Does God's Word really support punishment for Christians? Find out as we explore the Parable of the Pounds.
In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we answer a reader question: "Is/was the person in Hebrews 6 a real Christian/believer? If not, why not? How is Hebrews 6 not in strong disagreement with the Doctrine of Eternal Security?"
"Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures...But when God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us...Because of His grace He made us right in His sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." (Titus 3:3-5, 7) The book of Titus is a little pastoral letter in the back of the Bible that's easy to miss. Yet it has some great advice from the Apostle Paul for church leaders, and it also reinforces a few key doctrines and kingdom truths. In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we dive in.
"Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise." (Galatians 4:21-23) The Bible teaches that every believer has two natures: the old, fallen nature of Adam and the new, perfect nature of Jesus Christ. What this means is that, in a sense, Christians are bipolar. We explore that idea in this 20-Minute Bible Study.
"He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might..."(2 Thessalonians 1:8-9) Some passages of the Bible are just unavoidably clear: Those who do not know God will face eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire. The opening of Paul's 2nd letter to the Thessalonians is one of those passages. Or is it? In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we go deeper in order to make sure our doctrine is true.
"'Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. 'That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.'” (Matthew 18:33-35) The Bible teaches us to forgive, but sometimes that’s easier said than done, right? We know refusing to forgive is wrong, but did you know there can be real consequences? Join us for a 20-Minute Bible Study to find out why.
"'Let us be glad and rejoice and let us give honor to Him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.' For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people." (Revelation 19:7-8) It’s a common belief among Christians that every believer will be part of the bride of Christ. But is that what scripture teaches? Join us for a new 20-Minute Bible Study as we defend our answer to this question.
The enemies of Christianity claim that the Bible is immoral because it condones slavery. But what does the Bible actually say about slavery? And what can we learn from the verses that talk about it? Let’s find out together in this 20-Minute Bible Study.
A listener wrote us asking, "While doing our group Bible study I could not find any satisfied answer on 1 Cor 8:11 – ‘And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?’ What does ‘perish’ mean here?” Our answer is this 20-Minute Bible Study.
A listener recently asked a famous radio host: "How does one reconcile Colossians 1:21-23 with the teaching of ‘once saved, always saved’”? The radio host thought for a bit and responded: "There is a belief that is not adequate to the task” of salvation. Is that what these verses are teaching? Join us for another 20-Minute Bible Study to find out.
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser...If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. " (John 15:1,6-7) Can Christians fall away from the faith and be thrown into the fire of hell and burned? Can Christians who invoke the name of Jesus get whatever it is they wish for? Join us for another 20-Minute Bible Study as we examine our Lord's "true vine" allegory and address these common misconceptions about its meaning.
“Thomas said to Him, 'Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?' Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.'” (John 14:5-6) That Jesus is the way, truth and life is a familiar statement to Christians. We nod along in agreement without thinking too much about those three words Jesus used. But if we really pause to consider them, they represent a pretty controversial worldview. Join us for another 20-Minute Bible Study.
At a university seminar given by a famous Christian apologist, a young woman challenged the idea that once someone is saved, she will always be saved and cannot lose her salvation. What did the Christian apologist say? What do we say? What does the Bible say? To find out, please join us for another 20-Minute Bible Study.
"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.'" (John 11: 25-26) Everyone knows the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, but few have paid close attention to what our Lord said before He performed that miracle and what it reveals about the future of every Christian. Join us for another 20-Minute Bible Study.
"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep ... I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." (John 10:11, 14-15) Some people believe that Jesus never claimed to be God. But did you know that in just five words in John 10, Jesus claimed to be God not once, but twice? In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we explain -- and we also explore the Good Shepherd metaphor in greater detail.
"Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, 'I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.'” (John 8:12) The light metaphor is the second of seven "I am" metaphors our Lord used to describe Himself in the gospel of John. In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we’ll take a close look at what this metaphor reveals about Jesus and what it has to teach us about earning rewards in the Kingdom of Heaven.
"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty.'” (John 6:35) The bread metaphor is the first of seven "I am" metaphors our Lord used to describe Himself in the gospel of John. In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we explore how it connects the Old Testament to the New Testament, and how it gives special meaning to a famous story about the Israelites.
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world...Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:14,17) Have you ever wondered what it would be like to listen in on a conversation between Jesus and God the Father? Thanks to the gospel of John, we can do just that. In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we discuss a portion of our Lord's prayer at the garden of Gethsemane.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight, He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him." (Ephesians 1:7-9) The blessings of belief in Jesus transcend space and time. In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we discuss predestination and the deep mystery of God’s plan for mankind.
"So having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, because He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all people by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31) The word “faith” appears 239 times in the Bible. But in one place, in the book of Acts, the same Greek word is translated "proof." In this 20-Minute Bible Study, we discuss why this is so important and also examine the way Paul argued the case for Christ at the Areopagus before the leading philosophers of his day. Note: In this lesson we mention Frank Turek and his radio show/podcast, "I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist." For more information about that show, visit CrossExamined.org