Social Issues (Part 1): Abortion

Social Issues

Abortion is the procedure through which the life of a child in the womb is deliberately terminated. In other words, when an abortion is performed, an unborn child (a human being) is intentionally killed.

Those who argue in favor of abortion defend the practice as a woman’s “right to choose” (yet in most cases, it is really about avoiding the consequences of other choices). They contend that arguments or legislation against abortion are hostile toward women as they are to have a right to privacy (yet privacy should not be used to justify sin). They declare that they have authority over their own bodies (yet they deny the unborn child authority over his/her own body). They often (but not always) ignore or argue against the humanity of the unborn.Continue Reading

Social Issues: Introduction

Social Issues

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

There are many challenging issues facing us in our society. As Christians, we need to be aware of these issues, understand what the Bible teaches concerning them, know how to face them, and learn how we can respond to them in order to lead people to the truth.

Over the course of this study, we will discuss the following issues:Continue Reading

Pray for Leaders During the Spread of the Coronavirus

Prayer, Coronavirus

The topic that has everyone’s attention this week is the spread of the Coronavirus that has turned into a global pandemic. I discussed this topic previously on the podcast, focusing on some things that we as Christians need to do during this situation. One of those things is prayer.

In this article, I want to expand on the need for prayer – particularly the need to pray for our leaders (civil authorities) as this crisis moves along.Continue Reading

What the Bible Teaches about Suicide

Dark Forest

Suicide is the act by which one intentionally takes his own life. In other words, this is not an accident, not one sacrificing his life for some other person or for some cause, and not making the decision to end treatment for a terminal illness. This is the purposeful act of one ending his own life.

To get an idea of the extent of the problem of suicide in our society, notice a few statistics (all of these numbers are for suicides in the United States):Continue Reading

Turning Blessings into Curses

Honey

Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, that you not have it in excess and vomit it” (Proverbs 25:16).

In the Bible, honey is often used to symbolize God’s great blessings for man. When God told Moses of His plan to bring the Israelites out of Egypt and to the promised land of Canaan, He emphasized the goodness of the land by describing it as “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8). Yet as the wise man pointed out in the verse above, that same blessing can be turned into something with a negative impact on us.

It is possible to take the good things with which God blesses us and turn them into something bad for us. This can be done by misuse, abuse, or excess. In this article, I would like to notice a few examples of how this can be done with certain blessings.Continue Reading

Daniel Sommer: Two Classes of Disciples

Daniel Sommer: Two Classes of Disciples

Daniel Sommer (1850-1940) lived a long life which he devoted to preaching the gospel. He saw the controversy and division among brethren in the second half of the nineteenth century over the issues of the missionary society and instrumental music. Through his preaching and editorial work, he was a powerful influence in opposing such innovations. Yet before division started happening, Sommer could see the beginnings of it. In the excerpt below, he wrote about the different attitudes he saw among brethren while he was still in college at Bethany.Continue Reading

Ask for the Ancient Paths

Crossroads

Thus says the Lord, ‘Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk in it”’” (Jeremiah 6:16).

Jeremiah received a warning from God which he was to deliver to the people – Jerusalem was going to be destroyed! They were going to be punished for their sin since they had departed from the Lord and His ways. In the verse above, the Lord issued a final call for them to return, but they refused.

The Scriptures teach that it is possible for God’s people to fall away today (1 Timothy 4:1). How does this happen? And if we do fall away, how can we return to the “ancient paths”?Continue Reading