Bible Archives

July 8, 2025July 7, 2025

The Power to Change

One of the greatest barriers to improving things in our world today is resistance to change. Without needed change, situations deteriorate and human misery increases. This is true on every level, from moral to political. Racism of the past must be abandoned, as does anti-Christian and anti-Jewish hatred. What society needs is the power to change.

The Bible’s key concept on this subject is “repentance.” Repentance is not confessing everything you did that was wrong. Repentance means changing the way you think. In Acts 2:38, Peter gave the key to having God’s Spirit work in our lives. Many preachers emphasized the baptism part of what Peter said, and the result is that people got wet with no change in their lives. They totally missed the power to change.

Peter’s message was, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is God living in us and giving us the power to change. The first step to achieving a meaningful life change is to change the way you think. If you don’t change how you think, baptism is meaningless.

The Bible is full of stories about men who changed their way of thinking. Moses changed from a weak Egyptian prince to a leader of Israel. Jonah changed from a man running from God to a spokesman to Nineveh. Peter changed from a denier to a proclaimer, and Paul changed from a persecutor to a preacher. Change is not easy, and it can take time to change old habits.

The journey to change begins with thinking differently, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us, and then acting on what God has called you to do. Those Biblical examples are beyond most of us, but God has a purpose for everyone. God doesn’t create any junk, but He also doesn’t force us to accept the ministry He calls us to. Your calling may be in agriculture or industry. It may be helping someone with physical, mental, or emotional needs. It may be raising or teaching children.

God gives us the power to change, but it doesn’t happen until we change our thinking.

July 3, 2025July 1, 2025

Punishment for Praying in Australia

If you live in New South Wales, Australia, and if you pray for someone to live a moral life according to biblical standards, you can go to jail. The “Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024” took effect on April 4, 2025, and it bans any speech, including prayer, that is “directed to changing or suppressing an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” The punishment for praying holds even if a person “has asked you to pray for them to be able to change or suppress their sexuality or gender identity.”

As the world rejects God and atheism and secularism force their beliefs into the political realm, we can expect more laws like this. The Australian law says that a person praying for another person could face a prison term of up to five years, so this isn’t just a public relations ploy but a serious assault by anti-Christian militants.

The potential for abuse in this situation is obvious. If I don’t like you, I can claim you prayed for me and have you thrown in jail. It is interesting that “gender identity” is included in this law. It is a medical fact that the drugs used to maintain a gender change are not effective after 25 years or so, and many young people who undergo sex change are not aware of that. How the medical and educational professions will deal with the counseling of young people remains to be seen.

Christian preachers have been punished for public sermons promoting Christianity, but this is the first time we have seen punishment for praying or personal religious activity. Americans need to be aware of where the movement away from faith may lead.

References: Touchstone magazine for July/August 2025, page 9, and lawandreligionaustralia.blog

July 1, 2025June 30, 2025

Evolution Nonsense and the Scopes Anniversary

A century ago, in July of 1925, John Scopes was tried in Dayton, Tennessee. He was accused of teaching human evolution in a public school in defiance of a Tennessee law. One hundred years later, there is still no intelligent approach to the issue of teaching evolution. Instead, skeptics and atheists have used evolution as a club against the Bible and Christianity in general. At the same time, poorly informed religious figures have said foolish things about evolution, leading many well-educated young people to assume that belief in God is a barbaric relic of the past. Both sides are guilty of spreading evolution nonsense.

The fact is that everyone believes in evolution. Evolution is defined as “change over time,” and God has built into all life the ability to change and adapt to environmental situations. With the intelligent guidance of horticulturalists, crop plants and farm animals have changed to provide food for humanity. Any farmer can tell you how selective breeding and hybridization provide improvements in corn, grain, or animals. Look at the many varieties of dogs or cattle. God’s design of living things allows changes in animals and plants, enabling them to survive while also providing food to sustain a growing population.

