jzeeb.com

The Reward of Ruling With Christ

jzeeb.com — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

One area of theology that I feel is not taught about very often in church is the topic of heavenly rewards. As a result, I have seen even mature Christians show some confusion about some aspects of these amazing rewards that we can look forward to one day receiving from …

How To Qualify For Eternal Crowns

jzeeb.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Heavenly Rewards For Every Christian

jzeeb.com — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

One area of theology that I feel is not taught about very often in church is the topic of heavenly rewards. As a result, I've seen even mature Christians show some confusion about some aspects of these amazing rewards that we can look forward to one day receiving from God …

How God Can Control Evil

jzeeb.com — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

To believe that God is perfectly good despite the sin, evil, and suffering that exists in this world is a challenge that every Christian must wrestle with to at least some extent. This is called the problem of theodicy.

I believe that it's only if God is fully good that …

The Power Of Thanksgiving In The End Times

jzeeb.com — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Lately, I've had a new appreciation for the difference that being thankful can make in my life. This might be a short(er) post than usual, but it seemed to be an appropriate topic due to American Thanksgiving happening this week.

I hope these thoughts can be encouraging, and perhaps …

Why Christians Should Keep Watching For The Rapture (Updated)

jzeeb.com — Sat, 27 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Just this past week, what has been the highest-watch period for the Rapture that I've ever seen among end-times watchers, regarding the Feast of Trumpets on September 23-24, 2025, has come and seemingly gone.

A few people are still holding out hope that the Gregorian calendar is off by about …

The Case for the Rapture on September 23 or 24, 2025

jzeeb.com — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This summer, there has been a lot of hype among online end-times watchers regarding the possibility that Jesus may return to take all true Christians to heaven at the Rapture this September.

More specifically, many end-times watchers believe the Rapture could happen during this upcoming Feast of Trumpets, also called …

Why Revelation Should Be Interpreted (Mostly) Literally

jzeeb.com — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Revelation is one of the most controversial books in the Bible because of the variety of ways that it can be interpreted. Unfortunately, because of this controversy, I suspect that many Christians simply throw their hands up in the air and give up on ever hoping to understand Revelation.

Yet …

How Do YOU Do Theology?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 21 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

During my PhD, as part of my attempt to understand Jonathan Edwards' theology regarding his belief in double predestination, I read some books that explored theories about how we construct our worldview — i.e., our understanding of reality.

In the past, famous philosophers believed that it was best to build …

Don't Fall For The Great (Alien UFO) Deception

jzeeb.com — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

When Jesus' disciples asked him about what the end times would be like before Jesus' second coming, the very first thing Jesus said was "Watch out that no one deceives you" (Matthew 24:4, NIV).

In context, Jesus was warning about a person that end-times scholars refer to as the …

Why Doesn't God Make My Life Perfect?

jzeeb.com — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

One question I've heard frequently is:

"If God is love (1 John 4:16), then why doesn't God make my life perfect? Wouldn't that be a loving thing for him to do? Doesn't God want me to be happy, well-fed, safe, healthy, and rich? If not, then how can I …

The Symbolism Of The Beast From The Sea

jzeeb.com — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

One of the more complicated and misunderstood symbols in the Book of Revelation is the seven-headed beast that John saw coming out of the sea in Revelation chapters 13 and 17.

This beast relates to a particularly evil man who is referred to in the Bible as the Antichrist (1 …

Overview of My Christocentric Theory of Inclusivism

jzeeb.com — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This is an overview of my series of blog posts where I attempt to build a case for a Christocentric theory of soteriological inclusivism.

Or in other words, this is a summary of my attempt to explain how I believe that all people will have a fair opportunity to hear …

Why Would Anyone Reject God?

jzeeb.com — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

As I argued in my theory of Christian inclusivism, I believe that God must give people the ability to ultimately reject him. Those who do so will be thrown into the lake of fire and suffer the punishment of eternal destruction (i.e., annihilation).

In my previous post, I answered …

Why God Lets People Reject Him

jzeeb.com — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

As I argued in my theory of Christian inclusivism, I believe that God must give people the ability to ultimately reject him, and those who do so will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction (a.k.a, annihilation).

However, the only people who will be eternally destroyed are those who …

The Rapture Is Coming: Watch For The Seven-Year Covenant With 'Many' (Updated)

jzeeb.com — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

I've recently come across something critical regarding a major end-times Bible prophecy that might be almost ready to be fulfilled. Therefore, I felt that a post about it would be worthwhile, in order to warn about how close the world might be to the Rapture and the start of the …

Read This When Millions of People Suddenly Disappear

jzeeb.com — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Have millions or even billions of people around the world suddenly disappeared all at once, in the blink of an eye? Even perhaps including some of your friends and family?

