“No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12).
John spent much of his first epistle writing on the topic of love. One of the ideas he discussed was about love being perfected. To be perfected means to be completed, accomplished, or fulfilled (Strong’s).
What does perfect love look like? Let us notice four points made by John in his epistle.Continue Reading
Throughout the book of Hebrews, a comparison is made between the new covenant and the old covenant. In every way, the new covenant in Christ is far superior to the old covenant. Because the new way is better, we should respond to it in a certain way. Notice what the author of Hebrews wrote:
“Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us…” (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Following that statement, the Hebrew said, “Let us” do certain things. In the subsequent verses, we find three things we are to do now that we are a part of the “new and living way” in Christ. In this article, we will consider each of these.Continue Reading
In our polarized world, disagreements are more pronounced, arguments are more public, and differences seem to be irreconcilable. Though we may immediately think of this in the context of social and political issues, it can also be true in matters of religion.
In reality though, there have always been disagreements on matters pertaining to faith. Some believe there is a God; others believe there is no God. Some believe that Jesus is the Son of God; others believe Jesus was only a prophet, teacher, or wise rabbi. The “Christian” world is filled with different ideas regarding salvation, sin, worship, the church, morality, and more – too many topics to list. Disagreements on such matters will always be present.
In this article, we will primarily be discussing disagreements between those who believe in Christ and recognize the Bible as the word of God.
If you and I disagree on some point pertaining to religious matters, there are four possibilities:Continue Reading
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
In the passage above, Paul talked about the fruit of the Spirit. He listed several characteristics that would be included in this category. Those traits are what the fruit of the Spirit looks like.
He described this as fruit for a reason. Fruit is what grows on a tree or plant of some sort. It does not grow independently; instead, it is a natural product of the life of the plant. In the same way, these characteristics do not spring up independently in our lives; they are the natural product of the Spirit’s influence on our lives. This influence will affect our conduct as we “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16) and will impact our decisions as we are “led by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:18).Continue Reading
To begin this series, we are going to visit one who was traveling the road to Jericho. As we make this journey, we will learn about loving our neighbor.
“Jesus replied and said, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
“‘But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.”
“‘Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?’ And he said, ‘The one who showed mercy toward him.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same’” (Luke 10:30-37).
This is one of the more well-known parables of Jesus. Most people have at least heard of the “good Samaritan.” Let us consider some lessons from it.Continue Reading
“But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
This is a familiar and favorite Bible verse for many people. Yet do we understand what it means? This is an important verse, but we need to consider it in its context so that we can learn the lessons we ought to take from it. So let us consider this passage and see how we should understand it.Continue Reading
It is common to see the image of a cross being used as a symbol – a symbol of “Christianity,” an image in art and jewelry, and so on. However, that is not what we will be discussing here. A Christian does not need a cross around his neck, nor does a church need a cross on its building. Instead, we will be talking about “the word of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18) – the message of the gospel.
In the gospel, the cross is shown as a symbol representing some fundamental concepts. In following Christ, we are to take up our cross (Luke 9:23), making the same traits which are symbolized by the cross manifested in our lives.
So what does the cross symbolize?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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