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What does it mean to humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6)?	Answer In 1 Peter 5:5–6, Peter addresses younger Christians who are not leaders in the church and, likely, less mature in their walk of faith. He urges them to practice [humility](Bible-humility.html) in all of their relationships—with elders, other believers, and with God: “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (ESV). Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God is an expression that entails submitting in a spirit of humility to God’s sovereign dealings in your life. It means trusting God and accepting His will, no matter what hardships He allows. In the next breath, Peter says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7\). We are to humbly trust God even in times of adversities, giving all our worries and concerns to Him. In 1 Peter 5:5, Peter quotes Proverbs 3:34: “Surely He \[God] scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble” (NKJV). The sin of pride is linked with rebellion against God (Ezekiel 28:13–17\). A proud person sets himself against God, causing God, in turn, to set Himself against the proud. A humble person agrees with God and receives [His favor](favor-of-God.html) and care. In a strikingly similar teaching, James references the same proverb: “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double\-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. . . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:6–10, ESV). Both Peter and James highlight the difference between God’s dealings with the proud versus the humble. The Lord opposes the proud but raises up the humble person who casts himself entirely on God’s grace. Peter’s pronouncement echoes the psalmist’s: “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Psalm 55:22\). The mighty hand of God is an [anthropomorphous expression](anthropomorphism.html) referring to the Lord’s superior strength. When Peter says, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,” he is reminding Jewish Christians of the Lord’s unequaled power. God’s “mighty hand” and “outstretched arm” have humbled Israel and brought His people to repentance over and over again in the past (Ezekiel 20:33–44; Jeremiah 15:6; Isaiah 5:25\). Perhaps more than most, Peter understood that it’s far better for followers of Christ to humble themselves under God’s mighty hand than to reach the point of needing to be humbled by God. As a young, immature believer, Peter had bragged that he would always remain faithful to Christ, choosing to die rather than ever deny Him: “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matthew 26:33; see also Mark 14:29, 31\). Yet from that lofty place of boasting, Peter plunged into unimaginable depths of denial (Luke 22:54–61\). When the rooster crowed, and Jesus turned to look into Peter’s eyes, the apostle was profoundly humbled under the mighty hand of the Lord. Yet it wasn’t long before Peter was restored by the Lord (John 21:15–25\). His pride had hurled him down, but God lifted him up. Although our human tendency may be to react with [pride](pride-Bible.html), the Lord calls us to respond with humility to all people and every adversity we face. After receiving “surpassingly great revelations,” the apostle Paul was given a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him from becoming conceited and boastful (2 Corinthians 12:7\). Peter acknowledged the same principle—that God often allows trouble and adversity to keep us humble and dependent on Him. To humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God means to trust in the Lord’s power, recognizing that our strength comes from Him and not ourselves (Psalm 121:2; 2 Corinthians 12:9\). It involves accepting His sovereign dealings in our lives, submitting to our elders, and acting humbly toward our brothers and sister in the body of Christ. We get to choose how we will respond to adversity. We can fret and chafe under the Lord’s mighty hand, or we can accept the tests that God sends. We can trust in His faithfulness, knowing His hand is strong to deliver us. We can offer our [worries](Bible-worry.html) to Him, knowing He will take care of us. God will give us the grace we need to endure so that His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9\). And He will lift us up at the proper time.
What is perennialism?	Answer The term perennialism is sometimes applied to education or to philosophy of religion. The two uses are related but not identical. In both contexts, perennialism refers to something enduring and universal. In education, this means focusing on broad, collectively valued principles and major themes, rather than specific facts or narrow interests. In spirituality, it suggests all religious ideas share a common truth. This approach to religion is most often referred to as perennial philosophy. Religious pluralism typically comes in two granular approaches. The first presumes [every religion](so-many-religions.html) has a mix of true and false components; those individual ideas, not the religions themselves, can be either right or wrong. The other suggests each religion has an overall view that is true, but limited. This second view is exemplified by the analogy of several blind men describing an elephant by touch, each in turn comparing the animal to a tree, a rope, a snake, or a spear, depending on where he touches the animal. In this analogy, each man’s experience is true, but incomplete. Another form of [religious pluralism](religious-pluralism.html) is the suggestion that all spiritual views share a core truth; therefore, differences between religions are due to blurred perspectives. This “perennialism” implies a single starting point from which all spiritual beliefs have grown and suggests that each religion is simply an adaptation to a particular culture or person of universal, eternal truths. Of course, this approach collapses when one realizes that necessary aspects of different religions create irreconcilable contradictions with one another. Aldous Huxley, writing in the mid\-20th century, explained this concept in his book The Perennial Philosophy. Modern adaptations of [New Age belief](new-age-movement.html) and recent expressions of syncretism are rooted in perennialism. Looking back through history, closely related ideas can be seen in [Theosophy](theosophy.html) and [Neoplatonism](Neoplatonism.html). As one might expect, perennial philosophy heavily emphasizes personal experience over objective ideas. “All roads lead to God” is not a sure sign of perennialist thinking, but perennialism almost always includes a vague version of that sentiment. Taken in the broadest sense, some aspects of perennialism are true. A biblical worldview agrees that diverging religious beliefs stem from misunderstandings about universally applicable truths. That is, the Bible teaches that most of humanity has drifted from an accurate understanding of God (Romans 1:18–23; Hebrews 2:1\). Like perennialism, biblical Christianity summarizes the history of religion as a series of branches from a universal starting point (Isaiah 53:6; Jude 1:3–4\). God’s Word endorses the idea of approaching certain disagreements with tolerance (Romans 14:1–10\). However, perennialism suggests most disagreements between faiths are irrelevant or unimportant, while the Bible indicates some issues are of eternal importance (John 3:36; 14:6\). God’s Word indicates that [eternal truths](objective-truth.html) have not changed, nor have they been lost. Scripture says good versus evil, right versus wrong, and truth versus lies are meaningful and objective distinctions (Isaiah 5:20; Romans 12:9; Hebrews 5:14; Revelation 20:11–12\). Neither perennialism nor The Perennial Philosophy is biblical or compatible with Christian truth.
What are confessionalism and conversionism?	Answer Confessionalism is loyalty to a formal, written creed or doctrinal statement. This does not necessarily imply that one must approve the contents of a creed to be saved. However, it does require the details of a statement must be “affirmed” by someone who wants to identify as [a member](church-membership.html) of a particular denomination. Those who disagree are not necessarily condemned in a confessionalism approach, but disagreement places a person outside that group. Trends toward confessionalism often arise in response to controversies or cultural changes. The most direct contrast to confessionalism is conversionism. Whereas confessional churches emphasize agreement with an objective set of [doctrinal statements](articles-of-faith.html), churches defined as conversional—or conversionist—prioritize personal experience. Confessionalism insists on agreement with a formal set of beliefs; conversionism insists that one’s relationship with God is not defined by external statements. Conversionist churches effectively allow the individual, not others, to define whether he or she is holding to the correct set of beliefs. As with many such issues, both confessional and conversional are idealized terms. Almost every church, congregation, or person holds a position along a spectrum between the two ideas. Maintaining an absolute view of either would be almost impossible. “Perfect” confessionalism would allow no disagreement from the listed doctrines, yet even very conservative churches accept at least subtle variations in how to interpret the creed. “Perfect” conversionism would require no agreement with any doctrine, yet even very liberal churches expect agreement on a certain set of basic premises. In modern times, the difference between confessionalism and conversionism is not so pronounced or important as it might have been in the past. Opposition to issues such as [theological liberalism](liberal-Christian-theology.html) often references creeds and statements of faith, but this is rooted in a deeper disagreement than the basic outlines of “confessional” versus “conversional.” Common creeds used to summarize faith are historic texts such as the [Nicene Creed](Nicene-creed.html) and [Apostles’ Creed](apostles-creed.html). Other, more recent traditional sources are documents such as the [Westminster Confession of Faith](Westminster-Confession-of-Faith.html). A church that requires teachers and leaders to affirm something beyond basic Christian doctrinal views could be considered “confessional.” In contrast, congregations that allow disagreement on all but the most generic Christian beliefs could be considered “conversional.” Groups that ignore important Christian doctrines—or actively oppose them—are not meaningfully “Christian” at all.
What is the significance of the name Faithful and True in Revelation 19:11?	Answer The name Faithful and True expresses the total trustworthiness, reliability, and constancy of Jesus Christ. The title reveals His character and makes known His words and works. In Revelation 19:11, John sees a vision of Jesus as the exalted King of kings leaving heaven to return to earth: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.” This picture of Christ’s [second coming](second-coming-Jesus-Christ.html) at the end of the age shows Jesus no longer as the peaceful, humble servant riding on a lowly donkey (John 12:12–15\). Now He is the victorious King, charging forth like a conquering war general, leading His troops into battle (Revelation 19:14\). In this vivid portrayal, John identifies Jesus by four different titles, beginning with Faithful and True. It is the first and only time this name of Jesus appears in Scripture. The second title is unknown to us (Revelation 19:12\); the third is the [Word of God](Jesus-Word-God.html) (verse 13\); the fourth is [King of kings and Lord of lords](King-of-kings-Lord-of-lords.html) (verse 16\). The word for “Faithful” in the original language means “characterized by steadfast affection or allegiance,” and the word translated “True” means “truthful or characterized by expressing the truth.” The nature of Jesus Christ—His whole being—exudes faithfulness and truth. Earlier, in Revelation 3:14, Jesus called Himself the “faithful and true witness” in His letter to the church in Laodicea. Faithful and True is who Jesus Christ is. In His first coming to earth, Jesus proved Himself to be faithful to the mission and will of God His Father: “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4; see also John 5:30; Hebrews 3:6; Luke 4:43\). Never once did the Lord give in to the temptation to sin (Hebrews 4:15–16\), from the time Satan tempted Him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13\) until His death on the cross (Matthew 16:21–23; 26:36–44; Mark 8:31–33; 14:32–42; Luke 22:40–46\). From the day Isaiah foretold His coming, Christ’s faithfulness was known (Isaiah 11:5; 42:3\). As a young man (Luke 2:49\) and throughout His ministry, Jesus was a faithful and obedient servant to His Father God (John 4:34; 6:38; 8:29; 12:27; 14:31\). Jesus is consistently [the same](Jesus-same-yesterday-today-forever.html) “yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8\). Others will wear out, change, or perish, but Jesus Christ remains the same for all eternity (Hebrews 1:11–12\). Jesus, who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” is the very embodiment of truth (John 14:6\). He came from His Father “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14\). And His promise of eternal life is true: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24, ESV; see also John 6:47\). Because of the fidelity inherent in His character, Jesus is faithful toward His followers in every circumstance. “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself,” declares 2 Timothy 2:13 (see also Matthew 28:20; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 10:23\). Faithful and True is a fitting title for Jesus Christ our King, and He calls His followers to emulate His faithfulness and truth (Revelation 14:12; Hebrews 10:23\). The entire [book of Revelation](Book-of-Revelation.html) conveys a message to the church of Jesus Christ to be faithful and true, just as He is Faithful and True. In Revelation 19:11, when John sees the gates of heaven open, the One who has been Faithful and True from ages past appears at the end of time to wage His final battle. Jesus Christ comes with justice to judge and wage war, and He will triumph over the enemies of God! The outcome is sure because He is Faithful and True. He will do what He has promised to do. He shall defeat the devil once and for all. He will destroy the power of death, wiping away every sorrow, tear, and pain from the hearts of His devoted followers (Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:54; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 20:14\).
What does it mean that we should think on whatever is lovely (Philippians 4:8)?	Answer In Philippians 4:8, the apostle Paul teaches believers how to overcome anxiety and worry and experience joy and contentment in the Christian life. His prescription begins with understanding the tremendous power of our thought life. When we learn to [guard our hearts](guard-your-heart.html) through right thinking—focusing on things that are good, beneficial, and pleasing to God—our renewed attitudes and outlook will spill over into transformed actions and behavior (Proverbs 4:23\). Paul presents a list of worthy, God\-pleasing virtues to occupy our minds, including the instruction to “think on whatever is lovely.” What does it mean to think about whatever is lovely? The original Greek word translated as “lovely” is only found here in the New Testament. When used to describe things, it means “pleasing, attractive, giving pleasure.” One Bible commentary explains that the word for “lovely” in the original language “is a rare word referring to things that attract, please, and win other people’s admiration and affection. Such thoughts bring people together in peace rather than separating them in fighting and feuding” (Anders, M., Galatians—Colossians, Vol. 8, Broadman \& Holman, 1999, p. 262\). Another commentator expounds, “The basic meaning of the word is ‘that which calls forth love, love\-inspiring,’ and here it has the passive sense of ‘lovely, pleasing, agreeable, amiable’” (O’Brien, P. T., The Epistle to the Philippians, Eerdmans, 1991, p. 505\). When we think on “whatever is lovely,” we are dwelling on things that inspire us and others to love one another. Thankfully, the Bible contains many passages to help us meditate on this particularly worthy virtue. Perhaps the most outstanding is the Bible’s “Love Chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13\. Here the apostle Paul commends the “more excellent way” of love. All other spiritual gifts pale in comparison to the greatest, which is love. Believers gain nothing—indeed, are nothing—without [love](Bible-love.html). Filling our minds and hearts with God’s love brings us together in unity and peace because His “love is patient and kind . . . not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!” (1 Corinthians 13:4–8, NLT). Jesus Christ is our greatest inspiration for thinking on whatever is lovely: “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:16–18, NLT). Jesus also said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34–35, NLT). Meditating on ideas that inspire unity, peace, and love for other people aligns with the Lord’s teaching about the greatest commandments in the law: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37–40\). Paul further illustrated how loving others fulfills every requirement of God’s law: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8–10\). Stewing on trivial, spiteful, bitter, or damaging notions about other people will only hinder the process of letting “God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2, NLT). Then again, if we constantly fill our minds with love\-inspiring, peace\-motivating thoughts, if we set our hearts to think only on whatever is lovely about another person, to value what is attractive and pleasing about them, we will become [peacemakers](blessed-are-the-peacemakers.html). We will be well on our way to practical holiness, putting on our new nature, getting to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and becoming more like Him in thought and deed (Colossians 3:10\).
What is the International Christian Church (ICC), and what do they believe?	Answer The International Christian Church (ICC) is a religious group that practices a strict, [manipulative](spiritual-manipulation.html) form of “discipleship” and seeks to control its membership to an ungodly extent, and many people have been hurt emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually as a result. Because of the ICC’s oppressive practices, errant view of salvation, and other false doctrines, we caution against becoming involved in the International Christian Church. The International Christian Church was founded in 2006 by Kip McKean, who had earlier been instrumental in the Boston Movement and became a founder of the [International Churches of Christ](International-Church-of-Christ.html), another manipulative religious group. When McKean was forced to leave the ICOC, he moved from Boston to Portland and started up the ICC, duplicating his aberrant doctrines in the new organization. The International Christian Church also goes by the moniker of the Sold\-Out Discipling Movement. In many places, the name of the city where the congregation meets is included in the church name: City of Angels International Christian Church and Portland International Christian Church, for example. The organization operates its own college, the International College of Christian Ministry. The International Christian Church has a number of problems. One is their view of baptism, which they consider a requirement for salvation. According to the ICC, only “disciples” can be baptized. To become a “disciple,” one must be sufficiently broken over sin, living a Christian life as defined by the church, and agreeing with the church’s interpretation of Scripture. Further, the ICC promotes a cult\-like exclusivity: the only “valid” baptism is one administered by an ICC leader who agrees that baptism confers salvation. The International Christian Church thus views anyone outside their group as unsaved. Those who attend a different church are part of a sinful organization and not part of the “true church.” The International Christian Church also places a strong emphasis on what they call “discipleship.” The techniques of [heavy shepherding](heavy-shepherding.html) are employed: ex\-members complain of legalism, heavy\-handedness, lack of grace, lack of forgiveness, forced uniformity, verbal coercion, browbeating, and other manipulative tactics. Attendance at all church services is mandatory, as is obedience to church leaders’ commands. Bringing a visitor every week is expected. Evangelism is stressed to the point of competition—who can tally the most baptisms? The tactics and doctrines of the International Christian Church result in fear, guilt, and anxiety in the membership. But their teaching that their church is the only road to salvation, coupled with playing on the emotions and constantly berating over sin, keeps the membership in line. In some cases, members are blackmailed into submission through the threat of releasing private information gleaned during “discipleship” sessions. As with most spiritually dangerous groups, the International Christian Church mixes some good doctrine with the bad. But the fact that they are correct on some points of doctrine does not mitigate their teaching of salvation by works (i.e., [baptismal regeneration](baptismal-regeneration.html)), their exclusivity, their rejection of eternal security, or their legalism. If you have been [negatively affected](hurt-by-church.html) by the International Christian Church or another manipulative group claiming to be Christian, we encourage you to seek healing. Although Jesus’ name may have been used to hurt you, Jesus Himself said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30\). God is able to heal those who have been spiritually abused.
What is the star of Remphan mentioned in Acts 7:43?	Answer In his final sermon before he was martyred, [Stephen](life-Stephen.html) recited the history of rebellious Israel. Referring to the idolatry of the ancient Israelites, Stephen mentioned the god [Molech](who-Molech.html) and “the star of your god Rephan” (Acts 7:43\). Other versions of the Bible spell the name of the false god as Remphan (KJV, NKJV) or Rompha (NASB, AMP). They are all talking about the same false god. In the context of Stephen’s reference to “the star of your god Rephan,” he mentions the golden calf that Israel worshiped at Sinai (Acts 7:39–41\). He then says that “God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars” (verse 42\). One of those “stars” they worshiped was the star of Remphan (verse 43\). Finally, Stephen points to God’s determination to send Israel into [exile in Babylon](Babylonian-captivity-exile.html) (verse 43\). Stephen’s argument before the [Sanhedrin](Sanhedrin.html) was that the current generation of Israel was just as “stiff\-necked” as their ancestors, “always resist\[ing] the Holy Spirit!” (verse 51\). They had proved their stubbornness in their rejection of Jesus Christ. When he referred to the “star of your god Rephan,” Stephen was quoting the Greek translation of the Old Testament Scriptures known as the [Septuagint](septuagint.html), or LXX. This translation by Hebrew scholars was completed about the third century BC. The passage Stephan quotes is Amos 5:26, which in an English translation of the LXX reads, “Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Raephan, the images of them which ye made for yourselves” (tr. by Sir Lancelot Brenton, 1851\). In the Hebrew text of Amos 5:26, the name the LXX translates as “Raephan” is Kiyun, spelled Chiun (KJV), Kaiwan (NLT, CSB), or Kiyyun (ESV), depending on the Bible version. Some versions, such as the NIV, do not transliterate the word at all. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia identifies Rephan as “the Babylonian name for the god of the planet Saturn.” The International Standard Bible translates Amos 5:26 as “And you carried the tent of your king—and Saturn, your star god idols that you crafted for yourselves.” Smith’s Bible Dictionary and Easton’s Bible Dictionary also link Rephan (or Remphan) to the god Saturn. It seems the Babylonians worshiped a god of their own imagination and named him “Kiyun,” whose place in the heavens was as a “wandering star” that they also named “Kiyun” after their god. All the ancient peoples had observed that some stars—in actuality planets—moved through the sky, while other stars—the genuine stars—were fixed. (The Greek term asteres planētai, shortened to just planētai, meant “wandering stars.”) The ancients made no distinction between stars and planets; to them, they were all stars of some type. Thus, Saturn was considered a “star,” and the deity associated with him was a “star\-god.” The god Kiyun was worshiped among the ancient Babylonians, Arabs, Syrians, and Assyrians. Every false god had its representation, its idol. Molech was represented by a brass bull; [Astarte](Asherah-pole.html) by a tree; [Dagon](who-Dagon.html) by a half\-man, half\-fish; and Kiyun by a star—the wandering “star” we know as the planet Saturn. In short, “the star of your god Rephan” mentioned in Acts 7:43 is a pagan god that some ancient Israelites unwisely worshiped in the wilderness. The name Rephan is an English translation of the LXX translation of the Hebrew word Kiyun. Contrary to some theories, the star of Remphan has nothing to do with the six\-pointed [Star of David](star-of-David.html) featured on the Jewish flag. Also, there exists no genuine star in the heavens that has any historical or religious relationship with Saturn/Kiyun.
What does the Bible say about sex?	Answer The Bible reveals that sex (sexual intercourse) is God’s good gift to human beings. Like all of God’s good gifts, sex has been used for both good and evil throughout history. God’s command to [Adam and Eve](Adam-and-Eve-questions.html), delivered with His blessing, to “be fruitful and increase in number” (Genesis 1:28\) implies the necessity of their having sex. Later, we read that “Adam made love to his wife Eve” (Genesis 4:1\), with the result that a son was born. Besides expanding the human race, God designed sex for the physical, emotional, and spiritual union between one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2:18, 23–24; Matthew 19:4–6; 1 Corinthians 7:32–34\). God’s design for sex between a married man and woman is good and honorable (Hebrews 13:4\). There is nothing shameful, dirty, or dishonorable about sex; in fact, in their state of innocence, “the man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25\). God created us as sexual beings, so it stands to reason that Scripture has plenty to say about sex. The Bible contains more warnings and prohibitions against its misuse than it does prescriptions for its healthy and proper enjoyment. The following is a brief review of both: The Bible’s prohibitions against the misuse of sex: The most complete list of prohibited sexual relations is found in the Mosaic Law. Leviticus 18 contains prohibitions against sex with close relatives, with those of the same sex, and with animals (Leviticus 18:6–23\). Scripture calls these sexual relations “detestable things” or “abominations” (verses 26 and 29\), by which individuals and nations were “defiled” (verses 27–28, 30\). Adultery (sex with a married person other than one’s spouse) was punishable by death for both participants (Leviticus 20:10–12\), while pre\-marital sex was “punished” by forced marriage (Exodus 22:16\). Rape also carried a death sentence. The New Testament reiterates most of these prohibitions. John the Baptist condemned King Herod for marrying his brother’s wife (Mark 6:18\); same\-sex activity is called “shameful lusts” and condemned for both men women (Romans 1:26–27\); and those who practice sexual perversion are warned they have no place in God’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9\). Jesus condemned not only physical adultery, but also adultery in one’s mind or heart, which would include pornography (Matthew 5:27–32\). Prostitution is condemned in both Old and New Testaments (Deuteronomy 23:18; 1 Corinthians 6:16–17\); at the same time, the Bible provides examples of forgiveness extended to prostitutes, from Rahab (Joshua 6:25\) to the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1–11\)—Rahab was accepted into Israel and honored for her faith (Hebrews 11:31\), and Jesus forgave the adulterous woman in John 8, telling her, “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11\). God has always made allowances for human weakness regarding sex. He hates divorce—it is always wrong except for victims of adultery and abandonment—and those who marry after divorce are considered adulterers in God’s eyes (Matthew 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:10–15\). Yet God made a [provision for divorce](grounds-for-divorce.html) in His law, knowing the weakness and wickedness of the human heart (Matthew 19:7–8\). Christ’s disciples, understanding God’s real view of divorce, said in that case “it is better not to marry” (verse 10\). Jesus explained to them that refraining from marriage (and therefore from sex) is a gift given to very few people (verses 11–12\). Paul was celibate, while Peter had a wife (1 Corinthians 9:5\). Neither sinned, and both served the Lord in the condition in which they were called (1 Corinthians 7:24\). Another allowance God made concerning sex in the Old Testament was [polygamy](polygamy.html) (multiple spouses in the same marriage, usually one husband with two or more wives). Although several Bible characters had polygamous marriages, polygamy itself is never explicitly approved in Scripture, and the multiple\-wives arrangement frequently led to problems (Genesis 30; 1 Kings 11:1–6\). God’s original design was for marriage to be between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4–6\). Polygamy is directly forbidden for church leaders (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; 5:9; Titus 1:5–6\). The Bible’s prescriptions for the proper use and enjoyment of sex: The Bible’s most explicit depiction of sexual love within marriage is the wonderful poem [The Song of Solomon](Song-of-Solomon.html), especially chapters 4 and 5\. In these chapters, the newlywed couple explore each other’s bodies, uttering words of delight, wonder, and commitment. After establishing the metaphor of love\-making as a garden filled with excellent fruits, the lovers are told, “Eat, friends, and drink; drink your fill of love” (Song of Solomon 5:1\). God obviously approves of their sexual union. The act of sex within marriage is also approved in Proverbs 5:19, where the husband is told, “May \[your wife’s] breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.” The Law of Moses provided a one\-year exemption from military duty for a newlywed man to let him “stay at home and bring happiness to the wife” (Deuteronomy 24:5\). First Corinthians contains instructions concerning sex from the Christian perspective. Paul says that [celibacy](gift-of-celibacy.html) is best, but people should marry rather than “burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:8–9\). Sex within marriage is good and right and is a preventative of sexual immorality: “Each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband” (1 Corinthians 7:2\). Sex between husband and wife is to be God\-honoring. Our bodies are meant to glorify the Lord, not to be controlled by our passions and not to be used for sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:12–13\). “Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:20\). Marital sex is meant to be exclusive, between a husband and wife only (1 Corinthians 7:2\). It is also to be loving and other\-oriented. In the Christian view, wives and husbands have equal “authority” over each other’s bodies, and sex is a “marital duty” of love that both husband and wife should strive to fulfill for the other. First Corinthians 7:3–4 instructs, “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife” (emphasis added). Each spouse lovingly yields his or her body to the other. Marital sex is also meant to happen regularly. Any abstention from sex within a marriage should be temporary: “Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self\-control” (1 Corinthians 7:5\). Sexual intimacy also unites a husband and wife (1 Corinthians 7:5\) and solidifies the “one flesh” aspect of marriage, not just physically but emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and in every other way. The “marriage bed”—a clear reference to sexual relations—must be “kept pure” (Hebrews 13:4\). Christians are to “flee from [sexual immorality](sexual-immorality.html),” and for good reason: “All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18\). We are called to be “salt and light” in our dark and tasteless world (Matthew 5:13–16\). The lost need to see what true love within a marriage looks like. Sexual purity is to be a hallmark of the Body of Christ (Acts 15:29; Colossians 3:5\). “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people” (Ephesians 5:3\). All aspects of marriage, including sex, glorify God and reveal His attributes—that He is love, that He is faithful, protective, sacrificial, committed, etc. (1 John 4:16; 1 Corinthians 13\). Marriage is also the picture God uses to describe His eventual union with the redeemed as the future pure and glorious bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:32; Revelation 21:2, 9\).
What are some of the exceedingly great and precious promises mentioned in 2 Peter 1:4?	Answer At the start of his second epistle, the apostle Peter writes these encouraging words to believers: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3–4\). God’s great and precious promises: their source. Peter says these promises stem from God’s “glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3\). He has made promises to His people in His Word because He is glorious and because He is good. God’s great and precious promises: their recipients. Peter is writing to those who have received faith in the Savior (2 Peter 1:1\). In verse 3, Peter refers to them as being “[called](called-by-God.html)” by God. The promises of God’s Word benefit believers in Jesus Christ. God’s great and precious promises: their description. The promises God has made to His children are “great” or, as some translations say, “magnificent.” Not only that, but they are “very” great. And they are “precious”; that is, God’s promises are of inexpressible value. What God has promised is exceedingly magnificent and of the utmost worth. God’s great and precious promises: their result. It is through the promises of God that we “[participate in the divine nature](partakers-divine-nature.html)”—we undergo a radical spiritual transformation and are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17\). Having a new nature, we are no longer bound by the old sinful nature and are free from “the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire” (2 Peter 1:4, CSB). The promises of God have a [sanctifying](sanctified.html) effect on us. With the Word of God in our hands and the Spirit of God in our hearts, we now have “everything we need for a godly life” (verse 3\). God’s great and precious promises: their message. So what are some of the promises to which Peter refers? All of God’s promises are wonderful, but we will look at some of the promises related to Peter’s next words, promises concerning the believer’s forgiveness, [eternal life](what-is-eternal-life.html), and participation in the divine nature: Psalm 23:6, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Isaiah 1:18, “‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’” Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” John 6:37, “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” Matthew 11:28–29, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Acts 2:21; cf. Joel 2:32, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” Acts 10:43, “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Acts 13:39, “Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” John 10:28, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 14:3, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:19, “Because I live, you also will live.” John 6:40, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” These are not just empty words. They are God’s “great and precious”—magnificent and valuable—promises to us in Christ. They are more than words on a page; they are reality.
What is narcigesis?	Answer Narcigesis is a word of fairly recent coinage that has not yet found its way into dictionaries. When people use the word, they are referring to a process of interpreting Scripture in a highly personal, even selfish way. Narcigesis is a portmanteau word, combining the words narcissism and eisegesis. Narcissism is “excessive interest in or admiration of oneself,” and eisegesis is “interpretation of a text by reading into it one’s own ideas.” (Eisegesis is the opposite of [exegesis](exegesis-eisegesis.html), which is “critical explanation or interpretation of a text.”) So, narcigesis is “the explanation of the Bible in a way that shows excessive interest in oneself and prioritizes one’s own ideas.” Eisegesis leads to making the text of Scripture say pretty much whatever the interpreter wants it to say and thus accords well with narcissistic attitudes. A person who mishandles a passage of Scripture by injecting his own opinions into it is practicing eisegesis. Going further than that, a person who interprets the passage as if it were all about him is practicing narcigesis. The same is true for a person who views Scripture as primarily applicable to his own time and his own culture. Some people with egotistical tendencies end up being narcigetes. They view the Bible as mainly addressing their own life experiences. The Bible is all about them: every promise is for them, and every story is about them or their situation. Using narcigesis to interpret the story of David and Goliath, I become David. My self\-esteem demands it. (In the story of David and Bathsheba, however, I stop being David and may be Nathan or Uriah instead.) In the battle of Jericho, I’m Joshua (never Achan). On the Sea of Galilee, I’m Peter walking on the water. And so on. In narcigesis, one’s own ideas, opinions, feelings, attitudes, experiences, and impressions influence the interpretation of the text. If one has visions or dreams or some other type of personal revelation, so much the better—those things can be given equal weight in the interpretation process, too. Pet doctrines and customized theories can be authenticated fairly easily by using narcigesis. The Lord Jesus, in a dispute with the Jewish leaders of His day, pointed out their lack of faith in Him as inexcusable: “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me” (John 5:46, emphasis added). Note of whom Moses wrote: it was not me, it was not you, and it was not the pastor on TV. Moses wrote about Jesus Christ (cf. Luke 24:27, 44–45\). Given this truth, narcigesis can be seen for what it is: a backhanded way to replace Jesus with oneself. Of course, proper exegesis does not allow for the insertion of oneself into the text. Proper exegesis looks for the plain meaning of the passage and explains what the text is actually about. When we allow Scripture to speak for itself, with no narcissistic distortions, we see that the Bible’s main character is Christ. He is the hero of the story.
Who was Epaphras in the Bible?	Answer Epaphras is mentioned three times in the New Testament, twice in [Colossians](Book-of-Colossians.html) and once in [Philemon](Book-of-Philemon.html). He was a believer in Christ who served with the apostle Paul, who referred to him as a “fellow servant,” “faithful minister,” and “servant of Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:7; 4:12\). His name and Paul’s comment in Colossians 4:11 indicates that Epaphras was a Gentile. We also surmise that he was from Colossae in Asia Minor, since his name appears in the letter to the church there and Paul says that he “is one of you” (Colossians 4:12\). According to Paul, writing during his [first Roman imprisonment](why-was-Paul-in-prison.html), Epaphras was the one who shared the gospel with the Colossians and possibly started the church there: Paul speaks of “the day you heard \[the gospel]” and reminds them that “you learned it from Epaphras” (Colossians 1:6–7\). Epaphras traveled to Rome to visit Paul, informing Paul about the Colossians’ “love in the Spirit” (Colossians 1:8\). In his letter, Paul told the Colossians about how Epaphras cared deeply for their spiritual growth and maturity. Epaphras had committed to praying for the Colossians, “always wrestling in prayer for \[them]” (Colossians 4:12\). Epaphras desired for the Colossian Christians to stand firm in their faith and become mature. Paul gave testimony that Epaphras was working hard for the church in Colossae, just as he was for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13\). Aside from the letter to the Colossians, Epaphras’s name shows up in Paul’s personal letter to Philemon. Like Colossians, Paul wrote Philemon during his first imprisonment in Rome. Epaphras had apparently been imprisoned while in Rome visiting Paul: “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings” (Philemon 1:23\). Tradition teaches that Epaphras eventually returned to Colossae where he remained a faithful servant of Christ and was later martyred. But those details are not found in the Bible. The descriptions of Epaphras are significant: “our dear fellow servant,” “a faithful minister of Christ,” “a servant of Christ Jesus,” “always wrestling in prayer,” and “working hard.” The brief sketch Paul provides shows that the apostle thought highly of this follower of Christ and fellow laborer. Epaphras demonstrated a strong faith, a rich prayer life, a boldness in sharing the gospel even at the risk of suffering, and deep care for those in whom he had invested spiritually. Epaphras is probably not the first name that comes to mind when we think of Bible characters, but he faithfully served Jesus, and his reward is sure (see Hebrews 6:10\).
What does it mean that we should think on whatever is right (Philippians 4:8)?	Answer In Philippians 4:8, the apostle Paul teaches the believers in Philippi to overcome anxiety and [worry](Bible-worry.html) and experience joy and [contentment](Bible-contentment.html) in the Christian life by thinking about things that please God. In this way, Christians “guard their hearts” through right thinking, which consequentially transforms the way they live (Proverbs 4:23\). Paul includes in his list of worthy virtues to occupy the believer’s mind the directive to “think on whatever is right.” How can we guard our minds by thinking about whatever is right? The word for “right” in the original Greek language means “just, that which conforms with justice, morally right, proper.” And “just” is how the KJV and NKJV translate it. Specifically, the term relates to our relationships with others. One commentary suggests that thinking on whatever is right refers to fairness between “all parties involved, that which fulfills all obligations and debts. Thinking right thoughts steers one away from quarrels and dissensions to think of the needs and rights of the other party” (Anders, M., Galatians—Colossians, Vol. 8, Broadman \& Holman, 1999, p. 262\). Another commentary explains that a person “is ‘just’ . . . and therefore right when he gives to God and to his fellow men what is their due. He accepts and performs his proper duty to God and man” (Loh, I. and Nida, E. A., A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, United Bible Societies, 1995, p. 134\). In other words, “think on whatever is right in the eyes of God and people” or “think about what is fair for all involved” is an excellent way to understand Paul’s meaning. One area of concern Paul addresses in his letter to the Philippians is how to handle disagreements between church members. He points to a particular argument between two women in the church: “Now I appeal to [Euodia and Syntyche](Euodia-and-Syntyche.html). Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News” (Philippians 4:2–3, NLT). Earlier in the epistle, Paul urges the church, “Make my joy complete by being like\-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:2–5\). When we love others humbly and unselfishly, when we esteem our brothers and sisters as better than ourselves, when we look out for their interests and not just our own, we are thinking on whatever is right. This kind of right thinking, especially in strained relationships, promotes peace and unity and spreads the [joy of the Lord](joy-of-the-Lord.html). Thinking on whatever is right is unselfish thinking. It humbly considers ways to uplift and encourage others. It looks to the needs of others and puts an end to [selfish ambition](selfish-ambition-vain-conceit.html) and quarreling. It does “everything without grumbling or arguing” (Philippians 2:14\). Christ is the ultimate authority on right thinking: “He gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:7–8, NLT). In Ephesians 4:2, Paul echoes the sentiment: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” As we reflect carefully on whatever is right, these thoughts begin to shape our conduct. The word right can also refer to being righteous. Psalm 11:7 tells us that God Himself is righteous and loves and rewards justice in His people. When Paul says to “think about these things” at the end of Philippians 4:8, he means to “consider, give thought to, and reason out” these virtues. Next, he says, “practice these things” (Philippians 4:9, ESV). As believers, we are to think about what is right and then reason out how to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24\). The goal of filling our minds with whatever is right is becoming [like Christ](more-like-Christ.html)—the Righteous One (1 John 2:1; Acts 3:14\). As we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2\), thinking on whatever is right, we begin to “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:10\).
Why does God ask Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)?	Answer [Abraham](life-Abraham.html) was visited by three men one day; the men turned out to be unusual guests, to say the least, and the visit was life\-changing for Abraham and Sarah. Genesis 18:1–2 says, “The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” Abraham showed immediate hospitality to the three men, inviting them to rest under a tree and preparing a big meal for them (verses 3–8\). When the Lord announced to [Abraham](life-Abraham.html), “By this time next year, Sarah will give birth to a son,” Sarah overheard and laughed in unbelief (Genesis 18:10–12\). The news was so astonishing to the 89\-year\-old [Sarah](life-Sarah.html) that she doubted God’s word and His promise. Then God asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:13–14, NLT). God countered Sarah’s rhetorical question (“Can an old woman like me have a baby?”) with one of His own: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” In other words, God answered Sarah’s unbelief with His assurance: “Nothing is too hard for me!” When Sarah doubted the Lord, she was questioning both His truthfulness and His ability. Sarah is not unlike us. We sometimes doubt that God will keep His promises. We disbelieve the Lord’s power to do what He says He will do in His Word. And God, through Genesis 18:14, asks us the same question, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” God framed the question rhetorically, but the Bible answers categorically, “No, nothing is too hard for the Lord!” The prophet Jeremiah observed, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17\). Again God acknowledged, “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27\). “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted,” testifies Job 42:2\. God’s Word never fails but accomplishes everything God intends for it to do (Isaiah 55:10–11; Joshua 21:45; Luke 1:37\). His words are truth (2 Samuel 7:28\). When God makes a promise, we can be sure He has the power to fulfill it (Ephesians 3:20–21; 2 Corinthians 1:20\). “For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does,” affirms Psalm 33:4 (NLT). Jesus told His disciples that, humanly speaking, salvation is impossible, “but with God everything is possible” (Matthew 19:26, NLT). Sarah was looking at God’s ability, fidelity, and truthfulness through a human lens. The Bible suggests numerous ways in which people fail or fall short (Psalm 14:3, John 20:27; Romans 1:25; Galatians 1:6; Revelation 2:4\) yet emphasizes that God never lets His people down. [Faithfulness and truth](Faithful-and-True.html) are fundamental aspects of God’s character (Revelation 3:14; 19:11\). Even “if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is” (2 Timothy 2:13, NLT). Eventually, Sarah repented of her doubt and believed God. [Isaac](life-Isaac.html), the promised son, was born a year later: “The LORD kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would” (Genesis 21:1–2, NLT). God has given us ample evidence of His power, faithfulness, and truthfulness. By a simple act of His will, He created the universe and everything in it out of nothing (Genesis 1—2; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16\). God keeps the planets in orbit and “stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7, NLT). He holds all things together and supplies the needs of every living creature (Colossians 1:17; Psalm 145:14–21\). Surely the God who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:2\), who gives life and breath to every creature and human being (Job 12:10\), can make an old woman conceive and give birth to a child. God’s question to Sarah ought to encourage us to examine our own hearts. Are there any obstacles of unbelief standing between me and God? Do I harbor doubts that cause me to laugh at the Lord’s promises? If we truly believe with hearts of faith that God is who He says He is, nothing will shake our confidence in Him. When God asks, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” our answer will be a resounding, “No! God can do anything!”
