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Where Was God? Finding Hope When You Are Stricken with Grief
“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. . . . Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life . . . ” The pastor closes their Bible, casts you a gentle look, and begins to pray. A few minutes later, friends surround you, offering condolences, hugs, and…
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When Conscience Is on the Line: The Story of Dr. Marisol Quintanilla, COVID Mandates, and Religious Liberty
What happens when the conviction of an individual Christian appears to conflict with the official position of her own church—and with the requirements of her employer? The story of Dr. Marisol Quintanilla at Michigan State University raises that question in a particularly compelling way when one’s convictions clash with employer policies. During the COVID-19…
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WHAT IS CHRISTIAN PATRIOTISM IN AMERICA?
God, Government, Liberty of Conscience, and the American Experiment What does it mean to be a Christian patriot in the United States? Is Christian patriotism about the flag? Is it about political parties? Is it about electing Christian politicians? Is it about making America a Christian nation? Or is Christian patriotism something much deeper?…
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Christian Patriotism and Defending Liberty of Conscience
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian Patriot? What does it mean to be a Christian patriot in the United States? Is Christian patriotism putting a cross beside an American flag? Is it voting for candidates who identify themselves as Christians? Is it defending America because we believe America is a uniquely Christian nation?…
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What Is Christian Patriotism?
The Bible, Religious Liberty, the Founders, A. T. Jones, and the Great Controversy What does it mean to be a Christian patriot in the United States? Is Christian patriotism about the flag? Is it about political parties? Is it about electing Christian politicians? Is it about making America a Christian nation? Or is…
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The Question That Matters Most
In the Cosmic Conflict, What Must I Do to Be Saved ? There is one question that ultimately matters more than every other question human beings can ask: “What must I do to be saved?” It is the question that Satan does not want us to ask. Ellen G. White makes this startling observation in…
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Final Battle of Two Competing Kingdoms
The Reality of Evil Spirits and the Supremacy of God There is a spiritual conflict taking place around us that cannot be adequately understood merely by looking at what we can see. The Bible presents a world far larger than the visible world. Scripture describes heavenly beings of extraordinary power, fallen angels who have become…
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Discovering the Assurance of Salvation in the Cross of Jesus
Understanding The Offense of the Cross Grace, Enmity, and the Great Conflict Between Christ and Satan There is something profoundly strange about the cross of Jesus Christ. It is the supreme revelation of God’s love—and yet it has always provoked opposition. It is the message of forgiveness—and yet it exposes human sin. It is the…
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The Twelve Illegalities in the Trial of Jesus
The Trial of Jesus from a Lawyer’s Standpoint The Arrest of Jesus was Illegal Walter M. Chandler’s Argument Chandler says the arrest contained three separate defects: It occurred at night. It was accomplished through Judas, whom Chandler regarded as an informer/accomplice. It was not the product of a proper judicial mandate designed to conduct a…
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The First Deception on Earth
Genesis 2–3, the Fall of Humanity, and the Biblical Question of Life, Death, and Immortality Introduction: From Heaven’s Conflict to Earth’s Crisis The biblical narrative of evil moves from the heavenly realm into human history in Genesis 3. After describing the creation of humanity in God’s image, Scripture introduces the serpent and the first human…
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Where Did Evil Come From? A Biblical and Theological Study of Lucifer’s Fall
Christians teach that God is humanity’s perfectly good and loving Creator. But if that’s true, where did evil come from? Why does suffering persist? Did God actually create sin? These are ancient questions that still plague many believers—even though the Bible offers answers. God’s Word assures us that evil is not an eternal force existing…
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The Origin of Evil and Deception
Satan’s First Lie—and Why It Still Deceives the World Today “You shall not surely die.” — Genesis 3:4 Every counterfeit begins with a genuine original. Before deception entered earth, it began in heaven. Before there was sin in Eden, there was rebellion among the angels. Before humanity ever questioned God’s goodness, Lucifer had already…
