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How was Jesus a sacrifice?

...ly all of Revelation. But how does this help us in our sins? The Passover wasn’t a sin offering, yet somehow the death of Jesus in this way saves us from our sins. To better understand this, and to grasp why in various places Jesus is called our “ransom”, we need to go back to the reason for the original Passover, not the ritual. Passover was what God did when he delivered his people from the slavery of the Egyptians. The blood of the lamb was the symbol that they belonged to God, and so escaped death. Originally the paschal lamb was about Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and slavery, now Jesus is the greater lamb who rescues us from slavery and bondag...

The Mystery Of Epiphany And The Star Of Bethlehem

...A Sign of Revelation Epiphany invites us to marvel not only at the star but at the God who uses creation to reveal His glory. Whether the Star of Bethlehem was a miraculous light or an astronomical event, it points to Jesus, the true Light of the World. In Jesus, God’s love is made manifest — not just to Israel but to all nations. The Magi’s journey reminds us of our own pilgrimage of faith. Like them, we are invited to seek Christ, to bow in worship, and to offer Him our treasures: our hearts, our lives, our devotion, as “living sacrifices” (Rom 12:1). Jesus, the True Star As we celebrate Epiphany, let us remember that the ultimate Revelation...

How many apostles are there in the New Testament?

...g that in Revelation 21:14 they are mentioned as being the foundations of the new city (ie. the Church), and these are the ones that even Paul called "super-apostles" in 2 Corinthians 11:5! So that should give some idea to their special status amongst the Church. The previously mentioned verse in Revelation is where we can see a distinction between the Twelve Apostles, and the other apostles mentioned in the New Testament, as they are called "the twelve apostles of the Lamb". These are the ones whom Jesus personally chose and taught, and who travelled and lived with him everyday. All of the other apostles came post-resurrection, sent out and chosen by the Churc...

Creedal Christians: The Apostle's Creed

...eter 4:5; Revelation 20:11 and in the Holy Spirit, I believe in the Holy Spirit, Matthew 3:11; Matthew 12:32; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Mark 3:29; Mark 13:11; Luke 1:15; Luke 2:25; Luke 2:26; Luke 11:13; John 1:33; John 14:15-16; John 14:26; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4; Acts 2:38; Acts 5:32; Acts 8:17; Romans 15:13; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 1:13; Titus 3:5; Jude 1:20 the holy Church, the holy catholic Church,**In this context, the word “catholic” means “universal” Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 12:23; Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23-25, 27, 29, 32; Colossians 1:18   the communion of saints, Romans 12:4...

Should Christians get tattoos, and is it Biblical?

...e book of Revelation which some see as a reference to a tattoo of sorts: Revelation 19:16 (WEB)He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Or in the Old Testament, Isaiah speaks of God in a similar manner as having “engraved” the names of his people on the palm of his hand — a word with a much stronger and more violent visual than simply tattooing ink into the skin. Possibly even a nod towards what Jesus would eventually do for us when he would literally have his hands “engraved” (or “hacked” as this root word can also mean) for us on the cross! Isaiah 49:16a (WEB)Behold, I have engraved...

How Polycarp (And Others) Show The Early Use Of The New Testament

...tioned in Revelation 2:8, which I think is pretty nifty. So you can see from this that Polycarp is an important link back to the Apostles and the next generation of leaders that followed them. Even Irenaeus, as the next link from Polycarp gives us a bridge with close relations to the original Twelve and what was passed on and preserved. But if you don’t know much else about Polycarp, you may be familiar with a famous quote from him: “86 years I have served him [Jesus], and he never did me any injury”. He said this when asked to deny his faith when facing the man who could (and would) have him burned at the stake to die a martyr’s death! Polycarp was, a...