Several texts can be cross read to interpret Paul’s meaning here. First, let’s address the “chief cornerstone.” There is only one kind of building that has only one cornerstone: a pyramid. The top stone itself is a perfect pyramid, and all other stones have [...]
Romans 8:6: NASB “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”A true follower of Christ is one that surrenders all the mind, heart and energy to do the will of the heavenly [...]
God created Adam, the first man “in His own image.” Adam was created sinless. God also gave Adam dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:26). Through these two combined thoughts, the Bible demonstrates that Adam, and through him, his descendants, were intended to have an [...]
Jesus knew his time on earth was coming to an end. Beginning in John 13:30 one of the last conversations between Jesus and his disciples is recorded. Jesus was preparing for both his death and his resurrection that would follow. He knew that having [...]
2 Corinthians 2:14-16: But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are [...]
The “body of Christ” refers to Jesus plus his faithful followers. We want to be integrated into the body, so that what we work on in our own individual growth experiences can positively relate to the other body members. The simple fact is we [...]
Ephesians 4:7: “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”This verse, as with most, is best understood in context. Writing from prison, the Apostle Paul is exhorting his dearly beloved brethren to “walk,” that [...]
Reading 1 Peter 5:1-5 in the New Living Translation might be of help:5 And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in [...]
For Christians, an appropriate definition of being “spiritually minded” is devoting, or consecrating, one’s life to developing and possessing a mindset that prioritizes God and His word first in one’s life. Our lives are finite, so devotion to a single pursuit will of necessity come at [...]
Evil spirits are spirit beings that, through disobedience to God, were cast out of God’s favor and light and into darkness. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as “fallen angels.” The first of these beings to disobey God was Lucifer. The scriptures [...]
The Apostle Paul was concerned. The Christians in Galatia were struggling with worldly influences coming in among them from several sources. First, there were Christians who came from a Jewish background and believed that all Christians were bound to follow the Jewish Law. Then [...]
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3), the punishment of death was applied not only to them, but to all their descendants, meaning every subsequent generation of mankind. Likewise, Jesus’ sacrifice of his perfect human life as a corresponding “payment” for that disobedience applies [...]
The thought behind the word salvation is to rescue and to deliver.Every human being born in Adam has need of salvation. The death sentence passed upon Adam was because of his disobedience in the Garden of Eden. This death sentence has been inherited by every human being. Romans [...]
Matthew 12:20: A battered reed he will not break off; and a smoldering wick he will not put out, until he leads justice to victory.This verse is quoted from a prophecy in Isaiah 42:1-3, and according to Matthew 12, clearly illustrates the approach and attitude [...]
How do we get "in" Christ?The call to become body members of Christ is described in Romans 12:1,2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [...]
The Book of Revelation is filled with symbolic references that depict wonderful things. Chapter 21 begins by describing a “new heaven” and a “new earth.” And yet Ecclesiastes 1:4 says, “…the earth abideth for ever.” These more literal statements tell us to look for [...]
It is important to understand what is scripturally meant by "born again" and "being saved."BORN AGAINThe phrase "born again" is found in John 3:3. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” A more [...]
Knowing the promise of his loss and power and his destruction stated in Genesis 3:15, Satan has targeted those who pose the greatest threat to his power. God foreknew Satan would especially attack Jesus and sincere Christians. God spoke to the serpent (representing the power of [...]
144,000 is the actual number of those sealed by God that will comprise the church class and bride of Christ (See Revelation 7:4). To some, this appears to be a very small number of those that have faithfully served God. After all, there are [...]
The phrase “less than overcomers” is not found in the Scriptures. We have heard the phrase “more than overcomers” used to describe the lives of the faithful followers of Jesus, referred to in scripture as the church, the bride of Christ, the body of [...]
