Traditions. Any tradition formed on any other basis than the Word of God will sooner or later be found in contradiction to the plain commandments of God. We see this with the copious traditions developed in the Catholic Church down through the centuries. Holy candles, holy robes, holy incense, holy smoke, etc. all are in […]
Main article: The Wilderness Experience Ten Temptations. We read of the “ten temptations” (Num. 14:22) where Israel tempted Jehovah in the wilderness. “Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened […]
Main article: Millennium and Eternal State Related: The Millennium Heaven and Earth. There will be a very close connection between the heavenly saints and the earthly saints in the Eternal State; “the tabernacle of God is with men” (Rev. 21:3). As a result of sin, today there is a great distance between heaven and earth. […]
Christian liberty is an important subject in the New Testament. The basic principle is this: the Christian has been set completely free from every kind of bondage in order to do the will of God. The believer has been set free from the tyranny of indwelling sin (Rom. 6:7). Those who were once idol-worshiping Pagans […]
Related: The Grave of Christ The Sign of the Prophet Jonah. When the apostate Jewish leaders asked Jesus for a sign (after rejecting many others), Jesus replied: “But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the […]
Related: Sadducees; Sanhedrin; Essenes; Herodians; Leaven Pharisees. This name comes from the Hebrew word ‘parash’ which means ‘to separate’. This was a name given to a religious sect among the Jews beginning in the 2nd century BC, who called themselves ‘chasidim’, which means ‘pious ones.’ The movement began with good intentions in the era of […]
Spiritual blessings “in Christ Jesus”. All of our distinctive Christian blessings are said to be “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). We have them because of our standing before God. We cannot earn them; they are freely given to us by God! This is our spiritual inheritance. What are these blessings? Election (Eph. 1:4) Predestination (Eph. 1:5; Rom. 8:29) […]
Main article: The Ordinance of Baptism John’s Baptism and the Baptism of Jesus on earth can be viewed as “Kingdom baptism” in contrast with “Christian Baptism”. Kingdom baptism is what disconnected the faithful Jews from the guilt of apostate Israel, while Christian baptism bring us into the Christian testimony. Kingdom baptism is connected with […]
ENCYCLOPEDIA of Bible subjects, names, terms, and places. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Abraham, Abyss, Acts, Administrations, Administration (Assembly), Adoption, Adultery, Ages, Ages of Ages, Age to Come, Almighty God, Amos, Angels, Anointing of […]
Main article: The Sufferings of Christ Christ’s Anticipative Sufferings are what Christ passed through as He looked forward to the cross, and to the work of atonement which would be accomplished there. These sufferings intensified as the cross loomed nearer, but we see them concentrated in the garden of Gethsemane. Anticipative suffering is not merely […]
Related: Love The Light. A vast and important subject in scripture is that of light. The word has two primary meanings, which are closely related. Light as a character is moral purity, and as an agent is illumination.6 First, ‘light’ is a character or state of absolute moral purity. We read that “God is […]
Related: Repentance Conversion means to have a change of heart toward God. Initially, a person is converted when they are born again, and receive divine life from God which is a contrast to the desires of the flesh. Upon being quickened, immediately a person is converted. Without an initial conversion, a person cannot be saved to enter […]
Related: Cleansing Footwashing. The very first subject brought out in the upper room ministry (John 13 – 17) is footwashing, which represents the work of refreshment and removing daily defilement for the maintenance of communion. It comes first before the rest of the upper room ministry, because we cannot enjoy Christ with defiled feet, […]
Main article: Millennium and Eternal State Related: The Intermediate State; Heaven The Father’s House is the eternal dwelling place of God that will be shared with the redeemed (John 14:2). Is it where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will be for all eternity, in the circle of divine light and love. When Jesus […]
Main article: Preliminary Events in Prophecy Related: The Great Tribulation The covenant. The leader of the revived Roman Empire, called “the prince that shall come”, will be instrumental getting a treaty or “covenant” online between his people (Rome) and “the many”, which refers to the Jews. “And he shall confirm a covenant with the many for one week;” Daniel […]
Related: Prayer Paul’s prayers. Not including benedictory prayers at the ends of his epistles, Paul records twenty-eight of his prayers! It is nice to trace these prayers through his writings. We are very thankful for them because they give us: (1) an insight into the heart of the apostle, and (2) a pattern for the way we should pray. […]