Author Archives: Dr. Steven R. Cook

About Dr. Steven R. Cook

Dr. Steven R. Cook is a Christian educator. He is protestant, conservative, and dispensational. Studies in the original languages of Scripture, ancient history, and systematic theology have been the foundation for Steven’s teaching and writing ministry. He has written several Christian books, dozens of articles on Christian theology, and recorded more than seven hundred hours of audio and video sermons. Steven currently serves as professor of Bible and Theology at Tyndale Theological Seminary, and hosts weekly Bible studies at his home in Texas. Steven’s ministry activity is entirely voluntary (articles, blogs, podcasts, and video lessons), as he works a full time job as a Case Manager for a local nonprofit agency that helps the elderly and disabled in the community.

The Despair of Atheism and the Hope of Christianity

Posted on January 15, 2022 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The atheist’s worldview denies the existence of God and believes the universe and earth happened by a chance explosion billions of years ago. Rather than intelligent design, he believes in unintelligent chaos, that the earth, with all its complexity of life, is merely the product of accidental evolutionary processes over millions of years. His worldview believes everything is merely the product of matter, motion, time and chance; that we are the accidental collection of molecules; that we are nothing more than evolving bags of protoplasm who happen to be able to think, feel, and act. The conclusion is that we came from nothing significant, that we are nothing significant, and we go to nothing significant. Ultimately, there’s no reason for us to exist, and no given purpose to assign meaning to our lives. We are a zero. Some have thought through the logical implications of their atheism and understand this well. Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Worldview | Tagged Aldous Huxley and LSD, atheism argues for no absolutes, Atheism argues for no truth, Atheism leads to despair, Atheism offers no hope for humanity, Atheistic worldview, Biblical worldview, Burning Man, Christian apologetics, Christian worldview, Darwin and racism, Evolution and racism, Evolution could also logically lead to racism, Evolution could lead to racism, faith alone, faith in Jesus, Francis Schaeffer on truth and absolutes, General revelation about God, God's common grace to everyone, God's sovereignty, Hope in the Bible, Hope in the Christian gospel, John Calvin and the Meaning of Sensus Divinitatis, John Sartre, John Updike vision of death, Mark Twain view on life and death, materialistic communism, Nazis who murdered millions of Jews, Negative volition, Positive volition, Presuppositional apologetics, Satan's world system, saved by grace through faith, Sensus Divinitatis, Special revelation in the Bible, Supressing God's truth in unrighteousness, The Christian argument against atheism, The Despair of Atheism, The Despair of Atheism and the Hope of Christianity, The Gospel message, The Hope of Christianity, the Meaning of Sensus Divinitatis, Theism vs atheism, Unyielding despair by Bertrand Russell, Worldview | Leave a comment

A Look at Grace

Posted on January 9, 2022 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Grace is undeserved favor. It is the love, mercy, or kindness that one person freely confers upon another who deserves the opposite (Matt 5:44-45; Rom 11:6; Eph 1:6; 2:1-9; 2 Tim 1:9; Tit 3:5-7). The Bible reveals God is gracious, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6), and, “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Psa 86:15). God the Father is described as “the God of all grace” (1 Pet 5:10), who sits upon a “throne of grace” (Heb 4:16), who “gives grace to the afflicted” (Prov 3:34), and provides salvation “by grace” through faith in Jesus (Eph 2:8-9; cf. Acts 15:11; Rom 3:24). Jesus is said to be “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), and the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of grace” (Heb 10:29). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian service, Christian Theology, Counseling, God's Grace, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Salvation, Spirituality | Tagged A look at God's grace, A look at Grace, Amazing grace, common grace, do good works save?, Expressions of God's grace, faith alone, God is gracious, God saves by grace, God's grace, God's riches at Christ's expense, Grace, Grace is received by faith, Grace is underserved favor, Grace is undeserved, Grace is unmerited favor, Grace leads to righteous living, grace that saves, grace to save, living by grace, loving our enemies, saved by God's grace, saved by grace, saved by grace through faith, showing grace to others, special grace, the God of all grace, the meaning of grace, Underserved favor, We are not saved by works, what is God's grace?, what is grace?, Why believers who no grace, works do not save | 1 Comment

The Lesson in the Storm

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

During His time of ministry on earth, Jesus was constantly teaching His disciples and developing their walk with Him. This development required testing. Some of the situations the disciples faced were turbulent, which exposed their weaknesses and provided teachable moments. Because of positive volition, Jesus’ disciples would, over time, learn His lessons and advance to spiritual maturity. Continue reading →

Posted in Counseling, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Leadership, Living by Faith, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged A fortress in the soul, Christian suffering, Does God test our faith?, faith in Jesus, God uses trials to strengthen our faith, God's sovereignty, Growing our faith, How does God grow our faith, Jesus calmed the sea, Jesus calmed the storm, Living by faith, Matthew 8:23-27, Perception and reality, suffering, The Lesson in the Storm, The storm on the sea, The storms of life, the suffering of the righteous, The tests of life, What does it mean to have little faith, When God gives us a test, When life sends a crisis, When we face a crisis, why do the righteous suffer | Leave a comment

The High Calling of God’s Servant

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition” (2 Tim 2:24-25a). The Christian who properly represents the Lord Jesus Christ will possess certain qualities that are useful to the Lord, and these are developed over time. As Christians, we are to “speak the truth in love” (Eph 4:15), “with grace” (Col 4:6), and “with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:15-16). There’s no place for hostility in the Christian life, for “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (Jam 1:20). This is how the Lord Jesus conducted Himself, for “while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet 2:23). Paul handled himself this way too, saying, “When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously” (1 Cor 4:12-13 CSB). The bar of Christian behavior is set very high, as it should be. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian service, Christian Theology, Counseling, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Spirituality, Suffering & Persecution, Worldview | Tagged able to teach, Christian suffering, Christians are to be able to teach, Christians are to be gentle, Christians are to be kind, Christians are to be patient when wronged, Christians must not argue, faith alone, Hos did Jesus deal with opposition, How Christians should behave, How did Jesus deal with attacks, How God's children should behave, How should Christians behave when faced with opposition, How should Christians respond when attacked, Kind to all, patient when wronged, Satan's world system, saved by grace through faith, Should Christians fight back?, suffering, The calling of the Christian, The High Calling of God’s Servant, The high calling of the Christian, The Lord's bond-servant, The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, the Lord's servnat, The right Christian attitude, the suffering of the righteous, why do the righteous suffer | 2 Comments

