The Levitical Law, also known as the Law of Moses, refers to the laws and commandments that God gave to the people of Israel through Moses. This expansive set of laws is recorded primarily in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Levitical Law served multiple important purposes for the nation of Israel. To reveal God’s holiness and righteousness A major purpose of the Levitical Law was to reveal the perfect holiness and righteousness of God. Through the detailed and intricate laws governing all areas of life, God displayed his supreme standard of moral perfection (Leviticus 19:2). The…
Author: Erin Weitzman
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit – What is patience? Patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. It is the ability to endure difficult circumstances or wait without complaining. Patience is an important Christian virtue that all believers should cultivate. Here is an in-depth look at what the Bible teaches about patience. Definition of Patience The Greek word translated “patience” in Galatians 5:22 is hupomoné, which means steadfastness, constancy, and endurance in the face of trials and difficulties. It involves both perseverance when enduring difficult circumstances and restraint when provoked. J.I. Packer describes…
The Bible does not directly address the topic of permanent forms of birth control such as tubal ligation or vasectomy. However, there are some principles and passages that can provide guidance for Christians thinking through this issue. Here is an overview of 9000 words of what the Bible has to offer on permanent birth control methods: God’s Sovereignty Over Life The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over life and death. Human beings do not have absolute autonomy over their bodies or procreation, since ultimately God is the giver of life (Job 12:10, Psalm 139:13-16). This does not mean that…
The Bible contains several passages that relate to the topic of sedition, which is incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government. Here is an overview of some of the key Biblical teachings on this issue: Obedience to Governing Authorities The Bible stresses the importance of submitting to and obeying governing authorities, viewing them as instituted by God for maintaining order and justice. Passages such as Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17, and Titus 3:1 instruct believers to be subject to rulers, obey laws, pay taxes, and honor those in authority. Rebellion or resistance is discouraged except when authorities directly contradict…
Gaius is mentioned several times in the New Testament, referring to different men who shared the same common Roman name. The name Gaius was very popular in the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD. Here is an overview of the main biblical figures named Gaius: Gaius of Macedonia This Gaius was one of Paul’s early converts and traveling companions from Macedonia. He is first mentioned in Acts 19:29 as one of Paul’s companions who was dragged into the theater during the riot in Ephesus. Gaius is referred to as “Gaius of Macedonia” to distinguish him from the other men…
The question of whether a person can be saved through general revelation alone, without special revelation and faith in Jesus Christ, is a complex theological issue with differing viewpoints among Christians. Those who believe general revelation is sufficient for salvation argue that God’s existence, power, and divine nature can be clearly perceived in creation, conscience, and human reason. Thus, no one has an excuse for rejecting God and all have some knowledge available to seek and find Him (Romans 1:19-20). However, the more prevalent view in Scripture and Christian theology is that general revelation is not enough for salvation. Special…
Diotrephes is a man mentioned briefly in 3 John 1:9-10 as someone who loves to be first, refuses to welcome the brothers, stops those who want to welcome them, and expels people from the church. Not much else is known about Diotrephes outside of this short mention, but he serves as an example of someone who places himself and his own status above others in the church. Here is the passage in 3 John that mentions Diotrephes: I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I…
Here are some common questions people have about the book of Colossians and what the Bible teaches us through this letter from Paul: Who wrote Colossians? Colossians 1:1 identifies the author as the apostle Paul. Throughout the letter, Paul refers to himself either as “Paul” or “I”, indicating he is writing under his own name. The early church universally accepted Paul’s authorship of this letter. When was Colossians written? Most scholars believe Colossians was written around AD 60-62 while Paul was imprisoned in Rome (Colossians 4:3, 4:10). This would place it among Paul’s other “prison epistles” including Ephesians, Philippians, and…
The Ten Commandments are a set of biblical laws relating to ethics and worship that play a fundamental role in the Christian and Jewish faiths. According to the book of Exodus in the Bible, God issued the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. These commandments provide a moral framework and establish a covenant between God and his people. There are different versions of the Ten Commandments in the Bible – Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The Catholic enumeration and ordering of the commandments is based on the guidelines provided by St. Augustine in his book ‘Questions on Exodus.’ The…
The Bible has a lot to say about the important issue of wasting food. God cares deeply about how we use and manage the resources He has given us, including food. Overall, the Bible clearly teaches that wasting food is sinful and goes against God’s principles of stewardship and compassion for others. One of the clearest verses on this topic is John 6:12, where Jesus directly instructs his disciples to “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” Here Jesus shows his followers that allowing food to be wasted is not acceptable. Even small “fragments” of food are…