Posts tagged 'bible'

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 5 (verses 1–13)

    Paul addresses “sexual immorality” in this epistle in chapters 5, 6, and parts of chapter 7.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 4 (verses 15–21)

    This post will focus on the last seven verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 4.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 4 (verses 6–14)

    In this section of his letter to the Corinthians, Paul spoke against the competitive spirit that had caused some of the believers to think that they were greater than others.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 3 (verses 3:18–4:5)

    In this post, we’ll go over the last six verses of 1 Corinthians 3 and continue into the first five verses of chapter 4, which address the same topics.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 3 (verses 10-17)

    Paul makes the point that it is Christ alone upon whom the church must be built. Many might attempt to lay other foundations and to build on them, but they won’t succeed, as all other than Him are foundations of sand.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 3 (verses 1-9)

    In his first letter to the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul found it necessary to include a reprimand, as their disunity, jealousy, and quarreling—especially about their leaders and teachers—showed that they were still babes in Christ.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 2 (verses 9-16)

    Having introduced the role of the Holy Spirit in relation to God’s purposes in verse 4, the work of the Spirit is the focus of his letter until the end of chapter 2.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 2 (verses 1-8)

    Paul continues his letter to the Corinthian church in chapter 2.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 1 (verses 26-31)

    In the last six verses of 1 Corinthians 1, Paul makes the point that God has His own way of doing things.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 1 (verses 17-25)

    Paul wrote, For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 1 (verses 4-16)

    Paul appeals for the Corinthians to agree, so that there will be no divisions among them.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of 1 Corinthians: Introduction

    The city of Corinth, situated on a narrow land bridge between the Peloponnese region and mainland Greece, was a prosperous city in Paul’s time due to its location and harbors.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians, Chapter 6 (verses 6-18)

    This is the final article in this series, covering the last chapter of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 6 (verses 5:25–6:5)

    While the first two verses here are part of Galatians chapter 5, most commentators consider them to be the first two verses of chapter 6. Accordingly, I am including them as part of Galatians 6.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 5 (verses 13-24)

    The previous article covered the first part of Galatians chapter 5, ending with verse 12. We’ll continue here with verse 13.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 5 (verses 2–12)

    The Apostle Paul taught the Galatian believers that through faith in Christ they had been set free from following the Mosaic law; however, they had returned to the old covenant, believing that they needed to undergo circumcision. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 4 (verses 4:21–5:1)

    The Apostle Paul continues to exhort his readers to live in freedom from the Old Testament law. He tries to help the Galatians to see the folly of reverting to the law, and reminds his readers that those who trust in God’s promise ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 4 (verses 1–20)

    Paul ended Galatians chapter 3 with the statement: If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.1 In Galatians 4, he goes on to explain the significance of being Abraham’s heirs. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 3 (verses 15–29)

    In the first part of Galatians 3, the apostle Paul made the point that the Galatian believers did not need to be circumcised in order to be part of the people of God, the family of Abraham. What was needed to receive the blessing ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 3 (verses 1–14)

    In Galatians chapter 2, having written that he had been crucified with Christ and that Christ lived within him, Paul stated that he lived by faith in the Son of God. He then moved on to chapter 3. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 2 (verses 11–21)

    When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.1

    Antioch was one of the larger cities in the Roman Empire, with a population estimated at 250,000 people, 25,000 of which were Jewish. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 2 (verses 1–10)

    In Galatians chapter 1, Paul gives the personal testimony of his conversion and how he went to Arabia and then returned to Damascus. Three years later, he went to Jerusalem, where he met with Peter and James for fifteen days; ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Chapter 1 (Verses 11–24)

    In verse 10 of Galatians chapter 1, Paul posed the question of whether he was seeking the approval of man or of God, and stated that if he were trying to please men, he wouldn’t be a servant of Christ. He continued with: ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Book of Galatians: Introduction

    The book of Galatians is a letter (or epistle) that the Apostle Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia, a province of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). In Paul’s day, the province of Galatia touched the Black Sea ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 2 Thessalonians: Chapter 3 (Part 2)

    Earlier in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, Paul made the point that he and his partners had the right to receive financial aid from the Thessalonian church, but chose not to accept such aid in order to be an example for the believers to imitate. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 2 Thessalonians: Chapter 3 (Part 1)

    This third chapter of 2 Thessalonians is the final chapter of Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonian believers.

    Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 2 Thessalonians: Chapter 2 (Part 2)

    Previously, in chapter 2:1–8, Paul wrote that the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. He then continued to describe the lawless one: ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 2 Thessalonians: Chapter 2 (Part 1)

    After writing 2 Thessalonians chapter 1, which provided an introduction to his second letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul moved on to the body of his letter in chapter 2. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 2 Thessalonians: Chapter 1

    The second letter to the Thessalonians was probably written around AD 51–52, shortly after 1 Thessalonians. Like 1 Thessalonians, the authors were Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy, and the recipients were the church ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 5 (Part 2)

    Having responded to the Thessalonians’ questions regarding love amongst the believers, what happens to the dead in Christ, and the timing of the day of the Lord, Paul moved on to speak about leadership in the Thessalonian church. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 5 (Part 1)

    At the end of 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul spoke of the dead in Christ who will be raised first, and the living who will be caught up into the air with them to meet the Lord and to always be with Him. He instructed the Thessalonian ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 4 (Part 2)

    Having covered the topic of sexual immorality in verses 3–8,1 Paul moved on to address another problem that had arisen in the Thessalonian church.

    Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 4 (Part 1)

    In the fourth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he begins the first sentence with the word “finally”—an indicator that he’s transitioning to a different subject.

    Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Our God of Deliverance

    We are so blessed to have the King of the universe as our all in all. One wonderful way in which we experience His love is through the many beautiful promises in the Bible. We face many things in this life ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 3

    Having fled Thessalonica due to persecution, the apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church and told them that he had made more than one attempt to return to them, but Satan hindered us.1 Paul and his companions, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 2 (Part 2)

    In the first part of chapter 2 of 1 Thessalonians, Paul had reminded the Thessalonian Christians that he and his companions did not seek glory and they didn’t make any demands of these new Christians. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 2 (Part 1)

    After the apostle Paul, Silvanus (also called Silas), and Timothy departed Thessalonica due to persecution, they went to Achaia, a Roman province in the south of Macedonia.1 After spending some time in Achaia, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Thessalonians: Chapter 1

    The first of Paul’s and his partners’ letters to the Thessalonians is divided into five parts. The first part, the introduction (in 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10), is the shortest, containing ten verses. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • 1 Thessalonians: Introduction

    The New Testament Epistles 1 and 2 Thessalonians were written by the apostle Paul, probably sometime between AD 49–51. They are considered to be among Paul’s earliest letters. The book of Acts also touches on the events ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Christmas Hope

    I was contemplating Christmas and everything that it means and all that could be said about it. Over the years, Christians have considered the wonders of the event of Jesus’ birth and how its impact has influenced the world. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • The Story of Ruth (Part 4)

    In the previous article we saw that Boaz had agreed to be Ruth’s redeemer by marrying her, so that she could bear a son who would be considered the son of her first husband, Mahlon. However, there was another redeemer ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Story of Ruth (Part 3)

    At the end of the previous article, Boaz had told Ruth that she was welcome to glean in his fields until they were fully harvested. She continued working with the women in his fields through both the barley and the wheat harvests, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Story of Ruth (Part 2)

    Naomi, the Jewish woman whose husband and two sons died in Moab, decided she would return to Bethlehem, where she was originally from. Orpah and Ruth, the two Moabite wives of her deceased sons, went with her ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Decisions, Decisions

    I was listening to the story of King David in the books of first and second Samuel. There was one very outstanding thing that David seemed to almost always do when a new factor entered his situation. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • The Story of Ruth (Part 1)

    The book of Ruth is one of the historical books in the Old Testament and is placed between the books of Judges and 1 Samuel. It was written in Hebrew, sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BC. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Reminding God

    More on the story of Jehoshaphat

    In one of my recent posts, entitled “Faith: Thanking God in Advance,” I told you how the story of Jehoshaphat has always meant a lot to me. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Easter Meditations

    The events of the first Easter brought seismic changes to our world. God made a new covenant with humanity, one which made it possible for us to dwell with Him forever. His Son died on the cross for us, making it possible ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Wicked Tenants, Luke …

    The parable of the wicked tenants is found in all three of the Synoptic Gospels.1 The focus here will be the account from the Gospel of Luke, with some points brought in from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Christmas Promises

    Each Christmas, as we commemorate Jesus’ birth, we are looking back to the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises in which God vowed to send a savior into the world. As we mark this glorious event, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Exploring the Wonders—Psalm 104

    I was just listening to Psalm 104 on my MP3 player. I think this is the most beautiful description of creation I’ve ever heard. I can almost feel God’s magnificent power sweeping through the heavens, ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Believing Beyond the Moment

    I recently had a conversation with a woman who had received Jesus a short time ago but didn’t yet understand how to use the Bible as a source of guidance or as the foundation for her faith. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Jonah and the Queen

    Throughout the Gospels, the scribes and Pharisees are portrayed as being in conflict with Jesus—questioning, criticizing, accusing, and eventually causing His execution. In Matthew chapter 12 we read of the Pharisees ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Sheep and the …

    The parable of the sheep and the goats, referencing the Son of Man’s return, is one of three parables in Matthew 25. The other two are The Ten Virgins and The King and the Stewards,1 which is also known as The Talents and the Pounds. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Waiting Servants, Mark …

    Within the Gospels of Mark and Luke, Jesus spoke of His return in two different parables. While they’re somewhat different from each other, they both make the same point, so it seemed fitting to cover both together. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Place at the …

    Luke chapter 14 opens by saying that on a Sabbath day, Jesus was invited to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees. Once He had arrived—having healed a man who had dropsy on the way to the house—He told a parable. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: Children in the Marketplace, …

    The parable of the children in the marketplace is one of the lesser-known parables. Earlier in Luke chapter seven, we’re told that John the Baptist had sent some of his disciples to Jesus with instructions to ask: ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Deity of Jesus (Part 4)

    The focus of much of the New Testament is the life, sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the impact He had on humanity as its Savior. His Incarnation and sacrifice are how we are able to enter into an eternal relationship with God. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Deity of Jesus (Part 3)

    In the preceding two articles, we saw that the glory, honor, worship, and prayer directed to God the Father are shared by Jesus as God the Son. He also shares the attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence with God. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Deity of Jesus (Part 2)

