What Does the Bible Say About Agreement?Matthew 18:19 says, “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” (KJV). Likewise, 1 Corinthians 1:10-11 says, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you” (NIV). Brethren, there is power in agreement. Scripture calls on us to agree with one another in the mind of Christ and that by so doing whatever we ask will be done for us by our heavenly Father. As Christians, there should be no division among us but unity.
Agreement is a powerful theme that the Holy Spirit frequently teaches in Scripture. Furthermore, it is one of the most formidable kingdom principles through which we can get things done or accomplished. As a matter of fact, the power of agreement will work for any group of people who put it to work. Behold, there is no limit to what people can accomplish when they agree about it. In the Bible we see people putting this principle to work and God Himself testifying to the fact that nothing could be impossible for them because of the power of agreement. Brethren, united we stand, divided we fall. Matthew 12:25 says, Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”
What the Bible Says About Agreement
Genesis 11:1-6 says, “Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.”
Notice that there is a great force at work when people stand or act in agreement. The very fact that God testified saying “nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them” is proof that the force or power of agreement really has no limits. It is interesting to note that the people mentioned here were not Christians. In fact, they seemed to have no knowledge of God nor revere Him. In addition, they were working against the very purposes of God which He stated in chapter 9 of Genesis as He blessed Noah and his family. Genesis 9:1 says, Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.”
More Biblical Facts
The definite instruction in Genesis 9:1 was to replenish or refill the earth but these people desired to stay together and form their own small community with a high-minded purpose of building a tower that could reach Heaven. Behold, if these people could achieve whatever they imagined by being in agreement, there should be absolutely no limits to children of God who work together in agreement. Let’s look at some vital aspects of agreement that these people had and from them learn to harness and use the power of agreement. The Bible says that the people had one language (Genesis 11:1-6). This speaks about unity in what they said. As believers in Christ, we all have one language which is that of love. John 13:34 says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
For Christians to make an impact in their sphere of influence, there must not be found traces of disagreement in speech. Whatever is said must be fully inspired by love and as we know love unites rather than separate people. By keeping love in perspective, we embrace the mind of Christ and it’s not more about our own purposes but His. Still, in Genesis 11:1-6, we learn that the people journeyed together, effectively communicated, and embraced teamwork. This is an indication of agreement in vision and direction. Vision produces direction. People of the same destination travel together. Amos 3:3 says, “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” In order to achieve the success or breakthrough a group of people desires, they must move in the same direction and be committed to the same vision or goal. Likewise, there should be an effective communication (Colossians 4:6).
The Prayer of Agreement Leads to Breakthrough
Matthew 18:19 says, “Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever (anything and everything) they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven” (AMP). Brethren, Scripture reassures us as we dwell in Christ of an endless possibility of receiving for those who understand and take advantage of the power of agreement. Scripture teaches us that if together as believers in Christ we stand in agreement nothing shall be impossible for us. If a group of at least two believers in Christ stand in unity and agreement, whatever they ask for will be granted.
Thetus Tenney says, “Agreement is perhaps the untapped power of believers! What would be the results of real agreement among believers? If we will be led into perfect unity with Jesus Christ, having His mind in us so that we think as He would and ask according to his Word (John 15:7), and maintain unobstructed relationships between ourselves, having no resentments or unforgiveness toward others, we would open a channel through which God’s power could flow unobstructed.” Brethren, the prayer of agreement leads to a breakthrough. Below are some ways that will help you to pray in one accord:
Sincerely repent in Christ so that you can pray with a clean heart (John 9:31).
Pray with the Holy Spirit’s direction (Romans 8:26; John 14:26).
Pray with agreement in honesty and love (Matthew 18:19 ).
Pray God’s will according to Scripture (James 4:3; John 15:7).
Pray with faith and confidence believing that God has heard and will answer your prayers (Genesis 18:14; Hebrews 11:6; Matthew 21:22).
Pray with perseverance and urgency (Matthew15:21-28; Luke 18:1).
What Does the Bible Say About Agreement?
Matthew 18:19 – “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.“
1 Corinthians 1:10-11 – “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.”
Amos 3:3 – “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?“
Colossians 2:8 – “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
John 14:14 – “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
1 Corinthians 1:10-11 – “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.”
2 Corinthians 6:16 – “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Group 1 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
John 9:31 – “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.“
Psalm 66:18 – “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;“
1 Peter 3:8 – “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.“
James 4:3 – “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.“
Genesis 18:14 – “Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.“
Matthew 21:22 – “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Luke 18:1 – “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Group 2 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
1 John 5:7-8 – “For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.”
Acts 2:1-47 – “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. …“
Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
1 John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.“
1 Corinthians 7:5 – “Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
Group 3 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Matthew 5:37 – “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”
Romans 8:3 – “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,”
Philippians 2:1-5 – “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,“
Genesis 11:1-32 – “Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. …“
Group 4 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
1 John 5:14 – “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.“
Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:5 – “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,“
Matthew 18:19-20 – “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
Nehemiah 9:38 – “Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.”
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.“
Group 5 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.“
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Philippians 2:5 – “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,“
1 Timothy 2:4 – “Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.“
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.“
1 Peter 5:2 – “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;“
Group 6 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,“
Romans 5:8 – “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.“
James 4:2 – “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.”
Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.“
Romans 10:13 – For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:9 – “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.“
Isaiah 28:18 – “Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it.“
Group 7 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.“
Genesis 1:1-31 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. …“
Genesis 19:1-38 – “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. …“
Group 8 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
Deuteronomy 28:1-68 – “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. …“
Galatians 3:15 – “To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 – “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.“
John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.“
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Group 9 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Psalm 18:32 – “The God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.”
Matthew 20:1-16 – “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. …“
Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.“
Ephesians 6:11-18 – “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. …“
Group 10 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Ephesians 3:16 – “That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,“
Romans 8:38 – “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,”
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.“
Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Acts 2:21 – “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’“
Acts 2:8 – “And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?“
Romans 15:4 – “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.“
Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Group 11 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Matthew 21:22 – “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
Matthew 19:8 – He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”
Matthew 18:18 – “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Habakkuk 3:19 – “God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”
Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.“
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Group 12 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Isaiah 40:31 – “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 28:15 – Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;
Psalm 37:21 – “The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;“
Psalm 22:19 – “But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!“
Joshua 1:10-18 – “And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’” And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, …“
Group 13 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Deuteronomy 8:18 – “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.“
Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Numbers 30:2 – “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”
Malachi 2:16 – “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Group 14 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.“
Matthew 24:1-51 – Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. …
Isaiah 12:2 – “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
Isaiah 9:6 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Group 15 – What Does the Bible Say About Agreement
Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Revelation 7:1-17 – “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, ...”
Proverbs 22:26 – “Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts.“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, …“
What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues?Thou Shalt Not Make Unto Thee Any Graven Image. A graven image is an idol—an object or image, such as a statue, that is worshiped as the representation of a deity or god. The word graven means “carved” or “sculpted.” False worship is the worship of idols, images, and/or statues which are all false gods because there is Only One True God, Almighty and Sovereign who deserves divine worship. “You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship]” (AMP, Exodus 20:4). “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (ESV, Exodus 20:4). “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:” (KJV, Exodus 20:4). First found in Exodus 20:4, the popular phrase “graven image” comes from the King James Version of the Bible in the first (for Catholics) and second (for some Protestants) of the Ten Commandments from the Lord God Almighty. It’s important to take note that the Hebrew word translated “graven image” means literally “an idol.” “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” (Hebrew: לֹא-תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל, וְכָל-תְּמוּנָה, romanized:Lōʾ-t̲aʿăśeh lək̲ā p̲esel, wək̲ol-təmûnāh) is an abbreviated form of one of the Ten Commandments that were spoken by the Lord God to His children, and then written on stone tablets by His Finger. Notice that through Jesus Christ, we are made children of God. John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,“
What is a graven image? In simple terms, a graven image is an image carved out of stone, wood, or metal. A graven image could be a statue of a person or an animal or a relief carving on a wall or pole. A molten image is melted metal poured into a cast. Functionally, there is no difference between a “graven” image (Deuteronomy 4:16) and a “molten” image (Exodus 34:17). When worshipped, both become signs of man’s waywardness. Abstract Asherah poles, carved wooden Ba’als covered in gold leaf, and etchings of gods accompanying Egyptian hieroglyphics all fall under graven images. Though it may not be the carved or manmade gods of stone, wood, or metal common in the Old Testament, Christians today must be careful not to make their jobs, wealth, families, money, reputations, businesses, or anything else the center of their affections. For there is only One Living God, worthy of all our adoration and worship.
What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues?
What The Scriptures Say About Worshiping False gods (Idols)
The Bible clearly forbids the worship of idols and calls on everyone to worship only the One and True God, Almighty, and Sovereign (Exodus 20:4). Exodus 20:1-26 says, And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, … 1 Corinthians 10:14 says, “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” 1 John 5:21 says, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” Colossians 3:5 says, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.“ Isaiah 45:20 says, “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.” Jonah 2:8 says, “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.“
Galatians 4:8 says, “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.“ Psalms 16:4 says, “Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.“ Leviticus 19:4 says, “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.“ Revelation 9:20 says, “The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.“ Galatians 5:19-21 says, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.“
Biblical Warning Against Idolatry
In Exodus 20:4-5, we get one of the commandments which reads, “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them.” Notice how this is similar to the commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” and specifically forbids the creation of idols. Psalms 135:15-18 says, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”
Exodus 3:6 says, And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Exodus 3:14 says, God said to Moses, “ I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘ I AM has sent me to you.’” Nehemiah 9:6 says, “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.” With all these in mind, we should Worship God Alone.
Idolatry in a Pagan Religion
Generally, idolatry in a pagan religion starts with the acknowledgment of a power that controls natural forces. The presence of the force is then thought to indwell a place, like a mountain or a water body, or an object like a stone or a tree. The next thing is altering a naturally occurring environment or object, like a waterfall, a standing stone, a deliberately planted tree, or a carved Asherah pole, and calling on the force to indwell it. When the idolatrous culture has had time to contemplate the personality of the god, they then make corresponding physical images. That’s, they make statues or relief carvings in the form of things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth for worship. Places are set aside to commune with these false gods. For convenience’s sake, smaller items, thought to hold the communication line or power of the gods, are brought into homes and some are carried along on the go. And as such, those involved find themselves ensnared by the compulsion to give homage to a thing of their own definition instead of giving it to the Lord God Almighty, Creator of the Universe.
Do Catholics Worship Idols, Images, or Statues?
Catholics do not worship such, but rather use images and statues to learn, understand, explain, and/or portray the heavenly ministries. It’s important to understand that to portray means to depict (someone or something) in a work of art or literature. Early Christians had religious art. The church formerly confirmed the use of statues and other art as a means of veneration at the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 A.D. Behold, they clarified, approved, and encouraged the honoring of Our Lord, Our Lady, saints, and angels, through the proper use of statues. Notice that 787 was way before Protestantism came into existence. Those who claim that Catholics worship images are simply propagandists deceived by mere interpretations of Scripture. While we are not out to argue with them, we simply have an answer to explain to those who are sincere and willing to know. Titus 3:9 says, “But avoid foolish and ill-informed and stupid controversies and genealogies and dissensions and quarrels about the Law, for they are unprofitable and useless.“ 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.“
It’s without a doubt that images are part of the instruments for learning. Anybody and anything can be called an image depending on what one uses it for. This means that human beings, animals, plants, stones, carvings, and other things could be images. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Notice that the Bible, Church buildings, crucifixes, statues, and others are all images. In addition, man is created in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Also, Jesus is the image of the invisible God (John 14:9; John 1:14). Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Likewise, the Holy Spirit is the image of God (Genesis 1:2). Similarly, the Bible is an image through which we learn the Word of God. Notice that the Bible is not God in itself. And as such, the readers of the Bible do not worship it. They rather worship the Lord God who is revealed through the Scriptures. If this is logical, then you should understand that Catholics do not worship images which are merely pointing to hidden realities of their faith.
It’s important to understand that as a “Universal” Church, the Catholic Church employs different techniques to dispatch her message to all categories of people without discrimination: the learned and the unlearned, the rich and the poor, the blind and the lame, the deaf and the mute, as well as others. In doing this, she makes use of the Bible, the tradition, the teachings of her leaders, the images, signs, and symbols. Note that in all her techniques to transmit God’s message to everyone, she clearly knows, understands, and acknowledges the Lord God as the ultimate and only one to be worshiped (Exodus 20:2–5). In fact, the Catholic Church does not believe any statue or image has any power in and of itself. The beauty of icons and statues moves us to the contemplation of God’s Word as He is Himself or as He works in His saints.
Catholics make use of statues, paintings, and mosaics as a reminder of those who have gone before them. As saints, they point in the direction of Christ through the virtues of their lives. Remembering them reminds one of the virtues he/she should pursue. Notice that before the invention of photographs, man-made images were the only things that could be used as physical reminders of these people. In the same way, Jews used graven images in the manner the Lord God commanded them to, and those who followed God’s Law in the Old Testament understood that those religious images were not to be offered adoration and worship, Catholics do not worship statues today.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: 2113 Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. It remains a constant temptation to faith. Idolatry consists in divinizing what is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Many martyrs died for not adoring “the Beast” refusing even to simulate such worship. Idolatry rejects the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore incompatible with communion with God.
The Catholic Church during the Council of Trent (1545 – 1563) issued a clear statement concerning images and statues. According to the 25th session of this General Council: The images of Christ and of the Virgin Mother of God, and of the saints are to be had and retained particularly in churches, and due honor and veneration are to be given them; not that any divinity or virtue is believed to be in them on account of which they are to be worshipped, or that anything is to be asked of them, or that trust is to be reposed in images, as was of old by the Gentiles, who placed their hopes in idols; but because the honor which is shown them is referred to the prototypes which these images represent; so that we through the images which we kiss…or bend the knee, adore Christ and venerate the saints, whom they represent. [The Canons & Decrees of the Council of Trent (TAN Books, 1978) p. 215-6]
What About Catholics Bowing Before Images And Statues?
Many anti-Catholics cite Deuteronomy 5:9, where the Lord God said concerning idols, “You shall not bow down to them.” Since many Catholics sometimes bow or kneel in front of statues of Jesus and the saints, anti-Catholics confuse the legitimate veneration of a sacred image with the sin of idolatry. As Christians, it’s important for us to understand that though bowing can be used as a posture in worship, not all bowing is worship. In Japan, people show respect by bowing in greeting (the equivalent of the Western handshake). Similarly, a person can kneel before a king without necessarily worshiping him as a god. The Bible presents Abigail as a woman of great wisdom and beauty who in her wisdom and knowledge about the Lord God and His ways, bowed down before David with her face to the ground bringing to him divine counseling, preventing him from sinning, prophesying his kingship, and causing him to give praise to the name of the Lord God (1 Samuel 25). Pleased with her, and amazed by her wisdom, David later took her in as one of his wives (1 Samuel 25:39-43). The Bible also recounts how King Solomon, heir of King David, knelt before the altar of the Lord God with his hands spread up to heaven (1 Kings 8:54). Does this mean that Solomon was worshiping the altar or heaven? Absolutely not. In the same way, a Catholic who may kneel in front of a statue while praying isn’t worshiping the statue nor praying to it, any more than a Protestant who kneels with a Bible in his hands when praying is worshiping the Bible or praying to it.
However, the Catholic Church does not compel her members to kneel or pray before images since they have no ears to hear nor the power to help. The Church allows for the veneration of images as long as the honor is directed toward Christ and His Saints. Some Christians may object to the veneration of images of the saints since they believe that honor should be directed toward God alone and not toward Mary or the Saints. After all, 1 Timothy 1:17 says, “Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” Behold, this objection arises from a confusion between divine honor (adoration – supreme honor proper only for the Lord God Almighty) and respectful honor proper for men. In the Bible, the people of God bowed down before King David to show him honor (2 Samuel 24:20; 1 Chronicles 29:20; 21:21). Likewise, Obadiah in 1 Kings 18:7 fell prostrate before Elijah showing him reverence for being a prophet of the Lord God. In the Ten Commandments, we are told to honor our mother and father (Deuteronomy 5:16). Notice that even our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, defended and obeyed this commandment (Mark 7:9-13; Luke 2:51). The Catholic Church honors Mary in imitation of Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1). John 19:26-27 says, When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Are Catholics Omitting or Hiding the Second Commandment in Order to Worship or Promote the Worship of Images and Statues?
There are a lot of misleading writings portraying the Catholic Church as being behind the New World Order. These writings attempt to prove this claim by exposing the “marks of the beasts” (Revelation 17). One of the main charges frequently used is the alteration of God’s commandments. These writings claim that the Catholic Church dropped, omitted, or are hiding the “Second Commandment” which forbids “graven images.” Allegedly, the Catholic Church condones statue worship. However, are Catholics omitting or hiding the second commandment in order to worship or promote the worship of images and statues? Absolutely No. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: 2132 The Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, “the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype,” and “whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it.” The honor paid to sacred images is a “respectful veneration,” not the adoration due to God alone:
Religious worship is not directed to images in themselves, considered as mere things, but under their distinctive aspect as images leading us on to God incarnate. The movement toward the image does not terminate in it as image, but tends toward that whose image it is. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Sadly, some Protestants think that the Catholic Church “hides” the second commandment. This is because in Catholic Catechisms, the first commandment is often listed as “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3), and the second is listed as “You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain” (Exodus 20:7). From this, it is argued that Catholics have deleted the prohibition of idolatry to justify their use of religious statues. However, this is false. The truth is that Catholics simply group the commandments differently from most Protestants. In Exodus 20:2-17, from which the Ten (10) Commandments are derived, there are actually fourteen (14) imperative statements. To arrive at the Ten Commandments, some statements have to be grouped together, and there is more than one way of doing this. Since, in the ancient world, polytheism and idolatry were always unite – idolatry being the outward expression of polytheism – the historic Jewish numbering of the Ten Commandments have always grouped together the imperatives “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) and “You shall not make for yourself a graven image” (Exodus 20:4). The historic Catholic numbering follows the Jewish numbering on this point, as does the historic Lutheran numbering.
It is important to understand that Jews and Christians abbreviate the commandments so that they can be easily remembered using a summary, ten-point formula. For example, Jews, Catholics, and Protestants typically summarize the Sabbath commandment as, “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy,” though the commandment’s actual text takes four verses, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8–11).
Note that when the prohibition of idolatry or polytheism (the belief in or worship of more than one god) is summarized, Jews, Catholics, and Lutherans abbreviate it as “You shall have no other gods before me.” As a matter of fact, this is no attempt to “hide” the idolatry prohibition (notice that Jewish and Lutherans don’t even use statues of saints and angels). Brethren, don’t let yourself to be deceived as it is all about making the learning process of the Ten Commandments easier. So, where does the specific numbering controversy occur? Some Christians view the second commandment to be: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Deuteronomy 5:8-9). They then group the directives, “Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house… field… or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Deuteronomy 5:21), into one as the Tenth Commandment. On the other hand, Catholics consider the verses forbidding the making and worshiping of graven images to be part of the First Commandment: “I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.” In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the un-summarized First Commandment reads: “I am the LORD your God… You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything… in heaven… in the earth… or… in the water… you shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Exodus 20:2-5). With this in mind and unlike what some Protestants think, it’s clear that Catholics as well as the Jewish and Lutherans have not removed or omitted the “Second Commandment,” but have included the directives forbidding creating and worshiping graven images in the First Commandment, because they are naturally part of it: to worship the Lord God Almighty alone, and nothing else anywhere. Catholics then consider the Ninth Commandment as, “you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife”, and the Tenth as “you shall not desire your neighbor’s house… field… or anything that is your neighbor’s”, recognizing the dignity of a person’s spouse and not grouping them with a person’s general possessions. This clearly distinguishes the desire (lust) to commit adultery from the desire (greed) to steal. This division scheme was advocated by St. Augustine in his writings on Exodus.
But what about the numbering of the Ten Commandments? Behold, the Bible clearly states that the Lord God gave Moses several directives under the form of Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 4:13), but does not group or number them specifically (and they can be eventually grouped into ten groups in more than one reasonable way). Consequently, while the Catholic Church has clearly defined all the teachings contained in the Ten Commandments, it has not dogmatically defined how they are to be organized/numbered. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “The division and numbering of the Commandments have varied in the course of history. The present catechism follows the division of the Commandments established by Augustine, which has become traditional in the Catholic Church. It is also that of the Lutheran confession. The Greek Fathers worked out a slightly different division, which is found in the Orthodox Churches and Reformed communities” (CCC 2066). The present Catechism follows the numbering proposed by St. Augustine – which was also the numbering adopted by Martin Luther, best known as the seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation and the namesake of Lutheranism. Sadly, many Protestants are unware of this interesting detail about Martin Luther who stands in history as a leader and father of the Protestant Reformation.
Ten (10) Commandments (Exodus 20)
Abbreviated Catholic Ten Commandments
I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain
Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day
Honor your father and your mother
You shall not kill
You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
You shall not bear false witness
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods
Abbreviated Protestant Ten Commandments
You shall have no other gods but me.
You shall not make unto you any graven images
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
You shall remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
Honor your mother and father
You shall not murder
You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
You shall not bear false witness
You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor
The Religious uses of Images in the Old and New Testament
In the Old Testament, we read how disaster came upon the chosen people of God because of their waywardness and they had to look at the bronze statue of the serpent to be healed, which shows that statues could be used ritually, not merely as religious decorations. Numbers 21:8–9 says, Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten will live when he looks at it.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it on the pole, and it happened that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. Catholics use statues, paintings, and other artistic devices to recall the person or thing depicted. Just as it helps remember one’s father or mother by looking at his or her photograph, so it helps to recall the example of the saints by looking at their pictures. Catholics also use statues as teaching tools. In the early Church, statues were especially useful for the instruction of the illiterate. Many Protestants have pictures and artistic works portraying Jesus as well as other Biblical characters in Sunday school for teaching children. Likewise, Catholics use statues to commemorate certain people and events, much as Protestant churches have three-dimensional nativity scenes at Christmas. Notice that if a person measured Protestants by the same rule, then by using these “graven” images they would equally be practicing the “idolatry” of which they accuse Catholics. But there is no idolatry going on in these situations. Note that God forbids the worship of images as gods, but He does not ban the making of images. In fact, it’s when people begin to adore a statue as a god that the Lord’s command is broken and He becomes angry. Inline with this, when the people did start to worship the bronze serpent as a snake-god (whom they named “Nehushtan”), the righteous king Hezekiah had it destroyed (2 Kings 18:4).
In the New Testament, Galatians 3:1 says, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.” Remember that to portray means to depict (represent someone or something by a drawing, painting, or other art form) in a work of art or literature. And here, Apostle Paul makes us understand that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified before the very eyes of the Galatians. Behold, the Galatians had seen an image of Christ crucified. They had seen a crucifix! The question we are asking ourselves now is that to know whether it was a live representation of Christ crucified, or was it a carved image – a graven image – of Christ crucified? We can’t really be sure about this, but one thing is for sure, they were looking at an image of Christ on the cross – a crucifix.
Sacred art is used to evangelize, catechize, and inspire. It’s also used to show reverence and honor for the Lord God and His Saints. When a Catholic kneels or bows in prayer before a statue, they are not worshiping it in any way whatsoever. They are simply using it as a person might use the picture of his family – to recall them, even pray for them, when he is not physically with them. As a matter of fact, he/she does not consider a picture of his/her children as being his/her actual children, but merely a reminder of them. And so it is with sacred art in any form. Such is used ultimately to raise our hearts and minds to God – to aid us in prayer. It’s important to understand that the Catholic Church strictly condemns the adoration (divine worship) of statues, images, or even the saints, since this is idolatry and in violation of the First Commandment. For Christians, a crucifix should not be considered merely as a statue of Jesus hanging on a cross, but as a reminder of the high cost of our salvation as well as His words to us: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).
Did God Prohibit Statues?
Biblically, the Lord God did not prohibit statues; He prohibited the adoration and worship of these statues (Exodus 20:2–5). Notice that if the Lord God truly meant that we were not to possess any statues at all, then He would later contradict Himself when He commanded Moses to build the ark of the Covenant-containing His Holy presence – venerated as the holiest place in all of Israel. The Lord God instructed Moses to make two Cherubim hammered of gold on the two ends of the mercy seat (Exodus 25:18–19). In Numbers 21:8–9, not only did the Lord God Almighty order Moses to make another statue in the form of a bronze serpent, He commanded the children of Israel to look to it in order to be healed. Behold, this statue of bronze snake had no power in and of itself. John 3:14 says, “Just as Moses lifted up the [bronze] serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross],” Although this act was merely a prototype of Christ, we still observe how the Lord God used this image of a snake as an instrument to effect healing in His people.
Similarly, in 1 Kings 6, Solomon built a Temple for the glory of the Lord God – in the inner sanctuary he made two Cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. He carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of Cherubim and palm trees, and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. He made doors of olive-wood for the entrance of the inner sanctuary. The two doors of olive-wood were covered with carvings of Cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers which he overlaid them with gold. In fact, King Solomon ordered the construction of multiple images of things both “in heaven above” (angels) and “in the earth beneath” (palm trees and open flowers). Behold, after completion of the Temple, the Lord God declared that He was pleased with its construction. 1 Kings 9:3 says, The LORD told him, “I have heard your prayer and supplication which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My Name and My Presence there forever. My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually.
Did God know what king Solomon had done? Yes and He approved of it by putting His Name and Presence (1 Kings 9:3). Notice how the Lord God made use of the “graven image” of a bronze serpent to heal the people. Also notice how He commanded Moses and Solomon to build an ark and a Temple with images. Brethren, ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible nature, His sovereignty, power, and deity has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. You cannot love God whom you do not see than through loving His creatures. 1 John 4:20 says, If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Romans 14:13 says, “Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.” Romans 14:19 says, “So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].” Romans 14:22 says, “The faith which you have [that gives you freedom of choice], have as your own conviction before God [just keep it between yourself and God, seeking His will]. Happy is he who has no reason to condemn himself for what he approves.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:14 says, “We [earnestly] urge you, believers, admonish those who are out of line [the undisciplined, the unruly, the disorderly], encourage the timid [who lack spiritual courage], help the [spiritually] weak, be very patient with everyone [always controlling your temper].” Hebrews 5:12 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers [because of the time you have had to learn these truths], you actually need someone to teach you again the elementary principles of God’s word [from the beginning], and you have come to be continually in need of milk, not solid food.“ 1 Corinthians 3:2 says, “I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Even now you are still not ready.”
What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues?
Exodus 20:3-6 – “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
1 John 5:21 – “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.“
Acts 4:12 – “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Colossians 3:5 – “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.“
Jonah 2:8 – “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.“
Isaiah 44:9-20 – “All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. …“
Group 1 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Psalm 135:15-18 – “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them!“
Leviticus 19:4 – “Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the Lord your God.”
1 Corinthians 10:14 – “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.“
Galatians 5:19-21 – “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.“
Psalm 16:4 – “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.“
Jeremiah 11:12 – “Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble.“
Exodus 20:1-8 – And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, …
Group 2 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
1 Corinthians 10:7 – Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”
Revelation 9:20 – “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk,“
1 Samuel 15:23 – “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
Galatians 4:8 – “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.“
Isaiah 45:20 – “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.“
Deuteronomy 12:32-13:18 – “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it. “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. …“
Group 3 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Romans 1:23 – “And exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.“
Deuteronomy 27:15 – “‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
Jeremiah 10:3-16 – “For the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. …“
Exodus 23:13 – “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.“
Jeremiah 7:18 – “The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. And they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.“
Judges 10:14 – “Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”
Psalm 115:1-18 – “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. …“
Group 4 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Hosea 11:2 – “The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.“
Isaiah 2:8 – “Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.“
Isaiah 46:7 – “They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble.“
Acts 17:29 – “Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.”
Revelation 2:14 – “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.“
1 Corinthians 6:9 – “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,“
Isaiah 44:17 – And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
Deuteronomy 7:25 – “The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.“
Micah 5:13 – “And I will cut off your carved images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands;“
Group 5 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Habakkuk 2:18 – “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!“
Isaiah 42:17 – They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, “You are our gods.”
1 Peter 4:3 – “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.“
Colossians 2:18 – “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,“
1 Corinthians 10:19 – “What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?“
Jeremiah 1:16 – “And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.“
Revelation 21:8 – “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Group 6 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Exodus 20:3 – “You shall have no other gods before me.“
Ephesians 5:5 – “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.“
Daniel 5:23 – “But you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.“
Deuteronomy 7:26 – “And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.“
Isaiah 2:20 – “In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,“
Amos 4:4 – “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days;“
Zephaniah 1:5 – “Those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom,”
Leviticus 26:1 – “You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.“
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Habakkuk 2:19 – “Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.“
Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.“
Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.“
Genesis 31:19 – “Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods.“
Exodus 32:6 – “And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.“
Acts 15:29 – “That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
1 Corinthians 12:2 – “You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.“
Isaiah 17:8 – “He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense.“
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Acts 17:16 – “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.”
Deuteronomy 8:19 – “And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.“
Hosea 1:2 – When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.”
Jeremiah 32:35 – “They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.“
Ezekiel 20:31 – “When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.“
Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Isaiah 57:6 – “Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things?“
Exodus 20:5 – “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,“
Jeremiah 13:9-27 – “Thus says the Lord: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen. “You shall speak to them this word: ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Every jar shall be filled with wine.”’ And they will say to you, ‘Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land: the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. …“
Group 10 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
1 Corinthians 5:11 – “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.“
1 Corinthians 10:1-33 – “For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. …“
Ezekiel 14:1-14 – “Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols. …“
Group 11 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Jeremiah 51:17 – “Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.“
Jeremiah 19:13 – “The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah—all the houses on whose roofs offerings have been offered to all the host of heaven, and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods—shall be defiled like the place of Topheth.’”
Acts 17:23 – “For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.“
Isaiah 46:6 – “Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship!“
Isaiah 65:3 – “A people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks;“
1 Kings 18:28 – “And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.“
1 Peter 4:4 – “With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;“
Group 12 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Zechariah 10:2 – “For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.“
1 Corinthians 10:20-22 – “No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?“
Micah 6:7 – “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
Revelation 17:1-6 – “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” …“
Group 13 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Psalm 115:4 – “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.“
Ezekiel 16:17 – “You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore.“
Jeremiah 8:19 – “Behold, the cry of the daughter of my people from the length and breadth of the land: “Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King not in her?” “Why have they provoked me to anger with their carved images and with their foreign idols?”
Acts 14:13-15:29 – “And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” …“
Group 14 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Isaiah 57:3-13 – “But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit, you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things? On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. …“
Jeremiah 44:17 – “But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster.“
Romans 1:1-32 – “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, …“
Group 15 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Exodus 34:14 – “(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),“
Psalm 106:38 – “They poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.“
Deuteronomy 5:9 – “You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,“
Ezekiel 8:1-9:11 – “In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there. Then I looked, and behold, a form that had the appearance of a man. Below what appeared to be his waist was fire, and above his waist was something like the appearance of brightness, like gleaming metal. He put out the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head, and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the valley. Then he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. …“
Group 16 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Jeremiah 16:20 – “Can man make for himself gods? Such are not gods!”
Revelation 2:20-22 – “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,“
2 Chronicles 28:23 – “For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.“
2 Kings 18:4 – “He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).“
Malachi 2:11-13 – “Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts! And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.“
Group 17 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Hosea 9:10 – “Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved.“
Jeremiah 8:2 – “And they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have gone after, and which they have sought and worshiped. And they shall not be gathered or buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground.“
Deuteronomy 7:1-26 – “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than yourselves, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. …“
Group 18 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols, Images, And Statues
Isaiah 2:6-22 – “For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. So man is humbled, and each one is brought low— do not forgive them! Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty. …“
Deuteronomy 16:10-17:20 – “Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your towns, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there. You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and you shall be careful to observe these statutes. “You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress. You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns. …“
What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols? “You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship]” (AMP, Exodus 20:4). “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (ESV, Exodus 20:4). “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:” (KJV, Exodus 20:4). First found in Exodus 20:4, the popular phrase “graven image” comes from the King James Version of the Bible in the first (for Catholics) and second (for some Protestants) of the Ten Commandments from the Lord God Almighty. It’s important to take note that the Hebrew word translated “graven image” means literally “an idol.” “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” (Hebrew: לֹא-תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל, וְכָל-תְּמוּנָה, romanized:Lōʾ-t̲aʿăśeh lək̲ā p̲esel, wək̲ol-təmûnāh) is an abbreviated form of one of the Ten Commandments that were spoken by the Lord God to His children, and then written on stone tablets by His Finger. Notice that through Jesus Christ, we are made children of God. John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,“
What is a graven image? In simple terms, a graven image is an image carved out of stone, wood, or metal. A graven image could be a statue of a person or an animal or a relief carving on a wall or pole. A molten image is melted metal poured into a cast. Functionally, there is no difference between a “graven” image (Deuteronomy 4:16) and a “molten” image (Exodus 34:17). When worshipped, both become signs of man’s waywardness. Abstract Asherah poles, carved wooden Ba’als covered in gold leaf, and etchings of gods accompanying Egyptian hieroglyphics all fall under graven images. Though it may not be the carved or manmade gods of stone, wood, or metal common in the Old Testament, Christians today must be careful not to make their jobs, wealth, families, money, reputations, businesses, or anything else the center of their affections. For there is only One Living God, worthy of all our adoration and worship.
What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols?
What The Scriptures Say About Worshiping Idols
The Bible clearly forbids the worship of idols and calls on everyone to worship only the One and True God, Almighty, and Sovereign (Exodus 20:4). Exodus 20:1-26 says, And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, … 1 Corinthians 10:14 says, “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” 1 John 5:21 says, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” Colossians 3:5 says, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.“ Isaiah 45:20 says, “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save.” Jonah 2:8 says, “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.“
Galatians 4:8 says, “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.“ Psalms 16:4 says, “Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.“ Leviticus 19:4 says, “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.“ Revelation 9:20 says, “The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.“ Galatians 5:19-21 says, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.“
Biblical Warning Against Idolatry
In Exodus 20:4-5, we get one of the commandments which reads, “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them.” Notice how this is similar to the commandment, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” and specifically forbids the creation of idols. Psalms 135:15-18 says, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”
Exodus 3:6 says, And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Exodus 3:14 says, God said to Moses, “ I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘ I AM has sent me to you.’” Nehemiah 9:6 says, “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.” With all these in mind, we should Worship God Alone.
Idolatry in a Pagan Religion
Generally, idolatry in a pagan religion starts with the acknowledgment of a power that controls natural forces. The presence of the force is then thought to indwell a place, like a mountain or a water body, or an object like a stone or a tree. The next thing is altering a naturally occurring environment or object, like a waterfall, a standing stone, a deliberately planted tree, or a carved Asherah pole, and calling on the force to indwell it. When the idolatrous culture has had time to contemplate the personality of the god, they then make corresponding physical images. That’s, they make statues or relief carvings in the form of things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth for worship. Places are set aside to commune with these false gods. For convenience’s sake, smaller items, thought to hold the communication line or power of the gods, are brought into homes and some are carried along on the go. And as such, those involved find themselves ensnared by the compulsion to give homage to a thing of their own definition instead of giving it to the Lord God Almighty, Creator of the Universe.
Do Catholics Worship Idols, Images, or Statues?
Catholics do not worship such, but rather use images and statues to learn, understand, explain, and/or portray the heavenly ministries. It’s important to understand that to portray means to depict (someone or something) in a work of art or literature. Early Christians had religious art. The church formerly confirmed the use of statues and other art as a means of veneration at the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 A.D. Behold, they clarified, approved, and encouraged the honoring of Our Lord, Our Lady, saints, and angels, through the proper use of statues. Notice that 787 was way before Protestantism came into existence. Those who claim that Catholics worship images are simply propagandists deceived by mere interpretations of Scripture. While we are not out to argue with them, we simply have an answer to explain to those who are sincere and willing to know. Titus 3:9 says, “But avoid foolish and ill-informed and stupid controversies and genealogies and dissensions and quarrels about the Law, for they are unprofitable and useless.“ 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.“
It’s without a doubt that images are part of the instruments for learning. Anybody and anything can be called an image depending on what one uses it for. This means that human beings, animals, plants, stones, carvings, and other things could be images. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Notice that the Bible, Church buildings, crucifixes, statues, and others are all images. In addition, man is created in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Also, Jesus is the image of the invisible God (John 14:9; John 1:14). Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Likewise, the Holy Spirit is the image of God (Genesis 1:2). Similarly, the Bible is an image through which we learn the Word of God. Notice that the Bible is not God in itself. And as such, the readers of the Bible do not worship it. They rather worship the Lord God who is revealed through the Scriptures. If this is logical, then you should understand that Catholics do not worship images which are merely pointing to hidden realities of their faith.
It’s important to understand that as a “Universal” Church, the Catholic Church employs different techniques to dispatch her message to all categories of people without discrimination: the learned and the unlearned, the rich and the poor, the blind and the lame, the deaf and the mute, as well as others. In doing this, she makes use of the Bible, the tradition, the teachings of her leaders, the images, signs, and symbols. Note that in all her techniques to transmit God’s message to everyone, she clearly knows, understands, and acknowledges the Lord God as the ultimate and only one to be worshiped (Exodus 20:2–5). In fact, the Catholic Church does not believe any statue or image has any power in and of itself. The beauty of icons and statues moves us to the contemplation of God’s Word as He is Himself or as He works in His saints.
Catholics make use of statues, paintings, and mosaics as a reminder of those who have gone before them. As saints, they point in the direction of Christ through the virtues of their lives. Remembering them reminds one of the virtues he/she should pursue. Notice that before the invention of photographs, man-made images were the only things that could be used as physical reminders of these people. In the same way, Jews used graven images in the manner the Lord God commanded them to, and those who followed God’s Law in the Old Testament understood that those religious images were not to be offered adoration and worship, Catholics do not worship statues today.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: 2113 Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. It remains a constant temptation to faith. Idolatry consists in divinizing what is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Many martyrs died for not adoring “the Beast” refusing even to simulate such worship. Idolatry rejects the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore incompatible with communion with God.
The Catholic Church during the Council of Trent (1545 – 1563) issued a clear statement concerning images and statues. According to the 25th session of this General Council: The images of Christ and of the Virgin Mother of God, and of the saints are to be had and retained particularly in churches, and due honor and veneration are to be given them; not that any divinity or virtue is believed to be in them on account of which they are to be worshipped, or that anything is to be asked of them, or that trust is to be reposed in images, as was of old by the Gentiles, who placed their hopes in idols; but because the honor which is shown them is referred to the prototypes which these images represent; so that we through the images which we kiss…or bend the knee, adore Christ and venerate the saints, whom they represent. [The Canons & Decrees of the Council of Trent (TAN Books, 1978) p. 215-6]
What About Catholics Bowing Before Images And Statues?
Many anti-Catholics cite Deuteronomy 5:9, where the Lord God said concerning idols, “You shall not bow down to them.” Since many Catholics sometimes bow or kneel in front of statues of Jesus and the saints, anti-Catholics confuse the legitimate veneration of a sacred image with the sin of idolatry. As Christians, it’s important for us to understand that though bowing can be used as a posture in worship, not all bowing is worship. In Japan, people show respect by bowing in greeting (the equivalent of the Western handshake). Similarly, a person can kneel before a king without necessarily worshiping him as a god. The Bible presents Abigail as a woman of great wisdom and beauty who in her wisdom and knowledge about the Lord God and His ways, bowed down before David with her face to the ground bringing to him divine counseling, preventing him from sinning, prophesying his kingship, and causing him to give praise to the name of the Lord God (1 Samuel 25). Pleased with her, and amazed by her wisdom, David later took her in as one of his wives (1 Samuel 25:39-43). The Bible also recounts how King Solomon, heir of King David, knelt before the altar of the Lord God with his hands spread up to heaven (1 Kings 8:54). Does this mean that Solomon was worshiping the altar or heaven? Absolutely not. In the same way, a Catholic who may kneel in front of a statue while praying isn’t worshiping the statue nor praying to it, any more than a Protestant who kneels with a Bible in his hands when praying is worshiping the Bible or praying to it.
However, the Catholic Church does not compel her members to kneel or pray before images since they have no ears to hear nor the power to help. The Church allows for the veneration of images as long as the honor is directed toward Christ and His Saints. Some Christians may object to the veneration of images of the saints since they believe that honor should be directed toward God alone and not toward Mary or the Saints. After all, 1 Timothy 1:17 says, “Now to the King of the ages [eternal], immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” Behold, this objection arises from a confusion between divine honor (adoration – supreme honor proper only for the Lord God Almighty) and respectful honor proper for men. In the Bible, the people of God bowed down before King David to show him honor (2 Samuel 24:20; 1 Chronicles 29:20; 21:21). Likewise, Obadiah in 1 Kings 18:7 fell prostrate before Elijah showing him reverence for being a prophet of the Lord God. In the Ten Commandments, we are told to honor our mother and father (Deuteronomy 5:16). Notice that even our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, defended and obeyed this commandment (Mark 7:9-13; Luke 2:51). The Catholic Church honors Mary in imitation of Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1). John 19:26-27 says, When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Are Catholics Omitting or Hiding the Second Commandment in Order to Worship or Promote the Worship of Images and Statues?
There are a lot of misleading writings portraying the Catholic Church as being behind the New World Order. These writings attempt to prove this claim by exposing the “marks of the beasts” (Revelation 17). One of the main charges frequently used is the alteration of God’s commandments. These writings claim that the Catholic Church dropped, omitted, or are hiding the “Second Commandment” which forbids “graven images.” Allegedly, the Catholic Church condones statue worship. However, are Catholics omitting or hiding the second commandment in order to worship or promote the worship of images and statues? Absolutely No. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: 2132 The Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, “the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype,” and “whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it.” The honor paid to sacred images is a “respectful veneration,” not the adoration due to God alone:
Religious worship is not directed to images in themselves, considered as mere things, but under their distinctive aspect as images leading us on to God incarnate. The movement toward the image does not terminate in it as image, but tends toward that whose image it is. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Sadly, some Protestants think that the Catholic Church “hides” the second commandment. This is because in Catholic Catechisms, the first commandment is often listed as “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3), and the second is listed as “You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain” (Exodus 20:7). From this, it is argued that Catholics have deleted the prohibition of idolatry to justify their use of religious statues. However, this is false. The truth is that Catholics simply group the commandments differently from most Protestants. In Exodus 20:2-17, from which the Ten (10) Commandments are derived, there are actually fourteen (14) imperative statements. To arrive at the Ten Commandments, some statements have to be grouped together, and there is more than one way of doing this. Since, in the ancient world, polytheism and idolatry were always unite – idolatry being the outward expression of polytheism – the historic Jewish numbering of the Ten Commandments have always grouped together the imperatives “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) and “You shall not make for yourself a graven image” (Exodus 20:4). The historic Catholic numbering follows the Jewish numbering on this point, as does the historic Lutheran numbering.
It is important to understand that Jews and Christians abbreviate the commandments so that they can be easily remembered using a summary, ten-point formula. For example, Jews, Catholics, and Protestants typically summarize the Sabbath commandment as, “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy,” though the commandment’s actual text takes four verses, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8–11).
Note that when the prohibition of idolatry or polytheism (the belief in or worship of more than one god) is summarized, Jews, Catholics, and Lutherans abbreviate it as “You shall have no other gods before me.” As a matter of fact, this is no attempt to “hide” the idolatry prohibition (notice that Jewish and Lutherans don’t even use statues of saints and angels). Brethren, don’t let yourself to be deceived as it is all about making the learning process of the Ten Commandments easier. So, where does the specific numbering controversy occur? Some Christians view the second commandment to be: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Deuteronomy 5:8-9). They then group the directives, “Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house… field… or anything that is your neighbor’s” (Deuteronomy 5:21), into one as the Tenth Commandment. On the other hand, Catholics consider the verses forbidding the making and worshiping of graven images to be part of the First Commandment: “I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.” In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the un-summarized First Commandment reads: “I am the LORD your God… You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything… in heaven… in the earth… or… in the water… you shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Exodus 20:2-5). With this in mind and unlike what some Protestants think, it’s clear that Catholics as well as the Jewish and Lutherans have not removed or omitted the “Second Commandment,” but have included the directives forbidding creating and worshiping graven images in the First Commandment, because they are naturally part of it: to worship the Lord God Almighty alone, and nothing else anywhere. Catholics then consider the Ninth Commandment as, “you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife”, and the Tenth as “you shall not desire your neighbor’s house… field… or anything that is your neighbor’s”, recognizing the dignity of a person’s spouse and not grouping them with a person’s general possessions. This clearly distinguishes the desire (lust) to commit adultery from the desire (greed) to steal. This division scheme was advocated by St. Augustine in his writings on Exodus.
But what about the numbering of the Ten Commandments? Behold, the Bible clearly states that the Lord God gave Moses several directives under the form of Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 4:13), but does not group or number them specifically (and they can be eventually grouped into ten groups in more than one reasonable way). Consequently, while the Catholic Church has clearly defined all the teachings contained in the Ten Commandments, it has not dogmatically defined how they are to be organized/numbered. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “The division and numbering of the Commandments have varied in the course of history. The present catechism follows the division of the Commandments established by Augustine, which has become traditional in the Catholic Church. It is also that of the Lutheran confession. The Greek Fathers worked out a slightly different division, which is found in the Orthodox Churches and Reformed communities” (CCC 2066). The present Catechism follows the numbering proposed by St. Augustine – which was also the numbering adopted by Martin Luther, best known as the seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation and the namesake of Lutheranism. Sadly, many Protestants are unware of this interesting detail about Martin Luther who stands in history as a leader and father of the Protestant Reformation.
Ten (10) Commandments (Exodus 20)
Abbreviated Catholic Ten Commandments
I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain
Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day
Honor your father and your mother
You shall not kill
You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
You shall not bear false witness
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods
Abbreviated Protestant Ten Commandments
You shall have no other gods but me.
