Reflections on the Bible, and Other Writings, from a Christian Perspective.
Now that 2020 has come to a close, and 2021 begins, there may be a temptation to think that this past year has just been a disaster. I want to resist such a rash assessment. If there is anything that 2020 has taught us, it is our need to rely on God, our brothers and sisters in the Faith, and that we are not promised tomorrow.
About a week and a half ago I released another dozen recordings of my readings from the New Testament. As we approach the end of 2020, I have one more book to share. That being 1 Thessalonians, which is five chapters in length.
Several months ago I decided to record myself reading all of the New Testament, but after only two uploads, I was unable to continue such efforts with any regularity. Today, I am pleased to announce the release of three more books from the World English Bible. These include Philippians, Colossians, and 2 Timothy.
Over the last year I have been producing a number of different types of posts for this website. These have included Bible studies, reading plans, and other types of material. Back in June I also started releasing free audio recordings of me reading the New Testament. Unfortunately, I didn't do a good job of keeping up with that project. That changes today.
The history of Adam's sin, and the consequences that follow it, are tragic for us all. Thankfully, they are not the only things that the apostle Paul writes about in the fifth chapter of Romans. The last couple of paragraphs from that section shares a number of contrasts between Adam and Jesus. They speak of the great blessings that are available to us through Christ.
In the New Testament there are a few places where the words, "No law," are found. It occurs twice in the book of Romans and once in Paul's letter to the Galatians. One of these instances is in a passage that we recently studied, but didn't include last time. In Romans five the apostle Paul connected sin entering the world through Adam with the reign of death. He did so by speaking of no law.
Last time we studied from Romans we took great encouragement by God's love being shown through Jesus' death for us while we were yet sinners. His sacrifice was an incredible event, and with the resulting resurrection, we have great hope today. As the passage continues, Paul goes on to discuss another action that had a great impact on us all. That being the sin of Adam and death that follows to this day.
I have said this before, and I'm sure I'll do so again: Jesus was a great master teacher. One aspect of His teaching that people are most familiar with is His use of parables. Some of these are short and relatively straightforward. Others were so confusing that the disciples asked for an explanation. Because of their importance in the Gospels, it was only a matter of time before I would develop a reading plan for them.
With the high number of divorces in this country, there is a great need for marriages to be strengthened. Thankfully, there are a number of individuals and organizations that work toward that goal. Sometimes though, just a short book with a few key principles can help people have a more godly view of their marriages. For men, one text that may be worth considering is For Married Men Only by Tony Evans.
Over the past several months, many have dealt with friends and family becoming ill from COVID-19. While I expect a number of them have recovered, I'm sure that some died from it, or complications related to it. Even more have passed away from other health problems too. Of course, the eventuality of death is something that all of us have to face. It is the great equalizer.
James L. Hutton 