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What Does the Bible Say Happens After Death? From Death to Hope
“All we do crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see. Dust in the wind. All we are is dust in the wind . . . ” Some rather bleak lyrics, don’t you think? Yet, they feel real. Maybe that’s the bleakest thing about them. Kansas’ hit song “Dust in the Wind” (nearly 50 years old now) centers…
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Why Hasn’t Jesus Come Back Yet? Understanding God’s Timing
“If there is a God, He will have to beg my forgiveness.” Originally written in German, this anonymous yet commonly quoted inscription was found in the Nazi-controlled Mauthausen concentration camp. Historians often use it to frame the faith crisis experienced by victims of the Holocaust. Another anonymous inscription born from this dark period of Earth’s…
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The Good News About Hell- 5
Part 5 — The End of Sin and the Hope of the New Earth How God’s Justice, Mercy, and Love Triumph Forever Introduction: The Story Does Not End With Judgment The subject of hell is often approached from the perspective of fear: “What happens to those who reject God?” But the Bible places the emphasis…
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The Good News About Hell- 4
Part 4 — How the Doctrine of Eternal Torment Developed A Historical Study of the Doctrine of Hell and the Biblical Recovery of Conditional Immortality Introduction: Why History Matters When studying any major Christian doctrine, it is important to distinguish between two questions: What did the Bible originally teach? How did later Christians understand and…
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The Good News About Hell – 3
Part 3 — Difficult Texts Explained Understanding the Passages Often Used to Support Eternal Conscious Torment Introduction: Letting Scripture Interpret Scripture Few biblical subjects have created more debate among Christians than the nature of hell and the final punishment of the wicked. Many sincere followers of Christ believe the Bible teaches that the lost will…
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The Good News About Hell-2
Part 2 — The Second Death: The Bible’s Description of the Fate of the Wicked Introduction: What Happens When Sin Finally Ends? The Bible’s message about the final judgment is not primarily a message about punishment. It is a message about the end of rebellion, the restoration of creation, and the triumph of God’s love.…
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The Good News About Hell, Pt. 1: Why Hell Exists
Why Should We Study Hell’s Existence Anyway? If hell actually exists, then God must be a harsh judge. What kind of god would keep sinners alive forever in conscious suffering? If hell doesn’t exist, if Christians got the concept of divine judgment totally wrong, can we trust anything they say . . . ? You’re not alone if…
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The Good News About Hell: Why God’s Final Judgment Is Better Than Most People Believe
Few subjects evoke more fear, confusion, or sadness than God’s final judgment, otherwise known as hell. And why wouldn’t it? Longstanding Christian beliefs about hell depict a horrifying image: an eternal torture chamber where the wicked remain alive and conscious forever, suffering endlessly in flames without hope. Unsurprisingly, this image has caused countless people to…
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Is Purgatory a Real Place?
What the Bible Teaches About Death, Hell, and the Hope of the Resurrection by Reiner Kremer One of the most important questions every person must answer is: What happens when we die? Throughout history many have believed in purgatory, an intermediate place where souls are purified before entering heaven. Others believe that the righteous immediately…
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Good News About Salvation
Walking the Biblical Path to Christ Through the Gospel and Steps to Christ by Reiner Kremer “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 6:23 If someone asked, “How can I know God?” or “How can I be saved?” the Bible…
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The Larger Biblical Story
How Union with Christ, the Heavenly Sanctuary, and the Great Controversy Complete the Gospel Picture by Reiner Kremer One of the reasons Steps to Christ has touched millions of lives is its simplicity. Ellen G. White leads readers from God’s love to repentance, confession, faith, surrender, prayer, obedience, and Christian growth. Yet the book intentionally stays…
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The Covenant In Christ from Eden Lost to Eden Restored
The Grand Story of Scripture: From Adam to the New Creation by Reiner Kremer How Paul’s “In Christ” Theology Fulfills the Entire Biblical Story One of the greatest misunderstandings about the Apostle Paul is the idea that he invented a new theology after the resurrection of Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul…