Please explain "baptized for the dead" in 1 Corinthians 15:21

Please explain "baptized for the dead" in 1 Corinthians 15:21" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15:21

There is no indication either in Scripture or in historical records during the apostolic period that living Christians were baptized in the place of unbaptized believers who had died. Were this a scriptural practice, it would have been taught in the New Testament epistles. Had it been wrongly practiced, the apostles would have written against it. This practice, however, is being followed by certain modem day cults.

Every reference to death in the chapter refers to physical, not spiritual, death. Paul is dealing with the false teaching of some in Corinth who denied the resurrection; therefore, the primary subject of the chapter is the absolute certainty of the resurrection of all believers who have died. The apostle asks the question in verse 29 that if new converts were not absolutely sure of resurrection, why would they be willing to risk persecution by being baptized, thus publicly stepping into the ranks of believers, in place of those who had died or been martyred. In a parallel question in verse 30, Paul asks why would he be willing to live in jeopardy of his fife every hour if he were not absolutely confident of the resurrection.

A. Joyce

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Should a Christian celebrate the Passover?

Should a Christian celebrate the Passover?

The Jewish holiday of Passover commemorates the Exodus of the children of Israel from their slavery in Egypt. Moses commanded the people to choose a lamb, prepare it with bitter herbs and apply the blood to the doorposts and lintel of the doors of their houses. Those Egyptians who chose not to participate in this ceremony, lost their first born sons at midnight. Pharaoh then permitted the people of Israel to leave the country. Jewish homes still celebrate the Passover today with some changes to the original details of the meal as recorded in Exodus 11" TARGET="_blank">Exodus 11 and12.

The New Testament says that Christ is the fulfillment of the Passover event (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 5:7-8) and that Christians should recognize the spiritual significance of the feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately precedes the Passover.

There are some Christians who not only see the spiritual lessons of Christ’s salvation prefigured in the Passover, they also wish to celebrate the Passover in all of its details. They say that the Passover is a cultural event. Continuing the supper allows Jewish believers to retain their cultural heritage and at the same time embrace Christ as their savior. A second reason for a Christian to celebrate the Passover is to use the event as an evangelism tool to explain the gospel to Jewish friends.

A Christian may choose not to celebrate the Passover based on the teaching of the Epistle of Hebrews. The whole point of the Book of Hebrews is that Christ is the fulfillment of the law. All Old Testament rituals were mere shadows of the coming Promised Messiah. We should leave all old practices now that they have become obsolete. Hebrews 13:10-13" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 13:10-13

10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

11For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

12Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

13Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

14For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

The “Last Supper” of the Lord Jesus and his disciples was a commemoration of the Passover of Moses. It was the last time to be practiced before Christ introduced the New Covenant. (Matthew 26:28)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 26:28). The epistles never command us to remember the Passover, but to break bread remembering the death of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:23-34)." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 11:23-34).

If a believer chooses to celebrate the Passover, he should be fully aware that there is no sanction for it in the Bible. However, it would be wrong for another believer to condemn him for doing so. Colossians 2:16-17" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 2:16-17 and Romans 14:5" TARGET="_blank">Romans 14:5 say that believers are free to conduct celebrations of Sabbaths and other holidays.

Shad David Sluiter

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How are we to relate to an overseer and his authority?

How are we to relate to an overseer and his authority?

The Lord takes believers from their culture to maintain Christian testimony within that culture. However, testimony has always suffered when Christians borrow the mores of their culture. Rejecting God’s authority, our society is anti-authoritarian and casual. We are in the world but not of it (John 17:11, 14)." TARGET="_blank">John 17:11, 14). Rejecting society’s thinking, we recognize that God establishes authority; that authority is not our enemy but our ally. Submission to elders is a Biblical truth (Hebrews 13:17)," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 13:17), therefore it is for our good (Deuteronomy 6:24)." TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 6:24).

