The Importance of Systematic Theology

WHAT IS DOCTRINE? The word doctrine is found in both the Old and New Testaments and expresses teaching. This teaching may be referred to as subjects or categories of truth. Bible doctrine is the teaching of the word of God on any given subject. In other words, Bible doctrine is the organized, systematic presentation of Biblical Truths. Bible doctrine may…

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Salt of the Earth – Light of Life

“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The work necessary for man’s deliverance is the overall plan of God, which centers around and through His Son, Christ Jesus the Lord (John 3:15-18,36; Acts 16:31; Romans 5:8). Apart from accepting Christ as one’s personal Savior, we can do nothing to save ourselves! Jesus Christ is the only…

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Soteriology: Part Three – Justification

Justification (justified) is a legal term which means: to declare righteous, to secure a favorable verdict, to acquit. It means vindication; therefore, it is the judicial act of God whereby He imputes His righteousness to the new believer at the point of salvation, thereby vindicating or justifying the believer. The meaning is derived from three Greek words: Dikaioo: “to justify,…

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Soteriology: Part Two – Reconciliation

You cannot fully appreciate Christ or what Christ accomplished for YOU if you do not understand all the issues that were involved in your salvation. Reconciliation: to adjust something or someone to a specific standard. As used in the New Testament, man’s position is described as “at enmity” (Ephesians 2:12-16) with God, viewed as out of harmony with God. Reconciliation…

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Addictions

ADDICTIONS – COUNTERFEIT WORLDS   Fleshly Addictions Christ Himself told us that we have three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. The “world” refers to other people, temptations, and counterfeit living without God in the Devil’s world. The flesh is our most powerful enemy… the flesh is most attracted to the world and its addictions. The Devil is…

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Soteriology: Part One – Redemption

Soteriology may be defined as: The Salvation doctrines of our Christian faith. In the Greek, soterion – salvation; French, soter – Savior, preserver, as in Jesus Christ. Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition 2003. By way of introduction, the following Categorical Study Series on “Soteriology” has, as one of its goals, to be an example of teaching by Topics or Categories…

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Bethlehem – The First Christmas

Originally called Ephrath (Genesis 35:16). Called the City of David, Bethlehem also boasts other facts of interest: The burial place of Rachel (Genesis 35:15-18).  The home of Naomi and Boaz (Ruth 1:1,19; 4:9-11). The birthplace of David and the site of his anointing (1 Samuel 16: 4-13). The birthplace of Jesus (Micah 5:2 prediction; John 7:42; Luke 2:4). The birthplace…

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Our Appointment with Death

Please open your Bible and read (inhale) these words of Scripture, one by one: Isaiah 55:11; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:1; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Revelation 19:9; Romans 7:4; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:12; 6:17-18; Job 32:8; 33:4; Genesis 2:7; 6:17; 7:15; John 6:32,33; Hebrews 6:5; 1 Peter 3:18; Psalm 19:7; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 4:18. Stones of the field:…

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Empty Houses – Full of People

Home-schooling is on a dramatic rise across America. Every day, more and more parents discover the wonderful advantages for their children. Today’s homeschooler parents are the new American pioneers. They “speak softly and carrying a very influential stick.” They represent an alternative to conventional education. And the winner is… the family and America. These pioneer parents are the trendsetters for…

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“Dying, You Shall Die”

Genesis 2:7 – “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.” Life should have been translated lives because the Hebrew word is plural. Man was originally created with physical and spiritual life. Please note: Only Adam, the very first man, was…

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Spiritual Self-Esteem

Please open the Word of Truth to Proverbs 4:1-13 In Proverbs chapter four, God established the importance of wisdom for our benefit. Everything that God does for mankind is for the benefit of mankind, especially the believer. SPIRITUAL SELF-ESTEEM – MATURITY Sharing the Gospel of Christ, in both action and speech, living the Christian life in obedience, and becoming spiritual…

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Bible Facts – Interesting Things to Know

To accurately interpret and present  2000 – 4000-year-old Scripture written in ancient languages, critical analysis must be observed on a consistent basis. Special attention must be given to the grammatical expression of the original signature; the historical setting; the religious, cultural, and political environment; and the original receiving audience. The Old Testament begins with man in the image of God…

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Walk Honestly with One Another

FOOD FOR THOUGHT, PRAYER, AND MEDITATION   “Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). Let us walk honestly in the day, not in strife and envying, but let us walk together with brotherly love and Christian integrity. You cannot dislike a brother and pretend to his face that you love…

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More on Afflictions

1 Thessalonians 2:10 gives us three spiritual examples of our witness (the example we set) during afflictions: Holy: spiritual, God-ward. Justly: socially, man-ward. Unblameable: personally. Trials, and especially suffering, form a necessary discipline in our walk with the Lord. They prove the reality of where we are in our faith (1 Peter 1:7). They enable us to comfort others who…

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Three Ways of Perceiving Things

From generation to generation, history, vocabulary (word definitions and usage), education (or a lack of education), philosophy, new scientific discoveries, and technological advances all contribute to change the future and the history of the way we think and develop our intellectualism. Having said this, there is and always has been three basic systems of human perception: Empiricism – reality through…

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Koiné Greek

By way of introduction, Luke, who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, had a classical background. Luke was an exponent of Hellenistic culture.  The first three verses of Acts are classical Greek, and the only illustration of classical Greek in the new Testament. All of the New Testament writers were influenced by their culture and background…

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