The concepts of predestination, election, and foreknowledge are intricately connected in Scripture. At their core, they all speak to God’s sovereignty and His divine plan for humanity. Though complex theological issues, a survey of key biblical passages can help shed light on how they relate. Predestination refers to God’s predetermined plan for everything that will happen in history, including who will be saved. Several verses point to this doctrine. Ephesians 1:5 states that God “predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” Romans 8:29-30 declares, “For those whom he foreknew he also…
Author: Matt Primack
The Dake Bible is a study Bible created by Pentecostal minister Finis Jennings Dake in 1963. It is known for its extensive commentary notes and cross references. Here is an overview of the key features and history of the Dake Bible: Features of the Dake Bible Contains over 35,000 commentary notes on scripture Features over 50,000 cross references Offers a system of coding and symbols for identifying certain types of verses, such as prayer promises and commandments Includes a concordance and extensive commentary introductions for each book of the Bible Uses the King James Version text of scripture Contains a…
The theory of abiogenesis, also known as spontaneous generation, is the scientific theory that life on earth arose from inanimate matter through natural processes. The Bible does not directly address the scientific theory of abiogenesis. However, the Bible provides insight into what Christians believe about the origins of life. The Bible begins with the book of Genesis, which describes God’s creative work in bringing the universe and life into being. Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This verse establishes that God is the creator of all things. Genesis 1 goes on to describe…
The True Jesus Church is a nondenominational Christian church that originated in Beijing, China in 1917. The church believes it is a restoration of the original church established by Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Here is an overview of the key beliefs and practices of the True Jesus Church: Restorationism The True Jesus Church considers itself to be a restoration of the original apostolic church. They believe that over time, mainstream Christianity has deviated from the true teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. The goal of the True Jesus Church is to restore these original doctrines and practices. They believe…
The Bible refers to God as “holy” over 600 times. But what exactly does it mean when the Bible calls God holy? The word “holy” means set apart, sacred, and spiritually pure. When the Bible emphasizes God’s holiness by saying “holy, holy, holy” it is stressing the supreme sacredness and moral perfection of God’s nature. Let’s take a closer look at the biblical meaning of God’s holiness. The Seraphim’s Declaration of God’s Holiness The most famous occurrence of the phrase “holy, holy, holy” is in Isaiah 6:3, where the seraphim are declaring the holiness of God: “And one called to…
Positivism is a philosophical system that holds that all true knowledge is scientific, and that all things are ultimately measurable. The concept was developed in the 19th century by the philosopher Auguste Comte. Here is a 9000 word overview of positivism from a biblical perspective: The main tenet of positivism is that the only authentic knowledge is that which is based on sense experience and positive verification. As a philosophy, positivism rejects speculation and focuses solely on observable phenomena and their relationships. It emphasizes empirical data and the scientific method. Anything that cannot be scientifically proven or disproven falls outside…
Hedonism is a school of thought that argues that pleasure and happiness are the primary or most important intrinsic goods and the proper aim of human life. A hedonist is someone who practices hedonism or follows this philosophy. The Bible does not explicitly use the terms “hedonism” or “hedonist” since these are modern words. However, Scripture clearly warns against living for fleshly pleasures and self-indulgence. The book of Ecclesiastes powerfully depicts the emptiness of a life lived solely for pleasure and warns that chasing after fleeting pleasures and comforts leads only to meaninglessness. In contrast, the Bible calls us to…
Ingratitude or unthankfulness is a sin that the Bible warns against many times. Here is an overview of what the Bible says about having an ungrateful spirit and heart: Examples of Ingratitude in the Bible There are several examples in Scripture that illustrate ingratitude: The Israelites often complained and were ungrateful for God’s provision and deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 16:2-3, Exodus 17:3, Numbers 11:1, Numbers 14:2-3) The Pharisees did not thank Jesus for healing 10 lepers, only one returned to glorify God (Luke 17:11-19) The wicked servant buried his talent instead of investing it and was rebuked for being lazy…
The Bible refers to Jesus Christ as the cornerstone in several passages, indicating His importance and role in God’s plan of salvation for humanity. Here is an explanation of the significance of Jesus Christ being described as the cornerstone. 1. Christ as the foundation of the church Several verses use the imagery of a building or temple to illustrate how Christ is the bedrock on which the church is built. Ephesians 2:19-22 states: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the…
The Bible has much to say about the concept of an “enemy within” – the inner struggles and temptations we face as followers of Christ. Though we may strive to live godly lives, we are constantly assaulted by our own sinful nature and by the schemes of the devil. This inner turmoil is a universal human experience, as even the apostle Paul lamented, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15). In this article, we will explore the biblical teaching on the enemy…