Category: Christianity and the Bible

Greg Koukl is a Christian apologist. That doesn't mean that he's sorry for being a Christian. An "apology" in this sense is a "defense"...so a Christian apologist makes a defense for Christianity. Makes a case, if you will. Presents good reasons for believing as Christians do. Greg's ministry, Stand to Reason, is a great resource for Christian apologetics materials. Greg travels all over the place and teaches Christians a lot of simple, easy to remember techniques for sharing what you believe....
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CHAP. I.--DEFENCE OF THE TRUTH SHOULD PRECEDE DISCUSSIONS REGARDING IT.[1] BY the side of every opinion and doctrine which agrees with the truth of things, there springs up some falsehood; and it does so, not because it takes its rise naturally from some fundamental principle, or from some cause peculiar to the matter in hand, but because it is invented on purpose by men who set a value on the spurious seed, for its tendency to corrupt the truth. This is apparent, in the first place, from those...
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A PLEA[1] FOR THE CHRISTIANS BY ATHENAGORAS THE ATHENIAN: PHILOSOPHER AND CHRISTIAN INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO THE WRITINGS OF ATHENAGORAS [TRANSLATED BY THE REV. B. P. PRATTEN.] [A.D. 177.] In placing Athenagoras here, somewhat out of the order usually accepted, I commit no appreciable violence against chronology, and I gain a great advantage for the reader. To some extent we must recognise, in collocation, the principles of affinity and historic growth. Closing up the bright succession of the ear...
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Wow. This is pretty cool, assuming you're the kind of person - as I am - who believes in Jesus. I have to admit that, despite spending decades studying religion, theology, and apologetics, I know next to nothing about Rob Bell. I know that some people don't like him, and that some disagree with his theology. I haven't looked into him myself...but if this video is any indication, I can tell a few things about him: He's an effective speaker. He's surrounded by creative people. He's eager to ...
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This ancient document is generally considered spurious...that is, it was likely not written by Antoninus. The Emperor Caesar Titus AElius Adrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, Supreme Pontiff, in the fifteenth year of his tribuneship, Consul for the third time, Father of the fatherland, to the Common Assembly of Asia, greeting: I should have thought that the gods themselves would see to it that such offenders should not escape. For if they had the power, they themselves would much rather punish tho...
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Sextus Julius Africanus was a Christian historian who lived in the late 2nd and early 3rd century AD. He's best known for influencing Eusebius, and his history of the world, Chronographiai, was used by many at that time. This letter, written to Origen, addresses The History of Susanna, an apocryphal addition to the book of Daniel. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches consider it canonical, making it the 13th chapter of Daniel. Protestants generally do not recognize this addition as inspi...
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I have received the letter addressed to me by your predecessor Serenius Granianus, a most illustrious man; and this communication I am unwilling to pass over in silence, lest innocent persons be disturbed, and occasion be given to the informers for practising villany. Accordingly, if the inhabitants of your province will so far sustain this petition of theirs as to accuse the Christians in some court of law, I do not prohibit them from doing so. But I will not suffer them to make use of mere ent...
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Missiology is the area of practical theology that investigates the mandate, message and work of the Christian missionary. There's a lot of talk in today's church about our "mission", and about how it's best accomplished. Unfortunately, much of the discussion centers around career missionaries rather than on the responsibility given to every follower of Christ. All Christians are to be missionaries. Living "a life of mission" means doing the things God has called you to do...your "mission". A "m...
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The year is 2010. It's been 37 years since Roe v. Wade, and some people are still confused by the abortion debate. On one hand, pro-abortion activists justify killing babies on the following grounds: A fetus is not a person, so it doesn't have a right to live. A baby is disposable if it inconveniences the mother. Being born "imperfect" is worse than not being born at all. On the other hand, pro-life activists celebrate each tiny life, even if it's inconvenient...even if it's scary, exp...
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Christians should agree that God IS good...but I wonder sometimes what some people think when they say it. You see, Christians usually utter such things after a prayer request has been answered in the way the pray-er wanted. That's as good a time as any to say it, of course...but if we really believe that God is good, we should believe it when things aren't looking so good.  I'm broke...and God is good.  I lost my job...and God is good.  My child is sick...and God is good.&nb...
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It's New Year's Eve. It's almost dinnertime, and I'm just now getting to today's blog post. That's okay. People will probably read this for years to come (like most of what's on GodWords), and it's not exactly time-sensitive material. Sometimes, Christians can be dumb. No, not YOU...those OTHER Christians. They say things like "Take Jesus with you into 2010". What could be dumber than that? Yeah, I know...it's like I'm all nitpicky about words. However: what we say is a pretty good indicator o...
