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Redeeming God Redeeming Me

By Jeremy Myers
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Redeeming God Redeeming Me

redeeming GodWelcome to the new website: RedeemingGod.com

“Redeeming God” is still under construction, and will be for quite some time …

I was going to write a post about all the changes you can expect to see and what plans I have for the future, but then I realized that I simply don’t know what is going to happen to me or this blog next week, let alone next year.

However, here are a few things to note for right now (though these also may change):

Redeeming God? What’s that about?

Remember when Drew Marshall made fun of my blog name “Till He Comes“? I laughed it off because he said what I had been thinking for quite a while.

I never switched the name of my blog because I never had a better title. But a while back I realized that redemption is a huge theme in my life, and redemption is what God is calling me to call people to.

You may notice that “redeeming God” is a play on words. The word “Redeeming” can be both an adjective and a present participle. It can describe God (He is a Redeemer) or it can describe the action of seeking to redeem God. Which way do I intend it? I intend both. God is redeeming us, but he also needs to be redeemed. I hope to invite people into both arenas through this blog.

Read my “About” page for more.

redeeming God on the cross

Here are a few other things about RedeemingGod.com

Posting Frequency

On the Till He Comes blog, I tried to post 5-6 times per week. On this blog, I may occasionally post that frequently, but I might only post 5-6 times per year. This time around, I will publish posts, not because I have to, but because I have something to say. I will publish posts only when I have fire in my bones (Jer 20:9).

Old Content Cultivation and Curation

One of my short-term goals is to edit/cultivate/curate a lot of the old content on this blog. I want to correct various things on some of my old posts and sermon pages. I want to make some series of posts more accessible to readers. Some of my content might even get converted into a podcast.

Since I have well over 2000 posts and pages on this site, this process could take quite some time…

If you want to follow along with some of the changes that occur, you won’t actually see much of it here on the blog. Most of it will get posted on my Facebook page and on Twitter. So if you want to observe some of these “behind the scenes” changes, make sure you join me on Facebook and Twitter.

Wait! Did you Mention A Podcast?

Yes, I might start a podcast.

One problem I had with my old blog was that it consumed me. I don’t want that to happen again. A podcast is a huge undertaking, so if I start one, it might be something I do instead of publishing blog posts.

Maybe.

Hey, where are the comments?

You may notice that I turned off the comment section. Read the black box at the bottom of the page for a brief explanation.

And again, I might turn comments back on in the future. But I might not.

Are you still sending out free eBooks?

Maybe.

Skeleton Church by Jeremy MyersFor right now, people can still get Skeleton Church for free by subscribing to my email newsletter. This might change in the future, but it might not. I don’t know if I will publish more books in the future or not. I suspect I will, but I don’t know when, I don’t know what, and I don’t know how. If I do publish more books, and I am able to send them out for free to people who get my blog updates, I will do so.

I am also working on a way for subscribers to get many of my older books for free through email. But again, this might happen and it might not. (Are you seeing a theme here?)

What happened to the forum?

Nobody really used it, so it’s gone.

If enough people complain, maybe I will bring it back. But maybe not.

Did Adam have a belly button?

Of course he did, silly!

Well, maybe not… 😉

God is Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: Blogging, redemption, writing

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I Am an Idol-Worshiping Pagan Heretic

By Jeremy Myers
16 Comments

I Am an Idol-Worshiping Pagan Heretic

Golden CalfSo someone left a one-star review of Christmas Redemption on Amazon.

My books certainly seem to attract negative reviews. Someone left a one-star review of Finding Church before they had even read the book! She claims she doesn’t need to read it, because the title tells her everything she needed to know. So her one-star review was because she didn’t like the title… sigh.

Anyway, regarding the one-star review of Christmas Redemption, the man said that with this book, I am leading people into idol worship. He equated me with Aaron building a Golden Calf for the Israelites and telling them that it was their God. He says he is writing a full-length rebuttal, but wanted to put a short warning up on Amazon.

I appreciate his honesty, and look forward to reading his rebuttal, if he sends me a copy.

But here is the thing, Aaron and the Israelites did the exact opposite of what I am encouraging Christians to do. God led the Israelites out of Egypt, and delivered them through the Red Sea, and then at the foot of Mount Sinai, Aaron built a golden calf and called it Yahweh, and said that this was the god that rescued and delivered them from Egypt. When Moses found out, he became enraged, destroyed the calf, and called people back to giving glory to God alone for what He had done.

