This is called the intermediate state. What happens to you during the in-between time, between your death and going to heaven and then your being reunited with your transformed, resurrected body?
It is a widely used (and abused) biblical word. What does it really mean?
These words and verses, both from the Old and New Testaments, reveal the doctrine of hell. It is not as straightforward as many preachers have told us.
That’s a shock. Aren’t we supposed to obey the Ten Commandments? Well … only if you don’t do something else first.
Out of his great love for people, God in his mercy is forewarning everyone, whether the redeemed or unredeemed, that this judgment SHALL happen, based on their good or bad deeds and good or bad words. The Scriptures are unambiguous about it. How do we prepare for it? God offers solutions before we all face it.
Let’s look at the key verses in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and 1 Corinthians. It is a review for my own introductory education. Call it “Divorce and Remarriage 101.”
This is quick reference guide to religious and political Jewish groups who appear in the Gospels and the Book of Acts.
Many interpreters believe that John 14:2-3 teaches the Second Coming or rapture before the Second Coming, but 14:23 decisively argues against this interpretation.
This interpretation breaks open the meaning of this much-disputed passage. Be sure to view the photos at the end. History come alive!
Matthew 24:4-35 is about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, while 24:36-25:46 is about the Second Coming or parousia, the close-out of the age, final judgment, and finally the New Messianic Age.
Those verses in Luke are compared with Matt. 26:26-28 and 36-44, which are about the Second Coming. This post also looks at Luke 21:34-36 and Mark 13:32-37, which are also about the Second Coming.
By far, Luke 21:5-33 clearly demonstrate that these verses, which parallel Matt. 24:4-35 and Mark 13:5-31, are an extended prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and not the Second Coming. It is best to read those verses in their own context and in light of Old Testament apocalyptic passages. Then we can have clarity. Please view the photos of the Arch of Titus and the Jewish Menorah, at the end.
This may be the shortest post in my series on Matt. 24-25, Luke 17 and 21, and Mark 13.
We must look at these verses in their textual and historical contexts. And we must not skip over the most stubborn verse in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke); then we can interpret this Scripture more clearly. Please view the photos at the end.
After election 2022, the titled question is still valid. I normally write on the Bible and theology nowadays, but occasionally I still include a cultural and social article from a biblical point of view. There is hope but only in God.
This theory interprets the millennium literally to be a thousand years, but before then a great tribulation takes place. Christ’s second coming happens after that tribulation.
This theory interprets the millennium literally to be a thousand years, but before then a seven-year great tribulation takes place. The Church will go through half of it (mid-) and then get “raptured” out.
This theory says that the millennium is interpreted literally to be a thousand years, but before then a seven-year great tribulation takes place. The Church will get “raptured” out before that tribulation.
These verses are very sobering. What do they mean in your life and mine?
Mark 2:1-12 says that the Son of Man–Jesus–forgave a paralytic’s sins. Does this mean that Jesus claimed authority that only God has, thus making himself equal to God? Did he use a Hebrew word for “forgiveness” which only God can offer?
Why did Jesus say that not even the Son knows the day or the hour of the Second Coming? Puzzling.
“Four blood moons!” said popular books. If we interpret the following passages literally, then the cosmos (earth, sky, heavens, stars, worlds, seas, planets, sun, moon, and so on) would not exist as we observe it today. Instead, let’s use wisdom to interpret the Bible in its context.
Here is what you need to know about God’s dwelling place and key Hebrew and Greek words, all spelled out in clear English. Paradise is also discussed.
Things are not so clear-cut as I had thought they were. Please be sure to check out my photos of the Arch of Titus at the end; they show rhe Romans stomped all over the Jerusalem temple.
Will a generous and charitable grandmother who never got around to receiving Christ Jesus as Lord end up bobbing up and down in the lake of fire, next to Hitler, Stalin and Mao?
This theory is the standard one. However, one of the most stunning outcomes of my study of this theory is how little support it receives from Scripture, or the Scriptures can be interpreted differently than I first expected. Don’t believe it? Read every word of this post.
What will happen to your kind and generous but unredeemed grandmother after she is judged? Will she burn in hell-fires in eternal torment? Terminalists or conditionalists or annihilationists (all three terms mean the same doctrine) say no. There is another and better Scriptural option.
