Studies on the Fringe of Christianity
A recent message came into my office asking, “Define ‘Christian’ for me. That word gets thrown around, with no clear definition. If possible, use the Bible to define it.” I’ve gotten many similar questions over the years and the writer of that message makes a good underlying point. Authors and speakers keep using this word …
The dog isn’t referenced in the Bible in a very good way, as there are more than fifty verses describing dogs in a negative manner. That attitude goes for all canines: jackals, wolves, hyenas, etc. To the Hebrew people, canines were created to serve a particular purpose in God’s plan — they are the scavengers …
The Epistle to the Hebrews is a “battleground of discordant opinion and conjecture: its author is unknown, its occasion unstated, and its destination disputed”1 and chapter six, which tells about the perils of falling away from the Christian faith, is one of the most misunderstood parts of the book. Before we dig into chapter 6, …
Most people think of Jonah and the whale as a child’s Bible story, but besides being swallowed and spit-up by a whale, there are very adult messages embedded within the narrative. It is a phenomenal tale that also includes a great storm, a prolific plant, an attacking worm, and a blistering sultry wind, all to …
I want to talk about God and Jesus and their relationship, but I don’t want to argue about it, for arguments have been going on for a couple thousand years. I do, however, wish to present some evidence to give you something different to think about, because while most large modern denominations claim God is …
The Bible gives many examples of God’s position concerning those who do not have faith or do not believe that his laws are just and necessary, but only a few shows the extreme extent of his capabilities to punish amoral behavior and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is one of them. These citizens lost …
Someone asked me if a Christian should use homeopathy. She was concerned, because a friend told her it was an anti-Christian practice. The question kind of surprised me, since I had never even considered it before and, to be honest, didn’t know much about homeopathy. Off the top of my head, I replied that I …
This may seem like a silly question, but does it really matter how we pray? Think about it, most people pray because they want something; they send up a prayer and ask God for a favor or item and hope for the best. With this attitude, they should call it ‘ask and hope’ instead of …
Speaking in an unknown language, as many do in today’s Pentecostal, Charismatic, Catholic, and a few other Christian religions, is generally considered a New Testament phenomenon. This ability was received as one of the miraculous spiritual gifts given to the apostles after the death of Christ and is known as “speaking in tongues.” Although it …
Crucifixion was a regular mode of capital punishment among early pagan nations, and most likely originated with the Persians and then spread to the Assyrians, Germans, Celts, Britons and others. This punishment was “primarily reserved for traitors, captive armies, slaves and the worst of criminals” and was common under the rule of Alexander the Great …