The term "works" is a perfectly noble word; yet, in the minds of some, there is a distorted view of this biblical term. Especially has the Protestant world reacted negatively to Catholicism's "work...

A "redeemer" is one who is qualified to effect "redemption" on behalf of one in need of the same. The term "redeem" means "to buy out of," (Grk. exagorazo -- ek "out of" and agorazo, "buy"), as in ...

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...

This phrase appears eight times in the New Testament. It is the ancient term for what modern society calls "Sunday." The significance of this day is readily apparent in the following cases:  • It w...

God is often referred to as a "Father" (107 times in the Gospel of John alone). The Scriptures use the term in several ways: God is the Father of all men in the sense that he is the Creator of hum...

In the first century, it was the Jewish custom to recline at the table during meals. Thus, the saying, "recline in the bosom," signified a place of honor near the host. The apostle John enjoyed suc...

Each year, the ancient Hebrews would offer the "firstfruits" of their crops to God as a token of their thanksgiving for the bounty to come (Lev 2:12, 23; 23:17, 39). In his initial letter to the s...

Mentioned only in 1 Corinthians 11:20. See COMMUNION.

This expression generally refers to the apostasy of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which introduced the human family to heartache, disease, and ultimately death (Gen. 2:17; 3:16ff; Rom. 5:12)....

In the Old Testament, this term denoted the firstborn offspring of humans or animals. The firstborn was accorded a place of special prominence (cf. Gen. 48:13-18; Dt. 21:15-17; 2 Chron. 21:3).  Th...

Gambling may be defined as the willingness to take a risk (a wager) motivated by the desire to get something for nothing.  Gambling, an ancient vice condemned in virtually all societies, is driven...

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 Bible affirms God's omniscience (i.e., that he knows everything—past, present, and future; cf. 1 Sam. 16:7; Psa. 139; Is. 40:13ff; Acts 1:24; Heb. 4:13).  One aspect of divine omniscience is "...

The Flood, recorded in Genesis 6-8, was the most widespread disaster ever to affect this planet. Waters from the atmosphere above and from chasms beneath the earth inundated the entire globe (Gen. ...

This phrase appears in Galatians 4:4, where Paul describes Christ's birth and earthly ministry as occurring when "the fulness of time" had arrived. The expression highlights how, over the centuries...

This is the erroneous theory that a vast span of time (billions of years) transpired between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.  Allegedly, during this period, large creatures roamed the earth (e.g., dinosaurs)...

Zechariah was a companion prophet with Haggai. The latter sternly admonished the Hebrews to rid themselves of self-interest and to complete the work on the temple during the post-Babylonian captivi...

The prophet Zephaniah was the great, great-grandson of King Hezekiah (1:1). His prophetic ministry was conducted in the days of Judah's good king, Josiah (ca. 639-09 B.C.).  Josiah came to the thr...

A version of the Bible is a translation of the Scriptures from the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) into another language. Versions may be classified as ancient or modern. Some anc...

The common word for "walk" in the New Testament is peripateo. It means to walk around or, in a figurative sense, "to conduct oneself" in a certain way. It was the common Jewish idiom for how one li...