Historically, Christians have proven contentious and confrontational concerning depicting Jesus in any form. Even since the flashpoints of iconoclasm (image/symbol breaking) during the early Middle Ages and the Reformation, the issue has never been completely without debate. We must approach this with an open mind and a respectable degree of tolerance.
Let’s begin by discussing the nature of idolatry in the Scriptures, and why it was consistently condemned. Let us examine Exodus 20:3-5.
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the …
Does The Moody Church believe in the virgin birth?
The Scriptures teach it. Jesus, preexistent and coeternal with the Father, left His position of glory, and took on flesh through the virgin birth (John 1:1, 14). The incarnation of Christ serves as the gateway for redemption by Christ unifying Himself with the plight of humanity and undeservingly bearing the weight of our sin. The virgin birth, surrounded by debate due to its incomprehensibility, is plainly taught in the Scriptures, but the text in no way implies any Roman Catholic doctrine concerning Mary’s perpetual virginity (Matthew 1:17-25). In fact, Scripture records …
God’s attributes are numerous, inlcuding omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience and many others (1 John 4:16; 1 Peter 1:16; Psalm 146:7). While we do not adamantly hold to a particular attribute as God’s greatest attribute, we do acknowledge that the acts and decrees of God always revolve around His glory, primarily cultivated through His loving relationship with the elect who have been chosen to participate in the plan of redemption (Isaiah 42:8). Properly understood, His essential nature is one of holiness and impeccable love and justice, and as such, He always acts for the highest good, which is His own glory.
The biblical canon (meaning rule or standard) is the revealed Word of God—the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. As Protestants, we believe that the canon of the early church was comprised of 39 books in the Old Testament and eventually 27 in the New Testament. While books from the Apocrypha might be of limited benefit for Christian reading, they are not God’s Word, and the Jewish people and the early Christian community never considered them as having the same weight as the accepted Scriptures.
Revelation is the free act of God by which He graciously condescends to display and reveal His character, nature, and will to mankind. God has revealed Himself by what we categorize as general and special revelation. General revelation is broad in scope, available to mankind as a whole, but its composition is inherently non-redemptive. For instance, this is evidenced by creation in its various forms, which displays God’s glory but lacks the salvation message (Romans 1:20). Also, the human conscience is an indication of God’s general revelation and is an imperfect reflection of God’s law.
God’s holiness is unmatched. He responds to sin not only with grace, but also with holy judgment. When we observe the nature of sin and punishment in the Old Testament, the prophets record that God treats sin harshly. Sin affects more than merely the perpetrator, it spills over into the community, especially the family. Thus, God speaks of visiting and punishing sins to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 20:5, Numbers 14:18, Lamentations 5:7). Achan and his family’s punishment is one extraordinary example of God’s tenacity for purity, but it should not be considered as a normal response (Joshua 7). …
Baptism is one of the central events of a believer’s Christian life. Foreshadowed by the ritual cleansings performed by the Jewish community and the baptism of repentance administered by John the Baptist, Christian baptism is commanded for every believer. The Scripture institutes this act as an important ordinance in our life of obedient testimony (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:4).
What should the mode be? Sprinkling, pouring, and immersing are used, but biblically, baptism by immersion is preferable, although sickness and immobility may require another method. Baptism is usually performed by someone of spiritual authority within the local church leadership. …
The Bible actually has very little to say about the origin, duration, location, and subsistence of the soul. As this is not an essential issue to the Christian faith, diversity on this theological point is understandable.
Generally speaking, three viewpoints have been put forward.
Preexistence: Popularized by the controversial church father Origen; this idea states that God, in the beginning, created every soul. He then waits till their designated time and place in order to unite them with their body. This view is entirely based on speculation and claims no scriptural support.
Creationism: Defended by John Calvin; creationism maintains that …
From the time of the early church, December 25th has been celebrated throughout Christianity. It has served to commemorate the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Even though He was not literally born on that particular December 25th over two thousand years ago, Christmas day and the surrounding holiday season reminds us yearly of the glorious condescension of the infinite to the finite. At The Moody Church, we heartily partake of this season of guided worship and family fellowship.
Outside of Christianity, Christmas has accumulated secular, cultural significance. Many observe the holiday with no understanding of who Jesus Christ is or why …
The Old Testament institutes tithing as an obligatory act of worship by God’s people. Israelite tithes supported the landless tribe of Levi and the priesthood of God (Numbers 18:25-32, Nehemiah 10:38). They also served the giver’s family and the nation’s disadvantaged (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). This command of God was often abused or ignored (Malachi 3:8-10). As in the case with all visible acts of worship, self-righteousness cropped up among the Israelites who actually did tithe (Luke 18:12).
Through the fulfilling work of the Messiah, New Testament believers are no longer obligated to perform the particulars of the Law. Tithing is never …
