The article explores the contentious issue of divorce and remarriage, highlighting that civil law is subordinate to divine law and how this principle applies in complex situations. It concludes that marriage is a sacred institution, and its issues should be judged according to Heaven’s law.

The Greek term, found in various forms about forty-five times in the N.T., means “the possession of a lot,” or portion. Some ideas associated with the word are these: (a) It can suggest a possessio...

A “type” (tupos) is a prophetic, pictorial preview, which finds its fulfillment in an “antitype.” Types are grounded in historical events, but they are symbolic in import. These forms of figurative...

The names “Jesus Christ” mean “savior” and “anointed,” suggesting that this noble person was “anointed” of God (Acts 10:38) to be prophet, priest, and king, and indeed, the Savior of the world (Mt....

The English Bible uses the word “abomination” to reflect about a dozen terms in the original languages of both Testaments. The prevailing idea behind the words is a divine revulsion at transgressio...

The third book of the N.T., the Gospel of Luke, was intended as a defense of the historical data regarding Jesus — especially on behalf of the Greeks. Authored by Luke, a Gentile physician (Col. 4...

A word that denotes the commencement of anything with a point of origin. 

The “heavens and the earth” had a beginning (Gen. 1:1); hence, they are not eternal. Material origins must be explained su...

Kindness (chrestos) may be defined as that which is characterized by honesty, friendliness, goodness, generosity, compassion, etc. The term is used in the N.T. in two main senses. (a) Kindness desc...

The Greek term porne is a comprehensive term, covering every form of illicit sexual activity by human beings. Note the following passages that help us understand this word.

Single people who wish ...

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 know...

The term “grace” occurs about 155 times in the N.T. The word relates to a Greek term, chairo, meaning “to rejoice,” and grace itself comes to mean favor, gratification, or gratitude — depending up...

Praise, in the highest sense of the term, is a feeling toward, and/or outward expression of, devotion to deity. It acknowledges thanksgiving for Heaven’s glorious creation, beneficent providence, a...

Many sincere people labor under the illusion that “works” play no role whatever in Heaven’s plan of redemption? Is this a correct view? Actually, it is not. Study this theme with us in this week’s Penpoints article.

Righteous is the state or quality of being right. (a) Only Deity is righteous in the absolute sense (Rom. 3:10). To speak of the righteousness of God is to affirm his absolute morality, and the exp...

Repentance has a variety of uses in the Scriptures. (a) One form of “repentance” is simply a feeling of remorse. It was in this sense that Judas “repented” (Mt. 27:3) just before he hanged himself ...

The Greek word skene (rendered “tabernacle”) means a “tent.” (a) The tabernacle of Moses’ day was a tent of worship, designed by God, and provided for the children of Israel as they wandered in the...

The word “kingdom” (basileia) is a noun that generally refers to a territory over which a king rules. Three senses are prominent in the theology of the N.T. 
• Jesus uses the term to denote the rei...

A gentleman recently attempted to negate the divine proclamation that God made heaven and earth, and everything therein, in six days (Exodus 20:11). His argument can best be characterized as “belly button” logic. We here review it briefly.

The term “sabbath” is derived from the Hebrew shabath, to “cease.” The use of this word for the “seventh day” reflects the Genesis account of creation, when, after six days of creative activity, Je...

Life may be viewed under two categories — physical life and spiritual life. (a) All biological organisms are characterized by physical “life.” A living creature has independent movement, processes...