Evangelical Christians have spent a lot of time talking about the doctrine of hell. One question weighs particularly heavily: Why, if there is a hell, is it forever? The idea of eternal hell weighs heavily on the heart, as we think of those we know and love apart from Christ. Sometimes a devilish desire to condemn (“You will not surely die”) is behind a denial of future judgment, but sometimes the human motive is just the unbearable gravity of it all. Why would God sentence an everlasting punishment for crimes committed in what God himself describes as a life so quick that it’s like a vapor of mist (James 4:14; Psalm 39:5; Psalm 144:4)? Scripture is quite clear that hell is indeed everlasting. Yes, Scripture speaks of hell as “death” and “destruction” but defines these in terms of a place ...

Temptation is the intentional enticement of a person, by some bait—usually pride, always self-gratifying—to disobey God’s revealed Word. The predicate may be demonic or fleshly, but the object is always the distortion of God’s world and the defiance of God’s mission in the world. Temptation and Original Sin Temptation is as old as, well, the Garden of Eden. The devil, in the form of the serpent, tempted our first parents, Adam and Eve. They fell for the lie, which flattered them, and were led into the trap of death and loss. The rest of the Bible unfurls the redemptive plan of God in Christ. Temptation of Christ Our Lord Jesus, the “second Adam” was “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan” (Matthew 4:1). Though led by the Lord, the Savior was tempted by the Devil (...

The Pentateuch, or books of Moses, are the first five books found in the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These five books ascribed to Moses have a peculiar place in the structure of the Bible, and an order which is undeniably the order of the experience of the people of God in all ages.   The Name “Pentateuch” The term “Pentateuch” does not occur in Scripture, nor is it surely known when the text was thus separated into five parts: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Presumably, that was done by the LXX. translators. Some modern critics speak of a Hexateuch, introducing the Book of Joshua as one of the group. But this book is of an entirely different character from the other books and has a differ...

Was Jesus a Carpenter? We can look to the Gospel scripture to know the events and details of Jesus’ life and one verse in particular addresses whether Jesus was actually a carpenter. Mark 6:3 gives us the response by those in Jesus’ hometown when he returned to teach in the synagogue, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.” They refer to Jesus as being previously a carpenter, a trade he likely learned from his father of the same profession.  The Gospel also mentions carpentry in Matthew 13:54-55, saying “Coming to his hometown [Jesus] taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, ‘Where did this man ...

“The Romans Road is a sort of roadmap through various gospel truths that someone, years ago, put together by selecting key verses out of Romans,” Phil Johnson, executive director of Grace to You, said. Watch the full video of his explanation below. [embedded content] God’s plan for human salvation is communicated throughout the entirety of Scripture. The Romans Road to salvation is a collection of verses from the New Testament book of Romans that concisely explain God’s salvation plan. Because this collection is human assembled, not an official Biblical arrangement, some collections may include more or fewer verses than others. For the most part, the Romans Road consists of essentially four parts. The Romans Road Bible Verses 1. The Human Problem (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and Romans 6:23)...

You may have heard about the fruit of the Spirit and wondered what it is and how it relates to being a Christian. In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul lists nine specific behaviors – love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control – that are the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life.  Where is the Phrase “Fruit of the Spirit” in the Bible? The phrase “fruit of the spirit” comes from Galatians 5:22-23. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The Greek word καρπός that we translate “fruit” usually means fruit in the sense of edible fruits and vegetables, but it can also be translated as offspring, deed, action...

We know from Genesis 6:4 that Nephilim were the offspring of “the sons of God” and the “daughters of men.” When we discuss the details about the Nephilim in Christian circles today, there is always disagreement. Is there a correct answer to who exactly were the Nephilim? Scholars and theologians find this subject fascinating. Nephilim: Fallen Angels or Giants? The word Nephilim is found in the Bible two times, the first is in Genesis 6:1-6 and then again in Numbers 13:33. Scholars and commentators translate the word Nephilim as giants or fallen ones. Even among the most brilliant there is debate on translating this term. One reason Nephilim is often translated as “fallen ones” is the relation to the Hebrew word “naphal” (to fall). One school of thought associates these beings w...

Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and is always 46 days before Easter Sunday. Lent is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) marked by repentance, fasting, reflection, and ultimately celebration. The 40-day period represents Christ’s time of temptation in the wilderness, where he fasted and where Satan tempted him. Lent asks believers to set aside a time each year for similar fasting, marking an intentional season of focus on Christ’s life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection. Who Celebrates Ash Wednesday? Have you ever noticed how once a year, usually in February or March, there are a lot of people walking around with an ash cross on their foreheads? You probably knew it had something to do with Lent, but you weren’t sure why the ash cross was sign...