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Renald Showers

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.

The Restrainer

Someone or something is preventing evil from overtaking the world. And when this restrainer is removed, it truly will be like hell on Earth.

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…

The Day of the Lord Zechariah 14:1-7

Is it wrath or blessing? Is it one day or many? Actually, the Day of the Lord contains all these components, as this outstanding article clearly explains.

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…

Satan’s World Strategy

Satan’s dominion may be invisible. But
if you know where to look, you’ll be astounded to see how much he controls . . . and how he controls it.

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…

Five Facts You Should Know About Israel

Have you ever wondered why Jewish people have been scattered throughout the nations of the world more consistently than any other people? Why anti-Semitism persists in rearing its ugly head repeatedly throughout history? Why Nazism…

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 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 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 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…

Two Millennia of Church History

Over 2,000 years have transpired since Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in the land of Israel. While He was here, He said, “I will build my church” (Mt. 16:18). Through His death on the cross for the sins of the world, burial in a tomb, and bodily resurrection…

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…

Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Three

Jesus Christ will play the key role in crushing Satan. His work of redemption through His death on the cross in His First Coming gives Him the authority to do this future work as mankind’s Kinsman-Redeemer (Heb. 2:14; 1 Jn. 3:8). Seven years before…

Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part Two

In Revelation 4 and 5, where John was introduced to things that “must” take place in the future (4:1), the apostle saw Christ take a scroll from the hand of God the Father. The scroll was sealed with seven seals. Christ took the scroll…

Jesus Christ and the Future Kingdom of God Part One

“God created man in his own image” and gave him dominion “over all the earth,” including its plant and animal life (Gen. 1:26–29). The fact that God gave mankind this dominion reveals the original form of government that He ordained…

The Sinlessness of Jesus Christ Conclusion

If it is true that Jesus Christ was sinless, what is meant by the Apostle Paul’s statement that God sent “his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom. 8:3)? The word translated “flesh” refers to “a human being in contrast to God and…

The Sinlessness of Jesus Christ Part Two

The first issue results from the combination of two truths. First, the Bible teaches that each human being who has been procreated through natural means since the fall of mankind is in a state of sin with a sin nature from the moment of…

The Sinlessness of Jesus Christ Part One

To establish the meaning of sinlessness, we must first understand the concept of sin. Sin could be defined as any failure to conform perfectly to the holy character and will of God. God requires people to be holy because He is…

The Kenosis of Jesus Christ

In Philippians 2:7, the Apostle Paul stated that Jesus Christ “made himself of no reputation.” The verb translated “made of no reputation” is ekenosen. Theologians have used the major part of that verb to form the term kenosis. As a result…

The Hypostatic Union of Jesus Christ

The English word hypostasis is derived from a Greek word meaning “essence, actual being, reality” (William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 854). Thus, it refers to the real essence of a person or thing. As applied to Christ…

Warning Against False Teachers 2 Peter 2

The Apostle Peter predicted that, just as false prophets arose among the people of Israel to oppose the declarations of true Old Testament prophets, so false teachers would come among the church saints to oppose the truths of Christianity. The word for…

The Incarnation of Jesus Christ Conclusion

Peter also declared that Jesus was “crucified and slain” (v. 23). The word translated crucified means “fix,” “fasten to,” or “nail to” (William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 725). Peter used it to describe…

The Incarnation of Jesus Christ Part One

Historically, some people and groups have denied that Christ came in human flesh. For example, some said that the Christ came temporarily upon an already existing man, Jesus of Nazareth. He came long enough to impart a secret body of knowledge…

The Deity Of Jesus Christ

Two Old Testament passages that did this will be noted. Isaiah 9:6 assigned the names “The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father” to the Messiah. Ancient Judaism recognized that this referred to the Messiah.

The Eternality and Pre-Existence of Christ

The subject of Christ’s eternality deals with the fact that He has always existed as a person from eternity past, with no beginning and no end. The Scriptures give at least three lines of evidence…

Names and Titles Of Jesus Christ

All of the articles thus far in this series have examined the first major area of doctrine—Bibliology (the study of the Bible). This article begins an examination of another significant area—Christology (the study of Christ).

The Biblical View of Inspiration

Thus far in our study of bibliology (the doctrine of the Bible) we have examined the subject of divine revelation, which involves God’s uncovering of knowledge to mankind.

Special Revelation

The Scriptures indicate that God has used two major kinds of divine revelation to uncover truth to mankind: general and special revelation. General revelation, which is God’s uncovering of knowledge through means…

The Imminency of Christ’s Return

The expression the imminency of Christ’s return means that Christ could return at any moment. Nothing else has to happen before His return.

The Significance Of General Revelation

In previous articles, we observed the means God uses to reveal His truth to all mankind in general. This article examines the significance of general revelation.

General Revelation Part Three

In the previous two articles, we studied the biblical teaching concerning God’s uncovering of knowledge to all mankind through nature. This article examines His use of history and the human conscience as two other means of general revelation.

General Revelation Part Two

In our previous article we examined Psalm 19:1–6, one of the biblical passages that addressed God’s uncovering of knowledge to all of mankind through the means of nature. In this article we will study two…

Gog And Magog

Ezekiel 38–39 foretells a massive future invasion “of Israel by the armed forces of six nations. Five of those nations are identified in 38:5–6 with the names they bore in Ezekiel’s time.

General Revelation: Part One

In the previous article in this series, we saw that there are two kinds or categories of divine revelation: general and special. General revelation is God’s uncovering of knowledge through means available to all mankind.

