Hebrews 10:26 is a verse that causes much confusion and debate among Christians regarding eternal security and whether a true believer can lose their salvation. The verse states: “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” On the surface, this verse seems to indicate that deliberate, unrepentant sin can cause a believer to lose their salvation since it says “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” However, we must interpret this verse in its full context to really understand what is being communicated. First, we…
Author: Nicole Sands
The Muratorian Canon, also known as the Muratorian Fragment, is an important early Christian text that provides insight into the development of the New Testament canon during the 2nd century AD. Dated to around 170-180 AD, the Muratorian Canon is the earliest known list of most of the texts included in the New Testament. The fragment is named after its discoverer, Italian scholar Ludovico Antonio Muratori, who published it in 1740. It is called a “canon” because it lists texts considered authoritative for Christians, and a “fragment” because it is incomplete, missing its beginning and end. Though the original document…
A free will offering is a voluntary contribution or donation given out of one’s own free choice, without external compulsion or command. The concept of free will offerings originates in the Bible, where they were a common form of sacrifice and offering brought by the Israelites to the Lord. Examples of Free Will Offerings in the Bible Here are some key examples of free will offerings mentioned in the Bible: Exodus 35:29 – The Israelites brought free will offerings of gold, silver, bronze, fabrics, spices, oils, and precious stones to construct the Tabernacle. Leviticus 22:18-23 – Free will offerings could…
The phrase “the smoking flax He will not quench” comes from Matthew 12:20 which says, “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory.” This verse references Isaiah 42:3 which contains a prophecy about the gentle character of the coming Messiah. To understand the meaning of this phrase, it is important to understand the imagery being used. The Imagery of Smoking Flax “Flax” refers to the plant that was used to make linen and lamp wicks. After burning for a while, a flax wick in an oil lamp…
How many siblings did Jesus have? The Bible does not explicitly state how many siblings Jesus had. However, there are several passages that indicate Jesus likely had brothers and sisters. Here is an overview of what the Bible reveals about Jesus’ siblings: References to Jesus’ Brothers There are several verses that mention Jesus’ brothers by name: – Matthew 13:55 – “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?” This verse names four brothers of Jesus – James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. – Mark 6:3…
The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares is found in Matthew 13:24-30. Jesus tells the parable to the crowds who came to hear him teach near the Sea of Galilee. Through this parable, Jesus teaches that in this age, the righteous and the wicked will co-exist until the harvest, which represents the final judgment. The Parable Jesus begins the parable by comparing the kingdom of heaven to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. When the plants came up and bore…
Bethlehem is a town located about six miles southwest of Jerusalem. It plays a significant role in the Bible, especially in relation to the birth of Jesus Christ. Here are some key ways that Bethlehem is important in the Bible: Birthplace of Jesus One of the most well-known biblical events connected to Bethlehem is the birth of Jesus Christ. According to prophecy, the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. The Gospel of Matthew records the fulfillment of this prophecy: “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from…
The Holy of Holies, also known as the Most Holy Place, was the innermost chamber of the ancient Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. It was located within the Temple’s central sanctuary and housed the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the original stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. The Holy of Holies was a perfect cube, 20 cubits in length, breadth and height (approx. 30 feet or 9 meters on each side). Thick curtains separated it from the rest of the Temple. According to the Hebrew Bible, the Holy of Holies was only entered once a year, on Yom Kippur (the…
The Old Testament contains many prophecies and foreshadowings of Jesus Christ as the coming Messiah and Savior of the world. Here are some tips for identifying messianic prophecies in the Old Testament: Look for prophecies about the Messiah’s lineage and birth Several Old Testament prophecies point to the family line and birth circumstances of the Messiah. For example: He will be a descendant of Abraham – Genesis 12:3, 18:18 He will be from the tribe of Judah – Genesis 49:10 He will be a descendant of David – 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 11:1 He will be born in Bethlehem -…
Idolatry is defined as the worship of idols or excessive devotion to something other than God. In the context of ministry, idolatry refers to elevating ministry over God and making it an idol. This happens when ministry becomes the main focus and purpose rather than experiencing and spreading the love of Christ. There are several ways ministry idolatry can manifest itself: Looking to Ministry for Identity and Worth Our identity and worth come from being children of God, created in His image (Genesis 1:27). However, it’s easy to start drawing our identity and worth from success in ministry – the…