If the Bible teaches that the unbeliever will go to “eternal destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:9) or “eternal judgment” (Hebrews 6:2), it is crucial whether this refers to a period of time with a beginning and an end, or rather to… Lees verder
Last Sunday, during a Bible study, I quoted Paul’s verse from Romans 8, where he says we are “more than conquerors.” I said, among other things, that Christ is the conqueror; He conquered death. We, however, share in that victory,… Lees verder
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
Anyone who appeals to the Bible as God’s Word is, consciously or unconsciously, dividing what is and isn’t meant for them. This will often happen relatively unnoticed. If you grew up in a particular church, you will follow the divisions… Lees verder
Samson’s secret lay (primarily) in his long hair. That was one of the elements of his Nazariteship. Just as long hair in women represents glory or honor (1 Corinthians 11:15), so it is the opposite in men. For men, long… Lees verder
When children’s Bibles and songs mention Samson, his low morals are often pointed out. He visited a prostitute, fought and murdered freely, and ignored his parents’ advice. Yet, in Hebrews 11, Samson is mentioned in the account of Old Testament… Lees verder
Samson is said to have begun to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines (Judg. 13:5). It was only much later that King David achieved the final victory over this enemy (2 Sam.3:18). But the true deliverance of Israel… Lees verder
The expectation of modern believers is the snatching away. In many circles, this event is referred to as the rapture of the church. Both terms require explanation. I personally prefer “the snatching away”, as it best approximates what Scripture itself says about… Lees verder
Every now and then, books are found attributed to apostles or other biblical figures. Examples include the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary (Magdalene), and the Gospel of Philip. There are also alternative writings on the Acts of the… 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 spiritual gifts are… Lees verder
So far, we have looked at what Matthew, Mark, and Luke record about the crucifixion. Finally, if we compare John’s account with this, we are confirmed in the fact that there were three crosses on Golgotha. Interestingly, John does not… Lees verder
In the previous blog post, I mentioned the two main sources I know that claim there were five crosses on Golgotha. When I refer to “the article,” I refer to the first one, as it is more extensive than the… Lees verder
Were there three or five crosses on Golgotha? Most readers will never have asked themselves that question. After all, it is common knowledge that the Lord was crucified with two others. Yet, especially when something is rarely questioned, it’s good… Lees verder
The Book of Ruth is a short book of four chapters. In our Bibles, it is placed after the Book of Judges because it takes place in the same period (1:1). the redeemerA key theme in the book of Ruth… Lees verder
When Paul arrives in Athens, the center of philosophy, in Acts 17 (the word “wishers” in verse 18 literally means “philosophers“), he doesn’t bombard them with Bible texts, but appeals to their common sense, to wisdom. Philosophy means: love of… Lees verder
Peter, in his famous speech on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, demonstrates that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and would rise from the dead. His listeners are Israelites (verses 22 and 36), and he therefore appeals to… Lees verder
Does hell exist? The short answer is: no. But in Christianity, the existence of hell is hardly ever questioned. Many other religions also talk about hell. Hell is the concept of a place where God sends unbelievers as punishment and… Lees verder
A well-known song in Christian Netherlands is: I can do all things, followed by: in Him who gives me strength (Revival songs 122). This phrase seems to be taken one by one from Philippians 4:13 of the NKJV translation. The… Lees verder
What is death in the Bible? Answering the question of what death is, should not be difficult. Death is nothing in itself, but it describes the absence of something: death is the absence of life. And with that, the question of… Lees verder
In the Bible we find many parables. Jesus begins speaking in parables in Matthew 13, in a series of eight parables. In addition, we find other information. For example, it is the only occasion where Jesus explains to His disciples… Lees verder