As a result of justification by faith, believers have been reconciled to God by the death of Christ (5:9-10). Because of Adam’s disobedience, all are sinners and are under condemnation (5:18-19). But by the grace of God, Christ’s death for sin, resulted in our justification (5:18). An awareness of our… Read More
Christian Life
A MINISTRY OF DISCIPLESHIP
The word disciple in the Gospels is a common term describing followers of a person or group. Even the Pharisees had disciples. However, among Jesus’ disciples there was a hierarchy from the multitudes who followed Jesus to the twelve who were personally selected by Him to be Apostles. There was… Read More
A Life of Integrity
A righteous God demands integrity in the lives of those who would seek fellowship with Him. The Bible stresses that we are responsible for our moral choices. God holds us accountable for our decisions. He is fundamentally an ethical God. His moral character is the standard by which all mankind is judged…. Read More
Suffering
Question: Why does God permit suffering? Key Verses: James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Answer: There are numerous reasons why God permits human tragedy and suffering. People are not robots. God has given each person the ability to think and act. He permits individual choices, some of which… Read More
Tithing
Question: What does the Bible teach about tithing? Are believers supposed to tithe to their church? Scripture: Malachi 3:7-12 Answer: Believers in Jesus Christ are not under the Mosaic Law (Rom. 7:1-6; Gal. 3:16-19). Therefore, the tithing system, which was a legitimate and compulsory means of taxation for the nation… Read More
The Sabbath
Why do most Christians today worship God on Sunday instead of Saturday, especially when the Sabbath is so important in the Old Testament and was instituted by God before the Mosaic Law? The key verses about the Sabbath are Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8; and Hebrews 4:8-10. The seventh day of the week… Read More
Eternal Security
Eternal security is the sovereign work of God which guarantees that when the gift of salvation is received, it becomes the eternal possession of the believer, and cannot be forfeited.[1] Salvation then is an “irreversible work of God.”[2] It is described by Hodges as a “one-time event with everlasting consequences.”[3]… Read More
Baptism in Jesus’ Name Only
Question: Regarding baptism in Jesus’ name only, how do you reconcile Matthew 28 and Acts 2?. What practical consequences are there for holding to or not holding to the teaching of baptizing in Jesus name only. Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 2:38 Answer: First, it is important to study the context…. Read More
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Question: What is the difference between the baptism and the filling of the Holy Spirit. Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 12:1-13; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 5:18. Answer: The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the placing of the believer into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation (1 Cor. 12:13). Believers… Read More
Will of God
1. Some general principles in determining God’s Will. a. God’s first priority for everyone is to accept Christ as Savior (2 Pet. 3:9). b. For believers, God’s first objective that they be controlled, or filled, by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:17-18; 1 John 1:9). There is no power for knowing… Read More
The Sanctification of a Believer
The sanctification of the believer is in three realms—positional, progressive, and ultimate, reflecting the past, present, and future aspects of salvation. In Romans 8:1-11, Paul notes the reality of positional sanctification as the believer is in union with Christ, having been justified and declared righteous. Then He describes how this sanctification is… Read More
Ministries of the Holy Spirit
1. Restraint. The inhibiting of the lawlessness in the world (Gen. 6:3; 2 Thes. 2:7). 2. Reproof. Convicting the world of sin (unbelief), righteousness (concerning Jesus Christ), and judgment (in the future of mankind) (John 16:7-11). 3. Revelation. The unveiling of previously concealed truth. Making known of God’s divine purpose and plan… Read More
Unpardonable Sin
In the context of Matthew 12, it was Israel’s rejection of Christ that Jesus related to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Strictly speaking, only when the nation Israel rejected their Messiah, Jesus Christ, did they commit the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. By application today, one might say that… Read More
Spiritual Gifts
An important aspect of the Christian’s spiritual life is the understanding and use of one’s spiritual gift. In addition to enabling a believer to live the Christian life to the fullest expression, the use of spiritual gifts has a direct impact on the body of Christ. The work of the… Read More
Topical Studies
Racism
Racism is a feeling of superiority of one race or culture over another race or culture. Racial prejudice has been part of man’s dilemma throughout human history. In our modern day world, there is evidence of racial discrimination in almost every facet of life. In the United States, it is… Read More
The Raising of Lazarus
The suspense-filled drama in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John records one of only seven miracles that appear the book. John presents the miracle of the raising Lazarus from the dead as a graphic verification that “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). The incarnation is never so real… Read More
Bio-Medical Ethics
Ethical decisions are made everyday in the field of biomedicine. In an era of research and experimentation, modern science has created issues that are not even mentioned in the Bible. For example, the Scriptures are silent on subjects such as cloning, artificial insemination, test tube babies, and surrogate mothers. In… Read More
The Warning of Hebrews 10:26
When interpreting Hebrews10:26, integration with the context of the chapter is essential. It is also important to comprehend the overall theme of the book of Hebrews: the superiority of Christ and His sacrificial death for sin over the Levitical sacrifices, and the supremacy of faith in the finished work of… Read More
