How can I meditate on God’s Word? Meditating on God’s Word is a powerful spiritual discipline that all Christians can benefit from. Here are some tips on how to biblically meditate on Scripture: 1. Choose a passage of Scripture Pick a short passage of the Bible to meditate on, anywhere from a few verses to a chapter. Try starting with a Psalm or Proverb if you’re new to Scripture meditation. Having a more narrow focus will allow you to dig deep into the text. 2. Read the passage slowly and thoughtfully Begin by reading the passage you’ve chosen carefully and…
Author: Kerry Baysinger
What does it mean that the Trinity is God in three Persons? The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most fascinating and complex teachings in the Bible. At its core, the Trinity refers to the belief that there is one God who exists eternally in three distinct persons – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. This belief can seem paradoxical or confusing at first glance. How can God be three yet also be one? But when we look closely at what the Bible teaches, we see good reasons to accept the…
Sacramentalism is the belief that God works through physical means and objects to impart grace to His people. The word “sacrament” comes from the Latin word sacramentum, meaning “a sacred thing.” In Christianity, sacraments are rituals or ceremonies that are vehicles of God’s grace and blessing. The Bible establishes two sacraments instituted by Christ: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. However, over the centuries different Christian traditions have recognized additional sacraments beyond these two. The Catholic and Orthodox churches recognize seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper), penance, anointing of the sick, ordination, and matrimony. The Anglican and Lutheran traditions…
The name Mary is a popular one in the Bible, belonging to several different women. Determining the exact number of Marys mentioned in the Bible is difficult, as there are cases where it is unclear if the same Mary is being referred to in different passages. However, by analyzing the biblical text, scholars have identified at least six individual Marys in the Bible: Mary the Mother of Jesus The most well-known Mary in the Bible is Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was a young virgin girl living in Nazareth who was visited by the angel Gabriel and told she…
Stubbornness is a sin that is strongly warned against throughout the Bible. Here is an overview of what the Bible says about being stubborn and stubbornness: Definitions The Hebrew word translated “stubborn” or “stubbornness” is kâbad, which means “to be heavy, unyielding, obstinate, stubborn” (Strong’s H3513). The Greek word is sklērotēs, meaning “obstinacy, stubbornness” (Strong’s G4643). So biblical stubbornness refers to being unyielding, obstinate, and refusing to bend your will or desires to God’s. Stubbornness is Sinful Rebellion Against God The Bible makes it clear that stubbornness is sin because it is rebellion against God’s authority. Here are some verses…
The issue of how to respond to beggars is a challenging one for many Christians. On one hand, we are called to generosity, compassion and care for the poor and needy. However, we also need wisdom and discernment to respond in a way that truly helps and doesn’t enable harmful behavior. Here are some key principles from the Bible on how Christians should respond to beggars: 1. See every person as made in God’s image We must start by seeing beggars not as annoyances or objects, but as fellow human beings created and loved by God. Every person, no matter…
The word “apocalypse” comes from the Greek word apokalypsis which means “unveiling” or “revelation.” In Christianity, the Apocalypse refers to the revelation of the end times and the second coming of Christ as described in the biblical Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation was written by the apostle John while he was exiled on the island of Patmos. It records a vision he received from God about the final events of human history leading up to the return of Christ. Revelation describes in vivid symbolism and imagery the cosmic conflict between God and Satan, the persecution of the church,…
The concepts of God’s condescension and accommodation are found throughout Scripture and have profound implications for how we understand God’s relationship with humanity. At a basic level, God’s condescension refers to how the infinite, eternal Creator humbled Himself to interact with finite, temporal creatures. God’s accommodation refers to how He adjusts and limits the revelation of Himself in order to communicate with humanity in ways we can comprehend. A key passage speaking to God’s condescending nature is Philippians 2:5-8: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did…
Functional equivalence is an approach to Bible translation that focuses on conveying the meaning and function of the original text in the target language, rather than a word-for-word translation. The goal is to produce a translation that has the same impact on modern readers as the original had on its audience. Here is a more in-depth look at functional equivalence and its role in Bible translation: Definition of Functional Equivalence Functional equivalence translation tries to communicate the meaning of the biblical writers in a way that is clearest to the modern audience. It focuses on reproducing the function or impact…
Satanism is a religious or philosophical belief system that venerates Satan as a liberator from falsehoods and hypocrisy. It represents a rejection of Abrahamic religions like Christianity that see God and Satan as polar opposites, promoting the view that Satan represents rebellion, individualism, knowledge and enlightenment. There are different forms of Satanism with varying beliefs and practices, but some common themes include individualism, skepticism, rejection of mainstream religion, and an emphasis on carnality and hedonism. Origins and History The origins of Satanic thought can be traced back centuries, but it was not until the 20th century that organized Satanic groups…