What Does “Blessed Are Those Who Mourn” Mean?
Matthew 5 records the part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount known as the Beatitudes. Verse 4 says, “Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” It is important to remember that this portion of Jesus’ teaching was directed toward His closest friends, not the general population (verse 2). We cannot pull one or two verses from the whole and build a theology around them. This sermon was a collection of truths designed to prepare His followers for His kingdom, which involved a lifestyle radically different from the world’s.
The term mourn means “to experience deep grief.” In keeping with His theme of spiritual blessedness, Jesus seems to indicate that this mourning is due to grief over sin. An enviable state of blessedness comes to those who mourn over their own sin. (read more)
How Can Jesus Be Both God and the Son of God?
by Matt Slick
Jesus can be both God and the son of God because the terms don’t mean the same thing. When we say that Jesus is God (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8), we are saying that Jesus possesses the divine nature (as well as a human nature). But the term “Son of God” does not mean that Jesus is not God. Think about it. If the term “Son of God” meant that Jesus is not God, then does the term “Son of Man” mean that Jesus is not a man? (read more)
What’s So Good about Good Friday?
by Justin Holcomb
What is Good Friday and why do we call Good Friday “good,” when it is such a dark and bleak event commemorating a day of suffering and death for Jesus? (read more)
Do Humans Become Angels after Death?
Those who believe that humans become angels when they die have a distorted idea about the nature of humanity and angels. Humans are physical beings with a spiritual soul, made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Angels are spiritual beings (Hebrews 1:14) who can only become physical if God ordains that their work requires it.
Angels are similar to humans in some ways. They were created by God (Colossians 1:15-17). They have intelligence (2 Corinthians 11:3), emotion (Revelation 12:17), and will (Jude 6). They are meant to praise God (Luke 2:13), serve God (Revelation 22:9), and work for His kingdom (Acts 8:26). When they need a physical representation, they often appear human (Daniel 8:15), although not always (Ezekiel 1:5-11). And they know the Scriptures (James 2:19; Revelation 12:12). (read more)
How Did All the Animals Fit on Noah’s Ark? (video)
Was there enough room on Noah’s Ark to fit Noah and his family (eight all together), at least two of every kind of animal, and seven of some? What about essential supplies? According to the Biblical account, the Great Flood lasted an entire year! So besides the people and all the animals, there had to be at least enough room to store the necessary amount of food to sustain Noah’s family and all the animals for more than twelve months! Exactly how big was that boat? We will examine the Biblical account of the Flood as found in Genesis (chapters six through nine) to determine if Noah’s Ark is a feasible reality or merely a fantastic part of ancient myth. (watch video)
Can You Be Good without God?
Can you be good without God? The question isn’t “Can you be good without believing in God.” The question is: “Can you be good without God?”
See here’s the problem: If there is no God, what basis remains for objective good or bad, right or wrong? If God does not exist, objective moral values do not exist…and here’s why. (watch video)
What Does It Mean that Jesus Is Our Wonderful Counselor?
When Isaiah wrote his prediction of the coming of the “Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6), he was spurring Israel to remember their Messiah was indeed coming to establish His Kingdom (Isaiah 9:7). Isaiah was writing nearly 800 years before Christ. That Isaiah calls the Messiah the “Wonderful Counselor” indicates the kind of character this coming King has. (read more)
Is Christianity a Paradox?
Christianity is a paradox. To live we must die to self.
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me,” Galatians 2:20. (read more)
