Sermons and Biblical Studies

by John O. Reid (1930-2016) Forerunner, "Ready Answer," August 24, 2016 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”—Matthew 22:14 One of the most hopeful and comforting passages in all the Bible can also be a source of major confusion and misunderstanding in the Christian world. The passage in question is Romans 8:28-29: And we … Continue reading “Many Are Called, Few Are Chosen”

by Mike Ford (1955-2021) Forerunner, "Prophecy Watch," August 24, 2016 As spring begins each year in the northern hemisphere, true Christians begin cleaning their homes of any leavening in preparation for the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6-8; I Corinthians 5:6-8). Many of us also use this time for an overall cleaning of our areas … Continue reading “Stuff”

by Joseph B. Baity Forerunner, "WorldWatch," August 24, 2016 On June 23, 2016, the voting citizens of the United Kingdom (UK) were given a choice to remain as members of the European Union (EU) or to exit the union to function as a fully independent, sovereign nation, ruled only by its own elected government. The … Continue reading “Brexit—An Unlikely Getaway”

by John W. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Personal," June 15, 2016 By means of significant biblical evidence, Part One presented the fact that godly leadership existed in short supply throughout Israel’s relationship with God. The scriptural record chronicles that an occasional Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, or another good leader arose among them, but Ezekiel 34 … Continue reading “Leadership and Covenants (Part Two)”

by David C. Grabbe Forerunner, "Ready Answer," June 15, 2016 “When the Lord your God delivers [the Canaanites] over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.” —Deuteronomy 7:2 For many who profess to follow Christ, God’s instructions in the Old … Continue reading “Why Did God Command Israel to Go to War?”

by Geoff Preston (1947-2013) Forerunner, "Prophecy Watch," June 15, 2016 How often have we spoken the phrase, “It’s not fair”? Are we so used to hearing it that we fail to realize how damaging the self-important sentiment of discontent that lurks within can be? What does it say about a society when this phrase, and … Continue reading “It’s Not Fair!”

by Richard T. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "WorldWatch," June 15, 2016 Populism, a political philosophy that appeals to and claims to represent the interests and notions of the average person, has enjoyed a long history in the United States. It can be argued that populist fears fueled the American Revolution, making populism part of the nation’s political … Continue reading “The Perils of Populism”

by John W. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Personal," April 14, 2016 The matter of leadership—whether nationally, locally, at home, on the job, or on the team—has always been a vexing problem for mankind. “Always” should be taken literally because Genesis 3:16-19 reveals it was a major part of several issues that triggered mankind’s circumstances ever since, down … Continue reading “Leadership and Covenants (Part One)”

by Richard T. Ritenbaugh Forerunner, "Ready Answer," April 14, 2016 “They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” —Romans 3:12 English writer G.K. Chesterton, known for his wit as well as his insight, once wrote, “The word ‘good’ has many meanings. For example, if … Continue reading “Are Humans Good or Evil?”

by David C. Grabbe Forerunner, "Prophecy Watch," April 14, 2016 In the Garden of Eden, the serpent told Eve that she could disobey God, and she would not die. Even as that initial deception of mankind concerned death, modern conceptions about death and the afterlife commonly contradict the Bible. Most professing Christians believe in an … Continue reading “What Is the Second Death?”