Gideon is one of those biblical figures whose beautiful stories capture the imagination and are therefore indispensable in children’s Bibles. The most well-known is probably the story in which God orders Gideon to reduce an army of 32,000 Israelites to… Lees verder
We live in a time when the perfected and complete Word of God has been given to us. This time is special because, thanks to many resources, we can still come very close to the words the apostles recorded in… Lees verder
Ephesians 4 is also a passage that clearly shows that spiritual gifts had an expiration date. They would be given until they had served their purpose and the purpose for which they were given had been fulfilled. Ephesians 413 …until… Lees verder
After discussing 1 Corinthians 13, we want to look at another passage in which Paul makes it clear that the gifts and functions of the early phase of the ecclesia were only temporary and would cease. In 1 Corinthians 13,… Lees verder
There are many misunderstandings about 1 Corinthians 13. We have already discussed that “the perfect” that Paul speaks of. literally refers to the mature. It is not about the future when we are with the Lord, but speaks of a… Lees verder
In 1 Corinthians 13:10, Paul speaks about the spiritual gifts that would be nullified, or rendered inoperative, when adulthood arrives. We have seen that adulthood does not refer to the perfection that will soon be “in heaven.” It speaks of… Lees verder
In the previous blog post, we saw that Paul contrasts love with spiritual gifts. Love never fades, but gifts like prophecy, speaking in tongues, and knowledge would disappear. The Corinthians placed too much value on these gifts, and Paul corrects… Lees verder
The first seven verses of 1 Corinthians 13 describe what love is. As we read this passage, we must remember that love is, at its core, a person: God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). Knowing God and His infinite… Lees verder
Now that we’ve seen what “spiritual gifts” are, we can examine the passages that say these gifts would cease. 1 Corinthians 13 shows that they would cease once they had fulfilled their function. The key question, of course, is: when… Lees verder
In the previous blog post, we looked at the Greek word pneumatikos in connection with spiritual gifts. This word points us to the source of the gifts: the Spirit. The origin is the same for all: the Spirit of God… Lees verder
First, it’s important to note that while the term “spiritual gifts” is common in Christian usage, it doesn’t appear literally in Scripture. In the Statenvertaling (State Bible) and Herziene Statenvertaling (Revised State Bible), we encounter the expression twice (1 Cor.… Lees verder
There is considerable disagreement within the various groups within Christianity about the so-called spiritual gifts. Why is this? Is Scripture so unclear about what spiritual gifts are, why they are given, to whom, and (until) when? The New Testament lists… Lees verder
Until now, we have dealt exclusively with Paul’s letters regarding the topic of the snatching away. After all, it is the fullness of the nations who will enter in the snatching away (Rom. 11:25), and Paul is the apostle of… Lees verder
We’ve almost reached the end of our writing about the snatching away, though without intending to be exhaustive. There are several expressions in Paul’s letters that we won’t discuss individually (at least not now), but which do refer to this… Lees verder
In 2 Thessalonians, Paul also discusses the snatching away at length, although he uses different terms to indicate this event. Although Paul had written extensively on this topic to his readers in his first letter, confusion had arisen among the… Lees verder
God has not appointed us to wrath, and therefore we are snatched away from the earthly scene before the wrath of the dragon breaks out (Rev. 12:12, 17). This dragon, who represents Satan (Rev. 12:9), seeks to devour the male… Lees verder
When reading the Bible, and therefore also Paul’s letters, we must keep in mind that they are later divided into verses and chapters. This is often very convenient, but it can sometimes also mislead us. In the previous blog post,… Lees verder
We have seen who will be caught up in the snatching away, but also why and for what purpose we will be taken up. In short, that is to take up our heavenly position in Christ. For this purpose, we… Lees verder
Many believers wonder what happens to their children during the snatching away. Do they go with them, or are they left behind? This is sometimes the subject of philosophical debate, and indirect evidence found in Scripture is often invoked, and… Lees verder
In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul expounds the gospel of God (1:1), which had been entrusted to him by the resurrected Christ and which he would proclaim among the nations (1:5). His ministry as an apostle, which is also… Lees verder
The expression “the day of Christ” and similar terms, such as “the day of our Lord Jesus” (2 Cor. 1:14) and “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:8), are found exclusively in Paul’s letters. These are similar… Lees verder
Earlier, we saw how Paul, in 1 Corinthians 12, speaks simply of the Christ when he points to Christ Jesus and His body. They belong together and are one. Therefore, the current situation, with our Head in heaven and us… Lees verder
If we wonder why we are being raptured, there are several answers. The answer that is perhaps most obvious to us can be found in the context of events here on earth. The snatching away is not an isolated event,… Lees verder
We share in Christ’s position. Just as Christ is now hidden and unrecognized by the world, so too are we. But this also means that when Christ claims His position (Ps. 2:8) and subdues this entire creation, we too will… Lees verder
Romans 8 is a long chapter that, among other things, discusses our life on earth versus the wonderful heavenly future we have (Rom. 8:18). We now have a debased and perishable body, but our body will be redeemed, and we… Lees verder