Most of these epistles are more like essays addressed to a wider audience than letters addressed to a particular individual or congregation. Hebrews My Bible says the epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews. I don’t know who inserted that, or when, but it has never been the consensus of believers. The writer never … Continue reading General Epistles
The Bible
The Epistles of the Apostle Paul
There is no serious doubt that Paul was the author of these epistles. It appears from the comment of the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 3:16) that they were considered Scripture from a very early period and collections of these letters would have been distributed to all the churches. From time to time we should read … Continue reading The Epistles of the Apostle Paul
Approaches to the Bible
All those who call themselves Christians say that their faith is built solely on Jesus Christ the solid rock and that they depend on the Bible for spiritual truth and for instruction in living a life that is pleasing to their Saviour. But how is it really? Some folks base their faith on a set … Continue reading Approaches to the Bible
Introduction to the New Testament -2
Acts of the Apostles - This is the second half of Luke’s history, the first part being the Gospel which bears his name. Again we see a meticulous historian at work, telling the history of the beginning of the church in chronological order and anchoring it all to places and people in the secular world. … Continue reading Introduction to the New Testament -2
Introduction to the New Testament – 1
The Gospels Matthew - The writer calls himself Levi; the other gospels call him Matthew, perhaps a name given to him when he became a disciple of Jesus. He was a publican before his call, a man who collected taxes on all merchandise transported along the road where he was stationed near Capernaum. This was … Continue reading Introduction to the New Testament – 1
African Americans and the Bible
The January - February issue of Christianity Today carried an article entitled Black Bible Reading Endures. I would like to share some of the statistics and a couple of quotes from that article. Twice as many African Americans as other Americans to say that Bible reading is crucial to their daily routine. They are twice … Continue reading African Americans and the Bible
Introduction to the Old Testament – conclusion
The Writings Psalms - The hymn book of Israel and the source of many hymns of the church. Half of them were written by David and reveal his love for God and for the people of God. Some are raw with emotion, some are prophetic. If you look at the headings you will find that … Continue reading Introduction to the Old Testament – conclusion
Introduction to the Old Testament, continued
The following twelve are often referred to as the Minor Prophets. Though their messages are shorter, there is nothing insignificant about them. Hoseah was a prophet in Israel, contemporary with Isaiah. His 40 year ministry was a last call to Israel to return to the Lord before judgment fell upon them, much as Jeremiah’s ministry … Continue reading Introduction to the Old Testament, continued
Introduction to the books of the Old Testament
The Torah, all five books written by Moses Genesis - Describes the Creation, its beauty and goodness, and then its corruption when our first parents fell for the deception of the serpent. The first promise of a Saviour is in the third chapter where it is said that the seed of the woman will bruise … Continue reading Introduction to the books of the Old Testament
Not a scary book
When Howard was converted, he knew there were a lot of differing ideas out there about what the Bible said. So, every time he sat down to read the Bible, he would pray first and ask God to help him understand correctly. When I met him some years later it was evident that God had … Continue reading Not a scary book
Flatlander Faith 