I know Jesus died for my sins, but why did He have to die? Couldn’t God have just forgiven sinful humanity? The song “In Christ Alone,” by Keith and Kristyn Getty, contains one stanza that speaks to your question. It says that Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins satisfied the wrath of God. […]

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In the Great Commission we are told to obey Jesus’ commandments. Are they different from God’s? In a word, no. Jesus’ commandments are the heart of God for humanity. Jesus of Nazareth is both truly God and truly man, being with the Father eternally and working collaboratively in creation (Genesis 1:26; John 1:1-3, 10; Colossians […]

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Watching is about living each day with a sense of urgency, eagerly anticipating the Lord’s return while actively participating in His work in the present. The instruction to watch signifies a spiritual state of vigilance, and it is used in several ways. In some occurrences, the instruction includes more than one of these areas. Hence […]

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The “patience of the saints” in the Revelation of Jesus Christ (13:10; 14:12) refers to the steadfast perseverance of believers in the face of trials and tribulation. Specifically, it identifies their unwavering commitment to God’s law and their active faith in Jesus. Grasping the context for John’s use of the phrase reminds us he is […]

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Simply put, it means to allow the Holy Spirit freedom to work in the individual and community of believers. So the phrase “quench the Spirit” can be understood as actively hindering the Spirit’s work by extinguishing, suffocating, or ignoring His leading. More specifically, and in context with the next verse, “Do not despise prophecies” (v. […]

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Is it permissible for Christians to charge one another interest on loans?   The law condemns usury, particularly to poor brethren: “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, . . . you shall not charge him interest” (Exodus 22:25). On the contrary, generosity is instructed: “But you shall […]

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Questions & Answers The prophets critiqued the establishment of their time. What would be their criticism of the church today? Notable is that “criticism” by the prophets of old was just one of their duties. But perhaps the greatest criticism of the church would be the same now as it was for Israel then. Just […]

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What are the imprecatory psalms? How are they applicable to Christians today? The imprecatory psalms are those that imprecate. They invoke judgment, calamity, or curses upon those perceived as the enemies of God and His people. The major imprecatory psalms are 5, 10, 17, 35, 58, 59, 69, 70, 79, 83, 109, 129, 137, and 140. Understanding how […]

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Is sanctification essential for salvation? Salvation is what God does for humanity. Based on His sovereign will, He reconciles those to be redeemed to Himself (Romans 5:6-11; Colossians 1:20-23; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21). God’s saving plan is grace toward all those who receive Him with faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:15-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:9, 10; Romans […]

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Where does the saying “Be in the world but not of it” come from, and what does it mean?   This familiar expression is derived from Jesus’ prayer for His disciples in John 17: “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world . . . They are not of […]

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How do we reconcile divine grace and human responsibility in the work of salvation?     Ephesians 2:8 is maybe the best verse for understanding the divine-human dynamic in the work of salvation. Through this text we can assert, by introduction, that these two are reconciled within a particular covenant relationship. Let’s look: “For by grace […]

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How should we view 1 John 3:17, 18 and try to obey it? “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in […]

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