Cain feared for his own life after killing Abel. He said, “I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me: (Gen. 4:14).1 But, the Lord replied, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold;” after that God “put a mark on Cain, … Continue reading What is the Mark of Cain?
Why Pilate Pardoned Barabbas but Condemned Jesus?
Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, sanctioned the execution of Jesus Christ. At the same time, the governor set free a seditious murderer named Barabbas. Why did Pilate allow the crucifixion of an innocent man and the acquittal of the guilty man? Why was Barabbas let go? The Jewish Sanhedrin condemned Jesus for blasphemy … Continue reading Why Pilate Pardoned Barabbas but Condemned Jesus?
Did A Talking Snake Deceive Eve?
Genesis 3 tells us that “the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made” (v. 1).1 A snake made by God whose craftiness surpassed the other creatures but with the peculiar capacity of speech. This serpent seduces Eve into eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of … Continue reading Did A Talking Snake Deceive Eve?
What Does the Paraclete Do?
Difficult circumstances are inevitable in this world, and problem solving often calls for the assistance of an advocate. Roles of an advocate include teaching others to struggle well with life, defending the defenseless, illuminating others to the truth, and representing a person or group to others. The role of an advocate can be formally … Continue reading What Does the Paraclete Do?
Who is the Paraclete?
Christians refer to the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete. Paraclete comes from the Greek word paraklētos, which refers to “one who appears in another’s behalf” like a “mediator, intercessor, [or] helper.”1 Jesus Christ speaks of the Paraklētos in John 14-16. Here the Greek is translated “Helper” in the English Standard Version.2 Nevertheless, the Paraclete spoken about by … Continue reading Who is the Paraclete?