Josh Benner

Author: the Josh Benner Blog

  • The gospel in the exodus journey

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    The exodus journey is the seminal event of the Old Testament. It’s the story of God miraculously delivering the Israelites from slavery for the purpose of bringing them to the promised land.
    The Old Testament constantly calls upon the Israelites to remember what God had done.
    For Christians today, there are a number of parallels between the exodus and the gospel.
    The Israelites were in slavery in Egypt. We were enslaved to sin and Christ redeemed us.
    During the wanderings in the desert, the Israelites complain and rebel. For Christians,  we continue to struggle and rebel.
    God redeemed Israel to bring them to the Promised Land. And Jesus is bringing us into a land too. To a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem.
    Both the exodus and the new covenant of the gospel are commemorated with meals. The passover meal was celebrated annually, as a reminder for God’s deliverance in the exodus event and for him sparing the Israelites. With the gospel, we celebrate the Lord’ Supper, communion which is a reminder of Jesus body that was broken for our sin and his blood that was shed for our sin.
    Exodus was in fulfillment of the promises of God to Abraham for land and to Moses for deliverance from slavery. The gospel is fulfillment of God’s promise of providing a Messiah, a king from the Davidic line, a perfect and spotless lamb to be sacrificed.
    In both stories, we see victory in a place where it appeared to be defeat. Israel was caught between the Egyptian army and the sea. It seemed there was no way out. In the gospel, Jesus died on the cross, where it looked like that was the end of Jesus’ ministry. In both stories, what appeared to be the end was just the beginning.
    It was entirely the work of God in freeing his people from slavery in Egypt. And the gospel is entirely the work of the Lord in redeeming us from the penalty of sin.
    Both events are undeniable, indisputable, irrefutable, unimpeachable proof of God’s love. God loved Israel. And God loves you. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have enteral life (John 3:16). God shows his love that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
    This event, Israel was constantly called to remember. Because it showed God’s love, it showed his goodness, it showed that he was for his people.
    We see that in the gospel.
    We sin, we have struggles, we have baggage. And everyday, we have opportunities to sin, to respond without faith, to question the goodness of God.
    But instead what we must do is to remember his goodness through the gospel. To remember that Jesus saved us, that he redeemed us.
    To remember that God delivers his people from slavery to freedom. For Christians, because of what Jesus did on the cross, that we have the promise of eternal life. We serve a good God.

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

  • Feel sorry for the victims, not Bill Cosby

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    Legendary actor and comedian Bill Cosby was convicted of sexual assault this week.

    More than 60 women have claimed Cosby raped or sexually assaulted them. 45 of them say that he drugged them. Many taking a drink or other pill offered by Cosby and waking up hours later.

    These accusations go back to assaults as long ago as 1965. There are several more women who have acknowledged assaults by Cosby but who are not allowing their names to be revealed to the public.

    It’s hard to go after someone who’s rich, and famous, and beloved by millions. It’s hard to be one voice against someone powerful. There actually had been women who had told the police about Cosby’s actions, but evidence can be difficult to find in these cases. There had been women who had mentioned it to reporters but the stories weren’t published. Research indicates that the vast majority of rapes and sexual assaults go unreported. Many victims fear that their story won’t be believed (especially when it’s an accusation against Cliff Huxtable, someone who has a public persona of being wholesome). Many blame the victim.

    Considering that a number of Cosby’s accusers were unconscious when assaults happened and weren’t necessarily sure of what had specifically taken place.

    And over and over and over again, the story is the same. He would give a woman something to drink, or give her some type of pill for pain or anxiety, and they would black out. Horrifying and monstrous.

    In October of 2014, comedian Hannibal Buress referenced the allegations against Cosby in a stand up routine. Within the next five weeks, some 45 women came forward with accusations against Cosby. This was not the first time Cosby had been accused of sexual assault. One victim talked about it in a 1996 interview that was never published. In 2000, Lachele Covington came forward saying that Cosby assaulted her when she was an extra on his show Cosby.

    In 2005, seven women came forward. This was the first time Cosby’s allegations were made known publicly. He settled in a civil suit for an undisclosed amount. In legal documents from that suit, Cosby admitted to using drugs as sedatives for the purposes of sexual encounters with women. But he argues that they agreed to it.

    This week, he was convicted in the 2004 rape of Andrea Constand. Cosby’s conviction in this one case is a victory for all of his victims, where many of the crimes occurred long enough ago that criminal charges cannot apply due to the statute of limitations.

     

    Even after Cosby has been convicted, many still struggle to accept that Cosby is guilty.

    Why?

    Because it’s Cliff Huxtable! And Cliff Huxtable is a wise and wholesome family man. He’s made us laugh, his characters are lovable.

    Don’t feel sorry for him. Feel sorry for his victims. No matter how kindly his public persona is, he’s a serial rapist and a predator.