The Warning of Hebrews 6:6 A Challenge to Maturity
Hebrews 6:4-6 The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians about 64-69 AD, prior to the destruction of the Herodian or Second Temple in 70 A.D. by the Romans. The likelihood of Jerusalem being the destination of the letter is promoted by Wescott, who states, “Nowhere else would the… Read More
Divorce and Remarriage
There are numerous and varied opinions among Bible scholars on the subject of marriage, divorce and remarriage. The absence of a consensus has resulted in both confusion and diverse reaction to discussions on divorce and remarriage. However, in spite of the difference of opinions, there is no question in the… Read More
Homosexuality
Question. What does the Bible say about homosexuality? Scripture. Genesis 19:4-9; Deuteronomy 22:5; Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10 Overview. Homosexuality is forbidden in both the Old and New Testaments. It is an abomination to God. But it is both forgivable and able to be rejected as… Read More
Pornography
It is evident that there is a worldwide obsession with pornography in our modern age of moral relativity. This is indicated by the increase of sexually-explicit material in movies, television, books, and magazines, and even at sporting events. Capitalism has taken advantage of the world’s interest in pornography. Pornography is… Read More
Lordship Salvation
Question. Does the Bible teach Lordship salvation? Scripture. Romans 10:9; Acts 16:31 Definition. Lordship salvation is the view that a person must trust Jesus Christ as his Savior and submit to Him as Lord in order to receive eternal life. According to this view, it is not enough to simply… Read More
Birth Control
Question: What does the Bible say about birth control? Key Verses: Psalm 127:3-5; Psalm 128:1-4 Birth control is defined as either a natural or artificial means of preventing or controlling the conception of a child. The problem is that there is evidently an ignorance of the Bible’s teaching concerning the… Read More
Trinity in the Old Testament
Question: Is the Trinity taught in the Old Testament? Scripture: Genesis 1:2, 26; 3:22; 11:6-7; 19:24; Deut. 6:4; Job 33:4; Psa. 2:7; Isa. 63:16; Overview. Those who reject the Trinity sometimes point to the Old Testament for support insisting that the doctrine is not taught there and therefore should be rejected…. Read More
Deity of Christ
I. Scriptural Basis for Holiness of Christ. Premise: God is holy. God is a Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God the Son. Jesus Christ is identical in essence to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Jesus Christ is holy. A. Essence of God. Holiness is a characteristic… Read More
Psychology
A COMPARISON OF PSYCHOLOGY WITH BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY by Peggi Klubnik Postmodernism’s emphasis on that which is relative, relational and relevant makes many eager adherents of the practices of psychology. Claiming to be a science, psychology uses scientific principles for the observation of human behavior. Yet the evaluation of data is often relative… Read More
Friendship
A. Book of Proverbs. In the Book of Proverbs, friends are considered valuable. 1. A description of friendship. a. What to do – (17:17) friends love at all times, (18:24) be selective (27:14) right timing b. What to be – (22:11) pure in heart c. Long-term friendship (27:10) your and your… Read More
Inductive Bible Study
There are three basic steps in studying the Bible inductively. Your ultimate goal should be to attempt to understand the verses and passages in their context so that you will be able to apply what you learn to everyday life. In other words, knowledge should not be an end in itself. The purpose… Read More
Fear of the Lord
1. Cornerstone of wisdom. Israel’s wisdom literature was unique in its declaration of the fear of the Lord as being foundational to wisdom. The fear of the Lord was both the prerequisite and the object of wisdom of ancient Israel. The book of Proverbs is built upon the fear of… Read More
Euthanasia
Man does not have the right to accelerate the time of a person’s death. Scripture teaches that death is to be in the sovereign control of God. Euthanasia is defined as a “good death.” However, some may ask, “Is there any such thing as a good death?” Is there a good… Read More
The Beatitudes
The Gospels begin with the announcement of the kingdom. It is proclaimed by angels (Luke 1:11, 26), anticipated by the Magi (Matt. 2:1-6), and preached by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:1-3). The miracles that Christ performed in Galilee prior to the giving of the Sermon on the Mount were the credentials of the… Read More
Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” This verse emphasizes the importance of training a child at the beginning of his or her life. It is neither a promise nor a command, but a challenge to… Read More
Suicide
Suicide is defined as the premature self-killing of an individual. There are several biblical examples of suicide: Judas (Matt. 27:5) Saul (1 Sam. 31:4) Samson (Jud. 16:28-30) Abimelech (Jud. 9:50-51). There are several arguments sometimes used to support suicide from the Bible. Since there are biblical examples for suicide, some… Read More
Gambling
Is gambling a sin? What about investing in the stock market? Gambling is a game of chance. It involves a conscious risk in hope of making a profit, as in playing the lottery. Greed is often the motive in gambling and is prohibited in the Ten Commandments (Exo. 20:17). Believers are… Read More
Capital Punishment
Question. Does the Bible teach capital punishment? Scripture. Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 19:21; Matthew 5:38-39, 44; Luke 22:36; John 5:30; Acts 25:11; Romans 12:17; 13:4; 2 Cor 10:4-5; 1 John 4:8 Overview. Justice and not rehabilitation is the issue in capital punishment. The sanctity and dignity of life issue… Read More
Abortion
Question:Does the Bible address the issue of abortion? Does anyone have the right to terminate the life of an unborn child? Is the fetus fully human? Definition: Abortion is defined as the inducing of a premature delivery in order to destroy the offspring. There are three general categories of abortion: Therapeutic,… Read More