The doctrine of Calvinism teaches, among other things, “All those who are spiritually united to Christ through regeneration are eternally secure in Him…. They have been predestined unto eternal glory and are therefore assured of heaven” (The Five Points of Calvinism, p.56). Simply put, the doctrine of Calvinism teaches that once one is saved, he … [Read more…]
If we will follow Jesus, we will follow Him in the attitude and response toward Scripture that He taught while He was on this earth. Jesus expected his Jewish hearers to have read or heard the Scriptures. To the chief priests and elders, for example, he said, “Did you never read in the Scriptures?” (Matthew … [Read more…]
King Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he was told by the Lord to set his house in order (2 Kings 20:1). But he prayed to the Lord, and then word came to him from Isaiah the prophet that the Lord will heal him. The king of Babylon, having heard that he was sick, … [Read more…]
Who are the “unlikely” who may hear and obey the gospel? Let us preface by saying that these are only the “unlikely” in our minds. The Jews who crucified the Savior are the “unlikely” who heard and obeyed the gospel (Acts 2:23; 3:17). “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day … [Read more…]
“The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them” (Prov 11:3). Integrity is defined as “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change” in the online Cambridge Dictionary. The righteous are characterized by integrity: “The righteous man walks in his … [Read more…]
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). Such is a truth taught not only in the Old Testament but also in the New. Christians are taught to confess their sins to God: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to … [Read more…]
“For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). There is great joy in being a citizen of the kingdom of God. Consider several reasons we can rejoice. There is great joy in being saved from our past sins. “But now having … [Read more…]
“Tradition” is a Biblical word. The word translated “tradition” in the New Testament means “a handing down or on” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical words, p.639). On the one hand, there are traditions condemned by Jesus and His apostles, and on the other hand, there are traditions not only taught by the apostles but bound … [Read more…]
“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work … [Read more…]
Galatians 5 provides a list of sins described as works of the flesh, and that list includes all kinds of sins proceeding from lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. They are described as “evident” (NKJV, NASB) or “manifest” (KJV, ASV); they are apparent and obvious. Ask a man … [Read more…]