With the release of QuickVerse 2006 comes closeout pricing on QuickVerse 2005 at quickverse.com. I've been wanting something like this for a while, but I have always balked at the price. At 75% off it's hard to pass up. And with so much content in a small package, it raises the question:

Is it okay to use Bible software on a laptop instead of a hardcopy Bible during the pastor's sermon?

There are several concerns I can think of, and they revolve mostly around what others think. Would the glowing screen and "tap tap tap" of the keys be distracting to those around me? Will they think I'm just showing off? Will my concerns about being a distraction to others distract me?

In a time when many students are toting notebook PCs to class and the church service itself is becoming increasingly high tech, doesn't it seem natural that as students of the Bible we would want to have a plethora of resources before us as we delve into God's Word on Sunday morning? Only time will tell, but I believe in the coming decade we are likely to see more and more of these laptop libraries popping up in church pews everywhere. The question is, which of us will be brave enough to step up and challenge the "norm"?

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10, NASB)
. . .but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts. (1 Thessalonians 2:4, NASB)

In 1 Corinthians 10:33 Paul writes of pleasing all men in all things. In Romans 15:1-2, he tells us not to please ourselves but to please our neighbor for his edification. In Galatians 1:10 and 1 Thessalonians 2:4, we find the exception to this. The contexts of both 1 Corinthians 10:33 and Romans 15:1-2 refer to handling wisely the freedom we have in Christ whenever exercising that freedom will negatively affect the conscience of someone else.

Galatians 1:10 and 1 Thessalonians 2:4 refer to the preaching of the Gospel. Paul made it very clear that the Gospel he preached is the Gospel revealed to him by Jesus Christ Himself (Galatians 1:12) and preaching anything else would violate his position as bond-servant of Christ.

Preaching a man-made gospel has serious consequences—-consequences that could result in an eternity in Hell for both the speaker and the listener. Can you think of a man-made gospel that might be preached today?
Have you ever gone along with a man-made gospel to find acceptance with someone? Commit yourself now not to compromise the True Gospel for the sake of acceptance.

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to his edification. (Romans 15:1-2, NASB)
. . .just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:33, NASB)

In this selfish and hedonistic world, pleasing others is usually not on the radar screen of most people. Paul explained to those in the Corinthian and Roman churches one reason it ought to be for Christians. Read 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 and Romans 14 to find out more. If you completed the paraphrase exercise on Romans 14, you can refer back to it.

Meditation
After reading these passages, to what extent do you think it would be appropriate to please others? Feel free to consult commentaries or any other resources.
Consider areas in your life where you might apply what you've learned.

Go to the next entry, When NOT to Please Men

How do we know we can trust what the Gospels say about the things Jesus did and said? Because they were from either direct or indirect eyewitness accounts. Irenaeus, as quoted in The Case for Christmas by Lee Strobel, wrote these words around 180 AD:

"Matthew published his own Gospel among the Hebrews in their own tongue, when Peter and Paul were preaching the Gospel in Rome and founding the church there. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, himself handed down to us in writing the substance of Peter's preaching. Luke, the follower of Paul, set down in a book the Gospel preached by his teacher. Then John, the disciple of the Lord, who also leaned on his breast, himself produced his Gospel while he was living at Ephesus in Asia."

When we hear the exhortation "Bear one another's burdens", we often think of encouraging those who are going through hard times. The immediate context of Galatians 6:2 actually refers to helping those who are in sin. Romans 15:1 (which is a reference from Galatians 6:2 in many reference Bibles) follows Paul's treatise on those who are weak in the faith.

That is not to say these are the only instances in which we need to bear burdens; there are many instructions and examples for us to follow concerning dealing with the afflicted. Look up the following verses (a selection from Torrey's Topical Textbook, "Afflicted, Duty Toward the") and determine what action should be taken toward people in the given circumstances:

Romans 12:15; James 5:16; Job 6:14; Hebrews 13:3; James 1:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:18; Isaiah 58:10; Psalm 82:3

Think of those within your sphere of influence: your family, your church, your job, your community. Who among them are afflicted? What do you need to do about it?

We often fail to recognize or understand the afflictions of those closest to us (even a spouse). Pray for a sensitivity to the afflicted around you that you might recognize needs and be motivated to take action.

In Isaiah 7:14 it was foretold that an almah would give birth to a son, Immanuel. For years, critics have said that this could mean any young woman, not necessarily a virgin. According to The Case for Christmas by Lee Strobel, researcher Glenn Miller says the latest scholarship reveals that almah was never used of a non-virgin and that this word is the closest that could have been used to convey a virgin.

Read an excerpt from Lee Strobel's book The Case for Christmas: A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the Manger. This excerpt was linked in The Body Builder, the Zondervan newsletter for church leaders.

When considering those Christians who believe differently about certain aspects of Christian liberty, a good passage to apply is Romans 14. Read this chapter and write your own paraphrase of it. That is, write what you believe Paul is saying.

Meditation:
Reflect on how you might apply Romans 14 to those around you.
Might you be considered a “weaker” Christian by others in one area or another of your own life? If so, are you convinced that it would be wrong for you to exercise that liberty as other Christians do? What does this passage say about that?

Because a paraphrase is essentially the author's interpretation of what the Bible says, they are not recommended for personal or in-depth study. While paraphrase versions are not good for study, they are valuable when you want a fresh look at Scripture.

They are good for young children who can't understand the more literal Bible translations and have been recommended for those who are new to the Bible; however, it is important that these individuals have a translation for study when they are ready. Don't totally rule out a paraphrase if you don't fit these descriptions, though. They are also invaluable for devotional reading because of new insights that can be gained by reading what is basically the author's commentary on the given passage.

Which paraphrase should you choose? There are several out there, each with its own goal, so inherently, there is much diversity among the paraphrases. Two examples are The Message by Eugene Peterson and The Living Bible by Kenneth Taylor. A lot of people like The Message for its vivid, in-your-face modern rendering. Seasoned Bible readers may find the liberties too distracting, though. What became The Living Bible was first written with young children in mind. As such, its reading is similar to a juvenile fiction book. Unfortunately, this paraphrase is increasingly hard to find.

As you should with any Bible, read samples before investing in a paraphrase. A Bible is no good to you collecting dust on a shelf.