As we deal with the regular trials and pressures of this life, it is not uncommon to have periods in which we are down and might struggle to see the value in our normal pursuits. The wise man articulated these feelings in the book of Ecclesiastes. He opened with these words: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He then went on to mention several regular pursuits of this life that he considered vain:
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People naturally want their lives to have a purpose. Depression often comes when someone thinks his life has no meaning or when he thinks that the things he does have no lasting significance. It is easy to feel a lack of purpose and significance when we focus on physical things.
This is what the book of Ecclesiastes is all about. The wise man began the book with these words: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He wrote about his search for purpose and satisfaction in many things, but found none. He called wisdom “striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:17). He said pleasure was “futility” and that it accomplished nothing (Ecclesiastes 2:1-2). The great possessions he had obtained were of “no profit” (Ecclesiastes 2:11) and his hard work was “vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:23). These observations may be summed up in this statement: “So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:17). Many of us have likely had similar thoughts at one time or another.
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[This article was written by Matt Nevins.]
Each day millions of people wake up in the morning, go through various activities through the day, and go back to sleep that night. Some have developed a schedule that is followed daily. Life becomes repetitive and people tend to get stuck in the rut of everyday life. The monotony that may occur will cause individuals to raise the question, “What is the point to life?” Mankind has a fundamental need of purpose and a sense of value in order to have a satisfying or meaningful life. Answering the question, “What is the point?” will provide the drive needed to establish a meaningful life.
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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