Dr. Barnhouse & the Bible

1 John 1:9 "Confession is good for the soul" is not just a familiar saying -- it's a vital biblical principle as well. Our sin damages our fellowship with God, but He promises that if we confess our sins to Him with an honest and contrite heart, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. What are the marks of true confession according to God's Word?

1 John 1:8-10 In the great hymn "Rock of Ages," we sing, "Foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die." When we are justified through faith in Jesus Christ, His blood cleanses us from sin once and for all, and as we grow in sanctification, His blood continues to provide cleansing for our individual, particular sins. Have you been washed in the blood of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ...

1 John 1:6-10 The Egyptians buried the Pharaohs with gold and riches to enjoy in the next life, and the Greeks believed a boat carried the dead across the River Styx. People today may picture a heavenly afterlife of white robes, clouds and harps, while others see death as the sudden cessation of all consciousness. With all these different ideas about the afterlife, what does God’s Word teach us ab...

1 John 1 The Apostle John stated that he wrote his first epistle so that our joy in Christ may be full. But though we are now redeemed sinners, we're still prone to sin and stumble in our walk with the Lord. And this can steal our joy and hinder our fellowship with Him. Thankfully, we have God's promise that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unri...

Some of the followers of Christ expected Him to fulfill their expectations as a mighty military and political Messiah who would finally overthrow the oppressive pagan roman government. But Jesus, without giving blanket approval to human government, nevertheless held up its legitimate authority, and the responsibility of Christians to obey and submit to the civil and governing authorities. How can...

Romans 12:20, 21 How do you respond when you are treated spitefully? Years ago, a young Christian soldier prayed by his bedside every night despite jeers, taunts and insults of the other soldiers in his barracks. One night after a long exhausting hike, the other soldiers threw their muddy boots at the believer as he knelt in prayer. When they awoke in the morning they found that he had cleaned and...

Romans 12:19 What do you do if someone suddenly thrusts a hand toward your face? You will instinctively block it or push it away. What do you do when someone hurls insults or accusations at you? You will probably have the urge to speak up in your defense or verbally attack that person. Human beings have a powerful innate desire to defend ourselves. But the people of God are commanded to respond to...

Romans 12:16, 18 Adam's act of disobedience against God in the garden of Eden poisoned our relationship with God and with each other. Today, sin manifests its deadly effects in all of our relationships. Millions of people live in hostility and enmity against God. Nations war against nations. Families are ravaged by divorce, abuse and adultery, and the Church has splintered into countless factions....

Romans 12:13, 15, 17 A balloon will continually expand when you fill it with more and more air. The Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit will be able to experience a life of God's continually expanding love. In the measure that God fills our hearts, He will be revealed in our every outward motion because He is in all of our inward thinking. Stay with us as Dr. Barnhouse examines six biblic...

Romans 12:12 If you just threw ingredients into a pot on the stove, you are more likely to make a mess instead of a meal. But if you follow the recipe, you can make a good dinner. Many believers have weak, powerless, and unsatisfying prayer lives because they do not pray according to the principles of God's Word. But if you know these biblical principles and carefully follow them, you can have a f...

Romans 12:12, 14 Scripture is filled with wonderful truths and promises from God that we embrace and cherish. But there is one we tend to overlook that may not seem to be wonderful to us. The Bible plainly states that all of us who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. The Christian walk is often a difficult and confusing pilgrimage through a lost and fallen world and we wi...

Romans 12:12 The English writer, William Hazlett, wrote, "Hope is the best possession; none are completely wretched but those who are without hope." As we look across our world today, we can see overwhelming despair, hopelessness, and misery in the lives of those who do not know Jesus Christ. But God has reconciled us to Himself through the death and resurrection of His Son and given us the pricel...