What is moral truth?	Answer Morals are our definitions of [right and wrong](good-versus-evil.html): the lines separating good behavior from evil behavior. Morals are not an explanation of how things necessarily are, but a description of how things ought to be. This implies a level of obligation. Labelling something “moral” means we ought to actively pursue it, while something “immoral” ought to be actively avoided. When we call something “moral,” we associate it with concepts such as “good,” “right,” “proper,” “honorable,” or “ethical.” The nature of morality also means that the arrangement of those moral lines—the way in which those concepts are arrayed—is itself a moral imperative, since that which is “not moral” is to be actively opposed. [Truth](what-is-truth.html) is our definition of reality: the lines separating what is real from what is not real. Truth is an explanation of how things really are, not how we wish they were or even how they ought to be. When we refer to “truth,” we evoke concepts such as “actual,” “real,” “factual,” “genuine,” or “existing.” The nature of truth means that which is untrue, or false, either does not exist or cannot happen. Truth is its own imperative: a person can either accept it or reject it, but it cannot be altered by opinions. On the surface, morality and truth seem to occupy separate spheres. Truth describes what “is,” and morality describes what “ought to be.” Speaking of “moral truth” implies a combination of those two ideas. A moral truth would be right and good, as well as actual and real. Of course, since “what is” and “what ought” are not necessarily identical, the question arises whether “moral truth” can exist in a meaningful way, and what it would look like. As it turns out, understanding morality requires a similar approach as any other set of facts: it is either objective or subjective. Objective morality—also labelled “[absolute morality](moral-absolutism.html)”—implies something fixed according to an unchanging perspective. Objective moral principles are linked to an unmoving, universal point of reference. Subjective morals—also called “[relativism](moral-relativism.html)”—are linked to some changing, shifting, or preference\-based perspective. One problem with “subjective morality” is that it quickly becomes a contradiction in terms. If the lines defining what is right and wrong can be moved, then the purpose of morals itself is lost. One could conceivably call the same choice, in the same situation, either “moral” or “immoral” according to different points of reference. That in itself defeats the purpose of morality. Practical decisions might be entirely reversed, in that case. That subjective morality is self\-contradictory implies actual morality is tied to something objective. That is, it is more rational to say that “moral truth” exists than to say that it does not. Ultimately, the only reasonable basis for moral truth is God. An un\-created, unchanging, perfect standard would fit the definitions of both truth and morality, simultaneously. Any basis for comparison or judgment eventually relies on an assumed “absolute” standard. Whether the concept is that which “is” or that which “ought to be,” the only reasonable basis is God. This means that which God calls “good” is the standard of morality: that is “moral truth.”
What does it mean that we should think on whatever is noble (Philippians 4:8)?	Answer Instead of allowing our minds to be weighted down with [anxiety](Bible-anxiety.html) and worry, the apostle Paul teaches us to guard our thought life by focusing on several wholesome and uplifting virtues. Listed among eight worthy virtues in Philippians 4:8 is “whatever is noble.” How can we devote our minds to thinking about whatever is noble? The original Greek word translated as “noble” means “honorable, anything worthy of being honored, or entitled to honor and respect.” One Bible commentator submits that whatever is noble “refers to lofty, majestic, awesome things, things that lift the mind above the world’s dirt and scandal” (Anders, M., Galatians—Colossians, Vol. 8, Broadman \& Holman, 1999, p. 262\). Paul understood the extraordinary power of one’s thought life. Our inner thoughts and heart attitudes directly determine how we feel and influence the way we live. The heart is like a fountain from which our emotions, inspirations, and feelings spring. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it,” imparts Proverbs 4:23\. When we [guard our hearts](guard-your-heart.html) with correct thinking, everything we say and do in life will be affected. Our society is constantly bombarding us with things to think about that are not noble. Celebrity scandals, dirty secrets, immoral entertainment, [pornography](pornography-Bible.html), sexual promiscuity, godless living—all of these things drag our thoughts and eventually our actions and lives down into the gutter of this world. Paul tells us that ungodly, ignoble thinking will “suppress the truth” in our minds (Romans 1:18\). He goes on to detail the sad outcome of wallowing in unworthy, unholy thinking: “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:21–25, ESV). If we fail to fill our minds with noble thoughts, we run the risk of substituting Satan’s lies for the truth about God. Thinking on whatever is noble involves constantly filling our minds with God\-honoring thoughts. The most honorable thing we can contemplate is the Word of God. Psalm 1:1–3 extols the blessings and joys of the one who rejects the ignoble “counsel of the wicked” but “delights in the law of the Lord,” meditating on it “day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (ESV). Isaiah 32:5–8 asserts that a wise person pursues what is noble. Such a person seeks [godly wisdom](godly-wisdom.html). But the fool “speaks folly” and fills his heart “with iniquity.” Wise people of God don’t follow the counsel of the world. Their primary concern is not with earthly matters, but, instead, they concern themselves with things that pertain to God Himself—things that are lofty, honorable, and noble. “But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands” (Isaiah 32:8, ESV). To think on whatever is noble means to fix our minds on things that cultivate dignity, godliness, and moral excellence. Paul phrased it this way: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:1–2\). As we ponder the noble, honorable things of God, our thoughts will influence the way we live, steering us away from sin and the pleasures of this world and closer to the heart of God.
What does it mean to be ceremonially unclean?	Answer The concepts of “clean” and “[unclean](Bible-unclean.html)” are prevalent in the Bible, most often in ceremonial or ritualistic contexts. Ceremonial cleansing was a removal of defilement that resulted in someone or something being declared “pure” in a formal, religious sense. To be ceremonially unclean was to be defiled in some way or causing defilement in something else. Under the Old Testament Law, [animals](animals-clean-unclean.html) were either “clean” or “unclean” based on their suitability for sacrifice and for eating (Leviticus 11\). Places could be ceremonially “clean” or “unclean” (Numbers 19:9; Leviticus 14:44; Nehemiah 13:9\), and the same was true for things (Leviticus 11:32–35\) and people (Leviticus 17:15; 22:6; Ezra 6:20\). In the gospels, Jesus linked ceremonial cleansing to actual, physical cleansing from disease, telling a leper, “Be clean!” (Luke 5:13\) and then, “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing” (verse 14\). In this way, Jesus proved Himself to be the source of true cleansing. According to the [Mosaic Law](Mosaic-Law.html), a person could become ceremonially unclean for numerous reasons. Those who were ceremonially unclean were separated from worship in God’s temple, and any person or thing they touched was made unclean as well. The time a person remained unclean—one day, one week, or forty or fifty days—depended on the cause of the uncleanness, and God provided purification rituals to restore cleanness. God set His chosen people, Israel, apart from all other nations. Because they were His own people, the Lord commanded, “You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am [holy](holy-holy-holy.html), and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own” (Leviticus 20:26\). Distinguishing between animals, practices, and conditions that were clean and unclean was an essential part of maintaining Israel’s relationship with a holy God. Some practices that caused a person to become ceremonially unclean included the following: 1\. Childbirth (Leviticus 12:1–2, 5\) 2\. Infectious diseases, like leprosy (Leviticus 13:9–11\) 3\. Unusual bodily discharges (Leviticus 15:2–15\) 4\. Bodily discharges related to reproduction—e.g., a man’s emission of semen (Leviticus 15:16–18\) and a woman’s menstrual cycle (Leviticus 15:19–30\) 5\. Touching a corpse (Numbers 19:11\) 6\. Handling the ashes of a red heifer used in the water of cleansing (Numbers 19:1–10\) 7\. Contact with anyone or anything that was unclean (Leviticus 5:3\) Some of the laws related to ceremonial uncleanness seem related to public health and hygiene, such as the laws addressing skin diseases, [mold growth](mildew-in-the-Bible.html), and bodily discharges. Understanding there was a distinction between “the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean” (Leviticus 10:10\) not only set the Israelites apart from other nations, but it served as a visceral reminder of God’s holiness and mankind’s sin. Ceremonial uncleanness made a person realize he needed cleansing and purification to approach the Lord. Unclean Israelites were separated from the temple worship for a time, a symbol of their spiritual uncleanness before God. To be clean, they had to wait a period of time, wash, and, most of the time, offer sacrifices (Numbers 19:11–12; Leviticus 14:19\). In the New Testament, the [Pharisees](Pharisees.html) were scrupulous in making distinctions between unclean and clean, but they missed the heart of God’s commands. For instance, the Pharisees placed a major emphasis on ceremonial washing before meals, and they openly rebuked Jesus’ disciples for not cleansing themselves in this way (Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:2–4\). Jesus responded to the rebuke by announcing to the crowd that “a man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it” (Matthew 15:11, BSB). Over time, Jewish religious leaders had added their own traditions and regulations to the Mosaic Law. When the Pharisees scolded Jesus’ disciples for breaking the traditions of the elders, Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? . . . You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules’” (Matthew 15:3, 7–9\). In seeking to keep themselves from ceremonial uncleanness, the Pharisees overlooked the greater need of spiritual cleansing from sin. They saw themselves as “clean” in their keeping of the law, and they rejected the only One who could truly make them clean before God. Scripture uses the concept of clean vs unclean throughout as an illustration of one’s spiritual standing. God is holy, and He requires cleanness in those who approach Him: “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. . . . Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:2, 7, NKJV). “Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin’?” (Proverbs 20:9, NKJV). “We are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6, NKJV). “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols” (Ezekiel 36:25, NKJV). “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11\). “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5\). “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22, NKJV). Note that in all the passages quoted above, the cleansing comes from God. What we need is not a ritualistic, external cleansing; we need a heart that has been spiritually cleansed from sin. When Jesus walked the earth, He showed us the holiness of God that is able to overcome our innate uncleanness. Jesus touched an unclean leper; rather than becoming unclean Himself with that touch, Jesus made the [leper](Bible-leprosy.html) clean (Mark 1:40–42\). A woman, ceremonially unclean due to an [issue of blood](woman-issue-blood.html), touched the edge of Jesus’ cloak; rather than making Jesus unclean, the woman was instantly healed (Luke 8:43–48\). In these miracles, Jesus proved His power over all that makes us unclean. His purity is greater than our [impurity](Bible-impurity.html). Jesus Christ “loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5, NKJV). This is the washing that makes one truly clean: “If the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13–14, NKJV). Having now been cleansed by faith (Acts 15:9\), “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10\). We no longer need worry about ceremonial cleanness or ceremonial uncleanness. To the New Testament believer, “[all food](Bible-foods.html) is clean” (Romans 14:20\), and we should be “persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself” (Romans 14:14, ESV). Christ has moved us beyond the regulations that said, “Touch not; taste not; handle not” (Colossians 2:21, KJV). Through the act of turning water used for ceremonial washing into wine, Jesus showed how a new covenant was being initiated, which was better than the old (John 2:6–11\). Christ’s sacrifice is the basis for our cleansing from sin and from all uncleanness (see Revelation 7:13–14\).
What is the significance of Esther saying, “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16)?	Answer God raised [Queen Esther](life-Esther.html) to her position in the royal palace for a holy purpose—to save her fellow Jews from annihilation. But the courageous act would require putting her own life in jeopardy. Esther dared to approach [King Xerxes](Xerxes-in-the-Bible.html) (or Ahasuerus) on behalf of her people, knowing that the death penalty awaited anyone who entered his presence uninvited. “If I perish, I perish,” was Esther’s declaration of faith and trust in God. She believed that obedience to the will of the sovereign Lord mattered more than preserving her own life. The [book of Esther](Book-of-Esther.html) is a beautiful story about a young heroine whose brave actions illustrate a living message for believers still today. We pick up the story when Esther has been queen for about five years. Her cousin [Mordecai](Mordecai-in-the-Bible.html) learns of a plot to annihilate all the Jews in the land. The mastermind behind the murderous scheme is [Haman](Haman-the-Agagite.html), the king’s second\-in\-command. Mordecai unites with all the Jews in mourning, [fasting](prayer-fasting.html), and prayer. At the same time, he sends a plea for help to Esther, asking her “to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people” (Esther 4:8, NLT). Esther responds by messenger, explaining her predicament: “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days” (Esther 4:11, NLT). Mordecai answers, reminding Esther that, as a Jew, her life is in danger if Haman’s plot succeeds. Then Mordecai delivers these famous words: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14\). At this revelation, Esther’s fear turns to faith, and she accepts her divine purpose: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me,” she tells Mordecai. “Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:15–16\). On the third day, “Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance” (Esther 5:1\). The king receives Esther, and the prayers of God’s people are answered. Esther lives, the evil plot is overthrown, Mordecai is honored, Haman hangs on the gallows, the Jewish people are saved, and the Jews establish the [Feast of Purim](Feast-of-Purim.html) to commemorate God’s great deliverance forever. With the declaration, “If I perish, I perish,” Esther marks the pivotal moment of her trusting submission to the will of God. Her surrender resonates in these words expressed by the apostle Paul: “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24\). Later, Paul told the Philippians, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21\). Yielding to God’s divine purposes allowed Paul to consider everything in this life “a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8\). Sometimes, we are too concerned with our own safety and security to risk ministering to people in the world who are in desperate physical and spiritual need. Our fears blind us to the influence we could have, and we miss that “[for such a time as this](for-such-a-time-as-this.html)” God has placed us in a strategic position to bring salvation to others. Let us take courage and accept God’s challenge. Let us say like Paul, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord” (Acts 20:24, NLT), and like Esther, “If I perish, I perish!”
What is the significance of the stones of remembrance in Joshua 4:9?	Answer After the people of Israel supernaturally crossed the [Jordan River](Jordan-River.html) to enter the Promised Land, God commanded Joshua to “choose twelve men, one from each tribe. Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight’” (Joshua 4:2–3, NLT). These stones of remembrance would serve as a permanent national reminder and a memorial to future generations of the miraculous river crossing. [Joshua’s](life-Joshua.html) stones of remembrance are just one monument in a series of memorials commemorating the mighty acts of God on behalf of the people of Israel (Exodus 13:3–6; 24:4; Deuteronomy 27:1–8; Joshua 22:9–12; 24:24–28; 1 Samuel 7:12\). To everyone else, the stones were just a heap of rubble, but to the people of God, they were a constant reminder that Yahweh was a personal and powerful God, working wonders on behalf of His people. When the people following Joshua arrived at the Jordan, the river was at flood stage, transforming it from its typical 100\-foot width to a daunting mile\-wide, raging river. Israel’s entrance into Canaan was completely blocked. But as soon as the priests dipped their feet in the river’s edge, God stopped the flow of water, and the people crossed on dry ground. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood in the middle of the riverbed until the whole nation had passed over (Joshua 3:14–17\). Then God gave Joshua instructions to appoint twelve men, one from each tribe. The men were each to retrieve one stone from where the priests had stood in the riverbed bearing the ark of the covenant. The stones of remembrance were not to come from the shores of the Jordan but the center, spotlighting the fact that Israel had crossed over on dry land. Each of the stones of remembrance represented one of the tribes of Israel. The number twelve is repeated five times in Joshua 4:1–8, emphasizing the unity of the tribes as one nation under Joshua’s leadership. The twelve stones of remembrance would now serve as a perpetual sign and memorial. Joshua piled them up in Gilgal, where the Israelites set up camp. “Then Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘In the future your children will ask, “What do these stones mean?” Then you can tell them, “This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.” For the LORD your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever’” (Joshua 4:21–24, NLT) Remembering the past plays a vital role in the identity of any nation. Sociologists claim that a society aspiring to endure must become “a community of memory and hope” (Waltke, B. K., “Joshua,” New Bible Commentary: 21st\-century Edition, ed. by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, Inter\-Varsity Press, 1994, p. 241\). God repeatedly directed ancient Israel to set up monuments and enact rituals such as the Passover (Exodus 13—14\). Each tribute marked a significant historical memory that would offer future hope for the nation that God had claimed as His own. Crossing the Jordan represented a major change for the nation of Israel. Their wilderness wanderings were over. No longer would Israel be fed with [manna](what-was-manna.html) provided by the hand of God (Joshua 5:12\). From now on, the people would need to walk by faith in God’s promise to give them a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8\). God sent the ark ahead of the people into the overflowing waters to encourage their faith. The ark represented God’s presence, His very self, going before them and opening the way for them in their new walk of faith. Just as God had [parted the Red Sea](parting-Red-Sea.html) to deliver Israel from bondage in Egypt, so also would He spread open the Jordan to lead them into the Promised Land. Remembering God’s miraculous provision and presence gave the children of Israel the courage to follow Him into this new territory fraught with conflict and enemies to conquer. With stones of remembrance, the Israelites built a monument to commemorate their crossing over from the old way of life into the new in the [Promised Land](Promised-Land.html). The pile of twelve stones reminded Israel of what God had done for them—that He cared for His people, kept His promises, and went before them in victory to conquer the land of their inheritance. This is the message the stones declared to Israel, and this is what they say to us today. God is faithful. His promises never fail (1 Kings 8:56\). With the assurance of His presence and the reminder of His mighty power, the Lord bolsters our faith whenever He asks us to follow Him into new areas of battle and conquest. We can let these stones remind us, too, that unless we step out in faith and get our feet wet as the priests did, we’ll never fully experience the new life of faith and freedom that Christ has opened up for us as our inheritance in Him (Galatians 5:1; 1 Peter 2:16\).
Who is Amos in the Bible?	Answer Amos was a shepherd and farmer from the Judean village of [Tekoa](Tekoa-in-the-Bible.html), about five miles south of Bethlehem, who had a vision and became a prophet for the Lord. Amos prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel and [Uzziah](King-Uzziah-in-the-Bible.html) in Judah (Amos 1:1\). This would have been around 760 BC, making him a contemporary of Hosea, Joel, and Isaiah. Amos recorded his prophecies in a [book bearing his name](Book-of-Amos.html). He dates his book to “two years before the earthquake” (Amos 1:1\). Amos was distinctive as a prophet for a couple reasons. First, by his own testimony he was “neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet” when the Lord called him into service (Amos 7:14\). That is, he had not been trained as a prophet, nor was he seeking the office. The Lord simply decided to use him. Also, most prophets proclaimed their message to their own nation. Amos was called from the southern kingdom of Judah to proclaim God’s word in the northern kingdom of Israel. In fact, the idolatrous priest of Bethel told Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there” (Amos 7:12\). Amos did prophesy against Israel’s neighbors (Amos 1—2\), but most of his message was aimed at Israel itself. It was not a popular message in Israel, as Amos boldly pointed out sin and God’s righteous judgment. Many sentences in the book of Amos begin with something similar to this: “This is what the Lord says: ‘For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent’” (Amos 2:6\). Although a simple shepherd and fruit picker, Amos prophesied with confidence that it was God’s message, not his, that the nations needed to hear. Amos 3:7 reflects his conviction that “surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” His book is filled with down\-to\-earth symbols—bird traps, fishhooks, plumb lines, fruit baskets—that help convey the meaning and importance of his prophecies. We are not told much about his private life or anything about how Amos died, but an apocryphal work called The Lives of the Prophets says that Amos was killed by Amaziah, the priest of Bethel. Amos 7 records the interaction between Amaziah and Amos; Amaziah told the king of Israel that Amos was raising a conspiracy against him, and Amaziah told Amos to leave Bethel and prophesy in Judah instead. Amos obeyed God’s word to continue prophesying in Israel. Part of that prophecy was a personal message of tragedy for Amaziah (Amos 7:17\). Amos is not mentioned by name in any other books of the Bible, but his work is quoted twice in the New Testament, once by Stephen (Acts 7:42–43\) and once by James (Acts 15:15–17\). God’s words to Israel in Amos 5:4 are also God’s message to every human being: “Seek me and live.” Although angry with His own people, Israel and Judah, and ready to punish the pagan nations around them, God’s deepest desire was that they would turn from their sins and repent. He desires that for us, too (Matthew 3:2; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 2:5, 21\). When we repent, God offers forgiveness and cleansing through His Son, Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 1:9\).
Who is Steven Furtick, and are his teachings biblical?	Answer Steven Furtick is the lead pastor of Elevation Church, based near Charlotte, North Carolina. Elevation Church was founded by Furtick in 2006 with just fourteen members. The church has now grown to a weekly attendance over 26,000 (as of 2024\). The stated purpose of the church is “that people far from God will be raised to life in Christ” (from their [official website](https://elevationchurch.org)). Besides being a pastor, Furtick is a songwriter and best\-selling author. Steven Furtick is a talented performer and a personable, charismatic speaker. Under his leadership Elevation Church has grown into one of the ten largest churches in America (as of 2024\). The church now has at least twenty\-one campuses in the United States and Canada and a growing international outreach through television and online. Steven Furtick and Elevation Church have done much good in the world: the church has donated nearly $100 million to charitable causes around the world. In partnership with the city of Charlotte, Elevation Church has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars and hundreds of thousands of hours of service to community projects such as mentoring in the public schools, organizing blood drives, feeding the homeless, building soccer fields, expanding a local free clinic, etc. Doctrinally, Elevation Church is evangelical, and their “Our Beliefs” page on their official website posts a complete set of accurate Christian teachings. Steven Furtick has a master’s degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and, for the most part, his preaching is in sync with that background. But there are some problems. One example of a serious doctrinal error came in a sermon titled “It Works Both Ways” (delivered July 26, 2015\) in which Furtick claimed that “God broke the law for love. I say it to every sinner: God broke the law for love.” The “law” to which Furtick alludes is the Old Testament law of God, his point being that God loved us so much that, in order to save us, He broke His own law. Not only is this illogical (how could God become a lawbreaker to save lawbreakers?), but it is unbiblical. For God to break the law, which is perfect, would be for Him to become a sinner. Scripture says that Christ came to save us by [fulfilling the law](abolish-fulfill-law.html), not by breaking it. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets,” Jesus said; “I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17; cf. Luke 24:44; Romans 3:31\). Furtick also strays dangerously near the false [prosperity gospel](prosperity-gospel.html). He has shared the stage with [Joel Osteen](Joel-Osteen.html) (August 29, 2012\); Bishop T.D. Jakes (October 26, 2017\); Brian and Bobbie Houston (September 4, 2011\); Joyce Meyer, whom Furtick called “the greatest Bible teacher alive today” (January 15, 2012\); and others. Furtick’s own Bible teaching relies heavily on pop psychology, motivational platitudes, and feel\-good directions for building one’s [self\-esteem](self-esteem.html): “The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind\-the\-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” “If you want to change the direction of your life, change the declaration of your lips.” “You can’t fulfill your calling in your comfort zone!” “Many people never reach greater because they don’t leave good enough behind.” “Today’s excuses are tomorrow’s regrets dressed in disguise.” (All from https://quotefancy.com/steven\-furtick\-quotes, accessed 3/30/2021\) By any worldly measure, Steven Furtick is quite successful. According to Money Inc., as of January 2021, his estimated net worth is $55 million (https://moneyinc.com/steven\-furtick\-net\-worth/, accessed 3/30/2021\). He lives in a 16,000\-square\-foot mansion situated on nineteen acres of wooded land, valued at approximately $1\.7 million in 2013\. Furtick said his home was “a gift from God” (www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article\-2478378/Megachurch\-pastor\-tells\-congregation\-newly\-built\-16\-000\-square\-foot\-house\-gift\-God.html, accessed 3/30/2021\) and downplayed its worth, saying it is “not that great of a house” (www.charlotteobserver.com/latest\-news/article9092012\.html, accessed 3/30/2021\). Some critics of Steven Furtick charge that, rather than making disciples for Christ, Furtick is making fans for himself and that Elevation Church is guilty of elevating Furtick and fostering a cult of celebrity. Also, Furtick’s promotion of “spontaneous baptisms” has come under scrutiny, and there’s evidence that some of the decisions made during the calls to baptism are orchestrated and not so “spontaneous,” after all (www.wcnc.com/article/news/investigations/i\-team/how\-elevation\-church\-pastor\-furtick\-produce\-spontaneous\-baptisms/275\-292975851, accessed 3/30/2021\). Steven Furtick is guilty of doing and saying some questionable things, forging unwise alliances that muddle doctrine, and possibly promoting show over substance. But if Furtick’s audience is regularly hearing the [true gospel](what-is-the-gospel.html) of God’s grace—salvation is by faith, not by works, paid in full by the blood of Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 3:21–24; Ephesians 2:8–9\)—then, for that we would be grateful. We praise the Lord for every soul saved and every life transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, we must practice [discernment](Bible-discernment.html) and cultivate the ability to test everything we hear, including what Steven Furtick says, by the Word of God (see Acts 17:11\).
What is the significance of Caesarea Philippi in the Bible?	Answer Caesarea Philippi was a city in the time of Christ located in the foothills of [Mount Hermon](mount-Hermon.html), about fifteen miles north of the [Sea of Galilee](Sea-of-Galilee.html). The natural spring near Caesarea Philippi is the largest source of the Jordan River. Caesarea Philippi is mentioned only in the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Mark, both recording the same incident. One of the villages around Caesarea Philippi was the setting for Jesus’ famous statement to Peter, “On [this rock](upon-this-rock.html) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18\). This passage contains the very first use of the word church in the New Testament. Leading up to this statement, both Matthew 16:13 and Mark 8:27 recount Jesus asking the disciples, “Who do people say I am?” When they replied with a variety of answers—John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets—Jesus pressed further with, “Who do you say I am?” Peter spoke up: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16\). That statement of truth would become the foundation for Jesus’ church. And it all started in Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea Philippi was so named by Herod Philip, whose father, [Herod the Great](Herod-the-Great.html), had built a temple there. Philip took a special interest in the village and enlarged it, attaching his name to that of Caesar. The name Philip gave the town also served to distinguish it from another town called Caesarea (Acts 10:1\). While Caesarea was located in Judea on the border of the Mediterranean Sea, Caesarea Philippi was in [Galilee](Galilee-in-the-Bible.html) within the land allotted to the tribe of Naphtali. The gospels record Jesus going to Caesarea Philippi only once, possibly because it was sparsely populated and situated on the northernmost border of His travels. We can only speculate why Jesus traveled to Caesarea Philippi when He spent most of His time preaching to large crowds in bigger cities. It was a beautiful location, perfect for getaways, and it may be that Jesus wanted to spend some time with His disciples in relative peace. Also, Jesus’ mission took Him “throughout all Galilee” (Matthew 4:23, ESV) as He taught in “all the towns and villages” in that region (Matthew 9:35\). He could not overlook Caesarea Philippi. Our Lord’s visit to Caesarea Philippi is a reminder that Jesus is keenly aware of the poor, the marginalized, and the overlooked (Matthew 11:28\). His birth was first announced to a group of humble shepherds (Luke 2:8–12\), and one of His most world\-changing declarations was made to a group of unlikely disciples in a burg called Caesarea Philippi. Jesus continually demonstrated the truth of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:27–29: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” Caesarea Philippi was not eternally significant in any way until the Son of God chose it as the place where He declared the beginning of His church.
What is the Fear of Isaac?	Answer The Fear of Isaac is one of the more obscure [names of God](names-of-God.html) in the Bible. The name is only found in one passage of Scripture, Genesis 31\. It is [Jacob](life-Jacob.html) who calls God the Fear of Isaac. The context is Jacob’s departure from his uncle [Laban](Laban-in-the-Bible.html), for whom he had worked for twenty years. Jacob reminded Laban of the poor working conditions he had labored under: Laban had lied to him, cheated him, and changed his wages ten times (Genesis 31:41\). Jacob’s hardships had been many: “The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes” (Genesis 31:40\). Further, Jacob had been forced to cover any business losses out of his own pocket so Laban did not have to pay for them. And through it all God had blessed Laban for Jacob’s sake. Jacob summed up his view of both God and Laban this way: “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty\-handed” (Genesis 31:42\). Laban, in his greed, wanted to keep everything Jacob owned; in Jacob’s estimation, it was God alone who stood between Jacob and the conniving Laban and prevented the theft. To resolve their conflict, Jacob and Laban set aside their antagonism and made a mutual covenant that neither one would do harm to the other. Jacob sealed the covenant with “an oath in the name of the Fear of his father Isaac” (Genesis 31:53\), and then he offered a sacrifice to the Fear of Isaac (verse 54\). In this passage, Jacob refers to the Lord God by three titles: “the God of my father,” “the God of Abraham,” and “the Fear of Isaac.” In calling God “the Fear of Isaac,” Jacob was saying that his father, [Isaac](life-Isaac.html), feared God and worshiped Him exclusively. Yahweh is “the fearsome God of Isaac” (NLT) or “the Feared One” (AMP) and was the object of Isaac’s worship. It’s interesting that Jacob does not call God the “Fear of Abraham”—“[Abraham](life-Abraham.html) was dead, and gone to that world where there is no fear” (Joseph Benson, Benson Commentary on the Old and New Testaments). In heaven, Abraham knew no more fear, because “perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18\). Jacob was right to refer to God as the Fear of Isaac, and Isaac was right to have a holy reverence and [godly fear](fear-God.html). Jesus said, “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” (Luke 12:5\). In many other places, the Bible promotes the fear of God as appropriate and wise: “The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread” (Isaiah 8:13\). “For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods” (1 Chronicles 16:25\). “It is you alone who are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry?” (Psalm 76:7\). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10\). The Fear of Isaac is the One who made heaven and earth by His great power (Jeremiah 32:17\), who “displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm” and “never lets the guilty go unpunished” (Nahum 1:3, NLT), and who “watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth” (Psalm 11:4, NLT). In fearing God, Isaac submitted to Him, reverently served Him, and regarded Him more highly than anyone else. The Fear of Isaac is still on the heavenly throne, and He should be our Fear as well.
How could David say, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6)?	Answer Psalm 23 portrays the close relationship David enjoys with his God. It begins with the metaphor of a shepherd leading his lamb, highlighting the Lord’s personal care, guidance, and protection. In the closing verses, the imagery intensifies with even greater intimacy as David is welcomed into the Lord’s house as a permanent guest, continual resident, and friend: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:5–6, ESV). David acknowledges that his standing with the Lord is not like a visitor who is entertained once and then must leave or as one who is invited to return only occasionally. No, David rejoices that he has been given a perpetual place setting at the Lord’s table. Anointing a person’s head with oil was an ancient custom of courtesy, respect, and hospitality shown toward guests. In Psalm 23, David sees himself as an honored guest of the Lord, who invites him to dinner, favorably anoints him, and pours out such lavish abundance that David’s cup is filled to [overflowing](my-cup-runneth-over.html). Goodness and mercy are depicted as attendants in the Lord’s household who accompany David for the rest of his life. The word for “goodness” in the original language means “that which is pleasing or valuable or useful.” The term for “mercy” is sometimes translated as “loyal love,” “steadfast love,” or “unfailing love.” The same word is used of God’s love as it relates to the faithfulness of His covenant. The verb translated as “follow” here means “to accompany, or to go with.” It should not be understood as “pursue or run after.” When David said, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,” he was giving human\-like qualities to abstract blessings of the Lord. A paraphrase might be, “Because You, Lord, are good, pleasing, and valuable, and because You love me so faithfully, I am certain You will be with me all my life.” David’s good and merciful [Shepherd](Lord-is-my-Shepherd.html) is the same God who passed in front of Moses: “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6, ESV). He is the same God to whom Israel sang, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34\). Even in the presence of his enemies, David was sure of God’s goodness and faithful love (Psalm 23:5\). As believers, we can trust that the Lord’s overflowing blessings will remain with us no matter what circumstances we face (Psalm 27:13; 31:19; 69:16\). If we dwell in the house of the Lord continually, we are under His constant protection: “One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:4–5; see Psalm 52:8; 61:4; 63:2–4\). God is the perfect Shepherd and Host. As our Shepherd, the Lord provides personal care, guidance, companionship, protection, and security. And as our eternal Host, God welcomes us to feast at His rich table of abundant and overflowing blessings. We will abide in His house forever. His presence, protection, and [unfailing love](unfailing-love.html) will surround us for all eternity. And we can say with David, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!”
What does it mean to receive Jesus Christ?	Answer Many terms used in Christianity can be confusing to new believers or those seeking to know more about Jesus. One such phrase recurs often: “Receive Jesus Christ as your Savior.” What exactly does it mean to “receive” Jesus? Since Jesus lived, died, and rose again over two thousand years ago, how can we “receive” Him now? John 1:11–12 speaks of receiving Jesus and defines the term: “He \[Jesus] came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John equates “receiving” Jesus with “believing” in Him, which results in one’s becoming a child of God. So, receiving Jesus has to do with [faith](Bible-faith.html). We trust who Jesus is and what He has done on our behalf. When we “receive” a package, we take it to ourselves. When a running back “receives” the football, he pulls it to himself and clings to it. When we “receive” Jesus, we take Him to ourselves and cling to the truth about Him. To receive Jesus as our Savior means we look to Him and Him alone as the One who forgives our sin, mends our relationship with God, and provides us entrance to heaven. To reject Him as Savior means we either don’t believe we need salvation or are looking to another deliverer. Scripture is plain, however, that “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12\). To receive Jesus as our Lord means we let go of the lesser gods we have built our lives around. We may know the facts about Jesus as detailed in the Bible—we can even acknowledge the truth of those facts—without being a part of God’s family. We cannot receive Jesus as Lord without displacing the idols in our lives—idols such as power, popularity, wealth, or comfort that we trust to provide us with purpose and strength. Jesus described the need to follow Him wholeheartedly in Luke 9:23: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” When Jesus visited His hometown of [Nazareth](Jesus-of-Nazareth.html), the people there did not believe He was anything other than the son of Mary and Joseph (Matthew 13:54–58; see also John 6:41–42\). They accepted Him as a local carpenter but rejected Him as the promised Messiah. Many people today do a similar thing. They accept Jesus as a good moral teacher, a role model, or even a prophet who can teach us about God. But they stop short of receiving Him as their personal Lord and Savior. They do not commit their faith to Him. Receiving Jesus is a matter of one’s eternal destiny: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:16–18\). To receive Jesus means we acknowledge that He is who He said He is (1 John 5:10; Matthew 27:43; John 20:31\). He is the Son of God who took on human form (Philippians 2:6–8\), was born of a virgin (Luke 1:26–38\), lived a perfect life (Hebrews 4:15\), and accomplished in full God’s plan to rescue mankind from sin (Matthew 1:18; 1 Peter 1:20; John 19:30; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21\). To receive Jesus is to trust that His sacrifice on the cross completely paid for our sin and to believe that God raised Him from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3–5, 20; 2 Timothy 2:8\). To receive Jesus is to recognize that we are sinners separated from a holy God (Romans 3:23; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1–3\). To receive Jesus is to call out to Him in faith, trusting that only His blood can cleanse us from sin and restore us to a right relationship with God (Ephesians 2:4–10; 1 John 1:7; Hebrews 10:19–22\). Those who receive Jesus by faith are given “the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12–13\). When we receive Jesus as our Savior, God sends us the gift of His Holy Spirit who enters our spirits and begins to transform us to be more like Christ (Romans 8:29; John 14:26; Luke 24:49; Ephesians 1:13–14; Philippians 2:12–13\). Jesus called this transaction being “born again” (John 3:3–8\). When a baby is born, a new creature emerges that did not previously exist. Over time, that baby begins to look and act like the parents. So it is when we are born of the Spirit by receiving Jesus. We become [children of God](children-of-God.html) and begin to look and act more like our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:48; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 7:1; Ephesians 5:1\). Receiving Jesus Christ into our lives is more than adding Him to an already cluttered priority list. He does not offer the option of being only a part of our lives. When we receive Him, we pledge to Him our allegiance and look to Him as the undisputed Lord of our lives (Luke 6:46; John 15:14\). We will still disobey His commands at times (1 John 1:8–10\). But the Holy Spirit within us draws us to repentance so that our close fellowship with God is restored (Psalm 51:7\). Receiving Jesus is the beginning of a lifetime of discovery and an eternity of bliss in heaven with Him (John 3:36; Revelation 21—22\).
How can we “forget not His benefits” (Psalm 103:2)?	Answer In Psalm 103, David praises the Lord for His abundant mercies. He tells his soul to “bless the Lord” six times (verses 1, 2, 20, 21, 22\) and to “forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2\). Then David lists several good things that God does for His people. For more than half of the psalm, [David](life-David.html) stirs up his heart, soul, “and all that is within” him (Psalm 103:1\) to “forget not His benefits.” The original Hebrew verb translated “forget” means “to lose memory or remembrance of,” but it can also mean “ignore” or “cease to care about.” The Lord’s “benefits” represent all the good things the Lord provides to aid or promote the well\-being of His children. We bless or [praise the Lord](praise-the-Lord.html) by spending time in grateful remembrance of the mercies we have received from Him. Praise is similar to one aspect of the exercise of bodybuilding. If we regularly stretch, flex, and use our muscles, we won’t lose muscle tone. Instead, we gain definition and strength. And if we get in the regular habit of giving thanks to the Lord for His blessings, we won’t forget them. If we do not give thanks, if we fail to praise the Lord, if we ignore His benefits or, worse, cease to care about them, we are sure to forget them. What are some of the Lord’s benefits we ought to remember? David enumerates: “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! The LORD gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly” (Psalm 103:3–6, NLT). David goes on to praise the Lord’s compassion, mercy, and patience (Psalm 103:8\). He recalls how God revealed His character to Moses and His mighty deeds to the children of Israel (Psalm 103:7\). In His mercy, the Lord holds back the punishment we deserve and pours out His unfailing love (Psalm 103:10–11\). “The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust” (Psalm 103:13–14, NLT). We have so much to be thankful for as God’s children. May we never forget His [forgiveness](will-God-forgive-me.html): “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins” (Colossians 1:13–14, NLT). May we always remember that He heals us from the sin that infects us: “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Isaiah 53:5, NLT). May we forget not His benefits, including redemption from death: “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying” (Hebrews 2:14–15, NLT). May we never ignore or cease to care about His [lovingkindness](lovingkindness.html) and tender mercy: “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live” (Psalm 63:3–4, ESV). A genuinely grateful heart remembers always to praise the Lord for His goodness. But forgetting His benefits—ignoring them, or ceasing to care about them—waters down our praise. In Deuteronomy, Moses warned the people that forgetting is the first step toward spiritual catastrophe: “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. . . . Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you” (Deuteronomy 4:9, 23\). When we fail to praise the Lord and forget all the good things that He provides for our well\-being, we reveal a deeper heart problem. Our neglect reflects apathy and indifference, which end in spiritual death (Hebrews 2:1–3\). But when we forget not His benefits—when we remember His mercy, compassion, loyal love, forgiveness, and salvation—we can’t help but have our hearts renewed and our lives lifted as we praise and bless the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:8–13 24–29, 34–36\)!
