Introduction Before we can study repentance, we must first understand all repentance entails. Webster uses the three following definitions when defining “repentance:” (1) “to feel sorry or self-reproachful for what one has done or failed to do,” (2) to feel such regret or dissatisfaction over some past action, intent, etc. as to change one’s mind about,” (3) “to feel so contrite over ones sins as to change, or decide to change, one’s ways; be penitent.” While all three of these definitions are somewhat accurate, a combination of the last two gives the most complete definition, as it demands a change of mind and a change of action. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words states the term “signifies ‘to change one’s mind or purpose’” and, in the New Testament, always involves “a change for the better.” Further, “this change of mind involves both a turning from sin and a turning to God” (Vine’s). Bible Examples Turn to Luke 19:1-10. As we recall the account, Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Tax collectors were known for cheating people in order to receive great riches (Nelson’s). As long as the Roman government received its share of the taxes, the collectors could take anything they wanted for themselves, even if it was not part of the tax. For this reason, tax collectors were greatly disliked by the people and considered equal with sinners. Notice also that Zacchaeus was a “chief among the publicans.” Most likely, this meant he had other publicans working for him, from which he

Introduction How would you define faith? What does faith mean to you? Webster defines faith as an “unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence” (510). Unfortunately, most of the world uses this definition. It is unfortunate because it is a false definition. Faith is not a “leap of faith” or a “leap in the dark” as this definition implies. The definition given by New Unger’s Bible Dictionary is more appropriate–“the body of truth, moral and religious, which God has revealed–that which men believe.” This definition parallels faith with revealed truth, thus implying a need for evidence. The Nature of Faith When defining a Bible term, the best source to use is the Bible! Hebrews 11:1 holds the best definition of faith, as it is a divine definition. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This definition gives us the first point about the nature of faith–it is based on evidence. The Greek word for substance used in this verse means “a setting under” (New Exhaustive). This gives a meaning of support or a foundation. The word evidence is also used in the verse. The Greek word means “proof” (New Exhaustive). Therefore, the verse could read: Faith is the foundation of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen. Further, consider 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things.” The Greek word for prove means “to test” (New Exhaustive). This too indicates a need for evidence. To illustrate, consider the wind. We cannot see the wind, but we know it

In order to properly discuss any subject, a proper definition of terms must be understood. With that in mind, notice the following definitions: To judge ~ “to criticize or censure” (Anges 774). Judging ~ (1) “to decide…give a verdict” (ISBE) and (2) “discernment or separation between good and evil. God judges among people and their actions according to the standards of His LAW” (Nelson’s). Now that we understand what is meant by judging, the subject can be properly addressed. To begin, consider Matthew 7:1-6: Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. In this passage, “judged” means “to distinguish…to try, condemn, punish”; judgment is defined as “a decision” (Biblesoft’s). Further, it “denotes the result of the action signified by the verb krino,

Introduction Faithfulness is usually associated with one’s attendance. While it is true ones faithfulness is evident through attendance, or lack thereof, there is more involved in the Bible concept of being faithful. Even the English dictionary has the right idea–“keeping faith; maintaining allegiance; constant; loyal卹eliable” (Agnes 510). God views faithfulness, as will be shown through the Scriptures, as a way of life. Study from the Greek The English word faithful is found in the King James Version of the Bible fifty-four times. Every occurrence comes from the same Greek word, which means “believing, trusting, relying” (Vine’s). The same Greek word is used sixty-six times in the King James Version and also translated into various forms of believe, sure and true. The concept of faithfulness carries the meaning of “dependability, loyalty, and stability” (Nelson’s). Faithfulness is a Way of Life Faith is an action verb. Likewise, faithfulness indicates a lifestyle of action. Faithfulness is commonly used to show God’s relationship with mankind (Psalm 89). God is faithful, or trustworthy, to fulfill the promises he has set forth (Deuteronomy 7:9). The history of God’s relationship with man shows God is reliable. He will do what he says he will do. Likewise, God requires man to be faithful to God. God requires us to rely on him. Consider Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” As

The passage from which the topic comes is 1 Corinthians 3:16-17: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. In order to properly understand the meaning of these verses, several questions need to be answered: (1) What is the Temple of God? (2) What does defile mean? (3) What constitutes defiling the Temple of God? What is the Temple of God? Primarily, the temple of God is the church as a whole. The context of the passage shows Paul is addressing the brethren at Corinth–the congregation, the church (1:2). Paul is addressing Christians collectively; hence, he is saying that the Spirit dwells in the Church. Christians have the Spirit dwelling in them individually (6:19; Rom. 8:9; Acts 2:38). Collectively they make up the Church (12:12-27). The conclusion seems inevitably, then, that the Spirit dwells in the temple, the church, the body, through Christians. This states a fact: the Spirit dwells in God’s temple. (Winters 44) Consider Ephesians 2:20-22 as well. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. From this verse one can see

