Monthly Archives: December 2025

CHRISTIAN LIVING

LIBRARY INSPIRATION — BOB PRICHARD

Two huge stone lions sit outside the New York public library.   Mayor Fiorello La Guardia named them “Patience” and “Fortitude,” during the midst of the Great Depression, to let New Yorkers know that they could survive the economic disaster. 

Patience is key in running the Christian race.  Hebrews 12:1-2 urges, “Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Fortitude is “strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity with courage.” This is what Paul spoke of when he said “we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:3-5).

CHRISTIAN LIVING, CHURCH, CORINTHIANS, FIRST

VALUES — BOB PRICHARD

Doing some excavating on his North Carolina farm 1799, Conrad Reed discovered a strange rock. Three years later, in 1802, a Fayetteville jeweler offered him $3.50 for the rock. It tuned out that the rock was gold, and had a value of $3,600. This was the beginning of the Reed Gold Mine. In those three years before learning he had a large gold nugget, Reed had been using the rock as a doorstop.

Like Reed, we are often ignorant to the true value of things. We often place the greatest significance on the incidental and neglect the eternal. Not surprisingly, a death, an illness, or another tragedy often makes us stop and think and to consider what is really important.

In explaining to the Christians of Corinth the true meaning and place of spiritual gifts, Paul touched on this point. Though all parts of the body are important, we tend to place the greater emphasis on some parts to the neglect of others. “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another” (1 Corinthians 12:22-25).

As a simple comparison, in a week’s time, how does your time spent in grooming and caring for the body compare to the time spent in caring for the inner man? Paul prayed for Ephesians that God would grant them “according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). What is really valuable to you? Do you truly value the eternal over the temporal?

BIBLE QUESTIONS, CHURCH

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT “REVEREND” AS A TITLE FOR MINISTERS? — BOB  PRICHARD

It is a common assumption today that every minister ought to be addressed as “reverend.” Fortunately, though, many ministers are rejecting the use of this title, recognizing that it is unauthorized by the Bible, contrary to the Bible doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, and divisive to the cause of Christ.

The word “reverend” comes from the Latin word reverendus, meaning “worthy of respect.” The dictionary defines it as “a title of respect often used with the name of a clergyman.” “Reverend” is found only one time in the King James Version of the Bible. An unknown psalmist wrote, “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name” (Psalm 111:9). The application of the term is to God, not a man. The word is used frequently in the original languages of the Bible, but it is always applied to God, and never to man. Since the practice of using the title “reverend” is so popular today, it may be surprising to remember that neither Jesus nor any of the disciples ever used this or any other man-made title. There is never any mention of “Reverend Paul,” or the “Right Reverend John,” or the “Reverend Mr. Peter.” The use of titles such as “reverend” by the humble servants of Christ would have been contrary to their attitude of service to Christ. 

Paul said, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). In other words, Paul was saying that he would glory in nothing but the cross of Christ. He demonstrated his humble attitude toward serving Christ many times in his letters. Paul was well educated and could have claimed human titles, but he chose to give all of these up for Christ (see Philippians 3:1-7). He began some letters with the words, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.” Many times he simply referred to himself as “a servant” or “a bondservant.” The desire to use man-made religious titles such as “reverend” comes from a desire for exaltation. We must remember the words of Christ: “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28). 

The use of titles such as “reverend” helps to perpetuate a wrong concept of the nature of those who serve Christ. Peter referred to all Christians, not just a select clergy, as “an holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5). The clergy/laity division of our religious world is a man-made division. Though some, because of special training and a special desire to serve God may serve as ministers or preachers [not titles but descriptive terms of service], and may be called ministers [servants], in actuality every Christian is a minister, or servant, when he serves God. We need to reestablish the concept of the priesthood of all believers in service to Christ. Jesus warned, “Be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren” (Matthew 23:8).

BIBLE QUESTIONS, JESUS CHRIST, MATTHEW

HOW DOES THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION DIFFER FROM THE VIRGIN BIRTH — BOB PRICHARD

The virgin birth refers to the birth of Jesus Christ in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, made more than seven hundred years before His birth. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us” (Matthew 1:18-23).

Mary, the mother of Jesus was a virgin when she conceived Him. She and her betrothed husband Joseph had never “come together” sexually. The child she conceived was the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16), conceived miraculously by the Holy Spirit. Thus the conception of Christ was unique in all history. His actual birth, although very humble, was a normal birth. Thus the virgin birth really has more to do with the conception of Jesus Christ than it does with His actual birth.

The immaculate conception is the doctrine that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived without “original sin,” and then remained a sinless virgin throughout life. This  idea has no basis in scripture. While it is true that Mary was a virgin before the birth of Christ, she did not remain a perpetual virgin. Joseph “knew her not till she had brought forth a son” (Matthew 1:25), implying Joseph did “know her” later. Mary and Joseph had other children, the brothers and sisters of Jesus (Matthew 13:54-56). 

Mary was not sinless. “All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, the “lamb without spot” (1 Peter 1:19) is the only exception. Christ had no need to offer sacrifice for His sins, because He had none (Hebrews 7:27). Mary, however, had to offer a sin offering (Luke 2:22-24; Leviticus 12:6-8). Only sinners would need to offer a sin offering. Mary was not without sin.

The Bible does not teach “original sin,” the idea that all human beings inherit Adam’s sin. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezekiel 18:20). Mary was born pure, like every other child, but then made her own choices about sin. Mary was a great woman, but nothing in the scriptures indicate that there was anything unusual about her birth.