What will happen to your generous and gracious but unredeemed grandmother after judgment? Eternal, conscious punishment in the lake of fire next to Hitler, Stalin and Mao? Universalists say no. They claim to have a better and Scriptural option.
This is an old-fashioned look at a Hebrew lexicon and two Greek lexicons, but in an easy-to-read format for nontechnical readers of the Bible. The definitions are wide-ranging and unexpected.
Here is a compendium of various commentators, who tend to reach one conclusion.
This gift is given in order to proclaim the wisdom about Christ and for any particular or special need through the empowerment of the Spirit.
This manifestation of the Spirit can reveal who Christ is more fully and give you information that you could not have without the Spirit revealing it. It does not come by study and research. It is a gift of the Spirit, not of your own mental faculties.
This is a surge of trust that God will give anyone who needs it and in accordance with his will.
Healings come in all shapes and sizes, so expect God to work in a variety of ways.
This gift is available to all, today, not just a special few. God will give it to you when you need it most.
This gift can be very edifying for you and the church. It is not a preacher’s inspired sermon. And don’t despise it, either, says the Scripture.
It is a broad enough to help you distinguish between the false and the true, the Holy Spirit and evil spirits, deceived and true humans.
It is important to study this gift.
This gift depends on Spirit-inspired languages (‘tongues’). Without them, interpretation would not be needed. This post gives a basic teaching of this gift.
So begins my nontechnical journey through Leviticus. I am learning a lot. The New Testament authors give us permission to use typology to fully explain the elements of the burnt sacrifice in the New Covenant believer’s life. (References: Lev. 1, 6:8-13, and Num 15:1-16)
Let’s learn to love the life lessons in Leviticus by finding out what it is and how Jesus fulfills this food or grain or meal offering, which was motivated by gratitude for the Lord. (References: Lev. 2 and 6:14-23; Num. 15:1-16)
It is also known as the peace offering and even the communion offering (n the sense of community). The wave offering is included here. Christ’s fulfillment of this offering has many parts, and they are all wonderful. (References: Lev. 3; 7:11-34)
If we want to fully understand Jesus’s sacrifice, we have to look into Leviticus. The substitutionary theory of the atonement is particularly clear in this offering. The New Testament even teaches that Christ became our sin offering. (References: Leviticus 4:1-5:13 and 6:24-30 and Num. 15:1-16)
It is also called the Reparations offering or Trespass offering. Someone breaks the boundaries of the holy and becomes aware of it later, or he does some dishonest things; then the guilt offering is for him. Of course the New Testament (NT) streamlines and fulfills it in Christ (References: Leviticus 5:14-6:7; 7:1-7)
I’m on a journey through Leviticus, and it is very enjoyable. Yes, their ordination is significant in its own right, but how do New Testament themes enlarge and fulfill priestly consecration?
After Aaron and his sons were ordained (Lev. 8), they performed their first ritual for their own sins and then for the sins of the people. This is the inauguration of the new tabernacle. How does the New Covenant improve on these old rituals?
Those were Aaron the high priest’s eldest sons, and they mixed strange fire against the law, and God judged them instantly. Why? Is God a petty tyrant? Most of this post is concerned with this issue, while the rest of Leviticus 10 gives further instructions for the priests generally.
Leviticus has all sorts of food laws. How does the New Testament relate to them? Are they canceled? Are they kept? What exactly does the New Testament really say? The bulk of this post is about the last question.
These Levitical laws in those two chapters are about reproduction and childbirth, in other words, male and female body parts. The laws, seemingly primitive by our standards, reveal the heart of the God who looks out for his people by promoting cleanliness and health. What does the New Testament teach about ceremonial cleanness and uncleanness?
The laws in those two chapters about quarantine or isolation benefit humanity. They come from God’s heart of love for people. Yet, there is a ceremonial uncleanness that the New Testament rises above even for disease, but how?
This is a simple look at Leviticus 16 in ten steps. The NT streamlines, improves and fulfills it. How?
Modern people may dismiss the blood in the Old Testament as too primitive and unnecessary. But Jesus and his apostles applied the theology behind it to their days. It is wiser to follow them.
