Sin is any action, attitude, or thought which is contrary to the character and command of God (1 John 3:4). As temptation constantly floods our senses, we intentionally and unintentionally are drawn toward it, and often sin. Sin’s influence must not be underestimated, for the Holy Spirit is grieved because of our sin (Ephesians 4:30).
While sin is difficult to categorize, we can think of sin in a threefold sense: sins of commission (sins of what we do), sins of omission (sins of what we don’t do), and sins of disposition (sins of how we do something). Sins of commission …
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Within in the church, and throughout broader society, a great deal of mysticism and superstition surrounds the reality, ability, and work of demons. Because of this haze of opinions, we must root our understanding in Scripture.
The Demonic Narrative
Satan is the origin of evil, the father of lies (John 8:44).
Satan and his angels apparently still have access to heaven because during the tribulation period, there will be a war in heaven and they will be cast out unto the earth (Revelation 12:7-9).
Though crushed by the work of Christ two thousand years ago, their final end, eternal punishment, …
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A great flaw of Western Christianity is its profound ignorance and trivialization of the occult with its related activities. The Scriptures not only confirm their reality and danger, but they also consistently condemn any association with them (Leviticus 19:31, 20:6; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Galatians 5:19-20; Revelation 21:8). In fact, the church in Ephesus gives us an example of how occult practices were removed from the early church (Acts 19:11-20). No syncreticism (a blending of two or more belief systems) was allowed, as Christ alone was and is sufficient.
Condoning (or observing) occult practices is inherently an act of distrust against …
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Throughout the world, many have described personal visions and near-death experiences, including conversations with Jesus, meetings with deceased loved ones, and even tours of heaven or hell. Such experiences are possible, but subject to deception and wishful delusions.
God did utilize visions in the Old Testament (Genesis 46:2; Numbers 12:6, 24:16; Psalm 89:19; Daniel 7:1-15; Isaiah 6:1-8), and the New Testament is abundant with examples as well (Acts 11:5, 16:9, 18:9; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4). The prophet Joel even speaks of the expanding frequency of visions in relation to the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:28-32). But visions were not to …
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We at The Moody Church believe in the doctrine of hell—eternal conscious punishment. At the great White Throne (Revelation 20:11ff), billions of human beings will stand before God to hear their judgment. Lacking faith in Jesus Christ, these people will be sentenced to eternal punishment in hell. Obviously this needs explanation.
What standard is used in this judgment?
Paul taught that those who do not know the Gospel will be judged by their own conscience and by the light gleaned from nature. This judgment will show that no one has lived up to what they intuitively and rationally knew to …
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Christians occasionally claim that we can be as perfect as God commanded (Matthew 5:48). Some preachers (we immediately think of the famous revivalist Charles Finney) have taught that Christians can attain a second level of God’s blessing, wherein they receive the ability to live free of sin in perfect obedience. Even though this doctrine is brimming with good intentions, is it a biblical teaching?
The first problem that arises is the nature of sin. With a comprehensive understanding of sin, the plausibility of earthly sinlessness is doubtful, or more accurately, impossible. Sin permeates the depths of man’s being, affecting every …
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Many evangelicals—perhaps most—believe that a Christian cannot be demon possessed for the simple reason that all believers are indwelt with the Holy Spirit, thus the idea that a demon could occupy the same space as the blessed Holy Spirit is unthinkable. However, we might be better served to consider it more carefully.
First, we must consider that the Scriptures never speak of a demon “possessing” anything. While many translations provide such language in numerous texts (e.g. Matthew 8:28), the original text does not convey any idea of possession or ownership. In reference to the human body, demons are squatters and …
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Sin brings conflict. Soon after Adam and Eve sinned, we have the account of Cain’s murderous behavior toward Abel. Without the presence of sin and evil, war and conflict would be foreign to us, as they will one day be when we enter the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21:4). That being said, should Christians ever be involved in a war in which the enemy is being mercilessly killed?
That God commanded the Israelites to go to war to kill their enemies is clear enough, but does this justify present-day believers to fight for their country? Are we …
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Judging bears a negative connotation among most of the population. When we think about the idea of judging, we conjure up images of heated theological arguments and memories of condescending comments. Also, we remember how “judging” has historically escalated to injustice, tragedy, and violence. But is all judging wrong or sinful?
We all judge. Some do more than others, but we all judge. If we know someone who routinely ignores stop signs, our courts would pass judgment. As believers, we repeatedly form and share judgments both small and large throughout each day. It’s a fact of life.
The act of …
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Biblically, the church is described in numerous ways. On one hand, we observe that the local church is a living organism—an expression of the body of Christ. On the other, we know that the church is an organization set up by Christ and regulated by the guidelines commanded throughout the Scriptures. As a divinely commissioned organization, God has ordained leadership to spur on growth, purity, outreach, and holiness. Throughout history, three primary systems of church government have dominated the ideological spectrum of Christian leadership.
Episcopal Government
As early as the Apostolic Father Ignatius (the bishop of Antioch until the beginning …
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