Worry is a common human experience that can range from minor concerns to major anxiety. The Bible has much to say about worry, offering both practical advice and spiritual encouragement for overcoming this issue. The dangers and futility of worry A major theme in Scripture is that worry is ultimately unhelpful and even harmful. Jesus himself said, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). He goes on to…
Author: Tim Collings
The Bible contains several accounts of beheadings and references to the practice of beheading. While not as common as other forms of execution mentioned in Scripture, such as stoning, crucifixion, or hanging, decapitation by beheading is recorded in both the Old and New Testaments. Here are some of the most notable biblical examples of beheadings: The Beheading of John the Baptist One of the most famous biblical accounts of beheading is that of John the Baptist in the New Testament. John was a prophet who baptized Jesus and preached repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. However, John…
Ecclesiastes 3:3 states that there is “a time to kill and a time to heal.” This verse is part of a poetic passage describing contrasts or opposites in life. The author lists pairs of activities or experiences, showing there are appropriate seasons or purposes for each one. In context, “a time to kill” refers to times of war, conflict, and taking life. There are unfortunately occasions when killing becomes necessary, such as in self-defense, just war, or capital punishment. Though we should always seek peace, sometimes defending the innocent requires meeting violence with force. Ecclesiastes recognizes there are times when…
The Byzantine Period refers to the time when the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, existed from around AD 330 to 1453. This powerful Christian empire occupied what had been the eastern half of the Roman Empire, with its capital in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). The Byzantine Period bridges the Roman Period and the Middle Ages and played an important role in transmitting ancient Greek knowledge and ideas to later societies. Origins of the Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire emerged after the Roman emperor Constantine the Great established a new imperial capital at Byzantium in AD 330. This…
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, often abbreviated as the AME Church, is a predominantly African American denomination of Methodist Christianity in the United States. It was founded by the Rev. Richard Allen and others in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816 as the first independent Protestant denomination founded by black people in North America. The AME Church arose out of the Free African Society, which Allen, Absalom Jones, and other free black men established in Philadelphia in 1787. The church was a response to racial discrimination and segregation that blacks faced in the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were restricted to galleries and…
Paul the Apostle was a devout Jew who fiercely persecuted the early Christians. However, after encountering Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul had a radical conversion and went on to become one of the most influential Christian missionaries in history. Paul established many of the earliest churches and wrote a significant portion of the New Testament. But how exactly did Paul, a Jew, become a Roman citizen? In the ancient world, Roman citizenship was highly valued and difficult to obtain. It conferred legal privileges and protections under Roman law that were not granted to non-citizens. Several times in…
The Bible does not have a lot to say directly about ghosts or hauntings, but it provides some principles that can help us think biblically about these phenomena. The Reality of the Spiritual Realm The Bible affirms the existence of the spiritual realm, including angels and demons. Passages like Ephesians 6:12 refer to “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” And there are examples in Scripture of demonic spirits afflicting people, like the man who lived among the tombs and was tormented by evil spirits (Mark 5:1-20). So the Bible acknowledges spiritual beings that we cannot normally perceive with…
The rule of faith refers to the ultimate authority that governs a Christian’s beliefs and practices. For centuries, Christians have looked to the Bible as the supreme rule of faith that should guide and shape all aspects of life and doctrine. The Bible alone is the final authority and the rule of faith for Christians. The principle of sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) affirms the Bible as the sole infallible authority for Christians. All doctrine, faith and morals must be measured against the standard of Scripture. No tradition, leader, personal revelation or church teaching can override or equal the authority of…
Healing is a prominent theme throughout the Bible. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see God depicted as a healer who cares deeply about restoring health and wholeness to his people. In the Old Testament, God is described as the healer of Israel. Exodus 15:26 says, “I am the Lord who heals you.” God also promises in Jeremiah 30:17, “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds.” Additionally, we see miracles of healing happening through the prophets Elisha and Isaiah in 2 Kings 5 and 2 Kings 20. In the New Testament, Jesus’ ministry was…
The Berean Study Bible (BSB) is a modern English Bible translation that was published in 2016 by the Bible Hub website. The goal of the BSB translation is to provide a readable, faithful, and accurate English rendering of the original biblical texts that is suitable for personal study, private devotions, and use in worship services. The name “Berean Study Bible” comes from a reference in the Book of Acts to the Berean Jews who eagerly studied the Scriptures daily to see if the things the apostle Paul taught them were true (Acts 17:10-12). So the name conveys the ideal of…