In a letter to the church at Corinth, Paul affirmed that “the natural man does not receive the things of God.” Some allege that this text suggests that one cannot understand the Scriptures without direct guidance from the Holy Spirit. But, as Wayne Jackson demonstrates in this article, this view reflects a misunderstanding of the apostle’s argument.

While the term “unity” is rare in the English Bible (Psa. 133:1; Eph. 4:3; 4:13), the idea prevails profusely in a variety of contexts. (a) Unity is that oneness that obtains perfectly among the me...

Joel, a prophet of the southern kingdom of Judah, labors to warn the Hebrew people of the coming “day of the Lord,” a time of judgment upon a rebellious people. The punishment is described under a ...

Literally speaking, the “tongue” is an organ of taste and speech within the mouth. By metaphorical extension, it is used in literature for a human language. In the N.T., the gift of being able to "...

The doctrine of hereditary total depravity is also known as “original sin” in Roman Catholicism. This concept asserts that all children come into the world with both the effects and guilt of Adam’s...

The word “Trinity” does not occur in the Scriptures. The term combines the dual concepts of “three,” and “unity,” and thus it does represent a biblical idea, namely that the Godhead is composed of ...

Did God cause people to lie by sending “lying spirits” to deceive?

The word “perfect” is used in different ways in the Bible. (a) Only deity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is perfect in the absolute, moral sense (Mt. 5:48), though Christians are to strive for this...

The Christian commitment is biblically designated as a “calling.” The divine calling (Eph. 4:1) is not a direct communication from God or his Holy Spirit, as some today allege. No one on earth know...

The day of Pentecost was an annual Jewish festival which came fifty days (the word signifies “fiftieth”) after the Passover celebration (Lev. 23:15-21; Dt. 16:9-12). It was known also as the feast ...

The act of “laying on of hands” served several functions in the N.T. (a) Some parents brought their children that Jesus might lay his hands upon them (Mt. 19:13). This involved no magical ritual; r...

God does not want the proclamation of His word to be characterized by a spirit of fearfulness.

The Greek word is huiothesia, from huios, “son,” and tithemi, “to set, put, or place.” 

The word suggests the idea of putting one into the position of a son. It is used five times in the New Testa...

“God” (theos) denotes the divine nature, the essence of what it means to be a deity. Here are some essential facts regarding God’s nature. There is only one God (Dt. 6:4; Jas. 2:19), that is, one u...

Was Cornelius, the Roman centurion of Acts chapter ten, saved before and without baptism?

Peter’s recognition of fulfilled prophecies in Acts chapter 1 affirms the inspiration of Scripture.

What is a miracle? What is the purpose of miraculous signs? Are genuine miracles happening today? What about the “miracles” of the so-called modern “faith-healers”? Do these indicate a miraculous presence of the Spirit in modern times? Study this important topic.

What is the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:5?

Do Christians today receive the Comforter as promised by Christ in the gospel of John?

Was Cornelius, the Roman centurion, saved before and without baptism? Some so claim.