Articles, Bible Questions and Discipleship Guides

The age of accountability is not a fixed age. It varies from child to child. It refers to a level of maturity in which a child is able to understand the gospel and make a decision for or against Jesus. I further believe that some people remain permanently in that state if they are born with a mental disability that prevents them from having an informed response to the gospel. Anyone who dies prior to the age of accountability would be granted entrance into heaven. Everyone in that category will be raptured as well.  read more

This is a difficult truth, but the short answer to your question is no. The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. It's the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves and transforms lives. This reality should quicken the church to be active in both world missions and Bible translation.  But I'll say a bit more. read more

Meredith asks, "I've heard a pastor who is preaching that prophets are alive and well in this present time. Is this true? ... read more

As a young boy, I loved my monthly sleepovers at my grandmother’s home. It meant that I could stay up later than normal, lounge around in... read more

Sandra asks, "I want to learn how to outline my testimony. Can you help?" ... read more

The childhood poem, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” may sound like a good comeback for a kid to say, but it is entirely untrue. Many of us can testify to the fact that often times, the opposite is true. You likely don’t remember every bump, bruise, or broken bone in your life, but I’m sure you can remember some unkind remarks that cut you to the quick. Oftentimes, wounds caused by hurtful words can cause scars that remain with us for days, or even decades. read more

Thanks for your question.  There is nothing wrong or unbiblical about a church doing an alter call. However, there is no biblical mandate requiring churches to have an alter call.  Some people point to the fact that Jesus calls us to make a public profession of faith in Him as a biblical basis for having an alter call. We need to remember, however, that Jesus instituted baptism for that very purpose. Baptism is an ordinance that Jesus gave the church with the expressed purpose of identifying publicly with Him.  read more

Jerry asks, "When Jesus comes again, will there be any of the elect to go through the Tribulation? Will the anti-Christ come before Jesus... read more

Veronica asks, "Based on Hebrews 10:26, how can someone with an addiction still have a sacrifice for sin if they continue deliberately... read more

Judy asks, "What is the biblical answer regarding women as pastors?" ... read more

If the first three chapters of Jonah took place in modern times, Jonah would be heading off to receive his Nobel Peace Prize and posing for the cover of TIME Magazine’s “Person of the Year” issue. He would have offers from seminaries across the country to come and teach budding preachers how to effectively communicate God’s Word.  Jonah has just preached the most successful sermon in history. The entire city of Nineveh has repented of their violent sins and turned toward God. Their hearts and lifestyles have been changed. By any evangelical metric, Jonah has just accomplished an unprecedented ministry marvel. Unfortunately, for Jonah’s legacy— but fortunately for our study—there is a fourth chapter in the book of Jonah. More than likely Jonah would have been happier if God had left this fourth chapter out. read more

Maryann from Columbia asked, "How do you respond to someone who professes to be a believer but doesn't know what to believe in the Bible... read more

While there is no audio recording of Jonathan Edward’s famous Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God message, we do have the printed transcript, which employed more than 7,000 words. That would have taken well over an hour to deliver. Centuries earlier, the prophet Jonah received a message from God. It was his “second chance” to obey the Lord and he obediently went and proclaimed God’s warning to the sinful city of Nineveh. You would think all those hours in the belly of the fish would have given him plenty of time to prepare his sermon, but God gave him the message, and it was only eight words—the shortest, most successful sermon ever recorded.  read more

One way the word ‘vibe’ seems to be used today is as a synonym for ‘wish.’ Four example, if a person were to end an email to you with the phrase “good vibes,” she is likely trying to say that she thinking about you, and wishing you a good day. read more

Three of the most scrutinized words in the Bible appear in Jonah 1:17: “And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.” Scientists and skeptics have tried to disprove the miraculous account of “a great fish” swallowing a living person. Some have tried to reimagine the meaning of the words, theorizing that “The Fish” was the name of another boat that sailed by and picked up Jonah. Another author suggested that Jonah swam to shore and stayed at an inn called, “The Fish.” read more