Great and Least in the Kingdom of Heaven – A Life of Discipleship

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

While discussing eternal rewards in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught there would be varying degrees of placement in the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew 5:19, Jesus said, “whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” This gradation of status in heaven is taught elsewhere by Jesus (Matt 11:11; 18:1-4; 20:20-28). Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Salvation | Tagged Are some Christians given more rewards than others, Are we saved by good works?, do good works save?, faith alone, good works do not save, great in heaven, great in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus taught there would be varying degrees of placement in the kingdom of heaven, least in heaven, Least in the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 5:19, saved by grace through faith, what does the bible say about future rewards, works do not save | Leave a comment

Knowing and Doing the Will of God

Posted on December 18, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible reveals various categories of God’s will, such as His sovereign will, directive will, permissive will, overruling will, and providential will. There are some aspects of God’s will that are secret, but what He has revealed in Scripture is sufficient to answer life’s biggest questions and to provide the Christian with the necessary knowledge to live a life pleasing to the Lord. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, Counseling, God, Inspirational Writings, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living | Tagged Christian suffering, Does God hide His will?, Doing God's will, How can I know God's will?, How can I know the will of God, How does God reveal His will?, Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Knowing God's directive will, Knowing God's mystical will, Knowing God's overruling will, Knowing God's permissive will, Knowing God's providential will, Knowing God's revealed will, Knowing God's sovereign will, Knowing God's will, the Bible reveals God's wiill, Theological categories of God's will, What are the categories of God's will, What is God's will for me?, What is God's will?, why do the righteous suffer, Why does God keep His will secret? | 5 Comments

The Qualifications for a King in Ancient Israel

Posted on December 12, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

In Deuteronomy 17:14-20, Moses addressed Israel’s future request for a king, and then specified the requirements of that king that he might serve as the Lord’s viceregent. The Mosaic Law placed limitations on the role of the king in Israel because of the tendency of those in power to become corrupt, because the proclivity of the human heart is bent toward self-interest rather than God’s interests. However, if the king in Israel learned God’s Word and followed His directives, stayed humble and faithful, he and the nation would know ongoing blessing Continue reading →

A Biblical View of Work

Posted on November 21, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible promotes a strong work ethic. Solomon wrote, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Eccl 9:10a). And the work we perform is not merely for self or others, but unto the Lord. Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Col 3:23-24). With this realization, we should work wisely and with good energy, producing a good product or service, knowing we are working and serving the Lord Himself. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living | Tagged A Biblical view of labor, A Biblical view of work, A Biblical work ethic, A Christian view of labor, A Christian work ethic, Aer Christian required to keep the Sabbath, finding time to rest, If you don't work then you don't eat, No communism, No socialism, Should Christians keep the Sabbath?, should the poor work?, Taking a break from work, Taking time off from work, the lazy person, The sluggard, The workaholic, what does the Bible say about helping the poor?, what does the Bible say about work?, Work life balance | 2 Comments

Why God Judges Nations

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

When individuals, groups, cities and nations turn away from God, He will judge them according to His righteous character and moral laws. The Bible reveals “God is the King of all the earth…He reigns over the nations; He sits on His holy throne” (Psa 47:7-8). It is God “who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan 2:21), and “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Dan 4:17). The Bible reveals “The LORD is King forever and ever” (Psa 10:16a), and the “LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psa 103:19), and He “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11b). God is supreme over all His creation, for “Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Psa 135:6), and “He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35). As sovereign God, He judges His world in righteousness. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Biblical Worldview, God, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Israel, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution, Worldview | Tagged Can America turn back to righteousness?, Christianity in America, Christians in America, Forces of darkness at work in America, God will judge America, Is God's judgment upon America?, Is Satan destroying America?, the moral decline of America, The spiritual decline of America, When God judges a city, When God judges a group, When God judges a nation, When God judges a person, When God judges nations, Why does God judge a nation?, why God judges a nation, Will God judge America? | Leave a comment

When Christians Die

Posted on September 25, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

When Christians die, they go straight to heaven, and there they will live forever. God must let them in. He does not have a choice in the matter. The Lord has integrity, and He promised that whoever believes in Jesus as Savior will be forgiven all their sins (Eph 1:7) and have eternal life (John 3:16; 10:28). He made the provision for salvation, and He will honor His Word. In fact, God is bound to His Word, for “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18; cf. Tit 1:2). By faith, we trust Him when He promises to do something (Heb 11:6). We believe He speaks truthfully and will keep His Word. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, Counseling, Death, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Salvation, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged A Christian view of death, Absent from the body and at home with the Lord, Christ is our hope for eternal life, Comfort for the Christian who has lost a loved one, do believes go straight to heaven?, God promises eternal life, what can we say to comfort those who have lost a loved one?, What does the Bible say about death?, what does the Bible say about resurrection?, what happens when Christians die?, when Christians die | 1 Comment

A Divided World Until Christ Returns

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

For the present time, Satan is the ruler of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; 1 John 5:19), and we are all born under “the dominion of Satan” (Act 26:18), into his “domain of darkness” (Col 1:13). Our spiritual state changes at the time we turn to Christ and trust Him as Savior (1 Cor 15:3-4). At the moment of faith in Christ, we become “children of God” (John 1:12), are transferred to the kingdom of His Son (Col 1:13), forgiven all our sins (Eph 1:7), given eternal life (John 10:28), the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9), and the power to live holy (Rom 6:11-14). And, it is God’s will that we advance to spiritual maturity (Heb 6:1; Eph 4:11-13; 1 Pet 2:2), and serve as His ambassadors to others (2 Cor 5:20). Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology, Church, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Worldview | Tagged a divided world, A Divided World Until Christ Returns, can we fix the world?, can we make the world better?, do good works save?, God's sovereignty, How should we live in the devil's world?, Is there lasting hope for good and peace?, parable of the wheat and tares, Satan as ruler of this world, Satan's world system, should Christians do good?, should Christians engage in social reform?, suffering, The blessed hope, The Rapture of the Church, the return of Christ, the suffering of the righteous, Who rules the kingdoms of this world?, why do the righteous suffer | 4 Comments

