The popular saying “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is commonly attributed to the Bible, but does the Bible actually contain this statement? A close examination of Scripture reveals that while the Bible does not contain this exact wording, it does communicate the same underlying principle in several places. The Golden Rule in the Gospels The closest biblical parallel to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is found in the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do…
Author: Matt Primack
The topic of pleasure and enjoying life is one that many Christians wrestle with. On one hand, some Christians believe that God wants us to enjoy life and experience pleasure. After all, God created many pleasurable things for us like delicious foods, the beauty of nature, relationships, and more. However, on the other hand, some Christians believe that too much pleasure-seeking can be sinful and that we should focus more on spiritual pursuits. What does the Bible have to say about this topic? First, it’s important to note that God is not opposed to pleasure and enjoyment in and of…
The Bible does not explicitly state that Jesus fought Satan for the keys to the kingdom. However, there are some passages that can give insight into this idea when examined closely. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus says to Peter “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” This indicates that Jesus had access to the keys of the kingdom and gave authority over them to Peter. Jesus had received this authority from God the Father (Matthew…
The promise that God made to Joshua in Joshua 1:4 states: “From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory.” This refers to the land that God promised to give to the people of Israel after their exodus from Egypt. The key boundaries mentioned are Lebanon in the north, the Euphrates River in the east, the territory of the Hittites in the south, and the Mediterranean Sea (“Great Sea”) in the west. The…
Pascal’s Wager is an argument put forth by the French philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal in the 17th century. It proposes that humans bet with their lives that God either exists or does not exist. The premise of Pascal’s Wager is that there are only two options when it comes to belief in God: either God exists or God does not exist. If God exists and we believe in Him, we gain infinite happiness in heaven. If God exists and we do not believe in Him, we face eternal damnation in hell. On the other hand, if God does not…
The Table of Nations is a genealogical list found in Genesis 10 of the Bible. It details the descendants of Noah’s three sons – Shem, Ham, and Japheth – after the Flood and how they spread out to populate the Earth. The Table traces the origins of different nations and people groups back to these three patriarchs of humanity. Genesis 10 begins by naming the three sons of Noah – Shem, Ham and Japheth – who were the only human survivors from the Flood. It then outlines each son’s descendants for several generations. From Shem came the Semitic peoples, including…
The question of whether the Catholic Church is the “mother church” is an important one for many Christians seeking to understand church history and authority. There are several key biblical principles to consider when evaluating this claim. The Origin and Foundation of the Church The New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the founder and foundation of the church. After Peter confessed that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God”, Jesus responded, “on this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18 ESV). The “rock” here is the confession of faith in Christ, not Peter himself or any…
Leviticus 15 discusses various bodily discharges and how they related to ritual purity and impurity in ancient Israel. This chapter provides instructions for the people of Israel on how to deal with these discharges and restore ritual purity after becoming unclean. The main bodily discharges mentioned are: Abnormal discharges from the reproductive organs of both men and women (Leviticus 15:1-33) Emissions of semen, including from sexual intercourse (Leviticus 15:16-18) Menstrual flows from women (Leviticus 15:19-24) Abnormal discharges after childbirth (Leviticus 15:25-30) These discharges resulted in ritual impurity for various lengths of time. Anyone or anything the impure person touched also…
The Bible speaks of five heavenly crowns that believers can receive as rewards for faithful service and living a victorious Christian life. These crowns are mentioned in various passages throughout the New Testament and represent eternal blessings that we can lay at the feet of Jesus on that day when we finally see Him face to face. Let’s explore what the Bible teaches about each of these five crowns. The Imperishable Crown The imperishable crown is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 which says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the…
The question of whether humans will have free will in heaven is an important theological issue that has been debated extensively throughout church history. At the heart of the matter is the desire to understand the nature of heaven and our existence there as redeemed human beings. When examining what the Bible teaches about free will in heaven, there are a few key points to consider: 1. Humanity was created with free will Genesis 1-2 indicates that Adam and Eve were created by God with the ability to make meaningful choices. This free will was part of what it meant…