Why shouldn’t we pray to the Holy Spirit?
Question It is often said that praying to the Holy Spirit is not in accordance with Scripture. Why not? Isn’t the Holy Spirit just as…
Christian Briem
Justified by faith (Romans 5:1-2)
The doctrine of justification by faith and its glorious consequences is thoroughly explored in the Epistle to the Romans, culminating beautifully in the first section…
The Two Natures of the Believers
Occasionally, it is asked whether a redeemed person only has the new nature or also an old nature – called “flesh” in the Bible. In…
The unclean Spirit (Mt 12:43-45)
The parable of the “unclean spirit” seems to refer, like the previous one (the “house of the strong man”), to the healing of someone possessed…
The House of the Strong (Mt 12:29)
The short parable in Matthew 12 about the “house of the strong” follows the miracle of Jesus healing a blind and mute demon-possessed man (Matthew…
The Sheep in the Pit (Mt 12:9-14)
Overview In the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, we encounter several short parables that relate to the state of the Jewish nation. This…
The Parable of the Cloth and the Wineskins (Mt 9:16.17)
The Lord continues the train of thought He had begun with the parable of the “present bridegroom” with a small double parable. The two following…
The Present Bridegroom (Mt 9:15)
In the life of the Lord Jesus on earth, some things offended people and were a particular stumbling block to the Jews. The root of…
The Two Houses (Mt 7:24-27)
A new contrast In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus concludes His teachings to His disciples with an important parable, that of the “two houses”…
The Narrow Gate (Mt 7:13.14)
The parable of the “narrow gate” is, like the previous parables, part of the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded by Matthew. Luke gives us…
The Adverse Party (Mt 5:25.26)
After speaking of the need of reconciliation between brothers in the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord develops this fundamental idea and expands on it…
The Lamp of the Body (Mt 6:22.23: Lk 11:35.36)
The Sequence of the Images We have already explored the concept of light. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord called the believers “the…
The Light of the World (Mt 5:14-16)
The second image the Lord uses is that of “the light of the world.” It is an amazing statement from the Lord: His disciples would…
The Salt of the Earth (Mt 5:13; Mk 9:49.50)
In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord weaves a series of short parables into His teachings. Immediately after the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, we…
Introduction
The parables belong to the teachings of the New Testament just as much as the letters of the apostle Paul or those of the other…
He taught them many things in parables
In His mercy, God reveals His thoughts of love and wisdom in Scripture. We may not yet fully realize that He does this in many…
Examine Yourself – Important for the Lord’s Supper
The verse in 1 Corinthians 11:27 has often been misunderstood as if the breaking of bread was only meant for the particularly worthy. But let’s…
Question: Does the Devil Produce Evil Thoughts in Me?
Question: Does the devil produce evil thoughts in me? I am also troubled by the idea that the devil could read my thoughts. Answer: It…
Question: What Happened to the Resurrected Believers after Jesus’ Death?
Question: In Matthew 27:52, 53, it is said that when the Lord Jesus died on the cross, many bodies of the saints who had fallen…
What Comes First – Faith or New Birth?
These words of the Lord Jesus (verse 8) indicate the greatness of the mystery of new birth. They also show that new birth is a…