Saul was anointed by God through Samuel to be king (1 Samuel 10:1)," TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 10:1), sadly reflecting the people’s sinful desire to be like the nations (8:19, 20). (Solemnly, God may allow among His people leadership that reflects their poor spiritual condition.) Despite this and Saul’s unreasoning oppression, David would not lift the sword against Saul, the Lord’s anointed (24:6). The same principle is evident in the New Testament. Gaius was part of an assembly in which Diotrephes exercised leadership (3 John 1:10)." TARGET="_blank">3 John 1:10). Diotrephes rejected truth communicated by John, an apostle (v 9). When he came to the assembly, John intended to deal with Diotrephes because the issue was God’s truth. Notably, instead of hinting that Gaius should "dethrone" Diotrephes, John encouraged Gaius to continue in truth and love, to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 12:21). Those two cases are worse than assembly believers face today, but the principle is clear: we are to respect authority established by God.

An authoritarian demeanor, however, is unbecoming to those who lead God’s people. Their mind set is to be that of a servant (Philippians 2:3-8;" TARGET="_blank">Philippians 2:3-8; Mark 10:42-45)." TARGET="_blank">Mark 10:42-45). Shepherds take their character from the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:1-4)." TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 5:1-4). He was approachable, so that even the outcasts of society felt free to come near and converse with Him (Luke 15:1;" TARGET="_blank">Luke 15:1; John 4:27)." TARGET="_blank">John 4:27). What a wonderful condition when the sheep and the shepherds in an assembly enjoy a free, open, mutually-edifying, accepting, and harmonious relationship!

D. Oliver
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sunday school coloring pages

We have over 320 pictures in the collection of coloring pages for Sunday school. Click here .

Sunday School coloring pages are a good way to retell a story. However, there are other Sunday school activities with these pages.

1. Lessons outlines and Activities.

Lesson plans - A kick-start to help you prepare for next class.
Printable activities - Crafts, foldable paper models, worksheets, more sunday school coloring books, PowerPoint and other items to make your lesson more interesting and active.

2. Sunday School Bible Verse Puzzle Maker.

You can turn a Bible vese or chapter into a Sunday School class activity in a 3 mouse clicks.

3. Online Study Bible

Bible search, commentary, dictionary and other tools to help you prepare a lesson for your next class.

4. Newsletter for Sunday School Teachers - The Encourager

Get a weekly class activity in your mailbox. There are two options for the Encourager:

4. Sunday School Teaching Help

The Sunday School Helper is an online book with ideas for organizing a lesson, maintaining discipline in the classroom, selecting an appropriate Bible verse, learning styles and much more.

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Free Online Bible Commentaries

The Online Bible Search program at Gospel Hall provides free online Bible commentaries, dictionaries and concordance features. The free online bible commentaries are available along with the dictionary under the link titled "Online Bible Search" or here.

Instructions for the Free Online Bible Commentaries

1. Select the link Free Online Bible Commentaries.

2. Choose a Bible version to read online (ASV -American Standard Version, BBE - Bible in Basic English, DBY - Darby "New Translation", GFR - God's Word for Readers, KJV - King James Version, WEB - World English Bible, YLT - Young's Literal Translation, or the ESV - English Standard Version) The online bible commentaries are based on the King James Version except for Darby who used his own Darby Translation in his commentaries.

3. Select one of the online commentaries (Barnes Notes on the New Testament, Darby's Synopsis of the Entire Bible, William Kelly's Notes on the Bible, Jamison Brown Faucett, or Robertson's Word Pictures on the New Testament). Some of the online commentaries are only for the NT. Others include both the OT and NT.

About the Free Online Bible Commentaries

Albert Barnes (1798–1870) was an American theologian, born at Rome, New York, on December 1, 1798. He graduated from Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, in 1820, and from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1823. Barnes was ordained as a Presbyterian minister by the presbytery of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, in 1825, and was the pastor successively of the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, New Jersey (1825–1830), and of the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia (1830–1867).

Of the well-known Notes on the New Testament, it is said that more than a million volumes had been issued by 1870. The Notes on Job, the Psalms, Isaiah and Daniel found scarcely less acceptance. Displaying no original critical power, their chief merit lies in the fact that they bring in a popular (but not always accurate) form the results of the criticism of others within the reach of general readers. Barnes was the author of several other works of a practical and devotional kind, including Scriptural Views of Slavery (1846) and The Way of Salvation (1863). A collection of his Theological Works was published in Philadelphia in 1875.