You shall not make unto you any graven images
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
You shall remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
Honor your mother and father
You shall not murder
You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
You shall not bear false witness
You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor
The Religious uses of Images in the Old and New Testament
In the Old Testament, we read how disaster came upon the chosen people of God because of their waywardness and they had to look at the bronze statue of the serpent to be healed, which shows that statues could be used ritually, not merely as religious decorations. Numbers 21:8–9 says, Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten will live when he looks at it.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it on the pole, and it happened that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. Catholics use statues, paintings, and other artistic devices to recall the person or thing depicted. Just as it helps remember one’s father or mother by looking at his or her photograph, so it helps to recall the example of the saints by looking at their pictures. Catholics also use statues as teaching tools. In the early Church, statues were especially useful for the instruction of the illiterate. Many Protestants have pictures and artistic works portraying Jesus as well as other Biblical characters in Sunday school for teaching children. Likewise, Catholics use statues to commemorate certain people and events, much as Protestant churches have three-dimensional nativity scenes at Christmas. Notice that if a person measured Protestants by the same rule, then by using these “graven” images they would equally be practicing the “idolatry” of which they accuse Catholics. But there is no idolatry going on in these situations. Note that God forbids the worship of images as gods, but He does not ban the making of images. In fact, it’s when people begin to adore a statue as a god that the Lord’s command is broken and He becomes angry. Inline with this, when the people did start to worship the bronze serpent as a snake-god (whom they named “Nehushtan”), the righteous king Hezekiah had it destroyed (2 Kings 18:4).
In the New Testament, Galatians 3:1 says, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.” Remember that to portray means to depict (represent someone or something by a drawing, painting, or other art form) in a work of art or literature. And here, Apostle Paul makes us understand that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified before the very eyes of the Galatians. Behold, the Galatians had seen an image of Christ crucified. They had seen a crucifix! The question we are asking ourselves now is that to know whether it was a live representation of Christ crucified, or was it a carved image – a graven image – of Christ crucified? We can’t really be sure about this, but one thing is for sure, they were looking at an image of Christ on the cross – a crucifix.
Sacred art is used to evangelize, catechize, and inspire. It’s also used to show reverence and honor for the Lord God and His Saints. When a Catholic kneels or bows in prayer before a statue, they are not worshiping it in any way whatsoever. They are simply using it as a person might use the picture of his family – to recall them, even pray for them, when he is not physically with them. As a matter of fact, he/she does not consider a picture of his/her children as being his/her actual children, but merely a reminder of them. And so it is with sacred art in any form. Such is used ultimately to raise our hearts and minds to God – to aid us in prayer. It’s important to understand that the Catholic Church strictly condemns the adoration (divine worship) of statues, images, or even the saints, since this is idolatry and in violation of the First Commandment. For Christians, a crucifix should not be considered merely as a statue of Jesus hanging on a cross, but as a reminder of the high cost of our salvation as well as His words to us: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).
Did God Prohibit Statues?
Biblically, the Lord God did not prohibit statues; He prohibited the adoration and worship of these statues (Exodus 20:2–5). Notice that if the Lord God truly meant that we were not to possess any statues at all, then He would later contradict Himself when He commanded Moses to build the ark of the Covenant-containing His Holy presence – venerated as the holiest place in all of Israel. The Lord God instructed Moses to make two Cherubim hammered of gold on the two ends of the mercy seat (Exodus 25:18–19). In Numbers 21:8–9, not only did the Lord God Almighty order Moses to make another statue in the form of a bronze serpent, He commanded the children of Israel to look to it in order to be healed. Behold, this statue of bronze snake had no power in and of itself. John 3:14 says, “Just as Moses lifted up the [bronze] serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross],” Although this act was merely a prototype of Christ, we still observe how the Lord God used this image of a snake as an instrument to effect healing in His people.
Similarly, in 1 Kings 6, Solomon built a Temple for the glory of the Lord God – in the inner sanctuary he made two Cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. He carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of Cherubim and palm trees, and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. He made doors of olive-wood for the entrance of the inner sanctuary. The two doors of olive-wood were covered with carvings of Cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers which he overlaid them with gold. In fact, King Solomon ordered the construction of multiple images of things both “in heaven above” (angels) and “in the earth beneath” (palm trees and open flowers). Behold, after completion of the Temple, the Lord God declared that He was pleased with its construction. 1 Kings 9:3 says, The LORD told him, “I have heard your prayer and supplication which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My Name and My Presence there forever. My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually.
Did God know what king Solomon had done? Yes and He approved of it by putting His Name and Presence (1 Kings 9:3). Notice how the Lord God made use of the “graven image” of a bronze serpent to heal the people. Also notice how He commanded Moses and Solomon to build an ark and a Temple with images. Brethren, ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible nature, His sovereignty, power, and deity has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. You cannot love God whom you do not see than through loving His creatures. 1 John 4:20 says, If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.
Romans 14:13 says, “Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.” Romans 14:19 says, “So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].” Romans 14:22 says, “The faith which you have [that gives you freedom of choice], have as your own conviction before God [just keep it between yourself and God, seeking His will]. Happy is he who has no reason to condemn himself for what he approves.“ 1 Thessalonians 5:14 says, “We [earnestly] urge you, believers, admonish those who are out of line [the undisciplined, the unruly, the disorderly], encourage the timid [who lack spiritual courage], help the [spiritually] weak, be very patient with everyone [always controlling your temper].” Hebrews 5:12 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers [because of the time you have had to learn these truths], you actually need someone to teach you again the elementary principles of God’s word [from the beginning], and you have come to be continually in need of milk, not solid food.“ 1 Corinthians 3:2 says, “I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Even now you are still not ready.”
What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols?
Exodus 20:3-6 – “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
1 John 5:21 – “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.“
Acts 4:12 – “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Colossians 3:5 – “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.“
Jonah 2:8 – “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.“
Isaiah 44:9-20 – “All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. …“
Group 1 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Psalm 16:4 – “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.“
Jeremiah 11:12 – “Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble.“
Exodus 20:1-8 – And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, …
Psalm 135:15-18 – “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them!“
Leviticus 19:4 – “Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the Lord your God.”
1 Corinthians 10:14 – “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.“
Galatians 5:19-21 – “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.“
Group 2 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Galatians 4:8 – “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.“
Isaiah 45:20 – “Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save.“
Deuteronomy 12:32-13:18 – “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it. “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. …“
1 Corinthians 10:7 – Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”
Revelation 9:20 – “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk,“
1 Samuel 15:23 – “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
Group 3 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Romans 1:23 – “And exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.“
Deuteronomy 27:15 – “‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
Jeremiah 10:3-16 – “For the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. …“
Exodus 23:13 – “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.“
Jeremiah 7:18 – “The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. And they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.“
Judges 10:14 – “Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”
Psalm 115:1-18 – “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. …“
Group 4 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
1 Corinthians 6:9 – “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,“
Isaiah 44:17 – And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
Deuteronomy 7:25 – “The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.“
Micah 5:13 – “And I will cut off your carved images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands;“
Hosea 11:2 – “The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.“
Isaiah 2:8 – “Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.“
Isaiah 46:7 – “They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble.“
Acts 17:29 – “Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.”
Revelation 2:14 – “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.“
Group 5 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Habakkuk 2:18 – “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!“
Isaiah 42:17 – They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, “You are our gods.”
1 Peter 4:3 – “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.“
Colossians 2:18 – “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,“
1 Corinthians 10:19 – “What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?“
Jeremiah 1:16 – “And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.“
Revelation 21:8 – “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Group 6 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Deuteronomy 7:26 – “And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.“
Isaiah 2:20 – “In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,“
Amos 4:4 – “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days;“
Zephaniah 1:5 – “Those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom,”
Leviticus 26:1 – “You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.“
Exodus 20:3 – “You shall have no other gods before me.“
Ephesians 5:5 – “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.“
Daniel 5:23 – “But you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.“
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Habakkuk 2:19 – “Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.“
Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.“
Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.“
Genesis 31:19 – “Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods.“
Exodus 32:6 – “And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.“
Acts 15:29 – “That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
1 Corinthians 12:2 – “You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.“
Isaiah 17:8 – “He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense.“
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Acts 17:16 – “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.”
Deuteronomy 8:19 – “And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.“
Hosea 1:2 – When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.”
Jeremiah 32:35 – “They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.“
Ezekiel 20:31 – “When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.“
Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Isaiah 57:6 – “Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things?“
Exodus 20:5 – “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,“
Jeremiah 13:9-27 – “Thus says the Lord: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen. “You shall speak to them this word: ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Every jar shall be filled with wine.”’ And they will say to you, ‘Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land: the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. …“
Group 10 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
1 Corinthians 5:11 – “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.“
1 Corinthians 10:1-33 – “For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. …“
Ezekiel 14:1-14 – “Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols. …“
Group 11 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Isaiah 46:6 – “Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship!“
Isaiah 65:3 – “A people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks;“
1 Kings 18:28 – “And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.“
1 Peter 4:4 – “With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;“
Jeremiah 51:17 – “Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.“
Jeremiah 19:13 – “The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah—all the houses on whose roofs offerings have been offered to all the host of heaven, and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods—shall be defiled like the place of Topheth.’”
Acts 17:23 – “For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.“
Group 12 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Zechariah 10:2 – “For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.“
1 Corinthians 10:20-22 – “No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?“
Micah 6:7 – “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
Revelation 17:1-6 – “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” …“
Group 13 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Psalm 115:4 – “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.“
Ezekiel 16:17 – “You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore.“
Jeremiah 8:19 – “Behold, the cry of the daughter of my people from the length and breadth of the land: “Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King not in her?” “Why have they provoked me to anger with their carved images and with their foreign idols?”
Acts 14:13-15:29 – “And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” …“
Group 14 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Jeremiah 44:17 – “But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster.“
Romans 1:1-32 – “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, …“
Isaiah 57:3-13 – “But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit, you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things? On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. …“
Group 15 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Exodus 34:14 – “(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),“
Psalm 106:38 – “They poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.“
Deuteronomy 5:9 – “You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,“
Ezekiel 8:1-9:11 – “In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there. Then I looked, and behold, a form that had the appearance of a man. Below what appeared to be his waist was fire, and above his waist was something like the appearance of brightness, like gleaming metal. He put out the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head, and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the valley. Then he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted up my eyes toward the north, and behold, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. …“
Group 16 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
2 Kings 18:4 – “He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).“
Malachi 2:11-13 – “Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts! And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.“
Jeremiah 16:20 – “Can man make for himself gods? Such are not gods!”
Revelation 2:20-22 – “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,“
2 Chronicles 28:23 – “For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.“
Group 17 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Hosea 9:10 – “Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved.“
Jeremiah 8:2 – “And they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have gone after, and which they have sought and worshiped. And they shall not be gathered or buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground.“
Deuteronomy 7:1-26 – “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than yourselves, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. …“
Group 18 – What Does The Bible Say About Worshiping Idols
Deuteronomy 16:10-17:20 – “Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your towns, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are among you, at the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there. You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; and you shall be careful to observe these statutes. “You shall keep the Feast of Booths seven days, when you have gathered in the produce from your threshing floor and your winepress. You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns. …“
Isaiah 2:6-22 – “For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. So man is humbled, and each one is brought low— do not forgive them! Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty. …“
What Does It Mean To Be Called By God? When reading the Bible, we frequently hear of people being called by the Lord God Almighty for a specific ministry or service. There are many examples of people being called by the Lord God in the Bible for His service. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Ezekiel, and many others were called by the Lord God Almighty to be His Prophets. Likewise, Paul was called by the Lord God: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:1). Likewise, the Old Testament priests were called by the Lord God to their special work (Hebrews 5:4; cf. Exodus 28:1). To be called by the Lord God Almighty is to be chosen by Him for certain purposes. When a person is aware of God’s calling in his/her life and surrenders to it, he/she starts living out the Lord God’s purpose for his/her life.
2 Chronicles 29:11 says, “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” Isaiah 49:1 says, “Listen to Me, O islands and coastlands, And pay attention, you peoples from far away. The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He has named Me.” Jeremiah 1:4-5 says, Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Galatians 1:14-18 says, “And [you have heard how] I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in [my advanced study of the laws of] Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had chosen me and set me apart before I was born, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles [as the good news—the way of salvation], I did not immediately consult with anyone [for guidance regarding God’s call and His revelation to me]. Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia and stayed awhile, and afterward returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I did go up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and I stayed with him fifteen days.“ 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:“ Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ“ John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” Matthew 20:25-28 says, But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.”
What Does It Mean To Be Called By God?
The Lord God Almighty called the entire nation of Israel to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Likewise, the church, redeemed by the blood of the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, is called: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). The Lord God’s calling of Israel was to showcase His salvation to the pagan world. Sadly, Israel rejected that call by following idols and as a result never flourished in the way the Lord God wanted to prosper them. Nevertheless, the Lord God’s call today is to all those redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ to showcase to the world God’s love, mercy, grace, and salvation (Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 5:16). The Lord God is actively involved with His Universe than many people actually think. The Lord God is sovereign over the Universe and all creation as confirmed by Isaiah 46:9–11. Although the Lord God created humankind to be freewill beings and as such possess the freedom to make choices, His choices have already been made (Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:10–18). Likewise, Romans 11:29 says, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
John 3:16 says, “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Behold, we are called by the Lord God to Salvation. In the New Testament, the Greek word ekklesia translated “church” means “a called-out assembly,” or “the called out ones.” God’s call to salvation involves conforming us “to the image of his Son.” Both His election and call to salvation are part of an eternal plan for us that guarantees our inheritance in heaven: “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:29–30). After salvation, we are further called to grow in Christian virtue and serve the Lord God by good works. As a matter of fact, it is this maturation process in the Christian faith that confirms our calling by the Lord God (2 Peter 1:5–10). The Lord God has provided us with Spiritual Gifts to aid us in our call to service in His vineyard. The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts as He sees fit and then calls us into a field of service that makes use of those gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1–11).
Biblical Facts About Being Called By God
Behold, each and every Christian has a calling in his/her life. In fact, we were designed before the foundation of the world to be His workmanship, glorifying Him as we bring forth the fruit He desires. Ephesians 1:4-5 says, “just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—“ Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].“
Generally, the Lord God’s call to service usually begins with a burden for a particular need that relates to His kingdom. Some are called to the political arena where they can contribute to ending things like child abuse, and human trafficking, as well as contributing to the well-being of society in one way or the other for the glory of God. Others are called to be Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, Worship leaders, Bible translators, or to a host of other avenues that honor and glorify the Lord God (Matthew 23:34; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31; Ephesians 4:11). In this way, each one makes use of the gifts the Spirit has given to bring honor and glory to God’s name. We discover our call to a specific area of service by walking closely with the Lord God, loving Him, obeying Him, and offering ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1–2; Colossians 1:10). With time, we’ll grow spiritually and develop sensitivity to the voice of the Lord God. He can confirm His call in any way of His choice. Most of the time, confirmation can come through Scripture, godly counsel, fruitful results, natural gifting, and/or a sense of “rightness” that does not conflict with any of the other Scriptural confirmations.
Responding To God’s Call
When the Lord God calls us, He leads us into an awareness of the call. When we accept His calling on our lives, He prepares and equips us to be successful in His service. In the field, our callings are manifested through the works we are able to accomplish by the strength and gifts that God prepared and equipped us with. For example, a person may begin to have a burden for a particular foreign nation and its people regarding their salvation and spiritual well-being. The burden was placed there by the Lord God as part of His calling. The person makes further research about that nation and enrolls in a missions-focused school as his/her way to prepare for the work ahead. Once on the mission field, he/she is willing to suffer hardships and separation from family and friends because the call of God is his/her greatest motivation and focus. Apostle Paul wrote, “I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Notice that God’s call on Apostle Paul’s life became his motivating force. Acts 9:15–16 says, But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.”
In answering God’s call, we must obey His instructions in Scripture. By being faithful to the call of obedience, the Lord God can call us to more specific areas as well as increase our responsibility in his vineyard. Luke 16:10 says, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little thing is also dishonest in much.“ Matthew 25:21 says, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’“ Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 12:1-29 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. …“
Resisting/Refusing to Accept/Surrender to God’s Call
The Bible tells us that Jonah was called by the Lord God but refused to surrender to the call; rather, he ran the other way (Jonah 1:1–3). In spite of that, the Lord God pursued His disobedient servant until Jonah submitted himself to the call. With clear knowledge and understanding of Jonah’s disobedience beforehand, the Lord God had already prepared a big fish to swallow him and spit him out when he was humbled enough to repent (Jonah 1:17—2:1). When Jonah was back on dry land, the word of the Lord came to him for a second time, giving him another chance to obey. Jonah 3:1-3 says, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.”
It’s without a doubt that the Lord God Almighty could have rescued the Israelites from captivity in Egypt without Moses’ help. But He chose to do it through Moses (Matthew 19:26). Appearing to Moses at the burning bush, the Lord God said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt … and I have come down to rescue them” (Exodus 3:7-8). Surprisingly, the Lord God said, “Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Notice that the Lord God had a plan to deliver His people; His plan was Moses. However, in response to God’s call, Moses immediately began making excuses. From the Bible, we can deduce 4 different excuses made by Moses in an attempt not to accept or surrender to God’s call on his life:
1) I am not Adequate for the Task (Lack of Confidence) – Exodus 3:11-12
Exodus 3:11-12 says, “But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” And God said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve and worship God at this mountain.” “Who am I,” Moses asked. In fact, he felt inadequate, and he was eventually right to feel that way. By himself, he was inadequate, just as each and every one of us is. Amazingly, the Lord God in reply said to Moses, “certainly I will be with you.” Notice that the deliverance of the Israelites who were held captive in Egypt didn’t depend on the ability of Moses but on the presence, mightiness, power, sovereignty, strength, and sufficiency of the Lord God. From this Scripture, it’s clear that when the Lord God calls people to serve His purpose, He always provides
Fascinatingly, in Exodus 3:11-12, no longer is Moses the bold, strong 40 years old man in Egypt, who could singlehandedly kill an Egyptian slave master and successfully flee away from the Egyptian army unhurt. It seems the last 40 years in the wilderness did erase his confidence. From a prince to a pauper, it’s clear that Moses suffered a serious demotion from royalty to one of Egypt’s most-wanted assassins who was on the run. This probably explains why after all these years of tending sheep in the desert with no prospects of any change on the horizon, Moses had a serious sense of personal inferiority. But what Moses failed to know was that the Lord God had His eyes on him all the time. Behold, the Lord God had chosen him to accomplish a task greater than anything he could have imagined. As a matter of fact, the last 40 years of tending sheep weren’t wasted. Rather, they had taught Moses a lot about leadership, for sheep are renowned for: 1) Wandering away, completely unaware of dangers that may lurk ahead of them. 2) Their crowd mentality, mob mentality, herd mentality, or pack mentality. 3) Their complete dependence on the shepherd to guard and provide for them.
Behold, if Moses could lead sheep, then he could certainly lead people. Moses had gained field experience in leading the sheep around the Median desert, leading them in finding food and water, and protecting them from wild animals. And as such, we think that Moses was best placed to lead the Israelites out of captivity and into the promised land. Although his objection sounds like an expression of deep humility, it’s not really about humility but lack of confidence, not lack of confidence in self but lack of confidence in the Lord God who called him. Given that the Lord God had seemingly abandoned Moses just when he was intervening to use his strength and position to ameliorate the plight of the Israelites who were held captive in Egypt, could he still trust Him for the future especially as it involved Pharaoh? (Exodus 2:11-22). Absolutely yes, Moses could trust the Lord God for the future and just everything that he needed. God’s reply, “I will be with you” was all that Moses needed. The expression “be with you” indicates intimacy, protection, guidance, provision, and comfort. In other words, everything that Moses would need, the Lord God would provide. Notice that this expression of encouragement in Exodus 3:12a was the same expression of encouragement that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples just before He ascended back to heaven and before they would face tremendous tests of their newfound faith: “Remember,I amwith you always,to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
2) I don’t Know Enough (A Lack of Knowledge of God) – Exodus 3:13-22
Exodus 3:13-14 says, Then Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers (ancestors) has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am”; and He said, “You shall say this to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” Here, we see that Moses was worried about what to say should in case the Israelites challenge his authority and integrity by testing his personal knowledge of God. In fact, Moses was afraid the Israelites might ask him a question he couldn’t answer. Notice that he had to know the correct answer or else his authority would be in doubt. And knowing who he had been and what he had done, the Israelites were more likely to challenge him. Given his track record, they were likely to be suspicious of him.
Behold, if Moses didn’t answer correctly their hypothetical question as to God’s identity, they certainly would not welcome him, talk less of following him. The Lord God replied to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” And behold, whenever we say, “I don’t know enough,” “I’m not smart enough,” I’m not capable,” the Lord God Almighty says, but “I AM.” With this in mind, we should always trust Him because He is loving, worthy, faithful, and never fails.
3) People won’t take me Serious (Lack of Credibility with the People) – Exodus 4:1-9
Exodus 4:1 says, Then Moses answered [the Lord] and said, “What if they will not believe me or take seriously what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” The Lord God had already promised Moses, “They will listen to what you say” (Exodus 3:18). Still, Moses protested. Notice that now it’s not a matter of the Israelites questioning who had sent him, but whether they would believe him and obey him. Now it’s more of a matter of personal credibility. Well, Moses certainly had cause to wonder if they would believe him. Remember, his track record wasn’t that great. Indeed, he had earlier attempted to protect the Hebrew slave who was being mistreated by the slave master, but then he had disappeared for up to 40 years. The people were likely to question his whereabouts for all these years, who he had become, and whether or not he would abandon them again.
Amazingly, the Lord God graciously gives him three miraculous signs by which he could prove his credibility and convince the Israelites that he had been sent to them by I Am, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. First, his miraculous rod – when he threw it to the ground, it became a serpent and when he took hold of it again it became a rod again (Exodus 4:2-5). Second, his hand – when he put it into his cloak, it became leprous and when he put it into his cloak again it was immediately restored to perfect health (Exodus 4:6-7). Third, water from the river Nile – when Moses poured it on dry land it would become blood (Exodus 4:9).
4) A Lack of Oral Ability – Exodus 4:10-12
Exodus 4:10-12 says, Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words (eloquent, fluent), neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, or the seeing or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and will teach you what you shall say.” Behold, public speaking happens to be a problem for many people. In fact, it’s a daunting task for many people. Moses found himself in a situation whereby he was called by the Lord God to speak to a multitude as vast as the Israelites and to the pharaoh, the very man who wanted to kill him and from whom he had fled many years ago for his life. Again, the Lord God graciously provides comfort and assurance to Moses. Surely, the Creator Himself is able to empower us to speak for Him and to give us the right words to speak at the right time (Luke 12:12).
I am not willing – Exodus 4:13-17
Exodus 4:13-17 says, But he said, “Please my Lord, send the message [of rescue to Israel] by [someone else,] whomever else You will [choose].” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled and burned against Moses; He said, “Is there not your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. Also, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be overjoyed. You must speak to him and put the words in his mouth; I, even I, will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; he will act as a mouthpiece for you, and you will be as God to him [telling him what I say to you]. You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs [the miracles which prove I sent you].”
“Please, Lord, Send someone else,” Moses said (Exodus 4:13). Indeed, Moses said this despite God’s grace, patience, and provision for his weakness and fears. Behold, this was not an excuse/objection, but it reveals the real issue. Notice that for every excuse/objection Moses had made, the Lord God offered His promise and provision. Upon running out of excuses/objections, Moses revealed what the real issue was: I am not willing or I don’t want to do this or get someone to do it. As a matter of fact, this is usually the real issue; we are simply not willing to step out in faith and obey God’s call and instructions for us. Sadly, there are many other excuses that we make when the Lord God calls us. One might say, “I’m too old” (Moses was 80 years old) or another might say, like Jeremiah, “I am only a youth” (Jeremiah 1:7). In reality, whatever the excuse, it often boils down to lack of trust and an unwillingness to obey the Lord God Almighty.
Can I Reject God’s Calling to be a Minister or His Servant?
If I refuse God’s calling to be a minister or His servant, will I be punished? What are the consequences of refusing God’s calling? Can I reject God’s call on my life and go free? From the previously presented cases of Moses and Jonah, we can draw some very important Biblical conclusions about resisting/rejecting God’s call. But before that, let’s get some Scriptural facts about this topic: Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.” Romans 14:12 says, “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.“ 1 Peter 4:5 says, “But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” Revelation 20:12 says, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” Matthew 12:36-37 says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Luke 12:47-48 says, “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.“
From the Biblical examples of Moses and Jonah, we learn that when the Lord God calls us to be His servants or to minister for Him, it is wisest to obey. Moses refused to be God’s minister in the desert and as a result, God took part of his ministry away and gave it to someone else. Later in Numbers 20, we are told that Moses sinned and as a result, the Lord God did not let him go into the Promised Land. The Lord God gave his ministry to Joshua. With this in mind, it’s clear that the Lord God does not ultimately need you for the accomplishment of His purpose. If you refuse or get involved in sin, the Lord God can possibly give part or all of your ministry to someone else. In the Bible, we see an example of blatant and defiant refusal from Jonah. Jonah was a reluctant prophet who did not enjoy the ministry that the Lord God gave him. Although his ministry was phenomenally successful, he missed the joy of ministry because he refused. Still, notice that the Lord God once again did not let Jonah say no.
Following the calling of Moses and Jonah, is it possible to successfully refuse or reject God’s calling on your life? No. Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].” The message of the Scripture is that if the Lord God is calling you to minister for Him, He will not let you say no. He will pursue you until you say “yes.” The question now is, what ministry will you receive and how will you operate it? Scripturally, the Lord God can give part of the ministry that you could have had to someone else. In addition, you may not enjoy the ministry that you end up with, but then at least you are obedient, like Jonah.
Sadly, many people these days are battling in an attempt to refuse or reject God’s call on their lives. As a matter of fact, doing this is fighting a losing battle. Deep down in your heart, you know without a doubt that the Lord God is calling you into His service but you just can’t imagine yourself becoming a minister or His servant. The Lord God has revealed Himself and His calling on your life in different ways. He has confirmed His calling on your life through the Scriptures, godly counsel, spiritual leaders, dreams, visions, fruitful results, natural gifting, and/or a sense of “rightness” that does not conflict with any of the other Scriptural confirmations. Perhaps, you’ve even stopped attending church in an attempt to get your mind off the things of God, but He keeps reminding you of His calling on your life. Jeremiah 20:9 says, “But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!” Yet, you still keep trying to reject His calling. Trying to reject God’s call on your life as Jonah did is something that will put you in a more or less situation like that of Jonah whereby nothing in your life is moving as planned and on your own, you’ll be moving on towards distress, trouble, disaster and destruction as was the case with Jonah. Repent as Jonah did (Jonah 2), trust and serve the Lord God, “For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
The Secret to answer God’s call for your life – 2 Chronicles 30:8
2 Chronicles 30:8 says, “Now do not stiffen your neck [becoming obstinate] like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and come to His sanctuary which He has sanctified and set apart forever, and serve the LORD your God, so that His burning anger will turn away from you.” When it comes to hearing and answering God’s call for your life, 2 Chronicles 30:8 is the scripture to embrace. It presents a powerful three-step principle on how to be used by God. This three-step principle remains the secret or answer to the question of how you prepare yourself to be used by God Almighty. This three-step principle can be presented with the following three words: Yield, Enter, and Serve. Likewise, Jesus Christ said in Luke 9:23, “Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” By doing these things, you’ll make yourself receptive to God’s call as well as ready to be used by God anywhere and at any time depending on His will. It’s our prayer that after examining these secrets to answer God’s call on your life, you’ll be equipped with what it takes to be successful in doing God’s work thereby winning more souls into His Kingdom.
1. Completely Yield Yourself to God’s Will
Webster’s definition of yielding reads: 1) to give up possession of on claim or demand: such as a: to surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another: hand over possession of b: to give (oneself) up to an inclination, temptation, or habit c: to relinquish one’s possession of (something, such as a position of advantage or point of superiority) yield precedence d: to surrender or submit (oneself) to another e: to give up (one’s breath, life, or spirit) and so die 2) to be fruitful or productive. Below are characteristics of genuine yielding:
Yielding is fully letting God have His way in your life.
Genuine yielding prioritizes God’s will over your will.
It has to do with completely surrendering yourself to God.
True yielding acknowledges the confession; Not MY will but THY will be done in my life.
Through yielding, we become profitable to God’s kingdom.
Consecration and Sanctification are the two words used in the Bible for yielding.
Yielding is setting aside yourself for the sole purpose of God’s use.
By yielding ourselves, we are made available for God to use according to His will.
Our availability for God’s use depends on how much we give Him.
Hence, anyone who gives just a little of themselves to God will be used in a small way but anyone who gives much of themselves and their time to God will be used mightily in ways beyond human understanding.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“ Luke 9:23 says, And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Galatians 5:24 says, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.“ John 12:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.“ 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.“ Matthew 10:38 says, “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Romans 6:11 says, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
2. Enter into God’s Sanctuary
Entering into God’s sanctuary is an important Christian exercise that we can’t afford to omit in answering the question “how do I prepare myself to be used by God?” This is to say that if you are serious about answering God’s call in your life, you’ll need to build a deep relationship or establish a covenant with Him. It is the process of establishing a faithful relationship with God that we refer to as entering His sanctuary. Entering God’s sanctuary is not necessarily going to a Christian assembly which we’ve come to refer to as a Church. It is more of getting into your secret place, where you regularly talk with God in all quietness. Referring to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Mark 6:46 says, “And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray.” Likewise, Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
God’s sanctuary can as well be perceived as your heart, a place where His Spirit dwells. This is a call for you to treasure your heart as you strive hard to always keep it clean so that God’s spirit won’t be grieved. You do this by paying attention to what proceeds forth from your heart thereby making sure that it is in line with the will of God. In the same light, you should pay attention and align your thoughts, words, and actions according to the will of God. Remember to fill your heart with the Love of God and that of your neighbor. By so doing, you’ll reflect the loving nature of God Almighty thereby gaining mercy and favor on His side. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” 1 Samuel 16:7 says, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Acts 15:9 says, “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.“ Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.“ Matthew 15:11 says, “It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.” Below are some of the spiritual exercises that will grow your relationship with God and maintain you in His sanctuary:
a. Praying without ceasing
As Christians, we are called to pray at all times and pray without ceasing. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, started with prayers and ended with prayers. It is without a doubt that a prayerful life was the key to achieving success in the Divine Mission which was attributed to Him by God the Father. It is in the light of following His footsteps that we ought to pray at all times and pray without ceasing. If you expect God to use you, you must value the aspect of regularly communicating with Him. It is through a prayerful life that you will identify what God wants you to do. Prayer is a two-sided communication line – that is, as you speak to God, He is also speaking to you. Hence, you should learn to listen and hear from God because He is always saying something.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing,“ Mark 6:46 says, “And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray.” Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” John 15:7 says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.“ Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Matthew 6:7 says, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.“ James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Luke 11:9 says, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,“ Matthew 6:9-13 says, Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
b. Regularly reading and meditating on your Bible
The Bible is an authoritative means through which God speaks, teaches, and confirms His Holy Will to mankind. It is one of the greatest means of communication with God. The Bible teaches us about the great things which God has done, those that He is still doing, and those that He will do in times to come. God’s word is to our spirit what food is to our body. Failure to hear God’s word is likely to lead to what we refer to as spiritual starvation. By daily and regularly studying God’s word, you are equipped with what it takes to do His will as well as minister it to others.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.“ Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.“ Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.“ Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.“ John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.“ Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Hebrews 4:12-14 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Matthew 4:4 says, But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?“ Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.“ Psalm 19:7-11 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.“ Proverbs 4:20-23 says, “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.“ Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.“ James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Matthew 7:24 says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.“
c. Thanksgiving to God at all times
It is our Christian duty to be thankful to God at all times and in all circumstances. That is, we are to thank God for everything that comes our way – whether good or bad. We do this because God is always in control; nothing happens without His knowledge. Hence, we can say without a doubt that God is aware of all things that are happening to us. In short, He is in total control of all things that come our way. That’s why we should not dwell our hearts on worries. Always remember that God is working and turning all things for the good of His children. Let’s support this message by reading from Jeremiah 29:11 – “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!“ Psalm 7:17 says, “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,“ Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Psalm 100:1-5 says, “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.“
d. Singing praises to God
Offering praises to God is more of an outer expression of the inward joy and happiness in one’s heart. This is generally done in acknowledgment of God’s goodness, immeasurable and unconditional love. True praise is a spontaneous action that is mental, physical, emotional, and highly verbal. In reading across the Bible, we hear more of the vocalization of praise than dances or other expressions of praise. Remember that it was the vocal praise that brought down the great walls of Jericho. Hence, it is without a doubt that vocal praise moves God into action as He locates His people in mercy and favor. The Greek word for praise is “Story.” The moment something proclaims the work of God, it is offering praise. In simple terms, praise is telling a story of God’s goodness, might, power, love, mercy, compassion, and sovereignty.
Psalm 69:30 says, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.“ Psalm 100:1-2 says, “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!“ Psalm 95:1-2 says, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!“ Ephesians 5:19 says, “Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,“ Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.” James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” Acts 16:25 says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” Psalm 104:33 says, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.“ Psalm 150:1-6 says, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! …“
e. Worship
Worship is a spiritual exercise being carried out in the presence of God Almighty. It is more of a personal experience with God, the Father of Creation. Since it requires a personal experience with God, you’ll need to have been baptized (filled) with the Holy Ghost in order to genuinely worship God for who He is. Remember the words of Jesus Christ when He said that all those who worship God MUST do so in Spirit and Truth. In worship, the Holy Spirit fills us with what is necessary to truly acknowledge God for who He is. It provides us with the necessary reasons to genuinely worship God in spirit and truth. Genuine worship is not necessarily due to what God has done but for who He is. This is more likely when the Holy Spirit renews your mind and convinces you of God’s unfailing, unconditional, and immeasurable love. You can also learn what the Bible says about Prophetic Worship.
John 4:23 says, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Psalm 95:6 says, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!“ Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.“ Luke 4:8 says, And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Psalm 29:2 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” Psalm 96:9 says, “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!“ Psalm 99:5 says, “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!“ Psalm 66:4 says, “All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Matthew 4:10 says, Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
f. Praying in the Spirit
Note that praying in the spirit is different from your normal or daily prayer routine. Here, you willingly allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you with its own words. Praying in the spirit can involve praying in tongues, prophesying into the air, and carrying out an intercessory prayer. When praying in the spirit, you speak many things which you would not speak under normal prayers. That is, the Spirit prays for those things through you that you normally should have prayed for but you are not aware of. At times, we lack words to pray or simply do not know how to pray. However, as we yield to praying in the spirit, the Spirit of God within us prays for all those things we ought to pray for and also intercedes on our behalf and that of our close ones before God. You can as well read the following: Understanding how praying in tongues opens supernatural dimensions and How to be filled with the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Jude 1:20 says, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,“ 1 Corinthians 14:15 says, “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.“ Colossians 3:14-17 says, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“
3. Serve the Lord your God
Behold, serving God is an act of voluntary service. There are many ways through which you can serve God. You can serve God when you minister to Him in worship, showing Him homage, and when you witness His love, sovereignty, goodness, mercy, favor, and faithfulness to others. Note that your greatest service to God Almighty is spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ which is a call for mankind to sincerely repent from their sins and turn to God. There are also many places in which you can serve God in Spirit and Truth. You can serve God in your local Christian assembly, you can serve God in a private location, and you can serve God in a different country. In short, you can serve God anywhere and at any time according to His will. Your service to God is reflected by certain characters and values in your life:
a. Holiness
Holiness is one of the key elements in answering the question of “how do I prepare myself to be used by God?” It is the power of God within you that strengthens and guides you to walk no longer in sin. This power is achieved through Christ by being faithful to His teachings. Jesus Christ is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the faithful thereby making them Holy before God. In Christ, we’ve all been given the power to overcome our corrupted flesh and reflect God’s righteous nature. Holiness is what causes a separation to manifest. A genuine follower of Christ who strives for righteousness on daily basis appears different in thoughts, words, and actions as compared to those who claim just by mouth to be of Christ. He/she who becomes righteous in Christ is easily detected by a change in morals, thoughts, words, and actions.
Leviticus 20:26 says, “You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.“ 1 Samuel 2:2 says, “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says, “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.“ 1 Peter 1:15-16 says, “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.“ Romans 6:22 says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.“ Matthew 5:48 says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.“ Leviticus 19:2 says, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”
b. Ministry
A person can as well serve God by working in the ministry. We can’t afford to omit ministry work when answering the question of how to prepare yourself to be used by God. Behold brethren, let no one deceive you for we have all been called into ministry in the presence of God. Indeed, we’ve been called as ministers, ministers of love, reconciliation, mercy, truth, and faithfulness to God Almighty. We’ve all been commissioned by Christ to spread the Good News of Repentance and Life Everlasting to the four corners of the World thereby restoring to God all His lost children. You can also serve God by joining local Christian ministries in your assembly. Here, you can willingly serve as a Minister, Usher, Deacon, Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher, Apostle, Prophet, or any other ministry that is available and that God has called and anointed you in it.
2 Chronicles 29:11 says, “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,“ 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.“ 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.“ 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 says, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; …“ Romans 10:13-15 says, For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
c. Witnessing
Still, on how to prepare yourself to be used by God, we’ll say that witnessing is a great way to serve God in Spirit and Truth. This is more of a personal practice that does not necessarily require that you teach, preach or share out tracks. In simple terms, witnessing is all about telling others about the mighty things that God has done in your life out of His unfailing, unconditional, faithful, and immeasurable love. A witness is someone who has clearly seen or heard about something he/she can give a consistent account of how it took place. Here, the person gives his/her witness based on what they say or heard thereby persuading the audience to believe. In our case, when you witness, you are giving a testimony of Jesus Christ, the savior of the World.
Mark 16:15 says, “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.“ 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,“ Jeremiah 1:7-8 – But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“ Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.”
d. Loving
Loving is the greatest way of serving God. Christ spoke through His Apostles saying that “anyone who does not love does not know God.” This is because God has a loving nature. An objective look across the Bible will reveal that it revolves around Love – that is the love of God and the love of your neighbor. It is for this reason that some have gone to the very extent of calling the Bible “God’s Love Letter” to mankind. For God so loved the world that He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ so that anyone who hears, believes, and obeys his teachings will not die but have everlasting life in Heaven (John 3:16). Jesus Christ did not come to condemn the World but to invite everyone to Sincerely Repent and start obeying the Commands of God.
Love is a lasting value in the Kingdom of God. Christ Himself summarized the Law of Moses and the teachings of the Prophets into loving God with all your being and loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Through love, we clearly reflect the nature of God and Jesus’ mark of ownership. It is Jesus’ command that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Mark 12:29-31; John 15:12). In this way, we will please God in the things that we do. Hence, we should never stop loving or get tired of loving. Behold, he/she who does not love does not know God just as the scriptures point out (1 John 4:7-8). On the other hand, he who loves is one who knows God, and one who knows God will live forever in His presence. When we say we Love God or our neighbor, our thoughts, words, and actions must reflect this saying. Mark 12:29-31 says, Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.“ 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.“
What Does It Mean To Be Called By God?
2 Chronicles 29:11 – “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.”
Jeremiah 1:4-5 – Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Isaiah 49:1-2 – “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.“
Deuteronomy 18:15 – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—“
John 20:21-22 – “Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.“
Matthew 23:34 – “Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men [interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue and persecute from city to city,“
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,“
Mark 16:15-18 – “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.Group 1- What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Matthew 28:18-19 – “Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
John 8:12 – Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.“
Matthew 19:26 – “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
1 Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:“
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ“
John 12:26 – “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
Matthew 20:25-28 – But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 22:14 – “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Galatians 5:13 – “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.“
1 Peter 4:11 – “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Group 2- What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“
Philippians 2:12-13 – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Group 3 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;Group 4 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Luke 10:19 – “I have given you authority to trample on snakesGroup 5- What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Colossians 2:9-10 – “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
Romans 8:26 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.“
James 1:27 – “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.“
Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.“
Hebrews 13:21 – “Equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Philippians 1:6 – “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Group 6 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
John 7:37 – “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.””
Romans 14:4 – “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Romans 5:1-21 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. …“
Hebrews 4:10 – “For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
Romans 15:17 – “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
1 Corinthians 3:1-23 – “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. …“
Group 7- What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Psalm 54:4 – “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Psalm 90:17 – “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!“
1 Corinthians 2:1-16 – “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. …“
1 John 4:2 – “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,“
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 10:1-42 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” …
Group 8 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
John 8:24 – “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Hebrews 6:1-20 – “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, …“
Acts 20:35 – “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Proverbs 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.“
1 Corinthians 15:1-58 – “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. …“
John 16:1-33 – ““I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ …“
Group 9 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Colossians 1:29 – “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Hebrews 1:2 – “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Acts 2:1-47 – “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. …“
Acts 17:31 – “Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Group 10 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
John 14:1-31 – “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” …
Genesis 1:1-31 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. …“
1 Timothy 2:4 – “Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Romans 7:1-25 – “Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. …“
Group 11 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Ephesians 4:28 – “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.“
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”
Proverbs 12:11 – “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.“
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.“
Hebrews 6:10 – “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.“
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
John 3:14 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,“
1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.“
2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.“
Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“
Group 12 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.“
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
Revelation 20:1-15 – “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. …“
John 6:1-71 – “After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” …“
John 20:1-31 – “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. …“
Group 13 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Matthew 16:19 – “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
John 17:1-26 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. …“
James 1:2 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,“
Revelation 21:1-27 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” …“
Group 14 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Revelation 17:1-18 -“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” …“
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.“
Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“
John 6:46 – “Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.“
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“
Group 15 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.“
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“
Colossians 1:16 – “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.“
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.“
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
1 Peter 5:3 – “Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.“
Group 16 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.“
Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
John 6:27 – “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.“
Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.“
John 3:2 – “This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”“
Isaiah 40:1-31 – “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” …“
Group 17 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Hebrews 10:25 – “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.“
Isaiah 26:12 – “O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.”
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,“
Ephesians 2:2 – “In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—“
1 Thessalonians 4:11 – “And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,“
Galatians 2:8 – “(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),“
John 3:1-36 – “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. …“
Group 18 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.“
James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“
Romans 12:11 – “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.“
Matthew 24:1-51 – “Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. …“
Isaiah 65:1-3 – “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here am I, here am I,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks;“
1 Corinthians 14:1-40 – “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. …“
Group 19 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Chronicles 17:1-27 – “Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” And Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. …“
Proverbs 14:1 – “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”
1 Corinthians 7:1-40 – “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. …“
Group 20 – What Does It Mean To Be Called By God
Romans 13:8 – “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.“
Revelation 14:12 – “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.“
Colossians 3:15 – “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.“
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; …“
What Is Prophetic Worship? Prophetic worship is a popular and highly practiced spiritual activity within the Charismatic movement. It combines spontaneous music, dance, and other art forms to present a Divinely inspired word(s), and/or message(s). The word prophetic in this context means hearing God in your heart and communicating what He says. To prophesy is to speak (or sing) by inspiration. The music and lyrics during a prophetic worship service are often referred to as the song of the Lord because it’s understood that the musicians and song leaders are under Divine inspiration to speak God’s word. The spontaneity in prophetic worship is prominent. There are no fixed programs to follow, no lyrics on the screen, and no rehearsals ahead of time. Words to the song just come to the singer, and he/she sings as led by the Holy Spirit, and the musicians play along. Whatever the Holy Spirit wants to sing is sung.
Prophetic worship services often include other Charismatic elements such as speaking in tongues, healing, deliverance, prophecies, and ecstatic utterances. Biblically, is there anything wrong with spontaneity in worship? Absolutely not. Biblically, can the Holy Spirit use our artistic ability for the glory of God? Absolutely yes. When we yield to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, He empowers us and uses us for the glory of the Lord God Almighty. Is music an important tool for the communication of God’s Word? Absolutely yes. In fact, Spirit-filled believers will be characterized by song (Ephesians 5:18–19). A link between music and the prophetic is observed in the song of Prophet Habakkuk that is included at the end of his prophecy (Habakkuk 3:1–19). Likewise, David was a prophet and a musician who even did a spontaneous dance “before the Lord” (2 Samuel 6:14).
What Does The Bible Say About Prophetic Worship?
Bible Verses About Prophetic Worship
John 4:23-24 says, “But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 16:13 says, “But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future].” 1 Corinthians 14:1 says, “Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].“ Revelation 19:10 says, “Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he [stopped me and] said to me, “You must not do that; I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who have and hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God [alone]. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy [His life and teaching are the heart of prophecy].”
When we worship the Lord God Almighty in Spirit and Truth through Jesus Christ, we come into His supernatural and glorious presence where all things are possible with Him. John 14:21 says, “The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].” John 14:14-16 says, If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it. “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.”
Biblical Facts About Prophetic Worship
When we pursue the Lord God Almighty with all our heart, soul, and strength, we’ll always discover deeper beauties about Him. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.’” Holding to the absolute Spirit of Truth (John 16:13) and absolute Word of Truth (John 17:17), prophetic worship becomes a powerful tool to come to know and experience the Lord God in a higher spiritual dimension. As a result of the large and diverse nature of the church, there are many people who have not experienced nor even heard of prophetic worship before. On the other hand, we have people who have heard of prophetic worship but don’t believe it is Biblical while some are still having doubts even though it is a Biblical form of worship mentioned in various places throughout the Word of God.
Prophetic Worship also referred to as “Free Worship,” “Spontaneous Worship,” or “David Worship,” is a very broad loose term with a deep meaning in Christianity. Prophetic worship can be regarded as a particular strain of Holy Spirit-led, Holy Spirit-filled, Holy Spirit-prompted worship (John 4:23-24; Romans 8:26). Thus, prophetic worship is being sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is saying or doing in a precise moment and then giving voice to it. Concerning prophetic worship, the Scriptures present it as a normal part of worship that David instituted at the Temple in Israel: “Moreover, David and the commanders of the army selected for the [temple] service some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals. The list of the musicians who performed their service was as follows: …Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord”(1 Chronicles 25:1,3). Notice that even before David’s time, the Scriptures tell us that there were bands of prophetic worshipers: “After that you will come to the hill of God where the garrison of the Philistines is; and when you come there to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place [of worship] with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be changed into another man” (1 Samuel 10:5-6). Scriptures also teach us that the prophets Elisha (2 Kings 3:11-19) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 33:30-32) incorporated music into their prophetic ministries.
More Biblical Facts About Prophetic Worship
Philippians 3:3 says, “for we [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, set apart for His purpose and] are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory and take pride and exult in Christ Jesus and place no confidence [in what we have or who we are] in the flesh—“ The Holy Spirit is the One in (or by) whom we genuinely worship the Lord God Almighty. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the One who enables and moves us to worship the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:26). Likewise, the Holy Spirit communicates the words of God (John 16:13-15) and reveals the will of God to us (1 Corinthians 2:6-16). Notice that these are elements of the prophetic. And as such, the Holy Spirit is the one who enables us to prophesy.
