Paul instructed the church in Ephesus to be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). He then went on to explain the reason for unity and the basis of it.
Our unity must be based upon the following:
Continue Reading
Tuesday, January 20, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.
I know there are many Christians who are not happy about this. Given some of his positions and beliefs, this is understandable. However, I won’t take time to discuss the grievances now.
The New Testament does not teach that we must be happy with our leaders. It does not teach that we must agree with them either. We do not even have to follow and support them above and beyond what the law requires of us.
What does the New Testament teach we must do in regards to our leaders?
Continue Reading
Following an election like we have had in this country, it is expected that some will be pleased with the outcome and some will not. As Christians, whatever side on which we fall, in this and every election, it is important to keep things in perspective.
Those of us who live in the United States of America have the blessing of being able to live in what is arguably the greatest country on earth. We have the freedom to worship God and teach the gospel. We have the opportunity to work and provide for our families. We live without fear of persecution or harassment from the government. Many around the world cannot ever expect to experience these blessings in their lifetime.
However, as great as this country is, we seek a better country. This better country is not contained in campaign promises and political rhetoric. It is not obtained through congressional legislation or presidential policy. It is not preserved and maintained by law enforcement and military might. The better country we desire is one we will never see here on earth.
God’s word teaches us that we are individually accountable before Him: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). This passage shows us that judgment is certain. We “must” stand before Christ in judgment. This is not something that could happen but something that will happen. Reward or punishment will be meted out to “each one…according to what he has done.” When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we will stand there and be judged alone. We will not have any family, friends, or church to lean upon. We are accountable as individuals and will be judged as individuals.
An Old Testament passage that discusses this idea is Ezekiel 18. It is true that the law has changed and that we are no longer governed by the Old Testament (Hebrews 8:8-13). However, even though the law may be different, our responsibility before God in judgment is not. Therefore this passage presents helpful points for us to consider today. It also provides a good outline for our study.
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.