The Conflict Begins
Have you ever asked yourself, Why is the world the way it is? What’s going on here? Most people have. Here is a brief explanation in an edited excerpt from Dr. Renald Showers’ extraordinary book What on Earth Is God Doing?
THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH
The Life and Legacy of C.I. Scofield
Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (1843–1921) was a significant American theologian, writer, and pastor who is best known for his Scofield Reference Bible, one of the most influential theological works of the…
Liberty, Love, and Life With Christ Conclusion
During its formative years, the church was entirely Jewish, as Jewish people by the thousands recognized Jesus as their long-promised Messiah. But by the end of the apostle Paul’s first missionary journey…
Liberty, Love, and Life With Christ Part Four
Christians are to honor God’s holiness by keeping His commandments. But what about gray areas where the Bible is silent? In those cases, followers of Jesus must not offend their consciences or those of other believers…
Liberty, Love, and Life with Christ Part Three
Christian liberty is a gift from God. Scripture says Christians are free to practice whatever God’s moral absolutes do not prohibit (Gal. 2:4; 5:1), providing they do not violate their own consciences (Rom. 14:22–23)…
Liberty, Love, and Life With Christ Part Two
Christians should live according to God’s universal guidelines of conduct through the power of the Holy Spirit. Part one examined the fi rst guideline. Here are three more.
Liberty, Love, and Life With Christ Part One
Have you ever wondered why genuine Christians differ in their opinions on the morality of certain conduct? Some sincere Christians believe…
The Great Controversy: When Does Life Begin?
January 2016 will mark the 43rd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in America. Since then, women have aborted 57.7 million babies in the United States1—more than twice…
Humanity’s Rejection of God’s Moral Absolutes
Humanity’s refusal to accept God’s wisdom has led people to reject His moral absolutes. Consequently, individuals engage in practices that violate what God ordained for mankind. They commit…
Humanity’s Rejection of Genuine Wisdom
The foundation, or beginning, of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (Ps. 111:10). Unfortunately, large segments of humanity do not fear the Lord and have no true wisdom. Instead…
The Foundation of Genuine Wisdom
The Bible teaches that the foundation, or beginning, of genuine wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Unwise people spurn the fear of the Lord by neglecting God’s moral absolutes…
Contrasts of Wisdom
The Bible calls attention to several problems with false wisdom, which, in reality, is not wisdom at all. After Babylon had manifested great pride in abusing the Israelites during their 70-year…
The Wisdom of God Conclusion
God gave Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar a dream that disturbed he could not sleep. Then God revealed to Daniel the dream’s content and meaning. This article explains…
The Wisdom of God Part Three
This article provides more examples of God’s distribution of wisdom. Nebuchadnezzar, the crown prince of Babylon, came to Israel’s capital city of Jerusalem in August 605 BC.
The Wisdom of God Part Two
Proverbs 2:6–7 states, “The Lᴏʀᴅ gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright.” However, the Bible also reveals…
The Wisdom of God Part One
Webster’s New International Dictionary defines wise as “discerning and judging soundly concerning what is true or false, proper or improper.” It defines wisdom as the…
The Grace of God Conclusion
Our previous article showed that the apostle Paul was consumed by the transforming reality of God’s grace. Many times Paul used the word grace in his epistles to the…
The Grace of God Part Eight
We saw that the word translated “testify” refers to “an emphatic affirmation that a thing is or will be so.” The word translated “gospel” means “good news.” A commission is “an authoritative order”…
The Grace of God Part Seven
In Acts 20:24 the apostle Paul referred to his purpose in life: “that I may finish my race with joy.” The Greek word translated finish means “to fulfill” or to carry out “a required course in…
The Grace of God Part Six
Because of God’s grace, the church was able to grow. This article on the grace of God in the New Testament will observe how God, through grace, administered His eternal, moral absolutes over…
The Grace of God Part Five
The Bible provides evidence that, through Jesus, God established grace as the new way of administering His moral absolutes over humanity. The apostle John taught that God established…
The Grace of God Part Four
The New Testament, as well as the Old Testament, speaks of God’s grace. In fact, God administers His moral absolutes through grace. The New Testament…
The Grace of God Part Three
God’s grace is evident throughout Scripture. The previous article presented examples of that grace. This article will continue that study. The cry for God’s grace by…
The Grace of God Part Two
As we have seen, the two key Old Testament words for “grace” are hanan and hen. The Hebrew verb related to grace is hanan. In one form, it means “be gracious” or…
The Grace of God Part One
This article begins a study of God’s grace in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew verb related to grace is hanan.1 In one form it “has the meaning…
The Love and Mercy of God Conclusion
The previous article cited examples of Jesus administering God’s mercy in various ways during His ministry on Earth. He administered mercy to the unsaved and guiltless and healed the blind, demon-possessed…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Six
