Posts with the tag: Dirk Waren
SPIRITUAL REBIRTH: Is Being “Born Again” Biblical?
It amazes me when I come across believers, especially ministers, who play down or write-off spiritual regeneration as core to the Christian experience. Let’s start with the fact that the doctrine of baptisms is the third doctrine of Christianity, according to Hebrews 6:1-2, and the very first baptism that a believer experiences is spiritual baptism, […]
What Is the Doctrine THE LAYING ON OF HANDS?
The laying on of hands is the fourth basic doctrine of Christianity, as detailed here: 1Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2instructions about on baptisms, the laying on of hands, […]
What is the “Better Resurrection” Noted in Hebrews 11:35?
The Hall of Faith chapter of the Bible makes a statement that some have found puzzling: Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Hebrews 11:35 The contrast in this verse is between: Women […]
How Often Should You Say “IN THE NAME OF JESUS” in Prayer?
Christ taught that we are to pray to the heavenly Father in the famous prayer outline from Matthew 6:5-13. He likewise noted this principle in the gospel of John, adding that we are to pray in His name: In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father […]
Can You Fix Your SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION If It’s Faulty?
Growing believers might come to realize that some of the things they were taught or experienced at a particular ministry/sect are erroneous or unhealthy. This concerns the spiritual foundation that was built in their early years as believers. What do you do if you discern your foundation is flawed in some serious ways. Are you […]
SPIRITUAL GROWTH: Darkness, Childhood, Youth & Maturity
Moved by the Holy Spirit, John referred to four stages of spiritual growth in this passage: 9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11But anyone […]
What Did Christ Mean When He Instructed Us to “WATCH”?
Here’s one example of where the Lord instructed us to “watch”: 32“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house […]
Can Christian Women Wear Makeup and Jewelry?
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter gave these instructions to women in the Church: 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of […]
What Does “Because of the Angels” Mean in 1 Corinthians 11:10?
In 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 Paul addresses the cultural issue of wives wearing a head covering while praying & prophesying at the fellowship. Within this context he makes the puzzling statement: It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. 1 Corinthians 11:10 What exactly […]
Should Women Cover Their Heads When They Pray & Prophesy?
Paul gave a curious instruction to members of the church in Corinth that wives should wear head coverings when they pray & prophesy (1 Corinthians 11:3-16). Is this a universal law for all the churches throughout Christian history or was it simply a cultural thing pertaining to the customs of a certain time & […]
Should You “PUT OUT A FLEECE” to Determine God’s Will?
“Putting out a fleece” refers to trying to determine God’s will in a matter through a sign in an arranged scenario. The phrase comes from Gideon’s actions in this passage: 36Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing […]
Who Should You Receive from—Official Ministers or Independent Ones?
I remember an occasion where I went to the hospital to visit someone. It was in the heat of the summer and so I naturally wore shorts, sandals and a t-shirt (with cut-off sleeves). By happenstance, the woman in the elevator with me was clearly a member of some religious sect in light of […]
Why LOYALTY (Faithfulness) Is Important
I remember a couple of old movie stars, like Kirk Douglas, making statements that they didn’t believe men can be monogamous. But this is a copout to commit adultery or live in fornication. It explains why the bride & groom vow to be faithful to one another. In other words, yes, humans — and especially […]
What’s the Secret of a Successful Marriage?
The Bible says that “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). In a marriage the three-strand cord consists of husband, wife and the LORD. As the husband and wife draw nearer to the Lord (James 4:8), they naturally come nearer to each other, as illustrated here: So “come near […]
What Does “the Spirit, the Water and the Blood Testify” Mean?
Let’s read the whole passage in question with special focus on the key verses 5-9: 1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out […]
Is the Phrase “Higher Levels, Bigger Devils” Biblical?
The phrase “Higher levels, bigger devils” was coined to illustrate that the further a believer goes in spiritual growth the more he or she will attract satanic attack. The Bible refers to the maturation process of disciples in terms of going “from strength to strength” or “glory to glory” (Psalm 84:5,7 & 2 Corinthians 3:18). This […]
What Does It Mean to “Worship God in Spirit and in Truth”?
