What does God say about people who use amulets?

 బైబిల్  తాయెత్తులు  గురించి ఏమి  తెలియజేయవచ్చు

Amulets are magic charms worn by people to protect themselves from negative energies, evil and injury, and also to bring good luck. Together with other kinds of talismans, amulets are becoming very popular today. They are usually crystals, Celtic crosses, or other mystical jewelry worn as a pendant on a necklace or bracelet or hung on a chain dangling from the rear view mirror of automobiles. These so-called “sacred stones” and other engraved talisman are believed to have mystical powers, which supposedly bring personal protection, success, and prosperity. They are often regarded as transmitters of healing energies and positive vibrations that are thought to promote feelings of peace and tranquility. From archaeological evidence, we know that amulets were very common in the ancient cultures of the Bible lands, especially among pagan peoples.


What does God say about people who use amulets? “They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans” (Isaiah 2:6, NIV). The Bible further warns us, “In that day, the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments, dangling earrings, bracelets, veils, headdresses, ankle chains, sashes, perfume boxes [and] amulets” (Isaiah 3:18-20, NAS).


During times of apostasy and idolatry, the Israelites copied the superstitions of the pagan people around them, including the practice of wearing amulets and magic charms. God issued a stern warning to the false prophetesses of Israel who wore amulets. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? . . . I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power” (Ezekiel 13:18, 20, 21, NIV).


In addition to wearing amulets, pagan peoples also possessed larger talismans called “teraphim,” or household idols. These miniature images were kept in the home or would be taken along on journeys. The use of these figurines infiltrated Israel, and God was opposed to them. “Moreover, Josiah removed the mediums and the spirits and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book” (2 Kings 23:24, NAS).


Whenever amulets, idols, and other magic charms are mentioned in the Bible, God’s attitude is against them and those who trust in them. “I have hated those who regard useless idols; but I trust in the Lord” (Psalm 31:6, NKJV). When we feel the need for divine protection to guard us against physical harm or danger, we should trust in God—not some magic amulet or charm. “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday” (Psalm 91:2-6, NKJV).


If we feel a need for protection from evil and demonic powers, God has something far better to offer than amulets and useless figurines. “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. . . . Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:11, 14-17, NIV).

What does the Bible say about crystals?

Occult,Magic
 స్పటికాలు గురించి బైబిల్  lo 

A lot of people are fascinated with crystals, many regarding them to possess mystical power that can be utilized for healing purposes. Some believe that crystals can also stimulate spiritual growth and bring about a positive transformation in life experience. Is it O.K. to be actively involved with crystal healing and crystal power? What counsel does the Bible give in this matter?


Crystals certainly are beautiful objects, for they were created by God. Portions of God's glorious heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, will be constructed from crystal. It's in the Bible, Revelation 21:11, & 18-20 NIV. "It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. "


When evaluating the appropriateness of using crystals for healing purposes, it is important to be aware of the fact that the majority of experts who promote crystal healing are involved in the occult. The word occult means 'hidden'. Occultism concerns itself with the study and utilization of supernatural influences, powers and phenomena that are normally hidden from the regular physical senses, and are generally considered to be outside the realm of traditional scientific observation. Occultists believe that human beings, and the world in which we live, are permeated by invisible mystical energies. They believe that these energies can be focused and directed by 'sacred stones', such as crystals and other talismans, so as to induce physical healing and spiritual enlightenment. In addition to involvement with crystal power, occultism is associated with other mystical practices such as astrology, numerology, divination, tarot cards, psychic healing, mediumship, spirit channeling, Eastern religions, ritual magic and sorcery.


What does God say about involvement with the occult? He warned the Israelites against it when they were about to enter the Promised Land of Canaan. It's in the Bible, Deuteronomy 18:9-12 NIV. "When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord."


The use of 'sacred stones' for mystical purposes was common among the pagan peoples of the Bible Lands. Called amulets, these magical charms were made in the form of small pendants attached to a necklace or bracelet. They were worn to protect a person from negative energies, evil and injury, and also to bring good luck. God uttered a stern warning to the false prophetesses of Israel, who in their apostasy had adopted the pagan practice of wearing amulets. It's in the Bible, Ezekiel 13:18, 20 & 21 NIV. "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds, and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power.' "


The Bible categorizes the use of amulets as a form of pagan magic. Modern proponents of crystal power regard crystal healing to be 'benevolent magic', also known as 'white magic'. Occult magic can sometimes produce spectacular manifestations of power. Instances of this are described in the Bible. For example, Exodus 7:10-12 NIV, "So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers; and the Egyptian magicians also did the same thing by their secret arts. Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake." From a description of the two other miracles performed by Pharaoh's sorcerers, we know they were using occult powers, not sleight-of-hand stage-type magic.


Miracles, signs and wonders can often be the work of Satan. It's in the Bible, 2 Thessalonians 2:9 & 10 NIV. “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.” Under the command of Satan and his principalities, demonic spirits manifest these miraculous signs. Revelation 16:13 & 14, “Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs.” Spirits are angelic beings. Hebrews 1:14.NIV, "Are not all angels ministering spirits…?”


Occult magic was practiced during the era of the Early Church. It's in the Bible, Acts 8:9-13 NAS. "Now there was a certain man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. And they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, 'This man is what is called the Great Power of God.' And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts. But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. And even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip; and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed."