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Why consider faith and reason at odds? The opposite of faith is unbelief, not reason. The opposite of reason is not faith, but irrationality. Greg Koukl Brilliant. I love it when people think things through. I love it when people see things for what they are, too...and Greg usually does. Clearly, faith and reason have never been at odds, despite a lot of non-believers' claims to the contrary. Faith isn't irrational, and reason doesn't supercede matters of faith. I'm not a Christian in spit...
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The Great Commission is the foundation of the spread of historic Christianity. There's no question that Christianity's rise to prominence is one of the great success stories of history, and that success comes directly from Jesus' final instructions to His disciples: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the ver...
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Grab a hankie. Here's a video that should choke you up. Watch the video, then continue reading. Have you stopped to ask yourself why such stories touch your heart? I mean, really...it's not that those people did anything amazing. The folks from Grapevine Christian School didn't sacrifice anything truly significant. Their actions didn't really cost them much...but most of us would agree that what they did was awesome. Why? Is it because we all recognize the difference between...
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I recently had an interesting conversation with a friend about illegal immigration. She drew a parallel between East Germans escaping tyranny through Checkpoint Charlie and illegal immigrants from Mexico escaping the tyranny of poverty. Her point was that we tend to celebrate one escape to freedom and condemn the other...and that America is evil for keeping out desperate people who just want to feed their families. Add to that her insistence that America's laws don't reflect a Biblical response ...
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Despite being a Christian for most of my life (or perhaps because of it) I find most 'Christian-y' stuff trite, overdone, derivative or lame. At first glance, I thought this video would be just that. I often stop videos like this one mid-stream, thinking that it's just one more in a long line of self-congratulatory, Christianity-is-way-cool stupid videos. That being said, I'm glad I didn't stop it. It's a novel and meaningful video that shows both talent and forethought, which is sometimes lack...
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I recently posted a recording of Ted Haggard explaining that he'd sinned. Others have seen the video, of course...and are talking it up all over the religious side of the interwebs. One of the main conversation points seems to go like this: should Ted Haggard, who left his ministry amid allegations of homosexuality, drug abuse, and dishonesty, be allowed back into ministry? I think such conversations are generally nonsense. When men and women call someone to ministry, they have the prerogative...
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A friend recently asked the following question: Would I be very far off the path in thinking that the writer of Proverbs was in fact referring to the Christ years before he appeared on earth? John used the word The Word and Proverbs uses the word Wisdom. My Friend Actually, you would be far off. There's no question that some parts of Proverbs may speak directly of Christ, but Wisdom isn't Him. It was common in Solomon's day to speak of intangible things like wisdom as if they were people wh...
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Ted Haggard wants us to know that he sinned. He doesn't want us to think that he excuses himself for what he did. Despite the fact that atheists are saying that he 'blames his sex scandal on child abuse', you can listen for yourself and see that they're clearly mischaracterizing him. Ted pastored a church near where I live. We have friends in common, though we've never met. Having been a pastor myself, I think I understand some of what he's been through as a leader. It's good to hear him speaki...
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Wow. Good stuff! I've always wondered whether visitors to my church (not just my current one) felt this way. Is your church totally lame? Do you see yourself in this video? ...
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If you'd just finished a new English-language version of the Bible, what would you call it? I mean...all of the good names are already taken, right? Wrong! The good news is that plenty of great Bible names are still available. I've chosen to call mine the Authentic Literal Study Testament (ALST). What will you call your Bible? Visit the English Bible Version Generator and give it a spin! ...
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I'm not a huge fan of audiobooks, but many are. I find my attention wandering a bit too often to follow for long, and if I close my eyes I'll fall asleep.For those of you who aren't as attention-deficited or sleep-deprived, I'd like to point you to a cool resource: Christian Audio. They offer Christian books and stuff in audio format. Whether you're visually impaired, do a lot of knitting, or (heaven forbid) have a job with a long commute, their offer of a free resource each month is probably ju...
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Bible skeptics sometimes like to point out the fact that the fulfillment of a prophecy always comes after the prophecy itself, giving 'true believers' plenty of opportunity to make the prophecies come true. There are a couple of problems with this kind of reasoning: first, fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies would be impossible to fake. Second, not everything is as it seems. As one can see from the story of The Wreck of the Titan, it's simply too easy to point fingers and make assumptio...
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Some have erroneously asserted that God is dead. Many who believe that have also lumped apologetics and theology into the same category. They might be surprised that there's a resurgence of both in the Western world. Read all about it in this Christianity Today article. Not at all coincidentally, I named my website GodWords because I consider good theology and strong apologetics essential to the success of the church. Well, that - and and fact that theology.com was taken....
