Are you in danger of having an Us vs. Them mentality when it comes to those who aren't Christian? Is this even all that wrong? In Joshua 5, we get a really unique story in Israel's history regarding the Commander of the Army of the LORD. This story sits between Israel's wandering in the wilderness after their liberation from Egypt and the fall of Jericho as the first of the conquests of the Promised Land. As such, it often gets forgotten. However, it is a story that might have some really intere...
Jan 03, 2025•11 min•Ep. 133
It often gets stated by skeptics that the Bible is "full of contradictions." Even Christians will stumble across verses that get a bit confusing sometimes. Whenever this conversations comes up, it seems like it results in hostility and frustration most of the time. There are a few things we need to keep in mind before we even THINK about getting into these types of conversations. It's important to go through the individual verses, but we have to remember to have respect for one another when we d...
Dec 27, 2024•12 min•Ep. 132
The birth of our Savior is one of the most important events in human history. It is the fulfillment of prophecies, it is the answer to prayers, it is the beginning of hope. God became flesh and dwelt among us. While, personally, I don't celebrate Christmas (I don't think there is any chance this is remotely close to the actual birth of Jesus), to ignore this story in an effort to distance yourself from the materialistic trappings of the holiday is to refuse to participate in the recognition of a...
Dec 25, 2024•28 min•Ep. 129
Job is one of the more well-known books of the Bible. It struggles through huge topics like human suffering, the spirit world, and God's goodness. This book also presents several questions that Job, in his suffering, petitions God about hoping for an answer. Why is this happening to me? What have I done wrong? Won't you give me a fair trial? Why is there no mediator between God and man? This last one, we know, is answered in the person of Jesus who, having lived as both God and man, is uniquely ...
Dec 20, 2024•11 min•Ep. 131
Stories have been a part of human culture since its beginning. We learn about morality, emotions, differences in people, virtue, struggle, and how the world works all through the telling and retelling of stories. The Bible contains what literary scholars call, "The Greatest Story Ever Told." The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has everything that the best stories desire to have: dynamic characters, intricate plotlines, rising and falling of emotions and circumstances, complex topic...
Dec 17, 2024•46 min•Ep. 130
Eve, the mother of all mankind, gets an incredibly bad wrap. We read her story in Genesis 3 and pin the state of the world on her shoulders to, probably, an unfair degree. Sure, submitting to the temptation of the serpent, eating of the fruit in disobedience to God, and giving to her husband to eat as well are incredibly misguided actions that had dire consequences. But we forget that her story continues past Genesis 3. In fact, when we read of her story past that chapter, we see a type of faith...
Dec 13, 2024•16 min•Ep. 128
Sodom and Gomorrah is a classic story of God's judgement. These cities have become bywords to represent evil and sin and their destruction acts as a cautionary tale to all who would disobey God. But is that all there is to it? Upon further reading, we might be surprised to know that this story is actually an amazing representation of God's mercy and estimation of human life. How, you might ask? Find out on this week's episode. Email: truthbetoldbiblepodcast@gmail.com YouTube: https://www.youtube...
Dec 06, 2024•9 min•Ep. 127
The story of the prodigal son is one of the most well-known in the world. After centuries of telling and retelling, preaching and writing, expounding and studying - what more could we possibly take from this short section of scripture? Let me ask you - when, in the story, do you think the prodigal son repented? Some might place it at the moment he "comes to himself" and prepares a speech on his way home to the father. This is a great candidate for repentance since he is ACTIVELY changing his act...
Nov 29, 2024•17 min•Ep. 126
Last week's video was a wild one. I really did hope to have an even-toned discussion regarding the merits of the Christian claim of the sinless life of Jesus Christ. It turned into QUITE a bit more than that and I had comments as wide-ranging as requests for me to prove the supernatural, accusations against the validity of the manuscript evidence of the Bible, and flat out name calling. In amidst all of this, however, there were some really pleasant people that took the challenge seriously and o...
Nov 22, 2024•20 min•Ep. 125
Atheists, I am truly trying to come to you respectfully and with humility. I have no desire to call you out or to get into a shouting match in the comments. I do, however, have a challenge for you: So often Christians and Atheists spend a lot of time debating the plausibility of the resurrection of Jesus. Let's take one step back from that and discuss the Christian claim that Jesus lived a sinless life. This is a HUGE claim. Not only is it impossible for a human, by their own strength, to live a...