Simon discovered that the power of God was far greater than the power of the Occult, and that true healing comes from the Lord. It's in the Bible, Psalm 103:2-4 NIV. “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”


In the Early Church at Ephesus, practitioners of occult magic become acquatinted with the Gospel through the ministry of the apostle Paul. They were converted, and then destroyed their occult textbooks. It's in the Bible, Acts 19:17-19 NKJV, "…the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver."


At the Second Coming of Jesus, practitioners of the occult will be prohibited from entry into the glorious New Jerusalem. It's in the Bible, Revelation 22:14 & 15 NIV. "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."


Failing to inherit eternal life, those who practice magic arts will, tragically, find themselves condemned to experience the second death. Revelation 21:2, 7 & 8 NIV, "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Is astrology mentioned in the Bible?

Occult / Magic

ASTROLOGY

Astrology is becoming popular, with many people regarding it to be a source of wise counsel. What does God say about those who consult with astrologers and use astrology as guidance for their lives? It's in the Bible, Isaiah 47:13-15 NIV. "All the counsel you have received has only worn you out. Let your astrologers come forward, those stargazers who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubble; the fire will burn them up. They cannot even save themselves from the flame… Each of them goes on in his error; there is not one that can save you."


In this first mention of astrology in the Bible, God is speaking to the people of ancient pagan Babylon. Middle East archaeology has confirmed that astrology did indeed originate in the nation of Babylon, now called the country of Iraq. Cuneiform tablets have been excavated depicting horoscope charts dating from the 5th Century BC and earlier. Astrology is a divination art which teaches that the relative positioning in the sky of the Sun, Moon and planets has an influence upon individuals and upon the course of human affairs. In our modern times, just like in ancient Babylon, a growing number of people are utilizing the services of astrology consultants.


In the Book of Daniel, there is narrated a profound event in the life of Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon. The king had a very disturbing dream, and he wanted to understand its meaning. Daniel 2:2 NIV, informs us, "So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed."


The astrologers, also known as 'Chaldeans', were part of the king's circle of so-called 'wise men' who practiced divination. The actual word for astrology in the Hebrew language literally means, 'divining the heavens'. Divination is the act of foretelling future events, or of revealing secret knowledge, by means of signs and omens or other supernatural agency. The practice of pagan divination is prohibited by God. It's in the Bible, Leviticus 19:26 NIV, "Do not practice divination or sorcery."


Divination was common among the pagan peoples of the Bible lands. When the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land of Canaan, God warned them not to practice it. Says Deuteronomy 18:9, 12 & 14 NIV, "Do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there… The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so… Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord." Divination is actually regarded to be a grave sin. Declares 1 Samuel 15:23 NIV, "Rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry."


For curiosity and amusement, millions of ordinary citizens read the daily horoscopes published in mass-circulation newspapers. Is it okay to have this kind of casual 'fun' interest in astrology? What counsel does the Bible give on this type of issue? In 1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV, God emphatically states that we should "abstain from all appearance of evil."


King Nebuchadnezzar had asked his astrologers and other wizards to tell him his dream and interpret its meaning. How did they respond? Daniel 2:10 NIV, informs us, "The astrologers answered the king, 'There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer.' "


The astrologers of Babylon were unable to help the King with his troublesome dream. However, God had blessed his prayerful prophet Daniel with the true gifts of the Holy Spirit, and he was brought before the king to interpret the dream. The Bible says in Daniel 2:27-28 NKJ, "Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, 'The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these…' " With God's anointing, Daniel was able to then describe and explain the king's great prophetic dream.


If there is a need to understand perplexing situations in our lives, we are wise to shun the error and evil of astrology divination; but rather let us know that "there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets." Like Daniel, in prayer we can turn to God for help. And in the Bible, we have the assured counsel of His truth.

Fermented drinks in the Bible

What are the historical and scriptural facts about fermented drinks in the Bible?
      ALCHOLE
It is often supposed that in Bible times, grape juice inevitably fermented if kept for any length of time and that therefore whenever the Bible mentions “wine,” it is referring to the alcoholic beverage commonly called “wine” today. However, ancient civilizations had several ways of preventing fruit and fruit juices from fermentation, and thus were able to have non-alcoholic wine (grape juice) throughout the year.


One method involved boiling the juice and reducing it to a syrup that could later be diluted with water. Another was to boil the juice with minimum evaporation and then immediately seal it with beeswax in airtight jars. Drying the fruit in the sun and then reconstituting it with water, adding sulfur to the fruit juice, or filtering the juice to extract the gluten were also methods that would prevent the juice from fermenting. These means of preservation were known to the ancients, who also practiced boiling fermented juice to eliminate the alcohol. Referring to reconstituting grape syrup to make grape juice, Aristotle, who was born around 384 b.c., wrote “The wine of Arcadia was so thick that it was necessary to scrape it from the skin bottles in which it was contained and to dissolve the scrapings in water” (quoted in Nott’s Lectures on Biblical Temperance, p. 80). The poet Horace, born in 65 b.c., wrote, “There is no wine sweeter to drink than that of Lesbos; it was like nectar . . . and would not produce intoxication.”


“The Mishna [a collection of oral Jewish traditions] states that the Jews were in the habit of drinking boiled wine” (Kitto’s Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, vol. 2, p. 447). Naturally, this wine would be entirely free of alcohol as a result of the boiling, if not also from the manner of preservation.