I am not calling people to take the things of God and then construct idols for our worship and call them “God.” That is what Aaron did, but not what I am doing. No, I am doing the exact opposite. I encourage people to take the things of the world, which used to give credit and glory to pagan idols, and calling on people to give the credit and glory to Whom it really belongs, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It is He who is the light of the world, the giver of all good things, and the true Spirit of generosity and grace.

This is what Christianity has done with most of our history and traditions (church buildings, Easter, paid clergy, etc), and what Moses himself did with much of his writing. Many Christians do not realize it, but Genesis 1-2 is mostly borrowed from Egyptian Creation Myths. So also, the “contract” between God and the Israelites in Deuteronomy is based off a Mesopotamian Suzerain-Vassal treaty, which often used pagan deities to guarantee the terms of the treaties. But Moses, who was trained in the Egyptian courts, took these documents, and changed the names and a few of the details so that stories and treaties which used to give glory to pagan gods, now directed people’s worship, honor, and glory to the One True God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even most (maybe all) of the Jewish holidays and festivals were borrowed in one way or another from Egyptian and Canaanite festivals at the time.

GenesisThis does not mean that Genesis 1-2 is myth, or that God didn’t really say the things He said in Deuteronomy, or that the Jewish feasts have no significance or meaning.

Quite to the contrary! If anything, God told Moses to write these things, telling him that He was redeeming this stories and treaties and festivals to Himself. Though the Egyptian Creation Myths gave glory to pagan deities, Genesis 1-2 now gives glory to God alone. The redemption of the Suzerain-Vassal treaty shows how God behaves fairly with His people. The redemption of the festivals shows that God can redeem holidays and rituals for His own honor and glory, and that even as His people, He still wants us to enjoy life with parties, laughter, and celebrations. God is not a kill-joy; He’s a joy amplifier.

We could go on and on like through most of the Old Testament and find numerous other examples of writers taking pagan ideas, stories, practices, and customs, and reworking them so that they no longer give glory to idols, but bring honor and worship to the God of Israel. This is what redemption is all about!

Christmas RedemptionAnd this is what I tried to show in Christmas Redemption. There are many pagan practices which used to give glory to pagan deities, but the church can take some of these practices and symbols and point them to the One who really deserves the glory and honor of bringing light into this dark world – not Saturn, but Jesus Christ. I am doing the exact opposite of what Aaron did. He took the things of God and gave credit to a golden calf. I am taking the things of Saturn and giving credit to Whom they really belong – Jesus Christ.

Anyway, I am not really trying to convince this person who left the one-star review. There are many Christians who will always see things differently. You don’t need to go argue with him. That is not why I am posting this. Of course, maybe you want to post a one-star review of your own… Ha!

As for me, I am convinced that redemption is a key theme in the Bible, and if we don’t really understand redemption, we will not understand Scripture, God, Jesus Christ, ourselves, or our task in this world as followers of Jesus Christ.

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Books by Jeremy Myers, Christmas Redemption, holidays, idolatry, pagan, redemption, Theology of Jesus

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Christmas Redemption

By Jeremy Myers
3 Comments

Christmas Redemption

Christmas RedemptionIn Christmas Redemption, I admit that Christmas is a pagan holiday, and go into some of the history and origins of Christmas.

Christmas Redemption then looks at the date of Jesus’ birth and how Jesus fulfilled many of the biblical Jewish holidays in His birth, life, and ministry.

Following this, the book takes a brief look at one of the non-biblical Jewish holidays that Jesus also fulfilled, and ask the question that if Jesus could fulfill a non-biblical Jewish holiday, why can He not also fulfill any other non-biblical holiday?

I believe He can… and He does.

Christmas Redemption ends with looking at some of the symbolism and traditions of Christmas, including gifts, the Christmas tree, and even Santa Claus and showing how all of these can be celebrated and enjoyed by Christians as a true and accurate reflection of the Gospel.

Jesus is in the business of redemption, and just as Jesus has redeemed you and I, He redeems the cultural elements and traditions that surround us, including pagan holidays.

Jesus has redeemed Christmas.

To see how, get Christmas Redemption today.

“Hope” and “Love” Members of RedeemingGod.com will get this book for free a few weeks after signing up. Join now.

God is z Bible & Theology Topics: Books by Jeremy Myers, Christmas, Christmas Redemption, ebooks, free ebooks, Jesus, redemption

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Is Easter Named after a Sex Goddess?

By Jeremy Myers
24 Comments

Is Easter Named after a Sex Goddess?

On Easter, someone probably said to you, “Happy Sex Goddess Day!”

No? That didn’t happen?

Well, it probably did, and you just didn’t know it.