The passage from which the question arises is Matthew 12:31-32 and the correlating verses in the other Gospel accounts. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Before much consideration can be given to the question itself, terms must be defined. “The word ‘blasphemy’ is practically confined to speech defamatory of the Divine Majesty” (Vine’s) Blasphemy means “‘defamation’ or ‘evil-speaking’ in general…’impious and irreverent speech against God’” (ISBE). The term “speak against” is simply a definition of blasphemy. The context of the passage shows Jesus responding to an accusation. Jesus had just healed “one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb” (verse 22). The Pharisees thought he had done so “by Beelzebub the prince of the devils” (verse 24), implying that a servant of Satan cast out Satan. The Pharisees were in direct denial of the miraculous power of Christ as the miracle was done by the Spirit of God (verse 28) and not the power of Satan. It was through this denial the Pharisees blasphemed against the Holy Spirit. They refused to see the truth that came through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees saw firsthand the miraculous

Paul was traveling on his second missionary journey when he arrived in Athens around A.D. 54. The account we are about to study takes place on Mar’s Hill in Athens. Athens was the “seat of Greek literature and art during the golden period of Grecian history”(Rushmore 4). The Athenians were also known for their great interest in worshiping gods (Rushmore 4). The altar to which Paul is referring when he makes his speech is probably just one of the several altars with the same inscription (Rushmore 4). In Acts 17:22, Paul began his speech by accusing the Athenians of being “too superstitious.” The word “superstitious” properly means “reverence for the gods.” In a positive sense, it denotes a suitable fear and reverence for the gods, while a negative sense indicates an excessive dread of anger from the gods (Barnes’). Whether or not one looks at the word “superstitious” in a positive or negative light, it is preceded by the word “too.” This word indicates an abundant amount of that superstition. Paul was simply stating that the Athenians had an excessive amount of reverence and fear for their gods. Paul reached the above conclusion by perceiving and beholding the numerous altars and the religious actions of the Athenians. The word “perceived” in 17:22 indicates that he came to a conclusion based on evidence (Barnes’). The word “beheld” in 17:23 means that he “looked again” or “considered” what he saw (Biblesoft’s). Their “devotions” were their acts of worship (Biblesoft’s). Undoubtedly, he noticed their varying

According to Acts Chapter Seventeen and verses one through four, Paul and Silas taught the Thessalonians. The only problem is that the people rejected the teachings and turned into an angry mob that wanted to arrest Paul and Silas (Acts 17:5-9). They escaped, traveled to Berea and taught the Word of God where it was well received. The Bereans were different from the Thessalonians in that they were “more noble” (Acts 17:11). According to verse five, the Thessalonians were “moved with envy.” The people were angry with Paul and Silas because they taught the Word of God. The angry mob attacked Jason’s house, where Paul and Silas stayed during their visit, for the purpose of taking Paul and Silas to court (Acts 17:6-7). The Bereans, on the other hand, “received the word with all readiness of mind” (Acts 17:11). In this verse, the Greek word for “received” means to accept, or take (Biblesoft’s). The Greek word for “readiness of mind” indicates a willing mind (Biblesoft’s). The people of Berea attentively listened to the teaching of Paul and Silas because they were willing and ready to learn. The Bereans were also more noble than the Thessalonians because they “searched the scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11). The Greek word for “searched” implies investigation (Biblesoft’s). In our text, the term “scriptures” is used in verses two and eleven. Both times, the Greek word is graphe, which makes reference to the holy Writ (Biblesoft’s). The term “holy Writ” refers to the Old Testament writings (Barnes’). The

The text of James 15:13-18 gives us a glimpse of the power of prayer. To begin with, we are given reasons to pray: suffering afflictions (verse 13), sickness (verse 14) and confession of sins (verses 15-16). The healing of the sick (verse 15) and forgiveness of sins (verse 15) are listed in the text as results of prayer. The text also gives an Old Testament example of the power of prayer. Verses 17-18 site Elijah praying to God to stop the rain and then for it to return three and a half years later. This account is recorded in 1 Kings 17-18. The main phrase from our text for discussion at this time comes from verse 16, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” There are four main points to the lesson: (1) Prayers Are Effectual, (2) Prayers Must Be Fervent, (3) Prayers Must Come from the Righteous and (4) Prayers Will Avail. Prayers Are Effectual The text reads, “The effectual fervent prayer…” The Greek word for “effectual” is energeo, which means, “to be active, efficient” (Biblesoft’s). The root word also means “operative” and “powerful” (Biblesoft’s). We see from the definitions of the Greek words that our prayers are operative in that they produce action. Although our prayers do produce actions, these actions must not, cannot, be contrary to the laws of nature. We cannot pray for a miraculous recovery and expect it to occur because miracles have ceased (1 Corinthians 13:8; Ephesians 4:11-13). God does work, however, by means

