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Rightly Dividing

Rightly Dividing

By Mark Tank

A thoughtful discussion about God and the Bible: the Rightly Dividing podcast is for people with open minds and many questions.
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Are we mindless entities in this universe? EP5

Rightly DividingApr 20, 2021

00:00
11:22
The True Gospel

The True Gospel

It has gone unnoticed, but Christians have not been preaching the full gospel. A half-truth is not the whole truth. It is time we start preaching the true gospel. The gospel came to us from Jesus Christ, and he called it the gospel of the kingdom. I will make this clear in this video.

Dec 09, 202316:46
The Christmas Gift

The Christmas Gift

So many people give Christmas gifts and have no idea of the meaning behind it. Then I have heard many messages about giving Christmas gifts that have downplayed its importance. It is usually shadowed with the idea of covetousness. We need to focus on what is good about giving Christmas gifts so that we can better understand the Gift God has given to the world. You can read or print an article I wrote on giving Christmas gifts here. https://husbandman.org/the-christmas-gift/

Dec 06, 202316:14
What is the light on day one of Genesis?

What is the light on day one of Genesis?

For centuries, people have wondered what the light of day one was. I think John explains it well. When this powerful truth is understood, it can change your life and the world.

Dec 02, 202329:40
Genesis – I confess!

Genesis – I confess!

After thinking about it, I realized that the language I was using did not convey the purpose of my teaching. I want a chance to work through this with you. I believe that having a proper attitude toward the first three chapters will change the direction Christianity is heading today! https://husbandman.org

Nov 06, 202306:51
Do You Hunger An Thirst For Rightesouness?

Do You Hunger An Thirst For Rightesouness?

Introduction

I don't know about you, but I have read the Bible so many times where I read and knew what I read but never really thought about it more than superficially. Understanding how a tool works and how to use it are two different things. We have to meditate on what we read and think of how what we have learned can become beneficial; being good citizens of God's kingdom is learning the mind of the King.


With this in mind, I want to look at Matthew 5:6


"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."


In my family, we joke about becoming Hangry. When you are starving, all you want is your appetite to be satisfied. Food is all you can think about. So, can you think of a time when food was all you can think about? Funny thing is we do this daily; ha ha ha!


What about being thirsty? I remember when I was in high school, I had a job working at a car dealership cleaning cars. I worked out in the hot sun for hours and became so thirsty. As I drove home in my car, which was more like an easy bake oven, I dreamed of a cool glass of water! I was going to put ice in a large metal bowl and go outside and drink it as it poured down over my scorching body.

Oct 06, 202312:02
Nobody is a good person!

Nobody is a good person!

What is a good person, and why try to be one? These questions lead us to some thoughts that the Bible answers. If you don't like the Biblical answers, you must develop one that makes sense and is based on reason. Genesis leads us down this pathway, and we will look at that today.

Jul 14, 202311:28
The Sin of Cain—It is your sin too!
Jun 03, 202330:05
Death Before The Fall

Death Before The Fall

In this video, we will take an honest look at Genesis and the garden's setting within the world at large. Understanding the difference between the two can help us come to some reasonable conclusions about death. Is Answers in Genesis right?

May 02, 202336:25
The Bible & Philosophy—Don't be an idiot!

The Bible & Philosophy—Don't be an idiot!

Only an idiot would live without a worldview. Having thought about the four big questions and coming to a conclusion is the rational way to live out your life. This video will look at the best way to have a good worldview.

Apr 24, 202329:01
Naked & Afraid

Naked & Afraid

When God created the first humans, they were naked and felt no shame. Then something changed all that. They made a bad attempt to cover themselves and hid from God. In this video, we will see how God handled this problem.

Apr 15, 202315:39
The Resurrection - I believe and you should too!

The Resurrection - I believe and you should too!

Life is a miracle, no matter how you think it came to be. The creation of life from non-life is a mystery. If you believe God created life, then it should be easy to believe in a resurrection.