A careful reading of the Genesis account can eliminate the evolution nonsense that creates a conflict between science and faith in the Bible. What separates humans from all other forms of life on our planet is not our physical bodies. The Bible tells us that the human body came from the dust of the Earth. All life is chemically the same. What separates humans from animals is that we are created in the image of God. The Bible uses the Hebrew word “bara” (create), uniquely referring to what God can do. It is used only three times in Genesis chapter one. The first instance is in verse one, referring to the cosmos. It is used in verse 21 when God created the first life. The final time is in verse 27, where it describes the creation of man and woman in the image of God. It is the spiritual makeup of humans, not our physical body, that makes us unique.

As the 100th anniversary of the Scopes trial approaches this month, major newspapers and magazines will publish articles ridiculing the Bible. We will be addressing this subject further, and we urge our readers to be informed and proactive in helping others avoid evolution nonsense, whether it comes from skeptics or religious figures. God calls us to a faith that is intelligent and discerning.

June 27, 2025June 26, 2025

Magnificent Church Buildings

Many of us have been in some incredibly beautiful church buildings. Living in the South Bend, Indiana, area since 1952, I attended the University of Notre Dame on a National Science Foundation grant. When the family came to visit, I would take them on a tour of the beautiful church, including the grotto in the basement where Catholic heroes are entombed. When I gave lectures in London and visited France, I had the opportunity to see the magnificent church buildings in those countries. I have also seen the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. The human ability to build magnificent church buildings is without question, but is that what God called us to do?

Many years ago, we took a large group of Christians down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. On Sunday morning, we held a church service on a sandbar, complete with communion, a sermon, singing, and prayer. As we began our worship, the preacher held up his hands and said, “This is how the Lord’s church met for a long time before the first church building was erected.”

What is the justification for the expense of magnificent church buildings? If it is to glorify God, the Bible does not tell us that is what God desires. First Corinthians 3:16 tells us, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” In Acts 2:46, we see the first-century Church meeting in homes. In Acts 16:14-15, we see Lydia, a woman, converted to Christ, and in verse 40, we read that the Church was meeting in her home. In John 2:19-22, Jesus tells His adversaries, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He was talking about His resurrection, not the physical building in Jerusalem.

The emphasis of Catholicism, Mormonism, and virtually all protestant denominations on constructing magnificent church buildings contradicts the focus of Christ and the Bible on building beautiful lives. The Church is not a building. If the construction of a building for the Church to meet in becomes the purpose of the Church, it is misguided. It is essential for the Church to meet together to worship, pray, and encourage one another. (See Matthew 18:20, Acts 2:46, and Hebrews 10:25.) However, a simple structure will meet that need.

Atheists and skeptics have a valid point when they criticize the wasted money. How many hungry children could we feed, and how many needy people could we help with that money? Following the example and teaching of Jesus, the Church’s emphasis should be on building lives, not constructing buildings.

June 26, 2025June 25, 2025

Archaeomagnetic Dating of Biblical History

Biblical archaeologists use various dating methods to uncover the history of ancient Israel. Three of those methods are relative dating, carbon-14 dating, and a newer method of archaeomagnetic dating.

In relative dating, archaeologists compare the age of things based on whether they are near the surface of a dig (younger pottery) or deeper under multiple debris layers (older pottery). In 1 Kings 9:15, we read about King Solomon’s fortification of cities, indicating that pottery found in excavations of these cities would be of the same age as the cities themselves.

Researchers can use carbon-14 dating when there is organic matter, such as seeds found in the pottery. Besides seeds, other organic matter, such as fruits and textiles, can be dated with carbon-14. While alive, all living things absorb this radioactive isotope of carbon, and once the plant or animal dies, it decays at a constant rate. By measuring the amount of carbon-14 left in the artifact, researchers can determine its age. However, much of the time, the amount of carbon-14 is too small to be measured because of a lack of organic matter or because too much of the carbon-14 has decayed. The half-life of carbon-14 is well-suited for dating between 1200 and 800 B.C., a significant period in Bible history.

