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Wandering the Wilderness in Faith
The wandering of the children of Israel stands as an object lesson for God's people. Hebrews 3 testifies that a whole generation of Israelites died in the wilderness, failing to reach the Promised Land, because they lacked faith in God. John Ritenbaugh examines this vital component of Christian living, exhorting those whom God has called to choose to trust Him and avoid the Israelites' lamentable failure in the wilderness.
 

Wars and Rumors of Wars
Increased war is one of the signs of the end, as Jesus shows in Matthew 24. What is the pace of war in this century? Is the world becoming more peaceful or more violent?
 

Was God's Law Nailed to the Cross?
Many point to Colossians 2:14 to "prove" that it is no longer necessary to keep God's law, but is this really what the apostle Paul means? Was the law nailed to Christ's cross? What is the "handwriting of requirements" he writes of? Using the immediate context and supporting scriptures, Earl Henn untangles the apostle's intent in this verse.
 

Was Herbert Armstrong a False Prophet?
Herbert Armstrong made scores of predictions, and many of them never came to pass. Does this make him a false prophet? Is he thus not worthy of following?
 

Was Jesus a Vegetarian?
Vegetarianism has become a popular lifestyle choice for a vocal minority of people, and some assert that Jesus was too compassionate not to be a vegetarian too. Does the Bible indicate that our Savior abstained from eating meat? Mike Ford argues that Scripture does not support their claims, showing that they ignore plain statements and make unsupportable assumptions when making their case.
 

Was Jesus Christ Born Under the Law?
As Christians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, but many subtle arguments are advanced to prove we really do not have to walk in His footsteps—that He did it all for us. Earl Henn explains that such teachings are ridiculous!
 

Was Jesus Married?
Over the past century and more, critical scholars have worked to undermine God and the Bible. In concert with sensationalist fiction writers, they have foisted spurious gospels and outlandish theories on an increasingly irreligious public. Mike Ford analyzes a recent find, dubbed "The Gospel of Jesus' Wife," that claims our Savior was married to Mary Magdalene. But was He?
 

Was Jesus Resurrected on Easter Sunday?
Most people who claim to be Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on a Sunday, usually with a dawn service. Is this biblically accurate? Jesus Himself said He would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Can that period of time be squeezed into a Friday sunset to Sunday dawn scenario? If we allow Scripture to define its terms and follow the clues, our Savior's resurrection cannot have happened on a Sunday!
 

Was Mr. Armstrong an Apostle?
Many have asked this question since the Worldwide Church of God began to break up. John Ritenbaugh explains what an apostle is and then checks to see how Herbert Armstrong measured up.
 

Watch What?
As He was finishing His Olivet Prophecy, Jesus charged His disciples, "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" (Mark 13:37). It is an intriguing command because He does not specify in so many words what we are to watch. Pat Higgins argues that the evidence points to the fact that watching has everything to do with spiritual preparation.
 

Waxing Cold
We live in a time of turmoil when, as Jesus predicted, "nation will rise against nation." Perhaps we even become angry at seeing so much injustice and lawlessness ruin our society. As Christ's return nears, one thing we must not do is allow our love to grow cold. John Reiss provides strategies to maintain and even grow in love toward God and fellow man while the world descends into chaos.
 

Weeds!
Anyone who has traveled around the American Southeast has driven past kudzu-covered trees, fields, and telephone poles - or anything not fast enough to move out of its way! Drawing an analogy between the invasive, fast-growing kudzu and the thorns in the Parable of the Sower, Mike Ford shows how we must "weed out" detrimental habits that choke our lives and hinder us from producing godly fruit.
 

What Did Jesus Do?
We have all seen "WWJD?" on bracelets, T-shirts, and the like. Perhaps a better question to ask is, "What Did Jesus Do?" because He left us the perfect example of godly living in the four gospels!
 

What a Difference a Day Makes
We have read the accounts in Scripture on the Day of the Lord, and there is no doubt that it will be a chaotic, horrifying time. God will use the forces at His disposal to bring drastic change to planet Earth. Charles Whitaker explains that two of those forces, fire and water, are cleansing agents by which God will purify the earth before the second coming of Christ.
 