According to global mission’s statistics, a dozen Christians are martyred for their faith every day. Certainly, the path of following God is not the path of comfort and safety; it often is the path of sacrifice and suffering. Jonah has received a commission from God to travel to Nineveh, a nation that represented Israel’s most wicked and brutal enemies. I have little doubt that Jonah believed the outcome of his visit would be his death, or even worse in his mind: the repentance of his enemies. The possibility of a vile and cruel nation being forgiven by God was simply too much for Jonah to stomach. We read Jonah 1:3, “But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” read more

The key to understanding this section is verse 25 which says [Jesus] "needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” In other words, Jesus knew the hearts of the people around him. The crowd was impressed with the miracles Jesus did, but they did not have saving faith in Him.  read more

There was nothing unusual about Jonah receiving a word from the Lord. He likely received dozens, if not hundreds, of these kinds of messages during his prophetic ministry in Israel. Trouble was, the message he received from the Lord, as the Book of Jonah opens, was nothing like he had ever heard before. God tells Jonah in Jonah 1:2, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me. “Their evil has come up before me” is a Hebrew expression that literally refers to bad-smelling odor. In English we often say it this way: “Something stinks to the highest heaven.” read more

In the eighth century B.C., the national celebrities of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah were not actors, athletes, or even kings; the most famous men were the prophets. Few were more famous than the prophet Jonah, the one-time apprentice to Elisha—the prophet who inherited Elijah’s ministry and mantle. After the death of Elisha, Jonah took over as the primary voice of the Lord to the northern tribe of Israel. In fact, long before the events surrounding Jonah’s famous “swim,” he had delivered a rather famous prophecy to the kingdom of Israel, promising the return of some land that had been taken from them. When this prophecy came to pass in 2 Kings 14, the reputation of Jonah grew into the stratosphere. read more

Dwight asked: How can we balance Abigail's assertiveness, without Nabal's knowledge, with Paul's instructions for wives to submit to their... read more

The book of Revelation is one of the most fascinating and mysterious books in the Bible. It is filled with imagery and symbolism that can be difficult to decipher. One of the most intriguing images in Revelation is the group of 24 elders that appear in several passages throughout the book. In this article, we will explore the identity and significance of the 24 elders in Revelation. read more

Charles asked: Please explain the biblical meaning of "Long Suffering." ... read more

Jermaine asked: What is the sign of the Son of Man that will be seen in Heaven according to Matthew 24:30? ... read more

In Daniel's prophecy of 70 weeks, he refers to destruction that will come with a flood. Does that conflict with the Bible's teaching that God will destroy the world with fire? Stephen Davey answers that question and provides additional insight into the 70 weeks of Daniel. read more

Last year, Forbes magazine highlighted a recent workplace phenomenon: employees withholding job-related information from their colleagues. Experts call this office dynamic “knowledge hoarding.” Among the various reasons given for knowledge hoarding, many leadership coaches and teamwork specialists have focused on the individualized nature of the workplace. Organizational success and cohesiveness have become less important than individual motivations: promotion, obtaining a raise, or being deemed the “star” of the business. By refusing to share knowledge or teach newer employees about the best practices of the office, the selfish employee may benefit individually, but the team will suffer as a result. In the same way, God’s people suffer when they do not understand the law of the Lord, and God’s people are blessed when teachers devote themselves to publicly proclaiming the truth of God’s Word. read more

Like thousands of kids every year, I was somewhat compelled to take piano lessons when I was young. At first, my teacher gave me very basic numbers to play—the type of numbers you can use one finger for as you poke the keys. Slowly, I progressed to the point where I could play songs like “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” I could also drive my family crazy by playing “Heart and Soul”—over and over again. I still enjoy playing the piano to this day and am forever grateful my mom made me stick with it even though I never wanted to practice. On Sunday afternoons, I can sit down at the bench and play some classic hymn, while my wife and daughter sing along. read more

Explore the complex issue of God hardening Pharaoh's heart during the plagues in Egypt, and discover how this relates to the concepts of free will, sin, and God's role in our lives. Gain insights into the biblical perspective on this fascinating topic. read more