Recent technology has enabled a method that uses changes in Earth’s magnetic field. Archaeomagnetic dating can determine absolute dates for materials that were deposited at high temperatures, such as those resulting from a fire, lava flow, or volcanic intrusion. When materials such as bricks or pottery are fired, their magnetic particles (domains) conform to the direction and intensity of Earth’s magnetic field. As they cool, the pattern of the field is set in stone. Since scientists understand how Earth’s magnetic field direction and intensity have changed over time, archaeologists use this baked-in orientation to determine the age of the artifact.

Using archaeomagnetism, archaeologists can verify the dates of biblical events by combining absolute and relative dating methods. An example is the date when Pharaoh Shoshenq (also known as Shishak in the KJV) attacked Jerusalem (1 Kings 14:25-26). It is becoming increasingly difficult for skeptics to dismiss the biblical account as new tools like archaeomagnetic dating enable us to verify its accuracy.

Reference: “Dating Game” by Yoav Vaknin in the Summer 2025 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. pages 56-59.

June 19, 2025June 18, 2025

Collateral Damage of Cohabitation

If you listen to today’s music, whether country, heavy metal, folk, or pop, you will hear that “hooking up” is the thing to do. Television shows and movies add to the commercialization of sex, so we see the collateral damage of cohabitation in the entire entertainment industry.

Roughly 20.1 million couples in the United States live with an unmarried partner. That is approximately 8% of U.S. couples, most of whom are in the 25- to 34-year-old age group. According to Pew Research, by double digits, married adults are more likely to trust their spouse or partner to be faithful to them, to act in their best interest, to always tell them the truth, and to handle money responsibly. That means those who are cohabiting may never experience the complete joy and commitment that God intended for the marriage relationship.

Not only do the participants in cohabitation not know the security or commitment that comes from God’s design for marriage, but they also lose the structure of the nuclear family as God intended. Children grow up living with constant change in their home situation. Those of us who have been foster parents or have adopted children know how hard that is for the kids.

The collateral damage of cohabitation is a worldwide tragedy, with drugs, including alcohol and marijuana, catalyzing the instability of these relationships. Every culture in which marriage and family disintegrate is doomed to collapse. Will America learn from history or repeat it?

Reference: pewresearch.org

June 18, 2025June 17, 2025

Animal Pathogen Transmission to Humans

The World Organization for Animal Health and the World Health Organization released data on the number of illnesses and deaths caused by pathogens transmitted to humans from animals worldwide each year. They gathered data from 183 member states, showing that a billion illnesses and millions of deaths occur worldwide due to animal pathogen transmission to humans.

The recent data was triggered by the outbreak of bird flu known as H5N1. That virus has sickened millions of birds, dozens of mammalian species, and people worldwide. This strain of avian influenza has threatened food supplies and pressured governments to take a serious look at food security and public health.

When God created life on Earth, He planned it to meet the needs of humans. Long before modern science, God gave dietary instructions to the ancient Israelites. Skeptics today may consider those instructions archaic; however, they were far ahead of their time, and many of them remain applicable today. We see the consequences of not following wise dietary and health instructions.

Animal pathogen transmission to humans is not the only problem we face today. Every time humans have discarded the Bible as a guide for life, the consequences have been dire. We are seeing that again in the tragedies of humans suffering because of the rejection of God’s design for healthful and moral living.

Reference: WHO and WOAH public health assessment, April 2025

June 16, 2025June 15, 2025

The Value of Fathers

Father’s Day brings to mind the value of fathers. Scientific research recently verified something that should not have been a surprise. The study involved scholars from the University of Virginia, Hampton University, and others. The conclusion was that children who have “actively involved fathers” do significantly better academically, emotionally, and behaviorally.

What is an actively engaged father? According to the study, those fathers manage parenting obligations “very well” and regularly share meals with their families at least four times a week. The study found no difference between fathers of different races. It is not the skin color that matters, but rather how actively the father is involved with his children. The educational level also did not affect the value of fathers.

What difference does marriage make? The study revealed that 51% of children with married parents had fathers who were highly engaged. That was the case in only 15% of children who had cohabiting parents.

What is the value of fathers who are actively engaged? The difference they make is in three areas: grades, behavior, and depression. Girls with fathers who are involved in their lives were 8% more likely to have better grades and only one-tenth as likely to be diagnosed with depression. In other words, a supportive father has a profound effect on a girl’s emotional well-being.