Today, many churches pre-select a set of worship songs for each worship service and they equally fix the number of times that they will sing through them beforehand. This creates a rigid, structured framework for worship services with the hope that participants will be able to project heartfelt meaning into the lyrics which are presented to them. In contrast, “Free Worship” (out of which prophetic worship occasionally arises) has no rigid framework; rather, music becomes a backdrop for the people to sing their own, new songs which arise out of their hearts unto the Lord God. The Scriptures exhort us to: “Sing to the LORD a new song…” (Psalm 96:1). In simple terms, Free Worship is singing “a new song” unto the Lord God spontaneously. In Matthew 12:34, Jesus says, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” In essence, while the “traditional” style of worship seeks to project the heart into what the mouth is already speaking (singing), free worship permeates the heart to overflow with its own song and words. Ephesians 5:19-20 says, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Pitfall and how to Escape
In Christianity, one potential pitfall to the “traditional” style of worship is that if the lyrics fail to engage the hearts of the worshipers, all the words they sing become vain babbling. Matthew 6:7 says, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” When the hearts of the worshipers are not engaged, worship becomes an empty religious ritual in which the Lord God is not present and in which He is not pleased. Isaiah 29:13 says, “Then the Lord said, “Because this nation approaches [Me only] with their words And honors Me [only] with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me is a tradition that is learned by rote [without any regard for its meaning],“ When David established worship ministry in Israel, he incorporated both the “traditional” style of worship by singing set songs (1 Chronicles 16) as well as prophetic worship (1 Chronicles 25). As a matter of fact, in addition to being Prophetic, Jesus Christ Himself also sang set hymns (Matthew 26:30).
In the Old Testament, many of the Psalms are prophetic in nature and most likely arose out of times of free, prophetic worship. David is popularly regarded as the most prominent Biblical example of a “free worshiper” and a “prophetic worshiper.” In Psalm 144:9-10, David sang a “new song” which overflowed from a grateful heart over what the Lord God was personally accomplishing in his life at that time: I will sing a new song to You, O God; “Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, Who gives salvation to kings, Who sets David His servant free from the evil sword.” This portrays the idea of “free worship.” Generally, during prayers, we just pour out our hearts to God instead of exclusively praying set prayers. If we’ve embraced this approach in prayer then why not make use of the same approach in worship? Take note that it’s not about the outward form of our worship; it’s about the heart for, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
A Brief Presentation of the Prophetic
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 says, “Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit. Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning]. But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].“ The Hebrew word for “prophesying” is “naba” which has the following meaning and definition: “נָבָאnâbâʼ, naw-baw’; a primitive root; to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse):—prophesy(-ing), make self a prophet” (Strong’s H5012). In the context of prophetic worship, this Hebrew word is seen in 1 Chronicles 25:1. It means, “…to cause to bubble up, hence to pour forth words abundantly, as is done with those who speak with ardour or divine emotion of mind”. Notice that this goes in line with prophetic worship viewed as Holy Spirit-led and inspired worship. That’s, the Holy Spirit causes praise and worship to bubble up and overflow out of our hearts and from our lips unto the Lord God.
Prophetic words usually come forth within the setting of prophetic worship. As prophecy comes forth it is not always ‘worship” by the strictest definition. Rather, in a surrounding of “prophetic worship,” worship can be the overall backdrop while the gift of prophecy begins to operate mightily. These prophecies are “threads” which are spoken or sung into the overall tapestry of worship, which may include praise, adoration, thanksgiving, exaltation, and proclamation. Most often, prophetic words during prophetic worship are either direct quotations of Scripture, paraphrased Scripture, or small phrases which allude to Scripture. Although genuine prophecy may not always be a direct quotation of Scripture, it will never contradict Scripture.
More Prophetic Facts
Genuine prophetic words are spoken as specific “words in season” and as such carry the dynamic, life-giving power of the quickened word of God. Likewise, the living and active word of God (such as spoken in prophecy) never fails to transform people (Isaiah 55:10-11). Wherever the Holy Spirit is present, so is His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) as well as His ministry to glorify Jesus Christ (John 16:14), to actively guide us into all truth (John 16:13), and to transform our characters to be Christlike (Romans 8:29). In the same way genuine prophecy carries the living and active power of the Word of God, so also the genuine works of the Holy Spirit (who distributes prophetic words) will be clearly evidenced by the fruit it bears in us. The Bible is the standard for Christian living. The Christian standard has a two-fold nature: the Written Word (the Bible) and the Living Word, Jesus Christ (John 1:1-14; Revelation 19:10).
The Word of God is our “Field Guide” which helps us identify different spirits by their fruits. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We know that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control and that Scripture says “…the spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:31-32). And as such, when the Holy Spirit brings forth prophetic words through His people, though they may be spoken with “ardour or divine emotion of mind,” they will never be uncontrollable or cause the speaker or the listeners to lose control. Note that if it’s a genuine prophecy specifically meant for you, although not always instantaneously, it will lead to the following effects: 1 Corinthians 14:3 – “But [on the other hand] the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification [to promote their spiritual growth] and [speaks words of] encouragement [to uphold and advise them concerning the matters of God] and [speaks words of] consolation [to compassionately comfort them].” 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 – “But if all prophesy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and an unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted [of his sins] by all, and he is called to account by all [because he can understand what is being said]; the secrets of his heart are laid bare. And so, falling on his face, he will worship God, declaring that God is really among you.“ Hebrews 4:12-13 – “For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.“ Jeremiah 23:29 – “Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]?“
Bible Verses About Worship
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Psalm 95:6 – “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!“
Romans 12:1 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
John 4:23 – “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”
Isaiah 12:5 – “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Luke 4:8 – And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
Hebrews 13:15 – “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
Psalm 29:2 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”
Psalm 99:5 – “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!“
Colossians 3:14-17 – “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Group 1 – Bible Verses About Worship
Psalm 103:1 – “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”
Acts 16:25 – “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.”
Exodus 23:25 – “Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.”
Psalm 150:6 – “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”
Isaiah 25:1 – “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”
Habakkuk 3:17-18 – “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Psalm 63:1 – “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Group 2 – Bible Verses About Worship
Jeremiah 29:12 – “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”
Romans 11:36 – “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
Psalm 42:11 – “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
2 Samuel 7:22 – “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”
Psalm 68:4-5 – “Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him — his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”
Romans 11:36 – “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Psalm 71:8 – “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.”
1 Chronicles 29:11 – “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”
Group 3 – Bible Verses About Worship
Psalm 63:3-4 – “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.”
James 3:10 – “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
Psalm 9:1 – “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”
Daniel 4:37 – “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”
Psalm 16:2 – “I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.””
Psalm 66:17 – “I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.”
1 Samuel 2:2 – “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”
Psalm 105:1 – “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”
Psalm 143:6 – “I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land.”
Romans 14:11 – “It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
Psalm 95:6 – “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”
Group 4 – Bible Verses About Worship
Psalm 13:5-6 – “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Psalm 116:1-2 – “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”
Psalm 19:1-2 – “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.”
Psalm 145:3 – “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”
Psalm 28:7 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”
Revelation 5:13 – “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!””
Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Group 5 – Bible Verses About Worship
Acts 2:21 – “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Psalm 42:8 – “By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.”
Isaiah 12:4 – “In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.””
Psalm 73:25 – “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”
Psalm 115:1 – “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”
Psalm 71:23 – “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered.”
Psalm 24:10 – “Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory.”
Colossians 3:16 – “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Psalm 34:1 – “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
Psalm 108:3 – “I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.”
Group 6 – Bible Verses About Worship
Romans 15:7 – “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
2 Peter 3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
Daniel 2:23 – “I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”
Psalm 119:7 – “I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.“
Psalm 145:1 – “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.”
Acts 2:46-47 – “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Philippians 4:20 – “To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Psalm 31:3 – “Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.”
Matthew 5:15-16 – “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Group 7 – Bible Verses About Worship
Luke 2:20 – “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
Job 1:20-21 – “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”“
Romans 10:13 –For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
2 Timothy 4:18 – “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Psalm 108:5 – “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Psalm 9:2 – “I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.”
Matthew 21:9 – “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!””
Psalm 68:19 – “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.“
Group 8 – Bible Verses About Worship
Philippians 2:9-10 – “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
Psalm 79:9 – “Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.”
1 Timothy 1:17 – “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.“
Luke 2:14 – “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
1 Timothy 2:9-10 – “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”
Acts 13:2 – “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.””
Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”
What Does The Bible Say About Adoration? By definition, Adoration is the profound love and respect paid to someone we revere, chiefly as it pertains to a divine being. Notice that the noun adoration comes from the Latin word adorationem, which means “worship,” particularly in a religious way. When it comes to veneration, adoration and worship are synonymous. Biblically, adoration is required of any and all who profess to know the Lord God Almighty. Adoration is akin to paying homage or worship. Several versions of the New Testament do not make use of the word adoration in reference to our worship of God, but they translate the Greek word proskuneó as “worship.” Proskuneó means “to bow before or to revere”; the root word means “to kiss,” so the whole idea of proskuneó is “to kiss the ground in reverence before someone.”
When the three (3) wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem and inquired as to the whereabouts of the newborn King, they said to Herod, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). Notice here that the word translated “worship” is the word proskuneó, which clearly communicates an adoration and reverence for the Son of God. In the same light, the refrain of the Christmas hymn “O Come, All Ye Faithful” encourages and instructs us to follow the example of the 3 wise men with a threefold iteration: “O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him; O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!”
What Does The Bible Say About Adoration?
What The Scriptures Say About Adoration
In the Old Testament of the Bible, the word that most often refers to adoration is the Hebrew word shachah, which is also translated as “worship.” In truth, such adoration is forbidden to offer to idols (Psalm 97:7; Leviticus 26:1). The Lord God Almighty is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 4:24), as a loving husband is jealous of his bride’s affections toward other men. It’s important for us to understand that the Lord God made us for Himself and desires that all our worshipful adoration be directed to Him alone. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, said that the Father is looking for people who will adore Him as we were designed to do. Jesus Christ said, “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23–24). The word for “worship” in these verses can as well be translated as “adore.”
Although related, adoration differs from praise. Adoration, or worship, should be reserved for the Lord God Almighty alone (Luke 4:8). While praise can be a part of adoration, adoration actually goes beyond praise. Adoration, or worship, gets to the heart of who we are. To truly worship the Lord God Almighty, we must let go of our self-worship. Likewise, we must be willing to humble ourselves before the Lord God, surrender every part of our lives to His control, and deeply adore Him for Who He Truly Is, not just what He has done. Hebrews 12:28–29 reminds us of Deuteronomy 4:24: “Let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” That consuming fire strips us of self-gratification, pride, and self-consciousness. True worship means to lose ourselves in the adoration of another. This leaves us with only the thought of the majesty and glory of the one we adore. When we truly adore the Lord God Almighty, our daily activities become acts of worship and pleasing to Him.
Worship, Adoration, and Praise
Revelation 5:13 says, “And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Ephesians 5:19-20 says, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Behold, worship is our offering to God of our recognition that He is God. Having created Heaven and earth together with everything in them, only the Lord God Almighty deserves our greatest respect. We show this respect in worship. It’s difficult to distinguish worship from adoration. In terms of veneration, adoration and worship are synonymous. Adoration is the expression of our love for God, in thoughts, words, and actions. In the context of worship, adoration is the expression of our sincere love for the Lord God Almighty in a fitting manner of worship, in the attitudes we display during the worship service, in the method by which we raise our voices to sing as well as pray, in our devotedness to the exhortation of the sermon.
Notice that adoration may be offered in settings other than the worship service, but it should always be most prominent during the worship service. In fact, adoration is the fulfillment of the greatest commandment. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Praise is the outgrowth of faith, adoration, and worship – as well as of confession. Praise is the act of expressing our love and respect and esteem for the Lord God in the form of words and songs. Psalms 150:2 says, “Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!” It’s important for us to give God the glory and honor that He deserves from us, His creatures. In the Old Testament, before the people crossed into the promised land, and before Moses’ death, the great leader redelivers the law to the Israelites. In delivering this Divinely Inspired Message, Moses provides the source of the greatest commandment, as well as clearly providing a picture of what the commandment should mean in practice. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Psalm 100:1-5 says, “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” Behold, when it comes to worshipping or adoring God, it’s important for us to understand that worship is about HOW, not where or why. The HOW is to worship God for Who He Truly Is, in the perfect manner He has prescribed. John 4:23-24 says, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.“
List of Words of Adoration for God (100 Prompts for Adoring God)
Lord God Almighty, Father Of Creation, I Worship You For Who You Are:
You are my God (Psalm 63:1).
You are Spirit (John 4:24).
Eternal, immortal, and invisible, you alone are God (Psalm 90:1-2; 1 Timothy 1:17; Isaiah 45:5).
You are living (Joshua 3:10).
You are known to all (Romans 1:19-20).
As self-existent Yahweh, you are self-revealing to your people (Exodus 3:14-15).
You are independent of all creation and have life in and of yourself (John 5:24).
You are one able to create ex nihilo, or out of nothing (Hebrews 11:3), in six days, and resting on the seventh (Genesis 1).
You are omnipresent, or everywhere, always (Psalm 139:7-12).
You are omnipotent, or all-powerful (Matthew 19:26; Hebrews 1:3).
You are omniscient, knowing everything (Proverbs 15:3).
You are omnisapient, or all-wise (Romans 16:27).
You are sovereign (Ephesians 1:11, 20-21).
You are one God in three Persons (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 8:6).
Each Person of the Trinity is fully and equally God; in appearance and outworking, the Father begets the Son (John 1:18), and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 14:26; 16:7).
Jesus Christ was preexistent before the incarnation (John 6:38; John 17:5).
Jesus Christ became incarnate in the flesh (John 1:14), conceived by the Holy Spirit without a human father, and born from a virgin (Matthew 1:18).
Jesus Christ humbled himself (Philippians 2:5-7).
Jesus Christ, with a human nature, experienced the weakness and growth that are a part of the human experience (Mark 2:15; 14:33; 15:34; Luke 2:40; 7:9).
Jesus Christ was tempted and overcame (Luke 4:2); with a divine nature, he could not sin.
Jesus Christ is God—the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15) and the one of whom deity is claimed (Luke 1:43; John 1:1; Matthew 22:44; Hebrews 1:10-12).
Jesus Christ’s eternality is known through self-revealing statements (John 8:58; Revelation 22:13).
Jesus Christ’s omnipotence is displayed through his miracles over nature (Matthew 8:26-27; Matthew 14:19; John 2:1-11).
Jesus Christ is omnipresent, as seen in his claim to be with the disciples always (Matthew 28:20).
Jesus Christ’s omniscience is displayed through perceiving hidden thoughts (Mark 2:8; John 1:48), and in knowing all things as attested to by his disciples (John 16:30).
Jesus Christ is sovereign, as demonstrated in his authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:5-7).
Jesus Christ is worthy to be worshipped and adored (Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 5:12).
Jesus Christ is one Person without separation, including two natures without confusion—human and divine—in hypostatic union (Hebrews 1:3).
Though not relinquishing any divine attributes, Jesus Christ gave up the outward appearance and radiance of his glory in order to complete the mission of the Father (Philippians 2:7), using his divine attributes only as necessary for his mission and ministry, out of submission to the Father.
The Holy Spirit is deity with omniscience (1 Corinthians 1:11-12), omnipresence (Psalm 139:7), and involvement in creation (Psalm 104:30); blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is blasphemy against God (Matthew 12:31-32).
The Person of the Holy Spirit has intellect, emotions, and will. With intelligence, he knows the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10-11); with emotions, he can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), and according to his will, he distributes spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11).
Father, Son, and Spirit—one God—you are unity (Deuteronomy 6:4).
As El-Shaddai, you are God Almighty, powerful and strong (Genesis 17:1).
You are Elohim, sovereign and transcendent over all the earth (Deuteronomy 2:30; 33; 3:22).
As El Olam, you are God Everlasting and changeless forever (Genesis 21:33).
As El Elyon, you are God Most High who reigns supreme (Genesis 21:33).
As Yahweh Nissi, you are “The Lord Our Banner,” the victorious (Exodus 17:15).
As Yahweh Jireh, you are “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14).
As Yahweh Sabbaoth, you are “The Lord of Hosts,” the commander (1 Samuel 1:3).
As Yahweh Shalom, you are “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24).
As Yahweh Tsidkenu, you are “The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6).
As Yahweh Maccaddeshcem, you are “The Lord Thy Sanctifier” (Exodus 31:13).
The way you relate to your creation can be described by many images, like the image of Father (Matthew 6:26; 2 Corinthians 6:18; 1 John 3:1).
The image of Mother (Isaiah 66:13; Isaiah 49:15; Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34).
The image of Husband (Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 2:19; Revelation 21:1-7).
The image of Friend (John 15:12-15).
The image of Shepherd (Psalm 23; John 10:11)
The image of Ruler (Psalm 103:19; 1 Timothy 6:15).
The image of Teacher (Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 48:17).
The image of Judge (Isaiah 33:22; 2 Timothy 4:8).
And the image of Justifier (Romans 3:26).
The image of Deliverer (Exodus 6:6; Matthew 1:21).
You are a preserver of all you have made (Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:17).
Your decrees are for your own glory (Psalm 19:1), and they are based upon your sovereign contentment (Daniel 4:35).
You are one who gives decrees that are all-encompassing, or inclusive of all creation (Ephesians 1:11).
Your decrees are best because they are based upon your infinite wisdom (Psalm 147:5; Psalm 104:24).
You are holy (Revelation 4:8).
You are morally pure and set apart (Leviticus 11:44-45).
You hate sin and are angered by it (Joshua 7:1).
You are perfectly wrathful (Romans 1:18; Nahum 1:2).
You are compassionate (Psalm 103:13-14).
You are patient (Romans 2:4).
You are love (1 John 4:8, 16).
You are just (Genesis 18:25).
You are good (Psalm 25:8).
You are righteous and gracious (Psalm 145:17).
You are rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4).
You are immutable, or unchangeable (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17).
You are the blessed and only King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15).
You are immanent, near, and active (Jeremiah 23:23-24; Acts 17:27-28).
You are true (Isaiah 65:16).
You alone have the best plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11).
Lord God, we bow down and kneel before you acknowledging you as our maker (Psalm 95:6).
Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 4:8).
Lord God, the splendor of your holiness is admirable (1 Chronicles 16:29).
Lord God Almighty, your love never ceases; your mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Father, you are my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken (Psalm 62:6).
Father, I will sing your praise and make your name known to the whole world because you have done glorious things (Isaiah 12:5).
Lord, you made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water (Revelation 14:7).
Lord God, with my lips, I’ll acknowledge your name because you are worthy to be praised (Hebrews 13:15).
Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! (Psalm 150:1-6).
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe (Proverbs 18:10).
All things are possible with God (Mark 10:27).
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).
The faithful love of the Lord never ends. His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
In my distress, I called to the Lord, and he answered me (Psalm 120:1).
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created (Revelation 4:11).
This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life (Psalm 119:50).
Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he! (Psalms 99:5).
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you (1 Chronicles 29:11-14).
At the mention of the name Jesus Christ, every knee in heaven, on earth, and under the earth must bow (Philippians 2:10).
And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, (Philippians 2:9).
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (1 Timothy 2:5).
Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! … (Psalm 150:1-6).
God’s Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8).
Powerful and Anointed Prayers of Adoration to the Lord God Almighty
1) An Adoration Prayer for God’s Majesty (Psalm 8)
We find an adoration prayer for God’s majesty in Psalm 8 offered by David. David’s adoration prayer declares the Lord God Almighty as the Maker of heaven and earth. David subsequently compares humans to the majesty of God. David prays in Psalm 8: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
2) An Adoration Prayer for God’s Rescue and Protection (Psalm 18)
We find an adoration prayer for God’s rescue and protection offered by David in Psalm 18. David declares God as his Rescuer in an adoration prayer that praises God’s ability to protect His own. Throughout the first three verses, David proclaims his deep love for the Lord God Almighty for His many rescues. David prays in Psalm 18:1-3: “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” In Psalm 18:30-31, after describing God’s rescue, David clearly describes the danger he was in as he was being hunted by men: “This God—his way is perfect; the Word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?“ David goes on to declare in Psalm 18:46-49: “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation— the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me, who rescued me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from the man of violence. For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name.”
3) An Adoration Prayer about God’s Powerful Voice (Psalm 29).
We find an adoration prayer about God’s powerful voice offered by David in Psalm 29. In this adoration prayer, David calls all heaven and earth to praise God for the power and wonder of His voice: “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth[c] and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!“
4) An Adoration Prayer for God’s Provision (Psalm 145)
We find an adoration prayer for God’s provision in Psalm 145 offered by David. David prays in Psalm 145: “I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.“
5) An Adoration Prayer Praising God for His Mercy and Forgiveness (Psalm 86)
We find an adoration prayer praising God for His mercy and forgiveness in Psalm 86 offered by David. David prays in Psalm 86: “Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.“
6) An Adoration Prayer Praising God during Good and Bad Times (Psalm 34)
We find an adoration prayer praising God during good and bad times in Psalm 34 offered by David. As faithful children of God, it’s our duty to give Him praise at all times because He does all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). David prays in Psalm 34: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.“
What Does The Bible Say About Adoration?
Psalm 63:1 – “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.“
1 Chronicles 29:11-14 – “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.“
Philippians 2:9 – “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,“
Philippians 2:10 – “So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,“
Revelation 5:13 – And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Group 1 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Acts 4:12 – “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Matthew 22:37 – And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Hebrews 1:3 – “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”
1 Timothy 2:5 – “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,“
Exodus 20:1-26 – “And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, …“
Group 2 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
1 John 3:16 – “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”
Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
John 8:12 – Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Psalm 150:1-6 says, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! …“
Group 3 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.“
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
Psalm 95:6 – “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!“
Psalm 57:1-11 – “To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! …“
Group 4 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Luke 1:37 – “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”
Mark 12:30 – “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’“
Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
1 Chronicles 29:11 – “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.“
John 12:48 – “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.“
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
Group 5 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
Revelation 19:10 – “Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Psalm 63:1 – “A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.“
Luke 1:47 – “And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,“
John 1:3 – “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
2 Chronicles 7:3 – “When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.””
Group 6 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Psalm 29:2 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.“
Psalm 146:1-10 – “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, …“
Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,“
Psalm 95:1-11 – “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. …“
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
1 John 4:8 – “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
2 Chronicles 7:3 – “When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”“
John 19:30 – “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
2 Corinthians 5:11-19 – “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. …“
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
John 17:17 – “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.“
Isaiah 25:1 – “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.“
John 1:4 – “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
John 6:63 – “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
Psalm 99:5 – “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!“
Romans 12:1 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.“
1 Chronicles 16:29 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;“
John 14:10 – “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.”
Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Psalm 90:1 – “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.“
Psalm 90:1-2 – “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
Matthew 11:27 – “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.“
Psalm 68:25 – “The singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing tambourines:“
Psalm 86:9 – “All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.”
Psalm 8:1-4 – “To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?“
Group 10 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Revelation 4:11 – “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Exodus 20:4 – “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”
Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.“
Hebrews 13:15 – “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
Revelation 4:8-11 – “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”“
Group 11 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
John 4:23 – “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”
John 5:39 – “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,“
Luke 1:28 – And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
Matthew 2:2 – Saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Mark 16:19 – “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.“
Psalm 71:8 – “My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.“
Romans 14:11 – For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
Romans 12:1-2 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Group 12 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Psalm 35:18 – “I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.”
Psalm 66:4 – All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah
Ephesians 5:19 – “Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,“
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood …“
Group 13 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Revelation 14:7 – And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
John 4:23-24 – “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 3:35 – “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.“
John 4:21-24 – Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Group 14 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Luke 4:8 – And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
John 3:35 – “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.“
Matthew 24:4 – And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.”
Matthew 24:24 – “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
Daniel 4:37 – “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”
Habakkuk 3:17-18 – “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 – “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”
Group 15 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
Psalm 5:7 – “But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.”
Deuteronomy 10:17 – “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.“
Psalm 100:1-5 – “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!“
Genesis 9:6 – “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.“
1 Peter 2:24 – “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.“
1 John 3:11 – “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”
Group 16 – What Does The Bible Say About Adoration
John 14:9 – “Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?“
Matthew 4:10 – Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.“
James 5:13 – “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
1 Timothy 2:4 – “Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Hebrews 8:6 – “But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.”
Acts 16:25 – “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,”
What Does The Bible Say About Worship? Although the Bible doesn’t give a formal definition of worship, we can refer to what various words of worship mean for a better understanding. The English word worship is derived from two Old English words: weorth, which means “worth,” and scipe or ship, which means something such as shape or quality. We can find the Old English word-ship in modern words like leadership and friendship – that’s the quality of being a good leader, or the quality of being a friend. Therefore, worth-ship is the quality of having worth or of being worthy. By worshipping God, we are saying that God has worth, that He is worthy. Worship means to declare worth, to attribute worth. Or to put it in Biblical terms, we praise God. We do this by thinking, speaking, and/or singing, about how good and powerful the Lord God Almighty is.
When we think, speak, and/or sing, about how good and powerful God is, we are fulfilling the purpose for which we were called by God to be followers of Jesus Christ: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). One of the most essential or central parts of a Christian’s calling is to declare that the Lord God is worthy – that He is worth more than everything else put together. We find two major kinds of words in the Bible for worship. The first word for worship in the Bible means to bow down, to kneel, and to put one’s face down as an act of respect and submission. That’s our body language is saying, Lord God Almighty, I will do whatever you want me to do. I am ready to listen to your instructions and I am equally willing to obey them. The other word for worship in the Bible means to serve. About half of the time these words are translated as worship, and the other half as serve. It conveys the idea of doing something for the Lord God Almighty – carrying out his instructions or making a sacrifice.
What Does The Bible Say About Worship?
What The Scriptures Say About Worship
It’s important for us to start by understanding that word meanings don’t prove what worship is, but they do illustrate three kinds of worship: 1) Worship that involves speaking 2) Worship that involves listening 3) Worship that involves doing Notice that there is worship that clearly expresses the heart, worship that involves the mind, and worship that involves the body. There is a worship that is offering praise upward, a worship that is receiving instructions from above, and a worship that carries out those instructions in the world. And as a matter of fact, we need all three types of worship. Many people focus primarily on speaking or singing praise to the Lord God. It is without a doubt that praise is good, but if all we do is praise the Lord God, without ever listening to and actively doing what He says, we have to ask ourselves whether we believe the words we are saying. If the Lord God is really all wise and all loving as we proclaim in our praise to Him, then we need to pay attention to what He is instructing us, because He is worth listening to and obeying.
Likewise, all talk and no action do not show God the love and respect that He deserves. Take note that actions speak louder than words. With this in mind, if our behavior isn’t changed by God, then our actions are saying that God isn’t important – He is a nice idea, but not relevant to our day-to-day lives. Behold, when we really believe that the Lord God is worthy of every praise, then we will be willing to listen and willing to change the way we live in response to His instructions and sovereignty. In addition, we will trust Him, seek Him, and want to please Him as much as we can. Our behaviors should be shaped through the act of worship. Worship is a response to God. We can’t know the Lord God’s worth, much less declare it, unless He reveals Himself to us. Thus, the Lord God Almighty initiates worship by revealing Himself to us. Then, we respond, and the proper response is worship. In fact, the more we grasp His greatness, his character, his power, and his love, the more we understand His worthiness, and the better we can declare His worth in worship.
God’s Revelation About Himself and How We Should Worship Him
Brethren, notice that our worship is a response to what the Lord God has revealed Himself to be, not only in who He is but also in the wonderful things He has done, is doing, and will do in times to come. Genuine worship includes all our responses to the Lord God – including a response with our minds, such as our belief in God’s worthiness, our emotions, such as love and trust, and our words and actions. Our heart expresses itself in words and songs of praise to the Lord God. Our mind is active in learning what the Lord God wants us to do. And our bodies and strength get involved when we obey God’s instructions and serve Him wholeheartedly. In reality, both the Old Testament and New Testament clearly tell us that our relationship with the Lord God Almighty should involve our heart, mind, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Mark 12:30; and Luke 10:27). We believe that the Lord God says something about His worthiness. The fact that we trust Him and love Him declares that He is worthy of love and trust. The fact that we obey His instructions also says that He has worth. In the words we say to one another, in the prayers we say to God, in the songs we sing for His glory, we can declare that God is worth more than all other gods, worth more than all other things put together.
We can worship God all by ourselves as well as worship Him together with others. The Lord God has not only revealed Himself to me but to many people. He puts us in a community, He reveals Himself to a community and through a community, and the community together responds to Him in genuine worship as they declare Him worth all honor and praise. Besides, the Lord God promises that whenever we gather in Jesus’ name, He will be there with us (Mathew 18:19-20). So, we gather in His presence, and because of His promise, we expect Him to be with us. The Lord God Almighty is the One who calls and gathers us together, who reveals Himself to us, who initiates the worship, and is the One and Only Object of our worship (1 Chronicles 16:25; Psalm 96:4–5). Music is one important method that we use to worship God. In Church, we have a worship leader, who leads us in singing hymns and spiritual songs for the glory of God. Therefore, a worship leader is a song leader, and because of this some people automatically think of music when they hear the word worship. Music is of great value, but take note that worship is not just music. Worship involves our entire relationship with the Lord God Almighty, all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Worship involves all the ways in which we can respond to the Lord God, all the ways we can praise Him by what we think, say, and do, all the ways we can demonstrate that the Lord God Almighty is worthy of all adoration, praise, allegiance, and honor.
Biblical Facts About Worship
Worship is described in the Bible as being both a way of life and specific activity. Adoring, praising, and expressing reverence for the Lord God Almighty, both publicly and privately, are specific acts of worship. In a broader sense, worship refers to an overall lifestyle of glorifying, serving, and pleasing the Lord God as well as reflecting His glory to others. In the Old Testament, when Prophet Jonah said, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land” (Jonah 1:9), he was referring to a lifestyle wholly dedicated to glorifying God. Likewise, the Apostle Paul defined worship as an all-encompassing way of life: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). Believers in Christ or Christians participate in specific acts of worship whenever they celebrate the Lord God’s worthiness, greatness, and sovereignty by giving honor and glory to His name. Worship can be expressed in words, phrases, shouts, singing, bowing down, raising hands, and many other ways. The Psalmist urges the faithful to enter into the act of worship: “Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song” (Psalm 95:1–2).
The Greek word for “worship,” proskuneō, means “to encounter God and praise Him.” For centuries, the Jewish people had encountered God in the Temple for worship. But when Jesus Christ arrived on the scene, He spoke metaphorically of Himself as the Temple (John 2:19–22). Through His resurrection from the dead, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ became the spiritual dwelling place where God and His people would meet (Matthew 12:6; Hebrews 10:19–20). In John 4:23–24, Jesus Christ made it clear that the physical location of our worship is no longer relevant: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” This is a clear indication that genuine or true worship takes place on the inside, within our hearts or spirits, which is the dwelling place of the Lord God (Psalm 103:1–2; Ephesians 2:22). Behold, humanity was brought into existence to worship the Lord God (Psalm 29:1–2; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 1:3–6; Philippians 2:9–11). In addition to serving the Lord God and spreading the Gospel, the church also has a purpose to worship the Lord God through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4–6; 1 Peter 2:5; Revelation 5:6–14). As Christians, the Lord God is the object of our worship. He alone is worthy of worship (1 Chronicles 16:25; Psalm 96:4–5). We worship God by crediting to Him the absolute worth that He alone deserves. He is our Lord (Psalm 22:27), Creator (Acts 17:28; James 1:17; Revelation 4:11), and Redeemer (Colossians 1:12–13; 1 Peter 1:3). Both the Father and the Son receive worship (Matthew 14:33; 28:17; Luke 7:16). Likewise, the angels worship God and refuse to be worshiped themselves (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). We worship the Lord God by praising and giving Him glory with our thoughts, words, actions, and entire lives. Worship from a pure heart pleases the Lord God (Psalm 24:3–4; Isaiah 66:2).
Genuine Worship (Worshiping God in Spirit and Truth)
By definition, worship is applying great and/or remarkable worth to someone or something. Note that genuine worship of God is a matter of the heart. The words from the mouth are simply coming forth as a result of the conviction within the heart. It is the true belief in the heart that makes the words of our mouths worth hearing by God. We are trying to say here that true worship is a heartfelt expression of adoration, love, fascination, admiration, celebration, and thanksgiving to God. It takes place within your heart and soul when you acknowledge the marvelous works of God and begins to give Him thanks. Such is the genuine worship that brings honor and glory to God’s Holy Name. By worshipping in the spirit and in truth through Christ, we are made receptive to God’s mercy and favor. John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Behold, there is nothing difficult about worship. Whether you are a Christian, non-Christian, Pagan, or whatever you consider yourself, we all end up worshiping something. Perhaps you were not aware but a group of sports fans watching, adoring, and talking about the game are worshiping. Even a group of teenagers at a concert listening, adoring, and talking about what’s going on are worshiping. Unfortunately, we are readier to worship sports, food, music, arts, control, comfort, achievement, power, money, work, titles, and relationships than God. This is not how it ought to be. God has to come in the first place of worship in our lives because He deserves it. He created us to worship him, He commands us to worship Him, He deserves our worship, and He rewards all those who worship Him.
What we should know about Worship
Worship matters to God. Worship matters to you. Unfortunately, we often allow personal distractions to get into the way and weaken our relationship of worship with God. With these distractions in our hearts, we sing songs but we don’t worship, we listen to sermons but we don’t worship, and we serve in a ministry area but don’t worship. Singing songs, listening to sermons, and serving in a ministry are all elements of worship but they do not worship in and of themselves. This is to say that you can carry out all of them but still fail to worship God. Having said this, chances are high that you are wondering how it can be possible to do all these things and still lack in your fellowship with God.
Genuine worship is more of a lifestyle than mere words spoken from the mouth with little to no belief in the heart or actions to testify. Praise is the main expression given to the ‘worship’ that we live. There is much in worship than we can imagine or even realize.
Things that make worship genuine and acceptable to God
1. Worship involves surrendering our lives to God
In respect of God’s mercy to mankind, it is our duty to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is what Apostle Paul perceives as true and proper worship as we can read from Romans 12:1
2. Worship is completely putting our focus on God
The basis of true worship is the desire to honor God by respecting the Key Teachings of Jesus Christ. Such requires a personal revelation of God as written in the scriptures. Hence we can say without a doubt that genuine worship of God is not a matter of our likes and dislikes but his. True worship is focused on God and God alone.
3. Worship involves ‘getting out of the way’ and ‘letting go’
If we are serious about truly worshiping God the way he is, then we have to learn to remove our worries, questions, self, doubts, and unfaithfulness from the line of action. We have to let go of the things that are preventing us from appropriately honoring God for who He is.
4. Genuine worship requires personal sacrifice
Praise is easier when things are going well or smoothly. Upon achievement of goals, we are more likely to sing praises to God. The challenges step in when we must sacrifice our fears, worries, and sadness in the face of failure to give thanks or sing praises to God. However, this is how it should be. We should always make the sacrifice of giving praise to God in all circumstances – whether good or bad. Let’s support this message by reading from Hebrews 13:15 – “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.”
5. We must not stop worshiping even in the face of pain and loss
The best demonstration of what it means to worship in the face of pain and loss was manifested by King David. When David’s child was sick, he prayed and prayed over him again. Despite his prayers for healing, his child died. And as we all know, the pains coming from the loss of a child are beyond human imagination. The loss of a loved one is too heavy to bear. Unlike what most of us will do, after the baby died, the Bible tells us what David did in 2 Samuel 12:20 – “Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped.”
Through this action, David shows us how important it is to move toward God in times of pain and loss rather than moving away from him. Just tell yourself that “I’m in deep pain and agony but I must go closer to God because I need him now more than ever.”
6. Genuine worship is celebrating God for who He is and what He has done
Psalm 100:1-5 –
“1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the Earth.”
“2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.”
“3 Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”
“5 For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”
What Does The Bible Say About Worship?
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Psalm 95:6 – “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!“
Romans 12:1 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
John 4:23 – “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”
Isaiah 12:5 – “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Luke 4:8 – And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
Hebrews 13:15 – “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
Psalm 29:2 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”
Psalm 99:5 – “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!“
Colossians 3:14-17 – “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Group 1 – What Does The Bible Say About Worship
Psalm 103:1 – “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”
Acts 16:25 – “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.”
Exodus 23:25 – “Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.”
Psalm 150:6 – “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”
Isaiah 25:1 – “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”
Habakkuk 3:17-18 – “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Psalm 63:1 – “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Group 2 – What Does The Bible Say About Worship
Romans 11:36 – “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Psalm 71:8 – “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.”
1 Chronicles 29:11 – “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”
Jeremiah 29:12 – “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”
Romans 11:36 – “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
Psalm 42:11 – “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
2 Samuel 7:22 – “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”
Psalm 68:4-5 – “Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him — his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”
Group 3 – What Does The Bible Say About Worship
Psalm 66:17 – “I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.”
1 Samuel 2:2 – “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”
Psalm 105:1 – “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”
Psalm 143:6 – “I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land.”
Romans 14:11 – “It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
Psalm 95:6 – “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”
Psalm 63:3-4 – “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.”
James 3:10 – “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
Psalm 9:1 – “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”
Daniel 4:37 – “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”
Psalm 16:2 – “I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.””
Group 4 – What Does The Bible Say About Worship
Psalm 145:3 – “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”
Psalm 28:7 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”
Revelation 5:13 – “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!””
Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Psalm 13:5-6 – “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Psalm 116:1-2 – “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”
Psalm 19:1-2 – “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.”
Group 5 – What Does The Bible Say About Worship
Psalm 71:23 – “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered.”
Psalm 24:10 – “Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory.”
Colossians 3:16 – “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Psalm 34:1 – “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.”
Psalm 108:3 – “I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.”
Acts 2:21 – “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Psalm 42:8 – “By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.”
Isaiah 12:4 – “In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.””
Psalm 73:25 – “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”
Psalm 115:1 – “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”
Group 6 – What Does The Bible Say About Worship
Acts 2:46-47 – “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Philippians 4:20 – “To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Psalm 31:3 – “Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.”
Matthew 5:15-16 – “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Romans 15:7 – “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
2 Peter 3:18 – “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
Daniel 2:23 – “I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”
Psalm 119:7 – “I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.“
Psalm 145:1 – “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.”
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About Worship
Psalm 108:5 – “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Psalm 9:2 – “I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.”
Matthew 21:9 – “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!””
Psalm 68:19 – “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.“
Luke 2:20 – “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
Job 1:20-21 – “At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”“
Romans 10:13 –For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
2 Timothy 4:18 – “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About Worship
Luke 2:14 – “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
1 Timothy 2:9-10 – “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”
Acts 13:2 – “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.””
Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”
Philippians 2:9-10 – “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
Psalm 79:9 – “Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.”
1 Timothy 1:17 – “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.“
What Does The Bible Say About Idols? Idolatry is a subject matter worth understanding by all followers of Christ. If you’ve ever wondered what is idolatry in the Bible or questioned yourself about its true meaning, you are at the right place. Our write-up is aimed at pouring more light on this subject matter. Reaching out to answer the question of what is idolatry, we can say that it is the worship of an idol or cult image, being a physical image, like a statue, or a person in the place of God Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth. In simple terms, idolatry is the worship of anything in the place of God Almighty who describes Himself as “I AM that I AM” (Exodus 3:14).
The Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines idolatry as “image-worship or divine honour paid to any created object.” It is a practice that undermines the place of God. We’ve been cautioned across the Bible to stay away from the sin of idolatry. Still, on what the Bible says about idols, God has warned His children not to create any image in the name of a god for worshiping sake. If you’ve ever done such, Sincerely Repent and start obeying the Key Teachings of Jesus Christ. In this way, you’ll be saved from the Fire of Hell and offered Eternal Life. Below are some forms of idolatry:
Nature worship (worship of the sun, moon, and stars)
Fetishism (worship of trees, rivers, stones, hills, etc)
Hero worship (the worship of deceased ancestors, or of heroes)
What Does The Bible Say About Idolatry?
What the Scriptures say about Idols
In the Scripture, idolatry is regarded as of heathen origin, and as being imported into the midst of the Hebrews through their contact with nations who were ignorant about the existence of the One True God. Idolatry is mentioned for the first time in the Bible in the account of Rachel stealing her father’s teraphim (Genesis 31:19). These were the relics of the worship of other gods by Laban’s progenitors “on the other side of the river in old time” ( Joshua 24:2 ). During their stay in Egypt which lasted for long, the Hebrews were introduced to idolatry. It was long before they were delivered from these evil practices which they picked from other nations ( Joshua 24:14 ; Ezekiel 20:7 ). They also suffered much from God’s anger due to this sin.
The first and second commandments speak against idolatry in all forms. Both individuals and communities were equally amenable to the rigorous code. As we can read from Exodus 22:20, the individual offender was devoted to destruction. Behold, his nearest relatives were not only bound to denounce him and set him up for punishment ( Deuteronomy 13:20-10 ), but their hands were to strike the first blow. If the individual offender’s practice was witnessed by at least two people, he was stoned ( Deuteronomy 17:2-7 ). Attempting to seduce others to false worship was a crime of equal intensity (Deuteronomy 13:6-10). Idolatrous nations also shared the same fate. The Old Testament strongly holds to the fact that the extermination of the Canaanites was the punishment for their idolatry ( Exodus 34:15 Exodus 34:16 ; Deuteronomy 7 ; 12:29-31 ; 20:17). Jeremiah 2:17 says that the calamities of the Israelites were due to the same cause.
What The Bible Says About Idols
Exodus 20:23 – “Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.”
Ephesians 5:11-12 – “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Deuteronomy 13:4 – “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
1 John 5:21 – “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”
Joshua 24:15 – “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Deuteronomy 4:39 – “Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.”
Colossians 3:5 – “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”
Group 1 – What The Bible Says About Idols
Psalm 34:14 – “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
John 17:15 – “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
1 Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.
Hosea 13:4 – “But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me.”
Exodus 20:4 – “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”
Exodus 20:3 – “You shall have no other gods before me.”
1 Corinthians 15:56 – “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.”
Jeremiah 10:3-5 – “For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold, they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.”
Group 2 – What The Bible Says About Idols
Habakkuk 2:18 – “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!”
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Jonah 2:8 – “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.”
Psalm 135:15-17 – “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak, they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.”
Isaiah 37:19 – “And have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed.”
Isaiah 44:9-12 – “All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails, he drinks no water and is faint.”
Group 3 – What The Bible Says About Idols
Psalm 115:4-8 – “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”
1 John 5:21 – “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”
Leviticus 26:1 – “You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.”
Colossians 3:5 – “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
Ezekiel 20:32 – “What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’”
Romans 1:21-23 – “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”
1 Chronicles 16:26 – “For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.”
Group 4 – What The Bible Says About Idols
1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Colossians 2:8 – “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Acts 19:25 – These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth.”
Isaiah 30:22 – “Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!”“
Isaiah 44:13-19 – “The carpenter stretches a line, he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass, He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest, He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. …”
Group 5 – What The Bible Says About Idols
1 Kings 18:25-29 – “Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. …”
Isaiah 44:17 – “And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!””
Exodus 23:13 – “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.”
Isaiah 40:19 – “An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains.”
Psalm 115:4-7 – “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.”
Group 6 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Leviticus 19:4 – “Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves any gods of cast metal: I am the Lord your God.”
Psalm 96:5 – “For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.”
Isaiah 31:7 – “For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your hands have sinfully made for you.”
Isaiah 2:20 – “In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,”
Acts 15:29 – “That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”
Luke 9:25 – “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?“
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
1 Corinthians 10:14 – “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”
Luke 12:34 – “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Exodus 34:17 – “You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.“
2 Kings 19:18 – “And have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed.“
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Job 22:22-24 – “Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents, if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,“
Exodus 32:4 – “And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!””
Colossians 3:1-25 – “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ...”
Ephesians 5:5 – “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Isaiah 16:12 – “And when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself on the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail.”
Hosea 8:4 – “They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.“
Isaiah 40:20 – “He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.”
Acts 19:24 – “For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen.”
Acts 15:20 – “But should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.“
Deuteronomy 7:25 – “The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.”
2 Kings 18:4 – “He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).“
1 Samuel 15:23 – “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
1 Peter 4:3 – “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.”
Colossians 3:2-6 – “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.”
2 Peter 2:15 – “Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,”
Genesis 19:1-38 – “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? ...”
Group 10 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Deuteronomy 4:15-16 – “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female,”
Colossians 2:18 – “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,”
Psalm 16:4 – “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.”
Job 22:23-28 – “If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents, if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed, then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver. For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows. …”
Exodus 20:5 – “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,”
Group 11 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
James 4:3-4 – “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Revelation 2:14 – “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.”
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Exodus 20:3-6 – “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”
Group 12 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Galatians 1:6-9 – “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: …”
Revelation 9:20-21 – “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”
Revelation 11:1-19 – “Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. …”
Group 13 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Acts 20:24 – “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Jeremiah 11:12 – “Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Daniel 5:22-24 – “And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored. “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed.”
1 Corinthians 12:2 – “You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.”
Group 14 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Isaiah 2:8 – “Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.”
Jeremiah 11:12 – “Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble.”
Jeremiah 2:18-19 – “And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates? Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord God of hosts.”
Isaiah 44:6-20 – “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people, Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? …”
Group 15 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 – “Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king’s place. There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:18 – “For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”
Isaiah 42:17 – “They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols, who say to metal images, “You are our gods.””
Exodus 32:20 – “He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.”
Psalm 97:7 – “All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!“
Ecclesiastes 1:18 – “For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”
Psalm 106:38 – “They poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.”
Psalm 97:7 – “All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!”
Group 16 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
1 Thessalonians 1:9 – “For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,”
Genesis 31:19 – “Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods.”
Revelation 21:8 – “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Deuteronomy 27:15 – “‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’“
Exodus 19:1-20:26 – “On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; ...”
Group 17 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Revelation 9:1-21 – “And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. ...”
Acts 17:16 – “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.“
Galatians 5:19-21 – “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Group 18 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Jeremiah 10:1-11:23 – “Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” …”
Jeremiah 17:1-27 – ““The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars, while their children remember their altars and their Asherim, beside every green tree and on the high hills, on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your high places for sin throughout all your territory. You shall loosen your hand from your heritage that I gave to you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.” Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. ...”
Group 19 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
1 Corinthians 10:19 – “What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?”
2 Corinthians 6:16 – “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.““
Isaiah 44:9-20 – “All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails, he drinks no water and is faint. The carpenter stretches a line, he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. ...”
Group 20 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
1 Corinthians 10:1-16:24 – “For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. …”
1 Corinthians 10:7 – Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”
1 Timothy 2:4 – “Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Psalm 135:15 – “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.“
Psalm 115:4 – “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.”
Group 21 – What Does The Bible Say About Idols?
Exodus 32:1-34:35 – “When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” …”
Judges 17:1-19:30 – “There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the Lord.” And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. …”
There are many Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ worth knowing by all those who have been sent to Him by God in order to obtain salvation. Jesus Christ did not come on Earth by His own authority but by the authority of God the Father Almighty. Let’s support this message by reading from John 3:16 – “For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life.” Let’s further read from John 17:5-7 – “Father! Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the world was made. ‘I have made you known to those you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your word, and now they know that everything you gave me comes from you.'”
