Holy Days: Trumpets cgg.org
Church members approach various biblical festivals with different moods. Passover and Unleavened Bread invoke somber reflection, emphasizing the sacrifice of God and His Son compared to our imperfection. Pentecost brings a sense of excitement as we consider the arrival of the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Feast of Trumpets, however, is characterized by exuberance as we anticipate Christ’s return and our glorious resurrection. Nevertheless,…
A Comma, a Cross, and a Kingdom truthsum.org
When Jesus turned to the thief beside Him and said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), it has long been read as proof that believers go directly to heaven at death. But could this hinge on nothing more than a translator’s comma? The earliest Greek manuscripts had no punctuation. Word-for-word, the verse reads: “Truly I say…
Dante Alighieri and The Divine Comedy – Daniel Tompsett, Donald Winchester vision.org
Dante’s Divine Comedy has significantly shaped the Christian belief in the immortal soul. This epic poem, authored by Dante Alighieri in the 14th century, remains a pinnacle of Western literature, blending theology, history, and allegory. The poem’s setting is Easter in 1300, though it was written over the next two decades. Dante’s exile and his disputes with the Church, particularly Pope Boniface VIII, lent the…
Pentecost Pictures the ‘Firstfruits’ in God’s Plan – Richard H Sedliacik hwalibrary.com
God’s unfolding master plan is visible through the seven annual festivals that represent His salvation plan for humanity. These festivals remind us of our journey to become spirit-born members of His divine family. The Passover marks the start of this plan, reminding us of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. Following forgiveness, we cleanse our lives of sin, symbolized by the Feast of Unleavened Bread….
What Do I Have to Do to Be Heard? – Jeremy Lallier lifehopeandtruth.com
In this world of complex one-sided conversations, reaching those with real power can seem impossible. With billions of people facing unique issues, direct communication with world leaders isn’t feasible. However, collective voices can’t be ignored. Even though marches and protests can’t guarantee change, they demand attention. But more than being heard, we want to be understood and valued. Yet, the ones in power often can’t…
Why Christ Used Parables cogiw.org
In this article, the author discusses the notion of Jesus speaking in parables and why most people were prevented from understanding their meaning. Contrary to the common belief that parables were used to make the message clearer, scriptures indicate that Jesus used parables to obscure the meaning from the majority of mankind. (Matthew 13:10-13 and Mark 4:11-12) Jesus revealed that His disciples – those the…
Five Doctrines Which Identify God’s Church – Gary L Alexander hwalibrary.com
The linked Good News article from 1974 summarizes five key doctrines that are unique to the Church of God, as distinguished from counterfeit teachings of so-called Christianity. They are helpful reminders of the core defining doctrines of the true Body of Christ. PLAN OF GOD The weekly Sabbath and annual Holy Days describe God’s plan for humankind through seven steps and three annual seasons. The…
Is This Really the Only Day of Salvation? truthsum.org
For most Christians, the message is simple: accept Christ in this life or be lost forever. That belief has fueled centuries of evangelism and missionary work, driven by the fear that billions will never know salvation unless they are reached now. But is this really what the Bible teaches? Scripture suggests something far more hopeful. The apostle Peter wrote that God is “not willing that…
Seven Signs of the End-Time Antichrist – Wallace G. Smith tomorrowsworld.org
In the linked article, Wallace Smith sheds light on the Antichrist and the Beast Power, significant figures in the biblical prophecy concerning the end times. These powerful entities play a crucial role in the events leading up to the culmination of human history. The Antichrist, a charismatic and deceptive leader, will emerge in the last days, captivating the world with his charm and promising solutions…
Solving Our Conflict with God – Gary Petty churchofgodnetwork.org
The notion that God accepts us as we are and allows us to remain unchanged is false. Our inherent hostility towards God and our inability to submit to His ways ultimately prevent true inner peace without reconciliation. Our hostile nature is often translated in The Old Testament as “abomination,” which means behaviors and attitudes detestable to God. Behaviors described as such include idolatry, homosexuality, witchcraft,…
“We’re Coming for Your Children!” – Scott Ashley ucg.org
In the summer of 2022, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus faced criticism for an online music video in which members sang about indoctrinating children. The controversial lines spoke of converting children subtly; “You think that we’ll corrupt your kids if our agenda goes unchecked. Funny, just this once, you’re correct.”. After the fact, the group claimed it was satire, but the intent behind the…
Knowing – Jeremy Lallier sabbaththoughts.com
Throughout Christ’s life He had a single motivating drive and purpose. John summed up that purpose toward the end of his gospel when he said “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God…” (John 13:3) Christ was focused on that pivotal event that would make available an incredible choice…
“He Gets Us” . . . But Do We Get Him? – Kendrick Diaz lifehopeandtruth.com
This article discusses the recently launched “He Gets Us” ad campaign. The stated goal of this campaign is to reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible. Unfortunately, the approach that is often taken by these campaigns is to highlight specific traits of Jesus while ignoring the sum total of why He actually came. A watered down version of the Man. This contextually lacking and…
The Wisdom of God’s Law: Why Being Different Should Make People Ask Questions truthsum.org
Have you ever considered that one of the main purposes of God’s law was to make people ask questions? In Deuteronomy 4, Moses tells Israel that if they keep God’s commands, the surrounding nations will marvel: “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people” (Deut. 4:6). The law was never meant to be a cold checklist or a tool for self-righteousness. It was…
Is There A Secret Rapture Coming? thebiblesaysthat.com
Many Christians mistakenly point to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 in support of the idea of a secret rapture. There is a lot packed into these verses but a secret rapture is not one of them. For one, it confirms the biblical teaching that the dead are in the grave and not in heaven or hell, specifically pointing to the dead in Christ – “And the dead…
The Book of Revelation Unveiled podcasts.apple.com
The Book of Revelation seems like confused, fantastical imagery. But it can be understood. While the end-time events it foretells are terrifying, the ultimate message of the book is that God will institute universal peace, prosperity and cooperation over all the earth when Jesus Christ returns. It reveals how this wonderful new world will be established and why it will never be destroyed or superseded…
Implications of the Gospel of the Kingdom – David Grabbe cgg.org
The word gospel means “good news,” but conflicting ideas exist about what that is. Most consider it simply to be that Jesus died for the sins of humanity, which is indeed good news. But the good news that Jesus himself brought was about the Kingdom of God; that is, God’s rulership. God promises to claim rule over all the kingdoms and nations of this world….
The Falling Away – David Grabbe cgg.org
The Apostle Paul prophesied in the Bible about a great “falling away” before Christ’s return, wherein a “man of sin” would be worshipped as god. Sinful men of this type have risen up to lead church congregations to believe lies at various times. Is that what Paul meant? A bigger, more universal event that is unique in history is more likely, because this personality will…
The Problem With Abortion Is Bigger Than Abortion – Jeremy Lallier lifehopeandtruth.com
For most Christians, the contentious subject of abortion has been approached with myopic fervor. The ending of abortion is seen as an end all good on its own. As highlighted by this article and the study it quotes, abortion is just a piece of the puzzle and is the result of a much deeper problem. A published study, that produced ire on both sides of…
Righteous, Not Perfect: What the Bible Actually Says truthsum.org
Many Christians believe that being “righteous” means being sinless or morally perfect. As a result, they assume that no one can truly be righteous, except by having Christ’s righteousness imputed to them. But is that what Scripture actually teaches? The Bible paints a different picture – one of real people declared righteous not because they were flawless, but because they lived by faith. Noah, Abraham,…