    The first part of this series focused on how the glory and honor given in the New Testament to Jesus is the same as that given to God the Father. We worship, pray to, love, and obey Jesus in the same way we do so in our devotion to God. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Deity of Jesus (Part 1)

    Christians believe that God is a Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—and that He is also One.1 We believe that God the Son became incarnate, that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Ten Virgins, Matthew …

    The parable of the Ten Virgins follows on the heels of the parable of the Faithful and Unfaithful Servant,1 which speaks of the servant who paid no attention to when his master would return. The parable of the Ten Virgins also addresses ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Praising God

    Giving glory to God is a key component of our life of faith. He is our Creator, Savior, King, and God, and is worthy of our praise, adoration, and worship. I often fall short of praising and honoring Him as I know I should, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Covenant—Part 3

    As we saw in part two of this series, the Israelites broke the covenant through their idolatry. Then God forgave them due to Moses’ supplication, and the covenant was renewed. Later Moses, under God’s direction, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Covenant—Part 2

    In part one of this series, we read about how all of the Jewish people who followed Moses out of Egypt came to the base of Mount Sinai to hear God give them the Ten Commandments. They agreed to keep these, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Covenant—Part 1

    Last year, during my morning devotions, I read the book of Leviticus. It’s never been high on my “favorite books of the Bible” list, but I decided to wade through it. Generally my attitude about the books of Leviticus, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Faithful and Unfaithful …

    The parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant is told in two of the Gospels—Matthew and Luke. Both versions are very similar, with minor variations. The focus here will be on the account in the 24th chapter of Matthew. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Barren Fig Tree, …

    The parable of the barren fig tree is found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter thirteen. According to Luke, Jesus had been speaking to a large crowd. He was asked about an incident in which some people from the north of Israel were killed ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: Counting the Cost, Luke …

    Two Discipleship Parables

    Chapter 14 of the Gospel of Luke contains some of Jesus’ most difficult sayings regarding discipleship. It includes the parable of the great banquet,1 which speaks ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Great Banquet, Luke …

    The setting in which Jesus told the parable of the great banquet was a Sabbath meal that He was eating at the house of a prominent Pharisee. During the meal, He gave some instruction about invitations to banquets, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Unforgiving Servant, Matthew …

    In the course of the eighteenth chapter of the book of Matthew, the apostle Peter brought up the topic of forgiveness, asking:

    “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus Is God

    In a recent article I gave some examples from Scripture of how the Holy Spirit, as Jesus’ successor after His Ascension, worked on the disciples’ behalf in much the same way as Jesus had.1 Jesus, as God, sent the Holy Spirit, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Obedient Servant, Luke …

    In the Gospel of Luke, we find a number of parables which begin with a question to which the answer is obvious. For example, Jesus asked, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Son of Man

    Throughout the four Gospels, the term “Son of Man” is used numerous times by Jesus. Since it is frequently used, it’s helpful to understand its background and meaning, which is the purpose of this article. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Conclusion

    At the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 7 says:

    When Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Four Sketches (Part 2)

    In Matthew chapter 7, toward the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presented four sketches that express how believers should act in accordance with His teaching in the Sermon. We’ve read about the two gates ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Four Sketches (Part 1)

    Jesus’ teaching about the Golden Rule concludes His discourse on discipleship within the Sermon on the Mount. The wrap-up to the Sermon in the second half of chapter 7 consists of four short sketches; ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Do Unto Others

    As we near the end of the Sermon on the Mount, we come to a key saying which is often referred to as the “Golden Rule”:

    Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Ask, Seek, Knock

    Matthew chapter 7, the last chapter of the Sermon on the Mount, contains a number of succinct statements which don’t necessarily flow from one to the next, but which make important points for those who have entered the kingdom of God. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Judge Not

    As we move on to Matthew chapter 7, the last chapter of the Sermon on the Mount, we read of Jesus telling His disciples not to be judgmental of others. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Anxiety

    Having spoken about storing treasure in heaven rather than on earth, being generous, and serving God rather than mammon, Jesus then addressed anxiety:

    Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Treasure--Here or There?

    The first half of Matthew chapter 6 covered having the right motivation in giving to the needy, praying, and fasting. It also included a lesson on how to pray, with the prayer Jesus taught His disciples. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    How to Pray (Part 6)

    This is the last in a series of articles about the portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus taught His disciples how to pray.

    In the last post we covered two of the three “our/us” petitions, those which focus on our needs and the needs of our Christian brothers and sisters. We now move on to the last petition: ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    How to Pray (Part 5)

    This is the fifth in a series of articles about the portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    How to Pray (Part 4)

    This is the fourth in a series of articles about the portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus taught His disciples how to pray (and how not to pray). ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: In God's Likeness (Part 2)

    (This article is based on key points from the book Classical Arminianism, by F. Leroy Forlines.1)

    Part one of “In God's Likeness” touched on how we were created in the constitutional and functional likeness of God. As rational and moral beings, like God, we think, feel, and act in similar fashion to God. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: In God's Likeness (Part 1)

    (This article is based on key points from the book Classical Arminianism, by F. Leroy Forlines.1)

    As brought up in earlier articles in this series, being more like Jesus requires effort in two directions—we are to “put off” sin and “put on” Christ. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    How to Pray (Part 3)

    This is the third in a series of articles about the portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus taught His disciples how to pray (and how not to pray). 

    Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer: ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    How to Pray (Part 2)

    After teaching His disciples that the proper motivation for prayer is communicating with God and entering into fellowship with Him, as well as advising them to avoid meaningless prayers full of vain repetitions, Jesus shared a prayer with His disciples (and us) which we can use in our time of communion with God. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Two Builders, Matthew …

    Within the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told His disciples a parable designed to drive home the importance of doing what He taught.

    (Video and audio included.) ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    How to Pray (Part 1)

    In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about having the right attitude concerning prayer. He said that we should not pray for the purpose of being noticed by others, and for those who do so, that in itself will be their reward and they will receive no other. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Right Motivation, Part 2

    In the previous article, we looked at the first of three examples Jesus gave in Matthew 6 regarding having the right motivation when engaging in religious activities—giving to those in need. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Right Motivation, Part 1

    Having come to the end of Matthew chapter 5, which gave details as to how a believer’s “righteousness” was to be greater than that of the Pharisees, we now move on to chapter 6. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Women of Faith: In the Church Today

    (This is the last in a series of four articles that explore the role of women within the New Testament, in order to shed light on the significant part they played in the beginnings of Christianity, as well as the importance of their role in the church today.) ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Women of Faith: In Acts and the Epistles

    (This is part of a series of four articles that explore the role of women within the New Testament, in order to shed light on the significant part they played in the beginnings of Christianity, as well as the importance of their role in the church today.) ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Women of Faith: In the Gospels (Part 2)

    (This is part of a series of four articles that explore the role of women within the New Testament, in order to shed light on the significant part they played in the beginnings of Christianity, as well as the importance of their role in the church today.) ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Women of Faith: In the Gospels (Part 1)

    (This is part of a series of four articles that explore the role of women within the New Testament, in order to shed light on the significant part they played in the beginnings of Christianity, as well as the importance of their role in the church today.) ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Love Your Enemies

    We’re going to take a look now at the last of the six examples in the Sermon where Jesus gave a fuller understanding of the Law of Moses. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • More Like Jesus: Christ's Example

    When we are in the process of finding ways to transform our lives so that we can become more like Jesus, it follows that we should look to the example of how Jesus Himself—the only human who had full godliness—lived His life. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Non-Retaliation

    Jesus started the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, which spoke of blessings for the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Which Bible Translation?

    From time to time people have written me asking which English Bible translation I feel is the best to use. Others have written about their personal belief that the King James translation of the Bible is the only translation that should be used (known as the “King James Only” position). ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter Meditations

    The events of the first Easter brought seismic changes to our world. God made a new covenant with humanity, one which made it possible for us to dwell with Him forever. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Vows and Oaths

    Following the same pattern as when He spoke about anger, lust, and divorce, Jesus went on to teach another aspect of how those in His kingdom should live. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    The Law and the Prophets (Part 4)

    Before delving in to this article, I want to acknowledge that the topic of divorce is very complex and personal and can be deeply emotional. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    The Law and the Prophets (Part Three)

    In part two of “The Law and the Prophets,” we covered the first of six examples Jesus gave within the Sermon on the Mount to illustrate godly righteousness which goes beyond what the scribes and Pharisees taught. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Wheat and the …

    The parable of the wheat and the weeds, which only appears in the Gospel of Matthew, shares some similarities with the parable of the seed growing1 in Mark chapter 4 in terms of vocabulary used and ideas expressed, but it is also significantly different. ...(Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    The Law and the Prophets (Part 2)

    In part one, we read how Jesus stated that the righteousness of those who dwell in the kingdom of God must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees.

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Storying the Gospel—Part 3

    In order to effectively share the gospel with the people we seek to reach in the many different settings the Lord calls us to, it often takes different methods to successfully convey the message. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    The Law and the Prophets (Part 1)

    In the course of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus devoted a significant portion of the sermon to addressing the Law and the Prophets, meaning the Hebrew Scriptures—what Christians refer to as the Old Testament. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    Salt and Light

    Jesus opened the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, which provide an overview of how those who follow Him should live ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Storying the Gospel—Part 2

    The first part of this series introduced Bible storying, a method of preaching the gospel that has been effective since Jesus first used it. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    The Beatitudes (Part 2)

    Having covered the first three Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, we now move on to the remaining five. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    The Beatitudes (Part 1)

    Matthew chapter five tells us:

    Seeing the crowds, he [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Storying The Gospel—Part 1

    I want to talk about an evangelism and discipling method that has been an effective approach to preaching the gospel since Jesus first used it. It’s Bible storying. Through the centuries it has been implemented in one form or another. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Sermon on the …

    The Sermon on the Mount is one of the best known of Jesus’ teachings. While it doesn’t cover the full spectrum of His message, it provides guidance on how to live as Christians within God’s kingdom. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Treasure and the …

    The Gospel of Matthew contains two short kingdom parables, “The Treasure in the Field” and “The Pearl of Great Price,” which are absent from the other Gospels. These are twin parables which teach about the value ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Kingdom of God …

    As discussed in the first two articles on this subject, the kingdom of God is a present reality which will reach its fullness at the end of time. Entrance to the kingdom requires coming into a relationship with God through His Son, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Kingdom of God …

