The church serves several important purposes according to the Bible. First and foremost, the church exists to glorify God and make disciples of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6, Matthew 28:19-20). It is a gathering of believers who come together to worship God, be taught from His Word, and encourage one another in the faith (Hebrews 10:24-25). The church is described as the body of Christ, with each member having a unique role and purpose in building up the whole (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Some key purposes of the church found in Scripture include: Worship – The church gathers to worship God through…
Author: Emma Price
The Holy Spirit is a central figure in the Christian faith. As believers, we are called to have an intimate, dynamic relationship with the Spirit of God. But for many Christians, the idea of “feeling” or sensing the Spirit’s presence is confusing. What does the Bible say about experiencing the Holy Spirit? First, it’s important to understand the biblical foundation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. After Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell…
The parable of the wise and foolish builders, found in Matthew 7:24-27, provides important insight into what it means to build one’s life on a solid foundation by following the teachings of Jesus. In this parable, Jesus contrasts two builders. The first builder is wise and builds his house upon rock. The second builder is foolish and builds his house upon sand. When the inevitable storms come, the house built on the rock stands firm, while the house built on sand is destroyed. The Context of the Parable To properly understand this parable, it is important to consider the context…
Zebedee was the father of the apostles James and John in the Gospels. He is mentioned several times in the New Testament, specifically in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John. Here is what the Bible tells us about Zebedee: He was a fisherman Zebedee’s occupation was as a fisherman. We see this in Matthew 4:21-22 which states “And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and…
The Bible has much to say about Satan, also known as the devil. Though he possesses significant power, Satan is still a created being under God’s authority. Scripture makes clear that God will ultimately defeat Satan and his evil schemes. The Bible first introduces Satan in the Garden of Eden, where he tempts Eve to eat the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-5). Here Satan is depicted as a serpent who is “more crafty than any other beast of the field.” Though powerful enough to deceive Eve, the serpent remains an ordinary creature under God’s judgment (Genesis 3:14-15). Throughout the Old Testament,…
The verse in question, Revelation 1:7, states: “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” This verse points to the visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ at the end of the age. But what exactly does it mean that “every eye will see him”? A Visible, Physical Return First, it indicates that Jesus’ return will be visible and physical in nature. When He comes back, it will not be in secret or as a spiritual…
The Bible is a collection of 66 books written by over 40 authors over a period of 1500 years that tell the unified story of God’s plan to redeem humanity from sin and death. Here are some common questions people have about the different books of the Bible: How many books are in the Bible? There are 66 books in the Bible, divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains 39 books written before the time of Jesus, while the New Testament contains 27 books written after Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. What are the…
The fact that homosexuality occurs naturally in the animal kingdom has often been used to support the idea that homosexuality cannot be considered “unnatural” and therefore sinful. However, making definitive claims about animal behavior and sexuality is complex. While homosexual behavior has been observed in a variety of species, its prevalence and purpose is debated by scientists. Ultimately, animal behavior does not define human morality or sin – God’s Word does. Here is a summary of key points regarding animal homosexuality and what the Bible teaches about human sexuality: Homosexual behavior has been documented in over 450 species of animals…
Ahimaaz was an important figure in the Bible, specifically during the time of King David. Here is a 9000 word article providing an in-depth look at who Ahimaaz was and his role in biblical history: Ahimaaz first appears in the biblical narrative in 2 Samuel 15, when Absalom rebels against his father, King David. After Absalom declares himself king in Hebron, David is forced to flee Jerusalem. Before leaving, though, David tells the priests Zadok and Abiathar to remain in Jerusalem as spies for him. In 2 Samuel 15:27, we’re introduced to Ahimaaz, who is identified as the son of…
Psalm 2:7 reads, “I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.'” This verse has been understood to refer to Jesus Christ as the Son of God in the New Testament (Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5). However, it is important to examine the original context and meaning of this Psalm to fully understand its significance. Psalm 2 is considered a royal psalm due to its subject matter focusing on the king of Israel. Many scholars believe it was used during the coronation ceremonies of the Davidic kings in Jerusalem.…