The discovery that modern humans possess some DNA from our extinct Neanderthal ancestors has interesting implications for the biblical creation story. Here is a 9,000 word exploration of how Neanderthal DNA impacts the traditional Christian understanding of human origins and biblical creationism: The Bible teaches that God created humans uniquely in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27). This passage has traditionally been interpreted to mean that humans were specially created by God, separate from other animals. However, recent genetic evidence shows that ancient humans interbred with Neanderthals, an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans. As a result, modern humans possess…
Author: Emma Price
The prayer of Jabez is found in 1 Chronicles 4:10 in the Bible. It reads: “Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked.” This short prayer by a man named Jabez provides us with an example of crying out to God for blessing and divine favor. Jabez asks God for four things in his prayer: To bless him To enlarge…
The concept of divine hiddenness, or the hiddenness of God, refers to the idea that God may not make His existence sufficiently clear and obvious to all people. This perceived “hiddenness” raises philosophical and theological questions about the nature of faith and God’s relationship with humanity. There are several key biblical passages that shed light on divine hiddenness and God revealing Himself: 1. God’s existence is evident in creation The Bible teaches that God’s existence, power, and divine nature can be clearly perceived in the natural world He created. Passages like Psalm 19:1 state that “The heavens declare the glory…
In Habakkuk 3:19, the prophet Habakkuk praises God by saying, “He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.” This poetic imagery points to several important truths about how God empowers His people: Deer-like surefootedness Deer are known for their agility and surefootedness even in rugged, mountainous terrain. As followers of God, He gives us the spiritual footing we need to remain stable in our faith even when facing difficult circumstances. Just as a deer is steady and grounded on high mountain peaks and cliffs, God gives us steadiness in our…
The question of whether a Christian has two natures is an important theological issue. According to Scripture, when someone becomes a Christian, they experience a spiritual rebirth and transformation as they are united with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). This raises the question – does a Christian now have two competing natures, their old sinful nature and their new nature in Christ? Or is there just one new unified nature in Christ? There are differing perspectives on this within Christianity. One view is that the old sinful nature is eradicated at conversion, so there is just one new nature in Christ.…
Synonymous parallelism is a common literary device used in Hebrew poetry, especially in the Old Testament books like Psalms and Proverbs. It involves restating an idea using different words and phrases that have the same or similar meaning. The repetition of the thought with slightly different wording creates a poetic rhythm and emphasizes the point being made. Some key things to understand about synonymous parallelism: Definition Synonymous parallelism is when two lines (or half-lines) of poetry say essentially the same thing using different words. The second line echoes or restates the first line, reinforcing the initial idea or imagery. For…
What is the meaning of woe in the Bible? The word “woe” appears frequently throughout the Bible, often carrying a tone of lamentation, grief, or distress. In the original languages of Scripture, “woe” translates from Hebrew and Greek terms that convey calamity, trouble, misery, and affliction. In the Old Testament, the prophets often used the word “woe” when pronouncing coming judgment or calamity on nations or people who had rebelled against God. The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah, for example, telling the sinful nation of Israel, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). Ezekiel…
Church planting refers to the process of establishing a new Christian church or congregation. It involves pioneering work to spread the gospel and make disciples in new areas or among new demographics. Church planting is a very intentional process that requires significant prayer, planning, resources, and effort. At its core, church planting aims to see communities changed and transformed by the power of the gospel. It seeks to establish local churches that can evangelize, disciple, care for people, and glorify God. Church planting is based on the Great Commission’s call to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Biblical basis…
The last hours of Jesus’ life are recorded in detail in the four Gospels of the New Testament. Here is an overview of the main events that took place during this pivotal time in human history: The Last Supper Jesus gathered with his twelve disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem to eat the Passover meal on the night before his crucifixion (Matthew 26:17-29, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-38). During this meal, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, as a remembrance of his sacrifice. He broke bread and gave it to his disciples saying, “This is my body given for…
Fleeing from temptation is a concept that is emphasized in the Bible as an important part of the Christian life. At its core, it refers to actively avoiding situations that could entice us into sin. As humans living in a fallen world, we face temptation on a regular basis. However, as followers of Christ, we are called to resist temptation and pursue holiness and righteousness instead (2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Peter 1:13-16). The Bible makes it clear that we should make every effort to flee from temptation rather than try to face it head-on in our own strength. There are…