The God Culture: What Is Blessing?

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has a new Foundations lesson. This time he is asking What is Blessing? Given all that we have seen from Tim's foundation lessons do you think he will mention that we have been blessed will all spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus or do you think he will say keeping the law is what makes one blessed? Let's find out!

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FOUNDATIONS – Week 35

What Is Blessing?

Key Texts: Genesis 12; Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 1; Ephesians 1

We hear the word “blessed” everywhere.

A new house.

More money.

A successful business.

Good health.

An unexpected opportunity.

And Scripture certainly recognizes material blessings.

But is prosperity what the Bible means when it calls someone blessed?

When Yahuah called Abraham, He said:

> “I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.”

> (Genesis 12:2)

Notice something important.

Abraham wasn't merely going to receive blessing.

He was called to BE a blessing.

Yahuah continues:

> “And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

> (Genesis 12:3)

Biblical blessing therefore reaches beyond personal prosperity.

It carries purpose.

Deuteronomy 28 makes the relationship even clearer:

> “And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Yahuah thy Elohim.”

> (Deuteronomy 28:2)

Blessing is presented within covenant.

Yahuah blesses His people as they hear His voice and walk in His ways.

Psalm 1 then opens with:

> “Blessed is the man...”

> (Psalm 1:1)

But what makes this man blessed?

Not his bank account.

Not his possessions.

Not his social position.

Instead:

> “His delight is in the law of Yahuah; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”

> (Psalm 1:2)

And what does such a life become?

> “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water...”

> (Psalm 1:3)

Rooted.

Fruitful.

Sustained.

Alive.

Paul carries blessing into the New Covenant without reducing it to material wealth:

> “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

> (Ephesians 1:3)

Biblical blessing can certainly include provision.

But blessing is much greater than having more.

It is being in right relationship with Yahuah.

Hearing His voice.

Walking in His ways.

Delighting in His Word.

Bearing fruit.

Receiving His promises.

And becoming a blessing to others.

Blessing is not simply having what we want.

It is flourishing within what Yahuah wants.

Question for Discussion

If everything you owned disappeared tomorrow, what blessings would you still possess?

It's amazing Tim included Ephesians 1:3. However, he says the spiritual blessings Paul mentions means a right relationship with God which is Tim's code word for keeping the law! The very law from which we have been freed because Christ has come and blessed us. 

Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The greatest blessing we have in Christ is redemption, atonement, deliverance from the wrath to come, and peace with God. Tim mentions none of that! 

But let's hear what noted theological Father Ted Crilly has to say about this weeks lesson. 

Ah, right… puts down the newspaper, takes a long look at the page, and lets out a slow breath

Week 35. “What Is Blessing?”

Well, at least he’s consistent with the numbering. Let’s see what we’ve got this time.

He starts off sensible enough. Points out that most people think “blessed” means a bigger house, more money, good health, a successful business. Fair enough — he’s right to push back on that. Then he brings in Abraham: not just receiving blessing, but being a blessing to all the families of the earth. That’s solid. Genesis 12 is doing real work there.

Deuteronomy 28 makes its inevitable appearance — blessings overtake you if you hearken to the voice of Yahuah. Then Psalm 1: the blessed man is the one who delights in the law and meditates on it day and night, becoming like a tree planted by the rivers. Classic Tim territory. Law, obedience, walking in His ways, fruitfulness through delighting in the commandments.

And then — would you look at that — he actually quotes Ephesians 1:3:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

sits up a bit

He named Him properly. “Our Lord Jesus Christ.” And he admits that blessing is spiritual, not just material. That’s… progress. Two weeks in a row now where the Man gets more than a passing nod. I’ll take it.

But — and you knew there was a but coming — watch how the lesson is structured. The weight of the definition still lands on the Old Testament pattern: hear His voice, walk in His ways, delight in the law, be rooted and fruitful. The Ephesians verse is brought in almost as a confirmation that the New Covenant doesn’t reduce blessing to wealth… and then he immediately circles back to “right relationship with Yahuah… hearing His voice… walking in His ways… delighting in His Word.”

What’s missing, once again, is the how.

Paul doesn’t say we’ve been blessed with every spiritual blessing because we meditate on the law day and night. He says we’ve been blessed with them in Christ. Union with the crucified and risen Lord. Chosen in Him. Redeemed through His blood. Sealed with the Spirit. Adopted as sons. That’s the fountain. The fruit-bearing life flows from that, not the other way round.

Tim’s version still makes it sound like blessing is primarily the result of a well-ordered, law-delighting life. The New Testament says the primary blessing is that we are already in the Blessed One.

