Preserving Sound Doctrine

The Reliability of God’s Word

June 30, 2026

Have you ever had the nagging feeling that, after leaving home, you left behind something very important? It happened to me on my way to the airport in Phoenix to catch a flight on my way to teach in Nigeria, Africa. About 30 minutes down the road, I had this sinking feeling. I had forgotten to bring my passport. Without this vital credential, I would not be allowed to pass the security gates and board the plane. Gratefully, I was able to retrieve the passport and get to the gate before the plane took off…barely.

As anxiety producing as that mishap was, I would like to suggest that it is more unsettling for those who have left behind their confidence in God’s words, found in the Bible, and doubt the reliability of the credentials of Scripture, a spiritual crash landing could possibly be in their future. “Some people have wandered from the faith…and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Over the years, the Bible has had its share of critics and naysayers. Nonetheless, I am convinced that there are ample reasons and substantial evidence for acknowledging and appreciating the veracity of God’s written and revealed word. Charles Colson assessed that, “Christian faith is not an irrational leap. Examined objectively, the claims of the Bible are rational propositions well supported by reason and evidence.” ¹

In the following pages, we will explore the reasons and evidence supporting the reliability of the Bible. To do so, we will consider five questions connected to this pertinent topic:

Why can we have confidence in the Bible’s reliability and why is it that important?
What are the reasons and evidence for the Bible’s reliability?
What is the meaning and significance of the Bible’s Inspiration and Inerrancy?
What are the objections and claims of Bible critics?
What are the implications of the Bible’s reliability?

Why Can we Have Confidence in the Bible’s Reliability?

I want to begin by underscoring that a foundational reason for having confidence in the Bible is simply because of what Scripture says about itself. In the charts below, one can’t help but notice the assurance and positive attitude that King David had towards God’s word found in the Scriptures. In the chart to follow is a listing of various selected passages from Psalm 119 which provide good insight concerning what the Bible has to say about itself.

Bible Passages	Statements from the Bible about the Bible
Psalm 119:74-75	“I have put my hope in your word. I know, LORD, that your laws are righteous…your law is my delight.”
Psalms 119:86	“ALL your commands are trustworthy”
Psalms 119:89	“Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”
Psalms 119:138	“The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.”
Psalms 119:140	Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.”
Psalms 119:160	ALL your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.”

This celebrated Psalm reveals King David’s passionate descriptions of God’s word and the multiple reasons why he had complete confidence in, and total commitment to, the Holy (righteous) Scriptures. We can easily observe a pattern in David’s recognition of the truthfulness, the trustworthiness, the righteousness and the eternalness of God’s word. David’s devotion to the Scriptures and his recognition of its personal benefits is seen also a corollary Psalm he wrote taken from Psalm 119:7-11:

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and ALL of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

There is no doubt that David was fully assured of the reliability and value of Scripture. David gives a fitting benediction to adoration for God’s words to him, as it should be for us all. “Lord, and I follow your commands. I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. I obey your precepts and your statutes” (Psalms 119:166-167P.

King David was not alone in his conviction that the Scriptures are God-given and are, therefore, completely reliable and trustworthy. King Solomon, David’s son, along with some of the Gospel writers, the Apostle Paul and the author of the book of Hebrews, all echoed the same conviction of an unwavering confidence in God’s word, noted in the chart below:

Bible Passages	Comments from writers of the Bible about the Bible
Proverbs 30:5	“Every word of God is flawless…” Compare this passage with David’s words in Psalm 18:30
Matthew 24:35	“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”
John 17:17	“Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth”
2 Timothy 3:14-15	“The Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise…All Scripture is God–breathed and is useful for teaching and correcting….
Hebrews 4:12	“For the word of God is alive and active…it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit…it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

There are those who argue that using the Bible to validate the Bible simply equates to circular reasoning. However, others believe that it is absolutely proper to do so, as do I. Wayne Grudem, respected Bible scholar and author, concurs with this position. He states, “If God claims that the words of Scripture are his own, then there is ultimately no higher authority one can appeal to for proof of this claim than scripture itself. For what authority could be higher than God? So, Scripture ultimately gains its authority from itself.” ²

Why is it Important to have Confidence in the Bible’s Reliability?

I need to underscore the importance of believers having confidence in the reliability and trustworthiness of God’s word. Why is it so crucial? It is because one’s perception of the Bible will eventually impact one’s faith, either for good or naught. Lee Strobel, popular author and apologist, confessed, “For me, having lived much of my life as an atheist, the last thing I want is a naïve faith built on a paper-thin foundation of wishful thinking or make believe. I need a faith that’s consistent with reason, not contradictory to it; I want beliefs that are grounded in reality, not detached from it.” ³

Harboring doubt about the Bible’s reliability will begin to erode one’s overall trust and conviction of the truths in God’s word. This, in turn, can diminish one’s motivation to share the Bible’s message with others. Having confidence in the reliability of Scripture comprises the very foundation and building blocks of the Judeo-Christian faith. Without them, other theological constructs are liable to come tumbling down like a game of wooden stacking blocks. In the game, the problem of poor planning, pressure of making a mistake and influence of gravity, these blocks typically begin to waver and eventually collapse. A grave reality is that doubt can allow cracks to result in our theological foundation. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, his young protégé and missionary companion, “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in doing so, have departed from the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

As I reflect on the importance of one’s spiritual well-being, I’m reminded of a scene in The Princess Bride movie. After Wesley’s true love has been whisked away by the Prince’s guards, and with no means to protect himself, he is sarcastically told by the six-fingered Captain to, “Take care of yourself. If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.” I would venture to say that the same principle can apply to our spiritual health. If our confidence in the Bible has galloped away, then it follows that we can become vulnerable to the lies and attacks of the enemy. Even worse, potentially becoming prone to a “pit of despair.” That is why the Apostle Paul gave the following command and warning to the believers in Ephesus, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil schemes…Stand firm then…Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-11, 14, 17

If the Bible is no longer viewed as trustworthy, and thus its message suspect, it can open a pandora’s box of doubts about an endless number of theological beliefs. For instance, if we someone is unsure of the Bible’s reliability, like a cascade of falling wooden blocks, it can eventually lead to questions about the Bible’s authenticity, accuracy, credibility and general truthfulness. Such uncertainty can’t help but impact one’s view about the many important teachings, promises, events, miracles and truths shared in Scripture, including the resurrection of Christ. Paul spoke to this potential theological downfall. He speculated, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…And if your faith is futile, you are still in your sins.…If only for this life, we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17-19).

Fortunately, this is not the road we need to go down. For, just as Paul announced, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (15:20). Paul has also proclaimed that “Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people…and showing them how to live” (2 Tim. 3:16 CEV). Indeed, the Bible is reliable because it is inspired by God. The Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture, which further validates the Bible’s veracity, will be discussed in depth later in the chapter. There is good reason for having full confidence in the reliability of the Bible, including its teachings, events, promises and miracles found in both testaments. Timothy Keller, in his stimulating book The Reason for God – Belief in an Age of Skepticism, wisely and gently addresses the conundrum of belief and disbelief pertaining issues about the Bible and Christianity. He aptly states, “I’ve examined the beliefs beneath the biggest objections or doubts people in our culture have about the Christian faith. I respect much of the reasoning behind them, but in the end, I don’t believe any of them make the truth or Christianity impossible, or even improbable. We have another journey to take, however. It is one thing to argue that there are no sufficient reasons for disbelieving Christianity. It is another to argue that there are sufficient reasons for believing it.” ⁴

Even though doubt and disbelief about all things Christian appears to be on the rise today, it is not a reason for despair. A story in the Bible that invariably moves me emotionally is about a man who is desperate to have his deaf and mute son healed. When Jesus appears on the scene, his disciples had already failed to heal the boy. Turning to Jesus, the man hesitantly pleads for his healing assistance. It’s at this point we pick up the story. “Jesus asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? And he said, from childhood…if you are able to do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Then Jesus said to him, If you are able? All things are possible for the one who believes. Immediately the father of the boy cried out and said, I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:21-24 NET). A different translation stated, “I believe. Help me with my doubts” (MSG).

It is interesting to note that the words believe, unbelief and doubt are closely related. The Greek word for believe is “pistis” with synonyms faith, trust, conviction, and firm persuasion. The Greek word for unbelief of doubt is “apistia” and rather than being the exact opposite of belief, it refers to a lack of confidence or trust yet wanting to believe or needing help knowing why one can believe. For me, one of the big takeaways from this relatable and true story is that there is a significant difference between a person who wants to believe but needs some confirmation and, in stark contrast, a person who arrogantly refuses to believe in spite of available reasons to believe. Such was the case with the Jewish religious leaders who willfully opposed Jesus and blatantly rejected his claims. Jesus avowed, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39-40).

Keller’s book is full of stories of those who were struggling with their faith and were in need of viable reasons to believe in the existence of God and his personal concern for them. Where do we go with our doubts, fears and uncertainties? It’s to the same place where Peter went, the one who angrily denied Christ three times. It’s also the same place where Thomas went, with his prideful doubts and shame. They both went to and humbly fell at the feet of Jesus. It’s also the same place where we can go with our doubts and questions. Peter, lived out the words he wrote, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So, humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:5-7 NLT).

What are the Reasons and Evidence for the Bible’s Reliability?

All the above information has helped to lay the foundation for building the framework (reasons) to affirm the reliability and authenticity of the Scriptures. These are viable reasons for us to believe this to be true. Ponder some of the reasons provided below.

Reason 1. Scripture is Historically accurate! Jewish Historian, Josephus Flavius, who lived during the time that the Gospels were composed, wrote the following about Jesus Christ, “At this time there was a wise man called Jesus. His conduct was good and he was known to be virtuous. Many people among the Jews, and the other nations, became disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and die. But those who were his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after the crucifixion and that he was alive. Accordingly, he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning who the Prophets had reported wonders…the tribe of Christians so named, have not disappeared to this day.” ⁵

There were also other historians, such as Eusebius of Caesarea, the first major historian of the early church. He confirmed various historical facts about important biblical figures such as John the Baptist, apostolic leaders (James and Peter), King Herod and, most significantly, Jesus Christ. Eusebius covered historical information starting as early as AD 30 and is considered one of the best sources for identifying the people and events of the Christian church during the 2^nd and 3^rd Centuries. ⁶

A noteworthy reason to accept the historicity of the Bible, particularly the Gospel accounts, is because of the multitude of individuals who witnessed the events being described by the Gospel writers. The Apostle Paul boasted that over 500 people at one time were actual eyewitnesses of Christ’s resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-6). Paul referenced and affirmed the authenticity of the Gospels by stating twice the phrase, “Just as the Scriptures said.”

Renowned apologetical scholar, Tim Keller, reinforced the authenticity of the Scripture. He explains, “The Gospels themselves showed that the gospel writers named their eyewitness sources within the text to assure readers of their accounts’ authenticity…there really were surviving eyewitnesses, whose testimony agreed, and who could confirm what the author said. All this decisively refutes the idea that the Gospels were anonymous, collective, evolving oral traditions. Instead, they were oral histories taken from the mouths of the living eyewitnesses who preserved the words and deeds of Jesus in great detail.”

Reason 2. Scripture is supported by Archeological findings!

I experienced this truth firsthand. Early in our marriage, my wife and I went on a 11-day guided tour in Israel. I had just finished my first year teaching a class on The Life of Christ at a Christian High School. I relished the opportunity to “walk in the footsteps” of Christ and visiting a significant number of biblically relevant sites was truly spiritually invigorating. One of the sites we visited was in the region of Caesarea along the Mediterranean coast. The guide explained that for many years, historians would not accept that Pontius Pilate was a true historical figure even though he is mentioned in all four Gospels and identified as a Roman Governor (John 18:28). Their argument was that no archeological evidence existed to prove Pontious Pilate ad ever lived. In 1961, their faulty claim was exposed. New archeological digs at the time uncovered a large stone marker that prominently displayed a carved inscription of Pilate’s full name and title. After this undeniable archeological discovery, the humbled historians had to “back pedal” and admit their error and that Pilate was an actual historical person. My wife and I were pleased to be able to observe this archeological evidence verifying the historical accuracy of the Bible.

One of the most celebrated archeological discoveries was that of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the Qumran caves of Southern Israel. This full archeological excavation occurred over a ten-year period, from 1945-1955. It revealed a large number of ancient biblical manuscripts which had been preserved in large jars. The scrolls dated back to the 3^rd Century, BC and contained scrolls during the time of the early church in the 1^st Century, AD. They are some of the oldest surviving manuscripts, providing complete copies of the Book of Isaiah (written 740-680 BC), the Gospel of Mark (53 AD), Acts (63 AD), Romans (55-56 AD), 1 Timothy (62 AD), James (45 AD) and 2 Peter (67 AD). When compared to modern day translations, the scrolls revealed that the Scribes responsible for maintaining content integrity, showed a high degree of skill in transcribing the originals on to parchments copies for safe keeping and preserving for future generations. The Dead Sea Scrolls add incredible credibility to the historical reliability of the Scriptures.

A more recent archaeological discovery involved unearthing the ruins of ancient Babylon. Its existence was detailed by the Prophet Jeremiah. Information about the total destruction of the Babylonian nation can be found in Jeremiah, chapters 50-52. Once again, Historians dismissed its existence due to no archaeological evidence to “support” the teachings of Scripture. It’s not surprising that ancient Babylon was difficult to discover. The Prophet Jeremiah, who had lived through the predicted destruction of Judah and the Babylonian captivity, declared, “So, Babylonia will be plundered… She will be the least of nations – a wilderness, a dry land, a desert. Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabited but will be completely desolate” (Jeremiah 50:12-13). This unexpected archeological discovery confirmed the sad story of the proud nation of Babylonia’s meteoric rise and fall.

This propensity of historians to deny the historical information in the Bible and to, unjustly accuse its contents of providing only “myths” rather than factual information. Apparently, in their minds. The Bible was declared guilty until proven otherwise. Such a fallacious and skewed perspective reminds me of the reports of a foolish Russian Cosmonaut. Upon his trip around the moon and back to earth, he arrogantly and ignorantly declared that since he had not encountered any evidence of God during his trip in space, God must not exist! This seems to be another case of “the blind leading the blind.”

Note: Please refer to Chapter 3 in the APPENDIX for additional archeological findings which have only served to further strengthen the historical reliability of the Bible:

Reason 3. Scripture stands up to Literary criticism!

Not only does the Bible demonstrate reliable consistency of its contents over a lengthy period of time, due to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the bible demonstrates that it can stand up to literary criticism. One telling reason is the Bible’s abundance of manuscript copies made from the original. The number of reputable copies available is a major criterion in determining the literary reliability of a written piece. For example, there exists only 10 viable manuscript copies about Genghis Kahn. Comparatively, there are 50 recognized manuscript copies pertaining to Alexander the Great and 250 copies describing the life of Julius Caesar. It is interesting to note that the historicity of these well-known military leaders has never been questioned, even with limited manuscriptal evidence.

In contrast, the Iliad written by Homer boasts 643 manuscript copies. However, the impressive volume of copies of Homer’s work pales in comparison to the number of credible copies detailing Jesus Christ’s life and ministry. There are over 15,000 verifiable manuscript copies substantiating Jesus’ historical existence in the Scriptures. Sadly, the Bible’s reliability continues to be debated, as evidenced by the rise of biblical criticism showcased by the Jesus Seminar (1985 – 2006). This seminar boasts 100 clergymen and 50 laity gathered together for the purpose of detecting the “historical Jesus” and to demythologize the message of the Gospels. Most seminar attendees had already predetermined that much of the Bible’s accounts of Jesus’s teachings any miraculous events were questionable, at best, and most-likely mythical. Not surprisingly, their research and conclusions were skewed by a built-in bias that discounted anything of Christ’s teachings and actions viewed through a supernatural lens. Rather, using a natural or scientific lens was considered preferable and exponentially more accurate. Subsequently, their conclusions effectively eliminated any of Christ’s supernatural events such as his prophecies, miracles healings, and most notably, his own resurrection Such a slanted approach to literary criticism, rather than objectively seeking out truth, deemed it necessary to reinterpret much of Christ’s teachings, dismiss his miracles and undermine the true meaning of his words.

Norman Geisler, in his intriguing book, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, remarked “Most other ancient works survive on fewer than a dozen manuscripts, yet few historians question the historicity of the events those works describe. Not only does the New Testament enjoy abundant manuscript support, but it also has manuscripts that were written soon after the originals.” ⁷

Reason 4. Scripture predicts and records many fulfilled Prophecies!

There are a large number Messianic prophecies (300+) connected to the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Most of these prophecies have already been fulfilled (e.g. Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53) or will be fulfilled at the time of Christ’s heavenly or earthly return (e.g. 1 Thes. 4:3-18; Rev. 19:11-16). Amazingly, there were over 30 prophecies fulfilled on the day Christ’s crucifixion alone. For example, Psalm 22 was written over 1,000 years before Jesus Christ was even born. Yet, King David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, provided a lengthy list of predictions about the Messiah’s gruesome punishment and death. Scattered throughout verses 1-18 of Psalm 22, David wrote these prophetic words and historical truths concerning the Anointed one’s gruesome death on the cross:

“I am a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people…”
“All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. He trusts in the LORD, they say, let the LORD rescue him…since he delights in him…”
“A pack of villains incircle me; they pierced my hands and my feet…”
“All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me…”
“They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment…”
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me…”
“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint…”
“My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up…my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
“You lay me in the dust of death.”

When Psalm 22 is compared with the other gospel accounts of Jesus’s crucifixion, there is an astonishing correlation of events and phrases that were predicted by David many years before. For an amazing comparison of words and events, look up the following descriptions in the four Gospels: Matthew 27:32-44; Mark 15:22-34; Luke 23:26-43 and John 19:17-30.

One of Christ’s least expected prophetic statements took place during his last week in Jerusalem. Each day he spent time preaching at the Temple site (Luke 21:37). On this particular occasion, the disciples pointed out to Jesus the awesome majesty and beauty of the Temple and its surrounding buildings. Indeed, the Temple rebuilt under King Herod was seen as the very soul and pride of the Jewish Nation. His startling prediction is described in the Gospels, “As Jesus was leaving the Temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings! Jesus replied, ‘Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Mark 13:1–2). His disciples must have been aghast at the thought of the Temple’s total destruction, their most treasured place of worship. In spite of all the people’s hopes that the Messiah would do away with the Roman control of their beloved nation, their expectations were soon to be dashed. In Christ’s first coming, he came as a suffering servant, not as a reigning King, which so many expected and longed for. As predicted, less than 40 years later, in 70 A D, the Roman army squelched a Jewish revolt. Jerusalem was burned down and destroyed, including the Temple area. The fire loosened the magnificent stones which caused them to be easily toppled. The predictions of David, the Prophets and Christ only add to the reality of the Scriptures reliability.

“Throughout the Old Testament, God made numerous covenants with the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, promising them land, descendants, and blessings. The fulfillment of these promises is a testament to God’s unchanging nature and reliability. This assurance of God’s faithfulness is echoed in the New Testament.” Resource used: bible.hub.com

Reason 5. Scripture is consistent with the facts of Science!

Many of the world’s greatest scientists down through the centuries have been avid believers in the Bible and its teachings. Such scientists included Galileo, Copernicus, Newton and others. Many modern-day scientists are also strong proponents of the Bible’s reliability. A great example is the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) near San Diego, CA. It was founded by Dr. Henry M. Morris, the author of The Twilight of Evolution. He states, “A number of scientists and theologians realize that Scripture could be fully trusted, even these epic stories of creation, fall, and flood. Furthermore, these scientists realize that the best interpretation of scientific data is that which adheres to the true history of our planet, as revealed in Scripture.” ⁸

Other ICR Scientists and authors included Dr. John Whitcomb, who co-authored with Dr. henry Morris the widely read book The Genesis Flood. It is a logical defense of the Bible in general and, in particular, the Book of Genesis. Dr. Henry Morris and Dr. Duane T. Gish, a renowned Geologist, often would debate evolutionists on the fallacies and incompleteness of the fossil records. In the mid-1970’s, I had the privilege of observing Dr. Gish effectively debate an evolutionist at my church in Van Nuys, CA. I remember coming away from the debate with a renewed sense of the Bible’s reliability, even as it relates to various fields of Science. If you are inclined to learn more from these renounced and respected Christian scientists, I highly recommend any book by the ICR sci The book I most favor is The Twilight of Evolution by Dr. Henry Morris. The following is another poignant quote from this book. “The case for creation has grown even stronger with a great ground swell of belief, even among scientists. Many scientists have grown weary of retelling the ‘just so’ stories of evolution and have asserted their freedom to point how glaring weaknesses in evolution thinking. The intricate design in living things, the catastrophic nature of geological strata, a lack of transitional forms in the fossil record, the laws of science, which forbid evolution – all precipitated a crisis and evolution’s credibility.”

Dr. Morris’ book helped me to successfully endure and counter the supposed “scientific” forays by the professor of the Earth, History and Evolution class I signed up for since I was short graduating credits. On the first week of class, the professor exclaimed, “Evolution is not a theory…It is a fact!” I almost had to pick myself up off the floor because I had read in our textbook just the night that the theory of evolution was based on the findings of the carbon-dating system which itself was based on 12 different assumptions and had an error range of over 50,000 years. I immediately raised my hand and asked the professor how evolution could be a fact in light of the texts declaration. I then wisely or unwisely shared a quote with the class from Morris’ book. To say the least, the professor was not delighted by my question nor the quote I shared. Remarkably, Later in the semester, I had the privilege of having lunch on campus with Dr. Morris, my College Pastor, and most importantly, the Evolution class professor. The lunch was pleasant and afterwards, I had the honor of arranging Dr. Morris to speak to our class. I imagined my professor must have feared that Dr. Morris would give a scathing sermon of “Fire and Brimstone.” Instead, Dr. Morris, with the precision of a brain surgeon, laid out an impeccable explanation of how both the Evolutionary model and the Creation model basically use the same scientific data but with distinct differences in how the data should be interpreted; most decidedly the variant conclusions were based on the scientist’s predetermined views and beliefs. Dr. Morris’ riveting point was that both Evolution and Creation, even with contrasting world views, are supported by similar scientific data. This simply means that both Evolution and Creation are theories with neither can be proven by the Scientific Method. Therefore, both views require a leap of faith. I left the class ecstatic and renewed in my confidence of the veracity of the Bible and my Christian faith. If you are familiar with the true story behind the movie God is Not Dead!, I certainly could relate to the dilemma and boldness of the student who stood up in his Philosophy class and was willing to speak up and stand firm in his beliefs.

Tim Keller provides this revealing statistic, “In 1916, The American psychologist James Leuba conducted the first service of scientist, ask them if they believed in a God who actively communicates with humanity, at least through prayer. 40% said they did, 40% said they did not, and 20%. We’re not sure. In 1997, Edward Larson and Larry Witham repeated the survey, asking the very same question of scientists. They reported in the scientific journal Nature that they found that the numbers had not changed significantly in 80 years.”

On one of my trips to teach at a Christian University in Uganda, Africa, I took the opportunity to visit with my son, Matt, and his family which includes his wife Crystal and our four grandkids. Matt and crystal served as a missionaries in Uganda for almost 10 years. On one of the weekends there, Matt invited me to join him on an evangelistic outreach he was doing in a remote village several hours away from his home. After Matt had completed the evangelistic rally in the village Square, we headed up a windy dirt road and ascended to the top of a local mountain. At the very top of mountain was a small church where I was to preach the next morning. During the night, I went outside of matt’s van where we had been sleeping since there was only a brick church with no windows and curtains for doors. Once I stepped out of the van, I became completely awestruck. Because there was no electricity in the surrounding area, except for a small light at a house about two miles away. Remarkably, there was no ambient light around to interfere with nature’s majestic light show. I looked up into the night with sheer amazement. For the first time, I understood why our galaxy is called The Milky Way. It appeared to me as if God had accidentally poured milk across the enormous expanse of the heavens. I was viewing billions of stars with one simple glance and tried to comprehend the immensity of our universe. I couldn’t help but stand in awe and wonder and glorify our Almighty God, Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ for all he had made (Colossians 1:15-17).

When ponder on the majesty and the magnificence of our astounding universe , I find myself thinking of David’s appropriate response in Psalm 8:3-5, 9; He marveled, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.…LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the Earth!”

Yes, I am fully convinced that the Bible describes and provides a large body scientific and factual information connected to the fields of Astronomy, Botany, Geology, Physics, Human Anatomy, Physiology and other scientific genres. I am not alone. Many scientists today believe in the Intelligent Design of our Universe revealed by its orderly design, immensity and complexity. Even the Apostle Paul strongly inferred a belief in intelligent design of the universe and an intelligent designer behind it all. Paul declared, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). I heartily concur with Paul’s conviction.

Reason 6. Scripture is Inspired by God!

In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed (inspired) and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

In Psalm 119, King David alluded to God’s inspired word by using personal pronouns. These personal pronouns serve to remind us that, ultimately, it is God who authors the Holy Scriptures even while delivering it through his selected servants. David recognized it was not just his skills as a writer, but rather it is God’s “word…delivered (by Him)…it is your word…LORD” (Psalm 119:9, 49, 88).

The classic biblical phrase, “Thus Saith the LORD” is not some passing comment echoed by Moses at the time he revealed the Ten Commandments to the Jewish people. This phrase, and one like it, is proclaimed more than 3,800 times in Scripture. The similar phrases include “The LORD said” or “The word of the LORD.” Each of these phrases illustrate the Bible’s divine authority and, thus, its weight and superiority (e.g. Exodus 4:21-22; Ezra 1:1; Hebrews 4:12). In modern language, Moses’ declarative statement might be read as: “You had better listen up, this is not just anyone talking.” Hopefully, God’s point was duly received!

Wayne Grudem, Bible scholar, author and theologian exclaims, “If God claims that the words of scripture are his own, then there is ultimately no higher authority one can appeal to for proof of this claim, than Scripture itself. For what authority could be higher than God? So, Scripture ultimately gains its authority from itself.”