It was out of God’s immeasurable, unconditional, unbiased, and unfailing love for mankind that sent His own son o pay the price for our sins. Although Christ had no sin of His own, He humbly accepted this mission which led to His dead on the Cross at Calvary. At Calvary, He was offered as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (completely wiping and taking away the sins of all those who come to Him). Jesus Christ takes away the sins of the faithful and offers them eternal life in the presence of God. To benefit from God’s Gift of Eternal Life, we must answer the call of Christ for a Sincere Repentance. Following this repentance is a renewed mind that is willing and ready to obey the Key Teachings of Jesus Christ. Hence, becoming His faithful followers.
Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ (Luke 14:25-33)
What the Scriptures say about Following Jesus Christ
Luke 14:25-30 – “Now great multitudes were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’“
Luke 14:31-33 – “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks terms for peace. So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions” This scripture summarizes what it takes to become a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ. Still from this scripture, we can point out without doubt that discipleship is centered upon Dependence and Submission to Jesus Christ. We can as well say that genuine discipleship has to do with completely rearranging our priorities. Following Jesus Christ or being His disciple is all about making Him the most important thing in your life.
Understanding the Mission that God gave Christ to accomplish on Earth
It is not possible for us to talk about what it takes to become a disciple of Christ without pointing to His Earthly Mission. Christ did reveal Himself through His earthly life as the Savior of the World who was sent by the Father Almighty. His name “Jesus” clearly reveals His Earthly Mission as it means “God Saves.” This name was give to Him by Mary and Joseph in respect to the Heavenly Instructions that were brought to them by Angel Gabriel (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31). In the heavenly message which was transmitted to Joseph, the meaning of the name was explained by the angel as thus; “For He will save His people from their sins.” Christ with His own words describes His saving mission as one whose highest expression will be the sacrifice of His own life for mankind (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).
Through the saying that the Son of man came to give His life as ransom for many, Jesus CHRIST was actually referring to the prophecy of the suffering Servant who “makes Himself an offering for sins” (Isaiah 53:10). Here, He is talking of a personal sacrifice which is much different from the animal sacrifice which was regularly used in ancient worship by the children of Israel. In line with these words, Christ appears as the Universal Savior through whom all human beings, according to God’s plan, are ransomed, freed, saved, and given eternal life. As a universal savior, Christ is the only savior. Let’s support this message by reading from Acts 4:12 – “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Here, Apostle Peter makes it clear that the only path to salvation is Christ.
Requirements to be a Disciple of Jesus Christ
1. A true disciple of Jesus Christ must put Him above all those nearest and dearest to him (Luke 14:26)
Luke 14:26 – “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, … he cannot be my disciple.” It is important to understand here that Jesus CHRIST did not mean that we cannot love both God and our family at the same time. Also note that He did not mean to say that a person can only love God while hating those nearest and dearest to him/her. Remember that the scriptures speak on several occasions about the love governing families, friends, children, husbands and wives.
What Christ means here is that our love for Him must have precedence over any other. That is, our attachment to Him must be greater than any other attachment. Although husbands have been called to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25), the are to love the Savior more. No human bond should be more inseparable, no human relationship should be more intimate than that between the disciple and His Master, Jesus Christ.
2. A true disciple of Jesus Christ must value following Him more than life itself (Matthew 16:25)
Matthew 16:25 – “For whoever wants to save their own life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” It is without doubt that the basic instinct to preserve life is inherent in all creation. However, genuine discipleship demands a devotion to Jesus Christ that surpasses the instinct to preserve our own life. The history of the church clearly and sufficiently proves that this discipleship requirement has resulted to the death of countless followers of Christ or Christians.
3. A true disciple of Jesus Christ must place his commitment to the faith above material possessions (Luke 14:33)
Luke 14:33 – “In the same way, concluded Jesus, ‘none of you can be my disciple unless you give up everything you have.’” In simple terms, we must love God more than money and what it can buy. It is important to understand that material possessions will not last bu God’s Gift of Eternal Life is forever. Instead of storing up riches here on Earth where rust and moth will destroy them and thieves will steal them, you should rather store them in heaven where no thief can steal nor they can get bad. Our riches in heaven are determined by our level of faithfulness in keeping God’s commands.
4. A true disciple of Jesus Christ must daily die to self-interest (Luke 14:27)
Luke 14:27 – “Those who do not carry their own cross and come after me cannot be my disciples.” Every genuine disciple of Jesus Christ must pick up his/her own cross to follow Him on daily basis. Let’s not mistake our daily cross with His. The Cross of our lord was one that was borne once and for all. But ours is one that we must take on daily basis. The Cross of Christ was one that led to His physical Crucifixion and death. Carrying our cross on daily basis to follow Him has to do with putting to death on daily basis our selfish desires and ambitions of the old self. It is all about remaining faithful even in the face of daily challenges that are trying to break or faith (Romans 6:1-14; 2 Corinthians 4;7-12; 1 Corinthians 15:31).
The Rewards awaiting True Disciples of Jesus Christ
1. Knowledge about the Kingdom of God (Mark 4:34)
Mark 4:34 – “And He was not speaking to them without parables; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.” It is more to His disciples that our Lord Jesus Christ reveals His innermost thoughts and most intimate secrets. By following Him, we are privileged to learn about the things of God’s kingdom. Let’s further read from John 14:21 – “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal (manifest) myself to each of them.”
2. Eternal Life (John 11:25-26)
John 11:25-26 – Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” One of our greatest rewards is Jesus Christ Himself. Remember that He is the resurrection and the life. Just as He overcame His own death, He will also do same for all His followers as He brings them back to life in the presence of God.
3. Favor and mercy before God (John 1;17)
John 1:17 – “For the Law was given through Moses; Grace and Truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” Through Christ, we obtain God’s grace. And he who obtains God’s grace also obtains His favor and blessings. Blessings reserved for those who make-up their minds to follow Jesus Christ despite the challenges that come their way.
4. Victory over Satan and all the principles of darkness in the heavenly places (Philippians 2:10-11)
Philippians 2:10-11 – “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of Go the Father.” Through Christ, we as His followers are victorious. Remember that God has given Him all authority in Heaven and on Earth. Let’s support thus by reading from Matthew 28:18-20 – “Jesus drew near and said to them, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go then to all people everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Best Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Psalm 119:133 – “Direct my footsteps according to your word;let no sin rule over me.”
Deuteronomy 5:33 – “Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 – “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
2 Thessalonians 3:5 – “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”
John 8:12 – When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Deuteronomy 13:4 – “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
Mark 8:34 –Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
Matthew 10:38 – “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
Galatians 5:25 – “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Psalm 128:1 – “Blessed are all who fear the Lord,who walk in obedience to him.“
Group 1 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Ephesians 5:1 – “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children.”
John 12:26 – “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”
Psalm 37:23 – “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.”
1 Peter 2:21 – “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”
Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
John 8:31-32 – To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Matthew 19:21 – Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Joshua 24:15 – “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
James 2:17 – “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
Group 2 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
John 13:35 – “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Hebrews 13:20-21 – “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Proverbs 4:27 – “Do not turn to the right or the left;keep your foot from evil.”
John 15:8 – “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Psalm 119:60 – “I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.“
1 Corinthians 11:1-2 – “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.”
1 Peter 2:21 – “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”
Matthew 16:24 – Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Luke 9:23 – “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
John 8:12 – Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Group 3 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Mark 8:34 – And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
1 John 2:3-4 – “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,”
John 10:27 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
1 Peter 1:14-16 – “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.””
1 Corinthians 11:1 – “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”
Matthew 10:22 – “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Group 4 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
John 15:16-17 – “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
Matthew 4:19 – And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
John 15:14 – “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
Luke 18:22 – When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
John 12:26 – “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.“
Matthew 4:19-25 – And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. …”
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Group 5 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
John 15:5-8 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
Matthew 10:38 – “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
James 2:20-24 – “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Galatians 5:25 – “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”
Group 6 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
John 14:26 – “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
Ephesians 5:1-2 – “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
John 8:31-32 – So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Luke 14:25-35 – “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,”
Group 7 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
John 6:55-59 – “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.”
Matthew 19:21 – Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
2 Timothy 3:12 – “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”
Mark 10:21 – And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Philippians 2:12-13 – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Group 8 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Mark 10:28-31 – Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”John 21:19 – “(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.””
Titus 3:5 – “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,”
Luke 5:27-33 – “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him, And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them, And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. …“
Group 9 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
1 Peter 3:18-22 – “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.”
John 18:15 – “Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest,”
Luke 7:9 – “When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.””
Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Mark 14:51 – “And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him,”
Group 10 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Mark 8:34-37 – “And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it, For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?”
Luke 9:23-25 – “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?“
John 15:8 – “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
Matthew 11:29 – “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
John 10:10-11 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Group 11 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Mark 10:52 – “And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Acts 14:22 – “Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Philippians 3:20 – “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
John 15:18 – “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.“
2 Thessalonians 3:6 – “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.”
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Acts 2:38-39 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”
Group 12 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
John 8:31 – “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,”
Mark 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
1 Thessalonians 1:6 – “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,”
John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Matthew 16:15-19 – “He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”“
Group 13 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
John 13:12-17 – “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. …“
Mark 8:34-38 – “And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me, For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it, For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”“
Group 14 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Psalm 119:10 – “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!”
Matthew 6:9-13 – Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Ephesians 5:2 – “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Joshua 24:15 – “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Psalm 25:1-22 – “Of David. To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. …“
Group 15 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 4:23-24 – “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Matthew 9:9 – “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.”
Luke 1:47-49 – “And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.”
Luke 14:25-27 – “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.“
Group 16 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Matthew 8:18-22 – “Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.””
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,“
Philippians 2:5 – “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,”
1 John 5:16-17 – “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.”
Matthew 16:24-25 – “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Group 17 – Bible Verses About Following Jesus Christ
Exodus 5:1-23 – “Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” And Pharaoh said, …“
John 20:28 – Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Ephesians 5:1 – “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”
Luke 6:40 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.”
Hebrews 13:20-21 – “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Group 18 – Bible Verses On Following Jesus Christ
1 John 2:28-3:10 – “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. …“
John 8:24 – “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
John 6:68-69 – Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Group 19 – Bible Verses On Following Jesus Christ
Matthew 9:35-36 – “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Revelation 1:17-18 – “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.“
1 John 3:11-24 – “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. …“
John 14:13 – “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
Group 20 – Bible Verses On Following Jesus Christ
1 John 4:1-6 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. …“
1 John 2:15-27 – “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. …“
There are many Bible Verses About Eternal Life worth knowing by everyone. According to the Christian Eschatology, Eternal Life traditionally refers to continued life after death. Even the Apostles’ Creed testifies: “I believe… the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.” It is experienced in its fullness after the Second Coming of Christ. In line with the mainstream Christian Theology, after death but before the Second Coming, the saved live with God in an Intermediate State. After the Second Coming, they experience the physical resurrection of the dead and the physical recreation of a New Earth. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “By death the soul is separated from the body, but in the resurrection God will give incorruptible life to our body, transformed by reunion with our soul. Just as Christ is risen and lives for ever, so all of us will rise at the last day.“
Behold Brethren, God’s plan is not to abandon this world, but He intends to remake it. Upon doing this, He will raise all people to new bodily lives to live in it. Having this in mind, you can rest in peace with all hope that Christ will bring back to life all those who follow Him. God’s plans for us are the best as we can read from Jeremiah 29:11 – “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.” And for sure, the future we hope for is life everlasting in His presence through Christ. This scripture from Prophet Jeremiah clearly reassures us of God’s promise of everlasting life. And as we know, God’s promises never fail. He always does what He says He will do.
Bible Verses About Eternal Life
John 3:16 – “For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who BELIEVES in Him may NOT DIE but have ETERNAL LIFE. For God did not send His Son into the World to be its judge, but to be its savior.” In simple terms, it is not God’s will that we perish. That’s why He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ to come and free mankind from sin. Although Jesus Christ had no sin of His own, He was handed to evil men who persecuted and nailed Him on the cross at Calvary for our sins. Christ willingly gave up His own life so that we may in-turn have life through Him.
God sent Jesus Christ to the Earth as the Lamb that takes away the sins of all those who come to Him through a sincere repentance, change of mind, and readiness to do good. Christ is the sacrificial lamb of God that breaks the spiral of sin that dates back to the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. On the cross at Calvary, He took with Him the sins of all those who come to Him and gives them eternal life in the presence of God Almighty. Anyone can benefit from this eternal life that God offers to mankind through Christ. In order to benefit from it, you’ll need to Sincerely Repent from your sins and start obeying the Key Teachings of Jesus Christ.
What the Scriptures say about Eternal Life
What is eternal life?
It is not strange to hear people asking the question, “what is eternal life?” According to the Bible, eternal life is a special gift from God that comes only through Jesus Christ. Let’s support this spiritual truth by reading from Romans 6:23 – “For sin pays its wage – death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.” The gift of eternal life from God is in contrast to “death” which naturally results from sin. Eternal life is a free gift from God to all those who believe in Jesus Christ, who is Himself “the Resurrection and the Life.” Let’s support this by reading from John 11:25-26 – “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and all those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?‘”
The fact that the life that is offered by Jesus Christ is “eternal” means that it is perpetual life – that is, a life that goes on and on and on, having no end. An eternal life is not necessarily one which comes with an unending progression of years. Aiónios is the commonly translated New Testament word for “eternal.” It is wort noting that Aiónios carries the idea of quality and quantity. This is to say that eternal life is not necessarily associated with a number of “years.” We say this because eternal life is independent of time. It can function outside time, within time, and even beyond time. Hence, we can perceive eternal life as something that Christians begin experiencing in the present age through faith in Christ. Eternal life is not necessarily something that starts when believers die.
Experiencing Eternal life
Eternal life begins the very moment that a believer exercises faith in Jesus Christ. That’s why it won’t make much sense for believers to talk about waiting for the beginning of eternal life only after death. John 3:36 says, “Whoever BELIEVES in the Son has ETERNAL LIFE; whoever disobeys the Son will NOT HAVE LIFE, but will remain under God’s PUNISHMENT.” The focus on eternal life is not necessarily on our future, but on our present standing in Christ.
The Bible linking eternal life with Jesus Christ
The Bible inextricably links God’s gift of eternal life with the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s support this message by reading from John 17:3 – “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Through this scripture, we clearly perceive Jesus Christ equating “eternal life” with a knowledge of God and of the Son. Hence, we can say without doubt that there is no knowledge of God without the Son, for it is through the Son that the Heavenly Father reveals Himself to the elect. Let’s support this Divine Truth by reading from John 17:6-7 – “I have made you known to those you gave me out of the World. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your word, and now they know that everything you gave me comes from you.“
What does the Bible say about Heaven, Hell, Eternal Life, and the Resurrection of the Body?
It is without doubt that everyone keeps wondering and marveling about how and what eternal life will be like in the last days. Although the Bible does not give us many details about this subject matter, it provides us with sufficient information to maintain our hope in Jesus Christ who is the life giving water from above. In addition, it clearly reassures us of an everlasting life in the presence of God through Christ who is Himself the Resurrection and the Life. That is, Christ will raise back to life all the dead for judgement. Those who will be justified in Him through their past thoughts, words and actions will be send to benefit from the highest level of eternal life in the presence of God while the wicked will be condemned and send to the lake of fire for eternal punishment.
It is reported that at death, we may enter an Intermediate State until the Second coming of Jesus Christ. It is upon His Second Coming that all who have ever lived will be resurrected for the final judgement. All those who are saved will receive new glorified bodies and given a place in the presence of God Almighty. On the other hand, the wicked will be cast into the fire of Hell. Many might want to know what is the intermediate state? In simple terms, the intermediate state is the time between a person’s death and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Due to the fact that the Bible has not clearly spoken on the intermediate state, there are many beliefs that have arisen with time. Below are some of the main beliefs worth knowing:
Continued life of the soul
According to a majority view among the Protestants, a person’s soul (or spirit) survives physical death thereby remaining conscious during the intermediate state. In addition, they believe that at the time of death, a person’s soul is separated or freed from his/her body (Revelation 20:4, Matthew 10:28, Acts 2:27). According to them, those who are saved will dwell in peace with God when they are in the intermediate state (Philippians 1:23-24, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15, Luke 23:43, John 11:25-26, 14:23, Luke 16:22-24) while the souls of the wicked dwell in torment (Luke 16:23).
Purgatory
Similar to the majority of Protestant teachings on this subject matter is that of the Roman Catholic Church except for the fact that those who are saved will have to undergo a process of purification after death in order to achieve the holiness that is necessary to enter the perfection o Heaven and dwell in the Holy Presence of God Almighty. It is this purification process that is referred to as Purgatory. The process is inferred from the testing by fire as mentioned in 1 Peter 1:7, and 1 Corinthians 3:15, and the atonement for the death that is spoken of in 2 Maccabees 12:45.
Soul Sleeping
On a few occasions, the Bible speaks of the death as those having fallen asleep. Let’s support this point by reading from the following scriptures: John 11:11-13 – “After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” Acts 13:36 – “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.”
From the above mentioned scriptures, some few people believe that the souls of the dead are asleep and unconscious during the intermediate state. In addition, they believe that these souls will remain in this way until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. However, the majority view on this aspect is different as many perceive that these references to sleep are just a figure of speech for death which is perhaps used to indicate that death is not the final end for those who are saved through Christ.
Nonexistence
According to Jehovah’s witnesses, people do not have a soul that survives death. They teach that at death, a person completely ceases to exist until he/she is brought back to life at the resurrection of the dead. They use a few Old Testament citations to support this their belief (Genesis 3:19, Psalms 146:3-4, Ecclesiastes 9:5, 9:10). However, most Christians believe that the revelation of Jesus Christ and that of His Apostles pour more accurate light on this subject matter than the above mentioned Old testament Passages.
Resurrection of the Dead and Final Judgement
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will initiate the resurrection of all the dead. Everyone including the resurrected dead and those still living will face the final judgement of God (Revelation 20:11-15, Matthew 25:31-32; Romans 14:10-12). Even those who profess the Christian faith will face judgement. In short everyone will be judged based on their past thoughts, words, and actions. The righteous who shall proceed from this judgement will be given eternal life in the presence of God Almighty while the wicked will be condemned to eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 5:29-30, 10:28, 18:8-9, Acts 24:15, Mark 9:43-48). John 5:28-29 says, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his [Christ’s] voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”
Note that God will judge different people by different standards. He will judge depending on their knowledge of the Gospel, abilities, wealth, and the responsibilities that they were charged to accomplish. Luke 12:48 says, “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.”
Heavenly Bodies (Analyzed in the light of Bible Verses About Eternal Life)
All those who will be judged and found righteous through Christ will be granted eternal life. In addition, they will receive new glorified, spiritual bodies that are up to some extent similar to our Earthly bodies and up to some extent different (Philippians 3:18-21, 1 Corinthians 15:50-55). Let’s support this fact by reading from 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 – “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable, it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”
What is Heaven?
In Christianity, the word “Heaven” is used to designate or refer to the final dwelling place of all those who are saved through Jesus Christ. It is portrayed as a place of perfection where people who have lived righteous lives through Christ will dwell forever in the presence of God Almighty. It is wort noting that in the Bible, heaven (or heavens) has several meanings. All the universe beyond the Earth refers to the physical heaven (Genesis 1:1, Revelation 12:3-4, Matthew 24:29). Heaven is the dwelling place of God Almighty (Deuteronomy 26:15, 1 Kings 8:28-30, Matthew 5:44-45).
Heaven and Earth will be brought to perfection or recreated upon the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This recreation will be done according to the Holy Will of God (Isaiah 65:17, 66:22, Revelation 21:1, 2 Peter 3:10-13). This new world will be the dwelling place for those who are saved through Christ (John 14:2-3, 1 Peter 1:3-4).
What is Hell?
In Christianity, Hell is the word which is used to designate or refer to the final dwelling place of people who are not saved. In simple language, it is portrayed as a place of eternal punishment for people who have lived wicked lives on Earth. It is important to note and understand that in the Original Bible Languages, there are several different words that translate or denote the abode of the dead or state of the dead. Many Bible verses translate these words as “Hell” thereby obscuring their distinct meanings. However, some newly translated versions of the Bible allow these words untranslated to preserve their distinctions and original meanings:
Hell in the Old testament
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word Sheol was perceived as the dwelling place of all the dead, both righteous and unrighteous. This Hebrew word was conceived as the place beneath the Earth where all the souls of the dead existed in darkness, gloom, oblivion, and silence (Psalms 94:17, Job 10:21, Psalms 88:12). Let’s support this fact by reading from Ecclesiastes 9:10 – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”
Hell in the New testament
1. Hades
Hades is a Greek word that is equivalent in perception as the Hebrew word Sheol. This is to say that in the Greek version of the Old Testament, the word “Sheol” was translated as “Hades.” However, in the later Jewish writings, we perceive that the words Sheol/Hades were conceived as having different regions of comfort for the righteous and the divine punishment of the wicked.
Luke 16:22-26 says, “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.“
2. Gehenna
Coming from the Hebrew word ge-hinnom, it means “valley of Hinnom.” This was a valley outside of Jerusalem. In the days of Jesus Christ, this valley was used as a garbage dump where fires burnt in a continuous manner. Before becoming a garbage dumb, this valley was formerly used as a place of idolatrous practices, including human sacrifices as we can read from Jeremiah 32:35 and 2 Chronicles 28:3. Mark 9:43-45 says, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.”
In addition, we can as well read from Matthew 5:22 – “But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” Today, we can say that the Christian conception of Hell as a place of punishment for the wicked is most closely associated to the word Gehenna as used by Jesus Christ.
3. Tartarus
The word Tartarus appears in the Bible once. And its appearance is in the New Testament. Coming from Greek mythology, this word is used to represent a place of punishment as we can read from 2 Peter 2:4 – “For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but condemned them to the chains of Tartarus and handed them over to be kept for judgment;”
4. Lake of Fire
Apostle John in his revelation of the last days uses the word “Lake of Fire” to describe the fate of the wicked. Let’s support this by reading the following scriptures: Revelation 20:10 – “And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:14-15 – “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
What are Paradise and the “Third Heaven”?
1. Paradise
Paradiseis a Persian word that originally meant “a walled garden“. In the days of Jesus Christ, a good number of Jews believed that life after death would be in Paradise which was perceived as similar to the Garden of Eden. They believed that the souls of the Patriarchs of Israel and those of righteous people will be taken to Paradise. In Luke 16:22-23, Jesus Christ makes reference to the belief of Paradise in His Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Let’s read some other scriptures were Christ makes mention of Paradise. Unto one of the thieves on the Cross, Jesus said in Luke 23:43 – “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” This suggest that paradise is the intermediate state that souls are taken immediately after death. In Revelation 2:7, Paradise is also mentioned.
2. Third Heaven
In line with the Jewish tradition, there are three heavens. Apostle Paul in his writings mentioned the highest heaven, that is the “third heaven” in connection with paradise (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). Although there is no further explanation on this, Apostle Paul might have intended the third heaven to be synonymy for paradise.
How does Heaven and Hell Look like? (Answered in the light of the Bible Verses About Eternal Life)
Although the Bible does not give many details on Heaven and Hell, it gives sufficient elements for us to have an image of what they look like.Note that most sayings in the Bible that surround these places are more of symbolic and metaphorical language. Whatever the case, the Bible makes it clear that there will be a glorious future for the righteous and eternal punishment for the wicked (Luke 10:25-28, 13:24-28, Matthew 7:13-14, 13:40-42, 19:28-29, John 5:28-29, 6:40, Revelation 21:8, Romans 6:22-23, 8:18). Lets read from Revelation 21:3-4 – “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, ...”
Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46 says, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; … Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; … And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Are we going to be able to recognize our relatives and friends in Heaven? Do people get married in Heaven?
It is without doubt that almost everyone wonders whether they’ll be able to recognize their friends and relatives in heaven. Unfortunately, the Bible does not give a precise answer to this question. However, some Christians have assumed that we’ll meet up some day with our friends and relatives in Heaven. As for marriage, Jesus Christ gave a word in Luke 20:34-37 – “Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.“
Will most people be saved or condemned to Hell?
Jesus did not clearly give a precise answer to this question but rather pointed out that the path that leads to Heaven is full of challenges and only a few people end up succeeding to travel it to the end. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Is Hell Eternal, or just the End of Life?
Coming up with a definite answer to this question is quite challenging. This is because some Bible verses point to the fact that anyone who ends up in Hell will be punished eternally (Luke 16:23-24, Matthew 25:46, Revelation 20:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10), but others just mention the destruction of both the body and soul (Luke 12:4-5, Matthew 10:28). Or perhaps it could be punishment till the final judgement then destruction (Jude 1:6, 2 Peter 2:4). Or still, it could be that the duration of punishment in hell depends on the degree of wickedness in life (Matthew 18:33-35). However, the majority believe that punishment in Hell is eternal as pointed out by the scriptures above.
Before the Second Coming of Christ or if you are still alive, have in mind that God is inviting you to turn away from your sins and receive eternal life. By sin here, we mean anything that you think, say or do that does not please God. Repent from your sins when it is still day time. For a time shall come when there shall be no more mercy or grace to set you free and as a result, you’ll suffer in the fire of Hell for eternity. Make up your mind today, Sincerely Repent, and start obeying the Key Teachings of Jesus Christ in order to stay far away from the eternal fire of Hell.
Bible Verses About Eternal Life
Group 1 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Believers Can Face Death Without Fear)
Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
John 10:28-30 – “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 – “Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:“Death is swallowed up in victory.O death, where is your victory?O death, where is your sting?”For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 5:10 – “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
Proverbs 8:35 – “For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord.”
1 John 2:17 – “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 – “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.“
Group 2 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Believers Enter the Lord’s Presence at Death)
Philippians 1:22-23 – “But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.”
2 Corinthians 5:8 – “Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.”
1 John 5:11 – “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
1 John 5:13 – “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
2 Corinthians 4:17 – “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts.See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting.”
John 3:36 – “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
John 17:3 – “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.“
Group 3 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Believers Will Dwell with God Forever)
Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
1 Timothy 6:12 – “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
Revelation 21:3-4 – “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Romans 8:18 – “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Revelation 1:8 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
John 4:14 – “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Matthew 10:39 – “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”
1 Timothy 1:16 – “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.“
Group 4 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Jesus Christ is Preparing a Special Place for Believers in Heaven)
John 14:1-3 – “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
Galatians 6:8 – “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Psalm 37:28 – “For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;the offspring of the wicked will perish.”
Romans 5:21 – “So that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Hebrews 7:25 – “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 17:3 – “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Matthew 25:46 – “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
John 5:24 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.“
Group 5 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Heaven Will Be Far Better Than Earth for Believers)
Revelation 14:13 – “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”
Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
Romans 10:13 – “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Galatians 6:7-8 – “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Romans 2:6-8 – “He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”
Group 6 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (The Death of a Believer Is Precious to God)
Psalm 116:15 – “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
Revelation 21:8 – “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Luke 23:43 – And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
John 3:36 – “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
John 6:50-71 – “This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. …”
Group 7 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Believers Belong to the Lord In Heaven)
Romans 14:8 – “If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
1 John 2:25 – “And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.”
John 14:23 – “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
Acts 24:15 – “Having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.“
John 5:28-29 – “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Group 8 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Believers Are Citizens of Heaven)
Philippians 3:20-21 – “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
Acts 4:12 – “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 2:38-39 – “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.””
John 6:66-71 – “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” …”
Hebrews 9:27 – “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,”
John 4:14 – “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Group 9 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (After Their Physical Death, Believers Gain Eternal Life)
John 11:25-26 – “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Romans 3:21-22 – “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:”
Proverbs 3:6 – “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Revelation 2:11 – “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’”
John 6:27 – “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
1 Timothy 1:16 – “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”
Revelation 20:6 – “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”
Group 10 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Believers Receive An Eternal Inheritance in Heaven)
1 Peter 1:3-5 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
1 John 5:20 – “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
Revelation 21:1-27 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” …“
Group 11 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Believers Receive a Crown In Heaven)
2 Timothy 4:7-8 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
1 John 5:13 – “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”
2 Thessalonians 1:9 – “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,”
1 Timothy 6:12 – “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.“
Revelation 20:1-15 – “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. ...”
Group 12 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life (Eventually, God Will Put An End to Death)
Revelation 21:1-4 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away … I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God … And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Acts 2:27 – “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.”
1 Peter 3:18-22 – “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.“
Group 13 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Heaven
John 6:47 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”
John 8:44 – “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Matthew 10:28-29 – “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.”
Psalm 49:15 – “But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me.”
John 1:12 – “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”
John 6:40 – “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Philippians 3:21 – “Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
1 John 2:27 – “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”
Group 14 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Heaven
John 11:25-26 – Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John 10:10 – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
John 10:27-28 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
Matthew 10:28 – “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
1 John 5:11 – “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Romans 5:21 – “So that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1 John 1:2 – “The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—”
Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”
Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”
Group 15 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Heaven
Revelation 20:4 – “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
John 6:39-40 – “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
1 John 5:1-13 – “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? …”
Revelation 1:8 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Group 16 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Paradise
1 John 3:4 – “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.”
1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Titus 1:2 – “In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.”
Philippians 3:20-21 – “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.“
1 Corinthians 15:1-58 – “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. …”
Romans 6:22 – “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.“
Group 17 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Paradise
Galatians 3:5-14 – “Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. …”
Romans 10:9 – “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Luke 20:35-36 – “But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.”
John 14:1-31 – ““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” …“
Group 18 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Heaven
Luke 14:14 – “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Ecclesiastes 9:5 – “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.”
Isaiah 26:19 – “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.”
Psalm 86:13 – “For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.”
Genesis 3:19 – “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
2 Corinthians 5:17– “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Galatians 2:15-16 – “We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
2 Corinthians 4:17 – “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”
Psalm 16:10 – “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.”
Group 19 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Heaven
John 20:19-24 – “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” ...”
Revelation 22:1-5 – “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
Group 20 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Heaven
John 6:35 –Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
Galatians 6:8 – “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
John 5:39 – “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,”
Luke 16:23 – “And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.”
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Matthew 25:41 – “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
Daniel 12:2 – “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Matthew 18:8-9 – “And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.”
Group 21 – Bible Verses About Eternal Life In Heaven
1 John 2:17 – “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
1 Corinthians 3:15 – “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
James 2:19 – “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”
Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
John 3:15 – “That whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
John 5:29 – “And come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
John 3:2-16 – “This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. …“
How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God? When reading the Bible, we frequently hear of people being called by the Lord God Almighty for a specific ministry or service. There are many examples of people being called by the Lord God in the Bible for His service. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Ezekiel, and many others were called by the Lord God Almighty to be His Prophets. Likewise, Paul was called by the Lord God: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:1). Likewise, the Old Testament priests were called by the Lord God to their special work (Hebrews 5:4; cf. Exodus 28:1). To be called by the Lord God Almighty is to be chosen by Him for certain purposes. When a person is aware of God’s calling in his/her life and surrenders to it, he/she starts living out the Lord God’s purpose for his/her life.
2 Chronicles 29:11 says, “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” Isaiah 49:1 says, “Listen to Me, O islands and coastlands, And pay attention, you peoples from far away. The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He has named Me.” Jeremiah 1:4-5 says, Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Galatians 1:14-18 says, “And [you have heard how] I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in [my advanced study of the laws of] Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had chosen me and set me apart before I was born, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles [as the good news—the way of salvation], I did not immediately consult with anyone [for guidance regarding God’s call and His revelation to me]. Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia and stayed awhile, and afterward returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I did go up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and I stayed with him fifteen days.“ 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:“ Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ“ John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” Matthew 20:25-28 says, But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.”
How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God?
The Lord God Almighty called the entire nation of Israel to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Likewise, the church, redeemed by the blood of the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, is called: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). The Lord God’s calling of Israel was to showcase His salvation to the pagan world. Sadly, Israel rejected that call by following idols and as a result never flourished in the way the Lord God wanted to prosper them. Nevertheless, the Lord God’s call today is to all those redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ to showcase to the world God’s love, mercy, grace, and salvation (Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 5:16). The Lord God is actively involved with His Universe than many people actually think. The Lord God is sovereign over the Universe and all creation as confirmed by Isaiah 46:9–11. Although the Lord God created humankind to be freewill beings and as such possess the freedom to make choices, His choices have already been made (Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:10–18). Likewise, Romans 11:29 says, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
John 3:16 says, “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Behold, we are called by the Lord God to Salvation. In the New Testament, the Greek word ekklesia translated “church” means “a called-out assembly,” or “the called out ones.” God’s call to salvation involves conforming us “to the image of his Son.” Both His election and call to salvation are part of an eternal plan for us that guarantees our inheritance in heaven: “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:29–30). After salvation, we are further called to grow in Christian virtue and serve the Lord God by good works. As a matter of fact, it is this maturation process in the Christian faith that confirms our calling by the Lord God (2 Peter 1:5–10). The Lord God has provided us with Spiritual Gifts to aid us in our call to service in His vineyard. The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts as He sees fit and then calls us into a field of service that makes use of those gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1–11).
Biblical Facts About Being Called By God
Behold, each and every Christian has a calling in his/her life. In fact, we were designed before the foundation of the world to be His workmanship, glorifying Him as we bring forth the fruit He desires. Ephesians 1:4-5 says, “just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—“ Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].“
Generally, the Lord God’s call to service usually begins with a burden for a particular need that relates to His kingdom. Some are called to the political arena where they can contribute to ending things like child abuse, and human trafficking, as well as contributing to the well-being of society in one way or the other for the glory of God. Others are called to be Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, Worship leaders, Bible translators, or to a host of other avenues that honor and glorify the Lord God (Matthew 23:34; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31; Ephesians 4:11). In this way, each one makes use of the gifts the Spirit has given to bring honor and glory to God’s name. We discover our call to a specific area of service by walking closely with the Lord God, loving Him, obeying Him, and offering ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1–2; Colossians 1:10). With time, we’ll grow spiritually and develop sensitivity to the voice of the Lord God. He can confirm His call in any way of His choice. Most of the time, confirmation can come through Scripture, godly counsel, fruitful results, natural gifting, and/or a sense of “rightness” that does not conflict with any of the other Scriptural confirmations.
Responding To God’s Call
When the Lord God calls us, He leads us into an awareness of the call. When we accept His calling on our lives, He prepares and equips us to be successful in His service. In the field, our callings are manifested through the works we are able to accomplish by the strength and gifts that God prepared and equipped us with. For example, a person may begin to have a burden for a particular foreign nation and its people regarding their salvation and spiritual well-being. The burden was placed there by the Lord God as part of His calling. The person makes further research about that nation and enrolls in a missions-focused school as his/her way to prepare for the work ahead. Once on the mission field, he/she is willing to suffer hardships and separation from family and friends because the call of God is his/her greatest motivation and focus. Apostle Paul wrote, “I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Notice that God’s call on Apostle Paul’s life became his motivating force. Acts 9:15–16 says, But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.”
In answering God’s call, we must obey His instructions in Scripture. By being faithful to the call of obedience, the Lord God can call us to more specific areas as well as increase our responsibility in his vineyard. Luke 16:10 says, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little thing is also dishonest in much.“ Matthew 25:21 says, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’“ Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 12:1-29 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. …“
Resisting/Refusing to Accept/Surrender to God’s Call
The Bible tells us that Jonah was called by the Lord God but refused to surrender to the call; rather, he ran the other way (Jonah 1:1–3). In spite of that, the Lord God pursued His disobedient servant until Jonah submitted himself to the call. With clear knowledge and understanding of Jonah’s disobedience beforehand, the Lord God had already prepared a big fish to swallow him and spit him out when he was humbled enough to repent (Jonah 1:17—2:1). When Jonah was back on dry land, the word of the Lord came to him for a second time, giving him another chance to obey. Jonah 3:1-3 says, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.”
It’s without a doubt that the Lord God Almighty could have rescued the Israelites from captivity in Egypt without Moses’ help. But He chose to do it through Moses (Matthew 19:26). Appearing to Moses at the burning bush, the Lord God said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt … and I have come down to rescue them” (Exodus 3:7-8). Surprisingly, the Lord God said, “Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Notice that the Lord God had a plan to deliver His people; His plan was Moses. However, in response to God’s call, Moses immediately began making excuses. From the Bible, we can deduce 4 different excuses made by Moses in an attempt not to accept or surrender to God’s call on his life:
1) I am not Adequate for the Task (Lack of Confidence) – Exodus 3:11-12
Exodus 3:11-12 says, “But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” And God said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve and worship God at this mountain.” “Who am I,” Moses asked. In fact, he felt inadequate, and he was eventually right to feel that way. By himself, he was inadequate, just as each and every one of us is. Amazingly, the Lord God in reply said to Moses, “certainly I will be with you.” Notice that the deliverance of the Israelites who were held captive in Egypt didn’t depend on the ability of Moses but on the presence, mightiness, power, sovereignty, strength, and sufficiency of the Lord God. From this Scripture, it’s clear that when the Lord God calls people to serve His purpose, He always provides
Fascinatingly, in Exodus 3:11-12, no longer is Moses the bold, strong 40 years old man in Egypt, who could singlehandedly kill an Egyptian slave master and successfully flee away from the Egyptian army unhurt. It seems the last 40 years in the wilderness did erase his confidence. From a prince to a pauper, it’s clear that Moses suffered a serious demotion from royalty to one of Egypt’s most-wanted assassins who was on the run. This probably explains why after all these years of tending sheep in the desert with no prospects of any change on the horizon, Moses had a serious sense of personal inferiority. But what Moses failed to know was that the Lord God had His eyes on him all the time. Behold, the Lord God had chosen him to accomplish a task greater than anything he could have imagined. As a matter of fact, the last 40 years of tending sheep weren’t wasted. Rather, they had taught Moses a lot about leadership, for sheep are renowned for: 1) Wandering away, completely unaware of dangers that may lurk ahead of them. 2) Their crowd mentality, mob mentality, herd mentality, or pack mentality. 3) Their complete dependence on the shepherd to guard and provide for them.
Behold, if Moses could lead sheep, then he could certainly lead people. Moses had gained field experience in leading the sheep around the Median desert, leading them in finding food and water, and protecting them from wild animals. And as such, we think that Moses was best placed to lead the Israelites out of captivity and into the promised land. Although his objection sounds like an expression of deep humility, it’s not really about humility but lack of confidence, not lack of confidence in self but lack of confidence in the Lord God who called him. Given that the Lord God had seemingly abandoned Moses just when he was intervening to use his strength and position to ameliorate the plight of the Israelites who were held captive in Egypt, could he still trust Him for the future especially as it involved Pharaoh? (Exodus 2:11-22). Absolutely yes, Moses could trust the Lord God for the future and just everything that he needed. God’s reply, “I will be with you” was all that Moses needed. The expression “be with you” indicates intimacy, protection, guidance, provision, and comfort. In other words, everything that Moses would need, the Lord God would provide. Notice that this expression of encouragement in Exodus 3:12a was the same expression of encouragement that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples just before He ascended back to heaven and before they would face tremendous tests of their newfound faith: “Remember,I amwith you always,to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
2) I don’t Know Enough (A Lack of Knowledge of God) – Exodus 3:13-22
Exodus 3:13-14 says, Then Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers (ancestors) has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am”; and He said, “You shall say this to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” Here, we see that Moses was worried about what to say should in case the Israelites challenge his authority and integrity by testing his personal knowledge of God. In fact, Moses was afraid the Israelites might ask him a question he couldn’t answer. Notice that he had to know the correct answer or else his authority would be in doubt. And knowing who he had been and what he had done, the Israelites were more likely to challenge him. Given his track record, they were likely to be suspicious of him.
Behold, if Moses didn’t answer correctly their hypothetical question as to God’s identity, they certainly would not welcome him, talk less of following him. The Lord God replied to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” And behold, whenever we say, “I don’t know enough,” “I’m not smart enough,” I’m not capable,” the Lord God Almighty says, but “I AM.” With this in mind, we should always trust Him because He is loving, worthy, faithful, and never fails.
3) People won’t take me Serious (Lack of Credibility with the People) – Exodus 4:1-9
Exodus 4:1 says, Then Moses answered [the Lord] and said, “What if they will not believe me or take seriously what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” The Lord God had already promised Moses, “They will listen to what you say” (Exodus 3:18). Still, Moses protested. Notice that now it’s not a matter of the Israelites questioning who had sent him, but whether they would believe him and obey him. Now it’s more of a matter of personal credibility. Well, Moses certainly had cause to wonder if they would believe him. Remember, his track record wasn’t that great. Indeed, he had earlier attempted to protect the Hebrew slave who was being mistreated by the slave master, but then he had disappeared for up to 40 years. The people were likely to question his whereabouts for all these years, who he had become, and whether or not he would abandon them again.
Amazingly, the Lord God graciously gives him three miraculous signs by which he could prove his credibility and convince the Israelites that he had been sent to them by I Am, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. First, his miraculous rod – when he threw it to the ground, it became a serpent and when he took hold of it again it became a rod again (Exodus 4:2-5). Second, his hand – when he put it into his cloak, it became leprous and when he put it into his cloak again it was immediately restored to perfect health (Exodus 4:6-7). Third, water from the river Nile – when Moses poured it on dry land it would become blood (Exodus 4:9).
4) A Lack of Oral Ability – Exodus 4:10-12
Exodus 4:10-12 says, Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words (eloquent, fluent), neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, or the seeing or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and will teach you what you shall say.” Behold, public speaking happens to be a problem for many people. In fact, it’s a daunting task for many people. Moses found himself in a situation whereby he was called by the Lord God to speak to a multitude as vast as the Israelites and to the pharaoh, the very man who wanted to kill him and from whom he had fled many years ago for his life. Again, the Lord God graciously provides comfort and assurance to Moses. Surely, the Creator Himself is able to empower us to speak for Him and to give us the right words to speak at the right time (Luke 12:12).
I am not willing – Exodus 4:13-17
Exodus 4:13-17 says, But he said, “Please my Lord, send the message [of rescue to Israel] by [someone else,] whomever else You will [choose].” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled and burned against Moses; He said, “Is there not your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. Also, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be overjoyed. You must speak to him and put the words in his mouth; I, even I, will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; he will act as a mouthpiece for you, and you will be as God to him [telling him what I say to you]. You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs [the miracles which prove I sent you].”
“Please, Lord, Send someone else,” Moses said (Exodus 4:13). Indeed, Moses said this despite God’s grace, patience, and provision for his weakness and fears. Behold, this was not an excuse/objection, but it reveals the real issue. Notice that for every excuse/objection Moses had made, the Lord God offered His promise and provision. Upon running out of excuses/objections, Moses revealed what the real issue was: I am not willing or I don’t want to do this or get someone to do it. As a matter of fact, this is usually the real issue; we are simply not willing to step out in faith and obey God’s call and instructions for us. Sadly, there are many other excuses that we make when the Lord God calls us. One might say, “I’m too old” (Moses was 80 years old) or another might say, like Jeremiah, “I am only a youth” (Jeremiah 1:7). In reality, whatever the excuse, it often boils down to lack of trust and an unwillingness to obey the Lord God Almighty.
Can I Reject God’s Calling to be a Minister or His Servant?
If I refuse God’s calling to be a minister or His servant, will I be punished? What are the consequences of refusing God’s calling? Can I reject God’s call on my life and go free? From the previously presented cases of Moses and Jonah, we can draw some very important Biblical conclusions about resisting/rejecting God’s call. But before that, let’s get some Scriptural facts about this topic: Romans 14:12 says, “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.“ 1 Peter 4:5 says, “But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” Revelation 20:12 says, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” Matthew 12:36-37 says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Luke 12:47-48 says, “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.“
From the Biblical examples of Moses and Jonah, we learn that when the Lord God calls us to be His servants or to minister for Him, it is wisest to obey. Moses refused to be God’s minister in the desert and as a result, God took part of his ministry away and gave it to someone else. Later in Numbers 20, we are told that Moses sinned and as a result, the Lord God did not let him go into the Promised Land. The Lord God gave his ministry to Joshua. With this in mind, it’s clear that the Lord God does not ultimately need you for the accomplishment of His purpose. If you refuse or get involved in sin, the Lord God can possibly give part or all of your ministry to someone else. In the Bible, we see an example of blatant and defiant refusal from Jonah. Jonah was a reluctant prophet who did not enjoy the ministry that the Lord God gave him. Although his ministry was phenomenally successful, he missed the joy of ministry because he refused. Still, notice that the Lord God once again did not let Jonah say no.
Following the calling of Moses and Jonah, is it possible to successfully refuse or reject God’s calling on your life? No. Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].” The message of the Scripture is that if the Lord God is calling you to minister for Him, He will not let you say no. He will pursue you until you say “yes.” The question now is, what ministry will you receive and how will you operate it? Scripturally, the Lord God can give part of the ministry that you could have had to someone else. In addition, you may not enjoy the ministry that you end up with, but then at least you are obedient, like Jonah.
Sadly, many people these days are battling in an attempt to refuse or reject God’s call on their lives. As a matter of fact, doing this is fighting a losing battle. Deep down in your heart, you know without a doubt that the Lord God is calling you into His service but you just can’t imagine yourself becoming a minister or His servant. The Lord God has revealed Himself and His calling on your life in different ways. He has confirmed His calling on your life through the Scriptures, godly counsel, spiritual leaders, dreams, visions, fruitful results, natural gifting, and/or a sense of “rightness” that does not conflict with any of the other Scriptural confirmations. Perhaps, you’ve even stopped attending church in an attempt to get your mind off the things of God, but He keeps reminding you of His calling on your life. Jeremiah 20:9 says, “But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!” Yet, you still keep trying to reject His calling. Trying to reject God’s call on your life as Jonah did is something that will put you in a more or less situation like that of Jonah whereby nothing in your life is moving as planned and on your own, you’ll be moving on towards distress, trouble, disaster and destruction as was the case with Jonah. Repent as Jonah did (Jonah 2), trust and serve the Lord God, “For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
The Secret to answer God’s call for your life – 2 Chronicles 30:8
2 Chronicles 30:8 says, “Now do not stiffen your neck [becoming obstinate] like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and come to His sanctuary which He has sanctified and set apart forever, and serve the LORD your God, so that His burning anger will turn away from you.” When it comes to hearing and answering God’s call for your life, 2 Chronicles 30:8 is the scripture to embrace. It presents a powerful three-step principle on how to be used by God. This three-step principle remains the secret or answer to the question of how you prepare yourself to be used by God Almighty. This three-step principle can be presented with the following three words: Yield, Enter, and Serve. Likewise, Jesus Christ said in Luke 9:23, “Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” By doing these things, you’ll make yourself receptive to God’s call as well as ready to be used by God anywhere and at any time depending on His will. It’s our prayer that after examining these secrets to answer God’s call on your life, you’ll be equipped with what it takes to be successful in doing God’s work thereby winning more souls into His Kingdom.