Does the New Testament cancel moral law? What about unlawful sexual practices? Are we free to practice at least some of them? Would grace cover us when we regularly did?
Does the New Testament go so far as to cancel honest business practices, respect for parents, and even sound agricultural practices? Or does it accept some of them and reject others?
The punishments are not pretty, but we can still learn some basic principles of how seriously God takes sin. An extended discussion on the death penalty from a New Testament perspective is included here, at the end.
This post is a quick summary of those two chapters in Leviticus. I am learning a lot in my journey through this infallible and inspired book, when it is properly interpreted through the filter of the New Covenant or New Testament.
The appointed festivals in this chapter were sacred for the ancient Israelites. They are still sacred for the Jewish community today. What does the New Testament say about them?
Chapter 24 of Leviticus starts off with the command to supply olive oil for the lamp in the tabernacle and bread there. Then in the second half of the chapter a man was stoned to death for blasphemy. And other verses demand the death penalty for taking a life. What does the New Testament say about all of this?
This is a great passage about the Year of Jubilee, because it goes to the heart of the law: redemption and liberty. What does the New Testament say?
What does the New Testament really say about them in light of this chapter in Leviticus? This post will make hyper-grace teachers cringe, but the rest of us will feel sober and be biblically informed.
How could a devout Israelite express his commitment to the Lord? His gratitude? His promise to give to the Lord for a future blessing? By vowing to him, with some property and other possessions–some “skin” in the game. How does the New Testament transform and streamline these laws?
This is an easy-to-follow study of some key Hebrew and Greek words, all transliterated into English.
God didn’t move. We did. Now he is wooing us back.
Ever since the Enlightenment (1600-1800+), modern man does not like the bloody elements of Christianity, the blood that was shed on the cross. This man knows best, right?
Postmodern man after the Enlightenment (1600-1800+) does not like the bloody part of Christianity. Of course this man is shortsighted. This post answers the question and lays out the efficacious benefits of the blood of Christ for our salvation. It also answers whether it is biblical to “plead the blood.”
When we experience salvation, we respond to it in our daily lives. How do we and should we respond?
Who brought it about? How did salvation happen? Do we play our part to receive it?
Read the Scriptural answer.
The Scriptures use metaphors or imagery to describe salvation.
Does it merely mean “changed mind,” or does it go deeper?
If you sin regularly, this post is for you. God hurls your sins into the sea and remembers them no more. An old fashioned word study and basic Bible study, with lots of biblical verses put in an easy-to-read format.
What does the term mean and not mean? An old-fashioned Bible study offered in a Q&A format.
A thorough study that I hope clarifies this issue.
The parable may not cover the titled theological dispute in detail, but many interpreters believe it does. So let’s explore.
In the old days, this used to be called the “perseverance of the saints” (believers). All that means is the persistence of Christians to keep their relationship with the Lord. So the related question often comes up: Can a truly born-again believer walk away from this relationship?
Can truly born-again believers drift permanently away from or renounce their relationship with the Lord, or are they eternally secure?
Learn what the Bible really says. This study is essential for our being rooted in the Word, not some desperate quest for angels. Seek Jesus always and only.
Dateline: 11 May 1685: Maybe the Quakers thought it prudent to honor the new king. But there was a problem–his religion. Both sides were part of European and American church history, in the colonial era. At his accession to the throne, he became James II.
Dateline: Philadelphia, 1 Nov 1689: The Council debates how William and Mary became King and Queen. Let’s listen in on a near-verbatim transcription of their discussion on that day. They were part of church history, and so was the council of Philadelphia.
Dateline: 5 July 1702, Philadelphia. People in the New World thought it best to proclaim her queen in order to provide for their own defence and form a militia against invasion and for legal reasons. Both sides of the Atlantic were part of church history.
It is not defined by what the world system or pagan religions say, nor is it what popular Bible teachers seem to preach.
It seems confusion dominates discussions about the righteousness of God. Is it imputed? Imparted? When does it mean vindication? Justice? Holiness? Declared not guilty? Putting things right? All of the above? Find out what the Old Testament and New Testament say!
Paul prays for the Philippians that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness (Phil. 1:11). Therefore righteousness is a fruit, every bit as much as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are. What does this aspect of the term mean?
