The phrase “every knee shall bow” is found several times in the Bible. In Isaiah 45:23 God states: “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.” Romans 14:11-12 states: “For as it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess unto God, So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” And of course Philippians 2:9 – 11: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Does this mean that all will be saved?   No.   It does mean that at some point in every person’s existence we will bow before God and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.   Some will do this willingly, others will do it grudgingly.   Warren Wiersbe stated in his commentary on Philippians 2 that “To bow before Him now means salvation; to bow before Him at the judgment means condemnation.”

The definition of the Trinity is that there is only one God, but in the unity of the Godhead there are three eternal and coequal Persons, the same in substance but distinct in subsistence.

The Old Testament reveals the Trinity. This includes passages which use the plural word Elohim and plural pronouns referring to God (Genesis 1:1, 26; Isaiah 6:8).

In the New Testament there is clear revelation that the Father, Son, and Spirit are God, thus a Triunity or Trinity (neither is a Biblical word). The Father is God (John 6:27; Ephesians 4:6). Jesus Christ is God (Hebrews 1:8). The Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4). The three Persons are equal and one (Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14). “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (I John 5:7).

The Bible clearly teaches that not everyone that claims to be a Christian actually is. Matthew 7:21 – 23 states: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Neither words nor miracles are proof of salvation. It is very likely that Judas participated in these activities, but he was not a true believer. In fact he was called the “son of perdition” in John 17:12. The Bible also tells us that in these latter days, Satan will use “lying wonders” to deceive people – II Thessalonians 2:7 – 12.

Also in I John 2:19: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” Again, this points out that not everyone who is part of an assembly of believers is a member of the family of God.

There is a difference between a ‘professor’ of Christianity and a ‘possessor’ of eternal life. If someone claims to be a Christian, yet they abandon that belief and embrace a false religion, they are only a ‘professor’ and as such will be lost in their sins.

The Bible teaches in I Corinthians 15:20 – 24 that the resurrection of the righteous will occur in stages; Christ the first fruits, and then all who have died in Christ in their own order.

In Biblical times, the harvest was completed in three stages. First, the gathering of the first fruits, then the general harvest, and then the gleanings. Following this imagery, Jesus Christ was the “first fruits” of the resurrection after His crucifixion. The “general harvest” will occur at the Rapture and this will be all of the Church Age saints, both living and dead (John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 4:13 – 18). The “gleanings” will be resurrected at the end of the Tribulation when the Lord Returns to the earth, this will consist of the Tribulation martyrs (Revelation 20:4) and the Old Testament saints (Daniel 12:1- 2).

The Bible seems to indicate that angels say or proclaim, and do not sing. In Job 38:7 it says that the stars sang and the sons of God shouted. In Job 1:6 the sons of God are identified as angels.

W.A. Criswell, in his Expository Sermons on Revelation had this to say about angels not singing:
“Another thing which is astonishing to me is that angels never sing. Never! When I stumbled into that fact, it was an amazing discovery! I had already made up my mind, before I say these things, that I am going to keep referring to angels singing, even though it is not true. To do so is traditional. After all, did they not sing when Jesus was born? Always people have spoken about the angels singing when Jesus was born. ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth…’you know the angels song. So I turned to Luke 2:13 and read, ‘ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host SAYING Glory to God in the highest’. So it was in the book of Revelation too. ‘And there was a great host of angels SAYING with a loud voice’. Never in the Bible do angels sing. Never! They always SAY. They are in a doxology, in a chorus, they are in a recitative, they are all together, SAYING, but never in the Bible do the angels sing!That was an astonishing discovery to me. So I began reading, studying, probing and trying to find out why angels do not sing, and this is the best reason that I can find. Always the redeemed sing. God’s blood-washed sing. God’s children sing. But angels do not sing. Here is my conclusion: Music is made up of major and minor chords. The minor chords speak of wretchedness, death and sorrow of this fallen creation. Most of nature moans and groans in a plaintive minor key. The sound of the wind through the forest, the sound of the storm, the sound of the wind around the house, is always in a minor key. It wails…Even the nightingales’ song, the sweetest song of the birds, is the saddest. All this reflects the wretchedness, the despair, the hurt, the agony, the travail of this fallen creation. But an angel knows nothing of this. The major key and major chords are chords of triumph and victory. Surely God has taken us out of the miry clay. He has taken us out of the horrible pit. He has set our feet on the solid rock and put a new song in our souls and new praises on our lips. The angels know nothing of this! An angel has never been redeemed. An angel has never been saved…they see it, they watch it, but they know nothing about it (experientially)…it takes a saved soul to sing!”
– W.A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation, Volume III, p. 82-83)

Much of the Christmas tradition surrounding the wise men and the Christmas star cannot be confirmed by the Bible. In the only Scriptural account, Matthew 2, there were an unnumbered amount of wise men bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn King of the Jews as prophesied by the prophet Daniel. These wise men followed the star from the East to Jerusalem and on to Bethlehem Ephrath when the star reappeared. It is assumed that after the birth of Christ the Christmas star once again disappeared.

Many scholars will agree that it is extremely unlikely that Christ was born on December 25th. Regardless of the exact date of the Savior’s birth, however, December 25th is set apart as a day to honor the Lord Jesus Christ and praise Him for the incarnation. The Christmas season is a wonderful soulwinning opportunity because it is the only time, other than Easter, when much of the world thinks seriously about Christ.