1. Completely Yield Yourself to God’s Will
Webster’s definition of yielding reads: 1) to give up possession of on claim or demand: such as a: to surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another: hand over possession of b: to give (oneself) up to an inclination, temptation, or habit c: to relinquish one’s possession of (something, such as a position of advantage or point of superiority) yield precedence d: to surrender or submit (oneself) to another e: to give up (one’s breath, life, or spirit) and so die 2) to be fruitful or productive. Below are characteristics of genuine yielding:
Yielding is fully letting God have His way in your life.
Genuine yielding prioritizes God’s will over your will.
It has to do with completely surrendering yourself to God.
True yielding acknowledges the confession; Not MY will but THY will be done in my life.
Through yielding, we become profitable to God’s kingdom.
Consecration and Sanctification are the two words used in the Bible for yielding.
Yielding is setting aside yourself for the sole purpose of God’s use.
By yielding ourselves, we are made available for God to use according to His will.
Our availability for God’s use depends on how much we give Him.
Hence, anyone who gives just a little of themselves to God will be used in a small way but anyone who gives much of themselves and their time to God will be used mightily in ways beyond human understanding.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“ Luke 9:23 says, And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Galatians 5:24 says, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.“ John 12:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.“ 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.“ Matthew 10:38 says, “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Romans 6:11 says, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
2. Enter into God’s Sanctuary
Entering into God’s sanctuary is an important Christian exercise that we can’t afford to omit in answering the question “how do I prepare myself to be used by God?” This is to say that if you are serious about answering God’s call in your life, you’ll need to build a deep relationship or establish a covenant with Him. It is the process of establishing a faithful relationship with God that we refer to as entering His sanctuary. Entering God’s sanctuary is not necessarily going to a Christian assembly which we’ve come to refer to as a Church. It is more of getting into your secret place, where you regularly talk with God in all quietness. Referring to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Mark 6:46 says, “And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray.” Likewise, Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
God’s sanctuary can as well be perceived as your heart, a place where His Spirit dwells. This is a call for you to treasure your heart as you strive hard to always keep it clean so that God’s spirit won’t be grieved. You do this by paying attention to what proceeds forth from your heart thereby making sure that it is in line with the will of God. In the same light, you should pay attention and align your thoughts, words, and actions according to the will of God. Remember to fill your heart with the Love of God and that of your neighbor. By so doing, you’ll reflect the loving nature of God Almighty thereby gaining mercy and favor on His side. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” 1 Samuel 16:7 says, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Acts 15:9 says, “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.“ Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.“ Matthew 15:11 says, “It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.” Below are some of the spiritual exercises that will grow your relationship with God and maintain you in His sanctuary:
a. Praying without ceasing
As Christians, we are called to pray at all times and pray without ceasing. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, started with prayers and ended with prayers. It is without a doubt that a prayerful life was the key to achieving success in the Divine Mission which was attributed to Him by God the Father. It is in the light of following His footsteps that we ought to pray at all times and pray without ceasing. If you expect God to use you, you must value the aspect of regularly communicating with Him. It is through a prayerful life that you will identify what God wants you to do. Prayer is a two-sided communication line – that is, as you speak to God, He is also speaking to you. Hence, you should learn to listen and hear from God because He is always saying something.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing,“ Mark 6:46 says, “And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray.” Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” John 15:7 says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.“ Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Matthew 6:7 says, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.“ James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Luke 11:9 says, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,“ Matthew 6:9-13 says, Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
b. Regularly reading and meditating on your Bible
The Bible is an authoritative means through which God speaks, teaches, and confirms His Holy Will to mankind. It is one of the greatest means of communication with God. The Bible teaches us about the great things which God has done, those that He is still doing, and those that He will do in times to come. God’s word is to our spirit what food is to our body. Failure to hear God’s word is likely to lead to what we refer to as spiritual starvation. By daily and regularly studying God’s word, you are equipped with what it takes to do His will as well as minister it to others.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.“ Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.“ Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.“ Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.“ John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.“ Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Hebrews 4:12-14 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Matthew 4:4 says, But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?“ Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.“ Psalm 19:7-11 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.“ Proverbs 4:20-23 says, “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.“ Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.“ James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Matthew 7:24 says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.“
c. Thanksgiving to God at all times
It is our Christian duty to be thankful to God at all times and in all circumstances. That is, we are to thank God for everything that comes our way – whether good or bad. We do this because God is always in control; nothing happens without His knowledge. Hence, we can say without a doubt that God is aware of all things that are happening to us. In short, He is in total control of all things that come our way. That’s why we should not dwell our hearts on worries. Always remember that God is working and turning all things for the good of His children. Let’s support this message by reading from Jeremiah 29:11 – “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!“ Psalm 7:17 says, “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,“ Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Psalm 100:1-5 says, “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.“
d. Singing praises to God
Offering praises to God is more of an outer expression of the inward joy and happiness in one’s heart. This is generally done in acknowledgment of God’s goodness, immeasurable and unconditional love. True praise is a spontaneous action that is mental, physical, emotional, and highly verbal. In reading across the Bible, we hear more of the vocalization of praise than dances or other expressions of praise. Remember that it was the vocal praise that brought down the great walls of Jericho. Hence, it is without a doubt that vocal praise moves God into action as He locates His people in mercy and favor. The Greek word for praise is “Story.” The moment something proclaims the work of God, it is offering praise. In simple terms, praise is telling a story of God’s goodness, might, power, love, mercy, compassion, and sovereignty.
Psalm 69:30 says, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.“ Psalm 100:1-2 says, “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!“ Psalm 95:1-2 says, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!“ Ephesians 5:19 says, “Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,“ Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.” James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” Acts 16:25 says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” Psalm 104:33 says, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.“ Psalm 150:1-6 says, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! …“
e. Worship
Worship is a spiritual exercise being carried out in the presence of God Almighty. It is more of a personal experience with God, the Father of Creation. Since it requires a personal experience with God, you’ll need to have been baptized (filled) with the Holy Ghost in order to genuinely worship God for who He is. Remember the words of Jesus Christ when He said that all those who worship God MUST do so in Spirit and Truth. In worship, the Holy Spirit fills us with what is necessary to truly acknowledge God for who He is. It provides us with the necessary reasons to genuinely worship God in spirit and truth. Genuine worship is not necessarily due to what God has done but for who He is. This is more likely when the Holy Spirit renews your mind and convinces you of God’s unfailing, unconditional, and immeasurable love. You can also learn what the Bible says about Prophetic Worship.
John 4:23 says, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Psalm 95:6 says, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!“ Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.“ Luke 4:8 says, And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Psalm 29:2 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” Psalm 96:9 says, “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!“ Psalm 99:5 says, “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!“ Psalm 66:4 says, “All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Matthew 4:10 says, Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
f. Praying in the Spirit
Note that praying in the spirit is different from your normal or daily prayer routine. Here, you willingly allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you with its own words. Praying in the spirit can involve praying in tongues, prophesying into the air, and carrying out an intercessory prayer. When praying in the spirit, you speak many things which you would not speak under normal prayers. That is, the Spirit prays for those things through you that you normally should have prayed for but you are not aware of. At times, we lack words to pray or simply do not know how to pray. However, as we yield to praying in the spirit, the Spirit of God within us prays for all those things we ought to pray for and also intercedes on our behalf and that of our close ones before God. You can as well read the following: Understanding how praying in tongues opens supernatural dimensions and How to be filled with the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Jude 1:20 says, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,“ 1 Corinthians 14:15 says, “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.“ Colossians 3:14-17 says, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“
3. Serve the Lord your God
Behold, serving God is an act of voluntary service. There are many ways through which you can serve God. You can serve God when you minister to Him in worship, showing Him homage, and when you witness His love, sovereignty, goodness, mercy, favor, and faithfulness to others. Note that your greatest service to God Almighty is spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ which is a call for mankind to sincerely repent from their sins and turn to God. There are also many places in which you can serve God in Spirit and Truth. You can serve God in your local Christian assembly, you can serve God in a private location, and you can serve God in a different country. In short, you can serve God anywhere and at any time according to His will. Your service to God is reflected by certain characters and values in your life:
a. Holiness
Holiness is one of the key elements in answering the question of “how do I prepare myself to be used by God?” It is the power of God within you that strengthens and guides you to walk no longer in sin. This power is achieved through Christ by being faithful to His teachings. Jesus Christ is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the faithful thereby making them Holy before God. In Christ, we’ve all been given the power to overcome our corrupted flesh and reflect God’s righteous nature. Holiness is what causes a separation to manifest. A genuine follower of Christ who strives for righteousness on daily basis appears different in thoughts, words, and actions as compared to those who claim just by mouth to be of Christ. He/she who becomes righteous in Christ is easily detected by a change in morals, thoughts, words, and actions.
Leviticus 20:26 says, “You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.“ 1 Samuel 2:2 says, “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says, “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.“ 1 Peter 1:15-16 says, “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.“ Romans 6:22 says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.“ Matthew 5:48 says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.“ Leviticus 19:2 says, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”
b. Ministry
A person can as well serve God by working in the ministry. We can’t afford to omit ministry work when answering the question of how to prepare yourself to be used by God. Behold brethren, let no one deceive you for we have all been called into ministry in the presence of God. Indeed, we’ve been called as ministers, ministers of love, reconciliation, mercy, truth, and faithfulness to God Almighty. We’ve all been commissioned by Christ to spread the Good News of Repentance and Life Everlasting to the four corners of the World thereby restoring to God all His lost children. You can also serve God by joining local Christian ministries in your assembly. Here, you can willingly serve as a Minister, Usher, Deacon, Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher, Apostle, Prophet, or any other ministry that is available and that God has called and anointed you in it.
2 Chronicles 29:11 says, “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,“ 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.“ 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.“ 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 says, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; …“ Romans 10:13-15 says, For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
c. Witnessing
Still, on how to prepare yourself to be used by God, we’ll say that witnessing is a great way to serve God in Spirit and Truth. This is more of a personal practice that does not necessarily require that you teach, preach or share out tracks. In simple terms, witnessing is all about telling others about the mighty things that God has done in your life out of His unfailing, unconditional, faithful, and immeasurable love. A witness is someone who has clearly seen or heard about something he/she can give a consistent account of how it took place. Here, the person gives his/her witness based on what they say or heard thereby persuading the audience to believe. In our case, when you witness, you are giving a testimony of Jesus Christ, the savior of the World.
Mark 16:15 says, “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.“ 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,“ Jeremiah 1:7-8 – But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“ Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.”
d. Loving
Loving is the greatest way of serving God. Christ spoke through His Apostles saying that “anyone who does not love does not know God.” This is because God has a loving nature. An objective look across the Bible will reveal that it revolves around Love – that is the love of God and the love of your neighbor. It is for this reason that some have gone to the very extent of calling the Bible “God’s Love Letter” to mankind. For God so loved the world that He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ so that anyone who hears, believes, and obeys his teachings will not die but have everlasting life in Heaven (John 3:16). Jesus Christ did not come to condemn the World but to invite everyone to Sincerely Repent and start obeying the Commands of God.
Love is a lasting value in the Kingdom of God. Christ Himself summarized the Law of Moses and the teachings of the Prophets into loving God with all your being and loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Through love, we clearly reflect the nature of God and Jesus’ mark of ownership. It is Jesus’ command that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Mark 12:29-31; John 15:12). In this way, we will please God in the things that we do. Hence, we should never stop loving or get tired of loving. Behold, he/she who does not love does not know God just as the scriptures point out (1 John 4:7-8). On the other hand, he who loves is one who knows God, and one who knows God will live forever in His presence. When we say we Love God or our neighbor, our thoughts, words, and actions must reflect this saying. Mark 12:29-31 says, Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.“ 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.“
How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God?
2 Chronicles 29:11 – “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.”
Jeremiah 1:4-5 – Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Isaiah 49:1-2 – “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.“
Deuteronomy 18:15 – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—“
John 20:21-22 – “Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.“
Matthew 23:34 – “Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men [interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue and persecute from city to city,“
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,“
Mark 16:15-18 – “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.Group 1- How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Matthew 28:18-19 – “Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
John 8:12 – Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.“
Matthew 19:26 – “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
1 Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:“
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ“
John 12:26 – “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
Matthew 20:25-28 – But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 22:14 – “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Galatians 5:13 – “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.“
1 Peter 4:11 – “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Group 2- How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“
Philippians 2:12-13 – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Group 3 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
1 John 4:12 – “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.“
John 15:1-27 – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. …“
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.“
Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“
2 Corinthians 6:3-10 says, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; …“
Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;Group 4 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Luke 10:19 – “I have given you authority to trample on snakesGroup 5- How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Colossians 2:9-10 – “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
Romans 8:26 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.“
James 1:27 – “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.“
Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.“
Hebrews 13:21 – “Equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Philippians 1:6 – “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Group 6 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
John 7:37 – “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.””
Romans 14:4 – “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Romans 5:1-21 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. …“
Hebrews 4:10 – “For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
Romans 15:17 – “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
1 Corinthians 3:1-23 – “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. …“
Group 7- How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Psalm 54:4 – “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Psalm 90:17 – “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!“
1 Corinthians 2:1-16 – “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. …“
1 John 4:2 – “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,“
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 10:1-42 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” …
Group 8 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
John 8:24 – “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Hebrews 6:1-20 – “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, …“
Acts 20:35 – “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Proverbs 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.“
1 Corinthians 15:1-58 – “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. …“
John 16:1-33 – ““I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ …“
Group 9 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Colossians 1:29 – “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Hebrews 1:2 – “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Acts 2:1-47 – “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. …“
Acts 17:31 – “Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Group 10 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
1 Timothy 2:4 – “Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Romans 7:1-25 – “Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. …“
John 14:1-31 – “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” …
Genesis 1:1-31 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. …“
Group 11 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Ephesians 4:28 – “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.“
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”
Proverbs 12:11 – “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.“
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.“
Hebrews 6:10 – “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.“
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
John 3:14 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,“
1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.“
2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.“
Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“
Group 12 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.“
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
Revelation 20:1-15 – “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. …“
John 6:1-71 – “After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” …“
John 20:1-31 – “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. …“
Group 13 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Matthew 16:19 – “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
John 17:1-26 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. …“
James 1:2 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,“
Revelation 21:1-27 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” …“
Group 14 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Revelation 17:1-18 -“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” …“
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.“
Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“
John 6:46 – “Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.“
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“
Group 15 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.“
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
1 Peter 5:3 – “Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.“
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.“
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“
Colossians 1:16 – “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.“
Group 16 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.“
Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
John 6:27 – “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.“
Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.“
John 3:2 – “This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”“
Isaiah 40:1-31 – “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” …“
Group 17 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Hebrews 10:25 – “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.“
Isaiah 26:12 – “O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.”
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,“
Ephesians 2:2 – “In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—“
1 Thessalonians 4:11 – “And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,“
Galatians 2:8 – “(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),“
John 3:1-36 – “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. …“
Group 18 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.“
James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“
Romans 12:11 – “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.“
Matthew 24:1-51 – “Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. …“
Isaiah 65:1-3 – “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here am I, here am I,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks;“
1 Corinthians 14:1-40 – “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. …“
Group 19 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Proverbs 14:1 – “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”
1 Corinthians 7:1-40 – “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. …“
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Chronicles 17:1-27 – “Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” And Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. …“
Group 20 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Romans 13:8 – “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.“
Revelation 14:12 – “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.“
Colossians 3:15 – “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.“
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; …“
Discover Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry. When reading the Bible, we frequently hear of people being called by the Lord God Almighty for a specific ministry or service. There are many examples of people being called by the Lord God in the Bible for His service. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Ezekiel, and many others were called by the Lord God Almighty to be His Prophets. Likewise, Paul was called by the Lord God: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:1). Likewise, the Old Testament priests were called by the Lord God to their special work (Hebrews 5:4; cf. Exodus 28:1). To be called by the Lord God Almighty is to be chosen by Him for certain purposes. When a person is aware of God’s calling in his/her life and surrenders to it, he/she starts living out the Lord God’s purpose for his/her life.
2 Chronicles 29:11 says, “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” Isaiah 49:1 says, “Listen to Me, O islands and coastlands, And pay attention, you peoples from far away. The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He has named Me.” Jeremiah 1:4-5 says, Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Galatians 1:14-18 says, “And [you have heard how] I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in [my advanced study of the laws of] Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had chosen me and set me apart before I was born, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles [as the good news—the way of salvation], I did not immediately consult with anyone [for guidance regarding God’s call and His revelation to me]. Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia and stayed awhile, and afterward returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I did go up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and I stayed with him fifteen days.“ 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:“ Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ“ John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” Matthew 20:25-28 says, But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.”
Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
The Lord God Almighty called the entire nation of Israel to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Likewise, the church, redeemed by the blood of the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, is called: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). The Lord God’s calling of Israel was to showcase His salvation to the pagan world. Sadly, Israel rejected that call by following idols and as a result never flourished in the way the Lord God wanted to prosper them. Nevertheless, the Lord God’s call today is to all those redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ to showcase to the world God’s love, mercy, grace, and salvation (Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 5:16). The Lord God is actively involved with His Universe than many people actually think. The Lord God is sovereign over the Universe and all creation as confirmed by Isaiah 46:9–11. Although the Lord God created humankind to be freewill beings and as such possess the freedom to make choices, His choices have already been made (Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:10–18). Likewise, Romans 11:29 says, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
John 3:16 says, “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Behold, we are called by the Lord God to Salvation. In the New Testament, the Greek word ekklesia translated “church” means “a called-out assembly,” or “the called out ones.” God’s call to salvation involves conforming us “to the image of his Son.” Both His election and call to salvation are part of an eternal plan for us that guarantees our inheritance in heaven: “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:29–30). After salvation, we are further called to grow in Christian virtue and serve the Lord God by good works. As a matter of fact, it is this maturation process in the Christian faith that confirms our calling by the Lord God (2 Peter 1:5–10). The Lord God has provided us with Spiritual Gifts to aid us in our call to service in His vineyard. The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts as He sees fit and then calls us into a field of service that makes use of those gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1–11).
Biblical Facts About Being Called By God
Behold, each and every Christian has a calling in his/her life. In fact, we were designed before the foundation of the world to be His workmanship, glorifying Him as we bring forth the fruit He desires. Ephesians 1:4-5 says, “just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—“ Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].“
Generally, the Lord God’s call to service usually begins with a burden for a particular need that relates to His kingdom. Some are called to the political arena where they can contribute to ending things like child abuse, and human trafficking, as well as contributing to the well-being of society in one way or the other for the glory of God. Others are called to be Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, Worship leaders, Bible translators, or to a host of other avenues that honor and glorify the Lord God (Matthew 23:34; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31; Ephesians 4:11). In this way, each one makes use of the gifts the Spirit has given to bring honor and glory to God’s name. We discover our call to a specific area of service by walking closely with the Lord God, loving Him, obeying Him, and offering ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1–2; Colossians 1:10). With time, we’ll grow spiritually and develop sensitivity to the voice of the Lord God. He can confirm His call in any way of His choice. Most of the time, confirmation can come through Scripture, godly counsel, fruitful results, natural gifting, and/or a sense of “rightness” that does not conflict with any of the other Scriptural confirmations.
Responding To God’s Call
When the Lord God calls us, He leads us into an awareness of the call. When we accept His calling on our lives, He prepares and equips us to be successful in His service. In the field, our callings are manifested through the works we are able to accomplish by the strength and gifts that God prepared and equipped us with. For example, a person may begin to have a burden for a particular foreign nation and its people regarding their salvation and spiritual well-being. The burden was placed there by the Lord God as part of His calling. The person makes further research about that nation and enrolls in a missions-focused school as his/her way to prepare for the work ahead. Once on the mission field, he/she is willing to suffer hardships and separation from family and friends because the call of God is his/her greatest motivation and focus. Apostle Paul wrote, “I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Notice that God’s call on Apostle Paul’s life became his motivating force. Acts 9:15–16 says, But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.”
In answering God’s call, we must obey His instructions in Scripture. By being faithful to the call of obedience, the Lord God can call us to more specific areas as well as increase our responsibility in his vineyard. Luke 16:10 says, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little thing is also dishonest in much.“ Matthew 25:21 says, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’“ Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 12:1-29 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. …“
Resisting/Refusing to Accept/Surrender to God’s Call
The Bible tells us that Jonah was called by the Lord God but refused to surrender to the call; rather, he ran the other way (Jonah 1:1–3). In spite of that, the Lord God pursued His disobedient servant until Jonah submitted himself to the call. With clear knowledge and understanding of Jonah’s disobedience beforehand, the Lord God had already prepared a big fish to swallow him and spit him out when he was humbled enough to repent (Jonah 1:17—2:1). When Jonah was back on dry land, the word of the Lord came to him for a second time, giving him another chance to obey. Jonah 3:1-3 says, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.”
It’s without a doubt that the Lord God Almighty could have rescued the Israelites from captivity in Egypt without Moses’ help. But He chose to do it through Moses (Matthew 19:26). Appearing to Moses at the burning bush, the Lord God said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt … and I have come down to rescue them” (Exodus 3:7-8). Surprisingly, the Lord God said, “Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Notice that the Lord God had a plan to deliver His people; His plan was Moses. However, in response to God’s call, Moses immediately began making excuses. From the Bible, we can deduce 4 different excuses made by Moses in an attempt not to accept or surrender to God’s call on his life:
1) I am not Adequate for the Task (Lack of Confidence) – Exodus 3:11-12
Exodus 3:11-12 says, “But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” And God said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve and worship God at this mountain.” “Who am I,” Moses asked. In fact, he felt inadequate, and he was eventually right to feel that way. By himself, he was inadequate, just as each and every one of us is. Amazingly, the Lord God in reply said to Moses, “certainly I will be with you.” Notice that the deliverance of the Israelites who were held captive in Egypt didn’t depend on the ability of Moses but on the presence, mightiness, power, sovereignty, strength, and sufficiency of the Lord God. From this Scripture, it’s clear that when the Lord God calls people to serve His purpose, He always provides
Fascinatingly, in Exodus 3:11-12, no longer is Moses the bold, strong 40 years old man in Egypt, who could singlehandedly kill an Egyptian slave master and successfully flee away from the Egyptian army unhurt. It seems the last 40 years in the wilderness did erase his confidence. From a prince to a pauper, it’s clear that Moses suffered a serious demotion from royalty to one of Egypt’s most-wanted assassins who was on the run. This probably explains why after all these years of tending sheep in the desert with no prospects of any change on the horizon, Moses had a serious sense of personal inferiority. But what Moses failed to know was that the Lord God had His eyes on him all the time. Behold, the Lord God had chosen him to accomplish a task greater than anything he could have imagined. As a matter of fact, the last 40 years of tending sheep weren’t wasted. Rather, they had taught Moses a lot about leadership, for sheep are renowned for: 1) Wandering away, completely unaware of dangers that may lurk ahead of them. 2) Their crowd mentality, mob mentality, herd mentality, or pack mentality. 3) Their complete dependence on the shepherd to guard and provide for them.
Behold, if Moses could lead sheep, then he could certainly lead people. Moses had gained field experience in leading the sheep around the Median desert, leading them in finding food and water, and protecting them from wild animals. And as such, we think that Moses was best placed to lead the Israelites out of captivity and into the promised land. Although his objection sounds like an expression of deep humility, it’s not really about humility but lack of confidence, not lack of confidence in self but lack of confidence in the Lord God who called him. Given that the Lord God had seemingly abandoned Moses just when he was intervening to use his strength and position to ameliorate the plight of the Israelites who were held captive in Egypt, could he still trust Him for the future especially as it involved Pharaoh? (Exodus 2:11-22). Absolutely yes, Moses could trust the Lord God for the future and just everything that he needed. God’s reply, “I will be with you” was all that Moses needed. The expression “be with you” indicates intimacy, protection, guidance, provision, and comfort. In other words, everything that Moses would need, the Lord God would provide. Notice that this expression of encouragement in Exodus 3:12a was the same expression of encouragement that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples just before He ascended back to heaven and before they would face tremendous tests of their newfound faith: “Remember,I amwith you always,to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
2) I don’t Know Enough (A Lack of Knowledge of God) – Exodus 3:13-22
Exodus 3:13-14 says, Then Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers (ancestors) has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am”; and He said, “You shall say this to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” Here, we see that Moses was worried about what to say should in case the Israelites challenge his authority and integrity by testing his personal knowledge of God. In fact, Moses was afraid the Israelites might ask him a question he couldn’t answer. Notice that he had to know the correct answer or else his authority would be in doubt. And knowing who he had been and what he had done, the Israelites were more likely to challenge him. Given his track record, they were likely to be suspicious of him.
Behold, if Moses didn’t answer correctly their hypothetical question as to God’s identity, they certainly would not welcome him, talk less of following him. The Lord God replied to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” And behold, whenever we say, “I don’t know enough,” “I’m not smart enough,” I’m not capable,” the Lord God Almighty says, but “I AM.” With this in mind, we should always trust Him because He is loving, worthy, faithful, and never fails.
3) People won’t take me Serious (Lack of Credibility with the People) – Exodus 4:1-9
Exodus 4:1 says, Then Moses answered [the Lord] and said, “What if they will not believe me or take seriously what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” The Lord God had already promised Moses, “They will listen to what you say” (Exodus 3:18). Still, Moses protested. Notice that now it’s not a matter of the Israelites questioning who had sent him, but whether they would believe him and obey him. Now it’s more of a matter of personal credibility. Well, Moses certainly had cause to wonder if they would believe him. Remember, his track record wasn’t that great. Indeed, he had earlier attempted to protect the Hebrew slave who was being mistreated by the slave master, but then he had disappeared for up to 40 years. The people were likely to question his whereabouts for all these years, who he had become, and whether or not he would abandon them again.
Amazingly, the Lord God graciously gives him three miraculous signs by which he could prove his credibility and convince the Israelites that he had been sent to them by I Am, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. First, his miraculous rod – when he threw it to the ground, it became a serpent and when he took hold of it again it became a rod again (Exodus 4:2-5). Second, his hand – when he put it into his cloak, it became leprous and when he put it into his cloak again it was immediately restored to perfect health (Exodus 4:6-7). Third, water from the river Nile – when Moses poured it on dry land it would become blood (Exodus 4:9).
4) A Lack of Oral Ability – Exodus 4:10-12
Exodus 4:10-12 says, Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words (eloquent, fluent), neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, or the seeing or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and will teach you what you shall say.” Behold, public speaking happens to be a problem for many people. In fact, it’s a daunting task for many people. Moses found himself in a situation whereby he was called by the Lord God to speak to a multitude as vast as the Israelites and to the pharaoh, the very man who wanted to kill him and from whom he had fled many years ago for his life. Again, the Lord God graciously provides comfort and assurance to Moses. Surely, the Creator Himself is able to empower us to speak for Him and to give us the right words to speak at the right time (Luke 12:12).
I am not willing – Exodus 4:13-17
Exodus 4:13-17 says, But he said, “Please my Lord, send the message [of rescue to Israel] by [someone else,] whomever else You will [choose].” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled and burned against Moses; He said, “Is there not your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. Also, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be overjoyed. You must speak to him and put the words in his mouth; I, even I, will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; he will act as a mouthpiece for you, and you will be as God to him [telling him what I say to you]. You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs [the miracles which prove I sent you].”
“Please, Lord, Send someone else,” Moses said (Exodus 4:13). Indeed, Moses said this despite God’s grace, patience, and provision for his weakness and fears. Behold, this was not an excuse/objection, but it reveals the real issue. Notice that for every excuse/objection Moses had made, the Lord God offered His promise and provision. Upon running out of excuses/objections, Moses revealed what the real issue was: I am not willing or I don’t want to do this or get someone to do it. As a matter of fact, this is usually the real issue; we are simply not willing to step out in faith and obey God’s call and instructions for us. Sadly, there are many other excuses that we make when the Lord God calls us. One might say, “I’m too old” (Moses was 80 years old) or another might say, like Jeremiah, “I am only a youth” (Jeremiah 1:7). In reality, whatever the excuse, it often boils down to lack of trust and an unwillingness to obey the Lord God Almighty.
Can I Reject God’s Calling to be a Minister or His Servant?
If I refuse God’s calling to be a minister or His servant, will I be punished? What are the consequences of refusing God’s calling? Can I reject God’s call on my life and go free? From the previously presented cases of Moses and Jonah, we can draw some very important Biblical conclusions about resisting/rejecting God’s call. But before that, let’s get some Scriptural facts about this topic: Romans 14:12 says, “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.“ 1 Peter 4:5 says, “But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” Revelation 20:12 says, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” Matthew 12:36-37 says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Luke 12:47-48 says, “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.“
From the Biblical examples of Moses and Jonah, we learn that when the Lord God calls us to be His servants or to minister for Him, it is wisest to obey. Moses refused to be God’s minister in the desert and as a result, God took part of his ministry away and gave it to someone else. Later in Numbers 20, we are told that Moses sinned and as a result, the Lord God did not let him go into the Promised Land. The Lord God gave his ministry to Joshua. With this in mind, it’s clear that the Lord God does not ultimately need you for the accomplishment of His purpose. If you refuse or get involved in sin, the Lord God can possibly give part or all of your ministry to someone else. In the Bible, we see an example of blatant and defiant refusal from Jonah. Jonah was a reluctant prophet who did not enjoy the ministry that the Lord God gave him. Although his ministry was phenomenally successful, he missed the joy of ministry because he refused. Still, notice that the Lord God once again did not let Jonah say no.
Following the calling of Moses and Jonah, is it possible to successfully refuse or reject God’s calling on your life? No. Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].” The message of the Scripture is that if the Lord God is calling you to minister for Him, He will not let you say no. He will pursue you until you say “yes.” The question now is, what ministry will you receive and how will you operate it? Scripturally, the Lord God can give part of the ministry that you could have had to someone else. In addition, you may not enjoy the ministry that you end up with, but then at least you are obedient, like Jonah.
Sadly, many people these days are battling in an attempt to refuse or reject God’s call on their lives. As a matter of fact, doing this is fighting a losing battle. Deep down in your heart, you know without a doubt that the Lord God is calling you into His service but you just can’t imagine yourself becoming a minister or His servant. The Lord God has revealed Himself and His calling on your life in different ways. He has confirmed His calling on your life through the Scriptures, godly counsel, spiritual leaders, dreams, visions, fruitful results, natural gifting, and/or a sense of “rightness” that does not conflict with any of the other Scriptural confirmations. Perhaps, you’ve even stopped attending church in an attempt to get your mind off the things of God, but He keeps reminding you of His calling on your life. Jeremiah 20:9 says, “But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!” Yet, you still keep trying to reject His calling. Trying to reject God’s call on your life as Jonah did is something that will put you in a more or less situation like that of Jonah whereby nothing in your life is moving as planned and on your own, you’ll be moving on towards distress, trouble, disaster and destruction as was the case with Jonah. Repent as Jonah did (Jonah 2), trust and serve the Lord God, “For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
The Secret to answer God’s call for your life – 2 Chronicles 30:8
2 Chronicles 30:8 says, “Now do not stiffen your neck [becoming obstinate] like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and come to His sanctuary which He has sanctified and set apart forever, and serve the LORD your God, so that His burning anger will turn away from you.” When it comes to hearing and answering God’s call for your life, 2 Chronicles 30:8 is the scripture to embrace. It presents a powerful three-step principle on how to be used by God. This three-step principle remains the secret or answer to the question of how you prepare yourself to be used by God Almighty. This three-step principle can be presented with the following three words: Yield, Enter, and Serve. Likewise, Jesus Christ said in Luke 9:23, “Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” By doing these things, you’ll make yourself receptive to God’s call as well as ready to be used by God anywhere and at any time depending on His will. It’s our prayer that after examining these secrets to answer God’s call on your life, you’ll be equipped with what it takes to be successful in doing God’s work thereby winning more souls into His Kingdom.
1. Completely Yield Yourself to God’s Will
Webster’s definition of yielding reads: 1) to give up possession of on claim or demand: such as a: to surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another: hand over possession of b: to give (oneself) up to an inclination, temptation, or habit c: to relinquish one’s possession of (something, such as a position of advantage or point of superiority) yield precedence d: to surrender or submit (oneself) to another e: to give up (one’s breath, life, or spirit) and so die 2) to be fruitful or productive. Below are characteristics of genuine yielding:
Yielding is fully letting God have His way in your life.
Genuine yielding prioritizes God’s will over your will.
It has to do with completely surrendering yourself to God.
True yielding acknowledges the confession; Not MY will but THY will be done in my life.
Through yielding, we become profitable to God’s kingdom.
Consecration and Sanctification are the two words used in the Bible for yielding.
Yielding is setting aside yourself for the sole purpose of God’s use.
By yielding ourselves, we are made available for God to use according to His will.
Our availability for God’s use depends on how much we give Him.
Hence, anyone who gives just a little of themselves to God will be used in a small way but anyone who gives much of themselves and their time to God will be used mightily in ways beyond human understanding.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“ Luke 9:23 says, And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Galatians 5:24 says, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.“ John 12:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.“ 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.“ Matthew 10:38 says, “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Romans 6:11 says, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
2. Enter into God’s Sanctuary
Entering into God’s sanctuary is an important Christian exercise that we can’t afford to omit in answering the question “how do I prepare myself to be used by God?” This is to say that if you are serious about answering God’s call in your life, you’ll need to build a deep relationship or establish a covenant with Him. It is the process of establishing a faithful relationship with God that we refer to as entering His sanctuary. Entering God’s sanctuary is not necessarily going to a Christian assembly which we’ve come to refer to as a Church. It is more of getting into your secret place, where you regularly talk with God in all quietness. Referring to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Mark 6:46 says, “And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray.” Likewise, Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
God’s sanctuary can as well be perceived as your heart, a place where His Spirit dwells. This is a call for you to treasure your heart as you strive hard to always keep it clean so that God’s spirit won’t be grieved. You do this by paying attention to what proceeds forth from your heart thereby making sure that it is in line with the will of God. In the same light, you should pay attention and align your thoughts, words, and actions according to the will of God. Remember to fill your heart with the Love of God and that of your neighbor. By so doing, you’ll reflect the loving nature of God Almighty thereby gaining mercy and favor on His side. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” 1 Samuel 16:7 says, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Acts 15:9 says, “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.“ Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.“ Matthew 15:11 says, “It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.” Below are some of the spiritual exercises that will grow your relationship with God and maintain you in His sanctuary:
a. Praying without ceasing
As Christians, we are called to pray at all times and pray without ceasing. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, started with prayers and ended with prayers. It is without a doubt that a prayerful life was the key to achieving success in the Divine Mission which was attributed to Him by God the Father. It is in the light of following His footsteps that we ought to pray at all times and pray without ceasing. If you expect God to use you, you must value the aspect of regularly communicating with Him. It is through a prayerful life that you will identify what God wants you to do. Prayer is a two-sided communication line – that is, as you speak to God, He is also speaking to you. Hence, you should learn to listen and hear from God because He is always saying something.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing,“ Mark 6:46 says, “And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray.” Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” John 15:7 says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.“ Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Matthew 6:7 says, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.“ James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Luke 11:9 says, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,“ Matthew 6:9-13 says, Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
b. Regularly reading and meditating on your Bible
The Bible is an authoritative means through which God speaks, teaches, and confirms His Holy Will to mankind. It is one of the greatest means of communication with God. The Bible teaches us about the great things which God has done, those that He is still doing, and those that He will do in times to come. God’s word is to our spirit what food is to our body. Failure to hear God’s word is likely to lead to what we refer to as spiritual starvation. By daily and regularly studying God’s word, you are equipped with what it takes to do His will as well as minister it to others.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.“ Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.“ Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.“ Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.“ John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.“ Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Hebrews 4:12-14 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Matthew 4:4 says, But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?“ Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.“ Psalm 19:7-11 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.“ Proverbs 4:20-23 says, “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.“ Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.“ James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Matthew 7:24 says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.“
c. Thanksgiving to God at all times
It is our Christian duty to be thankful to God at all times and in all circumstances. That is, we are to thank God for everything that comes our way – whether good or bad. We do this because God is always in control; nothing happens without His knowledge. Hence, we can say without a doubt that God is aware of all things that are happening to us. In short, He is in total control of all things that come our way. That’s why we should not dwell our hearts on worries. Always remember that God is working and turning all things for the good of His children. Let’s support this message by reading from Jeremiah 29:11 – “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!“ Psalm 7:17 says, “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,“ Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Psalm 100:1-5 says, “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.“
d. Singing praises to God
Offering praises to God is more of an outer expression of the inward joy and happiness in one’s heart. This is generally done in acknowledgment of God’s goodness, immeasurable and unconditional love. True praise is a spontaneous action that is mental, physical, emotional, and highly verbal. In reading across the Bible, we hear more of the vocalization of praise than dances or other expressions of praise. Remember that it was the vocal praise that brought down the great walls of Jericho. Hence, it is without a doubt that vocal praise moves God into action as He locates His people in mercy and favor. The Greek word for praise is “Story.” The moment something proclaims the work of God, it is offering praise. In simple terms, praise is telling a story of God’s goodness, might, power, love, mercy, compassion, and sovereignty.
Psalm 69:30 says, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.“ Psalm 100:1-2 says, “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!“ Psalm 95:1-2 says, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!“ Ephesians 5:19 says, “Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,“ Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.” James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” Acts 16:25 says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” Psalm 104:33 says, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.“ Psalm 150:1-6 says, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! …“
e. Worship
Worship is a spiritual exercise being carried out in the presence of God Almighty. It is more of a personal experience with God, the Father of Creation. Since it requires a personal experience with God, you’ll need to have been baptized (filled) with the Holy Ghost in order to genuinely worship God for who He is. Remember the words of Jesus Christ when He said that all those who worship God MUST do so in Spirit and Truth. In worship, the Holy Spirit fills us with what is necessary to truly acknowledge God for who He is. It provides us with the necessary reasons to genuinely worship God in spirit and truth. Genuine worship is not necessarily due to what God has done but for who He is. This is more likely when the Holy Spirit renews your mind and convinces you of God’s unfailing, unconditional, and immeasurable love. You can also learn what the Bible says about Prophetic Worship.
John 4:23 says, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Psalm 95:6 says, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!“ Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.“ Luke 4:8 says, And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Psalm 29:2 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” Psalm 96:9 says, “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!“ Psalm 99:5 says, “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!“ Psalm 66:4 says, “All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Matthew 4:10 says, Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
f. Praying in the Spirit
Note that praying in the spirit is different from your normal or daily prayer routine. Here, you willingly allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you with its own words. Praying in the spirit can involve praying in tongues, prophesying into the air, and carrying out an intercessory prayer. When praying in the spirit, you speak many things which you would not speak under normal prayers. That is, the Spirit prays for those things through you that you normally should have prayed for but you are not aware of. At times, we lack words to pray or simply do not know how to pray. However, as we yield to praying in the spirit, the Spirit of God within us prays for all those things we ought to pray for and also intercedes on our behalf and that of our close ones before God. You can as well read the following: Understanding how praying in tongues opens supernatural dimensions and How to be filled with the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Jude 1:20 says, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,“ 1 Corinthians 14:15 says, “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.“ Colossians 3:14-17 says, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“
3. Serve the Lord your God
Behold, serving God is an act of voluntary service. There are many ways through which you can serve God. You can serve God when you minister to Him in worship, showing Him homage, and when you witness His love, sovereignty, goodness, mercy, favor, and faithfulness to others. Note that your greatest service to God Almighty is spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ which is a call for mankind to sincerely repent from their sins and turn to God. There are also many places in which you can serve God in Spirit and Truth. You can serve God in your local Christian assembly, you can serve God in a private location, and you can serve God in a different country. In short, you can serve God anywhere and at any time according to His will. Your service to God is reflected by certain characters and values in your life:
a. Holiness
Holiness is one of the key elements in answering the question of “how do I prepare myself to be used by God?” It is the power of God within you that strengthens and guides you to walk no longer in sin. This power is achieved through Christ by being faithful to His teachings. Jesus Christ is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the faithful thereby making them Holy before God. In Christ, we’ve all been given the power to overcome our corrupted flesh and reflect God’s righteous nature. Holiness is what causes a separation to manifest. A genuine follower of Christ who strives for righteousness on daily basis appears different in thoughts, words, and actions as compared to those who claim just by mouth to be of Christ. He/she who becomes righteous in Christ is easily detected by a change in morals, thoughts, words, and actions.
Leviticus 20:26 says, “You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.“ 1 Samuel 2:2 says, “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says, “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.“ 1 Peter 1:15-16 says, “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.“ Romans 6:22 says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.“ Matthew 5:48 says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.“ Leviticus 19:2 says, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”
b. Ministry
A person can as well serve God by working in the ministry. We can’t afford to omit ministry work when answering the question of how to prepare yourself to be used by God. Behold brethren, let no one deceive you for we have all been called into ministry in the presence of God. Indeed, we’ve been called as ministers, ministers of love, reconciliation, mercy, truth, and faithfulness to God Almighty. We’ve all been commissioned by Christ to spread the Good News of Repentance and Life Everlasting to the four corners of the World thereby restoring to God all His lost children. You can also serve God by joining local Christian ministries in your assembly. Here, you can willingly serve as a Minister, Usher, Deacon, Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher, Apostle, Prophet, or any other ministry that is available and that God has called and anointed you in it.
2 Chronicles 29:11 says, “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,“ 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.“ 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.“ 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 says, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; …“ Romans 10:13-15 says, For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
c. Witnessing
Still, on how to prepare yourself to be used by God, we’ll say that witnessing is a great way to serve God in Spirit and Truth. This is more of a personal practice that does not necessarily require that you teach, preach or share out tracks. In simple terms, witnessing is all about telling others about the mighty things that God has done in your life out of His unfailing, unconditional, faithful, and immeasurable love. A witness is someone who has clearly seen or heard about something he/she can give a consistent account of how it took place. Here, the person gives his/her witness based on what they say or heard thereby persuading the audience to believe. In our case, when you witness, you are giving a testimony of Jesus Christ, the savior of the World.
Mark 16:15 says, “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.“ 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,“ Jeremiah 1:7-8 – But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“ Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.”
d. Loving
Loving is the greatest way of serving God. Christ spoke through His Apostles saying that “anyone who does not love does not know God.” This is because God has a loving nature. An objective look across the Bible will reveal that it revolves around Love – that is the love of God and the love of your neighbor. It is for this reason that some have gone to the very extent of calling the Bible “God’s Love Letter” to mankind. For God so loved the world that He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ so that anyone who hears, believes, and obeys his teachings will not die but have everlasting life in Heaven (John 3:16). Jesus Christ did not come to condemn the World but to invite everyone to Sincerely Repent and start obeying the Commands of God.
Love is a lasting value in the Kingdom of God. Christ Himself summarized the Law of Moses and the teachings of the Prophets into loving God with all your being and loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Through love, we clearly reflect the nature of God and Jesus’ mark of ownership. It is Jesus’ command that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Mark 12:29-31; John 15:12). In this way, we will please God in the things that we do. Hence, we should never stop loving or get tired of loving. Behold, he/she who does not love does not know God just as the scriptures point out (1 John 4:7-8). On the other hand, he who loves is one who knows God, and one who knows God will live forever in His presence. When we say we Love God or our neighbor, our thoughts, words, and actions must reflect this saying. Mark 12:29-31 says, Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.“ 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.“
Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
2 Chronicles 29:11 – “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.”
Jeremiah 1:4-5 – Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Isaiah 49:1-2 – “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.“
Deuteronomy 18:15 – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—“
John 20:21-22 – “Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.“
Matthew 23:34 – “Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men [interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue and persecute from city to city,“
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,“
Mark 16:15-18 – “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.Group 1- Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Matthew 28:18-19 – “Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
John 8:12 – Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.“
Matthew 19:26 – “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
1 Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:“
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ“
John 12:26 – “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
Matthew 20:25-28 – But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 22:14 – “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Galatians 5:13 – “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.“
1 Peter 4:11 – “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Group 2- Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“
Philippians 2:12-13 – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Group 3 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;Group 4 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Luke 10:19 – “I have given you authority to trample on snakesGroup 5- Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Colossians 2:9-10 – “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
Romans 8:26 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.“
James 1:27 – “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.“
Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.“
Hebrews 13:21 – “Equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Philippians 1:6 – “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Group 6 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
John 7:37 – “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.””
Romans 14:4 – “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Romans 5:1-21 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. …“
Hebrews 4:10 – “For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
Romans 15:17 – “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
1 Corinthians 3:1-23 – “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. …“
Group 7- Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
1 John 4:2 – “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,“
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 10:1-42 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” …
Psalm 54:4 – “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Psalm 90:17 – “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!“
1 Corinthians 2:1-16 – “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. …“
Group 8 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
1 Corinthians 15:1-58 – “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. …“
John 16:1-33 – ““I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ …“
John 8:24 – “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Hebrews 6:1-20 – “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, …“
Acts 20:35 – “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Proverbs 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.“
Group 9 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Colossians 1:29 – “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Hebrews 1:2 – “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Acts 2:1-47 – “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. …“
Acts 17:31 – “Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Group 10 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
John 14:1-31 – “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” …
Genesis 1:1-31 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. …“
1 Timothy 2:4 – “Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Romans 7:1-25 – “Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. …“
Group 11 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Ephesians 4:28 – “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.“
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”
Proverbs 12:11 – “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.“
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.“
Hebrews 6:10 – “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.“
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
John 3:14 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,“
1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.“
2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.“
Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“
Group 12 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
John 6:1-71 – “After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” …“
John 20:1-31 – “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. …“
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.“
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
Revelation 20:1-15 – “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. …“
Group 13 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
James 1:2 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,“
Revelation 21:1-27 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” …“
Matthew 16:19 – “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
John 17:1-26 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. …“
Group 14 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Revelation 17:1-18 -“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” …“
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.“
Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“
John 6:46 – “Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.“
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“
Group 15 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.“
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“
Colossians 1:16 – “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.“
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.“
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
1 Peter 5:3 – “Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.“
Group 16 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.“
John 3:2 – “This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”“
Isaiah 40:1-31 – “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” …“
Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.“
Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
John 6:27 – “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.“
Group 17 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Hebrews 10:25 – “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.“
Isaiah 26:12 – “O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.”
