If hatred is not a virtue, why does it say in Ecclesiastes 3:8 "There is a time to hate?" Why does Christ say in Luke 14:2: "If any man come to me and HATE not his father and mother, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple?"
Our Lord in all of his instructions to his followers continually admonished them to love one another, and not only this but that they were to love their enemies as well (John 13:35, Matthew 5:43,44-46, 1 Peter 2:23). Therefore, it would not be consistent to think that the Lord would counsel his followers to HATE [...]
Please explain what is meant by Preaching the Gospel, and what is the Gospel?
The word gospel signifies a message of glad tidings. Preaching the Gospel means proclaiming the good tidings, or massage of gladness, to others. When the Lord Jesus came He declared, "The spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek." During the three [...]
The Apostle says, "We are fools for Christ's sake!" What did he mean by this expression? How are Christians made fools? See 1 Corinthians 4:10.
The Apostle Paul, because of his zeal and earnestness in the cause of Christ, had suffered opposition and persecution of various kinds and had even endured hunger and thirst and hardships, as he proceeds to narrate in this same chapter. To those without faith in Christ and his teachings, this was all foolishness on the [...]
`Heb. 11:5`, we read that Enoch was translated that he should not see death. Then in the `13th verse` we read that these all DIED in faith, referring to those mentioned in the preceding verses. Would this include Enoch among those mentioned? And if so please harmonize the two statements.
From the Genesis statement (`Gen. 5:22-24`) and the Apostles' words in the 5th verse of this 11th chapter of Hebrews, (`Heb. 11:5`) we are inclined to believe that the Lord translated Enoch that he should not see death; that in some way Enoch's life was preserved. As the scriptures do not say where the Lord [...]
What did Christ mean when he referred to John the Baptist as Elijah? (Matthew 17:11,12 – Mount of Transfiguration) Is this evidence that he recognized reincarnation as a truth?
The theory of reincarnation is nowhere taught in the Scriptures. Our Lord Jesus and the apostles never, in all their teachings, said a word about reincarnation. As to the meaning of the Savior's words referred to in the question, we recognize that He was calling to mind the prophecy of Malachi 4:5,6. John the Baptist was one of [...]
Where does the Bible say Jesus was 40 days old when he was presented in consecration to the heavenly Father by his parents? Is this the basis for the custom observed by some in presenting their children to the Lord?
As narrated in Luke 2:21-23, the mother of Jesus, in conformity with the Law given to the Israelites by God through Moses, presented him in consecration to the heavenly Father. (See Exodus 13:12,15) This presentation could not take place until the time of the mother's purification had been fulfilled, which according to the Law (Leviticus [...]