stephen-on-bible

Repentance Just as a new baby born from his mother's womb without wailing is an unhealthy sign, so is a person who claims to be born-again without repentance . It is surprising to see many people, these days, declaring to believe in Jesus without repenting over their sins. The Holy Scripture explicitly says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Cor. 7:1). The old revivalist, Charles G. Finney (1792-1875), reminds us: What did the apostles tell sinners when they asked what they must do to be saved? What did Peter tell them at Pentecost? What did Paul tell the jailer — to repent, forsake their selfishness, and believe the gospel . This is what men must do to be saved. [1] Anyone who genuinely receives the salvation of God will go through – CONVICTION of sin, CONFESSION of sin and CHANGE from his former sinful life. These are the unavoidable steps toward repentance and the undeniable signs of salvation . Wi...

The term ‘salvation’ is not uncommon to the professing Christians. Although it is often heard and spoken word, I wonder how many are really familiar with its meaning and significance! Remember, in matters like this, ignorance is no bliss; it is a devastating disease. It saddens me to witness people becoming victims of the diluted and distorted gospel which produces false conversions and carnal Christianity. Well, generally speaking, when we carefully observe the professing Christians today, are they not noticeably similar to the corrupt world, except in external religious activities! Everyone who professes Christ as his Savior ought to know what salvation is and what it means to believe in Him. It is unwise to use words ignorantly, right? It seems to me that many do not have the knowledge of what salvation truly is and thus developed false notions. They blindly and boldly claim to receive salvation , but the knowledge of what it truly means is far from them. What Salvation Isn’t Let me...

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17) One of the most asked questions, by both Christians and non-Christians, doubting the goodness and the wisdom of God, is this—“Why did God put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden?”  Looks like if there is any person who is blamed more than anyone else—He is God. The dilemma about the existence of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has troubled many, thereby accusing God of being unfair. Some even take this as an excuse to disbelieve in the God of the Holy Bible. By the way, if someone doesn't want to believe in God, he cannot be convinced by any reasons, however reasonable, still finding excuses to disbelieve. B...

A family of five was rushed to the hospital to have their stomachs washed out after the cat with which they had shared a meal of mushrooms suddenly began to have stomach contractions. While members of the family showed no signs of illness, the doctor still had them rushed to the hospital. When they returned home they found the cat feeling well, after having produced five kittens. [1] The above illustration, which speaks about a false assumption of a family, sounds humorous. But what about the hasty assumptions in our lives which lead to untold conflicts within interpersonal relationships? Rarely do we find humor in these situations. The Cambridge Dictionary defines assumption as “accepting something to be true without question or proof.” And presupposition means “to think that something is true in advance without having any proof.” Assumption and presupposition are quite related and inseparable. While the former accepts something to be true right away without scrutiny, the latter ima...

Most of us pay lip service to condemn dowry as a contemporary social evil, however, this ancient Indian custom continues to destroy families in our present age as well. Before bringing up this issue to the whole world, I believe that this must first be addressed to the professed people of God who are called to be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). It is for Christians to confront this issue and explore fully to know whether dowry is acceptable or despicable . Let us reason, examine and find out - Is demanding dowry a perverted practice? Do we have any biblical proofs in order to come to this conclusion? Is requiring dowry in marriage unbiblical , or to say further, an anti-biblical practice ? This message might be offensive and discomforting to many money-loving readers. However, the fact remains – truth is bitter but makes our lives better . Therefore, I encourage you to read this message with an open mind and a humble attitude. What is Dowry? Dowry is a kind of gift given by the br...

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). The above exhortation by James is unfortunately one of the most neglected practices of Christians today. The term true “religion” should not be understood here in the same way as the world defines various religions. It could also be translated as, “true piety or true devotion.” So, what is the true religion or devotion that the word of God describes? True Devotion Many suppose true devotion to be prayer, fasting, worship, studying and knowing the Holy Bible, attending church activities and witnessing to people. These are no doubt good practices but without following what James has exhorted we are still a long way from true spirituality. Some even believe that true devotion is just about living an ethical and moral life. Make no mistake: piety and charity are inseparable in living the Christian life. S...

“Where is your faith?" He asked His disciples (Luke 8:25). Imagine a person in crisis who kept on praying the whole night, worried and troubled about what may happen. The other person, stuck in the same situation, didn’t even say a word but just kept silent, trusting the Sovereign One and knowing that his Redeemer lives. We who are often carried away by the outward appearances may appreciate the one who prayed the whole night and despise the seemingly prayerless person who didn’t even utter a word. But whom do you think God really commends? The one who prayed with fear, worry and unbelief or the one who sat quietly trusting in the Lord? What did Jesus reply when the disciples fervently prayed to Him amidst furious storm? He asked, “Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25) Now I am going to make a thoughtful statement. I haven’t found anywhere in the Holy Bible where God appreciated just prayer. But I do know surplus evidences where God commended faith in Him. To share a few,...