Easter = Pagan Sex Goddess

Have you ever wondered why we call the day that Jesus rose from the dead “Easter”? That word is not found anywhere in the Bible, so why do we call it “Easter”?

There are many theories about the origin of the word “Easter” but among the main contenders is the idea that it comes from the name of a sex goddess (or fertility goddess). Here are three such fertility goddesses:

  • Ishtar, the Assyrian/Babylonian fertility sex goddess
  • Eostre/Ostara, the Germanic fertility sex goddess
  • Astarte, the Greek/Mesopotamian fertility sex goddess (referred to in the Bible as Asherah or Ashtoreth)
Easter Sex Goddess
Eostre/Ostara
Astarte
Ishtar

Our English word “Easter” seems to be drawn from the name of a pagan sex goddess.

Also, based on my research, our modern celebration of Easter appears to be a conglomeration of various parts and pieces of all three sex goddesses listed above.

In some of the traditions related to one or the other of these fertility sex goddesses, celebrants would rise early in the morning to observe the sun rising in the east.

In others, people would feast on ham.

In still others, children would go outside and hunt for decorated eggs. The eggs were supposed to have come from divine bunnies, which were revered for their ability to rapidly reproduce (… you know the saying: breeding like rabbits).

In others Easter traditions, it was thought that rabbits brought forth the light of spring from the sex goddess.

By worshipping the fertility sex goddess in these ways, the people were welcoming the longer days of spring, and were praying for fertile flocks and fertile fields.

The Truth of Easter

So is this why we call Easter “Easter”? Well, people argue over it, but wherever “Easter” (the name) really came from, there definitely seems to be numerous connections between the spring equinox, sunrise, new life, spring, bunnies, eggs, fertility rites, and a sex goddess.

So when then did the church adopt the practice of referring to the day Jesus rose from the dead as “Easter”? Some Christians, of course, refuse to call it “Easter” and refer to it instead as “Resurrection Sunday.” They do this because they know about the pagan roots of “Easter” and think that it detracts from what the significance of the resurrection of Jesus.

But does it? Is it wrong to refer to “Resurrection Sunday” as Easter?

I don’t think so. To the contrary, I think that “Easter” is a perfect name for the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. I also think that when the church chose “Easter” to celebrate the day Jesus rose from the dead, they did this intentionally because of what the resurrection of Jesus signifies.

So what is the explanation? Why did the church choose to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, which is named after a pagan sex goddess?

The reason the church adapted some of the symbolism and practices from their surrounding pagan culture is an interesting study, but the simplest explanation which makes the most sense to people today is found in our own culture.

easter bunny easter eggsHave you ever seen t-shirts that say “God’s Gym” or “Abreadcrumb & Fish”? I’ve seen t-shirts with the Guitar Hero design, but on closer inspection, it says “God is my Hero.” Similarly, there are “Amazing Grace” t-shirts that look like the “American Idol” logo, and I have seen shirts with the superman logo, but with “JC” instead of “S.” I’ve seen a Staple’s “Easy” button with the word “Jesus” on it instead.

Is all this silly, commercialized, “Jesus Junk”? Yes. I roll my eyes at most of it. I cannot believe people make this stuff, but more than that, I can’t believe people buy it and wear it.

Of course, the reason companies make this “Jesus junk” is because it sells. People buy $4.6 billion of this stuff every year. And one reason Christians buy it is because such things help them bring Christ into culture. I would argue that there may be better ways of doing this, but that’s a different subject …

The point is that, 2000 years ago, some Christians decided to combine some of the sex goddess traditions of their culture with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Why? Well, for one reason, the resurrection of Jesus and the sex goddess holiday occurred right around the same time of year.

But another reason is that they realized the same thing we do today: Why do some Christians have “iPray” hats and “Got Jesus?” bumper stickers? It’s an attempt to be contextual. Early Christians borrowed some of the symbolism of the various “Easter” celebrations they observed around them, and incorporated them into the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.

But there is something even more important than that.

Should we just Fry the Eggs and Kill the Bunnies?

Some Christians are aware of where the “Easter” traditions came from, and, thinking of passages like Jeremiah 10:2 (Do not adopt the ways of the Gentiles…), refuse to say “Happy Easter!” Instead, they say “He is Risen!” Or “Happy Resurrection Day!”

Those are good things to say today, because, of course, this is the day we celebrate the historical event of Jesus rising from the dead.

But you want to know what? I’m also fine with saying “Happy Easter.” Is that because I worship Ishtar? Far from it. Have I adopted the ways of Ostara? No. Am I going to fall down in front of an Asherah pole? Of course not.