What Do We Have to Offer?
Most of the time, the Israelites provide us with a bad example, but Mike Ford tells of one time in particular that their example illustrates a godly virtue.
 

What Do You Do in the Dark?
Character has been defined as "what you do in the dark." It is what you are when no one else can see you. Mike Ford uses the story of Joseph in Potiphar's house to extract some lessons about character.
 

What Does 'Examine Yourselves' Mean?
Each year, Christians prepare for Passover by engaging in a thorough, spiritual self-examination. An analysis of the apostle Paul's instruction in II Corinthians 13:5 shows us what we need to look for.
 

What Does It Mean to Take Up the Cross?
Beyond the fact that our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross of some sort, He used its imagery to instruct His followers: He bids us take up our cross and follow Him. David Grabbe analyzes what Jesus' command would have meant to those who heard Him, showing that our Savior is asking us to follow His example of sacrifice in our own Christian lives.
 

What Evolution Really Means
In the church, the argument over evolution was settled long ago, but such is not the case in the wider world. David Grabbe goes beyond the science to what embracing evolution actually says about a person's—and a society's—relationship with God.
 

What Happened at En Dor?
The narrative of King Saul of Israel visiting a medium at En Dor on the night before his final battle is an anomaly in Scripture, relating the story of a "successful" seance. When read carefully, the text, along with a few biblical principles, reveals much more than what meets the eye. Richard Ritenbaugh dissects I Samuel 28 to expose several common misconceptions about the events of that night.
 

What Is a False Prophet?
The Bible warns us that a great False Prophet will soon arise to sway mankind into idolatry. In addition, numerous passages speak of other false prophets and false teachers in the church and in the world. David Grabbe, in exposing the differences between false prophets and true ones, explains what we need to look out for as the end nears.
 

What Is Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?
In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus warns the Pharisees about crossing a line that cannot be uncrossed, an act of blasphemy that is commonly called "the unpardonable sin." David Grabbe explores the Bible's references to this often-misunderstood subject, showing that, while rare, one could fall into it through bitterness or neglect.
 

What Is Joel 2 Really About?
The prophecies of the Minor Prophets are frequently overlooked, and Joel's prophecy—a slim three-chapter book—is no exception. Mike Fuhrer contends that church members are likely to misunderstand the literal meaning of the prophecy of Joel 2, in which God's mighty army sweeps across the countryside and into the city without serious opposition.
 

What Is the Book of Revelation?
Everyone knows what the book of Revelation is all about, right? The end of the world, strange and fearsome symbols, and enigmatic clues about the shape of things to come. David Grabbe, however, argues that, though those are included in its pages, the real subject of Revelation is readily apparent.
 

What Is the Feast of Trumpets, Anyway?
The Feast of Trumpets, the first of the fall holy days, has perhaps the least directly written about it of all God's festivals. To provide some answers, this article explains the basic facts about this pivotal day.
 

What Is the Holy Spirit?
Every Christian understands what the Holy Spirit is, right? Wrong! Even long-time theologians admit in their commentaries that, in the end, the Spirit is an incomprehensible mystery to them. David Grabbe lays out some of the reasons for their confusion, showing that, if they would only believe the Bible, they could learn the truth about God's Spirit.
 

What Is the Passover Anyway?
To someone not familiar with the Bible's instructions regarding the keeping of Passover, this festival can seem strange and confusing. This article explains the basic points of the Passover, showing from Scripture what God commands and why.
 

What Is the Second Death?
The common belief among Christians—and other religions have similar depictions of the afterlife—is that one's immortal soul goes either to heaven or hell after death. David Grabbe argues that this ignores the biblical concept of the second death, an event beyond physical death that not only undermines the traditional heaven-hell and immortal soul doctrines, but also highlights God's perfect sense of justice.
 