Each of the reasons shared above should serve to further enhance one’s confidence in the reliability of God’s word because of its authenticity, accuracy, integrity and authority. Keller concluded, “If Jesus is the son of God, then we have to take his teaching seriously, including his confidence in the authority of the whole Bible. If he is not who he says he is, why should we care what the Bible says about anything else?”

Scripture commands authority because it is the inspired words of God. This truism still provokes another predictable question. What is really meant when we are told that the Bible is both Inspired and Inerrant? This two-fold question will, because of its importance, be explored at further lengths in the upcoming section.

What is the Meaning and Significance of the Bible’s Inspiration and Inerrancy?

First the Inspiration of Scripture will be explored, followed by a discussion on the Inerrancy of Scripture. When it comes to fully grasping the meaning and implications of the Bible’s claim to be inspired, it can seem a bit confusing or even overwhelming. I must admit, as a neophyte seminary student, the inspiration of Scripture was much more complex than I could have ever imagined, and it is a topic which has been hotly debated in different theological circles for decades. Perhaps you can relate to my previous confusion. To expand our knowledge, I have enlisted the help of some respected Bible scholars to share us with their definition of biblical inspiration:

“By inspiration of Scripture we mean that supernatural influence of the Holy Spiriton the Scripture writers which rendered their writings an accurate record of the revelation…actually being the Word of God.” M. Erickson, Christian Theology
Inspiration is “that inexplicable power which thedivine Spiritput forth… on the authors of Holy Scriptures, in order to (provide them with) their guidance even in the employment of the words they used.” L. Glaussen, Systematic Theology
“Inspiration has to do with the divine method of revelation…it includes the superintending work of the Holy Spirit…so that in its thoughts and words it is fully and verbally inspired.” Merril Tenney, Encyclopedia of the Bible

It should be noted that each of the above definitions reveals the presence and working of the Holy Spirit. It would be wise to thoughtfully consider the credible words of the well-respected Bible scholar and commentator, Carl Henry. “The Bible is the capstone of revelation. It alone is the unique, written revelation of God, a permanent, meaningful, and authoritative self-expression by God of his nature and will…The Holy Spirit’s act of super-attendance was decisive in the writing of Scripture and is the reason the Bible possesses unique status as revelation…Through inspiration, the Holy Spirit aided those who wrote the Bible. The Spirit then guided the church in identifying inspired works and collecting them as the canon. This supervision renders Scripture uniquely authoritative for Christian believers.” ⁹

Different Views of Inspiration

Bible scholars have long discussed and debated over the theological construct of biblical inspiration. A few readily recognized views of inspiration are the Illumination view, the Dynamic view and the Dictation view. However, the most accepted view, among the majority of conservative Bible scholars, is the Verbal-plenaryview. This view suggests that God’s Spirit directed the minds and spirits of the writers so that they, while using their own writing style and expressing their unique personalities, wrote down their thoughts, ideas and words while being sensitive to the leading of God’s Spirit who brought to remembrance what he wanted them to know (John 14:25-26). To see a chart and an additional explanations of all four views, please go to Chapter 3 in the APPENDIX.

Most conservative Bible scholars today and in the recent past support and hold to the Verbal-Plenary view of the Inspiration of Scripture. M. Erickson stated it well. “It is our contention here that inspiration involved God directing the thoughts of the writers, so that they were precisely the thoughts that he wished expressed…At times these thoughts were very specific; at other times they were more general…We have concluded that inspiration was verbal, extending even to the choice of words…So a Scripture writer, given the circumstances we have described, could without dictation write God’s message just as God wanted it recorded.”

Thomas Aquinas, the early church Fathers, plus many Bible scholars today supported this view of inspiration. Lingering questions are, “Just how intensive was the inspiration provided by the Holy Spirit to the writers of Scripture? Was it an indirect influence, only giving hints and generalized thoughts or was it so pervasive that even the very choice of words accurately reflected God’s will and intentions?” M. Erickson, in his book Christian Theology, offers his perspective, “It is our contention that inspiration involved God directing the thoughts of the writers, so that they were precisely the thoughts that he wished expressed…At times these thoughts were very specific; at other times they were more general…Even so, no man is infallible and it is possible that minor differences occurred in Scripture, but these do not detract from the authenticity and reliability of the original manuscripts. Neither does it deny the diversity of writing styles among the authors of Scripture.” For additional study in comparing the unique writing styles of Gospel writers, I recommend reading the story of Jesus Christ healing a man with leprosy recorded by the synoptic Gospel writers (Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16).

It is significant to recognize that Jesus Christ held an elevated view of the reliability of Scripture. He announced:

“Scripture cannot be set aside.” John 10:35
“Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17
“He explained…all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Matt. 24:35

In his book Christ’s View of Scripture, J. Wenham noted, “We see that Christ held the Old Testament to be historically true, completely authoritative, and divinely inspired…To Him, the God of the Old Testament was the living God, and the teaching of the Old Testament was the teaching of the living God…To Him, what Scripture said, God said.” In 1 Corinthians 14:36, Paul asked his critics this rhetorical question, “Did the word of God originate with you? Interestingly enough, it was the Apostle Peter who answered Paul’s question quite clearly, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation…For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but the prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20). Again, God’s Spirit is present and active in Scripture’s creation.

What is Meant by the Inerrancy of Scripture?

According to M. Erickson, the Doctrine of Inerrancy can be explained in the following way:

“Inerrancy is the doctrine that the Bible is fully truthful in all of its teachings.
“Inerrancy means the Bible teaches the truth without any affirmation of error.”
“Inerrancy, in a very real sense, is a part of the larger issue of infallibility which means that Scripture…adequately expresses God’s commands.

Erickson also makes an important distinction about the inerrancy of Scripture. He states, “The doctrine of inerrancy applies in the strict sense only to the originals…it did not extend to copyists and translators…Nonetheless, we must reaffirm that the copies and the translations are also the Word of God, to the degree that they preserve the original message.” ¹⁰

It is important to recall how Scripture describes itself. Proverbs. 30:5 declares, “Every word of God is flawless.” The Hebrew word “flawless” refers to that which is refined, tested, and proven true. Although, the Bible does not use the word inerrancy to describe itself, it displays all the qualities which are consistent with the Doctrine of Inerrancy. Notable Bible scholars have added, “Inspiration is inextricably linked to authority and inerrancy.” C. Hodge “The importance of the doctrine of inerrancy cannot be overstated…for a number of biblical and theological scholars…inspiration was synonymous with inerrancy.” P. Feinberg

Misconceptions About Inerrancy

As a first-year seminary student, I recalled feeling like I had been, theologically speaking, thrown into a den of lions! My most challenging class was Theology 1 taught by Dr. Robert Saucy, distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Talbot School of Theology. Initially, I felt overwhelmed and theologically, out of my league. I had to interface with older students, some experienced pastors and church leaders. Even so, I found Dr. Saucy’s teaching style enjoyable, for he successfully sought to make his classes challenging and interesting. This equated to a good amount of research, reading, discussing and debating various theological concepts, including the Inerrancy of Scripture.

Certainly, there has been a significant amount of confusion and misconceptions associated with inerrancy, it’s meaning and requirements. As a naïve seminarian, I would have greatly benefited from gleaning the helpful insights from esteemed Bible scholar P. Feinberg. In his section on The Meaning of Inerrancy, he discussed what inerrancy means and, most importantly, what it does not mean. Below are 10 of the most common misconceptions:

Inerrancy does not demand strict adherence to the rules of grammar. Using perfect grammar is notof vital importance. Example: Paul’s use of run-on sentences in his letters. See: Ephesians 1:18-23
Inerrancy does not exclude the use either of figures of speech (like hyperbole or personification) or of a given literary genre. Example: David, who writes in the genres of poetry, history and prophecy in the Psalms, often used hyperbole and personification to make his point. See: Psalm 32:3-5
Inerrancy does not demand historical or semantic precision (exact dates, times, or wordings). Example: Moses’ age listed as being 3 months when he was placed in the Nile River. See: Genesis 2:1-2
Inerrancy does not demand the technical language of modern science. Example: David’s use of simple descriptions about the stars and heavens. See: Psalm 19:5-6
Inerrancy does not require verbal exactness in the citation of Old Testament passages quoted in the New Testament (translating from Hebrew to Greek can add to more difficult).Example: Paul does not use exact wordings in his letters. See: Gal. 4:27 compared to Isaiah 54:1
Inerrancy does not demand that the sayings of Jesus contain the exact words throughout each of the Gospel accounts. Example: Matthew’s account of the Lord’s prayer differs from Luke’s account in words and content covered, but not in substance and intent.See: Matthew 6:9-13 & Luke 11:2-4
Inerrancy does not guarantee the exhaustive comprehensive coverage of any single account or of combined accounts. Example: Mark’s accounts of Jesus baptism and temptation is much briefer and concise than that of the other Gospel writers. See: Mark 1:9-13 compared with Luke 4:1-13
Inerrancy does not demand the infallibility or inerrancy of non-inspired sources used by biblical writers. Example: Paul warning Titus to avoid the false and harsh teachings of some who were seeking to mislead the flock of believers. See: Titus 1:10-14
Inerrancy does not distinguish between the authoritative Word of God and the fallible opinions of its human authors. Example: Paul sharing his personal opinions on getting married or staying single. See: 1 Corinthians 7:12, 25, 39-40
Inerrancy does not demand total recall of any given conversation or event but only that what is stated is true. Example: Paul admitting he’d forgotten some of the names of the people he had baptized. See: 1 Corinthians 1:14-17

Because of the Bible’s inherent qualities of inspiration and inerrancy, it makes perfect sense to believe in the infallibility of Scripture. It would seem plausible to think that most serious students of the Bible whom, after having reviewed the evidence, would come away with a positive verdict concerning the Bible’s reliability. Yet, in the court of theological justice, there still remains some who are unconvinced. Therefore, it is imperative that their objections be adequately addressed. For the sake of seeking to provide a more balanced approach to the issue, one more predictable question needs to be answered.

What are the Objections and Claims of Bible Critics?

As noted earlier, there will always be staunch critics of the Bible who claim the Bible has too many mythical stories and repeated mistakes to be inspired by God and inerrant. Not too surprisingly, these critics also cast doubt on the Bible’s historical legitimacy, scientific relevance and overall trustworthiness. Undoubtedly, these are important allegations that need to be addressed and countered.

Thus far, I have sought to present reasons and evidence demonstrating the Bible’s inherent reliability intended to help address and assuage some of the questions, doubts and claims that one might encounter or even still struggle with personally. Now is the time to specifically address some of the claims that arise from Bible criticism. Proponents of Higher Criticism have made some strong claims against the Bible which are discussed below. In spite of any claims or accusations made against the Bible’s reliability, I believe there is good reason to stand resolute in one’s convictions. I, for one, unapologetically affirm the Bible is the best God-given source for truth, wisdom, comfort and hope. Again, I am not alone.

Gleason Archer, in his book, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties makes this statement, “We must conclude that any events or facts related to Scripture – whether it pertains to doctrine, science, or history…is to be accepted by the Christian as totally reliable and trustworthy, no matter what modern scientists or philosophers may think of it.” ¹¹

It is incumbent upon Christians to know how to respond to the claims and questions proposed by Bible critics. First, the claim will be presented, along with examples, then a reasonable and rational response will be shared to offset each claim:

Claim #1. The Bible contains Scientific errors – The design of the universe and creation of man is called into question considering modern views of astronomy, evolution, and the geological fossil record. Example: Copernicus discovered that the earth revolves around the sun rather than the sun revolving around the earth, as implied using the terms “sunrise” and “sunset” in the Bible.

Response: P. Fienberg asserts, “One should not expect the writers of Scripture to use language of modern scientific empiricism…it was not their intention to provide scientific explanations for all things…for example, we often use the phrases, ‘the sun rises’ and ‘the sun sets.’ This is no way entails a theory of solar evolution…If there is a sense in which the “Scientific” language of Scripture is true, then the doctrine of inerrancy is not threatened.”

Example: The earth is described in the Bible as a “circle” or “sphere” (Isaiah 40:32), rather than being flat as some early scientists believed. The Hebrew word used in the verse is Khug and means sphericity or roundness. All these terms are scientifically correct.

Claim #2. The Bible contains Historical errors – There are discrepancies in the Bible concerning its recording of historical events leading to speculation that the Bible’s historical accounts are inaccurate. Example: Hezekiah’s reign as king is listed as occurring “In the third year of Hoshea” (2 Kings 18:1) even though Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, was on the throne during that time, in 728 BC.

Response: “The third year of Hoshea was no later than 728 BC. Apparently, Hezekiah was installed as Viceroy (co-regent) at the time, this was a frequent custom in Judah and his father Ahaz lived on until 725 BC, when Hezekiah became sole king.” G. Archer

Claim #3. The Bible contains Moral errors – The immoral acts of mankind are paraded throughout the Bible. Example: Numerous examples include Noah’s drunkenness, Lot’s incest, Tamar’s rape, Abraham’s lies, David’s adultery, Solomon’s polygamy, Jacob’s deceptions, and Samson’s prideful spirit and acts of revenge. All these moral failures calls into the question the ethics of the Bible and its basis for determining morality.

Response: Henry Thiessen, author of Lectures in Systematic Theology argues, “Practically all of the so-called errors in morals and religion are found in the Old Testament. But all difficulties along these lines disappear if we bear in mind the following: The sinful acts of men may be recorded but they are never sanctioned…Some evil acts appear to be sanctioned, but it is really the good intention or accompanying virtue that it is recognized, and not the evil act itself.” ¹²

Example: It is Rahab’s faith, not her lies to her countrymen or Samson’s repentance, not his arrogance that should be emphasized. Unfortunately, in ancient biblical times, some things like divorce and polygamy were permitted and considered culturally acceptable. However, that all changed once Christ came into the world, for he did not hesitate to call sin for what it truly was, including the sins of lust, adultery, pride, and unfaithfulness. Jesus reminded his followers of God’s original plan and design for marriage (Matthew 19:3-9).

Claim # 4. The Bible contains Numerical or Grammatical errors – The Gospel writers and the Apostle Paul’s use of numbers are not consistent with the Old Testament reference cited. Example: Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:8, states that 23,000 Jews died in the wilderness due to their sexual immorality. Yet, Numbers 25:9 indicates that the number was actually closer to 24,000 Jews who died that day.

Response: The use of numerical approximations in Bible passages was expected and accepted because it was a common practice during ancient Jewish times and cultures; as it is even in our culture today. For example, I have often given approximations to supporters of my short-term mission trips to Africa and South America. I would often give them an approximate amount of money still needing to be raised for the trip. Also, I would round off the number of days I would be away. Usually, these trips lasted 3-4 weeks when actually the trips could be as short as 17 days or as long as 25 days. Was I intentionally trying to confuse or mislead them? Of course not! Haven’t we all done the same when describing how long the fish was or how far the fairway drive went, or how much the dinner out cost?!? In similar fashion, Scripture often uses approximations rather than exact numbers. There is no actual conflict when the writers don’t provide exact numbers. Case in point, while there appears to be a disparity in the recorded number of Jews who died in the wilderness, it makes sense to use approximations, especially because both accounts employ totals rounded off to the thousandths. W. LaSor, in his article The Battle for the Bible remarks, “The alleged inaccuracies of the biblical text in regard to names, numbers, genealogies, and episodical details are of minor importance and hardly worth arguing about…I wonder what Jesus thinks of our battle over the lesser matters of Scripture.”

Finally, it should be noted that there is a huge distinction between questioning the validity of the original manuscripts and questioning the efficacy of the scribes who transcribed the original writings on to other parchment copies over the course of many years. Bible critics argue there is a problem with stating that only the original manuscripts are inerrant, since they no longer exist. Therefore, they suggest that it becomes impossible to verify if the original writings were without error as claimed. However, neither can it be verified that the original manuscripts contained errors. Below are responses by three well-respected Bible scholars responding to this supposed problem:

“To be sure, the concept that only the originals are inerrant can be seen as an evasion. (However) One might suggest that all seeming errors are merely coping errors; they were not present in the originals but crept in subsequently.” M. Erickson

“The seeming imperfection, errors, and contradictions usually disappear when we take into account the non-technical style of the writers.” H. Thiessen

“Theories are man-made. Facts are of God. The Bible never contradicts facts, but it does contradict men’s theories…When interpretation conflicts with established facts then interpretation must yield…The Bible has stood this test, and it will stand through all ages with its claims unshaken and its teachings unimpaired.” M. Tenney

What are the Implications of the Bible’s Reliability

The implications of the Bible’s reliability should lead to us to ask some telling questions. “What difference does the Bible’s reliability make in my faith? How could it affect my way of thinking about God and Christ? Will it change the way I interact with unbelievers, doubters and seekers? Each question is worthy of personal reflection. Certainly, our degree of confidence or lack of it could have a positive or negative impact on one’s faith and one’s Christian walk. Below are three practical implications of believing in the Bible’s reliability:

Take the words of Scripture seriously (Acts 17:11).
Seek to correctly understand and interpret the teachings of Scripture (2 Tim. 2:15).
Allow God’s Spirit to guide us in applying his word to our life (James 1:22-25).

Naturally, with God’s Word being inspired it is intended to be an Inspiration to us too! Tim Keller offers this admonition, “If you don’t trust the Bible enough to let it challenge and correct your thinking, how could you ever have a personal relationship with God? In any true relationship, the other person has to be able to contradict you…if not, they won’t have an intimate relationship.”

We have seen how Jesus Christ, the Old Testament Prophets, the Gospel writers and the early church Apostles were committed to the transforming power of God’s word. Each of them held a high view of Scripture and had full confidence in the words being spoken by God. In Paul’s farewell greetings to the Ephesian church leaders, he communicated to them the incredible value of God’s written word. Notice the passion and urgency of Paul’s comments to these faithful men, “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God…Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:27-28, 32

The Godly men were willing to stake their reputations and lives on the truthfulness and reliability of the Scriptures. Are we willing to make a stand for the Bible’s reliability even if it may mean facing ridicule and strong opposition? Hopefully, the Bible’s reliability demonstrated by its historical authenticity, it’s scientific veracity, its unique inspiration and inerrancy will enable a potential doubter to set aside perceived objections and to motivate all of us to stand firm in our faith. The Apostle Paul gave this strong word of caution and hope, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13).

I believe that M. Erickson offers a fitting conclusion to the truth of the Bible’s reliability and its implications for each of our lives. He declares, “In a world in which there are so many erroneous concepts and so many opinions, the Bible is a sure source of guidance…it can be fully relied upon in all it teaches. It is a sure, dependable, and trustworthy authority.”

It is my heart-felt desire and prayer that this chapter has served its intended purpose to increase our confidence in the Bible as a reliable source for ourselves with all its teachings and promises and will also enable us to boldly live out our faith in a way that we become beacons of light shining in our dark and lost world in desperate need of truth and guidance.

Bibliography of Resources: (in the order presented)

1. How Now Shall We Live? (1999). Charles Colsen, Tyndale House, Wheaton, IL

2. The Case for Faith (2000). Lee Strobel, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

3. Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know (2005). Wayne Grudem, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

4. The Reason for God (2008). Timothy Keller, Riverhead Books, New York,

5. Josephus, The Essential Writings (1988) Paul Mailer – Translator, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI

6. Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity (2014). Angelo Di Berardino Editor, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL

7. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (2004). Norman L. Geisler, Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL

8. The Twilight of Evolution (1998). Henry M. Morris, ICR Publishing, El Cajon, CA

9. God, Revelation and Authority (1999). Carl F. H. Henry, Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL

10. Christian Theology (2013). Millard Erickson, Baker Books

11. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (2001). Gleason Archer, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

12. Lectures in Systematic Theology (2006). Henry Thiessen, Eerdman’s Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI

APPENDIX: STANDING FIRM – Choosing Godliness in an Age of Compromise

PART 1. STANDING FIRM – Choosing Sound Doctrine in Our Faith

Chapter 1. Understanding the What, Why and How of Standing Firm

Exhortations for Timothy to Preserve Sound Doctrine

Paul used the term “truth” seven times in his first letter to Timothy. Additional reasons Paul gives to Timothy for teaching sound doctrine:

Paul tells Timothy to select church leaders who are “able to teach” (3:2) and “keep hold ofthe truths of the faith” (3:9).
Paul expects the leaders to “believe and…know the truth” (4:3).
Paul encourages Timothy to seek to “be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truthof faith and the good teaching” provided by Paul (4:6).
Paul commands Timothy, “train yourself to be godly which has value for…both the present life and the life to come (4:7-8).
Paul warns Timothy to, “be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them… Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them. Because if you do, you will say both yourself and your hearers” (4:15-16).
Paul urges Timothy to confront false teachers. “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instructionof our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching…I charge you to…guard what has been entrusted to your care…some have departed from the faith” (6:13-14, 21).

Exhortations for Titus to Preserve Sound Doctrine

Paul gives Titus further instructions as to how and why he needs to make sure the church leaders are preserving sound doctrine. He reminds them to…

“hold firmly to the trustworthy message…encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it…rebellious people, full of deception” (1:8-10).
“rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to…those who reject the truth” (1:13-14).
“teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine…sound in the faith” (2:1-2).
“show in your teaching integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech” (2:7-8).
“make the teaching about God attractive…that you can be fully trusted…” (2:10)
“be eager to do what is good….you are to teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority” (2:14-15).
“stress these things so that those who have trusted God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good” (3:8).

Differences in the Inductive and Deductive Research Methods:

As one might deduce, the Inductive reasoning method aims to make specific observations (in this setting from the biblical passage) and then moves toward making broad generalizations. Biblically speaking, these broad generalizations refer to potential interpretations of the passage which, in turn, need to be tested against the “whole counsel” or teachings of Scripture as well as being affirmed by other scholarly sources, before drawing personal life applications. Deductive reasoning takes the opposite approach by beginning with an accepted and existing theory or belief then collect and analyze data to prove the hypothesis, which is quite similar to the scientific method. When interpreting Scripture, we don’t want to assume we already know the “correct” answer but go through the proper steps to confirm an accurate and reasonable conclusion.

Steps of the Inductive Bible Study Method

Kay Arthur’s book, How to Study the Bible – The Lasting Rewards of the Inductive Method is an excellent book and definitely a good source for someone seeking to know more about the Inductive Bible Study Method. Again, her book offers a helpful three-step approach to effective and accurate Bible study. The three steps are:

1. Observation – Discovering what the passage is saying!

2. Interpretation – Discovering what the passage actually means!

3. Application – Discovering how the passage applies to us personally!

Arthur does a good job in her book of detailing out these steps. However, to give you an overview of the Inductive Bible Study method, I have provided below a brief explanation of the three steps to this Method:

Step 1. Observation focuses on looking intently at the Bible passage you are studying or teaching. This involves reading and re-reading the passage several times in order to note repeated words, connecting themes and underlying principles. Popular Bible teacher and Pastor, John MacArthur would read the passage over 20 times before giving a sermon on it. I suggest that you not only read and re-read the passage but also its surrounding context (chapter before and after) in order to see the bigger picture.

Step 2. Interpretation focuses on searching out the true meaning and actual intent of the author in writing the passage. It involves using a number of biblical resources before drawing any conclusions, principles, moral lessons and applications. This step requires taking ample time and effort to arrive at an accurate interpretation of the passage at hand. To follow, after an explanation of the third step, Application, is a list of 8 strategic principles for effectively interpretating the Bible.

Step 3. Application focuses on personalizing the Bible study or sermon by seeking to provide practical applications and implications of God’s Word for our lives. This can be accomplished by presenting biblical principles, moral lessons and personal anecdotes drawn from and connected to the passage of Scripture being taught. One needs to ask themselves, “What is God wanting to teach me from this passage? What would it look like for me to actively implement these truths into my life?

The point is that sound doctrine needs to be lived out.We must also take to heart the words of Jesus in the parable of two houses. Jesus predicted, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock…But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain came down…and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24–27). Just prior to his parable, in verse 21, Jesus said these sobering words, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father, who is in Heaven.”

Correctly Interpreting Scripture

In his thought-provoking book, Conquering Bible Interpretation, Dade Ronan has a chapter entitled, General Principles of Interpretation. This chapter identifies eight basic principles to assist the serious Bible student in arriving at more accurate interpretations of the Bible’s enduring truths and message. The principles are…

Principle 1. Interpret the Bible from the assumption that the Bible is authoritative. Why is the Bible the authority? Quite simply, because the Bible is God’s divine book. 2 Peter 1:19–20
Principal 2. Interpret the Bible with the Bible itself; Scripture best explains Scripture. Matthew 13:18–19; 2 Peter 1:20-21
Principal 3. Interpret personal experience in light of Scripture and not Scripture in light of personal experience. 2 Corinthians 11:14; 2 Peter 1:16-19
Principal 4. Interpret the Bible as its primary purpose to change lives, not to just increase knowledge. Hebrews 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:15-16
Principal 5. Interpret the Bible with each Christian having the right and responsibility to investigate and interpret the word of God. Acts 17:11; 2 Tim. 2:15
Principal 6. Interpret the Bible in the customary (literary) usage of the biblical language. Rev. 20:6
Principal 7. Interpret the Bible passage as having only one primary meaning. Mark 4:30-33
Principal 8. Interpret the Bible when there is something to interpret. When Scripture is silent, we too should be silent. Mark 13:32-33

Avoiding Common Hermeneutical Errors

Regrettably, it is not uncommon to have Bible teachers guilty of making hermeneutical errors when it comes to the interpretation of Scripture. These errors are being made by both the novice Bible student and the more seasoned, experienced Pastor. Errors can be due to a variety taking ample time to properly study the passage, relying on the teachings of others, or assuming one’s own interpretation is the correct one. To help avoid these unfortunate errors in biblical interpretation, I have put together several mistakes to be aware of and avoid.