As defined by Webster, faith is an “unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence.” Unfortunately, this is the definition most of the world uses. It is unfortunate because this definition is a false one in that it implies faith is a “leap in the dark.” New Unger’s Bible Dictionary gives a better definition of faith, “the body of truth, moral and religious, which God has revealed–that which men believe.” This is a true definition as it corresponds to the biblical definition of faith. Unger’s definition uses the phrase “body of truth,” which correctly implies a need for evidence that comes from God. The Bible also shows faith requires evidence. Hebrews 11:1 actually gives a definition of faith, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” According to Strong’s, the Greek word for “substance” in this verse means “a setting under,” implying a support or a foundation. Using Strong’s for the meaning of “evidence” one finds it means “proof.” So the verse is saying that faith is the “foundation” of things hoped for and the “proof” of what is not seen. Another Bible text showing faith requires evidence is 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things.” The Greek word for “prove” means “to test.” This verse shows every teaching should be tested before it is believed by man. The testing process implies a need for evidence. Thomas is sometimes called “Doubting Thomas” because he desired proof before believing Jesus was risen (John 20:25-29). Man has ridiculed him for this desire,

Throughout history, man has chosen to worship God in incorrect ways. Cain offered fruits of the land rather than an animal sacrifice. The Israelite nation frequently fell into idolatry. As the consequences of these actions show, God must be worshiped in the manner he prescribed. As in times past, God has laws concerning worship of him. It is ever so important that we, too, worship God in the manner in which he prescribed or God will not accept our worship either. So, how does one worship God today? Since God demands we worship him as he prescribed, we must seek the answer of this question in God’s book, the Bible. God must be worshipped (1) in spirit and in truth, and (2) according to the acts that he has set forth. John 4:24 reads, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” The phrase “in spirit” refers to the state of mind of the persons worshipping God. Contrast this concept with Old Testament worship that was ceremonial and carnal (Hebrews 9:1, 10). Further, we are to worship “in truth.” This is to say that we are to worship God as he has prescribed. There is a two-fold reason we are to worship God in spirit and in truth. First, we see from John 4:23 that God desires this type of worship. The passage states that true worshippers will worship God in such a manner and that God seeks such worshippers. Looking

Numerous “churches” exist in the world today, but where did they all originate? Did all these “churches” come from God? Are they all biblically correct? A study of the New Testament will show the true nature and origin of the one true church as well as where it began. The first thing that must be established is that the “kingdom,” prophesied in the Old Testament, and the “church,” fulfilled in the New Testament, are one in the same. Proof of this fact lies within Matthew 16:18-19 where the two words are used interchangeably. “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). Notice also from this text the use of the singular words “church” and “it.” The use of the singular indicates that Jesus founded only one church. Only one church, established on the day of Pentecost, came from God (Acts 2:47). A unique characteristic of the New Testament church is its beginning. Only the New Testament church was founded by Deity. Every other “church” that ever was, is or will be cannot claim this distinction. The main proofs are (1) Christ is the foundation on which the church was built,

Typically, a tombstone has three main portions: name, date and brief message. There are actually two dates, one of birth and one of death. The message gives a bit of information about the deceased, such as “loving husband and father.” So I ask, what is the most important thing on the tombstone? It is not the name, the message or the dates, but what is between the dates–a dash, as it represents the entirety of life from birth until death. When we die, will the dash represent a life of service to God, or a life of refusal to obey? The Eleventh Chapter of Hebrews is often called Faith’s Hall of Fame. In that list Abel, Enoch, Noah and many other Old Testament characters are cited for their great and exceeding faith. They are called by name, and a brief account of their active faith is cited as well. In verse thirteen of that text, the writer gives an epitaph for them all: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Guided by the Holy Spirit, the writer praises the lives of these individuals due to their service to God. Though it is only specified for Abel (verse 4), though they are all dead they yet speak, encouraging us to have an active faith in our lives. Consider what the Bible has to say about the life of