Apr 07, 202315:05
The Crucifixion Tree

The Crucifixion Tree

In the garden, God created two trees that represented choices the humans had to make. These first humans choose to do the wrong thing. Sin entered the world. God then placed cherubs at the garden entrance to forbid them access to the tree of life. Thousands of years later, Jesus came and was innocently crucified on a Roman cross known as a tree.

https://husbandman.org

Apr 01, 202318:54
Yes there is sin!

Yes there is sin!

Some do not like to believe in sin; they hate the concept and word SIN! If you believe in right and wrong, you believe in sin. Sin is a word used for doing wrong. The question is, are we held accountable for sin? In this episode, we will examine what the Bible says about evil. Even if you do not believe the Bible, you must somehow reconcile how to deal with sin.

https://Husbandman.org

Mar 25, 202327:18
Do We Have Free Will

Do We Have Free Will

If we consider our choices, we have to consider what options are. Are the chemical process in the brain that we have no control over? Is there final justice for the good and bad decisions we make? If we choose to love, is it real or just a deception? One has to start with a foundation that is either we are an accident or a creation. If there was no purpose to our existence, then there is no purpose to our choices. On the other hand, if we are created, then we do have real choices with real consequences.

https://youtu.be/evyznjupAvs

Mar 18, 202319:51
What is a Kind

What is a Kind

People have trouble with kinds because they have been confused by evolution. Even a child knows what a kind is! Genesis is scientifically correct when it states that God made kinds because everyone experiences the reality of kinds.

Mar 14, 202316:58
Genesis & Human Sexuality

Genesis & Human Sexuality

Genesis helps us understand who we are as humans. We are not an accident; we are the creation of a God who desires our best. Part of love is to teach right from wrong, and God is loving. In this video, we will look at how God created us and the plan He has for our life. The primary function of the human body is reproduction. Just as all living things, we are made to reproduce.

Mar 05, 202317:34
The Creation of Man

The Creation of Man

In this episode, we will look at the creation of man and the garden. Everyone needs a story for their life. The story creates a purpose. The story needs to be something you can believe in, or else it will not help at all. If you can find a better story about why you exist and your purpose in life, then believe! I have not found one, and so Genesis is my story.

Feb 25, 202327:02
We Must Keep The Sabbath; But How?

We Must Keep The Sabbath; But How?

The Sabbath was a civil law that came from the Ten Commandments. We do not have to keep a civil law because we are not part of the nation of Israel. However, we do have to keep the purpose of the Sabbath command, which is to put our faith into practice and trust God for all our needs.

website: https:/husbandman.org


Feb 18, 202331:53
Was the Sun Created on Day 4?

Was the Sun Created on Day 4?

In this episode, we will consider if the sun was created long ago with the universe or if it was created on day four.

Feb 12, 202329:43
 What is the light on the first day?

What is the light on the first day?

In this video, I want to walk you through my process of how I learn to understand the Bible. It is through a series of questions.

Feb 04, 202326:50
Does the Soul Sleep at Death?

Does the Soul Sleep at Death?

Some say the soul sleep in an unconscious state at death while other say we are immediately in the presence of the Lord. Can the sleep and being in the presence of the Lord be reconciled? Find out in this episode.

Jan 29, 202334:27
Genesis: The Kingdom of God.

Genesis: The Kingdom of God.

I start with the words of Jesus to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We ask ourselves what kingdom is Jesus talking about and that takes us back to Genesi.

Oct 15, 202234:28
Genesis: The Garden Finale.

Genesis: The Garden Finale.

What is my purpose in life? Genesis Answers this!

It is possible Genesis 1:26-31 is specifically talking about the garden, and if so, it has some powerful meanings, like why we exist.

Sep 10, 202211:10
Genesis: Finishing up the week.

Genesis: Finishing up the week.

In this episode, I try to finish up the week so that we can move on to chapter two. Chapter to is where the real theology starts to form.

Jul 01, 202215:02
Genesis: Day two and the waters that were divide.

Genesis: Day two and the waters that were divide.