Who was Nympha in the Bible?	Answer Nympha was a [Laodicean](church-in-Laodicea.html) Christian mentioned in Colossians 4:15\. Paul instructed the Colossian church to pass on his greetings to the Laodiceans, including the Christians who met in Nympha’s home. Apart from what this one verse in Scripture tells us, nothing is definitively known of Nympha. There is a question as to whether Nympha is a man or woman based on the form of the name in the Greek manuscripts. Some versions of the Bible translate the name as “Nymphas,” which is the male version of the name (KJV, NKJV, ERV, YLT). In contrast, other versions translate the name as “Nympha,” which is the female version of the name; these translations also state that the church met in “her” home (NIV, ESV, CSB, NASB, NET). A large variety of scholars believe that a proper reading of the text argues for the female form of the name, which is why most modern versions render the name “Nympha.” Notably, Nymphas means “bridegroom” in Greek, while Nympha means “bride” or “nymph\-like.” This believer named Nympha was a wealthy individual, owning a house large enough to accommodate regular meetings of the church. During New Testament times, meeting in someone’s house was a common practice for the church, as they did not have church buildings as most congregations do today (see Romans 16:3–5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Philemon 1:2\). To receive many Christians into one’s home for a meeting required some space, and the larger house typically indicated that the host was affluent. In addition, we surmise from Revelation 3:17–18 that the church in Laodicea was generally well\-to\-do; as a prominent person in the church, Nympha was most likely proportionately well\-to\-do. The New Testament mentions others, besides Nympha, who also hosted gatherings of Christians in their homes in other communities: • Mary, the mother of [John Mark](John-Mark-in-the-Bible.html), in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12\) • [Lydia](Lydia-in-the-Bible.html), a merchant living in Philippi (Acts 16:40\) • [Priscilla and Aquila](Priscilla-and-Aquila.html) in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:19\) • [Philemon and Apphia](Philemon-in-the-Bible.html) in Colossae (Philemon 1:2\) • (possibly) Titus Justus in Corinth (Acts 18:7\) As Paul sat in a Roman prison cell, he wrote the epistle to the Colossians, and he sent three greetings: one to the Colossian believers, who were the recipients of Paul’s letter; one to the believers in Laodicea, which was close by Colossae; and one to Nympha and the church in her house. We may not know much about Nympha (or Nymphas), but we can infer that she (or he) was prosperous, generous, and devout.
What does the Bible say about having a calm spirit (Proverbs 17:27)?	Answer Proverbs 17:27 says, “He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit” (NKJV). This proverb emphasizes the wisdom of avoiding reckless speech by exercising [self\-control](fruit-Holy-Spirit-self-control.html) so as not to provoke hostility. Having a calm spirit describes someone with an even\-tempered disposition. A contemporary paraphrase might be “a wise person keeps his cool.” Bible translators render the phrase for “calm spirit” in various ways: “cool spirit” (ESV, NASB), “cool head” (CSB), “even\-tempered” (NLT, NIV), and “excellent spirit” (KJV). The word spirit here refers to a person’s disposition or temperament. The proverbs of Solomon often stress the importance of self\-control, especially in the things we say. According to Proverbs 17:27, a prudent person uses few words and maintains a calm attitude by staying composed under pressure. By exercising self\-control when speaking and not allowing oneself to be dominated by heightened emotions, a calm spirit diffuses anger and ill feelings: “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare” (Proverbs 15:1, NLT). In contrast to a hot\-tempered person, someone with a calm spirit or an even\-tempered nature is slow to anger: “A hot\-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention” (Proverbs 15:18, ESV; see also Proverbs 14:29\). [Abigail](Abigail-in-the-Bible.html) is an excellent example of a wise person whose calm spirit deflected a volatile situation. First Samuel 25:3 tells us that Abigail was “discerning and beautiful,” but her husband, Nabal, was “harsh and badly behaved.” Nabal treated David and his men with surliness and disrespect, and David was bent on bloodshed. Without her husband’s knowledge, Abigail arranged a meeting with David. Humbly and calmly, she persuaded him not to harm Nabal. Afterward, David blessed Abigail for her excellent discernment and for keeping him from carrying out vengeance with his own hand (1 Samuel 25:32–34\). Ecclesiastes 10:4 gives a nugget of wisdom for maintaining a calm spirit at work: “If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest.” The New Living Translation renders the verse like so: “If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes.” Wise people are cautious with their [words](power-of-words.html) and think before they speak. They “bring calm in the end”; on the other hand, “Fools give full vent to their rage” (Proverbs 29:11\). According to Matthew Henry, “A cool head with a warm heart is an admirable composition” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Hendrickson, 1994, p. 994\). If a cool, calm, and gentle demeanor dissolves anger and neutralizes a heated situation, then the opposite—acting like a hot head—charges it up. James teaches us that “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:20\). “Wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace\-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere,” says James 3:17\. In other words, [God’s wisdom](wisdom-of-God.html) endorses humility, gentleness, and self\-restraint (2 Peter 1:5–8\). We discover in many proverbs that our words are like fruits that reveal the quality or disposition of our hearts. In Proverbs 17:27, a person’s restraint with words shows the heart of a peacemaker, as well as a wise and understanding nature. Having a calm spirit is also a sign that the Holy Spirit lives in us: “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self\-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22–23, NLT).
What does it mean that the Lord is my strength and my song (Psalm 118:14)?	Answer The psalmist declares, “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (Psalm 118:14, ESV). This verse is an exact quote from Exodus 15:2, part of Moses’ victory song after [crossing the Red Sea](parting-Red-Sea.html). In Psalm 18:1, David repeats the sentiment, “I love you, LORD, my strength.” Psalm 118 is a thanksgiving psalm. The worshiper begins by offering praise to the Lord for His steadfast, enduring love. In verse 5, the psalmist calls to the Lord in his distress, and God answers and rescues him. The songwriter then contrasts human power to God’s might and acknowledges that the real source of his help and survival is the Lord, who is the strength of his life. Maybe in your distress, you’ve never called on the Lord for help. In your weakened state of need, you’ve never imagined God could answer—that He would reach down from heaven to rescue you from deep waters (Psalm 144:7\). Perhaps you’re here reading this page because your heart is longing to know, “How can the Lord be my strength and my song?” The strength that comes from God, that delivers people from death and equips them to follow Him and be safe from danger for all eternity, is not physical but spiritual (Psalm 84:7\). First and foremost, we need the strength of [God’s salvation](content_salvation_truth.html). Humans do not have the power to save themselves. Only God can save us: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9; see also James 4:12\). All we need to be saved is to “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:31\). Once we receive God’s strength at salvation, we can begin to “understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:19–21\). The Lord enables us to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10\). God’s strength delivers us totally and empowers us to do good (Psalm 84:7; 28:8\). If we desire the Lord to be the strength of our life, we can pray this incredible prayer for spiritual strength: “For this reason I kneel before the Father. . . . I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:14–21\). We do not need any other source of power or deliverance because Jesus Christ is the strength of our lives. Even when we feel weary and ineffective, His power is perfected in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9\). Christ’s limitless life is the source of strength for those who belong to Him. If we seek the Lord daily to be our spiritual source, He renews and fills us with the Bread of Life and Living Water (John 4:10–14; 6:35; 7:38\). He gives us His strength so that we can walk in His ways and endure through every circumstance we face. Like the apostle Paul, we can say, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13, NLT). Like the psalmist, we can declare, “The Lord is my strength and my song.”
What does it mean that the Lord is the strength of my life (Psalm 27:1)?	Answer In Psalm 27:1, King David presents every believer with the remedy for [fear](Bible-fear.html): “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1, NKJV). Against every threat, David raised three shields. The first was the Lord’s light—a metaphor for God’s darkness\-dispelling holiness, truth, and guiding presence (Psalm 18:28; 36:9; 43:3\). Second, David recognized that the Lord’s salvation preserved him from danger, harm, and destruction. And finally, David stood on this rock\-solid defense: “The Lord is the strength of my life.” The Hebrew word (ma’oz), translated as “strength” (NKJV) in Psalm 27:1, means “stronghold” (ESV, NIV, CSB) or “fortress” (NLT). It describes a safe refuge fortified with high rock walls. By saying, “The Lord is the strength of my life,” David underscores God’s unwavering protection to those who call on Him for help. He repeats the sentiment in Psalm 28:8: “The Lord gives his people strength. He is a safe fortress for his anointed king” (NLT). Again, David declares, “The Lord rescues the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble” (Psalm 37:39, NLT; see also Psalm 31:2\). As a king and warrior, David understood God to be his safe retreat from the battles of life. David found healing, renewal, and restoration of strength when he spent time in God’s presence. As David’s stronghold, God also offered a secure shelter from which to launch a counterattack on the evil forces David was sure to encounter each day. For the Lord to be the strength of our life, we must first accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. Since we were powerless to save ourselves, God, in His mercy and grace, saved us through the sacrifice of His Son (Ephesians 2:5–9; see also James 4:12\). Once we receive the strength of [God’s salvation](plan-of-salvation.html), we can begin to “understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:19–20, NLT). To every believer who places his or her trust in the Lord, His name becomes “a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10\). The name of the Lord expresses His essential nature, character, and authority. His name represents the Lord Himself. The Lord alone is the true refuge of His people: “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea” (Psalm 46:1–2, NLT). When we say, “The Lord is the strength of my life,” we mean God is our sure defense against every threat, fear, and enemy (Deuteronomy 33:27\). The Lord safely guards those who call upon Him throughout all the days of their lives (Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21; John 10:28–29\). Rather than let anxiety consume us, the Bible instructs us to “pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience [God’s peace](peace-of-God.html), which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7, NLT). The apostle Paul trusted in the Lord to be the strength of his life (Ephesians 3:16; 6:10; Philippians 4:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17; 1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:17\). He wrote of God’s fear\-conquering love, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? . . . For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31, 38–39\). Believers can confidently say, “The Lord is the strength of my life,” when they relinquish control and place themselves wholly in God’s hands. Like young David, who found the courage and strength to confront the giant [Goliath](David-and-Goliath.html) through profound dependence on the Lord (1 Samuel 17:45\), we too must realize that only by God’s power can we “push back our enemies” and “trample our foes” (see Psalm 44:4–8\). God alone “gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on [wings like eagles](mount-up-with-wings-like-eagles.html). They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:29–31, NLT).
How much of the Bible is prophecy?	Answer [Prophecy](prophecy-prophesy.html) accounts for a major portion of the entire canon of Scripture. Numerous books in the Old Testament contain prophecy—some include short statements about the future, and others feature entire prophetic visions. In the New Testament, almost every book contains some prophecy, with Revelation being wholly devoted to a prophetic vision. By one count, about 27 percent of the Bible is predictive (Payne, J. B., The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, Baker Pub. Group, 1980, p. 675\). This means that, when written, over one fourth of the Bible—more than one in four verses—was prophetic. Professor and theologian J. Barton Payne lists 1,817 prophecies in the Bible (ibid., p. 674\). The consistent relation of prophecy in the Bible is staggering; on top of that is the amazing accuracy of those detailed prophecies. At least one half of all biblical predictions have already been fulfilled precisely as God had declared. Because of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling these prophecies, we can be assured that He will fulfill the rest of the prophecies in Scripture without fault (see Numbers 23:19\). Prophecy in the Bible can be divided into two broad groups: fulfilled and not yet fulfilled. Some examples from these generalized groups include the following: Fulfilled Prophecies: • The first coming of Christ (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:15–19; Numbers 24:17; Daniel 9:25–26; Micah 5:2\). • Jesus as the Savior of mankind (e.g., Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53:4–5\). • Prophecies regarding individual people, such as the doom of Jezebel (2 Kings 9:10\). • Prophecies regarding Israel, such as in the case of Israel’s exile to Babylon (2 Kings 20:18; Jeremiah 34:3\). • The destruction of the temple, which occurred in AD 70 (Matthew 24:1–2\). • Daniel’s prophecies about the rise and fall of many kingdoms (Daniel 7:2–6, 16\). Prophecies Still to Be Fulfilled: • The second coming of Christ (Zechariah 14:3–4; Matthew 24:44; Acts 1:10–11; Revelation 1:7\). • The rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17\). • The tribulation (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15–22\). • The resurrections of the saved and the unsaved (Daniel 12:1–3; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Revelation 20:11–15\). • The millennial reign of Christ (Psalm 72:7–11; Zechariah 2:10–11; Revelation 20:4\). • The restoration of Israel (Jeremiah 31:31–37; Romans 11:26–27\). • The new heavens and new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1\). Some prophecies have a [double fulfillment](prophecy-double-dual-fulfillment.html), one nearer to the time of the prophet and one further in the future. We see this in Isaiah 7:14, for example. The birth of a child served as a sign for King Ahaz, but the prophecy also pointed forward to the virgin birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:22–23\). Some interpret Jesus’ explanation of the signs of the [end times](end-times.html) as having been fulfilled in some sense in AD 70 yet also signaling a future, more complete fulfillment during the end times tribulation. Other prophecies have been fulfilled partially and are awaiting complete fulfillment. An example of this is found in Jesus’ quotation of Isaiah 61:1–2, in which He declares the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. In the synagogue, Jesus read from the scroll: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18–19\). He then proclaimed Himself as the fulfillment of that prophecy. But He had stopped reading in the middle of Isaiah 61:2\. The reason is simple: the first part of that verse was fulfilled by Christ in His first advent, but the second half, concerning “the day of vengeance of our God,” was not. The Day of the Lord is still to be fulfilled in the future. The amount of prophecy in the Bible is one of the things that make it unique among religious books. There is absolutely no emphasis on predictive prophecy in the Qu’ran or the Hindu Vedas, for example. In contrast, the Bible repeatedly points to fulfilled prophecy as direct proof that it is God who speaks (see Deuteronomy 18:22; 1 Kings 22:28; Jeremiah 28:9\). Given God’s omniscience, it should come as no surprise that the Bible contains so many clear predictions or that those predictions are literally fulfilled: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done” (Isaiah 46:9–10, ESV).
What is a lexicon?	Answer A lexicon is a linguistic resource much like a dictionary in that it contains an alphabetical listing of words in a language, usually with a definition. A Bible lexicon will provide the meanings of original\-language words used in Scripture. A Hebrew\-Aramaic lexicon covers the words of the Old Testament. A Greek lexicon contains the words of the New Testament. A lexicon is helpful in studying the Bible and carrying out a [word study](word-study-Bible.html) from a passage. Bible lexicons help the student of Scripture to understand the etymology and original meaning of a Hebrew or Greek word. They can also assist one in exploring the context and culture behind the word. Nuances and connotations of the original words are not always easy to convey in English. For example, the Greek word Logos, translated as “the Word” in John 1:1, has a much deeper meaning than what we normally think of as a “word.” A lexicon can help us unravel the complexity. Several different Bible lexicons are available in print, and there are also Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic lexicons to be found online. Websites such as Bible Study Tools and Study Light offer free access to searchable Bible lexicons. Some examples of Greek and Hebrew lexicons are A Greek\-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature by Walter Bauer, William Arndt, F. Wilbur Gingrich, \& Frederick Danker; Liddell and Scott’s Greek\-English Lexicon by H. G. Liddell and R. Scott; The Brown\-Driver\-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon by Francis Brown, C. Briggs, and S.R. Driver; and The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament by Ludwig Kohler, Walter Baumgartner, and Johann Stamm. A lexicon can be beneficial and insightful to Christians as they study God’s Word. A good way to utilize a Greek or Hebrew lexicon is to use it alongside other resources such as a [concordance](Bible-concordance.html), dictionary, or commentary. Notably, [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance](Strongs-Exhaustive-Concordance.html) includes a Greek and Hebrew lexicon in one volume with the concordance. As a basic example of how a Greek lexicon can be helpful, we can turn to Revelation 1:8: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” Using a lexicon, we find that alpha (A) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and omega (Ω) is the last letter. So we have a description of God’s nature: He is the beginning and ending of all things. He is from eternity with no one before Him, and He lasts into eternity with none after Him (cf. Revelation 22:13\). Lexicons can help the student of the Bible understand the origin and meaning of Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic words in their original contexts. Of course, we can understand the Bible in our own language, and we have several good translations that do justice to the original text. But when we want to delve more deeply, a Bible lexicon is a useful tool.
What is a teaching pastor?	Answer The position of teaching pastor is a specific role in churches that typically have a plurality of elders or pastors. The teaching pastor’s job is usually, as the name suggests, centered on the [teaching ministry](gift-of-teaching.html) of the church. He is likely the one responsible for weekly sermons and may also oversee various Bible studies or Sunday school classes. The teaching pastor is often the person that most people think of as “the” pastor or the “lead” pastor of a church, as opposed to the worship pastor, education pastor, young family pastor, etc. In some churches, there are several teaching pastors who share the teaching responsibilities, with a senior pastor providing oversight. We should note that none of these specific titles are found in Scripture. The word pastor literally means “shepherd,” so a pastor is the guide and caretaker of his flock, or church (Acts 20:28\). One of the [requirements to be an elder](qualifications-of-a-pastor.html)/pastor is the ability to teach (1 Timothy 3:2\). Teaching is foundational to the church: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:11–12\). When Paul wrote to Timothy, he emphasized the importance of preaching the Word and giving “careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2\). Teaching is clearly to be a critical part of the mission of the local church. The teaching pastor is the primary teacher in the church, and he will be found in the pulpit most Sunday mornings. In preparation for the weekly sermon(s), most teaching pastors are afforded plenty of time in the study to pray and study and meditate on the Word. Because of the time commitment teaching requires, other elders on the pastoral staff often take up other pastoral duties such as visitation and the daily administration of business. In most churches with such a position, the teaching pastor is seen as an equal partner with the other pastors/elders. Together, they develop a plan for each worship service, care for the congregation, and see that the mission of the church is being fulfilled. As part of the teaching pastor’s duty to equip the saints for ministry (Ephesians 4:12\), preach and defend correct doctrine (Titus 1:9\), and nurture spiritual growth (Titus 1:7\), he will train up other teachers, deacons, pastors, and missionaries. As the Holy Spirit gives out spiritual gifts, He gives “some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11\). As he faithfully fills the role, the teaching pastor edifies the [Body of Christ](body-of-Christ.html) “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13\). The teaching pastor has a mandate to “teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1\). His desire is that the believers under his care be “no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14\). A teaching pastor prioritizes God’s plan for the church: that “we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:15–16\).
Who was Zerah in the Bible?	Answer Zerah was a common name in the ancient Middle East, and several Zerahs are mentioned in Scripture (e.g., Genesis 36:33; 1 Chronicles 4:24; 6:21; Joshua 22:20\). Only three Zerahs have any personal details connected to the mention of their names. The first Zerah is listed in Genesis 36:13–17 as a grandson of [Esau](Esau-in-the-Bible.html). One of Esau’s wives was named Basemath, who was the daughter of Esau’s uncle Ishmael, making her Esau’s cousin (Genesis 36:3\). Basemath and Esau had a son named Reuel; Reuel was the father of Zerah. The second Zerah in the Bible appears in a single verse in 2 Chronicles 14:9: “Zerah the Cushite marched out against \[[King Asa](King-Asa.html) and the army of Judah] with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.” Historians speculate that this Zerah the [Cushite](Cushites.html) (also called an Ethiopian in some versions) may be Usarken II, the third king of Egypt after Shishak. He may have been born in Ethiopia and married into the royal family of Egypt, thereby inheriting the throne; or he may have invaded Judah after passing through Egypt with the pharaoh’s blessing. Another possibility is that this Ethiopian Zerah was a nomadic leader of Arabians, associated with the Midianites (see Habakkuk 3:7\). The most noteworthy Zerah in Scripture is a son of [Judah](Judah-in-the-Bible.html) by his daughter\-in\-law Tamar (1 Chronicles 2:4\). The account of Judah and Tamar is found in Genesis 38\. Judah’s son, the husband of Tamar, was so wicked that God put him to death. Judah’s second son was to have a child with Tamar on his elder brother’s behalf, but he was also unrighteous, and God put him to death. Judah asked Tamar to wait as a widow until his next son was old enough to provide an heir, but Judah never intended to fulfill that promise. So, after Judah’s wife died, [Tamar](Tamar-Bible.html) posed as a prostitute along the road Judah was traveling. Judah hired her, not knowing who she was. From that union came twins, Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38:27–30\). The name Zerah can mean “scarlet” or “brightness.” He was so named because, when the twins were being born, Zerah’s hand emerged first. The midwife tied a red thread around his wrist to establish birth order. But then he withdrew his hand, and his brother Perez was born first. Zerah came out of the womb with the red string on his wrist, thereby earning his name. This Zerah grew up and became the patriarch of the Zerahite clan of Israelites mentioned in Joshua 7:16–18\. Zerah’s great\-grandson Achan disobeyed the Lord and took some of the spoil from Jericho in direct violation of God command (Joshua 7:20–21\). Years later, the Zerahites were among the Israelites who returned to Jerusalem from their seventy years in Babylonian captivity. The returning tribe of Judah, including the children of Zerah, numbered 690 members (1 Chronicles 9:3–6\). Zerah’s twin brother, [Perez](Perez-in-the-Bible.html), was an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3–17\). Zerah reminds us that God doesn’t overlook anyone because of their parentage or the circumstances of their birth. Every person holds a unique place in God’s order and plan, and each individual is responsible to God for what he does with what he is given.
What is the significance of the broom tree in the Bible?	Answer The broom tree is mentioned in the Bible as something that provided shelter and sustenance on occasion. The “broom tree” is what some Bible translations such as the KJV and NASB call the “juniper”; other translations such as the ESV, CSB, and NIV speak of it as the “broom tree” or the “broom bush.” The plant mentioned in the Bible is a type of flowering desert shrub usually identified as Retama raetam. The so\-called tree grows to around 6 to 8 feet tall and can provide enough shade to shelter someone from the scorching desert heat. The broom tree as shelter. [Elijah](life-Elijah.html) sought shelter and rest under a broom tree once. After learning that Jezebel meant to kill him in revenge for the death of the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah fled for his life into the desert (1 Kings 19:1–3\). Far out into the wilderness, he came to a broom tree, and he sat down under the shade of the bush and prayed for his death: “‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors’” (1 Kings 19:4\). Being spiritually, emotionally, and physically exhausted, Elijah quickly fell asleep in the shade of the bush (1 Kings 19:5\). An angel appeared to Elijah twice, bringing him food and water (1 Kings 19:5–7\). God allowed Elijah to rest under the broom tree, giving the prophet much\-needed strength before continuing his journey to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8–9\). During the Israelites’ time in the desert with Moses, they camped at a place known for broom trees. Rithmah, one location where the Israelites made camp, was named after the broom tree, since Rithmah means “the place of the broom” (Numbers 33:18–19\). Apparently, broom trees were plentiful in the area, and the location served as a suitable camp for the children of Israel. The broom tree as fuel. Having roots and branches that burn hot, the broom tree was a source of fuel and high\-quality charcoal during biblical times. Psalm 120:4 likens the judgment of God to “a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom brush.” The angel that visited Elijah made “some bread baked over hot coals”; since the broom tree was right there, it’s quite possible that the angel used its wood as fuel (1 Kings 19:6\). The broom tree as food. The thick root of the broom tree was good fuel for fire, and in dire circumstances it could also be eaten. [Job](life-Job.html) speaks of men who, in extreme conditions, resorted to eating broom tree roots: “Haggard from want and hunger, they roamed a the parched land in desolate wastelands at night. In the brush they gathered salt herbs, and their food was the root of the broom bush” (Job 30:3–4\). A broom tree’s roots are bitter and unappetizing but can provide some nourishment to a starving person. The broom tree is just a desert shrub, but in the Bible it serves as an important reminder of God’s provision. God sustained and sheltered Elijah under a broom tree. He also promises to give us rest and meet our needs (Matthew 11:28; Philippians 4:19\). Providing shelter from difficult situations is something that God is good at doing; He is “our refuge and strength, an ever\-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1\).
What is the benefit of a word fitly spoken (Proverbs 25:11)?	Answer The ancient sages highly revered elegant and concise language. In Proverbs 25:11–14, Solomon presented a series of symbolic statements concerning speech with succinct sophistication. He began by saying, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Proverbs 25:11, ESV). With this maxim, Solomon stressed the importance of good counsel. The word translated as “fitly” in Proverbs 25:11 occurs only here in the Old Testament, making its exact meaning somewhat unsure. Some translators link it to an Arabic word meaning “time.” If this is accurate, a word fitly spoken seems to imply “a word spoken at the right time” (CSB) or “at the proper time” (NASB). The New Living Translation agrees with this meaning: “Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.” The New English Bible also aligns with this idea, describing the word spoken “fitly” as being “in season.” Other translators associate the original Hebrew term with a word that means “wheel,” thus rendering the modifier as “well\-turned” or “well\-spoken” as in “artfully expressed.” The NET Bible concurs: “Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word skillfully spoken.” The “[apples of gold in a setting of silver](apples-gold-settings-silver.html)” seem to refer to exquisitely crafted ornamental jewelry or artwork. The language evokes a design that has been etched, sculpted, or engraved in silver, like filigree. This interpretation supports the idea that well\-spoken words have attractive and valuable qualities because skill and artistry have gone into fashioning them. Proverbs 25:12 continues the jewelry imagery: “To one who listens, valid criticism is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry” (NLT). Just as a beautifully constructed filigree necklace is pleasing to the eye, so is a word fitly spoken to the ear. The delicacy of the piece attracts the eye, just as a carefully chosen comment pricks the heart and mind. “Especially to give a reproof with discretion, and so as to make it acceptable,” explains Bible commentator Matthew Henry. “If it be well given, by a wise reprover, and well taken, by an obedient ear, it is an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, very graceful and well becoming both the reprover and the reproved; both will have their praise, the reprover for giving it so prudently and the reproved for taking it so patiently and making a good use of it. Others will commend them both, and they will have satisfaction in each other; he who gave the reproof is pleased that it had the desired effect, and he to whom it was given has reason to be thankful for it as a kindness” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Hendrickson, 1994, p. 1,012\). Proverbs 15:23 agrees that a word fitly spoken pleases both the speaker and listener: “A person finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!” The Bible is abundantly clear that [our words](power-of-words.html) are important. “The tongue has the power of life and death,” says Proverbs 18:21\. What we say can either destroy lives or save them (Proverbs 12:6\). Jesus said, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you” (Matthew 12:36–37, NLT). The apostle Paul taught that fitly spoken words—words that fit the occasion—build up those who hear them: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29, ESV). We can either tear people down with our words or let our conversation become a channel of grace and life as Jesus Christ did: “Everyone spoke well of him \[Jesus] and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips” (Luke 4:22, NLT). A word fitly spoken will give grace to the hearer and be attractive, pleasant, desirable, and full of God’s wisdom. Paul told the Colossians, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6\). Even a challenging word of rebuke or discipline can be phrased so gently and tactfully that it is accepted and even prized as a valuable jewel. When we make use of carefully crafted words that dignify rather than denigrate the hearer, not only do we bless the recipient, but we benefit as well with the joy of knowing our words were well\-received and put to good use.
What does it mean that he who hates his brother walks in darkness (1 John 2:11)?	Answer Those who trust in God are described as [walking in the light](walk-in-the-light.html). God wants us to live in the light as He is in the light (John 3:21; 1 John 1:7\). Walking in the light means living in obedience to Him and not living in sin. The unbeliever, however, lives in darkness. In 1 John 2:11 we are warned that he who hates his brother walks [in darkness](spiritual-darkness.html), blinded by sin. John explains, “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them” (1 John 2:9–11\). Those who walk in the light are to be marked by love. This love is shown in obedience to God (John 15:10; 1 John 2:3\) and in loving others (John 15:12, 17; 1 John 4:7–8\). Love for others is a sign of God’s presence in the life of a believer (John 13:34–35; 1 John 4:7–12\). Since God is love, anyone who does not love others shows that God is not in him. First John 4:20 says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” Loving others is not a suggestion for believers; it is a command (Mark 12:30–31\). Jesus told His followers, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34\). Love for others manifests our love for God, [who is Light](God-is-light.html), so he who hates his brother walks in darkness, showing that God’s love is not in him. Our love for others is another way the world can see God. Because of [God’s love](agape-love.html) for us (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9\), He sent His Son into the world that we might live through Him both in this life and for eternity. Those who trust God live in love because this truth has changed their lives and destinies. Yet it is possible for people to claim they love God without truly knowing Him. That’s why John warns that he who hates his brother actually walks in darkness. Loving others distinguishes those walking in light from those walking in darkness. In John 13:35, after Jesus commands His disciples to love one another, He says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Believers love others because “\[God] first loved us” (1 John 4:19\). We are to love others in all we do (1 Corinthians 16:14\). We show love by our attitudes as well as our actions. Philippians 2:3–4 gives us a practical way to show love: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” James 2:14–17 tells us to live out our faith by providing what others need instead of simply mouthing words of blessing. As we love others as Jesus loved us (Ephesians 5:2\), we can walk in light, but he who hates his brother walks in darkness. God’s love for us changes our lives and affects the way we see others who are also made in His image. The person who loves God will love others. He who hates his brother walks in darkness and shows that the love of God is not in him. Those who walk in the light have been given the reasons to love others and have God’s Spirit living in them to help them truly love. Loving others can be difficult; even those who genuinely love God and walk in His light still struggle against sinful tendencies (1 John 1:8–10; Romans 7—8\). But God is faithful to give us His heart for others if we seek Him. The more we understand His great love, the more we’ll desire to share it with the world through our words and deeds. Love speaks truth and genuinely seeks the benefit of the other (John 15:13; Romans 5:8; 12:9–21; 1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 4:15\). God can give us the desire, wisdom, and anything else necessary to love others with His love. As we continue to walk in His light, we will continue to live out His love.
Is the Trinity taught in the Old Testament?	Answer The word Trinity is not used in the Bible, but the doctrine of the tri\-unity of God is clearly taught in the New Testament. The Old Testament does not explicitly teach the doctrine, but the concept of [the Trinity](Trinity-Bible.html) is hinted at in certain places. We could say that the Old Testament lays a foundation for the later revelation concerning the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity finds support in the Old Testament in the Hebrew concept of plurality in unity: Deuteronomy 6:4 is a verse that seems, at first, to wholly negate the doctrine of the Trinity: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Interestingly, the singular Yahweh is coupled with the plural Elohim in this verse.) The word translated “one” is ehad, which means “one” or “unity”; however, the word is also used in other contexts to suggest a plurality within unity. For example, the word ehad also appears in Genesis 2:24, which considers two persons as one: “\[A man] is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one \[ehad]” (NLT). Obviously, the husband and wife are distinct persons, but they are called “one”—there is diversity within the unity. The doctrine of the Trinity finds support in the Old Testament in the [names for God](names-of-God.html): The very fact that God reveals Himself using multiple names in the Old Testament could be a clue pointing to His triune nature. Two of the names show up right away: Elohim in Genesis 1:1, and Yahweh in Genesis 2:4\. Some scholars believe the multiple names for God imply a diversity within the Godhead. One of the Hebrew names for “God” in our Bible, Elohim, is plural in form. The \-im suffix is plural, and elohim, when not referring to the One True God, is translated as “gods” (plural) in Scripture. The plural form of a name for the One God could be seen as implying a perfect unity of Persons and is certainly consistent with the New Testament teaching of the Trinity. Adonai, translated in our Bibles as “Lord,” occurs about 300 times in the Old Testament. This title for God is also plural. One writer comments on the word Adonai, “It is significant that it is almost always in the plural and possessive, meaning ‘my Lords.’ It confirms the idea of a trinity as found also in the name of Elohim” (Stone, Nathan, The Names of God, Moody Publishers, 2010, p. 35\). The doctrine of the Trinity finds support in the Old Testament in the appearances of [the Angel of the Lord](angel-of-the-Lord.html): In several places, the Old Testament records encounters with someone called “the Angel of the Lord.” This supernatural presence speaks as if He is God, identifies Himself with God, and exercises the responsibilities of God. For example, in Genesis 16:10, the Angel of the Lord says to Hagar, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” Of course, God is the One who blesses Ishmael, but it’s the Angel of the Lord who personally makes the promise to his mother. The same Angel of the Lord appears to Abraham and assumes the role of God, saying, “Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son” (Genesis 22:12, emphasis added ). See also Exodus 3:2; Judges 2:1–4; 5:23; 6:11–24; 13:3–22; 2 Samuel 24:16; Zechariah 1:12; 3:1; 12:8\. In several passages, those who see the Angel of the Lord fear for their lives because they had “seen the Lord.” It’s clear that the Angel of the Lord was no mere angel. Viewed through the lens of the New Testament teaching of the Trinity, it’s easy to conclude that the Angel of the Lord could be a pre\-incarnate appearance of Christ. The doctrine of the Trinity finds support in the Old Testament in its descriptions of the [Spirit of God](is-the-Holy-Spirit-God.html): The post\-exilic Levites speak of the Spirit of God as being sent by God and speaking for God: “You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them” (Nehemiah 9:20, NKJV); and “For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets” (Nehemiah 9:30\). Both verses seem to make a distinction between God and another personality called the Spirit of God. See also Isaiah 48:16 and Isaiah 63:10\. The doctrine of the Trinity finds support in the Old Testament in God’s self\-references: Most of the time, God speaks of Himself using singular pronouns (e.g., Exodus 33:19; Hosea 11:9\); at other times, He uses [plural pronouns](God-plural.html): “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26, emphasis added). “And the LORD God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil’” (Genesis 3:22, emphasis added). As sinful humanity was erecting the tower of Babel, God said, “Come, let Us go down and confuse their language” (Genesis 11:7, BSB, emphasis added). In Isaiah 6:8, God refers to Himself in both singular and plural terms: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’” (emphasis added). We could assume that, in each of the above passages, God is simply using the [majestic plural](majestic-plural.html) to emphasize His power and greatness. Or we could also assume that there’s something more going on—viz., that these statements hint at discrete personalities existing as a unified whole. The doctrine of the Trinity finds support in the Old Testament in [Messianic passages](messianic-prophecies.html): In Psalm 110:1, David writes, “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’” (NKJV). Here is an example of Yahweh speaking to Adonai and giving Him the place of highest honor in heaven. Jesus pointed to this psalm as proof that the Christ is more than David’s descendant—He is the pre\-existent Lord and much greater than David (Matthew 22:41–45\). Another Messianic prophecy is found in Psalm 45:6–7: “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” The psalmist, addressing Elohim, suddenly speaks of “your God” who honors and anoints the Addressee. The doctrine of the Trinity finds support in the Old Testament in the repetition of God’s qualities or His name: In Isaiah 6:3, the angels surrounding God praise Him as being “[holy, holy, holy](holy-holy-holy.html).” The threefold repetition expresses the intensity and completeness of God’s holiness. Some scholars also infer from the angels’ words an expression of the triune nature of God, as the three Persons of the Godhead are each equal in holiness and majesty. Similarly, we have a threefold repetition of God’s name in Numbers 6:24–26: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” The blessing’s appeal to “the Lord . . . the Lord . . . the Lord” is seen by some scholars as providing a glimpse of the Trinity. In many ways, the Old Testament gives a preview of the New Testament’s fuller revelation, including the doctrine of God as a triune Being. While the Trinity is not clearly seen in the Old Testament, there are certainly indicators of that truth.
What does it mean that by wisdom a house is built (Proverbs 24:3)?	Answer [King Solomon](life-Solomon.html) was one of the most prolific property developers in biblical history and more than qualified to say, “By wisdom a house is built” (Proverbs 24:3\). He constructed the “house of the Lord,” or the temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1\), a massive project that took seven years and turned out to be one of the wonders of the ancient world. He also built his own magnificent palace—“the House of the Forest of Lebanon” (1 Kings 7:1–3, ESV)—as well as gardens, roads, walls, infrastructure, and many government buildings. Yet a physical residence was not the only structure Solomon had in mind when he said, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures” (Proverbs 24:3–4\). Solomon understood that the virtue of wisdom has constructive, life\-giving qualities. His maxim closely resembles Proverbs 3:19: “The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens” (ESV). [Wisdom](godly-wisdom.html) initiates life, produces fruit, and inaugurates creative wonders. Wisdom creates, nurtures, fosters, establishes, and fills a house, whether the “house” is a brick\-and\-mortar building, a household, a family, an enterprise, a company, an individual reputation, or personal character. In Proverbs 14:1, “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” In Proverbs 24:3 and elsewhere, the Scriptures personify wisdom as a productive, hardworking [woman](wisdom-she-Proverbs.html): “Wisdom has built her house; she has carved its seven columns. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table” (Proverbs 9:1–2, NLT). Although wisdom is an intangible quality, Solomon describes it poetically, as if it were an actual person. In doing so, Solomon vividly communicates availability of wisdom and the benefits of seeking and finding it. The “rare and beautiful treasures” that fill the rooms of Proverbs 24:3 could be literal—the wise will handle finances well—but they also symbolize blessings such as harmony, unity, loving family relationships, and a sense of safety, protection, well\-being, and stability. “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,” says Proverbs 21:20, ESV. The Bible says that believers are “God’s house.” Through wisdom, we, as God’s children, are built into a solid and secure “house” for the Lord: “But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ” (Hebrews 3:6, NLT). The apostle Paul taught that we are members of the “household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19–22, ESV). As individual members of Christ’s body, we are being built together into one holy temple in the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:17\). The most important stone in any building is the cornerstone. For this reason, Jesus Christ is called the [Cornerstone](Jesus-Christ-cornerstone.html) of the church. He is the firm, immovable foundation upon which the entire building is established, undergirded, supported, and constructed. He sets the pattern for the entire structure. Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” upon which we are built (1 Corinthians 1:24\). Peter encouraged believers to come to God through Jesus Christ so they might be built into a spiritual house for God: “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like [living stones](living-stone.html), are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. . . . But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:4–5, 9\). God’s work will last. Without Him, we’re spinning our wheels: “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1\). We must depend on the Lord’s wisdom (see Luke 6:48\), but how do we get it? We first receive God’s wisdom when we are filled with His Holy Spirit at salvation (1 Corinthians 2:6–15\). After that, James tells us that wisdom is gained by asking God for it (James 1:5\). We obtain wisdom by seeking it, pursuing it, and valuing it (Proverbs 2:2, 4–5; 4:8\). Likewise, we get wisdom by spending time in God’s Word (Psalm 19:7; Proverbs 4:5–7; 2 Timothy 3:15\). The Lord’s wisdom is failproof. God’s “house” is built by God’s wisdom and God’s power, and Jesus is the Cornerstone. We can trust that it will never crumble or collapse (Matthew 16:18\).
