If by chastise, punishment is meant, the simple and blunt answer is No! We are not to chastise our brethren since we are not their parent. Only the Lord, our mutual Father, has the right and responsibility to chastise a brother or a sister. [...]
When God created Adam and Eve, they were perfect. God declared that their creation was “very good”. (Genesis 1:27, 31.) They were placed in the Garden of Eden where the living conditions were perfect and everything necessary to sustain their lives was provided. God [...]
John 2:19-22 (NASB), “Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of [...]
Summary: God is not directing the defenses of nations today. Usually, the kings of the cities would conscript people to erect fortifications and walls. 1Kings 9:15 (NIV), “Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted to build the LORD's temple, his [...]
God chose the strong, capable Saul as Israel’s first king. Saul began his reign humbly and reverently. However, over time, King Saul put his desires before God’s will and over Israel’s well-being. Saul’s reverence for God gradually diminished.Once, Saul was instructed to wait seven days [...]
In Matthew 19:17-30, Jesus instructed that to be “saved” we need to give up our earthly possessions and follow him. Following Jesus requires the sacrifice not only of earthly things but of our wills to obey God’s will. A heavenly resurrection is a reward [...]
Jesus gave only the apostles the authorization to “forgive or retain sins” (John 20:23) and to bind or loose things in heaven and on earth (Matthew 18:18). But what do these words mean? Many misunderstand the nature of these commissions, forgetting that God alone [...]
Summary: Forgiveness is dependent upon our faith in God’s word. A Christian embraces the truths in God’s word. We remember, “without faith it is impossible to please God,” (Hebrews 11:1). Consequently, we study the Bible, have faith in the scriptures, and apply it. In [...]
The book of Nahum is a prophecy against the city of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria (current day Mosul, Iraq). History records that the Assyrians were ruthless and cruel to their captives. Sadly, parts of Judea were under Assyrian control. In God's judgment, it was [...]
When God created Adam and Eve, they were created in His image. (Genesis 1:26, 27.) They had God’s perfect laws of love and justice written in their hearts. The Apostle Paul explains that all mankind (including Gentiles) knows right from wrong. “Indeed, when Gentiles, [...]
In Leviticus 18, God commanded Israel to set aside one tenth of all they had to be offered to Him. When Israel began to inherit the promised land, God designated different geographical locations for each tribe. The tribe of Levi, however, was not given [...]
What is the Kingdom in this verse? Jesus referenced the kingdom earlier in Matthew 6:10, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.” Jesus was teaching an earthly salvation (for mankind) as well as a heavenly salvation [...]
Procrastination and laziness can be related. When people procrastinate their responsibilities, there is a tendency to choose pleasure (television, naps, etc.) over work. King Solomon addressed this issue in Proverbs 6:6-11 (NIV). “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! [...]
If these verses were taken literally and in isolation, it would seem to promote violence. However, Jesus never contradicts Himself. Compare the Matthew passage with His words in John 18:16, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, [...]
Ancient manuscripts are texts “written” (Latin: scripta) “by hand” (Latin: manu) that date far back into the past. Where biblical manuscripts are concerned, ancient manuscripts are very important because the older they are, the closer they tend to be to the original text. This is [...]
Mary Magdalene was a Jewish woman who suffered from demon possession. There are only twelve verses in the Bible, specifically in the Gospels, where Mary Magdalene is mentioned by name. Mark 16:9 (KJV,) "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, [...]
When the bush was on fire but not consumed, it was an indication that something supernatural was happening. This unnatural occurrence attracted Moses’s attention. Exodus 3:2-6, “And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of [...]
1. Does a person die for his or her sins? No. 1 Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die…” Christian or not, everyone dies. Christian or not, everyone has sinned. We are all under the penalty of death due to the sin of [...]
The traditional Jewish thought is that Moses wrote Psalm 91. Moses wrote this during the 40 years of wilderness wandering. He experienced many dangers while leading over a million people through a hot desert without the protection of a large army or a permanent [...]
Three Scriptures use the word paradise. So to determine the way to get there, we need to identify where it is. Luke 23:43, “Verily, I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise.” Rotherham, one of the more accurate translations, places [...]
