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The Church Must Lead the World into Peace (Ephesians 4:1-3)
Everyone wants unity, but nobody really knows how to achieve it. Most people today seem to think that unity requires conformity. We think that unity is achieved when everybody thinks the same way, talks the same way, dresses the same way, and has the same opinions. Where differences occur, division results, and unity dies. And some people seek to achieve unity by silencing and cancelling those who have different opinions. You see, when we are in a conflict with someone, we think it is the responsibility of the other person to change their ways, so we can get along with them. We point at their faults and what they said, or what they did, and say that if there is going to be peace, they have to change. Paul challenges all of this in Ephesians 4:1-3. In these verses, Paul shows how we can hav...
How to become a Christian
Every month, about 50 people google this question, “How to become a Christian” Apparently, many people have a desire to learn more about Jesus. Or about God. It’s not just a question either, so it makes sense that people are looking for an answer. What is involved in becoming a Christian? Take the first step The first step is to make a choice. Deciding that you want to become a Christian, or at least want to know more, is the first step. Faith usually doesn’t come just like that and you won’t learn about it if you don’t choose to learn more about it. That is why making that first choice is a very important step. Pray This is an important part of your choice to become a Christian. Pray. There are no strict requirements for prayer. You can just tell God what you are thinking about at that mo...
Names of the Holy Spirit
Before you read about the names of the Holy Spirit, an introduction. The Holy Spirit, together with God and Jesus, forms the Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity is a term not mentioned in the Bible, but we use it to understand a little bit about the mystery of God. The Holy Spirit incites people to tell others about God. He helps believers with prayer and perseverance. Like some kind of inner (and supernatural) force. This power is so strong that there are stories of people suddenly being able to speak a foreign language of healing from an illness. It seems so unreal, but in this way God becomes tangible. Names of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is best known as the “Holy Spirit” or “Spirit of God.” But he is much more than that. The Holy Spirit is also God, He is a person, all the attributes of Go...
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Holy Spirit. It sounds quite ethereal, perhaps also scary, a spirit. Who is it anyway? What role does he play within the Christian faith? And how does he work? Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is inextricably linked to Christianity. Together with God and Jesus he forms the Holy Trinity. You might also know him as the Spirit of God. But he is so much more than that. Read on and learn more about this mysterious person. The wind The Holy Spirit is compared to several things. In the original texts of the Bible, the word Ruach is often used to designate the Holy Spirit. This means both ‘spirit’ and ‘wind’. The wind is therefore a good comparison to explain the Holy Spirit. You cannot see, touch or catch the wind. You have no control over it and you cannot own it. The same goes for the Ho...
Holy trinity, what is it?
When we read the Bible, God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit are mentioned. In a way as if they belong together. They are also known as the Holy Trinity. Christians believe in the Holy Trinity. One God but who consists of several persons. That may sound complicated, but with a good explanation it is easy to understand. Who of the Holy Trinity? God the Father God is at the center of this Holy Trinity. Christians see God as the maker of this world. God is also often described as a father. You can read this, for example, in 1 Corinthians 8:6. He is a loving father. So it is a very personal approach. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are part of God. But God is the source. Still discovering who God is? Then start reading here. God the Son Jesus is perhaps the most famous person in history...
To Love Your Enemies, Know You are Loved (Ephesians 3:18-21)
Have you ever tried to actually love your enemies? It’s next to impossible, isn’t it? In Ephesians 3:18-21, Paul provides two ways that we can learn to love our enemies. These seem impossible as well, until we understand what Paul is actually saying about how to love our enemies. But before we look at Ephesians 3:19-21, I want to answer a question from a reader about Matthew 10:28 where Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Question from a Reader One of the members of my online discipleship group is taking my online course about hell, and had a question regarding Matthew 10:28. Here is what he wrote: Jeremy, I loved this course and it helped me out immensely, but I’m trying to figur...