In his commentary on the Gospel of John, Albert Barnes wrote, “The wine of Judea was the pure juice of the grape, without any mixture of alcohol. It was the common drink of the people and did not produce intoxication.” And Adam Clarke, commenting on Genesis 40:11, wrote, “From this we find that wine anciently was the mere expressed juice of the grape without fermentation. The saky, or cupbearer, took the bunch [of grapes], pressed the juice into the cup, and instantly delivered it into the hands of his master. This was anciently the yayin [wine] of the Hebrews, the oinos [wine] of the Greeks, and the mustum [wine] of the ancient Latins.” Clarke’s comments agree with the Scripture that declares “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for a blessing is in it’ ” (Isaiah 65:8, NKJV).

What does Bible Say about Clothes

CLOTHES
What kind of beauty is really worth having? Real beauty is inside the person and affects others positively. It's in the Bible, I Peter 3:3-4, NIV. "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."


Real beauty is not self-centered. It's in the Bible, I Timothy 2:9-10, NIV. "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."


Real beauty is found in the Lord. It's in the Bible, Psalms 90:17, NKJV "And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us…"

ABOUT SUFFERING IN THE BIBLE

Are there Complaints about Pain and Suffering in the Bible?
Complain, complain, complain. It seems that a major activity of humans is complaining. If we are willing to admit it, we have all been guilty of complaining sometimes.


One of the biggest complaints, voiced by people from toddlers to grownups is that something is "not fair." Fairness is a concept that we seem to have stamped into our brains. We have the idea that everything should be fair, so when we think we are not being treated fairly we complain about it. Even the writers of the Bible voiced their complaints.


For example the writer of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon, complained:


“In this meaningless life of mine, I have seen both of these:
A righteous man perishing in his righteousness,
And a wicked man living long in his wickedness.”
Ecclesiastes 7:15 NIV


How many times have you heard someone complain in a similar way, “Only the good die young.” We have a deep feeling that the wicked should suffer and good people should be blessed with wealth, prosperity and a long life. Solomon had more to say:


“There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve.”
Ecclesiastes 8:14 NIV


So, he is saying that the righteous should be blessed and the wicked should be punished, but it often happens the other way around. Most of us would agree with that. We say “Yes!!” when we see an evil person get what is coming to him. We ask “Why?” when a good person suffers. We think it should not be that way. Why do we think that? Did God put the idea of fairness into our heads?


Here is a shocking revelation about this life. This life is not fair! Furthermore, God never promised that this life would be fair. But that doesn’t stop us from thinking that it should be and complaining that it is not.


Solomon was not the only Biblical writer who complained about the situation. Another complainer was Asaph, a director of choral music in the house of the Lord under David and Solomon. Notice his words in Psalm 73:


“For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills….
“Sureley in vain have I kept my heart pure;
In vain I have washed my hands in innocence.”
Psalms 73:3, 4, 13 NIV


Are the wicked always prosperous? Is our clean living all in vain? Not really, but we sometimes feel that way. These words of Asaph are an exaggeration which results from frustration. This is a frustration which you may have had at some time -- perhaps now.


If being good does not bring good things to your life and protect you from the bad things, then why should you be good? On the other hand, if you knew that doing good would always bring rewards and always prevent bad results, wouldn’t you have more incentive to be good? In other words, if you knew that living a life of virtue would always give you health, wealth and prosperity with never a problem of pain and suffering, would you live a virtuous life? You would be foolish not to.


Suppose, however, that this world did work that way. Would your motive for living virtuously be because you love God and want to please Him? Of course not! Your motive would be strictly selfish. You would live virtuously to benefit yourself. If you were only doing it to benefit yourself, would it really be virtue? Think about this from the perspective of our heavenly Father. If you are a parent, do you want your child to obey you only because you give rewards for good behavior and only when you give those rewards? Wouldn’t you want your child to obey because your child wants to do what pleases you? Wouldn’t you want your child to obey out of love for you instead of rewards?


True virtue comes from doing the right thing even though we may not be rewarded and even though we may even be punished in this life. We don’t like to hear that. In the cartoon strip of Calvin and Hobbes one time young Calvin expected a reward for doing something good. His teacher told him, “Virtue is its own reward.” Calvin’s response was, “No wonder the world is in such bad shape!”


The best known biblical example of a righteous man who endured great pain and suffering is Job. (Rhymes with robe.) Job was a good and virtuous man. He suffered anyway. He also complained:


“Man born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”
Job 14:1 NIV


Job complained and questioned why God allowed terribly bad things to happen to him when he had lived a virtuous life. Even though he complained, Job never quit doing good and he never turned against God. In fact, Job said:


“Though he slay me yet will I trust him.”
Job 13:15 KJV


While Job continued to trust God, he wanted to plead has case before God himself. He wanted to ask God, “Why?” He was frustrated by God’s silence.


If I only knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling! I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.
Job 23:3, 4 NIV


We have all been faced with the question of why bad things happen to us. We want to plead our case before God. We want answers to our questions. So did Job.


Another biblical complainer was Jeremiah the prophet:


“You are always righteous, O Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked proper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?”
Jeremiah 12:1 NIV


Again Jeremiah used an exaggeration as he prayed to God for answers. The wicked and treacherous do not always thrive. The good do not always suffer. But because we think it should never be that way, we tend to remember those instances when it happens.


So did Jeremiah get an answer from God? Yes, he did. God told him it was going to get worse! That was not the answer Jeremiah wanted. He probably wanted God to say, “I’m sorry, Jeremiah, I will correct this situation right away.” If that is what Jeremiah wanted, he never got it. But Jeremiah accepted the answer he received.


Did God answer Job’s request to be allowed to come before God and plead his case? Yes, in the final chapters of the book God spoke to Job. However, when confronted with the majestic power of God, Job withdrew his complaint.