1. Taking a Bible verse or passage out of its surrounding context.

For example: Some have mistakenly drawn the conclusion that the phrase “by his wounds we are healed” found in Isaiah 53:6 is referring to, and promising, physical healing. In actuality, this passage is referring to one’s spiritual healing through Christ’s death on the cross. When considering the immediate context before and after verse 6, a different meaning becomes abundantly clear. By observing the surrounding verses, it becomes quite evident that they are referring to spiritual, not physical, sickness. Key phrases appear such as: “He took up our infirmities” (v. 4), “He was pierced for our transgressions…He was crushed for our iniquities…the punishment that brought us peace” (v. 5), “each has gone astray…turned to his own way…the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (v. 6) and “for the transgression of my people he was stricken” (v. 8). There is no mention here of God healing one’s limbs, body parts, or internal organs. Instead, he heals our crippled spirit.

Kay Arthur gives this warning, “Never take a Scripture out of its context to make it say something that is contrary to the text. Even if what you might say would be considered a blessing to that person; always handle the word objectively…Blessings will be based on truth, not error. Discover what the author is saying – remembering that the ultimate author is God – and do not add to his meaning. When you know, God’s Word thoroughly, you will not accept a teaching simply because someone has used one or two isolated versus to support that teaching. Those verses could have been taken out of context, or other important passages might have been overlooked or ignored – passages that might have led to a different understanding.”

2. Presuming to know the meaning and original intent of the author.

For example: 1 Corinthians 7:9 declares, “But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry than to burn.” Some mistakenly think this passage is saying they will burn “in hell.” Rather, the verse indicates that a person may “burn” with passion, lust or desire. A simple observation of the context of the passage and/or an examination of the meaning of the word would easily prove otherwise.

3. Assuming that one’s own ideas or the teachings of others are correct.

For example: A student leader of a college Bible study group I attended, promised that if we prayed for a loved one or a friend’s salvation, God would answer that prayer. The student leader used two passages to support his contention. He mentioned 1 John 5:14 which states, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything, according to his will, he hears us.” He then incorrectly used 1 Timothy 2:4 as a proof-text for his view implying that since it is God’s will for everyone to be saved, God is obliged to answer those prayers. However, the word “will” used in his KJV translation is actually translated as “desires, wants, wishes or longs for” in other translations. In fact, there are distinctly different Greek words being used in the two passages. In 1 John 5:14 the word is thelema which refers to God’s decree, choice or determination. While the word in 1 Timothy 2:4 is boulomai which refers to God’s kind disposition, willingness or desired intent. Yes, God does desire that everyone would come to him in saving faith because he is loving, gracious and merciful. But this desire does not mean that God has decreed or predetermined that all people will be saved.

4. Not considering the diverse meanings of words in the original languages.

For example: In the Old Testament the word “fear” in Hebrew is yare which can have two very different meanings. The word fear can refer to “an anticipation of harm, danger or sense of dread.” This usage of the word is found in Deuteronomy 2:25, “This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear (yare) of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish.” However, the same word can have a positive meaning such as to “be in awe, to revere and worship” God. This usage of the word is found in Proverbs 1:7 which states, “The fear (yare) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” Obviously, the meaning and interpretation of the same word for fear used in these passages are diametrically opposed and, therefore, should be determined by considering the context of the passage in which the word is used.

In the New Testament there are several Greek words used to represent the idea of love compared to only one word for love in the English language. The Greek language describes love by using the word agape (God’s unconditional love), Phileo (love among friends), eros (a sensual love or passion) and storge (love for family members). Certainly, the varied Greek words for love can indelibly impact the meaning and significance of its usage in a passage. A perfect example of two different Greek words being used for love within the same verse is found in John 21:17. In this verse, Jesus asks Peter a third time, “Do you agape me? Peter replied, “Lord, you know all things. You know that I phileo you.” Wow! What a contrast and important delineation to note when seeking to understand the true and accurate meaning of this verse. How wonderful it is to know that, even if all we have to offer to God is a phileo (friendly) type of love, he still loves us with an agape type of love that is unconditional, fully devoted, always loyal and unchanging.

Chapter 2. Obstacles to Standing Firm (Part 1) Overcoming False Views of Truth

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Chapter 3. Obstacles to Standing Firm (Part 2) Questioning the Reliability of the Bible

Additional Support: Reason 2. Scripture is supported by Archeological findings!

Below are additional archeological findings which serve to further strengthen the historical reliability of the Bible:

The Pool of Siloam (John 9:6) was where Jesus sent a blind man to wash and left seeing. The exact location of the pool was discovered around 2004.
The Inscription of Erastus (Romans 16:13) who was the City Director in Corinth. In 1929, his signature was found near the city’s theater. It read, “Erastus laid (this pavement) at his own expense.”
The Nazareth Inscription (Matthew 27:36) is also known as the edict of Caesar, during the reign of Claudias (41-54 AD). It was discovered in 1878 but not published until 1930. The inscription warned, “It imposes a death penalty in Israel for anyone caught moving bodies from sealed tombs, such as the one Jesus was buried in.” Resource used: biblearcheology.org and bibleplaces.com websites

Additional Support: Reason 3. Scripture stands up to Literary criticism!

For another important criterion associated with accurate literary criticism, please refer to Chapter 3 in the APPENDIX. It involves observing the amount of time that transpired between the date of the original manuscript and the date when the first copies became available. The point being, the shorter the time gap between the original manuscript and its first known copies, the better its legitimacy, less time equates to less chance of additions, detractions or any other scribal interference. Consider the various manuscripts in the chart below:

Original Manuscript Type and Date(s) written	Years between Original manuscript and first copy	Numerical comparison of the Bible with other writings
Manuscript of Homer’s Iliad (800 – 750 BC)	First copies found about 500 years later	First copies appeared 400 years earlier than Homer’s
Manuscripts of Plato’s works (397 BC – 347 BC)	First copies found about 900 years later	First copies appeared 800 years earlier than Plato’s
Manuscript of Caesar’s Gallic wars (58 – 50 BC)	First copies found about 1,000 years later	First copies appeared 850 years earlier than Caesar’s
Manuscripts of the Gospels (50 – 60 AD)	First copies found in Egypt about 90-100 years later	Gospels written only 20-40 years after Christ’s death

Not only is there an obvious discrepancy in the number of copies of biblical manuscripts available, but also the much shorter time gap between the original manuscripts of the first known copies. Remarkably, the much larger time gap between the original manuscripts and the first copies indicating a lower degree of literary credibility for the other historical figures noted, apparently doesn’t seem to matter. One would think that literary critics, for the sake of honesty and professionalism, while using their own accepted criteria, would give the Bible its due literary reliability as has been clearly shown in the chart above.

Searching Questions About the End Times!

May 23, 2026

Searching Questions About the End Times!

If one is interested in pondering the theological constructs of the End Times, there are several vital questions worthy of consideration. These questions could include:

Why should we even concern ourselves with the End Times?
What is meant by the phrase, the End Times?
How and where are the End Times described in the Bible?
Are we now living in the End Times?

In light of my desire to provide ample coverage of this important and enticing topic, each of the above questions will be presented in sequential order and supported by the abundant teaching of Scripture.

Why Should we Even Concern Ourselves with the End Times?

In his insightful and thought-provoking book, The Future Life, René Pasche, renowned Theologian and Bible Scholar, offered this response: “If we are to live forever in this world, it would be insane to neglect the revelations and the warnings of the Scripture on that subject…The hereafter is presented as man’s chief concern. Since the ‘here’ determines the ‘after,’ the reader is forced to decide about his relationship to God. Here are potent studies of future events and their significance for men and women today.” ¹

In stark contrast to Pashe’s impassioned response towards the subject of one’s future life, when asked the question, Are we living in the End Times?, the web engine, Google, offered the following AI generated response: “Throughout history, people have wondered if their era was the End Times. During wars, plagues, or significant social change, it’s common for such speculation to arise. In the current age, global events like climate change, pandemics, political turmoil, and technological shifts have renewed interest in this question. However, there is no definitive evidence or universally accepted sign that confirms we are in the End Times…Many theologians and scholars encourage focusing on the present and living ethically, rather than worrying about apocalyptic predictions.” ²

If someone chooses to accept Google’s thesis, there is no need to continue with this article. And yet, wise as Artificial Intelligence may promote itself to be, the true wisdom of God is found in the Holy Scriptures which provide a far different and engaging perspective. There is a strong rationale given in the Bible as to why this topic is a worthy endeavor. The very words of Jesus Christ and the Apostles speak straight to this point and have been written down for the benefit of the early church as well as for the church today.

Admonitions and Warnings Regarding the End Times

As Jesus Christ brought his ministry and time with his 12 disciples to a close, he was very intentional about giving them crucial answers to their questions about his departure and the coming times ahead. “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come…So, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants…It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” Matthew 24:42, 44-46 NIV

In similar fashion and intensity, the Apostle Paul wrote, “In the later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits…Until I come, devote yourself to…Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:1,13-16). In his last letter to Timothy he warned, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient…ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people…But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because…you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim. 3:1-5, 14-15

The Apostle Peter, a key leader in the early church, gave this admonition and reminder to Christians scattered around Galatia (today modern Turkey), “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires…The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief…You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” 2 Peter 3:3, 9-11

These Scriptural admonitions alone should be reason enough for us to be amply motivated to understand its importance and the need for both learning and sharing the truths connected to the End Times as well as the implications for our lives today.

Wayne Grudem, in his excellent book, Systematic Theology – An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, extends additional reasons and benefits for studying this pertinent subject. “It is worth our time to study these questions in more detail, both because we may gain further insights into the nature of the events that God has planned and promised for us, and because there is hope that greater unity will come about in the church when we agree to examine these issues again in more detail and to engage in discussion about them.” ³

The author of Hebrews offers some very practical and eternal reasons why it behooves us to consider the truths and the promises related to the End Times. He wrote, “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized…imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised…Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:11-12, 16-19

What is Meant by the Phrase, the End Times?

The official theological term for the End Times is Eschatology. It is taken from the Greek word eschatos which means “last.” Appropriately, Eschatology then simply means the study of “the last things.” End Times is often addressed in Scripture and shared by a variety of sources including the Old Testament Prophets, the New Testament Apostles, and most importantly by Jesus Christ. He rightly identified himself as, “The Alpha and the Omega, The First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13). Therefore, it makes sense to recognize that any discussion about the End Times must involve Jesus and the events connected to his return. For Christ is both the one who created time and, is himself, outside of time. “The Son is the image of the invisible God…over all creation. For, in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)

Wayne Grudem provides this explanation: “Although we cannot know everything about the future, God knows everything…and he has in Scripture told us about the major events yet to come in the history of the universe. About these events occurring we can have absolute confidence because God is never wrong and never lies…events that will affect the entire universe…The study of these events is sometimes called ‘general eschatology.”

On a personal note, I came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior in July,1969, during my late teens. It was at the pinnacle of the Jesus Revolution when many of the younger generation were turning to faith in Christ. We had become dissatisfied and disappointed with the false promises of freedom through drugs and “free” love. Sexually transmitted diseases were rampant, and drug overdoses were far too common. Musical icons like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and others were gone. Instead of a “Purple Haze” a black haze of death and uncertainty descended upon our generation. The time was ripe for seeking truth, freedom, joy and hope. Fortuitously, we were discovering that each are available in Christ.

Jesus Christ said, “The truth will set you free, and you will be free indeed” (John 8:32). He also promised, “I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest” (John 10:10 CEB). Jesus’ unpredictable disciple, Peter, wrote the following encouraging words after Christ’s resurrection and his own restored relationship with the Lord, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” Peter 1:3-4

Greg Laurie, Pastor, author and personal benefactor of The Jesus Revolution described this time as follows: “The Jesus Revolution, or the Jesus movement…swelled among young people – the baby boomer generation – in the late 1960’s into the early 1970’s. It was the largest public movement of the Holy Spirit in the United states since the celebrated revivals of the nineteenth century…More people were baptized during the Jesus Revolution than in any time since people started keeping records…Only God knows how many lives the Holy Spirit touched and transformed during that time…In the first wave…the converts were mostly hippies who’d been searching for love, spiritual enlightenment, and freedom, and hadn’t found it in sex, drugs, and rock and roll.” ⁴

The early 1970’s issued in both an exciting and somewhat confusing time to be a new convert and follower of Christ. Certainly, there was an air of excitement and expectation that Christ was real and he was coming back for his own. However, there was also a great deal of uncertainty and a number of variant views as to when Christ would actually return. Popular speaker and author, Hal Lindsay, in his widely read book, The Late Great Planet Earth,⁵ predicted with the utmost conviction that Jesus Christ would definitely return by 1988. He believed this to be true, because that year marked exactly 40 years after Israel had been restored and, once again, recognized worldwide as a nation. Lindsay was adamant that Jesus would return within the following 40 years since it’s the period of time most commonly associated by Jews as the expected length of a familial “generation.” Lindasy then correlated this view with the words of Jesus given to the disciples when they asked, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?” After listing a number of Messianic signs and events, Jesus replied, “Even so, when you see all these things, you will know that it is near…Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened” (Matt. 24:3, 33-34). Of course, such a prediction only fanned the flames of anticipation for all of us “Jesus Freaks” who were more than willing to be persuaded that Christ’s return was just around the corner!

One can notice that over the years, there have been many who have tried to predict when the End Times would actually occur, often without having a clear understanding of what the Bible teaches about the End Times. The next two questions will seek to address this apparent oversight.

How and Where are the End Times Described in the Bible?

There is a variety of eschatological terms and phrases found in Scripture which have similar themes related to End Times. These terms and phrases are listed in biblical order and taken from the NIV translation:

“The day” of judgment (Ezekiel 39:8)
“The time of the end” (Daniel 12:4)
“The last days” (Micah 4:1)
“The end of the age” (Matthew 24:3, 14)
“In later times” (1 Timothy 4:1)
“In the last days” (2 Timothy 3:1)
“In the last times” (Jude 18)

There are also a significant number of biblical events associated with eschatological themes. It is not in the scope of this article to give a treatise or lengthy explanation about each of these events. However, it seems appropriate to provide a simple explanation and related scriptures for each event, as noted in the chart below, in order to aid one’s general understanding of these diverse terms and events. I would encourage anyone desiring to know more to do further research using a book on Systematic Theology (such as Grudem’s) and/or utilizing a reputable Encyclopedia of the Bible (such as Zondervan’s). It states, “The end of the world refers to the miraculous and catastrophic events that will close history and open the eternal age.” ⁵

The following list of events are combined with a brief explanation and cross-references:

End Time Events	A Brief Explanation	Cross- References
The Rapture of the Saints	The gathering of all the Saints, dead and alive, to himself in the clouds prior to his wrath being poured out upon the world	1 Thes. 4:13-18 (described also as “The coming of our Lord,” see 2 Thes. 2:1)
The Great Tribulation	A time of worldwide distress and judgment never before experienced by mankind and never to be repeated again	Rev. 6:19, 7:14-16:21 (see also Joel 2:31; Matt. 24:21)
The Fall of Babylon	The symbolic term for the world under the wicked influence and control of Satan, but finally coming to its predicted downfall	Rev. 17:1-18:24 (see also Rev. 14:8)
The Wedding of the Lamb	A celestial celebration with Jesus, mankind’s Savior, for all God’s chosen and faithful ones down thru time	Rev. 19:6-9 (see also Rev. 17:14)
The 2^nd Coming of Christ	The Greek word parousia means “the coming.” Unlike Christ’s first coming to earth as a suffering servant, at his second coming he arrives as the reigning King and judge.	Rev. 19:11-16 (see also Matt. 24:27, 30, 39 – “The coming of the Son of Man” * and Malachi 3:1-2)
The Abyss & the Millennium	The temporary place of imprisonment for the devil and his collaborators during the 1,000 years of Christ’s earthly reign as King	Rev. 20:1-6 (see also Rev. 9:11, 17:8; Luke 8:30-31)
The Battle of Armageddon	An apocalyptic earthly battle between good and evil where Satan, upon his release from the Abyss, persuades the nations of the world to attack Israel, but to their total demise	Rev. 20:7-9 (see also Joel 3:9-16; Rev. 17:14,19:17-21)
End Time Events	A Brief Explanation	Cross- References
The Great White Throne of Judgment	God, through Jesus Christ, will administer divine judgment upon all mankind as a result of their righteous standing by faith in him, or their lack of it.	Rev. 20:11 (see also Acts 10:42, 17:31; 2 Cor. 5:10)
The Second Death	The eternal consequence of rejecting Christ as Savior and Lord	Rev. 20:6,12-14 (see also Rev. 14:13-14, 21:8)
The Lake of Fire (Hell or Hades)	The word “hell” in the Greek is gehenna, a Valley near Jerusalem where refuse and the bodies of criminals were burned by fire. It is the final place of judgement for unbelievers.	Rev. 20:14-15 (see also Rev. 19:20, 20:10)
The new Jerusalem, the new earth and heaven	The future eternal dwelling place for God’s chosen and redeemed people throughout all time	Rev. 21:1-7, 10-27 (see also Joel 3:17-21; Rev. 22:1-5)

*Additional End Time events and biblical cross-references include: “The day of the Lord” (1 Thes. 5:2, 2 Thes. 2:3; 2 Peter 3:10) and “the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12)

When Will the End Times Happen?

Although Jesus spoke to the disciples about various signs connected to the End Times, he also made it quite clear that no one, not even himself, knew the exact time of the “coming of the Lord.” He said, “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory…But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” Mark 13:26, 32-33

A Common Expectation

Although the specifics of Christ’s return are not disclosed and cannot be determined, what can be easily noted throughout Scripture is a predominant expectation that the Lord’s return is imminent and could occur at any time. It seems that the authors of Scripture, under the leading of the Spirit of God, intentionally sought to create this sense of anticipation and expectation in God’s people so that they would be greatly motivated to live in a way that pleases God and is reflective of their faith and future hope. Fittingly, Jesus admonished his disciples, “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back…if he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!” Mark 13:35-37

Below are additional examples of this tone of urgency and anticipation:

Spoken by The Old Testament Prophets:

Job 32:22 – “My maker (will) soon take me away.”
David – “You are near, Lord” (Psalm 119:151)
Joel – “For the day of the LORD is near; it will come.” (1:15)
Obadiah – “The day of the LORD is near for all nations” (1:15)
Zephaniah – “The great day of the LORD is near – near and coming quickly.” (1:14)
Malachi – “Suddenly the LORD you are seeking will come.” (3:1)

Spoken by Jesus Christ:

“Repent, for the kingdom of God is near.” (Matthew 3:2)
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come…Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.” (Matt. 24:14, 33)
“Look, I am coming soon…Yes, I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:12, 22)

Spoken by The New Testament Apostles:

Paul – “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Rom. 16:20) and “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (Phil. 4:5)
James – “The Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:8)
Peter – “The end of all things is near” (1 Peter 4:7)
John – “The time is near” (Revelation 1:3; 22:10 and v.16, “The things that must soon take place”)

A Present Anticipation

The intentional “hopefulness” of the Lord’s soon return is both understandable and appropriate. Indeed, there should burn inside of each of us a strong desire and anticipation for the quick return of our long-awaited Messiah. Peter spoke repeatedly of this reasonable anticipation. He inpined, “The day of the Lord will come…look forward to the day of God and speed its coming…in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth…So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this…Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience is salvation.” 2 Peter 3:10-15

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins give a hearty endorsement to Peter’s plausible anticipation. They declare, “When you examine all the signs of the times that have been fulfilled in our lifetime, you have to believe the coming of Christ is very near. As Jesus said, ‘Near, even at the doors.’ This generation does have more solid reason to believe Christ could come in our lifetime than any before us. Yes, we could indeed be living in the end times!”

The Greek word Maranatha can literally be translated “Lord, come quickly.” In the Apostle John’s closing chapter in his prophetic Book of Revelation, he wrote these words of and about Jesus, “Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20). It is perfectly normal for Christians today to be excited about, and looking forward to, Christ’s earthly return and the establishment of his Kingdom on Earth. It will be a precursor of our transitioning from time to Eternity. However, one last important question remains for both believers and unbelievers.

Are we Now Living in the End Times?

To answer that question, we must consider the multiple signs that Jesus declared would accompany his return and set off the many apocalyptic events mentioned above. Jesus gave specific signs that his disciples should be aware of in preparation for the end times. These ominous signs were revealed during one of the last days he had together with his disciples as he awaited his final passover celebration and eventual death. His long discourse is described below:

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. You must be on your guard…I have told you everything ahead of time…At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory…Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.” Mark 13:3-9, 26-29

If the signs that Jesus shared over 2,000 years ago seem eerily familiar and compatible to what is presently happening, you definitely are not alone in your observation. Personally, I am convinced that these signs which are now regular occurrences, serve as an indication that we are living during the period of time which will realize Christ’s return. If it is not my generation, I have no doubt that it will be my kids or grandkids generation.

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins posed this same question in their book titled, Are We Living in the END TIMES? It is ironic that the book was written back in 1999, yet has the subtitle, Current Events Foretold in Scripture – And What They Mean. The authors make this bold statement: “We believe we are on the verge of obtaining even greater prophetic insights than any other time in the last two millennia…Christ could come today, and no prophecy of the times necessary for his coming would go unfulfilled. Of course, we cannot guarantee that Christ will come in our generation…But we insist that we have more reason than any generation before us to believe he will come in our generation.”

As previously noted, down through the ages, the question of Christ’s earthly return is one that believers and unbelievers alike have often wrestled with and debated. There has always existed, among the serious seeker and Bible student, a strong belief that the return of Jesus Christ and the subsequent end of the world, could happen at any time. As Jesus Christ had indicated to his disciples and followers, we are called to, “Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come…So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matt. 24:42-44). “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matt. 25:13

Even so, we must understand and take to heart that, having a longing for Christ’s return does NOT give anyone license to make unfounded assumptions about specific dates or details which even Scripture doesn’t elaborate upon. Jesus made it very clear that, while it is perfectly suitable to expectantly look for his return, it is not in our purview to make specific predictions about when it will exactly happen. Grudem is even more blunt in his remarks towards those who would attempt to do so. “Jesus is telling us that we cannot know when he is coming back. Since he will come at an unexpected time, we should be ready at all times for him to return. The practical result is that anyone who claims to know specifically when Jesus is coming back is automatically to be considered wrong…Moreover, they are simply disobeying the teachings of Scripture.”

Hopefully, this time you have spent absorbing information related to the End Times has created in you a greater yearning and longing for the Lord’s imminent and glorious return. It is a rightful response to this present reality. Suitably, we all should bear in mind the question posed by Francis Schaefer’s book title: How Then Should We Live? The Apostle In his final letter, Peter answered the question in a straightforward manner while also being very emphatic about this truth, “The day of the Lord will come…in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming…So then, dear friends…make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2 Peter 3:10-14

As we look forward to the coming return of Christ, may we recall the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Old Testament prophets, the New Testament apostles and the work of thenHoly Spirit who brings all these truths to mind (John 14:26). I will finish with an apropos quote from Dr. John Walvoord, a well-respected biblical prophecy scholar. He states, “I have been studying prophecy for many years (over fifty), and while I do not believe it is possible to set dates for the Lord’s return, I do sense in the world today and unprecedented time of world crisis that can be interpreted as being preparatory for the coming of the Lord. If there ever was a time when Christians should live every day as though Christ could come at any time, it is today.”

Bibliography of Notations in the order Presented

1. The Future Life (2018). Renee Pasche, Wipf & Stock Publishers

2. What are the End Times? (May 21, 2026). Google AI generated response

3. Systematic Theology – An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine,

4. The Jesus Revolution (2018). Greg Laurie, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI

5. The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary (1976). Editor: Merrill Tenny, Zondervan

6. The Late Great Planet Earth (1973). Hal Lindsay, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

7. Are We in the END TIMES? (1999). Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins, Tyndale, Wheaton, IL

STANDING FIRM – It’s Questions and Answers

May 4, 2026
Understanding the What, Why and How of Standing Firm

When thinking of the What, Why and How questions, I’m reminded of the slapstick comedy routine featuring legendary comedians Abbot and Costello. Their infamous routine, “Who’s on First?” was performed before a live audience on National T.V. during The Steve Allen Variety Show back in 1957. In the routine, Abbot tries to explain to Costello the names of the players who made up the infield for a local baseball team. This hilarious interaction showed Costello becoming helplessly confused by the obscure names for each of the players identified by Abbot. To be specific, the infield players’ names included Who? (on first base), What? (on second base), Where? (on third base) and Why? (behind home plate). Costello could never quite figure out which player was on which base. Innocently, Costello asked Abbot, ‘Who is playing on first base?’ and receiving back the answer, ‘That’s right, Who is on first base!’ Costello fires back, ‘How should I know, I’m wanting you to tell me what player is on first base,’ To which Abbot retorts, ‘No! What is on second base, Who is on first base.’ This exchange unmercifully continues for about 5 minutes. Finally, out of combined feelings of exasperation, Abbot asked if his bewildered friend if he wanted to know the name of the team’s starting pitcher, to which Costello replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care!”

Costello’s closing comment in the comedy routine, unintentionally and unknowingly provides a fitting explanation of the difference between the two terms ignorance (I don’t know) and apathy (I don’t care). However, it’s no laughing matter when seeking answers to the imposing questions, ‘What is required for Standing Firm in our faith, Why is it that important and How can it be achieved?’ Certainly, settling for either ignorance or apathy will not suffice, if we are truly committed to this attaining this worthy goal.

In the INTRODUCTION, I sought to provide a basic understanding of what it means to “Stand firm in all the will of God” (Col. 4:12). In this section, we will consider meeting this challenge by choosing to preserve sound doctrine in our faith; that is what we believe and hold to be true about God’s word and god’s way to salvation. In this chapter we will address the questions What, Why and How of, and some potential obstacles to, standing firm in our faith.

