Are everybody’s sins already forgiven? Why people go to hell
One issue in the debate over the extent of the atonement is the question of why unbelievers go to hell. Is it the penalty for our sins, or are everybody’s sins already forgiven and we can still refuse eternal life? The Bible seems to land pretty hard on one of those options.
From Babel to heaven: A brief history of the nations
Yes, God created the nations. No, we shouldn't just ignore our nationality. But in Christ, from all nations He created a new nation, one without borders, that finds its identity in Him, a unity that transcends earthly nations.
Who hardened Pharaoh’s heart? Check the scoreboard
When Christians debate who hardened Pharaoh’s heart and whether we have free will, we could miss the amazing, wonderful, ultimate purpose of that story: It points to Jesus Christ.
Who hated Jesus? More than just the Pharisees
Ever hear people say things like we need to be more like Jesus so that more people will like us, because only the Pharisees hated Him? That’s not what we see in Scripture, including the words of Jesus Himself.
The Biblical case for God’s sovereignty over man’s will
Here are hundreds of examples in Scripture of God exercising control or influence of men’s will and/or actions. It’s an overwhelming case for God’s sovereign power over whatever, and whomever, He pleases.
Questioning and doubting: What God can ‘handle’
Is it OK to question and doubt God, as some skeptics and progressives claim? Two consecutive Bible stories show us the difference between a question and doubt, and what God thinks of them.
Christ the Divider: How Jesus breaks the unity of humanity
For many people, including some Christians, unity is the highest virtue, and division is the worst offense. But that’s not what we see in the Bible, especially in the words of Jesus.
The absolute, universal, inevitable corruption of power
The axiom "power corrupts" has been fulfilled throughout Scripture and history, even in God’s people. Why, then, do Christians still crave the world's power, when we have an infinitely and eternally superior power working through us?
‘On earth as it is in heaven’ does not mean healing now
Some Christians believe that “on earth as it is in heaven” means we should be healed now, since there’s no sickness in heaven. What the Bible says about our bodies on earth obliterates that idea.
Why Jesus went to the cross, according to the Bible
People give various reasons for why Jesus died on the cross, reflecting many different theologies and worldviews. But the Bible tells us many times over why He was crucified.
Many of us don’t get the way that Jesus gets us
Yes, Jesus gets us, as the ad campaign says. But does it get the way He gets us? If we think that means He affirms us, then we don’t get Him.
Why do we want another David? He was a failure
Some Christians defend a certain politician by saying “King David was a sinner, too!” But David's sins had disastrous consequences not just for him, but for his nation. We shouldn't want another David, and we don't need another David.
Do we come to Jesus as we are, or do we repent? Yes
It’s true that we can’t clean ourselves up before we come to Jesus, but some say salvation necessitates no change at all. A look at what repentance means.
Which Jesus do you believe in? Take this quiz
Any Christian would say they believe in Jesus. But here's a quiz that could determine whether it's really Jesus you believe in. How many things can people get wrong about you before it's not you anymore?
How one church seeks seekers: ‘You’re just right for Jesus!’
A seeker-friendly church reaches out with the affirming message that you’re "just right for Jesus." That's true, but in a way that may be just the opposite of how people hear it.
Fire in the Bible: Not what we think it means
How often have you heard the word "fire" in church and Christian culture? The way the charismatic movement uses that word is almost the opposite of how the Bible uses it.
Christ will lose nothing: The eternal security of the Christian
A comprehensive, overwhelming, Bible-saturated case for the impossibility of a born-again Christian losing salvation.
I can do all things through a verse taken out of context
When Christians quote Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”), chances are they’re conveying the opposite of what Paul was saying.
Is healing ‘the children’s bread’? No
One of the proof-texts cited by those who claim that God wants all Christians physically healed now is the "children's bread" passage about Jesus and the Syro-Phoenician woman. But an examination of that story shows it doesn't mean that at all.
What Jehovah Jireh really means
If you’ve heard the phrase Jehovah Jireh, chances are it was in the context of God providing material things for us. But the only place in the Bible that name is mentioned reveals it’s about a far greater provision.