A carnal Christian is a believer in Christ who lives according to the sinful nature rather than the Spirit. All Christians struggle with sin and yielding to the flesh, but the difference between a carnal Christian and other believers is an ongoing pattern of giving in to the sinful nature rather than resisting it and walking by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). Characteristics of a carnal Christian Some characteristics of a carnal Christian include: A lack of spiritual growth and maturity (1 Corinthians 3:1-3) – A carnal Christian remains immature in their faith rather than progressing in spiritual maturity. Continual yielding…
Author: Erin Weitzman
Staying focused on Christ in our daily lives can be challenging in our busy and distracted world. But Scripture gives us wisdom, guidance, and encouragement to fix our eyes on Jesus amidst the cares of life. Here are some biblical keys to staying focused on Christ: 1. Read and meditate on God’s Word daily God’s Word is the primary way we come to know Christ more deeply. As Hebrews 4:12 (ESV) says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow,…
Zebulun was one of the twelve sons of Jacob in the Old Testament. His story is found in the book of Genesis. Zebulun was the tenth son born to Jacob, and the sixth son borne by Leah, Jacob’s first wife (Genesis 30:19-20). Here is a summary of key facts about Zebulun in the Bible: He was the tenth of Jacob’s twelve sons, and the sixth son of Leah (Genesis 30:19-20). His name means “dwelling”, referring to Leah’s hope that her husband would “dwell” with her after bearing him six sons (Genesis 30:20). He had three sons – Sered, Elon, and…
Genesis 3:24 states “After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” This verse comes after Adam and Eve had sinned and been banished from the Garden of Eden. God stationed cherubim on the east side of the garden, along with a flaming sword, to prevent access to the tree of life. There are a few key reasons why God may have chosen to station the cherubim and flaming sword specifically on the eastern…
The phrase “God’s outstretched arm” is used numerous times throughout the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. It is a metaphor that speaks to God’s power, deliverance and salvation for His people. When the Bible talks about God’s outstretched arm, it is depicting God actively working on behalf of His people. This phrase conveys the image of God reaching out His arm in a display of strength to accomplish His purposes and rescue His people from difficulty or oppression. Just as a human arm can perform strong works and feats of might, so too does God’s outstretched arm work powerfully…
The relationship between the apostle Paul and his young protégé Timothy provides many valuable lessons for Christians today. Here are some key things we can learn from how Paul mentored Timothy and prepared him for ministry: Paul saw potential in Timothy and invested in developing him When Paul first met Timothy in Lystra, he recognized the sincere faith that Timothy had thanks to the influence of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). Even though Timothy was young, probably in his late teens or early 20s, Paul saw great potential in him and invited Timothy to join him…
Spiritual warfare is the Christian concept of fighting against evil forces and defending one’s faith. The Bible has much to say about engaging in spiritual battles against demonic powers that seek to undermine faith. Here is an overview of the key biblical teachings on spiritual warfare: The Reality of Spiritual Warfare The Bible affirms the existence of spiritual warfare between God’s kingdom and demonic forces. Passages like Ephesians 6:12 state, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil…
Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was infinitely better and more effective than the repetitive sacrifices prescribed under the Mosaic Law. Here’s how: 1. Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all Under the Mosaic Law, sacrifices for sin had to be offered over and over again. The book of Hebrews explains this: For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered,…
How does Jesus fulfill the prophecy that says, “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matthew 2:15)? The prophecy referred to in Matthew 2:15 originates in Hosea 11:1, which reads, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” In its original context, this verse refers to God calling the nation of Israel out of Egypt during the Exodus. However, Matthew 2:15 applies this verse to Jesus and His family’s return from Egypt after fleeing from King Herod. So how does Jesus fulfill this prophecy? There are a few key points to understand:…
Here is a 9000 word article on how to become more like Christ: To become more like Christ, we must first understand who Christ is and what He stands for. Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again to conquer death (John 3:16). He is the embodiment of love, grace, truth, mercy, justice, and righteousness. Christ came to show us the character of God and set an example for how we should live. One of the key ways we can become more Christ-like…