The statement “the kingdom of God is within you” appears only once in the Bible, in Luke 17:21. In context, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day. They had asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming. Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:20-21). There are several possible interpretations of what Jesus meant by this important statement: 1. The kingdom of God is…
Author: Richard Curi
The Beatitudes are a collection of declarations made by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount that highlight the key virtues and blessings emphasized in his teachings. The word “beatitude” comes from the Latin word for “blessed” or “happy.” There are eight beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 5:3-12) that serve as the opening lines of the Sermon on the Mount. Here is the full passage from Matthew: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit…
What is natural law? Natural law is the set of universal moral principles that are inherent in human nature and can be discerned through the use of human reason. The concept of natural law originated with the ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle and was later developed extensively by Christian thinkers such as St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. At its core, natural law asserts that just as there are observable physical laws that govern the physical universe, there are also objective moral laws that are woven into the fabric of human nature and that provide a standard…
The Latin Vulgate is a Latin translation of the Bible that dates back to the 4th century AD. It was originally commissioned by Pope Damasus I and completed by St. Jerome. For over a thousand years, the Latin Vulgate served as the definitive Bible translation used by Western Christianity. Even today, it continues to hold importance within the Catholic Church. The word “vulgate” comes from the Latin “vulgata editio”, meaning “edition for the common people”. This refers to one of the main intentions behind the Latin Vulgate – to create a widely accessible translation of the Bible in the common…
Naaman was a commander of the army of the king of Aram (an ancient kingdom located in present-day Syria). He was highly regarded by the king because through Naaman, the Lord had given victory to Aram. However, despite his status and military success, Naaman suffered from leprosy (2 Kings 5:1). In 2 Kings 5, Naaman goes on a journey that results in his healing from leprosy. The story begins when Naaman is told by an Israelite servant girl that there is a prophet in Samaria (the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) who could heal him of his leprosy.…
Cornelius was a Roman centurion who is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament. He was a Gentile convert to Christianity and is considered to be one of the first Gentiles to convert to the Christian faith. Here is an overview of the key things the Bible tells us about Cornelius: Cornelius was a Roman centurion Cornelius is described as being “a centurion of what was known as the Italian Regiment” (Acts 10:1 ESV). A centurion was a Roman army officer who commanded around 80-100 soldiers. The Italian Regiment refers to a cohort of soldiers recruited…
The Bible does not directly address the political philosophy of anarchism, which advocates the abolition of government and the organization of society on a voluntary, cooperative basis without recourse to force or compulsion. However, the Bible does speak extensively about the proper role of governing authorities as well as the importance of order, structure, and submission to legitimate leadership. Examining key biblical principles can provide insight into a Christian perspective on anarchy and anarchism. The Bible Affirms the Role of Government In contrast to anarchism’s rejection of established authority, the Bible affirms that government derives its authority from God. Romans…
The Bible references two important books – the book of life and the Lamb’s book of life. Both are books that God maintains in heaven, but they serve different purposes. Understanding the differences between these books can provide valuable insight into God’s plans for humanity. The Book of Life The book of life is first mentioned in Exodus 32:32-33, where Moses asks God to blot his name out of the book God has written if God chooses not to forgive the people for their sin of worshiping the golden calf. Being written in the book of life signifies being among…
The mysterious dispute between the archangel Michael and Satan over the body of Moses is referenced in Jude 9: “But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” This strange incident raises many questions for Bible readers. Why were these two spiritual beings arguing over Moses’ body? What was the nature of their dispute? And what was its eventual outcome? To properly understand this cryptic passage, we must first look at the context. The book of Jude was…
The Belgic Confession, also known as the Confession of Faith, is one of the major Reformed confessions of faith that outlines the basics of the Christian faith as believed and taught by many Reformed churches. It originated in the Southern Netherlands during the 16th century and was written to defend Reformed believers against persecution from the Roman Catholic Church. The Belgic Confession consists of 37 articles that cover major Christian doctrines such as the doctrine of God, Scripture, humanity, sin, Christ, salvation, the church, and the end times. The confession aims to be fully biblical in its declarations, using Scripture…