In Marriage… 1 + 1 = 1
When it comes to marriage, the Bible’s first book says 1 + 1 should equal 1. It tells us two “I’s” must…
In Remembrance of What?
Funny, isn’t it, how you can read a scripture many times and still miss something obvious? It even happens to…
In Search of the Eternal
Chapter 1 of God Is… Humans have always wrestled with questions like “How did we get here?” and “What should…
In Search of the God of the Gasps
Three thousand years ago, King David looked up into the heavens and was moved to write with jaw-dropping awe: “The…
In the Steps of the Apostle Paul
The message of salvation Paul carried to Europe 2,000 years ago can give us new hope for the future. About…
Incarnational Trinitarian Theology: A Brief Outline
We believe that theology should be rooted in the Bible, especially the New Testament. We see a reliable theology articulated…
Index of All Articles
“If You Really Had Repented…” If you had really repented, you wouldn’t have done it again” is a refrain many…
Infant Baptism
Grace Communion International practices both believer’s baptism (baptizing people who have come to personal faith in Jesus Christ) and infant baptism…
Inheritors, Not Slaves (Galatians 4:1-31)
How can Gentiles inherit the promises God gave to Abraham? Some people said that Gentiles ought to keep the laws…
Insights Into Solitude
A personal walk through the 23rd Psalm offers reflection into a Christian’s need to take time to be alone with…
Inspiration, Authority, and Reliability of Scripture
The inspiration of Scripture Affirmation: We accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God. The writers were inspired, moved…
Installation of a Pastor
The installation of a pastor should take place during a worship service in the congregation where the pastor will be…
Intergenerational Ministry
People today are often lumped into categories based on the year they were born, and assigned labels such as the…
Interview With Robert F. Capon
Robert Farrar Capon GCI Pastor Tim Brassell conducted an interview in 2004 with Christian author Robert Farrar Capon in the…
Introduction to Moral Development
A few years ago, while trying to find a book in the library, I chanced upon a book titled Moral…
Introduction to Transformed by Truth
By Joseph Tkach While I love to read books, this is the first one I have attempted to write. As the…
Invisible Missionaries in China
An important part of preaching the gospel effectively is being sensitive to opportunities. An excellent example of this is the…
Involve Children in Your Life
We can involve children in the life of the church in many ways. Children’s ministry programs are vital—things such as…
Irenaeus and the Second Century Church
Irenaeus has been called the most important Christian theologian between the apostles and the third century. He was a Greek…
Is a Short-Term Mission Worth It?
Traditionally, a missionary’s work required tremendous commitment—many years or even a lifetime away from home, living in remote areas in…
Is Anything Too Hard For God?
Even the greatest faith imaginable would be of little worth if the supreme God were not faithful. But God is…
Is Birthday Celebration a Sin?
Birthday observance as a doctrine is not discussed in the Bible. In short, birthdays are not condemned in Scripture as…
Is Christmas a Sin?
Some Christians believe that Christians should not observe Christmas. Some object to the commercialism of the holiday; others object to its origins….
Is Eating the Lamb of God Only an Annual Event?
“Look,” said John the Baptist, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). When…
Is Elohim a Plural Word?
People will occasionally read statements to the effect that the Hebrew word elohim is plural, as can be seen from…
Is GCI a Charismatic Church?
Question: Is Grace Communion International a charismatic church? Answer: We are not a pentecostal church, nor would we describe ourselves as charismatic….
Is God a Family?
I’m sometimes asked why we do not refer to God as a “family.” Isn’t that term appropriate, given that there…
Is God in Control?
Many Christians like to say that God is in control, that he has a plan for your life, and that…
Is Grace Too Good to Be True?
Non-believers and even some believers see God’s grace as something too good to be true. How about you? I think…
Is It a Sin to Observe Easter?
Some Christian churches teach that Christians should not observe Easter because the holiday supposedly originated in paganism. We feel qualified…
Is Jesus Enough?