What is the significance of Jaffa in the Bible?	Answer Jaffa, known during biblical times as [Joppa](Joppa-in-the-Bible.html), is a Mediterranean port city in Israel, about 34 miles northwest of Jerusalem. The city of Jaffa now forms the southern section of modern Tel Aviv. The city’s Hebrew name means “beautiful.” Jaffa is mentioned throughout Scripture and was the site of many significant biblical events. Jaffa or Joppa is first mentioned in the book of Joshua during the conquest of the Promised Land. The allotment for the tribe of Dan included the coastal city of Jaffa (Joshua 19:46\). The Danites failed to successfully drive the inhabitants out of the territory, however (Joshua 19:47\), and Jaffa was not occupied by Israel until the reigns of David and Solomon. When Solomon began to build the temple and his palace, he used the [cedars of Lebanon](cedars-of-Lebanon.html) as lumber for construction. The cedar logs were shipped by King Hiram of Tyre to Jaffa (1 Kings 5:6; 2 Chronicles 2:16\). When the Israelites were rebuilding the temple after their return from the Babylonian Exile, they again requested lumber from Lebanon to be shipped to them by way of Jaffa (Ezra 3:7\). Notoriously, the [prophet Jonah](life-Jonah.html) ran away from the Lord and boarded a ship at Jaffa’s port. Jonah intended to head in the direction of Tarshish in Spain (Jonah 1:3\). Tarshish was in the opposite direction of where God wanted the prophet to go: Nineveh in Assyria (Jonah 1:2\). Despite Jonah’s disobedience in sailing the wrong direction from Jaffa, he ended up right where God wanted him, as God intervened and set the reluctant prophet on the correct course (Jonah 1:16–17\). In the New Testament, the apostle Peter spends a significant amount of time in Jaffa (Acts 9:43\). While Peter was visiting the town of Lydda, the believers in Jaffa asked him to come to the sea city because of the death of [Tabitha](Dorcas-in-the-Bible.html) (also called Dorcas), a follower of Christ (Acts 9:32, 36–38\). Once Peter arrived, he was led to where the body of Tabitha was lying. He prayed earnestly to the Lord and in faith told her to get up (Acts 9:40\). The Lord resurrected Tabitha back to life, and because of this miraculous sign, many people in Jaffa placed their faith in Christ (Acts 9:41–42\). While staying with [Simon the tanner](Simon-the-tanner.html) in Jaffa, Peter received a vision from the Lord commanding him to eat all kinds of food and declaring all foods to be clean (Acts 10:10–16\). The Lord’s command to Peter to “not call anything impure that God has made clean” (Acts 10:15\) showed two things: 1\) the Mosaic dietary laws (see Leviticus 11\) had been fulfilled in Christ, and 2\) salvation in Christ was extended to the Gentiles. Immediately following the vision, Peter was able to see God’s impartiality regarding salvation when he preached the gospel to the Gentile centurion [Cornelius](Cornelius-in-the-Bible.html), who believed (Acts 10:34–48\). Later, when Peter gave his report to the believers in Jerusalem about his experience at Jaffa, they marveled that God had granted salvation not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles (Acts 11:1–18\). From being a shipping hub for the cedars of Lebanon, to being the site of some amazing miracles in the apostolic age, the seaport city of Jaffa, or Joppa, has a rich biblical history.
What does it mean to bind up the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1)?	Answer In Isaiah 61:1, the prophet announced the good news of God’s restoration for the people of Israel: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1\). Seven centuries later, Jesus Christ began His public ministry in the synagogue of Nazareth by opening up the scroll of Isaiah and applying this passage to Himself (Luke 4:18–21\). “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” Jesus concluded, identifying Himself as the anointed Servant\-King who would announce “the good news” of salvation and bind up the brokenhearted. The “brokenhearted” are people who are weakened, crushed, or destroyed in spirit. The term describes those who feel spiritually bankrupted, needy, and helpless. They yearn for the Lord’s help, comfort, and salvation. The verb translated “bind up” in the original language means “to inspire with confidence, give hope and courage to, to encourage, to bandage, to dress by covering, wrapping, or binding.” Both in Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18, the focus of the message of good news is spiritual restoration and healing. As a physician would “bind up” or bandage a wounded arm, so the [Messiah](what-does-Messiah-mean.html) would bandage a wounded spirit. Brokenhearted people—the spiritually ruined—are in the right condition to be met and saved by God (Psalm 51:17\). David says in Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Jesus Christ brought the good news of salvation to the poor, the needy, and the spiritually barren, that is, all who were corrupted by sin. Before salvation, sin separated us from God (Ephesians 2:1–3\). Without Christ’s [sacrifice on the cross](Jesus-better-Levitical-sacrifices.html), we were all destined for death (Romans 6:23; 7:5\). But Jesus came to set us free from the power of death and the fear of death (Romans 8:1–2; Hebrews 2:14–15\). The corruption of sin that had left us spiritually crushed was overcome by the work of Christ on Calvary (Romans 4:25\). Christ’s redeeming sacrifice opens the way for us to experience His glorious resurrection life (Romans 6:8\). Accepting His salvation is our greatest spiritual need, and that is why it is such good news: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3\). We were all brokenhearted, helpless, and separated from God before we received Christ’s gift of salvation. But now we have peace with God (Romans 5:1–2\). Now we have fulness of joy (Psalm 16:11; Isaiah 35:10; Acts 13:52; John 15:11\). How does Jesus bind up the brokenhearted? The Bible explains, “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed” (1 Peter 2:24, NLT). Christ understands what it means to be brokenhearted: “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3–5\). Some of us are brokenhearted because we’ve fallen back into sin. Maybe we’ve regressed in our Christian walk, we’ve compromised our stand, or we’ve allowed our hearts to grow cold and indifferent. The solution is to return to the Lord and ask for His forgiveness (Hosea 14:1–2\). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9\). In Psalm 51, David sought the Lord’s forgiveness after He had [sinned with Bathsheba](David-and-Bathsheba.html). He felt broken, crushed, unclean, and in need of renewal from within. He longed for God to purge him thoroughly: “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you” (Psalm 51:7–12, NLT). David understood that no earthly sacrifice could atone for His sin: “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God” (Psalm 51:16–17, NLT). Only God’s [unfailing love](unfailing-love.html) and compassion could save David. The only thing he had to offer God was a broken, humble heart—but that was enough. God will not reject us when we come to Him in brokenhearted repentance. Jesus Christ knows our troubles, temptations, and sorrows (Hebrews 4:15\). He experienced them throughout His life and His death on the cross. Yesterday, today, and forever, our brokenhearted Savior is the healer of spiritually bankrupt sinners. He meets the deepest needs of broken people—He covers their sins (John 3:16; 1 John 1:9, Colossians 1:14\); He gives them hope, courage, and abundant, eternal life (John 10:10; 17:3; Romans 8:23–24; 15:13; 1 John 2:25\). “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3\).
Who was Tyrannus in the Bible?	Answer Tyrannus was the owner of a lecture hall or school in [Ephesus](Ephesus-in-the-Bible.html). He is mentioned only once in Scripture, in conjunction with Paul’s ministry in Ephesus during his [third missionary journey](Paul-third-missionary-journey.html). Paul had been teaching in the Jewish synagogue in Ephesus for about three months, preaching Christ and “arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God (Acts 19:8\). The Jews did not respond positively, as was often the case when Paul spoke in synagogues. Luke records that the Jews “became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus” (Acts 19:9\). Paul had been rejected by the Jewish population in other urban centers as well. Each time, he left off speaking to the Jews and focused on the Gentiles instead (Acts 13:44–475; 18:5–6\). It seems that he followed the same pattern in Ephesus: having been publicly opposed in the [Jewish synagogue](what-is-a-synagogue.html), Paul began to preach to the Greeks in the hall of Tyrannus. Nothing is really known of Tyrannus’s background or spiritual standing, or even the function of his “lecture hall.” His name is Greek (meaning “prince” or “ruler”), and some scholars believe that Tyrannus was a teacher, philosopher, or rhetorician—an expert in persuasive speech—who rented out his hall to traveling philosophers and teachers. He may have simply been a businessman who permitted Paul to use the building. Others hold to the possibility that Tyrannus was a Jewish scholar or [rabbi](Jewish-rabbi.html) who had his own private synagogue or operated a school. The Bible never indicates whether Tyrannus became a believer in Christ or if his faith had anything to do with allowing Paul to use his building. In fact, it’s possible that the lecture hall was named in honor of a former owner of the building or a respected teacher in the past and that Tyrannus was not alive during Paul’s time. The place could have been called “Tyrannus Lecture Hall” in the same way that a university today might christen a building “John Adams Hall.” According to a footnote in the ESV, one Greek manuscript adds the detail in Acts 19:9 that Paul taught in Tyrannus’ lecture hall “from the 5th hour unto the 10th”; that is, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This period was typically when workers had their midday meal and rested from their work and the heat of the day. It’s possible that Paul would have worked at tentmaking during the other parts of the day (cf. Acts 18:3\) and devoted this midday period of rest to evangelizing at Tyrannus’s lecture hall. Paul continued teaching there “for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10, CSB). Although nothing in Scripture indicates that Tyrannus ever became a believer, he had a hand in assisting the spread of the gospel to multitudes of people in Ephesus and the surrounding region.
What does it mean to yield to the Spirit?	Answer Although there is no specific verse in the Bible about “yielding to the Spirit,” the idea is present. Romans 6:13 speaks of being yielded to God, and Romans 6:19 of yielding our bodies as “servants to righteousness unto holiness” (KJV). This is in contrast to yielding to sin and the flesh. To yield is to give something up or to give way to a demand of some sort. A person yielded to the Spirit will accede to the Spirit’s will and submit to His authority. Scripture mentions [walking in the Spirit](Spirit-walk.html)—following His lead and living in cooperation with His plan. Scripture also mentions being [filled with the Spirit](Spirit-filled.html)—being fully surrendered to Him and functioning in His power and freedom. Both walking in and being filled with the Spirit necessitates yielding to His control. Yielding to the Spirit finds its opposite in [grieving](grieve-Holy-Spirit.html) Him (Ephesians 4:30\), quenching Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19\), or resisting Him (Acts 7:51\). Those who are yielded to the Holy Spirit will not be doing that which offends Him, they will not dampen His influence in their hearts, and they will not oppose His will. Some good examples of believers yielding to the Holy Spirit are found in the book of Acts. The believers gathered in a house in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost were there in obedience to the risen Lord’s command to “stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49\). That power came in the Person of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:4, when “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues a as the Spirit enabled them.” These disciples, yielded to the Spirit, proclaimed the gospel to the multitudes, and the church began. The [first foray into foreign missions](Paul-first-missionary-journey.html) began when the church in Syrian Antioch was “worshiping the Lord and fasting, \[and] the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2\). Yielding to the Spirit, the church “fasted and prayed, . . . placed their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:3\). On the [second missionary journey](Paul-second-missionary-journey.html), Paul and his companions, Silas and Timothy, were traveling through Asia Minor preaching the gospel. But then the Spirit began to redirect them: “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas” (Acts 16:6–8\). That night in Troas, Paul had a vision that guided the missionaries to Macedonia. The gospel was brought to Europe because Paul and his companions were yielded to the Spirit. The Holy Spirit would have us “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18\), do good works (1 Peter 2:15\), and “be sanctified,” avoiding sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3\). The Spirit desires that we count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ (Romans 6:11\). He desires us to know the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18–19\) and be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29\). He wants those who trust in Christ to be assured that they are God’s own children (Romans 8:16\). As we yield to the Spirit, allowing Him full control of our lives, we will see the fruit of the Spirit being produced in us (Galatians 5:22–23\), and we can look forward to “a harvest of righteousness and peace” (Hebrews 12:11\).
What is Hamas?	Answer Hamas is a [Palestinian](difference-Israel-Palestine.html) nationalist group that seeks to eliminate the nation of Israel, replacing it with an Islamic state. Hamas is an acronym for Ḥarakat al\-Muqāwamah al\-Islāmiyyah, which in English translates to “Islamic Resistance Movement.” Hamas is a militant Muslim group that functions through several semi\-independent branches, each focusing on a category such as charity, media, or military action. While social welfare is admirable, the group’s use of violence and anti\-Semitic propaganda have resulted in its being designated a [terrorist organization](Bible-terrorism.html) by many nations worldwide. The group most notably operates in the [West Bank](Israeli-settlements.html) and the Gaza Strip of Israel. Hamas is heavily supported by nations such as Iran, Qatar, and Turkey. The “military” efforts of Hamas are routinely denounced as acts of terrorism. These include suicide bombings, the mass launching of homemade, unguided rockets, and other acts directly targeting Israeli civilians. Observers have also criticized Hamas for deliberately placing weapons and other military resources in civilian areas. Some have gone further and accused the group of using Palestinians as human shields. Defenses against such charges tend to rely on technicalities and legalese. Without question, Hamas has shown itself willing to endanger Palestinian people to further their political and religious goals. Hamas also participates in [anti\-Semitic](anti-Semitism.html) propaganda and media production. This includes programs targeted at children that encourage martyrdom, hatred for Jews, and support for terrorist acts. Due to the claimed separation of Hamas’s different branches, it is sometimes argued that these radio, television, and print productions do not represent the actual views of Hamas. Given that the branches of Hamas share common resources, leadership, and aims, this is not a reasonable defense. Criticism of Hamas is by no means limited to pro\-Israeli, Western, or anti\-Islamic voices. A great many Palestinian people also disagree with Hamas’s tactics. Some also reject their more extreme goals. Though Hamas is nominally a [Sunni Muslim](Sunni-Islam.html) organization, many Muslims disapprove of the group. Regardless of how one views the ongoing [Arab\-Israeli](Jews-Arabs.html) conflict, groups primarily dealing in hatred and terrorism, such as Hamas, should not be supported. The goals of Hamas are, biblicaly speaking, the opposite of God’s plan for Israel. Hamas desires Israel’s destruction while God desires to bless Israel and bring about peace (Psalm 122:6\). Hamas’s hatred of Israel places it under God’s curse (Genesis 12:3\).
What does it mean that we are pressed but not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8)?	Answer The apostle Paul compares the ministry of the gospel to a “[treasure in jars of clay](treasures-in-jars-of-clay.html).” In Paul’s metaphor, God stores the priceless gospel ministry in fragile, everyday human vessels. Then Paul lists some of the real hardships he and other ministers encounter: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9\). Jars of clay are common, earthenware containers, but the ministry of the gospel is the most valuable treasure on earth. The New Living Translation makes Paul’s meaning evident: “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:7–10, NLT). Paul cites four contrasts to show the lives of gospel ministers are like ordinary jars of clay containing a precious possession. First, he describes the hardships they experience. Then he explains how God’s power sustains them through times of adversity. We are pressed but not crushed is the first hardship and corresponding display of God’s power. The word for “pressed,” in the original Greek, means “afflicted, to be brought into difficulties, trouble, distress, or suffering.” The term translated “crushed” is similar but speaks of being afflicted or distressed to the point of total hopelessness. It describes being in a situation without any hope of escape or survival. Paul asserts that, even when placed under the most severe pressure and strain, the jar of clay—the frail human minister in a perishing body made of dust—will not be broken or smashed to the point of hopelessness and despair because of the great treasure held within—the gospel of Jesus Christ or the grace and truth of God. We are pressed but not crushed means that, even though we suffer tremendous affliction, we will not be overcome by it because of God’s sustaining power. We have the treasure of Christ within us and the message of [the gospel](what-is-the-gospel.html), which is the power of God (Romans 1:16\). Paul often spoke of suffering as part of the Christian experience, especially for ministers of the gospel (Galatians 6:17; Philippians 3:10–11\). “If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering” (Romans 8:17, NLT). We should not be surprised or give up when we experience hardships, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:16–17, NLT). Although we may feel hard pressed on every side, the power of God working within us will never leave us without hope (Psalm 94:14; Hebrews 13:5 Matthew 28:20\). We have hope in this life because we know that the difficulties we endure as believers will give way to future glory in the world to come. Our suffering has an eternal purpose: “Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:11, NLT). The life of Christ is displayed through what God does in our weakened earthen vessels. Our sufferings give opportunity for God’s power to be revealed, but they also bear witness to the death of Jesus and His resurrection life (2 Timothy 2:11\). Paul never sugar\-coated the Christian experience, and neither should we. If we are to speak honestly about what it means to be a sold\-out minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, like Paul, we won’t cover up the gritty and sometimes harsh realities. At times we will feel hard pressed on every side by troubles, but we will not be completely crushed. We can admit when our circumstances are perplexing, but they will never reach the point of hopelessness and despair. We may sometimes feel hunted down, but God will never abandon us. Even if we get knocked down, with God’s power in us, we will never be destroyed. The priceless treasure hidden deep within assures us “that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself” (2 Corinthians 5:1, NLT).
What is an exvangelical?	Answer The term exvangelical refers to those who have moved away from common interpretations of the term evangelical. For many exvangelicals, that move away from [evangelicalism](evangelical-theology.html) corresponds with a move away from traditional morality, orthodox doctrine, and/or conservative social and political stances. Being an exvangelical does not necessarily involve rejecting Christianity or the basic concepts of evangelicalism. Those who first used the term were responding to perceived trends within American Evangelicalism. Increasingly, however, those taking on the label “exvangelical” are embracing a non\-Christian or progressive faith system. Over time, culture shifts the meaning of words. The shift can be drastic, as seen with words like gay, which used to refer to happiness before it became a byword for homosexuality. The word catholic, which literally means “universal,” is now almost exclusively associated with Roman Catholicism and all its theological concerns. When faithful Christians stopped using the term catholic to refer to their faith, they sought distance from false associations, not from faith itself. For some, moving away from the term evangelical reflects a similar desire. Whether Christians like it or not, the word evangelical is increasingly associated with attitudes and actions contrary to biblical faith. Whether or not the associations are fair, they’re still used by the culture at large to criticize religion. Also, sadly, it is true that some within the evangelical community demonstrate actions and attitudes that don’t reflect Christ very well. Some self\-identified evangelical Christians dogmatically tie non\-essential opinions to the validity of faith itself. Seeking to distance oneself from the term evangelical shouldn’t automatically be seen as a dismissal of Christianity. More recently, there is a trend for exvangelical to describe someone moving beyond distancing to actively opposing evangelicalism. Increasingly, those who claim that label espouse progressive, secular, or anti\-biblical attitudes. They take on the label “exvangelical” to signal they are “anti\-evangelical” and dismissing fundamental aspects of biblical faith in favor of a more personal “faith” that suits them. In extreme cases, such exvangelicals merely “switch sides” while maintaining the same partisan, unforgiving attitudes they supposedly left behind. This is connected to the trend of “[deconstruction](deconstruction.html)”; in practice, it’s mostly a means by which people reject faith under the pretext of seeking truth. Given the rapidly changing understanding of these terms, caution is advised. It’s important to know precisely what a person means when he uses—or claims—the term exvangelical. Likewise, those who merely decline the label “evangelical” should be extended careful understanding (see Romans 12:18\). More important than the label one uses or one’s opinion on peripheral issues is one’s acceptance of the gospel (1 Corinthians 2:2; 9:16\).
How long did Jesus live?	Answer The Bible never tells us exactly how long Jesus lived on earth. Most of what we think about His age is based on educated guesses. The age that a priest could enter public ministry was 30 years old. Correspondingly, Jesus began His public ministry when He was “about 30 years old” (Luke 3:23\). This is really the only time reference that we have concerning Jesus’ age. When estimating how long Jesus lived, one problem is that the gospels never give (and do not claim to give) a comprehensive account of all of Jesus’ activities. However, there is biblical evidence that Jesus observed at least three distinct [Passovers](what-is-Passover.html) during His public ministry. Perhaps He celebrated more Passovers that we don’t know about, but, if there are at least three, then His public ministry would have lasted between 2 and 3 years. If you take “about 30” when He started public ministry and add “about three” more years of ministry, you get an age of about 33–36\. Based on other dates and events, we know that Jesus could not have had a public ministry for much longer than a few years. According to the [historian Josephus](Flavius-Josephus.html), the high priest Caiaphas, who presided over the plot to crucify Jesus, was in office until AD 36, and Pilate governed in Judea from AD 26 to 36/37, so the crucifixion must have happened before AD 36\. If Jesus was born between 6 and 4 BC, which is commonly accepted as well, based on the date of Herod the Great’s death, then the maximum time span of Jesus’ life would have been 6 BC—AD 36\. That would put Jesus’ age at the time of His crucifixion at 41, at the very oldest. So the answer for how long Jesus lived is anywhere between 32 and 41 years, but the best guess, and the most commonly accepted, is 36 years. When discussing Jesus’ age, it is always important to point out that the 32\-41 years of His life is only the time our Lord spent on earth. The Son of God had no beginning; His birth through the [virgin Mary](virgin-Mary.html) was simply His entrance into the human race. He is the eternal God and was already in existence “in the beginning” (John 1:1\). Likewise, He is alive today, at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 7:25\) and will continue to live forever (Revelation 1:18\).
What does it mean that a little leaven leavens the whole lump (Galatians 5:9)?	Answer A little leaven leavens the whole lump is a metaphor the apostle Paul uses to compare the effects of false teaching in the church to the results of yeast in bread dough (Galatians 5:9\). Just as a small amount of yeast will make a whole loaf of bread rise, a little bit of [legalistic teaching](Bible-Christian-legalism.html) will quickly spread, infiltrating the hearts and minds of individual believers until the entire church is contaminated. [Leaven](leaven-in-the-Bible.html) is any substance (like yeast) used to produce fermentation in dough. It is the main ingredient that causes bread to rise in preparation for baking. The “whole lump” in Galatians 5:9 refers to an entire batch of dough and in Paul’s analogy denotes the whole congregation of believers. In Galatians 5:1–6, Paul stresses that Christ, by God’s grace and through the inner working of the Holy Spirit, has set believers free from slavery to the outward control of the law. Then he begins to list the destructive consequences of returning to a legalistic bondage to the law. One adverse outcome is stunted spiritual growth: “You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is” (Galatians 5:7–10, ESV). Employing one of his favorite comparisons, Paul likens the Christian life to a [race](run-the-race-set-before-us.html). The Galatians were excelling in the race until false teachers cut into their spiritual marathon. They set up obstacles of legalism, confusing the believers and hindering their spiritual development. The stumbling Galatians had stopped obeying the truth as the influence of bad company corrupted their good character (1 Corinthians 15:33\). Paul then engages his yeast comparison, emphasizing that a little bit of legalism in the church—like leaven in a batch of dough—goes a long way. “Leaven” here symbolizes wrong teaching that destroys true Christian freedom. Paul quickly communicates his trust in the Lord to keep the Galatians on the track of truth and warns that God will judge the false teachers who had been tripping them up. Paul uses this same yeast metaphor with the church in Corinth: “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:6–7, ESV). Here, “leaven” represents sin, and precisely the sin of pride (1 Corinthians 5:2\). Paul wants to protect the church from the disastrous consequences of moral corruption. Their arrogant attitude of tolerating an appalling sin in the church posed a severe threat. Allowing one believer to continue unchecked in a blatant transgression would have a devastating impact on the entire church. Paul asks, “Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough?” (1 Corinthians 5:6, NLT). Paul is adamant. The church must deal with the person’s sin. A single member’s sin affects the entire body because we are all collective parts of one whole (1 Corinthians 12:12–26\). The church should heal, restore, and keep the body as one pure and moral community of believers because it lives and moves and has its being in Christ (Acts 17:28; Romans 12:5\). Paul explains, “Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are” (1 Corinthians 5:7, NLT). Paul’s metaphor of a little leaven leavens the whole lump is rooted in the significance of Christ’s sacrifice and directly tied to the Passover. Paul concludes, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7\). Jesus is our [Passover Lamb](Passover-Lamb.html) of God (John 1:29; Revelation 13:8\). When Christ died on the cross, His blood was spilled to protect us from God’s wrath, just as the blood spread over the doorframes of the Hebrews’ homes protected them in Egypt (Exodus 12:7\). As part of the Passover commemoration, the ancient Israelites were forbidden to bake or eat [leavened bread](unleavened-bread.html) or even have leaven in their homes. This tradition was observed in remembrance of Israel’s hurried exodus from Egypt, which gave no time for preparing leavened bread (Exodus 12:33–34, 39\). Knowing Christ is our Passover, Paul urges believers to remember His sacrifice by removing the “old leaven” of sin from our individual lives and our congregations. Jesus also used the word leaven to describe the [corrupt teachings](leaven-of-the-Pharisees.html) of the Sadducees and Pharisees (Matthew 16:6, 11–12\) and Herod (Mark 8:15\). Like leaven that works its way through dough, spreading out until its effects are manifest in the entire batch, Jesus warned that the ideas of Herod and the religious leaders were steadily permeating the people’s thinking. Even a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough just as a tiny bit of sin, or just a small amount of harmful teaching, has a widespread corrupting influence on the minds and hearts of people. Only once in the New Testament is leaven used as a [positive metaphor](parable-leaven.html). Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven” (Matthew 13:33, ESV; Luke 13:20–21\) to illustrate the ever\-increasing, pervasive influence of God’s kingdom in the world.
What is deconstruction? What does it mean when people say they are deconstructing their faith?	Answer “Deconstruction” is the heading most recently applied to the process of questioning, doubting, and ultimately rejecting aspects of Christian faith. This is an application of [deconstructionism](deconstructionism.html), an approach that claims to disassemble beliefs or ideas while assuming their meanings are inherently subjective. Both the trend and its title reflect backlash against the unfortunate habit within some religious circles to downplay deep questions and ignore those who hold them. To openly investigate the nuances of belief, even changing one’s convictions, is a biblical concept. In practice, though, “deconstruction” almost always acts as a polite cover for “demolition.” Modern “deconstruction” usually means replacing uncomfortable tenets with culturally or personally [popular ideas](Bible-popularity.html). A fundamental belief in biblical Christianity is that of man’s limited understanding compared to God’s unlimited understanding. Scripture often draws this contrast explicitly (Isaiah 55:8–9; Job 38:1–4; John 6:45–46\). Scripture also teaches this truth indirectly, noting how sincere Christians often come to different conclusions (Romans 14:1–5; 1 Corinthians 10:28–32\). The Bible says we can be stubborn and interpret His will wrongly (John 5:39–40\). This does not mean everything is subject to opinion (1 Corinthians 3:10–14; 15:3–8\); rather, it means everything should be open to sincere questions (Matthew 7:7–8\). Deconstruction claims to explore such issues, though its ultimate motivation is often not to understand, but to undermine. Scripture commands each person to scrutinize his or her faith. This includes fact\-checking (Acts 17:11\), thoughtful preparation (1 Peter 3:15\), reasonable skepticism (1 John 4:1\), cooperation with others (Proverbs 27:17\), multiple perspectives (Proverbs 15:22\), and an appreciation for all God has shown in His creation (Romans 1:18–20; Psalm 19:1\). Scripture often depicts people crying out with doubtful complaints and frustrations (Psalm 73:2–3; Habakkuk 1:2–4\). Those who examine what they believe and why they believe it, assessing those views for truth, are following a biblical mandate (2 Corinthians 13:5\). Yet this is not what the modern deconstruction movement does. Too often, churches and church members act like [social clubs](cultural-Christianity.html), while failing to wrestle with difficult questions about faith. Believing we have established every answer beyond all doubt reflects a natural desire for control. That impulse is not biblical. In fact, it’s what led groups like the Pharisees to claim they could define “honoring the Sabbath” down to how many steps a man could take. Refusal to accept some level of trust in the face of uncertainty is more than a form of legalism (Mark 7:8–9\); it’s antithetical to the very concept of faith (Mark 9:24; Hebrews 12:1\). Rather than allowing room for sincere doubt and questions, some Christian communities reject anything more than superficial curiosity. That may extend to carelessly labelling those with doubts as unbelievers or troublemakers. This lends weight to those who falsely claim that valid answers are only found outside the church. Faith communities may obsess over teachings that are secondary or even superficial. They may cement cultural and [political preferences](Christian-politics.html) into their view of Christianity. Those errors also feed the false narrative driving much of the modern deconstruction movement. Some deconstruct in response to deeply personal pain. Those who have been neglected, rejected, or even [abused](Bible-abuse.html) within a church context struggle to separate unbiblical traumas from legitimate teachings of Scripture. Failures and betrayals from Christian leaders create heartache and embarrassment. Pain felt by those we love becomes pain in our own lives. Some respond to these struggles by jettisoning doctrines or beliefs; this is partly an attempt to distance themselves from the stigma of another person’s actions. Such failures of the modern church can and should be corrected. However, what is now called “deconstruction” reflects long\-established and innate principles. There will always be those whose connection to faith is superficial (Matthew 7:21\). Others have understanding fragile enough to fail under strain (Hebrews 3:12\). Jesus’ parable of the sower includes two groups who demonstrate a response to truth, only to be overcome by worldly pressure or persecution (Matthew 13:20–22\). Paul knew people often succumb to attractive lies (2 Timothy 4:3–4\). Paul witnessed close friends yielding to popular trends (2 Timothy 4:10\). Even Christ saw people walk away because they did not want to accept His message (John 6:65–66\). To say, “Deconstruction means choosing easier beliefs” is an oversimplification. And yet deconstruction almost always means adopting views palatable to the unbelieving world. All too conveniently, it means moving away from positions on sexuality, gender, salvation, sin, hell, and other issues not embraced by popular culture. The vast majority who claim to be deconstructing move with the flow of their surrounding culture, not against it. This movement demands “safe space” to ask difficult questions. Yet, ironically, modern deconstruction often settles for easy, comfortable answers. Or it simply chooses which aspects of faith to retain based on personal preference. While deconstruction implies openness in theory, it most often manifests as an “escape clause” when it comes time to justify one’s new or “progressing” views. Ironically, those who reject Christian culture for not engaging questions can themselves be deeply evasive when asked to do that very thing. It’s easy to ask hard questions. Complex mysteries can be posed in just a few words. Answering those questions, however, takes time and effort. Simply listing complications or nitpicking is not the same as sincerely assessing ideas. Identifying oneself as “in deconstruction” can become an easy excuse for never taking a position but merely rejecting something one dislikes. There’s a natural tendency to feel “smart” or superior when pointing out the flaws in someone else’s views. When one forgets that the questioning process is meant to go both ways, it can feel like an attack. When challenged to explain their views, deconstructors often complain they are “not being allowed a safe space” to pose questions. As noted, there absolutely are circumstances where Christian communities unreasonably slam the door on doubters. Yet merely being asked, “Why do you think that’s true?” or “What makes that a better option?” is a part of any sincere line of questioning. Three counterexamples provide guidelines on how Christians can respond to sharp questions or doubts about faith. These are Nicodemus, Thomas, and the early church. [Nicodemus](Nicodemus-in-the-Bible.html) came to ask Jesus about faith (John 3:1–2\), and Jesus gave Him answers. These answers were honest, even if not entirely what Nicodemus might have wanted to hear (John 3:3–15\). They were certainly not the answers Nicodemus’ culture would have preferred. Jesus’ responses often challenged the assumptions of those who sought Him out (John 4:22–24; Luke 18:22–23\). When [Thomas](Thomas-in-the-Bible.html) doubted Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus took the gracious step of providing more attention, time, and evidence than anyone reasonably needed (John 20:24–28\). Believers should sympathize with those struggling under doubts and be ready to go that extra mile when they can (Matthew 5:41–42\). Jesus didn’t merely applaud Thomas for being skeptical; He graciously dealt with the skepticism. While being respectful of doubters, the church needs to hold its ground on principles that are truly clear or fundamental to faith. That means insisting on truths even if they are controversial to the world at large. The book of Acts records the early church making [reasonable concessions](Jerusalem-Council.html) to Jewish believers. The church did not compromise cornerstone teachings in the face of intense pressure to do just that (Acts 15\). While accepting the need to consider culture when communicating (1 Corinthians 9:20–23\), those early believers also refused to accept false teaching for the sake of popularity (Acts 5:29\). Christians need to lovingly engage questions from seekers and doubters. That might mean simply admitting “I don’t know” and offering to look for an answer together. Not all challenges to faith come from a point of antagonism. Some come in the form of curiosity. Some come in the form of skepticism. Some come with intense personal pain and complicated histories. For those reasons, believers should provide “safe space” for others to express concerns and doubts (Romans 12:18; 14:13\). Those who “[fall away](falling-away.html),” even when lovingly treated, don’t reflect a weakness in the truth of Christianity (1 John 2:19\). No one should replace sincere seeking with the attitudes connected to the modern deconstruction movement.
What is the definition of religion?	Answer More than 80 percent of the world subscribes to some “religion”; one might expect the word to have a straightforward meaning. Yet there is no universally accepted definition of the term religion. Religions take fundamentally [different approaches](are-all-religions-the-same.html) to truth, Scripture, behavior, and reason. The same is true of a host of other concepts, such as meaning, experience, tradition, tolerance, unity, conformity, authority, deity, doctrine, salvation, morality, sexuality, family, death, and humanity. Some cultures view religion entirely separately from individuals or society. Others don’t distinguish those concepts enough to consider “religion” a meaningful category. A general definition of religion can be distilled from these widely varied experiences as “a system connected to spiritual and/or supernatural components that uniquely impacts the adherent’s [worldview](Christian-worldview.html), behavior, belief, culture, morality, and approach to certain writings, persons, or places.” Even simplified, that’s quite a mouthful—and a mind\-full. The lines between religion and culture or philosophy or tradition or myth are not easily drawn. Religion\-as\-a\-category is hard to define, but specific examples are clearer. Most people connect to something easily identified as a religious belief. These systems self\-identify as religions and exist far from the fuzzy edges of definitions. Examples are [Christianity](Christian-religion.html), Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. These are straightforwardly called “religions” and come with all the expected features—over which they deeply disagree. As with other broad terms, religion takes on narrower meaning in certain contexts. A common instance focuses on behavior. In that usage, references to “religion” emphasize actions or attitudes: rituals, prayers, behaviors, or confessions of doctrinal belief. Or, greatly simplified, “rules and rituals.” A person who often prays and attends church would be seen as “practicing religion.” In contrast, someone who never prays or attends church would be considered “non\-practicing,” even if he claimed that faith. The Bible addresses the concept of religion, but not as often or directly as one might expect. Clear references are almost exclusively found in the New Testament. This reflects a difficulty in defining religion; the ancient world intertwined spirituality, identity, and culture such that independently defining religion would have been redundant. Greek and Roman philosophy, followed by Christianity, contributed to the modern theme we now describe as religious belief. Biblical references to “religion” typically use the narrow focus on behavior. In James 1:27, for example, the word religion references acts of worship—that is, the expression of faith: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” Note in his description the lack of commonly accepted “tools” of religion: James does not mention religious objects, holy days, memorized liturgies, or special hand gestures. Pure religion involves helping others in distress and maintaining personal holiness. Jesus frequently criticized hollow, hypocritical behavior not rooted in sincere faith (Matthew 5:27–28; 7:21–23; Mark 7:9–13; Luke 11:42–44\). Scripture also explicitly contrasts the idea of religion as a practice with faith\-in\-and\-of\-itself. Speaking to non\-believers, Paul noted altars to manifold deities and said the people were “very religious” (Acts 17:21–23\). James says religion not producing self\-control is “worthless” (James 1:26\). A parallel to how Scripture views terms such as religion or religious would be terms such as politics and political. [Politics](Christian-politics.html) are important, in their own way, since “politics” is how a culture translates moral and ethical beliefs into laws and government. A person can be “political” while maintaining a sense that political parties, laws, and elected officials are not literally the most important things at stake. They are means to an end, not the ends themselves. A person who derives his fundamental meaning and purpose from the mechanics of partisan politics isn’t political so much as unbalanced, given his misplaced priorities. Religion, in the same way, can be warped when it becomes its own focus. Biblical Christianity posits an ultimate purpose both behind and beyond the characteristics used to define a “religion.” Those details matter, but they are not faith entire. This, again, was a key aspect of Christ’s teaching. It made up the bulk of His routine scolding of His era’s religious leaders, whose priorities were just as misplaced as some of today’s partisans (see Luke 11:52\). Rituals, prayers, denominations, or other “lived” aspects of faith becoming gods unto themselves is the kind of “religion” against which Scripture speaks (Titus 3:5; Romans 3:20\). For this reason, Christians sometimes quip that “Christianity is not a religion; [it’s a relationship](Christianity-religion-relationship.html).” Of course, using the broadest definition of religion, the word accurately applies to following Jesus. And yet, believers are meant to understand how behaviors and attitudes should flow both from and toward the person of Jesus Christ. So far as that understanding exists, Christianity is [fundamentally different](Christianity-unique.html) from every other “religion” in the world.
Who was Agag in the Bible?	Answer Two men are named Agag in Scripture. Like the designation “Pharaoh” in Egypt and “[Abimelech](Abimelech-Bible.html)” for the Philistines, “Agag” was apparently a general name for the king of the [Amalekites](Amalekites.html). An Agag is mentioned in Numbers, in the story of Balaam; and another Agag is found in 1 Samuel in conjunction with an event in Saul’s life. When [Balaam](Balaam-in-the-Bible.html) prophesied concerning Israel, he stated, “Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted” (Numbers 24:7, ESV). In prophesying about Israel’s future Messiah King, Balaam compared Him to another king, Agag of the Amalekites. The second man named Agag in Scripture is a later king of Amalek mentioned in 1 Samuel. The Lord had commanded [King Saul](life-Saul.html) to exterminate all the Amalekites and all that they owned, including livestock (1 Samuel 15:1–3\). Instead of following the Lord’s command, “Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed” (1 Samuel 15:9\). Saul and his army took plunder and livestock for themselves, which God had specifically forbidden (1 Samuel 15:3\), and Saul also chose to keep Agag the king alive (1 Samuel 15:8\). When the [prophet Samuel](life-Samuel.html) confronted Saul about his disobedience, Saul tried to mollify the prophet and justify himself by arguing that the plunder and livestock were intended to be dedicated to the Lord (1 Samuel 15:21\). In response, Samuel told Saul he would lose his kingship because of his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:22–23, 28–29\). Samuel then did what Saul had refused to do: he killed Agag, saying to him, “‘As your sword has killed the sons of many mothers, now your mother will be childless.’ And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal” (1 Samuel 15:33, NLT). Contrary to Saul’s claim to have completely destroyed the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:20\), biblical history shows there were still some left. Amalekites are mentioned later in the same book (1 Samuel 27:8\). It was the Amalekites who raided David’s city of Ziklag, stealing away his family and possessions (1 Samuel 30:1–3\). David pursued the Amalekites, defeated all but four hundred of them, and took back all that had been stolen (1 Samuel 30:17–20\). Some of those Amalekites were presumably descendants of Agag, because of what we read in the [book of Esther](Book-of-Esther.html). In Esther, the Jew\-hating [Haman](Haman-the-Agagite.html) is called “the Agagite” (Esther 3:1\). Haman was probably a descendant of Agag, but the designation could simply refer to his Amalekite heritage. In either case, the situation in Persia was the result of Amalekites—including Agag and some of his family, we assume—having been spared by King Saul centuries earlier. Saul’s disobedience led, in Esther’s day, to a descendant of Agag attempting genocide against the Jews (Esther 3:6\). Haman’s chief enemy was [Mordecai](Mordecai-in-the-Bible.html), who was from the same tribe as Saul (Esther 2:5\). In the sovereign plan of God, Haman ultimately failed in his attempt to exterminate the Jews (Esther 7:9–10; 9:1–17\). Today, the annual Jewish observance of [Purim](Feast-of-Purim.html) includes a reading of the story of Amalek’s hatred of Israel on the preceding Sabbath. The lasting threat posed by Agag and the Amalekites shows that, although disobeying the Lord may at first appear to only affect the person sinning, rebellion to God’s commands can have consequences that affect many others over many years.
