When we look closely at the New Testament, we find no indication that Christians are ever instructed to build physical altars. This is a major shift from Old Testament worship, where altars were central to sacrifice and ritual. In the New Testament, that entire [...]
The Scriptures present Jesus as having a personal existence in heaven as the Father’s son before he was born through Mary. He was then sent by God into the world, became a human being and fulfilled the work his Father had given him. Several [...]
It’s understandable to feel that babies seem innocent, because they have never committed a personal or deliberate sin. They have no awareness of right or wrong, and they certainly do not choose to disobey God. In terms of conduct, infants are completely innocent. The [...]
The accounts in Matthew 26:6-13 and John 12:1-8 are understood to describe the same anointing of Jesus at Bethany. Although there are differences in the details recorded by the two Gospel writers, the similarities are substantial: the setting is Bethany, an expensive ointment is [...]
Zionism—understood as the regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland and the re-establishment of a national Jewish presence in Israel—is firmly rooted in Scripture. The Old Testament repeatedly foretells that God would gather natural Israel “from all lands whither they were driven” [...]
Genesis 3:14 contains a curse that speaks to both the literal serpent in Eden and to Satan, who used that serpent as his instrument. The serpent was the physical creature present, but Satan was the true deceiver operating through it. Because of this, the [...]
The Bible describes the holy spirit as God’s invisible power and influence, a special spiritual sense that God gives to faithful Christians to help them make good decisions, understand the Bible and live in ways that please Him. Jesus called the holy spirit a “helper,” [...]
The Bible describes a unique end to Moses' life, a secretive burial, and a subsequent spiritual conflict in the spirit realm over his physical remains.At 120 years old, Moses died in the land of Moab (Deuteronomy 34:5). Despite his advanced age, he was physically [...]
The general pattern of prayer in Scripture is for believers to address their petitions to the Heavenly Father, approaching Him through the merit and authority of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself directed his followers to pray in this way, identifying the Father as the ultimate [...]
The phrase “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34, KJV) comes at the end of Jesus’ teaching on worry in the Sermon on the Mount. In simple terms, Jesus is saying that each day has enough trouble of its own, so [...]
Vows in the Bible are portrayed as solemn, weighty commitments made directly to God. Unlike ordinary promises between people, a vow invokes God as witness and carries spiritual gravity. Scripture defines a vow as a voluntary “self-committal to God,” meaning an individual chooses to [...]
Repentance is far more than feeling sorry or recognizing that something was wrong. In Scripture, repentance is a fundamental change of direction and thinking. The New Testament highlights this difference by using two distinct Greek words: metamellomai, which means regret or an emotional change, [...]
The Tabernacle ceremonies are often viewed as ancient Jewish history with little meaning for today’s Christian. However, the Apostle Paul viewed it quite differently. In the book of Hebrews, he delved into the important symbolism. On the 10th day of the 7th month, Israel’s [...]
The Scriptures draw a sharp distinction between the perfect, causative foreknowledge possessed by Jehovah and the limited, derivative knowledge held by Satan and his demons. God alone “declares the end from the beginning” because He is the Author of the Divine Plan (Isaiah 46:9–10). [...]
Loving God strongly is not an instant emotion or a gift that arrives fully formed. It is the primary work of the “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17) a progressive development cultivated in the “school of Christ.” Strong love for God grows through knowledge, obedience, [...]
The exact phrase “God gave humans free will” does not appear word?for?word in most Bible translations, but the entire biblical narrative assumes and requires it. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture shows that God created humanity with the ability to make real choices—what we often [...]
Jedidiah is the special name God gave to Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24-25), the son of David and Bathsheba, after David repented of his sin. Delivered through the prophet Nathan, the name means “Beloved of Jehovah.” It was God’s personal declaration that He had accepted [...]
The practice of manifesting may be taught in some schools of thought. However, manifesting should not be confused with prayer. Prayer is taught in the Bible and is an essential part of life for every follower of God. The practice of manifesting is not [...]
David did not violate the Law when he ate the consecrated bread in 1 Samuel 21. While the Law in Leviticus 24 restricted the showbread to the priests under normal circumstances, the Law also contains built?in principles that allow for exceptions in cases of [...]
Understanding the First Commandment begins with understanding what God actually said. When God declared, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” the key phrase “before Me” (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance #5921 plus 6440) comes from the Hebrew expression that literally means "in front of [...]
