The practice of selling “indulgences” is a part of Catholicism’s sordid history. This week’s Penpoints deals with an amusing incident in the ministry of John Tetzel, one tragic character in this apostate movement.

How should one view the literature of the Bible? As a mere human production? Or as the inspired word of God? First it is imperative that the sincere student ascertain how the biblical writers themselves viewed their productions. That is the thrust of this month’s Feature article. Study with us.

The “Jehovah’s Witnesses” teach that only 144, 000 people will gain heaven. They base their doctrine upon passages that are found in the book of Revelation (chapters 7 & 14). Who are the 144, 000 mentioned in these texts? Is the number literal or figurative? Study this article.

Someone has said that you can tell something of the character of a person by the heroes he has. There may be something to that. Atheism extols hypocrisy.

What is your opinion of Christians who attend AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] meetings or treatment centers to stop drinking?

Though this word is not found in most English translations of the New Testament, the thought is there in the Greek text. It is an anglicized form of the original term antitupos. The term is rendere...

Why do people cry? The Bible mentions human tears more than 500 times.

There is a popular view that “heaven” will be on “earth,” after our planet has been purged by fire at the end of time. This theory is wholly without merit and results from a failure to understand the symbolic nature of several passages of scripture.

What is “will-worship”? Why did Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, condemn it? Study carefully this article.

The correct interpretation of this passage depends on four things — the meaning of “law,” the significance of “faith,” and a consideration of these terms in both the immediate and remote contexts o...

The term “synoptic” derives from the Greek word sunoptikos, which means “seeing the whole together.” The word is used to describe the first three Gospel narratives — Matthew, Mark, and Luke — bec...

The prophet Hosea described ancient Israel’s goodness as like the morning dew. What did he mean by this strange analogy?

The English word “atonement” derives from an Anglo-Saxon term that practically signifies “a making at one.” Though the English term “atonement” is common to the Old Testament, it is found only once...

Let’s address these questions one at a time.

What Is the First Beast Coming Up from the Sea in Revelation 13?As I noted in my book, Revelation: Christ’s Final Message of Hope, the first beast in R...

On the Sunday of his resurrection, Jesus said to certain disciples, “Receive ye the Spirit.” What is the meaning of this cryptic text?

Sometimes Christians are intimidated by the massive propaganda campaign advanced by the followers of Charles Darwin. One indication of this is the common acceptance of evolutionary chronology, i.e., the idea that the Universe is billions of years old. Some, in an effort to find biblical support for the “long-ages” of history presupposition, have argued, on the basis of Hebrews 4:9, that the “days” of the creation week were vast ages. This week’s Penpoints examines this argument.

The Greek tenses in Revelation chapter 5 reveal important points about the nature of Christ’s death and resurrection.

When we contemplate who God is, what he has done, and what we will be, we will know exactly for what we should praise.

Apostasy is an English term based on the Greek apotasia. Originally, it meant to desert one’s post; it was used for political revolt.

In the Old Testament, the word implies a turning away from Go...