    As noted in part one, Jesus’ miracles were an indicator that the kingdom of God had come and was present, at least in part, during His ministry. Jesus also conveyed the meaning of the kingdom of God ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Kingdom of God …

    The central theme of Jesus’ teaching throughout the Synoptic Gospels was the “kingdom of God.” Within these three Gospels, there are 76 distinct kingdom sayings and another 27 which are shared among the three. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Authority

    As believers, we are well aware that Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins so that we could be in relationship with God. When we read the events of Jesus’ life, we know the whole story from beginning to end. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Hometown Visit

    The three Synoptic Gospels tell the story of Jesus’ visit to His hometown of Nazareth and the rejection He met while there. Luke presents Jesus’ return to Nazareth earlier in his Gospel than Matthew and Mark,1 ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Synagogues and Sabbath

    Throughout the Gospels we read of Jesus’ teaching and healing activities in synagogues. Jesus’ custom was to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was normal for practicing Jews in His day ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Seeds and the …

    Some time after being baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus began to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand.1 The phrase “kingdom of heaven” is interchangeable with ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Coming on the Scene

    The Gospel of John ends with the words: Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Disciples (Part 2)

    During His ministry, Jesus chose and commissioned twelve of His disciples to be apostles. The Gospel of Luke tells it this way:

    In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Disciples (Part 1)

    After John’s arrest, Jesus returned to Galilee and at some point moved from His hometown of Nazareth to take up residence in Capernaum.

    Leaving Nazareth he went and lived in ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Wedding and Wine

    Having told us about Jesus’ first followers, the Gospel of John goes on to describe how Jesus attended a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Cana, a town about fourteen kilometers north of Nazareth,1 was the hometown of  ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: First Contact

    After His temptation in the wilderness, Jesus returned to Galilee and began His ministry of preaching, teaching, and doing miracles. Matthew and Mark both place the beginning of Jesus’ ministry after John the Baptist had been ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter Wonders

    At this time of year we celebrate the very heart of our faith—the resurrection of Jesus. It is the central theme of the gospel, the key component which proves the validity of everything Jesus taught. The resurrection ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Who's a Fool?

    April 1st is commonly known as April Fool’s Day in a variety of countries around the world.1 My outlook on April Fool’s Day and who was the real fool changed when I was quite young. One year, my older brother played an April Fool’s joke ..

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Teaching Methods

    Jesus was a tremendous teacher who knew how to captivate His audience and powerfully deliver His message. There was something about the way He taught that attracted people to listen—so much so that crowds of ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Gospel Differences

    All of the events covered thus far in this series—Jesus’ birth, younger years, baptism, and temptation in the wilderness—predated the beginning of His ministry. Before delving into what the Gospels tell us about Jesus’ life, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Test

    When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, God’s voice proclaimed that Jesus was His Son. At that time, Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit for His ministry of preaching the kingdom of God and fulfilling ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: John and Jesus (Part …

    Before exploring Jesus’ early ministry, we will follow the line of John’s ministry in order to view some of the connections and interactions between Jesus and John and their disciples. ...

     

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message John and Jesus (Part …

    About 18 years have passed since the 12-year-old Jesus stayed behind in the temple. During this time, we are told that He increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.1 He most likely worked ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: John and Jesus (Part …

    Early in Luke’s Gospel we have been told of the events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth, including the proclamation of the Angel Gabriel and the prophecy of John’s father Zechariah. The only thing we know of John’s youth ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Father and the …

    This third parable in Luke chapter 15 is a continuation of Jesus’response to the scribes and Pharisees’ criticism of His keeping company with sinners. He began by telling the twin parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Young Jesus

    The past few articles covered the events surrounding Jesus’ birth. We now move on to the years between His birth and the start of His ministry.

    The Gospels tell us about Mary and Joseph returning ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Jesus’ Birth (Part 5)

    The birth narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us the story of Jesus’ birth. These accounts also portray deep truths about what God was doing in His plan of salvation. To get the bigger picture concerning the event of God’s Son ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Jesus’ Birth (Part 4)

    Some months after Mary had returned from her visit with Elizabeth and had taken the second step in the marriage process—moving into Joseph’s home—Mary and Joseph embarked on a trip to Bethlehem. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Jesus’ Birth (Part 3)

    Luke informs the readers of some of the events which transpired during Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, and then tells us that Mary returned to her home. Removing Mary from the scene, he moves into describing the ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Jesus’ Birth (Part 2)

    In recounting the story of Jesus’ birth, the book of Luke begins by first telling the story of the birth of John the Baptist, who is both a relative of Jesus and the forerunner of the Messiah. Luke brings in numerous ties to the ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Jesus’ Birth (Part 1)

    While the story of Jesus’ life begins with the narrative of His birth as told in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, in a way it began long before, as the Old Testament foretold His coming numerous times, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Rulers and Religion

    From the beginning of Jesus’ life through His death and beyond, the Herodian dynasty ruled Palestine and the surrounding area, the lands of the eastern Mediterranean coast. These rulers were clients of Imperial Rome, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Setting

    Familiarizing ourselves with the world Jesus was born into can shed light on some of the events of His life and the ways in which people responded to Him; why some loved Him and became believers, followers, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: The Four Gospels

    The Gospels were written a few decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by believers of that day. Thanks to their accounts of Jesus’ story, His life, His words, His actions, and His promise of salvation ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Jesus—His Life and Message: Introduction

