We are called as God’s people, and we are each called individually.
But what is it that we are called to?
I always come back to something I read in the Os Guinness book, ‘The Call’ – “…we are not called to something or somewhere, we are called to Someone.“
When I think on that profound truth I picture a child playing in the backyard on a sunny day, and a father coming outside through the back screen door of the house into the yard, opening his arms and calling to his child by name.
The child stops playing, turns his head to his fathers voice, and runs joyously across the yard straight into his fathers arms.
And I see my whole life as running across the yard into my Fathers arms. That’s what we’re called to.
As continue in this series, ‘Your Life And What Comes After’, I will always keep that picture, that truth, as the basic starting and ending point of it all.
Here are some famous quotes from influential religious leaders about Paul’s Epistle to the Romans.
Martin Luther
“The Epistle to the Romans is the true masterpiece of the New Testament and the very purest Gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.”
— Martin Luther, Preface to the Epistle to the Romans (1522)
John Calvin
“When anyone understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.”
— John Calvin, Commentary on Romans (1540)
Frederic Godet
“Every great spiritual revival in the Church will be connected as effect and cause with a deeper understanding of this book.”
— Frederic Godet, Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (1869)
John Stott
“Romans is the fullest, plainest, and grandest statement of the Gospel in the New Testament. Its message is still as relevant and revolutionary as when it was first written.”
— John R. W. Stott, The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World (1994)
President Trump made some interesting remarks recently on his way to the Middle East for events celebrating the historic peace deal he engineered.
He told reporters on Air Force One, “I don’t think there’s anything going to get me in heaven… I think I’m not, maybe, heaven-bound.” He made the remarks while traveling to Israel, reflecting on his peace efforts and faith. Trump added, “I’m not sure I’m going to be able to make heaven, but I’ve made life a lot better for a lot of people.”https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/13/trump-heaven-christian-faith
There are two big misconceptions that President Trump illustrates here in his remarks.
First, there’s absolutely nothing Trump or anyone else can do through their own works to obtain eternal life. Salvation is by grace alone through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and is available to anyone and everyone who believes it and accepts it. I’m aware that Calvinists think that the act believing and accepting is the same as ‘works’ – but they are wrong.
Second, the Bible doesn’t teach that we ‘go to heaven’. It clearly and repeatedly teaches that heaven comes to a redeemed creation on earth and that our physical bodies are resurrected to everlasting life with God.
I hope to see Mr. Trump rejoicing with the saints on that day.
Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on news and events in the areas of religion and faith from around the world and brings the information to our readers in bite sized chunks. Here are some reactions from various faith leaders about the recent ceasefire and hostage release in Israel and Gaza.
Christian Leaders / Institutions
Bishop Robert Stearns (Eagles’ Wings Ministries) spoke of “hope amid historic ceasefire,” saying that God works in the midst of our pain as families reunite. The Jerusalem Post
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem welcomed the hostage release “with joy,” calling it “a first step” and hoping it would mark “the beginning of the end of this terrible war.” They emphasized urgency of humanitarian relief and the path toward healing and reconciliation. Religion Media Centre
The Anglican bishops in parts of England (Southwark, Chelmsford, Gloucester, Norwich) issued statements welcoming the Gaza peace deal, praying for immediate relief and comfort, and calling for a “fundamental shift in attitudes and behaviour” to avoid a return to violence. Religion Media Centre
Faith / Aid Organizations
Tearfund (Christian relief agency) welcomed the agreement but stressed that unless the ceasefire holds and humanitarian aid flows without obstruction, lives will continue to be lost. Religion Media Centre
Islamic Relief similarly urged that the announcement alone is not enough — there must be enforcement, unrestricted aid, and accountability. Religion Media Centre
Christian Aid cautioned that a return to “the old status quo” is not an option; peace must include justice, dignity, and equality for Palestinians and Israelis. Religion Media Centre
Jewish Religious Voices
Jewish community and organizational leaders broadly praised the hostage release deal and saw it as a fulfillment of prayers and moral hope. eJewishPhilanthropy
Federations and Jewish organizations issued statements calling for conversion of this moment into lasting peace and security for all. eJewishPhilanthropy
In light of the most recent events in the Middle East surrounding a ceasefire and potential long-term peace deal between Israel and Gaza, I wanted to revisit a blog post I did in March of this year which highlights a very interesting and informative article published recently on the Jewish Press website by Dr. Harold Rhode titled “Most Palestinian Families Come from Immigrants from the Past Two Centuries“.
Here are a few excerpts from his piece.
“Prior to 1948, the date when the Jewish state was re-established, practically the only people who referred to themselves as Palestinians were the Jews who lived there. The others there, mainly Muslim Arabs, referred to themselves as Muslims.”
“…The modern Palestinian identity was largely invented in 1964, when the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was created.”
“…By the 19th century, much of what is now the West Bank and Gaza was sparsely populated and underdeveloped. Travelers such as Mark Twain and former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant described the region as barren and largely uninhabited. These accounts, written without political bias, provide insight into the state of the land before the demographic shifts that followed.”
And in his conclusion to the article, Dr. Rhode states: “The historical connections between the people of Gaza, the West Bank and British Mandate Palestine are complex—shaped by centuries of migration, trade and political shifts. They are not one people, but a hodge-podge of peoples with no prior connection to pre-1948 Palestine, who settled there during the past two centuries.”
The biblical history of the region is clear – the land and the blessing were given to Abraham and his seed through Isaac by God’s covenant.
Genesis 17:18-21 (KJV) – 18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
Here are three common misconceptions about what the Bible says – and doesn’t say.
Singular, Not Plural
The last book of the Bible is not called ‘Revelations.’ It should be referred to as the ‘Book of Revelation’, singular.
Fruit, Not Apple
The fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, is never called an apple.
Genesis 2:16–17 (KJV): “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
Store Cities, Not Pyramids
In Exodus 1:11, it says the Israelites built the “store cities” of Pithom and Raamses for Pharaoh. These were supply or storage centers, not pyramids. The pyramids of Egypt were constructed many centuries earlier, during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods (roughly 2600–1800 B.C.), long before most scholars date the events of the Exodus (often placed between 1500–1200 B.C., depending on interpretation).
So, while the Israelites were enslaved and forced into construction labor, the Bible and archaeology both indicate they built cities and other works, not the pyramids.
The idea that they were building pyramids most likely comes from the Cecil B. DeMille movie, ‘The Ten Commandments‘.
Bible Rebel continues to keep a watchdog’s eye on events in the Middle East and around the globe, bringing the latest news summaries to our readers.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres
“The United Nations will support the full implementation of the agreement and will scale up the delivery of sustained and principled humanitarian relief … He urged all parties ‘to seize this momentous opportunity to establish a credible political path forward towards ending the occupation, recognizing the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and achieving a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security.” AJC
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“I welcome the news that a deal has been reached on the first stage of President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza … This is a moment of profound relief that will be felt all around the world, but particularly for the hostages, their families, and for the civilian population of Gaza.” VOZ News
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
“I extend my heartfelt greetings to my Palestinian brothers and sisters who have endured indescribable suffering for two years … We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen.” AJC
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace … With God’s help we will bring them all home.” L’Orient Today
Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on discoveries in biblical archaeology and brings the information to our readers. Here are some key discoveries and why they support the biblical record.
Dam Wall from the Time of King Joash at the Pool of Siloam (~805-795 BCE)
A large dam wall in the City of David, near the Pool of Siloam, has been excavated and dated via carbon-14 to about 805-795 BCE. The walls are substantial: ~21 meters long, ~12 meters high, ~8 meters thick. Bible Archaeology Report
Why it supports biblical history:
The Bible describes several construction/repair projects by Judahite kings; a major water-infrastructure project fits in with what one might expect of a centralized Judah in that era.
The dam would have helped manage water supply in times of dryness and flooding, which matches other environmental/climate evidence from the region showing arid conditions with occasional flash floods. Bible Archaeology Report
It gives physical confirmation of large scale civic/royal activity in Jerusalem in the early 8th century BCE.
Clay Seal (“Bulla”) Inscribed with “Yeda‘yah son of Asayahu” (7th-6th century BCE)
A clay seal impression, or bulla, reading “Belonging to Yed[a‛]yah, son of Asayahu”, from the late 7th / early 6th century BCE. Found via the Temple Mount Sifting Project in soil removed from the Temple Mount area. Bible Archaeology Report
Why it supports biblical history:
The names “Asayahu” (and variations) appear in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in connection with King Josiah: 2 Kings 22:12; 2 Chronicles 34:20. Bible Archaeology Report
The bulla confirms that these names (and presumably persons with these names or offices) were in use in Judah at the appropriate period.
The preservation of writing/sealing activity supports the idea that Judah had administrative bureaucracies with literacy in the late monarchic period.
Olive and Grape Traces Beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre / Mount Calvary (1st Century AD Garden Context)
Under the floor of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, archaeologists found about 2,000-year-old olive pits (stones), grape pips, pollen evidence, and remains of stone walls or features consistent with cultivation. These lie beneath a basilica, in an area associated with Golgotha / Mount Calvary, part of Jerusalem’s ancient quarter. The Times+1
Why it supports biblical history:
The Gospel of John (and other Gospels) mention that Jesus was crucified at a place called Golgotha, “place of a skull,” outside / near a garden and tomb. The presence of a garden (olive and grape cultivation) at that location in the 1st century AD gives archaeological plausibility to that Gospel description. The Times
It shows that agricultural use was present in that area just before or around the time of Jesus, rather than all being occupied by other structures.
Identification of Widespread Literacy / Use of Seals in Jerusalem ca. 2,700 Years Ago
An ancient seal discovered in the City of David area (Jerusalem), dating to the First Temple period (approx 700-600 BCE), evidences artistic craftsmanship and inscription. It is taken as evidence that reading, writing, and use of official seals were more widespread than some earlier models of Judahite society assumed. GB News
Why it supports biblical history:
The Hebrew Bible presumes certain levels of bureaucratic administration — e.g. prophets, kings, scribes, royal decrees, temple officials, etc. Widespread literacy or at least administrative writing (seals) is a necessary component for those functions.
It helps move faceless administrative structures from being purely literary imagination to part of the archaeological record.