For boys, the value of fathers relates more closely to behavioral support. Boys with engaged fathers were 13% less likely to have behavioral issues in school compared to those with non-engaged fathers.

This study analyzed data on children in Virginia; however, the same findings are likely to hold true in other states and even different countries. The family is God’s design, and the greatest success in life results when a married father and mother are wholly committed to each other and work together to support their children. (See Ephesians 6:4.)

References: Fox News and The National Marriage Project

June 6, 2025June 2, 2025

The Church Worshiping Together

These thoughts were inspired by a good friend who said, “I get a lot more out of sitting on a log in the woods and listening to the birds than I do out of sitting in a pew and listening to a preacher.” Yesterday, we looked at some reasons why the Church needs to gather in prayer. Today, we explore some other benefits of the Church worshiping together.

Worship is not a spectator sport! Every command related to music in worship involves the individual participating in a shared activity. (See Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; and Colossians 3:16.) Jesus prayed for unity among His followers, and singing together is one of the most unifying things we can do. The purpose is not to entertain God or people. By singing together, we unify, encourage, and build up one another.

The Lord’s Supper, also known as communion, serves as a means to encourage and edify one another. It is not just vertical toward God but also horizontal to your fellow Christians. Remembering the sacrifice of Christ and sharing a memorial provides a way to unify, grow, and be encouraged by the Church worshiping together.

Even giving is not for God’s benefit. God is the creator who made and owns everything. He does not need our money. The Bible makes it clear that giving benefits the giver. (See Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 9:7; and 1 Corinthians 16:2.) The person who never learns to give loses in every aspect of life. A good marriage, good kids, good sex, good recreation, and good health all depend on being able to give freely and unconditionally.

People giving through their local congregations can accomplish significant things in the world. Atheists and agnostics take delight in pointing out every mistake that Christians make, but atheism does not primarily address hunger, disease, broken families, mental illness, and homelessness. The Church worshiping together not only encourages and builds individuals, but it also coordinates resources and directs them to meet real needs.

A person may find that “sitting alone in the woods” brings them more personal pleasure than “going to church,” but it will not address the world’s problems or allow them to be part of something bigger than they could accomplish on their own. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together …” (Hebrews 10:25) is not an ego trip for God but a call to action for Christians. The fellowship of the Church worshiping together can have a powerful effect on us individually and on the world.

June 5, 2025June 2, 2025

The Church Gathering to Pray

A good friend of mine said, “I get a lot more out of sitting on a log in the woods and listening to the birds than I do out of sitting in a pew and listening to a preacher.” To non-Christians, much of what goes on in a worship service is boring and irrelevant. The problem is that non-Christians, and even many Christians, don’t understand the importance of the Church gathering to pray and worship. Much of this misunderstanding is based on misconceptions about God or a failure to understand what Christianity is about.

The worship service is not something designed to meet a need God has, since God has no needs. He doesn’t need us to pray to Him to let Him know what is happening on Earth! If we understand that “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28), then surely we realize that God is not ignorant of day-to-day events. Jesus said God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29).

Atheists portray God as a jealous egomaniac who uses and exploits people for His own ends. Those who believe God commands prayer for His own needs don’t understand God’s nature. He has no needs or weaknesses. Turning God into a man creates misconceptions that distort the purpose of the Church gathering to pray.

If prayer is not for God’s benefit, then it must clearly be for ours. The beneficial aspects of an active prayer life are widely accepted by anyone who deals with human issues. Learning to look to a higher power is a fundamental part of almost all twelve-step programs for overcoming addictions. The Church gathering to pray together fosters unity and peace.

Jesus condemned those who turned prayer into a public display of their religiosity. In Matthew 6:5, He said, “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.” Everything done in a worship service needs to be understood in the same way. It is not to impress others but to fulfill our need to praise and worship God.

There are other aspects of worshiping together that make it better than “sitting on a log in the woods listening to the birds.” We will deal with those tomorrow.