Since the Bible says they came from the east (v. 1), the wise men (magi in the original; G3097) were likely from Persia or southern Arabia, both of which lay east of Israel.1 That they used the term “King of the Jews” for Jesus would suggest that they were Gentiles...
The phrase “the husband of one wife” (also in Titus 1:6) does not likely have polygamy in mind because in New Testament times it is debateable how widespread the practice was in Roman and Jewish culture. A Roman citizen by law could only have one spouse at a time....
Believers look to the Lord for wisdom and guidance because we know that His will is best, leading to a fruitful, joyful, and abundant life (John 10:10). Psalms 25:14 says “the secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him.” Therefore, we must spend daily time in His...
One of Christ’s seven sayings from the cross, this sentence is one word in the original Greek (tetelestai) meaning “to complete, it is done.” So, the question is, “what was completed?” In those days, the word was stamped on tax receipts to indicate “paid in full.” The...
Throughout history people have searched for truth: about heaven; hell; and eternal life. Be encouraged that the Lord wants everyone to know the truth. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” It is...
Verses 26-31 reads: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has...
Melchizedek is a unique Old Testament dignitary who suddenly appears on the scene: greeting, blessing, and fellowshipping with Abraham after the patriarch rescued his nephew Lot. The Bible introduces him as the king of Salem and priest of God Most High, meaning he...
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; […]