Content on Matthew 12:31–32
50 results
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Can I Get Married Without a Marriage License?
As is often the case, our Bible questions touch on some important fundamental issues: • What actually constitutes marriage in God's eyes? • What role does civil authority play? Let's examine what Scripture reveals. What Makes a Marriage Valid Before God? God's foundational design for marriage can...
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Did All Christians in the First Century Possess Miraculous Gifts?
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...
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What Are the New Heavens and New Earth?
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...
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Were the King James Version Translators Biased Toward the “Faith-Only” Doctrine?
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...
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Must We Do Something To Receive the Free Gift of Salvation?
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...
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What Is Bible “Inspiration”?
The Bible makes a claim that most books do not. It claims to be from God. Some books, both ancient and modern, also claim a divine origin. However, unlike other books that make the claim, the Bible’s claim is true. When we say the Bible is inspired, several factors must be considered. First, “ins...
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The Gospel Writers and Their Quotations from Jesus
This is a good question, but the alleged problem is not of serious import. Let us consider the following factors. General Principles First, it has long been recognized that when referring to another's audible use of language or written words, it is not necessary to quote verbatim to accurately re...
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Is It Appropriate to Worship Jesus?
It's not surprising that some cultists, who deny the deity of Christ, avoid worshiping the Lord. What's shocking is that some—who are quite sincere, but should know better and hopefully will learn better—are expressing opposition to the idea that Christ is worthy of worship. For example, one man ...
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How Can the Church Be the Fulfillment of Daniel 2:44?
The prophecy in Daniel 2:44 says: “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” Some may speculate...
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Are Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit “God” in Nature?
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...
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Is It a Sin for a Christian To Be Depressed?
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...
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Do the Scriptures Authorize Multiple Cups?
Sincere though these people are, their approach to the Scriptures in this regard is flawed. When the New Testament speaks of the cup in observing communion, it is not the literal container that is being referred to. Instead, it is the contents (i.e., the fruit of the vine) that are emphasized. Th...
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Is a Church Obligated to Support Mission Work?
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...
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Should Christians Pray for the Forgiveness of Their Sins?
Many sincere Bible students frequently misunderstand this passage. It is also a source of some division. Let's explore the meaning. Walking in the Light First, 1 John 1:7 teaches that we have ongoing forgiveness only so long as we "walk in the light." Part of that "light" shows that we petition G...
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What Is A Cappella Music?
The phrase a cappella derives from a Latin expression that, via Italian, means “in the style of the church” or “as is done in the church.” It reflects the historical reality that instrumental music in Christian worship was not practiced for many centuries, and that its rather late introduction co...
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When Peter Stood Condemned
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...
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How Did the Samaritan Woman Know About the Messiah?
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...
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Are We Resurrected from the Dead When We Obey the Gospel?
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...
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Will God Bring All Sins into Remembrance?
Ecclesiastes 12:14 affirms the following: "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." The thrust of this sober passage seems to be this. The works of men, whether good or evil, may be hidden from one's contemporaries. That is,...
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Do Psychics Really Have Mystic Powers?
The short answer to your question is this: psychics have no power, either to predict future events or to cause what they predict to come to pass. You are wise to avoid them. To flesh out the answer further, I’d like to point your attention to Isaiah 40-48. In this entire section, the Lord sets Hi...
