June 20, 2010

The “Benefits” of Sin

Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Sin separates one from God and will ultimately cause one to be eternally lost (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23). Yet Satan tries anyway to convince us to continue in sin to the jeopardy of our souls. He extols the benefits (or perceived benefits) of sin, too often causing even the strong to fall for his temptations.

He has employed this tactic from the beginning. In the garden, Eve was tempted to sin and eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree. Despite the fact that she understood that this had been prohibited, she still gave in to the temptation.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , ,
December 23, 2009

Submit to God, Resist the Devil

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

The two words James used to admonish Christians in their walk – submit and resist – both involve action. This should not be surprising. Earlier in the letter he commended an active faith while condemning a passive faith.

Regarding the active faith, James wrote, “Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Further on he said, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24).
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , ,
October 26, 2009

Halloween

[This article was written by Bryan Matthew Dockens.]

Halloween originated as “All Hallows’ Eve,” the night prior to “All Hallows’ Day,” that is “All Saints’ Day” on which Catholics honor their pantheon of so-called “saints.” Neither Halloween nor All Saints Day has any basis in scripture. Each is the invention of the Catholic Church, amounting to the traditions of men, rather than the commandments of God (Matthew 15:1-9).

The Pope designated the first of November All Saints’ Day to co-opt the existing Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-en”). Meaning “Summer’s End,” Samhain was a harvest festival, but more than that, it was also a festival of the dead. As summer turned to winter, the holiday represented a time of transition when spirits from beyond the grave could pass through. Deceased ancestors were honored while harmful spirits were warded off by frightening disguises.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , ,
March 1, 2008

Genesis: A Book of Beginnings

Genesis

The Bible is a book of books – a collection of inspired writings that reveal God’s will for mankind. In it we find God’s great plan to save man from his sins. The first book is Genesis, a book of beginnings, which helps lay the foundation for the rest of the Bible. Let us notice a few significant things that had their beginning in Genesis.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , ,
October 1, 2007

The Great Conspiracy

Many people are fascinated by conspiracy theories. Some believe the attacks on the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001 were a conspiracy by the U.S. government. There is the theory that we did not really land a spacecraft on the moon in 1969, but that it was staged in a secret location as part of a government conspiracy. While many of the conspiracy theories we may hear are probably not true, they are still a source of fascination for many.

What is a conspiracy? Generally, a conspiracy can be described as a secret plan by two or more persons intent on bringing harm to a person or group and/or causing the conspirators to gain power, wealth, or both. Conspirators have a goal, something they want to accomplish. This is not always apparent, of course, because it is secret. Conspirators have to hide the truth, both of their goal and their plan. But people generally will want answers or an explanation as to why certain things are happening. So they have to convince them of a lie or a partial truth. These things are generally true for conspiracies.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , ,
May 1, 2006

The Tempting of Christ

Matthew 4:1-11 contains the account of Satan tempting Christ. When we talk about “tempting” or “temptation,” we need to realize that there are two different uses for these words in the Bible. The first refers to a testing – that which comes from without. An example of this is when the Israelites tested God in the wilderness: “Where your fathers tried Me [tempted me, KJV] by testing Me, and saw My works for forty years” (Hebrews 3:9; cf. Psalm 95:9). The second use denotes a desire for sin – that which comes from within. James talked about this type of temptation: “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust” (James 1:14). So not everything you are tempted with is a temptation to you. That is, not everything you are tested with produces or reflects a desire to sin on your part. The action of the one acting as the tempter is the same, but the difference is our desire or lack thereof. Failure to make a distinction between the two can lead to confusion.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , ,