The new birth, also known as being born again or spiritual regeneration, refers to the moment when someone puts their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life. This spiritual rebirth is a work of God’s grace, through the Holy Spirit, whereby a person’s heart and nature are changed and they pass from death to life (John 3:3-8; Titus 3:5). The new birth is necessary because all people are born into this world spiritually dead in sin, separated from God (Ephesians 2:1-3). No one can enter God’s kingdom without being born again (John 3:3). Through spiritual rebirth, a person…
Author: Aaron Chin
Worship is a central theme throughout the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, we see examples of worshippers glorifying God, receiving instruction on how to worship, and being transformed through authentic worship. Here is an overview of some of the major biblical teachings on worship: The Call to Worship God created humanity for the purpose of worship. After creating man and woman, “God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living…
The term “Diaspora” refers to the dispersion or scattering of people from their original homeland. In the context of the Bible, it specifically refers to the exile and dispersion of the Jewish people from the land of Israel. There are several references to the Diaspora throughout the Old and New Testaments. The most well-known Diaspora described in the Bible is the exile of the Jews to Babylon in 586 BC. This occurred when the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar conquered the kingdom of Judah and destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple (2 Kings 25). Nebuchadnezzar deported many of the…
The atonement of Jesus Christ on the cross is a central doctrine of the Christian faith. It refers to Christ’s sacrificial death to pay for the sins of humanity. There has been much theological debate over whether Christ’s atonement is limited only to the sins of the elect or whether it is unlimited in its scope. This 9,000 word article will examine the main biblical evidence regarding the extent of the atonement and evaluate the arguments for limited versus unlimited atonement. Definition of the atonement The word “atonement” refers to the reconciliation of God and humankind through the sacrificial death…
The Bible has a lot to say about fighting, conflict and human aggression. Overall, the Bible promotes peace, reconciliation and forgiveness. However, there are times when fighting or conflict may be justified or even necessary. Here is an overview of some of the key biblical passages regarding fighting and conflict: Old Testament Teachings In the Old Testament, there are many accounts of war and conflict. The Israelites engaged in defensive battles and wars of conquest as God directed them to take possession of the Promised Land. However, God also commanded them to rely on Him rather than their own military…
The story of Job in the Bible offers a profound example of patience in suffering. Job was a righteous man who lost everything – his wealth, his children, and his health. Despite intense grief, pain, and confusion, Job refused to curse God. His steadfast faith serves as an inspirational model of perseverance through trials. Job was a blameless and upright man who feared God and turned away from evil (Job 1:1). He had 7 sons, 3 daughters, 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a large number of servants (Job 1:2-3). Job was the greatest…
The word “occult” refers to secret or hidden knowledge. In the context of Christianity, the occult involves mystical, supernatural or magical beliefs, practices or phenomena that are contrary to biblical teachings. The Bible strongly warns against any involvement in the occult. Here is an overview of what the Bible says about the occult: Practices and Beliefs There are many different occult practices and beliefs, here are some of the major ones: Astrology – Using stars and planets to predict the future and gain hidden knowledge (Isaiah 47:13-14) Fortune telling – Predicting the future through various techniques like palm reading, tarot…
Calvary Chapel is a non-denominational evangelical Christian church movement focused on the inerrancy of the Bible and the expository teaching of God’s Word. The Calvary Chapel movement began in 1965 when Pastor Chuck Smith started pastoring a small church called Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California. Some of the key beliefs and characteristics of Calvary Chapel churches include: Emphasis on the authority of the Bible: Calvary Chapel holds to a fundamentalist view of the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture. Verse-by-verse expository preaching: Pastors work through books of the Bible sequentially, verse by verse, to extract teachings. Simplicity in presentation: Services…
Subjectivism is the philosophical view that reality is dependent on the mind of the subject rather than existing independently of the subject’s perception. In other words, subjectivists believe that truth and morality do not exist objectively, but are rather constructed and interpreted by each individual according to their own experiences, beliefs, feelings and worldview. From a Christian perspective, subjectivism presents some significant challenges to core biblical principles. The Bible presents truth as objective, eternal and originating from God rather than man. Subjectivism disputes this by asserting that truth is simply whatever each person determines it to be based on their…
Philosophical theology is the application of philosophical methods and insights to theological questions and issues. It seeks to use reason and arguments to analyze and articulate matters of Christian doctrine and belief. Some key aspects of philosophical theology include: Examining the coherence and logic of theological claims Analyzing the language and concepts used to describe God and theological truths Exploring the relationship between faith and reason Defending theological beliefs against objections and critiques Interpreting biblical texts through philosophical frameworks Connecting theological ideas to broader philosophical systems and questions Philosophical theology is distinguished from revealed theology, which draws primarily from scripture…