malachi-3:8,-malachi-3:9-niv

First fruits (536) (aparche from apó = away from + árchomai = to begin) (see also the discussion First Fruits, Christ - As OT Prophecy of His Resurrection) is first of all an OT technical term used to describe the first portion of a grain harvest or fruit harvest or the first portion of an animal of... Read More

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. The Pharisees and Herodians Conspiring Against Christ, vv. 15–17 Who were the Pharisees? Who were the Herodians? Were they friends to one another? What had they in common? Was this the first occasion upon which these two parties conspired together against the object of thei... Read More

Introductory So much has been said and written on this subject, so various and conflicting have been the opinions expressed, so widely divergent are the meanings even, given by scholars to the very word baptism, that one naturally hesitates to write on such a theme. But a verse in the only Book that... Read More

"Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His Temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, Says the Lord of Hosts. But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when ... Read More

/2/ Some may, perhaps, be anxious to know who the author of the following pages is, his name, and to what denomination he belongs. Let it suffice to say, that he considers himself connected with no party, nor wishes to be known by the name of any -- he feels himself united to that one body of which ... Read More

James 5:14 - Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: Mark 6:13 - And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed [them]. Exodus 30:31-33 - And thou shalt speak u... Read More

"Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." — Jesus (Luke 6:38). The primary reason that Scripture is misinterpreted is because context is ignored. ... Read More

It's a fact: The cross of Jesus Christ and the topics directly related to it dominate the epistles of the New Testament. George Smeaton, observing this fact in the writings of the apostles and church leaders to the early Christians, notes how often they refer to Christ's atoning death: The numerous ... Read More

A portion of one’s earnings, usually one tenth, that are given to those who perform the work of the Lord since it belongs to the Lord (Lev. 27:30-33). Those who received tithes the OT consisted of priests (Num. 18:21-32). Further OT references are Gen. 14:20; 28:22; 2 Chron. 31:5f; Mal. 3:7-12). In ... Read More

TWENTY-EIGHTH question: the salaries OF ministers AND ecclesiastical goods: Is any salary due ministers of the church? We affirm against the Anabaptists. I. This question was agitated before this by the Anabaptists, who thought the gospel should be preached gratuitously; either by richer persons who... Read More