What does the Bible say about perseverance?
The Bible has a lot to say about perseverance in several different contexts. Clearly, the Scriptures teach that those who “overcome” and persevere in the faith will inherit eternal life (Revelation 2:7). This truth is also expressed in Colossians 1:23 where we see that people will be holy, blameless, and above reproach “if they continue…
What does the Bible say about purity?
Purity is freedom from anything that contaminates. Purity is the quality of being faultless, uncompromised, or unadulterated. Pure water is free from any other substances. Pure gold has been refined to such a degree that all dross has been removed. And a pure life is one in which sin no longer determines the choices one…
What does the Bible say about trust?
The words translated “trust” in the Bible literally mean “a bold, confident, sure security or action based on that security.” Trust is not exactly the same as faith, which is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Rather, trusting is what we do because of the faith we have been given. Trusting is believing in the…
Should a Christian make a promise?
A promise is a vow or pledge to take an action or an assurance that something will definitely happen. There is nothing inherently wrong or sinful about making a promise. In fact, the Bible records a great number of promises God Himself has made. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden of Eden,…
What does the Bible say about waiting?
The world today is geared toward instant gratification and is averse to waiting. Modern transportation allows passengers to reach their destination in a fraction of the time it took centuries ago. Conveniences such as the microwave oven and email speed up cooking and correspondence. Even the transmission of biblical knowledge has evolved from a painstaking…
How can I learn to stop blaming others for my problems?
For many people, blame is a favorite game when something goes wrong. Living as broken people in a broken world, we can easily find someone or something to blame when we are hurt. Sometimes it is true that someone else so violated our lives that the fault is his alone. When that happens, we have…
What does the Bible say about moderation?
Moderation avoids extremes, exercises restraint, and is related to self-control. Moderation is a good thing, but living a life of moderation is an uphill battle in today’s world. Much of Western culture is saturated with excess. Restaurants serve “all you can eat” of our favorite foods. Advertisements constantly push things we “need” to buy because,…
What does the Bible say about common sense?
Common sense is sound judgment in practical matters. In Proverbs 8:5 some translations speak of the need to develop “common sense,” which other translations simply call “prudence” or “discretion.” Biblically, common sense can be thought of as a combination of wisdom and discretion (Proverbs 3:21; 8:12–14). Wisdom is knowing what to do; discretion is knowing…
What does the Bible say about selflessness?
The characteristic of being selfless is one of the most important traits any Christian can have. It’s so significant that Jesus said it is the second most important of all God’s commandments: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31; cf. Galatians 5:14). Jesus wasn’t creating a new law here; He was merely agreeing…
What does the Bible say about attitude?
Writing from a prison cell in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote about the attitude a Christian should have: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27). The “whatever happens” here is a reference to whether Paul can come to visit the Philippians or not. Paul gave this instruction…