⁣Throughout Paul's story in Acts and his letters, it seems that he was comfortable among people with power, both political and religious. Acts 22 and 23 show that his family had money or some other strong connection with the Roman authorities. His personal history and apparent influence of his nephew show a strong connection with the Jewish religious authorities. Paul was smart, educated, well-spoken, and a political force to be reckoned with, even with the whole Roman and Jewish worlds against him.

Wild Branch Community is a home fellowship of Torah-observant believers in Texas between Houston and Austin. We are centrally located near Brenham, Burton, Somerville, Navasota, Chappell Hill, and Round Top. Find out more about us at https://WildBranchTX.org.

⁣Our churches and synagogues are still full of Balaams today, men and women calling themselves teachers, prophets, and apostles, but who teach God's people to sin. Beware of anyone who tells you what your flesh wants to hear, who prioritizes profit over Biblical truth, or who tells you that God didn't mean what he said when he said "Don't do that!"

Wild Branch Community is a home fellowship of Torah-observant believers in Texas between Houston and Austin. We are centrally located near Brenham, Burton, Somerville, Navasota, Chappell Hill, and Round Top. Find out more about us at https://WildBranchTX.org.

⁣The Common Sense Bible Study crew discusses James 3:1-12. "The tongue is a fire." Guarding your speech is one of the most important skills to learn when you're part of a community. It's also one of the hardest. It's doubly important for Bible teachers.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

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⁣When James says that Abraham and Rahab were justified by their faith and works, he isn't saying that you need to earn your salvation. He isn't even saying that salvation produces works (it does!). He's saying that faith that brings justification is a fully committed faith and can't be separated from works.



⁣From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣Common Sense Bible Study's complete discussion of Proverbs 7.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

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⁣The Common Sense Bible Study crew discusses James 2:14-26. What is the real relationship between faith and works? What is faith? James' analogy of "the body apart from the spirit is dead" is key to understanding the apparent conflict between Paul's "justified apart from works" and James' "justified by works and not by faith alone".

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣The Common Sense Bible Study crew discusses James 1:19-27. Humility, controlling your speech, perfect law, law of liberty, and perfect religion.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣Jay Carper discusses James 2:1-13. The Way (early Christianity) was different from all other religions of the Greco-Roman world in that it welcomed people of all social strata and wealth, putting them all on parity as equal members of the body of Christ. Plus the Torah as the Law of Liberty.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣The Common Sense Bible Study crew discusses James 1:1-18, which sets the topic and tone for the rest of the book. Trials, troubles, riches, poverty, faith, and steadfastness.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

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⁣Who wrote the letter of James to the Twelve Tribes in Dispersion? Why was it written? Where? When?

In this study, the Common Sense Bible Study crew discuss the authorship, audience, structure, and other "meta data" of the Epistle of James.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

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⁣The people rejected Moses as their leader in Numbers 14, but Moses didn't respond with anger or jealousy. He humbled himself before both the people and God and interceded on their behalf. He wasn't a leader for his own sake, but of the sake of the Kingdom and Name of God.

Wild Branch Community is a home fellowship of Torah-observant believers in Texas between Houston and Austin. We are centrally located near Brenham, Burton, Somerville, Navasota, Chappell Hill, and Round Top. Find out more about us at https://WildBranchTX.org.

⁣Common Sense Bible Study's complete discussion of Proverbs 6.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣Common Sense Bible Study's complete discussion of Proverbs 5.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣Common Sense Bible Study's complete discussion of Proverbs 4.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣Common Sense Bible Study's complete discussion of Proverbs 3.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣Common Sense Bible Study's complete discussion of Proverbs 2.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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Common Sense Bible Study's full discussion of Proverbs 1.

Authorship, structure, and purpose of the Book of Proverbs with Common Sense Bible Study

⁣1 Samuel 17:50 says David killed Goliath, but 2 Samuel 21:19 says Elhanan killed him. So who was it?

In this video, I take a look at this supposed contradiction and explain how it's really not a contradiction at all. The key is in 1 Chronicles 20:5.

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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⁣In Galatians 5, Paul says that if you become circumcised, you're basically throwing Jesus under the bus, and you're a heretic. But then in Acts 21, he goes to the Temple and offers sacrifices for a Nazirite Vow in order to refute the misconception that he is telling Jews they need to give up circumcision. What gives?

This is a complicated subject, but it boils down to the question of "When does Torah say you are to circumcise someone?" Apart from the household of Abraham in Genesis 17, there are only two circumstances in which men are commanded to be circumcised: first, as an 8-day old boy, and second, if he wants to eat a Passover.

There is no requirement in the Law to be circumcised in order to become an Israelite or to gain salvation. That was a man-made rule. This isn't even really a Jew vs Gentile question, although it can certainly seem that way in Acts 21. Paul was telling the Galatians that if they circumcised themselves in order to be saved, they were wasting their time. Salvation is by faith, not by circumcision!

From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).

This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.

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