The Book of Romans was primarily written to the Christians in the city of Rome (Romans 1:7) with the intentions of its disbursement to the saints in surrounding cities (Barnes’). This book “is a letter of instruction touching upon those main truths of the Gospel that Paul felt were needed by those in Rome” (Wycliffe). The purpose of verses seventeen and eighteen of the sixteenth chapter is to instruct the brethren regarding Judaizing teachers. Paul writes, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18). The apostle Paul begins this portion of the letter by beseeching the brethren. Paul uses the word “beseech” at least twenty-three times in his epistles. This term comes from the Greek word parakaleo, which means, “to call near, i.e. invite, invoke…imploration” (Biblesoft’s). The general meaning is that of exhortation and begging. Following this, Paul calls them “brethren.” Both of these words show the degree of love and concern the apostle has towards the Christians there in Rome, especially for their souls. Matthew Henry writes, “How earnest, how endearing, are Paul’s exhortations!” After imploring the brethren, Paul gives the exhortation to “mark.” The Greek word for “mark” is skopeo, which carries the meaning “to take aim at (spy)” (Biblesoft’s). Paul exhorts the Roman Christians to

Proverbs 30:24-28 Proverbs 30:24 tells us that there are four things on the earth that are little, but exceedingly wise. Verses 25-28 list their identities as ants, conies, locusts and spiders. God sees these lowly critters as wise, so we have something to learn from each one of them. Let us look at the lives of these little, wise creatures to see how we can also be wise. The first of the wise mentioned here are ants. Verse 25 says they are not strong, but prepare meat in the summer. The only other mention of ants in the Bible is found in Proverbs 6:6-8. There, the passage tells us to consider the ways of the ant to gain wisdom. The text goes on to say that the ant gathers food in the harvest. Ants are hard working creatures because they gather enough food during the harvest to last the winter. The ants’ wisdom is hard work and forethought. We too should be hard working. “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). In addition, Ephesians 4:28 tells us to work with our hands so we can give to those in need. We are to work with our own two hands so we can make a living for ourselves and aid others when they are in need. We should also be hard working for Christ. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the

Unfortunately, “baptism” is not defined well in American dictionaries. Webster defines it as so: “to immerse (an individual) in water, or pour or sprinkle water over (the individual), as a symbol of admission into Christianity or a specific Christian church.” Not only does this definition falsely state baptism as sprinkling or pouring, but it also gives the false concept of denominationalism. This article will not deal with the denominationalism problem, but will address the falsity of sprinkling and pouring as acceptable to God. The Bible gives enough information in example baptisms for one to correctly understand what baptism involves. Notice that John 3:23 states that John baptized in the Jordan because “there was much water there.” If baptism were sprinkling or pouring, why was there a need for “much water”? Further, Acts 8:38 emphasizes the fact that Philip and the eunuch went into the water when the eunuch was baptized. Why would both of them need to be in the water if baptism is sprinkling or pouring? The fact of the matter is that baptism is immersion in water; therefore, there is a need for “much water” and going “into the water.” Another way the Bible shows that baptism is immersion is by means of grammar. Notice Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” In this verse, the word “baptized” is a verb. The subject, the one carrying out the action of the verb, is “he.” Notice “he”

The Bible clearly shows the resurrection of Christ was a bodily resurrection. By using the phrase “bodily resurrection,” it is meant that the physical body of Christ rose upon the resurrection. The resurrection is recorded in all four of the Gospel accounts: Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-10; John 20:1. Matthew’s account reveals two women named Mary (Magdalene and “the other Mary”) approaching the grave of our Lord. An angel came down from heaven, rolled back the stone that sealed the grave and sat upon it to talk to the women. The angel told them that Jesus was no longer resting in the grave, but was raised. The angel also commanded them to look at the empty grave, the very place the lifeless body of our Lord was laid to rest just three days prior. Mark records this glorious event in the first eight verses of the sixteenth chapter of the book he penned. Here, “the other Mary” is identified as the mother of James. The added information in this account is found in verse three, “And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” The ironic aspect is that there was no need to remove the stone, as it had been removed already so that the risen Savior could come forth. This account also relays information as to an angel telling the women to look upon the place where Jesus was laid, now empty. Luke records the event in 24:1-10

