On several occasions the Scriptures speak of a “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1). What does the phrase mean? (a) It does not refer to a literal new heavens and earth. This is s...

Certain first-century Jews sought to persuade Christians (perhaps in the region of Jerusalem) to abandon the faith, return to Judaism, and wait for the real Messiah. The design of this letter, by a...

Three different Greek words are rendered “hell” in the King James translation of the Bible. (a) Hades is found ten times in the Greek N.T.; nine times it is rendered “hell,” once “grave” in the KJV...

“Heresy” takes its rise from the Greek, hairesis (nine times in the N.T.). Originally, the term meant simply “to choose” (Lev. 22:18, 21 — LXX). Then it came to signify a choice, i.e., an opinion ...

“Holy” is from the Greek hagios, which carries the idea of something “separated” from other things. (a) God utterly stands apart from sinful man, and thus he is absolutely holy (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8)...

The Holy Spirit is a divine being who is “spirit” in nature (Lk. 24:39), and “holy” in character. (a) The Holy Spirit is not a mere force (as some cultists insist, e.g., the “Jehovah’s Witnesses”);...

Homosexual activity is sexual intimacy between two persons of the same gender. This form of sexual conduct is uniformly condemned in the Bible. (a) It stands outside the divinely prescribed realm o...

Hosea lived in that era just prior to the Assyrian invasion of the kingdom of Israel (722/21 B.C.). His mission was to admonish Israel for her idolatry (Baal worship), and to urge her to repentance...

The Scriptures emphatically teach that the Second Person of the Godhead, the Word (Jn. 1:1), actually became a flesh and blood human being (Jn. 1:14; Heb. 2:14). One partakes of the spirit of antic...

The gods of the biblical era were profuse. They were the inventions of the human mind in a world that had rejected the true God and his sovereignty over humanity. 

The Old Testament prophets denie...

Two Greek words express the idea of immortality — athanasia (no death), and aphtharsia (no corruption). In the absolute sense, only God possesses immortality, i.e., an underived and unending exist...

The concept of eternal life is outlined in an abbreviated form in the Old Testament (cf. Dan. 12:2). However, it comes into full bloom in the New Testament revelation. Life and immortality are brou...

Ethics concerns the system or code by which attitudes or actions are determined to be right or wrong. Only two sources can serve as the basis for ethical conduct: ethical conduct is either regulate...

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...

Contrary to the denominational claim that infants are born in sin, the Bible teaches otherwise. (a) Children do not inherit evil from their parents (Ezek. 18:20). (b) The practice of sin begins in ...

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul stated that the Scriptures are “inspired of God” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The Greek is one word, theopneustos, literally “God breathed.” It is an affirmation that God...

The idea of “intercession” is expressed in both Testaments of the Bible. The Greek verb entunchano suggests the concept of making an appeal to someone with reference to another person. It can mean ...

Isaiah was a prophet who lived in Judah in the eighth century before Christ. He foretold coming judgments from God to be visited upon Israel, Judah, and several heathen nations, because of their si...

After Jacob had his famous encounter with the “messenger” of Jehovah (Gen. 32:29; cf. Hos. 12:4-5), his name was changed to “Israel,” suggesting, “he who strove with God.” Later, the name is applie...

This book, authored by the Lord’s half-brother (Gal. 1:19), is directed to the “twelve tribes scattered abroad.” This is either Jewish Christians, or a figurative designation for “spiritual Israel”...