John Nelson Darby, (November 18, 1800 - April 29, 1882) was an Anglo-Irish evangelist, an influential figure among the original Plymouth Brethren, and founder of the Darbyites. He is considered to be the father of modern Dispensationalism.

WILLIAM KELLY — the title-pages of whose works generally bear only the initials "W. K." — was born in the North of Ireland, in 1820. Being early left fatherless, he was already supporting himself by tuition to the family of Mr. Cachemaille, Rector of Sark, when, in 1840, he made the Christian confession, and he shortly afterwards embraced the views of the church characteristic to "brethren", with whom he then at once united. He retained a close connection with the Channel Islands for thirty years, residing chiefly in Guernsey, but for the latter half of his Christian career his home was at Blackheath.

He was a graduate, in classical honours, of Trinity College, Dublin, and was recognised as not merely a sound, erudite scholar, but a controversialist of formidable calibre. Besides aiding Dr. S. P. Tregelles in his investigations as a Biblical textual critic, Mr. Kelly himself published, in 1860, a critical edition of the Revelation of John, which Professor Heinrich Ewald, of Goettingen, declared was the best piece of English work of the kind that he had seen.

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Should a Christian buy raffle tickets?

What should I do at work, at school, or in the neighborhood when I am asked to buy a raffle ticket or a lottery ticket to fund a good cause such as an injured child or a family who is out of work?

A Christian can answer, "I want to cheerfully help any good cause, but I don't feel free before God to buy a raffle ticket or a lottery ticket. I will give you the price of the ticket for the good cause without getting the ticket."

We read in Galatians 6:10," TARGET="_blank">Galatians 6:10, "As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto those who are of the household of faith." Titus 3:1" TARGET="_blank">Titus 3:1 teaches that we are to be "to be ready to every good work." Doing good to others when we can, we will be a little like our Lord Jesus, "Who went about doing good" (Acts 10:38)." TARGET="_blank">Acts 10:38). One of the reasons why our Lord Jesus gave Himself for us is that we might be zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14)." TARGET="_blank">Titus 2:14).

W. Gustafson

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Bible Story Crafts

Popular Bible story crafts here include:

3D paper models of Bible stories . These type of crafts require nothing more than PDF file - no trips to the craft store to make these.

Example craft ideas -

1. Create your own tabernacle model in about 1 hour with this Bible story craft .

2. Create a story stick craft with some simple materials. Use the story stick to make Bible story telling an experience your students cannot ignore!

3. Paper city craft . Re-tell the Bible story of the four lepers outside the city walls of Samaria with this 3D paper craft.

4. Printable Nativity Scene Bible Story Craft - This Bible story craft can help you print, cut and tape together a full-color nativity scene in less than an hour. It's part of the collection of printable Sunday school projects availabe on the Sunday school page .

For an alternative Bible story craft, try one of 350 Sunday school worksheets that contain a coloring page, crossword puzzle and other activities to review a Bible story.

Use one of the puzzle makers below to create your own Bible story puzzle.

Word Find

Word Scramble

Crossword Puzzle Creator

Cryptogram Puzzle Creator

Fallen Quotes

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Is the meaning of "known of Him" the same in Galatians 4 as in 1 Corinthians 8?

Is the meaning of "known of Him" the same in Galatians 4:9" TARGET="_blank">Galatians 4:9 as in 1 Corinthians 8:3" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 8:3?

Yes, this understanding of the phrase lends meaning to the passage.

A number of commentators indicate that the expression, "ye have known God - or rather are known of God" is equivalent to "ye are saved." This is in contrast to the previous verse, when, in their unconverted state, they had no knowledge of God and were in bondage to idols. Now, how ironic that they were saved and yet had

turned to another form of bondage, keeping the ceremonial law!

