms I have either used or heard others use, and why they should not be used. I will conclude with two terms that I am currently trying to use. Tell me what you think!

Pagan
I have never used this term, but I’ve heard some Christians use it. I think this is a slanderous term and should not be used.

Non-Christian
I have used this one, and sometimes still do, but it has negative overtones. Also, most ‘Christians” are nominal (in name only) and so while they claim to be Christians, they really aren’t. So how do you classify them? Are they “non-Christians” or not? Besides, it’s not biblical.

Pre-Christian
I once had a pastor friend who used this term all the time. While it does do away with the negative connotation that “non-Christian” has, and does seem to indicate that others are welcome to join us, it is not very precise or biblical. Furthermore, it is terribly arrogant and condescending. It assumes that everybody is on their way to becoming a Christian and once they become full-fledged Christians, they have truly arrived. I detest this term.

Target
Wow. What can I say about this? I hear this one used by door-to-door evangelists and street preachers a lot. I guess when they see a “target” they take aim with their gospel guns and start firing.

Sinners
This one is negative and judgmental. Yet people use it (and I have too) because it seems to have some biblical basis. However, I don’t use this any more. In Scripture (and in experience) everybody is a sinner – even those who have believed in Jesus. Anyone who sins is a sinner, and since we all sin, we are all sinners. So aside from being negative and judgmental, it is imprecise and unbiblical. All of us are sinners. If we call a certain group “sinners” it gives the wrong impression that we don’t sin any more.

Unbelievers
For a long time, this was my preferred term. Though it has a negative connotation, there is some biblical basis to it. Furthermore, it brings out the main difference between people who have believed in Jesus for eternal life and those who have not – belief! However, I don’t use this term any more. This partly because of the negative undertones, but primarily because it is inaccurate. Everyone is a believer. Everyone believes in something. Even atheists are “believers” in that they believe there is no God. I have been called an “unbeliever” by Muslims, and my immediate thought was, “Hey! I believe; I just don’t believe like you believe.” Furthermore, there is much more to the Christian life than just believing the right things.

People who are Far from God
This one is gaining in popularity among “missional” churches. However, like “unbeliever,” it is just plain wrong.  It is often used to describe people who live in great depravity and sin. However, Jesus says that such people are closer to the kingdom of God than are most religious people (Matt 21:31-32). You might be more accurate if you refer to the people in the pews as those who are “far from God.”

Disconnected
This certainly seems to invite people to become connected, but in a negative way. It is also not found in Scripture. Thrid, almost everyone is connected to some group in some way, so they are not really disconnected. They are only disconnected from the church, and frankly, fewer and fewer people want to be connected to the church. Also, many people in the church are disconnected as well. They attend church, but are not really being the church.

The Others / Outsiders
These are the terms I currently try to use. I learned them from David Bosch, in his amazing book, Transforming Mission (p. 137). I think these terms avoid most (but not all) of the negative connotation of many of the terms above. They do not seem to be judgmental, and seem to be the technical term used by Paul in his letters (cf. 1 Cor 5:12f, 1 Thess 4:12). Also, these terms seems to invite others to come inside and enjoy the community that (hopefully) we have, even if they have not yet believed in Jesus. They do not imply that “belief in Jesus” is the end-all of the Christian life.

So what do you think? Have any to add? Disagree with anything above? Let me know!

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Bible Study, Discipleship

Advertisement

One Year Later

By Jeremy Myers
7 Comments

One Year Later

teletreeI am approaching the one year anniversary of a particular personal crisis. While the situation still stings, I have a bit of perspective now, and am actually quite thankful about what happened.

As I was driving to work this morning, I saw a wooden power line pole that had resprouted limbs. When I saw it, I did a double take. At first I thought maybe the electrical company had just strung wires to a tree. But upon closer examination, it was clearly a power line pole. It apparently had been a tree at one point (I guess that’s where power line poles come from), had been cut down, stripped, and then used as a power line. Over the years, it has resprouted limbs. I didn’t know such a thing was even possible.  Even as I write this, I am doubting what I saw, and want to go take another look.

It seemed to me when I saw it that I was to be a picture of what has happend to my family and I during the past year.

I was like a tree that had been cut down, stripped of it’s limbs and bark, and then covered in tar and stuck in the mud to hold power lines. A year ago, we had our feet cut out from under us, and were stripped of all that we knew and held dear. I personally felt like my identity and value as a man had been stripped away from me. I felt dead and empty. All the plans, goals, and dreams I had for my life vanished in a day. I searched for new ways of gaining value, but for the most part, they were mere shadows of the dreams I held before, like a tree that had become a power line pole.

