In his letter to the Colossians, Paul refers to Christ as “the firstborn of all creation.” Does this phrase suggest that Jesus was a “created” being? The “Jehovah’s Witnesses” so allege, but what is the truth of the matter? Study this intriguing question with us.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul uses the expression, “lifting up holy hands” (1 Tim. 2:8). Does this suggest that one should hold up his hands when praying? Wayne Jackson addresses this question.

In a marvelous passage designed to inspire confidence in God’s oversight of our lives, Paul affirms that the Holy Spirit assists the Christian in his prayer life.

This term is found only a few times in the English Bible. In four cases it renders the Greek threskeia, which basically means holy service, the exercise of devotion to a transcendent Being or being...

Are law and love incompatible? Not according to Paul. We fulfill the law of Christ when we love others like Jesus loved us. Consider the valuable role you can play in the life of someone who is struggling now under the weight of unbearable burdens. Through Galatians 6:2, Christ is calling you to help lighten your brother’s burden for the sake of his soul.

When Paul visited Athens, some twenty centuries ago, he encountered the pagan Epicureans. The modern counterparts of these heathen philosophers are found in the disciples of Charles Darwin. Professor Benjamin Wiker has forcefully demonstrated this sad reality in his recent writings.

Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome develops the theme of God’s gospel plan of justification for sinful man on the ground Christ’s atoning death. The book demonstrates that redemption could not...

In 2003, we published a review of Dr. Thomas West’s book, Jesus and the Quest for Meaning. West is a Professor of Theology at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. In our review, we censured Professor West for his unorthodox ideas relative to the resurrection of Christ. The Professor has vigorously protested our essay. As a courtesy to him, we are publishing his letter of protest, and our response to the same.

The term atheism derives from two Greek roots, a (meaning “no”) and theos (“God”). It is a word that depicts the irrational ideology of the person who dogmatically says: “There is no God” (cf. Psa....

Biblical chronology has to do with the relationship of the events recorded in Scripture to specific dates. Some events are a bit ambiguous in terms of date. Others are more precise. 

While the Bib...

This word is an anglicized form of the Greek apologeia, literally meaning “a verbal defense.” It is found eight times in the New Testament, and a verb form occurs some ten times.

For example, Luke...

A careful consideration of the various texts in the Old Testament that mention the “angel of the LORD” (KJV) or the “angel of Jehovah” (ASV) reveals that this being was not of the ordinary angel cl...

This English term is a rendition of the Greek zoopoieo, “to make alive.” It is found about a dozen times in the N.T. and is rendered by such expressions as “quicken,” “give life,” and “make alive.”...

Apostasy is an English term based on the Greek apotasia. Originally, it meant to desert one’s post; it was used for political revolt.

In the Old Testament, the word implies a turning away from Go...

The Greek term graphe (“writing”) comes into the English Bible (via Latin, scriptura) as “scripture.” The word almost always has the definite article “the scriptures.” The expression may refer to a...

Certain religionists, especially those who subscribe to the dogma of DISPENSATIONALISM (see), maintain that the “signs” of Matthew 24:1-34 indicate that the return of Christ is very near; they cons...

The word “perfect” is used in different ways in the Bible. (a) Only deity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is perfect in the absolute, moral sense (Mt. 5:48), though Christians are to strive for this...

Faithfulness conveys integrity, steadfastness, truth, and dependability, among other qualities. Two important emphases of this quality are highlighted in the Bible. 
• God is faithful in all things...

Jesus once declared that he came to this earth to give up his life as a “ransom” for others (cf. Mt. 20:28; Mk. 10:45). The term for “ransom” is lutron. Lutron derives from luo, “to loose,” and whe...

The Greek word paradeisos derives from the Persian term pairidaeza, which meant an enclosure, a royal park, a garden with a wall. In the Greek Old Testament (LXX) the term is employed of the garden...