The bottom line is this: God does not promise us a life of health, wealth, and prosperity free of pain and suffering, in this world, even though we have within us a feeling that there should be such a life. Here is the best part. Jesus tells us that there is a time when the wrongs will be corrected and evil will be punished.


The fact that evil will be punished should sound an alarm for us. If we will examine ourselves clearly we will find that all of us have failed to live a virtuous life. We have all committed evil acts. We all deserve punishment. Our complaints of “That’s not fair!” could backfire on us if God gave us what we deserve. So what God has done is more than fair … to us. Jesus Christ, God in human flesh, was treated unfairly so that our sins can be forgiven. We can live forever in a place where God will wipe away all of the tears and there will be no more suffering or pain.


“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:4 NIV


So the Bible contains the complaints of other human beings like us who became discouraged over the unfairness of this life. God didn’t tell them he would immediately correct the problem. He didn’t tell them it would get better in this life. He usually didn’t answer their questions and complaints at all. He had already devised a better plan. In fact, it was a plan infinitely better than the complainers could imagine. It was a plan that only God himself could devise.

Are We Sinless?

      Are We Sinless?    

Over the years there have been numerous kinds of holiness movements that have had good intentions. Unfortunately, many have their promotion of holiness accompanied with the false teaching that we can achieve sinless perfection here on earth.


Are we sinless because we are forgiven, cleansed and given the Holy Spirit? Absolutely not. We are regenerated in our human spirit, given a new nature, but the old nature has not been removed.


What does the Bible say about sin and what is the biblical definition? The Bible says, “Sin is the transgression of the law” (I John 3:4). So any command by God that is not obeyed perfectly would be defined as sin. The apostle John makes it clear that, “All unrighteousness is sin” (I Jn. 5:17). So one would have to be perfectly righteous to not sin any longer. Paul also states, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23) which would include everything we do. And James makes a general statement about ones conscience and omission “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).


With these basic guidelines (and there are more) we can understand what the Bible defines as sin and how we are to act to not be considered participating in sin.


Everyone has Sin, believers and non-believers alike. The Bible states: “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We have a fallen nature and for this reason we need to be born again or have a spiritual birth. Adam introduced sin. It resulted in both spiritual and physical death for him, spiritual first. Only Adam became a sinner by sinning. We die physically because of Adam’s sin passed on to all succeeding generations spiritually, genetically. We are all born with a built-in death warrant, which is our sin nature, because we have inherited this sin nature from Adam. We are born already spiritually dead (separated from God).


Rom 3:10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; v.12 “there is none who does good, no, not one.” Jesus said to the rich young ruler who approached him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” (Mark 10:18). Only God is intrinsically good, only God by His nature does good and does it all the time.


It is only after we have a new nature that we can even do good! And it comes from our new nature not the old. As Paul makes clear “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18).


There are now two definitions of people: unbelievers (sinners) and believers (saints). God’s children are now called “saints,” and He calls the unredeemed “sinners” Rom. 1:7 ‘To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.” Rom. 5:8 “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Sinners are those who practice sin, this terminology is used to identify the ungodly, who live an ungodly life. Yet believers still sin, and it is because we still have a sinful nature. Many say we are no longer sinners and we are now saints, this becomes a problem of semantics. In the practical sense we are not sinners, but are still sinful. We have a positional change as well as a nature change. Sin is a nature that is in all mankind, NO man on earth does not have this fallen nature. They have been born with it and when we are born again we do not lose it, it is put aside as the ruling power over us.


The word Saint used for the believers show’s ones new position in Christ as they are set aside for his service, separate from the world (Rom.1:7; 1 Cor.1:2; Phil.4:21). Saints who are sinners saved by God’s grace have the new nature along with the old nature of sin in their body. In one way, when we identify sinners it means they have a lifestyle of sin, but this does not mean we who are saints are no longer called sinners. We still have sin in our members but since we practice holiness which no sinner can, we are not in the category of sinners per se. Yes we are saints (meaning to be set apart) but to lose this word and concept removes us from the reality that we ALL still sin.


Paul asks the rhetorical question. Is Christ therefore a minister of sin? No, he administrates holiness by his Spirit. When we yield to his Lordship, walk in faith by His Spirit we are fulfilling his commands (establish his laws and not transgress them).


Paul does talk about the old man we still have with us Eph.4:22; Col.3:9 and reminds us that our old man was crucified Rom. 6:6. The fact that we are to die to self, we are told to walk in the newness of life and obey from the heart implies that we have a choice in either fulfilling or failing in what we are asked to do. Which equals sin. In Romans 6 Paul speaking to believers states in verse 1. Do not continue in sin. V.2. Do not live in sin any longer. V.6. Do not serve sin. V. 12. Do not let sin reign in your body, do not obey your desires. V.13. Do not yield your body unto sin. V. 15. God forbid you should sin. V.16. The choice of sin, death is the result. V. 23. The wages of sin is death.


What is sanctification for, if we are already perfect and without sin? Sanctification is the process of working Christ’s nature in us daily to be more like him. This would not be necessary if we had sin removed, then we would already be like him. There are many heretical teachings that distort this and other key elements in the Scripture and teach this is a fulfilled promise to us already; it is NOT.


Gal. 3:22: “But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”


If one looks at the children of God throughout history none have claimed a spiritual condition of sinlessness. Look at Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob, or Job; Moses, David, Peter, John, or Paul. None of them claimed to be absolutely perfect and not guilty of any act of sin. Paul said he continued to do what he did not want to (Rom.7:15).


His solution to diminish sinning, 1 Cor. 9:27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” If Paul were Sinless there would be no reason to bring his flesh into submission of the Spirit, it would already be submitted..


