A Biblical Examination of Death, Judgment, Resurrection, and the Last Day Christians have long asked what happens between a person’s death and the final resurrection. A common answer is that the soul enters an intermediate state and consciously remains there while earthly history continues until the future resurrection and Judgment Day. This article considers whether... Read more »
Did the New Testament Borrow Greek Mythology? The New Testament was written in Greek, a language that had been used for centuries before the apostles wrote Scripture. Words such as Hades already had meanings and cultural associations familiar to Greek speakers. This raises an important question. When the New Testament uses the word Hades, is... Read more »
The reign of Charlemagne (768-814 AD) is widely considered a pivotal period in European history, the Carolingian Renaissance. While Charlemagne himself possessed considerable vision and ambition, he recognized that intellectual revival needed a guiding hand. That hand belonged to Alcuin of York, an English scholar who became his most trusted advisor on all matters relating... Read more »
When Jesus taught His disciples how to think about God, the world, and their place before Him, He taught them to pray: “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2) The Lord’s Prayer begins by teaching us to confess God’s rule before it teaches us to present our... Read more »
Throughout Scripture, the kingdom of God refers to God’s sovereign reign over His creation and His people. When Christians pray “Thy kingdom come,” they are acknowledging Christ as King, praying for the spread of the gospel, and desiring God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus... Read more »
Welcome to this series on the sacraments. Throughout the history of the Church, Christians have recognized sacred acts that visibly proclaim the grace of God. These acts, often called sacraments or ordinances, stand at the center of Christian worship, discipleship, and community life. While different traditions understand them in different ways, nearly all Christians recognize... Read more »
The word “sacrament” refers to a sacred act instituted by Christ that visibly represents God’s grace. Christians throughout history have practiced rites such as baptism and communion, but Roman Catholics and Protestants differ in both the number of sacraments and their meaning. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there are seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, the... Read more »
The Lord’s Prayer begins with the words: “Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.” (Matt 6:9 NAS) This sets the tone for the entire prayer. Before asking for daily needs, petitions, or guidance, the focus is placed on God Himself. This opening request teaches us that sanctifying the name of God is the foundation... Read more »
When we pray, “Our Father who art in heaven,” we are not merely reciting words; we are being taught how to approach God rightly. Before we even ask anything of Him, we are instructed in the posture of prayer, the confidence we must have, and the object of our desire. Of all things required in... Read more »
The Lord’s Prayer is the framework Christ gave us to have a meaningful prayer relationship with God. Prayer requires humility. Prayer is not a display of religious pride, but a humble appeal for mercy before a holy God. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer.... Read more »
Prayer is the humble, contrite, God-centered response of a redeemed servant to God’s revealed word. It is offering praise and thanksgiving for who He is and what He has done, trusting that He fully knows His people. We are to direct our prayers towards specific things. The Bible instructs us for whom we are to... Read more »
Prayer is a form of Worship. Prayer is not a neutral spiritual activity; it is an act of worship. For this reason, prayer must never be directed toward any created being. Scripture consistently binds prayer to the exclusive worship due to God alone. Jesus Himself establishes this boundary when He declares: “You shall worship the... Read more »
Biblical prayer begins with humility and repentance, recognizing God’s grace and our own unworthiness. “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. “The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or... Read more »
This study guide explores the Lord’s Prayer as Scripture presents it not merely as a prayer to be repeated, but as a divine pattern that teaches God’s people how to think, speak, and live before Him. Each lesson builds carefully from the foundations of biblical prayer, examining who prayer is for, how prayer is offered,... Read more »
The Tenth Commandment, “You shall not covet,” calls people to honorable conduct in both heart and life. Coveting in Scripture is far more than a private inward feeling, it is a desire that inclines the heart toward taking what God has given to another. The Tenth Commandment was not given merely to regulate thoughts but... Read more »
From the earliest centuries of the church, Christians confessed that Jesus Christ did not begin at Bethlehem. He is the eternal Son, the Word who was with the Father from all eternity and who revealed God to His people long before the incarnation. Among the early church fathers, Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 130–202) provides... Read more »
A Biblical Examination of Death, Judgment, Resurrection, and the Last Day Christians have long asked what happens between a person’s death and the final resurrection. A common answer is that the soul enters an intermediate state and consciously remains there while earthly history continues until the future resurrection and Judgment Day. This article considers whether... Read more » 
