God versus religion

What religion was Abraham?

What religion was Abraham? After all, he is claimed as the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Two of those religions took one path to get from Abraham to their religions that exist today. However, the other one took a different path to get from the man who used to ...

Questions to ask ourselves The Bible and "Real Life"

Is your spiritual life private?

Is your spiritual life private? My question is for Christians. And it arises from an article I just read titled, Fifty six percent of Christians Feel Their Spiritual Life Is Entirely Private. If you only read the title, and you have a private spiritual life, a reasonable conclusion is that ...

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Is your spiritual life private? discusses the importance of not keeping one’s spiritual life entirely private, especially in the context of Christianity. It reflects on the implications of having a private spiritual life and how it relates to Christian transformation and community. Here are the key takeaways:
Private vs. Community Faith: The article questions the notion of a completely private spiritual life, suggesting that Christianity involves community and transformation.
Biblical References: It includes references to biblical passages, such as Romans 12 and John 3, to argue that spiritual growth requires change and community involvement.
Christian Transformation: The text emphasizes the need for Christians to transform and renew their minds to align with God’s will, as opposed to conforming to the world.
Importance of Community: The author argues that a private spiritual life may hinder the communal aspect of faith, which is essential for spiritual growth and reflecting Christ’s teachings.
The content is reflective and application-oriented, as it encourages self-examination and practical application of biblical principles in one’s life. It does not strictly follow an inductive or topical bible study format but rather uses scripture to address a specific concern about the nature of one’s spiritual life.

Questions to ask ourselves The Bible and "Real Life"

A trip to Hell on the way to Heaven?

What if we're on the way to Heaven - and we have to take a detour? A trip to Hell. Some think the Bible says Jesus went to Hell during the time between His death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day - what we now know ...

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A trip to Hell on the way to Heaven? is a reflective Bible study. Here are the key aspects that support this:
Personal Reflection: The text encourages readers to imagine scenarios and reflect on their own spiritual journey and responsibilities.
Interpretation of Text: It discusses interpretations of biblical texts, such as the Apostles’ Creed and its implications for Christian beliefs.
Application to Life: The study prompts readers to consider how biblical teachings apply to their lives, particularly the Great Commission.
Engagement with Doctrine: It engages with Christian doctrine and explores theological concepts like Jesus’ descent into hell versus the dead.
This reflective approach is designed to provoke thought and introspection about one’s faith and actions.

Learning from a dog

All dogs go to Heaven, don’t they?

All dogs go to Heaven, don't they? It probably sounds like a strange question for my site about God and religion. Well, not really. It's actually very relevant, at least to me. And maybe you’ll think it is for you also ...

Bible Study Inductive Bible Study

Jesus healed a leper. Why was more required?

Jesus healed a leper. Why was more required? Do you remember? But if he was healed, why did Jesus tell him to go see a priest? The event is recorded in three of the Gospels. And they all tell it pretty much the same way. All three leave us with ...

Artisanal Bible Study

Everything happens for a reason at that time …

Everything happens for a reason at that time _____. I was adding what I thought was a simple side note to an article. It turned out to not be simple at all. So it became its own thing. It's a look at the impact of three short words. Only ten ...

State of The Bible

Are you searching for hope but not finding it?

Are you searching for hope but not finding it? The bottom line is that "many" Americans are searching for something that Americans "overwhelmingly" believe is in the Bible. However, even as that's happening, they also think the country is going downhill. What does that mean? ...

The problem of ...

The Problem of Being Selfish

The Problem of Being Selfish. Yes, most of us know being selfish isn't good. And we're really good at recognizing when other people are selfish. But do we know when we are being selfish? Furthermore, for Christians, do we even realize the full extent of our selfishness? Not to mention, ...

Bible Study Reflective Bible Study

Who were the other two men on the crosses?

Who were the other two men on the crosses with Jesus? They were us. You and me. They were everyone who has ever heard the name of Jesus. It's a simple story. Quite short. Twelve verses. In Luke's Gospel. And yet, it tells the story of every one of us ...

How do we feel after church?

Does going to church make you feel good?

Does going to church make you feel good? Going to church and feeling like we just had a good cup of coffee really shouldn't make us feel the same way. Either we're way too focused in on coffee, or we're really not that into going to church! ...