The New Testament reveals that Jesus defended and administered God’s mercy in various ways during His ministry on Earth. On one occasion Jesus and His disciples went to a house and ate…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Five
The previous article focused on God’s eleos mercy as related to eternal salvation. Now we will examine other relationships of God’s mercy expressed through the Greek New Testament words eleos, oiktirmos…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Four
The previous article introduced key Greek words for God’s mercy in the New Testament and noted the relationship of God’s love to His mercy. This article examines more examples of God’s…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Three
Previously we examined characteristics of God’s mercy or lovingkindness as revealed in the Old Testament. Now we will focus on God’s mercy in the New Testament. God’s mercy is expressed through three clusters…
The Love and Mercy of God Part Two
When the Israelites complained and threatened to return to Egypt after their spies reported that Canaan could not be conquered because it was filled with giants…
The Love and Mercy of God Part One
The key Old Testament word for God’s mercy is hesed. Scholars have translated it frequently as “mercy” or “lovingkindness.” Hesed appears 245 times…
The Love of God Conclusion
In Titus 3:3 the apostle Paul presented a graphic description of unsaved man’s fallen disposition. He wrote to Titus, “We ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures…
The Love of God Part Four
The previous article focused on the world as an object of God’s love and explained the distinction between agapao and phileo, the two key Greek words associated with God’s love…
The Love of God Part Three
God’s love is one of the great themes of the Bible. The previous articles on this theme focused attention on His love in the Old Testament. Now let’s begin to examine His love…
The Love of God Part Two
The previous article began to focus on God’s love in the Old Testament. God’s love involves a confirmed, inner, favorable disposition toward the objects of His love and a high, passionate degree…
The Love of God
The primary Hebrew word for “love” in the Old Testament is ahabh. Together with its derivatives, it is used to express different types of human affection within various relationships, such as husband-wife…
Specific Reasons for God’s Anger and Wrath Conclusion
Our three previous articles presented specific reasons for God’s wrath against Israel and other nations. Now we will focus on specific reasons for God’s anger and wrath against mankind in general…
Specific Reasons for God’s Anger and Wrath Part Three
The two previous articles presented specific reasons for God’s wrath against Israel. Now we will focus on specific reasons for God’s wrath against other nations. Because all nations fail to acknowledge…
Specific Reasons for God’s Anger and Wrath Part Two
Previously we examined the ultimate reason for God’s anger and wrath and several specific reasons for His wrath against Israel. Now we will observe additional specific reasons. “The Lᴏʀᴅ did not turn…
Specific Reasons for God’s Anger and Wrath Part One
Previously we saw that the ultimate reason for God’s anger and wrath is mankind’s arrogant rejection of Him as the Creator, sovereign Ruler, and Owner of the universe. Fallen humanity…
The Ultimate Reason for God’s Anger and Wrath
Previously we examined Old and New Testament words for God’s anger and wrath, figurative expressions of the nature of God’s anger and wrath, and literal expressions of ways God’s wrath…
God’s Anger and Wrath
The Bible reveals that God experiences anger and wrath. Many words, both in the Old and New Testaments, express this fact. In the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, nouns…
God is Jealous Conclusion
The previous article observed five purposes God has for the nation of Israel in light of the Gentile nations’ historic apostasy and false worship. Now we will examine one more, along…
God Is Jealous Part Three
When God established the Mosaic Covenant marriage relationship with Israel at Mount Sinai, He declared, “You shall worship no other god, for the Lᴏʀᴅ, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous…
God Is Jealous Part Two
Previously we studied God’s jealous response to Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness to Him. Like an unfaithful wife, Israel’s capital city had committed spiritual adultery by worshiping false gods and entering into forbidden…
God Is Jealous Part One
At least 29 biblical passages indicate that the God of the Bible is a jealous God. Of those passages, 28 are in the Old Testament. Only one is in the New…
God Is Moral Conclusion
Habakkuk 2:9 says, “Woe to him who covets evil gain.” The word translated “woe” involves “negative warnings or threats of God’s physical chastisement.”1 It makes “the point that judgment is inescapable…
God Is Moral Part Nineteen
Numerous biblical passages refer to the sin of covetousness, which is of major concern to God. Consequently, it is important to understand the nature of covetousness, the issues related to it…
God Is Moral Part Eighteen
The Bible records several examples of people who were victims of reviling, abusive speech. The prophet Jeremiah was one. His enemies said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah…
God Is Moral Part Seventeen
The previous article examined the biblical view of two types of negative speech: lying and false witness. Now we will observe what the Bible says about other types of negative speech.
