The title of this article may seem odd. Why would there ever be a need for factions among those claiming to follow Christ? After all, Jesus prayed that His disciples might “all be one” (John 17:21). Paul admonished the Ephesians to be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Unity and harmony are desirable and ideal: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1).
Continue Reading
Jesus spoke of two paths that we can choose to take in our lives here on the earth. There is a broad way that “leads to destruction” and a narrow way that “leads to life” (Mt. 7:13-14). We are to strive for the eternal life that is rewarded at the end of the narrow path. Paul told the Philippians to “press on toward the goal” (Phil. 3:14). But how do we find our way to and down this path?
Continue Reading
On his way to Jerusalem, Paul stopped in Miletus to meet with the elders from the church in Ephesus (Acts 20:17ff). In this farewell address, Paul reminded them that the message he brought to them was “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). This was the message that Paul preached “everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:17). He preached the gospel to those who were already Christians (Romans 1:15) and to those who had not yet heard of Jesus (Romans 15:20). The gospel is the message that Jesus told His apostles to preach (Mark 16:15) and is the message that we must preach today (Galatians 1:8-9).
Continue Reading
“Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?” (Proverbs 20:6).
Millions of people will profess allegiance to Christ. But who is truly loyal to him? The proverb stated that most who claim to be good and loyal are not. Are you truly loyal to Christ? Am I? Even the apostle Peter wavered in his loyalty to the Lord after His arrest. Before this, Peter told the Lord, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You” (Matthew 26:35). Yet as we read further in the chapter we see that Peter denied the Lord three times (Matthew 26:69-75). It is far easier to claim allegiance to Christ than to actually show it in the face of trials and conflicts.
Continue Reading
Among the great examples of faith in Hebrews 11, we read this about Moses:
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26).
It is acknowledged in this passage that sin is pleasurable. That is why people choose to sin. We are never forced to do right or wrong; but many times we choose to sin. We sin because we are enticed by our own lust (James 1:14-15). When we give into these desires, we sin.
Continue Reading
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
It is inevitable that we will be tempted. However, we must remain faithful and not succumb to temptation. If we allow ourselves to fall, the ultimate result is spiritual death (James 1:14-15). So we must strive to overcome temptations whenever they come. The verse above provides three reminders that will help us do what is right when we are tempted to sin.
Continue Reading
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17).
This verse is often cited to show the need for us to do only those things that have been authorized in God’s word. To do something “in the name of the Lord” is to do what He has authorized us to do. This principle needs to govern all that we do in our lives.
When the Bible is silent on a particular practice, are we to conclude that it is authorized or prohibited? Some look for a specific prohibition before they will say that a thing is wrong. But the principle in Hebrews 7:14 shows that God’s silence is prohibitive. Jesus could not be a priest under the old law because He was “descended from Judah.” Men from this tribe were prohibited from serving as priests because “Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.” Men from Judah were excluded from becoming priests simply because the Law said nothing about it.
We also need to understand the difference between generic and specific authority. When God specifies something (such as the tribe of Levi for priests), everything else is excluded (Judah and others). When God’s word does not specify something (such as the type of location in which a congregation ought to assemble), we are at liberty to use various options or expedients, provided those options do not violate another instruction or principle (1 Corinthians 10:23).
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.
Available in print and digital format.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
If you have further questions about using any of the material on this site, please contact me.