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Every once in a while I hear a Christian say that they're "not into theology". They say that they "just love Jesus". Even my pastor told me that he took theology classes only so that he could be ordained.Sometimes these kinds of statements depress me. It's not surprising that the average American Christian is considered Biblically illiterate when even our leaders avoid theology. I'd like to do my small part in helping to change this trend...so I'll explain what theology is:Theology means words a...
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Some say that the secret to always having your prayers answered is to always pray for things that God wants. They say that God always says yes to those kind of prayers. Bologna. Some prayers may be answered with a resounding NO...even if those prayers are in line with God's will! Let's look at two Scriptures: He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.2 Peter 3:9bThey will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the...
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A GodWords reader asked:Am I alone on this? I don't see pot smoking as ok. I also don't want to cast stones, but...am I missing something?CharleneThanks for asking, Charlene! When it comes to smoking pot, I have three points of view: practical, legal, and theoretical.Practical: Marijuana sometimes helps with specific medical problems, but most people probably shouldn't smoke anything at all. I certainly don't see smoking as an impediment to salvation. However: as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:12...
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I've been involved in online discussions about Christianity for many years now. Much of what's written on GodWords is based on those discussions, and on the research I do to make sure I'm prepared for those discussions. One such discussion has been about liberals vs conservatives, written from a decidedly conservative Christian point of view. Earlier I'd written that conservative Christians tend to worry too much about 'liberal issues' and not enough about actually loving people. I thought I'd p...
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Having a website is a big responsibility. Most of the time, most people don't think twice about it...after all: they wonder why anybody at all would read their website. If they're convinced that they're not being read, they don't have to think about what they write.Being a web designer means knowing too much to think that way. Virtually everything I write will be found by somebody, read by somebody, and believed by somebody. As a Christian, that's both a blessing and a warning.I looked at the Of...
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GodWords reader Miranda asked "if god already knows what we want, why pray?". That's a very good question, and one that lots of people have asked. I'm not sure that anyone has a complete answer...but let me point out a couple of things that might help us think about it further:God knows how you'll pray before you start...so prayer isn't giving God new information. God may say "no" to whatever you pray...so prayer isn't convincing God to do whatever you ask. God can do what needs to be done witho...
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After taking about a month off, I finally spent a few minutes with the official GodWords website traffic statistics package. Because I'm a web designer with a background in search, I make sure that the codebase for GodWords is well-done. Because of my good code, search engines love me. It's not at all surprising to find that I'm in the top 10 search results for phrases like what does Jesus mean or do you have to be baptized to go to heaven. I was a bit surprised to find that someone found me by ...
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The video below is a bit long, but it illustrates a very meaningful point: we tend to see only what we want to see. Belgian painter Luc Tuymans is apparently very, very famous in the art world. He agreed to help with an experiment. He painted on a wall on a busy pedestrian street in his hometown to see how many people would notice that they were walking past really good art. Interestingly, an art person (in the video) suggests that (hopefully) 90% of the people passing by would stop and see the ...
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It's April 14, six days before the anniversary. I live just outside Littleton, Colorado. I'm a transplant, but my wife grew up here. In fact, she attended Columbine High School years before the tragic incident in 1999. The church we attend has the word "Columbine" in its name, and was one of many who ministered to those affected by the events of that horrible day. Many of our families had kids attending CHS at the time.Todd Rhoades of Monday Morning Insight, a blog about church leadership issues...
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Christianity, especially the American sort, has its own language. Many people don't speak a word of this curious language...so, as a web designer specializing in working with churches and non-profits, I have to remind a lot of folks to avoid using jargon to communicate.Christianese is a pet peeve...but there's another part of Christian communication that's worse: platitudes. I absolutely HATE platitudes. A platitude is a trite, meaningless, or prosaic statement that is presented as if it were si...
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Postmodernism is a word that can be used in many different ways. The basic idea is that reality is subjective...that there is no absolute truth, and that reality differs from person to person. The phrase "what's true for you might not be true for me" typifies a postmodern point of view. Another way to understand postmodernism (or "Pomo") is to say that no truth can be extended beyond an individual's experiences. Postmodernists will necessarily have trouble with my definition, since they like to...
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A lot of people in the Bible had their names changed, or went by more than one name. I appreciate your patience while I compile a comprehensive list of all of them. Abram renamed Abraham by God Azariah renamed Abednego by Nebuchadnezzar's chief official Daniel renamed Belteshazzar by Nebuchadnezzar's chief official Eliakim renamed Jehoiakim by Pharoah Neco Gideon renamed Jerub-Baal by the men of Ophrah Hadassah also known as Esther   Ha...