God Is Moral Part Sixteen
The Bible indicates that human speech can have powerful influence. Proverbs 18:21 states, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In other words..
God Is Moral Part Fifteen
Our earlier study noted that God is a personal being, possessing intellect. As such, He thinks. In His Word, God refers to His thoughts and indicates they are different from and higher…
God Is Moral Part Fourteen
In two previous articles concerning morality, we observed biblical descriptions of various types of eyes that reflect the moral condition of a heart. After examining one more type, we will consider two…
God Is Moral Part Thirteen
In our previous article we noted that biblical descriptions of various types of eyes indicate that eyes reflect the moral condition of a heart. The first type we observed was the “evil eye,” which reflects…
God Is Moral Part Twelve
The Bible reveals that our eyes have great moral significance and, therefore, are of concern to God. They are the primary organs by which we receive knowledge and…
God Is Moral Part Eleven
Previously we examined evidence that showed a total human being (body and soul) comes into existence at the moment of conception. Thus an abortion at any time after conception involves the taking…
God Is Moral Part Ten
In the previous article we saw that the real issue in the heated debate concerning the morality of abortion is this: At what point does the human offspring have a human soul and, therefore, become a personal
God Is Moral Part Nine
The previous article demonstrated that infanticide (the willful, premeditated killing of an infant at birth or afterward) is an abomination that God hates and that provokes Him to anger. It fits…
God Is Moral Part Eight
Our previous article showed that, historically, governmental law and the Bible regard murder as the willful, premeditated killing of a human being by another. In light of this truth, an issue that must be addressed…
God Is Moral Part Seven
Previously we examined five ways in which God revealed that murder violates and perverts His moral absolutes and fixed order of moral law. The fifth way was through God giving Israel the following…
God Is Moral Part Six
Earlier parts of our study examined sexual violations and perversions of God’s moral absolutes and fixed order of moral law. Now we will begin to examine another violation and perversion of those moral…
God Is Moral Part Five
An earlier part of our study indicated that, when God created mankind as male and female, He revealed the fixed, inflexible, moral order that He established for human sexuality. That order…
God Is Moral Part Four
In Romans 1 the apostle Paul addressed the ultimate cause of the breakdown of morality and order in Gentile society in ancient times: the rebellion of human beings against the sovereign…
God Is Moral Part Three
The previous article examined two types of sexual violations and perversions of God’s moral absolutes and His fixed order of moral law. Here we will examine five more such violations. Bestiality. The American…
God is Moral Part Two
The previous article concerning God presented implications for mankind concerning the fact that God is a moral being. It indicated that God created humans in His image as moral beings.
God is Moral Part One
An earlier part of our study noted that God created the universe with a twofold, fixed, unchanging, inflexible order. That order conforms to and embodies the ultimate wisdom that God created and used to…
God and Wisdom Conclusion
The previous article described two wisdoms, or world-life views, that oppose each other concerning issues in modern-day society. One wisdom, or view, has as its foundation and starting point the revealed knowledge of the personal…
God and Wisdom Part Two
The Scriptures indicate that the revelation God has given to mankind is wisdom. The statutes and judgments that God gave…
God and Wisdom Part One
In three previous articles we have seen that the triune God of the bible is inseparably related to truth. God is the source of ultimate, valid truth. In a closely related way, the triune God…
God Is True and Truth Conclusion
The Source of Knowledge Concerning Ultimate Truth Divine revelation to mankind is the source of knowledge concerning ultimate truth and, therefore, ulti-mate reality. God’s Word, the Bible, is God’s most significant means of revealing truth…
God is True and Truth Part Two
The previous article demonstrated how the Scriptures associate what is true and truth with God. Those associations indicate several facts concerning…
God is True and Truth Part One
The Scriptures repeatedly associate what is true and truth with God. The primary Old Testament word used for this association is emet. Its foundational concept is “certainty, dependability”; and it is used “in several categories…
God is Glorious Conclusion
The previous article examined two ways in which God has manifested His glory during history: (1) through His created universe and (2) through unique, historic events. This article will examine two more ways.
God is Glorious Part One
The present age is characterized by the encroachment of a secular, humanistic world-life view on society. Many people go to great lengths to deny the existence or relevance of the personal, sovereign God of the…
God is Sovereign Conclusion
The previous article examined several biblical indications that God is sovereign over time. One of the most significant indicators of God’s sovereignty in that sphere is His amazing seventy-weeks prophecy delivered to Daniel in 538…
God is Sovereign Part Five
We have examined the fact that God exercises sovereign rule over the universe, angels, history, nations, rulers, counselors, judges, ministries, nature, and individuals. Now we will consider another sphere of God’s sovereign rule.
