To correctly interpret many New Testament passages we must distinguish between the believer’s position and practice. Our position has to do with our identity in Christ and is often indicated by the phrase “in Christ” or “in Him.” Our practice pertains to how we are to...
When a young baby is conceived the parents consider that new life to be their child whom they look forward to meeting once the child is born. They have entered into a parent-child relationship that cannot be broken as long as each one lives. Similarly, when a person...
I have believed in Christ since I was a young child but is it important that I cannot remember when I became a Christian? The circumstances involved in each believer’s testimony are as unique as the people themselves. Though God may use diverse events to draw lost souls to Christ, the spiritual work of the […]
First Peter 3:18-20 says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were...
This passage describes conditions on earth prior to the flood when the Lord determined that He was going to judge its inhabitants for their wickedness (Gen. 6:1-8). Verses 1-3 says, “Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons […]
Jeremiah 22:24-30 In what some have referred to as “Coniah’s Curse”, the Lord revealed through the prophet Jeremiah that none of Coniah’s descendants would sit on David’s throne. Early in their history, the Lord had warned Israel about turning from Him to idolatry. After Solomon’s reign the Lord split the kingdom in two, the 10 […]
In this chapter, Paul defends the doctrine of resurrection, describing in verses 13-19 the consequences of no resurrection. If Christ is not risen then our preaching is meaningless (v. 14), the believer’s faith is futile (v. 17), they are still in their sins (v. 17), the dead in Christ have perished (v. 18) and all […]
In Matthew 12:31-32, the Lord says, “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not […]
Not only now during this pandemic but always it is helpful for the believer to know what the Bible says about our responsibility to obey the authorities. We read in Romans 13:1-4a, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are […]
In Part 1, we noticed God makes one New Covenant solely with Israel. Now let us consider four spiritual blessings the Church receives and relate them to God’s future enactment of the New Covenant with Israel. First, every believer in Christ has been born from above, imparted with a new nature in Christ. Born spiritually […]
Romans 9:4-5 lists the unique privileges that Israel enjoyed as a nation. Among these were the covenants. Therefore, the covenants “pertain” or belong to Israel, not the Church. Prophesying of the New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31 says, “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of […]
Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would be a “light to the Gentiles” and bring “salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa. 49:6). In the New Testament, Simeon having been promised by the Spirit that he would see the Messiah before his death, recognized that the Child Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy […]
Three biblical words are used in the New Testament to identify men overseeing the spiritual matters of the local church. Though each word describes the same role, they individually highlight specific features of their responsibility. The first word is “elder” (presbuteros), literally meaning an older man1, underlining his competence (Acts 14:23; 20:17; 1 Tim. 5:17; […]
In reply we must answer the following questions: who was given the Sabbath, what was its purpose, and is it necessary in the church age? The first mention of the Sabbath occurred in the wilderness when the Lord gave Israel manna from heaven (Ex. 16:23). He instructed them to gather daily and on the sixth […]
The word “propitiation” is not commonly used today but it typically referred to people propitiating or trying to appease their false gods1. However, in Scripture it means satisfying the penalty of God’s law through the holy Christ, so that now justice having been served, God can be propitious or favorable towards the believing sinner. Its […]
In part one,1 we looked at two key principles (Rom. 14:1-12) for dealing with inconsequential things,2 recognizing that believers may hold differing opinions on these non-essentials. A third principle exhorts mature Christians to recognize their responsibility for weaker believers (Rom. 14:13-17). The strong should clear the immature’s path, not stumble them (v. 13), they should […]
Throughout church history believers have asked, “should a Christian partake in this or that activity?” These questions concern gray areas, choices that believers make in their personal lives that Scripture does not call sin or specifically mention. In Romans 14 Paul compares a believer who was weak in the faith with one who was mature. […]
This Christmas we have contemplated again the eternal Son’s incarnation. But what did it mean for the transcendent One to draw near? In Philippians 2:7 we read that He “made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant.” The word translated “no reputation” literally means “to empty or abase.”1 In […]
Some quit because they were never saved (1 Jn. 2:19). However, when genuine believers depart, relational problems are often the root cause. Yet leaving one’s assembly should be the last option. If we must leave, it’s important to find another local church as soon as...
Since three nouns used for Christ’s coming can either refer to the rapture (His descent to the air for His church) or to the second coming (His return to earth with His church), the verse’s context is vital to our understanding. The first word is parousia (G3952) meaning “presence,” signifying both the Lord’s arrival and […]