But recently, I feel like I am beginning to resprout. I see branches, buds, and roots beginning to form. New life is rising out of death and ashes. I am not sure what the future holds, but I am hopeful…

In the next week or two, I will unfurl one of these new branches, so keep posted!

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship

Advertisement

Let's Party!

By Jeremy Myers
5 Comments

I went to a Jewish party the other night. I think it had something do with the Hannukah being over, but I was a little unclear about the purpose for the party. Never having been to a Jewish party before, I was a little unsure what to expect.

When I first arrived, I realized that these were not “Seinfeld/Sandler” style Jews. These were the Orthodox Hasidic kind. They were all dressed in black from head to toe. The men had long beards and the little curly locks of hair on either side of their face. I figured that this party would probably be like most Christian parties I have attended, where people sit around with cups of punch or coffee, chatting quietly about the weather, politics, and Mrs. Haggerty’s new hair style, while music from the Gaithers plays softly in the background. (I’m only kidding! …Kind of).

At first, I was not disappointed. They began the party with some prayer. It was all in Hebrew, so I understood very little of it. The prayer was complete with lots of head bobbing which is typical of Hasidic prayer.

But then things got crazy.

Let me tell you – Jewish guys can dance! The place was rocking! One guy was doing flips and head stands on chairs. It was a little odd seeing a bunch of bearded men in black suits holding hands while singing and jumping around, but somehow, it all seemed natural. It was probably the most masculine type of dancing I have ever seen. I wondered if King David danced like this through the streets of Jerusalem. They need this kind of dancing on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Also, the party with the singing and dancing was strangely worshipful. I’m not exactly sure why, but there were numerous times during the party when I almost broke down in tears over the emotion being expressed in the singing and dancing. I asked one of them what they were singing (most of it was in Hebrew or Yiddish) and he said, “The Psalms.”

I was little confused about this, since I had recognized some of the tunes, and the words I knew for those tunes were definitely not from the Psalms. I asked about this, and he said that the Psalms do not have music, only words, so they sing the words of the Psalms to whatever tune they want. Sometimes, he informed me, they sing the same Psalm over and over, but to different tunes. They pick the tune based on the emotion they are feeling or want to express.

All in all, it was one of the best parties I have ever attended. The emotion and joy expressed were not what I had expected. Also, their love and acceptance of me — as well as people of many other religions and ethnic groups that were present — was astounding. I had always thought Hasidic Jews were a closed community, but this is not the initial impression I received.

Through it all, Paul’s words in Romans 9;3 kept ringing through my head. If you don’t know what this verse says, you’ll have to go look it up.

At the end of the party, I got invited to Brooklyn for another party, and was also invited to a Jewish BBQ (?!?!) later this year in upstate New York. I wonder if a “Jewish BBQ” has anything to do with the burnt offerings you can read about in Leviticus? …I think I’ll go find out.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship

Advertisement

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 129
  • 130
  • 131
  • 132
  • 133
  • …
  • 167
  • Next Page »
Join the discipleship group
Learn about the gospel and how to share it

Take my new course:

The Gospel According to Scripture
Best Books Every Christian Should Read
Study Scripture with me
Subscribe to my Podcast on iTunes
Subscribe to my Podcast on Amazon

Do you like my blog?
Try one of my books:

Click the image below to see what books are available.

Books by Jeremy Myers

Theological Study Archives

  • Theology – General
  • Theology Introduction
  • Theology of the Bible
  • Theology of God
  • Theology of Man
  • Theology of Sin
  • Theology of Jesus
  • Theology of Salvation
  • Theology of the Holy Spirit
  • Theology of the Church
  • Theology of Angels
  • Theology of the End Times
  • Theology Q&A

Bible Study Archives

  • Bible Studies on Genesis
  • Bible Studies on Esther
  • Bible Studies on Psalms
  • Bible Studies on Jonah
  • Bible Studies on Matthew
  • Bible Studies on Luke
  • Bible Studies on Romans
  • Bible Studies on Ephesians
  • Miscellaneous Bible Studies

Advertise or Donate

  • Advertise on RedeemingGod.com
  • Donate to Jeremy Myers

Search (and you Shall Find)

Get Books by Jeremy Myers

Books by Jeremy Myers

Schedule Jeremy for an interview

Click here to Contact Me!

© 2025 Redeeming God · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Knownhost and the Genesis Framework