Self-pity is a common human emotion that involves focusing on our own pain, misfortunes, and distresses in an exaggerated, self-centered way. It often leads to feelings of being victimized, helpless, and hopeless. The Bible has much to say about self-pity and offers wisdom for finding freedom from it. Examples of Self-Pity in the Bible Several biblical figures struggled with self-pity when facing difficult circumstances. After being sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph spent time in prison and could have easily grown bitter (Genesis 37-41). Elijah ran for his life into the wilderness and asked God to let him die…
Author: Richard Curi
The concepts of enhypostasis and anhypostasis have their origins in early Christian theology and philosophy. Broadly speaking, enhypostasis refers to the real existence of something, while anhypostasis refers to the lack of real existence. Let’s take a closer look at what the Bible teaches about these ideas. Enhypostasis The term enhypostasis comes from two Greek words – “en” meaning “in” and “hypostasis” meaning “substance” or “essence.” Together, they convey the idea that something has a real, substantial existence. In early Christian usage, enhypostasis was used to describe the full divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ. The Bible affirms that Jesus…
The story of Amnon and Tamar is a difficult one to understand. As described in 2 Samuel 13, Amnon was King David’s oldest son and heir to the throne. Tamar was his half-sister, the beautiful daughter of David and Maacah. Amnon became infatuated with Tamar and eventually raped her, an act that brought tragedy and violence into David’s family. Why would Amnon commit such a horrific act against his own sister? A close examination of the biblical text provides some insights. Amnon’s Obsession and Lust The story begins by stating that Amnon was so obsessed with his half-sister Tamar that…
The crucifixion of Jesus is one of the most well-known events in human history. Yet even today, over 2000 years later, people still have questions about the specific details surrounding Jesus’ death. One of the most common questions people ask is why the crowd shouted “Crucify Him!” when Pilate wanted to release Jesus. To fully understand the context and reasons behind the crowd’s reaction, we need to examine the biblical accounts leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem The events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion began around a week earlier, with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on…
The Armenian Orthodox Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. It is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, which is a communion of churches that separated from the rest of Christendom after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. The Armenian Church is based in Armenia but has followers all over the world. According to tradition, the Armenian Church was founded in the 1st century AD by two of Jesus’ twelve apostles – Thaddeus and Bartholomew. They preached the gospel in Armenia and converted the Armenian king Abgar V and many of his subjects to Christianity. This makes…
Walking in the Spirit refers to living one’s life under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. It means submitting to the Spirit’s leading and relying on His strength rather than our own. The concept comes from Galatians 5:16 (ESV) which says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Walking by the Spirit is contrasted with gratifying the desires of the sinful nature. When we walk in the Spirit, we set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5). We live according to the Spirit and make…
The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in the lives of believers today, just as He did in biblical times. Here is an overview of 9 key roles the Holy Spirit fulfills in the lives of Christians: 1. The Holy Spirit regenerates us When we put our faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit is the one who opens our eyes to the truth of the gospel and enables us to repent and believe (John 3:5-8; Titus 3:5). Without the Spirit’s regenerating work, we would remain dead in our sins and unable to respond to the good news of salvation. 2.…
When the Bible refers to men, mankind, brothers, etc., does it include women? The Bible was written in a patriarchal culture where men held positions of authority and women were often relegated to secondary roles. However, a careful study of Scripture reveals that God values men and women equally. When the Bible uses inclusive terms like “man,” “mankind,” “brothers,” etc., it is important to understand the context to determine if women are included. The creation of man and woman Genesis 1:27 states: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and…
The transcendence of God is a profound biblical truth that describes the enormous gap between God the Creator and everything else that exists. God’s transcendence speaks to His supreme majesty, His ultimate authority, and His infinite superiority over all of creation. To say God is transcendent is to declare that He is far above and distinct from all that He has made. The distance between the infinite Creator and finite creation is immeasurable. God is so wholly other, so perfect and self-sufficient, that nothing in this universe compares to Him. He depends on nothing beyond Himself for life, contentment, power,…
The church militant refers to the Christian church on earth, which is engaged in spiritual warfare against sin, the devil, and the world. The term “militant” comes from the Latin word “militare” which means “to serve as a soldier.” So the church militant refers to the church that is still fighting and serving on earth. Biblical basis for the church militant The concept of the church militant comes from several passages in Scripture that portray the Christian life as a spiritual battle. For example: Ephesians 6:10-12 says “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.…