In many places the Bible states explicitly that the believer has been saved. Paul expresses it to the believers in Ephesus: But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been […]
Where in the Bible does it mention “God of the Breakthrough”?
This title “God of the Breakthrough”, which is found in a popular Gospel song, comes from 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles: 2 Sam 5:20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has burst through my enemies before me like a bursting flood.” Therefore the name of that place is […]
What is the significance of the word “shadow” in the Bible?
The word “shadow” is used in several ways in the Bible. There is the obvious and literal meaning (e.g., 2 Kings 20:9-11; Acts 5:15). Then there are places where it means shelter (e.g., Psalm 17:8; Isaiah 30:2). It can also be used figuratively to mean things that are symbolic of something else. For example, the law […]
Does the Bible say that if you have broken one commandment you have broken them all?
Yes. James 2:10-11 says: For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. {11} For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. Indeed, if […]
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 […]
Where did the Legion of demons go after the pigs died in the water?
The first step to answer this question is to try and establish what demon possession actually entailed. The short answer is that people of Jesus’ day understood demons to be the cause of otherwise unexplainable ailments (a belief they had inherited from other cultures). For a more detailed analysis, please see the answer to this […]
Who is the great deceiver in the last days?
The most relevant Bible passage here is 2 Thessalonians 2 which describes a “man of lawlessness” who will be revealed before the second coming of Jesus Christ. Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness […]
How did Satan fall to earth? (Luke 10:18, Revelation 12:9)
This question appears to assume the popular mythology that Satan is a fallen angel. In fact, the Bible contains no such teaching. (See “Is Satan a fallen angel?”) Bible imagery – falling from heaven: In the Bible, “falling from heaven” is figurative of losing authority. To cite three examples, Isaiah 14:12 describes the king of […]
Where was Daniel during the furnace episode?
In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar set up an enormous image of gold and decreed that everyone should bow down to it. Daniel’s friends — Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego — refused to do so, and so were thrown into a fiery furnace which miraculously did not harm them. Many people have wondered where Daniel was during […]
Did God create other people besides Adam and Eve?
The description of the creation of human beings in Genesis implies that Adam and Eve were the only ones that God created. Adam couldn’t find a suitable helper (Genesis 2:20 — suggesting there were no other human beings around) and Eve is described as “the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20). Similarly, in the […]