Closer Look
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How to properly respect Mary
Do Catholics worship Mary? Catholic theology makes an important distinction between the worship owed to God and the veneration given to Mary and the saints. That distinction deserves to be represented fairly. But definitions are only part of the question. We also need to examine what Catholic prayers, popes, saints, and official teaching actually say.…
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Did Mary remain a virgin?
Christians agree that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived. But did she remain a virgin for the rest of her life? Catholic and Orthodox traditions say yes. Yet the New Testament repeatedly mentions Jesus’ brothers and sisters, says Joseph did not know Mary “till” Jesus was born, and describes Jesus as Mary’s firstborn…
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Was Mary really sinless? Why did she need a Savior?
Did Mary ever sin? And if she was completely sinless, why did she rejoice in “God my Savior”? The Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception teaches that Mary was preserved from original sin from the first moment of her conception and remained free from personal sin throughout her life. Catholics have thoughtful explanations for how…
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Was Mary the “Mother of God”?
Is Mary the “Mother of God”? Christians have debated that language for centuries, but the controversy was originally about much more than Mary. It was about the identity of Jesus Christ. In this study, we’ll examine what Scripture actually calls Mary, why early Christians used the Greek title Theotokos, what happened in the controversy surrounding…
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Is Jesus a VIOLENT Savior?
Was Jesus really a violent Savior? Critics often point to passages where Jesus speaks of swords, says “slay them before me,” and makes a whip at the temple. But when those verses are read in context, they tell a very different story about who Jesus was and what He actually taught about violence.
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Proof the Sinner’s Prayer is UNBIBLICAL!
Is the Sinner’s Prayer actually taught in the Bible? Many people are shocked to learn that not a single person in the New Testament had their sins washed away by reciting a prayer. In this study, we examine Scripture carefully, walk through the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, and ask a serious question: Have we…
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That time Jesus called a woman a dog…
Why did Jesus ignore a desperate woman—and then call her a “dog”? In Matthew 15, Jesus has one of the most misunderstood conversations in the Bible. Critics often point to this passage as evidence that Jesus wasn’t loving. But when we slow down, examine the context, and pay attention to the language Jesus used, a…
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Is the word “homosexual” a mistranslation in the Bible?
Have you ever heard someone say that the word “homosexual” was not originally in the Bible? They claim that it didn’t appear in the Bible until less than a hundred years ago. Is that true? Well, yes. But what does that mean, actually? Is the Bible’s seeming stance against same-sex relationships really just a modern…
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Should Christians follow the Old Testament?
This question might change how you read your Bible: Should Christians follow the Old Testament? The answer affects how we worship, how we live, and even affects our salvation. And the Bible doesn’t leave us guessing. When we ask, “Should Christians follow the Old Testament?” what we’re really asking is, “Should Christians follow the Law…
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Why the origin of Christmas doesn’t matter.
Every year, like clockwork, the internet lights up in December with claims that Christmas has pagan roots. Scroll through social media, and you’ll see it: bold headlines, dramatic videos, and recycled memes all shouting, “Christmas is pagan!” But what if I told you that it doesn’t matter…at all?
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The 8 different baptisms in the New Testament EXPLAINED
The New Testament mentions 8 different baptisms. Do you know them all, and do you understand their significance and differences? And here’s the question a lot of people have that may change everything: What if you have submitted to the wrong baptism? Would you need to be baptized again?
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Were tongues a miracle of hearing?
Have you ever wondered if the gift of tongues was a miracle of speaking or of hearing? Maybe not, but some have, because of two facts the Bible tells us. Let’s dive into Acts 2 to uncover what really happened on that incredible day of Pentecost.