A Definition and Kinds of Divine Revelation

In the study of biblical doctrine, it is essential to begin with the doctrine of the Bible (bibliology), which consists of commentary on the Bible derived from the Bible itself. Since all other biblical doctrines

The Foundation of Faith

This is the introductory article in a series presenting the doctrines contained in the Bible. The word doctrine comes from the Latin term doctrina, which means “instruction, education, learning.”

Rewarding the Redeemed

The Scriptures reveal a perpetual principle in effect in every age of history since the fall of man. That principle is as follows: Eternal salvation is always by the grace of God…

Babylon and Medo-Persia

In Luke 21:24 Jesus Christ referred to “the times of the Gentiles,” when the Gentiles would be the dominant power in the world and Israel would be at the mercy of or dependent upon…

Moses and Faith: Hebrews 11:23–29

Moses had a rich heritage of faith. Before his birth, Pharaoh of Egypt commanded that all male babies born to Hebrew women be killed (Ex. 1:15–22). When Moses was born, his parents had to make…

Nehemiah: The Reading of the Law and Revival

The Jews who were living in their homeland during the 440s BC (93 years after the Babylonian Captivity had ended) had a great heart for God. Perhaps all the opposition, affliction, and reproach they had…

Jesus Is Better Than the Angels

When writing to his Jewish readers of the apostolic age, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews wanted to demonstrate the superiority of the divine revelation that gave birth to Christianity over the divine…

The Davidic Covenant

Second Samuel 7:8–16 records a covenant established by God with David, wherein God made three major promises to David. First, God promised that David’s “house” (his physical line of descent) would endure forever (v. 16;

Why Anti-Semitism?

Why have the Jewish people been persecuted more persistently than any other ethnic group throughout history? Why, in spite of overwhelming evidence of the Holocaust, do some deny that it happened?

God’s Law for Redeeming the Land

One cannot understand fully the story of Ruth and the role of Boaz as the kinsman-redeemer apart from a knowledge of God’s program of land redemption for Israel and the responsibilities of the kinsman-redeemer.

Messiah in the Old Testament Prophets

Messiah would come to crush all the Gentile nations gathered against Israel and Jerusalem, save the repentant remnant of Israel, and provide security for Israel (Isa. 59:18–21; 63:1–6; Joel 3; Mic. 5:4–9; Zech. 14:12).

The Biblical Concept of the Day of the Lord

In the Scriptures, the expression the Day of the Lord (together with other synonymous expressions, such as that day and the day of God) is strongly related to God’s rule of the earth and therefore…

Laodicea, the Lukewarm Church Revelation 3:14–22

Christ addressed His final letter to the church of Laodicea, which was located in the Lycus Valley of southern Phrygia, midway between Philadelphia and Colosse. It was a significant commercial and banking center and was…

The Day of the Lord 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

The major subject of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 is the future Day of the Lord, which refers to God’s future intervention into world events to accomplish His purpose in history—to glorify Himself by demonstrating the fact…

Further Evaluation of Christian Reconstructionism

The previous article in this series focused on several problems related to the Reconstructionist view of history and eschatology. The present article examines problems related to other areas of Reconstructionism.

An Evaluation of Christian Reconstructionism

Christian Reconstructionism (the teaching of which has been examined in survey fashion in two previous articles) has some commendable features. For example, it has done excellent work in evaluating the devastating effects of secular humanism…

Christian Reconstructionism

During the 1960s a new movement began within the sphere of Reformed or Covenant Theology. That movement has been called by three different names: Reconstructionism (because it advocates the reconstruction of society)…

Abortion and the Origin of the Human Soul

The Bible contains two facts that bear significantly upon the issue of when the fetus is a complete human being possessing a human soul. The first fact is that man is created in the image…

Abortion and Man in the Image of God

Abortion is one of the most controversial issues to confront the world during the last quarter of the 20th century. The very mention of the word generates strong emotions in many people, and the issue…

The Rapture of the Church

We believe in the premillennial and pretribulational return of Jesus Christ. This means that Christ’s return for His bride (the Church) is imminent and therefore can happen at any moment (1 Th. 4:13–17; 5:6).

Europe and 1992

Over 2,500 years ago God gave the Prophet Daniel a significant prophetic dream or vision. It is recorded in Daniel 7. In this prophecy God revealed the future course of Gentile world dominion from Daniel’s…

The Cessation of the Gift of Tongues

In 1 Corinthians 14:21-22, the Apostle Paul indicated a connection between Isaiah 28:11 and the gift of tongues in the New Testament Church. The previous article examined that connection and Paul’s conclusion concerning the purpose of the gift of tongues.

The Connection of Isaiah 28:11 to the Gift of Tongue

In 1 Corinthians 14:21-22 the Apostle Paul based his conclusion concern­ing the purpose of the gift of tongues upon a statement found in Isaiah 28:11. The fact that Paul did this indicates that the Old Testament…

The Gift of Tongues and The Old Testament

In 1 Corinthians 13:8 the Apostle Paul, writing under the super­natural influence of the Holy Spirit, declared the following: “Love never faileth; but . . . whether there be tongues, they shall cease.”

The Cessation of Revelational Gifts

The previous article on spiritual gifts dealt with several significant factors. First, it presented three lines of evidence to the effect that God intended the revelational and sign gifts which He gave to the early Church to be temporary.

Spiritual Gifts – Their Duration

Sincere Christians disagree with each other concerning the issue of the duration of spiritual gifts. Some believe that God intended all the gifts possessed by the early Church to remain in the Church throughout its history.

The Beginning and Nature of The Church

Covenant Theology and Dispensational Theology disagree concerning two major matters related to the Church. Those two matters are: first, the time that the Church began, and, second, the nature of the Church.

The Kingdom of God Concept In The Scriptures

The last five articles have surveyed the history of millennial views within organized Christendom. They demonstrated the fact that Premillennialism was the original view of the Church.