Watch Out for Legalism
By Ken Yates Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” (Mark 7:5)…[Jesus said] “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are […]
Did John the Baptist Lose His Faith While in Prison? Matthew 11:2-3
By John H. Niemelä Did imprisonment cause John the Baptist to doubt? Did this courageous herald of the Messiah fail to finish strong? Over 99 percent of Christians would assert something like the following: “Matthew 11:2–3 is clear about John’s struggle at the end of his life. He developed an Elijah complex as he collapsed […]
Begin at the Beginning
By Dix Winston Imagine reading the great Russian novel War and Peace by starting at the book’s midpoint. It would make no sense to you. Who is Pierre Bezukhov, or Audrey Bolkonsky, or the Kuragan and Rostov families? And why is Napoleon invading Russia? It would be difficult, if not impossible, to understand the author’s […]
Voice From the Past: The Doctrine of Rewards Part 1: Rewards and Grace
By Zane Hodges1 Among the very last recorded words of our Lord Jesus Christ are these: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev 22:12, emphasis added). This is a clear and definitive statement on the subject of rewards by the […]
The Condemned Believer
By Kathryn Wright INTRODUCTION Many years ago, I lived in a small town in Texas. Once a fairly affluent area, the city had fallen on hard times. Certain businesses had moved away, as had many of the wealthy citizens. Many of the town’s buildings, especially its houses, stood vacant. Beautiful Victorian-style homes lined the streets. […]
What’s in a Word? Jesus and the Holocaust
By Ken Yates INTRODUCTION It is fascinating to study how the meanings of words develop and how different languages use a word. Recently, I heard a Spanish speaker use a word over and over again in a sermon. It was a word with which I was unfamiliar. At first, I thought he was saying causto. […]
The Magnificent New Creation of the Heavens and Earth
By Ken Pierce Each Fourth of July, many of my neighbors spend a chunk of change on fireworks purchased from pop-up vendors along the main road through town. The buying starts in late June. People really look forward to the holiday, many of them mainly because of the fireworks. Sporadic launches start a few days […]
Sad Saga of Saul, Part 1: A Believer Who Lost His Crown
By Philippe R. Sterling Saul was Israel’s first king. The Bible’s first mention of him paints a picture of physical perfection: “… choice and handsome…There was not a more handsome person…he was taller than any of the people” (1 Sam 9:2). His physical stature fit the ideal king’s description and was a significant factor in […]
Did You Know That Jesus Christ Is the Angel of the Lord?
By Bob Wilkin About twenty years ago, at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, I heard a speaker present a message about the Angel of the Lord (Malak Yahweh). The speaker suggested that the Scriptures show that the Angel of the Lord is never the preincarnate Lord Jesus Christ. After the talk, I […]
Mirrors Can Be Deceptive
By Ken Yates INTRODUCTION When I was a boy, I was really thin. In fact, some called me “Skinny Kenny.” The nickname didn’t bother me because it was never said in a mean way. It was simply stating a fact. There were times, however, when I did not like being skinny. Back then, some advertisements […]