51 results
Before we obey the gospel, we are dead in sin (Eph. 2:1). But the question is, to what does this refer: the physical body or a spiritual condition? It refers, of course, to our spiritual condition. The passages cited in the question (Rom. 6:3-8; Col. 2:11-12) discuss the spiritual life we can hav...
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...
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...
We typically do not comment on specific issues related to congregations. It is impossible to know all of the facts surrounding certain events, and it is impossible to know the hearts of those involved. We can, however, address some general biblical principles. Individuals or congregations must ma...
The answer to this question lies in understanding some important features of biblical prophecy. Some Prophecies Had Dual Applications There are prophecies in the Old Testament that have a dual application. That is, they have a rather immediate application to a more temporal circumstance. Then, th...
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 term "condemned" in Galatians 2:11 is a point of controversy among some commentators. As with many biblical texts, it is important to understand what is happening in the passage and the circumstances that prompted the author to write. The larger context in which the controversial term is foun...
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...
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...
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...
Whenever a command of Jehovah appears frivolous or unreasonable, we need to study the matter more closely. The Lord always does what is right (Genesis 18:25), regardless of how the situation might appear from our limited vantage point. First, we should define the term. To "hock" or "hamstring" a ...
Let us first address whether or not the content of Job is historically authentic. First, Job reads like history. It tells of events that happened to a man named Job. He lived in the land of Uz. It details his family, his life, and his suffering. It also conveys his friends’ interest in his suffer...
We must be very careful about trying to use Old Testament passages as proof-texts for what we may or may not practice in the Christian age. It is a fundamental aspect of Bible doctrine that the Mosaic system was abrogated by the death of Christ (Ephesians 2:14ff; Colossians 2:14ff). The law of Mo...
What does this puzzling passage mean? As with any troubling or difficult passage, we must first understand the context to better grasp what the author means. Proverbs 31 begins as follows: “The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him” (v. 1). What did the king’s mother teach hi...
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 two views concerning the meaning of the phrase "new heavens and new earth." Since they represent opposing viewpoints, one of them must be false. The phrase indicates that heaven could be a new, literal, physical Earth or simply a figurative way of referring to heaven itself. The Premill...
Yes, it is true that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The prophet Malachi wrote, “For I, Jehovah, change not” (3:6). In Hebrews 13:8, the inspired penman writes, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yea and forever.” So it is clear that God doesn’t change. He is Deity. And...
Three verses in the New Testament include the word “pastor” (in various forms): Ephesians 4:11, Acts 20:28, and 1 Peter 5:2. In Ephesians 4:11, Paul discusses various roles that Christ placed in the church. He intends for “pastors and teachers” to serve in the church. The expression “pastors and ...
When we discuss the fact that we “hear God,” we are considering what God fundamentally communicates about the plan of salvation and how we can obey it. Of course, God “speaks” through his creation (Ps. 19:1; Rom. 1:20). But this general revelation of God does not specify how we can be saved from ...