The word "covet" is found (in various forms) eighteen times in the Old Testament and twenty-two times in the New Testament. Webster defines covet: "to desire (passionately) [especially, something that another person has]." The Greek meaning of the word is "to fix the desire upon (syn., lust)."

The Christian is bound by the Law of Christ with such passages as Colossians 3:5, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." The nature of covetousness is the act of idolatry. In this realm, God is not put…

(slightly adapted)

I know you have seen it on T-shirts, sweatshirts, bracelets, necklaces, lapel pins, bumper stickers, and castings on trunk lids. I am referring to the little fish symbol which sometimes has the five letters on it. To many people, it has become as much a symbol of the Christian faith as the cross itself.

What does it mean? What are those funny letters? What difference does it make?

The symbol is called an ichthus (pronounced "ickthoose"), which is a Greek word for "fish," and is spelled by those five Greek…

A study by Harvard researchers tracked 38,000 men, aged 40 to 75, for 12 years. The results revealed that "those who drank alcohol had 35 to 40 percent fewer heart attacks" and that "the best results came from drinking almost every day." The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

We are certain that there will be some folks, even some of our brethren, who will quickly latch onto this study and use its results as a further argument to "justify" the practice of "moderate, social drinking." This is anticipated, unfortunately, because there have always been…

There is an argument for God that I would like for you to consider. This argument says that without the Christian world-view (which is simply the comprehensive belief system, as taught in the Bible), nothing in the world could make rational sense. This is based on three sets of natural laws supported in the scripture:

1. Laws of Logic (e.g., the law of non-contradiction (LNC))
2. Uniformity of Nature (Laws of nature, the preconditions of science)
3. Laws of morality

This is known as the presuppositional approach to apologetics. No other world-view than that of the Bible, including atheism, Buddhism or…

In passing a Methodist camp meeting one day in September, John Smith stopped to watch a young Methodist preacher baptize a howling, rebellious infant by sprinkling water on the squirming body. When the service was concluded, Smith stepped to the front of the crowd and, identifying himself, took the preacher firmly by the arm and attempted to lead him toward the creek a few yards away.

"What are you trying to do, Brother Smith?" the young preacher protested. "Are you out of your mind?"

"What am I trying to do?" (Smith pretended deep surprise.) "Why, sir, I am…

"Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hikiah, and Masseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishel, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand." (Nehemiah 8:4)

Ezra stood at a wooden podium. Other translations use the word pulpit. Ezra stood at the pulpit. What follows is that he opened the book of God read from it and then explained it so that everyone understood. Today, we'd say, 'Ezra preached.'

I have stood behind several pulpits recently. Most were wooden.…

The use of fleshly incentives to draw people to worship services is becoming more and more common. One church offers free cokes, doughnuts, and balloons to its bus riders. Another offers a prize to the child who brings the most visitors. Still another uses some sports figure or entertainer to attract a crowd. Dinners and socials; elaborate church buildings; "Friendliest church in town" or "Fastest-growing church in town" advertising; the list of gimmicks is almost endless.

A study of 1 Corinthians, chapters 1 and 2, suggests that the people of our generation are not the first to demand fleshly…

Editor's Note: Sometimes we hear comments to the effect that 1 Timothy 2:9f is really talking about "overdressing" rather than about being insufficiently covered. It is true that "overdressing" appears to be the outward behavior Paul is addressing. But that doesn't tell the whole story. Ethan R. Longhenry has written an article that does a good job of showing that what Paul is really talking about is a mindset, an attitude about oneself, and that the absence of this mindset lies behind both dressing ostentatiously and dressing provocatively.

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The Christian and Modesty

Modern Western culture is…

"I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you."
Psalm 119:11 (ESV)

In ancient times, foreign invaders would besiege a city by surrounding it and cutting off commerce, travel and supplies from entering the area. Then the invaders would play a waiting game to see if they could make the city submit due to hunger or thirst, before any allies might come to provide military aid. If the city were unprepared for such an event, they would soon run out of supplies and would be forced to open the gates…

I confess I belong to that part of the United States' population identified as the "religious right" (expression to be said with a sneer or contempt in the voice). I am unabashedly religious, believing that one's life should be conducted with devotion to God and my moral and social values are decidedly conservative, i.e., to the "right." But it is becoming popular to characterize the "religious right" as a bunch of fanatical nut-cases who are trying to put a stranglehold on social progress. We are supposedly responsible for whatever bad happens in this great nation of ours.

Let me…