And the discussion question at the end is lovely on the surface — “If everything you owned disappeared tomorrow, what blessings would you still possess?” — but in the context of this series you can almost hear the expected answer forming: “My relationship with Yahuah… my delight in His Word… my obedience…”

Which is true as far as it goes. But the deepest answer a Christian can give is: “I still have Christ. And in Him I have every spiritual blessing already.”

reaches for the teapot again

So there you are. Better than the Christless weeks. He let Jesus into the room and even called Him Lord. But the gravitational pull of the series is still the same: blessing as the fruit of walking in the ways of Yahuah, with the cross and union with Christ playing supporting roles rather than the foundation.

Go on. Pour us both a strong one.

I’ve a feeling next week’s “What Is Peace” or “What Is Joy” will be along shortly, and we’ll be back at it.

Careful now.

Slightly less “Down with this sort of thing” than usual… but still watching closely.

The God Culture: What Is Glory?

Timothy Jay Schwab who is the God Culture has a new foundations lesson. This time is asking What is Glory? Is he going to talk about to glorious Cross? Well if you have come this far you know Tim has nothing to say about what Christ did on the cross.  Let's take a look. 

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FOUNDATIONS – Week 34

What Is Glory?

Key Texts:

Exodus 33–34; Isaiah 6; John 1; Revelation 21

The word glory is used often in worship.

But what does Scripture mean by it?

Is glory merely brightness?

Is it power?

Is it honor?

Or is it something deeper?

Moses asked Yahuah:

> “I beseech Thee, shew me Thy glory.”

> (Exodus 33:18)

Yahuah answered by proclaiming His own character:

> “Yahuah, Yahuah Elohim, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth...”

> (Exodus 34:6)

This is crucial.

When Moses asked to see Yahuah’s glory, Yahuah revealed His name, His goodness, His mercy, His justice, and His character.

Glory is not merely light surrounding Him.

It is the revelation of who He is.

Isaiah saw Yahuah upon His throne and heard the seraphim cry:

> “Holy, holy, holy, is Yahuah of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.”

> (Isaiah 6:3)

His glory fills creation because creation reveals its Creator.

Yet John tells us that this glory came near:

> “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory... full of grace and truth.”

> (John 1:14)

The glory revealed to Moses in goodness and truth was displayed in the life of Yahusha.

He revealed the Father.

He embodied grace and truth.

He showed what the character of Yahuah looks like when lived among men.

Finally, Revelation describes the New Jerusalem:

> “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of Elohim did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

> (Revelation 21:23)

The story of Scripture moves toward a world completely illuminated by His presence.

Biblical glory is therefore more than brilliance.

It is Yahuah making Himself known.

His holiness revealed.

His goodness displayed.

His power made visible.

His presence dwelling among His people.

Question for Discussion

When people look at our lives, do they merely hear us speak about Yahuah—or can they see something of His character revealed?

Wow.  Not a single word about the gloriousness of the cross.  It's incredible. It's like he hates Jesus Christ.   But let's hear what noted theologian Father Ted Crilly has to say.

Ah, right… sits up straighter, adjusts the collar, and peers at the page like it’s a suspicious letter from the bishop

Week 34, is it? “What Is Glory?”

Well now. Let’s have a look.

Tim starts with Moses asking to see Yahuah’s glory, and gets the famous reply about mercy, grace, longsuffering, goodness and truth. Fair enough — that’s straight out of Exodus 34. Then Isaiah’s “Holy, holy, holy” and the earth full of His glory. Still grand. Then — and here’s the bit that nearly made me drop me tea — he actually quotes John 1:14:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory… full of grace and truth.”

Would you look at that. He named Yahusha. He linked the glory revealed to Moses with the life of the Man Himself. And he finishes with Revelation 21 where the Lamb is the light of the city.

pauses, blinks

That’s… better than the last few, isn’t it? Compared to the holiness that was just “keep the law,” the righteousness that was just “keep the commandments,” and the gospel that somehow forgot the cross entirely, this one at least lets the incarnate Word into the room. Credit where it’s due. He didn’t leave Christ completely out of the picture this time.

But — and there’s always a but with these Foundations lessons — he still stops short of the real heart of it.

