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There are several factors to consider when responding to this excellent question. Reflect upon the following: Salvation is wonderfully described in the New Testament as a free gift. This terminology is used to emphasize that God is under no compulsion to offer it. Man, by his choice, has rebelled...
The religious world is deeply divided over the following passage from Genesis. “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that the...
The Catholic Church teaches two errors with reference to Mary’s alleged sinlessness: 1. It argues that the mother of Jesus was conceived "immaculately," meaning she did not inherit, as others supposedly do, the guilt of Adam's "original sin." 2. The Roman Church also contends that Mary never comm...
Though the Genesis narrative gives no explicit reason why God rejected Cain's offering, the cumulative evidence suggests that Cain's transgression was more than simply offering an inferior gift. Abel's Gift Was More Excellent While the adjective pleion (rendered "more excellent") basically means ...
The correct interpretation of this passage depends on four things — the meaning of “law,” the significance of “faith,” and a consideration of these terms in both the immediate and remote contexts of scripture. We must note at the outset that respectable scholars hold slightly different views on c...
First, no evidence shows that anyone other than the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They had been promised that blessing (see Acts 1:5, 8). The only other exception was to the household of Cornelius, in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, as a divine token th...
It will first be important to observe the larger context in which this puzzling text is found. Beginning in 1 Timothy 5:17, Paul provides instructions regarding certain matters relating to the elders of a local congregation. He states that they may be financially supported in their work. If neces...
Fasting, in the biblical sense, is the abstaining from food and drink for a spiritual reason.. In the Old Testament era, the Jews fasted frequently, though only one fast was prescribed by the law. Once each year on the Day of Atonement, the Hebrews were to afflict their souls (Lev. 16:31), which ...
The Samaritans accepted only the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) as Scripture, yet they confidently anticipated the Messiah. In the Temple court, Peter preached: ““Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me; to him shall ye he...
The term “Jehovah,” appearing in the American Standard Version (1901), takes the place of “LORD” (all caps) in the King James Translation, as well as in most modern versions. It derives from four Hebrew consonants, called the Tetragrammaton, a term that signifies a four-letter word. This expressi...
There are many ideas that people have about who will be in Heaven. Since no one on Earth today has ever personally experienced going to Heaven, all we have to go on is what has been revealed and confirmed through the Scriptures. What Does the Bible Actually Say About Who Will Go to Heaven? First,...
Could anxiety be sinful? Yes, if we accept the testimony of Jesus and respect Paul's apostolic command. But the Bible certainly acknowledges that life’s complications can be depressing. The words "depressing" and "depressed" are flexible in their meaning and cover a broad spectrum of mental state...
You have described a volatile situation. I’m afraid that many Christians are so uninformed about both the spirit and the practice of church discipline that extremes in either direction are common more often than not. First, it appears that the woman was never formally disfellowshipped. If she had...
One of the most difficult tasks for the Bible student is attempting to discuss the attributes of God with great precision. The divine qualities are so infinite, and our minds so finite, that we scarcely can fathom the Creator's marvelous features. In attempting to accommodate our limited scope of...
Because the Scriptures do not mention the Gideons, I cannot give you an answer based on explicit Biblical testimony. However, I can cite some principles that should help you reach a decision on this matter. Who Are the Gideons? The Gideons International association is an organized group of busine...
As a general rule, we refrain from commenting on specific problems congregations or individuals may be having. Regardless, I must say that an individual who teaches what this question represents is incorrect in their views regarding Christ and the Holy Spirit. Let us consider each of the proposit...
The question clearly indicates that the author is a conditionalist. A conditionalist is one who believes that at some point following death, those who die estranged from God will be annihilated, that is, cease to exist. This is the dogma of the Seventh-day Adventists, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and...
Since the New Testament does not address this concern specifically, one must draw a reasonable conclusion from the available evidence. My personal view is that, in the circumstances you describe, an adult son's defection does not necessarily disqualify the brother from serving as an elder. My rea...
God calls every person who is saved. Not only does God pardon the sinner (cf. Rom. 3:26), but he also teaches him about the need and means of forgiveness. The Lord Jesus said, ““No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day” (Jn. 6:44).” O...
The King James Version is an old and respected translation of the Holy Scriptures. We have a very high regard for this popular version. Its translators attempted to reproduce the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek original text into the English tongue in a faithful way. In evaluating any version, however...