God is Sovereign Part Four
We’ve examined the fact that God exercises sovereign rule over the universe, angels, history, and nations. Now we will examine other spheres subject to His sovereignty. Sovereignty Over Rulers, Counselors, and Judges Assertions of Sovereignty. The Scriptures…
God is Sovereign Part Three
Previously we saw that God exercises sovereign rule over the universe, angels, and history. Now we will examine God’s sovereign rule over the nations. Assertions of Sovereignty.The Bible records assertions of God’s sovereignty over the nations. God…
God is Sovereign Part Two
Webster’s New International Dictionary defines the adjective sovereign as follows: “Supreme or highest in power; superior in position to all others,” and “Independent of, and unlimited by, any other; possessing, or entitled to, original…
God is Sovereign Part One
Previously we examined the senselessness and consequences of idol worship. Here we will examine spheres that are subject to the sovereignty of the true and living God. Angels God’s significant relationships with the angels…
God and Other Objects of Worship
In the previous article we saw that the Bible asserts unequivocally that Jehovah-the God revealed in its pages, the one who brought Israel and the church…
God Is Exalted and Exclusive (Theology Proper)
Scripture teaches that Jehovah, the God of the Bible, is exalted above all gods and is the only real, true, and living God. God Is Exalted Israelites and Gentiles asserted that Israel’s God is exalted above all
God Is Holy (Theology Proper)
What is the holiness of God? For many years I thought the sum total of God’s holiness was His sinlessness. But I was mistaken. God’s sinlessness is an important aspect of God’s holiness…
God Is Personal (Theology Proper)
Some individuals claim that God is an impersonal power or force and is not personal. Paul Tillich, who taught at Union Theological Seminary (New York), Harvard, and the University of Chicago and who was regarded…
God Is Triune (Theology Proper) Conclusion
In the previous article, we observed implications for the triunity of God in the Old Testament, noting how that portion of the Scriptures presents both the unity and plurality of God. Now we shall examine…
God is Triune (Theology Proper) Part One
Our previous articles have demonstrated that God has used various means to reveal the reality of His existence and other knowledge concerning Himself to mankind. One aspect of that other knowledge is the fact…
The Means of Knowing Truth About God (Theology Proper) Conclusion
Our two previous articles examined the biblical claim that nature (the universe) reveals the existence of a divine being (God) who possesses eternal power. Thus nature is one means that God uses to reveal knowledge…
The Means of Knowing Truth About God Part Two
Previously we examined the biblical claim that God has demonstrated the reality of His existence and uncovered other knowledge about Himself by giving revelation to human beings during the course of history.
The Means of Knowing Truth About God Part One
How can mankind know if God is a reality or a figment of human imagination? If God is a reality, how can His nature; thoughts; ways; actions; and relationship to the universe, planet Earth, mankind…
The Study of God
Our series now comes to the doctrine of God, the formal name of which is theology proper. This division of “The Foundations of Faith” will examine the major scriptural truths concerning God and will consider…
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Conclusion
We have already seen two evidences that the theocratic Kingdom has been postponed until Christ’s Second Coming. This article will examine more evidences of that postponement. The Chronology of Matthew 24—25 In Matthew 24—25…
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Eleven
Since Israel rejected Jesus Christ and His offer of God’s theocratic Kingdom, the theocratic Kingdom was not established with the nation of Israel that existed at the time of Christ’s First Coming.
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Ten
In the previous article, we saw that Christ offered the future theocratic Kingdom to Israel and told the nation what it must do for the Kingdom to be established. He offered the Kingdom through…
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Nine
The gospel of the Kingdom contained nothing about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, the gospel defined in 1 Corinthians 15 focused on His death, burial, and resurrection and said nothing about…
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Eight
In the previous article, we noted that the Kingdom of God has at least two aspects, or expressions: the universal and the theocratic. The universal Kingdom is the rule of God administered directly or indirectly…
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Seven
When Jesus Christ was on earth during His First Coming, He said “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk. 1:15); and He taught His disciples to pray “Thy kingdom come” (Mt. 6:10).
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Six
In the previous article, we noted that Jesus Christ (Mt. 19:28) and the apostles Peter (Acts 3:19-21) and Paul (Rom. 8:19-22) foretold that nature will be restored to its original pre-fall condition when Christ…
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Five
Matthew 19:28 records a prophecy Christ delivered to His apostles: “Verily I say unto you that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve…
Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Four
This earth began with God’s theocracy as its government, but the theocracy was lost through the Satan-prompted fall of mankind. If God does not restore His theocratic kingdom rule before this earth’s history comes to an end, then Satan…