A cursory reading of Hebrews 7:3 lends itself to the notion that Jesus was possibly Melchizedek. It is said of Melchizedek that he was “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life…” Who else could that describe but Jesus himself? In fact, our Lord is the only one in scriptures to be described this way (Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev. 1:8, 11, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13). Does that ...
Read MoreWhat will happen to a Christian if he commits a sin just prior to his death? Will he be saved? It certainly is an intriguing question. It seems plausible that a Christian could curse just prior to his death say in an automobile accident. In light of James 2:10, does that mean his soul is eternally lost just because he slipped up just prior to his death? If that scenario is possible, then we ...
Read MoreMost English versions of the Bible consistently translate the Hebrew word “shekar” as “strong drink.” “Shekar” literally means “drink.” It is used 23 times in the Old Testament. The vast majority of the times when it is used in the Old Testament are in contexts where its use is condemned (ex. Lev. 10:9-11; Num. 6:2-4; Judg. 13:3-5; Prov. 20:1; Isa. 5:11). Incidentally, our English word “sugar” is derived from it. Shekar is a sweet beverage ...
Read MoreThe Bible has a lot to say on the subject of "wine," but unfortunately it does not specify what kind of ''wine'' it is talking about. There are several words from different languages that get translated into the word ''wine.'' Yayin and tirosh from the Hebrew, oinos and gleukos from the Greek, and vinum from the Latin are all words that were translated into "wine" in the Bible. The word tirosh and gleukos refers to ...
Read MoreThe purpose of this chapter is to discuss whether there is a need to study wine in the Bible. Some people believe that Jesus turned water into wine; therefore, all wine is good and there is no need for a study. Others say that they would never participate in wine of any sort, to be better safe than sorry, and so there is no need for study. Others still, even in the Lord’s church, ...
Read MoreThe warnings against the consumption of alcohol are found throughout the Bible. A well known passage in Proverbs 23: 31- 32 states “Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper.” The command given here is not to desire any intoxicating drink! It is an admonition to abstain altogether from the use ...
Read MoreThere are more Bibles in print than any other book. Yet, most people do not know what it says or how it applies to their lives. We want to challenge everyone to learn what the Bible says. There is nothing to lose by studying the Bible and everything to gain. Our own soul's salvation is dependent upon our proper understanding and our obedience to God's instructions. The Bible is God's inspired instructions to mankind. II ...
Read MoreIn Titus 2:11-13 we read: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." This passage affirms that the grace of God that brings salvation teaches us. The salvation here mentioned is obviously salvation ...
Read More“The goal of our study has been to help New Testament Christians move toward a new paradigm that is characterized by a confidence in God and an increased assurance of His promise of salvation” (p. 59. Emphasis mine). A paradigm is a pattern. Webster particularly defines a paradigm as “a pattern, example, or model.” So I wonder, what’s wrong with the pattern laid out for us by Christ? Why do we need a new pattern ...
Read MoreThe Kansas City Star on February 4, 2000, did a story on the desire to win "the big one" in local gambling establishments. The article, "Jackpot Quest Takes Its Toll: Elusive payoff leaves players empty-handed," reported that one individual lost $98,000 playing slot machines over a three week period. This person, while looking on the bright side of things said, "The best day I only lost $2000." Is gambling wrong? Something certainly seems wrong with ...
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