Instead, calling Resurrection Sunday “Easter” reminds me of my redemption. How?

Easter Redemption

easter redemptionThe simple fact that most people don’t know the origins of the word “Easter” shows that a shift has happened over the past 2000 years. The day has been redeemed. Though Easter is a commercialized holiday, most people still associate it with Jesus and His resurrection from the grave.

Of all the days in the year that people “go to church,” Easter is in the top two (the other being Christmas Eve). People associate “Easter” with Jesus; not with Ishtar.

The very fact that people think of Jesus rather than Ishtar when they say “Happy Easter!” is proof that this sex goddess holiday has been redeemed.

Because of this, Easter reminds me of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Though his readers used to be adulterers, fornicators, slanderers, thieves, drunkards, idolaters, and swindlers, they were not this way any longer. They were washed. They were cleansed. They were purified, sanctified, justified. They were no longer who they used to be. In a word, they were redeemed.

Similarly, we can talk about the way Ishtar Day used to be. We could talk about the rites, the rituals, and the pagan practices. But it is not that way any longer. Easter has been redeemed … just like you and me.

On Easter, rather than getting drunk and visiting a temple prostitute, most people celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. Yet we still call it Easter. This is redemption!

Sure, we might eat ham, look for Easter eggs, and give Easter candy. But when we do these things, nobody thinks about Ishtar. Most are just enjoying a fun day with the family (a wonderful Christian practice), and many others of us are remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (the most important event in human history).

Jesus is in the business of redemption. He not only redeems people, but He also redeems history, culture, places, events, customs, and holidays, “until all things are placed under His feet” (Eph 1:22-23; 1 Cor 15:27). Jesus has redeemed Easter.

So, this Easter, when you wish someone “Happy Easter!” remember that just as Jesus has redeemed a pagan sex goddess holiday, He has redeemed you as well.

God is Redeeming Theology Bible & Theology Topics: cruciform, crucivision, Easter, ishtar, Jesus, redemption, resurrection, sex goddess, Theology of Jesus

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Have a Happy Kwanzaa

By Jeremy Myers
1 Comment

Have a Happy Kwanzaa

Happy Kwanzaa

I was asked today by one of the people I work with if it was okay for a Christian to celebrate Kwanzaa.

My immediate response was, “If you can’t celebrate Kwanzaa, you can’t celebrate Christmas either.”

Truthfully, I don’t know a whole lot about Kwanzaa except that it is a holiday with similarities to Christmas and Hanukkah, but is for the world African community.

But even with my limited knowledge, and without even doing a Google search, I can guarantee that there are many Christians and churches which condemn the celebration of Kwanzaa.

Searching for Kwanzaa

So here is a fun little exercise to do this Christmas after you wear yourself out opening all your presents: Search on Google for “Why Christians shouldn’t celebrate Kwanzaa.” (If you really want some fun, search Google for “Jerry Falwell on Kwanzaa.” I’m not sure if he ever said anything about it, but if he did, it’ll make for a good Christmas laugh. Update: I searched for it, and Jerry Falwell did write against Kwanzaa).

Once you have found some good Christian articles online condemning Kwanzaa, read these articles and substitute the word “Christmas” every time you see the word “Kwanzaa.” As it turns out, many of the objections against Kwanzaa can also be made against Christmas.

Pagan Kwanzaa = Pagan Christmas

Pagan Christmas TreeFor example, here is what you might read: “Kwanzaa is not Christian! It was started by people of other religions who wanted to spread their false beliefs and practices.”

Right! But did you know that “Christmas” was a holiday long before Christ was born? It wasn’t called “Christmas” but it was celebrated on December 25 by decorating trees, beautifying them with glitter and lights, and then passing out presents. Christmas has pagan roots – lots of them.

Here is something else you might read: “Kwanzaa has so many negative elements…like greed, a focus on self rather than God, self-esteem, and profit.” Again, I’m just making these criticisms up. I have no idea what sort of things go on during a Kwanzaa celebration. But again, just stick in the word “Christmas” where we read Kwanzaa above, and the statement is still true.

Christmas and Kwanzaa Redemption

Am I trying to say that we should not celebrate Christmas either? Of course not! I believe that Christ is a Redeemer, and there is nothing beyond the reach of His redemption. Both Kwanzaa and Christmas can be redeemed by Christ and celebrated by any who wish.

Festivus, however, is a completely different matter…

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Christmas, Discipleship, holidays, Kwanzaa, redemption

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