Where Satan is Attacking in America

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Satan’s tactics are employed globally, with all the nations of the world. His globalist mindset and tactics are intended to weaken nations in order to keep them under his control. America is an exception to most nations because it was founded—for the most part—on biblical values. As a result, God has blessed our country greatly. We know more freedom and prosperity than any other nation on the planet at this time. However, America is under attack, and if Satan can undermine the nation’s values, convincing the majority to turn from God and live selfishly and sinfully, then we’ll forfeit our freedoms and blessings. Much of this article will focus on those areas where Satan is attacking to undermine those biblical values that make for stability in a nation. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged A future hope for America?, A hope for America, America is in moral decline, America is in spiritual decline, Biblical values which American strong, Can we save America?, Christians in America, Christians living in America, God controls human history, God is sovereign over the world, Hope for America, How is Satan attacking America, How is Satan undermining America?, is Satan attacking America?, Nationalism or globalism?, Satan's attacks on America, Undermining America, Where Satan is Attacking in America, Why is Satan attacking?, Will America be destroyed?, Will America fall? | 1 Comment

A Brief Look at Slavery in the Bible

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free…[and] if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:32, 36). The apostle Paul wrote, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery…[and] you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal 5:1, 13). The offer of freedom assumes slavery, bondage, servitude. Everyone is born in sin and enslaved to Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Satan’s slave-market of sin is both positional and experiential. Jesus paid our sin debt and offers us freedom, but we must accept His offer. Jesus’ atoning death is sufficient for all, but effective only for those who trust in Him as Savior (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31; Eph 2:8-9). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Righteous Living, Salvation | Tagged Free to pursue righteousness, Freedom in Christ, Satan's slave market of sin, Satan's domain of darkness, slave to Satan, Slavery, Slavery in Israel, slavery in the Bible, slavery in the NT, slavery in the OT, slaves to sin, the kingdom of darkness, what does the Bible say about slavery? | Leave a comment

The Gospel Explained

Posted on July 11, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

In order for us to be reconciled to God, we must simply trust in Jesus as our Savior (John 3:16; 20:30-31; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31). The gospel message is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3-4). When we trust in Christ as our Savior, we are forgiven all our sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:14), given eternal life (John 3:16; 10:27-28), and receive the righteousness of God as a free gift (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9). Continue reading →

Posted in Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Salvation | Tagged can good works get me into heaven?, Do works save?, is salvation by faith alone?, Jesus died for me, The Gospel message, The meaning of the gospel message, What is the Gospel?, What must I do to be saved?, Why did Jesus die on the cross?, Why the cross of Christ? | 15 Comments

Faith Strengthening Techniques

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

When facing opposition to doing God’s will, the believer must stand on truth. When fear rises among believers, there are faith-strengthening techniques we can apply to our situation that will fortify our walk with God. These techniques are all learned from Scripture and applied by faith. Continue reading →

Posted in Counseling, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Living by Faith, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged faith strengthening techniques, faith that overcomes fear, faith-strengthening techniques, Grow your faith, how to have strong faith, How to strengthen your faith, Live in God's Word, Look to God, Look up to God, remember the Lord's past faithfulness, strengthen your faith, Strong faith, When fear rises | 1 Comment

Commitment Love

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Biblical love for others is not primarily an emotion; rather, it’s a choice to commit ourselves to them and to seek God’s best in their lives. Love is manifest by prayer, sharing the Gospel with the lost, sharing biblical truth to edify believers, open handed giving to the needy, and supporting Christian ministries that do God’s work Continue reading →

Posted in Counseling, Inspirational Writings, Love, Marriage, Righteous Living | Tagged agape love, biblical love, Chesed love, Commitment love, emotion follows thought, God's love in us, higher form of love, how do we love our enemies, Is love an emotion, Love your enemies, loving others, Loving the unworthy, what does it mean to love your enemies | 1 Comment

Satan’s Strategies to Defeat God’s People

Posted on May 28, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

In this article, we will consider six major strategies Satan employs to attack God’s people and hinder spiritual growth and ministry. The purpose of this study is that we might learn how Satan attacks, “so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Cor 2:11). Knowing Satan’s strategies of war enables us to identify an attack and to defend ourselves by taking up the armor of God. Learning God’s Word and living by faith is the key to victory. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged How does Satan attack Christians, major strategies Satan employs to attack God’s peoplem, Satan accuses us before God, Satan as a messenger of light, Satan empowers his false prophets, Satan is a liar who twists God’s Word, Satan masquerades as a messenger of light, Satan promotes sinful pride, Satan uses suffering to pressure us to turn from God, Satan's attacks, Satan's deceptive practices, Satan's methods of attack, Satan's strategies, Satan’s Strategies to Defeat God’s People, What are Satan's strategies, What strategies does the devil use to defeat us? | 5 Comments

