" Paul is explicit: any deviation from not even the divine law but merely the natural law will result in expulsion from Paradise -- just as happened to the first man and woman when they violated the only law that God gave them. Or we may look at Paul's epistle to the Romans: "God has given them up to shameful lusts; for their women have exchanged the natural use for that which

Bible is replete with passages related to healing and encouragement during times of stress. Major surgery is certainly a cause for stress, anxiety, and fear. Reading scripture and internalizing the Word of God is the best way to assuage fears. Faith conquers fear. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear," (1 John 4:18). The Old and New Testaments contain a wealth of wisdom that can

Pilate and the Roman conversion To this day, Pilate is not seen as a hero to all sects of Christianity, and arguably with good reason. In short, he is not Abraham, nor Daniel,. Abraham did not kill his son, and Daniel successfully stopped the persecution of Susannah. Pilate, by contrast, was in a position to halt the execution of Jesus, but did not. The fact that he believed in Jesus' innocence,

Bible Pneumatology: Spiritual Gifts When it comes to spiritual gifts, they seem to be a subject that is very controversial in the church. Are all spiritual gifts real and are they really necessary in the church? In 1 Peter 4:10 it makes the point, "As every person has been given a special gift, use the gift it in serving one another, as good agents of the diverse grace of God." However

Observing the literary type (fourthly) also provides clues as about meaning -- whether the work is a parable, law, a prophesy, or a song will determine if the passage should be read allegorically, literally, as foreshadowing, or as a form of celebration (Thompson 36). Finally, making a chart to look at while reading the Bible can be useful: it allows us to better understand characters' extended relationships when we

Bible "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises," (Hebrews 6:12). The promises referred to in the Bible include spiritual gifts like wisdom, and also the gifts of material abundance and fecundity. The Bible teaches that laziness, or sloth, is incompatible with wisdom or success. Moreover, the Bible teaches that only foolish people are lazy and slothful, because they allow themselves to