What is Your Bowl of Lentil Stew?
Everyone knows the story of Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew, but what does it mean to us? This article shows that each of us has the potential to do just as Esau did—each of us has a bowl of lentil stew!
 

What Is Your Lentil Soup?
The story of Esau and his selling his birthright for a bowl of soup is a cautionary tale for Christians today. What it is we really value? What we treasure will ultimately determine our destiny.
 

What Restrains the Man of Sin?
When some restraining force is removed, the man of sin or lawless man will rise to dominate the end time. Many have speculated on what restrains him, from God Himself to the church to human governments. In the context, Paul hints at the correct answer, writing that "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work." Charles Whitaker chronicles the decline of Bible-based law in society over the last four centuries, which has paved the way for the man of sin.
 

What Sin Does
Too many people today discount the idea of sin, considering it an invention of the clergy to control their flocks. But the sin in this world is driven by the attitudes of Satan, the Adversary of God and man, and it is the cause of the misery and destruction we witness everywhere. John Ritenbaugh catalogs the destructive power of sin, urging Christians to reject it and embrace the constructive righteousness of God.
 

What Sin Is
Over the last half-century, sin has gone out of vogue. In the secular public's mind, it is a religious matter and not something of much consequence. But it matters a great deal to God because it is not only the cause of all the misery in the world but also the reason humanity is so far from Him. John Ritenbaugh explains the basics of sin and what God wants us to do about it.
 

What Was the Law 'Added Because of Transgressions'?
Some think Galatians 3:19 means that God's law has been done away. Earl Henn explains how certain misunderstandings have led people astray on this verse.
 

What Would You Do With a Second Chance?
How often have we wished we could live some part of our lives over again to correct a wrong? In discussing second chances, David Maas reveals that God gives us not only second chances but multiple chances to change our character for the better in preparation for His Kingdom.
 

What's Going On Up There?
Does it seem like your prayers never reach God's throne—that at best they are only recorded on God's answering machine? This article gives a new perspective on prayer that just may add new impetus to your prayer life!
 

What's in a Name Anyway?
Names not only identify but they also arouse associations—sometimes good, sometimes bad. David Maas explains the biblically, a person's name held his reputation, a thing to be guarded and enhanced through godly living.
 

What's in a Name?
God uses names very particularly in His Word. Knowing the meaning and identity of certain names can greatly aid our study of Bible prophecy.
 

What, Me Worry?
It is not uncommon to worry about one's financial situation. It has never been easy for most people to make ends meet, causing anxiety. Yet, in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ commands us not to worry about our lives, food, drink, or clothing. Considering what life was like in His day, Mike Ford explains, Jesus' simple solution to this common problem will work for Christians just as well now as then.
 

Whatever Happened to Gnosticism? Part One: False Knowledge
"Gnosticism" sounds like an old and very dry Greek philosophy, the subject of a somnolent college lecture. Not so, says David Grabbe. Gnosticism is very much in vogue today in books and movies—and in the belief systems of a great many people who profess to be Christian.
 

Whatever Happened to Gnosticism? Part Three: Satan's Three Heresies
When Satan confronted humanity's first parents, Adam and Eve, he fed them three heresies that he continues to promote to deceive the world today. David Grabbe expounds on these three lies, revealing how Gnosticism incorporated them into its parasitic philosophy and way of life.
 

Whatever Happened to Gnosticism? Part Two: Defining Gnosticism
For many of us, Gnosticism is difficult to pin down, and this is because it is not itself a religion but a philosophy that piggy-backs on religions. David Grabbe explains how we can see this in Paul's epistles to the Galatians and Colossians, in which he combats Gnosticism's twisting of the truth of Jesus Christ.
 

Whatever Your Heart Desires
The Bible tells us that at the Feast of Tabernacles, we can spend our money on whatever we desire. However, the Feast is a test of our hearts. What do we really desire? Do we indulge ourselves, or do we use our resources to make it the best Feast ever for others?
 