If we are sinless as some claim what about these passages?


Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (I John 3:9)


This cannot mean we are now sinless. Because it would contradict what he said earlier in chapter one about our sin and confessing it “If we say that WE HAVE NO SIN, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (besides we would not die). If we are to take this scripture “Whoever has been born of God does not sin,” to mean absolute holiness and used to refer to the doctrine of absolute perfection; it proves, not that some Christians MAY be perfect, but all of them are, none are excluded. So there is not a special group of over-comers. But this verse does not teach that it is impossible for the Christian to sin. What it does teach is that it is impossible to be begotten of God and go on sinning as we once did.


The new nature battles against the old to overcome it. He who is born again does not CONTINUALLY sin, or is not HABITUALLY a sinner as he was before he came to know Jesus. The born again believer has no compulsion to sin over and over as He once had, driven by his fallen nature. He who is born again will not continue in, or like their sin. If anyone continually and habitually sins and does not feel ill about it, it may prove that he has NEVER been spiritually renewed. If one likes to sin and finds little consequence from it, not being grieved by what they have done they probably need to question if the Holy Spirit has His convicting work in their life. When one is sinning habitually, willfully without feeling any remorse and it does not lead them to repentance but hardens them, this shows that he is under the influence of the one whose nature it has been to sin.


Everyone who has the new birth- has passed from death to life, is not habitually a sinner; but has the power of the indwelling spirit to overcome the temptation of sin.


The wages of sin (payment) is death and saints die just as sinners die. This proves we still have a sin nature along with the new nature.


James explains how sin is birthed. Jm.1:14-15 “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” The source of sin doesn’t come from the outside but from within. We are drawn away from our own desires (the Greek means to be lured into a trap). It is not a single act, but a process that begins in our heart. You can say the real source is spiritual heart disease, our fallen human nature. Sin has its roots in the heart and influences the intellect and will and finds expression through the body (Prov.4:3; Mt.15:19-20; Lk.6:45; Heb.3:12.) To say you have no sin is to claim you have not reacted to any temptation. It is a fact that the closer one comes to being in relationship with Jesus Christ the more they will see their sinfulness. To claim one is no longer a sinner in any fashion, and no longer sins, shows how far away they are from the Lord and his word.


The religious leaders thought they were righteous because they obeyed God’s law and yet we see Jesus acknowledge “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’” (Luke 18:13) Are we not to have the same humble attitude even though we are saved? Of course we are, John says for us to confess our sin to be cleansed (1 Jn.1:9).


Are Saints Sinners?


The Bible itself does say that those who are saved are sinners in that we still sin. Gal. 2:16-17: “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners.” Here Paul makes the case that there is only one way to be justified, by faith in Christ. Yet we are still sinners though we have right standing with God. The Bible makes this clear. Sin is still present with the believer, we are in transition to eliminate it once and for all.


Speaking to the church James calls believers sinners (4:8) “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James makes this clear as he addresses the church, that if someone no longer tries to walk in holiness or turns from the teachings of Christ he is a sinner. James 5:19-20 “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, (he is addressing brethren) and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”


For Paul says “Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.” (1 Tim 5:24-25) Obviously Paul is making a dichotomy of the believers works (both good and bad) cannot be determined until later. Then we will know those done by the spirit and they will be eternal and those done in sin that will be burned up (according to 1 Cor. 3:13-15)


In Rom. 7:15 Paul describes his and our condition. “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.” Here Paul explains his own struggle with sin that is indicative of us all. He does what he does not want to do-sin. And what he wants to do he fails in. He goes on Rom. 7:17 “it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” V.18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing. Notice what Paul says next-V.20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. V. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” Paul says it is “ sin that dwells in me “ twice in this area of Scripture. He then brings it to a conclusion “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” The body of death is another way of explaining where sin resides


“Being then made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness” In other words we are no longer under its dominion, for it to be master over us. It does not mean we are relieved of all sin. As someone once said: “those who claim to be sinless, go ask their wives they’ll tell you the truth.”


Rom. 8:21-25 “because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” It is our hope but not a reality now, so we wait for the body of sin is delivered by the resurrection.


2 Cor. 5:2 “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven”


Only those who have the new nature know the harm from the old. We groan as we are on earth about our deliverance from the body of death, that brings sin.


1 Cor. 15:54-57: “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”


Do we still die? Yes, of course, so this means sin is still present with us. The believer’s sin stops at death when the believer is then released from the body of sin.


To believe we are sinless is as much a lie as Satan telling Eve she will not die.


Only sinful people sin, a perfect righteous man like Jesus could not. To say we have no sin disregards clear scriptures that tell the believers how to conduct themselves and not sin. It is not that we no longer sin but that we are no longer slaves to sin (Rom.6:16-18, 20).


Rom 6:13: “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
We could not have the ability to do this if we were no longer sinners.


Eph. 4:22-2: “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.” Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Let him who stole steal no longer…”


Col.3:9-10: “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” Why tell the believer what not to do and to obey if we are already doing this?


Rom. 13:13-14: “Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”


2 Cor. 7:1 “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”


We are asked to make ourselves clean which would not be a valid point if we are already sinless.


Again Paul makes it clear Rom 7:17-18: “But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” “But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” This does not have Paul shirk his responsibility of sin, he does not deny it nor claim he is perfected- sinless.


Want to know if you are sinless? Look at the Law of God and all His commands, if you keep them all perfect all the time then you no longer sinning.


Rom. 6:12-14: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Why say this if we cannot sin or know sin?


