There is an alleged contradiction in the number of angels that appeared at the tomb of Jesus on the day that He was raised from the dead. Luckily, we have some excellent information on this because all four gospel accounts record angels at the tomb; all we need to do is put the puzzle pieces together into one harmonious picture. Interestingly, each account only gives one part of the story of the angels present that great day. Not one account repeats another, so we will not read about the same angel in any given two accounts. Matthew 28:1-8 Matthew’s account […]

Jews In a way, this term came around much later than the biblical text. The many times that it appears in the Old Testament, it is in place of the Hebrew word that would best be translated as “Judahite”. The word comes from the Hebrew word for Judah, one of the 12 sons of Jacob, and literally means a descendant of Judah. However, since the Babylonian captivity, the term was applied to any Hebrew person, no matter if they were an actual descendant of the tribe of Judah. The Hebrew word was translated into Greek, then Latin, while maintaining a […]

Below is a compilation of properly sourced information of what many of the major religions believe today concerning salvation. Followed by this is a data chart that shows how people were saved in the days of the 1st Century church. How close or how far apart are religions today from the biblical record? The Catholic Church We are Inheritors of original sin and all its consequences. The saving grace won by Jesus is offered as a free gift to us through: Repentance Faith Baptism Source: catholic.com   Southern Baptist Salvation is by grace alone, all that is left for us […]

            I believe there are two types of small churches. One of them desires to grow but does not. The other desires to grow and does. The reason for this difference is the amount of work done toward the goal. Growth is driven by a broad spectrum of reasons, I’ll briefly discuss a couple of them here. Growth is driven by excitement. As a congregation gets a little taste of growth, the excitement level soars, causing even more involvement in inviting people to church or a bible study. This excitement level can easily continue as long as new faces continue […]

Question: “Since we follow the apostles’ examples for authority, why don’t we kneel when we pray? (References: Acts 7:60, 9:40, 21:5; Mark 1:40, Matthew 17:14, 18:26, 20:20, Psalms 95:6)” It is true that we must follow the Apostles’ example as the Holy Spirit worked through them in the First Century establishing doctrinal teachings and practices. However, that also implies that we do not follow absolutely everything that the apostles did, only the things that pertain to doctrine. We would weary ourselves trying to do everything the apostles did, whether it be eating only foods with ingredients available in their marketplaces, […]

There are a number of ways to answer this question. First, he absolutely does have a plan for you and everyone else on this earth. A plan for us that is so important that it is the cause for every page of the Bible. God designed a plan for man to live with Him eternally. God first wants man to hear about His plan. This is accomplished through the revelation of His plan documented in the pages of the Bible (Romans 16:25). Then, it is through the spreading of His revelation by His disciples that this is fully accomplished (Matthew […]

Question: “What was the first language?” The first language, the language of Adam and Eve, has been lost, with no hope of rediscovery. While it is clear from the book of Genesis that Adam and Eve and their descendants had a spoken language, we have no idea what language it was, or how long it survived. From the creation of man to the universal flood was 1,565 years. A lot can happen in 1,500 years, and if more recent history is an indication, the original language likely evolved over time into different languages. But if there were any documentation of […]

I received this question: Who is the Devil? Where did he come from?              God never gave us the devil’s name, but that hasn’t stopped some to assign him names from words that they happen upon in the Bible. Names like “Satan” or “Lucifer” are the most prominent examples of this, but neither is the devil’s name, and one has nothing to do with him (lucifer). The word “satan” is a transliteration of the Greek word satanas, and it means “opponent”. It is not a proper name assigned to the devil, in fact, the Greek word satanas is always preceded […]

You’ve likely heard that there are three means of accurately establishing Bible authority for all that we believe, teach, and practice. By direct commandments, by approved examples, and by necessary inference (a conclusion we are forced to make by the scriptures). Now, some have mocked these means of establishing authority from the bible for what we believe, often citing that they haven’t found a verse in the bible that says that we must use direct commands, approved examples, and necessary inference. These are the same folks, by the way, whose practices often have no resemblance to the practice of the New Testament church. But […]

“These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19). There are six things that the LORD hates. “Hates” is defined as loathsome, repulsive, an enemy, a foe. Thus these six things are loathsome to and against God. But wait, there aren’t just six, there is a seventh added along with the word “abomination.” The text lists […]