When Was Jesus Born?
The world claims Jesus was born on December 25, a date most scholars who take chronology seriously find is unsupportable. If He was not born on the traditional Christmas Day, when was He really born? John Reid explains that the Bible provides all the clues we need to establish, not a specific date, but a two-week period in which He was likely born.
 

Where Is God's True Church Today?
This world presents us with a disordered array of religions of all kinds—from atheism to animism, ancestor worship, polytheism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and many more besides. Where can we find the true religion, the true church, in all this confusion? John Ritenbaugh reveals that only one religion with its one true church has the answers to salvation and eternal life—the church Christ founded and heads today.
 

Where Is the Promise of His Coming?
As this world keeps on turning, more people become skeptical about the return of Jesus Christ. The Bible, however, insists that He will come again and quickly. Richard Ritenbaugh advises watchful, sober expectation because the Lord does not delay His coming.
 

Where the Eagles Are Gathered
Jesus Christ's Olivet Prophecy provides a handful of specific signs of His return, one of which seems particularly obscure. David Grabbe analyzes His saying, "Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together," in Matthew 24:28, explaining that it is a warning that Jesus will come back in judgment against those who resist Him.
 

Which Bible Translation Is Best?
Finding the right Bible to trust can be a confusing task! Though most ancient manuscripts of the Bible agree, English translations vary widely due to both the use of differing manuscript types and translation principles. How do we know if one is better than another? Richard Ritenbaugh provides background information and a few suggestions to make the choice a little easier.
 

Who Are the 'Guests at the Wedding'?
The Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22 has raised questions about the identity of its symbols, especially the guests. Who are they? This article shows from Scripture they fit only one category of people throughout history.
 

Who Are the 144,000?
This is a subject that has long been a source of controversy. However, when we let the Bible interpret itself, the answer is plain!
 

Who Fulfills the Azazel Goat— Satan or Christ? (Part Five)
While the church of God has long taught that the azazel goat of Leviticus 16 represents Satan bearing part of the blame for man's sins, the present series has shown that this view has no biblical support. David Grabbe concludes the series with several common questions posed by those who have desired additional clarification of some of the issues involved in the subject.
 

Who Fulfills the Azazel Goat— Satan or Christ? (Part Four)
Many in God's church have believed that humanity cannot be "at one" with God until Satan has been bound at the beginning of the Millennium. This misunderstanding, David Grabbe contends, has come about due to a general failure to grasp significant truths about the completed atoning work of Jesus Christ, something that Satan has no part in.
 

Who Fulfills the Azazel Goat— Satan or Christ? (Part Three)
The offering on the Day of Atonement is unique in that it is a singular offering in two parts, each goat representing a separate aspect of Christ's sacrifice. In Part Three, David Grabbe explains why the goat of departure cannot be connected to the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:1-3), as well as how Hebrews 9 and 10 clarify the Atonement ritual's meaning through the complete—and completed—sacrifice of Christ.
 

Who Fulfills the Azazel Goat—Satan or Christ? (Part One)
For years, the church of God has taught that the azazel goat, found in the instructions for the Atonement (Yom Kippur) offering in Leviticus 16, represented Satan taking man's sins on his own head and being led into outer darkness, taking sin with him. However, Scripture does not support this interpretation. David Grabbe focuses on the inappropriateness of Satan as a sacrifice for sin, as well as what the Bible shows that the azazel goat actually accomplishes.
 

Who Fulfills the Azazel Goat—Satan or Christ? (Part Two)
In the pivotal ritual on the Day of Atonement, two goats play significant and separate roles to represent specific divine purposes within the process of salvation. As David Grabbe explains, understanding the role of the live goat hinges on recognizing whose sins are in view, as well as who is actually responsible for sin.
 

Who Is Doing the Work of God?
What is more important: preaching the gospel to the world or feeding the flock? John Ritenbaugh gives reasons why we should at this time be concentrating on reversing the church's serious spiritual decline before we presume to go to the world.
 

Who the Two Witnesses Are Not
Many prophecy watchers have made their guesses about who the Two Witness of Revelation 11 are, but not all of their ideas have solid, biblical foundations. Charles Whitaker tackles a common view among interpreters, explaining that Scripture precludes it on very solid grounds.
 

