The word “heaven” appears almost 500 times in the English Standard Version of the Bible (492 times to be exact). Sometimes, it is used as a synonym for sky. Sometimes, it is used to describe the place where God resides. And sometimes, it is used to refer to the place where believers go when they die. But how do we know that we don’t simply cease to exist when we die? Is heaven a real place? Many scientists in the modern world argue that we as humans are purely material beings. They believe that death is the end. But the Bible as God’s revelation to us presents a different picture. In the Bibl ..read more

The Bible was written over a span of more than 1,500 years on three continents by more than 40 authors who were directed by God to record His Word. Thus, the Bible has both human and divine authorship. Second Peter 1:20-21 makes it clear “that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” This co-authorship could be thought of in terms of a sailboat in the middle of open water being pushed and guided by the wind. The boat in this case represents the ..read more

Francis Bacon once wisely said, “God has, in fact, written two books, not just one. Of course, we are all familiar with the first book he wrote, namely Scripture. But He has written a second book called creation.” The Christian community is divided on the issue of evolution for a variety of reasons, but the primary reason for this division has to do with the perceived tension between the Bible and science (the study of nature). A secondary factor of this division has to do with the definition of evolution itself. In order to determine whether or not Christians believe in evolution, it is impo ..read more

Several verses in the Bible command Christians to pray. Matthew 6:5-8 instructs Christians to pray unhypocritically and without any ulterior motives. First Thessalonians 5:16-18 commands us to pray constantly and with thanksgiving in all situations. Jesus modeled for us the appropriate way to pray in Matthew 6:9-13. And Ephesians 6:17-18 equates prayer with a weapon of spiritual warfare. It is clear that we act in obedience to the Word of God when we pray. But why is it that we end all of our prayers with the word “amen?” In order to answer this question, we need to look at the meaning of the ..read more

Islam and Christianity are both monotheistic religions, which means that they both believe in one God. The name of the god of Islam is Allah, and the God of Christianity has revealed Himself as “I AM.” Christianity believes that I AM is the unique, all-powerful, and all-knowing God. They assert that He created the world and is responsible for sustaining it. Moreover, they believe Him to be uniquely worthy of worship. Islam shares these same beliefs about Allah.  In order to determine whether or not Allah is the same as I AM, it is important to consider a variety of factors. First, we mus ..read more

According to the testimony of the New Testament authors, Jesus was born of a virgin woman named Mary as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit. He was raised by His mother and His earthly father, Joseph. Scripture is clear that Mary remained a virgin until Jesus was born (Matthew 1:25). But did Mary have children with Joseph through sexual relations after Jesus was born? Did Jesus have any earthly siblings? There are two primary positions on this matter. The Catholic Church claims that Mary did not have any other children and therefore that Jesus did not have any siblings. Protestant Christi ..read more

In the United States, about 40 to 50 percent of first marriages end in divorce, and subsequent marriages have even higher divorce rates. These trends hold true for Christians and non-Christians alike. But what is the biblical stance on marriage and divorce? Can Christians divorce and remarry? Many denominations and individual Christians would respond to these questions differently. But as Christians, we shouldn’t make out decisions based on personal preferences or opinions. We must base our decisions on the Word of God. In order to have a solid understanding of the biblical picture of divorce ..read more

In the modern world, it is often hard to know what is true. Many people claim that truth is completely relative and that every individual determines what is true for themselves. But the question of the existence of God cannot be relative. He either exists or He doesn’t. He can’t both exist and not exist. Evolutionists claim that the world is purely material and came about by random chance. But as Christians, we believe that God is the Creator of the world and remains intimately connected with His creation. But how is it that we can say with confidence that God exists? There are a variety of w ..read more

Dinosaurs are a topic of much fascination for kids and adults alike. It is fun to imagine their sizes and colors and what it would have been like to see them walk on the earth. Kids have dinosaur birthday parties and adults watch dinosaur movies. But how exactly should we view dinosaurs as Christians? Science textbooks teach that dinosaurs existed between about 250 and 65 million years ago in the Mesozoic Era. Evolutionary scientists believe that they roamed the earth way before the first humans did. But the Bible teaches that the earth came about through divine creation rather than through e ..read more

We live in a world where truth is hard to define. Some people believe that truth is in the heart of the beholder. They say things like “your truth” and “my truth” instead of “the truth.” And they truly believe that truth is a matter of opinion. But even if everyone in the world adopts this way of thinking, it doesn’t change the fact that truth doesn’t change. Something that is true does not contradict reality. And two contradictory “truths” cannot both be true. But how is it that we distinguish between all of these truth claims? Every religion claims to be true, and every religion claims that ..read more