    When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Lost and Found, …

    In Luke, chapter 15, Jesus beautifully expresses the heart of God in regard to salvation and restoration. He defends His association with sinners and challenges the attitudes of those .. (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The King and the …

    The Gospels of Matthew and Luke both tell the story of a wealthy man who was preparing for an extended absence, and who gave his servants sums of money to manage on ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Unjust Steward, Luke …

    This is the third of three parables which speak about the use of finances and possessions. The first was the rich fool. The second, the rich man and Lazarus. This parable, ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Rewards

    Throughout the Bible, there are numerous promises of the rewards that will be given to the faithful, both in this life and in the life to come. But what is the essence of these promises and what is the purpose of these rewards? ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Learning

    Learning is something that we do throughout our lives and it enhances our lives in various ways. We learn through studying, as well as experience. Schooling in our younger years teaches us the basics ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • What Faith Knows

    No matter how dreadful, devastating, irreversible or hopeless things seem when you’re facing a major setback or even a life-threatening situation, the fact that you continue to actively trust in Jesus ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Rich Man and …

    The story of the rich man and Lazarus is another of the stories Jesus told regarding the proper attitude toward wealth and its use. The parable of the rich fool (which I spoke about earlier) and the parable ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Confession

    A familiar Scottish proverb tells us that “Confession is good for the soul,” and so it is. When we are looking to deepen our connection with the Lord, to live a God-centered life, confessing our sins ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Fellowship

    When we think about fellowship, most of us Christians think of getting together with other Christians for a time of prayer, worship, singing, reading the Bible and/or listening to a sermon, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Rich Fool, Luke …

    The parable of the rich fool is one of three parables which we’ll cover in consecutive segments of The Stories Jesus Told, all of which touch on wealth and personal possessions. ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Evangelism

    During the days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven, He gave instructions to His disciples. Luke tells us that He appeared to them during a 40-day period and spoke to them about ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Integrity

    Don’t you find that you appreciate connecting and interacting with people who are sincere, trustworthy, honest, authentic, and who do what they say they will?—People who keep their commitments, who when you tell them something personal, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Worship (Part 2)

    God Is Worthy!

    In this second article about the Spiritual Discipline of worship, I’ve included some biblical concepts which may be helpful to you in ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Worship (Part 1)

    When speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus said:

    The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • How a Hitchhiker Changed a Nation

    Because of the scope of events that God included in the Bible, it wouldn’t have been possible to present many details of such things as the thoughts and personal musings of those whose lives are described in its pages. ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Solitude and Silence

    As Christians, our desire is to walk closer to the Lord, to live our lives in harmony with His attributes and will, and to be a blessing to others. The Spiritual Disciplines aid us in this overall endeavor. The disciplines ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Compassionate Employer, Matthew …

    This parable, like others Jesus told, starts with the words “For the kingdom of heaven is like…” This phrase tells the listener that Jesus ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Stewardship/Giving and Tithing

    Understanding the principle of ownership—that God owns everything, and that we are caretakers of what He has entrusted us with—should encourage us to ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Stewardship/Simplicity

    The Spiritual Discipline of Stewardship is about properly using things that God has entrusted to our care, including our possessions, finances, and time. In order to understand and practice ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Unjust Judge, Luke …

    The parable of the unjust judge, often called the story of the importunate woman, is a parable about prayer. It’s sometimes referred to as the “twin” of the parable of the friend at midnight, ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Spiritual Disciplines: Bible Intake

    Christians who desire a flourishing relationship with God and who are interested in spiritual growth recognize that spending time taking in and absorbing God’s Word is of utmost importance. It is within the pages of the Bible that we learn ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Christmas Shalom

    One of the portions of the story of the Nativity which I find most beautiful, exciting, and meaningful is when the angel appeared to the shepherds and announced Jesus’ birth, followed by a multitude of ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • TFI’s Core Values: Living “as unto Him”

    For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

    By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Name of Jesus

    Throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, there are numerous references to the “name of the Lord.” People prayed, praised, swore oaths, fought battles, gave blessings, sang in, trusted in, prophesied in, ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Friend at Midnight …

    The Gospels provide us with some foundational teachings about prayer through both the examples of Jesus praying and what He taught about prayer. In the third Gospel, ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Holy Spirit

    The Gifts of the Spirit, Part 1

    Throughout the Gospels we read about Jesus’ life and ministry being empowered by the Holy Spirit. It was after His baptism in the Jordan River by John, when the heavens opened and the Spirit ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Two Debtors, Luke …

    The parable of the two debtors, or as it’s sometimes referred to, the parable of the Pharisee and the sinful woman, is told in Luke 7:36–50. This is a beautiful story of love, mercy, and thanksgiving. ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Holy Spirit

    The Holy Spirit Working in Our Lives

    The Holy Spirit, manifested in the first disciples on the day of Pentecost and given to believers ever since, is a fulfillment of the prophecy from the book of Joel, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Pharisee and the …

    The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is only recounted in the book of Luke, chapter 18, verses 9–14. Among other things, this parable touches on the basic ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Holy Spirit

    The Holy Spirit and History

    In the previous article, we read various accounts from the book of Acts describing how the Holy Spirit came upon believers. In some instances, the Spirit was given at the same time that the person first believed. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Holy Spirit

