Praying for one’s enemies is a challenging but important concept in the Bible. Jesus himself commands believers to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). But what does it actually mean to pray for someone who has wronged or hurt you? Here is an in-depth look at what the Bible says about praying for enemies. The command to pray for enemies Jesus gave the command to pray for enemies in the Sermon on the Mount. After teaching believers to turn the other cheek, give more than asked, and go the extra mile (Matthew 5:38-42), Jesus…
Author: Emma Price
The Latter Rain Movement is a theological teaching within some Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that the Lord will pour out His Spirit again, as He did at Pentecost, and restore the lost offices of apostle and prophet to the church. The Latter Rain Movement emerged in the late 1940s as a radical fringe of the Pentecostal revival. The term “Latter Rain” comes from Bible passages such as Jeremiah 3:3 and 5:23-25, Joel 2:23, Hosea 6:3, and James 5:7 which speak of the “former rain” and the “latter rain” of the Spirit being poured out. The Latter Rain Movement holds that…
The concept of an “open marriage” typically refers to a marriage in which the spouses agree to allow each other to have sexual relationships with other partners outside of the marriage. This practice goes against the biblical principles for marriage laid out in the Bible. According to Scripture, marriage is meant to be an exclusive covenantal union between one man and one woman. God designed marriage this way from the very beginning when He created Eve for Adam and brought them together as husband and wife (Genesis 2:18-24). The Bible consistently upholds the sanctity of marriage and condemns sexual immorality…
The story of Ruth and Boaz is found in the book of Ruth in the Old Testament. Here is a summary of their story in around 9000 words: Ruth was a Moabite woman who lived during the time of the judges in Israel. She married an Israelite man named Mahlon who had moved to Moab with his family during a famine in Israel. Mahlon’s father was named Elimelech and his mother was Naomi. Mahlon had a brother named Chilion. After about ten years living in Moab, Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion all died. This left Naomi, Ruth and Orpah (Chilion’s wife)…
The concept of the “elect” or “chosen” of God is found throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, God chose Israel to be His special people through whom He would reveal Himself and accomplish His purposes (Deut 7:6-8). In the New Testament, the emphasis shifts from a nation to individuals who are chosen by God for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (John 6:44, Eph 1:4-5). So who exactly are the elect of God? Old Testament Background The nation of Israel was clearly chosen by God to be His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation (Ex 19:5-6).…
This apparent contradiction has a simple explanation. In 2 Kings 8:26, we read that Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to reign. However, in 2 Chronicles 22:2 it states that he was 42 years old when he began to reign. How can this discrepancy be resolved? The key lies in correctly understanding the way the age of a king is reckoned in the books of Kings and Chronicles. In Kings, the age given is how old the king was when he became sole regent. But in Chronicles, the age given includes the years when the king co-reigned with…
The concept of God drawing people to salvation is found throughout Scripture. Here are some key things the Bible teaches about how God draws people to be saved: 1. All people are sinful and separated from God The Bible is clear that all human beings are sinful by nature (Romans 3:23) and are alienated from God because of their sin (Colossians 1:21). On our own, none of us seeks after God or desires relationship with Him (Romans 3:11). We are lost, blind, and dead in our transgressions (Ephesians 2:1-3). So God must take the initiative to reconcile us to Himself.…
Reformation Day is a religious holiday celebrated on October 31st by many Protestant Christians, commemorating the start of the Protestant Reformation in 1517. The day marks when Martin Luther, a German monk and theologian, nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. His actions challenged certain doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, leading to a movement to reform certain Catholic teachings and traditions. Luther’s 95 Theses outlined his grievances against the Catholic Church and sparked a wider Protestant Reformation throughout Europe and beyond. The main issues that Luther criticized included the selling…
The Gospel of Thomas is an ancient text dated to the 2nd century AD containing 114 sayings attributed to Jesus Christ. It was discovered in 1945 near Nag Hammadi, Egypt along with other early Christian texts. The Gospel of Thomas is unique in that it does not contain a narrative account of Jesus’ life and ministry like the canonical gospels, but rather is a collection of his sayings and teachings. Some key things to know about the Gospel of Thomas: Authorship – The author is unknown but it is attributed to Didymus Judas Thomas, one of the 12 disciples. The…
Gedaliah was an important figure in the Bible, specifically during the time after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. Here is an overview of who Gedaliah was and his significance according to the Bible: Gedaliah’s Family Background Gedaliah was the son of Ahikam and the grandson of Shaphan (2 Kings 25:22, Jeremiah 39:14). His grandfather Shaphan was a scribe during the reign of King Josiah and supported Josiah’s religious reforms (2 Kings 22:3-7). His father Ahikam protected Jeremiah when others were seeking to put the prophet to death (Jeremiah 26:24). So Gedaliah came from a family that was faithful…