ChristianLiving

My Bible Shelf Spotlight: The One Year Chronological Bible

Tammy M CardwellLeave a comment
Here you have all of the Bibles I currently own.

My second, third, and fourth Bible readthroughs were in the New Living Translation (NLT) Chronological Bible. A chronological Bible differs from a traditional one in that, instead of following the standard book order, it arranges events in the order in which they occurred—or as closely as theologians can determine.

This particular combination of translation and timeline was a revelation to me. Though my second readthrough took a year, the third took three months, and the fourth only six weeks. I was like a child who had just discovered the joy of real food; I couldn’t get enough.

The New Living Translation spoke to me in a way I understood and, to this day, it remains my favorite for everyday reading. However, where my suddenly open eyes were concerned, chronology was key.

The Bible is often referred to as the greatest story ever told. I hesitate to use the word “story” because many associate it with fiction, but the idea of a grand narrative fits in this case.

This collection of 66 books is packed with the most awe-inspiring and life-changing accounts ever recorded. When rearranged into historical order, your experience with the text shifts. Rather than reading 66 individual books, you engage with one epic account, where each event leads into the next. Your eyes widen as you make connections you had never imagined. For example, by the time I reached the end of Leviticus in my 90-day readthrough, I understood its purpose like never before.

Leviticus was the book where I had previously stumbled in my attempts to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Now, I grasped the necessity of its detailed laws and instructions. The Israelites, though enslaved for hundreds of years, were destined to become a mighty nation. Leviticus served as their crash course in how to function as a healthy, well-governed people. Of course, there is much more to Leviticus, and I have come to genuinely love it, but at that point, I was simply grateful to understand at least one reason why it was included in the Bible.

The Bible is available in chronological order in several translations. The one pictured here was actually my ninth readthrough Bible, structured with selections that, if read without stopping to study, would take about 15 minutes a day. Regardless of the translation, this remains true—you can read through the Bible in a year by consistently committing even that small amount of time.

Now that we’ve covered chronology, let’s talk about translation. The New Living Translation is a thought-for-thought or dynamic equivalence translation. This means it focuses on conveying the meaning behind sentences and paragraphs rather than adhering strictly to a word-for-word approach. By allowing the original thought to guide the translation, the NLT stays true to scripture’s meaning while making it more accessible to contemporary readers. Idioms and cultural expressions that were clear to the original audience are rendered in ways we can better appreciate today.

Here’s an example of the difference between the King James Version (KJV) and the NLT:

Proverbs 26:18-19

KJV:
As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

NLT:
Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”

I had growing boys when I first read this verse in the NLT, and the words hit me hard. How many times had I heard my sons do exactly this—lie to one another and then try to smooth it over by saying, “I was only joking”? I had never seen these verses in such a light before, nor realized how dangerous and damaging such lies could be. The phrases “deadly weapon” and “only joking” resonated deeply, slipping into my heart in a new way and affecting my parenting.

And isn’t that what the Bible is meant to do? It changes us and how we interact with those around us. If it doesn’t, we’re missing something and I try hard to avoid that mistake. When reading the Bible, I strive to remain open to anything the Holy Spirit wants me to see and to be quick to put it into practice in my life.

Until next time, I’m still…

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

The Bondservant’s Choice: A Deeper Look at Commitment to Christ

Tammy M CardwellLeave a comment

Many years ago, when it first became fashionable for men to get ear piercings, I was told it was an ungodly practice because, “In the Bible, only slaves got their ears pierced.” I don’t remember having had an opinion one way or the other at that point, but once the Bible had been brought into the conversation so definitely, I decided to check it out for myself. What I found was truly fascinating.

This person was correct about the piercing of the ear marking someone as a slave, but their surface level interpretation was lacking. In Exodus 21:2-6 we learn what it meant to become a permanent slave or bondservant. One who had worked his full six years as a slave would be set free in the seventh year. However, if this man loved his master and wanted to continue serving him permanently, he could choose to do so. When he did, he was taken before the judges to testify to his wish and then his ear was pierced as a permanent mark of his freewill choice.

So yes, his ear was pierced to mark him as a slave or bondservant, but it was by choice and a decision made out of love for someone he wanted to devote his life to. This all reminded me of New Testament authors referring to themselves as slaves or bondservants of Jesus Christ. Thinking back to the person’s statement, I had to laugh because, by their reasoning, every man who has genuinely committed to serve Jesus should be required to get his ear pierced.