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Church leaders are often faced with difficult decisions. In fact, they often have to make critical decisions on a weekly basis. Without taking sides in church politics, I feel for the folks at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, Texas. They're having trouble dealing with this issue:Should gay couples appear in your church's pictorial directory?I realize that I'm opinionated, and that I don't exactly fit the mold of a typical churchgoer...but this doesn't seem like that tough a decision. If yo...
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I ran across a post today, and had to ask myself a tough question or two. I have a tendency to think that God can best be understood by reading His written revelation. That's not accurate, of course. God can best be understood by experiencing Him. I have a tendency to equate knowing the Bible with knowing God. I'm sure you can see the danger in that. Do we worship the Bible, or do we worship the God of the Bible?I thought you might like to read the article as well....
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Doubt is our friend. No, I'm not promoting ignorance. You should know me better than that by now. I'm promoting a mindset: one that makes room for questions...leaves room for doubt...allows others to be elsewhere on the continuum we call faith. Uh-oh. I can sense that your eyes are glazing over. Let's go back to the beginning. We're talking about doubt from a Christian perspective... Some famous guy once said, "I respect faith, but doubt is what gives you an education". Here's an equation...
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This is a common question, even if it's not expressed out loud. Science and religion are often seen as in conflict. I suggest that most often, they are not...the problem is one of utility. Here's the problem, in my estimation:Science cannot accurately comment on that which cannot be observed. Science, when dealing with unobservable things, has an inherent anti-supernatural bias. This is as it should be.Theology cannot accurately comment on that which is not found in Scripture. Theology, when dea...
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That's what we call 'a loaded question'!I find that Catholics are usually very much like other people. =) I consider many Catholics my brothers and sisters in Christ despite their theological position that a non-Catholic probably isn't a Christian. I consider many Catholics either misinformed or misled about the nature of God, Jesus, salvation, and the Bible.How's that? I suppose that’s as short as I can make a reply. Like many other religious folks, I think that Catholics can run the spectrum...
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Not at all. Let's look at the passage in question.But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And He was saying to her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the ...
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In a word, no.Of course, slavery is mentioned in the Bible, so let's look at the context. There were three kinds of slavery in vogue at that time:Involuntary Slaves Indentured Servants Bondservants The Bible never condones the taking of slaves.However, since slavery in one form or another was a fact of life for many, the proper treatment of slaves is addressed. The language of the New Testament can be difficult in this situation. As an example, let's look at the Greek word DOULOS: it can be tran...
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Does the Bible teach that Christians should give 10% of their income to their local church?Christians are to give generously to those in need as they are led by God. There is nothing in the Bible that tells Christians to tithe. Didn't Abraham and Jacob both tithe?As I've written elsewhere, they certainly did. That doesn't necessarily mean that we should we do the same. The question is whether the Bible teaches that Christians should do as they did. Abraham tithed to a human king, while Jacob's t...
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Yes, and No.Tithing did occur before the Mosaic Law was given. There are actually three kinds of tithing in the Bible...the way Abraham did it, the way Jacob did it, and the way that the Jews did it.Abraham (Genesis 14):Abraham tithed to Melchizadek...he gave a tenth of the spoils of war. If we're to tithe as Abraham did, we should give a tenth of the spoils of war to the king. Since that's all the information we have, that's all we should presume about the passage.Jacob (Genesis 28):Jacob tithe...
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I don't tithe. I grew up in church. I was very active in my youth group. I attended a private Christian college, where I studied religion. Why am I writing this article? Because, in all of those years, I've never heard any preacher or teacher explain the Biblical basis for tithing...and I think it's time someone addressed the issue. As theorized by the majority of Christian churches, tithing is the practice of giving 10% of your income to your local church. I say "theorized" because churches tha...
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The Ten Commandments are part of the Mosaic Law, which was given to the Jews, for the Jews. I've never been a Jew, so I've never considered them to apply to me. God is not, however, inconsistent...He wouldn't lead me to do something questionable. Everything that God leads me to do (or doesn't chastise me for) fits in with His character. Everything that God leads Jews to do fits in with His character. There will necessarily be some overlap between the Mosaic Law and the way He leads a gentile. I ...
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Thanks for asking!This issue has been a sticking point between sabbatarians and the rest of the Body of Christ for some time...but it shouldn't be. The Bible is very clear on this subject. Let's forget for a moment about Constantine, or that the Sabbath was a sign between God and the Israelites of their covenant (and so completely out of date) and focus on God's purpose for the Sabbath.Let's start in Genesis...The word "sabbath" means "rest". This isn't the kind of rest we need after a good work...
