Man has come up with many different things to do in the name of religion. Yet when it comes to deciding what we will do in our service to God, the only way we can know how to please Him is by looking to His word. But how does His word help us discern His will? That is a matter of Bible authority.
What is Bible authority? We are going to discuss some fundamental points here.Continue Reading
When Paul was in Athens, Luke recorded that “his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols” (Acts 17:16). This prompted him to teach “in the synagogue” and “in the market place every day with those who happened to be present” (Acts 17:17). His message piqued the interest of the philosophers who brought him to the Areopagus so they could hear more about the “strange things” (Acts 17:20) he was teaching.
Though the people of the city were “very religious” (Acts 17:22), the God of heaven was “unknown” (Acts 17:23) to them. So Paul proceeded to teach them about the one true God.
“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man” (Acts 17:24-29).
We encounter many today who are like the Athenians. They simply do not know God. How can we begin to teach them? Consider what Paul explained on this occasion to these pagan philosophers.Continue Reading
Jesus came to earth and died on the cross in order to make salvation possible. But how can we take advantage of His sacrifice and be saved? The New Testament shows how this can be done.
So what is the plan of salvation? Let us consider four points in this article.Continue Reading
When people hear the word “church,” they will likely have many different ideas about what a church should look like, how it should be organized, and what it should be doing. However, we need to understand the description of the church that is given in the New Testament. This is how we can find the Lord’s church today.
So what is the church? Let us notice four points.Continue Reading
This book is about restoring a sense of community in the local church. While many churches do a good job at engaging in Scriptural worship and following the New Testament pattern for their organization and work, the sense of community is missing in many places. Being part of a local church ought to mean being a bigger part in one another’s lives.
The author asked, “How many ‘every time the doors are open’ Christians know little about their fellow Christians? How many have perfect attendance yet don’t see anybody else outside the building?” (p. 148). Elsewhere he posed the question: “What if we realized that passively listening to lessons three to four hours per week and ‘being there every time the doors are open’ does not constitute being an active member of the church?” (p. 22).Continue Reading
“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).
Marriage was instituted by God in the beginning as a blessing for mankind. Sadly, this God-ordained union between a man and a woman has been corrupted, abused, broken, and disregarded in every generation since then. We certainly see this in our society and will continue to see it as long as people ignore and reject God’s plan for marriage.
The Hebrew writer said that “marriage is to be held in honor.” To hold something in honor is to esteem it and recognize it as being valuable. The same Greek word is used to describe the “precious blood” of Christ (1 Peter 1:19) and the “precious…promises” that God has given us (2 Peter 1:4). Clearly, when we see this word being used by the New Testament writers, we are reading about something that should be treasured.
What does it mean to hold marriage “in honor”? Consider a few points:Continue Reading
We often talk about the importance of preaching the gospel. But what does that mean? The gospel is foundational to our faith. Therefore, if we are to be “ready to make a defense…for the hope that is in [us]” (1 Peter 3:15), then we ought to be able to concisely explain it to others.
So what is the gospel? Let us consider four points here.Continue Reading
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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