No, I did not seek them out to correct their wrong assumption. It seemed pointless.

So fast forward to today, or recently when I began reading from Rick Renner’s new offering, the Renner Interpretive Version: James & Jude. If you’re unfamiliar with Renner and this first step towards a complete Renner Interpretive Version of the New Testament, know that this man has a firm grasp not only on the Koine Greek, but on the cultural significance and application of the original language. Where I could technically look up the Greek word and its literal meaning, Rick Renner’s knowledge goes deeper, into how the original reader would have received the words.

So let’s look at the first part of James 1:1.
In the King James, it reads, “James, a servant of God…” But in the RIV we get…

I am James, first, foremost, and forever a completely committed, lifelong servant of God. As is the case with all such servants, this means my life is dedicated exclusively to doing His will and to faithfully carrying out any assignment He will ever entrust to me.

I only thought I understood what it meant to be a bondservant when I read Exodus 21 all those years ago. I mean, I did understand it in a sense. Everything James says here is included in what I had learned intellectually. I knew it was the servant’s choice. I knew it was a lifelong commitment. I also knew such a servant had one primary purpose in life, and that was to fulfill the will of his master. Seeing it expressed in such a new way, however, and from James, who didn’t believe his brother’s claims until after the Resurrection, hit me firmly in the heart. Can I say the same? Could I honestly speak the words James penned?

I’ve maintained for years that for a man to call himself a Christian while living a life that is not truly dedicated to Christ is a violation of the commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” Looking at Christianity in light of the way this version presents this verse makes my conviction even stronger. Let’s break it down.

first, foremost, and forever

Is my commitment to God, to Jesus, the first thing I think about? Is it always foremost in my mind, and what inspires all my actions? Is it unconditionally forever? Absolutely yes to the last question; I’m in this for eternity! However, I must really examine myself when it comes to “first and foremost.” I say God is my #1 and He is, but I would be lying if I implied that my flesh doesn’t rise up on occasion, that self never demands to be first in line. Unfortunately, I’m not perfect and I battle self on an ongoing basis. When I lose the battle what do I do? Repent, and determine to do better next time.

a completely committed, lifelong servant of God

I am committed. I am completely committed to squash self and the flesh. I sometimes fail, but the commitment is there, and it is eternal. As we’ve already established, my heart is set to serve God throughout this life and forever.

Next he goes deeper. “As is the case with all such servants,” he says, “this means…”

my life is dedicated exclusively to doing His will

Here we go. All bondservants choose in advance to dedicate their lives to doing the will of their master and only the will of their master. There is no picking and choosing. I can’t say, “God, that other thing you told me to do? I am all in on that, but please don’t expect me to do this!” Well, I can say it. In fact, I have said it during some of our honest and occasionally gut-wrenching conversations. It’s at times like this that I truly appreciate the fatherhood of God, because He has an ability to be loving and merciful while also being decisive and firm that earthly fathers could really learn from. Generally, He sets me right and, when I obey, I see joy in that obedience. When I don’t obey, that’s when He calls me to repentance and, occasionally, gives me an opportunity to make things right. (At other times, I have to face the natural consequences of my disobedience, but that’s a topic for another day.)

and to faithfully carrying out any assignment He will ever entrust to me

I really appreciate the way this is phrased, because it reiterates the fact that I made the decision in advance when I chose to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. As my Lord, He has the right to give me any assignment, to tell me to do anything. As one who has, of my own free will, accepted His lordship, I have the responsibility to do anything He ever asks of me at any point today or in the future. In thinking about this, I’m reminded of Abraham’s reaction when God told him to go to the mountain and offer Isaac up as a sacrifice. Talk about a stomach-churning command! But Abraham had already established his relationship with God and wasn’t about to disobey. God, of course, provided the substitute sacrifice once Abraham demonstrated his commitment – and this proved to be a foreshadowing of what would transpire later at Calvary. What would have happened if Abraham had refused?

So yes, I too am a servant of God, a bondservant of Jesus Christ. An imperfect servant? Oh yeah, but I strive to keep my heart right at all times and I look forward to an eternity of carrying out any assignment He will ever entrust to me.

What about you?

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

You may wish to read my review of the Renner Interpretive Version: James & Jude.

Review: Renner Interpretive Version: James & Jude