Contents
Jesus did not call you to become a mere ‘believer’ or a ‘worshipper.’ He wants you to follow Him along a path of obedience. ‘Learning to obey’ is indispensable.
Radical discipleship isn’t about being perfect or having all the answers; it’s about a willingness to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus, no matter where that leads.
The Bible is a library of sixty-six books written over a period of over a 1000 years by men who were inspired by God. The first section consisting of thirty-nine books were written prior to the birth of Christ and are collectively known as The Hebrew Bible. The Jews regarded these books as their holy scriptures. To this collection of divinely inspired writings were added twenty-seven books written after the birth of Christ, in the first century AD. This latter set of books is known as the New Testament.
Read or listen to online Bibles in prominent languages; explore Bible apps for Android phones and iPhones; access online daily devotionals; commentaries, maps, concordances, and other resources.
How can we apply the teachings of the Bible in our life without understanding what we read? Here’s a lifeline to those who are new (and not so new!) to the Holy Bible.
The scriptures were meant to be read and heard. The ubiquitous smartphone, and the fancy contraption that delivers audio straight into our ear canals, can revolutionize our interaction with the Bible.
In 2011, the Church celebrated the 400th anniversary of the release of the King James Bible. Many still value the KJV as the “authorized” version of the Bible. I believe it is high time Christians stop romanticising the KJV and to go beyond this classic version.
“Salvation” refers to God’s act of saving us from our sins. The Son of God was called Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. The name means, ‘God is our Salvation.’ Therefore, we refer to Jesus as the Saviour of the World.
Christian understanding of salvation is different from what other religions or traditions mean by the same term.
Those who put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation, and make His death and resurrection their own – through Christian water baptism – set out on a long journey called the Christian life or the Christian pilgrimage. It is natural for new Christians to have doubts about their status in Christ, about the Bible, about practices in the Church, etc.
A great start can make all the difference to a long journey. To help you make good progress in your spiritual life, let us take you through the most significant things you should do after making the all-important decision to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to be “born-again” or “born-anew”? Most evangelicals will tell you that you were born-again the moment you “invited Jesus into your heart.” They will point out the spiritual experience accompanying such moments of “conversion” as evidence of God’s work in your heart. Is “experience” the test of all truth? What did Jesus actually mean when He said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again?”
Why is Exodus the best illustration for understanding the nature of Christian salvation? What lessons can we learn from it? Will people’s claim – “Once saved, always saved” – hold any water if held against this divinely appointed illustration? What does the word “saved” imply? Why should we persevere along the narrow path after we have entered the narrow gate?
John Calvin and his followers espouse a “Reformed” view of Christian salvation, aka Calvinism. They emphasize God’s sovereignty at the expense of God-given human free-will. The main points of their teaching is popularly known by the acronym ‘TULIP.’ You can either follow Calvinism or believe in John 3:16.
“Are you saved?” I asked Aby, a friend at school. I was in my early teens, determined to share the gospel with my schoolmates. I will never forget the response I received.
“Saved? From what? I never fell into a well or anything.”
You chose the small, narrow door. But are you walking the narrow path that leads to eternal life?
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. – Jesus Christ. (Matthew 5:13-14)
The Church, by definition, is a people “called out” and separated for God. God’s people are called to be holy. What does it mean to live a holy life?
“Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)
What does it mean to “grow” spiritually? How do I know whether I am growing? As thousands turn to Jesus Christ worldwide, true discipleship is the need of the hour. We need to unpack biblical metaphors to help each Christian understand vital spiritual principles.
What is ‘legalism’? Does the Law of God have any role to play in a Christian’s life? Philip P. Eapen answers these questions in the light of Christian’s call to the ‘obedience of faith.’
Luther’s reading of Romans led to the Reformation. But was he right in interpreting Romans in the light of Catholicism? Is Judaism a legalistic religion like Catholicism? Is the Torah incompatible with grace? Philip Eapen explores the role of God’s Law in Old Testament Israel in order to understand its role in today’s covenant community.