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No. Let's look at some Scripture for our answer. Before they died, Jesus told the thief that they would be together in Paradise on THAT VERY DAY. Jesus could not have meant Heaven. After all, in John 20:17 (several days later, after His resurrection) Jesus told Mary that He had not yet ascended to His Father...so Paradise cannot be heaven.What is Paradise?Let's go to Luke 16:19-31...the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Here Jesus tells of "Abraham's Bosom" and "Hades"...the waiting places of t...
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That's a good question. Most people are aware that there are different points of view on the question of whether baptism is required for salvation. Scripture, however, is abundantly clear. Baptism is NOT required for salvation. Christian baptism has its roots in a much older tradition. Converts to Judaism were baptized in a ritual bath called a MIKVAH. This immersion was a public statement that you wanted to join a community of faith, that you believed as they did, and that you intended to live ...
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There are two common misconceptions about hell. The first is that a loving God wouldn't let anyone go there, and the second is that God uses it to punish people. I think that both theories are actually attempts to diminish our view of God. A loving God would indeed let people go to hell. You see, God decided that we should choose our own eternal destiny. Those who choose to spend eternity with Him will do so, and those who want nothing to do with Him will get their wish as well. Why would God al...
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Yeah, I know...I'm going straight to Hell. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Before you start forming your lynch mob, listen closely: Jesus is NOT in your heart. Jesus is in Heaven with the Father. At least a dozen Bible verses say that He would leave us and go back to the Father...John 16:28 is just one example. "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father." The inescapable conclusion? Jesus is NOT in your heart. Some of you...
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Christians start out pretty much like everyone else. We're sometimes nice, at other times surly. We're often selfish, angry, and egotistical...sometimes kind and generous. The good news is that somewhere along the way God begins the process of transforming us so that we're more like Jesus. Considering the kind of person Jesus was, that sounds great...but the bad news is that until God gets well into the transformation process a person is often remarkably similar to what he was before he became a...
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We all have Faith.We exercise Faith every day whether we are at home, in the car, or on the job. Just think: you and countless strangers drive way too fast and pass within a handshake of each other without a second thought! You don't know whether they'll stay in their lane...you have Faith that they will. Faith is believing despite having incomplete evidence.Most of us have trouble with "incomplete evidence". We try to control every part of our lives, and exercising our Faith means giving up som...
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No one likes being misunderstood. It's frustrating. It troubles us when we're misunderstood...in fact, it's so troubling that we often take it personally when others misunderstand our family, or our friends. I'm no different. Thousands of GodWords visitors are seekers or skeptics or spiritually confused, so I take it personally when someone makes it more difficult for these nice folks to understand God. At the moment I'm taking aim at Pentecostals. One of the identifying marks of a particular br...
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I've been blessed with a pretty easy life. I haven't had to turn to God and plead with Him very often...but I have a few friends whose lives have been shaken by tragedies that would likely ruin me. A friend's daughter may have a brain tumor. A coworker's toddler is rejecting her newly transplanted kidney. A young man at my church lost a child at birth, making him a daddy without a baby. Such tragedies are common, but the commonness doesn't diminish their grief. I often feel compelled to pray for...
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Old TestamentAbrahamGenesis 20:7 MosesDeuteronomy 34:10, Hosea 12:13 MiriamExodus 15:20AaronExodus 7:1"A prophet"Judges 6:8DeborahJudges 4:4Samuel1 Samuel 3:20, 9:9Gad1 Samuel 22:5, 2 Samuel 12:25, 2 Chronicles 29:25Nathan 2 Samuel 7:2, Ps. 51, 2 Samuel 12:24, 1 Kings 1, 2 Chronicles 29:25Ahijah 1 Kings 11:29, 1 Kings 14Old Prophet in Bethel1 Kings 13Man of God from Judah 1 Kings 13Jehu 1 Kings 16Balaam 2 Peter 2:16Elijah 1 Kings 18, 1 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 21:12Prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18Elish...
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Peter(32 - 67)Linus(67 - 76)Anacletus [Cletus](76 - 88) Clement I(88 - 97)Evaristus(97 - 105Alexander I(105 - 115)Sixtus I [Xystus I](115 - 125) Telesphorus(125 - 136)Hyginus(136 - 140)Pius I(140 - 155)Anicetus(155 - 166)Soter(166 - 175)Eleutherius(175 - 189)Victor I(189 - 199)Zephyrinus(199 - 217)Callistus I(217 - 222)Urban I(222 - 230)Pontain(230 - 235)Anterus(235 - 236)Fabian(236 - 250)Cornelius(251 - 253)Lucius I(253 - 254)Stephen I(254 - 257)Sixtus II(257 - 258)Dionysius(260 - 268)Felix I(2...
