The Philippian church was established by Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 16:11ff). These people quickly secured a place in the great apostle’s heart. This letter, written some ten years ...

The English word “church” is derived from the Greek kurikon, meaning “belonging to the Lord.”

The actual word in the Greek text, which stands behind the modern rendition, “church,” is ekklesia, "...

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...

The expression “Crossing the Rubicon” is famous for deadly decisions that cannot be retracted. There are many of these in life that elicit some reflection.

This book contains the inspired record of Israel’s final return from the Babylonian captivity. The leader of the trek was Nehemiah, who brought the Hebrews back in 444 B.C. It is the story of the r...

This final book of the New Testament is a fitting conclusion to the sacred canon. It was written by John while exiled on the island of Patmos and is directed primarily to seven congregations in Asi...

The idea of being born in sin or inheriting ancestral sin at birth is not a biblical concept. The most commonly misapplied passage relating to the notion that children are “born in sin” is Psalm 51...

During the period between the first and second Jewish returns from Babylonian captivity (536 and 457 B.C.), many Hebrews remained in Persia. At that time, a dreadful plot to exterminate the Jews wa...

Meth ... pot ... fentanyl ... or “ME”? Which addiction has more victims?

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 first three Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are called SYNOPTICS (see), because they view the life of Christ from roughly the same vantagepoint. John’s account is different. His recor...

Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria. It was an exceedingly wicked city, but Jehovah loved even these alien Gentiles. Accordingly, he sent Jonah, a prophet from northern Palestine, to proclaim u...

The doctrine of “annihilation” is the idea that eventually, after a sufficient period of punishment, the souls of the wicked will go out of existence. This dogma is without biblical support. 

The ...

Marriage is a covenant between a man and woman, whereby they pledge to belong to one another in a life-long union. There are several elements relative to this institution that are important to unde...

Death is a term that, in one sense or another, suggests the idea of separation.

Physical death is that state of the body which is separated from the “spirit” or “soul” (Gen. 25:8; 35:18; Jas. 2:2...

If we would emulate our God, we will cultivate kindness. This one moral attribute can work wonders on both friends and enemies.

The English word “atonement” derives from an Anglo-Saxon term that practically signifies “a making at one.” Though the English term “atonement” is common to the Old Testament, it is found only once...

Was Jesus absolutely sinless? What does the evidence actually reveal? If he was sinless, was this necessary in the divine scheme of things? If so, why?

Was the church of Christ established on the day of Pentecost? Or was it established at some earlier time in human history?

“He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” If there is one verse most folks have memorized, it is this one. But what does it really mean?