Christians, by definition, believe Christ to be God- made-man, God-in-the-flesh. His claims cannot be amended, watered down, relativised, negotiated away or nuanced into acceptability. But this exclusivism is not an exclusivism of Christian culture, of Christian ethics or of Christians as the only candidates for heaven.
Chinese New Year is the largest holiday of the year in China and if you are praying for China or joining some Chinese friends during the festival, there are two things that every Christian should know.
Baptismal regeneration is not a biblical concept. Water baptism is the symbol of what has already occurred in the heart of one who has trusted Christ as Saviour (Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12). Baptism is an important step of obedience that every Christian should take, but it is not a requirement for salvation. To make it such is to question the sufficiency of Christ’s death and resurrection.
In summary, as the Son of Man, Jesus followed the pattern laid out for the “one like a son of man” in Daniel 7:13. He had authority; he suffered at the hands of his enemies; and he was vindicated and exalted by God. As the Son of Man he also called on his followers to follow him in this pattern of life. (1) They were God’s chosen people and possessed the authority God gave to his people. (2) Now they must suffer faithfully in their commitment to Jesus. (3) When God brings his purposes to an end and executes judgment on all peoples, they will be vindicated and restored to their rightful place of authority.
After Jesus fed the five thousand, those who came to find Jesus asked him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?” (John 6:30). Do not miss the audacity of their questions. They asked Jesus these questions the day after the feeding of the five thousand—after that miracle, after that sign, after that work. They refused to see it.
Having such great advancements in science and its innovation to making us live longer- the mortality rate has meant that people seldom see the face of death as their forefathers once did. With the recent pandemic and the increasing number of casualties has now confronted us with the subject of death. Science has proved that it can only use the knowledge of its past-primitive, thus lagging behind – unable to understand that which kills the body (death).
The Bible as a whole clearly states that life comes from God as His gift and that we are answerable to him for what we do with our own and other people’s lives. Such responsibility means that we shall all answer before the judgment seat for our actions and failures to act. Thus, any and every taking of life is a most serious business and requires justification to God.
The spiritual gifts of prophecy, speaking in tongues and healing seemed to have disappeared from the mainstream of the church’s life by the middle of the third century. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian all testify to the continuing experience of… Read More ›
The purpose of charismatic gifts is primarily the edification of the whole church, and, secondarily, the conviction and conversion of unbelievers. The once popular view that the charismata were given for the founding of the church and ceased during the 4th century when it became strong enough to continue without their assistance is contrary to historical evidence.
The Gifts of the Spirit are special abilities provided by the Holy Spirit to Christians for the purpose of building up the body of Christ.
If God exists, then we are accountable to Him for our actions. If God does not exist, then we can do whatever we want, without having to worry about God judging us. That is why many of those who deny the existence of God cling strongly to the theory of naturalistic evolution—it gives them an alternative to believing in a Creator God.
Being right with God is a matter of your response to what God has done on your behalf. He sent the Savior, He provided the sacrifice to take away your sin (John 1:29), and He offers you a promise: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).
Many preachers stand behind a pulpit and instead of declaring, “Thus saith the Lord,” they pronounce, “Try whatever you like” Why we stand and where we stand makes all the difference in the world.
INTRODUCTION In the 19th century, Charles Dickens published the novel A Tale of Two Cities. At one point near the end of the story, the protagonist is in prison awaiting his execution. But he’s rescued through a secret plot in which… Read More ›
Explore how Christians actually make ethical decisions, how we go about choosing good.
Introduces the epistle of James as the New Testament book of wisdom, and examines the author, audience, occasion of writing, and the letter’s structure and content.
Explores both reflective and practical wisdom found in the book of James and discusses what this meant for the original audience and what it means for Christians today.
Explores how the central theme of the kingdom of God runs through the entire book of Revelation and unites all its various teachings.
For the “day of the LORD” to come, for God’s kingdom to come, the covenant must be fulfilled from both sides. The actions and roles of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, David, and the rest are not to be set alongside the person and work of Jesus Christ as less effective performances of the same kind of service.
Examines Paul’s letter of hope and encouragement for the times of persecution and distress he and the Philippians faced.
When considering the five-fold ministries, the average believer can understand that pastors care for their flock, evangelists preach to the unconverted, teachers instruct their students, and prophets prophesy the Word of God. But what do apostles do to show they are apostles? Are there apostles today?
How can people maintain a quality of true community in the midst of such pressures? From the point of view of mission; Zoom, WhatsApp etc. can offer opportunities for the intelligent proclamation of the Christian gospel. But could never replace the personal contact?
Jesus Christ is this suffering servant, but Jesus’ death, while necessary, was not the end. There would have been no Christianity without His resurrection, this is central to the entire New Testament. For Jesus was declared the Son of God with power through his resurrection
When God promised His people that He would judge their sin, and when He kept His promise and judged them, He was acting in accord with His character. He is a just God, and only someone who is unjust would allow people to commit crimes and acquit them indefinitely. God’s wrath against sin arises from His goodness and holiness.
If the perpetual fire represents God’s eternal presence with his people, the Christian is reminded to keep the divine fire ever burning within him. In the words of Paul, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:16ff.). If it speaks of our abiding need for atonement, we are reminded that Christ “always lives to make intercession” for us (Hebrews 7:25).
For centuries, men have treated the Bible with reverence, awe and respect while at the same time other men have gone to great lengths to discredit it and if possible, even destroy it.
The burnt offering uses a personal picture: of man the guilty sinner who deserves to die for his sin and of the animal dying in his place. God accepts the animal as a ransom for man. The sin offering uses a medical model: sin makes the world so dirty that God can no longer dwell there. The blood of the animal disinfects the sanctuary in order that God may continue to be present with his people. The reparation offering presents a commercial picture of sin. Sin is a debt which man incurs against God. The debt is paid through the offered animal.
For Paul every Christian is a walking shrine, a temple for the Holy Spirit in which God is to be glorified (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Like the Old Testament tabernacle the Christian enjoys the permanent presence of the Spirit, but just as the old shrine enjoyed a special manifestation of God’s glory from time to time, so the Christian should be filled with the Spirit and display God’s glory to the world (cf. Acts 6:15: 7:55- 56; 2 CorInthians. 3; Ephesians 5:18).
An introduction to the basics of sermon construction and delivery. This is not primarily a course on the theology of preaching, but rather is a practical introduction to the tools, structures, and concepts that help preachers learn to put a sermon together.
FREE BOOK: However, the scriptural doctrine of the Church has not come in for any great amount of emphasis. In spite of the great deal of activity in churches, the current state of the Church is not very healthy. There is a great deal of superficiality, a lot of shallowness, and it is permitted to continue partially because of inadequate views of the local church.
THEOLOGY SCHOOL 