The ontological Trinity refers to the three persons of God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – as they exist in relation to one another within the Godhead. The word “ontological” means “relating to the nature or essence of something.” So the ontological Trinity describes the three persons of the Trinity in their shared divine essence and eternal relationship with one another. The Bible teaches that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) yet also reveals God as three distinct persons – the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). Each person of the Trinity…
Author: Richard Curi
The question of whether a married person should have a close friend of the opposite sex is an important one for Christians seeking to honor God through their relationships. This article will examine what the Bible teaches on this topic. First, it is helpful to define what constitutes a “close” friend. A close friend is someone you share personal details of your life with, confide in, spend significant time alone with, and have a deep emotional connection to. This is different than a casual friendship or acquaintance. The Bible does not explicitly prohibit close opposite-sex friendships. However, there are several…
In Matthew 23:15, Jesus says to the scribes and Pharisees, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.” This is a stern rebuke from Jesus against the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and failure to truly follow God’s laws. To understand this verse, we need to look at the context. In Matthew 23, Jesus is pronouncing a series of warnings and woes against the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and self-righteousness.…
The phrase “rebuke the devourer” in Malachi 3:11 refers to God’s promise to protect His people’s crops and livelihood from pests, diseases, and other forces that could ruin or “devour” them. This promise was originally given to ancient Israel, but contains principles applicable to all believers who honor God with their resources. The Context of Malachi 3:11 Malachi was a prophet in Israel around 430 BC, after the Jews had returned from exile in Babylon. Malachi confronted the spiritual apathy and sin of the people, calling them to wholeheartedly obey and honor God. In Malachi 3, God chastises the people…
The story of Abraham and Lot begins in Genesis chapter 11. Abraham’s father Terah moved his family from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan, but they settled in the city of Haran instead (Genesis 11:31). After Terah died, God spoke to Abraham (at that time called Abram) and told him to go to the land that He would show him (Genesis 12:1). So Abraham took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot and traveled to Canaan, the Promised Land. When Abraham and his family arrived in Canaan, God promised to give the land to his…
The Bible does not explicitly state the exact number of brothers King David had. However, through careful examination of various Bible passages, we can piece together some information about David’s family and estimate the likely number of brothers he had. We know that David was the youngest son of Jesse from Bethlehem (1 Samuel 16:10-11). When Samuel came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the new king, Jesse presented his sons to Samuel in order from eldest to youngest. The Bible mentions three oldest brothers of David by name: Eliab – the eldest (1 Samuel 16:6) Abinadab – the…
Alexander the coppersmith is mentioned by name only twice in the Bible, both times in letters written by the apostle Paul (2 Timothy 4:14 and 1 Timothy 1:20). Beyond his profession as a metalworker, we are not given any biographical details about Alexander the coppersmith in Scripture. However, from the contexts in which Alexander is mentioned, we can gain some insight into who this man was and why his story is significant enough to be included in the Bible. Alexander in 2 Timothy In 2 Timothy 4:14, Paul provides the following warning to Timothy about Alexander the coppersmith: “Alexander the…
Intellectualism and the Bible The Bible has much to say about intellectualism, which can be broadly defined as the practice of relying primarily on intellect, reason, and logic rather than emotions or intuition. At 9,000 words, this article will provide an in-depth look at the Bible’s perspective on intellectualism. To start, the Bible affirms the value of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Proverbs repeatedly extols the virtues of attaining wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 2:6, 3:13, 4:5, 8:10-11). Ecclesiastes 1:18 declares that gaining wisdom is good. The Bible praises those who exhibit wisdom and understanding, like Solomon (1 Kings 4:29), Daniel (Daniel…
Particularism is the view that the Bible teaches that God has chosen certain individuals for salvation. It emphasizes God’s sovereignty in election and holds that God chooses some people for salvation, not based on anything they have done, but according to His sovereign will. This view is sometimes also called ‘unconditional election’ or ‘predestination’. The doctrine of particularism or unconditional election is derived primarily from passages in the New Testament that speak of God’s sovereign choice in salvation. For example: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual…
Weaning a child marked an important milestone in ancient Israelite culture, signifying the child’s transition from infancy to childhood. The weaning ceremony held spiritual and social significance for both the child and community. Cultural Background In ancient Israel, mothers typically nursed their children for two to three years before weaning (1 Samuel 1:22-24). Breastfeeding provided necessary nourishment and immunity benefits in a time before modern medicine and baby formula. Weaning often coincided with the eruption of the child’s first teeth around 2-3 years old. Weaning was a gradual process of supplementing breastmilk with solid foods until the child no longer…