1 Cor. 9:27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” If Paul were Sinless there would be no reason to bring his flesh into submission of the Spirit.


Gal. 5:16-17 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Our war is within ourselves with the old nature trying to exercise its strength over the Spirit. Paul tells believers “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:13) the only way to have victory over the flesh and our sinful nature is by walking in the spirit


Scripture teaches that the closer you get to the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart, the more aware you are of you sinfulness and sinful temptations that affect you. It is those who have drifted far away or have self deceived themselves into thinking that sin has nothing to do with their character, this what the Bible calls a lie.


If one insists to hold the position they are truly sinless, in the same manner Jesus was without sin, I must question if they are saved. For one to be saved they must admit they are in need of a savior because of their sin and it is Jesus through the writings of the apostles that tells us we still are sinners.


Scripture testifies every person needs the Savior. It is likely that the heretics whom the apostle John writes against in his epistles denied that they had any sin, thus denying any need for the Savior.


I Jn. 1:8 “If we say that we have NO SIN, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is NOT in us.”
The Bible says we are sinful and need to agree with God on this fact otherwise deceive ourselves. This is the first of three statements “If we say.” John is citing this to directly refute the false claims of the heretics in the church.


9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”


If you don’t sin you don't need the blood to cleanse anymore. The confession of sins, Greek is homologeia which means “to say the same things as” God does about our sin. This is the only prerequisite for our complete forgiveness and cleansing. It should be obvious if you do not sin, then you do not need to confess. But John says to keep on confessing your sin to be cleansed. To NOT confess our sins shows we are not walking in the truth.


10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a .”


If we claim we have not sinned, we make him [God] out to be a liar and his word (which is truth) is not found in us. 1 Peter 1:23 we are not born again by his word


So lets summarize what John is stating:


Verse 8. Profession of sinlessness-self deception-not of truth-equals living a lie.


Verse 9. No confession of sin-Divine cleansing is denied -no removal of condemnation.


Verse 10. Denying we have sinned, means we are calling God a LIAR, and His truth does not reside in us.”


Renouncing sin is our greatest proof of our spiritual union with the Lord. The regenerate person cannot sin as he did before he was born of God, and as others do who are not born again. The more one grows closer to a holy God the more they see their creatureness and sinful nature compared His perfect one. If one claims they no longer sin they have not seen nor heard from God and are a LIAR. Denial of being a sinner is tantamount to calling God a LIAR, thus we have no revelation of the truth. John refutes the error that we have no sin nature, by using the word sin in the singular. It is not just the committal of sin but the principle of sin, sin in a general sense, sin of every description. There are those who profess to have become perfectly sanctified, and to live without any sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are truly deceived, self deception is a special kind of delusion brought on by ones own pride (James 3:2,5).


And John says prior in v.7 that we have no fellowship with the believers and his blood is not cleansing us of sin. This is quite serious. One must admit they are a sinner to be in reality as well as have a walk with Christ that is in truth. This is why when someone says they have sinlessness there is no fellowship with the believers or Christ.


All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; this means that if you claim to not have sin you have God’s glory, which for all intensive purposes makes you God. There is only one who has lived without sin- Jesus. If you are without sin then you are just as perfect as Jesus, in both thought and deed. Claiming to live without any sin shows that one is deceived in regard to himself and his relationship to the Lord God. Again this makes himself to be equal with God who alone exists is in a perfect state, having no sin.


We have the righteousness of Christ as a garment but we do not have only his new nature. He has not transformed us into being sinless, like he is, YET. I John 3:2 “it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”


God looks at us as being sinless through Christs’ righteousness and his sacrifice on the cross. We are positionally righteous but are in reality working out our sanctification. And that is how our life will be on earth.


You may get these sinless concepts from teachers and books, but not from the teachers or writers in 66 books of the Bible.

A Righteous Man Suffers - Bible Stories for Adults

Was Job suffering as the result of a serious sin or sins?

The Bible and “The Poor”

The richest 1% of the world’s population controls 40% of the world’s wealth, and the poorest 50% of the population controls a mere 1% of the world’s wealth. The Bible explicitly calls us to help those who are economically disadvantaged.


PUTTING A FACE ON “THE POOR”


“The poor” in the Bible are those without land or without the economic, legal, and political resources to be self-sustaining households. The poor are a diverse group of the disenfranchised: subsistence farmers, day workers, indentured slaves, beggars, widows, prostitutes, the chronically infirm, and resident aliens (Exodus 22:21; 23:9; Deuteronomy 10:17-19; 24:17-22; Leviticus 19:33-34).


CALLS TO HELP THE POOR


Giving material assistance to the poor is a central ethical principle in the Bible, which applies to both individuals and communities. Israel’s constitution (the Torah) establishes a social safety net for the poor: wealth and food should be redistributed (gleaning: Deuteronomy 23:24-25; 24:19-20; Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22; third-year tithes: Deuteronomy 14:22-29; 26:12-15); debts should be relieved on a routine basis (Sabbath year: Leviticus 25:1-7, 21-22; Exodus 21:1-11; Deuteronomy 15:1-11, 12-18); the working conditions of day laborers should be regulated (wages: Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Leviticus 19:13; rest: Sabbath day: Exodus 20:8-11; Sabbath and Jubilee years: Exodus 23:10-11); financial requirements for sacrifices and legal obligations should be on a sliding scale (sacrifices: Leviticus 5:7, 11; 12:8; 14:21-22; criminal fines: Exodus 22:2; Leviticus 27:8); and finally, legal justice should be impartial to the wealthy and the poor (Leviticus 19:5; Exodus 23:3) as well as the Israelite and the alien (Numbers 15:15).