The Armor of God

Posted on May 15, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the apostle Paul set forth the Christian armor which, in many ways, is a picture of the healthy Christian life. It is something we intentionally put on and use to defend ourselves when we come under attack. The assaults ultimately come from Satan who has well developed strategies of warfare and demonic soldiers to command. Satan and his fallen angels knowingly and intentionally attack. They are behind every act of terror the world has ever known, they do not relent of their activities, and they are not reformable. In addition to these fallen angels, Satan also has useful idiots—unbelievers and carnal Christians—who assist him in his efforts. These people help make up Satan’s world-system that seeks to envelop and enslave everyone it can. Satan’s system is philosophical, social, political, economic, religious, and cultural. These are all things external to us, but which are intended to penetrate our thoughts and impact our values, speech and practices. Furthermore, Satan has an inside agent within every person, which is the sinful nature which naturally resonates with all that is sinful and prideful. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Biblical Exegesis, Christian Theology, Church, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Spirituality | Tagged Attacks by Satan, Christian armor, Demons and How They Influence Mankind, Ephesians 6:10-18, How do we fight against demons?, How do we fight against Satan and demons?, How do we fight against Satan?, Living in the devil's world, Living successfully in the devil's world, Our Christian struggle, Our spiritual armor, Paul's description of Christian amror, Roman soldier's armor, Satan as the ruler of this world, Satan's world system, spiritual warfare, Standing against demonic forces, Standing Against the Forces of Darkness, Standing aganst spiritual forces, steps to spiritual growth, The armor of God, The Christian enemy, The Christian's armor, the flesh, The world, what is our spiritual armor? | 7 Comments

Biblical Self-Talk

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Self-talk is a mechanism of our reasoning that includes mental dialogues that can be quite complex. The dialogue can originate solely within our mind, or be influenced by external experiences or discussions. Sometimes these dialogues are pleasant, and sometimes not. And they can approximate reality, or be pure fantasy. The Bible presents a number of passages that address what today would be called self-talk (Gen 17:17; Deut 7:17; 8:17; 9:4; 18:21; 1 Sam 27:1; Psa 14:1; Isa 49:21; Jer 3:17-25; Luke 7:39; 16:3; 18:4). On several occasions, David faced pressure in life that disrupted his mental state and he took control of His thoughts and directed them to God (Psa 13:1-6; 42:1-11; 131:1-2). In these instances, David was his own biblical counselor as he applied God’s Word to his own situation and effected stability in his soul. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Counseling, Hot Topics, Spirituality | Tagged Arguing with self, Biblical counseling, Biblical self talk, Changing our thoughts, Controlling our thoughts, Counseling oneself, Mental dialogues, Mental drama, Mental productions, self counseling, Self talk, Why we think the way we do | 5 Comments

The Sovereignty and Providence of God

Posted on January 30, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Scripture reveals God’s sovereignty and how He governs His universe, creating and controlling circumstances, and directing the lives of His people, allowing them to partner with Him to accomplish His good in the world. By learning about God’s sovereignty and studying His past providential acts, believers can create a rational filter through which circumstances can be interpreted and classified within a mental framework. The growing believer takes great delight in knowing God is good, loving, wise, and in control of His creation and is directing all things according to His sovereign plan. Those who are positive to God and operate from the divine perspective know that He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, God, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged God's directive will, God's overruling will, God's permissive will, God's providence, God's providential care, God's sovereignty, How does God govern His creation, How does God govern His world, Is God controlling the world, Is God in control, Jesus as an example of God's providence, Joseph as an example of God's providence, The plan of God, the Sovereignty of God, The will of God, What does the Bible say about God's providence, what does the Bible say about God's sovereignty, What is God's providence, What is God's Sovereignty, What is the plan of God | 6 Comments

The Person and Attributes of God

Posted on January 25, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Scripture opens with the statement, “In the beginning God” (Gen 1:1a). The Bible does not seek to prove the existence of God, but simply acknowledges His being. The Bible teaches God has made Himself known through nature. David wrote, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psa 19:1). And Paul stated, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made” (Rom 1:20). Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Worldview, Christian Theology, God, Hot Topics | Tagged A sense of deity in every person, God exists as a Trinity, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, Learning about God, studying the attributes of God, The attributes of God, The Person of God, the sensus divinitatis, The Trinity, Theism vs atheism, What are God's attributes, what are God's characteristics, What the Bible reveals about God, What the Bible reveals about the Trinity, Why atheism is wrong | 2 Comments

The Call of Matthew

Posted on January 24, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Jesus called Matthew to be His disciple, and the tax collector left everything to begin a new life with Jesus. Matthew celebrated his new life as a disciple by hosting a dinner party for Jesus and inviting other tax collectors and irreligious sinners to come and meet his new Master. The Pharisees arrived and filtered the event through their hate filled heart, and then tried to trap Jesus with a question concerning His company, which question implied His guilt. But Jesus corrected the Pharisees by pointing out He’d come to heal the sick and therefore needed to be among them. Jesus then instructed the Pharisees to learn a lesson from the book of Hosea, that God desires compassion and not sacrifice. How Jesus treated the tax collectors and sinners demonstrated His compassion, and how the Pharisees treated them demonstrated their self-righteous pride and hatred. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Exegesis, Christian Theology, Hermeneutics, Righteous Living | Tagged God desires compassion and not sacrifice, How did Matthew become a disciple?, I desire compassion and not sacrifice, Jesus sat with sinners, Matthew Jesus' disciple, Matthew the disciple, Matthew the tax collector, The call of Matthew, The Pharisees hatred of Jesus, The religious Pharisees | Leave a comment

The Human Conscience

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The word conscience translates the Greek word συνείδησις suneidesis, which refers to “the inward faculty of distinguishing right and wrong.”[2] Conscience does not instruct us concerning what is good or evil, for that is determined by God; rather, conscience is that inner voice that urges us to do right. However, because of sin’s corrupting influence, the human conscience it is not always a reliable gauge of right and wrong. It would seem that conscience functions cognitively in a judicial role, evaluating thoughts and actions and determining guilt or innocence based on moral laws. This would make sense, as Paul describes the conscience as “bearing witness” with regard to some behavior, and the mind serving as the courtroom, “accusing or defending” the action. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Spirituality | Tagged a clean conscience, a health conscience, an evil conscience, and weak conscience, How does human conscience work?, How to restore the human conscience, Human conscience, The conscience as a moral compass, what is the conscience?, where do we get our conscience from ? | 2 Comments