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Trying to find that obscure document for a homework assignment? It just might be here. I've collected a pretty sizeable group of documents from the early Christian church. Let me know if you think I should add something...and let me know if I've misattributed a text.AdrianThe Epistle of AdrianAfricanusA Letter to Origen from Africanus about the History of SusannaAntoninusThe Epistle of Antoninus to the Common Assembly of AsiaAthenagorasA Plea for the Christians by Athenagoras the Athenian: Philo...
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The Third Council of Constantinople (681 AD) picked up where the Definition of Chalcedon left off, addressing whether the two natures of Christ (human and divine) also had two separate wills. The Monophysite view maintained that Christ has only one nature, diminishing His humanness. Some people believed that Christ had two natures but only one will. This council rejected such doctrines because they were too similar to the teaching of the Monophysites. The following statement was an attempt to st...
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The "Rule of Faith" as recorded by Irenaeus: ...this faith: in one God, the Father Almighty, who made the heaven and the earth and the seas and all the things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who was made flesh for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who made known through the prophets the plan of salvation, and the coming, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the bodily ascension into heaven of the beloved Christ Jesu...
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Hippolytus's account of the baptismal service (early third century) When the person being baptized goes down into the water, he who baptizes him, putting his hand on him, shall say: "Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty?" And the person being baptized shall say: "I believe." Then holding his hand on his head, he shall baptize him once. And then he shall say: "Do you believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who was born of the Virgin Mary, and was crucified inder Pontius Pilate, and was de...
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Eutichus taught that Christ's two natures (human and divine) combined to create a third, distinct nature. He taught that Christ's two natures interacted with each other so that He was no longer really divine, and no longer really human. The Council of Chalcedon condemned this teaching in 451. We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man...
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FREE WILL:Man, although affected by the Fall, was not totally incapable of choosing spiritual good, and was able to exercise faith in God in order to receive the gospel and thus bring himself into possession of salvation.CONDITIONAL ELECTION:God laid His hands upon those individuals who, He knew - or foresaw - would respond to the gospel. God elected those that He saw would want to be saved of their own free will.UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION:Christ died to save all me...
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The Synod of Dort formulated its Five Points of Calvinism, reaffirming the position put forth by French theologian John Calvin. These are sometimes set forth in the form of an acrostic on the word `TULIP', as follows:Total Depravity:Man is totally unable to save himself on account of the Fall in the Garden of Eden being a TOTAL fall.Unconditional Election:If unable to save himself, then God must save.Limited Atonement:If God must save, then God must be free to save whom He will.Irresistible Call...
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Book of the Wars of the Lord (Numbers 21:14) Book of Jasher (Josh. 10:13, 2 Samuel 1:18) Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41) Book of Samuel the Seer (1 Chronicles 29:29) Book of Gad the Seer (1 Chronicles 29:29) Book of Nathan the Prophet (1 Chronicles 29:29, 2 Chronicles 9:29) Prophecy of Ahijah (2 Chronicles 9:29) Visions of Iddo the Seer (2 Chronicles 9:29, 12:15, 13:22) Book of Shemaiah (2 Chronicles 12:15) Book of Jehu (2 Chronicles 20:34) Sayings of the Seers (2 Chronicles 33:19) A...
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The Council of Orange was convened primarily due to the controversy between Augustine and Pelagius. The controversy had to do with the degree to which man is responsible for his own salvation, and the role of the grace of God in bringing about salvation. The Pelagians held that human beings are born in a state of innocence, that there is no such thing as a sinful nature or original sin. As a result of this view, they held that a state of sinless perfection was achievable in this life. The Counci...
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Yes, it's true: the sins of the entire world are missing...at least as far as God is concerned, anyway. Many people think that God keeps close track of everyone's sins (the better to condemn you with, my dear) but nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that SIN has been a dead issue for a long, long time! How can we be sure, you ask? Simple. The Bible explains it quite clearly:God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against th...
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There are a lot of common misconceptions about Christianity, and probably the most common is that Christianity is about being good. Of course, the "commonness" of an idea has nothing to do with its accuracy. Christianity isn't about being good. Not even close. It's easy to be confused about this. After all, there's a lot of talk in Christian churches about being good...and we should be good. But being good is really a side issue. If being bad is our problem, then being good would certainly be th...