    The Holy Spirit and the Primitive Church

    In the first two articles in this series, we looked at how the Holy Spirit came upon certain individuals for specific purposes within the Old Testament ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: The Good Samaritan, Luke …

    Many of us are familiar with the parable of the good Samaritan. However, because we live in cultures very different from that of ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Stories Jesus Told: Introduction

    Jesus was an incredible teacher. His words, backed up by His actions, changed countless lives during His ministry on earth and have continued to do so for two millennia. ... (Video and audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Holy Spirit

    The Holy Spirit and the Messiah

    In the previous article, we saw how the Spirit of the Lord was manifested in the Old Testament. God’s Spirit moved in the lives of specific individuals, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Holy Spirit

    The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

    As discussed in an earlier article, the Holy Spirit is one of the Persons of the Trinity, and this Person is equally God along with the Father and the Son, Jesus. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Easter—Yesterday, Today, and Forever!

    As Easter approaches, I have been reflecting on Jesus’ resurrection and its significance. What did it mean to His original disciples—all of those who believed in Him during His lifetime on earth? And what does it ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Salvation

    Predestination?

    In the previous article, I wrote about the different views within Protestantism regarding the assurance of salvation or the possibility of losing one’s salvation. There is another notable ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Humble and the Foreign

    One especially beautiful part of the presentation of Jesus’ birth is in Luke’s Gospel, where he tells of the shepherds hearing the announcement of Jesus’ birth. There is evidence within Jewish writings that ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Manger and the Inn

    There are some aspects of the story of Jesus’ birth that have entered traditional thinking but that don’t sync up with what is stated in the Gospel accounts. These include Mary and Joseph being turned away from ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Mary and Joseph

    In the previous podcast we looked at the four Old Testament women mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy in the book of Matthew who had some anomalies in their relationships. Mary, Jesus’ mother, the fifth woman in the Lord’s ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Five Women of Christmas

    The Christmas season is here, and Maria and I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas. We pray that your Christmas will be very special and that you will be able to make other people’s Christmas very special as well. ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Salvation

    Results—Justification, Adoption, and Regeneration

    In the previous articles about salvation, we have looked at four concepts that illustrate how God’s plan of redemption works—how it reconciles us with God ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Salvation

    Substitutionary Sacrifice and Reconciliation

    In the last article we covered propitiation and redemption (ransom), two of the four scriptural concepts that help us to understand how Jesus’ death saves ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Salvation

    Propitiation and Redemption

    In the previous article we saw that God’s plan for the redemption of humans was set in place before the creation of humanity, and that it was rooted in His love, mercy, and grace, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Salvation

    God’s Plan

    The core teaching of the New Testament can be found in one of the most beautiful verses of Scripture:

    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Sin

    Are There Degrees of Sin?

    We have seen that through both “original sin” as well as the actual sins we commit, our “legal” standing with God is affected. Every sin we commit is an offense against His holiness; no matter how minor ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Sin

    Effects of Sin

    As human beings with sinful natures who universally sin, we all suffer the effects of sin. Sin affects our “legal” standing with God, in that we stand “guilty” before Him. It also affects our relationship with Him, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Sin

    Humanity’s Sinful Nature

    We’ve discussed earlier that Scripture teaches that all humans sin and that sin is universal. The Bible speaks of humans being sinful from birth, which would indicate that humans are born ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Sin

    The Origin of Sin in the World

    The previous article on the topic of sin affirmed that sin first entered creation in the angelic or spiritual world, when the fallen angels sinned. The Bible explains the entrance of sin into the physical world ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Sin

    What Is Sin?

    This set of articles is going to address the topic of sin. It will cover the definitions of sin, the origins of sin and its effects on humanity and the world, and will touch on God’s plan for redemption from sin. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Fear of God

    I recently came across a topic that piqued my interest—the fear of God. The Bible speaks a fair bit about fearing God, and one can come away with the impression that we’re supposed to be afraid of God in the sense of being terrified ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Light at the End of the Valley

    Have you ever faced something that seemed totally hopeless; you felt like there wasn’t any way out of your difficulties and everything looked lost? Or maybe you’re in one of those places right now where the situation seems ...

    by Maria Fontaine

  • The Heart of It All: Humanity

    Why Humans?

    In these articles about humanity, we have seen that God created unique beings on this earth—beings that were made in His image and likeness. We’ve seen that human beings have many ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Humanity

    Material and Immaterial

    The Bible teaches that human beings consist of a material element and an immaterial element that together form the unity of a human being. The material element (the body) and the immaterial element ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Humanity

    Made in the Image and Likeness of God (Part 2)

    The previous article described the change that came about when sin entered humanity, the degradation of the image and likeness of God in humanity. Nevertheless, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Humanity

    Made in the Image and Likeness of God (Part 1)

    God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” … So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him. As the verses quoted above state, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Humanity

    The Creation of Man as Male and Female

    In the account of creation in Genesis chapter 1, human beings were the last things created. The universe and everything in it—the sun, moon, stars, planets, oceans, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Forgiveness

    While forgiving is something that needs to be done for the sake of unity, harmony, and brotherhood, the bottom line is that it’s the means for you to get over the hurt and to move on into the future without the ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    Conclusion

    When looking at God’s nature and character, we can see that God has many attributes, and these attributes are who He is. It’s not as if God is partly righteous ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Omnipotence

