The wrath of God is a concept that appears frequently throughout the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. At its core, the wrath of God refers to God’s righteous anger, judgment, and punishment against sin and unrepentant sinners. The Wrath of God in the Old Testament In the Old Testament, the wrath of God is seen in God’s judgment against various individuals and nations who rebel against Him and break His laws. For example: God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah with burning sulfur as punishment for their grievous sexual immorality (Genesis 19:24-25). God sends numerous plagues upon Egypt because…
Author: Aaron Chin
Monophysitism, also known as Eutychianism, is a Christological doctrine that teaches that Christ has only one nature, his divine nature. This teaching is contrary to orthodox Christology which holds that Christ has two natures, one divine and one human, united in one person. The monophysite doctrine originated in the 5th century and was condemned as heretical at the Council of Chalcedon in 451. The controversy began with Eutyches, an archimandrite in Constantinople, who taught that Christ’s human nature was absorbed into his divine nature, like a drop of honey in the ocean. After the incarnation, Christ only had one divine…
The fear of man can indeed become a dangerous snare, as the Bible warns in Proverbs 29:25. This verse states, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” To properly understand this verse, we must first examine what it means to “fear man” versus fearing God. Defining the Fear of Man The fear of man at its core is allowing other people’s opinions of us dictate our actions. It is caring too much about pleasing people rather than obeying and honoring God. We see the fear of man manifest itself in several ways:…
Why was the altar in Joshua 22:10–34 such a big deal? The altar that was built by the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Joshua 22:10-34 caused great concern for the rest of the Israelites. This incident provides insight into the importance of unity and proper worship among God’s people. Background After the Israelites had conquered much of the Promised Land, the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh were allotted land on the east side of the Jordan River (Joshua 13:8-33). Though their inheritance was outside of central Israel, these tribes had marched with their…
The Bible contains many encouraging verses that can lift our spirits and give us strength during difficult times. Here are some of the most popular and inspiring Bible verses: Psalms 23:4 – Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. This famous verse from Psalms reminds us that we never walk alone, even in our darkest moments. God promises to be by our side to guide and comfort us. Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through him…
The Bible does not explicitly state what Abraham’s religion was before God called him. However, based on textual clues and historical context, scholars have pieced together a likely picture of Abraham’s early religious background and beliefs. It is thought that Abraham grew up in a polytheistic culture that worshipped many gods. His father Terah and other family members were idol worshippers according to Joshua 24:2. Archaeological evidence indicates that people living in Mesopotamia at that time worshipped gods like Enlil, Ishtar, Sin, Shamash, Adad and Marduk. Each city had its own patron deity and temple. Abraham was likely exposed to…
This is an important question that many Christians wrestle with. On one hand, the Bible clearly teaches that salvation is eternal and secure for the true believer who has placed their faith in Christ (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14). However, the Bible also seriously warns believers against falling away from the faith and into apostasy (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31). How do we reconcile these two Biblical truths that seem contradictory? First, we must understand that the warnings against apostasy in Scripture are meant for true believers, not just professing believers. The book of Hebrews was written to Christians, warning them…
The question of when Jesus knew He was God is an interesting one that the Bible does not explicitly answer. However, based on passages throughout the Gospels, we can gain some insight into Jesus’ self-understanding and when He began to reveal His divine identity to others. It’s clear from Scripture that Jesus was fully God and fully man throughout His earthly life (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9). However, He voluntarily restricted the full use of His divine attributes in order to identify with humanity and fulfill the Father’s will (Philippians 2:5-8). So when exactly did Jesus’ human nature become aware…
Workaholism is a pattern of behavior characterized by an inner compulsion to work excessively hard and an inability to detach oneself from work. Workaholics feel a constant need to stay busy and often neglect other important areas of life like family, friends, and even their health. They have an obsession with working that results in stress and burnout. While hard work itself is not wrong according to the Bible, workaholism crosses the line into idolatry when work becomes the main source of identity, meaning, and fulfillment in someone’s life rather than God. The Bible has a lot to say about…
The day of Jesus’ crucifixion is a topic that has been debated by scholars and theologians for centuries. The biblical accounts do not explicitly state the day, which has led to some uncertainty. However, based on the Gospel accounts, contextual clues, and Jewish customs at the time, most believe the weight of evidence points to Jesus having been crucified on a Friday. The Gospel accounts mention certain details that help narrow down the possible days. For instance, we know from the Gospels that Jesus ate a Passover meal with His disciples the night before He was crucified (Matthew 26:17-29, Mark…