Reasons to Believe

  How the Early Church and Puritans Understood True Holiness One of the greatest confusions in Christianity today revolves around a simple but crucial question: What does it actually mean to live holy? On one side, you have those who excuse ongoing sin under the banner of grace. On the other, those who quietly drift toward the idea of sinless perfection. But when you go back to the early Church and the Puritans, you find neither extreme. Instead, you find something far more demanding—and far more biblical: A life transformed by grace that actively, consistently, and seriously fights sin. Holiness Was Never Optional From the earliest days of the Church, believers were taught that obedience was not a way to earn salvation—but it was absolutely the evidence of it. The early Christians didn’t separate faith and obedience. To them, trusting Christ meant following Him. Walking in His commandments wasn’t legalism—it was life. They spoke in terms of walking, growing, and continuing—not arr...

Many today assume the pre-tribulation rapture—the teaching that the Church will be secretly removed before the Tribulation, Antichrist, or any great persecution—has been the historic Christian belief from the beginning. An investigative examination of primary sources, early writings, and the doctrinal trail shows otherwise. The distinct pre-tribulation doctrine emerged in the 19th century, sparked by a young woman's visionary experience in 1830, then refined and spread through key figures. In contrast, the early Church, Reformers, and Puritans consistently taught that believers would face Satan's wrath and persecution, enduring until deliverance at the last trumpet, just before God's final wrath falls. The 1830 Vision of Margaret MacDonald In early 1830, Margaret MacDonald (born 1815), a 15-year-old from Port Glasgow, Scotland, lay ill and bedridden. Amid a season of reported spiritual gifts and prayer meetings, she experienced visions and uttered prophetic words, recorded ...

There is a dangerous lie many Christians begin to believe: that sin can be tolerated as long as it stays small. The Puritans fiercely rejected this idea. They knew that sin is never content to remain weak or hidden. If it is not destroyed, it will slowly gain power over the soul. The great Puritan John Owen issued a warning that has echoed for centuries: “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.” Sin is not passive. It works constantly—quietly shaping desires, dulling conviction, and weakening the heart. If we do not fight it, it will slowly take ground in our lives. Yet the gospel does not leave us helpless. God has given us both the warning and the weapon to defeat sin. The Command of Scripture: Put Sin to Death The Bible never tells believers to simply manage sin. It commands us to destroy it. Romans 8:13 (KJV) “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body , ye shall live.” The word mortify means to ...

  “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil.” — Psalm 97:10 (KJV) There are many who profess to love God, yet make peace with the very things that nailed Christ to the cross. Scripture never allows such a contradiction. The same heart that truly loves Christ must also learn to hate sin. This hatred is not a shallow dislike or occasional regret—it is a settled opposition of the soul against all that offends God. The Psalmist declares plainly, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil” (Psalm 97:10). Where love for God is genuine, hatred for sin must follow. The Puritan writers often spoke of this holy hatred. Joseph Alleine warned that many men are content to be troubled by sin but not resolved to destroy it. Yet Scripture calls us not merely to confess sin but to wage war against it. The Apostle Paul writes, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth” (Colossians 3:5). To mortify sin means to put it to death—to treat it not as a guest to entertain, but as an enemy to destroy. The Chr...

In mid-2025, astronomers spotted a strange object coming from outside our solar system. They called it **3I/ATLAS** (or sometimes just 3I/Atlas). NASA and major observatories said it was a comet — basically a big chunk of ice and rock on a one-time trip through our neighborhood. It was discovered on July 1, 2025, reached its closest point to the Sun (perihelion) on October 29, 2025, and passed closest to Earth on December 19, 2025 (1)(2). But a lot of details don't match what we'd expect from a normal comet. This has led some to wonder: Could this be a man-made fake, like a huge hologram projected in the sky to scare people? Or could it tie into Bible prophecy about the Nephilim — those giant hybrid beings from Genesis 6 — coming back disguised to trick the world into one global government and one blended religion? Let's break down the main facts simply. Here are some of the strange things (called anomalies) about 3I/ATLAS: - It loses material (mass) in an extreme way that ...

In the ancient words of Psalm 2, we see the blueprint of a timeless plot: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed."(1) Even back then, the powerful were scheming to overthrow divine authority, to silence the truth of God's Word and crush those who cling to it. This isn't just poetry—it's a warning etched into history, revealing a coordinated effort to dismantle faith and replace it with human control. Fast forward to our chaotic times, and that same shadow looms larger than ever. We're not dealing with isolated events but an accelerating convergence of forces pushing humanity toward a cliff: a one-world system where deception reigns, truth is buried, and the choice boils down to submission or sacrifice. Look at Revelation, where the Antichrist emerges not as a monster in plain sight, but as a master deceiver who "causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond...

In the shadowed halls of 19th-century Cambridge University, where intellectual pursuits often blurred the lines between scholarly inquiry and forbidden exploration, a secretive group emerged in 1872 known as the Eranus Club.(1) Founded amid a rising tide of spiritualism and esoteric societies in Victorian England, this club has long been overlooked in mainstream historical accounts of biblical textual criticism. Yet, a deeper investigation—following the paper trails of personal letters, biographies written by family members, and contemporary records—reveals its ties to Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort, the two Anglican scholars whose critical Greek New Testament edition would later reshape modern Bible translations.(2) Drawing from documented testimonies and interconnected networks, this article examines the club's origins, Westcott and Hort's central roles, and the practices that raise questions about spiritual influences on their work. By connecting the dots ...

In the prophetic visions of the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John describes a mysterious and ominous figure: a woman arrayed in opulent attire, riding upon a scarlet-colored beast, drunk with the blood of saints, and holding sway over kings and nations.[1] This "great whore" symbolizes a corrupt religious system that has deceived the world, blending spiritual authority with temporal power in a web of idolatry and persecution. Drawing from the unerring truths of Scripture and the insights of faithful witnesses through the ages, this article exposes how the Roman Catholic Church fulfills this prophecy with chilling precision. From her seat upon the seven hills of Rome to her scarlet-robed hierarchy, her alliances with earthly rulers, and her bloody history during the Inquisition, the evidence points to her as the apostate entity foretold in God's Word. As we approach the last days, understanding this revelation is crucial for discerning the signs of the times and holding...

As I sit down to pen this article, my heart is heavy yet hopeful. We've journeyed through the shadows of history and doctrine in this blogsite, uncovering layers of tradition that often obscure the pure light of God's Word. Now, we turn our gaze to a beloved holiday that millions cherish: Christmas. The title of this chapter, "From Pagan to Christ: Baptizing Balaam," draws from the biblical figure of Balaam, a prophet who twisted truth for personal gain, attempting to mingle the holy with the profane (Numbers 22-24). In much the same way, many well-meaning Christians today seek to "baptize" ancient pagan customs, dipping them in the waters of Christendom to make them holy. But as we'll explore, sincerity alone doesn't sanctify what God has forbidden. This isn't an attack on joy or family gatherings; it's a loving plea to examine our practices against the unchanging standard of Scripture. Let's peel back the tinsel and lights to reveal the...