The Scriptures plainly teach that we are saved by faith (John 8:24; Romans 5:1). But what kind of faith saves us? Is it simply a belief in Christ as the Savior? Is it an obedient faith? Sadly, the religious world is divided over the nature of faith, even though the Scriptures give us a clear answer regarding the type of faith that saves us.
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The book of life is one of the books that will be opened at the day of judgment (Revelation 20:12). What is this book? How do we have our name added to it? How important is it that our name is found there? Let us notice a few things the Scriptures teach about this book.
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At the first of the year, I started a Bible reading plan that would take me through the Bible in one year. There are several different reading plans people use to read through the Bible. Some sort the books by chronological order. Others arrange the schedule so that one reads a portion of both the Old and New Testaments each day. The plan I followed this year went through the books of the Bible in the order they appear. I have been able to keep up with the schedule (though there were times I was playing catch-up) and am currently up to date with the readings.
On October 1, I finished the book of Malachi. That means it took just over nine months to finish the Old Testament.
This served as a simple reminder that we cannot ignore the Old Testament Scriptures. Yes, we are under a new law (Hebrews 8:8-10) and the old law was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). But that does not mean the Old Testament is worthless to us today.
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Anyone who has even a mild interest in spiritual things wants to go to heaven. Do you just want to go, or are you really going? How can we know if we are going to heaven or not?
Many times when one tries to explain who is and who is not going to heaven, charges are made that such a one is judging others. It is of prime importance that we understand who it is that is the Judge, for there is only one (James 4:12). Paul said, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
It does not matter what you or I think. What matters is what He thinks. Judgment will be made according to His word (John 12:48). So what does the word of God say? First of all, it says that many will be lost while only a few will be saved (Matthew 7:13-14). If we want to be among the saved, we ought to find out what His word says about who will be saved and who will be lost.
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There is a sharp divide in the religious world over the subject of baptism. Some, including myself, teach that baptism is necessary for salvation. Many others teach that one can be saved before or without water baptism.
Paul made an interesting statement in his first letter to the church at Corinth. Considered independently from the immediate context and the rest of the New Testament, it could easily be used to argue that baptism is not necessary for salvation. Notice what he told the brethren:
“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void” (1 Corinthians 1:17).
Paul said he was not sent to baptize. From that, are we to conclude that baptism is not a prerequisite to salvation? Before we jump to that conclusion, let us take a closer look at what the Scriptures teach.
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We must guard ourselves against the sin of arrogance. The wise man warned, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling” (Proverbs 16:18). Paul admonished the saints in Rome, “Everyone among you [is] not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). James said, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
While it is necessary that we keep from thinking too much of ourselves, we must also keep from thinking too little about ourselves. There is a balance. Thinking too little of ourselves can also lead to sin. If we think that our lives do not matter, we may be reckless in our actions and transgress God’s law. If we think that no one pays attention to us and we will, therefore, not be accountable to others, it becomes easier to flirt with sin. If our self-esteem is dependent upon what others think of us, we will act in such a way as to find approval from others, even if it means committing sin.
Therefore, we must have an appropriate sense of self-worth. Thinking too much of ourselves leads to sin. Thinking too little of ourselves also leads to sin. We need to find the proper balance.
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Shortly before Moses’ death and the Israelites journey into the promised land, Moses spoke to them about the choice they had before them. This choice was so important that it was literally a matter of life or death.
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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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