This podcast is about the second day and the waters above the firmament. There has been some controversy over this text, but that is largely due to the fact that some want to make Genesis a scientific discourse. This is what I am apposed to. What is so vitally important is that we read Genesis without connecting to a scientific theory on how things happen. In this case we are not concern about why, meaning how, we have water and rain on the earth. We are concerned with he how come there is water and rain. These are two different questions, that many seem to convolute. Anyway I hope you enjoy it.

May 28, 202217:40
Genesis: Let there be Light

Genesis: Let there be Light

Let there be light.

In the previous episodes, I have been trying to show that we must read Genesis as story telling us why our universe and we humans exist because it is was written to give meaning to our existence.

If we remove ourselves from interpreting it as a timeline of events describing the creation process, it becomes possible to think about the text with fresh eyes. To demonstrate this, I want to look at day one and the creation of light. Here I will follow the Apostle John’s way of reading Genesis.

John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

Notice John says that there was a spoken Word as God said, “let there be light.” The Word was Jesus, and He is life, and this life was the light of men. That demonstrates that John is using Genesis as a metaphor. Something does not have to be read literally to be truthful. Jesus told many parables that were not to be taken literally except for the truth they taught.

Genesis 1:3-5 “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

We have to pay attention to a couple of cues that will tell us how to read these verses. God creates light and then divides it from the darkness, and he names the two divisions day and night. If we are to be literal, we know that day is when the sun is up and night is when it is hidden. If you don’t read it this way, one has to realize they are making up a concept that does not have reality attached to it.

Why would God turn it off the light if it was a vacuum? Why allow darkness? That is very hard to comprehend! The people Moses wrote this to would have no concept of the earth rotating around the sun, which we didn’t figure out until thousands of years later. They would only know that the sun comes up and then disappears.

We also have to think in terms of what darkness means. Today we have lights everywhere, but for the ancient people, light wasn’t with them constantly. If you have ever been away from any light and there was no moon, you realize how dark it can be. You will also recognize that it is terrifying because you have no idea what is around you. You could trip over a rock or fall off a cliff, walk into a tree, or a dangerous animal. Darkness is chaos; it is disorder. Light then is the exact opposite. It is beauty and order.

I know that many have struggled with what this light could be because they believe the sun was not created until day four. We will deal with this in more detail later. However, I will say this now. It does not say the heavenly bodies were created on day four because the word bara was not used. Instead, what we are reading on day four is God telling us He made these celestial bodies for our timekeepers.

As our knowledge of the heaven/sky has increased, this truth has not been found faulty but is become more defined. We define our universe by light, and when astrophysicists describe the size of the universe, it is with lightyears, and light is what defines our space and time dimensions.

However, the genius in Genesis is that it talks about Jesus long before He stepped foot on the earth. Besides what we have read in John, we have other references to Jesus and the light that brings order into our world.

John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk
Apr 03, 202207:56
Genesis: A Lord Above All

Genesis: A Lord Above All

In this episode, I talk about how Genesis should be read as a teleology that gives meaning to our world instead of a narrative explaining how it came to be. We want to know why more than how. People want to know they are loved by their parents more than how they conceived them. I am not aware of anyone who struggles with life because of not understanding conception, but I have met people struggling with the feeling they are not loved.


I also talk about how the creation week is set up to be rememberable. On day one, God creates light. Corresponding with day one, day four, God gives the light to the celestial bodies to govern our time and seasons. On day two, God divides the waters, forming the sky. That corresponds to day five because God gives the water to the fish and the sky to the birds. On day three, God created dry land with its plants, occupied by animals and man on day six. If you remember one of the first three days, you can remember the last three days and the other way around.


The last point is that we are to recognize that there is only one Lord and this God made very thing. We do not have to figure out who we are to follow in this world. Many gods want us to participate in their kingdom, but we only have to trust in one God, who is the real God.

Mar 20, 202223:54
Genesis is a type of story to tell us why!

Genesis is a type of story to tell us why!