Glory in Scripture isn’t only “God showing His character.” The ultimate place the glory of God is revealed is on the cross. Jesus Himself said it: “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified” (John 12:23), and He was talking about His death. The glory of the Father is most fully displayed when the Son lays down His life for sinners. That’s the glory that leaves the seraphim covering their faces and the disciples falling on theirs. Tim gets as far as “He embodied grace and truth” and “He showed what the character of Yahuah looks like,” but he never takes the next step and says how — by dying for the ungodly, rising again, and conquering sin and death.

So we’ve got a glory that’s mostly revelation of character and presence… but the supreme act that displays that character is still missing. Classic Tim. He can bring Yahusha into the definition when it suits the narrative, but the blood and the empty tomb still get left outside the door.

And the discussion question at the end? “When people look at our lives, do they see something of His character revealed?”

Ah, there it is. Back to us again. Back to the practical, lived-out imitation. Not wrong in itself, mind you — but in the context of this whole series it always feels like the weight is being put on our performance rather than on what the Lamb has already done.

Still… progress of a sort. At least this week the Man gets a proper mention and the Lamb gets to light the city.

sighs, reaches for the teapot

Go on then. Pour us another cup. I’ve a feeling Week 35 will be along any minute, and God alone knows what he’ll do to “What Is Grace” or “What Is the Cross” when he finally gets there.

Careful now.

Down with this sort of thing… but slightly less vigorously than last time.

The God Culture: What Is Worship?

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has a new foundations series article. This time it's about worship. What is worship? Well, for anyone who has been paying attention to this series and is familiar with Tim's theology there is only one answer. But let's take a look. 

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FOUNDATIONS: WEEK 33

What Is Worship?

Key Texts: Genesis 22; Exodus 20; John 4:23–24; Colossians 3:16; Revelation 4

Today, many define worship as music.

Others define it as an emotional experience.

But how does Scripture define worship?

The first time the word appears, Abraham says:

"I and the lad will go yonder and worship..."

(Genesis 22:5)

There is no mention of music.

No choir.

No instruments.

No congregation.

Worship begins with faith, obedience, and surrender to Yahuah.

At Mount Sinai, worship is inseparable from covenant:

"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."

(Exodus 20:3)

True worship is not merely what we sing.

It is whom we serve.

Yahusha later declared:

"The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth... God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

(John 4:23–24)

Notice the balance.

Not spirit without truth.

Not truth without spirit.

Both.

Paul then encourages believers:

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to Yahuah."

(Colossians 3:16)

Music is therefore an essential beautiful expression of worship—but Scripture never limits worship to music.

Worship flows from hearts filled with His Word.

It overflows in gratitude.

It teaches.

It encourages.

It praises.

Finally, John's vision reveals worship as it truly is:

"Holy, holy, holy, Yahuah Elohim Almighty..."

(Revelation 4:8)

Heaven is filled with worship—not because of emotion alone, but because Yahuah alone is worthy.

Biblical worship is therefore much more than a song, though it does include songs.

It is a life surrendered to Yahuah...

Grounded in truth...

Filled with His Word...

Expressed in obedience...

Overflowing in praise. 

Question for Discussion 

If music were taken away, would your life still be an act of worship?

On the surface that sounds inoffensive enough but looking deeper the familiar pattern of Tim's doctrine can be plainly seen. Worship  is "a life surrendered" to God "expressed in obedience." That is to say to worship is law keeping. It's the same old judaizing song and dance. 

Note that Tim brings up Abraham.

The first time the word appears, Abraham says:

"I and the lad will go yonder and worship..."

(Genesis 22:5)

What Tim fails to mention is the worship being done here is sacrifice. Abraham and Isaac left their servants to go sacrifice to the Lord. Here is the context:

5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

And of course this is a foreshadowing and type of Christ. The Father provided himself a lamb by offering up his only Son Jesus Christ. It's sad but typical that for Tim worship has nothing to do with Jesus Christ and his finished work. For two millennia a central part of the worship of Christ has been the eucharist, the bread and wine, symbolizing the new covenant made through Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. But Tim has nothing to say about that. 

Let's hear from. noted theologian Father Ted Crilly. 

Ah, Philippine Fails, me lad... puts the teacup down with a quiet clink and nods slowly

I’ve read Tim’s Week 33 lesson on “What Is Worship?” and this one is a bit more careful than some of the others. He actually gets a few things right on the surface.

What’s good about it

He’s correct that worship is not just music or an emotional high. Abraham’s “worship” in Genesis 22 was an act of costly obedience. True worship involves spirit and truth (John 4). Music is a beautiful expression, but it isn’t the whole of it. Fair enough. Many modern churches could stand to hear that.