Nov 15, 2024•23 min•Ep. 124
Certain verses in the Bible act as summary verses for some of the complex and nuanced commands of God. They aren't meant to oversimplify or ignore the depth in the rest of Scripture but, in my view, to reorient the reader to the broader principles that we're being directed to. One such passage is Micah 6:8 where God is talking to wayward Israel and tells them the 3 basic things He called them to - to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. In this episode we survey these 3 things,...
Nov 08, 2024•16 min•Ep. 123
Our relationship with God is one of the "already" but the "not yet." Yes, God lives in His people via His Holy Spirit in an intimate relationship. But also, we're waiting for the time when He will FINALLY dwell with mankind and we can see Him as He is. In a way, then, our relationship with God is similar to a long-distance relationship. We have to make time to spend with Him. We have to plan out our interactions. This is just the nature of things as we wait for the fulfillment of Scripture. Howe...
Nov 01, 2024•10 min•Ep. 122
When I take an honest look at Scripture, I don't see anywhere that the food laws of Leviticus 11 were abolished. I realize there are some verses that people will often use to defend that belief but, looking at them in context, rules that out as an option. Jesus Himself said that He didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, and most Christians would agree that sin (i.e. transgression of the Law) still exists. So what makes us think we can pick and choose from God's commands when we try to...
Oct 25, 2024•13 min•Ep. 121
The 5 Love Languages (physical touch, quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, and acts of service) are categories meant to help people understand which acts of love are the most effective in making those around them feel the most loved. In this theory, love is a form of communication. It's a language. Knowing how someone communicates helps understanding to flourish. If your wife appreciates gifts but you typically show love through acts of service, understanding her preferences and your tende...
Oct 18, 2024•8 min•Ep. 120
Obedience is a tricky word in today's world. Talking about obedience in a marriage relationship? Even harder. Immediately, images of harsh dictators and timid followers come to mind, and we bristle at the idea. This can take a real toll on our relationship with God because - like it or not, He does have commandments and does call us to obedience. He also desires a covenantal, marriage relationship with us so.. once again, we have to wrestle with this idea of marriage and obedience. In the DreamW...
Oct 11, 2024•13 min•Ep. 119
This is one of the most common questions I get asked about Bible Study. It's easy to get frustrated when we feel like we see others navigating different tools and resources with ease while we barely know how to read our Bibles for more than 10 minutes without it feeling like serious work! In this episode, we walk through 3 important things to consider before diving in to extrabiblical sources and consider some good first steps to take so we don't get overwhelmed with all the information out ther...
Oct 04, 2024•12 min•Ep. 118
In this episode, we open up by examining the joke phrase "that'll preach." Typically this is said about sermon topics, theological points, or certain exciting deliveries that inspire another speaker, preacher, pastor, or teacher to want to deliver the same type of message when THEY next speak. This shouldn't pose a problem if the information is true. However, sometimes, something "preaches" so well, that we forget to vet whether or not it's completely true. I think all speakers are bound to do t...
Sep 27, 2024•13 min•Ep. 117
The Shroud of Turin is, probably, the most controversial relic in history. However, this controversy doesn't necessarily speak to its illegitimacy. In fact, the ambiguity surrounding its authenticity might actually speak to a solid potential that it is the genuine article. In this episode we explore all things shroud related. What is it? What's the evidence for or against it being the ACTUAL burial shroud of Jesus Christ? Does the Bible speak to this at all, or is this only a matter for science,...
Sep 20, 2024•30 min•Ep. 116
In this episode we dive into John 11:35 (the, Jesus wept, verse) and the surrounding section as a case study on how to practice good biblical observation and interpretation rather than mixing these two things up. One of the very first lessons they teach you in Bible college is about the art of biblical interpretation known as Hermeneutics. There are 4 basic steps to practicing good biblical hermeneutics: -Historical Context -Literary Context -Observation -Interpretation These last two steps are ...
Sep 13, 2024•18 min•Ep. 115
In the book of Ezekiel, Israel contends with God's sense of justice asking "why SHOULDN'T the son die for the sins of the Father?" Their idea of fairness, possibly skewed from a position of desiring vengeance on their enemies, expected consequences AND guilt to pass on from father to son. God demands, in this section, that they correct their ideas of justice to align with His objective standard. When we do Bible study with a mindset that considers the end from the beginning (as God inspired it t...
