The God of the Old Testament

'Ready Answer' by Pat Higgins

Many believe that the God of the Old Testament was a cruel, angry God, while Jesus, the God of the New Testament, is kind and loving. Here's what Scripture shows.


God the Father in the Old Testament

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Hebrew Scriptures reveal the existence of the Father. Deuteronomy 6:4 refers to God as one, signifying unity of purpose and identical character.


Why Is Christ, the Son, Called 'the Everlasting Father' (Isaiah 9:6)?

Bible Questions & Answers

The answer lies in understanding who the God of the Old Testament is. He—Yahweh—fulfilled many roles, and one of them is as Israel's Father.


Jesus Is God

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Christ is the Word, by whom the world was created. He has always interfaced between mankind and the Father, having primacy as our Lord, Master, and Ruler.


The Glory of God (Part 2): In Christ

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

When we (following Jesus' example) display the way of God in our lives, bearing His name, and keeping His commandments, God's glory radiates in our lives.


The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

The identical actions of the Lord and the Angel of the Lord show they are the same Being. The God known by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses was Jesus Christ.


Jesus' Pre-Existence

Sermon/Bible Study by Richard T. Ritenbaugh


Christ's Revelation of the Father

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

John 1:1-3 reveals Jesus' pedigree as the Logos (Spokesman), whose function was to declare or reveal the Father. He had existed with His Father from eternity.


The High Christology of Colossians

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

High Christology as a doctrinal stance was not enough to prevent the eventual apostasy of those in Asia Minor. Doctrine must produce the right conduct.


Hebrews (Part Six): God's Salvation Communication

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God personally communicated with Adam, Eve, Abraham, Moses, the prophets, and to us through His Son. With the Scriptures, God teaches His faithful today.


Christ, the Chief Cornerstone

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

If a foundation is flawed, the building cannot stand. God built His spiritual temple on the prophets and the apostles, and Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.


Power Belongs to God (Part Two)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Human beings, even those who have been called, have an innate fear that God will not always provide. This fear originates in doubt about God's power.


Announcing . . . Christ's Birth!

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The blending of paganism with inspired Scripture has degraded and obscured the meaning and glory of what happened in the announcement of Jesus Christ's birth.


Image and Likeness of God (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus did not take on a different shape or form when He was transfigured. Taking on the image of the heavenly does not vaporize one into shapeless essence.


Christ Our Rock

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

When Moses uses the metaphor of a rock, he thinks of the connotative qualities of enduring, unchanging, solid, awesome, strong, majestic, and beautiful.


The Glory of God (Part 1): The Shekinah

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Shekinah, the pillar of cloud and fire, depicts God's visible presence and protection. Yet His glory is manifested in many other ways as well.


Why Did God Command Israel to Go to War?

'Ready Answer' by David C. Grabbe

God's command for Israel to execute total war on the Canaanites has a rational—and yes, Christian—explanation. He is not cruel; there is a benevolent reason.


Seeking God in the Mundane

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Pentecostalism, with its sensationalism, is dangerous to a true believer. God is more interested in quietness and meekness than in bombastic displays of power.


Marriage and the Bride of Christ (Part Two)

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The husband is charged to exercise love to his wife, actually a more demanding task than submitting, carrying more instructions than the command to submit.


Back to Basics

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Increasing knowledge without the capacity to process it leads to insanity. To combat information overload, we must get back to the basics of Christianity.


Faith and the Christian Fight (Part Nine)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The heroes of faith may have had a longer period of testing than those called now, but the trials will come at greater intensity here at the end.


Passover and Hope

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Passover is a beacon of hope in an otherwise hopeless milieu. Jesus provided hope at His last Passover, exuding confidence despite what lay ahead.


Did God Change the Law of Clean and Unclean Meats?

'Ready Answer' by John O. Reid

Were the clean and unclean laws abolished at the cross? A closer look at the pertinent New Testament scriptures reveals God's intent.


Passover and I Corinthians 10

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Like the Old Testament examples, the Corinthians had a careless presumption, allowing themselves to lust, fornicate, tempt God, and murmur.


The Helper and the Angel of the Lord

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Christ frequently used 3rd person titles, such as the Son of Man and the Helper. Just as Christ sent the Helper—Himself—so Yahweh sent His Angel—Himself.


Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Eight): Hebrews 1

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Hebrews 1 delivers a knock-out punch to skeptics like many first-century Jews who claimed He falls short in qualifying as our High Priest and Savior.


The Father-Son Relationship (Part Two)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Christ Himself asserted the superiority of the Father. Jesus serves as the revelator of the great God, providing the only means of access to Him.


The Shepherd of Israel

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Psalm 80 shows that the Shepherd of Israel sat between the Cherubim in the Holy of Holies, showing that Jesus Christ is the God who interacted with Israel.


The Father-Son Relationship (Part Five)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Although Christ is not the Absolute Deity, He is nevertheless the complement of the Father. He had a pre-existence as the God of the Old Testament.


The Father-Son Relationship (Part Three)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The Father and Son are separate; the Father is the source of all power, while the Son serves as the channel through which we interface with the Father.


The Father-Son Relationship (Part Eight)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus Christ and God the Father are one in spirit and purpose, purposing to draw us toward that same kind of unity that currently exists between them.


John (Part Two)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

John emphasizes the reality of Jesus as the Logos (a word revealing hidden thought), the manifestation of God in the flesh, emphasizing His preexistence and divinity.


The Bible's Claims About Itself

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

We must challenge the Bible to verify its claims, and conversely, we must take up the challenge to put its instructions to the test in our lives.


John (Part Four)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

The apostle John has provided at least eight separate forms of witness, establishing the veracity of Jesus Christ's identity as God in the flesh.


The Angel and the Apostle

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

Hebrews 1-2 establish Christ's superiority over angels, but notably do not mention the Angel of the Lord. Instead, the author handles the Angel differently.


The All-Important Introduction to Revelation

'Prophecy Watch' by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Skipping the first chapter of Revelation deprives us of vital information necessary for understanding the rest of the book.