The Greek word "uihothesia" translated "adoption," occurs five times in the New Testament, all in Paul’s epistles (Rom. 8:15, 23; 9:4; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5). It means "son placing," signifying the position of a son being given to someone to whom it does not naturally...
As a child, I learned the importance of praying in the Name of the Lord Jesus from my parents and from godly men as they prayed publicly. In recent years, I have noticed some brethren closing their prayers with a simple “Amen.” Yet it is through Christ that we have...
Job framed the classic problem of how a holy God can deal with His sinful creation by asking, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one” (Job 14:4). Thankfully, the gospel provides a comprehensive salvation, addressing every aspect of the Lord’s just...
"…As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'" Romans 10:15 King Solomon, regarded as one of the wisest men who ever lived, said, “He who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). The term...
Some years ago, I met a man who claimed to be a Christian but became offended when I asked if it was a wonderful thing to be saved. He told me that he did not like my referring to his conversion as salvation, because he did not believe he had ever been lost and...
Meaning of Reconciliation Reconciliation contains the thought of removing enmity that might exist between two parties. It is the restoration of a relationship that has been severed due to conflict, bringing it back to friendship, thus reconciling the two parties....
Propitiation, pronounced pro-pish-i-ā´shun can be a difficult word for many to grasp. If you find this word difficult, take heart! Professor David W. Gooding said, “Propitiation is perhaps one of the hardest New Testament words to get a hold of.” He adds,...
In our pluralistic age we often hear the Bible described as merely another source of divine inspiration alongside the sacred texts of the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs. It is also argued that the Bible makes its own claim to be the Word of God and that...
In Scripture, the term “redemption” has a very broad application. It is used for the process of buying back the personal property of inheritance and of persons (Lev. 25:51-52; Ruth 4), the ransom of a man’s soul (Ps. 49:8), salvation, justification, and forgiveness of...
Mankind’s history is the tale of two men: the first Adam and the last Adam. The former linked humanity with sin, condemnation, and death. The latter links them with righteousness, purity, and immortality (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:46-57). This second man was not merely...
Sanctification is simply the process of spiritual growth by which God progressively makes us more like His Beloved Son, our Savior. The natural outgrowth of this process is that believers will live godly lives for the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul reminds us...
One of the greatest privileges that every Christian possesses is access into the very presence of God. Romans 5:2 reminds us that we have “access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” We rejoice not only because we are...
The Lord’s imminent return for His Church provides hope, comfort, and encouragement for the believer. Therefore, the Bible instructs the Church, consisting of all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, to watch and wait for His return. Our hope is not in politics,...
“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:31 First Corinthians was written to believers in the brazenly corrupt city of Corinth. All manner of evil prevailed in ancient...
This article looks at the significance of baptism for those who have trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior. There are several baptisms in Scripture, among others John’s baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There are specific characteristics related to each...
The wonder that God was manifested in the flesh! The Scriptures affirm that Christ is the eternal Son of God, an equal member of the Godhead (John 1:1; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3). The Bible also teaches that the Father sent the eternal Son into time, with Christ taking upon...
The foundation for a well-functioning society was established by God in Genesis 1. In the beginning of our Bibles, we find answers to important questions such as: What is life? What is the origin of life? What is gender? What is marriage? What is work? Clearly, the...
The New Testament is the only sufficient and authoritative constitution of the church. An understanding of New Testament ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church) will disclose the autonomous and independent nature of the local church. To be autonomous is to be...
I was not raised in a church that practiced head covering. I had been taught it was cultural but felt uncomfortable with this reasoning. Where do you stop with that kind of thinking? I personally decided to study the topic of Headship and became convinced of its...
The subject of crowns and rewards for the Christian is not a salvation doctrine. Salvation is a gift according to Ephesians 2:8-9 and other scriptures: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of...