Where the familiar problem appears

Even in this softer lesson, Tim still steers everything back into his usual channel. Notice the key words he keeps circling:

• Obedience 
• Surrender 
• Covenant 
• Truth 
• Walking in His ways

In every previous Foundations lesson, those words have meant the same thing: keeping the Torah — the Sabbath, the feasts, the dietary laws, the whole system. So when he defines worship as “a life surrendered to Yahuah… grounded in truth… expressed in obedience,” what he really means is a life ordered around Torah observance.That’s the quiet redefinition again.

What’s missing

There is almost no focus on the New Testament center of Christian worship: the finished work of Christ. In the New Covenant, true worship is centered on the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 5). We worship the Father through the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit. The cross is the great act of worship that makes all our worship acceptable. Tim never really lands there. He lands on obedience.

Paul’s teaching in Romans 12:1 is clearer: presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice is our spiritual worship — and that flows out of the mercies of God shown in the gospel (the whole argument of Romans 1–11). Tim flips the order. Obedience becomes the main thing; the gospel becomes background.

Father Ted’s Plain Verdict

This lesson is less aggressive than some of the earlier ones, but the foundation is still the same. Worship is being quietly redefined as covenant loyalty expressed through law-keeping. Christ is present, but He’s not allowed to be the full and final center.

True Christian worship is not first about how carefully we keep the old system. It is about coming to the Father through the Son, by the Spirit, resting in the finished work of the cross, and then living out of that grace.Tim keeps making obedience the engine.

The New Testament makes the gospel the engine, and obedience the fruit.Down with this sort of thing, lad — even when it comes dressed in reasonable clothes.The real question isn’t only “If music were taken away, would your life still be worship?”

The deeper question is: Is your worship centered on the finished work of Christ, or on your performance of the system?

...Right, I’m off to thank the Lord that we can worship in spirit and in truth because the veil has been torn and the way is open through the blood of Jesus

.Go on, go on, go on — have a cuppa. You keep spotting the same underlying current. Tim’s Foundations keep flowing toward the law. The real river of living water flows from the cross. Keep holding fast to that. It’s far better.

Father Ted he makes no mention of the eucharist in his lesson about worship!

Ah, Philippine Fails, me lad... sits up straight and puts the teacup down with a firm clink

You’re absolutely right. And it’s a very telling omission.

In a whole lesson on what worship is, Tim never once mentions the Lord’s Supper — the Eucharist, the Communion, the breaking of bread. Not a word.

For a Catholic priest (and for most of historic Christianity), that silence is deafening.

Why it matters

From the earliest days of the Church, the central act of Christian worship was not a song service or a lecture on obedience. It was the gathering of the people of God around the Table — remembering the Lord’s death until He comes, feeding on Christ by faith, and offering the one sacrifice of Christ present under the signs of bread and wine.Jesus Himself instituted it.

The apostles continued in it (Acts 2:42).

Paul gave careful instruction about it (1 Corinthians 11).

The early Church fathers treated it as the heart of Sunday worship.Yet in Tim’s definition of worship — faith, obedience, surrender, spirit and truth, music, heaven’s praise — the Table is completely absent.

What that reveals

This fits the larger pattern we’ve been watching for months. Tim’s system is heavily oriented around:

• Returning to Torah 
• Keeping the appointed times 
• Covenant obedience 
• Law as the main structure of the Christian life

In that framework, the sacraments (especially the Eucharist) don’t fit comfortably. The focus stays on what wedo — our obedience, our surrender, our keeping of the commandments — rather than on what Christ has done and continues to give us in the means of grace.

A worship that has no real place for the Lord’s Supper is a worship that has quietly shifted its center of gravity away from the cross and the finished work of Christ.

Father Ted’s Plain Take

You’re sharp to notice it, lad. A lesson on biblical worship that never mentions the very meal Jesus commanded us to keep in remembrance of Him is already telling us something important about the system behind it.

True Christian worship is not mainly about how carefully we perform the old covenant patterns. It is about coming to the Father through the Son, in the Spirit — and at the heart of that gathering is the Table where we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

Tim can talk about spirit and truth all day long. But if the Table Christ gave us is missing, something essential has been left out.

Down with this sort of thing.

Very careful now.

The Church has been gathered around that Table for two thousand years. Any “restoration” that has no real place for it is not restoring the faith of the apostles. It’s building something else.

...Right, I’m off to say a quiet prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of the Eucharist — the place where worship is not just talked about, but received.Go on, go on, go on — have a cuppa. You’re seeing the gaps clearly. Keep noticing what’s missing. Often that’s where the real theology shows itself.