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Absolutely not. The Old Testament speaks of slavery often, and lays out rules on how slaves were to be treated. This has caused some to become confused...but a basic understanding of the context for ancient near-eastern slavery shows that the Old Testament does not condone slavery. Let's look at some common assumptions: ASSUMPTION #1: Regulating a behavior shows approval There are 33 Bible verses (NIV) containing the word "divorce". Divorce is specifically regulated in Scripture, but does tha...
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Yehoshua means 'the Lord saves', and is translated into English as Joshua. Jesus' Hebrew name is Yeshua, which is a shortened version of Yehoshua. Yeshua means 'he will save'. Yeshua translated into Greek is Iesous. Iesous transliterated into Latin is Jesu. Jesu became Jesus in English. Jesus isn't a translation of Yeshua. It's a transLITERation of Iesous. Translations convey meaning, so a name in one language will (when translated) mean the same thing in another language. A transliteration is s...
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Jesus had one earthly parent and one heavenly parent...and let's not forget to include Joseph, too. Jesus' lineage is listed in Matthew 1 and Luke 3...but a careful reading of these two passages raises a few questions. Matthew lists names from Abraham to Jesus, while Luke lists names from Jesus back to Adam. The lists are virtually identical between Abraham and David, so I've posted only names between David and Jesus, reversing the order of Luke's list for convenience.Matthew'sList Luke'sListDav...
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Some facts about Jared:Son of MahalalelFather of EnochTechnically an ancestor of Jesus Christ [Luke 3:23-38]Lived 962 years, the second-oldest person in the BibleWho was Jared?We know that Jared lived before the Flood, as he was an ancestor of Noah's. He was an ancestor of Joseph, Jesus' earthly father. As Luke records it, Jesus "was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph". Jared's LineageThere is some question about the completeness of the geneological lists in the Old Testament. Genesis 5 menti...
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Husband of RuthSome facts about Boaz:Boaz means "fleetness" or "alacrity"Mentioned in Ruth, 1 Kings, and 1 & 2 ChroniclesAncestor of King DavidWealthy landownerLived sometime around 1100 BCRelated to Naomi and Ruth by marriageBoaz was a wealthy landowner living in Bethlehem who took care of Naomi when her husband Elimelech died. For her sake, he also took care of her daughter-in-law, Ruth. He was a kinsman-redeemer for Ruth, who was a young widow. Together they had a son, Obed. Obed was the ...
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Luke addressed both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts to Theophilus. Luke [Luke 1:3] and Acts [Acts 1:1] were both written to a man named Theophilus. It was a common name among both Romans and Jews at that time, so there's little we can know about him for certain. He would have lived at the time Luke wrote, which was somewhere between AD 40 and AD 64.Possible identities:Coptic (Egyptian) tradition says that he was a Jew, from Alexandria.Titus Flavius Sabinus, a Roman prefect who had become...
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Some facts about Huldah:A prophetessRelated to JeremiahHuldah means "weasel"Lived in the Second District of JerusalemMarried to ShallumAccording to the Bible, Huldah was a prophetess. We know more about her husband than we do about her but, though she appears in only nine verses, it's clear that she was considered a very important person. King Josiah's men came to her on his behalf to ask for wisdom. Her response shows her own sense of self: "Tell the man who sent you...". Her language seems to ...
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Son of Abraham and father of the twelve tribes of ArabiaSome facts about Ishmael:Firstborn son of Abram (Abraham) and HagarIshmael means "God will hear"Stepbrother of IsaacHe was a skilled archerHe married an Egyptian womanFathered 12 sons and 1 daughterSaid to be the ancestor of Muhammad Ishmael was the oldest son of Abram (Abraham). His mother was Hagar, Sarai's (Sarah's) Egyptian maidservant. God told Abram and Sarai that they would have many descendants, despite their old age. When they tire...
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One of Jesus' inner circle of 12 men, Simon Peter is both a prominent character in the Bible and the author of two of its books.Some facts about Simon Peter:Born in Bethsaida, in GalileeHis given name: Simon Bar-Jona (son of Jona)His name was changed to Peter by JesusBrother of another disciple: AndrewPhilip was also from BethsaidaOccupation: FishermanHe was married (Matthew 8:14).According to Clement of Alexandria, Peter had childrenJesus gave him the name Cephas (John 1:42)Jesus healed his mot...
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One of Jesus' inner circle of 12 men, Andrew was the first disciple called by Jesus.Some facts about Andrew:Brother of another disciple: Simon PeterFrom Bethsaida, in Galilee.Occupation: fishermanFollower of John the BaptistAfter Jesus' death, Andrew continued ministering in Scythia, Asia Minor, Thrace, Greece, and Achaia.Manner of death: martyred in Patras, in Achaia...
