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This week we’re talking about cohabiting young adults and the church. A study found that nearly 3 in 5 adults aged 18 to 44 have lived with an unmarried partner at some point. What happens when a couple in this type of living arrangement comes to the church where we attend? How should we handle that? We’re going to consider some points about that in this episode.Continue Reading
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This week we’re talking about the increase in sales of the “morning after pill” following New Year’s Eve. This drug is taken by a woman in order to abort a child who may have been conceived after engaging in unprotected sex. For many people in the world, this seems to be a perfectly normal thing to do. Yet there are several problems with this from a Biblical perspective.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
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This week we’re going to be talking about the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which ends federal protections to the practice of abortion. This is a monumental step in ending the practice of abortion in this country. We talked about this back in May when the decision was leaked, but now that it is official, there are a few things for us to consider.Continue Reading
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This is the last episode for the month of February – time for our monthly news roundup. In this episode, we’ll be talking about the group who are most likely to still be missing from the local church, the number of babies born to unmarried mothers, and global persecution in 2021.Continue Reading
Recently a young man was arrested and charged with killing eight people after opening fire on three Atlanta-area massage parlors. Naturally, this horrific tragedy made national news. As is typical in cases like this, investigators, reporters, and news commentators have sought to determine the motive of the killer. According to the Cherokee County sheriff’s Captain, this man claimed to have a “sex addiction” and “wanted to eliminate” the temptation that existed for him in these locations.
Predictably, many were quick to use this tragedy as an opportunity to push certain talking points. Rather than simply condemning the one who committed the murders, blame was spread to the denomination to which he belonged; this then turned into charges of “racism and sexism” in churches. There have even been claims that “purity culture” in churches (which has been described in part as an emphasis on modesty in women in order to not cause a temptation for men to lust) would lead religious people – especially those who are socially conservative – to blame this crime on the victims and not the gunman.
Every reasonable person – Christian or non-Christian – should be able to immediately agree that what this man did in murdering these eight women was wrong and that the authorities should see to it that he is tried, convicted, and strongly punished for this. Yet this tragedy has been turned into an opportunity by some to attack religion, Biblical morals, and modesty.
I will not defend the reprehensible actions of the young man who murdered these women, regardless of his motive. It is also not my intention here to defend the denomination of which he was a member or any group with which his church was reportedly affiliated. However, I do believe it is important for us to understand what the Bible teaches about purity, temptation, and sexual fulfillment. This story, along with the reactions to it, make it evident that many do not understand these topics.Continue Reading
Homosexuality is a compound word that refers to the sexual relations between two people of the same sex (the Greek homo means same). This is in contrast with heterosexuality which involves two people of the opposite sex (the Greek hetero means other or different).
Those who argue in favor of homosexuality will often argue from the standpoint that those in these relationships “love” one another and since it is based upon love their behavior is not to be questioned; instead, it should be celebrated. Many who defend homosexuality claim that homosexuals are “born that way”; therefore, we cannot judge them. However, while the “born that way” argument is common, it is not as popular as it used to be. Why? First, it is simply not true. Second, it is too limiting. The argument was used initially to get more people to accept homosexuality. After it is more widely accepted, the argument can be dropped to get more people to experiment with homosexuality.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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