Who Were the Philistines?
For several centuries, the Philistines were a constant menace on Israel's southwestern flank. Richard Ritenbaugh summarizes what the Bible, history, and archeology have to say about this little-known yet biblically significant people.
 

Who Were the Wise Men?
Mentioned in Matthew 2, the wise men or magi have been mysterious figures since their appearance two thousand years ago. For centuries, scholars and Bible students have tried to determine who they were, and their speculations have varied widely. Careful research into the biblical description of their visit to the young Jesus can provide satisfying answers to this longtime question.
 

Who Will Be Kept from the Hour of Trial?
It is entirely human to try to avoid anything that might be unpleasant, and this reaction is especially true of an event as destructive as the Great Tribulation. While God promises to protect some during that time, it comes with a caveat. David Grabbe posits that, if we show patient endurance now, overcoming and growing, God may bless us with protection from that horrible trial.
 

Whose Family Values?
Family values has become an important topic in America today. Whose family values should we hold and follow? Is there any indication that we will return to good and right values?
 

Why Did God Command Israel to Go to War?
The "God of the Old Testament" receives a great deal of criticism from some quarters because, allegedly, He makes statements that contradict New Testament teaching, and He also seems cruel, especially toward non-Israelites. Examining a question that brings both of these criticisms into play, David Grabbe argues that God's command for Israel to execute total war on the Canaanites has a rational—and yes, Christian—explanation.
 

Why Did Jesus Have to Die by Crucifixion?
Crucifixion is man's most cruel, inhumane form of capital punishment. Why did our Savior need to die this way? What does it teach us? This article also includes an inset, "Was Jesus Stabbed Before or After He Died?"
 

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Christians?
Of all people, one might think, Christians should be the most blessed, yet they often fall under heavy trials. However, the reality is that God is putting us through the paces, correcting us and refining us, to bring us to salvation.
 

Why Do the Wicked Prosper?
Righteous men have complained about the seeming good fortune of evil people for ages, but what is the answer? Mike Ford gives the biblical answer—in the end, a very simple and practical one.
 