The idea of standing firm reminds me of a valuable lesson I learned while playing football for a local college. Being of slight height at 5 feet 10 inches and weighing in at measly 150 pounds, I was the second smallest player on the team. Undeterred, I chose to play the position of defensive corner back and middle safety. I had quick reactions and decent speed needed to be a good defender. Still, my coach realized that I, and the other defensive backs of smaller stature, would struggle with tackling bigger and stronger running backs and wide receivers. The only exception was a tall, well-built player who went on to play professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals. No such chance for me. Even at Junior college level, I would have to stand up and stand firm against the blunt force of my opponent’s running attacks. To prepare for the inevitable physical confrontations we would face, our coach taught us the Universal Position, used in several sports. This position required us to assume a low and wide body stance that created a solid base of support capable of sustaining forceful impact. Using this position enabled me to endure or avoid blocks and to make effective tackles. I appreciated the coach preparing me to stand my ground against worthy and trying opponents. That strategy enabled me to play a couple of seasons before hanging up my cleats!

You may have already guessed why I bothered to mention this sports illustration. It is a reality, that as believers in Christ, we will face strong opponents and will need a strategy to prepare for spiritual attacks. The Apostle Peter gave this warning, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9). Just as it was imperative for me as a football player to prepare for the attacks of the opposing team, it is essential for believers to be able be grounded and stand firm in their faith when under spiritual attack.

R.C. Sproul, Director of Ligonier Ministries, provides Daily Discipleship Resources. In an article entitled Divisions in the Church, it offered an intriguing quote: “Through arguments, we learn who truly holds to the Apostolic faith taught in the Scriptures and who does not. Indeed, we see this throughout history. Church historians and theologians have said time and again that doctrinal arguments and heresies have the salutary benefit of forcing the church to more accurately define the Christian faith according to Scripture.” ¹

One of the obstacles to standing firmin one’s faith is being confronted with a barrage of doctrinal arguments or, worse yet, experience heresies aimed at attacking the foundations of the Christian faith. Such attacks will require an ability to endure the force of the theological arguments and resist the tendency to collapse under the pressure of heretical teachings. Within Christendom today, there are a number of commonly known, but often misunderstood, foundational theological doctrines that can impact one’s faith and spiritual walk. Unfortunately, many of these doctrines are met with a degree of confusion or outright disagreement. Therefore, it is my intent and focus of Part 1 of this book to address a number of debatable doctrines and to still remain standing firm in one’s faith and Christian walk. To do so, we will strive to take on the challenge of both understanding and preserving sound doctrine, especially in a world bent on compromising the truth and promoting cultural values which contradict the clear teachings of Scripture. This abdication of sound teaching should be an alarming concern for anyone desiring to maintain and live out a vibrant Christian walk and lifestyle.

The Apostle Paul gave a solemn warning in his letter to Titus. It is also a warning worth hearing and heeding for us all today. Paul wrote, “You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be…sound in faith” (Titus 2:1-2). The Apostle Paul echoes a similar warning to Timothy, his other young protégé and fellow missionary assistant. “I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared…and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

It is my fear that what took place during the times of the early churches is being revisited, and possibly even magnified, in the church today. Now is the time to have a cleared understand of what comprises sound doctrine and to be able to confront unsound doctrine. During this Introductory chapter, three pertinent questions related to preserving sound doctrine will be presented. The questions are:
- What Does Preserving Sound Doctrine Mean?
- Why is Preserving Sound Doctrine that Important?
- How is Preserving Sound Doctrine Achieved?
Each question will be discussed with the clear intent of both clarifying and maintaining sound doctrine. This quest to answer these questions should affect our theological beliefs and, even more importantly how we live out our faith in real and practical ways. This chapter, and book as a whole, is strategically aimed at stimulating our minds, activating our hearts and guiding our efforts in recognizing and confronting various theological topics which are biblically and culturally relevant.

Before actively addressing these questions, I want to offer a personal anecdote of when and how I first became acutely aware of my need for understanding and pursuing sound doctrine. Most of my early life as a child and teenager was unfettered by any substantial religious instruction. And yet, by the grace of God, and a godly Aunt who prayed for me for 18 years, I eventually surrendered my life to Christ as Savior and Lord. Fortunately, I joined a church that was committed to personal evangelism and spiritual development.

Living in Southern California in the late 1960’s, I was subjected to many questionable and persuasive teachings including that of Dr. Timothy Leary, who’s admonition to the youth was to “Turn on (via psychedelic drugs) and Tune in” (to experience God)! This was also a time when the catchy mantra, “Make Love, Not War” was echoed across the land. Providentially, the Jesus Revolution was beginning to take off. Even so, as a young neophyte Christian, I found myself confronted with a variety of theological questions which I struggled to comprehend and navigate. These puzzling questions included:
- Who is responsible for my salvation, me or God?
- How can I know who’s speaking the truth and who is not?
- What should I do or not do as one desiring to faithfully follow Christ?
- When will Jesus Christ come back for us and what must I do to be ready?
- What does it really mean to be filled, anointed and baptized by the Holy Spirit?
These and other questions offered a significant challenge to my new and vulnerable faith. Upon my conversion, I quickly became aware that I lacked a biblical foundation and needed help to grow my Christian faith. Fortunately, I became active in the church’s college ministry which provided me with ample support for spiritual development. I was mentored by both the college pastor and one college intern who took me under his spiritual wings and taught me what it meant to be serious about living for Christ. Eventually, I was invited to be a part of the college leadership team which I served on until I graduated from seminary 5 years later. Since then, It has been a lifetime (over 50 years) of seeking to better understand and apply God’s word to my life, both through informal church-based Biblical instruction and through formal theological training.

Early in my career, I had the opportunity of teaching the Bible at a Christian High School, be a Youth Pastor and a Program Director at a Christian Conference Center. I relished every chance I had to teach God’s word to people in all age groups. In my later years, at the age of 45, I earned a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D) which afforded me the occasion to teach at the university, seminary and Masters levels. In addition to teaching in the states, I have taught abroad in 3 countries in Africa and 4 countries in South America. These combined teaching stints took place over a period of four decades. As a result, I have developed a passion for training the next generation of Christian leaders and instructing them to teach God’s word with accuracy and accountability.

While I recognize that there will always be differences of opinions and opposing views pertaining to assorted theological doctrines, I have committed myself to using “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:28) and teaching the Scriptures with “integrity, seriousness and soundness” (Titus 1:7). I invite you to come along on this theological journey of exploring some fundamental doctrines which have become confused, even within the Christian community. Woefully, some pastors and Bible teachers have been guilty of twisting or distorting the Scriptures in an attempt to make it say what they wanted it to say, thus, changing the true meaning of a passage and/or losing the original intent of the writers of Scripture. My pursuit of preserving sound doctrine has necessitated that I incorporate a variety of biblical resources, multiple cross-references, re-read parts of books focused on related theological issues and staunchly secure input from trusted Bible scholars. Their valuable wisdom and counsel is liberally scattered throughout this book, along with insights from my personal study and biblical research.

What Does Preserving Sound Doctrine Mean?

An Explanation: It is interesting to note that the phrase “sound doctrine” was used or implied by the Apostle Paul several times in his writings to Timothy and Titus, his two young protégés and fellow missionary companions. In the pages to come, we will look more intently into how and why Paul exhorted both of them to understand and preserve sound doctrine.As noted in The Key Word Study Bible, the Greek word for “sound” is Hygiano and refers to the ideas of being “safe, physically well or healthy” while, in reference to faith and doctrine, it is being “true, pure and uncorrupted.” The Greek word for “doctrine” is Didaskalia and refers to “that which is taught, detailed instruction or indoctrination. It carries with it the ideas of “divinely revealed truth” or instruction requiring “theological elaboration and accurate interpretation.” ²

The Apostle Paul spoke to this very issue when he challenged Timothy by writing, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Please note, that unless indicated, all Bible references are taken from the New International Version (NIV). These challenges to Timothy and Titus also apply to anyone who takes up the vital role of teaching the Scriptures. Perhaps, this is the reason that James, Jesus’ brother and leader of the newly formed church in Jerusalem, wrote these sobering words, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).

An Observation: The phrase, “sound doctrine” is used 4 times in Paul’s writings to Timothy and 5 times to Titus, if you include the phrase “sound in faith” (Titus 1:13; 2:2). Thereare several characteristics of sound doctrine that can be gleaned from Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus. Paul revealed that Sound Doctrine will…
- “conform to the glorious Gospel of God.” (1 Tim. 1:10-11)
- “agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Timothy 6:3)
- “keep a pattern of sound teaching” shared by Paul and others. (2 Tim.1:13)
- “correct, rebuke and encourage with…careful instruction.” (2 Tim. 4:2-3)
- “hold firmly to the trustworthy message.” (Titus 1:9)
- “not pay attention to myths…or reject the truth.” (Titus 1:14)
- “teach what is…sound in faith.” (Titus 2:1-2)
Certainly, Paul had legitimate reasons for strongly exhorting them both to “keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” (1 Timothy 3:9). Did you notice the correlation of sound doctrine with sound instruction, sound teaching and being sound in faith? It’s indispensable to both know what comprises sound doctrine and to comprehend why it’s important for believers to preserve it. Both our teaching (words) and our lives (actions) need to reflect the Gospel truth. Afterall, Jesus Christ professed, “I am the way, the life and the truth” (John 14:6).

It is also notable that Paul added the phrase “false doctrine” in 1 Timothy 1:2. The word “truth” is found fifteen times in his three letters to them both. The Greek word for truth is Aletheia and includes the synonyms “true, reality, fact, integrity, and virtue.” It’s most commonly used in connection to one’s beliefs or a person’s teachings. With respect to theology, the word implies “absolute, ultimate and divinely revealed truth,” or in other words, true truth! This is the type of truth that is dependable, faithful and is in perfect fidelity with God’s revealed words found in the Bible.

During the last supper with his disciples, Jesus, prayed to his Heavenly Father on their behalf. He knew they were struggling with comprehending his soon departure, as he had often predicted. He prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth” (John 17:17). The Key Word Study Bible provides this additional insight about truth. “Jesus Christ is the embodiment of truth himself…and the consummate disclosure of God to man…In biblical terms, truth is determined by divine viewpoint and is expressed through revelation, both creational and redemptive.”

A Personal Connection: I grew up in the Los Angeles basin known for its “glitter and glamour.” The L.A. area was permeated with plenty of worldly attractions, distractions and temptations. It was the home of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Sunset Strip, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Dodger Stadium and of course the “Muscle Beach” in Santa Monica and a surfer’s paradise in Malibu. Being spiritually “wet behind the ears,” I was in dire need of a strong spiritual support system otherwise I could have easily been swallowed up by all the worldly temptations surrounding me. Thankfully, these more mature Band of Brothers taught me to keep my focus on lasting “Heavenly treasures’ (Eph. 1:3, 2:7), rather than on the fleeting pleasures of this world (Hebrews 11:25). I am indebted to them for their guidance and encouragement along my spiritual journey. As a result, I initially experienced a meteoric time of spiritual growth in my Christian life. At that time, the spiritual “race” that the Apostle Paul described in his letter to the Philippians, seemed more like a sprint rather than a marathon. I came to understand, as did Paul, that I would need to “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).

Paul, a busy missionary and advocate for the faith, intentionally took time to mentor and train young Timothy and Titus. Endearingly, he called each one, “my true son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4). Paul grew to have absolute confidence because of their faithful dedication to his mission work. Even so, Paul had to constantly warn and charge them to remain true to the faith and to effectively pass it on to others. He petitioned them saying, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine…in everything, set them an example by doing what is good” (Titus 2:1-2, 7).

To accomplish this end, Paul understood that he needed to set the primary example for Timothy and Titus to follow, since they and others looked to him for leadership and guidance. Paul declared, “For this purpose I was appointed a herald and an Apostle—I amtelling the truth, I am…a true and faithful teacher” (1 Tim. 2:7). To the Corinthian church, he simply intoned, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). To the church in Philippi, he elaborated a bit more by stating, “The things which you have learnedand received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you” (Phil. 4:9 AMP).

Why is Preserving Sound Doctrine That Important?

Roy Zuck, past Professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, made the following assessment in his scholarly book, Basic Bible Interpretation – A Practical Guide to Discovering Biblical Truth. “We are responsible to seek to know the truth, as presented in God’s word. This is essential for our own spiritual lives and for effectiveness in ministering to others. Ensuring the word of God, whether impersonal counseling, teaching a class or Bible study group, or preaching, the knowledge we impart, based on our understanding of the Scriptures, will definitely affect others. Their lives are in our hands. Without proper Biblical interpretation, the theology of an individual or of an entire church may be misdirected or superficial and, as ministry, unbalanced.” ³

Paul made sure that Timothy and Titus had this same degree of weight in their teaching ministry. In his letters to them, he repeatedly described the vital importance of preserving sound doctrine. And, by extension, his words of admonition and exhortation apply to anyone involved in teaching God’s word. This is true for all biblical instruction, whether it be formal or informal, inside or outside of the church, in small groups or at institutions of higher learning. Zuck underscores this point, “It is essential for understanding and teaching the Bible properly…Others unknowingly come away from the Bible with faulty interpretations. Why? Because of inadequate attention to the principles for understanding and interpreting the Scriptures.”

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul expressed his concern for the people in Ephesus who were being misled by false teachers teaching “myths” and “false doctrines” (1:3). Paul sent Timothy there to help the people in the church and to train leaders. Why was he concerned? Because this false teaching was “promoting controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work” (1:4). He was concerned that they were being swayed by these teachings which was leading them away “from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1:5). Worse yet, these false teachers had “departed from these and turned to meaningless talk (1:7). Therefore, Paul vehemently warned Timothy to confront these “liars” who were teaching what was “contrary to sound doctrine” (1:10). Sadly, Paul had to remind Timothy of the need to “fight the battle well, holding on to faith…which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith” (1:18-19). He also tells Timothy that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2:3-4).

Paul’s letter toTitus begins with this declaration, “I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them toknow the truth that shows them how tolive godly lives” (Titus 1:1 NLT). Like Timothy, Paul admonishes Titus to be careful to teach the leaders in the church at Crete to make it a goal of preserving sound doctrine. He states that he and the church leaders he trains are to, “hold firmly to the trustworthy message…encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:8-9). It is quite apparent that preserving sound doctrine was of quintessential importance to Paul. He also expected Timothy and Titus to be exemplary models and to faithfully protect the spiritual well-being of the believers under their care. For additional instructions to Timothy and Titus on teaching and preserving sound doctrine, please refer to the notes on Chapter 1 in the APPENDIX..

The Apostle Peter echoed a similar truth to the church leaders he was responsible for training. “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder…Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them…being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:1-3). These are solemn admonitions worthy to b heeded by anyone in leadership roles in the church. Both Paul and Peter knew that a strong spiritual root system would be indispensable for all church leaders to offset the blustery winds of the devil’s lies and deceptions. Tragically, the destructive teachings of unrelenting false teachers in the early church had its toll in causing many to have “wandered from the faith” (1 Tim. 6:10) or gloomily, “suffered shipwreck with regard to their faith” (1 Tim. 1:19). This rightful concern for the churches then also showcases the magnitude of the critical need to preserve sound doctrine in our churches today. This brings us to the need to address one remaining, and rather imposing, question.

How is Preserving Sound Doctrine Achieved?

Reaching this lofty goal will require, on our part, developing an intentional strategy to achieve it. I believe an effective strategy for preserving sound doctrine must include:
1. Developing Spiritual Discernment
2. Accurately Interpreting Scripture
3. Effectively Incorporating Biblical Resources
Achieving the goal of preserving sound doctrine is a formidable challenge. Nonetheless, it can be achieved as we trust God to provide us with internal fortitude needed and the external provisions accessible to pursue it. Over the years, I have had benefitted from leaning on and learning from seminary professors, seminary students and from numerous books I have read that have aided me in teaching Hermeneutics (the basic principles of Bible interpretation) to others. Each of these sources has given me valuable input needed to pursue this challenging goal.

1. Developing Spiritual Discernment

Hosea 14:9 makes this imposing statement, “Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them” (Hosea 14:9 NLT). Spiritual discernment is crucial if we are going to walk in the true and right paths of the Lord..

The Rationale: Develop and maintaining godly discernment will aid us in offsetting the onslaught of false teaching and deception that is becoming more and more rampant in our world today. Consider the intense warnings heralded by the early apostles:
- The Apostle Paul – “People will be unholy…having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:2-5).
- The Apostle Peter – “There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1).
- The Apostle John – “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God…many false prophets have gone into the world” (I John 4:1).
Below I have offered some suggestions for implementing an intentional plan for developing spiritual discernment in our lives:

1. Spend quantity and quality time in the Bible! Renowned Bible teacher and Pastor, John McArthur gave a quote I have never forgotten. He encouraged his listeners to, “Saturate yourself in God’s Word until your blood starts bibling.” All humor aside, immersing oneself in the Bible is a serious requisite for spiritual growth. This truism is illustrated by the story of a young man who was a new convert to Christ. In his insatiable desire to learn more about his new faith, he began “gobbling up” the teachings of the Bile, often studying the Bible for hours on end and memorizing large portions of Scripture. As a result, he rapidly grew spiritually. So much so, that it caught the attention of another young man who had attended the same church for many years. One day he cornered the new believer and quizzically asked, “I have been coming to this church for over 20 years and yet in one year, you have a greater knowledge and understanding of the Bible than I do.” Somewhat apologetically, the young man replied. “Well, I guess it goes to show that spiritually we grow word by word and not day by day.” 1 Peter 2:2-3 urges, “Like newborn babies, crave the pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted the Lord.”

2. Spend quantity and quality time in prayer! As a new believer, I was reluctant to pray in small or large groups, fearing I would sound simplistic or uniformed. Nonetheless, my mentor-friend pushed me forward in this needed area of spiritual growth. Just a few months after accepting Christ, he signed me up to do the opening prayer at the start of a college group meeting. Mind you, our church college group was rather LARGE in number, often having over 100 college students in attendance. I recall going into the meeting with fear and trepidation. However, after bumbling my way through the prayer, there was along with an overwhelming sense of relief, there was a delightful sense of achievement. I began to understand that prayer should be viewed as a privilege, not a performance and an invitation rather than an obligation. James 1:5 promises, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” He also adds, “Pray for one another, the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (5:16).

3. Spend quality time with other believers! Since my earliest days as a new believer, I have been fortunate to be a member of solid, Bible teaching churches with many godly friends. These friends were willing to put an arm around my shoulder as well as give me a kick in the pants if needed. During my mid-thirties, it was a time in my life when such godly support was desperately needed. I regularly joined up with a small group of men from church for breakfast, honest sharing and prayer. One day, I somewhat sheepishly confessed to the group that I was contemplating divorcing my wife. Unlike Job’s “friends” (Job 42:7), without any condemning words or spirit of judgment, these men listened to me, prayed for me and offered me encouragement and wise guidance. Graciously, God used these men to help me come to my senses and give up such a dreadful notion of divorcing my wife who had been faithful to love me the past 9 years.

Hebrews 3:12 warns, “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Perhaps that is why the author of Hebrews later wrote additional strong words of admonition, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess…and let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing” (Hebrews 10:23-25). On a more positive note. Paul shared with Philemon, his dear friend and fellow worker, these powerful words, “Your love has given me great joy an encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people…I do wish, brother, that you…refresh my heart in Christ” (Philemon 1:7, 10). Imagine, Paul asking a brother to spiritually refresh his heart. If he needed spiritual refreshment, then we definitely do too.

4. Spend quality time with our Triune God! The Psalmist revealed, “As for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge” (Psalm 73:12). Peter who knew a thing or two about humility clamored, “Humble yourselves…under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). I love what King David said about his growing intimacy with God, “My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming” (Psalm 27:8 NLT). It is so amazing to me that Christ, even as Sovereign Lord and Creator of all things (Col. 1:15-180, invites you and I into an intimate relationship with himself. Can you imagine turning down the opportunity to personally meet with one of your favorite celebrities, athlete, musician, artist, author or any other noteworthy historical figure? Why then are we so nonchalant and stoic about God’s daily invitation to meet with him?

2. Accurately Interpreting Scripture

Of grave importance is basic knowledge and working understanding of Hermeneutics (the principles of interpretation). Principally, because it will enable us to avoid making horrendous mistakes when interpreting God’s word. It’s also imperative that we not rely solely on our intuition or opinion when trying to discern the meaning of a biblical passage, particularly one that is difficult or controversial. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Let’s take seriously Paul’s charge about handling and interpreting the Bible accurately. Likewise, prior to correctly interpreting the Bible, we will need to know how to effectively study the Bible. Kay Arthur, in her book, How to Study the Bible – The Lasting Rewards of the Inductive Method lays out a simple, yet very helpful, three-step approach to personal Bible study. It is known as the Inductive Bible Study Method. The Inductive Bible Study Method incorporates these three general steps:
1. Observation – Discovering what the passage is saying!
2. Interpretation – Discovering what the passage actually means!
3. Application – Discovering how the passage applies to our lives!
Kay Arthur often chimes this catchy phrase, “Observation comes before Interpretation and Application must follow interpretation.” ⁴ Regrettably, it is not in the scope of this book to give a detailed explanation of the 3 steps of the Inductive Bible Study Method. Instead, I encourage you to read Kay Arthur’s excellent book for yourself. Even so, I feel that providing a general understanding of these three steps can be quite beneficial for any motivated student of Scripture. These 3 Bible study steps, along with an explanation of the differences between the Inductive and Deductive methods can be found in the APPENDIX, under Chapter 2. In addition, I have included some insightful steps for correctly interpreting Scripture gleaned from Dade Ronan’s book, Conquering Bible Interpretation. Ronan argues, “There are many problems (and principles) that must be considered when interpreting the Word of God. While looking at each of these problems (and principles), a good understanding can help a person to realize the importance of Bible study.” ⁵

In my humble opinion, the Application step is the most neglected part in Bible studies, sermons and other forms of biblical instruction. This is extremely unfortunate for this step should be of upmost importance for us all when reading, listening to, or teaching Scripture. Why? It’s because it’s where, spiritually speaking, “the rubber meets the road.” This decisive step is designed to help us carefully consider how the Bible can, and should, impact our lives in very practical and tangible ways. The Apostle John reminds us of this truth, “Let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words]” (1 John 3:18 AMP). The Apostle James was even more direct for he cautioned, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). The point is, effective observation and correct interpretation will be of little lasting value if it doesn’t equate to meaningful application.

In Skip Heitzig’s very practical book, How to Study the Bible and Enjoy it, he emphasizes the significance and value of biblical application. He extols, “It is the application of scripture that makes a difference in our lives. Application is where the rubber meets the road. That’s why observation and interpretation always lead to application. Some people become experts in Scriptures, but their lives are unchanged. In the end, what good does it do to have a full head and an empty heart? The joy comes in applying the truth to our own lives. Only then, can we see that the Bible works!” ⁶

The Apostle Paul, in addition to his deep concern for effective study and correct interpretation of the Scriptures, he was also eager to praise those who did take the time and extra effort to seek out biblical truth. About the Berean disciples who showed great interest in his teachings. Luke, who was both Paul’s doctor and missionary companion, gushed, “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:10). The Apostle Peter also spoke of the importance of correct biblical interpretation. He exclaimed, “But understand this…no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one’s own [personal or special] interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:20-21 AMP).

R. C. Sproul, in his book, Knowing Scripture, concurs with Peter in making this revealing statement. “Private interpretation never meant that individuals have the right to distort the Scriptures. With the right of private interpretation comes the sobering responsibility of accurate interpretation…when we don’t try to interpret words in a consistent way, the words will become a mass of confusion. When this happens in biblical interpretation, the Bible becomes a chameleon, changing the color of a skin against the changing background of the people doing the interpreting.” ⁷

Unfortunately, this is often the case. Even well-meaning Bible teachers and Pastors have, on occasion, misunderstood the actual intent of the passage because being of one or more hermeneutical errors. Below is a list of some common errors that can negatively affect and alter a correct biblical interpretation. Once again, please refer to the Appendix for a more complete explanation of these errors, complete with practical examples, biblical cross-references and scholarly quotes.

Common Interpretive Errors to Avoid:
1. Taking a Bible verse or passage out of its surrounding context.
2. Presuming to know the meaning and original intent of the author.
3. Assuming that one’s own ideas or the teachings of others are correct.
4. Not considering the diverse meanings of words found in the original languages.
Each hermeneutical error is critical to avoid if one seeks to properly interpret a Bible passage. Especially egregious are the presence of these errors when little effort is given to qualify one’s interpretive conclusions. Everyone is called to show due diligence in correctly interpreting God’s word. Paul’s admonition in this regard is not a polite request; it’s an imperative statement deserving our upmost attention and faithful implementation.

3. Effectively Incorporating Biblical Resources

While it is of quintessential importance to develop godly skills of discernment and to adhere to principles for correct biblical interpretation, it is also paramount to take advantage of the plethora of biblical resources available to assist us in correctly handling and applying God’s word. The Apostle Paul rightly believed in the viability of the Scriptures and its ability to give us the direction needed for our lives. He declared, “From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation…All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Paul also understood the problem of relying exclusively on one’s own abilities and opinions to arrive at a proper conclusion, especially when one’s views run contrary to accepted biblical interpretations or to the clear teaching of Scripture. He clarified, “These are the things you are to teach and insist on. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing” (1 Tim. 6:2-4).

The Apostle Peter also recognized the tendency for biblical instruction to be mishandled, if not kept in check. He specified, “Paul wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him…His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:15-16). It’s one thing for Paul and the writers of Scripture to receive God’s direct guidance. It is, however, an entirely different matter to think that as Christians we will automatically comprehend the intention of the authors of Scripture without considering input from reliable biblical sources. There are a number of biblical resources available and intended to provide practical safeguards for correctly handling Scripture. One such safeguard is using a Hebrew or Greek Lexicon (biblical dictionary) that tie into the original languages used to write the Scriptures. The Hebrew language was used in writing the Old Testament and Greek was used in writing the New Testament. Lexicons are useful in providing additional synonyms, definitions and related cross-references for significant words in the Bible.