The Bible does not give un any instructions on how to perform a wedding ceremony. The very marriage between Adam and Eve was performs by God Himself. He simply declared them to be husband and wife. In fact, there is no description of a marriage ceremony at all in the Bible. That said, the belief that sex is what makes a marriage in God’s eyes is a completely backwards view of God’s vision for marriage. God makes clear that marriage comes first and is followed by intimacy. He made Eve for Adam as his partner before they were joined together. read more

What makes this question an especially difficult one to answer is the fact that Job’s wife, or Mrs. Job as I like to call her, is a largely anonymous biblical figure. She is never named and only speaks briefly in Job 2. Because of that, I cannot give a definitive answer with the authority of God’s Word when it comes to Job’s wife; but I do believe that Job’s wife at the end of the book of Job is the same woman as at the beginning. I believe Mrs. Job experienced all the suffering of Job—along with her own suffering—and was restored with Job to fullness of life at the end of the book. While some Hebrew tradition contends that Job’s wife was Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, we cannot know for sure. Historical evidence does indicate that Job lived around the same time as Jacob, but there is no clear biblical evidence that he married Dinah. read more

Sudhakar asks, Is it right or wrong for believers to be married some place other than a church? ... read more

The Guinness World Records website is perhaps the greatest showcase of bizarre trivia and unique topics that people devote themselves to mastering. The site includes stories like a man who had played a Legend of Zelda video game so much that he thought he could complete the game blindfolded, using just audio cues and his own memory. He successfully beat the game in 103 hours. read more

Janet, I'll unpack this for you a little bit. I believe that Jesus was crucified on Thursday and not Friday. Mark 15:42-43 tell us that Jesus body was taken down from the cross in the evening because the Sabbath was approaching. Because the normal Sabbath is on Saturday, most people believe that Jesus must have been crucified on Friday. However, the weekly Sabbath on Saturday is not the only Sabbath. According to Leviticus 23, there was a “high Sabbath” observed during the week of the Passover. The Jews were to rest on that day, just as they would rest on a normal Saturday Sabbath. read more

In the last article, we looked at the extreme measures that must be taken when church discipline is unsuccessful and when restoration is no... read more

John, thank you for your question and I appreciate the way you carefully and diligently read God’s Word. There are two different Mephibosheths mentioned in 2 Samuel 21:7-9. The passage starts with God affirming that David did in fact spare Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, “because of the oath of the LORD that was between them” (2 Samuel 21:7). read more

While the Bible does not give us clarity on this question, there are inferences we can make. One is an inference from the grammar and the other is an inference by omission. In Esther 2:8, the Hebrew verb “to take” is used to describe Esther being taken into the palace to participate in the king’s contest. Some people have argued that this means she was taken without her consent and against her will. read more

Thank you for your question! Praying in the Spirit is an attitude and fervency toward prayer that all believers can and should utilize in their prayer lives on a regular basis. Praying or speaking in tongues is a specific spiritual gift given by God for specific people during a specific time and for a specific purpose. We know that praying in the Spirit is not a specific spiritual gift, because the apostles command all believers to pray in the Spirit. Jude instructs all believers in “Building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). read more

With an understanding of what church discipline is, when it is needed and the attitude needed to do it well, it’s time to get practical about how to properly do church discipline. Whether you already think you have someone in mind who may need church discipline, or just want to better understand this function of the church, it is crucial that the process of church discipline is clearly understood and properly implemented. The stakes (the spiritual life or death of a fellow church member) are too high, and the potential for bad communication too evident for us to not take these steps seriously. read more

Corporate prayer matters in churches today as we seek to follow the example of Old and New Testament believers and follow the example of Jesus Himself. In many instances in both the Old and New Testaments, we see a spiritual leader praying publicly before a congregation. Solomon does so during the temple dedication in 1 Kings 8 and the first century church prayed together many times, including in Acts 4:24. When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion, he took his disciples with Him and urged them to pray with and for Him that night; yet the disciples all fell asleep. read more

For the Christian, we know that animal sacrifices ended at the moment of Jesus’ death, when the temple curtain was torn in two. That moment signified the final, once-for-all sacrifice of the innocent lamb, Jesus Christ, that replaced the need for animal sacrifices at the temple. In the Old Testament, only a priest could offer sacrifices and they could only be carried out at the temple in Jerusalem. But the apostle Peter encourages us that through Jesus, all believers are “a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). read more