The Bible as Divine Revelation

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible is God’s special written revelation to mankind, it is true in all it affirms, provides absolute standards for ethics, is authoritative to command, is dynamic in its effect, and beneficial to those who accept and live in its light Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Exegesis, Christian Theology, Hermeneutics, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged Biblical Inerrancy, Ethics and the Bible, God's word gives light, God's word illumines our path, God's word is sufficient, God's word is truth, God's word provides absolutes, Is the Bible the word of God or the word of man?, Is the Bible the word of God?, The authority of Scripture, The Bible as divine revelation, The Bible as special revelation, The Bible as the standard for ethics, The Bible is God's written word, The Bible is infallible, The impact of God's word, the sufficiency of Scripture, Thy word is truth, Verbal plenary inspiration | 10 Comments

Something Wrong with America

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

We all recognize there is something wrong with the world and mankind. Our news channels never fail to keep us up to date on all that is destructive, harmful, or corrupt in society. If they are not telling us about some political scandal, they are surely informing us about the atrocities of war, crime, racism, murder, pollution, dangerous viruses, poverty, social inequality, or some other crisis that never seems to go away. And, it seems, where a crisis cannot be found, one can be artificially manufactured and perpetuated, all for the purpose of advancing some narrative that keeps ratings high. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Biblical Worldview, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged American revival, Christian worldview, false Bible teachers, False teachers in the church, Hope for America, if God's people will humble themselves, Is the church to blame for America's decline?, Prayer for revival, revival in America, Something wrong with America, Spiritual darkness, spiritual darkness over America, the church that fails, The spiritual decline in America, what does it take to turn America around, what's wrong with America | 7 Comments

Yahweh’s Holy War

Posted on November 25, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The phrase Holy War is used by many to describe Israel’s conquest on the land of Canaan. I prefer the phrase Yahweh’s Holy War, since the Lord is the One who directed and empowered His people to military action. In Scripture, God is described as “a warrior” (Ex 15:3), and “the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you” (Deut 20:4), who is “mighty in battle” (Psa 24:8). He is, without question, “the God of the armies of Israel” (1 Sam 17:45). Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Israel, Righteous Living | Tagged Child sacrifice to molech, Did Israel practice child sacrifice?, haram in the OT, holy war, Idolatry in Canaan, Is holy war biblical?, Israel and holy war, Israel's conquest of Canaan, Should the church practice holy war?, The conquest of Canaan, the evil of Canaan, the evil practiced by the Canaanites, The worship of Molech, Was Israel justified in killing the Canaanites?, what does the Bible say about holy war?, Why did God tell the Israelites to kill all the Canaanites?, Yahweh's holy war | 1 Comment

Proverbs 31 – Snapshot of an Excellent Woman

Posted on October 25, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Proverbs 31 describes the woman of excellence. The phrase an excellent wife (Pro 31:10; Heb. אֵשֶׁת־חַיִלesheth chayil) was first used of Ruth, who was described as a woman of excellence (Ruth 3:11, NASB) or a woman of noble character (CSB). Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David, who married Bathsheba, who is perhaps the one who shared her wisdom with her son, King Solomon (Pro 31:1). If this is correct, then it’s possible Bathsheba saw in Ruth a template for the woman of noble character. A study of the book of Ruth reveals she was committed to God and His people (Ruth 1:16-17; 2:11), possessed a strong work ethic (Ruth 2:7, 17), listened to good advice (Ruth 2:8-9; 3:1-6), showed respect to others (Ruth 2:10), cared for the needy (Ruth 2:17-18), sought to marry a noble man (Ruth 3:7-10; 4:13), and was praised for her excellence and love for others (Ruth 3:11; 4:15). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Inspirational Writings, Marriage, Righteous Living | Tagged An excellent wife, an excellent woman, characteristics of godly women, godly women, Proverbs 31 describes the woman of excellence, proverbs 31 woman, Ruth as a model for the excellent wife, snapshot of the woman of excellence, the woman of noble character, what does the Bible say about the role of women in marriage?, what does the Bible say about women?, who is the excellent wife?, Who is the excellent woman? | Leave a comment

The Seven Year Tribulation

Posted on October 17, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

There is coming a future time of tribulation upon the earth. Its severity is without historical precedent. Concerning this time, the angel, Gabriel, told Daniel, that it “will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time” (Dan 12:1a). This time of tribulation is in keeping with unfulfilled prophecy given to Daniel that pertains to Israel (Dan 9:24-27). It is during this time that God’s wrath will be poured out upon the world—specifically those who are hostile to Him and His people. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Dispensationalism, Hot Topics, Israel, Prophecy | Tagged a future time of tribulation, Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel's seventieth week, Daniel's seventy weeks, The day of the Lord, The future tribulation, the great tribulation, the seven year tribulation, the time of Jacob's trouble, The tribulation, unfulfilled prophecy given to Daniel, what is the Tribulation?, when the tribulation occur?, Where does the Bible teach the seven year tribulation? | Leave a comment

Future Christian Rewards

Posted on October 7, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Christ has secured our salvation through the substitutionary atoning death of Christ who shed His blood at the cross and propitiated every righteous demand the Father has toward us (Rom 3:25). Having trusted Christ as Savior (John 3:16), we now have peace with God (Rom 5:1). However, after salvation, God expects us to learn His Word, live righteously (Tit 2:11-14), and encourage others to do the same (Heb 11:24-25). After the Rapture of the church (1 Thess 4:13-18), all Christians will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be evaluated for how we lived our lives (2 Cor 5:9-10). This evaluation is not a judgment concerning the Christian’s right to enter heaven as the place of eternal residence, for Christ has secured our salvation and there is no fear of condemnation before God (John 3:18). Rather, it is a judgment concerning eternal rewards for the life we’ve lived in service to Christ (1 Cor 3:10-15). Apparently, we must stay the course in faithfulness, otherwise we run the risk of losing part of our reward (2 John 1:8). Those who learned God’s Word, lived His will, and taught others to do the same, will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. But those believers who disobeyed God’s Word and taught others to disobey as well will be called least in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:19). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Living by Faith, Righteous Living | Tagged Christian rewards, does the Bible teach rewards for good works, future Christian rewards, Future rewards, Rewards, the bema seat of Christ, the doctrine of future rewards, the judgment seat of Christ, what does the Bible say about Christian rewrads, what does the bible say about future rewards, Why we work for rewards, will God reward us for our good works?, Will we be rewarded for our deeds? | 2 Comments