Author and Pastor, Bob Smith, speaks to the importance and value of incorporating the original biblical languages when seeking to properly understand the meaning of passage. He writes, “We need to remember that originally the Bible was not written in English but in Hebrew and Greek. What we are reading today are simply translations into English. In this connection, we must also recognize that each language has its own peculiar word usage and grammar, and that a knowledge of these peculiarities will enhance our understanding of the text.” ⁸

Most likely, you, like me, do not possess a post-graduate degree in Hebrew or Greek. Thankfully, we don’t need one to accurately interpret the Bible. Although, I must admit that I regretted not taking a course in Greek while in Seminary. Fortunately, I had other seminary students who took Greek and helped me to identify and utilize tools designed to incorporate both biblical languages into one’s study of Scripture. There are many diverse biblical resources available to the clergy and laymen alike. Most are easily accessible online through bible apps and can be purchased in a bundle at a greatly reduced price. The one my son, Previous college Pastor and current co-preacher at his church, prefers the using www.bluebetterbible.org for his Bible study and sermon preparation.

However, if you prefer as I do, to hold and read an actual book, they can be purchased from Christian bookstores or ordered online. I have purchased many biblical aids from www.christianbook.com and believe each to have been a wise investment. These resources can be of great worth and lasting value. Why? Because they can provide you with an increased level of confidence and accuracy in your personal Bible study, teaching or preaching. I have relied heavily on these resources in the development of over a dozen biblical and theological courses which I have taught abroad and overseas. In fact, I have used a variety of biblical aids and in writing this book. Below are just a few basic Bible tools I recommend for someone wanting to build or add to your biblical library:
- An Exhaustive Concordance such as Strong’s or NIV which have both Hebrew and Greek Lexicons (dictionaries) in the back. Either one will provide synonyms and explanations for every word in the Bible. That is why it’s called Exhaustive!
- Old Testament and New Testament Expository Dictionaries such as Vines, Nelson or Thayer’s. Each will offer helpful detail on the meaning of selected words.
- The Key Word Bible, available in several translations, does exactly what it denotes. It identifies key words in Scripture and assigns each word a tiny number right in the text. This number is associated with the lexicons in the back of the Bible which list synonyms, cross-references and expanded definitions.
- One-Volume or Multi-volume Bible Commentary such as The Wycliffe Bible Commentary or The Expositors Bible Commentary. I recommend choosing a commentary that incorporates an Editor and reputable Bible scholars whom organize and provide multiple perspectives for a more balanced view of the content.
I have benefited greatly by using these biblical resources and you can too! My prayer is that you will experience more confidence and accuracy in your own study and teaching of God’s to others. As you develop and enhance your study skills using these aids, I am convinced that you will discover greater appreciation and credibility with those you teach. These resources that can provide the guardrails necessary for staying on track doctrinally and maneuvering around some bumpy theological terrains often filled with hermeneutical potholes leading to dangerous theological blow outs. So, choose wisely.

A fitting conclusion to this chapter is found in Revelation 1:3 which gives this encouraging Benediction: “Blessed is the one who reads these words…and who hear it and take to heart what is written in it.” Jesus also gave his disciples this amazing promise. “I have much more to say to you…But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:12–13).

This promise is also for us today. It is extremely encouraging and affirming to me to realize that Holy Spirit guide us in our understanding of God’s word. Afterall, the Spirit was the one that empowered and inspired the writers of Scripture in the first place (2 Peter 1:20). As we dedicate ourselves to studying and teaching the Bible with greater accuracy and integrity, we will have a greater sense of the Spirit leading and blessing our efforts. Subsequently, we will be both preserving sound doctrine in our faith and honoring God by passing on his blessings to others we serve.

Bibliographical notations listed in the order presented:

Basics of Bible Interpretation, Bob Smith (1978). Word Press, Waco, TX

Divisions in the Church, Table Talk Magazine(2012).Ligonier Ministries, Sanford, FL

Key Word Study Bible – NIV (1996), AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN

Basic Bible Interpretation, Roy B. Zuck (1984). David C. Cook, Col. Springs, CO

How to Study the Bible, Kay Arthur (1994). Harvest House, Eugene, OR

How to Study the Bible and Enjoy it, Skip Heitzig (2002). Tyndale, Wheaton, IL

Conquering Bible Interpretation, Dade Ronan (2002). Xulon Press, Fairfax, VA

Knowing Scripture, R. C. Sproul (1977), InterVarsity Press, Madison, WI
The Truth About Truth!

April 13, 2026
By Dr. Thomas Kehn

THE TRUTH ABOUT TRUTH – Confusing Truth with Deception

Growing up as a child in the 1960’s, I had plenty of opportunities to watch my favorite TV shows. One game show I enjoyed watching was titled, To Tell the Truth. It was on ABC and hosted by Bud Collyer. The show featured celebrity panelists who tried to decide between three individuals going by the same name, having the same job title while claiming to be the “honest to God” person being discussed. The panelists asked a variety of questions directed at all three individuals in an attempt to determine who was telling the truth and who was not. I was often surprised by who turned out to be the actual true person. The other two false impersonators were quite good at deceiving the panelists, the audience and the rest of us TV spectators. Each person’s answers were very plausible, totally believable and seemed to be so truthful. In spite of all their charm and persuasive powers, two of then were, literally, “lying thru their teeth.”

Sadly, down through church history and up to our society today, there have been many who appeared To Tell the Truth but were only telling lies. They were merely “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Such false prophets and teachers were a major matter of concern during Christ’s ministry and the early church. Not long after Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem to begin the Passion week, Jesus was asked by his disciples, “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” He replied with this alarming statement, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah, and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:3-5).

I have witnessed Jesus’s predictions coming true in my lifetime. There were several false Christs who rose up to prominence during my late teens and early adulthood. You might say they were a “Who’s Who?” of religious imposters which included Charle’s Manson in the 60’s, Jim Jones in the 70’s and David Koresh in the 80’s. Each one gathered a following of people who were, apparently, in need of a “savior” of sorts so they were easily deceived. Appallingly, the became like “lambs being led away to slaughter” by their cultic type of leaders. Sadly, most came to a lethal, disastrous ending. Truth or Consequences was the name of another game show I watched as a child. The show’s telling name painfully shows the reality of people who are unable to discern truth from lies or good and evil and, tragically, experienced the consequences of their penchant for deception. Charles Colson laments, “If we hope to preserve what makes life worth living, we as a church must preserve the ability to know the truth ourselves.” ¹

I heartily agree with Keller. We cannot depend on others to tell us what is true and what is not. What appears to be true is nothing more than “smoke and mirrors” designed to cloud what is spoken as being true. Consider these truthful statements in the Bible depicting Jesus Christ:
- “You are the Son of God.” Luke 4:3
- “Jesus…you are the Holy one of God!” Mark 1:24
- “Jesus, Son of the Most High God.” Mark 5:7
- “You are a man of integrity and…you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” Matthew 22:16
As truthful and accurate as each of the above statements are, you may be shocked that the first three were spoken by demons and the last by a Pharisee who, during the Passion week, were seeking to trap Jesus, turn the crowd against him so that they could arrest him and eventually have him killed. Have we too soon forgotten the words of Jesus who spoke these startling words, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father…Many will say to me ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:21-23). Make no mistake about it, there are those in our world today who profess to be speaking the truth but are full of lies and who “are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of truth…thee teachers oppose the truth” (2 Timothy 3:6-8).

The Apostle Paul gave this warning to Titus, his fellow missionary companion, “There are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deceptions…they must be silenced” (Titus 1:10-11). It is my intention that through this book I can help to silence some of the lies and deceptions being spread abroad in the world today, even in the name of Christ. Paul continues in his discourse, “This is true…pay no attention to myths or to human commands of those who reject the truth…They claim to know God, but by their actions, they deny him” (Titus 1:11-16). Paul’s words serve as an indictment against today’s self-proclaimed prophets and Apostles that preach a prosperity gospel. According to Paul, their gospel “is a different gospel – which is really no gospel at all” and worthy of God’s condemnation (Gal.1:6-8).

Most of us are familiar with the phrase used in courtrooms, where the witness is asked to repeat the words: “I hereby swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” Regrettably, now days there are numerous examples of deceptive lies being promoted as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The Bible is no longer seen as the source and final determination for what is truth and not. Compounding the problem is the absence of any other objective standard or clear consensus as what constitutes truth. This conundrum creates a real obstacle for unbelievers wanting to discover truth and for believers desiring to remain standing firm in their faith. If one doesn’t have a reliable source for determining truth, it can seem next to impossible to spot the severe abundance of counterfeits in the world today.

The early church was forced to deal with a growing problem of false teachers. Consider the warnings below from key leaders concerned about the spiritual welfare of persecuted believers scattered across nations.
- The Apostle Paul warned, “Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God…Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus who have departed from the truth” (2 Tim. 2:14, 17-18).
- The Apostle Peter bristled that, “there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord…bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories” (2 Peter 2:1-3).
- The Apostle John pleads, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit…because many false prophets have gone out into the world…and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God…This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood” (1 John 4:1, 5-6).
On the Apostle Paul’s first missionary trip to Barnabas, they came to a city of Paphos on the Island of Cyprus off the coast of Israel. There they encountered a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus. When Paul and Barnabas were invited by the proconsul, an official of Ancient Rome, to come share the word of God with them, they were opposed by Bar-Jesus and “tried to turn the proconsul from the faith.” In response, Paul declared, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?” Acts 13:10

The devil and his compatriots are constantly looking for opportunities to trick and deceive those who are hungry to know the truth. They may appear to be God’s messengers but are instruments of the devil who fancies himself to be like God Almighty but is only “the god of this age” who seeks to blind “the minds of unbelievers” (2 Cor. 4:4). Due to the bombardment of false teachers within both the early church and the current churches, there is a desperate need for believers to know the truth. As seekers of God’s truth, it is imperative that we can differentiate between the true teachings of Scripture and the deceptive teachings of those whose messages are littered with falsehoods. What is it that characterizes truth compared to untruth, lies and deception. This is an area we will explore shortly.

The author of Hebrews admitted, “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food…But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Heb. 5:11-14).

The inability to discern truth from false statments is indicative of Jesus’s encounter with Pontius Pilate. Pilate, the Roman Governor in Judea at the time of Christ’s hasty trial, rich with fabricated accusations and calls for his death. During Pilate’s interrogation of Jesus, he questioned Jesus about the accusation of him being king of the Jews. Jesus responded, “My kingdom is not of this world…You are a king, then! said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’ ‘What is truth’ retorted Pilate” (John 18:36-38).

This is a question on the minds of many today. What is true and how can we be sure? Interestingly, Jesus was not shy in talking about the truth. In fact, he used the phrase, “I tell you the truth” over 80 times as recorded across all four Gospels. It was profusely clear that throughout all of Jesus’ ministry, he made a point of declaring truth and professed to be the source of it. Jesus told his disciples, “I am the way, the Truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me” (John 14:6). However, in today’s society, many people take exception to Christ’s exclusionary proclamation. It seems, they would rather accept a watered-down version of the truth or even a twisted or distorted version of the truth, than be subject to a truthful, moral and just God. The Apostle Paul announced, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25).

The Greek word for truth is Alethia and integrates the following synonyms: “true, fact, integrity, correctness, accurate, and genuine,” It has the clear concept of that which is associated with “the reality of things or the opposite of error.” In similar fashion, Webster’s Dictionary defines truth as, “That which is true or certain concerning any matter or subject; the real state of things; fact; verity; reality.” ² In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for truth is Emet and means, “to believe in that which is “reliable, has stability and firmness.” Two examples of this Hebrew word in the Old Testament are found in Isaiah 45:19, “I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right.” Jeremiah 10:10 states, “The LORD is the true God.”

Timothy Keller, in his book, The Reason for God – Belief in an Age of Skepticism wrote these revealing words, “People are opting instead for a non-religious life, for a non-institutional, personally constructed, spirituality…Therefore, the population is paradoxically, growing both more religious and less religious at once.…We have an impasse between the strengthening forces of doubt and belief.” ³

Doubt and disbelief were evident even among Jesus’s closet disciples. They had difficulty contemplating and digesting Christ’s prediction of his soon-coming arrest, death and departure. In seeking to lessen his disciples doubts and fears, He prayed for them using these illuminating words, “Father, sanctify (set apart) them in truth: Your word is truth” (John 17:17). He also gave this promise, “I have much more to say…more than you can now hear…when the Spirt of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12–13). In today’s culture and society, it is evident that doubt and confusion exist when grappling with what comprises truth and what does not. Assuredly, this is a distinction that needs to be made. As believers, seeking to stand firm in our faith, we must be able to discern, from a biblical perspective, the difference between truth and its counterfeits.

When confronted by the Sadducees regarding their disbelief in the “resurrection of the dead,” Jesus responded, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God” (Matthew 22:29-31). If we truly want to avoid errors in our theological and doctrinal views, we will need to know the Scriptures and know them well. I contend that we can stand on the solid premise that “truth and only the truth” is found in Christ as the living Word and in Scripture as God’s revealed written word. Our beliefs and theological convictions need to be founded on the truth of God’s word and not on our limited understanding or based on the opinions of others. Taking personal responsibility for our own doctrinal stability will be discussed further in upcoming chapters.

Still, the over-arching question remains, ‘What is Truth?’ We need a reliable source for identifying truth and its basic characteristics. Lee Strobel, a former atheist, gave a fitting description of some of truth’s qualities. In his book, The Case for Faith, he explains, “The clear implications of Jesus saying he’s the way, the truth, and the life are that, first, truth is absolute, and second, truth is knowable. His claim of exclusivity means categorically anything that contradicts what he says is by definition false…to deny the exclusive nature of truth is to make a truth claim and is that person then not arrogant too?” ⁴

Below I have provided a checklist of characteristics of truth from a biblical perspective, both what truth is and what it is not (i.e. counterfeit truth). Naturally, this means relying heavily on the Bible as the main source for identifying true truth. In some passages, the word “truth” is used while in other passages the idea of truth is clearly implied. Although most of the ideas and terminology used below are my own, I am indebted to Lee Strobel for his helpful insights.

WHAT TRUTH IS!

Truth is EXCLUSIVE! It is exclusionary since it must eliminate anything that is not true.

Jesus declared, “A time…has now come when true worshipers…must worship in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). Jesus said, “I am telling the truth…believe me” (John 8:45).

Ravi Zacharias, stated it succinctly, “Truth, is by definition, exclusive. If truth does not exclude, then no assertion of a truth claim is being made; it’s just an opinion that is being stated. Anytime you make a truth claim, you mean something contrary to it is false. Truth excludes it’s opposite.” ⁵

Truth is ABSOLUTE! It is unending and unchanging, staying true over time and space.

“I tell you the truth…Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear” (Matt. 24:34-35 NLT). “God never changes…He give us his true word” (James 1:18 NLT).

Truth is VERIFIABLE! It can be verified by personal observation and experience.

“Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

Truth is COMPLETE & ETERNAL! It is both comprehensive and lasting.

“Here is eternal truth…go directly to the Father and ask him…and he will give it to you, because of your relationship with me” (John 16:23 TPT).

“I’ve taught you everything I could about God’s eternal plan and I’ve held nothing back… is all that you need to become strong…the message of his grace” (Acts 20:27, 32 TPT).

Truth is REVEALED! Truth is knowable because God has chosen to make it known.

“The gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12).

“God…made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God…to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7).

WHAT TRUTH IS NOT

Truth is Not PLURALISTIC! It is singular in its focus, it is not accountable to any other sources of authority, nor is it a combination of contradictory views existing together.

“There are [obviously] some [people masquerading as teachers] who are disturbing and confusing you [with a misleading, counterfeit teaching] and want to distort the gospel of Christ [twisting it into something which it absolutely is not]” (Galatians 1:6-7 AMP)

Truth is Not RELATIVE! It is not affected by time, space, circumstances or viewpoints.

“Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by diverse and strange teachings…which bring no benefit or spiritual growth to those who observe them.” Hebrews 13:8-9 AMP

Truth is Not PERSONALIZED! It is not based on one’s beliefs, as sincere as they may be.

“Knowing this first of all, that no…Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20 ESV).

Truth is Not PRAGMATIC! It is not considered real if it works for some, some of the time.

“Let us not love [merely in theory] but in action and in truth…By this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him” (1 John 3:16, 18-19 AMP).

Truth is Not CULTURALLY DETERMINED! It is not based on constantly changing cultural values, situational ethics or majority consensus.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth—the teachings of] Christ” (Colossians 2:8 AMP).

Tim Keller, in his book The Reason for God – Belief in an Age of Skepticism, argues that truth is not culturally conditioned. He explains, “When you claim to have the truth, you are trying to get power and control over other people…if you try to explain away all exhortations of truth as something else you find yourself in an untenable position.”

Similarly, C.S. Lewis, wrote in The Abolition of Man, “You cannot go on ‘explaining away’ forever: you will find that you have explained explanation itself away.” ⁵

Mercifully, it is not our responsibility to try to convince those who refuse to “face the truth” or accepts God’s as the true standard for truth. Paul mused, “What does it matter, then…Their lack of faith won’t cancel God’s faithfulness, will it? Absolutely not! God must be true, even if every human being is a liar…you are right in your words” (Rom. 3:3-4 CEB).

Yes, we can find encouragement and have complete confidence in God’s written revelation to us and Jesus Christ as his living revelation to us (Hebrews 1:1-3). Scripture meets all the qualifications necessary to be declared true truth. If there are any who still question the truthfulness of the God’s word, consider these additional true statements:

“Every word of God proves true…Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6 NLT

“We can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God…his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God” (1 John 5:20 NLT).

It is my sincere hope that the concepts, biblical passages, scholarly quotes and characteristics of truth given will provide you with increased confidence in turning to the Bible to find truth for living out our faith victoriously. In the next chapter, we will consider a related obstacle to standing firm in our faith, doubting the Bible’s reliability.

Resources cited in the order first used:

1. Community of Memory (2007), Charles Colson, article in Christianity Today Magazine

2. Webster’s American English Dictionary (2013). Merriam Webster, Federal Street Press

3. The Reason for God (2008). Timothy Keller, Riverhead books, New York, NY

4. The Case for Faith (2000). Lee Stobel, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

5. Jesus, Among Other Gods (2002). Ravi Zacharias, West Publishing Group, Eagan, MI

6. The Abolition of Man (2001). C.S. Lewis, Harper One, San Francisco, CA
The “Rights” and Wrongs of Abortion!

April 11, 2026

by Dr. Thomas Kehn

Our society today has some very distorted views of what constitutes that which is good, right and valuable! It appears that one’s personal rights and priorities are considered of utmost importance when it comes to making, literally, life and death decisions. The self-absorbed “right” to choose is tragically even more paramount than the right to life. Regrettably, this perverted attitude imitates the barbarous sentiment of James Bond’s motto, “Live and Let Die.” Certainly, as those who have been created by God, we should be both stirred and shaken by this stark devaluing and dismissing of the importance of any life, be it outside or inside of the womb.

King David wrote these informative words in one of his best known Psalms, “You made all of the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed…as I was being formed together in the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.” Psalm 139:13-16. Note the multiple times the personal pronoun is used to describe David’s existence in his mother’s womb. It is also hard to miss the interest, joy and craftmanship afforded to God’s active participation in David’s (or anyone for that matter) creation before and after his birth. No such description would be necessary if a fetus in the womb is merely to be considered “tissue” rather than a real, live person.

It is simply incomprehensible and paradoxical to think that animals and trees have greater value and significance to those who are stringently passionately protecting their welfare, while on the other hand, quite indifferent toward saving the life of an unborn baby. Today, protecting mother nature seems to take precedence over protecting and cherishing human nature created by God, the Father. Sadly, the things of this world are often worshipped more than God who created the world or the one’s for whom this world was first created. How terribly far our world-minded society has fallen from its Judeo-Christian roots and values. The Apostle Paul saw a similar perversion occurring during his day as well. He wrote. “Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, the worship idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles…They traded the truth for a lie…So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator.” Romans 1:22-23, 25

God Almighty loves and cherishes each of us who have been created “in His image” (Genesis 1:27) and, accordingly, possess infinite value. Therefore, ll human life, both in the world and invitro, is deemed to have intrinsic and limitless worth both to God and, preferably, to mankind. How can we do anything less than reciprocate that same evaluation that God Almighty puts on us?

When it comes to our human rights, let’s not forget God’s rights over humans as both his creation and re-creation. The Apostle Paul stated this truth emphatically. “You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that he lives in you. You don’t own yourselves. God paid a very high price to make you his. So, honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ERV

As God’s creation and recipient of his creation, love and redemption, we longer have a “right” to do with our bodies what we want, God is the one who now, and should always, be seen as possessing this right. It is God, not us, who has already chosen the right to life. Consequently, our motto needs to be, “Live and let live.” Exodus 20:6,13 reads, “I (the LORD) lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands… You must not murder.” This was the second command in God’s list of 10, The only command before it is to “Honor your mother and father” (Exodus 20:12). God has made it abundantly clear that to destroy human life is WRONG! It is also a great disservice to the parents who must potentially deal with life-long feelings of abject shame, guilt and regret. No price, even the inconvenience of carrying a child for 9 months, could possibly be compared to such emotional torture and self-questioning.

Taking the life of a child, born or unborn is unthinkable to God and so it should also be to us. After all, one of the best ways to honor mothers and fathers is to lead them into understanding and committing to protect the sanctify of life, especially when it emanates from their own bodies. We all must hold tightly to the notion and truth that human life is NOT a right we can assume to possess and make. No one has the prerogative or the “right to choose” to take the life of another, even the life of the yet unborn. We must all return to the understanding that as God’s chosen stewards to, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), we have both the awesome responsibility and right to cherish and protect the life He has started. For it is God alone who has the right to choose when to begin and end a human life. Afterall, He is the giver and designer of life. And God chooses life!
Facing off with Facebook – A Biblical Rebuttal to Pro-Gay Posts

April 5, 2026
by Dr. Thomas Kehn

Previously on Facebook, I found myself unsuspectingly embroiled in a number of discussions with several individuals reacting to a reply I made to an original Facebook post made by Plumb, a well-known female Christian musician. In her post, she mentioned having recently and joyfully taken part in a Gay Pride parade. Her participation in the parade itself was a bit unsettling to me. However, when she publicly encouraged that other Christians should do likewise, I took exception and felt the need to respond. In my reply to her Facebook post, I presented the reasons why I could not support Plumb’s invitation.

As you might expect, I have numerous responses from others regarding my initial reply to Plum’s Facebook post. Some individuals were adamantly opposed to my reply while others were both grateful and in agreement with what I had to say. Although, I received a number of harsh and, in my opinion, both extreme and unnecessary reactions (i.e. claims of hate speech, bigotry, intolerance and un-Christ like behavior). In my reply, I purposefully sought to provide a reasonable and biblical treatise consistent with God’s teachings on the issue. It occurred to me later that my replies to the multi-varied responses I received, that it could also be of benefit or interest and to those who may have struggled, either in understanding the ramifications of entertaining Plumb’s plea and, or, effectively articulating one’s own reply to similar conversations from a biblical and evangelical viewpoint. In my responses, I have sought to provide the reader with, hopefully, an understandable, meaningful, and biblical perspective to each of the comments I received from proponents of the LGBQT+ community. This information has been organized into a simple Comment – Reply format.

From the outset, I would like to emphasize that my purpose, goal and motivation for writing this article is NOT to personally attack anyone within the Gay movement. I personally have both friends and family members who I love and care about, even though I may not support their views or active participation in the Gay community. Rather, my intent here is to provide the Christian community with a biblical perspective and rebuttal to common statements and arguments often used in support of LGBTQ+ beliefs and lifestyles.

The LGBQT+ statements and arguments will be addressed in the order noted below:
- Jesus never spoke against homosexuality
- Christians are to love others and not judge their actions or lifestyle
- One who opposes the gay community is guilty of Hate speech
- Christians shouldn’t condemn homosexuality since other sins (divorce, adultery, etc.) are not addressed
- The Bible must be understood in light of today’s culture and societal values
- The Bible doesn’t teach homosexuality is wrong. It’s a misunderstanding or mistranslation of the original texts.
- Conservative Christians are guilty of using the Bible as a weapon
- Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion respected
- No group or individual should be marginalized because of their sexual orientation or beliefs
Comment: Jesus never spoke against homosexuality

Jesus may not have directly referenced the topic of homosexuality in his teachings, but he certainly did encourage his followers to heed the message of the Old Testament Prophets, especially Moses, who did. See Luke 24:25-27. God told Moses to warn the people to stay away from all forms of sexual immorality including homosexuality (Leviticus 18:1-29, particularly v. 22 and 20:7-23). In Matthew 5:17-22, Jesus reminded his followers and disciples that he had come not to do away with the Old Testament commands but to fulfill them. He argues that we cannot and must NOT set them aside. He also stated, “It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

The Apostle Paul, who was taught personally by Christ over a period of 3 years (Galatians 1:11-12, 15-18) also spoke directly and strongly against homosexuality and other forms of sexual immorality. He explained, “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their own hearts to [sexual] impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin], because [by choice] they exchanged the truth of God for a lie. For this reason, God gave them over to degrading and vile passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural [a function contrary to nature], and in the same way also the men turned away from the natural function of the woman and were consumed with their desire toward one another, men with men committing shameful acts and in return receiving in their own bodies the inevitable and appropriate penalty for their wrongdoing. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive, until they were filled (permeated, saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness…Although they know God’s righteous decree and His judgment, that those who do such things deserve death, yet they not only do them, but they even [enthusiastically] approve and tolerate others who practice them.” Romans 1:24-29, 32 AMP

Certainly, the above passage depicts quite accurately the attitudes and demeanor of many in today’s culture and society. Unfortunately, there is a growing tolerance and acceptance of attitudes and actions of others which are diametrically opposed to the character and teachings of God, found in the Bible.