Before discussing auricular confessions, we must first define terms. Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines auricular as “received by or spoken directly into the ear; private.” To confess is “to admit a fault or crime; acknowledge one’s guilt.” An auricular confession refers to the act of one privately confessing sins to a priest in a confessional. This ritual, practiced by Catholics, has no biblical authority. There are two main faults with the belief of auricular confessions: (1) the use of priests and (2) secret confessions. The first fault of this belief is the use of priests. As God designed the New Testament church, there is no special title of priests among the saved. First Peter 2:5 refers to all Christians as a “holy priesthood” and verse nine uses the phrase “royal priesthood.” Based on these verses, every Christian is a priest. If we were, therefore, to make secret confessions of our sins to priests, then any Christian can hear these confessions. The second fault of this belief is that of a secret confession being made in the first place. Nowhere in the Scriptures can one find a command to make such secretive confessions. James 5:16-17 refers to Christians confessing sins. There, we are commanded to confess our faults “one to another.” This means Christians are to confess sins to each other. By no means does “one to another” imply a secret confession. We are not restricted to confessing before a few choice individuals but the whole body of Christ. We now know

Webster’s defines “repentance” as “a feeling of sorrow.” This is the definition most of the world uses. Unfortunately, it is an incomplete definition of the word. Unger’s Bible Dictionary gives a more complete definition: “a turning away from sin, disobedience, or rebellion and a turning back to God.” The world’s definition of repentance seems to be a little lacking as it omits the portion concerning “turning back to God.” The Bible itself does not explicitly define repentance, but it does implicitly define the term. Unger’s definition coincides with the biblical, implied definition of repentance. Matthew 9:13 and Luke 5:32 both state Jesus came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. This implies repentance is an action for those who are disobedient or rebellious, as sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). The remainder of the definition is seen in John 8:3-11. In an attempt to bring fault against Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to him who was caught in the act of adultery. Jesus was able to disperse her accusers by commanding whoever had no sin could cast the first stone against her. Jesus’ words to the woman then are recorded in verse eleven, “go, and sin no more.” The command indicates repentance involved a cessation of the sin, thus a change in her life. The Bible shows repentance involves a change of mind resulting in a change of life. It has also been said repentance is a cessation of sin and then replacing that sin with good works.

Some have posed a question desiring to know the relationship of Christ to the church. The answer to this question can be seen through the study of Ephesians 5:21-32. This passage speaks of the proper relationship between the husband and the wife. Paul compares this illustration to the type of relationship Christ maintains with the church. Verse twenty-three states that Jesus is the head of the church, like the husband is the head of the wife. Paul then argues, in verse twenty-four, that the church, therefore, is subject or under authority to Christ. His reasoning is because the wife is subject to the husband. Since the husband and Christ both have a leadership role of authority, then the wife and the church both have submissive roles. The positions are the same; therefore, the roles are the same. Verse twenty-five illustrates the degree of love the husband is to have for the wife. This is done by citing the degree of love Jesus has for the church–he died for her. The next two verses describe the result or purpose of Jesus dying for the church. The church is cleansed by his death and is therefore a “glorious church” without any blemishes. The comparison is that men should love their wives in the same manner–with the same degree of love. Verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine relate that a man who loves his wife indicates he loves himself because marriage unites the two into one flesh. Man will not harm his own body, so

The false doctrine of purgatory is credited to Gregory I. He was pope of the Roman Catholic Church from A.D. 590 to 604. It was during this time that the belief of purgatory came about. Our English word “purgatory” comes from the Latin word purgatorium, which comes from purgo, meaning, “I cleanse.” Purgatory itself is said to be a middle region between heaven and hell, but more closely related to hell. The purpose of purgatory is to purge the soul from all carnal impurities by means of fire. Purgatory is a place for baptized Catholics, whether at infancy or adulthood, who are not good enough at death to enter heaven. Purgatory, however, is not an eternal destination for one’s soul. Those in heaven and on earth pray for the well being of those in purgatory. The souls in purgatory can pray to the souls in heaven and for the souls on earth, but they cannot pray for themselves. Therefore, souls in purgatory rely on those who are yet alive to relieve them from the fires of purgatory. This is done through prayers, alms and masses offered to God on the behalf of the departed souls. The Roman Catholic Church remembers those without friends or family through general commemorations at every mass. Once an acceptable number of prayers are offered, the soul is released from purgatory and allowed entrance to heaven. Oddly enough, the priests are the ones responsible for deciding the duration of time one must remain in purgatory. There is no scriptural

The Arrest “Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him” (John 18:12). The arrest took place in the Garden of Gathsemane at night. Matthew 26:36 names the garden where Jesus was praying. In verse forty-seven of that same chapter, Judas came with the multitude to take Jesus. John 18:3 illustrates that it was night by using the phrase “with lanterns and torches and weapons.” There would be no need for lanterns and torches if it were daylight. “They evidently thought that they might have to search for Jesus among the orchards of the Garden of Gathsemane where Judas told them He would probably be found at that time, in prayer to His Heavenly Father” (Wingo 49). The custom of the day was for two or three representatives to make an arrest (Wingo 49). Matthew 26:47 records the contrary for the arrest of Jesus, “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.” According to Wingo, “the great multitude consists not only of a large group of Roman soldiers, with their drawn swords and staves, but several hundred members of the Levitical police, as well as members of the Great Sanhedrin…” (49). “Before Saul could arrest those early Christians, that they might be bound and brought to Jerusalem, for persecution, he had to first obtain ‘authority and commission’ from the high