What is the Book of Common Worship?	Answer The Book of Common Worship is the official ministry manual for the [Presbyterian Church in the United States of America](Presbyterian-Church-USA.html) (PCUSA). Although the manual’s subtitle has been dropped in more recent editions, the older subtitle very accurately describes the contents and purpose of the book: Presbyterian Book of Common Worship and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Ordinances and Rites of the Church. By following the order of service in this manual, a person with very little knowledge of the Bible or theology could conduct a service for any number of occasions following standard liturgical formulas. The work is described as follows on the [official website](https://www.pcusa.org/) of the PCUSA: “The Book of Common Worship is a must\-have for Presbyterian pastors, church musicians, liturgical leaders, and anyone who wants to know more about worship in the Reformed tradition. It includes everything church leaders need for Sunday worship, the Christian year, the sacraments, and pastoral and occasional services, such as ordinations, weddings, wholeness services, and funerals” (accessed 5/25/21\). The following abbreviated table of contents will provide a good summary of the types of services and occasions that are covered in the Book of Common Worship: The Lord’s Day The Christian Year The Season of Advent The Season of Christmas The Time after Epiphany The Season of Lent The Season of Easter The Time after Pentecost Baptism and Reaffirmation The Sacrament of Baptism Profession of Faith (Confirmation) Baptism and Profession of Faith Combined Reception of New Members Blessing of Departing Members Reaffirmation of Baptism for a Congregation Ministry in the Church Ordination and Installation Commissioning to Service Conclusion of Service Occasions in the Life of a Congregation Mission in the World Creation and Ecology Justice and Reconciliation Interreligious Events Dedications Dedication of a Church Dedication of Other Institutions Dedication of a Home Marriage Service of Marriage Reaffirmation of Marriage Vows Prayer at the End of a Marriage Healing and Wholeness Service of Wholeness for a Congregation Service of Wholeness for an Individual Extended Communion of the Church Communion in the Home or Hospital Ministry with the Sick Death and Resurrection Prayer at the Time of Death Comforting the Bereaved Funeral: Witness to the Resurrection Daily Prayer Vigil of the Resurrection Services of Daily Prayer Prayers at Mealtime The Book of Common Worship was first produced in 1906 but has been revised and edited several times since then to keep abreast of the changing times and culture. The original work was a little over 200 pages, while the current edition is well over 1,000 pages. The most recent edition was produced in 2018\. The PCUSA website describes the work that was done: “Over the last several years, more than 180 consultants and writers from across the denomination, representing today’s broad, diverse Presbyterian body, gathered for one of six regional consultations to edit existing resources and write new material for the latest edition of the Book of Common Worship. Responsive to the many changes in the church and world since the last revision in 1993, the new edition has been reimagined and redesigned to meet the needs of today’s church. “This useful revision adds brief passages of practical commentary before each section and service, as well as more guidance for those who pray spontaneously or compose their own prayers. New sections on creation and ecology, justice and reconciliation, natural and human\-caused disasters, and interreligious worship are included as well as revised marriage and funeral liturgies and updated song suggestions” (ibid., accessed 5/25/21\). One of the more significant changes, in keeping with the spirit of the age, is a change in the marriage service that uses more “inclusive language” to allow for same\-sex weddings ([www.christianpost.com/news/pcusa\-updates\-book\-of\-common\-worship\-inclusive\-language\-same\-sex\-marriage.html](https://www.christianpost.com/news/pcusa-updates-book-of-common-worship-inclusive-language-same-sex-marriage.html), accessed 5/25/21\). The Book of Common Worship may have many useful ideas for planning services in all sorts of denominations on many different occasions, and it is also provides insight into the practices and beliefs of the PCUSA today.
What does it mean to abhor what is evil (Romans 12:9)?	Answer In Romans 12:9–21, the apostle Paul presents a series of short exhortations that concentrate on living and loving sacrificially in every situation and in all relationships. He begins with this appeal: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9, ESV). Paul’s teaching stresses that people who overcome evil with [sincere love](unfeigned-love.html) bear the marks of a true Christian. In the original language, the word translated as “abhor” means “to find repugnant, hate, loathe, dislike, and have a horror of.” The term for “evil” in Romans 12:9 speaks of “morally objectionable behavior.” The appropriate Christian attitude toward evil behavior is vehement opposition to the point of being horrified by it and feeling hatred toward it. As Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:22, believers are to “reject every kind of evil.” It’s important to note that abhorring what is evil entails rejecting or hating sinful behavior. Believers are not to reject or hate sinful people who do evil, only their immoral behavior. Through the prophet Amos, God told the people of Israel to turn away from their corrupt behavior. If they would “do what is good and run from evil,” then they would live (Amos 5:14, NLT). If they would go against the prevailing immorality—if they would hate evil behavior and instead love what is good, honest, and righteous, if they would uphold justice instead of squashing it (Amos 5:10–12\)—then the Lord would be with them to defend them rather than to judge them. God hates evil (Psalm 5:4–6; Proverbs 6:16–19\). David said, “O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked” (Psalm 5:4, NLT). Because God is holy, He hates sin and wickedness. Scripture says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16\), but it also teaches that “God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day” (Psalm 7:11\). Because God is holy (Psalm 99:9\), His wrath against evil is as much a part of His character as His love. The [love of God](God-is-love.html) is pure and holy. The Lord loves justice, truth, righteousness, and holiness and therefore must hate wickedness, sin, and evil. If God did not abhor what is evil, He could not be a God of holy love. Thus, those who have genuine love for God will also abhor what is evil: “Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 97:10\). David pledged, “I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it” (Psalm 101:3\). When we come face to face with evil behavior, God wants us to hate it so much that we refuse to take part in it. As we consider the things we watch on television or look at online, is there anything vile, evil, or repugnant to God? When we think about the behaviors we engage in alone or with other people, are there activities the Lord would want us to have no part in? The Bible teaches us to separate ourselves from the unclean things of the world (Isaiah 52:11; 2 Corinthians 6:17; James 4:8\) and “cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God” (2 Corinthians 7:1, NLT). Our genuine love for the Lord and other people ought to motivate us in every circumstance and relationship to abhor what is evil and hold fast to what is good.
What does it mean to cling to what is good (Romans 12:9)?	Answer Romans 12:9–21 contains a series of short appeals in which the apostle Paul urges Christians to live together as Christ’s body by putting sacrificial love into action. He begins with this plea: “Love must be [sincere](unfeigned-love.html). Hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9\). Paul points out that true believers love genuinely, without hypocrisy, and overcome evil with good. The term for “good” in the original language speaks of “moral excellence.” The verb translated “cling to” means “to stick or hold together and resist separation, to join, unite, or embrace.” Some Bible versions say “hold fast” (ESV) or “hold tight to what is good” (NLT). When Paul told the Roman Christians to “cling to what is good,” his desire was for them to embrace moral goodness with all of their beings or, in other words, to love it. The godless of the world “hate what is good” (2 Timothy 3:3, NLT). But God’s children are lovers of good. We hate evil because it is the enemy of all that is good. God Himself is good and the source of all goodness (Mark 10:18\). Everything God creates is “very good” in every aspect (Genesis 1:31\). Our goodness as believers, our righteousness or moral excellence, starts by being made [right with God](justification.html) through faith in Jesus Christ (Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:22; 10:4\). God has made Jesus Christ our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Peter 1:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21\). Once we are made right with God through the blood of Jesus and our faith in Him, we continue to seek, hunger, and thirst for His righteousness by clinging to what is good (Matthew 5:6; 6:33\). When we hold tight to God, He works His righteousness in us. When we cling to what is good—when we love God and stick close to Him—we can trust that He is transforming us from within, teaching us His good and perfect will, and working everything in our lives for good (Romans 8:28\). Early church father [Augustine of Hippo](Saint-Augustine.html) said, “It is good for me to stick close to my God. This will constitute the perfect and eternal wisdom, as it will constitute the truly happy life, because to attain it is to attain the eternal and supreme good, and to stick close to God forever is the sum of our good” (Letters, 131—164, The Fathers of the Church, vol. 20, R. J. Deferrari, ed., W. Parsons, trans., The Catholic University of America Press, 1953, p. 314\). Paul advised the Thessalonians to test all things by God’s moral standard and only “hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21–22, NLT). He told the Roman believers, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NLT). God warned the people of Israel to turn away from their corrupt behavior and “do what is good” (Amos 5:14, NLT). If they would go against the prevailing corruption by hating evil behavior and clinging to what is good and righteous, if they would defend justice instead of trampling on it (Amos 5:10–12\), the Lord would stand by them as their defender rather than as their judge. Similarly, Paul asserted that to those who “keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers,” the Lord will give eternal life. “But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness” (Romans 2:7–8, NLT). God’s Son, Jesus Christ, is “the [good shepherd](Good-Shepherd.html)” who “lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11\). His life and death are ultimate examples of what it means to put sincere, sacrificial love into action. Jesus “gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds” (Titus 2:14, NLT). By doing good deeds and showing kindness and sacrificial love to others, we prove that we are the children of God: “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God” (3 John 1:11; see also James 3:13\). Clinging to what is good draws us into a closer relationship with Christ, which in turn results in Christlikeness of character: “For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21, NLT). We cling to what is good by clinging to the Lord. Jesus Christ in us is all the goodness we need to be wholly good.
What is the significance of God telling Cain, “Sin is crouching at your door” (Genesis 4:7)?	Answer Genesis 4:6–7 is a challenging Bible passage to make sense of: “Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’” To appreciate the significance of God telling [Cain](Cain-in-the-Bible.html), “Sin is crouching at your door,” we must first consider the context of the larger story. Cain was angry because God had accepted his brother Abel’s offering and not his own (Genesis 4:3–5\). Bible interpreters disagree about why God rejected Cain’s offering. Some say it was because Abel offered a blood sacrifice and Cain did not. Others believe Cain’s offering was [rejected](Cain-and-Abel.html) because, unlike Abel’s, it was not the best and the first of his crop. The Bible doesn’t explicitly spell out the answer. Yet we can be sure that there was something about Cain’s attitude, motivation, or unwillingness to obey God’s instruction that contributed to his offering’s being rejected. We aren’t privy to the details, but both Cain and Abel understood what God expected of them. Cain knew he’d given an unacceptable sacrifice because God told him later, “You will be accepted if you do what is right” (Genesis 4:7, NLT). Cain knew the right thing to do but didn’t do it. Even still, God graciously allowed him the opportunity to make things right and then warned him, “But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master” (Genesis 4:7, NLT). This description of sin is striking. The Hebrew word translated as “crouching” in Genesis 4:7 can indicate lying down, as in resting, but also refers to lying in wait like a predator lurking for its prey. The same verb is associated with an ancient Semitic term for demons that were believed to guard entrances or doorways to buildings. Thus, the text characterizes sin as a demonic presence or a predatory animal waiting to pounce on Cain. God questioned Cain—“Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?”—for the same reason He quizzed Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:9, 11\). The Lord wasn’t scolding them. Instead, He wanted them to admit their sin so that they would repent. Then God lovingly presented Cain with a choice: He could surrender his anger, [repent](how-to-repent.html) of his wrong attitude, and get his heart right with God, or he could let sin get the better of him. As we know, Cain failed to heed God’s gracious words of caution. He let the wickedness of anger crouching at his door spring on him, become his master, and rule over him, which led to an even greater crime. Cain went on to slay his own brother, committing the first murder in history. Since the creation of humankind, God has let people know what He expects of them. In the Garden of Eden, God told Adam and Eve how to follow His commands (Genesis 2:16–17\) just as He made His will clear to Cain. Later He called the children of Israel to love and obey Him: “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good” (Deuteronomy 10:12–13, NLT). Today God continues to speak to His children through His Word, calling them to obey His commands (John 14:15, 21, 23–24\) and follow Christ’s example of humble obedience (John 14:31, Philippians 2:7–8\). Just as the Lord gave Cain the chance to repent and get right with Him, God extends His kind and gracious offer of forgiveness and cleansing to us (2 Corinthians 7:11; John 1:9\). But if we ignore Him, the Lord puts us on notice that sin is crouching at our door. It is waiting for just the right moment to dominate us. First Peter 5:8–9 forewarns, “Stay alert! [Watch out](be-sober-and-vigilant.html) for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (NLT). If we submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, just like the Lord urged Cain to do, we have the promise of victory over the devil: “He will flee from you” (James 4:7\). God’s warning to Cain that “sin is crouching at your door” ought to be a vivid reminder to us that sin is like a wild animal waiting for its next victim. If we aren’t careful to repent and obey the Lord, it will pounce on us and master us, too, leading to deeper sin and eventual destruction and death: “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full\-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15\). In this, Cain is an example to us all.
Why didn’t Jesus write any books in the Bible?	Answer Many wonder why Jesus did not write any books or why anything He may have written was not preserved. Conspiracy theorists suggest His texts were hidden for nefarious reasons. Given the importance of the written Word (2 Timothy 3:16\), it’s natural to ask why Christ didn’t record anything in writing. Scripture doesn’t give us an exact answer. Still, we can make educated guesses. The most likely reason relates to humanity’s habit of over\-emphasizing certain things and ideas, while losing sight of the larger picture. Speaking to the disciples at the Last Supper, Jesus said that He was going to leave the physical world (John 16:5\). Then, shockingly, He said that His leaving was to their advantage (John 16:7\). That would have been hard to understand at the time. However, it does make sense in hindsight. So long as Jesus was physically present, the disciples would always rely on His presence to control their faith. Only when Jesus left, and the Holy Spirit came, would the disciples rely on a personal, internal connection to God’s will. If Jesus had stayed physically present in this world, their every decision would have been delayed until they could ask Him His advice in person. The reach of the gospel would be limited by where He was, physically, at any given time. Obedience to God and the outworking of faith would have been focused on seeing or hearing a physical Christ—to the exclusion of interacting with other Christians or heeding the voice of the Holy Spirit. As we consider why Jesus didn’t write any books of the Bible, similar principles may apply. Even having the Bible, some ignore or downplay everything in Scripture other than the words of Jesus: the “[Red Letter](red-letter-Christians.html)” groups. Beyond the fact that “red letters” are not designated in the original texts, that approach to the Bible can lead to setting aside important teachings from God. It’s a misplaced effort to emphasize some of God’s Word over other parts. In truth, everything in Scripture is from Jesus, because it’s all from God. If we had texts personally written by Jesus, many would go beyond honoring them to setting aside all other words of Scripture. Having a “book of Jesus” would invite people to ignore inspired statements outside that text. If the physical scrolls of any book of the Bible survived, people would treat those objects as idols—just as they do with supposed “[relics](Christian-relics.html)” associated with Christ. Jesus’ only earthly possessions when He died were His clothes; these were immediately taken by indifferent Romans (John 19:23–24\). Had He left anything else, including writings, the relics would quickly have inspired idolatrous impulses. Something similar happened in the Old Testament, when people obsessed over [an item](Nehushtan.html) associated with Moses (Numbers 21:4–9; 2 Kings 18:1–4\). Knowing human nature, God may have purposefully avoided giving us things to worship. This may explain why we know so little about [Jesus’ childhood](Jesus-childhood.html) or His appearance. Such details would likely provide temptation and distraction far more than they’d tell us anything we need to know about God. We don’t have an explicit answer about why Jesus never left writings of His own. Still, human weakness seems the best explanation. Discipleship relies on individual understanding and an appreciation for all of God’s Word. If we had a book of the Bible written by Jesus, we would be tempted to obsess over and even idolize it. As much as the disciples would have loved Jesus to stay with them, and as much as we’d love to have His handwritten words, our sin nature determines that not having those things is, ironically, better for us and our relationship to God.
Where did Paul learn to be a tentmaker?	Answer The apostle Paul was a tentmaker by trade, and he relied on that trade to support himself in Corinth on his [second missionary journey](Paul-second-missionary-journey.html). In Corinth, Paul met fellow tentmakers Priscilla and Aquila, and “because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks” (Acts 18:3–4\). Where Paul learned his trade of tentmaking we simply can’t be sure. The Bible never says. We know that as a young man Paul studied under the tutelage of [Rabbi Gamaliel](Gamaliel-in-the-Bible.html) in Tarsus, who provided him with an expert knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures (Acts 22:3\). Those educational credentials allowed Paul to preach in the synagogues wherever he traveled (see Acts 17:2\). We also know that Tarsus, where Paul was from, was in the province of Cilicia, famous for raising goats and producing a goats’ hair cloth that was used for tentmaking. In fact, the cloth was named cilicium, after the province of origin. It was standard practice for Jewish rabbis to have learned a trade. Rabbi Hillel, the grandfather of Gamaliel, was a carpenter. Paul’s trade was that of tentmaking. It could have been a business his family was involved in. It’s also possible that Paul learned and began to practice tentmaking during his school years. Another possibility is that he became a tentmaker during his ministry or in the time between his [road\-to\-Damascus conversion](Damascus-Road.html) and the beginning of his ministry (see Galatians 1:17\). Paul turned to his training as a tentmaker in certain situations so as not to be a burden to the churches he was nurturing and to avoid accusations that he was preaching for gain. He told the elders in Ephesus, where he had spent two years, “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions” (Acts 20:33–34\). Most likely, tentmaking was not a big part of Paul’s life in general. His focus was always preaching the gospel of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 2:2\). Being a tentmaker was probably only something he did on occasion, as a fallback. Author E. Randolph Richards points out that, “as a traveler, Paul did not carry the supplies necessary to conduct a significant business as a tentmaker. . . . In the ancient Greco\-Roman world, it took considerable time to establish the necessary relationships in order to gain the necessary permissions to conduct business in a city, both from city leaders as well as the appropriate guilds. Paul was able on occasion to enter into business, but only in situations such as Corinth, where he was actually assisting in an established business with an established shop with regular suppliers, owners with memberships in the appropriate trade guilds and a regular clientele” (Paul and First\-Century Letter Writing: Secretaries, Composition, and Collection, InterVarsity Press, 2004, p. 170\). When it comes down to it, the Bible just gives us broad, “big\-picture” overviews of most of the events it discusses, including the ministries of major figures like Paul. The book of Acts, for example, doesn’t mention Paul’s heading to Arabia for a while before beginning his ministry; we don’t learn about that episode until Paul mentions it in his letter to the Galatians. So, even though we’re told Paul was a tentmaker by trade and he served in that capacity at times, it’s impossible to say with certainty how or when he learned the trade or how much tentmaking he actually did during his ministry.
What are the Lord’s appointed times (Leviticus 23)?	Answer In Leviticus 23:1–2, the Lord told Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: These are my appointed times, the times of the LORD that you will proclaim as sacred assemblies” (CSB). “Appointed times” were the holy days, feasts, and festivals that God required the people of Israel to set aside as consecrated to the Lord and to observe faithfully throughout the year. Part of ancient Israel’s commitment to worship and holy living involved the proper observance of sacred days and annual religious gatherings. The appointed times corresponded with the Jewish calendar and were tied to lunar and solar cycles. The Lord called these solemn observances “my appointed times,” indicating that the focus of the gatherings would be on Him. They included the weekly Sabbath and the monthly new moon festival. The annual spring festivals were the Lord’s Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Firstfruits, and the Feast of Weeks, which was called Pentecost in the New Testament. The fall festivals consisted of the Feast of Trumpets or New Year’s Day, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. The [Sabbath](Sabbath-day-rest.html) (Leviticus 23:3\) was an important religious celebration for the Hebrews because it was observed every week as a sign of Israel’s covenant relationship with God (Exodus 31:12–17\). On the Sabbath, the Israelites were forbidden to do any work at all, whether plowing or reaping (Exodus 34:21\), baking or food preparation (Exodus 16:23\), lighting a fire (Exodus 35:3\), or gathering wood (Numbers 15:32–36\). Sabbath comes from a Hebrew word that means “to rest, to cease from labor.” The Sabbath remembered God’s rest on the seventh day following the six days of creation (Exodus 20:11\) as well as God’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15\). The [new moon observance](new-moon-Bible.html) marked the first day of every new month. During the new moon festivals, several different sacrifices were offered (Numbers 28:11–15\), trumpets were blown (Numbers 10:10\), all labor and trade were suspended (Nehemiah 10:31\), and feasts were enjoyed (1 Samuel 20:5\). The appointed time of the [Passover](what-is-Passover.html) (Leviticus 23:4–5\) was at the beginning of the bright season of the year when the moon was full in the first month of spring. The name Passover originates from the Hebrew term pesach, meaning “to leave or spare by passing over.” This great festival commemorated Israel’s salvation and deliverance from Egypt. Along with the Feast of Weeks and Tabernacles, it was one of three annual pilgrimage festivals (Deuteronomy 16:16\) in which all Jewish males were required to travel to Jerusalem to worship. The seven\-day [Feast of Unleavened Bread](unleavened-bread.html) (Leviticus 23:6–8\) immediately followed Passover and was always celebrated as an extension of the Passover feast. During this week, the Israelites ate only unleavened bread to commemorate Israel’s hurried departure from Egypt. On the second day, Israel incorporated the [Feast of Firstfruits](firstfruits-offering.html) (Leviticus 23:9–14\) when the priest presented the first sheaves of grain from the spring harvest as a wave offering to the Lord. The Jews could not partake of their crops until the first fruits had been given. This act symbolized that the first and the best of everything belongs to God and that Israel would put the Lord first in every part of life. It was also an expression of thanksgiving for God’s gift of the harvest and for supplying their daily bread. The next appointed time on the Jewish calendar was the [Feast of Weeks](Feast-of-Weeks.html) (Leviticus 15—22; Deuteronomy 16:9–10\), which fell in late spring, on the fiftieth day (or a full seven weeks) after the Feast of Firstfruits. In the New Testament, this commemoration is called “Pentecost” (Acts 2:1\), from the Greek word meaning “fifty.” As one of the harvest feasts, the Feast of Weeks involved offering the first loaves of bread made from the wheat harvest to the Lord. On this day, the Israelites also read from the book of Ruth and the Psalms. The [Feast of Trumpets](Feast-of-Trumpets.html) (Leviticus 23:23–25; Numbers 29:1–6\) or Rosh Hashanah (New Year’s Day), which was observed in the fall, marked the start of a new agricultural and civil year in Israel. This appointed time was announced with the blast of trumpets, commencing ten days of solemn dedication and repentance before the Lord. The [Day of Atonement](Day-Atonement-Yom-Kippur.html) (Leviticus 23:26–32; Numbers 29:7–11\) or Yom Kippur was the highest and holiest day of the Lord’s appointed times, falling ten days after the Feast of Trumpets. This day called for solemn fasting, deep repentance, and sacrifice. Only on this day, once a year, could the high priest enter the holy of holies in the tabernacle or temple and make an atoning blood sacrifice for the sins of all the people of Israel. As a complete Sabbath, no work was done on the Day of Atonement. Five days later, Israel celebrated its most joyous appointed time of the year with the fall harvest festival (Sukkot), also known as the [Feast of Tabernacles](Feast-of-Tabernacles.html) (Leviticus 23:33–36, 40, 42–43; Numbers 29:12–40\) or Feast of Booths. During this week\-long celebration, the Jewish people built small, makeshift shelters where they lived and ate their meals as a reminder of God’s provision and care during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness when they lived and worshiped in temporary tents. The Lord’s appointed times were celebrations of God’s divine protection and provision. Each one recognized different aspects of God’s work of salvation in the lives of His people. Ultimately, these holy days, feasts, and festivals found their fulfillment in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Israel’s Messiah, Jesus Christ. Together, these observances prophetically convey the message of the cross, the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and the glorious promise of His second coming. As we gain a richer, fuller understanding of the Lord’s appointed times, we are rewarded with a more complete and unified picture of God’s plan of salvation as presented throughout the whole of Scripture.
“Do not forget the Lord”: what are the implications of this command (Deuteronomy 8:11)?	Answer As the people of Israel prepared to settle down in the [Promised Land](Promised-Land.html), Moses took time to warn them of certain dangers they must avoid. In Deuteronomy 8, he cautioned them about the perils of prosperity and self\-satisfaction that they would face in their new home: “Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Deuteronomy 8:11–14\). The word translated “forget” in this passage comes from a verb in the original Hebrew that means “to stop remembering, ignore, dismiss from the mind, abandon, neglect, or cease to care about.” This kind of forgetting involves putting the Lord out of one’s consciousness. Moses knew that, if the people were not careful, they would forget the forty years of God’s care [in the wilderness](wilderness-wandering.html) when He had given them food to eat, clothing to wear, and sheltered them. In their comfortable, complacent, and prosperous state in the “land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8\), they would be tempted to dismiss from their minds God’s miraculous parting of the Red Sea and deliverance from slavery in Egypt, His supply of manna in the desert when there was no food, His drawing water from the rock when they were thirsty, His guiding presence, His protection, and even His chastening hand when they had transgressed. As time went by, it would be all too easy for them to let the memory of God’s past goodness fade. They would become self\-satisfied and think they had achieved success all on their own. Moses explained, “He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath. But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed” (Deuteronomy 8:17–19, NLT). Forgetting the Lord would get the Israelites into trouble, leading them into the sin of idolatry and eventual destruction. Moses cautioned that, if Israel neglected the lessons learned in the wilderness, failed to depend entirely on God, abandoned their worship of Him, and neglected His Word, disaster would obliterate the abundant blessings that remembering God brings. Do not forget the Lord means consciously and consistently thinking about what God has shown us in the past, including His miracles of deliverance and provision, His abiding presence, His tender care, and His loving discipline. It also means obeying the “commands, laws, and decrees” in God’s Word. When Moses said, “Do not forget the Lord,” he meant for God’s people to keep the truth of Scripture and the real\-life experiences of the living God ever at the forefront of their minds. Are we not just like the ancient Israelites? When things are going well, don’t we quickly dismiss the truths we have learned in the past? Don’t we forget how we clung to God in the trials and heartaches, utterly dependent on Him for every breath? The warning for Israel is the same for us today: Do not forget the Lord. Let these words challenge us to always give God’s dealings in our past a significant place in our present. May we honor and obey His Word and not take His blessings for granted. May we thank God for His goodness, mindful that He is the Giver of every good and perfect gift we enjoy (James 1:17\). Similarly, let us constantly remember that our success depends solely on the Lord’s power and grace in our lives.
Why did Laban say to Jacob, “May the Lord watch between you and me” (Genesis 31:49)?	Answer In Genesis 31:48–49, Laban said to Jacob, “‘This heap \[of stones] is a witness between you and me today.’ That is why it was called Galeed. It was also called Mizpah, because he said, ‘May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other.’” Laban’s words to Jacob at [Mizpah](Mizpah-in-the-Bible.html) were part of a covenant between the two as they parted company. Both [Laban](Laban-in-the-Bible.html) and his nephew [Jacob](life-Jacob.html) were sneaky, conniving, deceitful men. When the God\-appointed time came for Jacob to leave Laban’s house in Paddan Aram and return to his father, Isaac, Laban was reluctant to let him go. Therefore, while Laban was off on a sheep\-shearing mission three days from home, Jacob took his family, livestock, and all of his accumulated possessions and set off in secret for the land of Canaan (Genesis 31:17–20\). When Laban received news of Jacob’s departure, he immediately set out in hot pursuit. But along the way, God appeared to Laban in a dream and warned him to let Jacob go peacefully. But that did not stop Laban from ending their twenty\-year relationship in a controversial legal dispute involving accusations of stolen idols and a counter\-attack from Jacob regarding years of harsh labor and abuse (Genesis 31:25–42\). Finally, Laban suggested that they enact a treaty to enforce a boundary between them: “Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us” (Genesis 31:44\). Jacob set up a stone monument where he and Laban sat down to share in a covenant meal. To memorialize the occasion, Laban called the place Jegar\-sahadutha, which means “witness pile” in Aramaic. Jacob called it Galeed, which means “witness pile” in Hebrew (Genesis 31:47\). Laban added the Hebrew name Mizpah, meaning “watchtower.” Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are away from each other” (Genesis 31:49\). The New Living Translation says, “May the LORD keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant when we are out of each other’s sight.” Laban had little confidence that Jacob would keep the covenant. Laban recognized in Jacob his own slippery character—a relative cut from the same devious cloth. Beyond the reach of his eyes, he did not trust Jacob. Laban also employed legal language in an attempt to conceal his own untrustworthiness. He set conditions to the covenant to bind Jacob further: “If you mistreat my daughters or marry other women behind my back, remember that God stands as a witness between you and me” (Genesis 31:50, GWT). Even though Jacob had built the monument, Laban seized credit for it, saying, “See this pile of stones . . . and see this monument I have set between us. They stand between us as witnesses of our vows. I will never pass this pile of stones to harm you, and you must never pass these stones or this monument to harm me” (Genesis 31:51–52, NLT). May the Lord watch between you and me was a statement motivated by wariness and distrust. Once out of sight, Laban did not trust Jabob, so he called on the Lord to keep watch or be on the lookout for him. His petition was not a prayer for God to take care of the two men while they were separated, as believers sometimes pray. Instead, it was a desperate plea for the Lord to remain vigilant and catch the one who might be planning to harm the other. Today’s English Version captures the idea with these words: “May the Lord keep an eye on us.” As long as the two men were together, they could see what the other was doing and look out for themselves. But once they were hidden from each other’s view, they would have to commend their safety into the Lord’s hands.
What is the counsel of the ungodly, and how do we not walk in it (Psalm 1:1)?	Answer Psalm 1 seems to present a choice that every person must make. There is a fork in the road of life: one route is the way of the righteous, which leads to blessings; the other is the “path of sinners,” and it ends in destruction. A prerequisite for experiencing a blessed life is described in the opening verses: Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1–2, NKJV). The [blessed man](mean-to-be-blessed.html) does not walk “in the counsel of the ungodly.” In the original Hebrew, the word translated “counsel” is a noun meaning “something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action.” The “ungodly” are wicked people, sinners, and those characterized by godlessness. To walk not in the counsel of the ungodly means to reject any advice from the wicked. It includes avoiding any guiding influence that might shape or direct one’s way of life toward godlessness. Walking involves progress; thus, the verse instructs, “Don’t walk in the counsel, don’t stand in the path, don’t sit in the seat” of the ungodly. The apparent progression presents a picture of someone walking next to sin, then stopping to stand and take it all in, and then finally sitting right down in sin’s seat “to enjoy the fleeting pleasures” of it (Hebrews 11:25\). Not walking, standing, or sitting with the ungodly implies steering clear of sin by avoiding participation in every aspect of the sinner’s way of life. The apostle Paul warned, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Corinthians 15:33\). “Do not make friends with a hot\-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared,” cautions Proverbs 22:24–25\. A Christian cannot expect to make forward progress if he seeks counsel from sinners or makes plans with unbelievers: “Do not be [yoked together](unequally-yoked.html) with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14\). The person who chooses the righteous way of life avoids thinking like the ungodly, behaving like the wicked, and associating with the godless. Instead, he will “walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20\). A believer who “walks not in the counsel of the ungodly” will apply biblical truth to his daily life, letting God’s Word be a lamp to guide his feet and a light for his path (Psalm 119:105\). His “delight is in the law of the Lord,” and he “[meditates](Christian-meditation.html) on his law day and night,” says Psalm 1:2\. Such a person will grow in faith and spiritual maturity (Romans 10:17\). God blesses the route of the righteous because they “fear the Lord and delight in obeying His commands” (Psalm 112:1\). Rather than taking pleasure in sin and the things of the world, they “live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people” (Philippians 2:15, NLT). Loving God and obeying His Word will result in abundant blessings (Joshua 1:8; Luke 11:28; John 14:21\). As we read the Scriptures daily, study them, memorize them, and meditate on them night and day, our thinking changes. We no longer love the world or the things in it (1 John 2:15–17\). We no longer walk in the counsel of the ungodly. We “don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world”; instead, God transforms us by changing how we think. Then we can experience God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2, NLT). People who walk in the counsel of the ungodly listen to worldly advice, make plans with the wicked, and willfully participate in the sinner’s way of life. Romans 8:5–7 describes these people as those “who live according to the flesh” and “have their minds set on what the flesh desires.” By contrast, “those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” God calls His children to choose the way of righteousness—to be set apart, holy. He calls us out of darkness to walk in His light (1 Peter 1:15–16; 2:9\). That is the path to the blessings of life and peace.
What is the significance of Ruth telling Naomi, “Wherever you go, I will go” (Ruth 1:16)?	Answer [Ruth](life-Ruth.html) made a radical break with everything she had ever known in life when she told her mother\-in\-law, [Naomi](Naomi-in-the-Bible.html), “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16, NLT). From this point forward, the young widow’s life would never be the same. Ruth’s story portrays sacrificial love and redemption despite overwhelming odds. Ruth, a [Moabite](Moabites.html) woman, married into a Jewish family but soon became a destitute widow, along with her mother\-in\-law, Naomi. After the death of her husband and two sons, the Israelite Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem in her homeland. She had heard that “the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food” (Ruth 1:16\). Before leaving Moab, Naomi urged her two daughters\-in\-law to return to their families, but Ruth refused to leave Naomi’s side, saying, “Wherever you go, I will go.” Together, they traveled to Bethlehem, where Ruth gleaned in the barley fields to put food on their table. Ruth then married Boaz, a relative (and “[kinsman\-redeemer](kinsman-redeemer.html)”) of Naomi’s husband. The couple gave Naomi a grandchild, rescued her from poverty, and restored her joy. Redemption is the central theme of Ruth’s story. The young widow’s unwavering commitment to follow Naomi provides a beautiful depiction of Christian conversion. With her words, “Wherever you go, I will go,” Ruth made a definitive separation from her past way of life. Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ likewise involves a pivotal decision and breaking away from the past. By leaving her homeland and going with Naomi, Ruth renounced her citizenship in Moab. With the words, “Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live,” Ruth separated herself from her country of origin. She abandoned one kingdom to be joined to another. Similarly, when we choose to follow Christ, we are brought into His kingdom. Jesus Christ died to rescue believers from the kingdom of darkness and transfer them into His kingdom of light (Matthew 5:3; 13:43; Colossians 1:13; James 2:5; 2 Timothy 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 2:12\). As new creations in Christ, we are separated from the dominion of sin through the death of Christ on the cross. We become a wholly “new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT). Ruth renounced her people and claimed Naomi’s people—the people of God—as her own. Living as a pagan in Moab, Ruth would have worshipped many gods. But by the young woman’s confession, the older woman’s God—the God of Israel—became Ruth’s God. Now Ruth worshipped the One True God. The apostle Peter asserts that Christians are “a chosen people . . . royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.” Believers “show others the goodness of God” who calls us “out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” Before salvation, we “had no identity as a people.” But now we “are God’s people” (1 Peter 2:9–10, NLT). Ruth identified herself completely and totally with Naomi. Scripture says, “Ruth clung to her” (Ruth 1:14\). The verb translated “clung to” is the same term used in Genesis 2:24 to define the “cleaving, uniting, or holding fast” of a man and woman in marriage. Ruth’s identity was now fully involved in Naomi’s. She had made a radical and absolute dedication to Naomi, her people, and her God. Ruth had surrendered every aspect of her life into Naomi’s hands. Ruth’s statement to Naomi, “Wherever you go, I will go,” is analogous to a new believer saying, “I have decided to follow Jesus. Wherever you go, Lord, I will go.” To become a Christian means to be united with Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:23\). By grace through faith, we cling to Him (Ephesians 2:8; 1 John 2:28\). We leave our old citizenship and identity behind and become new creations in Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24\). We say goodbye to the darkness of sin and live in the light of His kingdom (Ephesians 5:8–14\). The Sovereign Lord becomes our God, and His people become our people (Ephesians 2:19–22\). We give up our old way of living for ourselves; we take up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34\).
Should Christian parents let their kids watch VeggieTales?	Answer VeggieTales® is a children’s animated series featuring songs and stories on biblical themes. In VeggieTales, a cucumber and tomato along with squashes, pickles, peas, and other vegetables teach biblical lessons and virtues through humor, storytelling, and catchy tunes. Since 1993, VeggieTales has sold over 60 million videos, as well as books and CDs, and has been nominated for an Emmy Award (see their [official website](https://www.veggietales.com)). As with any entertainment, Christian parents should exercise discernment in letting their kids watch VeggieTales. Many parents are totally comfortable letting their kids watch VeggieTales. At its inception, VeggieTales sought to teach kids about God. The shows emphasized biblical character qualities such as telling the truth, trusting God, and loving others. At the end of the episodes, Bob the tomato and Larry the cucumber would reflect on a related Bible verse. The videos made biblical concepts and Bible verses come to life for children. VeggieTales episodes featured original stories as well as retellings of Bible stories featuring Esther, Joshua, and “Rack, Shack, and Benny” (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). VeggieTales episodes from the 2000s combined biblical truths with adaptations of well\-known literature such as The Wizard of Oz and The Lord of the Rings. Other parents are more reluctant to let their kids watch VeggieTales. Some object to the emphasis on silliness; others say the show teaches morality and not doctrinal Christianity. Reflecting on the VeggieTales episodes from the 2000s, Phil Vischer, the founder of VeggieTales, echoes this sentiment. In an interview, Phil expressed concern that VeggieTales taught children how to behave or act “Christian” but not necessarily why or how that connected to biblical Christianity (“It’s Not About the Dream,” WORLD, Sep 24, 2011, p. 57–58\). The newest incarnation of VeggieTales is a show called VeggieTales in the House. Produced for Netflix, these episodes began airing in 2019\. The show still features a character trait, but the short episodes are lacking in biblical content. Bob and Larry, however, do remind children at the end of each episode that they are special and that God loves them very much. Will children laugh watching the new VeggieTales? Probably. Will Larry find his hairbrush? Maybe. The show is family\-friendly, but children will likely not understand God’s Word or ways better by watching the new VeggieTales show. Parents should seek God’s wisdom in knowing if they should let their children watch VeggieTales (James 1:5\). Although VeggieTales might not overtly teach children doctrine or present the gospel in each episode, compared to other children’s cartoons that waste time with low\-level humor or glorify bad behavior, the VeggieTales series is a wholesome choice for parents.
