I know that some might be offended at the question. “The Bible isn’t difficult to understand,” they may claim. But the fact is, I’ve been studying the book my entire life and there are still portions of the Scripture that I struggle to understand. Even Peter mentions that some Scripture written by Paul would be difficult for some to understand. (II Peter 3:16) Stop! Don’t … Continue reading Why is the Bible Difficult to Understand?
I’m all about getting the Bible into the hands of new Christians. When I lead a person to Christ I want them to begin reading the Bible as soon as possible. At Southern Hills we have stacks of Bibles for the sole purpose of giving away to the new comer. However, those who are given a Bible will often begin reading the Bible…at the beginning. … Continue reading Old Testament Law – Me?
Arguably the greatest single piece of Christian literature in all of the Bible, Romans stands out as the jewel of New Testament doctrine. It especially shines brightly when describing the salvation of mankind by the grace of God. From Augustine[1] to Martin Luther[2], men have been convinced of their own wickedness and need of salvation by reading these inspired words. So, how did the church … Continue reading Romans: Paul’s Magnum Opus
I pastor a Baptist church in Southwest Las Vegas. The name of the church is Southern Hills Baptist Church. We have many members from many different backgrounds including Atheism, Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, Pentecostalism, Presbyterianism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Mormonism. In our ranks we have those who have been raised as Muslims, Baptists, Jehovah Witnesses, Anglicans and Charismatics. Yet we hold none of these titles as our … Continue reading Four Views of Baptist Origins
This is a guest post by Pastor Chris Armer Have you ever wondered why we have 66 books in our Bible? Did a book get left out or possibly put in by mistake? Or how do you respond to two young men in white shirts and ties who stand at your door and invite you to read another testament of Jesus Christ? These are all … Continue reading Do We Have The Whole Bible?
Throughout history it is puzzling to see the church change its doctrine from one generation to the next. How does this happen? If the Bible clearly states a truth and the church believes the truth, how then does the church’s doctrine change?
Growing up in church, I often heard preachers talk about the flesh and the spirit. As I understood it, the flesh was bad and the spirit was good. I was not to live in the flesh, walk after the flesh, and enjoy fleshly things. Yet, this confused me, because I looked at myself and understood that I was just a guy made out of flesh. So, what is the Bible talking about when it uses that word, flesh?
The majority of the books found in the New Testament are actually letters sent from a particular person to a church, region or individual. We call these books epistles or letters. Some of the letters in the New Testament were long and formal like Romans, while others were short and personal like Philemon. An amanuensis was a professional scribe that was used to physically write the letter while the author would dictate.
