The concept of eugenics – selectively breeding humans for desired traits – raises complex ethical issues that the Bible does not explicitly address. However, there are several biblical principles that can inform a Christian perspective on eugenics: 1. Human life is sacred The Bible teaches that all human life is sacred, as human beings are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). This intrinsic dignity applies to all people regardless of their abilities or attributes. As such, any practice that treats human life as a commodity to be optimized and engineered purely for utilitarian ends would be concerning from…
Author: Richard Curi
The verse Mark 4:21 states “And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?” (ESV). This verse comes from a section in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus is teaching in parables. The lamp or light being referenced here represents the light of the gospel message that Jesus brought. There are a few key reasons why Jesus uses this imagery of a lamp under a basket in this verse: A lamp gives light and Jesus came to bring the light of truth into the…
Pride is a sin that can subtly creep into our lives and take root deeply if we are not careful. The Bible has a lot to say about pride and offers hope and practical solutions for overcoming it by God’s grace. What is pride? Pride is an excessive view of one’s self and accomplishments that clouds our view of God and others. It leads us to take credit for things that are not our own doing and inflates our ego and sense of self-importance. Pride manifests itself in arrogance, haughtiness, conceit, and self-righteousness. A prideful person is focused on self,…
Romans 13:5 says “Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” This verse raises an important question – what does it mean that we should submit to the government for conscience’ sake? To understand this verse, we first need to look at the broader context. Romans 13:1-7 discusses the Christian’s responsibility to submit to governing authorities. In verses 1-2, Paul says that all authority is established by God, so to rebel against authority is to rebel against what God has instituted. Believers should therefore submit to avoid judgment. In…
Does praying Scripture have greater effectiveness than other prayers? The Bible offers insight into the power and effectiveness of praying Scripture versus offering up other types of prayer. While all prayer has merit before God, praying Scripture can provide unique spiritual benefits according to biblical principles. This article will explore what the Bible says about the topic in roughly 9000 words. To start, it is important to have the right perspective – that all prayer has value before God. Jesus encourages his followers to regularly pray to God for their needs (Luke 18:1-8). The apostle Paul frequently asks for prayer…
The phrase “come and see” is repeated several times throughout the Gospel of John. This simple phrase carries profound meaning and reveals important aspects of Jesus’ ministry and identity. Examining the contexts where “come and see” appears sheds light on its significance. Calling the First Disciples The first occurrence of “come and see” is in John 1:39, where Jesus says it to two of John the Baptist’s disciples who began following him. One of these was Andrew, who after spending time with Jesus went and got his brother Simon Peter and declared, “We have found the Messiah” (1:41). By saying…
The Judaizers were a group of Jewish Christians in the early church who taught that Gentile converts to Christianity needed to adhere to certain Jewish laws and customs, particularly circumcision. The issue arose prominently in the early church as recorded in Acts 15 and Galatians 2. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the gospel began to spread rapidly among the Gentiles (non-Jews). Many Gentiles were turning to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit without first becoming Jewish proselytes (converts to Judaism). This alarmed some Jewish believers who felt that the Gentiles needed to first convert to Judaism before becoming Christians. They…
The statement “I will betroth you to me forever” in Hosea 2:19 has great significance and meaning in understanding God’s relationship with His people. The context is God speaking through the prophet Hosea about His unfaithful wife, symbolic of Israel’s unfaithfulness towards God through idolatry. Yet despite this, God promises to restore this relationship and “betroth” His people to Himself forever in a new covenant of love and faithfulness. Specifically, some key points about the significance of this verse include: 1. It highlights God’s unfailing love and forgiveness This verse comes after passages where God pronounces judgment on Israel for…
The Eastern Star is an organization that is closely associated with Freemasonry, though they are separate organizations. Women are not allowed to join regular Freemasonry lodges, so the Eastern Star provides a way for female relatives of Masons to participate in similar activities and philosophies. The official name of the Eastern Star organization is The Order of the Eastern Star. It was established in the United States in the late 1850s as a Masonic-affiliated organization open to both men and women. Membership is open to Master Masons in good standing and women with specific Masonic affiliation. To be eligible for…
John 1:1 is one of the most well-known and debated verses in the Bible. It reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The phrase “the Word was God” has been interpreted in different ways throughout church history. Here is an in-depth look at the meaning and significance of this verse. The Identity of “the Word” First, to understand this phrase, we need to know who “the Word” refers to. John 1 tells us clearly that “the Word” is Jesus. John 1:14 says “And the Word became flesh and dwelt…