People celebrate Christmas in different ways. It is common for people to exchange gifts, spend time with family, and reflect upon the blessings that they have. Many people also attach a religious significance to the day, using it to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
How are Christians to treat this day? As a religious holy day? Just a secular holiday? Or should Christians avoid any sort of observance whatsoever? Let us notice some things that the Bible has to say.
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Retirement is a common concept in our society. Some employers offer retirement benefits to their employees, either in the form of a pension or by matching the employee’s contribution to a retirement account. Retirement seems like a reasonable expectation for a lot of people.
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“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
As Christians, we belong to God. We are to live in such a way that we can say, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). We no longer live for ourselves but for God and His Son. We “have been bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20), that price being “the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19; cf. Acts 20:28).
Understanding then that we belong to God, how should we conduct our lives?
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“But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke,’ we also believe, therefore we also speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13).
Paul wrote this verse as he told the Corinthians of the ministry he had been given, the hardships he faced for it, and the hope he had for eternal life. He quoted from Psalm 116 – a psalm of deliverance – in which the psalmist expressed his faith and trust in God even in the face of severe trials.
We are to have the same spirit of faith that Paul had. Having this spirit of faith, we will do certain things.
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Christians are “aliens and strangers” in this world (1 Peter 2:11). While we live here in the nations of men, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). However, even though we are a separate people (1 Peter 2:9), we cannot help but live among those in the world (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). So wherever we are, we must live under some form of human government. How then is the Christian to respond to and use the civil government?
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It was not that long ago in our society that homosexuality was a shameful practice that was mostly kept secret so that others would not know about it. Times have certainly changed! We have seen the transition from secrecy and shame to those who practice it parading and protesting in the streets, demanding that society recognize and accept same-sex “marriages.”
As we consider this practice and the growing acceptance of it, it is important to be reminded of what the Bible teaches. In this article we will look at what has happened in the past when homosexuality was widely practiced and/or accepted, as well as what the Bible has to say about the practice itself.
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As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday in this country, we tend to be more mindful of the blessings we have. We have many things to be thankful for and we ought to recognize God as the source of these blessings (James 1:17).
With this in mind, I want to briefly look at Colossians 3:15-17. These three verses contain three reminders to us to be thankful. These verses also give reasons why we should be thankful to God.
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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