This is the sixth in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. Do some Christians undergo purification from the stain of sin between death and entrance into heaven? Many who answer yes to that question embrace the doctrine of purgatory, which became official Roman Catholic dogma in A.D. 1438. Simply stated, purgatory is a place or state of suffering where the dead bound for heaven achieve the holiness necessary to enter into the presence of … [Read more...]
HLGU’s Anthony Allen: Merging Higher Education with a Biblical Worldview
HANNIBAL – In this radio interview with Harold Hendrick, Anthony Allen, president of Hannibal-LaGrange University (HLGU) here, shares his passion for making HLGU a place of both higher learning and a Biblical worldview. “HLGU blends faith with education in every discipline,” says Allen. “We help students discover, develop and demonstrate God’s purpose in their living.” Listen to more of Harold Hendrick's great interviews at haroldhendrick.com. … [Read more...]
A look into Tartarus
This is the fifth in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. If Sheol or Hades is the temporary abode of deceased people, is there a transitory place of punishment for some demons? It seems the answer is yes, in a place the New Testament refers to as Tartarus. Tartarus is mentioned only once, in 2 Peter 2:4. Many translations render it “hell,” including the King James Version and the New American Standard Bible, while others, like the … [Read more...]
Americans prefer discussing politics rather than God
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Politics trumps God for most Americans when it comes to conversations with their friends. Six in 10 Americans are more comfortable talking about politics than their spiritual beliefs. And most say they aren’t interested in having more spiritual conversations. By contrast, evangelical Christians prefer talking about God over politics by a 2-to-1 margin. Those are among the findings of an online survey of 1,004 Americans about their views on spirituality and politics … [Read more...]
Luke nails it
Acts 19 starts with Paul leaving Apollos in charge of the church in Corinth while he continues his missionary journey. It ends with Paul’s encounter with an angry mob. And, as a recent article in Biblical Archaeological Review tells us, it’s a very reliable depiction of life in the Roman world. Upon his arrival in Ephesus, Paul meets some believers whose instruction was incomplete. He teaches them about the Holy Spirit and baptizes them in the name of the Lord Jesus. But then things get … [Read more...]
Gehenna and the afterlife
This is the fourth in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. The ultimate destiny of the wicked is the same habitation created for Satan and his demons – a place in English we call “hell,” and a place Jesus and the New Testament writers describe variously as Gehenna, “outer darkness,” “eternal fire,” “eternal punishment,” “lake of fire,” and “the second death.” While Sheol and Hades generally depict the temporary abode of the dead, Gehenna … [Read more...]
Hades and the afterlife
This is the third in a series of articles on biblical terms that describe the afterlife and the unseen world. Hades is a Greek god whose name means “The Unseen.” He is depicted as lord of the underworld, the abode of the dead. So it should come as no surprise that Jesus and the New Testament writers borrow from this familiar term to describe the realm of departed spirits. What’s more, they cut through the mythology to present an accurate picture of the afterlife. The word Hades appears … [Read more...]
Evolutionist Bill Nye ‘the science guy’ tours Ark Encounter, hears gospel
WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. (BP) – When evolutionist Bill Nye “the science guy” visited a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark in northern Kentucky, he wanted to learn how children were reacting to what he has called a danger to science education. By the time he left the Ark Encounter theme park, he had also learned the story of Christ’s atoning death on the cross for humanity’s sins, Ark Encounter’s chief executive Ken Ham told Baptist Press, underscoring the park’s value as an evangelistic tool. Nye … [Read more...]
Sheol and the afterlife
This is the second in a series of articles about the afterlife and the unseen realm. Is there conscious existence beyond the grave? Where did Old Testament saints go when they died? Do the wicked really suffer forever in hell? Should you believe in ghosts? These are important questions about the afterlife and the unseen world. Most religions deal in some way with these questions and appeal to a variety of authorities to provide answers. This series explores the manner in which God’s … [Read more...]
Biblical truths about the afterlife
This is the first in a series of articles about the afterlife and the unseen realm. Three-year-old Colton Burpo had a near-death experience (NDE) while on the operating table. When it was over, he described his “three minutes in heaven” in vivid detail, including encounters with Samson, John the Baptist, and Jesus, who had sea-blue eyes and owned a rainbow-colored horse. Colton’s father, a Wesleyan pastor, believes the lad’s experience was real because he shared it with “the simple … [Read more...]
Pastors favor patriotism for July Fourth services
Article by Carol Pipes NASHVILLE – Americans who attend a Protestant worship service the week of July Fourth are likely to get a good dose of God and country. Six in 10 Protestant pastors (61 percent) say it's important for Fourth of July worship services to incorporate patriotic elements to celebrate America, according to a survey by LifeWay Research. And while they plan to celebrate the birth of the nation, more than half (53 percent) agree their congregation sometimes seems to love … [Read more...]
Responding to Islam: Has the gospel been corrupted?
Muslims believe in the Injil, or gospel, but define it differently than evangelical Christians do. Further, they claim the church has corrupted the biblical texts so that only the Qur’an preserves the genuine good news. In defining the gospel, Muslim commentator Yusuf Ali writes that “the Injil spoken of by the Qur’an is not the New Testament. It is not the four Gospels now received as canonical. It is the single Gospel which, Islam teaches, was revealed to Jesus, and which he taught.” … [Read more...]
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