We read of Oz, Never-Land, the Hundred-Acre Woods and other fictitious places in our fairy tales. We know, or should know, that these places are imaginary locations created to entertain our children. Unfortunately, most of the world adds heaven to the list of fairy tale lands. Every Bible student should know that heaven is, in fact, a true, real, actual place. How do we know heaven exists? We know heaven exists based on faith. A divine definition of faith can be found in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” According to Strong’s, the Greek word for substance in the passage cited above means “a setting under.” Substance is a means of support, or a foundation. Thayer’s defines evidence as “a proof.” With these definitions in mind, the passage could read, “Faith is the foundation of things hoped for, the proof of things not seen.” First Thessalonians 5:21 commands us to “prove all things.” The Greek word for prove, according to Strong’s, means “to test.” The need to test something demands there be evidence used as a basis. Faith, by nature, is based on evidence. Faith is based on evidence, but where do we get this evidence? Romans 10:17 reads, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” We have the Word of God recorded for our study in what we call the Bible. Second Timothy 3:16 tells us, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

When studying any Bible topic, a definition of terms must first be set forth. Inerrant means wholly true or without mistake. It refers to the fact that the writers of the Bible wrote exactly what God, through the Holy Spirit, inspired them to write. We know the writers of the Bible, who wrote primarily in Hebrew and Greek, were inspired of God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Further, we know from Titus 1:2 that God does not lie. These two facts, (1) the inspiration of the Bible and (2) God does not lie, allow us to conclude the Bible is the truthful Word of God. Therefore, the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the Bible are inerrant. In ancient times, copying the original Bible manuscripts was the duty of scribes. This work was a very meticulous time-consuming task, as the scribes were not permitted to copy a single pen stroke from memory. These copies were later used to make more copies, which were then copied. Since the scribes so meticulously transcribed the manuscripts, very few errors were made. The errors that did occur were minor, since they do not deal with doctrinal issues. The copies of the original manuscripts are still inerrant to the extent that they faithfully represent the originals. The transcribed texts were later translated into various languages such as our English versions of the Bible. Since the manuscripts used to translate contain minor errors, they were in turn carried over into

Webster’s Dictionary defines figurative as “representing by means of a figure, symbol, or likeness.” Webster also defines language, “human speech.” Therefore, figurative language is the use of human speech to represent things by means of a figure, symbol, or likeness. There are several types of figurative language including, but not limited to simile, metaphor and hyperbole. A correct understanding of figurative language will enable us to correctly understand the Bible when it uses figurative language. A simile is a comparison by resemblance. This type of figurative language can be identified by the words like, as, like as and even as. The Bible uses the simile in such places as Psalm 1:3, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” The psalmist is using this simile to liken a man who meditates on God’s Word to a planted and protected garden tree as opposed to a tree growing in the wild. The New Testament also uses similes. An example is Matthew 9:36 where a multitude of people are likened to a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Metaphor is another form of figurative language used in the Bible. A metaphor is basically a simile that does not use the easy to recognize catchwords. Jesus used metaphors when he called King Herod a fox (Luke 13:32) as well as when he called himself a door (John 10:7, 9). In these instances, Jesus was not calling Herod a red-tailed,

The beginning of 2 Corinthians 6:2 is a quotation from Isaiah 49:8. The phrase shows God’s willingness to save all who will obey throughout all of time, past, present and future. The latter portion of 2 Corinthians 6:2 reads, “behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” This phrase indicates the importance of salvation. Before studying the significance of “now” and “day” we need first understand salvation. There are two questions one must answer to understand salvation. The first question is, “What is salvation?” The Greek word soteria is used, indicating “rescue or safety” (Strong). Salvation is a rescuing, but from what? From Hebrews 9:28 we find one who has salvation is one who is without sin. Salvation, therefore, is a rescuing from sin. The second question regarding salvation is, “How do we obtain salvation?” Mark 16:16 tells us how to become saved, or obtain salvation. The passage reads, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” There is more to belief than acknowledging something true. When the Bible speaks of belief, or faith, it refers to an obedient faith. Consider the Book of Romans to emphasize this point. The beginning of the Book of Romans (1:5) speaks of “obedience to the faith.” The end of the Book of Romans (16:26) speaks of an “obedience of faith.” We then see from Romans 5:1 that we are “justified by faith.” Since the beginning and end of the book both