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,“
Ephesians 2:2 – “In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—“
1 Thessalonians 4:11 – “And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,“
Galatians 2:8 – “(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),“
John 3:1-36 – “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. …“
Group 18 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Isaiah 65:1-3 – “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here am I, here am I,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks;“
1 Corinthians 14:1-40 – “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. …“
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.“
James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“
Romans 12:11 – “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.“
Matthew 24:1-51 – “Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. …“
Group 19 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Chronicles 17:1-27 – “Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” And Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. …“
Proverbs 14:1 – “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”
1 Corinthians 7:1-40 – “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. …“
Group 20 – Bible Verses About Equipment For Ministry
Colossians 3:15 – “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.“
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; …“
Romans 13:8 – “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.“
Revelation 14:12 – “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.“
There are many Bible Verses About Strength that were written by men who were inspired by God. These Bible verses about strength are there to comfort, reassure, and keep us motivated in our Christian journey to meeting God through Christ. In thinking of the concept of strength, many people commonly associate it with physical power. It is important to note that both are overlapping synonyms that carry the capacity to act effectively, whether physically, morally, or intellectually. That is why it is said that the strongest is not always the ultimate master unless he/she converts his/her strength into doing what is right out of love and obedience. The Christian journey is full of challenges. Without strength, these challenges will lead you into wandering far away from the faith. Strength obtained from the certainty of God’s word, love and ability to fulfill all his promises keeps us within the faith.
It is without doubt that we’ll say that Christians all need strength to follow Christ who is their master. Christ in-turn will lead us to God the father in his mighty strength. We all need strength to accomplish our respective Godly assigned missions. Remember that Jesus Christ our savior was also strengthened for the accomplishment of his mission. He was empowered to carry his cross on daily basis till death. Today, we are all called to carry ours and follow him in everything that we do. Let’s support this message by reading from Luke 22:43 – “An Angel from Heaven appeared to him and STRENGTHENED him.” In addition to requesting God’s straightening power for the accomplishment of special tasks, we also need it to overcome the daily challenges that come our way. It is in this light that we hereby write to present the most powerful Bible verses about strength.
Powerful Bible Verses about Strength
The Father of creation whom we refer to as the Omnipotent God is repeatedly shown in the Old and New Testaments as a personality of supreme strength. With his words, he created Heaven and Earth together with all that is in it. His active strength was displayed in moving out of Egypt the people of Israel that were held as slaves. At his command, the Red Sea opened a path for the children of Israel to cross. The need for God’s strength in the midst of his children is not only seen in the miraculous delivery of Israel from the hands of the Egyptians. It can as well be clearly observed in the narratives of Exodus. Moses’s strength relied fully on the power that God alone could provide.
Moving to the New Testament, we see God’s strength in manifestation through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ in his nature of God the son took human nature and moved among men for their salvation. His birth was a mystery and his life was a testimony of supernatural power which could only come from God the Father. Under the sun’s light, he raised men and women from death, cured all kinds of diseases. Using divine strength, he overcame Satan and all his agents. Today, at the mention of his name, all knees bow in honor of his divine nature. Brethren, these marvelous accounts of God’s strength were not limited to the people of old. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that God has not changed for he is still the same.
What the Scriptures say About Strength
The word strength and its derivatives are mentioned over 360 times in the Holy Scriptures (Bible). The word and its derivatives apply to both natural and supernatural strength. In the Greek language, the word katei means “might, power, strength”. In the Bible, the word strength is mostly linked to God’s power. You’ll figure out this as you go through the Bible verses about strength. Christian ought to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. If we are asked for the source of strength, we’ll say that the unlimited power of Christ is the source of strength for all his followers.
The strength that we have is not ours but God’s. That’s why no one has the right to boast of strength. Be it natural or supernatural strength, it comes from God and we are able to accomplish anything because of his grace and love. Let’s now present the best Bible verses about strength that every Christian ought to know and benefit from the spiritual blessings that come with it.
Best Bible Verses About Strength
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Group 1 – Bible Verses About Strength
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“
Psalm 46:1-3 – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
Nehemiah 8:10 – “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.”
Exodus 15:2 – “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him— my father’s God, and I will exalt him!“
Psalm 34:10b – “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”
Psalm 9:9-10 – “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
Exodus 33:14 – “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Psalm 32:7-8 – “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 – “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Psalm 34:17 – “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.”
Deuteronomy 33:27 – “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
Group 2 – Bible Verses About Strength
Isaiah 30:15 – “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Isaiah 43:1-3 – “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
Philippians 4:6 – “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Luke 12:25-26 – “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?“
Psalm 27: 1-3 – “The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Psalm 34:4 – “I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Group 3 – Bible Verses About Strength
1 Peter 5:7 – “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Joshua 1:9 – “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.“
Isaiah 12:2 – “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
Psalm 145: 18-19 – “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them.”
Psalm 138:3 – “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.“
Psalm 62:1-2 – “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.“
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
Psalm 16:8 – “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Psalm 112: 1, 7-8 – “Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord. They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid.”
Psalm 91:1-2 – “You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God in whom I trust.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
Group 4 – Bible Verses About Strength
Philippians 4: 12-13 – “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation . . . . I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.”
Hebrews 4:16 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.“
1 Peter 5: 10 – “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
2 Thessalonians 3:16 – “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.”
Deuteronomy 31:6,8 – “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Isaiah 40:31 – “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; in addition, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Group 5 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 – “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Psalm 18:1-2 – “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
Psalm 59:16 – “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
Habakkuk 3:19 – “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Group 6 – Bible Verses About Strength
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
1 Chronicles 29:11 – “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”
Mark 12:30 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Zachariah 4:6 – “So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
Romans 1:20 – “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Psalm 18:31 – “For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?“
Group 7 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 44:3 – “It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.”
Colossians 2:9-10 – “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
Psalm 29:11 – “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”
Ecclesiastes 4:12 – “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Job 37:23 – “The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.”
1 Chronicles 29:12 – “Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.”
Act 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Group 8 – Bible Verses About Strength
2 Peter 1:3 – “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
2 Timothy 2:1 – “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 1:11-12 “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”
Isaiah 41:4 – “Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.”
Zachariah 10:6 – “I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.“
Group 9 – Bible Verses About Strength
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 40:31 – “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Exodus 15:2 – “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Group 10 – Bible Verses About Strength
1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Deuteronomy 20:4 – “For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’”
Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.“
Psalm 27:1 – “Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Isaiah 12:2 – “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 46:1 – “To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Habakkuk 3:19 – “God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”
Group 11 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 31:24 – “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”
Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Mark 12:30 – “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
Nehemiah 8:10 – “Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.””
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
1 Peter 4:11 – “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Group 12 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 29:11 – “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”
Psalm 28:7 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”
2 Timothy 4:17 – “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.”
Psalm 118:14 – “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Psalm 28:7-8 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 – “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Ephesians 3:16 – “That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,“
Group 13 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul, He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …”
1 Samuel 30:6 – “And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
Isaiah 40:28-31 – “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Psalm 18:32 – “The God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.”
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Group 14 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 18:1-2 – “To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
Zephaniah 3:17 – “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love, he will exult over you with loud singing.”
John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Psalm 18:32-34 – “The God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”
Psalm 138:3 – “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.”
Psalm 68:35 – “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!“
Group 15 – Bible Verses About Strength
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.“
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
James 5:16 – “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Daniel 10:19 – And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Group 16 – Bible Verses About Strength
Matthew 19:26 – “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.””
Isaiah 30:15 – “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,”
Psalm 22:19 – “But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!”
Jeremiah 32:17 – “‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”
1 Peter 5:10 – “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
Romans 5:5 – “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
1 Chronicles 29:12 – “Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.”
Galatians 6:9 – “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Psalm 59:9 – “O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress.”
Group 17 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 119:28 – “My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!”
Isaiah 40:1-31 – “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” …“
Matthew 17:20 – He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Psalm 59:16 – “But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.”
Romans 5:6 – “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Philippians 1:28 – “And not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.”
Group 18 – Bible Verses About Strength
Genesis 22:1-3 – “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
2 Samuel 22:40 – “For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.”
Isaiah 33:2 – “O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.“
2 Chronicles 16:9 – “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”
Matthew 21:21 –And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.”
Psalm 18:2 – “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.“
Group 19 – Bible Verses About Strength
Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
2 Samuel 22:33 – “This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless.”
Mark 10:52 – “And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
Psalm 18:1 – “To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength.“
1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Joshua 1:9-11 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’””
Exodus 15:13 – “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.”
Group 20 – Bible Verses On Strength
Matthew 5:1-48 – “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. …”
Job 13:15 – “Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.”
Psalm 18:31 – “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?—”
Psalm 41:3 – “The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.”
Romans 1:20 – “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”
Acts 10:1-48 – “At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. …“
Group 21 – Bible Verses On Strength
Psalm 44:3 – “For not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.”
Psalm 39:7 – “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.”
Matthew 5:13 – “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”
Deuteronomy 6:5 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
1 Timothy 1:12 – “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,”
Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”
Psalm 118:6 – “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
Group 22 – Bible Verses On Strength
Ecclesiastes 4:9-13 – “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.“
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This brings us to end of our write up on Bible verses about strength. We hope that you enjoyed reading and will equally find the following articles interesting. Use them to complement that on Bible verses about strength.
The Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) is a Christ-centered house of worship. It displays all the manifesting gifts and powers of the Holy Spirit through the authority in the name of Jesus Christ. The SCOAN was established in respect to Divine Instructions. It currently has headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. That’s why you can easily hear names like Synagogue Church Of All Nations Nigeria or Synagogue Church Of All Nations in Nigeria. The General Overseer of the SCOAN is Senior Prophet TB Joshua while its Founder is Jesus Christ. Prophet Joshua turns to be one of the humblest pastors you’ll ever meet. With the authority in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Ghost, he passes through the SCOAN to:
Raise the dead;
Release captured destines by the enemy;
Bless God’s children;
Open the eyes f blind people;
Give speech to the dumb;
Open the ears of the deaf;
Strengthen the lame to walk;
Heal all kinds of sicknesses;
Free those who have been held in Satan’s captivity; and
Above all, preach the Holy Gospel that brings eternal life.
The SCOAN is also a place for spiritual growth and a training ground for ministers of the Holy Gospel. Everyone who desires to take a spiritual retreat and focus on the things of God is welcomed by this highly anointed Christian ministry. Those who are called by God to minister in his presence can be mentored or trained by Prophet TB Joshua. The ministry has a school for training disciples of Jesus Christ who will step out without fear to preach the Good news as led by the Holy Spirit.
Evolution History of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN)
Prophet TB Joshua First Church
The current physical structure of the SCOAN has gone through so many stages. It went from ups and downs to what we have today. Whatever the case, we must point out that each stage served for a purpose. Apart from the current location of the SCOAN, the church had three previous locations. The roof of the first church was blown off by a strong storm. This led to the second location of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations which was uprooted by a strong flood. Even in this sad situation, the man of God saw more reasons to give thanks to God and continue his work. It was in this light that he went forth for the third location which was also damaged by bad weather conditions. The man of God, Prophet TB Joshua did not still give up.
Prophet TB Joshua Second Church
He went down on his kneels for an intense prayer and God made a way where there seemed to be none. The whole truth is that God was aware of all the ups and downs that Joshua was experiencing. That is why it is said that in every situation, God is saying something. The Lord Almighty allowed him to experience these troubles for a purpose. In short, we’ll say that God was preparing him for the reception of greater blessings. Today, the synagogue Church Of All Nations is an architectural premium masterpiece which is located at the heart of Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos. God provided the means and directions on how to build what we currently have today as the Synagogue. And since then, the ministry has been experiencing an exponential growth.
Prophet TB Joshua Third Church
The Synagogue Church Of All Nations at Start
In the life of every man of faith, there is what we call the invisible hand or the divine hand. The almighty God is the divine hand we are talking about. He is the one who brings everything into existence through his mighty power. That’s why you should not be discouraged as a christian. Take a moment of reflection on your life and you’ll notice that nothing happens without a purpose. No matter the situation that you are living, do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed by sadness. God has not forgotten you neither has he forsaken you. Even if things are slow or not moving the way you expected, just have faith in God. He is behind the scene preparing you for something great. This was the case with prophet TB Joshua whose first ministry was blown off by a strong storm. Note here that nothing comes by chance.
The mega church we have today as the Synagogue of all nations is not a product of chance. It is the way God planned it to be and everything unfolded from the beginning according to God’s will. The Almighty God remains the chief driver behind the success of this ministry. He was from the beginning and he is still. If not of God’s intervention, we would have not been talking of this great ministry.
Everything Big Starts Little
The saying that “Everything Big Starts Little” is highly loved by prophet TB Joshua because it resumes his story. Let’s not try to run ahead of time for God our Heavenly Father has set time for everything. He has set a time to be born on Earth, a time to grow, a time to face intense persecution, a special time to take control as you overcome, and a precise time to display mighty victory. A serious look at life will reveal that everything big starts little. A fact worth remembering is that a mega-cathedral always starts with one brick. A long journey of a thousand miles always starts with a single step. Just have a look at yourself and remember how you were once a tiny embryo in your mother’s womb. Today, you’ve become so big that your norther’s womb can’t contain a quarter of your body.
It was in this sense that Jesus Christ taught about the Kingdom of God in Luke 13:18. The scriptures say that Jesus Christ asked his Apostles how the Kingdom of God looked like? And because he was the only one who knew the answer, he went forth to say that it is like a mustard seed which when planted, it grows and birds make their nests on its branches. Joshua went from nothing to his current successful stage. He simply submitted to God’s calling in his life and was directed. That’s why we’ll say that a successful christian house does not come into existence by luck. Joshua’s success in ministry did not come as a matter of chance, luck, or mistake. Such levels are achieved through the genuine willingness to do God’s work. The Synagogue Church Of All Nations did not just appear from nowhere.
The Objectives of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN)
It was in accordance to Luke 19:10 that the SCOAN came into existence after Prophet TB Joshua’s 40 days of fasting on the mountain which ended up in a three days trance. In the trance, heaven was opened and he was asked by Jesus Christ to Seek and Save the lost through the power of the Holy Gospel. He humble accepted this task which began so many years ago with a small gathering of 8 members who came to partake in the first meeting which was held at a Squalid Swampy Jungle located in Agodo-Egbe Lagos, Nigeria. Yes, this is is how his ministry started. And as days unfolded, it was quickly noticed by everyone around that he was not only an ordinary pastor with ordinary words. God was with him at every step in terms of Biblical Knowledge, Wisdom, Protection, and Provision.
Everyone has a divine calling, and for those who follow their callings, they end up making a difference in their times. Prophet TB Joshua followed his calling and before he could notice, the clear evidence of outstanding miracles and wonders were following him. Before the eyes of many, the lame began to walk, the blinds had their eyes opened, those with cancers were healed, and the lame could walk. In short, there are many miracles and wonders he did and is still doing. We’ll only have ourselves exhausted if we try to start writing these miracles down. We won’t be exaggerating to say that the miracles and wonders are uncountable.
Where is TB Joshua’s power coming from
The accomplishment of wonders, impossibilities, and miracles can only leave many people wondering were the power of TB Joshua is coming from. It’s not strange or wrong to ask such a question because these acts are not of men. The problem lays at the point where men start attributing the works of God to Satan. Such acts against the Holy Spirit are unforgivable as we can read from Luke 12:10. Do not base your judgement on the points of views given by others about this man of God. Get to listen his sermons and find out whether they reflect the teachings of Jesus Christ or Not. It is without doubt that TB Joshua’s power is from God. Open your Bible to Hebrews 13:8 and you’ll be told that Jesus Christ has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
With this in mind, we’ll say that he is still walking the streets to do wonders and miracles. The scriptures say that we receive from God through a ability to believe. In other words, you receive from God in respect to your proportion of faith. That’s why Jesus Christ said in John 14:12 that anyone who believes in him will do all the things he did and even do greater things for God’s glory. Hence, instead of condemning those whose faiths permit them to walk in higher spiritual dimensions, you should rather blame yourself for having believed little. However, you can always look unto Jesus Christ for a bigger faith that works. Although spiritual gifts are not rewards but unmerited favors from God, we ought to prove ourselves trustworthy to handle them. God adds to your spiritual strength depending on your level of handwork and determination to serve him.
Why the name Synagogue Church Of All Nations?
Perhaps you are among those who have been wondering why the name Synagogue. The Holy Scriptures clearly say that Jesus Christ went into the Synagogue and drove all those who were not his. He sent out all those who were making business in the Synagogue telling them that it is a House Of Prayer and not a gathering for thieves. We perceive the Synagogue as a house of prayer for God’s children. When Jesus Christ was physically present on Earth, the Synagogue was his dwelling place. He would pass most of his time preaching, healing, and delivering those with evil spirits in the Synagogue. Jesus Christ asked his followers to continue spreading the works which he had accomplished. Prophet TB Joshua turns to be one of these followers who accepted the task of spreading the Good News. It is in this light that the name Synagogue was adopted.
The Mega building of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations had just one chief architect in the name of Holy Spirit. The church was constructed as directed by the Holy Spirit in order to reflect the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ. Just as God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle and Solomon to build the Temple, he also instructed Prophet TB Joshua to come up with what we have today as the SCOAN. During its construction, God provided all the necessary materials and they did not get into lack or want. The church moved from benches to comfortable chairs and other low quality items to those of premium quality. This gives us a sufficient reason to thank God for being our provider. The church is designed with Biblical figures showing the suffering and persecution of the Apostles of old and Biblical verses for spiritual growth through self examination.
Persecutions and attacks directed to the SCOAN
The SCOAN and its General Overseer received all types of persecutions from men and women who were influenced by the Devil. Hence, we can say that since the creation of the Synagogue, it has received uncountable spiritual and physical attacks. But because Victory in Christ is victory indeed, prophet TB Joshua stood strong and God rescued him. The Scriptures say that a servant is not greater than his master. So if Jesus Christ was persecuted and humiliated, we should not expect things to go well on our side as followers. If things are too smooth on your path of preaching the Gospel, you should question yourself. For Jesus Christ ask his followers to be ready for persecution because they do not belong to this world. The interesting part in this suffering for Christ is what awaits us at the end.
“No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek Him” – Hebrews 11:6 Properly figuring out the difference between faith and faithfulness will help you to better run the Christian race and strive towards obtaining the ultimate gift of everlasting life. Although the Bible provides us with clear differences, a lot of people still find it difficult to properly figure them out. That’s why we hereby write to assist everyone in perfectly knowing the difference between faith and faithfulness.
The consequences of not properly knowing the difference
between faith and faithfulness can lead a person to slow down in the Christian
race or develop doubt about the power of God. A lot of Christians today who are
faithful in serving God often ask themselves a lot of questions when they are
plunged into hard times. After prayers, many ask themselves why God is not
coming to their rescue whereas they have been doing their best to faithfully
serve Him.
At some point in time, they’ll even ask themselves why God
don’t want to help then out of their problems whereas they have abandoned most
of their personal things to focus on His’s. Such situations have greatly led to
the development of sadness and bitterness from within many Christians today. This
sadness and bitterness even increases when they perceive those whom they
believe to be less faithful than them enjoying successful and fulfilled lives.
Difference Between Faith and Faithfulness – What you should know
Whatever the case, we must not mix up things in our minds. The
whole truth is that faithfulness is one of the greatest virtues which every
serious Christian must develop and exhibit. And we can also be certain of the
fact that God will bless and credit everyone who remains faithful to Him. But
we must not also forget that the more faithful you are to God, the more
responsibilities and charges you are given to exhibit. That’s why you should
not be comparing yourself with someone who is not faithful to God. In short he
has very little to no charge. That’s why Jesus Christ explained in Luke 16 that
the more our faithfulness becomes, the more our responsibilities will become
too.
Still in the same light of thinking, we’ll say here that faithfulness
does not necessarily change your life or brings solutions to the challenges
that you are facing. That’s why you can be faithful yet still being sick or experiencing
some other challenging issues. What you need here is faith. Faith is what
actually changes your hopeless or challenging situation into a joyous one. But
we must also say here that it is impossible for us to separate faith with unfaithfulness.
Because faith comes as a result of being faithful to God. It comes as a result
of learning God’s word, putting it into action, and taking Him for who He says
He is.
The Supernatural Gift From God
Faith is a supernatural gift reserved for the faithful. That’s
why it is said in 1 John 5:4 that faith is the victory that overcomes the
World. Note here that it is not faithfulness but faith. That’s why your
sickness, challenges, hardship, poverty, and sadness won’t necessarily respond
to your faithfulness but will certainly respond to your faith. It is faith in
God’s words that eventually brings changes to your situation.
Although we cannot fully separate faith from faithfulness we can at least bring out the clear difference between faith and faithfulness. And that’s what we’ve been doing since the beginning of this writing. Hence, you should eliminate the negative feeling of being neglected by God despite your faithfulness to Him and start speaking life into every challenging situation that you are facing through the power that Jesus Christ has given us and in accordance to His Word. Remember to build a strong faith in God and you’ll stand a better chance of successfully facing any challenge in life. We must note here that challenges are not there to kill us but to fortify us to better appreciate the blessings of God when they come our way. We recommend that you read our article on activating faith to move the impossible.
“To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.” – Hebrews 11:1
When it comes to ways on how to put your faith to work, you can only turn to the Bible for instructions. It completely teaches us on how to go about growing our faith and putting it into work. The Bible tells us that faith is the substance of the things which we hope for and a certainty on God’s promises. In addition, it refers to faith as a supernatural gift from God which permeates us to fully depend and relay on His promises even when what we are perceiving with our physical eyes is proving the contrary.
Faith means that the things which we hope for are presently in our reach through Jesus Christ. This is a call to the demonstration of faith on the scene. And for us to demonstrate our faith, we must put it into work. At this point, it’s just obvious that you are questioning yourself on how to put your faith to work. The Bible answers this question in a clear manner. Faith is also taking Jesus Christ for His words. It has to do with acting upon the words of Jesus Christ.
If we should take Jesus Christ for His words when He says that what we hope for is now ours, then we do not have any reason to sit back. Rather, we out to step out and receive our blessings from God. We act on the words of Jesus Christ because we have first believed in Him. What is He saying about your present situation? Step out and receive it with faith because He never fails.
Still on how to put your faith to work, we’ll take an example to bring more light for a better understanding. Let’s take a case where you pray and ask God through Jesus Christ to make you bold and give you a better understanding of the gospel as well as feed your mouth with His words whenever you are talking to His people. This is a very nice prayer, perhaps you were not initially brave enough in being His witness. But there is something that we must point out here which is your attitude after prayers. It is without doubt that your attitude after prayers greatly influences and determines if you have received the answers to your prayers or not.
Jesus Christ says in John 14:14 that whatsoever we ask in His name, we must believe that we have received. Hence, after prayers you must not only believe that you have had your answers but also start acting as one who has received the answers. On coming back to our example, you cannot pray it today, tomorrow, and forever. Once you have requested boldness and knowledge from God in doing His work, you’ll have to step out and start doing it. This is how to put your faith to work and open the flow gates of heaven for additional blessings. This also applies to all your prayer requests which are directed to God through Jesus Christ.
Always remember that faith acts now because it has already taken possession. It is for this reason that Apostle James says that faith without action is dead (James 2:17). Hence, genuine faith is that which takes God for His words and acts upon them. Genuine faith goes with a corresponding action. And it is in this light that you can learn what it takes to put your faith to work.
If you say that you have a genuine faith that can move mountains, then you are saying that you truly believe God for who He says He is. You completely believe that He has done all that He says He has done. And in the same light, you trust in all His promises to come. By this we mean that you know God will do all that He says He will do. If you are then serious about how to put your faith to work, each time you’ll finish praying, you’ll have to believe that your prayers have already been answered.
We’ll conclude by saying that we can also perceive faith as obeying God’s instructions. That’s why we cannot separate faith from obedience. And with obedience you can be sure that you truly have faith in God. And faith in God is irrespective of what we see in our surrounding. We suggest that you read our article on activating faith to move the impossible.
“Those who speak in strange tongues do not speak to others but to God, because no one understands them. They are speaking secret truths by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 14:2
The power of speaking in tongues dates back to the teachings of Jesus Christ through His Apostles in the Bible. We are clearly told that praying in tongues makes a believer to move in the supernatural and impossible dimensions. There are lots of ways through which praying in tongues will change your life forever. The importance of speaking in tongues as well as the benefits of speaking in tongues are amazing. Unfortunately, praying in strange tongues which was a major spiritual tool in the mouths of the Apostles of old has become one of the most controversial topics in modern Christianity.
Whatever the case, we can be certain that the lots of resentments surrounding the aspect of speaking in strange tongues have all arisen under the supervision of Satan in order to fight its ability to take believers into a higher spiritual dimension of overcoming the impossible situations of life. This rejection goes into the same light with that of the prophetic ministry which some modern Christians have kept aside due to bad experiences, misuses, and misunderstandings.
It’s quite evident that Satan is working to keep the believers ignorant of the power that Jesus Christ has released on to them. That’s why this horrible creature works together with its agents to create misunderstandings, bad experiences, and failures on the way of Christians who are trying to benefit from these gifts. But one thing that we are sure is that these gifts create disorder in the Satanic kingdom else they’ll no be fighting it. As a Christian, you must have probably asked yourself how important is speaking in tongues. On the other hand, several Christians regularly ask from their leaders the importance of speaking in tongues or the benefits of speaking in tongues. The whole truth is that praying in tongues will change your life for the best and increase your spiritual level in Jesus Christ our lord and savior.
A Biblical look of praying in tongues
If we must be honest enough to speak or reveal the Biblical truths about the power of speaking in tongues or its importance, we’ll base ourselves on the New Testament starting from the day of Pentecost when this special gift marked the birth of Christianity. When reading through the New Testament we notice that the majority of writings and teachings were sent out by Apostle Paul who deeply encouraged Christians to speak in tongues as he himself spoke more than any other believer in those days.
Apostle Paul tells us that the process of speaking in tongues equips the believers and creates a direct communication line with God the Father on a unique level and also empowers the believers to live a supernatural life in Jesus Christ. Speaking in tongues creates confusion in the kingdom of darkness and overpowers the Christian to overcome every evil spiritual force. Speaking in tongues takes you into a spiritual dimension and allows the Holy spirit to rightly pray through you as it uses the mind of God.
Speaking in tongues is not a one-time experience or something we do once after our baptism of the Holy Spirit. Apostle Paul saw it as a way to express what his mind could not express before God. He saw it as a way to communicate directly to God without having Satan hear even a single word talk less of getting its meaning. And the moment Satan cannot get what you are speaking with your heavenly father, he’ll be fighting the wrong fight. Regularly praying in tongues does well in fortifying your body and spirit to successfully go through the Christian race. As a believer Jesus Christ who is one with God lives within you through the Holy Spirit. Hence, you can always request the Holy Spirit to take control of you and talk to God through you in a language not understood by men neither by Satan and his agents.
Ways by which praying in tongues take you into the supernatural and impossible dimensions
As a believer who adopts the act of praying in tongues, you can expect a supernatural divine intervention in your life. This act will greatly open new doors in your life and boost your Christian faith. Below are the main aspects which are brought into existence by speaking and praying in strange tongues as the spirit of God leads.
Praying in tongues create a direct private communication line with God the Father
Apostle Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 14:2 that by speaking in strange tongues as moved by the Holy Spirit, we are not speaking to men but directly to God. In addition, this process is also known as the act of carrying out the Anonymous Prayer. By anonymous here, we mean that not even Satan can monitor or hear a single word from your prayer. Hence, he won’t know what you were saying or requesting from God, talk less of being able to develop a successful strategic plan to fight your heart intentions.
Still in the same line of thinking, we’ll add here that when you are praying in tongues, you are speaking through a direct line to the President of the Universe. Here, we are not trying to discourage anyone from praying to God with their native language. You should always feel free to talk to God with the language of your choice. But you must not forget the power or benefits that reside in praying to God using strange tongues as directed by the Holy Spirit. The whole truth is that at times we do not really know how to pray to God. Prayers that go in accord with the perfect will of God are the best prayers and are instantly answered (Romans 8:26-28). God’s spirit that resides within us best knows the heart of the Father. That’s why we are recommending you to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit in order to efficiently Pray.
Praying in tongues reveals God’s supernatural mysteries
“But it was to us that God made known His secret by means of His Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, even the hidden depths of God’s purpose” – 1 Corinthians 2:10
Speaking in tongues is a spiritual exercise that awakens the spirit of God from within us and puts it into work and action. The Holy Spirit knows everything in Heaven, on Earth, and below the Earth. In short, the Holy Spirit knows everything including the Secret taught and things of God. And we can all remember that Jesus Christ said in John 14:26 that when the Holy Spirit will come upon us, He will teach us everything that we need to know.
In other words, we can perceive the Holy Spirit as the spiritual search engine of the things in heaven, on earth, and everywhere. If you are verse with Google, you’ll better understand what we mean here by search engine. Thus, let’s welcome the act of praying in tongues so as to awaken the Holy Spirit in our lives which will reveal to us the mysteries of God. That’s why God spoke through His Prophet in Jeremiah 33:3 saying that we should call on Him and He’ll answer us and show us so many things which we know nothing about.
Praying in strange tongues opens your mind to a new living understanding of the Bible
“When, however, the spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, He will lead you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own authority, but He will speak of what He hears, and will tell you of things to come.” – John 16:13
In as much as the Bible can simply be a historical book in the hands of many, it can also be a spiritual book that brings life in the hands of others. Are you perceiving the Bible as a historical record of facts? Or you are simply perceiving it as a novel worth reading? If this is how you perceive the Bible, then you are wrong. And that’s why you are not experiencing any major divine intervention in your life.
Praying in tongues will boost the Holy Spirit to guide us into the revealed living truths that are recorded in the Bible just as Jesus Christ did promise. That’s why we must always pray and ask on God to reveal His Holy Will to us as we read His teachings. The power of praying in tongues is enormous.
Praying in strange tongues will open doors for the other Revelatory Gifts of the Holy Spirit
“The spirit gives one person a message full of wisdom, while to another person the same spirit gives a message full of knowledge. One and the same Spirit gives faith to one person, while to another person he gives the power to heal. The Spirit gives one person the power to work miracles; to another, the gift of speaking God’s message; and to yet another, the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not. To one person he gives the ability to speak in strange tongues, and to another he gives the ability to explain what is said” – 1 Corinthians 12:8-10
Praying in strange tongues will likely open heavenly flow gates to release other Revelatory Gifts of the Holy Spirit into your life. These revelatory gifts include a word full of wisdom, a word full of knowledge, prophecy and fully discerning of spirits. When you pray in strange tongues, you are not praying on a natural dimension but rather you are praying on a purely powerful spiritual dimension. That’s why you should not be alarmed when praying in tongues to receive a supernatural insight about something. In such spiritual dimensions, you can be led by the spirit to pray over specific situations in the lives of others, you can get a revelation on how to bring solutions into issues that people are experiencing in their lives, you can also receive revelations about cities, countries, and nations. Whatever the case, when God reveals a situation to you, always get back to Him in prayers to ask what He wants you to do about it. In addition, while praying in tongues, you can discern evil spirits around that are disturbing the lives of some individuals. In most cases, the Holy Spirit will lead you on how to drive them away.
Praying in tongues empowers you for spiritual warfare against the principalities in the kingdom of darkness
“Do all this in prayer, asking for God’s help. Pray on every occasion, as the spirit leads. For this reason, keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God’s people.” – Ephesians 6:18
Praying in strange tongues eventually empowers you to completely agree with God’s everlasting victory over all the powers and principalities in the kingdom of darkness. As Christians we are not free from attacks coming from the kingdom of darkness. Being Christians even gives Satan and his agents a greater reason to attack and destroy our faith in Jesus Christ who is the savior of the World. It is now left for us to strive and stand firm in our faith so as to overcome him through the victory of Jesus Christ on the cross. Unlike the false doctrine that teaches that being Christians implies wealth, fortune, no suffering, no hard times on earth, Jesus Christ himself told us in John 16:33 that we can be sure that tribulations will come our ways as His servants but we must hold to our faith because He has already overcome the world and supreme victory is His and that of His followers.
The Holy Spirit who is our companion in the Christian race is always there to provide us with gifts and blessings to overcome all challenges and attacks from the kingdom of darkness. One of these spiritual warfare gifts is the ability to speak in strange languages which are not understood by the enemy neither by men but only by God. That’s why we should regularly invite the Holy Spirit to pray the heart of our Heavenly Father through us so as to overcome the Devil and his malicious attacks in our lives.
In conclusion to our writing on the power of speaking in tongues, we’ll say that the benefits of speaking in tongues are so numerous and important in our Christian journey. We hope that we were able to answer your question on how important is speaking in tongues. We recommend you to read our article on how to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
“His faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God’s promise; his faith filled with power, and he gave praise to God” – Romans 4:20
Reflection
Faith is the substance through which we please God. Without faith, it is not possible to please God. By reading from Romans 10:17, we are told by Apostle Paul that faith comes by hearing the word of God. But did you know that it is very possible to have a lot of faith which is weak? Yes, of course it is very possible. We observe an example of such when Jesus Christ commanded peter to come to Him by walking on water. Peter had been regularly listening and seeing Jesus rendering impossible things possible. Although he knew it was possible to walk on water, his certainty was not deeply rooted that’s why at some point in time he started sinking as we can read from Matthew 14:27-31.
We can look it from the other way whereby we have a young boxer who regularly consumes much food but does not exercise his muscles. It is obvious that his muscles will develop massively but remain weak. And whenever he encounters a small fit and well-toned guy, he’ll easily be beaten even though he is big. The reason for his defeat is quite simple, he is big but weak.
With this in mind, we can further move ahead to bring out the difference between a weak and a strong faith. A weak faith comes as a result of not exercising faith or not even having faith at all. It is obvious that if you hear God’s word and don’t act on it, you’ll always have a weak faith. It is for this particular reason that you can easily memorize all the Bible passages about a particular topic yet still lack results.
You will always remain with a weak faith until you start acting on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. With a weak faith, you can be sure to stagger every time that the storms of life strike you. But whenever you make up your mind about taking God for who He says He is and firmly walking on His words, your faith will be made strong.
We consider Abraham as the father of faith because his faith was really strong. Upon hearing the voice of God in his life which promised him that he’ll be a father to many nations, he started calling himself “father of many” even when he did not yet have a physical descendant. From Romans 4:13-25, we hear the Bible say that Abraham had a strong faith even when there was no hope. Even though he was almost 100 years, his faith was not weakened upon looking at his physical conditions or the fact that Sarah could not have children. Instead, he remained tight to what he received as message from God and had full confidence that God will fulfill his promises.
When your faith is strong, you readily accept, believe, and walk on every word that God gives you. The point is not about getting the word into your notepad or into your heart. Rather it is the application of the words that you hear that makes your faith strong. That’s why you should speak forth the words that you hear irrespective of the contrary circumstances around you. It is only in this way that you can build a strong faith.
Confession
In the name of Jesus Christ:
My faith is strong;
I put into practice every word from God in my life;
I do not walk by sight but by faith; and
God has fulfilled all his promises in my life.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ may you have mercy on us and strengthen our faith.
“I am telling you the truth: those who believe in me will do what I do – yes, they will do even greater things, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.” – John 14:12-14
Reflection
From our reading, we clearly hear Jesus Christ telling us what it takes to walk in the impossible dimensions unto the eyes of men. As Christians, we have been given the Divine ability to do the things which Jesus Christ did and even greater things depending on our ability to believe or have faith in what He says. This leads to questions like what is faith, how to grow my faith, and how to activate my faith so as to walk in a spiritual dimension that is full of the power of the Holy Spirit.
When it comes to using faith to move the impossibilities, Prophet T.B. Joshua of the Synagogue church of all Nations (SCOAN) has interesting teachings which he applies and we can see what the hand of the Lord is doing in his life. Jesus Christ passes through him to give sight to the blind, heal the sick, set free the captives, deliver the oppress and above all teach what it takes to safe one’s soul. Hence we shall reflect on most of His teachings on how to activate my faith or how to grow my faith while having the Bible as our principal base.
What do I mean by having faith in God?
While others will ask what is faith, some will prefer to focus on the meaning of Faith. This brings us to asking the question of what Jesus meant by having faith in God? By faith in God, He meant that:
We should fully trust God for every single word of His that we hear;
We should have complete confidence in God;
We should absolutely rely on God alone;
We should take God for who He says He is;
We should completely believe in God;
We should fully obey all God’s commands without exception; and
We should consecrate much of our time in Knowing God.
How to activate my faith to move the impossible
The Scriptures tell us that faith has to do with having a deep and firm certainty of God’s yet unfulfilled promises (Hebrews 6:15). Meditate on this saying and you will realize that it does not say faith comes as a result of God fulfilling His promises. It rather says that faith is believing that God has completely done everything that He had promised us in His word and is presently resting with nothing to do again. Hence, for me to say that I have faith, I must be certain that God has already done what He had promised to do even if the physical conditions are showing the contrary.
As a generation who has worn the right to be called children of the supreme God through Jesus Christ, we are destined to walk by faith and not by sight. We mean here that:
When you are in hardship, instead of complaining, you rather see it as a reason to thank God;
When you are financially down; you give praise to God for blessing you with your financial needs;
When you are in pains, you thank Jesus Christ for having given you good health; and
When you are troubled, you refuse to focus on the trouble but rather prefer to focus on Jesus Christ the savior.
Satan is always setting up new traps to catch us by giving us numerous reasons to look at life, its adversities, and storms, from the human angle of perception. And for sure immediately you start perceiving your situation from the human eye, your heart will be filled with fear, discouragement, doubt, and anxiety. Hence as Christians, we should make sure that our belief sees beyond our present situations no matter how tough they may seem. In most cases, God pays a visit to his people through hard times so that they can better learn His ways.
A man or a woman of faith is one with a difference. (Acts 13:22). The way they perceive things is different. Where others are seeing impossibilities, they are seeing possibilities. Where humans think it is finish, they are seeing a new beginning. When people are filled with discouragements and fear, they are animated by the confidence that God never fails and are ready to step out without fear.
When Jesus Christ tells us in John 14:12 that if we have faith in Him, we can do the works he did and even greater things, he truly meant that with faith, His mighty power and strength becomes ours thereby truly making us one with Him. Prophet Isaiah clearly tells us what is faith when he says that it is the force that moves our words to work (Isaiah 55:11). As Christians, Jesus Christ has inserted power in our mouths. This power is fully released by the believe in our hearts.
There are many ways on how to grow my faith or how to activate my faith and start walking in the impossible dimensions. The full meaning of faith is complete obedience. The reward reserved for those who have faith is the capacity to do what Jesus was doing. Faith or believe or complete obedience to the gospel will make you to operate in the dimensions in which God operates (Acts 3:16). Your capacity to do wonders and miracles in the name of Jesus Christ actually depends on your degree of believe in Him. Remember to subscribe for more teachings of these kind which are hardly found elsewhere.
A man of faith is one who walks with the following tools:
Forbearance;
Endurance;
Patience;
Confidence;
Perseverance; and
Persistence.
If you are serious about activating your faith to walk in the Godly dimensions through Jesus Christ, you must take all the above tools and meditate as you put them into daily practice. Always welcome things that are contrary to God’s promises in your life as a way to boost your Christian faith and cultivate the attitude of Jesus Christ. In your Christian journey, remember to stay calm and focused without thinking of making a single step backward even when things seem not to be unfolding according to your heart desire.
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God’s power will rest upon you. For this reason, the Holy Child will be called the son of God” – Luke 1:35 (Epikaizo power and Epikaizo Anointing)
Reflection on the Epikaizo Power and Epikaizo Anointing
There exist many dimensions in which we can experience God’s power. Here, we will discuss on the Epikaizo Power and the Epikaizo Anointing. They are supreme dimensions in which Christians can experience the mighty hand of God. You might be asking yourself what is Epikaizo Anointing or better still, the meaning of Epikaizo Anointing? By anointing here, we do not mean a physical act. It is more of a direct spiritual touch from God. And whoever talks about the Epikaizo anointing talks of the Epikaizo power of the Supreme God. There is no need to panic or worry, we hereby write to help you understand this spiritual blessing.
At this point, you might likely ask yourself questions like what is the epikaizo anointing, what is the Epikaizo power of God, and how can I get the Epikaizo power of God?. We’ll start by saying that it is the overshadowing power of God. It represents the spiritual realm that is closest to eternity. That is why when Angel Gabriel came to Mary, he talked of an overshadowing power from the Highest. This is a clear example of the Epikaizo power of God which was tasted by Mary as it rested on the Son that she bore. The Epikaizo Images at the beginning of our article portray what it looks like.
The Overshadowing effect of the Epikaizo Anointing and Epikaizo Power
The Epikaizo power of God is one which comes with such might and great impact that when it overshadows you, all traces of fear within you are eliminated and you start walking in the realm of impossibilities. This is the type of power that moves the heart and hand of God to bringing changes to nations and cities. But receiving such power from God requires people who are determined for His cause and are ready to give up their lives for the sake of the gospel. The scriptures say that when Stephen was being stoned to the point of death, he did not give up His faith, rather he accepted to die for the gospel’s sake and at that point, he saw the heavens opened within which he saw Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God the Father almighty (Acts 7:56).
Even the scriptures say that no man sees God and lives. Thus it took Stephen a special anointing and grace to see Jesus Christ and God’s glory in heaven. What kind of spiritual power can we attribute such a grace apart from the Epikaizo anointing from God? We must attest that Stephen did not regret even for a second neither did he allow fear to cross his heart even for a millisecond. He accepted the sentence of death with joy in his heart for the greater love of God and the spread of the gospel.
Moses
We can get another example by reading about Moses who had the audacity to request that God repent of His anger. And behold, God did turn away from His anger. This is a phenomenon which can’t be understood by the human mind. Moses must have certainly been carrying something within Him. And what could this be apart from the Epikaizo anointing or the Epikaizo power of God. This power makes communication with God very easy and gets the Holy Spirit at work when you call upon God.
In addition, when we read from Joshua 10:12, we hear Joshua addressing to God and commanding the sun to remain still until they wipe out all the enemies of Israel during the war with the Amorites. This was a clear command that was directed to God who created the sun and gave it a normal routine. But behold, God respected Joshua’s command and the sun remained still until they had overcome their enemies. There is no power which we can attribute this to apart from the Epikaizo power of God or simply the overshadowing power of God in his life. This power gave him the ability to speak and make things done for the glory of God’s name.
The shining light of God’s Holy Presence
We have also read the scriptures which say that when Moses came down from the mountain, his face was shining like the sun while his clothes like bright light and no Israelite could dare look him directly. He had to be isolated for a while so that the glorious light of the lord and overshadowing power could reduce before he could meet with his followers (Exodus 34:29). This is another demonstration of God’s supreme power which can only be attributed to the Epikaizo and nothing else. In such a state, even Satan could not approach Moses. The mountains and oceans could not hurt him neither. They could only give him way.
How to experience the power of God?
This might likely lead you to asking how to experience the power of God. Others might go up to the extent of asking how to experience the Epikaizo anointing of God. By investing more time in meditating on God’s word, you create open doors for the Epikaizo anointing which comes with the mighty power of God. By regularly consuming God’s word, you are creating a big fire from within which will indeed develop much light in you. And the scriptures say that Satan hates light. And for this reason, he will flee away from you thereby allowing room for a greater spiritual expansion.
Jesus Christ promised to give us whatever we ask of Him in order to bring glory in the name of God the Father creator of Heaven and Earth. Hence, if our heart intentions are boosted by love and the desire to be witnesses of Jesus’s gospel, we simply need to ask from the Father through the name of the Son. And once this is done, we believe that our prayers have been answered. Hence, we continuously dwell in the light of the Lord and pray that He leads us to wherever he wants us to do His work through the might of His power in us.
Spiritual replenishing
When operating in the overshadowing power of the Lord, we are called upon to regularly get back to Him for more strength in other to face greater challenges as it was the case of the Apostles whom Jesus entrusted the gospel after his ascension into heaven (Acts 2:4). We recommend that you read our article on how to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ may you prepare us just as you prepared your 12 Apostles and when it is the right time to do your work, overshadow us with the Epikaizo power of the Holy Spirit.
The Synagogue Church of All Nations abbreviated as SCOAN is a worldwide Christian ministry which is leaded by Prophet T.B Joshua and supervised by Jesus Christ Himself. With Jesus Christ at the head, every impossibility is made possible according to the will of God. This generates questions like how to visit the SCOAN, how to visit the synagogue church of all nations, and how to meet Prophet T.B Joshua.
The Synagogue church of all nations is situated in the city of Lagos within Nigeria which is one of the west African countries. Being an Apostolic, Prophetic, evangelic, and pastoral Christian center, you can be 100% certain that if you connect yourself to them with faith through any means be it physical or spiritual your situation will change in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is not strange neither would you be the first because millions of people have received their miracles through faith by simply praying along with Prophet T.B. Joshua through social medias, televisions, reading his books, and using the morning water which he has blessed through the authority that Jesus Christ gave him. The synagogue church of all nations stands out today as a Christian ministry with uncountable numbers of miracles, wonders, healings, deliverance and above all wined souls for God.
Apart from connecting to the SCOAN through any of the above mentioned ways, you can as well find a way on how to meet Prophet T.B. Joshua by visiting the SCOAN as an international visitor. In order to make a successful journey to Lagos in Nigeria and meet with Prophet TB Joshua as an international visitor, you will first have to schedule your visit in advance before making any journey. Please you must not make any preparations to the SCOAN without first scheduling and receiving a confirmation letter from them that they are waiting to receive you. If you do otherwise, you’ll be running the risk of not meeting Prophet tb Joshua or being received at the SCOAN. While some people contest this procedure, we simply see it as a way to remain organized while doing God’s work given that millions of people around the world want and are asking how to visit the SCOAN.
If the procedure is not controlled or well organized, we shall find ourselves in a situation where there is no accommodation for the visitors hence allowing them in the hands of theft and rubbery. In addition, Prophet T.B. Joshua being a human being can’t be everywhere at the same time talk less of receiving everyone. So let us get into our main subject matter of how to meet prophet T.B. Joshua or how to visit the SCOAN (how to visit the synagogue church of all nations).
How to visit the synagogue church of all nations as an international visitor
If you are serious about how to meet Prophet T.B. Joshua as an international visitor who wants to partake in a service at the SCOAN, you’ll have to start by scheduling your visit with them. You can do the scheduling through the following steps:
Prepare answers for your personal health questions
If you are an international visitor who wants to apply for a place at the SCOAN with intentions of staying in the church’s premises, you’ll obviously need to answer a few health questions when submitting your application at Visit Us. This should not bother you because many people reach out to Prophet T.B Joshua for either one health problem or the other. This is just one of the reasons to visit the SCOAN. There are many more, some people upon hearing the testimonies of others simply want to come and witness the power of Jesus Christ with their own eyes and give thanks to God. Others see a visit to the synagogue church of all nations as a spiritual retreat which will fortify them to overcome the different challenges that lay ahead in their Christian journey. Others come to give testimonies of what Jesus Christ has done in their lives through Prophet T.B. Joshua. Many come in order to put an end to their evil practices and get delivered from satanic bondages. Others come to seek spiritual guidance while others come to be delivered and freed from addictions.