The Rapture of the Church

Posted on October 3, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible reveals Jesus will return to earth; however, a distinction must be drawn between Jesus coming for His saints at the Rapture, and Jesus coming with His saints at His Second Coming to reign for a thousand years. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Hot Topics, Prophecy | Tagged Caught up to meet the Lord in the air, Does the Bible teach the church will be raptured?, Five views on the Rapture of the church, Harpazo, Jesus is coming back for His church, Latin Rapturo, Rapture, Rapture is immanent, The doctrine of the Rapture, The Rapture of the Church, We shall be changed, What is the Rapture of the church? | 2 Comments

A Christian View of Death

Posted on September 26, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Once, when I was working in jail ministry, I met a Christian man who told me about his older brother’s death. The incident, he said, had occurred several years earlier. He and his brother were drinking and arguing … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Death, Hot Topics, Living by Faith | Tagged A Christian view of death, Born in sin, Born to die, death, Death and the Bible, Death in the Bible, Death or rapture, Do Christians go to heaven?, eternal death, hamartiology, Heaven, Inspirational Writings and tagged Adam's sin, lake of fire, original sin, Physical death, raising the dead, resurrection, resurrection from the dead, resurrection life, separation from God, spiritual death, the resurrection, What does Scripture say about death, what happens at death?, what happens when the Christian dies?, What happens when we leave this world?, What the Bible teaches about death | 1 Comment

The Life of Faith

Posted on September 24, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Living by faith is the Christian way. God expects us to trust Him at His word, which is plainly understood, believed, and applied. Studying the Bible and applying it to life are comparable to breathing in and breathing out, as both are necessary for living. Much of our mental and social stability depends on how well we know the Word of God and apply it to life. The Lord states, “My righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him” (Heb 10:38). And we know that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Are people faithful, Believe in God, Believe in Jesus, Believe in the Bible, can I trust money, can I trust the government, Claiming God's promises, Faith during trials, faith in stressful times, faith that sustains, Pisteuo, The faithful believer, The life of faith, trust in God, What does it mean to live by faith, What the Bible says about believing, when money fails, when people fail, when the government fails | 8 Comments

God Used Jonah to Change a Culture

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

God used the preaching of Jonah to change the corrupt culture of Nineveh. Around 760 BC, God sent His prophet, Jonah, to preach a message of judgment to Nineveh, a major city in Assyria. The reason for the message was, as God declared, “their wickedness has come up before Me” (Jon 1:2). As “the Judge of all the earth” (Gen 18:25), God had paid attention to the wickedness of the Ninevites, and the time was near for Him to pour out His wrath. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Hot Topics, Leadership, Righteous Living | Tagged Changing culture, Christian influence on culture, God spared Nineveh because they humbled themselves, God spared Nineveh because they repented, God used the preaching of Jonah to change the corrupt culture of Nineveh, God will judge America, How America's preachers have failed, improving a corrupt culture, improving culture, Jonah's preaching to Nineveh, Righteous living in America, When God judges nations, Will God judge America? | 1 Comment

The Gospel We Share

Posted on September 19, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Salvation is completely the work of God, comes to us as a free gift from God (Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5), as we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24). When we trust in Christ as our Savior, we are forgiven all our sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:14), positionally identified with Him (Rom 5:14-18; 1 Cor 15:22), given eternal life (John 3:16; 10:27-28), given the gift of God’s righteousness (Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), and have the power to live righteously (Rom 6:1-13). God saves us from the penalty of sin (John 5:24; Rom 6:23; 8:1), the power of sin (Rom 6:11; 8:13; 2 Cor 5:17), and ultimately the presence of sin (Phil 3:21; 1 John 3:2). God has prepared good works to follow our salvation (Eph 2:10), but they are never the condition of it. The matter is simple: Salvation comes to us who believe in Christ as our Savior, believing He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Salvation | Tagged faith alone in christ alone, Free Grace Salvation, Lordship salvation, The Gospel We Share, What is the Gospel message?, What is the Gospel?, What must I do to be saved? | 9 Comments

Improving Culture – A NT Example

Posted on September 17, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Culture represents the values, traditions and behaviors of a society, and though culture is improvable, it is not perfectible. And even where positive change occurs, it’s difficult to perpetuate, largely because the people needed to sustain the change are few, flawed and temporary. A society’s culture is no better or worse than its leaders and the citizenry who support them; and at the heart of every problem is the problem of the heart. Apart from regeneration and a transformed mind and will, people will default to selfishness and sin, and so social problems continue. Furthermore, if we did make great improvements, we cannot guarantee succeeding generations will follow the good pattern set for them. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Church, Hot Topics, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Acts 19 and Paul preaching in Ephesus, Acts 19:8-41, Are there any biblical examples where society was made better, Biblical examples of improving culture, Biblical examples of making society better, Biblical teaching on how to improve society, Does the Bible give ways we can make society better, Finding the lost scroll in the temple, How can Christians improve culture, How can Christians improve society, How can Christians make American better, How to improve culture, Paul preaching in Ephesus, Paul teaching at the school of Tyrannus, Sharing the gospel to make society better, The riot that occurred in Ephesus, Ways Christians can improve American society, Ways to improve culture, What does the Bible say about improving culture | 4 Comments

Improving Culture – An OT Example

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Posted in Christian Theology, Leadership, Living by Faith, Righteous Living | Tagged Are there any biblical examples where society was made better, Biblical examples of improving culture, Biblical examples of making society better, Biblical teaching on how to improve society, Does the Bible give ways we can make society better, Finding the lost scroll in the temple, How can Christians improve culture, How can Christians improve society, How can Christians make American better, How King Josiah improved culture, How King Josiah made Judah better, How to improve culture, Paul preaching in Ephesus, Paul teaching at the school of Tyrannus, Sharing the gospel to make society better, The riot that occurred in Ephesus, Ways Christians can improve American society, Ways to improve culture, What does the Bible say about improving culture | 5 Comments

Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled – Part 3

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

A riot is a form of civil unrest in which a group causes a public disturbance by destroying property and/or harming innocent people. Often, there are corrupt individuals or groups who instigate a riot, either as a means of retaliation for some perceived injustice (real or imagined), or simply to cause disruption as a means of leveraging power within the community (i.e. a power grab). Many within the mob are willing pawns who are manipulated to act violently. The Bible teaches, “Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness” (Jam 1:19-20). However, because rioters are often more emotional than rational, it becomes very difficult to restrain a mob except by physical force. This is why a well-trained and supported police force is necessary for civil peace. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Biblical examples of mobs, Biblical examples of riots, How should Christians respond to a riot?, How should Christians respond to riots, How were riots handled in the Bible, Mobs in the Bible, Paul experienced a riot in Ephesus, Paul experienced a riot in Jerusalem, Paul in Ephesus, Paul in Jerusalem, riots in the Bible, The Bible and riots, what does the Bible say about riots | 1 Comment

Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled – Part 2

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Posted in Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Living by Faith, Righteous Living, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Biblical examples of riots, Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled, How should Christians handle riots?, How should Christians repsond to riots?, Paul and Silas before the Mob, Paul and Silas in Philippi, riots in the Bible, The stoning of Stephen, what does the Bible say about riots | 2 Comments

Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled – Part 1

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

A riot is a form of civil unrest in which a group causes a public disturbance by the destruction of property and/or the harm of innocent people. Often, there are corrupt individuals or groups who instigate a riot, either as a means of retaliation for some perceived injustice (real or imagined), or simply to cause disruption as a means of leveraging power within the community (i.e. a power grab). Many within the mob are merely pawns who are manipulated toward aggression or violence. The Bible teaches, “Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness” (Jam 1:19-20).[1] However, because rioters are often more emotional than rational, it becomes very difficult to restrain a mob except by physical force. This is why a well-trained and supported police force is necessary for civil peace. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Righteous Living | Tagged are there examples of riots in the Bible?, Biblical Examples of Riots and How They Were Handled, How should Christians handle riots?, How should Christians respond to riots?, How to handle a riot, How to handle yourself in a riot, riots and the Bible, riots in the Bible, What does the Bible say about handling riots? | 5 Comments

The Effects of Sin Upon Our World

Posted on August 23, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

This article is intended is to show how the historic fall of Adam and Eve fundamentally changed the human race and the world, resulting in disease, decay and death among all living things, and that the tendency of humanity is to behave in a spiritually and morally corrupt manner, suppressing God’s truth and rejecting His solutions to life’s problems. Understanding this helps us make sense of the world in which we live and why people behave the way they do. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged hamartiology, How in impacts the family, How sin impacts our lives, how sin impacts society, How sin impacts the world, how we overcome sin, Sin causes problems in the world, sin is lawlessness, sin means to miss the mark, sinners by choice, sinners by nature, sinners in Adam, slaves to sin, The Effects of Sin Upon Our World, the heart is sinful, the heart is wicked, The Meaning of Sin, The noetic effects of sin, The origin of sin, The Sin Nature Within the Christian, why do we sin?, why is society acting corruptly, Why we sin, why we sin? | 15 Comments

Demons and How They Influence Mankind

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Angels are basically classified as either righteous or evil. The former retain their holy state and service to God and are called elect angels (1 Tim 5:21), whereas the latter have defected from their original state and continue in constant rebellion against God. Satan is the leader of all fallen angels (Matt 25:41; cf. Rev 12:7, 9), which Scripture designates as evil spirits (1 Sam 16:14; Luke 7:21), demons (Matt 8:31), and unclean spirits (Mark 5:1-4). These have been operating for millennia trying to frustrate the purposes of God. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Biblical demonology, demons, Demons and How They Influence Mankind, Demons are active in the world today, Demons in the world today, Demons influence spiritual matters, demons influencing mankind, Do demons influence political matters, evil spirits, Evils spirits influencing world rulers, fighting spiritual battles, how do we fight spiritually?, how to fight evil spirits, how to we fight demons, spiritual battles, spiritual warfare, uncelan spirits, What are demons, what are the weapons we use for spiritual warfare, What the Bible says about demons, What the Bible says about evil spirits, where do demons come from? | 15 Comments

Satan’s Evil World-System

Posted on August 19, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible recognizes Satan’s world-system and warns us not to love it (1 John 2:15-16). When John writes and tells the Christian “do not love the world”, he’s not talking about the physical planet. The Greek word κόσμος kosmos as it is used by the apostle John and others most often refers to “that which is hostile to God…lost in sin, wholly at odds with anything divine, ruined and depraved.” (BDAG) Satan’s world-system consists of those philosophies and values that perpetually influence humanity to think and behave contrary to God and His Word. This operating apart from God is first and foremost a way of thinking that is antithetical to God and His Word, a way of thinking motivated by a desire to be free from God and the authority of Scripture, a freedom most will accept, even though it is accompanied by all sorts of inconsistencies and absurdities. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology, Hot Topics, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged Christians are commanded not to love the world, do not love the world, How Satan rules the world, Rescued from the domain of darkness, Satan's domain of darkness, Satan's world system, the kingdom of darkness | 22 Comments

Satan as the Ruler of this World

Posted on August 18, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Three times Jesus referred to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Other passages of Scripture call Satan “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4), and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2), informing us “that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Satan rules as a tyrant who has “weakened the nations” (Isa 14:12), and currently “deceives the whole world” (Rev 12:9). Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology | Tagged Satan, Satan as an angel of light, Satan as the ruler of this world, Satan deceives the whole world, Satan has weakened the nations, Satan's domain of darkness, Satan's world system, the accuser of the brethren, the devil, the domain of darkness, The fall of Lucifer, the god of this world, the great red dragon, the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of this age, the serpent of old, the tempter, The vil one, the whole world lies in the power of the evil one | 21 Comments