With recent events in the Middle East, the attention of many Americans has been drawn to the members of our…
Is Jesus Really God?
A Look at the Arian Controversy Few Christians are aware that two of the most fundamental doctrines of the Christian…
Is Jesus the Only Way of Salvation?
People sometimes object to the Christian belief that salvation is given only through Jesus Christ. In our pluralistic society, tolerance…
Is Leviticus 23:3 a Command to Have Worship Services on the Weekly Sabbath?
We read the following command from Jesus in Luke 5:14, when he healed someone: “Show yourself to the priest and…
Is the Bible Just a White Man's Book?
Illustration inspired by an Egyptian mural from the tomb of Seti I by Dan Rogers What an incredibly politically incorrect…
Is the Bible Just a White Man's Book? Part 2
In part one of this article we discovered that God created all people of all races in his image and…
Is the Cross a Pagan Symbol?
You wondered if the word “cross” or any items representing a cross should be used by Christians. Some people believe…
Is the Doctrine of the Trinity in the Bible?
Some people who reject the Trinity doctrine claim that the word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture. Of course, there…
Is the Sabbath a Moral Law or a Ceremonial Law?
Though theologians commonly divide Old Testament laws into the categories of moral, ceremonial and civil, the Bible does not make…
Is the Sabbath Required for Christians Today?
The Bible says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8). God’s people were told to rest on…
Is There a "Sabbath Principle" for Christians to Keep?
The old covenant requirement for Sabbath rest does not apply to Christians. It was part of Israel’s Mosaic Law that…
Is There a Spirit World?
A spirit world—if there is such a thing—would exist beyond the physical dimensions. It could not be measured or understood…
Is There Only One Right Way to Worship God?
Liturgy has become a hot topic in the church. “Excuse me, but what’s a liturgy?” you ask. Liturgy is the…
Is This a Con?
Transformed by Truth, by Joseph Tkach Chapter 1 Yeah, right. Those two words fairly sum up the most common response of evangelicals when…
Is Tithing Required in the New Covenant?
Does the Bible tell us to pay at least 10 percent of our incomes to the church? This paper examines the…
Israel Hears But Does Not Believe (Romans 10:16-21)
Paul says in verse 16: “But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah [53:1] says, ‘Lord, who has…
Israel’s Opportunity for Salvation (Romans 10:5-15)
Contrast between law and gospel Throughout this section of Romans, Paul uses the Old Testament for support. (There are more…
It Can’t Be Depression…I’m a Christian
But it can be depression, and you need to know how to recognize it and what to do about it….
It Isn’t Just About How He Died
I didn’t see Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, and I don’t want to. Hearing that the movie is…
It Was OK for Timothy
He was in charge of a congregation, and the work was challenging. He needed help, support and knowledge if he…
It’s Hard to Forgive
Jesus often said that God is merciful. But he also said, in a statement that can send chills up the…
It’s Not What You Aren’t That Counts
I would like to introduce you to two remarkable people I have met. They reminded me of something that we…
It’s Not What You Have – It’s Who Has You
I know I shouldn’t tease my wife, but sometimes I just can’t help it. For example she’ll say, “Dan, what…
James 5:14 and Healing
A passage from the Old Testament, Psalm 103:3, says the Lord “forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”…
Jeremiah 10 and Christmas Trees
Christians opposed to Christmas have often argued that Jeremiah condemns Christmas trees. They believe that Jeremiah 10:2-4 is quite plain — Christmas…
Jesus – Alive Forevermore!
Jesus did not stay dead for long. Early Sunday morning, near sunrise, some disciples discovered that the Son of God…
Jesus – Tempted on Our Behalf
Scripture tells us that Jesus, our High Priest, was “tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not…
Jesus – The Suffering God
Is God fair? This question was answered once and for all 2,000 years ago by Jesus. God came in human flesh…
Jesus and Judaism
“What more than anything else,” says Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, “incited them to the war was an ambiguous oracle,…