What is Prayer? God communicates with man by means of the Bible. This is the only way that God presently speaks to his children. Prayer is the only way we have to speak to God. Combining God’s Word, the Bible, with our words, prayer, allows two-way communication between God and man. To whom do we pray? When a disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray, the Lord answered with an example prayer (Luke 11:1-4). That prayer, beginning in verse two, starts with, “Our Father which art in heaven.” The only father in heaven is the Lord God. Therefore, we are to pray to God who is our one and only heavenly Father. What should our posture be? The Bible contains examples of people praying in a variety of physical positions. When Elijah prayed to God on Mt. Caramel, he first threw himself to the ground and placed his head to the ground (1 Kings 18:42). The Book of Exodus records Moses and the Israelites bowing their heads to pray on more than one occasion (4:31; 12:27; 34:8). Solomon, Ezra, Daniel, Peter, Stephen and Paul all knelt before God in prayer. We even have the example of Christ kneeling in Gathsemane to pray to the Father (Luke 2:41-42). Standing in prayer is referred to in Mark 11:25, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Examples of physical posture during prayer range from

The Gospels tell the story of Jesus’ birth, life and death. In order to get the entire story, we need to read from all four books (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We know that all four books were written through inspiration, so they will not contradict each other. By compiling the records from all four books, we get a full picture of the events of our Savior on the cross. In this full picture, we find the seven last sayings of our Lord, uttered while on the cross. Not all seven sayings are found in one book alone. In fact, only the final saying of Christ is recorded in all four books. The records of Matthew and Mark run the closest together. They show the same events, but Mark adds that Christ was crucified at the third hour. Luke runs closely to Matthew and Mark with the addition of two of the last sayings. John records the least amount of detail regarding the crucifixion, yet contains the majority of the last sayings. To make it easier to follow the whole story, these seven last sayings of our Lord will be presented in chronological order rather than book by book. The first of the last sayings of Christ is recorded only in Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Most people are familiar with the Energizer Bunny. He is that annoying pink rabbit that continuously beats his drum and never stops moving. He is the symbol for the Energizer brand of batteries that seem to have never-ending power. This annoying rabbit should be an example for us. The Energizer Bunny never quits. Similarly, there are several things a Christian should never quit doing. Christians should never tire of studying the Scriptures. Timothy is told in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” In order to be approved by God, we must study his Word and know the Scriptures. The purpose of knowing the Scriptures is first to be able to divide the Word of truth from the words of false teachers. First Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” We should know the Scriptures well enough to know when someone is trying to lead us astray by false teachings. We should also not be afraid to look something up if we do not already know the answer. We should never take someone at his word, but rather search the Scriptures to prove that the teaching is from God or discern that it is from man. And, if it is proven to be from God, we should hold to it. Second, we need to know the Scriptures so we are able to teach others when given opportunity. Second Timothy

The Book of Isaiah is a prophetic book written approximately 760 BC. Chapter 53 is dedicated solely as a messianic prophecy written approximately eight centuries before the coming of Christ. Verses 1-3 foretell the messiah’s reception by man. Verses 4-8 show his pain and suffering on our behalf, and verses 9-12 reflect his death and the purpose for it. Isaiah 53:2 “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” The prophet Isaiah refers to Christ as “a root out of dry ground.” The dry ground could refer to the city of Nazareth, the Galilean city where Jesus was raised (Luke 4:16). Why is Nazareth referred to as dry ground? Nathaniel puts it best in John 1:46, “And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.” The city of Nazareth was nestled in the mountains half way between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. Although Nazareth was located on the well-traveled road connecting Egypt and Mesopotamia, there was nothing special about it. The prophet likened the town to dry ground because Nazareth was an ordinary town. Other than Isaiah 53:2, there is no physical description of Jesus. All we know is that he was in the form of a man while he walked this earth. “But made himself of

At the beginning of every school year, students are given a list of supplies. It is the responsibility of the students and parents to obtain these supplies before school starts. Common items on the list include pencils, pens, paper, notebooks and binders. These lists are intended to include all items the students are responsible to bring to class throughout the year. However, there is an item missing from the list. What item? Christian Character. What is Christian Character? The term “Christian character” is not found in the Bible. However, we can define it by defining the two words that compose it. Acts 11:26 states, “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Going back to the original Greek language, a Christian is a follower of Christ. A Christian is commanded in Philippians 2:5 to have the same mind as Christ. Again going to the Greek, having the same mind is to hold the same values and beliefs. A person’s character is how that person feels and acts on the inside. A person’s true feelings are what define the type of character one has, not necessarily the feelings and actions that are shown. So, a person with Christian character will have true thoughts and feelings as close to those of Christ as possible. A person with Christian character will also do his best to live and act as Christ did. What was Christ Like? Now that we know Christian character is patterning lives to Christ, we need to know something about the pattern. First