Romans 12:11 If you are meddling in someone else's affairs, they might tell you to mind your own business. But sadly, Christians often pay far too much time and attention to our own business rather than our Father's business. Once, when Jesus was a boy, Joseph and Mary searched for Him throughout Jerusalem for three days. When they fianlly found Him in the Temple discussing the things of God with...

Romans 12:10 Believers often sing this well known hymn, "Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above." Indeed, the fellowship that exists between true believers must reflect the love and communion that exists between God the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. Dr. Barnhouse asks the question, "Does genuine love for your brothers and...

Romans 12:9 In football, an elusive running back can make the other team's defense look foolish as he constantly slips from their grasp. The defense must pursue the runner, lay a hold of him, and tenaciously hold fast until they tackle him. In the Christian life, genuine goodness can be very elusive and difficult to maintain. We must learn to continually reject sin and evil and cling tenaciously t...

Romans 12:9 The Bible declares that God is love and stresses the preeminance of love in the Christian life. Love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and an indispensible virtue in the life of every believer. But do you realize that hatred is just as much an attribute of God and just as much a Christian virtue as love is. God's perfect character demands a holy hatred of every manifestation of sin and evi...

Romans 12:9 If a man receives a new set of woodworking tools as a gift, but does not know how to use them properly he will make lopsided birdhouses and other poorly constructed projects. But an expert carpenter will know how to use his new tools to make many beautiful and useful items. God has given every believer at least one spiritual gift. But merely knowing what your gifts are and exercising t...

Romans 12:8 Some congregations that might be more charasmatic might look down upon other churches and denominations for what they perceive as a lack of interest in spiritual gifts. They may not realize that a church is faithfully exercising its spiritual gifts through acts of mercy and compassion, and wise and effective management and administration of its affairs. Mercy, compassion, and church ad...

Romans 12:8 What do you think of when someone mentions spiritual gifts? Many Christians immediately think of extraordinary phenomena such as speaking in tongues, healings, and miricles. Spiritual gifts include generous, joyful giving as well as the ability to speak the right words in the right situations. Exhortation and generous giving are often overlooked in the discussion of spiritual gifts. bu...

Romans 12:6-8 Alexander the Great was so named because of his extraordinary military and political leadership as he conquered and domiated much of the known world. Even today we tend to associate greatness with power, wealth, influence, and worldly success. But Jesus points us to a much different path to greatness in the spiritual life and in church leadership. Effective church leaders must lay as...

Romans 12:6-8 Members of a football team have different responsibilities according to the positions they play. The quarterback calls plays, passes the ball, and hands it off as the offensive line blocks the defenders. The tailback runs the ball whie the recievers run patterns and catch passes. Likewise, Dr. Barnhouse explains, the members of Christ's church have different roles and spiritual respo...

Romans 12:6 Children love to wake up on Christmas morning to see a diverse assortment of gifts under the tree ready to open and enjoy. It has pleased our heavenly Father to give us, His children, a diversity of spiritual gifts in order to build up and strengthen the body of Christ. What are these spiritual gifts and how can we learn to identify and exercise them for our mutual benefit and edificat...

Romans 12:4-5 Your stomach cannot pump blood throughout your body if your heart stops working. And if your eyes go blind, you cannot see with your toes. You cannot function properly unless every part of your body fulfills its unique and essential purpose. Believers are members of the Body of Christ and when we exercise our particular spiritual gifts, serve one another, and work together with unity...

Romans 12:5 Believers often gather and sing the hymn, "They will know we are Christians by our love". But sadly, Christians are sometimes known for our fighting, quarreling and bitterness. Disunity and division in the church severely damages our witness for Jesus Christ before a watching world. How can we advance the Kingdom of God through authentic Christian love and fellowship in the gospel? Dr....

Romans 12:5 Imagine a new believer looking for a church in the yellow pages. He will see names like Presbyterian, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Episcopal, and perhaps a few others. He might wonder which is the right church? Much confusion has arisen because people fail to distinguish between the organized, institutional churches and the Church founded by the Lord Jesus...