Foot-washing was a common cultural practice in biblical times. People would wash each other’s feet as an act of hospitality and service, due to the dirtiness of roads and wearing open sandals. The Bible mentions foot-washing in several instances, most significantly when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. The first reference to foot-washing is in Genesis 18, when Abraham offered water to wash the feet of the three visitors who came to his tent. Similarly, foot-washing was part of hospitality that was offered to travelers. In Genesis 19:2, the two angels visiting Sodom had their feet washed…
Author: Kerry Baysinger
The Bible does not directly address the topic of nose rings or other body piercings specifically. However, there are some principles and passages we can look to for guidance on this issue. Old Testament Law In the Old Testament, God gave many laws and regulations to the nation of Israel to set them apart as His holy people. Some of these laws pertained to bodily decorations and piercings: God commanded the Israelites not to follow the practices of the surrounding pagan nations (Leviticus 18:3). These nations often used body piercings and markings for idolatrous purposes. The Law warned against cutting…
The Bible does not give exhaustive details about the deaths of all the apostles. However, it does record the martyrdom of some of the apostles, while early church history and tradition fill in the blanks on the remaining apostles. Here is a look at what we can know from Scripture and other historical sources about how the original Twelve disciples of Jesus, minus Judas Iscariot, met their end. James, Son of Zebedee James was one of the Twelve chosen by Jesus. He was the brother of John and, along with John and Peter, formed the inner circle of Jesus’s disciples.…
This is an important question for Christians to consider. On one hand, we are called to set our minds on things above and store up treasures in heaven (Colossians 3:2, Matthew 6:20). However, we are also called to love our neighbor, do good works, and make a positive impact on the world around us (Matthew 22:39, Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 5:16). So what does the Bible teach about balancing heavenly mindedness and earthly good? The danger of being too heavenly minded There certainly is a danger of becoming so focused on the afterlife that we neglect our responsibilities here and now.…
The Bible contains many stories and verses about miracles. Miracles demonstrate God’s power and glory, provide evidence of His existence and love for humanity, and inspire faith and belief in those who witness them. Here is an overview of some of the main Bible passages about miracles: Jesus’ miracles in the Gospels The four Gospels record over 30 miracles performed by Jesus during His earthly ministry. These include healings, exorcisms, resurrection of the dead, power over nature, and feeding of the multitudes. Some examples include: Turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11) Healing the royal official’s…
What does the Bible say about underage drinking? The Bible does not explicitly prohibit underage drinking. However, it provides principles and examples that indicate drunkenness and addiction to alcohol are dangerous and should be avoided, especially by young people. The Legal Age for Drinking Alcohol Many countries today have set a minimum legal drinking age, usually around 18 to 21 years old. The purpose is to protect young people from the dangers of alcohol abuse. The Bible does not specify an exact legal age for drinking. In biblical times, alcoholic wine was common at meals, even for children. For example,…
The ancient city of Nineveh plays an important role in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and served as a major center of commerce and religion in the ancient Near East. Here is an overview of the significance of Nineveh in the Bible: Nineveh in the Old Testament Nineveh is first mentioned in Genesis 10:11-12 as one of the cities founded by Nimrod in the land of Assyria. However, it rose to prominence as the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire which dominated the ancient Near East from the late…
Infralapsarianism, sublapsarianism, and supralapsarianism are three positions within Reformed theology that seek to address the logical order of God’s decrees in relation to the Fall of humanity into sin. They arise from an attempt to reconcile the sovereignty of God with the freedom of human actions. The Latin roots of the terms point to their meaning. “Infra” means “below or after,” “sub” means “under or below,” and “supra” means “above.” So infralapsarianism places the decree regarding the Fall after other decrees, sublapsarianism places it under other decrees, and supralapsarianism places it before other decrees. Specifically, the question is when the…
Suffering is a near universal human experience. At some point in our lives, we will all encounter suffering in one form or another. As Christians, we can find hope and comfort in God’s Word during these difficult seasons. Here is an overview of some key Bible passages that speak to the issue of suffering: Romans 5:3-5 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who…
Worshipping the Lord in spirit and truth is a concept that Jesus emphasizes in John 4:24, where He states, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” To understand what this means, we must first examine what it means to worship God in spirit and then explore what it means to worship Him in truth. Worshipping God in Spirit Worshipping God in spirit refers to worship that engages our heart, mind, and inner being. It is not confined to physical rituals or locations but rather flows from a sincere heart devoted to God. Several…