Israel’s prophets frequently spoke out on behalf of the poor. They explicitly called both rulers and citizens to uphold the cause of the poor and needy (Jeremiah 22:16; cf. Zecheriah 7:10) and to “see that justice is done, defend widows and orphans and help those in need ” (Isaiah 1:17, CEV). All of Israel was called to “see that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God” (Micah 6:8, CEV; cf. Amos 5:24) precisely because it is God who will ultimately champion the cause of the poor (Isaiah 11:4; 25:4; 29:19; 58:6-7; 61:1-2; Jeremiah 20:13; Habakkuk 3:14; Zephaniah 3:12).


Jesus offered explicit instructions on what his disciples should do with the possessions they renounced to follow him: sell them and give alms to the poor (Luke 12:32-34; Mark 10:21; cf. Luke 11:41; Matthew 5:40-42; 6:1-4; Luke 6:29-30; 10:25-37; 19:1-10; and possibly Mark 12:41-44). Providing for the material well-being of the economically disadvantaged, no matter their allegiance to Jesus, represents a central practice of those who themselves hunger and thirst for the righteousness that characterizes the kingdom of God that Jesus proclaims.


Paul reminds his congregation that Jesus himself modeled generous giving because “our Lord Jesus Christ was kind enough to give up all his riches and become poor, so that you could become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9, CEV).


CRITIQUING ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION AND EXCESSIVE FAITH IN POSSESSIONS


Many biblical texts speak out against the exploitation of the impoverished by the wealthy and powerful, and critique the idolatry of placing one’s trust in material possessions instead of God.


Surveying situations of economic injustice not unlike those of today (Jeremiah 2:34; Ezekiel 16:49; 18:12; 22:29; Amos 4:1), outspoken prophets decried specific abuses: urban traders buying up the land of poor peasants in violation of property inheritance laws (Micah 2:2); merchants getting rich by business practices that defraud the poor (Hosea 12:7-8; Amos 5:11-12; 8:5-6; cf. Ezekiel 45:10-12); creditors unethically foreclosing on debts (Amos 2:6-8); employers denying workers their pay (Malachi 3:5); citizens refusing to pay the tithes that support the needy (Malachi 3:10); creditors failing to observe Sabbath years that protect indentured slaves (Jeremiah 34:8-22); and wealthy citizens miscarrying justice and stealing the property of the poor (Isaiah 3:14-15; 10:1-2; 32:7; Jeremiah 5:27-28; Amos 5:12; Micah 7:3).


Jesus frequently criticizes the injustices perpetrated against the poor by the wealthy elite preoccupied with their own security and desire for profit. He berates those who exploit the resources of widows (Mark 12:38-40; cf. Luke 3:10-14; Isaiah 10:1-2; Zechariah 7:10; Malachi 3:5) and condemns religious leaders who steal from the people (Mark 11:15-17; cf. Jeremiah 7:8-11). Similarly, he expresses outrage at those who cold-heartedly ignore their obligations to those in need (Mark 3:1-6; 7:9-13; Luke 11:37-42; 14:1-6; cf. Luke 16:4, 19-31). Like previous prophets, he also decries both those who are over-anxious about their wealth (Mark 4:18-19; Matthew 6:24, 27, 33) and those who are overconfident about their financial security (Luke 6:24; 12:13-21), even though he also approves of the shrewd use of money to help the poor (Luke 16:9) and sometimes enjoys the luxurious banquets of the wealthy, but usually as an opportunity to question their assumptions about how a person’s socio-economic status among people relates to their spiritual status before God (Luke 7:36-50; 11:37-54; 14:7-11, 15-24).

How People Made a Living in the Time of Jesus

The Bible describes a wide range of cultures and lifestyles. The time from Abraham to the time of the early church spans a period of about two thousand years. How people made a living varied depending on when and where they lived. Some people were “nomads,” living in small groups, keeping flocks of sheep and goats, and traveling from place to place in order to feed and protect their animals. Others lived more settled lives, growing crops or providing services to people in towns and urban areas. Most of the “jobs” described in this article were still practiced by at least some part of the population of Palestine at the time of Jesus.


Living Off the Land: Herding and Farming


The Bible describes the many different kinds of jobs people had in the ancient world, but caring for land and animals are two of the central jobs mentioned. Genesis reports that one of Adam and Eve's sons herded sheep while the other farmed the land (Gen 4.2). The earliest ancestors of the people of Israel, including Abraham and Sarah, traveled from place to place and survived by keeping herds and flocks of animals (Gen 13.1-3). Another piece of evidence for the importance of herding and farming in ancient Israelite society is that the Bible gives special instructions about eating (Lev 11), sacrificing animals (Lev 1), and sacrificing grain (Lev 2).


Herding


Keeping herds of animals like sheep and goats was common among the many generations of the people of Israel. At first, these herders (shepherds) were wandering nomads who lived in tents and had very little personal property. They moved from place to place, always trying to find food and water for their animals. They survived by eating the meat and drinking the milk produced by their flocks. They used the animals' wool and hides to make clothes and other things, including the tents they lived in.


Shepherds


Closer to the time of Jesus, when urban life was more developed, shepherds may also have lived in or near villages. They had the right to let their flocks feed in the nearby pastures and would have been hired by landowners who needed help to harvest their fields. When food supplies got scarce near the villages, shepherds would move their herds to mountain pastures in the hot summer, or to warmer valleys in the winter.