In his letter to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul continued proclaiming his aversion to the rampant sexual promiscuity of his day. During the first century, Corinth, a busy seaside port in Greece, was known for its carnality and blatant sexual immorality, even at its centers of worship. He solemnly wrote, “So, do you not know that the unrighteous will not…have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor (perversely) effeminate, nor homosexuals, And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior]. 1 Cor. 6:9, 11 AMP

The above passages amply illustrate God’s displeasure towards those who willfully turn away from him and his truth in order to follow a life of lust and wicked passion. Nonetheless, it also emphasizes the power of choice and the potential for the personal transformation found in Christ. Note the phrase, “And such were some of you [before you believed].” Let’s be honest with ourselves, God has made it very clear what his desire and righteous standards are for mankind and what he expects of those who profess to be Christ followers.

Comment: Christians are to love others and not judge their actions or lifestyles

Indeed, it is true that Christians are to love others, for God loves everyone. Jesus spent time together with and loved people from all walks of life, the “good, the bad and the ugly” (Luke 15:1-2). But it is also true that God often in Scripture confronts others sinful and wicked lifestyles. God also hate’s lies and deception. Jesus even called Satan the “father of lies” as one who seeks to mislead mankind and steer all humanity away from believing and following God’s truth found in his written word, the Bible (John 8:42-47).

Let’s not follow suit by trying to excuse away or condone the sinful behavior which Jesus appropriately confronted. That is why on several occasions he told those he healed or forgave, “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:9-11). Jesus also said, “I am the truth, the way and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He spoke the truth and didn’t compromise his commands or make exceptions for others out of deference to, or toleration of, their views and beliefs. He had no inclination to try to be politically correct.

Confronting sexual immorality in all its ugly facets, including homosexuality, is NOT passing uncalled for judgment or displaying bigotry. Rather, it is a commitment to biblical purity. Christians are called to seek God’s desired purity in our lives. This motivation is far different from Christians who are often accused of bigotry. The Apostle Paul, who diligently and courageously confronted immorality and hypocrisy also gave us all this challenge, “Dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Cor. 7:1

Yes, we are all sinners and in need of God’s grace and forgiveness. And yes, God can and will forgive those who have a sorrowful heart (2 Cor. 6:9-10) and turn back to him, regardless of what their sinful behavior has been (Proverbs 6:16-19). However, this does not justify anyone’s choice to perpetually live a life of sexual immorality or practice any other types of sinful activity. God hates all sin, and so should we. After-all, there are some very good reasons and Biblical precedents for those who seek to live a life of purity and are who are repulsed by the actions of those who applaud, parade and actively promote a perverse and illicit sexual lifestyle.

“The wicked strut about [in pompous self-importance] on every side, as vileness is exalted and baseness is prized among the human race.” Psalms 12:8 AMP

“You have wearied the LORD with your words.…by saying, all who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD and he is pleased with them.” Malachi 2:17

“The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate” (Prov. 8:13).

“O you who love the LORD, hate evil.” Psalm 97:10

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good.” Romans 12:9

As followers of Christ, we are commanded to seek purity in our lives. And we are called to tell others the truth; we’re to tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Love confronts lies, errors, and evil in all its deceptive forms. We must keep in mind that it is God’s word rightfully defines what sin is, not the preferences of society. As it pertains to the complaint that Christians are not to judge others, the Apostle Paul wrote this admonition, “Do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you know that we will judge angels, how much more the things of this life…do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived” (1 Corinthians 6:2-5). The point is it’s our responsibility to love others which also includes explaining to them God’s ways and truths instead of turning a blind eye to their ungodly lifestyle. See Ephesians 4:17-25, 5:3-10

Comment: One who opposes the gay community is guilty of Hate speech

Disagreement with ungodly values while having a commitment to Godly values and virtues does NOT equate to having hate or using hate speech towards the gay community. Rather, it is the opposite. It is having both a love for God’s truth and a tough love for others by speaking truth into their lives. Tolerating, appeasing and approving of the world’s ways is being disingenuous and it is also misleading to others who seek to understand and follow God’s clear teachings about sexual immorality. It is God’s word, not the world, that must be our guidepost and source of conviction.

“Do not love the world [of sin that opposes God and His precepts], nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust and sensual craving of the flesh and the lust and longing of the eyes and the boastful pride of life [pretentious confidence]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world. The world is passing away, and with it its lusts [the shameful pursuits and ungodly longings]; but the one who does the will of God, carries out His purposes… because no lie [nothing false, no deception] is of the truth.” 1 John 2:15-18, 21 AMP

Once again, let’s not be intimidated into thinking that confronting sin is the same as using hate speech. In fact, it would be most unloving not to tell someone the truth when they are headed for eternal danger and separation from a Holy God. King Solomon wisely spoke these words: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 26:5-6). “He who rebukes a person will afterwards find more favor than he who flatters with the tongue.” Proverbs 28:23

Comment: Christians shouldn’t condemn homosexuality since other sins (divorce, adultery, etc.) are not addressed

Certainly, divorce, adultery and pre-marital sex are no less sinful than homosexuality. Each of these sins should be abhorred and addressed by the church. It’s also true that all sinners will be saved only by God’s mercy and grace, not by one’s self-efforts and works (Ephesians 2:4-9) or one’s own sense of righteousness (Phil. 3:7-9). Everyone is given the same opportunity and responsibility to acknowledge personal sin, to repent and to experience God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9-10). Scripture clearly teaches that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) and adultery, whether it be sexual or spiritual (i.e., Book of Hosea). Most Christians recognize that each of these sins are repulsive to God and requires a spirit of penitence in their hearts regarding any such transgressions. However, it doesn’t appear to be the mindset or attitude of most individuals in the gay community who embrace homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle and a personal right.

Jesus did not and does not discriminate between types of sin. He spoke against, and died for, all types and manners of sin. Whether it be an exposed adulterous prostitute, the prideful religious leaders, or even his own brothers and disciples, Jesus confronted and challenged sin for what it was. One can’t help but see this truth when reading through the Gospels.

As imitators of Christ, we are not called to condemn anyone. We are to show love and extend grace to everyone, including those in the gay community. We have been rightly challenged to love our neighbors just as ourselves. But we must also love the truth and speak the truth, in love. Giving people the impression that any form of sexual immorality, including homosexuality, is fine with God, is simply NOT being truthful. Also, citing the church’s failure to properly address certain other sins is no reason or basis for ignoring the sins inherent with homosexual behavior. To do so relegates it to a straw issue and false argument. For example, to argue that the sin of adultery, occurring as a result of divorce and remarriage, must first be addressed before confronting or condemning homosexuality, is not appropriate or practical. Accepting such a mindset would simply be considering the latter as being of no moral or spiritual importance. Inadvertently, it could then be taken as actually condoning such a lifestyle. After all, the church, as an institution, is not to be held responsible and accountable for the actions and choices of individuals. We are each responsible to acknowledge and confess our own sin before God (Psalm 32). Then, and only then, can we expect to receive and experience God’s grace and forgiveness (1 John 1:8-10). Neither is it up to Christians to justify or pardon the sins of others; it is up to each person to confess their sins, first and foremost, to God.

Instead, it is the responsibility of all believers to loving confront a brother or sister who is going spiritually astray. In humility, we are to point out their wrongdoing and point them back to God (Galatians 6:1-3), who is then able to forgive and restore them. Frankly, it’s not our place to suggest to anyone that living a sinful lifestyle is acceptable to God. Rather, it is open rebellion to his word and should not be ignored simply on the excuse that we all are sinners. Christians are instructed to encourage and admonish (Colossians 1:28) one another. Why? Lest anyone of us should fall away from God (Hebrews 3:12-13) and by so-doing insult the Spirit of grace. Deliberately and continually choosing to live in a life of sin is dishonoring to a holy God. Hebrews 10:26-29 provides a stark warning in this regard.

Comment: The Bible must be understood in light of today’s culture and societal values

I’m convinced that if Jesus was living today, he would be appalled and irate at how God’s commands and truths are being ignored, mutilated, distorted or falsely interpreted in a sad attempt to justify moral bankruptcy in our society today. Today’s enigmatic culture, with its constantly shifting societal values and beliefs, is not a reliable source for determining what is proper and good in God’s eyes. God alone has the capability to set the standards of what is right and wrong and has the culpability to address sin for what it actually is and has become.

Jesus Christ, who was himself completely sinless (2 Cor. 5:19-21; Heb. 4:14-15) would balk, not wink, at the the unquenchable thirst and drive of the Gay movement which seeks to persuade all members of society to accept its beliefs, promote its agenda and consider its actions as being wholesome and pleasing to God. Such individuals are quick to propagate their biased views, staid opinions and improbable justifications for engaging in what God deems to be a wicked and worldly lifestyle. Jesus once told his disciples that some may try to justify their every inconsistency in following the teachings and commands of God’s word. “Jesus replied, you hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ For you ignore God‘s law and substitute your own tradition.…You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold onto your own tradition” (Mark 8:6-9). Although terribly unfortunate, this is exactly what is happening today within the Gay movement.

The Apostle Paul was very clear about not allowing the worldly culture of the day to dictate what one believes or how one should live. He contended, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for yourself, that which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom. 12:2). He also deliberated on this truth, “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that comes from human thinking, and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.” Colossians 2:8

Why did the Apostle feel so strongly about this point? It was because he knew how fickle and adaptable mankind can be. He wrote, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron…If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels…people of corrupt mind who have been robbed of the truth” (1 Timothy 4:1-2; 6:3-5). The Apostle Paul also spoke these alarming, but accurate words, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. The time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4

As we will see below, the Scriptures make it quite clear that we are not to be swayed by the misconceptions of a few wayward teachers. Followers of Christ are called to believe and accept the clear and solid teachings found in God’s word, the Bible. Jesus himself said, when praying to the Father, “Sanctify (set apart) them by the truth, your word is Truth” (John 27:17). We dare not ignore God’s revealed truth or try to explain it away, so as to conform to the ungodly standards of today’s culture and worldly values (Romans 12:1-2).

The Bible doesn’t teach that homosexuality is wrong. It’s a misunderstanding or mistranslation of the original texts.

In addition to those who think that the Bible must be understood in light of today’s culture, there are also those who think that the Bible should be understood and retranslated so as to support and approve of homosexual behavior. Ironically, these individuals consider themselves wiser than all the Bible scholars who have preceded them down through the centuries. Without questioning their lack of integrity, they choose to disparage and refute any translation or interpretation which doesn’t comply to their self-proclaimed views. They would purport that, surely, such words or phrases must be a mistranslation or gross misinterpretation of the original (Hebrew and Greek) texts. How convenient.

The Apostle Peter made it quite clear that interpreting Scripture is not a matter of one’s own opinions. “Above all, you must understand that no…scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had his origins in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1: 20–21. It should be understood that no one has the freedom to decide which passages in the Bible to acknowledge and which to ignore. All Scripture is from God and can lead us to salvation and give us instruction on how we should live (1 Timothy 3:15-16). In addition, Proverbs 30:5-6 explains, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Only God, not man, gets to determine what is truth.

No individual, scholar or otherwise, has the right to ostentatiously throw out and do away with a large number of passages in the Bible on the shaky assumption that these passages can’t possibly be accurate since they condemn homosexuality and oppose today’s popular ideas of morality. There are numerous biblical passages which describe God’s abhorrence towards homosexuality. Some key texts include Genesis 1:26-27, Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:18-32, Ephesians 5:1-15, and 1 Corinthians 6:1-20. It is erroneous to try to eradicate the teachings in these historically accepted passages on the grounds that the truths found within do not match up with the personal views or moral preferences of a minority group in today’s society. There is absolutely no credible basis for setting aside or modifying these passages which were approved in the canon of Scripture over many centuries ago. God’s truth is not up for debate; it is not open to personal opinion or self-interpretation. It is HIS word, not man’s.

Like Satan, false teachers have, in the past millennia, been masters of twisting the truth in order to deceive others to accept their way of thinking. Jesus once reprimanded those who professed to be wise sages of the Holy Scriptures by stating, “Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. From the beginning, he was a murder (of the truth – deceiver), not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lives. Yet, because I tell the truth, you do not believe me” (John 8:43-45). Jesus also declared, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now. But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. John 16:12 AMP

The self-proclaimed “Queer Bible” translation of these passages should be called into question since it provides only inadequate and dubious explanations and interpretations. Academically, these interpretations are suspect because they do not incorporate proper hermeneutical principles necessary to achieve accurate Biblical interpretations. We should not be fooled by a few who, undoubtedly, have an invested interest in trying to support their precarious views. Not surprisingly, these modified interpretations are themselves mistranslations. They are inappropriate and unnecessary since they seek to misconstrue and change God’s immutable word in order to correspond to a set of rainbow 🌈 colored predispositions and predilections.

A case in point is revealed by addressing a claim that the verses in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 are referring to pedophilia (a man having sex with a boy) rather than condemning same gender sex as stated. However, this convenient explanation is not consistent with the use of the same and similar words when cross-referenced with other comparable passages. The word for “man” in these two verses is also translated as “male” or “mankind”, not as boy. Exchanging the word man, male or mankind with the word “boy” is simply a distortion of the true meaning of the word and the inherent context of what the passages are stating. Again, these serendipitous translations merely qualify as mistranslations (missing the mark). Another example is found in Genesis 19:1-13, where it is implied that the city of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God not because the men who came to Lot’s house were seeking an immoral sexual encounter with his two male visitors. Rather, they were merely guilty of not offering appropriate Eastern hospitality. This errant explanation is simply ludicrous. The surrounding context and tone of the passage clearly indicates that it was an angry, out of control, mob intent on pursuing aggravated acts of homosexual rape. No mutual consent is mentioned or implied here.

It is quite apparent that these men had evil intentions. They openly stated their desire to have sex with Lot’s guests, regardless of the personal damage that would be done. They even threatened Lot’s own safety if he was unwilling to do what they demanded. In fact, Lot called what they planned to do “a wicked thing” (v. 7). By reading the whole chapter, it becomes crystal clear of the men’s devious motives and intentions; it is a huge stretch of the imagination to think that God would intervene, blind all the men, and then totally destroy the both cities, simply because its inhabitants were “inhospitable” and displayed bad manners.

When considering the surrounding context of chapters 18-20 in Leviticus, one will note that they repeatedly depict dire concern over a number of distorted sexually immoral acts. God commanded Moses to declare his laws and regulations concerning improper human sexuality. In these passages, God describes a variety of sexually immoral acts. These acts include having sex with another’s husband or wife, other family members, prostitutes, animals and, notably, with same sex partners. The words used to describe God’s attitude towards such acts include, “wicked, profane, detestable, perversion, and defiled.” God states in Leviticus 18:30, “Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced (by the nations) and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.”

The Apostle Paul gave this warning, “We know that the law (the commands of God) is good when used correctly. For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy…The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or for slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching that comes from the glorious Good News” (1 Timothy 1:8-11). One’s understanding of Scripture must be consistent with the message of the “whole counsel” of God’s word as found throughout the whole Bible. To correctly understand and interpret the Bible, when reading Scripture, one must take into consideration the immediate, surrounding and wider contexts of the passage in question. An ample study must also include cross-referencing with other similar passages throughout Scripture – both Old and New Testaments. It also should involve checking to see how pertinent, key words are defined in the Hebrew and Greek lexicons (dictionaries) of the original languages. Such a comprehensive study and thorough examination of the Scriptures will provide a better and more accurate understanding of the passage. One’s personal findings and insights should then be compared with the plethora of teachings found in Bible commentaries written by qualified Bible scholars who have aptly searched out the meanings in a passage.

As believers, we are not free to condone or be cajoled to accept the very acts that God states are detestable and dishonoring to him (Leviticus 20:16-22). Instead, we are also called to view these acts as God views them and to respond accordingly. “You must not live according to the customs of the nations…You are to be holy to me, because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own” (Leviticus 29:23, 26). In staunch opposition to the flippant and false assumptions of those who feverishly hold on to unfounded “Queer friendly” mistranslations of the Bible, there is this following admonition: “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talks spreads like cancer…They have left the path of truth… and turned some people away from the faith. But God‘s truth stands firm like a foundation with this inscription: the LORD knows those who are his, and all who belong to the LORD must turn away from evil.” 2 Timothy 2:15-19 NLT

One should understand that most modern Bible translations today (such as the NIV, ESV, NASB, NLT, AMP, and NKJV) are based on many years of scholarly work from a team of qualified and experienced Bible scholars who have thoroughly studied the original languages and have tirelessly worked together to ensure that the translation is both accurate from a literary standpoint, as well as being consistent with historical and conservative interpretations. Unless it is an obvious use of figurative or symbolic language in the passage, the Bible can and should be taken literally and its teachings recognized and accepted as originally stated by experienced and qualified Bible scholars. Therefore, one can have complete confidence that the various 20^th and 21^st Century translations of the Bible. Both the Old and New Testaments are reliable and trustworthy renderings taken from the original biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek. It must be reiterated once again, that NO one is free to manipulate the natural meaning of a biblical text, modify and change the translated words, or ignore the scholarly and historically accepted interpretation in order to comply with one’s predetermined and heavily biased textual preferences.

Comment: Conservative Christians are guilty of using the Bible as a weapon

Nowadays it has become popular and prevalent to accuse conservative Christians of “weaponizing” the Bible by using it to attack the beliefs and values of the LBGQT+ community. In fact, the Bible is a weapon. So, I say Amen (so be it) to that accusation for the Bible is being used a weapon, and hogwash to the notion that it shouldn’t be used to fight against spiritual deception, error and false teaching. The concept of the Bible as a weapon actually goes back thousands of years. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. “Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one…take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Ephesians 6:11, 16-17 AMP

The author of the Book of Hebrews also underscores the truth that the word of God should be used by all believers who, as soldiers of the cross, are in battle against evil and error. “Let us therefore make every effort…that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience…For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:11-12 AMP

King David stated that the Holy Scriptures were for him, as they can be for us today, a source of spiritual protection. “Arise, O Lord…Save my soul from the wicked with Your sword” (Psalms 17:13). “Renew and strengthen me according to [the promises of] Your word” (Psalms 119:28). As believers in God’s word, we need not apologize for seeing the Bible as a spiritual weapon and using it against the “strategies of the devil.” It is there to aid us in our fight against evil and false teachings. However, we are first to use it on ourselves (Psalm 134:23-24) and then use it with others accordingly, and as needed (Galatians 6:1-2).

Comment: Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion respected

Yes, of course, everyone is welcome to have their own personal beliefs. That’s a part of our God-given makeup with a free will and mind of our own. God reluctantly allowed fallen mankind to go their own way and make choices for themselves, even if those choices are self-destructive (Romans 1:18-25). It is imperative that we recognize that respecting the rights of others is far different from relenting to questionable opinions and immoral activities of a small minority. Nor does it mean embracing values, attitudes and actions which are in direct contradiction to the principles and teachings of God. We dare not allow the deceptive notion of tolerance for all, regardless of lifestyle patterns and beliefs. Tolerance towards others should not equate to a mindless acceptance of those who widely promulgate and promote a wicked lifestyle, even among children and adults alike. Besides, disrespect and having a legitimate and healthy disagreement are two entirely different scenarios.

Again, in spite of opposition, it is only God’s word that must always remain one’s true source of, and standard for, morality. The Bible itself exclaims that each of us have been “entrusted with the whole revelation of God. True, some have been unfaithful; but…does that mean that God is unfaithful? Of course not! Even if everyone is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say of him, ‘You will be proved right in what you say” (Romans 3:2-4). We must stand firm on the unchanging and unadulterated teachings of God’s word. His written word, as found in the Bible, is to be accepted and followed by all committed disciples of Christ. His precepts, statues, decrees and commands (Psalm 119:29-33) are to be held high above the views of man. His word is to be valued and treasured over any person’s opinion, especially those that are shady, shaky and unsubstantiated. It is not about what we think, what truly matters is what God declares.

Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that everyone is entitled to their own opinion in spite of its questionable nature. The concept of compromise, in the name of universal tolerance and acceptance should never permit the denigration of God’s teachings and values. The idea of blindly tolerating the ungodly views and actions of others is equivalent to abandoning one’s personal responsibility to know, follow and share the truth of God’s word with others. God has already declared what His opinions and intentions are concerning how we are to live our lives before him. Instead, let’s heed the words of James, Jesus’s own earthly brother, who rightly challenged us all with these words: “But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves” [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth]. James 1:22 AMP

Comment: No group or individual should be marginalized because of their sexual orientation or beliefs

Such comments suggest the need to better understand what is meant by the term “marginalized.” One should consider if it is being rightfully understood and applied when used in the context of individuals or groups purporting the acceptance of overt and questionable practices of human sexuality? Should prostitutes, adulterers, pedophiles and those committing incest or practicing bestiality be seen as individuals who have been and are still being “marginalized” and ostracized by the ultra-conservative, misguided and unloving members of our society? Most everyone would cringe at the thought. This type of abhorrent behavior is certainly not advocated in the Bible. So, why then should those who practice homosexuality fall into the category of being marginalized when it is also condemned in Scripture (see Leviticus 20:6-19).

Today, being marginalized means something quite different than how it has commonly been understood in previous years. Take for example the following definition provided by Cultureally.com:

“Today the term marginalize refers to the act of treating a person or group as if though they are insignificant by isolating and/or disempowering them. The term describes a person who is treated insignificantly, pushed to the margins of society, and rendered powerless. Marginalization is the result of discrimination. Discrimination exists in many forms, such as racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, homophobia and xenophobia.”

It’s my abiding conviction and contention that it is a false and misleading notion to say that the members of the LGBTQ+ community are being marginalized. Particularly, when it is advocated that its beliefs, practices and agenda should not only to be protected but also lauded and promoted. I believe that such a drastic view of marginalization is being improperly applied to the gay movement. And as a result, shame and pressure are being applied to evangelical Christians and other conservative individuals or groups who are not beholden to their slanted views. Instead we are all expected to offer unbridled support and unrestricted freedom to this limited community so it can further propagate and promote its chosen lifestyle. These minority and outlying groups not only desire but also demand that all others in society allow them full sway in propagating their ungodly beliefs and activities both on a national and global level.

Realistically, rather than being marginalized, the LBGTQ + community has been placed “front and center” in our news and public life. It is even applauded and paraded throughout the whole world. This movement, rather than being marginalized, it is actually being magnified within our culture and society today. Realistically, today it is the more conservative or biblically-minded groups and individuals who are being marginalized. The evangelical Christian community is being considered insignificant and is being pushed to the edges of society. Christianity is deemed as b ing filled with intolerant, bigots, hypocrites, and people haters. It is the views and values of conservative Christians that are no longer being tolerated, accepted or recognized as being proper and upright in the eyes of man or god.

Unfortunately, the world’s moral landscape and evaluative grid has greatly changed over the past 60+ years. Those conservative values and morals which used to be regularly considered as ethical and socially proper, are no longer considered as such. The Golden Rule has now been substituted with the golden calf; the Ten Commandments are seen as the 10 suggestions and the Holy Bible is merely seen as an ancient and impotent artifact of an era gone by and, there, to be considered irrelevant. With the Bible’s lack of receptivity among many of the “more liberated” members of society, even its teachings are no longer embraced as God’s overarching truth for today. Nonetheless, God’s character and his proclaimed word remain steadfast and true and it is the same yesterday, today and forever (Matthew 5:18). Regardless of what the world’s values and beliefs may be, the true basis for TRUTH can only be found in God’s Holy Scriptures. As Christ’s followers and representatives in the world (2 Cor. 5:21), we are under no obligation to look elsewhere for our source of truth and direction in life (2 Timothy 3:15).

Romans 12:1-2 emphatically states, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV). A different translation puts it this way, “Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.” TPT

In conclusion, here is no need for the church, the members of the body of Christ, to apologize for seeking to faithfully follow Christ and live in a way that is pleasing to him. In spite of what others may think or do, as believers in Christ, we are called to live our lives to the glory and obedience of One, God Almighty. We are not to follow the moral (often immoral) preferences of this world. Rather, we are all called to follow his written instructions in the Bible and the sinless example of Christ.

It is my sincere hope that this compilation of comments and personal responses will aid you in garnering an increased understanding as well as an enhanced confidence and appreciation for maintaining a conservative, evangelical and Biblical viewpoint concerning our human sexuality. Even in the midst of many competing views and polarizing issues inherent in our society and the world today, we are called to stand up, not stand down. We must never give up on others, but we also must never give in to those whose values and lifestyle are a repudiation of God’s statues and regulations for mankind.

“Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then.” Ephesians 6:13-15 NIV
Giving God’s Way – The Need for Clairty

April 2, 2026

by Dr. Thomas M Kehn

There appears to be a degree of confusion or misunderstanding among church goers when it comes to the topic of tithing, giving gifts and offerings. Unfortunately, as a result, there are those who knowingly or unknowingly, perpetuate an inaccurate interpretation of what biblical stewardship, with regards to financial giving, is meant to be for believers today. Thus, there exists the need for clarity. To the surprise of some, or perhaps many, God’s template for financial stewardship no longer equates to giving a tithe. The tithe (literally “tenth”) is based on the old covenant system in which Levite priests were required to receive tithes and five different offerings (Leviticus 1-6) from the people in order to support the Temple’s activities. These activities included special holiday festivals, dealing with a variety of religious matters and, in particular, the offering of animal and grain sacrifices for the sins of individuals and, collectively, the nation of Israel (Leviticus 6:1-7; Hebrews 9:16-23).

