“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
This is the great invitation that has been offered by Jesus. He offers the invitation and makes the promise to those who will come: “You will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
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“As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross” (Matthew 27:32).
Why was Simon made to perform this task? It was because Jesus stumbled as He carried the cross, right? That is what so many people believe. But if you look at the gospel accounts, there is no mention whatsoever of Jesus stumbling while on the way to be crucified.
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When talking with people and the topic of religion comes up, they sometimes ask, “What denomination are you a part of?” In answering this question, I tell them I am not part of a denomination. This is a strange concept for many and, as a result, provides some opportunity to discuss spiritual matters with them. Many cannot envision Christianity without denominations. Denominationalism is only natural for them. But is it something that should be accepted or rejected?
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Christians are to be known as a people of prayer. Why? We are children of God (Romans 8:16). Prayer is how we communicate with our Father (Philippians 4:6). Prayer is to be part of our lives as individuals (Matthew 6:6; 14:23) and our collective assemblies with God’s people (Acts 2:42; 12:12). It is important then to study the topic of prayer to learn and to be reminded how to be most pleasing to God in this area of our lives.
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We spend our lives getting ready for what is coming in the future, both short and long term. We get ready to go to work, cook a meal, get married, retire, etc. In addition to things like these, we must also get ready and be ready for certain things that are of a spiritual nature.
What does it take to be ready? First, we have to know what needs to be done. Second, we must prepare ourselves to do what needs to be done. Finally, we must be willing to do what we have prepared ourselves to do. These will be true whether we are talking about spiritual or earthly matters. For this article, let us consider a few things for which we must be ready that are mentioned in the word of God.
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The Bible teaches us that we need to have authority for all that we do. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3;17). Jesus spoke of some who did things in His name, yet were guilty of lawlessness (Mt. 7:21-23). One who is guilty of lawlessness is one who engages in a practice that had not been authorized by God. Some who practice lawlessness believe they are doing good, such as the ones Jesus talked about. So instead of arrogantly claiming that we have a right to do something, we must take an honest look at the Scriptures and see if the practice in question really has been authorized by God in His word. I believe it would be good to take time to see whether or not this work, the Plain Bible Teaching website, is authorized.
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Around the time of the Thanksgiving holiday, we are reminded of how richly we have been blessed by God. James wrote, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). Of course, we should be “always giving thanks” (Ephesians 5:20), not just during this time of year. But the holiday serves as a good reminder for us.
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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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