Why Does God Keep Secrets?
Proverbs 25:2 says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter." Why? David Maas examines this principle from an educator's viewpoint, concluding that God does it to make us "dig deep."
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Eight): Hebrews 1
Who was Jesus Christ? Believers think they know Him from the accounts in the four gospels, which are admittedly limited (John 21:25). Scripture as a whole reveals Him to be so much more! John Ritenbaugh explains that the first chapter of Hebrews delivers a knock-out punch to skeptics like many first-century Jews who claimed He falls short in qualifying as our High Priest and Savior.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Five)
If church members are to grow in grace and knowledge and be zealous in producing fruit to God's glory, they need to have their priorities in the right place. John Ritenbaugh focuses on Christ's words in His Sermon on the Mount about laying up treasures in heaven, explaining that we will avidly pursue what we value. If we desire to attain to the Kingdom of God, we must desire what God desires.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Four)
Christians often spend so much time engaged in their present-day trials and tribulations that they fail to understand and learn from the experiences of Christians of the past. In the New Testament, God has supplied His church with multiple examples of the difficult times faced by the early church. John Ritenbaugh provides insight into how those experiences necessitated and shaped the epistle to the Hebrews.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Nine)
In John 1:18, the apostle John writes that Jesus came to reveal the Father. In His life, Jesus revealed a great deal more of the Father than just His existence. John Ritenbaugh explains that God, through Christ, has communicated tirelessly with humanity through men and angels. The first chapters of Hebrews displays Christ's superiority over even the angels, who as their Creator, "makes His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire."
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part One)
With the giving of the New Covenant to God's called and chosen people, the church, problems arose among both Jewish and Gentile converts. God inspired the writing of the epistle to the Hebrews to answer the difficult questions church members were struggling with during the tumultuous first decades of the church. John Ritenbaugh begins to unravel the reasons early Christians needed the book of Hebrews.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Seven)
Early Christians, particularly the Jews among them, failed to realize just how indispensable Jesus Christ is to salvation. Their misunderstanding stemmed from their connections to the Old Covenant and its rituals. John Ritenbaugh summarizes why the epistle of Hebrews is so vital to Christians then and now: It explains the unique place and power of Christianity's High Priest.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Six)
American culture is in obvious decline, and it is undoubtedly linked to the fact that mainstream Christianity is bereft of moral leadership. While it may turn around, the outlook is bleak. John Ritenbaugh exhorts the reader to remember God's purpose for humanity, which His Word reveals and which He is working tirelessly to accomplish.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Ten): Christianity's Claims
The opening chapter of the epistle of Hebrews makes several astounding assertions about Jesus Christ and the exalted offices He holds. If true - and the Bible assures us that they are - they require a reverential response. John Ritenbaugh posits twelve claims that the Father, the Son, and Their way of life make upon humanity's attention and loyalty, giving mankind no excuse for its failure to respond to God.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Thirteen): Hebrews 2 and the Next Five Years
In just a short time, American morality and freedom have descended into an increasingly Godless and restrictive morass. Disciples of Christ need to be extra-vigilant over the next five years as the inevitable decline of this once great nation continues. John Ritenbaugh urges God's people to keep God's Word fresh in their minds through diligent study and practice of His way of life.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Three)
The book of Hebrews was written to fulfill several needs of the first-century church. One of the most critical needs was to explain God's opening of eternal life to the Gentiles, as He did through Peter's visit to the house of Cornelius in Acts 10. John Ritenbaugh explains that Jewish converts, especially, faced pressure and even persecution from their own people - even from their own families - for their belief in Christ.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Twelve): The Son's Superiority Over Angels
The nascent church was not wholly "of one accord" on every doctrine. Some Jews among the early converts believed that Jesus Christ did not qualify to be the church's High Priest, considering angels to be greater and holier. John Ritenbaugh explains that the main goal of the author of Hebrews is to show Christ's superiority over every conceivable candidate for the office, and in chapter 1, specifically over angels.
 

Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Two)
Among Catholics and Protestants exists the erroneous belief that the New Covenant abolishes the law rather than the truth that the epistle to the Hebrews provides: that Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled His spiritual responsibilities and can now aid us in fulfilling ours, which includes keeping God's commandments. John Ritenbaugh continues to explain the background to the book of Hebrews, showing why the early church needed its singular message.
 

Why Israel? (Part One)
Even the beginning Bible student knows that Israel plays a prominent part in Scripture. Why? Richard Ritenbaugh explores God's stated purposes for choosing and using the children of Israel throughout His Word—and beyond.
 

Why Israel? (Part Two)
Though God provided the descendants of Abraham with every physical advantage, Israel still failed to keep the terms of the covenant they made with Him. However, as Richard Ritenbaugh brings out, God withheld one necessary, spiritual ingredient—the key dimension that makes the New Covenant work.
 

Why Must Satan Be Released?
Have you ever wondered why the Bible prophesies that God will release Satan from the bottomless pit near the end of the Millennium? Would that not be counterproductive to the purpose of Christ's reign on the earth? David Grabbe explains that Satan's release will reveal the Devil's unrepentant rebellion against God and test the character of humanity one last time.
 

Why Should Christians Refuse Jury Duty?
For years, the church has taught that Christians should refuse jury duty. Why? What are the biblical reasons for this? This article explains why we should not judge the world at this time.
 

Why the Transfiguration?
Why was Jesus transfigured on the mount? What did it mean? What was it designed to teach the apostles? Richard Ritenbaugh shows the significance of this wonderful miracle.
 

Why Was Hebrews Written? (Part Eleven): God Is Not Silent
With Americans fearful about their country's direction and mainstream Christianity divided over Christian doctrine, few trustworthy refuges from the nation's troubles come to mind. John Ritenbaugh advises Christians to seek God Himself and truly listen to what He says in His Word. Only then will they have the heart of wisdom to deal with today's challenges.
 

