The term “eye-service” appears in Ephesians 6:6, which says: “not by the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” In this verse, Paul instructs servants to obey their earthly masters sincerely and wholeheartedly, not merely when being watched. The Greek word for “eye-service” here is ophthalmodoulia, which refers to working only when one’s master is watching, and slacking off when unobserved. It describes insincere service given solely to curry favor with the master. The opposite of eye-service would be working faithfully at all times, even when no one is…
Author: Nicole Sands
The story of God killing Ezekiel’s wife is found in Ezekiel 24:15-18 in the Old Testament. Here’s a summary: God had appointed Ezekiel as a prophet to the people of Israel during the time they were exiled in Babylon. God was using Ezekiel to proclaim judgments against Israel for their unfaithfulness and idolatry. In Ezekiel 24, God gives Ezekiel a parable about a cooking pot to represent the coming judgment on Jerusalem. God says he will heat up the pot until everything inside is burned and consumed. This imagery represented God’s wrath and punishment that was coming soon upon Jerusalem.…
Chastity is an important virtue emphasized in the Bible. Here is an overview of some key Bible verses about chastity: Old Testament Verses on Chastity The Old Testament lays the foundation for God’s desire for His people to live sexually pure lives. Here are some key verses: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Hebrews 13:4 ESV) “You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14 ESV) “But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman…
The church at Colossae was located in the ancient city of Colossae in the Roman province of Asia (modern day Turkey). Though Colossae was once a prominent city, by the 1st century AD it had declined in importance. The church itself was not founded by Paul, but rather by Epaphras, a native of Colossae who likely heard the gospel from Paul during his two-year ministry in nearby Ephesus (Acts 19:10). Paul wrote a letter to the Colossian church sometime around AD 60-62 while he was imprisoned in Rome (Colossians 4:3,18). In it, he seeks to refute a false teaching that…
Proverbs 27:5 states, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” This proverb provides insight into how we should approach relationships with others. Specifically, it contrasts two approaches – openly confronting issues vs. keeping quiet about them. The verse advocates for open rebuke over secret love. An open rebuke involves directly addressing issues, problems, and faults with others. It requires honesty and transparency about matters that may be difficult to discuss. Rebuking openly brings issues into the light rather than letting them fester in darkness. It prevents unhealthy bottling up of emotions and facilitates resolution through open communication. In contrast, secret…
Synergism is the view that God and man cooperate in the work of salvation. It stands in contrast to monergism, which sees God as the sole agent in salvation, and denies that man contributes anything to his redemption. Synergism affirms that while salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace, the human will cooperates with that grace, rather than remaining passive or resistant to it. The synergistic view recognizes that Scripture ascribes salvation to God’s sovereign election and predestination on the one hand, and also calls individuals to respond in repentance, faith and obedience on the other. Rather than seeing…
A.W. Tozer was an influential American Christian pastor, author, magazine editor, and spiritual mentor during the 20th century. He was renowned for his profound knowledge of the Bible and deep theological insights. Though he lacked formal theological training, Tozer was well-read and had an insatiable hunger for Scripture. He devoted his life to studying God’s Word and teaching believers how to pursue an intimate relationship with God. Tozer was born in 1897 in a small farming community in Pennsylvania. He came to faith as a teenager after hearing a street preacher. Though he never attended high school, Tozer was an…
The Bible has a lot to say about riches and wealth. Here is an overview of some of the key Bible passages that address this topic: Wealth is meaningless without God Several verses emphasize that wealth and possessions are meaningless and worthless without a right relationship with God. For example: “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:26) “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is…
Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his crucifixion. Here is an in-depth look at why we celebrate Easter from a biblical perspective: The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ are central to the Christian faith. According to the Bible, Jesus willingly sacrificed himself on the cross as payment for the sins of humanity (John 3:16-18, Romans 5:8, 1 Peter 2:24). This act served as atonement for the sin that has separated people from God since the fall of Adam and Eve (Romans 3:23-26, Romans 6:23). Jesus took…
Numbers 32:23 says, “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.” This is a stern warning from Moses to the tribes of Reuben and Gad about the consequences of disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. Let’s explore the meaning and significance of this verse in its context. Background of Numbers 32 To understand this verse fully, we need to look at the background of Numbers 32. The Israelites were nearing the end of their wilderness wanderings after being freed from slavery in Egypt. They had sent…