The left! Sexual nihilism. Anything goes or nothing goes. So what? Who cares? In that spirit, I don’t know anymore what’s worse: shouting “fire!” in a crowded theater or “confused boy!” in a crowded girls’ locker room (said a clever radio host).
This theory of the atonement or the significance of Christ’s death on the cross has come under attack of late. And maybe some sermons and illustrations of it have been out of line. But this theory of the atonement is still biblically valid. Here’s why.
Some say yes. What are the historical and social context of three key passages?
Lies and exaggerations and distortions flow through the web and media and harm our society. They must be countered. If not, America will decline–at first slowly, and now rapidly–by moral rot. I also offer some biblical truths. You may certainly copy the images and post them in social media.
I tell my story: Not my racism, but my ancestors owned slaves. Most importantly, what do the Scriptures say about atonement?
Have you ever heard a student or young adult ask it today? It’s still going strong in Europe and numerous countries around the globe. What if Leftists were to rebrand their ideology and hide it under a current political party in American politics? Therefore, it’s important to take a closer look at it.
How are they defined? How many people belong to them?
This issue ranges much more widely than just the current events in 2020 America. We can learn from Scripture any time when it speaks to our nature and satanic lies.
Critics say: “God sent his Son to the cross and poured his just wrath on him? Would any loving Father do that? It’s cosmic child abuse!” True or a misunderstanding?
That is, is it the morally right thing to do? That question goes beyond current events in America in 2020. What is the government allowed to do, if it intends to restore peace and order? What does the Bible say?
What if the Church is targeted for persecution by the government or by large groups of extremists, but the government does not come to the aid of Christians? For example, rioting Muslims in Nigeria or Sudan attack churches on a wide scale. Can Christians defend themselves, because the State does not come to their aid?
I have often heard confused uses of “turn the other cheek.” The saying seems so imbalanced and out of touch with reality, as it circulates around the world, out of context and isolated.
This post is not about modern philosophy. What does the Bible say about this rich word?
He seems to be a mysterious figure. Some say he was a Christophany (manifestation) of the preincarnate Christ. But who was he according to the entire Scriptures that mention him? An old-fashioned Bible study here.
The western Left keeps attacking its own culture in their weird, dysfunctional self-loathing. To counter them, we need to be reminded of the great things we have achieved, so we can stop hanging our heads. Here is a simple list.
Do you need it? Do you dare pray for it? Learn what it means, and you will pray for it in your family and at your job.
It is the major technique of Jesus’s teaching, right up there with his direct teaching. So how do we define it?
Why do we need it? Why must we not skip it for very long? A Bible study here, with the famous “one another” verses included.
How does the Bible describe it? We need to know, so we can fit into God’s plan with other believers.
Certain Christians downplay Scripture. But it is better to say that this book, full of revelations and wonderful teachings, should occupy the top spot in our gatherings. Here’s why.
Paul begins and ends each letter with grace. Great for your personal edification or a series in a Bible study or sermons.
What are those alternatives? Only one man, inspired by the Spirit, turned the problem and solution on its head.
One approach says, “Just do it!” The other one says, “It’s already been done.”
Hint to its meaning: Think about it and take it on credit.
Several years ago, my city installed cameras at various intersections, and I got caught three times. I “miraculously” became an awesome driver!
The New Testament issues all sorts of commands and imperatives that many of us can’t live up to. What then?
What does “being justified” mean? Acquittal in law court, put right in a covenant, or both, or what?
This study looks at the Old Testament passages that Paul quotes in his writings, and the post places the references in categories.
The “Grace Revolution” must adequately deal with this topic, for a change.
How does Paul use of the Old Testament in this most important epistle? Does he put people under the Old Covenant, by referring to its Scriptures? If not, then why borrow from them in the first place?
It is never expressed against his New Covenant community (unless you get a speeding ticket).
What’s with all the wrathin’ and a-smitin’ in the Old Testament? If grace teachers don’t explore this topic, some people may accuse them of hiding unpleasant truths and focusing on feel-good, sugarcoated doctrines alone.
It is commanded. But wouldn’t it be better if we praised him out of our freewill gratitude?
What does the Bible say about it?