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Mary's lineage is listed in Luke 3. Notice that Mary's name doesn't actually appear in this list, while Joseph's does. For a more thorough explanation of why this is actually Mary's geneology, see Jesus' Geneology. While Luke doesn't mention Mary by name, that shouldn't be considered unusual. Mary's geneology was written as Jesus' geneology, and would traditionally include only notable family members. Very few women are listed by name in such lists, which is to be expected in a patriarchal socie...
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The Bible lists lots of people as "so-and-so, from someplace". I appreciate your patience while I compile a comprehensive list of all of them.Jesuswas fromNazarethHamutalwas fromLibnahJeroboamwas fromZeredahNehushtawas fromJerusalemSaulwas fromTarsusZebidahwas fromRumah...
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The Bible describes the deaths of a lot of people. I appreciate your patience while I compile a comprehensive list of all of them.Gideondied ofold ageJesusdied bycrucifixionSauldied bysuicide...
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The Bible lists lots of people as "so-and-so, son (or daughter) of somebody else". Sons are in blue, daughters in pink. Other family relationships are also noted in grey. I appreciate your patience while I compile a comprehensive list of everyone in the Bible.Legend:SonDaughterOtherAbraham (also Abram)son ofTerahAbram (also Abraham)son ofTerahAhaziahson ofAthaliahAmmison ofHosea and GomerArphaxadson ofShemBoazhusband of ^RuthEliakim (also Jehoiakim)son ofJosiah and ZebidahElimelechhusband of ^Na...
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Jesus traveled with 12 men throughout His three-year ministry. Here's a list of the original twelve, and the one who replaced Judas Iscariot.Jesus' DisciplesSimon Peter (Cephas)AndrewJamesPhillipThomas (Didymus)Matthew (Levi)Bartholomew (Nathaniel)SimonJudas (Thaddeus)Judas IscariotJamesJohnAfter betraying Jesus, Judas committed suicide. His replacement was chosen from two men, by casting lots: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.The New GuyMatthias...
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Jesus' life and death was prophesied in the Old Testament, written long before His birth. Here's one example:No broken bonesIn Exodus 12:46 we see that the lamb eaten for a Passover meal was not to have its bones broken. This is echoed in Numbers 9:12, with the additional restriction that none of the meal be left overnight. Exodus is dated prior to 1405 BC, considered the year of the death of its author, Moses. Over 1400 years later, Jesus was crucified. He was called "The Lamb of God" for good ...
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As you might expect, dating ancient documents can be difficult. This list is not to be considered authoritative. Instead, consider it the best information I've gathered to date (no pun intended). If you have evidence that one of the dates listed is incorrect, I'd be grateful to receive it.Genesis:1446 BC - 1406 BCExodus:1446 BC - 1406 BCLeviticus:1446 BC - 1406 BCNumbers:1446 BC - 1406 BCDeuteronomy:1446 BC - 1406 BCJoshua:between 1406 BC & 1050 BCJudges:1050 BCRuth:1000 BC1st Samuel:between...
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The Bible isn't a single book. It's a collection of 66 books, written in three languages by over 40 different people over a period of 1500 years. They're traditionally grouped by type. Here's a list of the 66 books in the Bible:Old TestamentThe Law (or The Pentateuch):Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Old Testament Narrative:Joshua Judges Ruth 1st Samuel 2nd Samuel 1st Kings 2nd Kings 1st Chronicles 2nd Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Wisdom Literature:Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes...
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The Bible isn't a single book. It's a collection of 66 books, written in three languages by over 40 different people over a period of 1500 years.Old TestamentGenesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1st Samuel 2nd Samuel 1st Kings 2nd Kings 1st Chronicles 2nd Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon (or Song of Solomon or Canticles) Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephani...
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Probably the most well-known of the historic creeds, the Apostles' Creed is also likely to be the most quoted.I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into hell.The third day He arose again from the dead.He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,...
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The kingdom of Israel was divided for around 350 years, from 928 BC to 587 BC. One kingdom (Israel) became two (Israel in the north and Judah in the south). This table shows when each king reigned over each kingdom, and includes the dates and duration of each reign. Also indicated is whether the Bible describes them as good or bad. Generally speaking, the minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi) prophesied while these kings reigned. Key: = Good = BadKings of Ancient Israel and JudahBCIsraelReign...
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No. Science doesn't prove - or disprove - anything.Now, before you go getting all excited and writing me off as a nut, think about it. What exactly IS science? I'm not talking about science in specific terms, like anthropology or botany or zoology. I'm talking about science in general. You know, the larger principle.Science (remember, I'm speaking generally) is the compilation of data gathered from observations. If you want to make sure that you fully understand the process of boiling water, you...
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