Holy Angels and How They Influence Mankind

Posted on August 16, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Thirty-four books of the Bible teach the existence of angels. The word angel occurs approximately 275 times throughout Scripture. The word angel translates the Hebrew word מַלְאָךְ malak and the Greek word ἄγγελος aggelos, and both words mean messenger. Angels are created beings (Psa 148:2-5; Col 1:16), were present at the creation of the world (Job 38:4-7), have volition (Matt 8:28-32), emotion (Mark 1:23-26), and intelligence (1 Pet 1:12). Angels are spirit beings who help advance the gospel (Heb 1:14), are distinct from humans (Luke 8:27), have great power (Psa 103:20-21; 2 Pet 2:11), are innumerable (Heb 12:22; Rev 5:11), cannot die (Luke 20:36), and do not reproduce after their kind (Mark 12:25), which means there are no baby angels. Continue reading →

Posted in Angels & Demons, Christian Theology | Tagged Angels, angels as defenders, Angels as messengers, Angels as spirit beings, do we have guardian angels?, Does God use angels to protect us?, good angels, guardian angels, holy angels, the existence of angels, What does the Bible say about angels? | 16 Comments

The Biblical Teaching on Tithes

Posted on June 27, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The word tithe means “to give a tenth.” The tithe consisted of produce and livestock (Lev 27:30-32), and was given to the Levites for their support for ministry (Num 18:21-24). The Levites, in turn, gave a tithe of the tithe to the Priests for their service (Num 18:25-28). Additionally, the worshipper could eat a portion of the sacrifice with his family and the Levites (Deut 12:17-19; 14:22-27). Lastly, a tithe was taken every third year to help the poor, the alien, the orphans and the widows. This tithe was comparable to a social welfare system for the most unfortunate in society. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Dispensationalism, Hot Topics, Israel, Living by Faith, Righteous Living | Tagged biblical giving, biblical tithing, Christian giving, does the Christian have to tithe?, giving, giving or tithing, is tithing biblical?, Law of Christ, mosaic law, Should Christians tithe?, ten percent, The Biblical Teaching on Tithes, tithing, what did people in the OT tithe | 10 Comments

The Old and New Priesthood

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Presently, in the church age, every Christian, at the moment of salvation, becomes a priest to God. Peter writes of Christians, saying, “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 2:5), and “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). This is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who “has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father” (Rev 1:6), and “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth” (Rev 5:10; cf. 20:6). Furthermore, we do not worship at a temple; rather, “we are the temple of the living God” (2 Cor 6:16; cf. 1 Cor 3:16-17). And we do not bring animal sacrifices, but “offer up spiritual sacrifices” to God (1 Pet 2:5). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Church, Dispensationalism, Hot Topics, Righteous Living | Tagged A chosen race, A kingdom of priests, A living and holy sacrifice, a royal priesthood, Christ our High Priests, Every Christian is a priest, Offering spiritual sacrifices, Spiritual sacrifices, Spiritual service of worship, The Christian Priesthood, the Levitical priesthood, the old and new priesthood, The priesthood of every believer, The sacrifice of praise, What did Jewish priests do?, Who is a priest? | 1 Comment

Authorial Intent

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Authorial intent and context always determines meaning. This is true when listening to a supervisor’s instruction, reading the words on a medicine bottle, following the speed limit on the freeway, paying one’s taxes, or reading the Bible. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Exegesis, Hermeneutics | Tagged Are we free to interpret as we please?, authorial intent, context determines meaning, meaing is found with the author, meaning always originates with the author, meaning in the text, meaning is found with the reader, reader response, the meaning of the text | 3 Comments

King David – the Good and the Bad

Posted on May 12, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

The Bible describes David as a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; cf. Acts 13:22). This is a huge compliment, but what does it mean? God certainly knew David’s heart and what kind of king he would be, for He informed His prophet, Samuel, saying, “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). However, we should not conclude that David was perfectly obedient and kept the Lord’s will in all matters in his life. He did not. No believer ever does, for there are none who are sinless, except the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Jo 3:5). But David obeyed the Lord in important matters, and apart from a few major offences, he did not generally commit egregious sins. Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Behavior, Christian Theology, God's Grace, Hamartiology, Hot Topics, Leadership | Tagged 1 Samuel 13:14, A man after God's own heart, David and Bathsheba, David confessed his sins, David has Uriah killed, David practiced polygamy, David practiced the sin of polygamy, David takes a census, David the good king, David was a man after God's own heart, David's affair with Bathsheba, David's humility, David's sins, God's grace, grace is a chief characteristic of God, He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Humility is a lowliness of mind, King David, Why could God call David a man after His own heart? | 1 Comment

David – A Better King

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

David was a good king who reigned in Israel from roughly 1010 to 970 B.C. David’s life was intermingled with Saul, Israel’s first king, who failed to walk with God and do His will. David was better than Saul. He was better because he was a man of faith, and faith always pleases the Lord (Heb 11:6). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Leadership, Living by Faith, Suffering & Persecution | Tagged A man after God's own heart, David, David and Goliath, David cared for his father's flock, David fled from Saul for fifteen years, David kills a lion and a bear, David was a better king than Saul, David was better than Saul, David would not kill Saul, David's rise to kingship, King David, Saul tried to kill David, Sin and mental decline, The Lord's anointed | 3 Comments

Saul – The King who Failed

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Dr. Steven R. Cook

Saul had the outward appearance of what most people look for in a leader, for he was “a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people” (1 Sam 9:2). Often when we search for a leader, we want someone who looks and talks a certain way, has the right credentials and preferably a good work history. We shouldn’t diminish those things, but simply put them in their place, as being below the things God desires, “for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Theology, Hamartiology, Leadership, Righteous Living | Tagged but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7), David, David the son of Jesse, foolishness, for man looks at the outward appearance, God does not see as man sees, God looks upon the heart, God sees not as man sees, Israel selects Saul as king, Israel's first king, King Saul's anointing, Samuel anoints Saul, Samuel anoints Saul as king, Saul - The King who Failed, Saul and David, Saul as king of Israel, Saul did not obey the Lord, Saul the handsome king, Saul tries to kill David, Saul was a king after the people's hearts, Saul's rejection as king, The good qualities of king Saul, The life of king Saul, Why Saul was rejected as King | 6 Comments

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