How was it done? To what purpose? Worship leaders must be Bible based, or else their lyrics and mode of worship will become shallow and self-focused instead of God centered.
God relates to humankind by covenants (not dispensations). What does the term mean?
The original words are very rich. Most deeply and richly of all, we can know God personally.
Renewalists believe that all the gifts of God mentioned in the New Testament are for today. They flow from God and are exercised through the Spirit and grace and a yielded, eager heart when the need arises. Let’s study the ones in Romans 12:6-8.
This word begins the list in Gal. 5:22-23. From it flows all the other virtues. Here is a basic word study of the noun, with application to your life.
Gal. 5:22-23 lists nine fruit of the Spirit. The second one is joy. What is it? Giddiness, or does it go deeper? Also discussed here is the differences between happiness and joy.
It is clear from the news headlines that we need peace in the world. But that can happen only when we have the peace that flows from the Spirit. Everyone on the planet needs to be born again, be filled with the Spirit, and let the peace flow outwardly.
It is also translated as “patience.” Do we have enough of it? Do you dare pray for it?
This attribute should grow in us by the Spirit of God. Will we let him produce it in us?
Have you heard this meme circulating around the American church? “The gospel does not make bad people good, but dead people alive”? Yes, it makes dead people alive, but it also makes now-living persons better.
“Faith” and “faithfulness” come from related Greek words. They need to be sorted out by context.
It’s the opposite of being harsh and overbearing.
Without this fruit, our lives would be chaotic.
It is possible to have too much love (doormat), too much grace (licentious or antinomian) or too much law (legalism), but it is not possible to have too much wisdom.
It is very sad on a human level. But what is the answer biblically? Is there hope?
This post is a basic Bible study of key words in the Old and New Testaments, all spelled out in English. Worship leaders need to have a biblical foundation. Practical application is offered below each term.
All the key words are here, spelled out in simple English.
How is it done? Can we balance order and freedom? Should we remain passive and just let the professionals worship at church? What about a choir? What about dancing, for example?
Have you ever received a dream, possibly from God, while you were sleeping or a vision before your eyes or mind’s eyes? How would you know if it came from God? How do we evaluate them?
Do we really know what it is, or are we just guessing?
Dateline: Virginia, 1652 and 1658: Despite the hardships of the earliest Virginia colonists, they still formed the House of Burgesses to discuss the running of the colony. Here are two oaths that the members had to swear. They also swore on the Bible. Continue reading
Dateline: Virginia, July 30, 1619: The Anglican Virginia colonists under Sir George Yeardley met in a plenary session to invoke God’s blessing and set out basic rules. They met in the choir of the church. This is the first official government assembly. These men were not greedy, Indian-murdering atheists.
Church history is a wide net that catches not just the famous preachers and theologians and the political reactions they caused. Here is an English-American gentleman who soon became a church warden. What did they do exactly?
Dateline: 1696 to 1763, Virginia. Ten clergymen signed a key document. These historical primary documents tell the story of the gradual, great “divorce.”
Dateline: Philadelphia, 1683: The kings and parliament in the seventeenth century fought for political power. Who would win? How does this struggle relate to new-world America?
Dateline: Philadelphia, 28 Oct 1701: Penn offers this new charter. What about religious liberty in the first article? How should the government be organized? Churches? Continue reading
Dateline: Philadelphia, 28 Oct 1701: William Penn, Proprietor and Governor of Pennsylvania and territories, says that men are happiest when they can follow their conscience, particularly liberty of religion. Except for one class of citizens….
Dateline: Philadelphia, 1707-1708. This is about the Indians of Pennsylvania. What was one of the strong motives for Christians to settle there?
Dateline: Philadelphia: 22 Apr 1701. It is best to lead by example in the Christian faith.
Dateline: Philadelphia, 1694. Various clans of Indians meet in Philadelphia to discuss their friendship and their fears. The English say they want peace so they can turn their attention against their real enemy—who?
Dateline: Virginia, 1676/7: After the troubles of Bacon’s Rebellion, the Queen of the Pamunkey Natives asks for restoration of her royal position, property and rights.
Dateline: Virginia, 1663. Some Indians used to steal livestock and crops from the English plantation settlers. Here’s how the authorities handled it. Short post of primary source. Continue reading
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