The word “anathema” appears several times in the Bible, primarily in the New Testament. It comes from the Greek word anathema, which means “something dedicated” or “devoted to evil.” In the Bible, it refers to something or someone devoted to destruction and set apart for judgement and wrath from God. There are a few key aspects to the biblical understanding of anathema: It refers to being cut off, separated, or exiled from God’s people and His blessings. This is seen in passages like Galatians 1:8-9, where Paul says that those who preach a false gospel are “accursed” (anathema). It is…
Author: Kristal Wheatley
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is a holiday in some countries. In the Bible, Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, he was buried in a tomb. On the third day, which was Sunday, he rose from the dead. This fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah rising from the dead (Psalm 16:10, Jonah 1:17). Jesus’ resurrection showed that he had power over death and had conquered sin. It proved that he was truly the Son of God. His resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith (1…
2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” This verse encourages believers to diligently study God’s word so that they can accurately understand and apply biblical truths. Let’s break down the key parts of this verse: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved” As Christians, we should make every effort to live in a way that is pleasing and honorable before God. We want to be “approved” by God, meaning we want…
The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most well-known artifacts described in the Bible. It was a wooden chest covered in gold that contained the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Ark served as the physical manifestation of God’s presence with the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness and later settled in the Promised Land. Here is an in-depth look at what the Bible teaches about this sacred object. The Construction of the Ark After receiving the Ten Commandments, God gave instructions for building the Ark to house…
The acronym IHS is a Christogram that represents the name of Jesus Christ. It is a monogram derived from the first three letters of the Greek name for Jesus, ΙΗΣΟΥΣ. Origins of IHS The IHS monogram has origins dating back to the 1st century AD during the time of the early church. It is first found in the Book of Kells, an ornately illustrated manuscript of the four gospels created around 800 AD. The IHS abbreviation became more widely used after St. Bernardine of Siena popularized it in the 15th century by using the IHS Christogram as the seal of…
Topical preaching is a style of preaching that focuses on a particular topic or theme from the Bible rather than exegeting a specific passage of Scripture verse-by-verse. The goal of topical preaching is to preach biblically and faithfully on a subject that is relevant and applicable to the lives of the congregation. In topical preaching, the preacher will select a topic to preach on, such as love, grace, forgiveness, prayer etc. They will then study various Bible passages that relate to that topic in order to understand what Scripture teaches about it. Unlike expository preaching which works through a book…
The question of whether God requires Sabbath-keeping of Christians is an important one that deserves careful examination of Scripture. The Sabbath was a key part of God’s law given to Israel, as one of the Ten Commandments states: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). However, with the coming of Christ and the establishment of the new covenant, some argue that the Old Testament laws like the Sabbath no longer apply. So what is the evidence from the Bible on this issue? The Sabbath in the Old Testament In the Old Testament, the Sabbath was commanded by…
The account of Paul and Silas in Acts 16 teaches us several important lessons about living for Christ, even in the midst of suffering. Here are 9 key things we can learn from their example: 1. Be faithful to share the gospel, even when it’s illegal or unpopular Paul and Silas were arrested and beaten for preaching the gospel and casting out a demonic spirit from a fortune-telling slave girl (Acts 16:16-24). Even when preaching Christ was illegal and provoked attacks, they faithfully proclaimed the good news. We too must be willing to share Christ at all times, even if…
The Church of God (Cleveland, TN) is a Pentecostal Christian denomination that was founded in 1886 in Monroe County, Tennessee by Richard G. Spurling, W.F. Bryant, and A.J. Tomlinson. It is headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee and has over 7 million members worldwide. The Church of God believes in the infallibility and divine inspiration of the Bible, the Trinity, salvation through Jesus Christ, sanctification by the Holy Spirit, divine healing, foot washing, and the premillennial second coming of Christ. History In 1886, Richard G. Spurling, a Baptist minister, became concerned with the division and contention among the churches in his area.…
Biblical hermeneutics refers to the study and interpretation of the Bible. It looks at the principles and methods used to understand the meaning of scripture. Hermeneutics comes from the Greek word hermēneuein which means “to interpret.” The goal of biblical hermeneutics is to help readers gain a deeper understanding of God’s word and apply it accurately to life. Some key aspects of biblical hermeneutics include: Understanding the historical context – What was the cultural, political, geographical setting when the text was written? This provides insight into the author’s original intent and meaning. Literary context – Looking at things like genre,…