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Who is the sinister “man of sin” mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2?
What does the Bible mean when it suggests that God may “send a strong delusion” to some people (2 Thes. 2:11)? Would the “God of truth” actually “send” a lie? Too, is it possible for a person to harden his heart to the extent that he is beyond the hope of salvation?
This context has been the subject of great controversy. What exactly is the “falling away” and who is the “man of sin”?
Some sincere Christians contend that the child of God may not address Christ, either in praise or through prayer. Will this case stand in the light of critical investigation? Carefully study this issue with us.
A consideration of the biblical data leads only to the conclusion that the heart is a vulnerable feature of the human makeup. One must guard it, and he must cultivate it, with the greatest of diligence.
A careful investigation of the biblical text provides a powerful antidote to the postmodern confusion which alleges that truth is subjective, elusive, and ephemeral.
When 1 Peter 1:1, 2 is seen in concert with related biblical material, the doctrine of election is removed from the confusing fog of sectarian dogma.
The devil is after us. He wants us to join him in hell’s fire. In Ephesians 6:12-18, the apostle Paul pleads with Christians to take the devil’s malicious plans seriously. He calls upon us to appropriate the only available means to stand against the wiles of Satan — the whole armor of God. Such w...
Truth is objective reality. No matter how I may feel about it, two plus two is not “three to me.” If that is how I feel about the equation, in reality, I am just plain wrong! In relation to God as our Creator and Redeemer, we must come to a knowledge of the truth, believe the truth, and obey the ...
The Lord expects his disciples to demonstrate a loving disposition, while, at the same time, defending the truth vigorously. All of us to some extent, have made errors in both of these areas. And sometimes, we do more harm than good when attempting to defend truth with incorrect reasoning. This i...
The recent discovery of an ossuary (bone box) in Jerusalem that contained the phrase “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus” has rekindled the controversy as to whether Mary had children other than Jesus. Catholicism claims she did not. What does the actual evidence reveal?
Was the church of Christ established on the day of Pentecost? Or was it established at some earlier time in human history?
While the term "unity" is rare in the English Bible (Psa. 133:1; Eph. 4:3; 4:13), the idea prevails profusely in a variety of contexts. (a) Unity is that oneness that obtains perfectly among the members of the divine Godhead -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These holy Persons are "one" (Dt. 6:4; ...
The term "tradition" renders a Greek word that suggests the idea of "instruction that has been handed down." It takes on two senses in Scripture. (a) "Tradition" may be instruction that is divinely originated. Paul commended the Corinthians for holding to the "traditions" he had delivered unto th...
The Greek word for "reformation" is diorthosis, which indicates the idea of making something "straight." A kindred form of the term is used in Acts 24:2, where the flattering orator Tertullus described the political activity of Felix. Supposedly, the governor "corrected" evils that had been perpe...
Three Greek terms in the N.T. reflect the idea of a "miracle," and there are three contexts in which all three terms are found together (Acts 2:22; 2 Thes. 2:9; Heb. 2:4). The Greek terms are as follows. (a) Dunamis is "power, a mighty work." This word stresses the divine power involved in the mi...
The Bible occasionally speaks of the wicked being ultimately "destroyed" (apollumi) in hell (Mt. 10:28; Lk. 13:3, 5; 2 Thes. 2:10). Some, therefore, have assumed that after an appropriate period of punishment, the spirits of wicked men will be extinguished. But the idea embodied in apollumi is "r...
A religious denomination is a body or sect subscribing to a particular set of doctrinal tenets that is set apart from other religious groups by its name and human creed. Denominations find no divine sanction in the New Testament. They represent a departure from the pristine Christianity of the fi...
The Christian commitment is biblically designated as a "calling." The divine calling (Eph. 4:1) is not a direct communication from God or his Holy Spirit, as some today allege. No one on earth knows anything about Jesus Christ and his way of redemption except what they have learned either directl...
Apostasy is an English term based on the Greek apotasia. Originally, it meant to desert one's post; it was used for political revolt. In the Old Testament, the word implies a turning away from God's way (see Josh. 22:22 -- LXX; see LXX entry). In the New Testament, apostasia describes a massive "...