Tag: mercy
Biblical Principle #223: Israel’s Guilt Offerings
Biblical Principles List Principle Under the Law of Moses, GOD gave specific instructions regarding guilt restitution payments for their sin. Explanation Under the Law of Moses, when an Israelite sinned, there were precise instructions for receiving forgiveness for that sin. Because blood (life) is the price of guilt due to sin, animals were sacrificed under…
Biblical Principle #169: Israel Sentenced to Forty Years of Wandering
Biblical Principles List Principle God sentenced Israel to forty years of wilderness wandering because they refused to take the land of Canaan and, instead, complained. Explanation When Israel disbelieved that they could take the land of Canaan by defeating the inhabitants who were stronger and mightier than they, GOD punished them. 10 Then all the…
Biblical Principle #87: God Hates Evil (And Unrepentant Evil People)
Biblical Principles List Principle God hates evil and unrepentant evil people. Explanation GOD designed the world to work in a specific way—the best way. He gave angels and men free will to choose how to live. When someone chooses to live inconsistently with GOD’s design, the Bible calls that sin. GOD hates sin because sin is…
The Joy of Your Child Being Saved (Proud parent moment)
Yesterday, I had the unsurpassable joy of baptizing my daughter Ashlyn into Jesus. The joy I feel is difficult to describe. When I awoke yesterday morning, I had no idea that it would be one of the best days of my life, all because of two events: Ashlyn is a kind, loving and thoughtful child.…
How Can I Know if I’m Saved?
“How can I know if I am saved?” There is perhaps no more important question. Ultimately, the only opinion that truly matters is GOD’s, for He is our Creator, Sustainer and Judge. So we shall look to Him for answers. Here are three simple, yet weighty questions a person should ask themselves when trying to…
If I (Only) Had 5 Minutes With You
Suppose for a moment that you had a captive audience with any living human on the planet that you didn’t already know. If you had five uninterrupted minutes—but only five minutes—with them where they would listen to anything you had to say, what would you say to them? Here is what I would like to say:…
Biblical Baptism, Part 16 (What if Baptism isn’t Necessary? What if it is?)
What if baptism isn’t necessary? What if baptism is just something good to do but not essential for salvation? Then again, what if baptism is necessary? What if GOD expects a person to be baptized in order to receive the forgiveness of their sins? Welcome to part 16 of my biblical baptism series. These posts build on…
Biblical Baptism, Part 11 (Do I Have to Be Baptized?)
Is it necessary for a person to be baptized in order to be saved? What about the thief on the cross? He wasn’t baptized and was saved. Welcome to part 11 of my biblical baptism series. In this post, we’ll tackle these important questions. The posts in this series build on each other. If you need…
The Purpose of Other Spiritual Gifts within the Church
In addition to the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as performing miracles and healing, GOD has also given numerous non-supernatural, or “natural” (i.e., non-miraculous), gifts within the church. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying: 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of…
The Purpose of the Various Roles in the Church (And Why GOD Gave These Roles)
What roles exist within Jesus’ church? Why did GOD create these specific roles? Before diving into these questions, let me provide some context… This post is a continuation of thoughts regarding the big picture of Christian life and Jesus’ church. If you’re joining in the middle of this journey, I’d encourage you to start here:…