We sometimes wonder how God will judge people who commit suicide. The theologian Augustine (AD 354-430) harshly condemned it. He argued that suicide was worse than murder because the perpetrator died in an unrepentant state. Is this argument biblical? The Bible records five cases of suicide. Four of these are in the Old Testament: Abimelech,…

In worship our music is congregational and a cappella. So is it wrong to listen to a Christian radio station playing hymns with instrumental accompaniment? For that matter, is it wrong to listen to a cappella music sung by a quartet instead of a church? Some preachers treat worship as if the Bible addresses every…

Job is a wealthy Arab sheik. His 10 children are his delight, and he enjoys the deep respect of a community that admires his wise judgment and generosity to the poor. Job revels in the knowledge that God is good to him. He is a man at peace with the world and its Creator, a…

was a wealthy Arab sheik. His 10 children were his delight, and he enjoyed the respect of a community that appreciated his wise judgment and kindness to the poor. Job reveled in the knowledge that God was good to him. His possessions were gifts, and he knew where they came from. He was at peace…

Paul encourages the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4). Is he talking about happiness? Most people do want to be happy. Happiness is the good feeling we have when everything goes our way – when our football team wins a big game, when we head home for the holidays, when several inches…

spiritual gifts Paul predicts that prophecy, tongues, and supernatural revelations will end (1 Cor. 13:8). But when? He explains that “when the perfect comes, the partial [the spiritual gifts] will pass away” (v. 10). The phrase translated “the perfect” can mean “the mature thing.” The immediate context in 1 Corinthians 13 supports this idea: “When…

The only narrative in the Bible describing tongues in detail appears in the book of Acts. Luke said that the apostles “were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). The people who witnessed this sign were shocked: “Are not all these…

Brent Smith      Solomon says to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22.6). Some commentators suggest that this proverb has to do with each individual child’s talents and natural abilities. Others think that Solomon is talking about a…

Teaching Rocket Workshop Last fall (on October 15, 2017) Michael Whitworth presented his Teaching Rocket seminar. His messages were superb and inspiring. And so he’s been invited back to present Part 2 on September 23. Below are a few of the glowing reviews posted on his website: “I want to thank you again for an…

In one of his letters Peter speaks of the “madness” of Balaam (2 Pet. 2:16). This foolish prophet was hot-tempered, violent, stubborn, and greedy. But why does Peter mention him? Peter’s second letter is a warning against false teachers ready to take advantage of unsuspecting Christians. “False prophets also arose among the people,” Peter says,…