Hi Cindy, Thanks for your question. The Bible teaches that the taking of life is not always murder. The Old Testament law mandates capital punishment, or the death penalty, for many types of sins of which a person could be found guilty. And even if a modern government today would not use the death penalty in an instance, for example, like striking or disrespecting a parent, it is impossible for us to say that any element of God’s law is unjust, for that would be contrary to His nature as God. read more

A member of Martin Luther’s church had the opportunity to sell a home for 10 times the amount he paid for it. Some of us today are seeing housing prices skyrocket and are thinking about doing the same thing! But rather than congratulate his brother on the profit he was set to make, Luther threatened to excommunicate this member from his church unless he cut his asking price in half, citing that believer’s “unbridled greed” as the reason for his discipline. read more

In Exodus 4, Moses gives five different excuses to God, each one indicating that he should not be the person sent to Pharaoh. This particular excuse about his speech is the fourth in the list. So keep in mind that Moses was greatly exaggerating his own weaknesses as he attempted to convince God that he was not the right person. And, of course, God saw right through his exaggerations and excuses. But taking Moses’ words as true, there are two different interpretations of what Moses means when he says “slow of speech and tongue.” Some scholars believe that Moses has some speech impediment, or stammer, that affected him as he spoke in public. read more

The only requirement for salvation is true belief in Jesus Christ as the One who died for sin and rose victoriously over death. Since we reject a works-based salvation, but believe in sola fide—faith alone—we know that baptism is not a requirement for salvation. Many people throughout the years have been saved on their deathbeds, with no opportunity to be baptized, but they are still saved. The sinner on the cross next to Jesus, who Jesus told would be with Him in Heaven, died before any chance to be baptized, yet Jesus pronounced him saved. read more

While I love providing guidance on issues like this, I don’t want to fall into the trap of speaking with God’s authority on an issue He never spoke about in Scripture. There is no mention of blood or organ donation in Scripture because doctors didn’t have the tools to perform those procedures back then. The first blood transfusion took place in the late 1900s and the first successful organ donation occurred in 1954. I cannot answer this question with the definitive authority of God’s Word, but I do want to provide some helpful guidelines, using Scripture, to help you make a godly decision when it comes to these issues. read more

One of the primary objections people give regarding church discipline is that Christians aren’t supposed to judge others. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “Judge not, lest you be judged”? Yes, he did say that, but Jesus also laid down a moral code for living, and even went so far as to call the Pharisees “dogs” and “pigs.” This verse speaks to a judgmental attitude—one who is quick to look for the flaws in others and takes it upon themselves to be the moral authority for the world. read more

In Exodus 32, God pronounces judgment on many sinful Israelites who instigated and willingly participated in the construction and worship of the golden calf. God says to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book” (Exodus 32:33). This terminology of “the book of life” is found in the Psalms, in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, and throughout Revelation. We do not know whether this is a physical book with names written in it, or just an expression to refer to those who have been saved by God and will be with Him in heaven. read more

What is a church? When you first became a believer, or when you relocated and needed a new church home, what characteristics did you look for? The Belgic Confession of 1561 described the true church with three characteristics: preaching pure doctrine, administering the ordinances, and exercising church discipline. read more

I’ve been asked many variations of the question, “How could a loving God allow …” The idea of a good and perfect and holy God allowing—or perhaps even causing—tragedy and death in this world is no easy thing to explain away. There are two premises that all believers must accept that are the foundation for answering this question: read more

While this idea of all people being saved—a concept theologians have termed universalism—may sound appealing, it is a flawed and heretical interpretation of the Bible. Essentially, universalists believe that because God is loving and just, and because Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, every person will be saved, whether or not they recognize their need for salvation and place their faith in Jesus. According to universalists, it doesn’t matter what a person believes religiously, because their eternal salvation is secured, whether they live life on earth as a Christian or not. read more

You may be surprised to know that most Americans, regardless of their religious identification, believe the Ten Commandments are still... read more