Sep 10, 2024•18 min•Ep. 114
In the book of Romans, like the rest of his writings, Paul draws on several Old Testament sources to make a point. While he seems familiar enough with books like Psalms, Isaiah, Hosea, or Jeremiah to quote them, his USE of singular verses to support his points sometimes leave us more confused than when we STARTED reading his letters. Of course, Paul isn't the only one who does this! The Gospels, general epistles, and apocalyptic writings all pull out single, Old Testament verses to illustrate or...
Sep 06, 2024•21 min•Ep. 113
The Roman Catholic Church executed Girolamo Savonarola as a heretic in 1498 for refusing to adhere to a Papal Bull condemning his preaching against the city and rulers of Florence. This heretic, however, left behind incredible wisdom that can aid modern Christians in properly esteeming the text of Scripture and removing some of their fears and hang-ups regarding sharing the Gospel message. In this episode, we explore the story of this, little-known, martyr to learn 3 lessons that he exemplified ...
Aug 23, 2024•23 min•Ep. 111
In the book of Exodus (chapter 12) we read the story of the first Passover kept by Israel signifying their being rescued by God from bondage in Egypt. Most are pretty familiar with the story - God is going to send the death angel, the Israelites have to mark their doors with the blood of a lamb to be spared the plague, and, through their believing loyalty, God leads them to freedom. What's absolutely crazy about this storied pattern is that, just a few books later (in Joshua 2) we get the story ...
Aug 16, 2024•18 min•Ep. 110
In the book of Isaiah, there is a Messianic prophecy regarding a lamb led silently to the slaughter that we learn (in Acts 8) was fulfilled perfectly by Jesus in His willingness to go to His death without verbally defending His innocence. Upon this read through in my study, I asked a simple question that opened this prophecy up a bit more for me. I know THAT sheep and Jesus both were silent in the face of their persecutors/executioners - but WHY are they? In asking why sheep go silently after th...
Aug 09, 2024•14 min•Ep. 109
Let's get one things straight - God is not a sinner. He is not a transgressor of the Law. However, what this video attempts to show, is that the PURPOSE of the Law of God is an outpouring of His love, not a limitation on it. When we interpret the Law of God as some sort of hindrance on God's love, we're making the same mistake the Pharisees made. In the same way that working on the Sabbath is unlawful, but Jesus healing on the Sabbath is good and right, God's display of love that we'll review in...
Aug 02, 2024•22 min•Ep. 108
In Genesis 13 and 14 we read the story of Abraham. He has left his father's house, put his trust in God, and experienced a fair amount of difficulty (famine, the theft of his wife, plagues, wandering). Finally, God speaks to His chosen servant and explains the promise of land that He is going to bestow upon him. However, God tells Abraham, in very specific terms, to WALK OUT the land and wherever he walks, that will be what God gives to him. Abraham sets out on his journey but doesn't make it ve...
Jul 26, 2024•16 min•Ep. 107
So often, this verse is one that is taken out of context because of the comforting words, lovely poetry, and pleasant picture it seems to paint for our lives as God sees them. Taking verses out of context, however, is a dangerous game. When you misapply scripture to yourself or force meanings upon the text, you inevitably have to ask yourself - where does it stop? Where does it STOP applying to me? What DON'T I want it to mean? When you begin asking these questions, even if you aren't being mali...
Jul 19, 2024•10 min•Ep. 106
Throughout the Biblical narrative, there are overlapping patterns that so many largely ignore. However, if we track these patterns, we begin to see important messages and themes building in intensity that give us a much grander view of God's sovereignty over the construction of His Scriptures, and lifechanging lessons that weave our lives inextricably to the text of the Bible. In this episode, we walk through one such pattern of meeting God at the well. At first, you'll just begin to notice that...
Jul 12, 2024•58 min•Ep. 105
**PLEASE READ DESCRIPTION** This episode starts off a series that I plan to slowly work through dedicated to analyzing the potential for division in the church that runs along age lines. While I don't see any wild amount of disunity between the different age groups currently, there are differences in experience, thought, understanding, and preferred methodology that could quickly turn into division if we're not aware of them. We should all be looking around at the members of our congregations an...
Jul 05, 2024•50 min•Ep. 104
In the midst of a larger narrative in Luke 19, we're told a brief story featuring a small-statured, tax collector named Zacchaeus of Jericho. On its own, this account makes a cute, kid-friendly story about Jesus's willingness and desire to care for the outcast. In a deeper look, however, which we go through in this study, Zacchaeus becomes a microcosm of the entire Gospel message. Luke is an intelligent and intentional writer attempting to accurately depict historical events, but he is also reco...
Jun 28, 2024•21 min•Ep. 103
