Drunkenness involves the ingestion of a mind-altering substance for purely pleasurable purposes. This vice is repeatedly condemned in the Scriptures (Proverbs 23:29ff; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians...

The word “agnostic” does not appear in the English Bible. The term derives, however, from Greek roots suggesting the idea “not known.”

When Paul visited Athens, he noted that the pagans there had ...

The creation was the act of an omnipotent God, speaking into existence, from no previous materials, the entire Universe and everything within it. This concept is unique to Judeo-Christian theology....

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...

From the Greek word eschatos (“last”) comes “eschatology,” a study of “last things” (e.g., the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment day, the end of the world, heaven,...

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...

While the term “unity” is rare in the English Bible (Psa. 133:1; Eph. 4:3; 4:13), the idea prevails profusely in a variety of contexts. (a) Unity is that oneness that obtains perfectly among the me...

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 "...

Contrary to the denominational claim that infants are born in sin, the Bible teaches otherwise.

• Children do not inherit evil from their parents (Ezekiel 18:20).
• The practice of sin begins in...

The word “dogma” is not found in the English Bible, but it is in the Greek New Testament. 
• In classical Greek, the term had a range of meanings from opinion to a legal edict. Luke refers to a cen...

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...

Blood is a prominent theme in the Bible.

Because blood is the life stream of a person (Lev. 17:11), it becomes the biblical representation of life. Because of sin, man has forfeited the right to ...

The Bible clearly teaches that at the time of Christ’s return, all the dead will be raised from their graves.

In the Patriarchal age, Job seems to allude to the hope of the resurrection (Job 19:25...

Prayer is a mode of communication between a human being and deity. Prayer is almost a human “instinct,” reflecting man’s innate need for contact with his Maker (Acts 17:27). It has been said that w...

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...

The term “truth” carries several connotations in the Bible. (a) Truth can convey the idea of loyalty. Those who abide in Jesus’ teaching are “truly” his disciples (Jn. 8:31). (b) True may denote th...

The word “soul” is used in several senses in the Bible. (a) It may signify an individual person (Ezek. 18:20). (b) It may be employed of mere biological life (Gen. 1:30). (c) It can have to do with...

The Greek word eirene (“peace”) may derive from an original term meaning, “to weave together.” This is a very significant Bible word. (a) There is a peace to be sought with God. Sin has separated m...

Sanctified suggests “having been separated from (something), set apart.” The term is used in a variety of ways in the Bible. (a) Both God the Father and Christ the Son are to be sanctified (Num. 20...

The Greek word oikonomia is rendered “dispensation” several times in the New Testament (see 1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:10; 3:2, 9; Col. 1:25). Sometimes the word suggests the idea of managing a household ...