The Lord said to the Samaritan woman at the well: 22“You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they […]
Should Ministers Officiate Weddings and Funerals?
Interestingly, there are no references in the Bible to ministers officiating weddings or funerals, including pastors. I point this out because some people seem to think that ministry is mostly about performing one or the other. Evidently God didn’t get the memo. This is not to say that ministers shouldn’t preside over weddings and funerals. […]
Should Ministers Be Paid?
The Bible plainly instructs that ministers must not pursue dishonest gain because that has to do with greed (1 Peter 5:1-4). Christian ministers cannot simultaneously be lovers of money, aka lucre-worshipers (Matthew 6:24, 1 Timothy 3:3 & Titus 1:7). Why? Because people obsessed with money and materialism will naturally take advantage of their position to manipulate […]
Are Some Leaders Beyond Accountability?
King Solomon made the observation: Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to him, “What are you doing?” Ecclesiastes 8:4 In other words, when someone is at the top of the proverbial Totem Pole, they have the authority to make decisions and carry them out, regardless of what those under them think or […]
If Healing Comes by Faith, Why Use Anointing Oil, Handkerchiefs, etc.?
The covenant (contract) that the believer has with God thru Christ is a covenant of faith (Hebrews 11:6, Romans 4:16 & Galatians 3:6-9) and so everything we receive in our covenant is by faith, including eternal salvation (Ephesians 2:8) and answers to prayer (Mark 11:22-24). The same goes for receiving a healing, as observed in […]
The GENESIS CURSE is Not God’s Law, but Rather a Divine Curse
Those who teach/preach from the Holy Scriptures are instructed to “rightly divide” or “correctly handle” them (2 Timothy 2:15). If it’s possible to rightly divide God’s word it’s also possible to unrightly divide it; that is, misinterpret the Scriptures and spread error. The problem with error is that it cannot set people free; only the […]
Can a Christian Be Perfect?
While every spiritually-reborn believer is “made complete in Christ” (Colossians 2:10), there’s no such thing as a perfect Christian in this fallen world, not in a practical sense. The Bible says point blank that every believer misses it now & then no matter how spiritually mature s/he may be: 8If we claim to be […]
Who Is Melchizedek? How Was He a Type of Christ?
Melchizedek was priest-king of Salem in Canaan during the time of Abram. He’s mentioned a few times in Scripture, starting with the following passage wherein Melchizedek met with Abram in the Valley of Shaveh to honor him after Abram’s militia impressively defeated King Kedorlaomer of Elam and the kings allied with him: 18Then Melchizedek […]
Did the Hebrews Break the Sabbath when They Sacked Jericho?
The question applies to the Hebrews taking of the city of Jericho on the Sabbath, as detailed here: 2Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six […]
What Is KJV ONLY? What’s Wrong With It?
Christians who are “KJV Only” are people who view the King James Version of the Bible as the only legitimate English translation. It should be stressed that KJV Only people can live and die as genuine believers, loved of the Lord. The principle of Romans 14:3 applies here so we need to be careful not […]
Will We See Our Pets Again in Eternity?
Will your beloved pets be resurrected to be with you in the eternal age-to-come (2 Peter 3:13)? Or do your pets go directly to Heaven and await your arrival? What about other animals in Eternity? These are legitimate questions because some people naturally wonder about their beloved pets and other animals. While the Bible doesn’t […]
What Does It Mean to Be “BAPTIZED WITH FIRE”?
What did John the Baptist mean when he said regarding Christ: “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”? Let’s read the statement in its fuller context as that will reveal its meaning: 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to […]
Being an Heir to the Kingdom of God, Inheriting It and Seeing It
The question we want to answer is this: What is the difference between being an heir to the kingdom of God, entering it and seeing it? The ‘kingdom of God’ literally refers to “the rule of the LORD” or “spiritual reign of God” (and is synonymous with the kingdom of Heaven). This could apply to the […]
When Pastors Fail to Correct Their Relatives in the Church
Have you ever experienced a situation at an assembly where the pastor refuses to genuinely correct a carnal individual because they’re related? For instance, Carol & I were part of a ministry years ago where a pathological liar ran around the church gossiping & slandering, yet was tolerated because she was related to the pastor […]