Spiritual abuse is the misuse of spiritual authority or leadership to control or manipulate someone. It often occurs in the context of a religious group or organization, where a leader uses their position of authority to take advantage of followers. Some key characteristics and signs of spiritual abuse include: Distorted use of religious teachings or scripture Abusive leaders will often twist or misapply bible verses and religious teachings to justify their actions or exert control over their followers. For example, they may use verses about submission to demand absolute obedience, or take scriptures out of context to shame or condemn…
Author: Richard Curi
Romans 12:9 says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” This verse teaches us that as Christians, we are called to genuinely love others, while abhorring or hating evil and clinging to what is good. To “abhor” something means to hate it, detest it, or regard it with disgust. The Greek word translated “abhor” is apostygeo, which means to feel horror and repugnance towards something. So when Paul instructs us to “abhor what is evil,” he is telling us that as followers of Christ, we should hate, detest, and be repulsed by evil.…
Genealogy and family history research have long been important practices in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), commonly known as the Mormon Church. There are several doctrinal reasons why Mormons place such a strong emphasis on researching their ancestry and performing temple ordinances for their deceased ancestors: Belief in Eternal Families One of the core tenets of LDS theology is a belief in the eternity of the family unit. Mormons believe that through sacred temple ordinances such as baptism, confirmation, marriage sealing, and other ordinances of the gospel, families can be bound together eternally. This eternal union…
This is a common question that many people have when learning about the Christian faith. The Bible teaches that when Adam, the first man, sinned by eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, all of humanity fell under the curse of sin as a result (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12-21). Even though we did not actually eat the fruit ourselves, we still face the consequences of Adam’s action. Why is this? Let’s explore what the Bible says. According to Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death…
The phrase “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” comes from Galatians 5:9, where Paul writes: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” This is a metaphor that illustrates how a small amount of something, in this case leaven or yeast, can spread and affect a much larger body, represented by the “lump” of dough. To understand this metaphor, it’s important to know how leaven or yeast works in bread making. When yeast is mixed into dough, it causes the dough to expand and rise. This is because the yeast ferments and produces gas which gets trapped in the dough,…
The Textus Receptus (Latin for “received text”) refers to the Greek New Testament that provided the textual basis for the translation of the Bible into vernacular languages in the 16th century. This Greek text was compiled by Desiderius Erasmus in the early 16th century and became known as the Textus Receptus due to its widespread use and acceptance. The Textus Receptus is based primarily on a few late Byzantine Greek manuscripts and differs in several places from modern critical editions of the Greek New Testament. Erasmus compiled the first edition of the Textus Receptus in 1516 using a handful of…
The Bible is a collection of writings from multiple authors over many centuries. Determining exactly who wrote the Bible is a complex task, given its long history and the many hands involved in its production. However, scholars have identified the likely authors and time periods for most of the books included in the Old and New Testaments. Old Testament Authors The Old Testament contains 39 books written over a span of roughly 1,000 years, from around 1200 BC to 200 BC. Some key authors of Old Testament books include: Moses: According to tradition, Moses wrote the first five books of…
The Bible mentions various types and groups of angels, though it does not provide an exhaustive classification. Here is an overview of the major kinds of angels described in Scripture: Seraphim Seraphim are only mentioned in Isaiah 6:2,6. They are described as having six wings and calling out “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty”. Their name means “burning ones”, indicating their fiery passion and zeal for God. Cherubim Cherubim are among the most frequently mentioned angels in the Bible. They guarded the entrance to the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were expelled (Genesis 3:24). The ark of…
The phrase “love keeps no record of wrongs” comes from 1 Corinthians 13:5, which says “It [love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” This verse is part of Paul’s famous “love chapter” where he describes the qualities of godly, Christ-like love. So what does it mean that love “keeps no record” of wrongs? Essentially, it means that love does not keep an accounting of grievances and wrongdoings. True biblical love does not constantly dwell on the sins and offenses of others. It does not keep bringing up…
The Spirit of adoption refers to the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of believers to confirm their adoption as God’s children. The apostle Paul touches on this in Romans 8:15 which says, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!'” Let’s break this down further: We are adopted as God’s children When we place our faith in Christ, we are adopted into God’s family as His children (John 1:12-13). Adoption in Roman culture meant a permanent transfer…