What does it mean that “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 118:26 and others)?	Answer Psalm 118 is one of the Hallel psalms, also called the “Egyptian Hallel,” a short series of psalms (Psalm 113—118\) incorporated in the celebration of the [Passover](what-is-Passover.html). The final psalm is sung in the festive processional as the people enter the temple gates to worship. In Psalm 118:26, the congregation welcomes the vindicated king, singing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.” Originally, this psalm depicted Israel’s exodus journey from Egypt to their eventual arrival at Mount Zion. But its celebratory welcoming of the king was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ’s [triumphal entry](triumphal-entry.html) into Jerusalem on [Palm Sunday](Palm-Sunday.html). All four gospels quote Psalm 118:26: “Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, ‘Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Praise God in highest heaven!’” (Matthew 21:9, NLT; see also Mark 11:9; Luke 19:38; John 12:13\). The term translated “blessed is” comes from the Hebrew word barukh (literally “to bless”) and is most often used of God. But in Psalm 118:26 it speaks of the king figure who comes in God’s authority. Faithlife Study Bible explains that barukh “describes bestowing someone with special power or declaring Yahweh to be the source of special power. In that regard, it means praising Yahweh for who He is” (Barry, J. D., et al, entry for Psalm 103:1, Lexham Press, 2012, 2016\). With the words, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” the ancient psalm praises God for who He is: “The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine on us” (Psalm 118:27\). The blessing also forecasts His future coming as Israel’s Messiah. During passion week, we hear the echo, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” as the people of Christ’s day recognize Jesus as the long\-awaited One. Earlier, when Jesus lamented over Jerusalem, He predicted to the [Pharisees](Pharisees.html), “Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’” (Luke 13:35\). Jesus identified Himself as the “stone the builders rejected” (Psalm 118:22; cf. Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17\) who would bring salvation to all who prayed to Him, “Save us, Lord!” (Psalm 118:2\). Through His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus was the “living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious” (1 Peter 2:4, ESV). He became the chief cornerstone (Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33\), “and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” Romans 10:11; cf. 1 Peter 2:4–8\). Jesus came in the “special power” of Yahweh. He was vested with all the authority of His Father God. Jesus spoke with God’s authority so that “the people were amazed at his teaching” (Mark 1:22\). He drove out unclean spirits (Mark 1:21–28, 39; Luke 4:31–37\), healed the sick, and forgave people’s sins (Matthew 9:1–8; Mark 2:1–12; Luke 7:48\). Jesus controlled the elements (Matthew 8:23–27\), raised the dead to life (John 11:38–44\), and cleansed the temple (Mark 11:27–33\), all by God’s mandate. “All authority in heaven and on earth” was given to Jesus by His Father (Matthew 28:18\), including the authority “to judge” (John 5:27\) and to lay down His life in sacrifice for the sins of the world (John 10:18\). God “granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those” God had given to Him (John 17:2\). “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” is a declaration of praise and recognition that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world who came in the power and authority of God. “I have come in my Father’s name,” said Jesus (John 5:43\). All that Christ did was commissioned by His Father. Everything Jesus said and did was to glorify His Father and accomplish the work of making Him known to humans so that they might be saved (John 17:1–24\).
What does it mean that “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15)?	Answer The heart of Psalm 116—a song of thanksgiving—is a deeply personal love story born of salvation. The psalmist has come to realize how intimately God cares for him, especially in matters of life and death: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints,” says Psalm 116:15 (ESV). The New Living Translation expresses the meaning more naturally to modern readers: “The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.” Taken out of context, one might wonder if “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” implies that God delights or finds some satisfaction when His followers die. But if we consider the psalmist’s recent and narrow escape from [death](Bible-death.html), the phrase’s true significance emerges. The author of Psalm 116 describes a near\-death struggle: “Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow” (Psalm 116:3, NLT). But when the psalmist calls on the Lord for help, God answers his prayer: “He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” (Psalm 116:8, NLT). In response to the Lord’s goodness, the psalmist promises to praise God for His compassionate concern and vows to serve Him faithfully. The word translated as “precious” means “of high worth, value, or cost.” In the original Hebrew, the term rendered “saints” refers to the Lord’s faithful followers—those who love and serve God actively and commit themselves to a covenantal relationship with Him. Thus, the statement “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” reveals that God is not indifferent about how and when His faithful servants die. “How painful it is to the Lord,” says Today’s English Version. Just as our “lives are precious to him” (Psalm 72:14, NIV), so is the ending of our lives. God does not regard the death of one of His beloved children lightly. If it is not our [appointed time to die](appointed-death.html), the Lord will hasten to protect us. “Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death,” says Psalm 68:20 (NLT). The moment and circumstances of our death will not take God by surprise. Scripture says, “All my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began” (Psalm 139:16, HCSB). The Lord knows how, when, and where we will die. He cares deeply about every circumstance we face, and particularly the crucial moment of our death. God watches fiercely over His servants, says Isaiah 54:17: “‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.” Through Zechariah, God affirms, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession” (Zechariah 2:8, NLT). Like the apostle Paul, we can be confident that God will keep us alive until our work for Him is done (Philippians 1:22–25\). We can trust as Jesus did that no one will lay a hand on us until our time has come (John 7:30; 8:20\). When the psalmist was fighting for his life in the “snares of death,” his prayer got God’s attention. His life\-and\-death predicament was precious in the eyes of the Lord. When we undergo life\-threatening experiences, we can know that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12\). We can trust that God will come to our defense, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9\). Our lives and our deaths are matters of deep concern for God.
Who was Boaz in the Bible?	Answer Boaz was a wealthy man from Bethlehem mentioned in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1:5\). He is one of the main characters in the Bible book of Ruth, a sometimes overlooked masterpiece of Scripture full of life lessons and prophetic implications. The son of [Boaz and Ruth](Ruth-and-Boaz.html) was Obed, King David’s grandfather. Everything we see about Boaz in Scripture is good. He shows himself to be a kind, generous, and honorable man of his word. The [book of Ruth](Book-of-Ruth.html) opens with a sad narrative about a Judean family: Elimelek, his wife Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, move to the pagan territory of Moab due to a famine in Bethlehem, their hometown. Soon after that, Elimelek died, leaving Naomi with the sons, who had both married Moabite women. Tragically, after ten years had passed, the sons of Elimelek died, too. The widow Naomi later heard that “the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them” (Ruth 1:6\). She decided to return home to Judah, and one of her daughters\-in\-law, Ruth, chooses to go with her. Notably, Naomi and Ruth turn up in Bethlehem just as the barley harvest begins (Ruth 1:22\). Ruth works in the fields as a gleaner, one who picks up leftover grain after the harvesters have moved through. “As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek” (Ruth 2:3\). Boaz, who had already heard of Ruth’s care for Naomi, speaks to her and assures her that she will be provided for in his field. Boaz then secretly tells his harvesters to leave behind some stalks of grain so that Ruth will have more to gather (Ruth 2:16\). That evening, when Naomi finds out that Ruth has been working in Boaz’s field, she identifies him as a close kinsman and one of their guardian\-redeemers. A guardian\-redeemer, or [kinsman\-redeemer](kinsman-redeemer.html), is a relative who had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative in need. A guardian\-redeemer was one to whom an Israelite could turn in times of trouble. The laws governing the guardian\-redeemer are found in Leviticus 25:25 –55\. Ruth went to Boaz and let him know that she needed a guardian\-redeemer. Boaz told Ruth that he was pleased to offer her redemption, which would include marriage to her, but there was one relative who was closer in line to be the guardian\-redeemer. The next day, Boaz met with the other relative and presented the situation. The man declined to marry Ruth, and Boaz then made a commitment in front of the town’s leaders that he would take Ruth as his wife (Ruth 4:1–10\). Boaz and Ruth were married, and [Obed](Obed-in-the-Bible.html) was born. In the role of guardian\-redeemer, Boaz becomes a picture of Jesus Christ. The Quest Bible devotional explains: “The word guardian\-redeemer finds ultimate fulfillment in the coming of the Messiah (see Isa 59:20\). Jesus is our near guardian who came to buy us back into God’s family. In the New Testament the concept is reflected in the various words for redeem, which suggest paying a ransom, making a purchase or saving from loss” (www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/quest\-bible/2012/07/17, accessed 6/21/2021\). We see the concept of redemption played out by Boaz throughout the book of Ruth: In Ruth 2:8–9, Boaz shows compassion and gentleness to Ruth. In Ruth 2:11–12, Boaz, a man with superior leadership qualities, notes that Ruth is a hard worker. He compliments her for taking care of her mother\-in\-law. Ruth 2:14 describes Boaz’s courtesy toward the young woman. The generosity of Boaz is shown in Ruth 2:15–16, in that he orders extra bundles of grain set out for her to find. He demonstrates his commitment to Ruth by lifting her out of poverty, providing for her needs, and ensuring that Ruth’s former husband—Naomi’s son—had offspring to carry on the family name. Boaz can be seen as a reflection of our Lord Jesus Christ, our guardian\-redeemer. We were “outsiders” (sinners), impoverished, forsaken, and struggling to make it. The Lord showed us compassion, gentleness, and generosity. He lifted us out of spiritual poverty, provided for our eternal needs, and gave us a forever home. It is interesting that Boaz is the name of one of the [two bronze pillars](Jachin-and-Boaz.html) in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 7:21\). Boaz means “in him is strength.” Since neither pillar was used to support the temple structure, Boaz and the other pillar, Jakin (“he will establish”), were symbolic of Israel’s dependence on God’s strength and presence.
How can a Christian avoid FOMO (fear of missing out)?	Answer FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is the worry or [anxiety](Bible-anxiety.html) a person feels when he thinks he is missing something exciting or important. Put another way, FOMO is the fear that not participating is the wrong choice. Christians may experience this fear, just the same as everyone else; however, believers do not need to be controlled by this fear of missing out. There should be no FOMO when the activity being missed is sinful. A Christian can take comfort in knowing that choosing not to participate in sin is always the right choice. The Bible says that sin separates people from God (Isaiah 59:2\), even warning that those who practice the works of the flesh will not inherit His kingdom (Galatians 5:19–21\). Believers should not fear missing out on the possible fun or excitement that sin generates because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23\). The “fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25\) may be tempting, but Christians who say “no” to sin are not really missing out. They are new creations in Christ and no longer slaves to sin (2 Corinthians 5:17\). But Christians may still experience FOMO over non\-sinful matters. A believer may fear missing out on experiences, opportunities, or joy. This feeling is exacerbated by a social media culture where people constantly post images of their “perfect” lives for the world to see. Such comparison to the lives of others is a thief of [contentment](Bible-contentment.html) and can lead to envy, unnecessary stress, and an attempt to always stay connected with what others are doing. When Jesus spoke to Peter about his future ministry and death, Peter pointed to John and asked, “Lord, what about him?” (John 21:21\). Jesus told Peter, in so many words, not to worry about John’s life, but simply follow Him (John 21:22\). Like Peter, we should focus on our personal relationship with Christ and our duty to Him and be content with knowing God’s will for us. Gratitude to God will go a long way toward preventing a fear of missing out. Of course, [coveting](Bible-covetousness.html) the blessings of our neighbors is never appropriate (see Exodus 20:17\). The pressure to live life to the fullest and experience everything can cause anxiety, but a Christian does not have to worry; we can cast “all \[our] anxieties on him, because he cares” (1 Peter 5:7\). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus prescribes a remedy for FOMO. He said to look at nature. The birds of the air and the grass of the field do not work, but God still makes sure they have everything they need, and Christians are much more valuable than birds or grass (Matthew 6:25–32\). Therefore, a believer can trust that God will provide (Matthew 6:33\). Our trust in God should extend past the basic necessities of life. God is in control, and His sovereignty guides every part of life, including our experiences and opportunities (Romans 8:28\). If a Christian does miss out on something, he still has the assurance that God is orchestrating everything. Believers should trust in God to control each day instead of worrying about what they may miss out on in the future: “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34\). If a Christian takes life one day at a time, following God and trusting Him to provide exactly what is needed, he can overcome FOMO and serve God with joy.
What is queer theory?	Answer Queer theory, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is “an approach to social and cultural study which seeks to challenge or deconstruct traditional ideas of sexuality and gender, especially the acceptance of heterosexuality as normative and the perception of a rigid dichotomy of male and female traits.” There is a push within our present culture to accept queer theory and a segment that promotes the [homosexual](homosexuality-Bible.html) and/or [transgender](transsexualism-gender-identity-disorder.html) lifestyle as natural behavior. Many claim that some people are born homosexual and/or transgender. Let’s look at what the Bible teaches about these issues. Queer theory rejects clearly defined male and female traits, opting instead for elasticity in gender and promoting the idea that there are many, many genders. But the Bible teaches that there are only two genders: male and female. From the very beginning, God’s design for humanity was for man and woman to be together in a marriage relationship (Genesis 2:18–24\). In other words, heterosexuality is the only sexuality chosen by God. Eve was created by God as the “helper suitable” for Adam (Genesis 2:18\). God did not make another man for Adam. He made a woman. This was His design. God is the Creator of human beings. All of humanity is His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10\), and God knitted each of us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13–16\). God designed each of us how He wanted to, including the gender He assigned for each of us. Each person has meaning and worth, and God has a good and perfect will for each of us. Those who reject their God\-given gender have committed sin against the very God who made them. Queer theory posits that heterosexuality is not normative and should not be seen as such. It is undeniable that the Bible presents heterosexuality as God’s design and in fact condemns homosexual behavior in both the Old Testament (e.g., Leviticus 18:22\) and New Testament (e.g., Romans 1:24–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 1 Timothy 1:9–11\). In the Romans passage, homosexuality is described as “degrading,” “shameful”, “unnatural,” and an “error.” To imply that God makes a person to be homosexual would be to say that He acts contrary to His Word. In rejecting the Word of God, queer theory attempts to “deconstruct traditional ideas of sexuality and gender.” Dispensing with the divinely appointed instructions, advocates of queer theory draft their own instruction manual for [sexuality](biblical-sexuality.html), based on their own ideas and preferences. Even if they are not LGBTQ themselves, they are providing cover for those who live in rebellion against God and reject His design. The foundation of queer theory is not love or tolerance or acceptance but the depravity of all human beings (see Romans 5:12\). From birth, each of us has a natural bent to do wrong, not right (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10–12\). We are sinful beings enslaved to the lusts of our flesh, and our sin separates us from God (1 Corinthians 6:9–10\). God did not make us sinners; rather, we have chosen to sin. The rejection of traditional/biblical sexuality is a sinful choice that some people make for a host of reasons, but it ultimately appeals to the lusts of their flesh. The ugly truth about our sin problem is hard to admit, but in admitting that we have a problem, we have taken the first step toward the salvation we need. That salvation is offered freely to us through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16 Ephesians 2:8–9\). Sin is deceptive. It is very much a part of who we are in our fallen condition (Ephesians 2:1–3\)—so much so that it appears to be right. If our conscience begins to bother us, we naturally begin to justify the sin, often by saying that it makes us feel right, it makes us happy, or everyone else is doing it, too. When family or friends, whom we love, openly engage in sin, we are pressured to compromise what we believe. This adds to the social pressure and the drive for “[tolerance](tolerance-vs-convictions.html).” Queer theory is ungodly in that it portrays sin, as defined in Scripture, as acceptable and even laudable. The current push to accept queer theory illustrates the words of Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” It may seem right to cast aside the “old” standards of morality and pursue what feels right, but in the end God’s Word will hold true (see Isaiah 40:7–8 and Romans 3:4\). Christians are called to live by and obey the Word of God, not by the ever\-changing philosophies and theories of man.
What is the significance of Akeldama in the Bible?	Answer Akeldama (also Akeldamach or Aceldama) means “Field of Blood” in Aramaic. Akeldama occurs once in the New Testament in Acts 1:19 and is the name given to the place where [Judas died](Judas-die.html). Matthew refers to this field in the Greek as the “potter’s field.” According to Matthew 27:7, the priests used the money [Judas](Judas-Iscariot.html) threw in the temple before hanging himself to buy “the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.” Matthew also connects what occurred at Akeldama with prophecies from Jeremiah (Matthew 27:9–10\). The fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 11:13 is also explicitly connected to Akeldama, although Zechariah does not mention the Aramaic name: “And the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the LORD.” Tradition places Akeldama south of Jerusalem in the junction of the Valley of Hinnom and the Kidron Valley. This eastern part of the Valley of Hinnom was made famous by Judas (Matthew 27:3–10; Acts 1:16–19\). The Hinnom Valley is also known as the Valley of Gehenna. In the Old Testament period, it was where some of the ancient Israelites “passed children through the fire” (sacrificed their children) to the Canaanite god Molech (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; 19:2–6\). Later, the valley was used for incinerating the corpses of criminals and unclean animals and to burn garbage from the city. Due to these practices and the vivid imagery the place evoked, Jesus used Gehenna as a symbolic description of hell (Matthew 10:28; Mark 9:47–48\). Today tombs and a large ruin that was once a charnel house can be found at Akeldama. The soil in the area contains a type of clay suitable for pottery, which is another reason it is designated as the “Potter’s Field.” Acts 1:19 refers to the field of Akeldama bought with Judas’s [thirty pieces of silver](thirty-pieces-of-silver.html). The verse says that everyone in Jerusalem called “that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.” At Akeldama, what Jesus stated about Judas became reality: “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24\).
What did Jesus mean when He said, “I have overcome the world,” in John 16:33?	Answer As Jesus prepared to depart this world, He knew that difficult days lay ahead for His disciples. He wanted them to be ready for the most challenging times they would ever face. Jesus explained how they could endure through the troubles of this life: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NLT). Amid the storms of life in a dark and fallen world, [inner peace](Bible-inner-peace.html) is only possible through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The disciples could not depend on themselves to survive the trials and persecution they would soon endure. Instead, they would have to rely entirely on Jesus and everything He had taught them while living and ministering with them. Fearing for their lives, the disciples would abandon Jesus at the cross (Matthew 26:56\). They would be scattered (Mark 14:50; Acts 8:1\), arrested (Acts 5:17–21\), thrown out of synagogues (John 16:2; Acts 13:14–52\), and martyred for their faith in Jesus (Acts 7:54–8:3\), but they would not go astray because they would remember the Lord’s words: “Take courage! I have overcome the world” (NASB). The Greek word translated “overcome” means “to defeat, to win a victory over, as in a contest or military conflict.” The “world” is the created physical realm, the domain of existence here on earth, which is considered distinct from the heavenly or spiritual realm. Jesus knows that here on earth we encounter trouble and sorrow. But He has overcome the world and every earthly obstacle for us. What has Jesus overcome for us in the world? Anxieties and cares: Christ’s victory over the world is multifaceted. First, He gives His followers peace to overcome their troubled hearts: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27\). Those who believe in Jesus Christ don’t have to live with anxious hearts but can experience the gift of His otherworldly peace (John 14:1\). We do this by bringing every situation to Him in prayer, depending wholly on Him to meet our needs (Philippians 4:6\). The Lord’s peace transcends all the confusion, fear, and [anxiety](Bible-anxiety.html) of this world like a shield set over our minds and hearts as we live secure in Jesus Christ (Philippians 4:7\). Hatred and persecution: It’s important to remember that Christ’s victory over the world does not physically remove us from the battle. We will face the same hatred Jesus did: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:18–20\). We overcome the world because we belong to God. His Spirit lives in us and “is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4\). Paul asked the Romans, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” (Romans 8:35, NLT). He answers his own question with a resounding, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37, NLT). Sin and temptation: [Temptation](overcome-temptation.html) to sin will always be a part of our lives in this world, but Christ gives us victory over sin. Before salvation, the Bible says we lived like we were dead in disobedience and sin “just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God” (Ephesians 2:1–2, NLT). We used to follow only the passions and inclinations of our sinful nature (Ephesians 2:3\). “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. . . . For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4–6, NLT). Spiritual forces: Jesus not only paid the penalty for our sin, but He also won a pivotal victory over Satan and all the supernatural powers of evil who are aligned with him (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14\). The devil has been defeated through Jesus Christ. As believers, we appropriate Christ’s victory when we put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–18\). Sorrow and death: Death is an inevitable reality for all people, but for believers in Jesus Christ, death means victory over our last enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26–27\). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross and subsequent resurrection, Jesus overcame the world by conquering death. He shares that victory with all who repent and believe in Him as Lord and Savior: “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4–5, NLT). Christ’s death grants salvation and eternal life to all who believe in Him. Jesus told [Martha](Martha-in-the-Bible.html) after the death of her brother Lazarus, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25–26, CSB). Christ grants that we overcome the world in Him, and He gives us the right to sit with Him on His heavenly throne at the right hand of God the Father (Revelation 3:21; Hebrews 10:12; Romans 8:34\). There, in our eternal home in God’s kingdom, we will live forever in the Lord’s presence: “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:3–4, NLT).
What is deconversion? What does it mean to deconvert?	Answer Deconversion is defined as “the loss of one’s faith in a religion and a return to a previous religion or non\-religion.” In the case of those who deconvert from Christianity, deconversion means giving up Christianity in exchange for a different religion, spiritualism, or no religion, such as atheism or agnosticism. Deconversion is related to [deconstructing one’s faith](deconstruction.html). Those who deconvert from Christianity reject core tenets of orthodox Christian faith, typically distance themselves from Christian community, and often, though not always, reject religion altogether. The most common reasons given for deconversion are emotional, cognitive, or a combination thereof. Emotionally, people may deconvert because they experience hurt from other Christians or because they feel hurt by God. Cognitively, people may feel that Christianity or the Bible is not intellectually viable, whether because of perceived biblical inconsistencies, conflict with “science,” issues with biblical moral or truth claims, or any number of other areas of cognitive dissonance. Knowing these reasons for deconversion can help Christians fortify their own faith and help others who may be struggling. In the [Parable of the Sower](parable-sower.html) (found in Matthew 13:1–23, Mark 4:1–20, Luke 8:1–15\), Jesus outlines reasons why a person may seem to have faith but later lose it. Some may lack understanding. Others may fall away in the face of trouble and persecution. The faith of others may be choked out by the cares of life and the riches and pleasures of this world. Christians and churches may combat some of these issues. Churches and believers may submit their actions to Christ and model themselves after the teachings and practices of the early church, as laid out in Acts and the Epistles, to bear the image of Christ to both one another and nonbelievers. All Christians, not just pastors and theologians, may educate themselves on difficult scientific, historical, and theological topics, addressing rather than ignoring cognitive dissonance. We all must remember to leave room for questions, doubt, discussions, and mistakes. Even genuine, born\-again Christians are still imperfect and susceptible to sin and hurting others. All people, no matter how well educated, will fall short of understanding everything. In the words of Isaiah 40:13–14, “Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?” Are those who deconvert examples of apostates who were never born again (see 1 John 2:19\), or are they simply Christians going through a [crisis of faith](crisis-of-faith.html)? Only God knows for sure, and only time will tell. We should patiently engage questions from seekers, doubters, and those in the process of deconversion. Not all challenges to faith come from a point of antagonism. Some come in the form of curiosity, some in the form of skepticism, and some with personal pain and a complicated history. For those reasons, believers should provide a “safe space” for others to express their concerns, doubts, and frustrations (Romans 12:18; 14:13\). We can never, in ourselves, turn anyone away from deconversion, completely address the hurt others feel, or reassure a doubting heart, but God can. When we encounter Christians who behave badly or we face a difficult teaching in the Bible, the response should not be to abandon Christianity altogether. Instead, we should study harder, pray more, and look to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2\).
What is hedonism? What is a hedonist?	Answer Hedonism is a philosophy of life that supports pursuing all kinds of pleasure. Hedonists pursue a lifestyle of self\-indulgence. The term hedonism comes from the ancient Greek word for “pleasure.” Our concept of the philosophy of hedonism largely stems from the ancient Greeks. Aristippus of Cyrene, a student of Socrates, is believed to be the first to preach this philosophy. Aristippus believed that the ultimate meaning of life is pleasure and, thus, pleasure should be man’s greatest pursuit. Aristippus’s ideas may not have taken such hold if he were not succeeded by his more famous student, [Epicurus](Epicureanism-Epicurean.html), who also subscribed to hedonism. Epicurus taught that there is no afterlife and so one must enjoy pleasure as the ultimate end, though he acknowledged occasional restraint could lead to greater pleasure later. The Epicurean school of thought went on to flourish, and Epicureans debated with the apostle Paul in Athens (Acts 17:18\). Hedonism reemerged with prominence in the 18th century under philosophers like Jeremy Bentham. With its newfound popularity, it developed into a more nuanced psychological and ethical theory, but the base remained the same: one should pursue the greatest pleasure. The hedonistic outlook is not supported by Scripture. In the book of Ecclesiastes, the writer delves deep into the folly of chasing pleasure: “I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.’ . . . I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure” (Ecclesiastes 2:1, 10\). But in the end the verdict was that “everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11\). In His [Parable of the Sower](parable-sower.html), Jesus says this: “And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature” (Luke 8:14\). Biblically, chasing pleasure chokes out the Word and is ultimately unfulfilling and meaningless. See also Proverbs 21:17, 1 John 2:15–17, 2 Timothy 2:22, and Titus 3:3\. Pleasure is not meant to be man’s chief end. Scripture states that man will find his ultimate fulfillment in the Lord, and that the purpose of humanity is to glorify God (Ecclesiastes 12:13; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Isaiah 43:21; Micah 6:8\). As the [Westminster Shorter Catechism](Westminster-Confession-of-Faith.html) of 1647 summarizes, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” In the pursuit of the Lord, the believer will find true pleasure. Psalm 16:11 says, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The presence of the Lord brings true joy. In 1 Timothy 6:17, Paul explains, “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” We are not to pursue pleasure like a hedonist, but when we pursue the Lord, we will find the greatest pleasure there. Jesus set before us the right priority: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33\).
Who are the Sephardic Jews? What is Sephardic Judaism?	Answer Sephardi (also spelled Sefardi) is from the Hebrew word for “Spain,” which is Sefarad. Sephardic Jews (Sephardim) are descendants of the Jews who lived in Spain and Portugal from the last days of the Roman Empire until the 15th\-century persecution and expulsion of Jews from those countries. Cordoba in Spain was one of the centers of Jewish life and scholarship. One of the Sephardic Jews in Cordoba was [Maimonides](Maimonides.html), the famous philosopher. In the mid\-12th century, much of Spain was overrun by a group of Muslim radicals known as the Almohads. Many Sephardic Jews, faced with either forced conversion to Islam or death, chose to leave Spain. Maimonides fled to Egypt where he had a long and illustrious career as a scholar. In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, known as “the Catholic Monarchs” due to their zeal for the Catholic Church, expelled all Jews who refused to convert to Roman Catholicism. At the time of the expulsion of the Sephardic Jews, the Iberian Peninsula had one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe. Somewhere between 40,000 and 100,000 Jews left Spain and traveled to various parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and eventually the New World. Those who remained in Spain were forced to hide their Jewish identity. After that, the highest concentrations of Sephardic Jewish people lived in North Africa and Turkey (the Ottoman Empire). The Sephardi continued to speak and write in a Hebrew\-Spanish hybrid language called Ladino and to maintain distinctive communities and customs. The basic religious beliefs of the Sephardic Jews are the same as those of the [Ashkenazi Jews](Ashkenazi-Jews.html), although the Sephardi tend to be more traditional. The Ashkenazi have traditionally lived in Eastern Europe, and the vast majority of Jews living in the United States today are Ashkenazi. Sephardic Jews were targets of the [Holocaust](God-allow-Holocaust.html), especially the Sephardic communities in Greece, Italy, the Balkans, and Romania. Later, the Sephardi in Muslim lands faced persecution from their neighbors. As a result, many have emigrated to Israel. Today, Israel is the country with the largest population of Sephardic Jews. In 2015, Spain officially invited Sephardic Jews to immigrate to Spain and become full\-fledged Spanish citizens, in a symbolic effort to undo the injustice of the 15th century. As of 2019, over 100,000 Jews, primarily from Mexico and South American countries, accepted the offer and now live in Spain (https://www.bbc.com/news/world\-europe\-49890620 accessed 6/8/21\).
What is Bogomilism? What do Bogomils believe?	Answer Bogomilism was a heretical sect originating in Bulgaria in the tenth century that continued until the fifteenth century. Bogomilism was a [Gnostic](Christian-gnosticism.html) religious movement related to [Manichaeism](Manichaeism.html). Bogomils believed that everything material was bad and that the spiritual was good. All we have left of Bogomilism today are the folklore of the southern Baltic Slavs and some dualistic, Gnostic elements in some religions in the region. Although the exact origin of Bogomilism is unknown, it appears to have had roots in the false doctrines of Messalianism, [Paulicianism](Paulicians.html), or Manichaeism. Bogomilism was an attempt to reform the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Not only were the Bogomils against the church, but they were known to be against the government as well. The Bogomils claimed to be Christians but held several major beliefs that contradicted the Bible. Bogomilism was dualistic in nature; that is, Bogomils believed evil and good were equal forces. This can be seen in their understanding of creation. Bogomils believed that the earth and bodily life was a creation of Satan, an angel sent to earth. The Bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1\). There are not two Creators. The Bogomils also denied the incarnation of Christ. As a result, their view of salvation was not that it comes through belief in Jesus’ death and resurrection but through knowledge or enlightenment. Bogomils taught the need for suffering to deny the flesh and cleanse the body. The Bible affirms Jesus as fully human and fully God (John 1:1, 14\). In fact, if Jesus Christ did not exist bodily, then He did not actually suffer and die upon the cross as the substitutionary sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 2:14–17\), and we are still dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1\). Both Catholicism and the Orthodox Church treated the Bogomils as heretics. The Bulgarian church held church councils to condemn Bogomilism and its teachings. Bogomilism was eradicated in Bulgaria and Byzantium in the thirteenth century. However, Bogomilism survived in Bosnia and Herzegovina until the Ottoman Empire gained control in the fifteenth century. The Hungarians launched crusades against the heretics in Bosnia, but it was the Ottoman conquest that put an end to the Bogomilism sect. Dualism, as taught by the Bogomils, was a heresy that came about in the early church, and it remains a problem today. There is only one God Almighty, the God revealed to us in the Bible. He has no equal. It is in this God of the Bible that we must put our trust and on His Word that we must build our lives and understanding. “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8\).
What does the Bible say about essential oils?	Answer Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts obtained through steam distillation, cold pressing, or resin tapping. These oils are then used for therapeutic benefit as the scent molecules enter the nose and travel through the nervous system. The results are reported to include reduced stress, improved sleep, and relief from pain (see “What are the benefits of aromatherapy?” by Brent Bauer, M.D., www.mayoclinic.org/healthy\-lifestyle/consumer\-health/expert\-answers/aromatherapy/faq\-20058566, accessed 6/23/21\). There is no inherent spiritual aspect to the scientific process of extracting oils from plants or to the body’s physical response to olfactory stimulation. Therefore, it is the attitude of the heart and the way in which we use essential oils or [aromatherapy](Bible-aromatherapy.html) that has spiritual significance. The use of oils and aromatic infusions is seen in the Bible. God commanded Moses to infuse oil with aromatic spices to make a sacred anointing oil for the priests in Exodus 30:22–38\. God also commanded the priests to add scented oil to certain sacrifices to make them “a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 2:1–2, ESV). The wise men brought frankincense (an aromatic incense) and myrrh (an aromatic oil) to Jesus after His birth (Matthew 2:11\). Jesus was anointed with perfumed oil several times, and twice in the week of His crucifixion (Matthew 26:7, 12; Luke 7:37–38; John 12:3\). James instructed the church to use anointing oil when praying for the healing of those who are sick (James 5:14\). And God gave John a vision of the new heaven and the new earth where “the leaves of the tree \[of life] are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2\). From these examples we see that plants and their oils have been used in God\-honoring ways in worship and in seeking healing of the body. However, it is important to remember that God said, “I am the LORD, who heals you” (Exodus 15:26\). So, ultimately, it is not the spices, oils, or plants themselves that heal, but God, the Creator of both plants and human bodies. Because some false religions, including [Wicca](Wicca.html) and [New Age religions](new-age-movement.html), use oils and incense, some people are concerned that essential oils are associated with [magic](white-magic.html) or that using them may lead to nonbiblical practices. God commanded the Israelites, “Let no one be found among you who . . . practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells” (Deuteronomy 18:10–11\). “Idolatry and witchcraft” are part of a list of “acts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:20–21\). So essential oils should never be used as a potion or in a ritual, whether it’s to harness the “energy of Nature,” enhance [psychic vibrations](clairsentience-psychic-vibrations.html), attract [good luck](luck.html), or any other spiritual practice not directed to the glory of the one true God of the Bible. However, the misuse of essential oils does not invalidate their proper use. Because oils were used for the glory of God in the Bible, it is possible to use essential oils today in God\-honoring ways that avoid unbiblical practices. Completely shunning the use of essential oils is not the only mistake people can make. Some people chase health and longevity to the point that physical or emotional well\-being becomes an idol. They turn to every new diet, supplement, exercise plan, or alternative treatment and end up forgetting God’s call on their lives and His sovereignty over their physical condition. Chasing immortality is a futile endeavor (Psalm 90:10; 1 Peter 1:24–25; Hebrews 9:27\). It is always God—not plants, oils, or even pharmaceuticals or surgery—who is responsible for healing. And when He chooses not to heal us in this earthly life, we can take Paul’s perspective: “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10\). Essential oils do not have any magical powers. In His wisdom and grace, God has designed human bodies to react in certain ways to the plants He created, and He should get the glory for any benefit we may or may not receive from the use of essential oils. Paul instructed the church, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31\). Using essential oils should only be done in a way that acknowledges God as the perfect Creator and ultimate Healer, and we must avoid forbidden spiritual practices. Those who choose to use essential oils should do so with biblical motives and in a manner that glorifies God, with a heart of gratitude and worship, while relying on Him for health and healing.
What is the True Jesus Church, and what do they believe?	Answer The True Jesus Church (TJC) is a [Pentecostal](Pentecostals.html) Chinese denomination and part of the [Latter Rain](latter-rain-movement.html) and [Restorationist](restorationism.html) movements. The True Jesus Church is not a part of the Three\-Self Church, and it works independently of the Chinese Communist Party. For this reason, the TJC faces persecution in China. In 2020, the True Jesus Church had about 1\.5 million followers worldwide. In examining any church, including the True Jesus Church, we need to look at their history (where they came from), their statement of faith (what they believe), and their practice (what they do). The True Jesus Church was established in 1917 in Beijing, China, by Paul Wei (also known as Wei Enbo). Wei claimed that, in May 1917, he heard a voice telling him to receive the baptism of Jesus. He followed the voice’s directions to a nearby river, where the voice told him to be baptized facedown. According to Wei, Jesus Himself appeared, baptized him in the river (facedown) and gave him armor and a sword. After the baptism, Satan appeared, but Wei was able to defeat him with his newly acquired sword. From the beginning, the True Jesus Church placed an emphasis on signs and miracles, and members saw themselves as part of the restoration of the apostolic age. The True Jesus Church expanded to Taiwan in 1926 and then to other parts of Asia and the Pacific. Starting in the 1960s, churches affiliated with the True Jesus Church were established in North America, Europe, and Australia. The church has also made inroads into Africa and Central and South America. The True Jesus Church has several distinctives in doctrine and practice. They believe that Wei’s vision restored the “true” Christian church and that Wei was “the new Martin Luther.” They believe that “the only true church” will baptize people facedown, with bowed head, in “natural living water,” such as a river, sea, or spring; they practice speaking in tongues, celebrate Saturday rather than Sunday as the Lord’s Day, and wash each other’s feet as a sacrament. Acceptance of these teachings is essential for salvation, according to the True Jesus Church. The True Jesus Church, like most Pentecostal groups, is [millenarian](millenarianism.html) and not opposed to uttering prophecies, even if it means setting dates. Before his death in 1919, Wei predicted the world would end sometime in 1921 or 1922\. But the failed prophecy did not slow the growth of his denomination. The True Jesus Church has historically been persecuted by the communists in China. An especially strident crackdown occurred in the 1950s, even after the True Jesus Church joined the Three\-Self Church. The True Jesus Church was in fact officially disbanded worldwide in 1958\. In the 1980s, however, remnants of the True Jesus Church revived the denomination in Taiwan and California. In recent moves to unify religious expression in China, the CCP has destroyed True Jesus Church church signs, confiscated hymnals, and, in some cases, razed church buildings (https://churchleaders.com/news/363886\-true\-jesus\-church\-razed\-to\-the\-ground\-in\-china.html, accessed 12/1/23\). As its name implies, the True Jesus Church views itself as the one true church, and some of their claims underscore the exclusivity of their doctrine. Paul Wei taught that facedown baptism and [speaking in tongues](speak-in-tongues-saved.html) were both necessary for salvation. Any church that believers or practices something different is not the “true church.” Some statements by the True Jesus Church on their [official website](https://tjc.org/true-jesus-church/) (accessed 6/24/21\) are at odds with biblical doctrine: • “Water baptism is the sacrament for the remission of sins for regeneration.” ([Water baptism](baptismal-regeneration.html) does not remit sins. Many biblical passages clearly and explicitly declare faith to be the only requirement for salvation (see John 3:16 and Acts 16:31\.) • “Receiving the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues, is the guarantee of our inheritance of the kingdom of heaven.” (The Bible does not teach that speaking in tongues is the guarantee for one’s entrance into heaven. Rather, Jesus said this in John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”) • “The sacrament of footwashing enables one to have a part with the Lord Jesus.” (The Bible never commands physical [foot washing](foot-washing.html) for the church; rather, Jesus’ washing of His disciples’ feet taught them to serve one another and provided a picture of the cleansing of the soul.) • “The Holy Communion is the sacrament to commemorate the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. It enables us to partake of the flesh and blood of our Lord and to be in communion with Him so that we can have eternal life and be raised on the last day.” (Our communion with the Lord is not “enabled” by eating and drinking, and neither is our eternal life dependent upon a ritual.) • “The Sabbath day, the seventh day of the week (Saturday), is a holy day, blessed and sanctified by God. It is to be observed under the Lord’s grace for the commemoration of God’s creation and salvation, and with the hope of eternal rest in the life to come.” (The Jewish law of [Sabbath observance](Sabbath-keeping.html) was fulfilled in Christ, according to Colossians 2:16–17, Romans 14:5, and Hebrews 4\.) • The church “must experience the power of the Holy Spirit as in the days of the apostles. The church must have the testimony of God through the gift of the Holy Spirit and various signs and miracles (Heb 2:3–4; Mk 16:20\). When the church upholds the apostolic faith today, she will also have divine blessings similar to those of the apostolic church.” (Note the repeated word must: signs and miracles “must” be present in a church, or it is not upholding the “apostolic faith.” The problem is that the Bible does not command the church to perform miracles like the twelve apostles did.) Melissa Wei\-Tsing Inouye of the University of Auckland has studied the True Jesus Church, and she points out some similarities between the True Jesus Church and [Mormonism](Mormons.html) in an article titled “Exclusivity and the True Jesus Church”: “Both the True Jesus Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter\-day Saints are restorationist churches, claiming to have restored the true gospel of Jesus Christ after centuries of apostasy. . . . “Both \[Joseph] Smith and \[Paul] Wei were charismatic leaders who claimed to receive divine revelation, were reported to have performed miraculous feats of healing, frequently got on the wrong side of the law, and died young. Both were succeeded by pragmatic leaders (Brigham Young and Wei Yisa) who solidified church institutions and ensured the movement’s long\-term survival. “Both churches have continued to thrive and expand globally, though they remain tiny as far as world religious movements are concerned” (https://bycommonconsent.com/2020/04/08/exclusivity\-and\-the\-true\-jesus\-church, accessed 6/24/21\). To be clear, the True Jesus Church holds to a different Christology than the Mormon Church, but some of their tactics are similar and their histories have followed a like trajectory. In summary, the teachings of the True Jesus Church are misguided and imbalanced. Their emphasis on signs and wonders, their exclusivity, their belief in apostolic succession, Paul Wei’s false prophecy, and their contention that water baptism is required for salvation—baptism the “right way,” no less—are all red flags that should warn believers away from this denomination. The apostle Paul wrote, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them” (Romans 16:17, ESV).
