“SUPPLEMENT YOUR FAITH” (Part Three)

Bob Myhan

f we are to be "partakers of the divine nature," we must “make every effort to supplement…virtue with knowledge" (2 Peter 1:5). By "knowledge" we mean an awareness of facts (Acts 4:13), a comprehension of facts (Eph. 3:1-4,14-19; 5:17) and practical wisdom in applying these facts (Phil. 1:9-11; Col. 1:9,10; 4:5,6).

e must supplement virtue with knowledge because ignorance begets error (Matt. 22:29), zeal without knowledge results in self-righteousness. (Rom. 10:1-3) and Old Testament Israel was “destroyed for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).

e must supplement virtue with knowledge in order to be convicted of sin (Heb. 4:12; Acts 2:37), in order to defend against temptation (Matt. 4:1-10), in order to be doctrinally stable (2 Tim. 3:16-4:4) and in order to strengthen faith (Rom. 10:17).

upplementing virtue with knowledge is not simple (2 Tim. 3:7). One must have the love of the truth (2 Thess. 2:10-12), the desire to obey the truth (John 7:14-17), an investigative spirit - "perspiration not inspiration" (2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:11-14), and mental industry [meditation] (Psalm 1:1-3; John 8:32; Acts 17:11).

ools will be helpful, such as your Bible’s cross-references and marginal notes, a good study Bible without a denominational slant, word studies, a Bible dictionary, and good Bible commentaries.

EMBALMING PRACTICES IN ANCIENT EGYPT

Guest Writer: Gary P. Eubanks

eti I died in 1279 B.C., and the grave builders had just 70 days - while priests mummified his body - to ready the tomb to receive the pharaoh's remains" (National Geographic, Sept., 1998, pg. 21). "To prepare the deceased for the afterlife during Pharaonic times, funerary workers removed most internal organs, then sterilized the body and dried it by packing it - inside and out - with natron salts. About 40 days later the body was wrapped in linen strips, placed in a series of wooden cases and an outer stone coffin, and laid in a crypt" (National Geographic, Oct., 1999, pg. 80).

here appears to be a contradiction between these two accounts of embalming practices in ancient Egypt. The first seems to say that mummification took seventy days, but the second says forty days were required. So, those who are disposed to look for contradictions may even find them in reputable, modern publications, as well as the Bible. In fact, this is exactly the kind of "contradiction" which has been claimed against the Bible: facts, which seem to clash but not necessarily. If people were to treat other literature like they treat the Bible, they would undoubtedly find many more "contradictions." Yet, prejudice against the Bible makes itself evident in a readiness, if not eagerness, to find contradictions even where they do not exist.

loser examination uncovers several possible ways to resolve the apparent contradiction between these two statements. (1) The second account says "about 40 days" were required (although seventy is hardly an approximation of forty). (2) The first account does not actually say seventy days were required for mummification but to get the tomb ready. (3) The second account actually says the forty days were how long the body was packed in natron salts before being wrapped. Of course, there is always the possibility, not to be overlooked, that, since National Geographic is not divinely inspired, one or both figures may actually be in error.

owever, the Bible itself may provide the explanation to the discrepancy, for it cites both the forty- and seventy-day periods as being involved in funerary preparations in ancient Egypt. The forty-day-period over which the second account says the body was packed in natron salts agrees precisely with what the Bible says. "And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. Now forty days were required for it, for such is the period required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days" (Gen. 50:2,3).

erhaps the additional thirty days of the traditional Egyptian period of mourning allowed the funerary workers to complete preparations on the body and the tomb. On this point, it is interesting that, though Jacob was a Hebrew, it is the Egyptians who weep for him seventy days. The Bible seems to be relating the traditional process the Egyptians followed in burying their dead. This idea is supported by the fact that when Moses died, the Israelites mourned for him only thirty days (Deut. 34:8).

lso, both history and the Bible indicate that the ancient Egyptians placed the bodies of their dead in coffins (op. cit., Gen. 50:26), while the Hebrews only swathed corpses in cloths (cf. Jn. 11:44; 19:40) and did not use coffins. [The "coffin" or bier mentioned by Luke (7:14) was apparently nothing more than a platform on which the dead were borne to burial.]

istory and the Bible enjoy a relationship that is mutually supportive. While these two accounts confirm the antiquity and precise accuracy of the Bible, it comes to their aid with a simple and reasonable explanation for an apparent discrepancy.

WHATEVER IS COMMENDABLE

Guest Writer: Keith Massey

n Philippians 4:8 we are told to think on “things…of good report” (KJV, ASV, NKJV), “of good repute” (NASB) or “commendable” (ESV). People are so mixed up about what they should do and believe. But God has made it simple. Jesus stated, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). This is not all we must do, but is merely the beginning.

e must also love and trust God as well as keep His commandments. What are God’s commandments? Jesus states in Matt. 22:37-39 that we are to love God and we are to love others as ourselves. Jesus put a lot of emphasis on love, because He loved us so much He died for our sins.

he Bible is the only book that applies to every aspect of our daily lives. It tells us things we must do everyday. Paul writes, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). W. E. Vine defines “rightly dividing” as cutting straight. It is not intended here that one should divide scripture from scripture, but that he should study and teach the scriptures accurately.

f one applies 2 Timothy 2: 15 to his everyday life he will have no trouble in giving an answer for the reason of hope that is in him (1 Peter 3:15). Is the reader able to tell others why he was baptized, to show them with the Bible the reason for his hope? If he cannot do this is he applying these scriptures to his everyday life? Is he doing the things that will bring him a “good report” from others?

here are so many things that one must do to have a “good report” of Jesus. These are the basics. If one takes and adds them daily he will not only have a “good report” among men but most important from Jesus.