The Bible uses picture-language or imagery to let a wide variety of concepts come alive in our minds. Evangelism is no exception. Writers of biblical books, especially the New Testament use several images to teach us important principles of evangelism.
Discover the most effective way of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and to bear lasting fruit for the Kingdom of God. The early church made full use of the strongest of human ties to lead fellowmen to God.
There are times when we have to venture out to a new community or a town to share the Good News. If we are led by the Holy Spirit, He will take us to the right people, the very ones God has prepared to receive the gospel. In every community, there are such “persons of peace.”
To grow big, churches need to grow small. Christian disciples can easily in small groups of three or four people every week for an hour of fellowship, mutual accountability, intercession, and Bible study. These dynamic groups, like colonies of unicellular organisms, are meant to grow and multiply through division.
What did Jesus mean when he said that true worship is “worship in spirit and in truth?” Was Jesus asking his followers to “worship in other tongues?”
The Bible is the only authentic source of accurate information on spiritual warfare. A lot of what is taught about spiritual warfare has no scriptural basis. We should be determined not to learn about spiritual warfare from extra-biblical sources.
Does your leader ill-treat Church members in the guise of promoting spirituality? If you find any of the signs of abusive churches mentioned here in your church, it’s time you rescued yourself from such an atmosphere! A Summary of Enroth’s book, Churches That Abuse.
It’s a recognized fact that most Brethren and Pentecostal Churches of Kerala origin deny water baptism and the Eucharist to fellow Christians who wear jewellery. Why doesn’t a discussion on the ban yield any positive result? Read this critical examination of the ban.
Why must local languages, music, and art forms be suppressed for the sake of one universal style of spirituality? Postmodernism affirms local contexts, individual experiences, and the resultant diversity.
Christian Zionism is based on a Dispensationalist approach to biblical interpretation. What do Christian Zionists believe? How do their views measure up in comparison with a more modern view? What did Jesus and the writers of the New Testament think about Jerusalem, Herod’s Temple, and the “Promised Land?”
A Christian theological reflection: In 1948, what was it that the Jews needed the most? A homeland? Or, were they in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through whom they could inherit Abraham’s promises?
What is the significance of the events that happened on the Day of Pentecost? Did you know that Messianic prophecies in Ezekiel 37 were fulfilled on that day?
The Church is the new humanity that Christ created — a “new humanity in place of the two.” This truth is central to the Gospel.
What is the place of Israel in the purpose of God? John Stott thinks that the best way for us to handle this delicate and controversial theme is to consider Israel past, present, and future and try and get a perspective on the whole of the biblical revelation.
“Do this in remembrance of me,” said the Lord Jesus. What does ‘this’ refer to? What did Jesus mean? How must we remember Him? Did Jesus establish the Eucharist or Communion service?
The Lord Jesus introduced the concept of Servant Leadership to the world. Selfless service defines a leader. It is the essence of true greatness.
Are men and women “equal”? Are they different? What causes conflict between men and women? Were “male headship” and patriarchy clever human inventions? How can there be peace between the sexes?
Should a wife obey her husband? Christians are divided on this issue. What if the husband asks the wife to commit a sin? Didn’t God create them equal? Aren’t they supposed to be submit to each other?
One of the characteristics of The Fourth Gospel is the “I am” (ego eimi) sayings of Christ. What do these mean? A study of their meaning and significance in context.
In recent decades, the world has witnessed an alarming deterioration of the environment. As Christians, we uphold the principle of stewardship, the conviction that God commissioned humankind to carefully manage the Earth’s resources.
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Evangelicals overlook Jesus’ clear teachings regarding His “Second Coming” just as Harold Camping ignored Jesus’ warning against predicting the date and time of His “appearance.”
“It’s not our job. The Lord will come and fix this broken planet.” This anthem of defeat has crippled the Church. May she find grace to rise up from her state of disgrace and apathy to fulfil her role as the salt and light of this planet!
Courses on Moodle Platform: Under Construction
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