One of the most fascinating subjects and most heated discussions within Christian theology is eschatology, otherwise known as the study of the end times. There are three major interpretations of the relationship between Jesus Christ’s Second Coming and the 1,000-year millennial period described in Revelation 19 and 20– premillennialism, postmillennialism and amillennialism. I will unpack premillennialism by offering a definition, mapping out a general timeline, and discussing the pros and cons of this view. Definition of Premillennialism in Eschatology Premillennialism holds to a literal interpretation of the end times. It sees the events in Revelation 19-20 as a futuristic, progressive chronology, which include: The Rapture    The rise of a single antichrist    A 7-yea...

Apostle Definition In the Christian faith, apostles were those entrusted by Jesus to help organize the church and spread the message of His teachings. The word apostle comes from the Greek word, apostelló, meaning a messenger or one sent on a mission. Although not used much in common language today except when speaking of Christian principles, in ancient times the word was used to describe someone who was commissioned by another person to represent him in some way. How Are Apostles Different from Disciples? Though the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is a difference between a disciple and an apostle. A disciple is a devoted student and follower of a teacher. In fact, the Greek word for disciple, mathētḗs, means a learner or pupil. Essentially, a student. They might be an app...

Praying in the Spirit is prayer with divine help. It’s trusting in faith and relying on God to hear, understand, and act. Praying in the Spirit is a gift to be received through faith in Christ Jesus. Scripture about Praying in the Spirit “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18). “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,” (Jude 1:20). “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26). Meaning of Praying in Spirit According to John Gill’s commentary, prayer, “when per...

The seven deadly sins, as identified by Pope Gregory 1 in the late sixth century, are considered categories of sin: pride, envy, wrath, gluttony, lust, sloth, and greed. Many think the deadly seven are recorded in the Bible. Surprisingly, even though each of the seven is a sin, this list is not contained in Scripture. The history of the sin categorization began in the year 400. Evargius Ponticus a fourth century monk, described eight evils to resist. Two centuries later Pope Gregory 1, refined the inventory to seven. Almost every sin can be placed in one of these seven categories. Isaiah 14:13-14 tells us pride and selfishness are related to each of the seven and are viewed as the root causes of all sin. Seven Deadly Sins throughout the Bible Throughout the sweep of the Scripture these sev...

The armor of God is a metaphor in the Bible (Ephesians 6:10-18) that both reminds Christians about the reality of spiritual battle and describes the protection available to them. The full armor of God that Christians are called to put on comprises of the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit. Armor of God in Scripture “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. “Therefore, put on the fu...

A valuable clue in understanding the Bible is knowing the passage’s genre. It is important to determine the genre because it helps us interpret, understand, and apply any portion of God’s word.  Different Genres in the Bible The Bible is filled with a variety of literary genre. Our Jesus used a variety of literary types to teach the Truth (e.g., hyperbole: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple” [Luke 14:26 ESV]). The truth of Scripture is expressed in a variety of types, or genres, such as: Poetry: David wrote soaring poetry for liturgical worship in the Temple.   Wisdom: The Bible also includes the very pedagogical wisdom literature of Solomon and Job...

There are a few instances of Jesus Christ appearing in the Old Testament. These are called Christophanies. And in a metaphorical sense, Jesus appears in many more stories throughout the Old Testament. After Jesus’s resurrection, he enlightens two disciples about this: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27) Read through God’s word, see how it points to Jesus. Jesus in the Old Testament Jesus Symbolized in the Old Testament Sacrificial System In the video below, Charles Dyer discusses specific Old Testament prophecies and symbols that point to Jesus. The system of sacrificing, often a spotless lamb, symbolized the coming Christ. “Sacrifices took away sins – covered over sins. And the...

God’s absolute authority over everything and our freedom to choose—we see evidence of both in Scripture, yet they seem so juxtaposed. So how do these principles work together in our salvation? Spiritual deadness can only be reversed by a sovereign God, which then frees us to exercise our free will and make choices—choices with everlasting significance. Our Condition Scripture is teeming with examples of God as the inciting force in our lives. We need one desperately, because we are trapped in a state that has completely disabled us. When God first created man, He established free will. He gave Adam and Eve a beautiful garden, animals to tend, plants to cultivate, and one command. Violating that command resulted in a spiritual flatline that became the genetic inheritance of all their offspr...

The Holy Spirit—one of the persons of the Trinity, referred to as “God” in Acts 5:3-4—has many other names and titles. Most of them indicate an aspect of His function in, or ministry through, the Christian’s life. Here are a few that might be highlighted. 1. He is “the Spirit.” “The Spirit” and “Holy Spirit” are the most commonly used names for the Spirit of God. People sometimes use the word “it” in reference to the Spirit; but those who do so neuter and depersonalize Him. The Spirit is not simply an influence or force. As a person, He can be resisted (Acts 7:51), quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and grieved (Ephesians 4:30). One with the Father and the Son, the Spirit was present as an agent of creation (see Genesis 1:1-2). The word used in Genesis is ruach or “breath.” The Spirit’s powe...

The prophet Isaiah tells us that the seraphim are six-winged “fiery” angels who surround God as He sits upon His exalted throne and who worship God continually (Isaiah 6). The seraphim also minister to the Lord and serve as His agents of purification, as demonstrated by their cleansing of Isaiah’s sins before he began his prophetic ministry. Seraphim Angels in the Bible: 4 Things to Know 1. The word “seraphim” in the Bible appears only in Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah 6 is the only passage in the Bible that specifically mentions the word “seraphim,” meaning “the fiery ones.” In that Biblical chapter, Isaiah describes his intense vision of God’s heavenly court. Namely, the prophet saw God seated on an exalted throne surrounded by flying angels called the “seraphim” (Isaiah 6:1-2). The word “sera...