Who was J. I. Packer?	Answer James Innell Packer (July 22, 1926 — July 17, 2020\) was an influential author, professor, theologian, and churchman. He spent the first half of his life in England and the second half in Canada. “Throughout his nearly 70 years of writing and ministry, he stressed the importance of knowing and praying to and communing with the triune God. He called for the church to take holiness and repentance seriously by walking in the Spirit and fighting against indwelling sin. He defended biblical authority and championed the cause of disciple\-making catechesis. And he reintroduced multiple generations to his beloved Puritan forebears” (www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin\-taylor/j\-i\-packer\-1926\-2020, accessed 6/24/21\). Packer was born in Gloucester, England, into a nominally [Anglican](Anglicans.html) home. Although his home church did not teach him about the necessity of trusting Christ for salvation, he came to faith as a student at Oxford University while attending an evangelistic service. Later he would say, “I can’t bring myself to use the language ‘I found Christ.’ I only feel it’s true when I say ‘Christ found me’” (transcribed from www.youtube.com/watch?v\=Y2yiQIXFdLU, accessed 6/24/21\). During his time at Oxford, Packer attended lectures by C. S. Lewis, and hearing Lewis greatly affected his spiritual thinking. The subject of Packer’s doctoral work was the 17th\-century Puritan church leader Richard Baxter. Packer received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Oxford. After receiving his doctorate, J. I. Packer served as a priest in the Church of England and also held several academic positions. He also served as director of Latimer House in Oxford, a research center for [evangelical scholarship](evangelical-theology.html). In 1958 Packer published his first book, “Fundamentalism” and the Word of God, which sold 20,000 copies in that year and has remained in print since then. This book was a defense of the evangelical doctrine of the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. Packer became one of the leading evangelicals in England. He would later contribute to the [Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy](Chicago-Statement-Biblical-Inerrancy.html) and would make the authority of the Bible a consistent theme in his teaching. In 1973 Packer released his most popular and influential book. Knowing God, which has sold over 1\.5 million copies, was listed number five in a Christianity Today survey of the top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals (www.librarything.com/bookaward/Christianity\+Today%27s\+Top\+50\+Books\+That\+Have\+Shaped\+Evangelicals, accessed 6/24/21\). In 1979 J. I. Packer moved to Vancouver, Canada, to join the faculty of Regent College where he served out the rest of his academic career. J. I. Packer was a prolific writer, and he also served on the translation board of the [English Standard Version](English-Standard-Version-ESV.html) of the Bible. In 2005 Time listed him as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals. He considered himself an ordinary churchman who was also a theologian and a modern\-day Puritan. Much of his writing was not for other theologians but for the ordinary Christian. “Packer became one of the most famous evangelicals of his day, but he never held a prestigious post at a major university and never filled a high\-visibility pulpit on a permanent basis. He was a mild man with a peaceable disposition” (www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/july/j\-i\-packer\-died\-evangelical\-theologian\-knowing\-god.html, accessed 6/24/21\). Despite his low profile, Packer often found himself involved in controversy. He had a public disagreement with his friend and fellow evangelical [Martyn Lloyd\-Jones](Martyn-Lloyd-Jones.html) over Catholicism. Lloyd\-Jones felt the Packer was too accepting of some points of Catholic theology, and Packer was later criticized for his work in Evangelicals and Catholics Together, a 1994 ecumenical document that emphasized the need for evangelicals and Catholics to present a united front against cultural and societal decay. Packer also voted to separate from the Church of England over their acceptance of [same\-sex marriages](gay-marriage.html), and he was an advocate for [complementarianism](complementarianism.html) in gender roles. In 2016 Packer was no longer able to travel or speak publicly and became blind due to macular degeneration. “When asked late in life what his final words to the church might be, Packer replied, ‘I think I can boil it down to four words: Glorify Christ every way’” (ibid., accessed 6/24/21\). Here are some notable quotes from J. I. Packer: “To know that nothing happens in God’s world apart from God’s will may frighten the godless, but it stabilizes the saints.” “The Christian’s motto should not be ‘Let go and let God’ but ‘Trust God and get going.’” “For the Christian, the best is always yet to be. . . . Our Father’s wealth is immeasurable, and we will inherit the entire estate.” “Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.” “‘Father’ is the Christian name for God. Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption.” “Adoption is the highest privilege of the gospel. The traitor is forgiven, brought in for supper, and given the family name. To be right with God the Judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by God the Father is greater.”
What is nontrinitarianism?	Answer Nontrinitarianism is a theological view of God that rejects the doctrine of the [Trinity](Trinity-Bible.html). Any group that denies that God exists in three eternal, co\-equal Persons sharing one nature in perfect unity is nontrinitarian. Within Christianity, broadly defined, are nontrinitarian groups that believe that God the Father is God but that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not fully equal to Him. There are several false ideas related to nontrinitarianism. There is [adoptionism](adoptionism.html), which says that Jesus was “adopted” as the Son of God at some point during His earthly life—at His baptism, resurrection, or ascension, for example. There is also [modalism](Modalistic-Monarchianism.html), which asserts that God is an indivisible being who manifests Himself as one of three Persons at various times. Also, there is subordinationism, which says the Son and Holy Spirit are subordinate to the Father in nature and being. Nontrinitarian groups claiming the name of Christ include the [Jehovah’s Witnesses](Jehovahs-Witnesses.html), [Mormons](Mormons-believe-Trinity.html), [Swedenborgians](Swedenborgianism.html), [Christadelphians](Christadelphianism.html), members of the [United Church of God](United-Church-of-God.html), and [Oneness Pentecostals](oneness-Jesus-only.html). Nontrinitarianism is problematic because it is unbiblical and, at least in some forms, it makes Jesus Christ less than God. The deity of Christ is clearly supported by Scripture. Jesus said to the religious Jews, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30\). The Jews rightly took this to mean that Jesus was claiming equality with the Father. They replied, “You, a mere man, claim to be God!” (John 10:33\). Then they tried to stone Him, which was the proper response to blasphemy, according to the law (Leviticus 24:16\). A nontrinitarian who believes that Jesus is not equal to the Father will have trouble explaining why the Jews were unjustified in their response. If you are not equal to God, it would be blasphemy to say you were. As God said, through the prophet Isaiah, He is the only God, and there is none like Him: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9\). In fact, if Jesus were not fully God, His statement to the Jews would have put Him on par with Lucifer, who in rebellion attempted to ascend to God’s throne (Isaiah 14:14\). The Holy Spirit is also God and yet distinct from the other Persons of the Godhead, according to the Bible. We see this in the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who “lied to God” (Acts 5:4\). Peter also said that Ananias “lied to the Holy Spirit” (Acts 5:3\). This was the same lie, from the lips of one man to one God. Lying to the Holy Spirit is thus equated with lying to the Father. The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit has distinct emotions, a distinct will, and a special purpose (Ephesians 4:30, 1 Corinthians 12:4–7; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 14:25–26; 15:26–27; 16:7–15\). Why do nontrinitarian doctrines exist? What is the motivation to reject the Trinity? Part of the answer may be that the idea of the Trinity is so hard to grasp. How can the One God be also three distinct Persons? It makes no sense to our finite minds. But that is not a reason to discount it. There are many difficult doctrines that Christians struggle with, and many things in the Bible that seem impossible or are hard to understand. If we could fully understand everything God is and does, we would have a comfortable feeling of control. But, if anything, God’s mysterious and profound nature is an argument for the Bible being true. If there is a God who has the power to create us and the world around us, wouldn’t it make sense for Him to be beyond our understanding (see Isaiah 55:8\)? The clear and consistent teaching of the New Testament is that God exists in three Persons. Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 are two passages in which the doctrine of the Trinity is found. Jesus taught much about all three Persons of the Trinity in John chapters 14—17\. And in His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus speaks of the work of the Spirit who regenerates (John 3:8\), the Son who was crucified (John 3:14–15\), and the Father who sent the Son (John 3:16–17\). There is no doubt that the Trinity is difficult for human minds to grasp. We are not tri\-personal beings; we are each one person. But God is unlike us. In His Word, He has revealed that He is of one nature and essence while at the same time eternally existing in three Persons. The [Nicene Creed](Nicene-creed.html) (AD 325\) affirms that “we believe in one God the Father Almighty, . . . and in one Lord Jesus Christ, . . . and we believe in the Holy Spirit.” The fourth\-century [Athanasian Creed](Athanasian-creed.html) did an admirable job in attempting to convey the truth of the triune nature of God, saying, in part, “We worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being. For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Spirit is still another. But the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, equal in glory, coeternal in majesty. What the Father is, the Son is, and so is the Holy Spirit. Uncreated is the Father; uncreated is the Son; uncreated is the Spirit. The Father is infinite; the Son is infinite; the Holy Spirit is infinite. Eternal is the Father; eternal is the Son; eternal is the Spirit: And yet there are not three eternal beings, but one who is eternal; as there are not three uncreated and unlimited beings, but one who is uncreated and unlimited. Almighty is the Father; almighty is the Son; almighty is the Spirit: And yet there are not three almighty beings, but one who is almighty. Thus the Father is God; the Son is God; the Holy Spirit is God: And yet there are not three gods, but one God. Thus the Father is Lord; the Son is Lord; the Holy Spirit is Lord: And yet there are not three lords, but one Lord. . . . “And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons.” Nontrinitarianism rejects these creeds and biblical teaching about the Trinity. Trinitarians affirm Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:19 concerning baptism “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and they sing with conviction the words of the Doxology, “Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”
What is a neologism?	Answer A neologism is a new word or expression. All language is fluid. The way words are used and the meanings conveyed by those words change over time. Some words drop out of usage, and others enter the language. When a new word is introduced and begins to gain acceptance—but before it is so widely accepted that everyone just thinks of it as a word like any other—it is called a neologism. (Neo means “new,” and logism is from the Greek logos, which means “word”). A neologism can also be an existing word used in a brand\-new way or a combination of words used to mean something completely new. Authors sometimes use new words to communicate something specific, and occasionally their neologism will catch on and become embedded in the language at large. For instance, the word sanctimonious was first used in its disparaging sense by William Shakespeare in Measure for Measure. Advances in science and technology bring many new words into popular usage. In the early 1980s, every space shuttle launch was big news. The launches would be covered live on television, superseding all other programming. On one occasion a launch was delayed because of “a problem with the software.” Many of the people watching the broadcast had no idea what “software” was. The word had been around for over 20 years and was used in specific settings, but it was not until computers became part of our everyday lives that software became a common term. Anyone under 30 years old reading this article probably cannot remember a time when they did not know about software, while they may know very little about the space shuttle. Webinar—“a seminar held over the web”—is a neologism that has become popular recently. Blog was a neologism just a few years ago and is a short form of web log, “a log or record of activities published on the web.” In fact, web, when used to refer to the Internet, was a neologism in that it took an old word and gave it a new meaning. Internet was a neologism just a couple of decades ago. “You should Facebook that picture,” “Google that,” and “Just PayPal me the money” are other examples of neologisms along with e\-signature, e\-book, e\-commerce, e\-mail, texting, selfie, and emoji. A generation ago microwave, used as a noun or a verb, was a neologism. Social justice is made up of two old words, but the single term has come to the fore of public consciousness in the past year, as has the term mask mandate, which would have been next to meaningless in the summer of 2019\. COVID (which is short for “COrona VIrus Disease”) is a neologism that burst into our language in early 2020 and will probably be with us for decades to come. At one time virus meant something that could cause a physical disease. Then, for a couple of decades, the most feared virus was something that would infect your computer. Then, with the emergence of social media (another neologism), “going viral” was a good thing. Since 2020, virus has come full circle and means the same thing it did a hundred years ago. With very little effort, anyone reading this article could probably come up with dozens of neologisms that have passed into popular usage within their lifetime. The writers of the New Testament used a few neologisms in Greek. Paul, for example, combined two Greek words, arseno (“man”) with koitai (“bed”) to form [arsenokoitai](arsenokoitai.html) (“homosexuals”) in 1 Corinthians 6:9\. Matthew and Luke both used what is assumed to be a neologism in Matthew 6:11 and Luke 11:3: epiousion, usually translated “daily.” Translators of the English Bible have also used neologisms. The [Tyndale Bible](Tyndale-Bible.html) (1526\) was the first English translation to come directly from Hebrew and Greek texts, and it contained some new words. Words created by William Tyndale in his translation include Jehovah, Passover, scapegoat, and, most famously, atonement. Some terms used in Christian circles were at one time neologisms, including [quiet time](quiet-time.html), worship space, seeker\-sensitive, and hedge of protection. Newer words (and new uses of older words) gaining traction in our religious language include missional, intentional, Christ\-follower, [exvangelical](exvangelical.html), and [deconstruction](deconstruction.html). Because language is constantly changing, Christians need to regularly evaluate the language we use when communicating biblical truth. Nuance and connotation are often as important as definition. There is a constant struggle and balance between using words that the popular culture understands and leaving the message of Scripture unchanged.
Why are fathers told, “Do not provoke your children” (Colossians 3:21)?	Answer In Colossians 3:18–21, the apostle Paul summarized his instructions concerning [Christian family life](Christian-family.html) in four concise directives: “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (ESV). The word for “provoke” in the original Greek language means “to irritate or arouse feelings such as anger, hurt, shame, and fear to the point of exasperation.” Other translations render the phrase as “do not exasperate” (CSB), “do not aggravate” (NLT), “do not drive to resentment” (JB ), “do not nag” (NCV), and “do not embitter” (NIV). The image is of an overbearing disciplinarian who constantly corrects and rebukes a child for every little mistake or perceived wrong. Such a father will provoke his children. The Greek word translated “discouraged” is found only here in the New Testament. It speaks of becoming disheartened or “losing spirit.” According to A Handbook on Paul’s Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon, such a discouraged child will close down his heart and hide inside himself. “The child feels that he can never do anything right and so gives up trying” (Bratcher, R., \& Nida, E., United Bible Societies, 1993, p. 94\). The term father in Colossians 3:21 speaks directly of the male parent. Of course, the rule to not provoke one’s children ought to encompass both father and mother, but Paul reminds us that fathers hold the critical responsibility as [head of the household](head-of-the-household.html). “The Christian father is not to overcorrect or harass his children, or they will become discouraged, which refers to ‘a listless, sullen resignation—a broken spirit.’ To be discouraged as a child means to think things like, I’ll never get it right, or, All he does is criticize, or, He’ll never love me. John Newton is reported to have said, ‘I know that my father loved me—but he did not seem to wish me to see it.’ Christian fathers should be sure their children are as sure of their love as they are of their authority” (Anders, M., Galatians–Colossians, Vol. 8, Broadman \& Holman Publishers, 1999, p. 333\.) Yes, children are called to honor and obey their parents (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1–2, Colossians 3:20\), but parents must not abuse their authority. They must treat their children with dignity, respect, patience, and love. Parents are called to encourage their children. They do this by teaching each child the principles of God’s Word and promoting life\-affirming, positive creativity in the child, stirring him to have confidence in his God\-given uniqueness and to believe that he can do what he otherwise may never have achieved. Endless criticism, emotional and physical neglect, and overly harsh discipline will defeat a child’s spirit. One commentator writes, “Constant nagging produces a situation where children are discouraged either because they cannot please those they love or because they feel they are of no worth to anybody” (Melick, R., Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Vol. 32, Broadman \& Holman Publishers, 1991, p. 315\). Such provocation is not of God and will crush a child’s heart to the point of his becoming fearful, timid, and withdrawn. He will grow up disheartened, lacking the necessary confidence to succeed and believe he can be all God created him to be. In a teaching on family relationships to the Ephesian church, Paul exhorted fathers, “Do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, ESV). The language suggests a positive, nurturing, and faith\-infused environment where children will see their father’s genuine commitment to the Lord. Parents, and especially fathers, play a critical role in representing God to their children. Just as “the Lord disciplines those he loves” (Hebrews 12:6, NLT), mothers and fathers ought to [discipline their children](disciplining-children.html), but with love as their primary motivation, so that “afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:11, NLT). Growing up in a Christian home is meant to be a positive, foundation\-building, uplifting experience where parents “start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6\). Children need to see God’s love and character modeled through their parents’ lives. Such modeling will make it easier to live by the maxim to “listen when your father corrects you. Don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. What you learn from them will crown you with grace and be a chain of honor around your neck” (Proverbs 1:8–9, NLT).
What does it mean to be “whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7)?	Answer Whiter than snow figuratively expresses the condition of one who has received [God’s forgiveness](got-forgiveness.html), cleansing from sin, and redemption. [King David](life-David.html) wrote Psalm 51 during his blackest hour of self\-awareness after committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering her husband, Uriah. In this fourth “penitential psalm,” we find David in sincere repentance and confession of sin (Psalm 51:3–5\). Believing God abounds in mercy, David makes this earnest plea: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7, ESV). [Hyssop](hyssop-Bible.html) was a small shrub used in the ceremonial cleansing of lepers under the Old Testament law. It was dipped in the sacrificial blood of an animal and sprinkled seven times on the person needing purification (Leviticus 14:6–7\). David referred to hyssop symbolically in Psalm 51 to communicate his longing to be purified of sin. God’s forgiveness would make him “whiter than snow,” spiritually speaking. David acknowledged that he had been deeply stained by sin, comparing himself to a filthy garment needing to be washed thoroughly. Only the most potent remedy could cleanse him. David even tracked his iniquity back to its source, the corruption of original sin: “For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5, NLT). David’s prayer then turned to restoration and renewal. It was as though David could hear the forthcoming cry of God’s heart through the prophet Isaiah: “Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways” (Isaiah 1:16, NLT). So David pleaded with the Lord, “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow,” foreshadowing Isaiah’s words, “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool” (Isaiah 1:16–18, NLT). David’s prayer to be washed and made whiter than snow prefigured “the greater, more perfect” appropriation of God’s grace, forgiveness, and salvation made available through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ: “So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins” (Hebrews 9:11–14, NLT). We may consider our transgressions to be worse than David’s, but there are no sins that the [blood of Jesus Christ](blood-of-Christ.html) cannot cleanse. Saul of Tarsus, the persecutor of Christians who became the great apostle Paul, was told by Ananias at his conversion, “Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name” (Acts 22:16, HCSB). The apostle John affirmed, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. . . . If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7–9\). Like every Christian, we have flaws and must repent and draw near to the Lord in our blackest moments of failure, asking Christ “who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Revelation 1:5\) to forgive us and wash our guilt\-stained souls whiter than snow (Hebrews 10:19–23\). The book of Revelation describes a group of redeemed people as those who “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14\). It is through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross—the shedding of His blood—that we are redeemed and rescued from the kingdom of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13, 20; Ephesians 1:7\). David, Paul, and John will undoubtedly be among the “thousands upon thousands” worshipping around the throne dressed in robes washed whiter than snow. Together with them, we will join in the thundering chorus, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! . . . To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:11–13\).
Who was Smith Wigglesworth?	Answer Smith Wigglesworth (1859—1947\) was a British preacher who was influential in the early [Pentecostal movement](Pentecostals.html). Wigglesworth, along with [Charles Parham](Charles-Parham.html) in the U.S., was one of the first preachers to espouse and practice the teachings of Pentecostalism, particularly faith healing and the gift of tongues as evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Fans of Wigglesworth call him the “Apostle of Faith.” Smith Wigglesworth grew up poor and was unable to gain an education because, from a young age, he needed to work to help support his family. After he married, his wife taught him to read using the Bible. Remarkably, the Bible was the only book Wigglesworth ever read, and he did not permit other reading materials in his home—not even a newspaper! In 1907, Wigglesworth claimed that “the Glorious Presence of the Glory of God” rested on him for seven days straight, and after that time he was “actually living in the Acts of the Apostles’ time. I am speaking with new tongues, the Holy Fire of God’s Presence fills me till my pen moves to the glory of God, and my whole being is filled with the Presence of the Holy Ghost” (Confidence magazine, October 1908, p. 11, 15–16\). He taught that speaking in tongues was a necessary sign of the [baptism of the Holy Spirit](Spirit-baptism.html) and that a different gift of tongues could be received later to pray and praise the Lord with. During one of his early sermons, people in the audience started falling on the floor and [laughing](holy-laughter.html), which Wigglesworth took as a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit. There are many reports of Wigglesworth [healing](faith-healers.html) people of various maladies: fevers, appendicitis, deafness, heart failure, asthma, cancer, and even seasickness. Wigglesworth’s view was that all sickness is a work of the devil, and so healing was an act of spiritual warfare. For this reason, he often cast out whatever “demon” was causing the trouble. Sometimes, the exorcism required violence, and Wigglesworth would slap, punch, or shake the sick person. Wigglesworth explained his need to resort to violence: “There are some times when you pray for the sick and you are apparently rough. But you are not dealing with a person, you are dealing with the satanic forces that are binding that person” (Ever Increasing Faith, Gospel Publishing House, 1924, p. 135–136\). Wigglesworth, like the preachers in the modern [Word of Faith movement](Word-Faith.html), laid the responsibility for healing on the sick person. The message was, if you have faith, you will be healed. A lack of healing shows a lack of faith and/or sin in one’s life, according to Wigglesworth: “There is a close relationship between sin and sickness . . . but if you will obey God and repent of your sin and quit it, God will meet you, and neither your sickness nor your sin will remain” (ibid., p. 41\). Wigglesworth reported seeing Jesus on several occasions and claimed to have resurrected fourteen people from the dead. According to Wigglesworth, he and his wife allowed no medicines or doctors in their home: they committed themselves to trust only in the Divine Healing. His wife died in 1913, and starting in 1914, Smith Wigglesworth traveled extensively, holding healing meetings in the United States, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, India, South Africa, Australia, and elsewhere. Of those who doubted the healings were real or that tongues were a necessary sign of Spirit baptism, Wigglesworth simply said they did not believe the “full gospel.” Of course, Jesus healed many people as evidence of His deity and power. And the twelve apostles were given the gift of healing as confirmation of their message to the world. But there are [no apostles today](apostles-prophets-restored.html), and those who claim to fill that role or to have the power of an apostle are deceivers. Today’s “faith healers,” like their protégé Smith Wigglesworth, perform their “miracles” only in carefully organized meetings and on a stage they control. None of them are walking through hospitals healing everyone as they go. Smith Wigglesworth taught several false doctrines: • All sickness is proof of the presence of the devil. This leaves no room for God’s purposes in suffering (2 Corinthians 1:8–9; Hebrews 12:6\). • Illness and disease are linked to personal sin. This ignores Jesus’ teaching on the subject (John 9:1–3\). • It is always God’s will to heal a person physically. Paul’s testimony teaches the contrary, that is it not always God’s will to heal us in this life (2 Corinthians 12:7–10\). • If a person is not healed, the blame lies in that person’s lack of faith. This overlooks the fact that Jesus once healed a man who had no faith at all (John 5:1–9\). Given all the false teaching from Smith Wigglesworth, we conclude that he was a false teacher, regardless of whatever popularity he enjoyed and whatever shows of power he may have included in his act.
What did Jesus teach?	Answer It is impossible to give an adequate short answer to the question of what did Jesus teach. In fact, John, after writing a rather lengthy gospel, cautions that Jesus did many other things that were not recorded. This would no doubt apply to His teaching as well (see John 20:30–31 and 21:25\). Theologians and Bible students have worked for centuries to come up with good summaries of Jesus’ teaching, but what follows is at least a beginning summary: Jesus taught publicly to the crowds and also privately to His group of disciples. He also publicly denounced the Jewish religious leadership (Matthew 23\). Jesus upheld but reinterpreted the Old Testament Law. What is called “the [Sermon on the Mount](sermon-on-the-mount.html)” is the longest section of Jesus’ public teaching in one sitting (Matthew 5—7; cf. Luke 6:20–49\). Here Jesus teaches that it is not keeping the letter of the law, but the spirit of it that is important. One cannot be righteous by merely keeping the law in an outward fashion. Much of Jesus’ teaching seems to have been intended to get hearers to realize their inadequacy to keep the law. For instance, when someone asked Jesus about the [greatest commandment](greatest-commandment.html), He responded, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37–40\). In a similar context in Luke 15, the questioner realizes how difficult this really is and so attempts to justify himself. It was clear to him (and should be to all of us) that we cannot keep these commandments perfectly, and so we need a Savior. Jesus reached out to the outcasts and sinners who were closer to the kingdom than the “righteous” because they recognized their dire inadequacies (see Matthew 21:31; Luke 18:9–14; Mark 2:15–17\). The [kingdom of God](kingdom-heaven-God.html) (or kingdom of heaven) is near. Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom of God was about to arrive and that He, as Messiah, was the one to usher it in. However, this kingdom was not the earthly, military, political kingdom that was often expected by the Jews. The kingdom of God was centered in a relationship to Jesus as King. The bulk of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew centers on the nature of the kingdom of God. Integral to this teaching was that He would die and rise again (Mark 9:31\). This death was to pay for sins (Mark 10:45; Matthew 20:28\). Jesus often taught in [parables](what-is-a-parable.html), which are extended illustrations to explain spiritual truth. Some of the most famous parables of Jesus are found in Luke, such as the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37\) and the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32\). Depending on how they are categorized, there are between 30 and 40 parables of Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus also claimed to be the [Son of the God](Jesus-Son-of-God.html), a statement that the people understood to be a claim to deity (John 10:33\). However, the term He used most often to describe Himself was “[Son of Man](Jesus-Son-of-Man.html),” based on the heavenly personage described Daniel 7:13–14\. While Matthew, Mark, and Luke contain much of the same teaching of Jesus, John records many teachings that are not contained in the other gospels. Perhaps most significant are the [“I am” sayings](seven-I-AM-statements.html) and their explanations: • “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35\). • “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12\). • “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9\). • “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11\). • “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25\). • “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6\). • “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1\). John also contains the longest account of Jesus’ private instruction to His disciples in one sitting (John 13—16\). No matter how one categorizes Jesus’ teachings, it becomes obvious that Jesus considered a response to Him to be the deciding factor in one’s relationship with God and ultimate eternal destiny. It is also interesting to note that, while many emphasize Jesus’ teaching on love, most of what we know about hell is also from Jesus. Today, some Christians claim to be “[Red Letter Christians](red-letter-Christians.html).” In many Bibles, the words of Christ are printed in red. “Red Letter Christians” focus on the teachings of Christ in the New Testament (the red letters) and minimize other New Testament teachings. On a similar note, people sometimes say, “Jesus never mentioned anything about homosexuality (or some other topic), so I don’t talk about it, either.” The “Red Letter” emphasis misunderstands the teaching and authority of Jesus. Jesus affirmed the Old Testament and all the moral imperatives contained in it. The apostles who wrote the New Testament (under inspiration of the Holy Spirit) were speaking for Christ. When Paul writes about homosexuality or any other topic, he writes with the authority of Christ. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would remind His apostles of His teaching after He had ascended into heaven (John 14:26\). Jesus commissioned the apostles, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 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 all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20\). The apostles simply relayed and applied the teaching of Jesus to the infant church, and we find the record of this in the rest of the New Testament. There is no better way to find out what Jesus taught than to read the whole New Testament—not just the gospels.
What does it mean that God will make our enemies a footstool (Psalm 110:1)?	Answer Psalm 110:1 reads, “Of David. A psalm. The LORD says to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’” But who is this “lord” the LORD speaks to? Is this meant to pertain to us? Verses must be read in their context. Psalm 110:1 tells us that this psalm was [written by David](Psalms-David.html). In it, David describes the actions of “the LORD,” which is how we render the Hebrew name of God, YHWH, into English. YHWH, or Yahweh, then [speaks to “my lord”](Lord-said-to-my-Lord.html) (Hebrew Adonai), telling this person, this Adonai, to sit at His right hand. This same person has a worldwide rule (Psalm 110:6\) and is called “a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (verse 4\). David says that Yahweh tells this king and priest whom David calls “my lord” to sit at His right hand. It is important to note that the Lord does not tell David to sit at His right hand; this place is reserved for another. This person, who isn’t David, is someone whom David as king still considers “Adonai,” an address of honor for someone more notable than the speaker. Who, besides Yahweh, would be more notable than the king? Jesus claims this title for Himself. The New Testament records Jesus’ references to this passage in multiple places (Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:35–37; Luke 20:42–43\). In each passage, Jesus proves that the Messiah, the Christ, is David’s Lord and the One who will sit at Yahweh’s right hand. The Lord God Almighty, then, will put all of Jesus’ enemies under Jesus’ feet. Hebrews 1, while establishing Jesus’ superiority over the angels, says, “To which of the angels did God ever say, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?” (Hebrews 1:13\). Psalm 110 predicts the victory of Jesus Christ over all His enemies and the glory He will receive. The apostle John caught a glimpse of this victory, and he wrote, “Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. . . . He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. . . . And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (Revelation 19:11–15\). Any victory we attain and any glory we share will be the result of our being in Christ. Since the promise of Psalm 110 is not for us, we must look at how we as believers are to relate to our enemies: In Luke 6:27–28, Jesus says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Romans 12:19 adds, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” We are promised to [overcome](Bible-overcomer.html), by faith (1 John 5:4\). The punishment of our enemies will come in God’s time and in God’s way. Anyone who sins is ultimately sinning against God, and the enemies of God will be placed under the feet of Jesus. The [sons of Korah](sons-of-Korah.html) knew where their victory came from: “You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever” (Psalm 44:4–8\).
Who were Perpetua and Felicity?	Answer Perpetua and her slave Felicity (or Felicitas) were third\-century Christians who bravely faced [martyrdom](Christian-martyrs.html) together. They are remembered for their steadfast faith in the face of suffering and are named saints of the Catholic Church. Their story is recorded in “The Passion of St. Perpetua, St. Felicitas, and their Companions,” which is thought to be written by Perpetua herself, along with an editor/narrator who begins and ends the account. Vibia Perpetua was a 22\-year\-old noblewoman who lived in Carthage, North Africa. She was recently married and the mother to a nursing infant. Because her husband is never mentioned in her diaries, many historians assume she was already a widow as well. Perpetua followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a Christian in AD 203, despite major discouragement from her pagan father. When he begged her to abandon Christianity, she asked him if he could call a water jug by any other name than what it was. When he said no, she told him, “Well, so too I cannot be called anything other than what I am, a Christian” (“Perpetua,” www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/martyrs/perpetua.html, accessed 7/7/21\). Not much is known about Felicity except that she was a young slave\-woman who was eight months pregnant at the time of her arrest. Perpetua and Felicity were arrested along with three other catechumens—Christians who had not yet been baptized—Revocatus, Saturninus, and Secundulus. Their teacher in the faith, Saturus, chose to share in their punishment and submitted to arrest as well. The prison was hot and crowded, subjecting the believers to intense suffering, the worst of which was Perpetua being separated from her baby. Two deacons in Perpetua’s church were eventually able to pay the guards to place the prisoners in a better cell. The prisoners’ faith, strength, and courage then convinced the warden to allow family to visit, and Perpetua could finally feed her child again. The testimony of these Christians would eventually lead the warden to faith in Christ as well. The execution of the prisoners was scheduled to take place during the military games celebrating the birthday of Emperor Septimius Severus. Felicity was worried she would not be able to die with her companions because it was illegal to execute a pregnant woman in the Roman Empire. She did not want to give birth too late and die at a later date with common criminals. Her fellow prisoners did not want to leave so “good a comrade” behind, either. Miraculously, Felicity went into labor two days before the execution. The guards made fun of her pain, telling her much worse was coming. She calmly responded, “What I am suffering now, I suffer by myself. But then another will be inside me who will suffer for me, just as I shall be suffering for Him.” She gave birth to a little girl, who was adopted by another woman in the church (“The Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas,” www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/primary/perpetua.html, accessed 7/7/21\). During Emperor Severus’s military games, the prisoners were placed in the arena, where the men of the group were mauled by bears, leopards, and wild boars. Perpetua and Felicity were stripped of their clothes and forced to face a rabid heifer. The crowd called out that they had seen enough, so the women were removed and re\-clothed. Then Perpetua and Felicity were thrown back into the arena with gladiators. Perpetua’s last recorded words before they met the sword were, “You must all stand fast in the faith and love one another, and do not be weakened by what we have gone through” (ibid.). Perpetua and Felicity died side\-by\-side in the arena, faithful martyrs for the gospel. Such [cruelty and injustice](Christian-persecution.html) toward two young mothers in front of an approving crowd is almost incomprehensible. But Jesus identified the reason the world hated Perpetua and Felicitas so much: “You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:19\).
What does it mean that the believers will overcome by the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11)?	Answer Revelation 12:10 calls [Satan](Satan-in-the-Bible.html) the “accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night.” The context of the verse describes a [cosmic battle](war-in-heaven.html) between a great red dragon (identified as Satan in Revelation 12:7\) and the angelic hosts of heaven. The dragon is hurled to the earth (Revelation 12:9\), the authority of the Messiah is locked in place (verse 10\), and the believers are victorious: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11, NKJV). During the [tribulation of the end times](tribulation.html), Satan’s wrath against God’s’ people, especially Israel (the “woman” of Revelation 12\) will intensify. But the believers are promised to overcome. Dr. Charles Ryrie comments on Revelation 12:11: “The believer’s defense against Satan is (1\) to bank on the merits of the death of Christ, (2\) to be active in witnessing, and (3\) to be willing to make any sacrifice, including death” (The Ryrie Study Bible, Moody Press, 1978, p. 1,801\). Down through the centuries, the “great dragon” Satan has despised the mercy, love, grace, and forgiveness that God pours out on believers in Jesus Christ. With relentless, evil determination, the devil hounds us, fixated on destroying our walk with God and chasing us back into a spiritual prison. But, day by day, night by night, believers always overcome him “by the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11\). Satan’s tireless goal in the life of every Christian is to prevent, disrupt, and cut off his or her relationship with God. He “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8\). But the devil’s only real power over believers is to throw our sins and transgressions in our faces. He is [the accuser](Satan-accuser.html). Thankfully, the sacrifice of Christ has effectively dealt with the problem. It is the blood of Jesus Christ—the blood of the Lamb—that redeems people, setting them free from slavery to sin and Satan’s control. Scripture gives us vivid pictures of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross. Peter explains that “God paid a ransom” to save us from our old empty way of life. “And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18–19, NLT). The [tribulation saints](tribulation-saints.html) will have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14\). When Jesus Christ died, His precious blood “purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9\). Jesus’ blood was poured out “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28\), and it “purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7\). Satan tries to [condemn](no-condemnation.html) us, but we overcome by the blood of the Lamb. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2\). Jesus freed us from the spiritual chains of sin (John 8:35–36; Romans 6:17–22\). The next time Satan tries to hurl past failures in your face, remember that “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned” (John 3:17–18\). All believers—past, present and future—overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ’s death is the definitive basis for our victory over the enemy of our souls. The apostle Paul asks, “Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:33–34, NLT). Despite everything in the devil’s arsenal that he can throw at us, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37\). Paul tells the Colossians, “For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. So don’t let anyone condemn you” (Colossians 2:12–16, NLT). We must not allow the devil to deceive us with lies and accusations. Every charge he can bring against us is canceled, nailed to the cross, and overcome by the blood of the Lamb. It may seem strange that, in Revelation 12, a raging dragon is overcome by a slain lamb. Lambs are not usually seen as dragon\-slayers. But such is the power and efficacy of the death of Christ. Because of Christ’s shed blood on the cross, sin has lost its grip on us. Whenever Satan accuses us, we can sing, “My chains are gone; I’ve been set free.”
What is an executive pastor?	Answer The position of “executive pastor” is not specifically mentioned in Scripture. The primary position of leadership in a local church is that of [pastor/elder/overseer](qualifications-of-a-pastor.html). The three titles seem to be used interchangeably, but each word may emphasize a certain aspect of the position. The word pastor is really the word for “shepherd” and may emphasize caring for and feeding the flock. The word elder may emphasize wisdom and respect. The word overseer (or bishop) emphasizes leadership and authority. The qualifications for this office are found in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9\. The biblical pattern is that there are several pastors/elders/overseers for each congregation, even though there may be one pastor who does most of the day\-to\-day work of teaching, preaching, counseling, etc. ([senior pastor](senior-pastor.html), lead pastor, [teaching pastor](teaching-pastor.html)). When this is the case, the other elders are there to hold him accountable and to provide wisdom and balance so that all leadership and authority is not centered on one man. The role of executive pastor is not defined in Scripture but has developed over the past few decades in Western churches. The “job description” may vary from church to church. Some churches today are very large. Under the church umbrella there may be a Christian school, bookstore, media ministries, camp or conference grounds, and other ministries that are primarily conducted outside the “four walls” of the church. Many churches have extensive properties, dozens or even hundreds of employees, and large budgets. They have to deal with municipal codes, employment laws, federal guidelines, insurance, and payroll taxes. Unfortunately, in today’s environment churches can have significant legal exposure regarding employee sexual harassment and abuse of minors, and these risks require the development of safeguards and policies. Furthermore, the church may be involved in important promotional efforts through traditional and social media. These issues can have significant impact upon the ministry of a church. The executive pastor is the person who oversees all of the various business, financial, personnel, and legal aspects of the ministry like the ones mentioned above. In business, he might be called a Chief Operating Officer. Because the executive pastor will have spiritual authority within the church and will be dealing with issues that require wisdom and spiritual discernment, it is important that he meet the biblical qualifications for pastor/elder/overseer. Although he may not be preaching on a regular basis, he should still be able to bring the Word of God to bear upon a variety of situations and explain it to those he supervises or interacts with. Many of the difficult issues that face churches today can only be handled with wisdom and prayer. The position should not be offered to someone based solely upon his business acumen or legal skill and experience.