We cannot forget the point that others come to test and trial Prophet T.B Joshua while others come to find reasons to criticize him. Whatever be your reason for visiting the SCOAN, just have in mind that with God, you reap what you plant. We must also add that these were only few reasons why people visit the SCOAN. There are many more that we can’t fully uncover.
Fill out the online questionnaire
The online questionnaire is your visitation application which you can easily access through the SCOAN website at Visit Us. Through this link, you’ll be applying for the international visitor program. It is worth noting that there are several ways through which people visit the SCOAN base on different objectives, goals and geographical regions. You must always base yourself on truth when filling it and remember to fully answer all the questions being asked as this will permeate the Emmanuel team to review your application and decide if they should welcome you or get back to you for more information.
Before stepping in to fill this form, keep your basic statistic information (name, nationality, age, and gender) handy together with your contact information (e-mail address and telephone number). You’re also recommended to write down the contact information of at least one of your relatives. You’ll also be asked if you are suffering from a particular illness. If yes, you’ll need to tell them how intense it is and for how long it has been disturbing you. You’ll also be asked if you are HIV positive. If you plan going there with one or more persons, each person will have to fill his/her own questionnaire form separately and indicate at the end of the form at the comments section.
Wait to receive a confirmation before making any journey to the SCOAN
Successfully filling and sending the questionnaire is the first step. The second step has to do with waiting patiently for the SCOAN officials to review your questionnaire and get back to you with an answer on if you can come and when you can come. Never make any preparations to travel unless you have received a confirmation from the official SCOAN members to do so. This is to say that you must not consider making any travel plans talk less of booking a flight without previously receiving a confirmation letter that the SCOAN awaits you as an international visitor.
If you have any worries and need clarifications about how to meet Prophet T.B. Joshua or how to visit the synagogue church of all nations (how to visit the SCOAN), you can easily refer to frequently asked questions (FAQs at www.scoan.org. For those who want to visit from any of the European Countries and are facing difficulties, they can forward their questions to in**@sc***************.com.
Apply for an international passport
SCOAN is located in Lagos, a city in Nigeria which is one of the west African countries. If you are not yet having an international passport, see on applying to have one. This will cost you a sum of money depending on where you reside.
Apply for a Visa to enter Nigeria
Remember to apply for a Visa to enter Nigeria only after the SCOAN officials have contacted you to come. Every person residing out of the west African countries will need a Visa to enter Nigeria. Don’t panic because the process of getting a Visa into Nigeria won’t be the hardest thing to do. You’ll simply need to apply for a tourist visa through the Nigerian Embassy. In applying for your Visa, remember to include your official invitation letter with the visa application.
When applying for the tourist visa into Nigeria, you’ll have to send your application and fees to the Nigerian Immigration Service Website at https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/pages/welcome. After filling and making payments online, you’ll have to print out the form if you are out of the west African countries and submit the hard copy to the Nigerian Embassy in your country together with prove of your initial online payment. You’ll also be requested an amount when depositing the hard copy depending on your country.
Remember to include your current passport, your letter of invitation, two passport size pictures, and evidence of enough funds to assure your stay in Nigeria. If it happens that you won’t be residing at the SCOAN premises, you’ll be asked to present your confirmed hotel reservation ticket.
Book your flight
Once everything is ready for you to travel. You should schedule your flight with any airline of your choice. After doing this, you will be given information about the journey which you’ll have to communicate to the SCOAN officials so that they can send their members to wait for you at the airport.
Prioritize accommodation within the Church premises to that in the hotels
You are recommended to make arrangements to stay within the church’s premises in one of their established guest rooms. They are well equipped to meet the modern standards of the society. The church premises have family rooms, dormitories, and private rooms from which you can choose depending on your needs. Each of its room is well equipped with a toilet, a hot shower, and an air conditioning system. The church in itself has a large dining room that serves three full meals on daily basis. The church also has a shop from which you can purchase your extra drinks, toiletries, and snacks depending on your personal needs.
How is life in the SCOAN for international visitors
Many people always ask how life looks like at the SCOAN. We will start by saying that there is nothing strange or extraordinary apart from living a Christian life of prayer and experiencing the supernatural power of God. International visitors are usually welcomed for a stay of 5 to 6 days upon arrival on a Wednesday or a Thursday whereby they are invited to attend the visitor’s program. During stay at the SCOAN, visitors can expect to attend several church services, watch testimonial faith building videos that display the supernatural works of God, and listen to lectures from Prophet T.B. Joshua who is the leading founder of the Synagogue Church of all nations. While at the SCOAN, you can visit different prayer grounds, prayer hurts, and carryout lots of spiritual faith building activities.
Choose your cloth’s wisely
In choosing your cloths, you must have in mind that you are visiting a house of prayer and must be dressed decently. You must also take into consideration that Nigeria has a hot and humid climate. Temperatures in Nigeria usually range between 26 and 35 degrees Celsius. Hence, you’ll need something cool, loose, and comfortable if you don’t want to be overheated up.
Come with enough cash to meet up with your extra needs
The synagogue church of all nations will eventually provide you with the basic necessities but they won’t take charge of your extra needs and wants. That’s why you should prepare enough cash for some of your extra needs. While residing at the church’s premises, you’ll need to pay for your internet and telephone facilities. Also remember that anything purchased from the church’s shop must be paid in cash. The synagogue church of all nations accepts payments with different currencies like the dollar, Euro, and pound sterling.
Warning
You must be very careful when asking questions like how to meet with Prophet T.B. Joshua, how to visit the SCOAN or how to visit the synagogue church of all nations. The reason why we are asking you to do so is because there are so many people who are out there roaming the streets and are very much ready to give you answers that will lead to the loss of your hard earned cash into their pockets. Prophet T.B Joshua and the SCOAN have become so popular that many people are creating fake Facebook accounts and websites in his name in order to request for money. You must be wise and make sure that any communication linked to the SCOAN is being carried out through their official website www.scoan.org.
This brings us to the end of our writing on how to meet Prophet T.B. Joshua, and how to visit the synagogue church of all nations (how to visit the SCOAN). We wish you the best in your journey to meet the man of God and we pray that God through His son Jesus Christ grant your heart desires.
“Rather, the real Jew is the person who is a Jew on the inside, that is, whose heart has been circumcised, and this is the work of God’s Spirit, not of the written Law. Such a person receives praise from God, not from human beings” – Romans 2:29
Reflection
We can clearly get the difference between Christians and religious people by simply reading from Romans 2:29 and more insight is received by reading the whole of Romans 2 with the help of the Holy Spirit. We clearly hear how Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans is trying to turn away the hearts of men from focusing on human teachings and instead welcoming spiritual teachings from Jesus Christ.
He did address the people who considered themselves Jews and keepers of God’s commandments. We hear him reproaching them for thinking that they are keepers and teachers of God’s Laws when they themselves haven’t understood neither do they put what they teach into action. While the Jews believed that they were set aside for everlasting life through physical circumcision and other physical rituals, Apostle Paul rather calls Jews anyone who puts God’s commands into action and has had his heart circumcised by the Holy Spirit.
This short passage teaches us much on the difference between following Jesus Christ and being a religious person. The Jews whom Apostle Paul had to reproach were considered as religious people by their time. They were the first people to read God’s laws yet did not seek to truly understand what it meant. They were in error yet believed that they knew everything and that no one could teach them. They saw themselves as righteous guides to the blind as well as light to those who were living in darkness.
These people taught that they had the full knowledge about the Law and could act as better teachers for the ignorant and foolish. The things they were asking others to do were done the other way round by them. This is to say that they did not teach with examples since they said a thing and did the contrary. Yet this did not stop them from being the first people to run to the Synagogue and take leading places. They valued human praise than that of God. And even when God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, they remained in their blindness and refused to listen from Him. Rather they chose to kill Him and remain in ignorance. Unfortunately, while the world is believing in Jesus Christ to be saved, most of them are still dwelling in ignorance up to date.
All the above mentioned facts are characteristics of religious people. They believe that it is by regularly going to church that they are saved. For more information, read our article on why going to church does not make you a Christian. Religious people are more focused on religious rituals than learning and obeying the teachings of Jesus Christ. Religious people prefer to do it the way their ancestors did rather than welcoming the Holy Spirit and allowing it to work within them. Religious people are always listening to God’s words but they neither put these words into action nor even believe from their hearts. Religious people prefer to remain with what they know rather than learning the truth. Religious people will prefer religion which is a set of ritual routines over spirituality which is allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in pleasing God through Jesus Christ.
Prophet T.B. Joshua of the Synagogue Church of all Nations did pour more light on the difference between Christians and religious people where he emphasized on the fact that religious people lack spirituality. True Christians humbly accept that they are poor sinners in need of help from Jesus Christ. In addition, they are more focused on learning and practicing the teachings of Jesus Christ rather than playing the hypocrite like the religious people.
True Christians are fully adopted by the Holy Spirit while religious people are not. Christians are made worthy before God by living the words of Jesus Christ and also allowing these words to live within them. The purity of the heart through Jesus Christ is what actually makes us Christians.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ may you purify our hearts and make us yours forever.
“Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy, as I, the Lord your God, have commanded you” – Deuteronomy 5:12
“But now God’s way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with Law, even though the Law of Moses and the Prophets gave their witness to it” – Romans 3:21
“Rather, the real Jew is the person who is a Jew on the inside, that is, whose heart has been circumcised, and this is the work of God’s Spirit, not of the written Law. Such a person receives praise from God, not from human beings” – Romans 2:29
“Some people think that a certain day is more important than other days, while others think that all days are the same. We should each firmly make up our own minds” – Romans 14:5
“For it is not by hearing the law that people are put right with God, but by doing what the law commands” – Romans 2:13
“I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God’s power to save all who believe” – Romans 1:16
“And so, according to the Good News I preach, this is how it will be on that Day when God through Jesus Christ will judge the secret thoughts of all” – Romans 2:16
“Welcome those who are weak in faith, but do not argue with them about their personal opinions. Some people’s faith allows them to eat anything, but the person who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables” – Romans 14:1-2
“For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them.” – Mathew 18:20
The reason why going to church does not make you a Christian is quite evident. I have overheard people asking questions like can you be a Christian and not go to church? Have you ever asked yourself why going to church does not make you a Christian? The whole truth is that, simply going to church does not make you a Christian. Perhaps it makes you religious but does not make you a believer in Jesus Christ. But are we trying to say here that going to church is wrong? I attest no, that’s not the message we are trying to pass in this writing.
We are simply trying to bring out the difference between a Christian and a religious person. But what do we really mean when we say that the answer to the question of why going to church does not make you a Christian is quite evident? I’ll ask you a few questions which will better help you to understand the message we are trying to pass here:
Does visiting the presidency makes you the president? I guess no, it’s rather by playing the political game.
Does visiting the garage makes you an automobile engineer? I guess no, it’s rather by taking automobile engineering courses.
Does going to the football field makes you a footballer? I guess no, it’s rather by playing football that you are considered a footballer.
If we are ok up to this point, then why do we want to create an exception in God’s house. Just as a footballer and a non-footballer can move to the football field to watch friends play, a Christian and a non-Christian can find themselves in church.
To be a Christian means to follow Jesus Christ while obeying His teachings. It’s not by finding yourself in church that you become a Christian. If you perceive going to church as respecting the 3rd commandment in Deuteronomy 5:12, then you are wrong. The Sabbath as mentioned there has never existed as a Sunday, rather it existed and still exists as Saturday. But this is not even our problem for the moment because Apostle Paul says in Romans 3:21 that we are not put right with God through the Laws of Moses but through Jesus Christ who fulfilled and revealed the whole truth about pleasing God and gaining eternal life.
Rather we are focus on why simply going to church does not make you a Christian. In bringing more light to this, we can refer to Romans 2:13 whereby Apostle Paul tells us that we are not saved from the fire of hell by simply listening to the teachings of God but by putting these teachings which we hear into practice. That’s why we’ll say that going to church or meeting in a Christian gathering is something very nice as it will permeate you to learn and no more about the teachings of Jesus Christ who said that whenever two or more people are gathered in His name, He is with them and will certainly bless them (Mathew 18:20). But we must say again that by simply hearing his word and not putting it into action does not make you any better than someone who has not received the teachings neither the one who sits at home and reads the Bible but does not apply it.
Instead of dwelling in error by considering our church going duty as one which brings life, it is wise for us to focus on learning and putting into action the gospel of Jesus Christ which represents the one and only truth that leads to God as explained by Apostle Paul in Romans 1:16
Hence it is not by putting more value to Sundays and regularly going to church that makes us safe. While going to church can lead us to being saved by Jesus Christ as we listen to his teachings and put them into action, the process of going to church itself does not bring salvation. Although many people argue that going to church on Sundays is one of the prerequisites to being saved, Apostle Paul encourages us to welcome and not argue with those who consider some days during the week more important than others. In addition, he encourages us to make up our minds about our decisions concerning such while making sure that whatever we are doing, we do it for the glory of God (Romans 14:5)
Since the times of Jesus, Christian gatherings have always been of great importance as they give room for two or more people to sing praises and worship songs to God. It also allows room for the teachings of Jesus Christ. Hence, we encourage everyone to partake in Christian gatherings in order to boost growth in their spiritual lives.
Still in the same light of thinking, Prophet T.B. Joshua of the Synagogue church of all nations (SCOAN) brought more light to this topic by emphasizing that True Christianity is a matter of the heart rather than fulfilling religious observances like regularly attending church every Sunday and reading the Bible in a literal way without being assisted by the Holy Spirit. This is to say that Christianity is more of the heart and that’s why Apostle Paul in Romans 2:16 tells us that God will Judge us from the bottom of our hearts. It is not the physical action of going to church that matters before God, rather it is the heart motive behind the act of going to church that brings a blessing on you. We can clearly perceive this by reading Luke 23:39-43 where Jesus Christ promised eternal life to one of the thieves with whom He was crucified. I don’t think Jesus Christ forgave the thief and gave him eternal life because he was regularly partaking in the church headed by the Apostles. Rather it was the nature of his heart before Jesus Christ. He acknowledged to be a sinner who needed help from Jesus Christ whom he considered God, and indeed Jesus Christ upon seeing his heart granted him life that never finishes. This is in no way to say that we are not to regularly gather as Christians to worship, praise, and learn more about God. It is simply to show the importance of one’s heart in gaining salvation. Jesus Christ during His stay on Earth had always encouraged Christians to love each other and work together towards the same goals thereby showing the importance of a church.
By focusing on Jesus Christ our redeemer, a truly saved person can stand warfare against Satan and his agents. Being Christians mean that we are bound to encounter serious battles and for sure if we are united in the body of Christ as one, it will be very easy to overcome these challenges. These challenges are not aimed at killing us but to make us worthy to receive what God has prepared for us after this life on Earth. You can visit the Synagogue Church of all Nations for more teachings HERE.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, may you locate us in your mercy and strengthen us not to only listen to your word but to put everything that you request from us into action. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
“The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you” – John 14:26
Reflection
We shall be basing ourselves on John 14:26 to meditate on how to be filled with the Holy Spirit (How to receive the Holy Spirit in full). There is just no way that we can run our Christian journey successfully without the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ knew that upon physically departing from us, we were going to face lots of challenges most of which will overcome us and so decided to give us a Helping partner, the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ has not changed his mind about filling us with the Holy Spirit just as He did in the times of His Twelve Apostles. Still on the same line of proving that Christians can’t do without the Holy Spirit, we’ll refer to the question asked by Apostle Paul in Acts 19:2 when he made with a group of disciples. Upon meeting them, the first question he asked was if they had received the holy spirit when they became believers.
This question is a clear indication that every disciple of Jesus Christ apart from being born again of water must also be born again of the Holy Spirit. In order words we’ll say he/she must ask, seek and receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a mark of ownership which Jesus Christ inserts within our hearts where He dwells together with the Heavenly Father.
Hence, we’ll say that you cannot be a Christian without being filled with the Holy Spirit. You cannot fully please God as a Christian without the Holy Spirit talk less of doing His Holy works. If you dare step out to do God’s work without the Holy Spirit, you’ll simply be inviting trouble, pain, hardship, and affliction to come and dine with you on the same table. That’s why Jesus Christ asked the Apostles to remain in Jerusalem and wait until the Holy Spirit which is the mighty power from above comes down on them before they could step out and be witnesses to the ends of the world about the things He had taught them (Luke 24:49). But does this mean that stepping out with the Holy Spirit frees us from persecution and our daily Christian cross? No, it doesn’t, rather it makes our battles worthy and acceptable in heaven.
In addition, the Bible clearly details out what awaits those who will step out in the name of Jesus Christ without being filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 19:11-17. By reading that scripture, we are told of some Jews who travelled around chasing out demons. They were seven brothers in number and were sons of a certain Jewish High Priest by name Sceva. Upon hearing how the powerful name Jesus Christ was working wonders and rendering possible the impossible wherever Apostle Paul went, they decided to use the name in driving out demons too. But behold, when they commanded the demon to be out in the name of Jesus Christ, the demon responded by telling them that he knows Jesus Christ and Paul but knows nothing about them. And as a result, the evil spirit attacked and almost killed them as they ran out of the house naked with serious wounds.
This is to tell us that the name Jesus Christ can be pronounced by anyone without a major effect, rather it can likely call upon you a great number of battles which will overwhelm you. But when pronounced by a person who is filled by the Holy Spirit, it moves mountains, drives out demons, brings sight to the blind, frees the captives, strengthens the lame to walk, heals the sick, opens the ears of the deaf, raises the dead, chains Satan, and above all brings salvation to mankind as it leads us to life everlasting with God in heaven. This is why every Christian must be filled with the Holy spirit as explained by Prophet T.B. Joshua at the synagogue church of all nations (SCOAN).
The role of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives is very important. He is the Ultimate Helper in our Christian race just as Jesus Christ said. He is our daily Comforter. He is our principal teacher on the things of God. He reveals the mind of God to us. He teaches us what Jesus Christ wants. He makes us to move in the power of rendering the impossible possible for a better testimony of Jesus Christ. He is the Spirit of Truth and Life. He is the Spirit of Christ and the Father. He wants to possess our bodies and govern as our Lord. He wants to set us free, heal us, deliver us, and give us everlasting life. He wants to help us with our daily problems and ease our stress in running the Christian race.
If you want to be filled with the Holy spirit, repent from your evil ways, get baptized, ask Jesus Christ to come into your life with all the blessings that He promised for His followers and be certain that He has done so. In addition, you will have to live a life of prayer, regularly studying and daily doing what Jesus wants us to do. In this way, you will remain in His light and He will overshadow you with the power of the Holy Spirit as well as gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
It is worth adding here that, we are filled with the holy spirit in order to do God’s work. In other words, we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit in so as to be witnesses of Jesus Christ to the ends of the World as we teach everyone to welcome Him and His teachings in order to be saved from the fire of hell and turn to honor his/her creator for an everlasting life in heaven. As Christians, we must learn what it takes to ask God to fill us with the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why we recommend you to read our article on how to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, come and take over my life and fill me with the Holy Spirit. Show me the path you have designed for me in this life and assist me in going through it successfully no matter how difficult the journey might seem.
Few people like TB Joshua, Prophet Shephard Bushiri, Pastor Chris, Pastor Alph Lukau were fortunate to receive their calls to serve God at a younger age with a deep degree of certainty. Many people upon feeling the call of God upon their lives often experience mixed emotional feelings.
Knowing that God is calling for you to work in His vineyard can be awesome and exciting. However, you might just believe that you cannot serve God due to a few personal reasons or you might still be experiencing a sense of doubt or uncertainty about the calling on your life.
Uncertainty leads to questions like what is God’s calling for me, what is God asking me to do, how to know God’s will for your life, how to discover your calling, and the how to know the call of God for my life. Whatever the case, stay calm and relaxed as we are going to unfold the best ways through which you can actually know what God wants you to do. Just keep on reading and remember to subscribe for further teachings like these.
Before we proceed into discussing the main subject matter, we’ll like to add here that a good number of people find reasons why they firmly believe that they cannot answer God’s call for their lives. Whatever be the case, you owe it to yourself and will have to answer that with God alone. Just make sure that you are not backsliding because of doubt, fear, or a sense of insufficiency.
What is God asking me to do (God’s calling or call of God for my life)
Many Christians and ministers of the gospel have either given elements of answers or answers to the old question of how do I know what my calling from God is? One of the answers which caught my attention was that from Prophet T.B. Joshua who said that whatever you do through God or whatsoever God accepts you to do through Him is your calling.
When we read Psalms 119:105 we are made to know that God’s calling in our life is revealed by getting to know Him more through the Bible which is His Holy Word that brings salvation. Hence, we should hold tight to God and remain in his presence by regularly studying His Word and singing praises and worships to Him. He will, in turn, transform us by the power of the Holy Spirit and show us the way just as promised in Romans 12:2.
Your call may be a leadership call in the government, church, ministry, business, family, media, sports, entertainment, neighborhood or just anything that God allows you to do through Him. It is not strange to experience doubts about your vocation at some point in your life. At such moments you might seriously begin to doubt if you even have a call from God. Whatever your case, just see on to it that you remain in the light of God for guidance. And always remember that whatever you do through God is your calling and that you can use it to bless the Body of Christ in one way or the other.
God blesses us with talents and gifts which can bring glory to His name in one way or the other. Simply figure out yours and develop it to the top. God will indeed be pleased to see how you value what He has blessed you with. Among God’s deposited talents within us are skills in science, teaching, public speaking, artistic work, designing, cooking, writing, singing, painting, and leadership just to name a few. On the other hand, we also have God-given gifts that are aimed at blessing our spiritual lives and allowing us to bless those of others. A few of such could be the ability to excellently preach the Gospel like Apostle Paul, Work miracles and wonders through the power of the Holy Spirit in order to set free those whose hearts have been captured by Satan, the ability to encourage, the ability to lead praise and worship services, the ability to walk in the power of the holy spirit, the ability to prophesy, the ability to genuinely love, and wisdom.
Stand firm in your calling
Galatians 1:10 pours out greater light on what it means to stand firm in your calling. Reading from it, we hear Apostle Paul saying that he knows fully that He was called by God to be an Apostle that is why he does not seek to win the approval of men but that of God. He further says that if pleasing people was his goal, he would not be a true Christian. By saying so, we realize that he was deeply certain of the call of God in his life that is why his main objective was to please God and not men. Most of us often turn to lean on the words and comments of men just to have them kill our convictions about our calling. Your calling is between you and God alone. If you are seeking to get approved by men rather than God, you won’t be seeking to serve God. Apostle Paul further calls on us to carry out the ministry that the Lord assigned to us without fear of any human neither need for any human approval (Colossians 4:17).
We must carry our cross every day to follow Jesus Christ
There are things that God might want us to do but the challenges in doing them keep us discouraged and afraid to step out. You might not want to abandon the wealth you have gathered and are enjoying in the main city of the country to travel to faraway areas in the bush to do God’s work. Others might simply be filled with fear of risking their lives. Some people might simply be afraid of facing the challenges that lay ahead in the journey of carrying their cross and answering their calls to work for God. Others might be blinded by the riches, wealth, and pleasures of this world. Whatever be your case, just remember that God cannot give you a mission which He knows that you cannot make it. When God calls us, he prepares us for the task ahead. This preparation time might seem long but we must remain patient and continuously study His ways till He releases us for our mission. Still on what God’s calling for my life is, it is wise to pay attention to the different ways in which God communicates with us being dreams, persons, Bible, visions, internal voice, audible voice, and strange ways. God can use any one of these to tell you what he wants you to do.
The scripture says, “I spoke because I believed”. In the same spirit of faith, we also speak because we believe – 2 Corinthians 4:13
Reflection
This verse from Apostle Paul gives us the foundation of the spirit of faith which is first believing and then acting on the belief or simply speaking out what we believe in our hearts. If you desire to learn how to grow your faith, you must take this verse serious.
The spirit of faith does not come in to confess things to happen neither does it comes in to help convince you of their existence. Rather it comes in when you first believe in your heart that what you desire is already in existence before even voicing it out.
When it comes to the spirit of faith or how to grow faith, many people get it all wrong because they are not speaking what they have first believed in, rather they are speaking to believe. In order words, their believe is as a function of the results they’ll get after speaking. This is the case were we find people confessing God’s word yet struggling to believe what they are telling themselves. It is for this reason that they’ll get frustrated whenever things fail to come out as desired.
When we read from Genesis 17:5, we notice that God called Abram and promised to make him a father to many nations. God also changed His name from Abram to Abraham (meaning father to many nations). Abram demonstrated the spirit of faith here by welcoming and referring to himself as Abraham even when he had no child. In short, he simply demonstrated what he believed in his heart and it finally came to pass.
With the spirit of faith, you do not walk by sight or by physical manifestations. You do not wait to have the results before believing. You completely believe and stand firm on the fact that what you believe in has already been realized. We can read from Apostle Paul in Hebrews 11:1 were he makes us to understand that faith is the evidence that the things which we hope for are now realities.
As Christians and ministers of the word of God, we should only confess what we have first believed in our hearts and not the other way round. First believing here means cultivating certainty in the word God. Imagine what you will do if someone pops up claiming that your vehicle is his when you know fully that you have all the legal documents attesting that you purchased the vehicle from the manufacturer. For sure you will laugh out loud because of the certainty you have as owner of the vehicle.
In the same spirit, if you believe and take God for His words, you’ll step out with certainty to declare and manifest your convictions boldly without fear of any failure no matter your circumstances or challenges that Satan is using to stop you. You’ll be able to go an extra mile because you have a proof of what you are saying within you. If you are certain about the promises of God for your life, not even the toughest physical situations around you can turn your attention from God. And for sure you’ll end up inheriting the benefits reserved for those who rely fully on the Lord.
Confession
I believe in every word which was spoken by Jesus Christ;
In the name of Jesus Christ, my faith is producing fruits;
In the name of Jesus Christ, I am what God says I am;
In the name of Jesus Christ, I have what God says I have; and
In the name of Jesus Christ, I can do what God says I can do.
“I assure you that whoever tells this hill to get up and through itself in the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him” – Mark 11:23
Reflection
This Bible verse is one that makes my heart to shade tears due to our ignorance about the power that Jesus Christ has given us. Indeed, He has given us the necessary power to change situations around us for the best. All that we need in order to accomplish this is faith. If we can stand on the words of Jesus Christ and act on them, we will reach the impossible.
Many people claim to know the Bible yet they are not acting on it. It is very common to hear a Christian say something like “by His stripes we were healed” yet they are still laying on the sick bed. This is an example of weak faith. It is useless to know the word when you cannot apply or act upon it. We must always remember that Jesus spoke spirit and life giving words which are still capable to wake you up from your sick bed, free you from suffering, and above all give you everlasting life.
Weak faith comes as a result of not exercising the spirit and life giving words of Jesus Christ. It is said that by his stripes we were healed, then what are you still doing on the sick bed. If Jesus Christ has given us the power to command mountains to uproot themselves and be deposited in the oceans, we can also exercise this very power in changing the situations that are around us. The main problem that we have is our unbelief and inability to take Jesus Christ for His words.
This creates need for you to learn how to grow your faith and make it mature enough to walk in the impossible dimensions before the eyes of men. It is only through faith that we can reach the impossible. The gap between the physical and the spiritual dimension is linked by faith. The miracle you are looking for can be achieved through faith. You’ll just need to grow your faith and put it into action.
If you are serious about learning how to grow your faith, you’ll have to start by saturating your body and spirit with the word of God. By regularly studying the word of God, you gain consciousness of the promises He has reserved for us. With time, these life giving words will create an unbeatable faith within you which will allow you to speak and make the impossible possible.
In order to grow your faith, you must regularly exercise it. Don’t worry about the number of times that you fail neither dwell on your mistakes because it is not about you but about Jesus Christ. Call on Him to strengthen your faith to the level that He wants. And for sure He will give you faith in an unmeasurable amount because He said anyone who asks for anything from Him without doubt will definitely have it.
Not exercising your faith or not walking on the word of God can be compared to a person who regularly eats huge quantities of food but does not exercise his muscles. It is without doubt that his muscles will grow big but remain weak due to lack of exercises. In the same light, if you continuously listen God’s word without acting upon it, you’ll always have a weak faith. Every life challenge is likely to overcome people with weak faiths. Weak faith creates fear and allows room for Satan to manipulate those having it.
The chief cure for weak faith is acting and walking on the word of God. In order words, we are trying to say that you need to take God for who He says He is. One of the best ways on how to grow your faith is to start acting on the words of Jesus Christ without any doubt or fear. By reading from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we are called upon by Apostle Paul to give thanks to God concerning every situation in our life. This is a perfect place to start. Challenge yourself to see beyond the troubles and hardships that you are presently facing by living a life of praise and worship. Allow everything in the hands of God because nothing happens to us without His knowledge.
Prophetic decrees
We should learn to speak the words of God into our lives. It is time for you to confess that by his stripes you were healed and that your place is not on the sick bed. By the authority in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth:
wake up from your sick bed;
be set free from every satanic bondage;
may your faith be strong;
may your faith in God stand the test of time;
may fear leave your life; and
may you succeed in the things you are doing.
Prayer
Heavenly father we beg on you to have mercy on us, show us the light of your favor, and above all strengthen our faith to take you for who you say you are. May our faith prevail as we put your words into action in our daily activities. We ask all these in the name of Jesus Christ.
The act of repentance is part of a Christian’s life for the scriptures say that there is no one who is righteous (Romans 3:10). We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That is why we must learn how to repent in order to remain in His presence through Jesus Christ who paid the price for our sins on the cross of Calvary.
Before we knew God, we were living in sin thereby implying that we needed repentance. Now that we know God, we regularly fall prey to sin due to our weak bodies hence in need of repentance. Even the scriptures say that the righteous falls 7 times a day hence in need of repentance. It is true that our spirits are willing to follow God’s ways but we must not forget that every day, we are fighting against our body which is weak.
With all these at hand, we must acknowledge that we are poor sinners in need of repentance through the Blood of Jesus Christ on daily basis. At times we sin without even knowing. And these sins can disrupt our relationships with God. In some cases, they even prevent our prayers from reaching God, that is why we must always start our prayers by asking God to forgive us of our wrong doings.
What is sin?
Before we get into how to ask for forgiveness from God properly, it will be wise to start by pouring more light on the definition of sin. Should in case we are asked what is sin, we’ll say it is anything that we say, think, or do that does not please God neither does it brings glory to his name.
How to ask for forgiveness from God
As Christians who want to remain in a close relationship with God, we must learn to regularly repent and strive to do what is right before God.
1. How to repent: Cultivate humility
Being humble to recognize your faults before God is the first step to repentance. It is possible to lie to yourself and other people but it is not possible to lie to God. He is everywhere and He knows everything. There is just nothing that we can hide from Him. Thus, if we are guilty of wrong doings before Him, we should always acknowledge and be sorry about these wrongs.
2. How to repent: Reflect on the things that you have done wrong
Find some free time and isolate yourself for repentance. Do your best to remember the things you have done that are not in accordance with the Holy will of God. Try to remember every detail as this will help you to gain consciousness of wrong doings and better take precautions to avoid them in the nearby future.
3. How to repent: Desire not to get back to your wrong doings
Although we turn to fall prey to sin on daily basis, we must desire not to do the wrong things over and over. Here, we ought to pray and ask our Heavenly Father to give us the necessary strength in order to stay away from wrong doings.
4. How to repent: Ask God to forgive you
God is your Heavenly Father, talk to Him, confess your sins and beg for His mercy and forgiveness. Let your request for forgiveness come from the bottom of your heart.
5. How to repent: Trust in God for forgiveness
Although God hates sin, He loves us and He is willing to welcome us back to Himself after we have requested for His pardon through Christ. But does this mean that we have to regularly dwell in sin because God will forgive us? I don’t think this is what we are trying to say here, rather we are saying that you must be deeply sorry for your wrongdoings and desire not to get back to them. And when you ask for forgiveness from God, trust in His forgiveness and ability to help you in living a better life.
What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation? Salvation is the ultimate goal for many individuals seeking spiritual fulfillment. It is a process that involves a deep connection with a higher power and a transformation of one’s inner self. In this article, we will explore the steps to salvation and how they can be applied in one’s life.
What the Bible Says About Salvation
The Significance of Salvation
Before delving into the steps, it is important to understand the significance of salvation. Salvation is the act of being saved from sin and its consequences, and it is often associated with religious beliefs. It offers individuals the opportunity to experience forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life in the presence of a higher power. Salvation brings a sense of peace, purpose, and spiritual fulfillment to those who seek it.
Biblical Steps to Salvation
Step 1: Seeking Biblical Knowledge and Understanding
The first step to salvation is seeking Biblical knowledge and understanding. This involves exploring and learning about the teachings of Jesus Christ. It may involve reading sacred texts, attending religious services, or engaging in discussions with Christian spiritual leaders or mentors. Seeking knowledge and understanding allows individuals to develop a strong foundation for their faith and to gain insight into the principles and values that guide their spiritual journey.
Step 2: Faith and Belief
The second step to salvation is faith and belief. Once individuals have acquired knowledge and understanding, they are called to cultivate faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is the firm conviction and trust in the existence, power, and love of God which is reflected in the Ultimate Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is a deeply personal and transformative experience that requires individuals to surrender their doubts and place their trust in something greater than themselves. Through faith, individuals can develop a profound connection with the divine and experience the transformative power of belief.
Step 3: Repentance and Forgiveness
Repentance and forgiveness are crucial steps on the path to salvation. Repentance involves acknowledging and taking responsibility for one’s mistakes, wrongdoings, and sins. It is a sincere and genuine desire to turn away from negative behaviors and to seek forgiveness from God through Jesus Christ. Forgiveness, on the other hand, is the act of pardoning and letting go of past transgressions. It involves releasing feelings of anger, resentment, and judgment towards oneself and others. Repentance and forgiveness are essential for personal growth and spiritual healing, paving the way for a renewed and transformed life.
Step 4: Surrender and Submission
Surrender and submission to Jesus Christ are integral aspects of the journey towards salvation. It involves relinquishing control and ego-driven desires to a higher power. Surrender requires individuals to trust in the divine plan and to let go of their own agendas and attachments. It entails acknowledging that there is a greater purpose and wisdom beyond one’s limited understanding. Through surrender and submission, individuals open themselves up to divine guidance and allow the higher power to work through them.
Step 5: Baptism and Commitment
The final step to salvation is baptism and commitment. Genuine Baptism is a symbolic ritual that represents purification, rebirth, and a public declaration of one’s faith and commitment to the Christian Faith. It is a transformative experience that signifies a new beginning and a spiritual union with God. Alongside baptism, individuals are called to make a commitment to live in accordance with the teachings and principles of their faith. This commitment involves practicing love, compassion, kindness, and integrity in all aspects of life.
Embracing Salvation
Embracing salvation is an ongoing process that requires dedication, perseverance, and continuous spiritual growth. It is not a one-time event but a lifelong journey of deepening one’s connection with the divine and living in alignment with one’s spiritual values. It involves cultivating a relationship with the higher power, engaging in prayer and meditation, and seeking opportunities for spiritual growth and service to others. Embracing salvation brings immense joy, peace, and fulfillment, allowing individuals to experience a profound sense of purpose and divine love in their lives.
In conclusion, the steps to salvation encompass seeking knowledge and understanding, cultivating faith and belief, practicing repentance and forgiveness, surrendering and submitting to a higher power, and embracing baptism and commitment. These steps provide a roadmap for individuals seeking spiritual fulfillment and a deeper connection with the divine. By embracing these steps, individuals can embark on a transformative journey towards salvation and experience the profound blessings and joy that come with it.
What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation?
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Peter 3:21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
1 John 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
Group 1 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 22:16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Colossians 2:12 Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Group 2 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Luke 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Matthew 10:32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Group 3 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Luke 24:47 And that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Acts 10:43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Group 4 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Galatians 3:26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Romans 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Group 5 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Romans 14:1-23 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. …
Acts 16:31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Acts 16:1-40 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. …
Group 6 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Acts 16:30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Romans 10:8-10 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Acts 8:35-38 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Romans 3:24 And are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Group 7 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Acts 8:16 For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
John 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Mark 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
Group 8 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
John 3:3-5 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Group 9 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Revelation 2:1-29 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. …
1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Jude 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Group 10 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
1 Peter 1:9 Obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Hebrews 12:7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
James 2:19-20 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Group 11 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
2 Timothy 2:3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 2:1-3 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Ephesians 4:14 So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
Ephesians 2:9 Not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Group 12 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Ephesians 2:3 Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Ephesians 1:13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Galatians 2:16 Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
Group 13 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Romans 10:9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
Group 14 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Romans 6:3-4 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 5:6-8 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Acts 26:28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”
Acts 19:1-6 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. …
Group 15 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Acts 17:31 Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Acts 10:44-46 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared,
Acts 8:36-38 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Group 16 – What Does the Bible Say About Steps of Salvation
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
Acts 2:47 Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
What are the Steps to Salvation? Salvation is the ultimate goal for many individuals seeking spiritual fulfillment. It is a process that involves a deep connection with a higher power and a transformation of one’s inner self. In this article, we will explore the steps to salvation and how they can be applied in one’s life.
The Significance of Salvation
Before delving into the steps, it is important to understand the significance of salvation. Salvation is the act of being saved from sin and its consequences, and it is often associated with religious beliefs. It offers individuals the opportunity to experience forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life in the presence of a higher power. Salvation brings a sense of peace, purpose, and spiritual fulfillment to those who seek it.
Biblical Steps to Salvation
Step 1: Seeking Biblical Knowledge and Understanding
The first step to salvation is seeking Biblical knowledge and understanding. This involves exploring and learning about the teachings of Jesus Christ. It may involve reading sacred texts, attending religious services, or engaging in discussions with Christian spiritual leaders or mentors. Seeking knowledge and understanding allows individuals to develop a strong foundation for their faith and to gain insight into the principles and values that guide their spiritual journey.
Step 2: Faith and Belief
The second step to salvation is faith and belief. Once individuals have acquired knowledge and understanding, they are called to cultivate faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is the firm conviction and trust in the existence, power, and love of God which is reflected in the Ultimate Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is a deeply personal and transformative experience that requires individuals to surrender their doubts and place their trust in something greater than themselves. Through faith, individuals can develop a profound connection with the divine and experience the transformative power of belief.
Step 3: Repentance and Forgiveness
Repentance and forgiveness are crucial steps on the path to salvation. Repentance involves acknowledging and taking responsibility for one’s mistakes, wrongdoings, and sins. It is a sincere and genuine desire to turn away from negative behaviors and to seek forgiveness from God through Jesus Christ. Forgiveness, on the other hand, is the act of pardoning and letting go of past transgressions. It involves releasing feelings of anger, resentment, and judgment towards oneself and others. Repentance and forgiveness are essential for personal growth and spiritual healing, paving the way for a renewed and transformed life.
Step 4: Surrender and Submission
Surrender and submission to Jesus Christ are integral aspects of the journey towards salvation. It involves relinquishing control and ego-driven desires to a higher power. Surrender requires individuals to trust in the divine plan and to let go of their own agendas and attachments. It entails acknowledging that there is a greater purpose and wisdom beyond one’s limited understanding. Through surrender and submission, individuals open themselves up to divine guidance and allow the higher power to work through them.
Step 5: Baptism and Commitment
The final step to salvation is baptism and commitment. Genuine Baptism is a symbolic ritual that represents purification, rebirth, and a public declaration of one’s faith and commitment to the Christian Faith. It is a transformative experience that signifies a new beginning and a spiritual union with God. Alongside baptism, individuals are called to make a commitment to live in accordance with the teachings and principles of their faith. This commitment involves practicing love, compassion, kindness, and integrity in all aspects of life.
Embracing Salvation
Embracing salvation is an ongoing process that requires dedication, perseverance, and continuous spiritual growth. It is not a one-time event but a lifelong journey of deepening one’s connection with the divine and living in alignment with one’s spiritual values. It involves cultivating a relationship with the higher power, engaging in prayer and meditation, and seeking opportunities for spiritual growth and service to others. Embracing salvation brings immense joy, peace, and fulfillment, allowing individuals to experience a profound sense of purpose and divine love in their lives.
In conclusion, the steps to salvation encompass seeking knowledge and understanding, cultivating faith and belief, practicing repentance and forgiveness, surrendering and submitting to a higher power, and embracing baptism and commitment. These steps provide a roadmap for individuals seeking spiritual fulfillment and a deeper connection with the divine. By embracing these steps, individuals can embark on a transformative journey towards salvation and experience the profound blessings and joy that come with it.
How Do I Get Right With God? As human beings, we all long for a sense of belonging, purpose, and connection. Deep within our hearts, there is a desire to be right with God, to find spiritual reconciliation and experience a sense of peace and fulfillment. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the question that has been asked by countless individuals throughout history: “How do I get right with God?” We will delve into various perspectives and insights from different reference articles to provide you with a well-rounded understanding of this important topic.
How to Find Spiritual Reconciliation: A Comprehensive Guide
Getting Right with God from a Biblical Perspective
Understanding the Nature of Sin
Before we can explore the path to spiritual reconciliation, it is crucial to comprehend the nature of sin and its impact on our relationship with God. As the Bible tells us, “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:3). We have all fallen short and rebelled against God’s commands (Isaiah 53:6). Sin separates us from God and has serious consequences. The penalty for sin is death (Ezekiel 18:4), and without addressing this issue, we cannot find true reconciliation with God.
The Pursuit of Salvation: God’s Loving Plan
Despite our sinful nature, God, in His infinite love and mercy, has pursued us to bring us salvation. Jesus declared His purpose was “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). He accomplished this through His sacrificial death on the cross, proclaiming, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Salvation is a gift from God, offered to all who believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him as their Savior (Romans 10:9).
The Role of Faith and Repentance
Having a right relationship with God starts with acknowledging our sin and recognizing our need for His forgiveness. True repentance involves a humble confession of our sins to God (Isaiah 57:15) and a sincere desire to turn away from our sinful ways. As Romans 10:10 states, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Faith is an essential component in this process. We must believe in our hearts that Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection qualify Him to be our Savior (Romans 10:9).
The Necessity of Faith and Trust in Jesus
Throughout the Bible, we find numerous passages emphasizing the necessity of faith in our journey towards spiritual reconciliation. Jesus Himself proclaimed, “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Other passages further reinforce the importance of faith, such as John 20:27, Acts 16:31, Galatians 2:16 and 3:11, Ephesians 2:8. Trusting in Jesus and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior is the key to salvation and finding peace with God.
The Promise of Forgiveness and Restoration
God’s promise of forgiveness is a central theme in the Bible. He sent His Son as the ultimate sacrifice to take away our sins (John 1:29). Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21). In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), we see a beautiful illustration of repentance and forgiveness. The son, after squandering his inheritance in sinful behavior, realizes the error of his ways and decides to return home. To his surprise, his father welcomes him with open arms and celebrates his return. God is always ready to forgive and restore those who turn to Him with a repentant heart (Psalm 34:18).
The Power of Prayer in Seeking Reconciliation
Prayer is a powerful tool in seeking reconciliation with God. It is not a magical formula but a way to express our faith in Him and thank Him for providing salvation. While there is no specific prayer that guarantees salvation, a heartfelt prayer acknowledging our sinfulness and placing our trust in Jesus as our Savior can be a meaningful step towards finding peace with God. Here is a sample prayer:
“Dear God, I recognize that I am a sinner and deserving of punishment. I believe that Jesus Christ took the punishment I deserve through His death on the cross. I place my trust in Him for salvation and ask for Your forgiveness. Thank You for Your grace and the gift of eternal life. Help me to live for You. Amen.”
The Journey of Spiritual Transformation
Getting right with God is not a one-time event but the beginning of a lifelong journey of spiritual transformation. Salvation is the starting point, but it is followed by a process of sanctification. The Holy Spirit works within us, helping us grow in our faith, develop Christ-like character, and live according to God’s will. This journey involves reading and studying the Bible, prayer, fellowship with other believers, and allowing God to shape us into His image.
The Importance of Authenticity and Repenting from Sin
As we seek spiritual reconciliation, it is essential to cultivate authenticity in our relationship with God. This means being honest about our shortcomings, confessing our sins, and continually turning away from sinful behavior. As Christian Hedonism teaches, God is most glorified in us when we find our joy and satisfaction in Him. Authentic praise and worship come from a heart that finds God to be its exceeding joy. It is not simply going through the motions but a genuine expression of our love and delight in Him.
The Transformative Power of God’s Love
God’s love is at the core of our journey towards spiritual reconciliation. His love is unending, unconditional, and available to all who turn to Him. When we accept His love and forgiveness, it empowers us to love and forgive others. Pardon for our sins is always followed by the power to love people. God’s love transforms us from the inside out, enabling us to live a life of love, compassion, and service to others.
Embracing the Process and Finding Hope
Finding spiritual reconciliation and getting right with God is a process that requires faith, repentance, and a sincere desire to follow Him. It is not always easy, and we may stumble along the way. However, there is hope in knowing that God is with us every step of the journey, guiding and transforming us. Through prayer, seeking His Word, and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, we can find the peace, joy, and fulfillment that come from being right with God.
In conclusion, the path to spiritual reconciliation begins with acknowledging our sinfulness and our need for God’s forgiveness. It involves faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, repentance from our sins, and a commitment to follow Him. As we experience God’s love, embrace authenticity, and seek transformation, we can find true peace, joy, and fulfillment in our relationship with Him. May this guide serve as a roadmap for your journey towards getting right with God and experiencing the abundant life He offers.
What Are the Four Spiritual Laws? Understanding the Path to Salvation and what it takes to become a Christian. The Four Spiritual Laws provide a clear and concise framework for understanding the path to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Developed by Dr. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, these laws have been translated into numerous languages and have served as a powerful tool for sharing the gospel with people around the world. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore each of the Four Spiritual Laws, examining their significance and how they lead us to a personal relationship with God.
Understanding the Path to Salvation
The Four Spiritual Laws
I. God’s Love and His Wonderful Plan
At the core of the Four Spiritual Laws lies the foundational truth that God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives. This love is not limited to a select few but extends to every individual on earth. As John 3:16 proclaims, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This verse encapsulates the magnitude of God’s love and His desire for all people to experience the fullness of life through faith in Jesus Christ.
Furthermore, John 10:10 emphasizes that Jesus came to offer abundant life to those who believe in Him. This abundant life is not merely temporal but extends into eternity. It encompasses a deep and meaningful relationship with God, characterized by His love, guidance, and purpose for our lives. The first law reminds us that God’s love is the foundation upon which the remaining laws are built.