    God, who created all things out of nothing, known as creation ex nihilo, is all-powerful. The traditional word for God’s infinite power is omnipotence, which comes from ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Omnipresence

    When God created the universe and the world within it, He created matter, energy, time, and space. The world we live in is a three-dimensional material world, and we are limited ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Omniscience (Part 2)

    In the previous article, God’s omniscience—including His self-knowledge; His knowledge of everything past, present, and future; and His hypothetical or middle knowledge ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Omniscience (Part 1)

    Because God is the infinite and supreme Being, His knowledge is unlimited. He knows absolutely everything. The common theological terminology ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Immutability

    The immutability of God—or His unchangeableness or constancy, as some theologians call it—is part of His divine nature. It means that God doesn’t change in His Being, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Eternality

    God’s eternality is another aspect of His essential nature. God is eternal; He existed before the creation of the universe, and thus before time was created. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Self-Existence—His Aseity

    The first verse of the Bible, along with others, teaches that before the creation of the heavens and the earth, God existed. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Love

    In earlier articles I’ve written about different attributes of God, including holiness, righteousness, justice, wrath, mercy, patience, and grace. Now we move on ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Wrath

    We have seen in earlier articles in this series that God’s nature and character includes His perfect holiness, righteousness, and justice. God’s wrath, or anger, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Story

    In the previous post I wrote about the you factor, your importance as the one who brings the message of the Gospel to others. In this article I want to talk about the story behind the message. It’s a story that you are already familiar with, ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Love. Live. Preach. Teach.—Live Him, Part 4

    The last three sections of the series covered seven of nine principles that are connected to Live Him—the Abiding, Love, Unity, Humility, Non-Anxiety, Forgiveness, and Fellowship ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    Patience, Mercy, and Grace (Part 2)

    God’s mercy can be understood as God’s love and goodness toward those in misery and distress, those in need—even if they don’t deserve it. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    Patience, Mercy, and Grace (Part 1)

    Besides being holy, righteous, and just, God is also by nature and character patient, merciful, and gracious. In the Old Testament ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Righteousness and Justice

    An attribute of God which is closely connected to His holiness is His righteousness—which means uprightness, goodness, virtue, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God’s Holiness

    God possesses a different mode of being than all other beings. Only He is uncreated and infinite; everything else is created and finite, so He is different from ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    God Is Spirit

    In John chapter 4, when Jesus was speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, He told her: God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    The Living and Personal God

    In this series of articles, we are looking at a number of aspects of God’s nature, being, and character. We’ll start with looking at how God is alive and God is personal, ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Nature and …

    Overview

    In the “Trinity” section of this series, we explored the three Persons of the triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We reviewed the nature of the Trinity ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Incarnation (Part …

    In the previous article we looked at how the church fathers in the first seven centuries worked through the doctrine of the Incarnation. We saw various teachings which attempted to explain the “mechanics” of how ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Incarnation (Part …

    The quest to theologically define the person of Jesus and His human and divine natures mainly occurred in two time periods: firstly, in the fourth and fifth centuries, and then secondly in the nineteenth and twentieth. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Incarnation (Part …

    In the articles titled “The God-Man” and “The Trinity” we explored the biblical truth of Jesus’ deity—that He is truly God. In “The Incarnation” articles we will delve into the biblical explanation of Jesus’ humanity ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Trinity (Part …

    As we’ve seen in part 1 and part 2 of the doctrine of the Trinity, it is not a simple doctrine to understand; some parts of it are incomprehensible to our natural reasoning, and as such, it is a mystery. ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Trinity (Part …

    In part 1 of The Heart of It All: The Trinity, we saw that God is a tri-personal Being, consisting of three distinct persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—that each is fully God and that each ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The Trinity (Part …

    In the first two articles of The Heart of It All series we saw that the New Testament reveals the deity of Jesus, that Jesus is God. In reading the verses quoted in those sections, it’s clear that besides Jesus ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The God-Man (Part …

    In the first part of The God-Man, we covered some of the things that Jesus said and did that affirmed His deity. His disciples, those who lived and worked with Him for the years of His public ministry ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • He's Alive!

    It had been about three years since they had answered the call to follow Him. Each one had their own story of how it happened. Nathanael was told he was an Israelite in whom there was no deceit. Peter and his brother Andrew ...

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: The God-Man (Part …

    The heart of our faith as Christians rests on the answer to one simple but extremely crucial question: Who is Jesus? In order to understand our faith, to understand the story of Jesus and what His life was about ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Heart of It All: Introduction

    Something that I find particularly wonderful about Jesus is that His life-transforming gift of salvation is freely given to anyone who simply asks for it with a sincere and believing heart. One’s level of understanding ...

    (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • Forgiveness and Salvation

    In two previous posts on the topic of forgiveness I wrote about 1) forgiving others and 2) avoiding the need to be forgiven, by doing unto others what you would have them do unto you. In this post I’ll address how principles ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • The Other Side of the Equation

    In my previous article, I wrote about the importance of forgiveness—bringing out the point that if someone sins against you, you must forgive them if you want to be forgiven by God. ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam

  • A Scary Thought

    When I was doing some research for a writing project, I came across something that jolted me. It was a familiar Bible verse which I’ve read, heard, and even quoted hundreds of times, but when meditating on ... (Audio included.)

    by Peter Amsterdam