Seventh-day Adventism is a Protestant Christian denomination that was founded in the United States during the Second Great Awakening in the 1840s. The name “Seventh-day Adventist” refers to the sabbath day, as Seventh-day Adventists observe the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week. Some key beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists include: Theology Adventists are Trinitarian, believing that God exists as three persons – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. They affirm Christ’s substitutionary atonement on the cross and bodily resurrection. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus alone, not by works. The Spirit…
Author: Kerry Baysinger
Birthstones are gemstones that correspond to a person’s birth month. They have been used for thousands of years to bring good fortune, healing, and spiritual benefits. Many people wonder if there is any true spiritual meaning or significance behind birthstones according to the Bible. The Bible does not specifically mention birthstones or assign special meanings to different gemstones. However, it does contain some references to precious and semi-precious stones that give insight into how they were viewed and used in Biblical times. Stones in the Bible In the Old Testament, stones were used symbolically and ornamentally. Exodus 28 describes the…
Naphtali was the sixth son of Jacob and the second son born to Jacob’s second wife, Bilhah. Naphtali’s story is found in Genesis in the Old Testament of the Bible. Jacob, who was later named Israel, had twelve sons who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. Naphtali was the founder of one of these twelve tribes. Jacob’s Family Background To understand Naphtali’s story, it’s important to understand Jacob’s family background. Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah. Jacob loved Rachel most of all, but she was unable to have children for…
Egotism or egoism refers to an excessive concern for oneself while ignoring or discounting others. It involves an inflated sense of self-importance and self-centeredness. The Bible has a lot to say about this issue as it goes against God’s teachings on humility, love for others, and living in community. The Old Testament warns against egotism and pride repeatedly. Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Here, Solomon warns that those who are overly self-confident and prideful will eventually face ruin. Similarly, in Isaiah 14, Isaiah pronounces judgment on the king of Babylon for…
The term “Navigators” refers to a group of believers mentioned briefly in the Bible who aided the apostle Paul on some of his missionary journeys. Though not much is said about them, examining the passages where the Navigators are referenced can give us some insight into who they might have been and what role they played. The Navigators are specifically named in Acts 27, which records Paul’s journey to Rome. Acts 27:1-2 states: “And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius.…
King Asa was an important king of Judah who ruled for 41 years, from around 911 BC to 870 BC. He was the third king of Judah after the kingdom split from Israel following the death of King Solomon. Here is an overview of King Asa’s life and reign according to the Bible: Asa’s Family Background Asa was the son of Abijah and grandson of Rehoboam, who was the first king of Judah after the kingdom split. His great-grandfather was King Solomon. Asa’s mother was Maakah, who was one of Solomon’s foreign wives (1 Kings 15:2). So Asa had royal…
The Catholic Church is the largest Christian church in the world, with over 1.3 billion members. Catholicism has a rich history and tradition dating back to the early church described in the New Testament. However, there are some key differences between Catholic teachings and practices and what is directly taught in Scripture. This article will examine 9 major Catholic beliefs and practices and evaluate whether they align with or contradict biblical teaching. Prayer to Saints A defining practice of Catholicism is praying to saints in heaven to intercede on one’s behalf. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that saints…
The land of Ophir is mentioned several times in the Bible, particularly in relation to King Solomon’s extensive mining and trading expeditions. The exact location of Ophir is unknown, but it was known as a source of gold, precious stones, almug wood, and other valuable commodities. Here are the key facts about Ophir in the Bible: Ophir was famous for its gold. 1 Kings 9:28 states that Solomon’s fleet brought back 420 talents of gold from Ophir. Ophir was associated with fine, high-quality gold. Psalms 45:9 speaks poetically of gold from Ophir. King Solomon had a navy of trading ships…
The Bible has a fair amount to say about clothing and how we present ourselves visually to the world. Here is an overview of some of the key biblical principles regarding clothing and appearance: Modesty Several passages in Scripture emphasize the importance of dressing modestly and avoiding lavish displays of wealth and sensuality through our attire. For example: “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.” (1 Timothy 2:9-10) “Your beauty should…
Discerning false teachers and prophets is an important skill for Christians. The Bible warns us that false teachers will arise and we need to be able to recognize them so we are not deceived (Matthew 24:24, 2 Peter 2:1). Here are some key ways the Bible says we can identify false teachers and prophets: They teach doctrine contrary to the Bible A major sign of a false teacher is that they will promote doctrines and ideas that contradict or add to the clear teachings of Scripture. For example, denying the deity of Christ, denying the Trinity, teaching salvation by works…