There may also be a further thought in Paul’s adding, "or rather are known of God." He may be noting, in contrast to their reliance on their own initiative in keeping the law, that salvation ("ye have known God") was the result of God’s initiative toward them ("rather are known of God"). They responded to God’s initiative then and are to likewise respond to God’s initiative by the Spirit’s work in their daily living.

Understanding the expression to mean the same as in 1 Corinthians 8:3" TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 8:3 may further extend Paul’s argument and may more completely fit the context. Paul goes back to their salvation ("ye have known God") and to their happy condition at that time ("known [approvinglyl of Him"). When they were enjoying God’s smile on them, they welcomed the message of salvation apart from the law (verse 14), enjoyed true blessedness, and would have given him their eyes (verse 15). Instead of enjoying such divine favor, they had now gone backward through their subjection to the ceremonial law.

D. Oliver
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Is Isaac

Is Isaac’s promise to Esau (Gen 27:40" TARGET="_blank">Gen 27:40b) fulfilled or being fulfilled at present?

Jacob said to Esau, who had pleaded for some blessing from his father, "by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck" (Gen 27:40)." TARGET="_blank">Gen 27:40). The question refers to the words in bold text.

If, as it seems to be, Edom is associated with Esau’s posterity, Jacob’s seed has suffered under Esau’s posterity on a number of occasions in history. The line of the New Testament Herods provides one example. The likelihood is that the prophecy of Isaac has been a characteristic response of the Edomites to the Jews. The present conflict in the Middle East is a further illustration of this. We are seeing that character of this conflict repeated. Obadiah tells us of the time when this condition will be changed: "Upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, . . . and the house of Jacob shall possess their possession . . . And saviors shall come up on mount Zion, to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s (Obadiah 17, 21)." TARGET="_blank">Obadiah 17, 21).

David Oliver

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What name should I call God when I pray?

Does an understanding of the Biblical significance of divine names guide us in prayer?

A sense of both forcefulness and heavenly reasoning characterizes Biblical prayers. Their requests result from what God has revealed Himself to be. The first man in the Bible whose prayers are recorded stood as an intercessor between the Lord and Sodom. Through the Flood, God revealed that He is the Judge of all the earth. Abraham based his intercession on behalf of Sodom on this, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25)." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 18:25). How mightily he interceded!

Moses prayed mightily to the Lord when He spoke of consuming His people because they worshiped the golden calf: "Lord, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people?" (Exodus 32:11)." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 32:11). He addresses him as Jehovah, the faithful One Who had promised to bring Abraham’s seed into Canaan (Genesis 13:14, 15; 15:16);" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 13:14, 15; 15:16); Moses speaks of those promises (Exodus 32:13)." TARGET="_blank">Exodus 32:13). Jehovah, Who is always the same, could not fail to keep His word. Moses, therefore, beseeches God to act consistent with His name. "And the Lord (Jehovah) repented of the evil He thought to do unto His people." This principle in prayer continues through the Scriptures.

In one other example, Daniel employs the names of God deliberately and cogently in his noteworthy prayer of confession and intercession (Daniel 9:4-19)." TARGET="_blank">Daniel 9:4-19). Here is the climax of his prayer: "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for Thine own sake, O my God: for Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name" (v 19). The name "Lord" (Adonay), used here indicates reverence, submission, and recognition of the sovereign control of God. Its first mention (Genesis 15:2)" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 15:2) is "Lord (Adonay) God, what wilt Thou give me?" Here, Abram contrasts the Lord with the king of Sodom, from whom he refused to take anything. The sovereign Lord Who controls all events and people was Abram’s only resource. Thus, Daniel acknowledges God’s right in judging His people, His control of nations and seasons and His strength to carry out His sovereign will (Deuteronomy 3:24," TARGET="_blank">Deuteronomy 3:24, "Lord"). As frequently as he addresses God in this prayer, Daniel is not repeating God’s name aimlessly. An increased understanding of the names by which God has revealed Himself to us would enable us to pray more deliberately, mightily, Biblically, and reverently - whether in private or public.

D. Oliver
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We have over 320 pictures in the collection of coloring pages for Sunday school. Click here .

Free Online Bible Commentaries

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