As believers today, it is important for us to understand what the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament has to say concerning the old and new covenants. Under the new covenant, Jesus is identified as our High Priest who gave himself to be the final sacrifice for mankind’s sins (Hebrews 7:22-28). Now that Christ is our High Priest, there is no longer a need for the Aaronic Priesthood, animal and grain sacrifices or even the Temple, for that matter. “But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. If the first covenant had been faultless, there would be no need for a second covenant to replace it…When God speaks of a new covenant, it means that he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date.” Heb. 8:6–7, 13 NLT

Paul N. Benware wrote in Survey of the New Testament, made the following observation: “The date of writing was about A.D. 65. Hebrews was most likely written before A.D. 70 when the Temple (and thus the sacrificial system) was destroyed.” Intriguingly, the author of Hebrews, as did all the writers of the Bible, “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20), seemingly predicted the destruction of the Temple writing, “what is “obsolete and outdated will soon disappear” (Hebrews 8:13). NIV

I Believe it is essential that Christians today have an accurate understanding of what the Bible teaches regarding financial giving now that we no longer subject to the old covenant mandates, but are instead, privy to new covenant teachings. We should be very thankful that believers in Christ are no longer under the old covenant sacrificial system, along with its ordinances and regulations. Rather, we are to be under the commands and principles the new covenant instituted after Christ’s death and resurrection. According to the Apostle Paul, we are now the temple of God. In 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Paul announced, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God lives in you? For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” Paul also described us as “God’s building” (verse 9). This means that the house of God is no longer a physical structure like the Temple, Tabernacle, synagogues or even a church building. Consequently, it is the followers of Christ who make up the true church. The Apostle Peter put it this way, “You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession…Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

An Old Testament passage often used to support the idea of giving the tithe to the church is Malachi 3:8-12. A key verse in the passage is verse 10 which states, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple.” The faulty notion is that the “storehouse” and “Temple” are now to be interpreted as the local church. While it is certainly admirable to give 10% to any Christ-honoring church, it is not theologically sound to presume that this passage commands believers today to give exclusively to the church. It is a good thing to also support the myriads of Christian-based ministries and para-church organizations, which are worthy of our financial support.

We need to face the reality that the tithe is outdated and an obsolete practice which was needed during the time prior to the establishment of the church. Once Christ has risen from the dead, the early church was more committed to giving to the needs of the widows and those in need within the body of believers (Acts 4:32-35). One should also note that the tithe is primarily discussed in the Old Testament. The few times that tithing is mentioned in the New Testament, it is most used within a negative context that showed Jesus confronting the Pharisees and religious leaders of his day for their hypocrisy in giving tithes and offerings publicly in hopes of receiving praise and admiration from others (Matthew 6:1-40.

In contrast, as noted in the New Testament, the qualities of generosity and sacrificial giving are the cornerstones of financial stewardship. Nonetheless, Luke 6:38 is another verse often used by pastors and clergy to promote the idea that parishioners should still tithe and do so fully, faithfully and only to the church. It reads, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you, fully pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38). Mistakenly, this verse is used as a prooftext or rationale for prompting church attenders to give generously to the church with the promise of receiving some sort of personal or financial blessing in return. This is hardly the case and it sidetracks the need to consider the context of a passage in order to determine its true meaning and interpretation. Even more egregious is the practice of relying on a lone verse to substantiate a doctrinal teaching. The Apostle Paul urges us all to, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved…who accurately handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Luke 6:38 serves as a case in point. The context of the passage immediately before verse 38 shows that Jesus was not making a promise to bless those who gave abundantly to God’s work. Rather, his instruction to the crowd was for them love their enemies, lend to the poor and needy, not to judge or condemn but to be merciful and to forgive others. See Luke 6:27-37. Then verse 38 follows and it finishes with this profound statement, “For with the measure you use, it will be measured unto you.” Once we are aware of the context, this verse takes on a whole new meaning and application. Besides, blessings from God are not dependent upon the size or amount of one’s financial gift. This truth is evidenced by Jesus’s positive comments about the widow’s mite. He praised her for giving sacrificially even though, comparatively, she gave much less than the public display of all the other religious leaders (Luke 21:1-5).

In Paul’s letters to the churches, instead of mentioning the tithe, he repeatedly emphasized the principle of giving generously and sacrificially for the needs of the people who comprise the church. Paul also thanked the believers in Philippi and Thessalonica for their faithful giving to meet his own personal needs during his missionary journeys (Philippians 4:10-18). He described the amazing way in which the believers in Macedonia gave to support God’s work. Paul wrote, “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.” 2 Cor. 8:1-5 NIV

This type of gracious giving is eerily reminiscent of how the early church cared for those in need, as evidenced in Acts 2:42-47. So should be our declaration of faith, that we would trust God to meet our needs even as we choose to focus on meeting the needs of others and seeking to put the Kingdom of God first in our lives and in our wallets and purses (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:33).

It is worthy to note that both Jesus and the Apostle Paul utilized personal pronouns with reference to giving. Our Lord said that we are to “give to someone in need.” This phrase is used two times for emphasis and without any mention of the Temple (Matthew 6:1-4). Similarly, Paul wrote, “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this same attitude in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3-5). We need to remember that God’s word encourages us to give not only to the church but also to people such as missionaries, neighbors in need and the poor. King Solomon shared these wise words, “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).

As we have seen, the Apostle Paul encouraged us all to give generously. He wrote, “Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving – the needs of the believers will be met and they will joyfully express their thanks to God… For your generosity to them, and to all believers, will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ” (2 Corinthians 9:11–14). Therefore, let us follow the words of Christ, Paul and Solomon, who call us to give generously and sacrificially rather than any unnecessary mandate to give only a tenth.

Regardless of one’s position or views on giving, 10% should be the starting point, not the ending point. Imagine how much more could be accomplished for God’s Kingdom work of reaching the lost if we gave as the early church did! Let’s remember how God has so richly blessed us. “We praise God for the glorious grace…He is so rich in kindness and grace that has showered his kindness on us” (Ephesians 1: 6–8). May we have the courage and the confidence to give this way, which we have seen is also God’s way of giving.
Rethinking Our Understanding of the Holy Spirit

March 24, 2026
RETHINKING OUR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT

Dr. Thomas Kehn

Perhaps, like me, you have sometimes wondered about and even wrestled with fully understanding who the Holy Spirit really is and what He actually does for us. If so, then it’s time to reconsider what we think we know about the Holy Spirit regarding his presence and involvement in our lives.

Arguably, when it comes to a theology about The Holy Spirit, ignorance is not bliss. As committed followers of Christ and faithful adherers to God’s word, it is essential that one have a clear understanding of who the Holy Spirit really is and what he is not. Additionally, it is needful to recognize the practical implications of the Spirit’s presence in our lives. Therefore, every believer should seek to better comprehend the fundamental truths about the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

This article will attempt to address this need by answering the following theological questions:
- WHO is the Holy Spirit Anyway?
- WHAT is the Holy Spirit’s Role in Believers?
- HOW Should the Holy Spirit Impact my Life?
For a more expanded Biblical treatise on the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit, refer to my booklet entitled, The Holy Spirit – Moving From Confusion to Infusion. Click on the following link:

https://1drv.ms/w/s!AiJwstN6-4dNgbVTplZoSaw4ISJ8MQ

Who is the Holy Spirit, Anyway?

First of all, we need to be very clear in our understanding that the Holy Spirit is a Who, not a What. He is a person, not a thing, He is a presence, not a mystical experience and He is powerful, but not a force! A.W. Tozer, in his book, How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit, correctly explains, “The Holy Spirit is a person. Put that down in capital letters – that the Holy Spirit is…a… PERSON, with all the qualities and powers of personality. He is not matter, but He is substance…if you think of the Holy Spirit as being literally a wind, a breath, then you think of Him as non-personal and non-individual. But the Holy Spirit has a will and intelligence, and feeling, and knowledge, and sympathy, and ability to love and see and think and hear and speak and desire, the same as a person has.”

The Apostle Paul provides some rather remarkable insights regarding the Holy Spirit’s Triune nature in Romans 8. He appropriately identifies the Holy Spirit as…
- The Spirit of God, the Father (Rom. 8:11)
- The Spirit of God, Christ the Son (Rom. 8:9-10)
- The Spirit of God, in the Saints (Rom. 8:14-15)
The Spirit of God, the Father

The Holy Spirit possesses the exact nature and fullness of deity as does God Almighty. He is…well, Holy, and only God is Holy. “There is no one holy like the Lord, no one besides you” (1 Samuel 2:2). “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty” (Rev. 4:8). When used in reference to the Holy Spirit, the word “He” has been capitalized intentionally to reinforce the truth that the Spirit is a person.

Consider the following verses which describe the Holy Spirit as God:
- “The Spirit of God, was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:2
- “The Spirit of God has made me.” Job 33:4
- “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me.” Isaiah 61:1
- “The Spirit of God lives in you” Romans 8:9
Furthermore, we need to realize that when we say that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, it also incorporates the truth that He is the Spirit of God, the Father.
- “For this reason, I kneel before the Father…I pray that you out of his glorious riches, he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” Ephesians 3:14-16
- “I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God.” Ephesians 1:17 CEV
The Holy Spirit is not only identified as being the same as God the Father, but also the same as God the Son, Jesus Christ.

The Spirit of God, the Son

Once more, A.W. Tozer explains, “There is nothing eerie, nothing queer, nothing contrary to the normal operations of a human heart, but the Holy Spirit. He is only the essence of Jesus imparted to believers.”

Consider these verses which indicate that the Holy Spirit is none other than the Spirit of Christ:
- “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8:9
- “God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying Abba Father.” Galatians 4:6
- “The Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah.” 1 Peter 1:11
The Spirit of God, in the Saints

“God’s holy people” or Saints (Eph. 1:1, Phil. 1:2), have God’s Holy Spirit living in them. It’s the Holy Spirit in us that makes us holy. As his redeemed and adopted children, we have been spiritually transformed. The Spirit is now our guarantee that we belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and that He is coming back for us (John 14:3).

The following passages emphasize these truths:
- “And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised, and that he has purchased us to be his.” Ephesians 1:13-14. NLT
- “In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ…When you believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 1:5, 13
- “We have confidence before God…And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.” 1 John 3:21, 24
- “God lives in us…God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him, and he in us.” 1 John 4:12-13.
In the previous passages, we can see that, not only does Christ live within his children, but also that each member of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is actively involved in every believer. Jesus said, “How much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” Luke 11:1

The Apostle Paul wrote, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know him better” (Ephesians 3:17). We can be assured that the Holy Spirit is God. As God, He is ONE in essence, yet Triune in His presence. Because the Holy Spirit is God, His character is exactly the same as God the Father and God the Son. There is no diminishment of the Holy Spirit’s deity since he is the Spirit of God (Theos).

WHAT is the Holy Spirit’s Role in Believers?

Jesus was very forthright in his conversations with the twelve disciples about the Holy Spirit, especially at the time of the Last Supper. He explained to them the Holy Spirit’s role in the believer’s life. He is to…
- Lead – “And I will ask the father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.“ John 14:16–17
- Teach – “But when the Father sends the Holy Spirit – he will teach you everything and remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26
- Comfort – “I will send you the Comforter – the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.” John 15:26
- Convict – “I go away, because if I don’t, the advocate won’t come…I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God‘s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.” John 16:7-8 NLT
- Guide – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth…will tell you whatever he receives from me.” John 16:14-15
- Pray – “The Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don’t know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us…He can understand what is in the mind…as the Spirit prays for God’s people.” Romans 8:26-27 CEV
- Renew – “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.” Titus 3:5-6
- Empower – “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Ephesians 3:16-17
Each of these descriptions asserts the important truths that the Holy Spirit is a person and is personal in his interactions with mankind. This is so, because it is only a person who can lead, teach, comfort, convict, guide, renew and empower. One should be greatly encouraged to know and understand that God’s Spirit is personally and actively engaged in the lives of all believers. It should also be noted that the Holy Spirit can experience sorrow and grief (Isaiah 63:10) which is something that an “it” or a force cannot do. Paul intoned, “And do not bring sorrow to God’s Spirit by the way you live.” Ephesians 4:30

In the Gospel of John, Jesus identified the Holy Spirit as our Advocate, Helper, Teacher and Comforter (14:16), depending on the translation’s rendering of the Greek word, parakaleo.The Holy Spirit is also identified as the source of Truth (15:26). Each of these additional descriptions should affirm and/or reaffirm in our hearts and minds the very personal nature of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture makes it quite clear that when we are “born again” by the Spirit, we are made new in Christ and at that time in-dwelt with the fullness of the Holy Spirit:
- “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ.” Col. 2:9-10
- “God says, “I will pour out (generously) my Spirit upon all people.” Acts 2:17
- “God gives…the Spirit without limit.” John 3:34
As one pastor noted, “This is a pouring out time—not a sprinkle, but a downpour—and many people know it not.” Anonymous

One can glean from these verses that the Spirit of God has been given fully to all believers. It should be emphasized that the Holy Spirit is given in all of his fulness, not piece meal. As “born again” believers, we don’t lack any part or portion of the Spirit. It is not a matter of us needing more of the Spirit of God, but rather the Spirit of God needing and wanting more of us. Believers, both new and old, are admonished to not only be filled with, but also be controlled by, the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18, the Apostle Paul reminds us of this command: “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” NLT The connection is obvious, rather than alcohol (man’s spirits) controlling or altering our behavior, it should be God’s Spirit who controls us and helps to alter our sinful behavior. “So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16–17). This reassuring truth leads to a final, and most relevant, question.

How Should the Holy Spirit Impact my Life?

In other words, “What difference will it make when a believer is in-dwelt, filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit?” Below are some suggested implications of the impact the Holy Spirit should make in one’s life:

1. Our Lives will Demonstrate More of God’s Leading!

The Apostle Paul provides some helpful insights concerning this issue in his writings to the Galatians and Romans. He wrote…

“All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Romans 8:14. ESV

“Walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those…who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:38-39

“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:25 NLT

The point is, we are to allow the Holy Spirit to influence both our heart and our mind, which in turn, can lead to a change in the way we feel, think and act. It should also impact the way we relate to and interact with others both inside and outside of the church.

2. Our Lives will Reflect More of God’s Character!

Paul continues with his admonitions to all believers:

“For all of you who were baptized into Christ (into a spiritual union with…the anointed) have clothed yourselves with Christ (that is, you have taken on his characteristics and values).” Galatians 3:27 AMP

“Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives, and you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves…which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And…when you are directed by the Spirit…the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:16-23 NLT

“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with…the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” Philippians 2:1-2

It is important to note that the Holy Spirit’s work of guiding, directing, and producing in us Christ’s qualities and characteristics, will be a direct result of us choosing to follow the Spirit’s leading in our lives. Though we will never be perfect, and we all will struggle at times, the Holy Spirit can supernaturally transform us into the person he intends us to be and increase in us both a desire and ability to follow Christ’s example (1 Corinthians 11:1).

3. Our Lives will Display More of God’s Holiness!

“My dear friends, we must not live to satisfy our desires. If you live by the help of God’s Spirit, you will say “No” to your desires. Rom. 8:12-13

“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1

“But just as he who called you as holy, so be holy in all you do; for just written: Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15–16

After all, the Spirit is called Holy for a reason. It is only the Holy Spirit who can help transform us and enable us to be holy. In spite of our inherent limitations and temptations, we can pursue a greater degree of holiness in the way we live our lives. This pursuit of holiness will help motivate and mitigate our personal desires, attitudes and actions.

4. Our Lives will Project More of God’s Boldness!

Knowing that we are guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit should give us a greater degree of confidence in our relationship God and ability to maintain our convictions. This in turn, can enable us to project and exude more of Christ’s boldness in our daily living. Such confidence is based on the Holy Spirit’s power, not our own, and his active presence in our lives. The Apostle Paul wrote these promising words:

“You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but the Spirit of the living God…Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are confident in ourselves to claim anything from our ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit.” 2 Cor. 3:2-6

“After they prayed…they were all filled with the Holy spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Acts 4:31

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace…so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13 ESV

“God’s Spirit makes us sure that we are his children. His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised.” Rom. 8:16-17 CEV

Focusing on God’s promises and the Spirit’s presence in our lives will infuse in us a greater level of reassurance and strength in our spiritual walk. It becomes apparent that the presence of the Holy Spirit in us is intended to make a dramatic difference in how we think, feel and act.

Greg Laurie offers us a fitting reminder of this reality in his book Jesus Revolution. He writes, “(Jesus) calls those who follow him to be the visible manifestation of his love and his truth. That’s a challenge we cannot meet without humility, personal and corporate repentance, and the fresh wind and power of his Holy Spirit.”

Oh, Holy Spirit, we ask that you bring to mind these spiritual truths as often as is needed for us to more fully entrust ourselves to you. Remind us of what you have done for us in the past and what you will do for us in the present and in the future. Spirit of the living God, may we humbly rely on your presence and leading as we seek to honor and praise you as our redeemer, teacher, guide and comforter.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14
Salvation – God’s Choice or Yours?

November 27, 2025

Exploring the Question and Addressing the Answer!

In Soteriology (the study of salvation), two opposing views are typically presented. Predestination and Free Will theology have long been a source of intense disagreement between Bible scholars, novice theologians and common parishioners alike. Consequently, this has led to much confusion and controversy. To bring some measure of understanding and clarity to the matter, I am offering a personal and biblical explanation as to why I cannot accept Calvinism’s view of Predestination and its corollary, the doctrine of Election. Instead, I believe that there is ample Scriptural support which indicates that each person has the freedom, opportunity and responsibility to make important spiritual and willful decisions for themselves. These decisions can and will have an eternal impact on one’s life both now and in the future. As 2 Timothy 3:15 states, “The Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Since this theological debate has been going on for centuries, some may be wondering if it is even a matter worth discussing. From the very onset, I want to strongly suggest that it is. Indeed, I contend that it is an extremely important and pertinent matter since there are some significant implications if the standard tenets of Predestination are accepted. These tenets are listed below:

·      There is little reason for a person to seek out, repent or live for God since his or her future spiritual state is predetermined by God, apart from any action on their own (Jeremiah 29:12-13, Acts 3:19, John 6:27–29).

·      There can be a significant difference in a person’s motivation and commitment to be a witness and ambassador for Christ through praying for and sharing the Gospel message since one’s eternal destination has already been decided long before the world was even created (Ephesians 1:4-5, Acts 1:8, 21-22 and 2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

·      There potentially can be a lessened understanding of, and confident hope in, one’s assurance of salvation. How can one know for sure if they have been preselected by God (Matthew 22:14, 1 Peter 1:3-5, 1 John 5:11-13)? It has been suggested that one can’t know until after they die. Yet, according to Hebrews 9:27, by then it’s too late.

·      Ultimately, it detracts from the eternal purpose of God in receiving praise and glory through a person’s belief and faith in Christ (1 Peter 1:7-9, Ephesians 1:11-13).

As a student of the Scriptures for over 50 years, and as one who holds two post-graduate degrees (ED. Doctorate and Master’s in Christian Education), I still recognize that addressing these opposing views of Soteriology can be a Herculean task. It may also lead to little movement of a person’s current beliefs about the question at hand. Nevertheless, I shall seek to move forward humbly, yet boldly.

Well-known Pastor and author, John MacArthur, explains “The doctrine of election simply means that God, uninfluenced and before creation, predetermined certain people to be saved.” 1 Ardent supporters of a Predestination theology often use passages such as Romans 8:29 and Ephesians 1:4-12 to argue for their view that God has already determined and selected those who will be saved and those who will not. Key terms and ideas such as “election, foreordained and predestined” are often utilized to build their argument. However, these words, when used in Scripture, do not need to imply that God methodically selects only some to be saved. For example, The Key Word Study Bible defines the Greek word eklegomai in Ephesians 1:4 as being, “To elect, choose, or select. The word denotes rather simply the act of selecting something…expressing favor to the object chosen (not necessarily implying the active rejection of what is not chosen).” 2

Romans 8:29-30 reads, “For those God foreknew he also predestined…And those he predestined, he also called; those he called he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” An individual of the Calvinist’s persuasion would have us believe that these two verses effectively support the idea of predestination, being that it is God’s sovereign choice to save only some. But one only needs to look at the preceding verse (8:28), to learn that the Apostle Paul was referring to “those who love him (God), and who have been called according to his purpose.” This then begs the question, “What is God’s purpose?” In the rest of verse 29, Paul explains that it was God’s purpose that for those God foreknew would love him, he predestined (planned beforehand) for them to “be conformed to the image of his Son.” Since this is God’s stated purpose, the focus and emphasis in the passage should be on idea of conformity to Christ, not the salvation of a few.

The word “predestined” appearing in this verse is used in the context of becoming like Christ, not becoming saved. The Apostle Paul made it very clear throughout the chapter that he is referring to those who are already saved. Their salvation is a given, since he is talking to his “brothers and sisters” (v.12, 29) in Christ. Paul further explains they are “those who are led by the Spirit” and have been “adopted” by God (v.15) and so, “are God’s children” (v.16). Paul reinforces this point early on in the chapter where he said he was addressing “those who are in Christ” (v.1) and those who “have the Spirit of Christ” (v.9). It becomes quite apparent that Romans 8:29 is not talking about God choosing who will be saved and who will not be saved, but rather it is talking about believers who are choosing to become more like Christ or spiritually mature in Christ. This was Paul’s passion both in his life and ministry. See Galatians 4:19, Philippians 1:4-6 and Colossians 1:28-29.

For those unfamiliar with John Calvin’s Doctrine of Election or Predestination, a brief explanation may be helpful at this point. John Calvin was a 16th Century French Theologian who, during the Protestant Reformation, sought to influence a number of pastors concerning his views on salvation, in which God sovereignly decides who will be saved or eternally damned. Renowned Bible Scholar, Professor and Theologian, Dr. Wayne Grudem, in his academic textbook, Systematic Theology – An Introduction to Bible Doctrine, remarks, “It must be said that the doctrine of election is by no means universally accepted in the Christian church, either in Catholicism or Protestantism. There is a long history of acceptance of the doctrine, but many others have objected to it as well…it will be rejected quite decisively by nearly all Methodists, as well as by many others in Baptist, Anglican, and independent churches.” 3

This misplaced emphasis by Calvinists’ is also evidenced when discussing Ephesians 1:4. It states, “For he (the Father) chose us in him before the creation of the world….” But one should not stop at that point in the verse since it continues to explain that it’s so that we can, “be holy and blameless in his sight.” The emphasis, therefore, should be on the latter part of the verse, being holy and blameless before God, rather than on being chosen by God. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary underscores this view. “Note that we are chosen in him, that is, in Christ, and that this choice took place before the foundation of the world. God’s purposes are eternal. That we should be holy and blameless before him. This is the purpose for which God has chosen for us in Christ.” 4

This unnatural and unnecessary emphasis on preselection is also made evident in verse 1:11 which states, “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined….” The real question is, what have we been chosen and predestined by God to do? Paul goes on to say that God’s plan, purpose and will is for us, in Christ, to “be for the praise of his glory” (v.12). Then in v.13, Paul goes on to explain that we give glory to God by believing his gospel message. “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of salvation. When you believed, you were marked… with the Holy Spirit.” It is one’s belief in Christ which brings “redemption” and leads “to the praise of his glory.” Why? Because we choose, by our own volition and will, to believe in Christ and so, to become “God’s possession.”

Supporters of election theology often display an ignorance of a very important hermeneutical principle for proper biblical interpretation. It is the the rule of context. For example, the absence of this rule can be seen in their discussion of 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14. Enthusiastic, but uniformed supporters of Calvin’s view of Predestination are tempted to highlight only a portion of the passage. It decrees, “from the beginning God chose you to be saved… He called you to this through our gospel.” They would argue that this passage convincingly shows that God alone determines who will be saved. And yet, one only needs to read the rest of verse 13 to reveal its true meaning. The verse explains, “God chose you to be saved… through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” This example demonstrates the need for reviewing more fully the context of the passage in order to achieve a better understanding and correct interpretation of what it is actually saying.

Not to be deterred, believers in Predestination like to refer to Romans 9:18-21 which unapologetically announces, “Therefore, God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden…Who are you, O man, to talk back to God… Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” They would say that this passage indicates God, like the potter with the clay, has the right to mold mankind’s eternal destiny by deciding who gets saved and who does not. The argument is then made that one should not question God’s sovereign right to make this determination, especially since no one is deserving of salvation.

Yes, all of mankind is truly undeserving of salvation. That is why we are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8). And yes, God is Sovereign, and his eternal plans and purposes are beyond question (Isaiah 48:16-17). However, when considering the context of these verses in Romans 9, one will discover that Paul is talking about Pharaoh’s heart being hardened, first by himself and then by God. In this passage, it is the Nation of Israel (Jews) and Gentiles, as a whole, who are being addressed. He is not talking about individuals being predestined to heaven or hell. Within Chapter 9, the importance of faith and belief is emphasized again and again. Verse 9:30 states that the Gentiles received his righteousness by faith, not by works, as the Jews tried to do. Likewise, verse 33 explains that “the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”

Personal faith and belief are paramount for one to receive God’s salvation. Paul makes this truth known quite clearly in the next chapter. Romans 10:8-11 proclaims, “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the message concerning faith, that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart, that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As scripture says, “anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Just in case someone missed his point, Paul reiterates this truth, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved” (10:13). Anyone who purports to be a Bible teacher is expected to teach all of God’s truths, rather than cherry picking a few verses here or there in an attempt to support a questionable doctrine. Paul reminded the Ephesian elders, “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God” (Acts 20:27).

There are a large number of Bible passages espoused by Christ’s Apostles which pronounced that salvation is available to all and is a result of one’s faith and belief in Christ. The following is just a sampling of verses which declare this truth:

By Paul – Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:22, 10:9-10, 11:32; 1 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 3:15, Titus 2:11

By Peter – 1 Peter 1:3-5, 8-9; 2 Peter 2:9, 3:9,15

By John – John 1:12, 3:16-18, 6:69, 8:22, 20:31; 1 John 5:4-5, 10-13

One of the most recognizable and beloved verses in the Bible is, of course, John 3:16 which simply, yet emphatically, states that “whoever believes” will be saved. This is truly good news. We can all thank God for his unlimited grace which has been abundantly poured out on anyone who chooses to believe in Christ. We can also rest assured that God loves and has permanently saved each and everyone of us who comes to him in faith. “Jesus lives forever… Therefore he is able, once, and forever, to save those who come to God through him.” Hebrews 7:24-25

Those who accept Calvin’s ideology of Predestination will contend that no one is capable of coming to God or earning his salvation, due to man’s depravity, therefore it is up to God alone to choose to save only some. Of course we cannot do anything to earn our salvation. It is not our works which save us, but it is a matter of us accepting his gracious gift by faith as Ephesians 2:8-9 indicates. And, God has extended his grace to us all (Titus 2:11-15). It is our responsibility to decide if we will accept his offer of salvation by grace or not. Even the author of the Book of Hebrews expressed over and over again the truth that salvation is a result of God’s grace which has been extended to all who come to him in faith and trust in his finished work on the cross (see Hebrews 2:1-4, 4:2-3, 5:9, 6:17-19, 7:25, 9:27-28, 10:26-29, 11:6, 12:22-25).