Is it Impossible to love our enemies? (Ephesians 3:14-17)
In Ephesians, Paul has instructed his readers to live at peace with people they used to hate, and to begin loving their enemies instead. This is much easier said than done, so in Ephesians 3, Paul shows how he himself is doing this, and how his readers can follow in his example in loving their enemies, just as Jesus did. This is what we begin to learn in Ephesians 3:14-17. In Ephesians 3:14-17, Paul instructs his readers to do the impossible by loving their enemies. This is much easier said than done, so Paul provides three resources that God has provided to help us do the impossible. But first, we have two question from a reader about Jesus as the elect one, and how Jesus was morally perfect. Question from a Reader Here are two questions submitted by a reader named Michael Spina. I have a...
How to Fix the World (Ephesians 3:8-13)
Are you happy with the current state of the world? Do you wish things could change? Do you want the world to improve? Do you want to fix the world? In this study of Ephesians 3:8-13, we discover Paul’s solution for how to fix the world. It’s a shocking, challenging proposal, but it is the plan that God has put in place since the beginning of time, and it is the only plan that God has. There is no Plan B. Before we consider God’s Plan for How to Fix the World, we consider a question from a reader about Pentecostalism. Question from a Reader A new member of my discipleship group named John Redic recently sent in the following question. What is your analysis of Pentecostalism? How should the Azusa Street Revival and Movement be assessed and interpreted? I am not a fan of Pentecostalism. Don’t...
A Prisoner for Peace (Ephesians 3:1-7)
In Ephesians 2, Paul encouraged his readers to live in peace with people they used to hate. Since this is much easier said than done, Paul begins Ephesians 3 by showing how he himself is living in peace with those who used to be his enemies. Indeed, Paul is prison as a result of his stand for peace, but Paul knows that this will only serve to prove the truth of what he is teaching. Paul leads by example, just as we, the church, are to be an example to the world. This is what we begin to learn in this study of Ephesians 3:1-7. Prior to that, however, we consider a question from a reader about the traditional teaching on hell. Question from a Reader Hi, Jeremy! I would just like to ask because I still get anxiety over hell. What are we to do with testimonies about hell? Sometimes I think tha...
Superstition
Do you have a lucky number? Do you make a wish when you see a star fall or cross your fingers when you hope for something? Those are all little things that show you’re a little superstitious. But what is superstition? Believing in something supernatural that is different or derived from an existing ‘official’ belief is called superstition. All over the world people have forms of superstition that sometimes differ a lot and sometimes differ little from each other. Nearly everyone does something with it, maybe you too! Examples of superstitions Friday the 13th One of the most famous superstitions is that the number 13 is an unlucky number. Did you know that many buildings do not have a 13th floor and many hospitals do not have room 13? When the 13th falls on a Friday, it’s an unfortunate com...
What does God say about your future?
“You will be a millionaire next week!” Good news right? But how about, “You won’t live past the age of 35.” That’s a bit more scary. But you don’t get this message in the hospital, but from a fortune teller. And what do you do with this prediction for the future? Predicting the future is something that has been done for centuries. From a fortune teller with her crystal ball at the fair, to a psychic who reads tarot cards online. The ways in which people predict the future seem endless. Cultures also differ in their ways of predicting the future. For example, Romanian witches read about the future in wheat grains or your palm. In Russia, the future is predicted by dripping molten lead, tin or beeswax into water. They all think they can make an accurate prediction about the future. Sometimes...
Bijgeloof
Wat is bijgeloof? Heb je een geluksgetal? Doe je een wens als je een ster ziet vallen of kruis je je vingers als je op iets hoopt? Dat zijn allemaal kleine dingen die laten zien dat jij een beetje bijgelovig bent. Maar wat houdt bijgeloof in? Geloven in iets bovennatuurlijks wat anders is of sterk afwijkt van een bestaand ‘officieel’ geloof, noemt men bijgeloof. Overal op de wereld kennen mensen vormen van bijgeloof die soms veel en soms weinig van elkaar verschillen. In Nederland alleen al kennen we veel vormen van bijgeloof. Bijna iedereen doet er wel wat mee, misschien jij ook wel! Voorbeelden van bijgeloof Vrijdag de 13e Eén van de meest bekende bijgeloven is dat het getal 13 een ongeluksgetal is. Wist je dat veel gebouwen geen 13e verdieping hebben en veel ziekenhuizen geen kamer 13? ...
