Here are the definitions of some common theological terms found in the Bible: Atonement Atonement refers to the doctrine that Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for sin and restored the broken relationship between God and humanity. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made amends for sin, bringing humankind back into a right relationship with God (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2). Baptism Baptism is the Christian practice of immersing a believer in water or sprinkling water on them as an act of obedience and public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. It symbolizes the cleansing of sins…
Author: Richard Curi
The story of the Levite and his concubine is found in Judges 19-21. Here is a brief summary: A Levite was traveling with his concubine when they stopped in Gibeah for the night. The men of the city surrounded the house where they were staying and demanded that the Levite be brought out so they could have sex with him. The owner of the house refused, but offered his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine instead. The Levite brought his concubine out and the men raped and abused her all night. In the morning, the Levite found her dead on…
Colossians 3:14 says, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” This verse comes in the context of Paul instructing the Colossian believers on how they should live in light of their new life in Christ. In particular, Paul tells them to “put to death” worldly attitudes and behaviors and instead “put on” godly virtues and Christ-like character. The key phrase in Colossians 3:14 is “put on love.” The original Greek word translated as “put on” is enduo, which means to cloth oneself or put on clothing. Just as we put on…
The question of whether God is man-made or not is an age-old debate that has puzzled philosophers, theologians, and thinkers for centuries. At the heart of this debate is the origin and nature of God – is God an independent divine being that created the universe and humanity, or is God simply a human conception, an idea created by human minds to explain the unknown? While there are reasoned arguments on both sides, ultimately it comes down to faith and belief. The Bible does not outright settle this debate definitively, but it does provide perspective for those seeking Biblical wisdom…
The story of David taking a census and incurring God’s anger is found in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21. At first glance, it may seem puzzling why God would be so displeased with David for taking a census. However, a deeper look at the context and details provides some insight into God’s response. First, it’s important to understand the background. David had recently endured some failures and sins, including his adultery with Bathsheba and the rebellion of Absalom. The kingdom had been through a tumultuous time. David was looking to strengthen his kingdom and army, which may have…
The book of Revelation contains symbolic imagery that can be difficult to interpret. However, context provides important clues to the meaning behind the symbols. In Revelation 3:18, Jesus counsels the church at Laodicea: I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. This verse uses three symbolic items – gold, white garments, and salve – to make an important point. To understand…
The Bible has a lot to say about promiscuity, which is broadly defined as having casual sexual relations frequently with different partners. According to Scripture, promiscuity is sinful and goes against God’s design for sexuality. Old Testament teachings on promiscuity In the Old Testament, God commanded His people to not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14) and warned against prostitution and sexual immorality (Leviticus 19:29, Deuteronomy 23:17). The Book of Proverbs especially warns about the dangers of promiscuity and adultery: “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the…
Ethical relativism is the view that morality is not absolute or universal, but rather is relative to the norms of one’s culture or society. According to ethical relativism, there are no objective or universal moral truths that apply to all people at all times. Right and wrong are determined by the social customs, traditions, laws, and practices of a particular culture or society. What is considered morally right in one society may be considered morally wrong in another, and no society’s morality is objectively better or more correct than any other. The Bible unequivocally rejects ethical relativism and affirms that…
The Bible has quite a bit to say about keeping vows and oaths. God takes our promises very seriously, and He expects us to honor our word. Here is an overview of some key biblical principles about vows and oaths: 1. We should be careful and sober when making vows The Bible warns us to not be rash in making vows and oaths to God. We should carefully consider any commitment before making it, because God holds us accountable to keep our word. Several verses address this: “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it;…
The concept of the Messiah in the Hebrew Bible refers to a future leader sent by God who will restore the kingdom of Israel and inaugurate universal peace. However, there are hints throughout the Old Testament that this Messiah would have a dual role – he would suffer and die as part of his saving mission. This has led many Christians to see Jesus as the fulfillment of these Old Testament prophecies about the suffering servant Messiah. They argue that the Bible points to two comings of the Messiah – first as the suffering servant to die for sins, and…