American Individualism and Ecumenism in Religion

On January 14, 2009, The Christian Science Monitor posted an article about the growing trend in this country of those who claim to be Christians deciding on their own what they will believe instead of relying on some church or denomination. The following paragraph does a fair job summarizing the main points in the article:

“A sizable majority of the country’s faithful no longer hew closely to orthodox teachings, and look more to themselves than to churches or denominations to define their religious convictions, according to two recent surveys. More than half of all Christians also believe that some non-Christians can get into heaven.”

Continue Reading

The Deity of Christ in Hebrews 1

Hebrews

Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 3:17). While He was on the earth “all the fullness of Deity [dwelt] in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). Yet there are some who reject the Deity of Christ, claiming that He surrendered His Deity when He came to earth.

The Hebrew writer appealed to his audience to not go back to the Old Law. He made several points about why the new way with Christ was better than the old way. He began the book by talking about Christ. In the first chapter alone, there are several statements that show us that Jesus is God:
Continue Reading

Three Tabernacles

The Transfiguration of Christ

Luke recorded the Transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:28-36). Jesus went up on a mountain with Peter, James, and John. The three disciples fell asleep and awoke to find Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah.

This would have been an incredible sight for the disciples – Jesus their Master with two of the great figures of Jewish history. Peter reacted quickly to this scene: “‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not realizing what he was saying” (Luke 9:33).
Continue Reading

Bible Reading Plan

Have you made a resolution to spend more time reading your Bible? Or would you just like to have a more structured plan in reading through the word of God?

Bible study is important. But sadly it’s something that we often neglect as time goes on. Even with the work I do in preparing sermons and articles every week, I still always feel like I’m missing something. In all the study and preparation I do, the thing that becomes hard to keep up with is simply reading the Bible.

If you have a busy schedule too, you may well run into this problem as well – habitual reading and casual study of God’s word.
Continue Reading

The Passing of Time

Hourglass

God is eternal, having existed before the creation of the universe (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 102:27). Therefore, He is not bound by time as we are. He created time as a framework for our lives.

Naturally, we tend to think of the passing of time as inevitable. But one day time will be destroyed (done away with) along with all of God’s creation (2 Peter 3:10).
Continue Reading

How Jesus Became Like Us

Jesus Knocking

Jesus came to earth in order to save man from sin (Matthew 1:21; Luke 19:10). This was God’s plan from the beginning (Ephesians 3:11) and was put in motion shortly after sin entered the world (Genesis 3:15). In order to save us, Jesus first had to be made like us.

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).

How was Jesus made like us? Completely? Or was there some sense in which He already like us?
Continue Reading

The Gods That Men Serve

The Golden Calf

There is “one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:6). But there are “many gods” that men serve (1 Corinthians 8:5). The “one God” is the true and living God. The “many gods” are the false gods that arise from the mind of man.

God has placed in man an inherent inclination to worship something greater than himself (Acts 17:26-27). This inclination is intended to lead men to serve the one true and living God. But many have misplaced their loyalty, devotion, and faith. This is why John warned, “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

The gods have changed, but idolatry is still a problem today as it was in the days of the Old Testament and at the time when John penned his epistle. Let us notice some of the gods that men serve.
Continue Reading