Most Christians believe that Jesus Christ kept the laws of the Old Testament fully and that the law, therefore, was completed or accomplishedâand done away. But is this really what the Bible teaches? You can find plenty of theological explanations that point out that Jesus Himself said that He came to fulfill the law and the prophets and that many of His actions were done purposely in order to do so. Often cited examples from the book of Zechariah include Christ riding up to Jerusalem on a … [Read more...] about Fulfillment of the Law
Doctrine
What is a Church?
What is a church? This seems like a simple enough question. A dictionary definition says it is a building used for public Christian worship. This is the traditional church on the corner concept. For most people, the concept of what a church is would be drawn from the culture they experienced growing up. For all of us our childhood experience as well as the media and pop culture play into the formation of our impressions. A little more obscure, but a powerful influence would be what people want … [Read more...] about What is a Church?
The Fullness of the Father
In his letter to the âsaints and faithful brethren in Christ in Colossae,â the apostle Paul expressed many thought-provoking comments about Christâs role as the head of the Church. For Paul, the Church and Christ were one and the same. âHe is the head of the body, the Church âŚ" (Colossians 1:18). It is through Christ that a person can be brought into a relationship with the Father â a state of being reconciled. This reconciliation of humans to the spiritual Father produces what we know as the … [Read more...] about The Fullness of the Father
The Closeness of God
If we are honest with ourselves, we donât always have the feeling that God is relevant to our everyday lives. I donât mean in the overall sense of knowing Godâs plan and purpose. I am thinking of something more up close and personal. The longer time goes on, with the subsequent increase of corruption in our societies, the more difficult it is to feel the personal closeness of God -- that He is there for us on a real and personal basis. We may have understanding in our head, but the daily … [Read more...] about The Closeness of God
Do We Have an Immortal Soul?
Recently I read a statement made by a major religious denomination based in the United States that surprised me. They wrote, âDivine grace is needed by every soul in consequence of the Fall of Adam." What is meant by âsoulâ is not stated, but the belief in the âfall of Adamâ is linked to the belief that man has an immortal soul. The âfall of Adamâ is a widely held belief and without some thought it may seem a reasonable description of what happened in the Garden of Eden. First, we need to … [Read more...] about Do We Have an Immortal Soul?