There are those who, even though fully committed to the doctrine of election, have much difficulty in explaining away the importance of personal faith and belief with regards to salvation. So, instead, they attempt to side-step the issue by enfolding these foundational truths into their preconceived theoretical concepts of election and Predestination. Case in point, R.C. Sproul is an avid supporter of the doctrine of election, and yet in his commentary on Romans – The Righteous Shall Live by Faith (even the title incorporates the term faith), in an attempt to explain away the repetitive teachings of Paul in Romans 10, regarding salvation being a result of faith. R. C. Sproul makes some surprising contradictory statements as noted below: 5

“The possession of faith, not the profession of it, is the necessary condition for our justification. That is why Paul does not say that we will be saved if we confess with our mouth. He adds the condition: you must believe with your heart” (p. 317). This truth is what Paul has been trying to communicate all along in his letter to the Romans, as noted below:

“Through him we received grace…to the obedience that comes from faith’ (1:5). “For I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (1:16). “For in the gospel the righteousness of God…is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith” (1:17). “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (3:22). For we maintain that a person is justified by faith” (3:28). “Therefor the promise comes by faith so that it may be by grace…to those who have the faith of Abraham” (4:16). “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God…through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand” (5:1-2). The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith” (9:32). “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (10:10). “They were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith” (11:20).

R. C. Sproul continues his inconsistent comments by stating, “What are the necessary ingredients of saving faith? The first ingredient of saving faith is notae, which means there is content to the faith we embrace…There is no comfort to be found from faith in a false object. Saving faith requires content, information, and knowledge” (p. 318). Yes! That is why Paul said, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (10:17).

Sproul adds, “Intellectual affirmation of the truth claims the gospel must be embraced with personal trust and affection for the truth” (p. 318). I say “Amen” for this is the very intent of Paul’s proclamation, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (10:13).

Finally, R. C. Sproul makes the most revealing statement of all by confessing, “Instead of worrying about the intricacies that attend the doctrine of election, we must get down to the simplest principle: if we confess with our mouths and believe with our hearts, we shall be saved” (p. 318). Although I heartedly agree with his closing words, I would suggest that instead of worrying about the intricacies and the inconsistencies of the doctrine of election, why not just accept the fact that the Bible is chalk-full of scriptural passages which teach otherwise! Such a merry-go-round of theological jargon reminds me of the words of Jesus as paraphrased in The Living Bible which retorts, “Any man can justify his every inconsistency.”

Proponents of Calvinism will also point to John 6:65 as a reason to bolster their belief in predestination. In this passage Jesus states, “no one can come to me, unless the father has enabled him.” However, their confidence in this passage as a bastion for their beliefs is short-lived when one considers what else Jesus said. Conveniently forgotten are the words of Jesus spoken shortly before going to the cross. He declared, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself… then Jesus told him, you are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you…Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of the light.” John 12:32, 35-36

The question is not, “Who does the drawing?” since it’s apparent that both the Father and the Son are involved in drawing mankind to themselves. One should also bear in mind Jesus’ words of invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all you were weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.… and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus reminded his fellow Jews, who had been tiredly seeking to attain God’s favor through their works rather than their faith in him, that such efforts was no longer necessary nor effectual (Galatians 5:4-6).

The real question then, for those of the Calvinist persuasion is, “How can one justify side-stepping the large body of Scriptures which clearly state that salvation is a result of personal belief and faith in Christ?” It is not acceptable, nor good Hermeneutics, to focus on just a few select verses, often taken out of context, in a fleeting attempt to support one’s views, while ignoring the plethora of Biblical passages that run counter to the doctrine of election. As believers in the veracity of God’s word, we must stay true to all of Scripture which is, “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

As mentioned previously, the words “predestination and election” are regularly thrown around as terms to help support John Calvin’s theology of salvation and damnation. I reiterate the point that these terms need not, and should not, be interpreted as legitimate support for his ideology. I can unequivocally say that I, too, believe in predestination, but only when denoted with an entirely different emphasis and meaning than that of your typical Calvinist.

Ephesians 1:5 explains that “He (God, the Father) predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ.” Once again, the emphasis in this verse should be on the word adoption, not on the word predestined. It is important here to note that the word “predestined” used in this verse is the Greek word Proorizo which means to determine or to plan beforehand. Certainly, God the Father, planned beforehand, even “before the creation of the world” (1:4), that we could be seen as” holy and blameless in his sight” and adopted into his family (1:5). One might ask, How and why? Later in the same chapter, Paul explains that because of their faith (1:15), they “also were included in Christ, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession” (1:13-14). Why did God want us to become a part of his family? It was so that we could be “to the praise of his glory.” One can readily see in this passage that faith and belief are integral parts of the salvation equation. It is a wonderful truth that God invites us to be a part of his forever family. As John 1:12 indicates, “all who did receive him (Christ), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This adoption has nothing to do with God preselecting who would and who would not be welcomed into his family. Jesus himself said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (3:15).

I also stand firmly on the concept of “election” but only with respect to how it is described and explained in Scripture. True election has to do with God selecting Israel as his chosen people who were to share his salvation message to the world (Romans 11:28-29). Jacob, as God’s elected one (Romans 9:11-12), had his name changed to Israel. God made a covenant with Abraham that his descendants (Israel, the Jewish nation) would be loved by God and saved by God through the gospel, and that he would never break his promise (Romans 11:30-32). God has always elected to save a remnant of those of the Jewish faith (Isaiah 10:20-21, Micah 2:12, Romans 9:27, 11:5-7). Part of that saved remnant will be the 144,000 Jews selected from each of the 12 tribes as mentioned in Revelation 7:4-8. Jesus spoke of the “elect” who will be saved during the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-31). It seems logical that the elect Jesus referred to is the 144,000 Jews, as well as any others who will believe their testimony and be saved.

The Greek word eklektos, translated elect (election), is used sparingly in Scripture. According to The NIV Exhaustive Concordance, the word was used only 3 times by Jesus and only 6 times by Paul.6 The two times it is used by Peter refers to the many Jewish believers who, due to persecution, had become “exiles scattered throughout the provinces” of Asia (1Peter 1:1), for they had been “chosen by the foreknowledge of God…to be obedient to Jesus Christ” (1:2). Consequently, as a result of their faith they, and many Gentiles whom the Paul had ministered to, inherited a secure and lasting salvation (1:3-5).

It becomes exceedingly apparent that God has chosen to save mankind through belief in his Son, “the way and the truth” (John 14:6), but some have chosen to reject the truth (2 Thessalonians. 2:10-12). One should note what God has chosen, not who God has, or has not chosen. God has chosen to save those who “love and accept the truth” (v.11), as opposed to those who will be condemned because they have chosen to enjoy “evil rather than believing in the truth” (v.12). The choice is for each person to make for themselves. It is not the indiscriminate choice of some impersonal, un-empathetic supreme deity. The NIV Study Bible notes on the word elect concur with this conclusion stating, “It is clear that Christ died for all. The invitation to believe in Christ and be saved is extended to all. Everyone who hears the gospel is responsible to either accept or reject Christ. If one perishes in his sin, he is condemned as result of his own choice.” 7

The use of the word “elect” in these passages clearly is not referring to a select few individuals who, down through the centuries, have been singled out and chosen by God’ to be saved simply on the basis of his divine choice. Such a limited, and seemingly, random preselection would also entail the exclusion of the masses of humanity who have not, for whatever reason, been identified as part of the “elect.” After all, Calvinists will offer, “many are called but few are chosen” (Matthew 24:12). However, using this verse as a proof text for the doctrine of election is sadly unconvincing. The reason being is that this verse is taken from Jesus’ parable of the Wedding Banquet. In the parable the guests invited to the banquet refused to come (22:3). As a result, the servants where commanded by the king to “invite to the banquet anyone you find” (22:9-10). Jesus made it clear that the parable was indicative of the Kingdom of God. This hardly sounds like limited selection, as is suggested by election theology.

Thankfully, God’s mercy and grace is unlimited and has been extended to all people, throughout all time. Paul declared in Romans 11:32, “For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.” This truism was echoed by Paul, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). This is truly Good News for us all!

In this article, I have sought to communicate, unequivocally, that salvation is only obtained through one’s personal belief and faith in Christ. Hopefully, you have also observed that the Apostle Paul persistently sought to make this truth known in his writings. So, what can be gained from all of this discussion on the theology of salvation? By way of review, I would like to suggest three important takeaways for your thoughtful consideration:

1. God, in his mercy and grace, has extended an invitation for us all to come to him in saving faith and become a member of his forever family (John 1:12, 1 John 3:1-2).

2. Each person has the opportunity and responsibility to believe in Christ in order to obtain eternal salvation through faith (Romans 10:9-11).

3. Everyone is expected to take seriously our calling both to correctly use God’s word (2 Timothy 2:15) and be witnesses of his mercy and goodness (Mark 5;18-19).

It is my hope and prayer that the reader has gained an additional degree of enlightenment regarding God’s glorious and unmerited offer of salvation, which stands in stark contrast to the gloomy doctrine of election and predestination. I, for one, am so very grateful for the truths found in Psalm 86:5 which pronounces that we all can confidently know, “The Lord is good, and ready to forgive and abundant in loving kindness to all who call on him.” Lord, once more we thank you for your amazing grace and mercy which you extend to each of us when we come to you in believing faith.

Notes:

1.      Election and Predestination: The Sovereignty of God in Salvation, Grace to You: Sermon by John MacArthur, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA

2.      The Key Word Study Bible (p. 1721), AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN

3.      Systematic Theology – An Introduction to Bible Doctrine (p. 828), Zondervan

4.      The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (p.1303), Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL

5.      Romans – The Righteous Shall Live by Faith (pp. 317-318), R. C. Sproul, Ligonier, Sanford, FL

6.      The NIV Exhaustive Concordance (p. 341), Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI

7.      The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan Bible Publishers, Grand Rapids, MI

Epilogue:

Why Might Someone Choose to Believe in Predestination?

In an attempt to answer this somewhat puzzling and perplexing question, at least to me, I would like to suggest 3 reasons:

Reason 1. It appeals to one’s pride – Predestination implies there must be something inherently worthy or good in a person which would lead God to select them as opposed to randomly selecting individuals for salvation.

Reason 2. It addresses one’s spiritual insecurities – There is a natural, underlying suspicion that one can never be good enough to earn or obtain God’s favor. Predestination overcomes this concern by promising one has been sovereignly selected by God even before the creation of the world, and that salvation will not be based upon his or her actions and choices.

Reason 3. It affirms one’s need to be loved and valued – Predestination intimates that one must be lovable and valuable since God has chosen him or her to be his prized possession.

Each of these reasons, however, can be addressed and realized by a true believer, without having to accept the ideology of Predestination:

o   We are all loved, valued and cherished by God. Isaiah 43:1-4 states, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I’ve called you by name, you are mine… for I am the Lord your God, your savior… you are precious to me, you are honored, and I love you.”

o   We do have a secure hope and an eternal inheritance in Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-5 affirms, “Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance – and inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure, and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power, until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.”

o   We need not, and cannot, do anything to earn God’s favor or acceptance. Galatians 2:16, 19-21 declares, “Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not in the law… I stopped, trying to meet all its requirements – so I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me, I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless.”
The Tempting Deception of Universalism

November 27, 2025

Today, there is ample reason to be concerned about the potential deception associated with the theological concept of Universalism, which pertains to the study of Soteriology (The Doctrine of Salvation). For those less familiar with Universalism, this concept suggests that because God loves all mankind, it naturally follows that anyone and everyone who has ever lived will be saved regardless of the presence or absence of personal faith. Perhaps you are wondering why Universalism should be considered a cause of doctrinal deception and a possible source of theological confusion. It is labeled as deception because it countermands the true Gospel message found in the Holy Scriptures. The true Gospel has been clearly presented by the combined testimony of Old Testament Prophets, Jesus Christ himself, and several New Testament Apostles. Surprisingly, to Universalists, there is a need to create their own “gospel” story. The Apostle Paul decried this notion warning, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ, and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6–7 NIV

Proponents of the theological constructs of Universalism purport that no one will be eternally separated from God. Salvation, they plead, is not dependent upon one’s faith response or lack of it. But is that truly what the Scriptures teach concerning God’s plan of salvation? If it is not, then it becomes a false depiction and a blatant deception of the true Gospel message. Instead, it becomes a “godspell” message offered to a world that is languising under a curse of spiritual death. It is important that believers not come under the spell of those who would seek to provide a cheap imitation of the real Gospel which must be complete with its blend of both Good News (God’s plan of redemption, reconciliation and restoration) and Bad News (mankind’s rebellion, separation and condemnation before a Holy, just God).

The conundrum of mankind’s ostensive rebellion, consistent sinfulness, and at times out-right disdain towards a Holy God, apparently plays no part in the Universalist’s rose-colored view of salvation. It is a huge misconception to think that because God is compassionate and all-loving, he will automatically absolve mankind of all guilt, shame and blame regardless of any reciprocation on man’s part. However, any Scriptural support for such views is woefully lacking, thus making them also doctrinally dangerous. One might ask, “Why?” It’s because the tenets of Universalism are typically based on a number of selected, and often isolated, Bible verses taken out of context and then used to support a tenuous theological stance. It is also dangerous because it denigrates the saving work of Jesus Christ by relegating his primary role to only being man’s Creator instead of also being his Savior, rescuer, and redeemer.

In Colossians, the Apostle Paul explains that each of Jesus’s soteriological roles are essential components of the gospel mess. He adjures his readers with sobering words of caution and admonishment. “You have already heard the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world…you heard it and truly understood God’s grace…Continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed….” Colossians 1:6, 23 (see also verses 9-22).

The tempting, yet deceptive, notion of Universalism is that it suggests every person will eventually be saved and deemed as morally acceptable before God simply on the basis of being his unique creation. If this were true then, for all practical purposes, there is little need for a Savior to come into this world. And yet, the Bible clearly teaches that Christ did come “to save the world” (John 3:17) and, in doing so, has “rescued us from the domain of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption” (Colossians 1:13-14). If no one will ever be eternally separated from God, then there would be no need or reason to respond to God’s salvation call or for any such thing as personal repentance (Acts 2:36-39). To the Universalist, the idea of eternal separation from God is seen to be only a figment of one’s imagination. Predictably, there is no motivation to discuss the existence of Hell or the prospect of eternal damnation (John 3:18).

It is quite understandable why proponents of Universalism believe as they do. The convenient idea that “EVERYONE BORN is EVERYONE SAVED,” is attractive indeed! Who wouldn’t want to believe the kindly notion that all people, including one’s family members, friends and neighbors will be pardoned from any eternal consequence. Certainly, such a perspective of God’s unconditional love and undeserved grace would win the day. After all, most people only want to have their “ears tickled” (2 Timothy 4:2-4) rather than be told about their true spiritual condition apart from Christ. How ingratiating is the thought that God is all about love and acceptance rather than righteous judgment and just condemnation. But, is that what the Bible actually teaches?

Regardless of Universalism’s appeal, the Gospel truth must remain just that, the TRUTH. There is no place for the deception and misconceptions perpetuated by supposedly well-intentioned Universalist-oriented pastors and teachers. God’s salvation plan, with his established conditions and parameters, is not up for popular vote; nor is it a matter of one’s personal opinion, societal preference or majority rule. Satan must smile when he sees his hellish lies being propagated and spread about indiscriminately. Why? Because he knows it leads to complacency in praying for the lost and sharing the Gospel with those who desperately need to hear it. In an effort to refute the deceptive tenets of Universalism, joint teachings from both the Old Testament and New Testament will be amply explored.

The Old Testament Prophet’s Teachings on Salvation

The Prophet Isaiah spoke about God’s salvation as being offered to all men. However, the stipulation of belief in God’s anointed Messiah, was established as a definite prerequisite for anyone who would come to Him for salvation. Isaiah wrote, “You are my witnesses, declares the LORD…so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am the LORD, and apart from me there is no Savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed” (43:10-12). Isaiah continues his proclamation, “There is no God apart from me, a righteous God and savior…Turn to me and be saved” (45:22). “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save. Nor his ear to dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God” (59:1-2).

The Prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts…Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment” (4:14, 18). The minor Prophet Joel obliged, “And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved” (2:32).

King David in the Psalms often spoke about God’s gracious salvation. He stated:

“Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace. But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him” (Psalm 85:9).

“Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees” (119:155).

Each of these prophets were in agreement that God’s salvation is available only to those who seek the Lord in faith. As much as we might want to believe that God is so loving and merciful that he has automatically extended the gift of salvation to all, regardless of one’s spiritual deportment, the idea is simply not supported by the breadth of Scripture but is only hopeful thinking of fallen man.

Jesus Christ’s Teachings on Salvation

In Mark 10:45, Jesus shared these predictive words to his disciples, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Note that Jesus said many, not all. Jesus told his disciples these sobering words: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Why would Jesus make such a declarative statement if it were not true? Surprisingly, Universalists suggest that there is no literal hell, even though it is mentioned 54 times in the Bible (KJV). Therefore, they believe there is then no real danger of anyone being separated from God. However, hell is the sad reality for those whose names are not written in “the Book of Life” (Rev 20:11-15).

Jesus spoke with frankness and urgency to Nicodemus by declaring, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him, may have eternal life…whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:14, 18).

The requirement of belief noted in the passage above was underscored several times. Jesus also said, on the last day of a prestigious religious Jewish festival, the following words to the large crowd attending: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this, he meant the Spirit whom those who believed in him were later to receive” (John 7:37-39).

Bible Scholar Millard J. Erickson takes issue with the notion of a universal conversion and pardon for all mankind. He argues, “We have seen that the Word of God, whether read or preached, is God’s means of presenting to us the salvation found in Christ; faith is our means of accepting that salvation…The theory of universal explicit opportunity holds that everyone will have the opportunity to hear the gospel…Those who do not actually hear it during their lifetime will have an opportunity in the future…When this belief is coupled with the idea that everyone given such an opportunity will of course accept it, the inevitable conclusion is universal salvation. This view is difficult to reconcile with Jesus’ teachings about the afterlife.” Luke 16:19-31

The Apostle’s Teachings on Salvation

Jesus made it quite clear in his teachings that only those who believed in him would receive the Spirit of God. The Apostles readily agreed with Jesus’s declaration. Romans 8:9-11 explains that if one does not have the Spirit of God, “he does not belong to Christ.” Accordingly, it is only the one who has Christ’s Spirit who also has eternal life. 1 John 5:11-12

The Apostle John’s teachings on salvation can be found in both his Gospel and in his letters to the churches. One can readily observe that the combined testimonies of John’s writings compliment the aforementioned teachings of Christ. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). From the very onset of his Gospel, John wrote this revealing message, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet, to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:10-12). The Apostle John also dictated these words from his beloved Christ, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39–40). In John’s first letter to the “fellowship” of believers, he wrote, “The one who does what is right, is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil…This is how we know who are the children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child” (see 1 John 3:1-10). John does not mince words or try to sugar-coat the Gospel truth with nice sounding, but false, platitudes.

In seriously contemplating the Apostle John’s writings in the passages above, one can logically conclude that he emphatically believed and taught that ALL men and women, boys and girls, must believe and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior as a mandate and prelude to becoming a child of God. All must express a faith in Christ and acknowledge their just separation from a Holy God. Then, and only then, can there be the assurance of his forgiveness (1 John 1:8-10) and the reception of his gift of eternal life (1 John 5:11-13). This life eternal was secured only through belief in Christ’s substitutionary death. Yes, salvation is offered to all, but it is only realized by those who choose to come to him in saving faith. Revelation 22:17

How is it then that those who profess and allegiance to the false concept of Universalism can so blatantly assume that anyone and everyone will be saved and that no one will ever be eternally separated from God? This reasoning appears to be based on a false premise of God’s loving character as well as a faulty approach of using (actually misusing) a limited number of verses to try to support its postulations. Often these select verses are snatched out of its natural context in a lagging attempt to undergird one’s predisposed views. Some would argue that John 3:16 (“God so loved the world that he gave his only son”) attests to the view that Christ’s sacrifice was effectual for ALL and for ALL time. Certainly, this widely known verse does describe the wonderful truth of God’s sacrificial love. However, most Universalists conveniently ignore the second half of the verse which explains and delineates, “that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” Once again, the truth and requirement of believing faith is reiterated.

The Apostle Peter rightly purported that belief in Christ is a requirement for salvation. Peter pressed this truth further by saying, “As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by men…you also, like living stones, are…acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay…a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe…they stumble because they do not obey the message.” 1 Peter 2:4-8

The Apostle Peter was quick to point out that any who have not put their faith in Christ are subject to God’s judgment. “For it is time for judgment to begin…If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner” (1 Peter 4:17-18). Peter also elaborates on the importance of a transformed life being an essential element in exhibiting authentic faith. He states, “make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation” (2 Peter 3:2,14-15). It is quite apparent that the Apostle Peter, like the Apostle John, made it extremely clear in his writings that one’s salvation is dependent upon faith in Jesus Christ and is distinguished by a transformed life.

These two Apostles were not alone in their beliefs. The Apostle Paul echoes and emphasizes the same truths that salvation can come only through faith in Jesus Christ. In his very first letter to the Galatians, the Apostle’s teaching casts doubt on and contradicts the theological pretenses and demurs the very underpinnings of Universalism. The Apostle Paul surmised, “Scripture has locked everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before the coming of faith…the law was our guardian until Christ came so that we might be justified by faith…So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” Galatians 3:22-26

Universalists are badly mistaken in thinking that there has not been, nor will there ever be even one person who will experience eternal separation from God, regardless of one’s faith or lack of it. Wm. Paul Young, a professed Universalist suggests in his book, Lies We believe about God, that each person needs only to change his or her mindset in order to foster a “correct” understanding of God’s prearranged eternal “togetherness.” This, seemingly, innocuous statement is far afield from the vast number of passages in Scripture which refute Paul Young’s beliefs. The lie Young would have us believe about God, is that a loving God is not capable of sending anyone to hell due to their disbelief in him; instead, he will eventually conjure them to belief in this life or in the life to come.

The Apostle Paul was emphatic about the necessity of saving faith in his letter to the Colossians. He declared, “Once you were “alienated from God and were enemies in your own minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free for accusation – if you continue in your faith, established in the firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” (Col. 1:21-23). Note the condition of if is present and relevant.

The Gospel truth, aptly laid out by the Apostle Paul in Colossians should be considered preeminent. Otherwise, Christ’s gracious act of redemption on the cross, becomes both unnecessary and, sadly, inconsequential. Again, Paul sternly warned his readers about turning to a “gospel” that was not really a gospel at all (Gal. 1:6-9). Regrettably, not only is Paul Young and other Universalists willing to stand on such a shaky “biblical” grounding, by adhering to such precarious theological constructs, but they are also asking others to follow suit.

Every serious teacher of God’s word must recognize and adhere to the Apostle Paul’s admonishment, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). No one is offered the privilege of picking and choosing which Scriptures to believe and emphasize. Nor should anyone have the audacity to think they have the right and the wherewithal to set aside and ignore passages in Scripture which do not coincide with their personal beliefs. The Apostle Paul retorted, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). In the preceding verse 15, Paul elaborated, “The Holy Scriptures…are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” The Apostle Peter was most concerted in writing these convicting words, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by a prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20).

Any individual desiring an accurate interpretation of Scripture will understand that the principle of context via cross-referencing is paramount. One should avoid making doctrinal assumptions, especially those of major import, while relying only on a smattering of verses, often taken out of context. Instead, as Apostle Paul implored, one should refer to the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Unfortunately, there are those who have chosen to incorporate such questionable tactics as a means of selling their dubious ideologies. In doing so, they have done a grave disservice to both seekers and believers who may not be as familiar with the collective teachings of the Bible.

Universalists will sometimes use select passages from the Apostle Paul’s teachings in order to build their repertoire of “proofs” in an attempt to build credibility for their theological predilections. Below are random Pauline passages often used by Universalists to buoy their position:

“We have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:1

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” Titus 2:11

“This is good and pleases God our Savior who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Most Bible scholars would gladly agree with the truth that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all and that his salvation has appeared to all men. However, there is a significant difference between God’s salvation being intended for all mankind and it being received and believed by all. The Apostle Paul reminded Titus of the critical difference between the extension of, and the acquisition of, God’s gracious salvation offer as noted below:

“To the pure, all things are pure, but those who are corrupted, and do not believe, nothing is pure…both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him” (1:15-16)

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (2:11-12).

“Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (2:13-14).

While Christ’s death was intended to be universal in its offer to all, it will be effectual only for those who take that personal and intentional step of saving faith. The author of the Book of Hebrews, which was written to warn new believers of being spiritually misled, underscored the the significance and truthfulness of the above statement. “God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, ‘In my anger I took an oath: They will never enter my place of rest,’even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.” Hebrews 4:1-3 NLT

The combined teaching of Scripture demonstrates that saving faith requires a clear understanding of the true Gospel message. Such an understanding must include the acknowledgment of one’s personal sin and the need for Christ’s forgiveness in order to attain a right standing before a Holy and just God. As desirable as Universalism’s tainted theology may be to some, it’s not supported by the teachings of the Gospel writers, the Apostles, the Old Testament Prophets. Most importantly, it does not secure the endorsement from the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Consequently, there is no reason to capitulate to the whims and opinions of society or liberal-minded clergy. Rather, we can confidently hold firm to the beliefs of our Forefathers that God is loving and holy, merciful and just; He is both our gentle Shepherd and righteous judge. We must not be tempted to settle for anything less!’

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