What is biblical Christianity?	Answer Biblical Christianity relies on the Bible to understand true faith. It is counter to cultural Christianity, which does not truly adhere to the faith or the Bible. Biblical Christianity bases its doctrine on the Bible alone. [Cultural Christianity](cultural-Christianity.html) may be based on family background, personal experience, country of residence, or social environment—what the Bible says is secondary. Cultural Christianity produces nominal believers who label themselves as Christians but who allow culture to define their convictions. Biblical Christianity produces true believers who use God’s Word to understand salvation and what it means to be a Christian. Biblical Christianity adheres to the fundamentals of the Christian faith, as found in the Bible: 1\) The Triunity of God: the one God exists eternally in three Persons. 2\) Jesus Christ is fully man and fully God. His death was the substitutionary sacrifice for sinners, and He rose again bodily. 3\) Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. 4\) The sixty\-six books of the Bible are God’s Word, inspired, inerrant, and sufficient for living a godly life. 5\) Jesus Christ is coming again to judge sin and rule the world. Any departure from these points represents a departure from biblical Christianity. The words we have in both the Old and New Testaments are described as God’s very words (Job 23:12; Psalm 119:9; Isaiah 55:11; John 6:63; 2 Timothy 3:16–17\). The apostle Paul commends the believers in Thessalonica for accepting what he shared as God’s words to them: “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13\). Jesus Himself exemplified the importance of God’s Word. When [He was tempted](Jesus-temptations.html), He relied on Scripture to defeat Satan, saying, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4\). This is the example the early Christians followed in their faith. In the days of the early church, there was no such thing as cultural Christianity. Believers were in many ways counter\-cultural, transformed by Christ’s resurrection and the Holy Spirit. They studied the Scriptures (Acts 17:11\). They were biblical Christians. Whereas cultural Christianity is comfortable and focused on cultural issues, biblical Christianity produces believers who are willing to die for their faith based on what the Bible says. Biblical Christianity is historic Christianity. A true Christian has received Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior (John 1:12\). He believes that Christ has paid the penalty for his sin (2 Corinthians 5:21\). He trusts in Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus said that anyone who wishes to become His disciple must “deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23\). A biblical Christian knows what that looks like because he bases his life on God’s Word, not on cultural norms. The [Protestant Reformation](Protestant-Reformation.html) brought a revival of biblical Christianity. For centuries the Roman Catholic Church had made its traditions superior in authority to the Bible, which resulted in many practices contrary to the Bible. Sola scriptura was the cry of the Reformers. Sola scriptura means that Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christian. The Bible tells us that God’s Word is true, God\-breathed and complete (2 Timothy 3:16\), and we are warned not to go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6\). The Reformers were calling Christians back to biblical Christianity. Today, true Christians are still rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15\) and calling people to biblical Christianity. In a world where people want to redefine everything, we must hold firm to the truth that God’s Word endures forever (Isaiah 40:8; Mark 13:31\). Our faith should be based firmly on what He has revealed to us in His Word. Christianity that is not biblical is not true Christianity.
What is the meaning of by and by in the Bible?	Answer The saying by and by is found in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. This phrase was originally used by Geoffrey Chaucer and came to its modern definition by the 16th century. It became popularized in Shakespeare’s works, the King James Bible, and many other well\-known texts of that era. By and by is an adverbial phrase that means “after a while” or “soon.” By and by is used in the gospels of the KJV Bible translation. In Mark 6:25, Herodias demands for John the Baptist’s head on a platter. The KJV translates Herodias’s words as, “I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.” Modern translations exchange “by and by” for “right now” and “at once.” The point is that Herodias wanted her request fulfilled soon. The KJV translation of the [Parable of the Sower](parable-sower.html) also uses the phrase by and by in describing the seed that falls to the road. Since this seed has no roots, it “dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” Modern translations convey that, since the seeds do not have roots, “when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.” The phrase also appears in describing the signs of the [end times](questions_end-times.html) in Luke 21\. In verse 9, we read, “But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.” Wars, earthquakes, persecution, famines, and catastrophic events are indeed signs that the end of time will come, but not right away. Instead of fearing, believers are called to “stand firm” (Luke 21:19\). Our faith in Christ allows us to stand firm (Hebrews 6:19\). As Peter instructed, we are to be alert, sober\-minded, prayerful, and loving of others (1 Peter 4:7–8\). For Christians, the by and by end of time is sweet, as the well\-known hymn so calls it. Written by Sanford Fillmore Bennett in 1868, the words of the hymn “In the Sweet By and By” sum up the joy and encouragement that the future by and by time brings for believers: There’s a land that is fairer than day, And by faith we can see it afar; For the Father waits over the way To prepare us a dwelling place there. Refrain: In the sweet by and by, We shall meet on that beautiful shore; In the sweet by and by, We shall meet on that beautiful shore. We shall sing on that beautiful shore The melodious songs of the blessed; And our spirits shall sorrow no more, Not a sigh for the blessing of rest.
How is God’s Word a lamp to my feet (Psalm 119:105)?	Answer Psalm 119 is a long acrostic poem dedicated singularly to honoring and proclaiming the value of God’s Word. In verse 105, the psalmist declares to the Lord, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (ESV). Just as a lamp brightens a path for our feet to walk, God’s Word provides the illumination and guidance we need to walk in this world. The word translated “lamp” in this passage is ner in the original Hebrew. It refers to a small clay lantern with a solitary wick. The psalmist describes the Word of God as a lamp carried on his journey to distinguish the way and keep him from stumbling off course and going astray. The light of God’s Word allows us to see the right direction. It is God’s guidance for our travels through life on earth. Proverbs 6:23 offers a companion thought: “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.” The guidance referred to by the biblical writers is not the advice of career counselors or pop magazines but rock\-solid truth for navigating difficult moral choices in a dark and fallen world. Ideas like [moral relativism](moral-relativism.html), [situational ethics](situational-ethics.html), and [subjectivism](subjectivism.html) make staying on the right path all the more challenging and perplexing. Worldly voices claim, “There are many paths to God,” “There’s no such thing as absolute truth,” and “Just do what feels right to you.” If we aren’t careful about the choices we make, if we listen to these voices rather than rely on God’s illuminating truth to guide us on the right roads, we will quickly encounter grief and ruin. Only God’s Word provides the direction we need. Second Peter 1:19 describes it as a reliable lamp shining in a dark place: “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” The apostle Paul told his young protégé, Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NLT). If we study God’s Word frequently and diligently, if we give it our full attention, it will provide us with the direction, correction, and wisdom we need to succeed in life and do the Lord’s work. Obeying God’s Word brings blessings and rewards: “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (Psalm 1:1–3, NLT; see also Exodus 15:26; Psalm 128:1; James 1:22–25\). On his deathbed, King David told his son Solomon, “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn” (1 Kings 2:3, ESV). God’s Word has extraordinary power, says Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double\-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Word of God is alive because He is a living God (Hebrews 3:12; 2 Corinthians 6:16\). His words are full of energy, life, power, and productivity—they cause things to happen (Psalm 33:9\). If we allow it to, if we don’t ignore it, God’s Word will take an active presence in our lives. We can trust the Word of God to accomplish whatever purpose God intends for it and to prosper wherever He sends it (Isaiah 55:11\). For this reason, we ought to study it (2 Timothy 2:15\), meditate on it (Psalm 119:97\), hold firmly to it (Philippians 2:16\), and hide it in our hearts (Psalm 119:11\). Christians can say to God, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” because the Word of God is the living energy that actively provides illumination, insight, direction, and guidance for our pilgrimage through a dark and sinful world.
What does it mean that He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23)?	Answer In Hebrews 10:19–39, the biblical writer turns to the theme of spiritual endurance and maintaining stamina in the Christian life. Instead of shrinking back or turning away from Christ in challenging times, he urges believers to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23\). The expression “hold unswervingly” in the original language means “to hold fast” or “stick to firmly.” We are to grab hold of Jesus Christ and never let Him go. In a similar encouragement, the apostle Paul told the believers in Corinth to stand firm and hold on tight to the message of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1–2\). Even if we suffer for our faith, we must never give up on our commitment to Christ because God who promised is faithful to keep His Word. “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled,” says Joshua 21:45\. When we draw near to God, we experience Christ’s power to endure (Ephesians 1:19–23; 2 Corinthians 12:9\). Even our ability to hold on to Christ as we wait for the fulfillment of His promises depends on [God’s faithfulness](faithfulness-of-God.html) to provide the strength and stamina we need to endure (1 Corinthians 1:18–25; 2 Corinthians 13:4\). The transcendent power of God is “made perfect” in our human weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9–10\). Peter tells us that God’s power gives us “everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. By these he has given us very great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:3–4, CSB). We hold tightly to the hope we profess, and we are held firmly by a Savior who is a great high priest. He understands our weaknesses: “Therefore, since we have a [great high priest](Jesus-High-Priest.html) who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14–16\). We can count on God’s mercy and grace to supply us with whatever we may need whenever we may need it. Walking closely with the Lord involves a life of faith, clinging to God’s promises. It has been this way since the days of [Abraham](life-Abraham.html), the founding father of our family of faith: “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises” (Romans 4:20–21, NLT). In Hebrews 11:1, the author describes faith as trust in the unseen promises of God. He then showcases a multitude of faithful believers who held on to the hope they professed. In the end, these heroes of faith will inherit the fullness of God’s promises (Hebrews 6:12–15; 11:32–33\). Spiritual staying power and consistent obedience to God have rich returns: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” (Hebrews 10:35–36\). God’s promises, by their nature, are for the future. But if we hold steadfastly to Christ and the hope we profess in Him, “He who promised is faithful” to bring those assurances into our present\-day experiences. In Colossians 1:27 Paul taught that, because Christ is alive in us, we already have the hope of eternal life with Him. His indwelling Spirit provides the guarantee of sharing in the riches of His glory. Romans 5:2 says, “Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory” (NLT). He who promised is faithful means we can count on God and His Word. “For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does,” declares Psalm 33:4 (NLT). The Lord’s promises for our future infuse us with hope for today. We can stand, walk, sleep, and wake secure in this truth: God is trustworthy to keep His Word.
What does it mean that the Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12)?	Answer The writer of Hebrews informs readers that God’s Word is more than simply a historical record of events and people: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double\-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12\). In this passage, Word of God refers to His revelation in a general sense, meaning any method God uses to communicate with humans. Our primary exposure is through His written Word, the Bible. We learn in Scripture that the Word of God is alive and active—it not only lives but works. Let’s explore these two characteristics of God’s revelation to humankind. The original Greek word translated here as “living” means “to have life” or “alive.” The Word of God is alive because God is a living God (Hebrews 3:12\). Jesus said, “The very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63, NLT). In the [parable of the sower](parable-sower.html), Jesus compared God’s Word to seed (Matthew 13:1–23\). Seed, like the Word, is a living organism that, when spread and planted in fertile soil, produces abundant life. Christians are made alive spiritually and eternally because we are “born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God” (1 Peter 1:23\). Believers “enter God’s eternal rest” (receive God’s free gift of salvation by grace through faith alone and not by self\-effort, Ephesians 2:8–9\) through the life\-giving power of God’s Word. This truth is the main point the writer of Hebrews has been driving home in the previous verses (Hebrew 4:1–11\), that no one can enter God’s true rest except those in whom God’s message has taken deep root and complete control. God does the work of salvation by the power of His Word when we submit to God’s dominion and trust Him to save us through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The term active in Hebrews 4:12 means “effective, powerful, producing or capable of producing an intended result.” The Word of God is vibrant, dynamic, energizing, and productive. It is not static or idle in the lives of genuine believers. The apostle Paul explained that the Word of God is “at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13\). God’s Word is powerful, not only to give life, but also to deliver warnings and bring judgment and punishment to the disobedient: “Is not my Word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29, ESV). God’s living Word is not something to read or listen to passively and then forget. James taught Christians to look “intently into the perfect law that gives freedom” and to focus on it by doing what it says (James 1:23–25\). Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NLT). If we let God’s message do its work deep inside, it will change our character and behavior. Astonishing, life\-generating things happen when God’s Word goes forth. It is fully capable of accomplishing its purpose: “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:11, NLT). On the [Day of Pentecost](day-Pentecost.html), when Peter preached the message of salvation in Jesus Christ, those who heard it “were cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37\), and about three thousand people were saved (Acts 2:41\). The author of Hebrews described the Word of God as “sharper than any double\-edged sword.” Paul called it “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17\). This sword imagery also appears in Isaiah 49:2, Revelation 1:16, and Revelation 2:12\. As a sharp, double\-bladed sword, the Word of God is our definitive offensive weapon against the assaults of a spiritual enemy. When Satan [tempted our Lord](Jesus-temptations.html) in the wilderness, Jesus wielded the sword of God’s Word to counter the devil’s attacks (Matthew 4:4\). His example teaches us to do the same. The vital power of God’s message exists in its ability to pierce and penetrate the innermost depths of the human soul. It can cut through any obstacle to access and inspect our unspoken thoughts and hidden secrets (Matthew 10:26; Luke 8:17; 12:2; Mark 4:22\). It can cross\-examine and judge the attitudes of our hearts. Because the Word of God is living and active, Peter encouraged Christians to pay close attention to it (2 Peter 1:19\). May we let it be a lamp to guide our feet and a light to illuminate our path through this life (Psalm 119:105\).
What does it mean that we have this hope as an anchor (Hebrews 6:19)?	Answer In Hebrews 6:16–20, the biblical writer intends to instill steadfast hope in his readers to keep them from drifting about aimlessly through the Christian life. He does so by identifying three wholly reliable sources of hope as an anchor for the soul: God’s Word, God’s character, and God’s Son. The Lord not only gives us the promise of [salvation](Christian-doctrine-salvation.html) and eternal life (John 3:16\), but He reinforces it by binding Himself with an oath “so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind” (Hebrews 6:17, NLT). God’s Word and nature are rock solid. He is trustworthy, and “it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18\). The dependability of God’s promise and His character bolster our faith so that we can “take hold of the hope set before us” and “be greatly encouraged” (verse 18\). “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:19–20\). God’s Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, is a powerful and dependable anchor for our souls. Our hope\-inspired encouragement is based on the finished work of Christ. As our [high priest](Jesus-High-Priest.html), Jesus “has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven. . . . With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever” (Hebrews 9:11–12, NLT). Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus Christ has won the ultimate victory over sin and death for us (Colossians 2:14–15; Romans 6:9; 1 John 5:4\). Because of Him, we have the promise of eternal life (1 John 2:25\). The anchor has been a symbol of hope among Christians since the days of the early church. (A Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, Vol. I, W. Smith \& S. Cheetham, ed., London: John Murray, 1875, p. 81\). The anchor metaphor emphasizes the stability and safety of Christ as our hope. The writer describes this hope as an anchor that is “firm and secure” (NIV), “sure and steadfast” (ESV), “strong and trustworthy” (NLT). A ship’s anchor allows the vessel to remain fixed and unmoving regardless of the conditions at sea. Our faith in Jesus Christ keeps us from becoming “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6\). Just as an anchor stops a ship from drifting with the winds and currents, keeping our eyes on the hope of heaven (2 Corinthians 4:16–18\) and the “pioneer and perfector of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2\), who is Jesus Christ, will prevent our souls from wavering and wandering in times of pressure and turmoil. God has “caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials” (1 Peter 1:3–6, ESV). As believers, we have “a living hope” and “hope as an anchor” that holds secure because it is tethered to the steadfast Word of God and the unchanging, reliable character of God. He is faithful, and His promises are true (Joshua 21:45; Psalm 33:4; Hebrews 10:23\). One commentator imagines the anchor’s rope extending “from heaven’s heights back down to earth, where faithful people can ‘seize the hope set before us.’ Like rock climbers scaling an imposing height, Christians steady themselves by trusting God’s promises, holding on for dear life to this cord of hope” (Long, T., Hebrews, John Knox Press, 1997, p. 78\). With Jesus Christ as our anchor, no power of darkness and no earthly opposition can harm us (Romans 8:31–34\). We live with hope because we possess the Holy Spirit inside us as a guarantee of our redemption and full adoption as sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:23–25; Ephesians 1:11–14\). When this “earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling . . . so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 5:1–5\). The hope set before us as an anchor of our soul is that Jesus Christ has already gone before us into the holy of holies where God dwells in glory. God’s Word promises that we will be with Him there one day. That future reality is already secured by the finished work of Jesus, our High Priest. He is also our [Great Shepherd](True-Shepherd.html) who “through the blood of the eternal covenant” equips us “with everything good for doing his will” while we are on earth (Hebrews 13:20–21; see also Ephesians 2:8–10\). This hope as an anchor holds us steady in this life and secure in the future because it is firmly attached to the eternal throne of God.
What is the meaning of semper reformanda?	Answer The Latin words semper reformanda are part of a well\-known phrase, ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda, that came about in the 17th century. In English it is translated as, “the church reformed, always being reformed.” So semper reformada means “always reforming.” Scholars have traced the origins of semper reformanda to a devotional book written by Jodocus van Lodenstein in 1674\. Van Lodenstein was a minister in the [Reformed Church](Reformed-church.html) in what is now known as the Netherlands. As part of the Further Protestant Reformation, he advocated a Calvinistic theology and saw a need for the church to reform according to the Bible. Semper reformanda corresponded to the Reformed principle of [sola Scriptura](sola-scriptura.html), or Scripture alone. When Van Lodenstein penned the phrase, it was not about adjustments and improvements to the church’s doctrine, worship, or government. Nor was semper reformanda a call to be innovative or relevant. Semper reformanda calls the Church to continually focus back on that which lasts forever—God’s Word (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:24–25\). Advocates of semper reformanda saw empty formalism and tradition as the great dangers of their day. The danger was creating a [cultural Christianity](cultural-Christianity.html) where those who considered themselves Christians participated in a form of worship and subscribed to proper doctrine yet did not have true faith. Jesus warned against this and quoted the prophet Isaiah, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8\). The part of the Church always needing reforming is the human heart, and continual reformation must occur to return to the teaching of God’s Word. The slogan semper reformanda, then, radically focused the Church’s decisions on the Bible alone. It questioned every proposal for change in light of its biblical warrant. Any reforming of the church must be done according to the Word of God. Some today use the phrase semper reformanda when making significant changes in their churches, especially when changing doctrine and/or practices to adjust with the times. This is particularly true regarding church policies on sexuality and other current topics. However, this is an incorrect application of the phrase and ignores the historical meaning of semper reformanda. Our constant reformation must be ensuring that our hearts, lives, and practices are being reformed by God’s Word. The phrase semper reformanda echoes the sentiment of Psalm 119:133: “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.” As we allow God’s Word to direct our steps, we will not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2\). In this way, believers and the Church can truly say, “Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda.”
What is an antinomian?	Answer The word antinomian comes from an ancient Greek word that literally meant “against law.” Dictionary.com defines antinomian as “a person who maintains that Christians, by virtue of divine grace, are freed not only from biblical law and church\-prescribed behavioral norms, but also from all moral law.” In other words, an antinomian sees himself as under no obligation to follow any type of moral code. He is completely free. The father of [antinomianism](antinomianism.html) was Johannes Agricola. He, like [Martin Luther](Martin-Luther.html), was a German Reformer, but they disagreed on whether the law permanently bound the Christian. Agricola’s position was that the purpose of the law was to drive Christians to the cross and repentance, at which point they were no longer under any law, either Levitical or moral. Luther, on the other hand, believed that the law had a place in the Christian’s life. The law initially drives a Christian to Christ, and it continues as a tool to move the believer to ongoing renewal and maturity. Luther publicly opposed Agricola’s teaching in “Against the Antinomians,” published in 1539\. The antinomian position can be seen as an extreme version of [easy believism](easy-believism.html). It’s true that we are saved by grace through faith, but the believer must always contend with the sinful nature (Romans 7:20\). Scripture teaches that, after faith, there must be a corresponding way of life that pleases God and is filled with good works (Colossians 1:10–12\). We are to confess our sin to the Lord (1 John 1:9\), and to define sin we must have a standard. The basic idea behind antinomianism, that there is no moral law God expects Christians to obey, is manifestly unscriptural. “His commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3\), but Christ does have commands. Ephesians 4 gives an obvious moral code, and the antinomian cannot simply ignore these directives: Put off falsehood (verse 25\) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry (verse 26\) Steal no longer (verse 28\) Work, doing something useful (verse 28\) Share with those in need (verse 28\) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths (verse 29\) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice (verse 31\) Sadly, many Christians today live an antinomian lifestyle, even if they do not consider themselves antinomian. They claim a saving belief in Jesus Christ but fail to live out that belief scripturally. Sin is sin, even under grace. Romans 6:15 warns, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!” James also speaks clearly of the believer’s need to live righteously. He even speaks of a “law”: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right” (James 2:8\). James goes on to challenge those who believe they can live as they please: “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds” (James 2:18\). To James, it matters a great deal how we live: “A person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone” (James 2:24\). The antinomian is wrong to think he is under no law whatsoever. It is good for us to periodically examine our own lives in terms of whether we are living an antinomian lifestyle in some respect. Are we walking in morality, integrity, and love in every area of our lives? Or do we in some ways relax our morality, presuming that “grace” will cover our sin? “We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:3–6\).
What is the Christian walk?	Answer The Bible does not use the exact phrase Christian walk at all; however, the New Testament does explain to Christians how to “walk” in faith. A “walk” in this context is a metaphor for practical daily living. The Christian life is a journey, and we are to walk it—we are to make consistent forward progress in our faith. The Christian walk involves [Christlikeness](Christ-like.html). Christians are people who follow Christ. “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6, ESV). Speaking of suffering, Peter said, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21\). Believers have God the Holy Spirit indwelling them, and He will lead them in the way they ought to go. The Christian walk involves righteousness. Romans 8:4 explains God’s purpose “that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” When we walk by the Spirit, we “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16\). So the Christian walk requires saying no to the lust of the flesh. The Christian walk should be characterized by [good works](faith-without-works-dead.html) (Ephesians 2:10\). The Christian walk involves [obedience](Bible-obedience.html). The apostle John taught that we show our love for God as “we walk in obedience to his commands” (2 John 1:6; cf. John 14:15\). There are many paths open to us as we travel through this world, but God’s commandments direct us away from the harmful paths and onto the path of life (Psalm 16:11\). God’s Word, the Bible, is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105\). The Christian walk involves [faith](walk-by-faith-not-by-sight.html). Second Corinthians 5:7 teaches, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (ESV). This is a foundational truth for believers. We live in light of eternity; we focus on unseen realities such as Jesus and the rewards of heaven. We live according to what God has revealed to us, rather than trust our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6\). The Christian walk involves a new way of thinking. When we follow Christ, we put away the old ways and embrace the new: “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds,” Paul said (Ephesians 4:17\). The command for those on the Christian walk is “to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:23–24\). The Christian walk involves fidelity to the Lord—our character should “match up” to His. Ephesians 4:1–3 lists some of the qualities that will result: “Walk in a manner [worthy](walk-worthy.html) of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” In Colossians 1:10–12, walking “worthy” is tied to four personal characteristics: 1\) being fruitful in every good work 2\) steadily increasing in the knowledge of God 3\) using the power of God to joyfully endure and patiently persevere, and 4\) giving thanks to the Father. If you are a Christian seeking to walk more closely with Christ, pray and ask for direction. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7\). Don’t feel as though God is “too busy” or has more important things to do. When you are a child of God, He always has time for you. Know that the Christian walk is blessed: “The LORD watches over the way of the righteous” (Psalm 1:6\). If you are not yet a Christian, we encourage you to pray to God, confessing your sin and placing your faith in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus. Begin your Christian walk and have the assurance that you have [eternal life](eternal-life.html).
What happened at the Council of Jamnia?	Answer The 1st\-century Council of Jamnia (Jabneh) is where the limits of the Jewish canon are said to have been finalized. This canon rejects the [Apocrypha](apocrypha-deuterocanonical.html). Opinions about this council are varied and contradictory. The Roman Catholic Church, which accepts the Apocrypha as inspired Scripture, denies that such a council ever happened. Many non\-Catholic scholars, who reject the Apocrypha, use the Council of Jamnia to bolster their claim that the Jewish canon had been settled and closed by the end of the first century and that the early church accepted this canon as binding. Roman Catholic scholars counter that that there is no reason that Christians should accept the conclusions of the Council of Jamnia (if it ever happened at all), especially considering that the Jewish canon may have been influenced by the Jewish rejection of Christ and animosity against the early church. The [Septuagint](septuagint.html) (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) was used extensively by the early Gentile Christians. Paul often quotes from it in his letters. The Septuagint contained the Apocrypha. Catholic scholars claim the rabbis may have rejected the Apocrypha precisely because it was in “the Bible of the early church.” (On a side note, even this argument demonstrates that the Apocrypha was treated differently than the rest of the Old Testament. For instance, the early church relied heavily upon Isaiah, but there was no Jewish rejection of Isaiah.) As a rejoinder, many Protestants point out that the Roman Catholic Church never officially affirmed the Apocrypha as inspired until the [Council of Trent](Council-of-Trent.html) (1545—1563\). This affirmation was influenced by their rejection of Protestantism, which also rejected the Apocrypha. If there were early documents that clearly recorded the activities of the Council of Jamnia, there might be fewer grounds for controversy. However, the existence of the council was first proposed in the mid\-18th century based on inferences from earlier sources. There is no clear evidence that Jewish leadership held a specific council where the OT canon was settled once and for all. If such a council did happen, there is no way to determine if it was clearly “authoritative” because “official” Judaism was in disarray as the temple had been destroyed and the Jews were scattered across the Roman Empire. While questions about the Council of Jamnia may be interesting from the standpoint of historiography, it seems that questions about whether or not the Apocrypha should be included in the canon of the Christian Bible are best settled on other grounds.
What does it mean that Paul was the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15)?	Answer In 1 Timothy 1:15, the apostle Paul summed up the gospel of God’s grace: “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (NKJV). The magnitude of the gift he had gained in Christ was best understood by Paul when set before the dismal backdrop of his own deep depravity. And so, with humble gratitude, Paul accepted the title “chief of sinners.” One Bible commentator describes the grace of salvation as “the gift of God. He gives it ‘without money and without price.’ It is His munificent, magnificent gift in Christ Jesus, to the very chiefest of sinners” (Exell, J., ed., Biblical Illustrator, Vol. 5, entry for Acts 28:28, Baker Book House, 1975\). The word “chief” in 1 Timothy 1:15 (NKJV, KJV) is a translation of the Greek term protos, meaning “first, leading, or ranking above all others.” It is also rendered “foremost” (ESV), “worst” (NIV), “worst of them” (CSB), and “worst of them all” (NLT). Paul saw himself as the chiefest, highest\-ranking, worst of all sinners. A sinner is someone whose life and actions are contrary or in rebellion to the will and laws of God. Just before [his conversion](Damascus-Road.html), “Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers” (Acts 9:1, NLT). Paul said, “I am chief,” not “I was chief of sinners.” As an apostle, he never strayed from the heart of the gospel—that “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT). God’s [salvation](Christian-doctrine-salvation.html) was always intended for sinners (Matthew 1:21; Mark 2:17\). Paul kept his past depravity and ongoing corruption at the forefront of his mind because he saw it as an essential companion to the full apprehension of [grace](grace-of-God.html). Paul testified to the church in Corinth, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:9–10\). To the Ephesians, he said, “Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8\). The more we comprehend the weight and extent of our sinfulness, the better we can grasp the magnitude and scope of God’s forgiveness and grace at work in our lives. When we recognize and remember the truth about ourselves—our old way of life with our weaknesses and failures, our lack of hope and purpose, and our utter helplessness apart from God—we remain exceedingly humble and grateful for what Christ has done for us. Like Paul, we rejoice and “thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. . . . But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:12–14, NLT). We don’t beat ourselves up in self\-defeating condemnation (Romans 8:1\); rather, we give praise, glory, and honor to God for His generous gifts of mercy (1 Timothy 1:16\), grace (Ephesians 3:7; 4:7\), peace with God (Romans 5:1\), membership in the family of God (Ephesians 2:19\), and eternal life in His presence (1 John 2:25\). Some of us may have started out like the Pharisee in [Jesus’ parable](parable-Pharisee-tax-collector.html), so profoundly unaware of our sinfulness and need of salvation that we prayed, “I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers” (Luke 18:11, NLT). But, eventually, we ended up like the humble tax collector who “would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” (Luke 18:13, ESV). Paul called himself “chief of sinners” because he, like the tax collector, was acutely aware of his sinfulness and understood how much that sinfulness had cost his Savior. This self\-identification is the discovery of every person whose eyes have been opened, whose conscience has been awakened, and whose heart has been pricked by the Holy Spirit. It is the humble posture of every believer who acknowledges he is utterly helpless and dependent on God for salvation (Romans 5:6\). It is the admission we all must make: “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the chief.”
What is a yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1)?	Answer In Galatians 5:1–15, the apostle Paul discusses the nature of [Christian freedom](Christian-freedom.html), beginning with an admonition to “stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1, NKJV). Paul contends that Jesus Christ came to set believers free from a burdensome, legalistic existence as slaves to the law. Therefore, Christians must ensure that they stay free and not get bound up again under a yoke of bondage to the law. A [yoke](yoke-in-the-Bible.html) is a curved bar made from wood or metal that harnesses together two or more draft animals so they can more effectively work as a team. Yokes were also placed around the necks of people like shackles to secure prisoners in place. Thus, wearing a yoke often speaks of slavery and hardship in the Bible (Deuteronomy 28:48; 1 Kings 12:4; Jeremiah 27:8; 1 Timothy 6:1\), and removing or breaking a yoke represents freedom (Leviticus 26:13; Isaiah 58:6\). The references to being “entangled again” (NKJV) or “burdened again” (NIV) suggest being weighed down again under a heavy load. When Paul said, “Do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (NKJV) or “Do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (NIV), he was rebuking Christians for their tendency to turn back to [legalism](Bible-Christian-legalism.html), which is the opposite of Christian freedom. One commentator elaborates, “The Christian freedom he \[Paul] describes is freedom of conscience, freedom from the tyranny of the law, the dreadful struggle to keep the law, with a view to winning the favour of God. It is the freedom of acceptance with God and of access to God through Christ. . . . In other words, we are to enjoy the glorious freedom of conscience which Christ has brought us by His forgiveness. We must not lapse into the idea that we have to win our acceptance with God by our own obedience” (Stott, J., The Message of Galatians: Only One Way, InterVarsity Press, 1986, p. 132\). Paul depicts our former way of life before salvation as slavery to the law. Wearing a yoke of bondage is a fitting metaphor for this slavery because an animal (or person) bound by a yoke must obey its master. Under the Old Testament covenant, the Jews labored under the law in an attempt to be justified or made right before God (Romans 2:13\). But under the New Covenant, God’s grace confirmed by the blood of Jesus gives us freedom from slavery to the law and release from sin and death (Galatians 4:24–31\). Jewish false teachers had infiltrated the Galatian churches, demanding that Gentiles be circumcised (Galatians 2:3–5\). The same thing had happened in Antioch of Syria, where Judiazers taught, “Unless you are [circumcised](circumcision.html) as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1, NLT). These legalistic Jews were trying to make Christians return to a yoke of bondage by requiring them to observe the Old Testament rules, laws, and ceremonies, especially circumcision. Paul stood unyielding against these false teachers because the truth of the gospel of grace was at stake: “Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love” (Galatians 5:2–6, NLT). Paul contended that under the New Covenant both Jews and Gentiles are accepted into God’s family by faith alone in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21–22; Ephesians 2:8\). Before salvation, we lived under a yoke of bondage to the law (Galatians 4:3\), burdened by a guilty conscience (Titus 1:15\), imprisoned by demands we could not keep (Acts 15:10\), and held captive by the fear of punishment because of our disobedience (1 John 4:18\). Paul said in Galatians 3:24, “The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith” (NLT). When Christ came, He set us free from the yoke of bondage by meeting the demands of the law for us: “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace” (Romans 6:14, NLT). There is no longer condemnation for those of us who belong to Jesus (Romans 8:1–2\) because He took the guilty sentence in our place: “God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us” (Romans 8:3–4, NLT). The Christian life is characterized by a joyous freedom to follow Christ out of love and not a dreadful life of slavery to following rules. Jesus Christ has lifted the yoke of bondage from our shoulders and placed on them His own yoke, one that describes obedience and discipleship: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For [my yoke is easy](yoke-easy-burden-light.html) and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29–30\).
What does the Bible say about order vs chaos?	Answer Our God is a God of order, who does all things well. “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33\). With God, disorder and chaos give way to order and peace. We see both order and chaos in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. In the beginning, God started with a world that “was [formless and empty](without-form-and-void.html)”; that is, the earth was in a chaotic state. But then God brought order in a series of notable divisions: He divided the darkness from the light (Genesis 1:4\), He divided the water under the firmament from the water over the firmament (Genesis 1:7\), and He divided the sea from the dry land (Genesis 1:9\). He made all plants and animals to multiply “according to their kinds” (Genesis 1:11–12, 20–25\). He created mankind with an orderly distinction between male and female (Genesis 1:27\). God placed the first man in a beautiful garden “to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15\); in other words, God wanted Adam to maintain order in the creation. Since God is a God of order, apple seeds grow into apple trees, a male koala and a female koala will produce baby koalas, the moon goes through predictable phases, and planets don’t fly out of their orbits. Because God is a God of order, not chaos, we know that a2 \+ b2 will always equal c2 in a right triangle and that, no matter where we are in the universe, F \= G × Mm/r2. Physical laws remain the same, day after day, year after year, century after century. Unfortunately, [Adam and Eve](Adam-and-Eve-questions.html) sinned in the Garden of Eden. As a result, the order inherent in God’s creation was damaged, and chaos was introduced: we had confusion instead of surety, deception instead of truth, hiding instead of openness, weeds instead of crops, and pain instead of ease. We lost the garden. Our relationship with God became chaotic, as did the very nature of who we are. Jesus removes the chaos of sin and restores spiritual order to people who accept Him as Lord and Savior: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10\). So the thief steals, kills, and destroys—he brings chaos—and Jesus gives life to the full—He brings order and peace and reconstruction. Followers of Christ desire order, not chaos. Luke, who wrote more of the New Testament than any other writer, was careful to ensure he provided “an orderly account” of Christ’s life (Luke 1:3\). In relating the conversion of Cornelius’s household, Peter “explained at length to them in an orderly sequence” (Acts 11:4, NASB). Believers are to “make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19\). Knowing that “God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people,” we make sure our worship services are not chaotic or disorderly (1 Corinthians 14:33\). Revelation 21 gives some detail regarding the end of the age and the restoration of order to God’s creation, after sin had brought disorder and chaos. This rehabilitation culminates with God creating a [new heaven and a new earth](new-heavens-earth.html). There is no longer any chaos. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4\). Confusion will be gone: “Now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12\). Order wins over chaos, and those who pursued and promoted the chaos of sin will no longer be allowed to disseminate disarray: “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (Revelation 21:8\). We ought to model the order of God and deny chaos. “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14\). “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace” (Colossians 3:15\). We look to the Prince of Peace who gives us His otherworldly peace (John 14:27\), and we guard our minds from being “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3\).
What is an acrostic poem? What examples of acrostic poems are in the Bible?	Answer An acrostic poem is a poem in which the first letter (or sometimes the first syllable) of each line spells out a word, name, or sentence. A good example is Lewis Carroll’s untitled poem, usually called “Life Is but a Dream,” at the end of Through the Looking\-Glass. The first letters of the twenty\-one lines of this poem spell out Alice Pleasance Liddell, the full name of the young girl who inspired Carroll to write his novels. Some scholars claim that the Bible contains acrostic poems, but there is debate on whether the poems were intended as acrostics by the original writers. What is beyond debate is the existence of some poems in the Old Testament that show an alphabetical arrangement. Sometimes, these are called “acrostic” poems, but they are more properly called “alphabetical” or “abecedarian.” Psalm 111 is a good example of an “acrostic” poem in Scripture. After the initial “Praise the Lord” in verse 1 are twenty\-two lines to correspond with the twenty\-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each line of the poetry begins with a letter of the alphabet, in order. Another example of an acrostic or alphabetical poem is Psalm 119\. This psalm is divided into twenty\-two sections, one for each Hebrew letter. Each section has sixteen lines, with that section’s letter appearing at the start of each alternate line. So, for example, the first eight verses contain sixteen lines of poetry, and every other line begins with aleph (א), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The next section of Psalm 119 comprises verses 9–16, and each verse begins with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, beth (ב). Psalms 9 and 10, taken together, show some purposeful alphabetic arrangement, although not with the whole alphabet. Psalm 25 uses twenty of the twenty\-two Hebrew letters. Each letter is given two lines of poetry. In verse 2, the expected letter comes at the beginning of the second word, rather than the first. Other acrostic poems such as Psalm 34 (two lines per letter), Psalm 37 (four lines per letter), and Psalm 145 (two lines per letter) also have some omissions or minor adjustments to the strict alphabetical sequence. Outside of the book of Psalms are two other passages that contain acrostic or alphabetical arrangements. One is Proverbs 31:10–31\. The poetic description of [the virtuous woman](Proverbs-31-virtuous-woman.html) is an acrostic, with each verse beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet (two lines per letter). Finally, Lamentations chapters 1—4 contain acrostic poems. Lamentations 1 has twenty\-two verses, giving three lines to each Hebrew letter in order. In Lamentations 2 there are mostly three or four lines to each letter. In Lamentations 3 there are twenty\-two stanzas of three verses apiece; each verse begins with that stanza’s letter. So the last stanza of Lamentations 3 (verses 64–66\) has three lines beginning with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, taw (ת). In the twenty\-two verses of Lamentations 4, there are mostly two lines of poetry to each letter. One other passage, Nahum 1:2–8, is a hymn to God with an alphabetic construction. Only half of the Hebrew alphabet is used, however, and the sequence of letters is not rigid. The acrostic or alphabetical structure of various portions of Scripture could have been a memorization aid or simply meant to enhance the beauty of the reading. In any case, such linguistic devices are a good reminder that the Bible is literature and that the biblical writers, [guided by the Holy Spirit](Bible-inspired.html), used the literary forms and tools available to them to communicate God’s Word.

Subsets and Splits

Top Long Responses

Returns the prompts and responses where the response length falls within a specified range, ordered by decreasing length, which provides basic insight into the distribution of response lengths.