What does it mean that “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15)? The verse “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15 ESV) is a profound statement about how God views the death of those who belong to Him. To properly understand this verse, it is important to look at the context and dig into the rich meaning of the original Hebrew words. Let’s explore what this verse means and what it tells us about how God views His children. The Context of Psalm 116…
Author: Kerry Baysinger
The Bible has a lot to say about acceptance, especially in regard to accepting others despite differences, accepting ourselves, and accepting God’s love and grace. Here’s an overview of some of the key biblical principles on acceptance: Accepting Others A major theme in the Bible is accepting others, even when they are different than us or we disagree with their lifestyle or beliefs. For example, Jesus taught that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). The apostle Paul said we should accept fellow believers even when there are disputes over convictions or practices,…
The phrase “fishers of men” comes from Jesus’ calling of his first disciples in the Gospels. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus says to Simon Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” This metaphor of fishing for people illustrates the disciples’ role in spreading the Gospel and bringing people into the Kingdom of God. The background and meaning of this phrase can be understood in several ways: 1. Fishing as an occupation and skillset: As fishermen by trade, Peter and Andrew were skilled at finding and catching fish. Jesus calls them to direct these same skills…
Being a slave to sin means being in bondage to and dominated by sin. All people are born as slaves to sin due to the fall of man and inheritance of a sinful nature (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12). Sin enslaves through deception, temptation, and addiction. It promises freedom but delivers only destruction (Proverbs 5:22; Romans 6:15-16). As slaves to sin, people are unable to save themselves or please God (Romans 8:7-8). The only hope is through faith in Jesus Christ, who frees from sin’s bondage and empowers righteousness (John 8:34-36; Romans 6:6,22). The Condition: Enslaved to Sin from Birth Every…
Galatians 6:10 says, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” This verse encourages believers to do good to all people whenever possible. But what exactly does it mean to “do good” to others? First, we must understand the context of this verse. The book of Galatians was written by the apostle Paul to churches in the region of Galatia. In this letter, Paul defends the gospel of grace and corrects some wrong doctrines that were being taught. The overall theme is that salvation comes…
Televangelism, or preaching the gospel on television, radio and other media, has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Some of the most well-known televangelists command audiences of millions across the globe. However, over the years numerous scandals have plagued many big-name televangelists. Financial misconduct, fraud, sex scandals and other misdeeds have often made headlines. This has led many to question the integrity of televangelists and the prosperity gospel they often preach. The Bible provides wisdom as to why there seem to be so many scandals among televangelists and prosperity preachers. Here are several relevant biblical principles: Love of Money One major…
The phrase “from faith to faith” in Romans 1:17 has been interpreted in different ways by Bible scholars over the years. Here is an overview of the main views on the meaning of this important verse: The Context of Romans 1:17 Romans 1:17 says “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.'” This verse comes in the midst of Paul’s opening argument in his letter to the Romans. In chapter 1 verse 16, Paul declares that he is unashamed of the gospel, “for it is…
The apostle Paul is well known as one of the most influential missionaries and teachers in the early Christian church. However, before his conversion and calling to spread the gospel, Paul had another profession – he was a tentmaker. This seemed to be a common trade among diaspora Jews at the time, allowing them to support themselves and travel as they spread their faith. But how and where did Paul learn this important skill that would later enable his missionary journeys? The Bible does not provide definitive details on where and how Paul learned to make tents. However, based on…
The Parable of the Great Banquet is found in Luke 14:15-24. In this parable, Jesus tells a story about a man who prepared a large banquet and invited many guests. However, when the time for the banquet came, all of the invited guests made excuses and refused to attend. As a result, the host told his servant to go out into the streets and invite the poor, crippled, blind and lame to come to the banquet instead. This parable teaches several important lessons: 1. The Banquet Represents the Kingdom of God The banquet in this story represents the kingdom of…
The concept of intelligent design proposes that certain features of the universe and living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, rather than an undirected process like natural selection. Meanwhile, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is a satirical caricature invented to critique intelligent design. So what are the key differences between these two ideas? At its core, intelligent design is based on scientific observation and reasoning. Proponents argue that aspects of biology, astronomy, and physics seem to point to deliberate design rather than purely natural causes. For example, the specified complexity seen in DNA and molecular machines within cells indicate…