There are several different names and titles used for God in the Bible. One interesting one is “Lord of Sabaoth” and is used twice in the New Testament (Romans 9:29; James 5:4). What exactly does this name mean?
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February 16, 2009
The Lord of Sabaoth
February 11, 2009
“The Preacher’s Pledge” – Bible Based Sermons
I came across an interesting article this weekend from the Christian Post.
Over 5,000 Pastors Pledge to Keep Sermons Purely Biblical
When I read the headline, my immediate reaction was skepticism. Sure, the thought of one simply speaking “as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11) is great. But could one really expect these denominational preachers to give up their creeds and preach “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27)? After all, to do so would require that they condemn the very denomination that employs them.
As it turns out, that was not what the article was about. It is about plagiarism in preaching. “The Preacher’s Pledge” is a commitment by various pastors and ministers to “start with the Bible as their primary source for sermon preparation.” Some thought this was necessary with the great amount of sermons available on the internet. Preachers could simply take sermons of different men and preach them as their own.
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February 8, 2009
At What Point Does a Non-Christian Become a Christian?
When does a person cease being a non-Christian and become a Christian? Is it possible to make a distinction between the two groups?
As important as this question may be, you will not get the same answer from all professed Christians. Some believe that one is saved and, therefore, a Christian at the point of faith. Others believe this happens after one says a “sinner’s prayer.” Still others think that one can simply be a good person and be considered a Christian on that basis.
First, let us look at the word of God and see what is not the dividing line between the Christian and the non-Christian.
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February 5, 2009
Ted Haggard’s Complaint Against “The Church”
Fallen Evangelical “pastor,” Ted Haggard, has been speaking out recently about the scandal involving homosexuality that brought him down and the reaction of the religious community to his sin, particularly the “Christian Right.” Notice the following article from the Christian Post about how he believes the “Christian Right” needs to change.
Haggard: Christian Right Off Course, Needs to Change
It’s a short article, and an interesting read. I just wanted to comment on three things Haggard says.
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February 3, 2009
Book Review: Churches of the New Testament
Churches of the New Testament, by Ethan Longhenry, discusses each local church that is talked about in the New Testament – the history & geography of the city, background of the church in that location (their founding and the challenges they faced), instructions and rebukes to these churches as recorded in the New Testament, as well as what happened to these churches after the time that we read of them in Scripture.
The book then goes on to discuss the application for us today. Learning from the examples of these churches, we see what God approves and what He condemns. Longhenry spends one chapter talking about the New Testament Church, representing this as the ideal we are to strive for as we consider the sum of the instructions to the various churches of the New Testament.
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February 1, 2009
The Proof of God in Man
[This article was written by Tim Haile.]
If the Bible is what it claims to be, then God does exist. Conversely, if God does exist, then it is reasonable to believe that He would reveal Himself to His creatures, and particularly to a sentient creature like man. It is important to remember that, if the Bible is true, all unbelievers will experience the kind of pain that one would experience if he were to be cast into a lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 21:8). The difference is that the lake of judgment will inflict pain and torment to the soul, not the body (Matthew 10:28), and that the punishment will be experienced for ever and ever (Revelation 20:10; 14:11). Such a prospect behooves us to consider these matters soberly and fully.
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February 1, 2009
Can One Earn His Salvation?
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8).
Often, when one teaches that obedience is necessary for salvation, he is accused of teaching that we earn our salvation. Passages like the one above are sometimes cited as “proof” that there is nothing we must do to be saved. But is it even possible for salvation to be earned? Is it possible to live in such a way that God owes us a home in heaven?
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