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Bible Q

How should we deal with the ‘ungodly’?

Firstly, we have to recognise that we are all ungodly – we all fall short of our divine calling. This should bring about a humility and gratefulness for God’s forgiveness. Think of Paul’s honesty here: Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus […]

What does “prosper” mean in Prov. 28:13?

Prov. 23:13 says: Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. ‘Prosper’ means to ‘succeed’.1 The proverb is saying that people who try to hide their sins will not succeed (the inference is that they will be found out, even if they try to hide their […]

What does Romans 8:28-30 mean?

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,  for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom […]

Is incest forgivable?

Yes, incest (sex between close relatives) can be forgiven. All sins (except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: Mark 3:29) can be forgiven; as Jesus said in Mark 3:28: Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man… Examples of terrible sins being forgiven King David was an adulterer and, according […]

What are the seven deadly sins?

Traditionally the seven deadly sins are: Lust Gluttony Avarice Sloth Anger Envy Pride The list was developed over time from the 4th to the 6th century AD. The list is not found directly in the Bible; lists of “deadly sins” are generally much longer in the Bible — see, for example, the following lists of […]

What does 1 John 3:8 mean?

1 John 3:8. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. The word ‘devil’ does not occur in the Old Testament, so this is not a direct quotation from […]

What does ‘atonement’ mean?

Atonement in the Old Testament The Hebrew verb ‘to atone’ (kaphar) means ‘cover’, so the noun ‘atonement’ (kippurim pl.) is a form of ‘covering’. The most usual form of the word in the Old Testament is kipper (piel form, causative form, of kaphar) which means to ’cause to be covered’, ‘make covering for’. Lev.5:18 And […]