biblestudying.net

05/28/2026

May 28, 2026

When were the books of the New Testament collected and canonized?

An important question for apologists and Christians alike is when and by whom the books of the New Testament were first collected and used as a rule (canon) for judging doctrine. Informed Christian apologists point toward fourth century church councils which recognized (and made official) the New Testament as a particular collection of books that had always been upheld in the churches from the earliest times. But can we know more precisely at what point (prior to the fourth century) the books of the New Testament were first collected as a unique and exclusive body of works with special authority for church doctrine and practice?

For more information on
the origin, collection, and canonicity of the New Testament, please see our study entitled:

The New Testament Canon

05/21/2026

May 21, 2026

Is Jesus the reason for the Christmas season?

The biggest holiday of the year for many people is Christmas. In our modern society Christmas is traditionally considered to celebrate the birthday of Jesus. And it can be frustrating for Christians when the holiday is celebrated as a non-religious festival of gift-giving and Santa Claus. Consequently, there has been an ongoing effort to “keep Christ in Christmas.” Given the important place that this holiday has in the lives of many Christians perhaps it is worth looking into the history and origin of Christmas and how it has come to have such significance in the church today.

For more information on
the origin and history of Christmas and a biblical look at Jesus’ birth, please see our study entitled:

Celebrating Christmas
http://biblestudying.net/christmas.html

05/14/2026

May 14, 2026

How should we interpret the bible?

Even though most Christians would say the bible is the sole authority for determining truth, there are many different denominations in the church today. Denominations involve differences in scriptural interpretation. Even within a single church, individual Christians may have different understandings of particular verses or doctrinal issues. So, how do we determine which interpretation of a passage or doctrinal topic should be accepted? Answering this question requires studying the interpretive methods that Christian use and determining which interpretive method is the most sound.

For more information on
how to interpret scripture, please see the following studies:

- Intro: Exegesis and Hermeneutics
https://biblestudying.net/herm-intro.html

- Hermeneutics Outline
http://biblestudying.net/herm-outline.html

- Interpretation Videos
(Under the heading “202 Foundations of Our Theology and Hermeneutics”)
http://biblestudying.net/online_videos.html

05/07/2026

May 7, 2026

What order do Revelation’s seals, trumpets, and bowls go in?

The Book of Revelation represents end-times events using symbols. Chapters six, eight, nine, and sixteen use the imagery of seals, trumpets, and bowls. What is the proper order and relationship of these symbols and the events they describe? Is the first seal followed by the first trumpet and then the first bowl and then the second seal, second trumpet, and second bowl, etc.? Or do all of the seals transpire before any of the trumpets and all of the trumpets before any of the bowls? What is the chronology of the events detailed in the vision that was given to the Apostle John?

For more information on
the chronology of the end-times events described in the Book of Revelation, please see our study entitled:

Revelation Chronology
(About half way down on the End-Times Prophecy page.)

Editorial CommentaryEnd Times Prophecy: An Illustrative Case Study Prophetic Symbols SeriesProphetic Symbols: IntroductionProphetic Symbols: Daniel 2Prophetic Symbols: Daniel 7 (Part 1)Prophetic Symbols: Daniel 7 (Part 2)Prophetic Symbols: Daniel 8 (Part 1)Prophetic Symbols: Daniel 8 (Part 2)Prophet...

04/30/2026

April 30, 2026

How does Christ redeem us?

In the modern church, there are two major views regarding the way redemption works. Perhaps the most prevalent view is the penal substitution view. Forms of this model of redemption rest on the idea that Christ suffered punishment and death in the place of sinful man so that sinful man no longer has to undergo these consequences. The major alternative model of redemption focuses instead on Christ as paying a ransom with closely-related aspects involving Christ as a victorious conqueror and as a moral exemplar. Undoubtedly, Christ’s atoning work is of critical importance to our faith. So, which understanding of redemption is taught in scripture?

For more information on
the biblical explanation and discussion of Christ’s work as our Redeemer, please see our study entitled:

Redemption

04/24/2026

April 23, 2026

What is spiritual warfare?

Christians today sometimes think of spiritual warfare as binding and casting out demons through prayer. New Testament passages like 2 Corinthians 10 and Ephesians 6 present the idea of the spiritual warfare of believers. But are these texts talking about Christians actually fighting with devils in spiritual realms through faith-filled professions or musical worship? Or are these verses instead instructing Christians to keep our minds grounded in the teachings of Christ so that we aren’t led astray by the false doctrines and philosophies that angelic enemies have crafted in order to deceive mankind?

For more information on
the spiritual warfare of Christians from a New Testament perspective, please see our study entitled:

Spiritual Warfare Part 2:
The Spiritual Warfare of the Believer
(Parts A, B, C, and D)

04/16/2026

April 16, 2026

What sets Judeo-Christianity apart from other religions?

There are many different religions in the world today. Some are ancient. Some are more recent. Some combine elements of different theological systems. With so many views about God available, what reason is there to accept the biblical view of God as correct? Where did all these religions come from? And how do we determine a sound basis for assessing the claims of different religious traditions and evaluating those claims against those of other theological systems?

For more information on
major world religions, their origins, and a comparison and evaluation of their reliability and their conceptions of God, please see our study entitled:

Why Christianity?

04/09/2026

April 9, 2026

Do Creationists reject the idea that organisms change over time?

Darwinian evolution focuses on species, a term which first began to be applied to the field of biology only a few hundred years ago. However, the creation account contained in Genesis 1 was written thousands of years ago in Hebrew and instead uses the term “kinds.” Are these two terms equivalent or are they different from one another? If we observe some changes in a species over time is that equivalent to demonstrating that one kind of organism can change into an entirely different kind of organism?

For more information on
Creationist and Evolutionary terms and theories related to the origin of different types of organisms, please see our study entitled:

Evolution vs. Creationism

1.) Equity: If Not a Fresh Start, At Least a Fair Start2.) Giving the Evidence a Chance to Speak3.) The Origin of Theories 4.)Evidence and Interpretation5.)Identifying Direction6.) Proof by Presupposition and Characterization7.) Identifying and Assessing Explanatory Amendments 1.) Equity: If Not a F...

04/03/2026

April 2, 2026

Are Christians Under A Law?

Passages like Galatians 2:4, 5:13, and 2 Corinthians 2:17 speak of the liberty that Christians have in Christ. Romans 6:14-15 and Galatians 5:18 say that Christians are not under the Law. 1 Corinthians 6:12 and 10:23 state that all things are lawful. Do such statements mean that there is no such thing as sin in the New Covenant or that there are no commands that God has given us to follow? Is it legalistic to believe that the New Testament contains commands it expects Christians to obey? What about passages which condemn lawlessness?

For more information on
sin, legalism, lawlessness, liberty, and law in the New Covenant, please see our study entitled:

Liberty in Christ

03/26/2026

March 26, 2026

What does it mean to be like the Pharisees?

Christians today often think of the Pharisees as a group that had a great understanding of God’s Law and requiring strict adherence to God’s commands. As such, Jesus’ statements in Matthew 16:6, 11, Mark 8:15, and Luke 12:1 against the Pharisees are interpreted as a rejection of the idea that following Christ requires vigorous study of God’s Word and careful obedience to his teaching. But is this an accurate understanding of the Pharisees? Is this what Jesus was condemning in these passages?

For more information on
the Pharisees and Jesus’ instructions for his followers not to model their ways, please see our study entitled:

Being Like the Pharisees