The phrase “Quality not Quantity” is commonly used in the training of restaurant personnel. The emphasis not being that numbers do not matter, but instead that quality service will create more profit for the company. Serving large quantities of people without utilizing quality standards will only drive away business while ensuring quality standards will bring more business. Satisfied customers will return and bring others with them. Compare a gourmet meal served to 3000 people by a world-renowned chef to the same meal served to one person by a greasy spoon country cook. Patrons to both establishments will receive full stomachs, but will they return to their respective restaurants? That depends on whether or not the chef and cook ensured the quality of their food and service. If either of them is more concerned with numbers and neglect quality, the patrons will have a bad experience and never return. On the other hand, if quality is ensured, the patrons will gladly return with their friends. Spiritually speaking, Peter served the Gospel in Acts 2, converting 3,000 souls. Philip served the same gospel to a single soul in Acts 8, thus converting the Ethiopian eunuch. They both “served” the same spiritual food and both saved souls. God provided both Peter and Phillip with the Holy Spirit to ensure quality because he cares for all souls. Second Peter 3:9 describes that fact to us by stating, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing

The human body is made up of many members, each having a specific job and function. For example, ears were made for hearing, tongue for talking and so forth. By looking deeper than the physical functions, we can see spiritual duties as well. Our feet were made for standing.What are we to stand on? First Corinthians 16:13 and 2 Corinthians 1:24 both tell us that we stand by or in faith. Philippians 1:27 says, “…stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” We stand by faith striving for the Gospel by standing on a solid foundation. The only foundation solid enough to hold us is Christ. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). We stand on Christ through faith. Ears were made for hearing.What are we to hear? We find faith to stand by hearing God’s Word (Romans 10:17). We must hear the Gospel and know the Gospel in order to strive for faith in the Gospel. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). By hearing and studying the Gospel, we stand on Christ through faith. Our hands were made for doing.What are we to do? “Therefore all things whatesoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). By reading Matthew 25:31-46, we see

The morality of our United States of America has taken a fatal nosedive headed straight for ultimate destruction. Yes, some Americans still have the morals of the Bible, but as a general rule, the U.S. has lost all moral standards. It is now legal to abort babies before they are given the chance of life. It is medically possible to abort unborn children at any time throughout the pregnancy, even during birth. Galatians 5:21 clearly shows that murder is a sin. Since life begins at fertilization, abortion is murder and sinful. It is now legal to have same sex marriages. God does not see them as marriages, but the world around us does. God created male and female (Genesis 1:27). Mark 10:6-8 shows us that God intended marriage to be male and female as well. It is now legal to divorce for any reason. In Matthew 19:3-9 Christ tells us that the only just cause for divorce is fornication. The law of man, however, allows divorce for just about any reason. The latter part of verse 6 says, “…What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder,” showing that God intended marriage to be for life. In verse 8, Christ tells us, “…but from the beginning it was not so,” in reference to divorce. It is now legal to get drunk anywhere you please. Yes, there are a few limitations, but bars line our streets. Alcohol vendors invade our stores, restaurants and ballparks. Everywhere we turn, we see

While attending culinary school in Pittsburgh, PA, classes involved “Practical Exams.”  These tests were individual exams consisting of preparing and cooking a dish from the previous quarter from memory.  Our chef graded them by judging the products’ appearance, aroma, taste, etc.  Since we did not know which recipe we were to prepare until class started, we had to memorize them all.  This made many students uneasy since practicals made up a large portion of our grade. Ed, a classmate of mine, was assigned to prepare biscuits.  That sounds easy enough, but it proved difficult for him.  He gathered the ingredients, mixed and formed the dough and placed the biscuits in the oven, thinking all was well. When he went to remove them from the oven, however, he found that they looked more like crackers than anything else.  This should have meant a failing grade, but Chef Cole decided to let him try again.  As it turned out, he tried again at least once a week for the next two or three weeks because of the same problem.  Finally, he produced biscuits that looked, smelled and tasted as they should. He did suffer a penalty for retaking the practical, but he still managed to earn a decent grade, thus passing the class. We can take this story about Ed and fit it to our lives in Christ.  Chef Cole’s willingness to allow Ed to retake his practical can be likened to God showing mercy and grace to all mankind, represented by