March 31, 2025

Big Words in the Bible (Part 2): Reconciliation

Big Words in the Bible

In the previous article, we discussed propitiation, which referred to the act of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. In this article, we are focusing on the result of Jesus’ sacrifice. Notice what Paul wrote:

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:6-11).

The Greek word for reconciliation is katallage. It refers to a restoration of divine favor after the enmity that existed between man and God is removed. The New Century Version uses the phrase, “Through him we are now God’s friends again” (Romans 5:11). The King James Version uses the term atonement, which shows how it is connected to our previous article on propitiation. Through Jesus’ death on the cross, He made a propitiatory sacrifice which enabled us to be reconciled to God.Continue Reading

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March 24, 2025

Big Words in the Bible (Part 1): Propitiation

Big Words in the Bible

Of all the words we will discuss in our series, this one may be the most difficult to understand simply because it is not typically used in everyday conversation. Yet it is a vitally important concept because of its connection to Jesus’ death on the cross. See what the apostle Paul wrote about this:

“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:21-26).

The Greek word hilasterion is translated as propitiation. The New International Version uses the phrase sacrifice of atonement. It refers to a sacrifice to appease or satisfy God in order to turn His wrath away from those who sinned. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was a propitiatory sacrifice in that it turned away God’s wrath and provided us with an opportunity to be saved.Continue Reading

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March 19, 2025

The Great Commission in the Book of Acts

Paul Before Agrippa

After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, He gave His apostles the “Great Commission.” Notice the details of this commission that are recorded in the synoptic gospels:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned’” (Mark 16:15-16).

“And He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things’” (Luke 24:46-48).

In Luke’s account, we also see Jesus’ instruction to “stay in the city [Jerusalem, as] until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). The gospel of Luke closes with the apostles witnessing the ascension of Christ and then returning to Jerusalem as Jesus instructed them to do (Luke 24:50-53).

In the book of Acts, Luke picked up where he left off and provided additional information about what happened during the “forty days” (Acts 1:3) between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. The final recorded statement Jesus made to His apostles was this:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

This verse is essentially a restatement of the Great Commission. It can also be thought of as the theme of the book of Acts, as it tells of the gospel being preached in Jerusalem (Acts 2-7), Judea (Acts 8:1; 11:1), Samaria (Acts 8), and to all the nations (Acts 10; 13-28).

As the book of Acts contains a record of the apostles carrying out the Great Commission, it also shows us two important points about this commission: (1) how to obey the gospel that the apostles were commissioned to preach and (2) how effective the work of preaching can be. Let us consider each of these.Continue Reading

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March 17, 2025

Big Words in the Bible: Introduction

Big Words in the BibleThe Bible has been written so that we can understand it. Paul told the brethren in Ephesus, “By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ” (Ephesians 3:4). He expected them to be able to take the letter he wrote them and come away with the same understanding that he had of the things that God revealed to him. As these inspired writings have been preserved for us, we can do the same today.

However, the fact that the Bible is understandable does not mean everything in it is easy to understand. Referring to Paul’s writings, Peter said, “As also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). Peter did not say Paul’s writings were impossible to understand. But some passages are more difficult than others. Despite the difficulty, we still have Paul’s assurance that we “can understand” what we find in the inspired word of God. We just might need to put some additional effort into studying certain topics or passages.Continue Reading

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March 5, 2025

The Spirit as a Pledge

Handshake

“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5).

In the passage above, after describing the eternal home in heaven that the Lord has prepared for His people, Paul talked about God giving the Holy Spirit “as a pledge.” We might wonder what this means. What is a pledge? Why did God do this? How is the Spirit given in this way?

Paul used the same language in his letter to the church in Ephesus, when he wrote, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14). That passage also mentioned being “sealed…with the Holy Spirit.” The same thought is expressed earlier in Paul’s second letter to Corinth: “Who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge” (2 Corinthians 1:22).

It is helpful to understand what Paul meant in these passages. This is intended to assure Christians of their hope. So in this article, we will examine what it means for the Spirit to be a “pledge” and what benefit this has for us.Continue Reading

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February 19, 2025

Worship That Honors God

High Priest

“‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the Lord of hosts… ‘Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,’ says the Lord of hosts…” (Malachi 1:6, 10).

In the passage where the above verses are found, God addressed the worship offered to Him. He asked, “Where is my honor?” This rhetorical question shows that they had dishonored God through their worship.

How did they dishonor God? They did not cease to offer worship, but they might as well have because their sacrifices had become worthless. Instead, they worshipped God in a way that did not honor Him.

It might seem incredible that God would reject the worship someone offers to Him. Yet as God – the one who created us and is worthy of worship – this is His prerogative. He has every right to refuse to accept worship that is not according to His standard. Just as He did this during the days of Malachi, He does the same today.

We need to learn from their mistakes so we can honor God in our worship. How can we offer the kind of worship that pleases God? A few points in the text help answer this question.Continue Reading

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February 5, 2025

Why Did Jesus Die on the Cross?

Crucifixion

Many people talk about our purpose as Christians in terms that seem to have reduced it to things that pertain to this world – loving others, being a good neighbor, being part of a close-knit community of Christians, and so on. All those are good and important, but is that all there is to being a Christian?

If the Lord’s purpose for us is that we would essentially be part of one big social club that makes a positive impact on those around us, we might ask the question: Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?

After all, even atheists and religious people who do not believe in Christ (Muslims, Hindus, Jews, etc.) can form close relationships with others and help the people around them. Yet none of them acknowledge the Lordship of Christ, and they believe the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was nothing more than a historical fact (if that).

If we reduce Christianity to being nothing more than eating together, helping one another, and showing concern for those around us, how are we different from atheists and unbelievers who simply try to get along with others and help those in need?Continue Reading

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