Whether you realize it or not the way we think about the world today is very different than the way people thought about the world in the past. This is because all people alive have lived in the age of enlightenment. This age started in the 17th century and has change the way most of the humanity views the world and the universe. We think different than people in the past! We must consciously think about this when reading things written from the past. Listen for more.

Mar 04, 202213:12
Genesis The People

Genesis The People

To understand a text correctly, you need to figure out its purpose. If your boss got a love letter, you wrote to your husband, and your husband got the letter written to your boss, they would be pretty confused. So today, we will look at why and who Genesis was written to.

Feb 06, 202208:02
An Introduction to Genesis

An Introduction to Genesis

I have wanted to teach on Genesis for some time now. I was encouraged to write a book on it, and I have a manuscript. It is time for me to start teaching what I have learned. I think that anyone who listens to this will glean something new. I am not teaching this to reaffirm anyone's belief about Genesis, and I am teaching this to be honest to the text.

Jan 29, 202210:30
My Rant About Atheist

My Rant About Atheist

After communicating with Atheist and trying to figure them out I learned somethings that are incredulous. This my rant about the dishonesty of atheist.

Jan 08, 202219:52
Deconstruction and Disbelief

Deconstruction and Disbelief

Deconstruction seems to be a common term these days. With the rise of the internet more information is available than ever. With all this information confusion sets in as to what is true. In this podcast I want to show how getting back to a big story about your life and this world will help you filter out unnecessary noise. Even if you don't agree with my conclusion I hope it will stimulate your thinking about the need for a big story.

Please comment on this podcast at https:husbandman.org

Dec 07, 202107:40
Penal Substitution vs Substitutionary Atoment.

Penal Substitution vs Substitutionary Atoment.

I admit that this debate is relatively new to me, so I cannot comment on everything as I am not an expert. I want to comment on some things that I heard. One of the things I came across was a discussion between William Lane Craig and Greg Boyd on the Unbelievable Youtube channel.

Nov 25, 202110:38
Bible Patterns and Prototypes.

Bible Patterns and Prototypes.

You might have to listen to this more than once because my illustration probably has unfamiliar content. I think my illustration is important because it helps us visualize a vital truth. With the Bible and a web page, there is an accessible version and a more technical one. Studying the Bible involves a more technical discipline, but it is enriching. Listen, and you will understand. View a page source before you start.
Nov 07, 202110:08
Don't Mix God with Religion and Science
Oct 22, 202107:24
Why we need the 10 Commandments EP6

Why we need the 10 Commandments EP6

Today I would like to look at the 10 commandments found in the Bible. There are some things about these commandments that I believe are forgotten or abused. So let us look at them.

  1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
  2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God...
  3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain...
  4. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day.
  5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
  6. Thou shalt not murder.
  7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
  8. Thou shalt not steal.
  9. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
  10. Thou shalt not covet

At one time, the Ten Commandments hung upon every courthouse and school in America. As our nation started to turn away from God, these commandments were portrayed as a violation of the Constitution. This idea is off-topic so that I will be brief. The Constitution only prevents Congress from favoring religious institutions. Congress cannot interfere with one's religious beliefs. It also says nothing about God. Here is the phrase I am talking about in the first amendment.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

What I am getting here because while the Ten Commandments show up in a religious book, they are religious in nature and natural laws. The reason I say they are natural laws is that even if one does not have them listed in the Bible, one can come to these conclusions on their own. I know that some will disagree with the first four of them being included as natural law. So this is where I will start explaining the commandments.

No rule or law has any power without someone in authority. A parent who does not enforce rules with their children will find they become terrible people. Without a common belief in something more significant than the individual, there will be anarchy. Without a common belief in supreme authority, society will degrade into a selfish, self-destruction entity.

Wherever you find a growing and healthy society, you will find something highly regarded as their guide to right living. But, of course, that which is highly regarded must dictate economics, social norms, laws, etc.

