Materialism is the belief that physical matter is the only reality, and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena. It denies the existence of God, soul, spirit, or any kind of transcendent or supernatural reality. For materialists, material possessions and physical comfort are the greatest good in life. The Bible has a very different view of materialism. Scripture teaches that human beings have both a physical and spiritual nature. While our bodies are made of material components, we also have an immaterial soul that will exist eternally (Matthew 10:28).…
Author: Aaron Chin
The Bible teaches that heaven is a real place where God dwells and where believers will live with Him for eternity after death. Though the Bible does not give precise details about the location or nature of heaven, it does reveal some important truths about this eternal dwelling place of God and His people. First, the Bible clearly portrays heaven as being “up” in relation to the earth. Passages like John 3:13, Acts 1:9-11, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 depict Jesus ascending to heaven “up” from the earth. This spatial orientation of heaven being up and earth being down is likely…
The verse 1 Timothy 6:6 states “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” This verse packs a lot of meaning into just a few words. Let’s break it down phrase by phrase to understand the full significance. Godliness The first key word is “godliness.” What exactly does this mean? The Greek word translated as godliness here is “eusebeia.” It conveys the idea of piety, reverence, and devotion to God. A godly person is someone who is committed to pleasing God with their thoughts, words, and actions. They seek to live a holy life according to God’s standards. Godliness means having…
Having a “double tongue” is an idiomatic expression that appears a few times in the Bible. It refers to deceitfulness, insincerity, and hypocrisy in speech. The basic idea is that a person with a “double tongue” says one thing to one person but something different to another, or says one thing but means another. Let’s look at the key Bible passages that mention this expression and explore what they teach us. Bible Verses about Having a Double Tongue The main verses that mention having a “double tongue” are: “They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and…
The doctrine of biblical infallibility affirms that the Bible is completely trustworthy and authoritative in all that it asserts. This means that the Bible speaks with absolute authority and truth on any matter that it addresses. There are several key aspects to understanding what it means for the Bible to be infallible: The Bible is without error A core component of biblical infallibility is that Scripture contains no errors. Some key verses that support this include: “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” (Proverbs 30:5 ESV) “Sanctify them in the…
Willpower is the ability to control one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in order to resist temptation, complete tasks, or achieve goals. The Bible has much to say about willpower, though it does not use that exact term. Here is an overview of the Bible’s teachings on willpower in approximately 9000 words: The Nature of the Human Will The Bible teaches that human beings have a faculty of will that enables them to make choices. God created man with free will, unlike the animals which operate purely by instinct (Genesis 1:26-27). However, because of the Fall, the human will is corrupted…
The story of Ruth and Naomi in the book of Ruth offers many valuable lessons about loyalty, love, and commitment. Here is an in-depth look at what we can learn from Ruth’s remarkable faithfulness to her mother-in-law Naomi. Naomi’s Family Moves to Moab Due to Famine The setting of the story begins during the time of the judges in Israel, when there was a famine in Judah (Ruth 1:1). Because of this, Naomi, her husband Elimelech, and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion left Bethlehem and moved to the nearby country of Moab, hoping to find food. As foreigners and…
Bethel Church in Redding, California is a non-denominational evangelical megachurch affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination. The church was founded in 1954 and has over 11,000 members today. Some key things the Bible teaches about Bethel Church include: Their Emphasis on Supernatural Experiences and Manifestations Bethel is known for emphasizing signs, wonders, healings, prophetic words, and supernatural experiences. They believe these are meant to be regular parts of the Christian life today. Supporting verses include: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will…
Cassianism refers to the teachings and writings of John Cassian, a 4th-5th century monk who heavily influenced early Western monasticism and theology. Cassian stressed the role of human free will in salvation, the value of monastic life, and was a proponent of Semi-Pelagianism. Here is an overview of some of the key aspects of Cassian’s teachings: Emphasis on Human Free Will One of Cassian’s most well-known teachings was his emphasis on the role of human free will in salvation. He argued against the idea of predestination put forth by Augustine and others. Cassian believed that while divine grace is necessary,…
1 Thessalonians 5:20 says “Do not despise prophecies.” This is an important verse that teaches us not to dismiss or disdain prophecies and prophetic words. In order to properly understand this verse, we need to examine the context and look at what the Bible says about prophecy and prophets. The Context of 1 Thessalonians 5:20 The book of 1 Thessalonians was written by the apostle Paul to the church in Thessalonica. In chapter 5, Paul is giving exhortations to the believers on how they should live. Verse 19 instructs them “Do not quench the Spirit.” This means they should not…