II. Humanity’s Sin and Separation from God
The second law addresses the sobering reality of sin and its consequences. Romans 3:23 declares, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Sin is not limited to a select few individuals; rather, it permeates the entire human race. It is the barrier that separates us from God and prevents us from fully experiencing His love and plan for our lives.
In Genesis 3, we witness the tragic account of Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God, which introduced sin into the world. This rebellion shattered the perfect relationship between humanity and God, leaving us in a state of brokenness and separation. Romans 6:23 further illuminates the consequences of sin, stating that the wages of sin is death. Sin leads to spiritual death and eternal separation from God.
III. Jesus Christ: God’s Solution for Sin
The third law unveils the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, which offers the only provision for our sin. Romans 5:8 proclaims, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus, as God’s Son, willingly took upon Himself the punishment for our sins through His death on the cross. His sacrificial act reveals the extent of God’s love and His desire to restore our broken relationship with Him.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 provides a comprehensive summary of the Gospel message, stating that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again on the third day. This resurrection serves as a powerful affirmation of Jesus’ victory over sin and death. It is through Jesus Christ alone that we can be reconciled to God and experience forgiveness and restoration.
John 14:6 reinforces the exclusivity of Jesus as the way of salvation, as He declares, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This statement underscores the uniqueness and sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. He is not merely one among many paths to God but the only way to reconciliation and eternal life.
IV. Placing Faith in Jesus for Salvation
The fourth and final law addresses our response to the Gospel message. It emphasizes the necessity of placing our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior to receive the gift of salvation and to know God’s wonderful plan for our lives. John 1:12 assures us, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Salvation is not based on our own merits or good works but is a gift received through faith.
Acts 16:31 succinctly captures the essence of this law, stating, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved!” This belief involves a personal decision to trust in Jesus, acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior. Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes that salvation is by God’s grace alone, through faith, and not by our own efforts. It is through this act of faith that we become part of God’s family, experiencing His love, guidance, and purpose for our lives.
Conclusion
The Four Spiritual Laws serve as a powerful tool for understanding and sharing the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. They remind us of God’s love for all people and His desire to have a personal relationship with each one of us. They also highlight the reality of sin and the need for a Savior, pointing to Jesus Christ as the only solution for our sin and separation from God. Finally, they emphasize the importance of placing our faith in Jesus to receive the gift of salvation and experience the fullness of life that God intends for us.
As we embrace and share the Four Spiritual Laws, let us remember that they are not mere words on a page but a timeless message of hope and transformation. May we be inspired to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, inviting others into a life-changing encounter with God’s love and His wonderful plan for their lives.
Discover Bible Verses About the Human Race. Behold, we’ll start by saying that there is only one race – the human race. It is important for us to understand that there is only one race. And as such, Africans, Asians, Caucasians, Arabs, Indians, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). Most importantly, all human beings are equally created in the Image and Likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). The Lord God Almighty loved the world so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His beloved Son to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). Note that the “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. As such, anyone who Believes in Him is granted access to God’s family and given Eternal Life.
The Lord God Almighty does not show favoritism or partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. Notice how James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead of discriminating, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). In the Old Testament, the Lord God divided humanity into two “racial groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Lord God’s intent was for the Jews to be a kingdom of priests, ministering to the Gentile nations. Instead, for the most part, the Jews became proud of their status and despised the Gentiles. Amazingly, Jesus Christ put an end to this, destroying the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). And as such, all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.
Bible Verses About the Human Race
Racism and Reconciliation
Racism is about making quick judgments on the characteristics of an ethnic group to rate them as inferior or superior – demonstrating bias or partiality. Behold, racism is a problem we can’t ignore or run away from. It’s an issue today, and it was an issue throughout history, including when the Bible was written. The Good News, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ does not only bring us close to God but also to people we once considered so different from ourselves (Ephesians 2:13). The Lord God restores our relationships with people and groups we’ve mistreated. That’s called reconciliation: the removal of prejudice as well as the restoration of a relationship to healthy understanding and appreciation for each other. Brethren, God is a reconciling God. The Gospel is, at its very core, a message of reconciliation.
Behold, the Bible repeatedly warns against treating foreigners badly (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 23:7). Every man, woman, and child (born and unborn) bears the divine image of God. His infinite beauty and complexity are reflected in the diverse tapestry of humanity. Removing any one thread prevents us from seeing God as clearly as we should. James 2:8-9 says, If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Brethren, every life is precious. Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Biblical Facts About Racism
Jesus Christ commands us in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Likewise, Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting someone whom God loves and for whom Jesus Christ suffered and died. Sadly, racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has plagued on humanity for thousands of years. Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ of all ethnicities, it should not be so. Victims of racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to forgive because we have all sinned and need forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9). Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Those who practice racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to Sincerely Repent and start Loving Others as they love themselves. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Irrespective of our ethnic origins, we are all created in God’s image and likeness and as such should live in peace, and love and treat each other with compassion and kindness. Genesis 1:26-27 says, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
One Race
Acts 17:26 says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” The Bible teaches that all people who have ever lived plus those who are still living are descendants of Adam and Eve. Therefore, all people are of the same race -the human race. The Jews in Jesus’ time had grown up with the belief that they alone were God’s people. As such, they were in shock when they learned that Jesus had come for the whole world. Peter, one of the twelve Apostles tutored by Jesus Christ received a vision from God regarding this and stated, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35).
The Apostle Paul made several major missionary trips throughout the Mediterranean region. During these trips, he shared the message that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-expected Messiah and Savior of the world. Notice how Paul took the gospel of Jesus to white people, to black people, to olive-skinned people, and to as many people as he was led by God. Behold, it was a universal message without any racial distinction for blessings or salvation. Paul wrote in a letter to the church at Rome, “As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:11-13).
What Christians Should Know About the Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory (CRT) examines how laws in the United States have built and supported racial inequalities. It is an ideological framework that names race as a social construct and asserts that racialized inequities in society are fostered by historic and current systemic, legal, and institutional policies and practices. Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre says, “Critical Race Theory understands racism not as biological, but as a social construct designed consciously or unconsciously to further the power, profit and privilege of white people. These constructs are naturalized and legitimized through social structures and institutions.”
Rev. Dr. Hyemin Na says, “Critical Race Theory can provide resources to think about the ways the sin of racism permeates the fabric of our society in all its dimensions. Where there is suffering and inequality, Christians are called to mourn, repent of the ways we contribute to the problem, and join together to challenge the broader structures that produce injustice.” Dr. Kelly Hamren says, “While Critical Race Theory fails to recognize the root cause of racism (human sin), Critical Race Theorists have done a good job paying attention to the ways in which racism manifests itself in Western societies….[It] creates a greater urgency for those of us in the Church to do a better job at paying attention to these things and processing them within a Biblical framework.”
Bible Verses About the Human Race
Acts 17:26 – “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,“
Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“
John 7:24 – “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Romans 2:11 – “For God shows no partiality.“
John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.“
Acts 10:34-35 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Group 1 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:26-27 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
James 2:9 – “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Revelation 7:9 – “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”
Acts 10:34 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
Group 2 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
James 2:4 – “Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Matthew 15:22-28 – “And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” …“
Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.“
Group 3 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Deuteronomy 10:17 – “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.“
Romans 10:12-13 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Colossians 3:11 – “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.“
Matthew 7:12 – “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“
Nehemiah 13:3 – “As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.”
1 John 2:9 – “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.“
1 Corinthians 12:13 – “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
Group 4 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
1 John 2:11 – “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
1 Timothy 5:21 – “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.“
James 2:8-9 – “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Ephesians 2:14 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility“
Nehemiah 13:23-30 – “In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. ...”
Group 5 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Exodus 22:21 – “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”
James 2:1 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”
James 2:8 – If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Matthew 10:5-6 – These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Proverbs 24:23 – “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.”
Ephesians 6:9 – “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.“
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.“
Group 6 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Deuteronomy 24:7 – “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
Acts 10:28 – And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Revelation 14:6 – “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.“
Mark 12:31 – “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Colossians 3:10-11 – “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Group 7 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Genesis 3:20 – “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”
Mark 7:25-30 – But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” …
Leviticus 19:34 – “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Leviticus 19:33-34 – “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,“
Group 8 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
John 4:9 – The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Matthew 25:1-46 – “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. …“
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!“
Romans 6:13 – “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.“
Group 9 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Colossians 3:25 – “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.“
Luke 10:25-37 – “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” …“
Romans 12:3 – “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Group 10 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Exodus 21:16 – “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.“
Numbers 25:1-18 – “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” …“
Matthew 10:24 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.“
Genesis 9:25 – He said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Deuteronomy 23:3 – “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,“
Exodus 21:20-21 – “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.“
Group 11 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Acts 10:35 – “But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,“
Deuteronomy 7:1-4 – “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.”
Group 12 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Galatians 3:26-29 – “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Ephesians 2:14-15 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
Genesis 2:18 – Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.“
Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Group 13 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Exodus 12:48 – “If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.”
John 4:1-54 – “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. …“
Acts 15:9 – “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.”
Galatians 3:16 – “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.”
Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,“
Group 14 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Numbers 12:1-16 – “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. …“
1 John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Matthew 25:40 – “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’“
James 2:1-4 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Group 15 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
1 Peter 2:18 – “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
1 John 3:15-16 – “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.“
1 John 4:19-21 – “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.“
Romans 3:22 – “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:“
Genesis 19:1-38 – “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. …“
Group 16 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
Jude 1:19 – “It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.“
Acts 10:34-36 – “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),“
2 Chronicles 19:6-7 – And said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”
Galatians 3:1 – “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.“
Acts 8:27 – “And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship“
Group 17 – Bible Verses About the Human Race
1 Peter 1:17 – “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,“
Ephesians 2:13 – “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, …“
What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race? Behold, we’ll start by saying that there is only one race – the human race. It is important for us to understand that there is only one race. And as such, Africans, Asians, Caucasians, Arabs, Indians, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). Most importantly, all human beings are equally created in the Image and Likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). The Lord God Almighty loved the world so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His beloved Son to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). Note that the “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. As such, anyone who Believes in Him is granted access to God’s family and given Eternal Life.
The Lord God Almighty does not show favoritism or partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. Notice how James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead of discriminating, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). In the Old Testament, the Lord God divided humanity into two “racial groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Lord God’s intent was for the Jews to be a kingdom of priests, ministering to the Gentile nations. Instead, for the most part, the Jews became proud of their status and despised the Gentiles. Amazingly, Jesus Christ put an end to this, destroying the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). And as such, all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.
What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race?
Racism and Reconciliation
Racism is about making quick judgments on the characteristics of an ethnic group to rate them as inferior or superior – demonstrating bias or partiality. Behold, racism is a problem we can’t ignore or run away from. It’s an issue today, and it was an issue throughout history, including when the Bible was written. The Good News, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ does not only bring us close to God but also to people we once considered so different from ourselves (Ephesians 2:13). The Lord God restores our relationships with people and groups we’ve mistreated. That’s called reconciliation: the removal of prejudice as well as the restoration of a relationship to healthy understanding and appreciation for each other. Brethren, God is a reconciling God. The Gospel is, at its very core, a message of reconciliation.
Behold, the Bible repeatedly warns against treating foreigners badly (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 23:7). Every man, woman, and child (born and unborn) bears the divine image of God. His infinite beauty and complexity are reflected in the diverse tapestry of humanity. Removing any one thread prevents us from seeing God as clearly as we should. James 2:8-9 says, If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Brethren, every life is precious. Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Biblical Facts About Racism
Jesus Christ commands us in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Likewise, Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting someone whom God loves and for whom Jesus Christ suffered and died. Sadly, racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has plagued on humanity for thousands of years. Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ of all ethnicities, it should not be so. Victims of racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to forgive because we have all sinned and need forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9). Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Those who practice racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to Sincerely Repent and start Loving Others as they love themselves. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Irrespective of our ethnic origins, we are all created in God’s image and likeness and as such should live in peace, and love and treat each other with compassion and kindness. Genesis 1:26-27 says, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
One Race
Acts 17:26 says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” The Bible teaches that all people who have ever lived plus those who are still living are descendants of Adam and Eve. Therefore, all people are of the same race -the human race. The Jews in Jesus’ time had grown up with the belief that they alone were God’s people. As such, they were in shock when they learned that Jesus had come for the whole world. Peter, one of the twelve Apostles tutored by Jesus Christ received a vision from God regarding this and stated, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35).
The Apostle Paul made several major missionary trips throughout the Mediterranean region. During these trips, he shared the message that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-expected Messiah and Savior of the world. Notice how Paul took the gospel of Jesus to white people, to black people, to olive-skinned people, and to as many people as he was led by God. Behold, it was a universal message without any racial distinction for blessings or salvation. Paul wrote in a letter to the church at Rome, “As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:11-13).
What Christians Should Know About the Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory (CRT) examines how laws in the United States have built and supported racial inequalities. It is an ideological framework that names race as a social construct and asserts that racialized inequities in society are fostered by historic and current systemic, legal, and institutional policies and practices. Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre says, “Critical Race Theory understands racism not as biological, but as a social construct designed consciously or unconsciously to further the power, profit and privilege of white people. These constructs are naturalized and legitimized through social structures and institutions.”
Rev. Dr. Hyemin Na says, “Critical Race Theory can provide resources to think about the ways the sin of racism permeates the fabric of our society in all its dimensions. Where there is suffering and inequality, Christians are called to mourn, repent of the ways we contribute to the problem, and join together to challenge the broader structures that produce injustice.” Dr. Kelly Hamren says, “While Critical Race Theory fails to recognize the root cause of racism (human sin), Critical Race Theorists have done a good job paying attention to the ways in which racism manifests itself in Western societies….[It] creates a greater urgency for those of us in the Church to do a better job at paying attention to these things and processing them within a Biblical framework.”
What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race?
Acts 17:26 – “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,“
Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“
John 7:24 – “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Romans 2:11 – “For God shows no partiality.“
John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.“
Acts 10:34-35 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Group 1 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
James 2:9 – “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Revelation 7:9 – “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”
Acts 10:34 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:26-27 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Group 2 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.“
James 2:4 – “Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Matthew 15:22-28 – “And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” …“
Group 3 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Matthew 7:12 – “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“
Nehemiah 13:3 – “As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.”
1 John 2:9 – “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.“
1 Corinthians 12:13 – “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Deuteronomy 10:17 – “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.“
Romans 10:12-13 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Colossians 3:11 – “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.“
Group 4 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Ephesians 2:14 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility“
Nehemiah 13:23-30 – “In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. ...”
1 John 2:11 – “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
1 Timothy 5:21 – “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.“
James 2:8-9 – “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Group 5 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Proverbs 24:23 – “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.”
Ephesians 6:9 – “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.“
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.“
Exodus 22:21 – “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”
James 2:1 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”
James 2:8 – If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Matthew 10:5-6 – These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Group 6 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Mark 12:31 – “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Colossians 3:10-11 – “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Deuteronomy 24:7 – “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
Acts 10:28 – And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Revelation 14:6 – “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.“
Group 7 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Leviticus 19:34 – “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Leviticus 19:33-34 – “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,“
Genesis 3:20 – “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”
Mark 7:25-30 – But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” …
Group 8 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!“
Romans 6:13 – “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.“
John 4:9 – The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Matthew 25:1-46 – “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. …“
Group 9 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Romans 12:3 – “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Colossians 3:25 – “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.“
Luke 10:25-37 – “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” …“
Group 10 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Matthew 10:24 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.“
Genesis 9:25 – He said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Deuteronomy 23:3 – “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,“
Exodus 21:20-21 – “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.“
Exodus 21:16 – “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.“
Numbers 25:1-18 – “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” …“
Group 11 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,“
Deuteronomy 7:1-4 – “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.”
Acts 10:35 – “But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
Group 12 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Genesis 2:18 – Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.“
Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Galatians 3:26-29 – “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Ephesians 2:14-15 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
Group 13 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Acts 15:9 – “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.”
Galatians 3:16 – “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.”
Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,“
Exodus 12:48 – “If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.”
John 4:1-54 – “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. …“
Group 14 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
1 John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Matthew 25:40 – “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’“
James 2:1-4 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Numbers 12:1-16 – “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. …“
Group 15 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Romans 3:22 – “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:“
Genesis 19:1-38 – “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. …“
1 Peter 2:18 – “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
1 John 3:15-16 – “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.“
1 John 4:19-21 – “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.“
Group 16 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
Galatians 3:1 – “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.“
Acts 8:27 – “And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship“
Jude 1:19 – “It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.“
Acts 10:34-36 – “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),“
2 Chronicles 19:6-7 – And said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”
Group 17 – What Does the Bible Say About the Human Race
1 Peter 1:17 – “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,“
Ephesians 2:13 – “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, …“
Discover the One Race in the Bible. Behold, we’ll start by saying that there is only one race – the human race. It is important for us to understand that there is only one race. And as such, Africans, Asians, Caucasians, Arabs, Indians, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). Most importantly, all human beings are equally created in the Image and Likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). The Lord God Almighty loved the world so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His beloved Son to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). Note that the “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. As such, anyone who Believes in Him is granted access to God’s family and given Eternal Life.
The Lord God Almighty does not show favoritism or partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. Notice how James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead of discriminating, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). In the Old Testament, the Lord God divided humanity into two “racial groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Lord God’s intent was for the Jews to be a kingdom of priests, ministering to the Gentile nations. Instead, for the most part, the Jews became proud of their status and despised the Gentiles. Amazingly, Jesus Christ put an end to this, destroying the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). And as such, all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.
One Race in the Bible
Racism and Reconciliation
Racism is about making quick judgments on the characteristics of an ethnic group to rate them as inferior or superior – demonstrating bias or partiality. Behold, racism is a problem we can’t ignore or run away from. It’s an issue today, and it was an issue throughout history, including when the Bible was written. The Good News, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ does not only bring us close to God but also to people we once considered so different from ourselves (Ephesians 2:13). The Lord God restores our relationships with people and groups we’ve mistreated. That’s called reconciliation: the removal of prejudice as well as the restoration of a relationship to healthy understanding and appreciation for each other. Brethren, God is a reconciling God. The Gospel is, at its very core, a message of reconciliation.
Behold, the Bible repeatedly warns against treating foreigners badly (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 23:7). Every man, woman, and child (born and unborn) bears the divine image of God. His infinite beauty and complexity are reflected in the diverse tapestry of humanity. Removing any one thread prevents us from seeing God as clearly as we should. James 2:8-9 says, If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Brethren, every life is precious. Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Biblical Facts About Racism
Jesus Christ commands us in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Likewise, Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting someone whom God loves and for whom Jesus Christ suffered and died. Sadly, racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has plagued on humanity for thousands of years. Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ of all ethnicities, it should not be so. Victims of racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to forgive because we have all sinned and need forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9). Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Those who practice racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to Sincerely Repent and start Loving Others as they love themselves. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Irrespective of our ethnic origins, we are all created in God’s image and likeness and as such should live in peace, and love and treat each other with compassion and kindness. Genesis 1:26-27 says, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
One Race
Acts 17:26 says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” The Bible teaches that all people who have ever lived plus those who are still living are descendants of Adam and Eve. Therefore, all people are of the same race -the human race. The Jews in Jesus’ time had grown up with the belief that they alone were God’s people. As such, they were in shock when they learned that Jesus had come for the whole world. Peter, one of the twelve Apostles tutored by Jesus Christ received a vision from God regarding this and stated, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35).
The Apostle Paul made several major missionary trips throughout the Mediterranean region. During these trips, he shared the message that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-expected Messiah and Savior of the world. Notice how Paul took the gospel of Jesus to white people, to black people, to olive-skinned people, and to as many people as he was led by God. Behold, it was a universal message without any racial distinction for blessings or salvation. Paul wrote in a letter to the church at Rome, “As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:11-13).
What Christians Should Know About the Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory (CRT) examines how laws in the United States have built and supported racial inequalities. It is an ideological framework that names race as a social construct and asserts that racialized inequities in society are fostered by historic and current systemic, legal, and institutional policies and practices. Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre says, “Critical Race Theory understands racism not as biological, but as a social construct designed consciously or unconsciously to further the power, profit and privilege of white people. These constructs are naturalized and legitimized through social structures and institutions.”
Rev. Dr. Hyemin Na says, “Critical Race Theory can provide resources to think about the ways the sin of racism permeates the fabric of our society in all its dimensions. Where there is suffering and inequality, Christians are called to mourn, repent of the ways we contribute to the problem, and join together to challenge the broader structures that produce injustice.” Dr. Kelly Hamren says, “While Critical Race Theory fails to recognize the root cause of racism (human sin), Critical Race Theorists have done a good job paying attention to the ways in which racism manifests itself in Western societies….[It] creates a greater urgency for those of us in the Church to do a better job at paying attention to these things and processing them within a Biblical framework.”
One Race in the Bible
Acts 17:26 – “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,“
Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“
John 7:24 – “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Romans 2:11 – “For God shows no partiality.“
John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.“
Acts 10:34-35 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Group 1 – One Race in the Bible
James 2:9 – “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Revelation 7:9 – “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”
Acts 10:34 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:26-27 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Group 2 – One Race in the Bible
Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.“
James 2:4 – “Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Matthew 15:22-28 – “And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” …“
Group 3 – One Race in the Bible
Matthew 7:12 – “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“
Nehemiah 13:3 – “As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.”
1 John 2:9 – “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.“
1 Corinthians 12:13 – “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Deuteronomy 10:17 – “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.“
Romans 10:12-13 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Colossians 3:11 – “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.“
Group 4 – One Race in the Bible
1 John 2:11 – “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
1 Timothy 5:21 – “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.“
James 2:8-9 – “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Ephesians 2:14 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility“
Nehemiah 13:23-30 – “In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. ...”
Group 5 – One Race in the Bible
Proverbs 24:23 – “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.”
Ephesians 6:9 – “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.“
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.“
Exodus 22:21 – “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”
James 2:1 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”
James 2:8 – If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Matthew 10:5-6 – These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Group 6 – One Race in the Bible
Mark 12:31 – “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Colossians 3:10-11 – “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Deuteronomy 24:7 – “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
Acts 10:28 – And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Revelation 14:6 – “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.“
Group 7 – One Race in the Bible
Leviticus 19:34 – “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Leviticus 19:33-34 – “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,“
Genesis 3:20 – “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”
Mark 7:25-30 – But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” …
Group 8 – One Race in the Bible
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!“
Romans 6:13 – “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.“
John 4:9 – The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Matthew 25:1-46 – “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. …“
Group 9 – One Race in the Bible
Colossians 3:25 – “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.“
Luke 10:25-37 – “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” …“
Romans 12:3 – “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Group 10 – One Race in the Bible
Matthew 10:24 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.“
Genesis 9:25 – He said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Deuteronomy 23:3 – “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,“
Exodus 21:20-21 – “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.“
Exodus 21:16 – “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.“
Numbers 25:1-18 – “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” …“
Group 11 – One Race in the Bible
Acts 10:35 – “But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,“
Deuteronomy 7:1-4 – “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.”
Group 12 – One Race in the Bible
Genesis 2:18 – Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.“
Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Galatians 3:26-29 – “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Ephesians 2:14-15 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
Group 13 – One Race in the Bible
Exodus 12:48 – “If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.”
John 4:1-54 – “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. …“
Acts 15:9 – “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.”
Galatians 3:16 – “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.”
Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,“
Group 14 – One Race in the Bible
1 John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Matthew 25:40 – “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’“
James 2:1-4 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Numbers 12:1-16 – “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. …“
Group 15 – One Race in the Bible
1 Peter 2:18 – “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
1 John 3:15-16 – “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.“
1 John 4:19-21 – “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.“
Romans 3:22 – “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:“
Genesis 19:1-38 – “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. …“
Group 16 – One Race in the Bible
Jude 1:19 – “It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.“
Acts 10:34-36 – “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),“
2 Chronicles 19:6-7 – And said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”
Galatians 3:1 – “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.“
Acts 8:27 – “And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship“
Group 17 – One Race in the Bible
1 Peter 1:17 – “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,“
Ephesians 2:13 – “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, …“
What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races? Behold, we’ll start by saying that there is only one race – the human race. It is important for us to understand that there is only one race. And as such, Africans, Asians, Caucasians, Arabs, Indians, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). Most importantly, all human beings are equally created in the Image and Likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). The Lord God Almighty loved the world so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His beloved Son to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). Note that the “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. As such, anyone who Believes in Him is granted access to God’s family and given Eternal Life.
The Lord God Almighty does not show favoritism or partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. Notice how James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead of discriminating, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). In the Old Testament, the Lord God divided humanity into two “racial groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Lord God’s intent was for the Jews to be a kingdom of priests, ministering to the Gentile nations. Instead, for the most part, the Jews became proud of their status and despised the Gentiles. Amazingly, Jesus Christ put an end to this, destroying the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). And as such, all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.
What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races?
Racism and Reconciliation
Racism is about making quick judgments on the characteristics of an ethnic group to rate them as inferior or superior – demonstrating bias or partiality. Behold, racism is a problem we can’t ignore or run away from. It’s an issue today, and it was an issue throughout history, including when the Bible was written. The Good News, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ does not only bring us close to God but also to people we once considered so different from ourselves (Ephesians 2:13). The Lord God restores our relationships with people and groups we’ve mistreated. That’s called reconciliation: the removal of prejudice as well as the restoration of a relationship to healthy understanding and appreciation for each other. Brethren, God is a reconciling God. The Gospel is, at its very core, a message of reconciliation.
Behold, the Bible repeatedly warns against treating foreigners badly (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 23:7). Every man, woman, and child (born and unborn) bears the divine image of God. His infinite beauty and complexity are reflected in the diverse tapestry of humanity. Removing any one thread prevents us from seeing God as clearly as we should. James 2:8-9 says, If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Brethren, every life is precious. Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Biblical Facts About Racism
Jesus Christ commands us in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Likewise, Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting someone whom God loves and for whom Jesus Christ suffered and died. Sadly, racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has plagued on humanity for thousands of years. Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ of all ethnicities, it should not be so. Victims of racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to forgive because we have all sinned and need forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9). Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Those who practice racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to Sincerely Repent and start Loving Others as they love themselves. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Irrespective of our ethnic origins, we are all created in God’s image and likeness and as such should live in peace, and love and treat each other with compassion and kindness. Genesis 1:26-27 says, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
One Race
Acts 17:26 says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” The Bible teaches that all people who have ever lived plus those who are still living are descendants of Adam and Eve. Therefore, all people are of the same race -the human race. The Jews in Jesus’ time had grown up with the belief that they alone were God’s people. As such, they were in shock when they learned that Jesus had come for the whole world. Peter, one of the twelve Apostles tutored by Jesus Christ received a vision from God regarding this and stated, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35).
The Apostle Paul made several major missionary trips throughout the Mediterranean region. During these trips, he shared the message that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-expected Messiah and Savior of the world. Notice how Paul took the gospel of Jesus to white people, to black people, to olive-skinned people, and to as many people as he was led by God. Behold, it was a universal message without any racial distinction for blessings or salvation. Paul wrote in a letter to the church at Rome, “As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:11-13).
What Christians Should Know About the Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory (CRT) examines how laws in the United States have built and supported racial inequalities. It is an ideological framework that names race as a social construct and asserts that racialized inequities in society are fostered by historic and current systemic, legal, and institutional policies and practices. Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre says, “Critical Race Theory understands racism not as biological, but as a social construct designed consciously or unconsciously to further the power, profit and privilege of white people. These constructs are naturalized and legitimized through social structures and institutions.”
Rev. Dr. Hyemin Na says, “Critical Race Theory can provide resources to think about the ways the sin of racism permeates the fabric of our society in all its dimensions. Where there is suffering and inequality, Christians are called to mourn, repent of the ways we contribute to the problem, and join together to challenge the broader structures that produce injustice.” Dr. Kelly Hamren says, “While Critical Race Theory fails to recognize the root cause of racism (human sin), Critical Race Theorists have done a good job paying attention to the ways in which racism manifests itself in Western societies….[It] creates a greater urgency for those of us in the Church to do a better job at paying attention to these things and processing them within a Biblical framework.”
What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races?
Acts 17:26 – “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,“
Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“
John 7:24 – “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Romans 2:11 – “For God shows no partiality.“
John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.“
Acts 10:34-35 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Group 1 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:26-27 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
James 2:9 – “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Revelation 7:9 – “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”
Acts 10:34 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
Group 2 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
James 2:4 – “Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Matthew 15:22-28 – “And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” …“
Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.“
Group 3 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Matthew 7:12 – “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“
Nehemiah 13:3 – “As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.”
1 John 2:9 – “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.“
1 Corinthians 12:13 – “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Deuteronomy 10:17 – “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.“
Romans 10:12-13 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Colossians 3:11 – “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.“
Group 4 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Ephesians 2:14 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility“
Nehemiah 13:23-30 – “In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. ...”
1 John 2:11 – “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
1 Timothy 5:21 – “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.“
James 2:8-9 – “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Group 5 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Proverbs 24:23 – “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.”
Ephesians 6:9 – “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.“
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.“
Exodus 22:21 – “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”
James 2:1 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”
James 2:8 – If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Matthew 10:5-6 – These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Group 6 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Deuteronomy 24:7 – “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
Acts 10:28 – And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Revelation 14:6 – “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.“
Mark 12:31 – “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Colossians 3:10-11 – “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Group 7 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Genesis 3:20 – “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”
Mark 7:25-30 – But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” …
Leviticus 19:34 – “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Leviticus 19:33-34 – “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,“
Group 8 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!“
Romans 6:13 – “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.“
John 4:9 – The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Matthew 25:1-46 – “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. …“
Group 9 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Romans 12:3 – “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Colossians 3:25 – “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.“
Luke 10:25-37 – “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” …“
Group 10 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Exodus 21:16 – “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.“
Numbers 25:1-18 – “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” …“
Matthew 10:24 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.“
Genesis 9:25 – He said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Deuteronomy 23:3 – “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,“
Exodus 21:20-21 – “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.“
Group 11 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Acts 10:35 – “But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,“
Deuteronomy 7:1-4 – “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.”
Group 12 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Galatians 3:26-29 – “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Ephesians 2:14-15 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
Genesis 2:18 – Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.“
Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Group 13 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Acts 15:9 – “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.”
Galatians 3:16 – “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.”
Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,“
Exodus 12:48 – “If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.”
John 4:1-54 – “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. …“
Group 14 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
1 John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Matthew 25:40 – “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’“
James 2:1-4 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Numbers 12:1-16 – “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. …“
Group 15 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Romans 3:22 – “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:“
Genesis 19:1-38 – “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. …“
1 Peter 2:18 – “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
1 John 3:15-16 – “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.“
1 John 4:19-21 – “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.“
Group 16 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
Jude 1:19 – “It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.“
Acts 10:34-36 – “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),“
2 Chronicles 19:6-7 – And said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”
Galatians 3:1 – “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.“
Acts 8:27 – “And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship“
Group 17 – What Does the Bible Say About Loving Other Races
1 Peter 1:17 – “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,“
Ephesians 2:13 – “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, …“
What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation? Behold, we’ll start by saying that there is only one race – the human race. It is important for us to understand that there is only one race. And as such, Africans, Asians, Caucasians, Arabs, Indians, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). Most importantly, all human beings are equally created in the Image and Likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). The Lord God Almighty loved the world so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His beloved Son to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). Note that the “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. As such, anyone who Believes in Him is granted access to God’s family and given Eternal Life.
The Lord God Almighty does not show favoritism or partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. Notice how James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead of discriminating, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). In the Old Testament, the Lord God divided humanity into two “racial groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Lord God’s intent was for the Jews to be a kingdom of priests, ministering to the Gentile nations. Instead, for the most part, the Jews became proud of their status and despised the Gentiles. Amazingly, Jesus Christ put an end to this, destroying the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). And as such, all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.
What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation?
Racism and Reconciliation
Racism is about making quick judgments on the characteristics of an ethnic group to rate them as inferior or superior – demonstrating bias or partiality. Behold, racism is a problem we can’t ignore or run away from. It’s an issue today, and it was an issue throughout history, including when the Bible was written. The Good News, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ does not only bring us close to God but also to people we once considered so different from ourselves (Ephesians 2:13). The Lord God restores our relationships with people and groups we’ve mistreated. That’s called reconciliation: the removal of prejudice as well as the restoration of a relationship to healthy understanding and appreciation for each other. Brethren, God is a reconciling God. The Gospel is, at its very core, a message of reconciliation.
Behold, the Bible repeatedly warns against treating foreigners badly (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 23:7). Every man, woman, and child (born and unborn) bears the divine image of God. His infinite beauty and complexity are reflected in the diverse tapestry of humanity. Removing any one thread prevents us from seeing God as clearly as we should. James 2:8-9 says, If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Brethren, every life is precious. Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Biblical Facts About Racism
Jesus Christ commands us in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Likewise, Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting someone whom God loves and for whom Jesus Christ suffered and died. Sadly, racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has plagued on humanity for thousands of years. Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ of all ethnicities, it should not be so. Victims of racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to forgive because we have all sinned and need forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9). Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Those who practice racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to Sincerely Repent and start Loving Others as they love themselves. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Irrespective of our ethnic origins, we are all created in God’s image and likeness and as such should live in peace, and love and treat each other with compassion and kindness. Genesis 1:26-27 says, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
One Race
Acts 17:26 says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” The Bible teaches that all people who have ever lived plus those who are still living are descendants of Adam and Eve. Therefore, all people are of the same race -the human race. The Jews in Jesus’ time had grown up with the belief that they alone were God’s people. As such, they were in shock when they learned that Jesus had come for the whole world. Peter, one of the twelve Apostles tutored by Jesus Christ received a vision from God regarding this and stated, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35).
The Apostle Paul made several major missionary trips throughout the Mediterranean region. During these trips, he shared the message that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-expected Messiah and Savior of the world. Notice how Paul took the gospel of Jesus to white people, to black people, to olive-skinned people, and to as many people as he was led by God. Behold, it was a universal message without any racial distinction for blessings or salvation. Paul wrote in a letter to the church at Rome, “As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:11-13).
What Christians Should Know About the Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory (CRT) examines how laws in the United States have built and supported racial inequalities. It is an ideological framework that names race as a social construct and asserts that racialized inequities in society are fostered by historic and current systemic, legal, and institutional policies and practices. Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre says, “Critical Race Theory understands racism not as biological, but as a social construct designed consciously or unconsciously to further the power, profit and privilege of white people. These constructs are naturalized and legitimized through social structures and institutions.”
Rev. Dr. Hyemin Na says, “Critical Race Theory can provide resources to think about the ways the sin of racism permeates the fabric of our society in all its dimensions. Where there is suffering and inequality, Christians are called to mourn, repent of the ways we contribute to the problem, and join together to challenge the broader structures that produce injustice.” Dr. Kelly Hamren says, “While Critical Race Theory fails to recognize the root cause of racism (human sin), Critical Race Theorists have done a good job paying attention to the ways in which racism manifests itself in Western societies….[It] creates a greater urgency for those of us in the Church to do a better job at paying attention to these things and processing them within a Biblical framework.”
What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation?
Acts 17:26 – “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,“
Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“
John 7:24 – “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Romans 2:11 – “For God shows no partiality.“
John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.“
Acts 10:34-35 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Group 1 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
James 2:9 – “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Revelation 7:9 – “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”
Acts 10:34 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:26-27 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Group 2 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.“
James 2:4 – “Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Matthew 15:22-28 – “And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” …“
Group 3 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Deuteronomy 10:17 – “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.“
Romans 10:12-13 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Colossians 3:11 – “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.“
Matthew 7:12 – “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“
Nehemiah 13:3 – “As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.”
1 John 2:9 – “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.“
1 Corinthians 12:13 – “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
Group 4 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
1 John 2:11 – “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
1 Timothy 5:21 – “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.“
James 2:8-9 – “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Ephesians 2:14 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility“
Nehemiah 13:23-30 – “In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. ...”
Group 5 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Exodus 22:21 – “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”
James 2:1 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”
James 2:8 – If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Matthew 10:5-6 – These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Proverbs 24:23 – “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.”
Ephesians 6:9 – “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.“
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.“
Group 6 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Deuteronomy 24:7 – “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
Acts 10:28 – And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Revelation 14:6 – “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.“
Mark 12:31 – “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Colossians 3:10-11 – “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Group 7 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Leviticus 19:34 – “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Leviticus 19:33-34 – “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,“
Genesis 3:20 – “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”
Mark 7:25-30 – But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” …
Group 8 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!“
Romans 6:13 – “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.“
John 4:9 – The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Matthew 25:1-46 – “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. …“
Group 9 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Romans 12:3 – “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Colossians 3:25 – “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.“
Luke 10:25-37 – “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” …“
Group 10 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Exodus 21:16 – “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.“
Numbers 25:1-18 – “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” …“
Matthew 10:24 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.“
Genesis 9:25 – He said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Deuteronomy 23:3 – “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,“
Exodus 21:20-21 – “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.“
Group 11 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Acts 10:35 – “But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,“
Deuteronomy 7:1-4 – “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.”
Group 12 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Galatians 3:26-29 – “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Ephesians 2:14-15 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
Genesis 2:18 – Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.“
Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Group 13 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Exodus 12:48 – “If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.”
John 4:1-54 – “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. …“
Acts 15:9 – “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.”
Galatians 3:16 – “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.”
Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,“
Group 14 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Numbers 12:1-16 – “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. …“
1 John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Matthew 25:40 – “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’“
James 2:1-4 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Group 15 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Romans 3:22 – “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:“
Genesis 19:1-38 – “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. …“
1 Peter 2:18 – “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
1 John 3:15-16 – “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.“
1 John 4:19-21 – “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.“
Group 16 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
Jude 1:19 – “It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.“
Acts 10:34-36 – “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),“
2 Chronicles 19:6-7 – And said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”
Galatians 3:1 – “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.“
Acts 8:27 – “And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship“
Group 17 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Reconciliation
1 Peter 1:17 – “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,“
Ephesians 2:13 – “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, …“
What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice? Behold, we’ll start by saying that there is only one race – the human race. It is important for us to understand that there is only one race. And as such, Africans, Asians, Caucasians, Arabs, Indians, and Jews are not different races. Rather, they are different ethnicities of the human race. All human beings have the same physical characteristics (with minor variations, of course). Most importantly, all human beings are equally created in the Image and Likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). The Lord God Almighty loved the world so much that He sent Jesus Christ, His beloved Son to lay down His life for us (John 3:16). Note that the “world” obviously includes all ethnic groups. As such, anyone who Believes in Him is granted access to God’s family and given Eternal Life.
The Lord God Almighty does not show favoritism or partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), and neither should we. Notice how James 2:4 describes those who discriminate as “judges with evil thoughts.” Instead of discriminating, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (James 2:8). In the Old Testament, the Lord God divided humanity into two “racial groups: Jews and Gentiles. The Lord God’s intent was for the Jews to be a kingdom of priests, ministering to the Gentile nations. Instead, for the most part, the Jews became proud of their status and despised the Gentiles. Amazingly, Jesus Christ put an end to this, destroying the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14). And as such, all forms of racism, prejudice, and discrimination are affronts to the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.
What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice?
Racism and Reconciliation
Racism is about making quick judgments on the characteristics of an ethnic group to rate them as inferior or superior – demonstrating bias or partiality. Behold, racism is a problem we can’t ignore or run away from. It’s an issue today, and it was an issue throughout history, including when the Bible was written. The Good News, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ does not only bring us close to God but also to people we once considered so different from ourselves (Ephesians 2:13). The Lord God restores our relationships with people and groups we’ve mistreated. That’s called reconciliation: the removal of prejudice as well as the restoration of a relationship to healthy understanding and appreciation for each other. Brethren, God is a reconciling God. The Gospel is, at its very core, a message of reconciliation.
Behold, the Bible repeatedly warns against treating foreigners badly (Exodus 22:21, Leviticus 19:34, Deuteronomy 23:7). Every man, woman, and child (born and unborn) bears the divine image of God. His infinite beauty and complexity are reflected in the diverse tapestry of humanity. Removing any one thread prevents us from seeing God as clearly as we should. James 2:8-9 says, If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Brethren, every life is precious. Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Biblical Facts About Racism
Jesus Christ commands us in John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Likewise, Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 25 that whatever we do to the least of His brothers, we do to Him. If we treat a person with contempt, we are mistreating a person created in God’s image; we are hurting someone whom God loves and for whom Jesus Christ suffered and died. Sadly, racism, in varying forms and to various degrees, has plagued on humanity for thousands of years. Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ of all ethnicities, it should not be so. Victims of racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to forgive because we have all sinned and need forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9). Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Those who practice racism, prejudice, and discrimination need to Sincerely Repent and start Loving Others as they love themselves. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Irrespective of our ethnic origins, we are all created in God’s image and likeness and as such should live in peace, and love and treat each other with compassion and kindness. Genesis 1:26-27 says, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
One Race
Acts 17:26 says, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” The Bible teaches that all people who have ever lived plus those who are still living are descendants of Adam and Eve. Therefore, all people are of the same race -the human race. The Jews in Jesus’ time had grown up with the belief that they alone were God’s people. As such, they were in shock when they learned that Jesus had come for the whole world. Peter, one of the twelve Apostles tutored by Jesus Christ received a vision from God regarding this and stated, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts 10:34-35).
The Apostle Paul made several major missionary trips throughout the Mediterranean region. During these trips, he shared the message that Jesus of Nazareth is the long-expected Messiah and Savior of the world. Notice how Paul took the gospel of Jesus to white people, to black people, to olive-skinned people, and to as many people as he was led by God. Behold, it was a universal message without any racial distinction for blessings or salvation. Paul wrote in a letter to the church at Rome, “As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:11-13).
What Christians Should Know About the Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory (CRT) examines how laws in the United States have built and supported racial inequalities. It is an ideological framework that names race as a social construct and asserts that racialized inequities in society are fostered by historic and current systemic, legal, and institutional policies and practices. Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre says, “Critical Race Theory understands racism not as biological, but as a social construct designed consciously or unconsciously to further the power, profit and privilege of white people. These constructs are naturalized and legitimized through social structures and institutions.”
Rev. Dr. Hyemin Na says, “Critical Race Theory can provide resources to think about the ways the sin of racism permeates the fabric of our society in all its dimensions. Where there is suffering and inequality, Christians are called to mourn, repent of the ways we contribute to the problem, and join together to challenge the broader structures that produce injustice.” Dr. Kelly Hamren says, “While Critical Race Theory fails to recognize the root cause of racism (human sin), Critical Race Theorists have done a good job paying attention to the ways in which racism manifests itself in Western societies….[It] creates a greater urgency for those of us in the Church to do a better job at paying attention to these things and processing them within a Biblical framework.”
What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice?
Acts 17:26 – “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,“
Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“
John 7:24 – “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
Romans 2:11 – “For God shows no partiality.“
John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.“
Acts 10:34-35 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Group 1 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
James 2:9 – “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Revelation 7:9 – “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,”
Acts 10:34 – So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Genesis 1:26-27 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Group 2 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
1 Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.“
James 2:4 – “Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Matthew 15:22-28 – “And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” …“
Group 3 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Deuteronomy 10:17 – “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.“
Romans 10:12-13 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Colossians 3:11 – “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.“
Matthew 7:12 – “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.“
Nehemiah 13:3 – “As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.”
1 John 2:9 – “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.“
1 Corinthians 12:13 – “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
Group 4 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
1 John 2:11 – “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
1 Timothy 5:21 – “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.“
James 2:8-9 – “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Ephesians 2:14 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility“
Nehemiah 13:23-30 – “In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. ...”
Group 5 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Exodus 22:21 – “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”
James 2:1 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.”
James 2:8 – If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Matthew 10:5-6 – These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Proverbs 24:23 – “These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good.”
Ephesians 6:9 – “Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.“
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.“
Group 6 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Deuteronomy 24:7 – “If a man is found stealing one of his brothers of the people of Israel, and if he treats him as a slave or sells him, then that thief shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”
Acts 10:28 – And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.
Revelation 14:6 – “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.“
Mark 12:31 – “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Colossians 3:10-11 – “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
Philippians 2:3-4 – “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Group 7 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Leviticus 19:34 – “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Leviticus 19:33-34 – “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.“
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,“
Genesis 3:20 – “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”
Mark 7:25-30 – But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” …
Group 8 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!“
Romans 6:13 – “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.“
John 4:9 – The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
Revelation 7:9-10 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Matthew 25:1-46 – “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. …“
Group 9 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Romans 12:3 – “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Colossians 3:25 – “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.“
Luke 10:25-37 – “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” …“
Group 10 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Exodus 21:16 – “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.“
Numbers 25:1-18 – “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” …“
Matthew 10:24 – “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.“
Genesis 9:25 – He said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
Deuteronomy 23:3 – “No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever,“
Exodus 21:20-21 – “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.“
Group 11 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Acts 10:35 – “But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,“
Deuteronomy 7:1-4 – “When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.”
Group 12 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Galatians 3:26-29 – “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Ephesians 2:14-15 – “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,”
Genesis 2:18 – Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Colossians 3:13 – “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.“
Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Group 13 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Exodus 12:48 – “If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.”
John 4:1-54 – “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. …“
Acts 15:9 – “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.”
Galatians 3:16 – “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.”
Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,“
Group 14 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
Numbers 12:1-16 – “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out. …“
1 John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Matthew 25:40 – “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’“
James 2:1-4 – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?“
Group 15 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Romans 3:22 – “The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:“
Genesis 19:1-38 – “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. …“
1 Peter 2:18 – “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
1 John 3:15-16 – “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.“
1 John 4:19-21 – “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.“
Group 16 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
Jude 1:19 – “It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.“
Acts 10:34-36 – “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),“
2 Chronicles 19:6-7 – And said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you judge not for man but for the Lord. He is with you in giving judgment. Now then, let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Be careful what you do, for there is no injustice with the Lord our God, or partiality or taking bribes.”
Galatians 3:1 – “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.“
Acts 8:27 – “And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship“
Group 17 – What Does the Bible Say About Racial Injustice
1 Peter 1:17 – “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,“
Ephesians 2:13 – “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, …“
Bestofchristianity.com is a Global Media Ministry. As a Christian Website and Online Evangelical Ministry, Best Of Christianity focuses on the teachings of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy spirit, and above all the Love of God. It uses the Bible as the foundation to knowing and obeying God. It steps in at the command of Jesus Christ to take the holy gospel to the four corners of the world so that those who believe in him can have eternal life. Under the authority of Jesus Christ, we are Apostolic and Prophetic sons and daughters of God sent out to set the captives free, heal the sick, bring deliverance, give sight to the blind, strengthen the lame to walk and above all lead souls to heaven. It is in the Christian light that we analyze topics like Prosperity, Wealth, Debt free, Credits, Finance, and Money in the Bible.
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