A Shepherd’s Life


A shepherd's life was not easy. Shepherds spent most of their time outside watching over the herd, no matter what the weather. They often slept near their flock to protect it from robbers or wild animals. The shepherd's tools and weapons were a rod, a staff, and a sling. Each night, the shepherds would gather their flocks into places called “sheepfolds.” These could be stone walls made by the shepherds or natural enclosures, such as a cave. Shepherds used their rod to help count their animals each evening when they brought them into the fold and again in the morning when they left for the pastures.


Farming


When the Israelites settled in Canaan after leaving their life of slavery in Egypt, farming became a more important way of making a living for them. Grains, such as wheat and barley, were used for making bread, and were the most important crop. Grains, as well as lentils and peas, are known to have been cultivated in Palestine since prehistoric times. Unlike farmers in Egypt and Mesopotamia, Israelite farmers did not need to depend on irrigation for water. Even though the rainy season in Palestine was rather short and the soil was often rocky, the farmers' know-how in clearing and fertilizing the land usually produced fine crops. The Israelite farmers learned how to grow crops according to the yearly cycle of rainy and dry spells. They also learned to adjust the crops to what was best for the different kinds of land: fertile plains, rocky hills, and semi–barren areas. As time went on, their knowledge as farmers helped them to grow fruits, including melons, figs, dates, grapes, and olives.


Crop Growing and Religious Festivals


Growing crops affected the economy and social life of the people. For example, some of the major religious festivals in Israel--the Harvest Festival and the Festival of Shelters--were coordinated with the farming cycle. The Harvest Festival, also called the Festival of Weeks, celebrated the wheat harvest in the spring (Exod 23.16). The Festival of Shelters (or Booths) is an autumn holiday for the occasion of the planting and gathering of crops, and the annual harvest.


The Sabbatical Year


An amazing feature of the life of Israel was the sabbatical year, the one year in every seven when farmers would let the land rest. This followed the pattern of working only six days out of each week according to God's command to rest on the seventh day, called the Sabbath (Exod 23.10–12). This sabbatical rest for the fields also had practical benefits, since it increased the long-term fertility of the land.


Crop Rotation


The people may also have practiced crop rotation, further improving the soil (Isa 28.23–29). The orderly way in which the farmers grew their crops was to match God's plan for the Israelite people and for the good of creation. From a religious perspective, however, deuteronomy makes it clear that a large harvest also depended on how the people of Israel obeyed God's commandments (Deut 11.10-17).


Fishing


Fishing was a far less important source of food and income for the people of Israel, since the Philistines and others controlled the seacoast. What fish were available usually came from Lake Galilee and the Jordan River. The most common fish was a type of sardine. According to the Law of Moses, the Israelite people were not to eat fish that lacked fins or scales (Deut 14.9), but the Bible does not mention specific kinds of fish. Since fishing is mentioned so little in the Jewish Scriptures (Old Testament), some scholars think it was not important to the economy of Israel. It is possible that the fishing industry was more prosperous in the time of Jesus than it had been earlier, since when Jesus called James and John to be his disciples, they left the family fishing business to their father and the “hired workers” (Mark 1.19,20). For more, see the mini-article called "Fish and Fishing."


Special Skills and Crafts


As the Israelites became more settled in and near cities, they became involved in many other types of work. Some men and women became skilled workers, or artisans, who worked on various crafts, very often at home. Many times parents taught their children these skills so they could also use them to make a living. Skilled workers were highly respected, since people needed their skills and products to live comfortably. After the time of the exile (around 538 b.c.; see the mini-article called "Exile"), artisans in the same type of craft began to form into professional groups. Such groups of people in the same business were still present in New Testament times (see Acts 19.24-27). Those who worked on special crafts were builders, stonemasons (stonecutters), carpenters, woodcarvers, boatbuilders, goldsmiths, silversmiths, glass workers, potters, leather workers, weavers, and fullers (who worked with cleaning and texturing old and new cloth).


Crafts


The Bible tells us that Jesus grew up helping his father Joseph, who was a carpenter (Matt 13.55). And the apostle Paul apparently made a living at the craft of tentmaking (Acts 18.3). Some crafts like baking, cooking, and sewing were done in the everyday work of keeping a household, but some people used these skills to create businesses as well.


Servants and Slaves


Many people, free and slave, provided personal services as laborers. These servants included household servants, employed by royalty and other wealthy people. Such servants might work as cooks, maids, groundskeepers, tutors, or in helping to care for children. Loyal household workers were highly valued. A royal servant called a cupbearer (Gen 40.11; Neh 1.11) brought food and drink to a ruler. Others served as midwives (Gen 35.16-18), doctors (2 Chr 16.12; Mark 5.25,26), nurses (usually a woman who fed another woman's baby), money-changers (Matt 21.12), innkeepers (Luke 2.7; 10.35), and prostitutes (Gen 38.14-18; Josh 2.1).


Slavery


Often the Bible is not always clear when describing the work of servants, because the word “servant” may mean either a slave or a person hired to do some task. Slavery in many forms was fairly common in Bible times. Some people sold themselves into slavery to pay back a debt, or because they were desperately poor and that was the only way they could get food and shelter. Many slaves in Bible times were prisoners of war. Most slaves performed household work rather than field work or manual labor. There are some rules regarding slavery in the Bible, including ones that put a limit on the customs for slavery and recommended when a term of slavery should come to an end (Exod 21.2-6; Lev 25.10, 38-41). There was also some expectation that slaves would be treated fairly and without cruelty (Deut 23.15,16).