by Tom Stegall Question: I am confused about the references in the Bible to the book of life. Psalm 69:28 says, “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.” This sounds like God will erase people’s names from His book and they will either not get saved or lose their salvation. Revelation 3:5 says, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his [...]
Tom Stegall Romans 10:9-10 and 13 are some of the most misinterpreted and misapplied verses in the entire Bible. These verses are frequently used in the popular evangelistic method known as the “Romans Road” in which people are told they must confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus (vv. 9-10) and call upon His name (v. 13) to be eternally saved. These verses have been misused to teach that there are at least two, if not three, conditions for eternal [...]
by Tom Stegall Having explained the context of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 and an overview of its contents, let’s consider next a few key points in favor of the view that head-covering in this passage was based on an established cultural practice, not a timeless command.[1] First, if Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 11 for women to wear head-coverings were intended to reflect a timeless truth about the relationship of husbands and wives, then we should expect to find support for [...]
by Tom Stegall Must Christian women in North America today wear head-coverings as a necessary public sign of their honor and submission to the headship of their husbands, just like women did in the New Testament era or like they currently do in some foreign countries? As Westerners, we often associate head-covering with the abuse and oppression of women. We wonder how the apostle Paul could ever instruct first-century Corinthian women to cover their heads. Our perspective is shaped largely [...]
by Tom Stegall 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten [...]
by Tom Stegall Matthew 25:31-46 is one of the most misunderstood and misused passages in the entire Bible. Some claim this passage teaches salvation by social action. Is this true? Does Jesus in Matthew 25 contradict other Bible verses that clearly say salvation is by grace through faith in Christ apart from our good works (Rom. 3:27-28; 4:1-8; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)? Here is what Jesus says in Matthew 25:31-46 (NKJV): 31 When the Son of Man comes [...]
by Tom Stegall Many people are confused by Romans 2:7 regarding the condition for eternal salvation. If read in isolation from its context in the book of Romans, this verse may initially appear to teach that perseverance in doing good works is necessary for eternal life. The verses before and after verse 7 are provided below to show its immediate context. 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in [...]
by Tom Stegall The English Standard Version reads at John 3:36: “Whoever believes [ho pisteuōn] in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey [ho apeithōn] the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Other English Bibles also translate ho apeithōn in this verse as essentially “the one who does not obey.”[1] While this translation of the present-tense, articular-participle form of the verb apeithō is not wrong, it is imprecise and can be better translated [...]
by Tom Stegall I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare—3 since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. 4 For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. [...]
by Tom Stegall 1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all [...]