The Scriptures plainly teach that we are saved by faith (John 8:24; Romans 5:1). But what kind of faith saves us? Is it simply a belief in Christ as the Savior? Is it an obedient faith? Sadly, the religious world is divided over the nature of faith, even though the Scriptures give us a clear answer regarding the type of faith that saves us.
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Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the focal point of the Bible (1 Corinthians 15:3). All that came before pointed to the cross. All that followed looked back to the cross. It is important that we see the cross as more than just an icon and understand what it truly represents.
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The book of life is one of the books that will be opened at the day of judgment (Revelation 20:12). What is this book? How do we have our name added to it? How important is it that our name is found there? Let us notice a few things the Scriptures teach about this book.
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[An important set of elections is taking place in three weeks. As we still have the opportunity to vote in this country, it is important that we cast our votes primarily as Christians, rather than Republicans, Democrats, or Independents. I encourage you to consider the Biblical teachings addressed in this article by Tim Haile. He also has a PDF version available on his website if you are interested. Read this article, consider the passages, and pray for our leaders — both the current ones and those that may soon be elected. -Andy]
Democratically elected representatives and officials make decisions that have a tremendous impact upon our lives. They have the power to pass laws, impose rules, regulations and taxes and appoint judges. Their decisions can either shape civil government after the divine model that is revealed in Scripture (Romans 13:1-10), or they can shape it after the model of the “sea beast” and the “great whore” of the Apocalypse – an intrusive, abusive and invasive government that was both anti-God and anti-man (Revelation 13, 17, 18). Considering how much power politicians have to affect our lives, either for the better or for the worse, it behooves us to do all that we can to elect honorable ones. In a democracy, the voting booth is where one makes his strongest statement.
At the first of the year, I started a Bible reading plan that would take me through the Bible in one year. There are several different reading plans people use to read through the Bible. Some sort the books by chronological order. Others arrange the schedule so that one reads a portion of both the Old and New Testaments each day. The plan I followed this year went through the books of the Bible in the order they appear. I have been able to keep up with the schedule (though there were times I was playing catch-up) and am currently up to date with the readings.
On October 1, I finished the book of Malachi. That means it took just over nine months to finish the Old Testament.
This served as a simple reminder that we cannot ignore the Old Testament Scriptures. Yes, we are under a new law (Hebrews 8:8-10) and the old law was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). But that does not mean the Old Testament is worthless to us today.
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The teenage years are an important time in one’s life. Therefore, we ought to think seriously about how these years are spent. How are parents to teach and encourage their teenage children? What should children be pursuing in their teenage years?
I read a post from Jason Hardin that got me thinking along these lines. It contained excerpts from the book, Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. I haven’t read the book, so I’m not qualified to endorse it. But the quotes that Jason shared from it were very good. The basic theme is that we, as a culture, have allowed the teenage years to evolve into a wasted time of short-sighted irresponsibility.
The way many in the world view these years is that it is a time to focus on social interactions, unrestrained fun, freedom from responsibility, and schooling – not for the purpose of life preparation, but simply for the sake of education, even if it is without direction and usefulness.
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This material covers the three epistles written to Timothy and Titus, two young evangelists, describing their work as preachers of the gospel.
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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