The first four commandments are to recognize that there is a Creator who is the ultimate authority. With that understanding, people can then have a shared belief to build upon. Many would say that this is religious and therefore has no place in society. That is only self-deception. Everyone has ideas about two things, the reason for our universe and about the conscience. Is it spiritual or something else? Whatever one thinks about these two things, they are religious ideas...

Jul 11, 202109:09
Are we mindless entities in this universe? EP5

Are we mindless entities in this universe? EP5

This podcast is conceived from a tweet sent out to atheists about the reality of their emotions and meaning. As I contemplated it more I realize that there is a Christian teaching that is very similar and it makes humans as having no real meaning in themselves. Please listen.

Apr 20, 202111:22
Why Do We Feel A Loss. EP4

Why Do We Feel A Loss. EP4

When we lose someone, we feel a loss. We feel like there should be more. We need to ask why. If you have the view that we have no real purpose for being on this planet, it is hard, at least in my mind, to justify feeling like there should be more. The Genesis account is one explanation as to why this is. We were created for eternal life. This podcast comes on a day at the loss of my father-in-law. It is at these points that our philosophies are challenged. 

Feb 14, 202113:27
Starting At Square One. EP3

Starting At Square One. EP3

In order to have a rational mind, one must be able to contain thoughts to a specific scope of information. If we allow ideas from outside the specific concepts to enter in, it can disrupt the thought process. That is definitely true when we think of origins, the beginning of the existence of all things.

Do your best to forget about religion, atheism, socialism, communism, social issues, etc., and just focus on the origin. It will help us come to the right conclusion. We know we exist, at least I hope you do. We also know we struggle to make sense of our existence. We want to be happy and prosperous. So there very basis for all this is where did I come from? I mean, where did the whole universe come from? This is a fundamental question that has to be settled in one's mind to build upon that foundation.

The question is, where did all of the universe and life on earth come from? Please, let us not hang all our biases on this question. We need to think of this question in the rawest sense. There are two choices.

  1. Matter just exists, and life happened by chance.
  2. The universe and life are the product of purpose.
Chance

We know the universe exists, but where did it come from? Think of all the solids, gases, and liquids our earth and the universe is made of. Where did it come from? Nobody knows. Some will say from the big bang. Well, the bang still needed matter to explode. All we know is it is here.

Secondly is life. Contrary to what some want to affirm, we do not know how life started. Evolution is the explanation of the diversity of life, but not life itself. All we can do is hypothesizes about the formation of life.

So one needs to contemplate this very basic concept about existence. We cannot let our hatred for religion or love for religion, our emotional state, or social concepts affect this. Let this foundational understanding form thoughts about those things rather than the other way around. What does this view mean for your understanding of life? It has to mean there is no ultimate purpose to it. Entropy will win out heat death will be its end.

Design

If you look around, you will see many things that were made. You do not even question that someone made them. However, by just looking at the item, you cannot figure out who made it. You may find the manufacturer, but you will not know the person.

That is the understanding of design in the universe and life. It seems so clear that the universe is designed. The laws that hold it together. Then there is life. Self-reproducing entities that can think, love, heal, etc. There is a code that every cell must have for it to form. So much of this can be seen as design. If it is designed, then there must be a designer.

So much baggage comes with this thought of a designer, or shall we say, God. People will not like this view because they see so much wrong in the world. They say religion is a plague. The Bible is a fairytale and evil book. Again we cannot let those things interfere with this fundamental understanding.  If you accept this basic premise that the universe and life were created, then you must do your best to learn about this Creator, if that is even possible.

Jan 31, 202112:04
Thinking about the natural and the supernatural. EP2

Thinking about the natural and the supernatural. EP2

In this episode I want us to take a moment to think about the natural world and if there is a supernatural world. I have a couple of great illustrations using microwaves and two boys at the breakfast table. 

Nov 21, 202011:13
The very first episode of the Rightly Dividing podcast. EP1

The very first episode of the Rightly Dividing podcast. EP1

In this episode I introduce myself and explain what this podcast is all about. We have to lay a foundation and this is it. We also have to lay a foundation for our life and we talk about that also.

Nov 21, 202010:11