The Bible has a lot to say about law, justice, and God’s commands. Here is an overview of some key Bible verses about law: The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments are considered the foundation of God’s law and are recorded in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. They prohibit idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath breaking, parental dishonor, murder, adultery, theft, false testimony, and coveting. “And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God… You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image…You shall not take the name of the Lord your…
Author: Kerry Baysinger
The story of Noah cursing Canaan instead of his father Ham has puzzled many Bible readers. After the great flood, Noah became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. Ham saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers, Shem and Japheth, who walked backward and covered their father’s nakedness without looking at him (Genesis 9:20-23). When Noah awoke and learned what Ham had done, he cursed not Ham, but Ham’s son Canaan, saying that he would be “a servant of servants” to his brothers (Genesis 9:25). There are a few theories as to why Noah cursed Canaan…
The question of whether the pope, or a future pope, could be the antichrist foretold in biblical prophecy has long been debated amongst Christians. The antichrist is described in the books of 1 and 2 John as well as in Revelation. Let’s look at what the Bible says about the antichrist and how it may or may not relate to the pope. Characteristics of the Antichrist There are several key characteristics of the antichrist described in Scripture: He will oppose Christ and exalt himself above God (2 Thessalonians 2:4) He will have a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies (Revelation…
The Sermon on the Mount refers to Jesus Christ’s famous sermon as recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7. It contains some of Jesus’ most profound and memorable teachings that give insight into the kingdom of God and how followers of Christ should live. The sermon has been one of the most widely quoted and influential parts of the New Testament. It includes the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, teachings on topics like anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, loving enemies, giving to the needy, prayer, fasting, money, worry, judging others and the Golden Rule. The Sermon on the Mount lays out Jesus’ moral…
The Bible has a lot to say about God’s heart for the poor and how we as followers of Christ should care for and respond to those in need. Here is an overview of some key Bible passages that address the topic of poverty and caring for the poor: Old Testament Verses on the Poor In the Old Testament, God called on His people to look after the poor and marginalized in society. For example: “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.” (Proverbs 14:31) “Whoever has two tunics is…
The Bible has a lot to say about order, structure, and organization. God is a God of order, not chaos, and He desires His people to live orderly lives as well. Here is an overview of some key Bible verses that discuss the importance of order: Genesis 1 – God Creates Order Out of Chaos In Genesis chapter 1, we read about how God created the heavens and the earth. At the beginning, the earth was “without form and void” (Genesis 1:2). But God brought order through His creative work over 6 days. He separated the light from the darkness,…
The book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament and one of the most complex and controversial books in the Bible. There are four main interpretive approaches to understanding Revelation: the futurist, historicist, preterist, and idealist views. The idealist interpretation sees Revelation as symbolic of the ongoing struggle between good and evil, and of God’s ultimate triumph over Satan through Jesus Christ. According to the idealist view, Revelation does not refer to specific historical events but instead uses powerful imagery and symbolism to depict the cosmic conflict between God and Satan. The visions of Revelation symbolize the…
The Bible has a lot to say about inheritance and how it relates to God’s people. Here is an overview of some key Bible verses about inheritance: Inheritance as a gift from God The Old Testament often presents the Promised Land as an inheritance for God’s people. God promises to give the land of Canaan as an inheritance to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 15:7, 28:4). After bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, God prepares to give them the land He promised (Numbers 34:2). Joshua allocates the territories among the tribes as their inheritance (Joshua 13-19). Owning land was seen…
The Nag Hammadi library is a collection of early Christian texts discovered near the town of Nag Hammadi in upper Egypt in 1945. The texts, dated to the 2nd-4th centuries AD, consist of 13 leather-bound codices containing over 50 texts written in Coptic. The majority of the texts are Gnostic treatises, with a few being early translations of New Testament works. The discovery of the Nag Hammadi library significantly expanded our knowledge of early Christianity and Gnosticism. Prior to this discovery, much of what was known about Gnosticism came from the writings of early Christian heresiologists like Irenaeus, who condemned…
Christian leadership is leading according to biblical principles and values. The Bible provides extensive guidance on what it means to be a godly leader. Here is an overview of key aspects of Christian leadership: Servant Leadership A core tenet of Christian leadership is servant leadership, modeled after Jesus who said “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Christian leaders are called to serve others humbly and put the needs of others first. As Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, Christian leaders are to…