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

  • Peace in Korea? Time will tell

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    Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in. Photo courtesy of Cheongwadae / Blue House at Wikimedia commons
    North Korea has a history of evil and tyranny. They starve and persecute their own people. They have a horrible record on human rights. It’s a totalitarian police state.
    The Korean War was fought from 1950-53. Hundreds of thousands of troops from the north and south as well as the United States, China, and other countries died. But the war never officially ended. There has been hostility between the north and south. A heavily fortified demilitarization zone has divided the Korean peninsula.
    A constant in North Korea has been the rule of the Kim Dynasty, with Kim Il-sung rising to power after Japan lost control of the north in 1945 (Kim Il-sung became premier of North Korea in 1948).
    But today, April 27, 2018, in an historic summit between Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in, the two countries have vowed to end hostilities and officially declared an end to the Korean War.
    In the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace and Unification of the Korean Peninsula, the two countries are committing  to working together to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.
    If this all works to achieve peace and unity on the Korean Peninsula, this is something to be celebrated. 
    Time will tell if North Korea is sincere in holding up their end of the bargain. 
    In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that true believers would be recognized by their fruits (Matthew 7:20).
    I see an illustration to the gospel and sincere vs phony conversions compared to North Korea’s sincerity or insincerity to pursue peace.
    One of the biggest thing people misunderstand about Christianity is that there’s a difference between a person saying that they have faith and a person who actually has faith.
    One of the ways to know if faith is genuine is by seeing a life that is transformed by the gospel. We’re known by our fruit. Apple trees produces apples. Trees that are rooted in Christ are meant to produce love, joy, and righteousness (among other things).
    It should be easy to tell if North Korea really does want to work for greater peace and unity. Actions will back it up.
    Again, if this is a sincere effort, this day will be long remembered. It’ll be one of the most significant events of the 21st century. But let’s also wait for the harvest and see what kind of fruit North Korea produces.
    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

  • You’re (probably) misquoting Philippians 4:13 – and why it matters

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    I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
    -Philippians 4:13
    According to Bible Gateway, Philippians 4:13 is the second most popular verse in the New Testament, only behind John 3:16.
    It’s a verse memorized and beloved by many.
    But for as popular as this verse is, it’s also often misunderstood and taken out of context.
    The context of the passage must always influence how we interpret it.
    And what’s the context?
    Paul has just said, in verse 12 that he knows the secret of how to be content in both good and bad circumstances. And it is in the light of that that he says these glorious words. The secret to being content: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
    I did some searches online of people quoting this verse.
    Instagram, popular photo sharing sight, people have quoted this verse over 56,000 times. The most common references I saw were people quoting it in regards to some sort of exercise or fitness goal. I saw others quote Philippians 4:13 after winning beauty pageants or graduating from college.
    Some people, to my surprise, used it in reference to their diet: “Pre workout meal coming up. Healthy creamy chicken with mushroom and sundries tomatoes + brown rice” Philippians 4:13.
    I think this verse almost always gets quoted in conversation with some sort of goal.
    “This is what I want to do. And it’s me and Jesus.” I’m going to win that pageant, I’m going to run that marathon, I’m going to get that promotion because I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
    And certainly, Jesus is the God of everything in our lives. It’s GOOD to look at everything we do through the lens of walking with Christ.
    But Philippians 4:13 has nothing to do with accomplishing your personal goals.
    Philippians 4:13 is a verse that’s not about us. It’s about Jesus.
    The verse is not about the power of positive thinking, that you can accomplish your goals with Jesus. It’s not saying that you can overcome hurdles because of Jesus. It’s not telling you that you can do anything you set your mind to because of Jesus.
    Those things might all be true also.
    But that’s not what this verse is saying.
    The verse isn’t saying you can accomplish your dreams, it’s saying that you can survive your nightmares.
    And again, I know that goes against the popular keychain, coffee mug, t-shirt, poster interpretation of this verse.
    My point isn’t to ruin a verse for you that you might love. It’s to point you to the glorious Lord Jesus.
    Because our life is more than personal goals. It’s that when we have been run over, conquered, defeated, everything is going against us, that we can be content and walking in joy because of knowing Jesus.
    And that’s something else I notice when I look at people quoting Philippians 4:13. It’s always when something really good is happening in someone’s life.
    I don’t see people saying “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” when they’ve just lost a job. When they can’t afford to pay utilities.
    Philippians 4:13 is just as true in the bad times as it is in the good times.
    Because our contentment and joy and satisfaction need to always be found in Christ.
    This verse isn’t just calling us to be cheerleaders for God when we’ve finally gotten to the top of the mountain. But to always be praising the glorious God who invites us into life when we are at the bottom of the valley.
    But how do we do at embracing the reality of it?
    The secret of contentment in good times and in bad is knowing that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
    When things really do get tough, when there is total upheaval and uncertainty, are you still able to walk confidently in faith knowing “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me?”
    In America, things are so comfortable for us, you have people living their lives thinking that they don’t need God. That they’re fine on their own. But what about when you’ve lost everything? What about you’re at your lowest?
    What about when you’re going through the worst experience of your life? In those moments, do you turn your back on God. Do you get mad at God? “Why would he do this to me?” Or do you walk with God? Do you rely on God more fully? Do you trust in Him more deeply?
    I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
    Are you still able to say that when the going gets tough?

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

  • Alfie Evans and the value of human life

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    Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons @rodhullandemu

    Alfie Evans is a British baby who is fighting for his life with a rare medical condition.

    There is a hospital in Italy that will treat the child. Italy has arranged to transport the child from Britain.

    But British courts are disallowing this. Instead, they’re scaling back treatment on Alfie which will result in his death.

    I heard a chilling argument today. The logic of it was that the parents are biased (after all, it’s their kid) and that they’re not really in a position to objectively evaluate this decision.

    The problem with that argument is that it’s assuming that if they were in a position to be more levelheaded, they would see what makes sense and just let their son die. But that goes against the instincts of any good parent. Furthermore, it’s not as if most sets of parents who aren’t in this situation look at it and think “Of course they should let him die.” For most parents, they would fight for their child to get treatment, as a moral absolute.

    The other part of the argument that I found disturbing was that it argued that since the parents wouldn’t be good judges of what was best to do in this situation, courts and panels would be better equipped. After all, they have educated professionals who are able to evaluate the case.

    But groups of educated professional people have concocted some of the most egregious evils in history.

    This shouldn’t even be a debate. This literally costs the United Kingdom nothing. Another country is paying and willing to transport Alfie.

    A civilized and free country should not interfere with this. It’s evil.

    Pray for Alfie and his parents.

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

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