Why Was Jesus Not Crucified as Passover Began? (Part One)
Many Bible students scratch their heads over a seeming discrepancy in timing between the Old Testament instructions about Passover and Christ's fulfillment of it in His crucifixion. Contending that the spiritual fulfillment is far more important than physical rites, David Grabbe relates that Jesus did indeed fulfill the Passover—just not as one might expect.
 

Why Was Jesus Not Crucified as Passover Began? (Part Two)
Many Bible students scratch their heads over the timing of Christ's crucifixion, believing that it should have coincided with the Passover events in Exodus 12. David Grabbe explains that the timing of our Savior's death reaches even further back, into the life of Abraham, the father of the faithful, and the covenant God made with him.
 

Why We Must Put Out Leaven
To people new to the church of God, deleavening our homes before the Feast of Unleavened Bread seems very strange and Old Covenant. They also learn that circumcision, another Old Covenant practice, is not required anymore under the New Covenant. So, why must we put leaven out, yet we do not have to circumcise our baby boys? The late Earl Henn explains this apparent contradiction.
 

Why Worship God?
Worship is ingrained into human beings; it is almost as if we must worship something. So, why should we worship the God of the Bible rather than some other person or thing? What benefits does worship of the true God of Creation bring to those who worship Him? John Ritenbaugh provides three fundamental reasons why worship of the God of heaven and earth is necessary and beneficial to those who seek Him.
 

Will Aliens Invade the Earth?
Satan seems to be planting into men's minds the thought that an alien force will one day invade earth. Perhaps the Devil is conditioning mankind for Christ's return?
 

Will Christ Find Faith?
It is easy to look around this world and become discouraged by how far from God so many people seem to be. Even chuch members can appear to be distracted by this world. To counter this pessimistic view, John Reid explains the Parable of the Persistent Widow, at the end of which Jesus asks, "When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" The answer is more positive than one may think!
 

Will Europe Ever Unite?
The church has predicted a united Europe for decades, but it seems just as far off as ever. Richard Ritenbaugh explains that humanly, Europe will never unite—it will take "a strong hand from someplace"!
 

Will You Marry Me? (Part One)
As Christians, we sometimes fail to appreciate our calling: We have been invited to participate in the very Marriage Supper of Jesus Christ—and not just as a guest, but as the Bride! The Bible is full of marriage symbolism, suggesting just how important marriage is to God.
 

Will You Marry Me? (Part Two)
Continuing to show the biblical parallels to marriage, Part Two highlights the story of Boaz and Ruth, the cup of betrothal, and the Marriage Supper itself, asking, "Are we committed to this wonderful relationship with our Fiance?"
 

Wool and Linen
Not a few people, and even many Christians, think that the Bible contains some strange laws. For instance, Deuteronomy 22:11 forbids the wearing of a garment that contains different fabrics. Mike Ford tackles this particular command, contending that it contains a spiritual principle with a profound impact on Christian life.
 

Works of Faith (Part One)
Many think works and faith are incompatible, but the Bible instructs us to do works of faith. What are they? These are things we MUST do during the process of salvation.
 

Works of Faith (Part Two)
Christians are saved by God's grace through faith. We cannot deny it. But a Christian's faith is one that wants to keep God's law - not the ritual law, but the law of faith that trusts God and aims to please Him in everything. God's spiritual law, encapsulated in the Ten Commandments and demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ, reveals His way of life, which Christians should endeavor to emulate.
 

Worship God!
What is worship? What should our attitude be in worship? How do we worship God? Our God is seeking people to worship Him in spirit and truth!
 

Worthy to Take the Scroll
When reading the book of Revelation, we often pass quickly through chapters 4 and 5, perhaps because very little of significance seems to happen in them. To many, they contain just a fantastic description of God's throne room. David Grabbe, however, explains that chapter 5, especially, narrates an event of tremendous magnitude for those whom God has chosen.
 

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