Some believe that Jeremiah 10:3-10 is referring to making or possessing a Christmas tree.

The Christmas tree is not mentioned in the Scriptures. Jeremiah 10 does not refer to the modern Christmas tree, but instead to a piece of wood similar to a totem pole, an idol, and overlaid with silver and gold. Notice particularly Jeremiah 10:9-11.

The Christmas tree is a wonderful symbol that many Christians have in their homes during the Christmas season. Yet, the Christmas tree should never be worshiped, but rather Jesus Christ our Lord who is coming soon.

When we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, our sins are forgiven and washed away (I John 1:7). Romans 8:1 says: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Our sins are not held against us although there is a reckoning time for Christians called the Judgment Seat of Christ. Romans 14:12 and II Corinthians 5:10 will shed further light on the Judgment Seat. Notice I Corinthians 3, verse 15: “If any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss…” Everything that we have done in the body shall pass through a proving fire. The works that were good will not burn, like silver, gold or diamonds. The works that were not for the Lord will burn, like wood, hay and stubble. Even if our works all burn up into a pile of ashes, “…but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire.” This verse proves that sin is not held against us, but we still have to give account for what we have done. We may suffer loss of rewards (see also Ecclesiastes 12:14).

The Bible is clear in its teaching that only the saved stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Those who have not been faithful will be ashamed. I John 2:28 states: “And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” The message is to the little children, those who are born again or saved. These are in danger of being ashamed before the Lord at His coming but not cast out.

The Judgment Seat of Christ takes place immediately upon His coming. You will note from Revelation 20:5 that lost people are not resurrected until after the Millennium, after the resurrection of the saved and the Judgment Seat of Christ. We can rest assured that the teaching of the Bible will not give comfort to those who do not want to give up their sins. The true Biblical teaching of the Judgment Seat of Christ should call Christians to a dedicated and holy life because of the wonderful rewards that will be theirs at that time.

The definition of a “cult” varies according to who is using the word. Generally speaking, Christians would define a cult as a religious group which deviates from the foundational truths of God’s Word, the Bible. Almost all cults are built upon a specific individual and that person’s interpretation of Scripture, though some are much more extreme than others.

We have the complete revelation of God to man in the form of the Old and New Testaments until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The written Word of God was finished about 96 A.D. with the writing of Revelation by the apostle John. Born

again believers cannot accept any other book(s) or teachings of man as inspired of God. Galatians 1:6-9, Deuteronomy 4:2, Deuteronomy 12:82, and Proverbs 30:6 are verses that emphasize the importance of not adding to or subtracting from God's Word. The last chapter of the last book of the Bible gives this solemn warning in Rev. 22:18-19: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Some people try to deny the existence of Satan. If one really believes the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, then one must acknowledge that Satan is very much alive. Some have foolishly looked upon the devil as an abstraction, a myth, or a cartoon character with hoofs, horns, a red suit, tail and a pitchfork. Nothing could be further from the truth! Satan does not mind at all if you believe that he does not exist, because then he can do all kinds of wicked things in the world for which God is blamed.

According to the Scriptures, the Devil is real and active. The following verses in the Holy Bible will verify this: Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Zechariah 3:1-2; Matthew 4:1-11; 13:19; Luke 10:18; John 13:2; Acts 5:3; Ephesians 6:11-12; I Peter 5:8.

It is interesting to note various characteristics concerning the Devil. He is referred to as a person, Job 1:8 (thou); he has intelligence, having the ability to deceive (which implies intelligence); he has knowledge of the Bible, Matthew 4:6; he has a will and makes choices, Isaiah 14:13-14; II Timothy 2:26; he has pride, I Timothy 3:6; wealth, Revelation 12:16; and executive and organization abilities, Revelation 12:7; 20:7, Ephesians 6:12.

It should be further noted that Satan can speak, Job 1:9-10; tempt, Matthew 4:3; I Thessalonians 3:5; accuse, Revelation 12:10; Job 1:9-11; make war, Revelation 12:7; 20:8-9; perform miracles, Exodus 7:11; II Thessalonians 2:9; and he is capable of receiving punishment, Matthew 25:41.

Further study can be found in Ezekiel 28:12-17; showing the original splendor of Satan, while Isaiah 14:12-17 declare his awful sin.

Ezekiel 28:12-17n tells us that Satan was beautiful and in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1; CF Revelation 20:2). “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14). He disguises himself? Because he doesn’t want you to recognize him!

The Lord Jesus knew there was a Devil! To deny the devil’s existence is to deny the credibility of Christ. Jesus called him the enemy, Matthew 13:39; the evil one, Matthew 13:38; the prince of this world, John 12:31; 14:30; a liar and father of liars, John 8:44; and a murderer, John 8:44.

Regardless of the power and programs of Satan and his forces, God is and always will be the triumphant one! “Ye are of God little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4). God is the victor and we have the victory! “For whatsoever is born of God (saved, born-again) overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God” (I John 5:4-5).

You can readily see by reading the Biblical accounts that the person of Satan (the devil, dragon, Lucifer) is very real and very much active. However, his time is limited and someday his power will be destroyed forever (Revelation 20-10).