If you were not a Christian, what would it take to convince you that Jesus is who he claimed to be? What evidence would you expect from one making such a claim? What Proof Is There That Jesus Is Who He Claimed To Be? Why should we believe that Jesus is the Son of God...
Some evangelical churches require a person to be baptised before being accepted into membership of their congregation. Does this practice have the support of Scripture? What I see in Scripture is this: the gospel is proclaimed, those whose hearts have been touched,...
When the thief was sentenced to death, never did he suspect that while suspended on the cross he would receive salvation and have the event recorded in God’s word for all time. The salvation of the thief has been called upon to prove something Luke never intended,...
It’s not unusual to hear many in the evangelical community seize upon Paul’s words, "Christ did not send me to baptise" to support their position that baptism is not part of the conversion process. Do Paul’s words support their argument? Every verse of scripture has a...
Churches have different teachings about baptism. Some churches sprinkle, others pour water on the forehead of the candidate's head and others practise immersion. Some understand baptism as freeing the candidate from original sin, others believe that baptism...
The practice of baptising infants is not apostolic in origin though it is widely practised today. The baptising of infants made a late entry into the church and conflicts with Scripture. The following examples demonstrate that infants or unbelievers are not candidates...
Acts 16 provides us with several illustrations of God's involvement in evangelism and in conversions. Paul and his companions were "kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia." Later "the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them" to enter...
When I look at the direction in which the world is going, I do not feel optimistic and I find no solace when I see the emerging new society in Ireland that is more and more tolerant of what offends God. Moral boundaries, of thought and action are being moved or...
The poor Jesus is referring to in Matthew 5:3 are not those who live in material poverty for there is no virtue in poverty itself. Furthermore, Jesus is not endorsing poverty as a superior way of life. The poor are not more favoured by God than others, though God...
Jesus is not addressing those who mourn the loss of a loved one in Matthew 5:4. Bereavement is not the point, rather it is mourning because of sin - our sin and the sins of others. This beatitude follows from the previous one, which speaks of our impoverished state...
Meekness is generally not associated with someone of strong character, but with someone who is weak and timid instead, someone who will bow to pressure. This is the very opposite of the true meaning of the word Jesus used when he said, "Blessed are the meek." (Matthew...
To hunger and thirst after righteousness is far more than desiring to be good. A pagan can desire to be good, to be a caring, to look out for others, but Jesus disciples hunger and thirst after righteousness. The righteousness we pursue is not the legalistic...
There is a shift in emphasis in this beatitude: What we have seen so far has been inward looking poverty of spirit, mourning for our sins, etc. Jesus now speaks of the disciples' attitude and behaviour towards others. This beatitude is outward looking. "Blessed are...
We should approach this beatitude with a sense of awe and wonder knowing that one day we will see God. This blessed privilege will not have transpired through our own achievements, no matter how noble and honourable our efforts have been, but through the gracious love...
Jesus never promised his disciples an easy life, but he did promise them life. He never concealed the dangers involved in following him; in fact, on occasions he seemed to be discouraging people by telling them the personal cost they would pay for being numbered among...
"Blessed are the peacemakers," Jesus said, "for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9) This beatitude, if isolated from the rest of scripture, could be used in a manner never intended by the Lord. Jesus is not presenting a formula on how to become sons of...
The church is many things to many people. Some think of it as an institution. Others think of it in terms of a building or a place where people go to worship. These are common misunderstandings of what the church is. The Meaning of the Word "Church" When Jesus said,...
The parting words of our Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples are as follows: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and...
What did Jesus mean when he said, "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church." (Matthew 16:18)? Because of Jesus' teachings and his miracles, there was a lot of speculation about who he was. Some were saying he was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one...
A survey of the New Testament gives us a picture of the church that can still be produced today - a church that preaches the same gospel and commits to the apostles' teaching. The church is presented as all those who believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and who...
Several metaphors describe the church: the family of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit, a holy nation, etc. Rated among the most popular is "the body of Christ." This description provides rich teaching on how the church should function. Members are Interdependent Our...
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ … Now the body is not made up of one part but of many … Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1...
A Solid Foundation The first requirement for a permanent building is a solid foundation. The church of Christ is built upon a foundation of solid rock. "Upon this rock," Jesus said, "I will build my church." The rock being referred to is the confession made by Peter...
After giving Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, Jesus delegated authority to him to carry out his ministry. "Whatever you shall bind on earth," Jesus said to Peter, "shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."...
What did Jesus mean when he gave Peter the "keys of the kingdom"? The most prominent statue in our local church was that of Saint Peter. He was an austere figure seated upon a throne, with one hand raised toward heaven and the other holding two large keys. I seldom...
Celibacy is a gift from God, but not everyone has this gift. Jesus said, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced...
Priesthood has a long history stretching back to the Old Testament. We are introduced to Israel's priests shortly after their captivity in Egypt. From among the twelve tribes that composed the nation of Israel, God chose the priesthood from the tribe of Levi....
Every sin we commit is against God and must be confessed. In confession, we are not telling God anything he does not already know. In confession we are acknowledging we have sinned against God and stand in need of his pardon. We are affirming the truth about ourselves...
Tradition has its place in both society and the church and many times it has served us well. However, tradition must not become a sacred cow that cannot be touched. This is particularly true for churches that are faced with the need to change. This point was brought...
Christian unity has been on the religious agenda for the past several decades and the question being asked is this: "How can all the churches be one, thereby presenting a united body to an unbelieving world?" The aspiration is honourable and noble, but unity must be...