What roles do natural disasters, tragic accidents, plagues like COVID-19, and other human sufferings play in God’s will or plan? Scripture offers no single, simple solution to this question. Consider these oft-heard answers, open your Bible, and see how they stack up against the Word. Human suffering demonstrates God’s wrath and punishment for sin. […]
Is the Sabbath a “shadow”? A recent BA article said it was. A shadow is a shaded image cast by light rays striking a body or object. In biblical study, the words type and shadow can refer to a person, event, or item that serves as a pattern, preview, or lesser image of a later, […]
Are there prophets today? Many Christians would say no — outright. Cessationism is the view that the spiritual roles and gifts of prophet and prophecy, among others, were unique to and reserved for the New Testament era. With the Christian church established and the canon of Scripture completed in the first century, these operations of […]
If the Ten Commandments are for Christians, why aren’t the feast days? With many Christians, we view the Ten Commandments, summarized in the Great Commandment of Jesus to love God and neighbor, as God’s will for all people at all times. The Ten Commandments, written on stone, held a central place in the old covenant, […]
How does Paul’s teaching on mutual submission in Ephesians 5:21 relate to his instructions on submission within specific authority structures just afterward (v. 22 — 6:9)? In Ephesians 5:21, Paul moves from general instructions for all believers to how these apply in specific relationships. To understand his words, we must read them in context. […]
How do we know what is abolished from the old covenant? Is Leviticus 19:19 still binding? We should recognize a basic tension in the New Testament. On one side, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable . . . for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). And Jesus says, “It […]
In a recent BA and quarterly, I’ve seen Sabbath described as a gift. Does this mean that Sabbathkeeping is optional? Let’s begin with the first part of the question. Are we justified in calling the Sabbath a gift? New covenant Christians consider not only God’s commandment but also His intent for the Sabbath. Similarly, […]
I’m feeling convicted that I should be reconciled with a brother in church, but I’m not sure how to do it. Will you advise me? Your situation sounds like it’s about two Christ-followers who have become distant due to personal offense, conflicts, or misunderstandings as spoken of in Matthew 5:22-26; Ephesians 4:31, 32; and […]
Does the appearance of Moses and Elijah with Christ in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, long after their natural deaths, prove the immortality of the soul? The immortal soul doctrine many Christians believe is that all people are born with an internal, spiritual component (or soul) that cannot die, but departs the body at […]
Is a religious service or legal certificate necessary for a couple to be truly married in God’s sight? What about common-law marriage? Marriage is not the invention of men, nor is it under the authority of human governments. The Bible lays down the essential elements of marriage, declaring it an institution of God from the […]