Is the world full of fear, confusion, and chaos as a result?

Are the world's leading experts claiming that it …

Will All Christians Be Raptured?

jzeeb.com — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes when I bring up the topic of the Rapture, it seems to make some Christians nervous, rather than excited.

Yet the promise that Jesus will one day suddenly return in the clouds to resurrect all deceased Christians, transform all living Christians from mortal to immortal, and then take us …

My Theory of Christian Inclusivism

jzeeb.com — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This post is the culmination of several of my previous blog posts. In them, I explored why I believe that Christians need to endorse some sort of theory of soteriological inclusivism in order for us to be faithful to all the verses in the Bible that tell us about who …

Are There Divine Truths in Nature or Other Religions?

jzeeb.com — Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In my past several posts, I've been building a case for why I believe that some sort of theory of Christian inclusivism is necessary if Christians want to believe everything the Bible says about which individuals will be eternally saved.

As a reminder, Christian inclusivism is the idea that although …

Expect The Rapture When Things Are 'Normal'

jzeeb.com — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

What are your expectations for the new year?

Do you have plans that you are looking forward to? Or are you nervous about all the things that you see in the news, and things that experts have said might be coming this year? Maybe some of both?

One of the …

Self-Care Is Spiritual Warfare

jzeeb.com — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:01:00 +0000

(Or alternatively titled, "How To Defeat Satan With A Bowl of Oatmeal.")

It's fairly well known that December can be a tough month for many people.

One survey suggests that 64% of people feel the 'holiday blues', and twenty four percent of people feel these blues quite strongly. The blues …

Will 'Good' People Be Eternally Saved?

jzeeb.com — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In several of my past blog posts, I have been building a case for why I believe that some sort of theory of Christian inclusivism is necessary if Christians want to believe everything the Bible says about which individuals will be eternally saved.

As a reminder, Christian inclusivism is the …

Can People Choose To Believe In Jesus After Death?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In my past several posts, I have been building a case for why I believe that some sort of theory of Christian inclusivism is necessary if Christians want to believe everything the Bible says about which individuals will be eternally saved.

As a reminder, Christian inclusivism is the idea that …

But Don't All Religions Lead to Heaven?

jzeeb.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In my previous two posts, I've focused on answering the question of who will ultimately experience eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:1).

Already, two options have been eliminated:

That only those few people who specifically heard and believed in Jesus during their earthly lives …

Will God Save Everyone?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In my previous blog post, I explained why I think that God truly wants to save everyone.

Yet the fact that the Bible says that God clearly wants to save everyone doesn't necessarily mean that God actually will save everyone.

But why not? If God truly loves everyone, and if …

Does God Really Want To Save Everyone?

jzeeb.com — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

If you have ever attended a Christian church, I hope that you would have heard things like:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
"God shows his love for us …

Have the Courage To Be Disliked

jzeeb.com — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

If there's one trait that I think we need in order to be strong Christians in our world today, it's the courage to be disliked. At worst, we might even need the courage to be outright hated.

Of course, no one wants to be disliked or hated. That's why peer …

Why I Wrote My Dissertation on Predestination

jzeeb.com — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

As part of my preparation for my dissertation defence in August 2021, I was asked to think about why my doctoral research matters to the church.

At first glance, I admit that my investigation into why the eighteenth-century Puritan theologian Jonathan Edwards believed that God predestines most people to hell …

Are We In The End Times?

jzeeb.com — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

If you've heard a little about what Christianity teaches about the future, and have been paying attention to what's going on in the world over the last little while, you might be asking questions like:

Are we approaching the end of the world?
Are we currently in the Tribulation?
What …

Christians Should Not Fear Death

jzeeb.com — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

If there's anything obvious about the world in 2020 and 2021, it's that fear of death is everywhere (especially in the media).

Incredible precautions are taken against an illness that kills only a very small percentage of people who get it, many of whom were already ill with other conditions …

Christians Must Evangelize Or Churches Will Die

jzeeb.com — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Many people have noted the decline of Christianity in Western countries over the last few hundred years, which has become even more obvious in the last fifty to seventy years. The reasons for this decline are attributed to many different things.

Some say it's just 'post-Christendom,' where Western societies as …

Do You Trust the Experts?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 00:01:00 +0000

Now that I've successfully defended my PhD, some people might consider me an 'expert' on at least some topics.

However, as I've progressed through my theological studies, I've become much less willing to trust someone just because they call themselves an expert, or even because they're recognized by others as …

Mistaking the Antichrist for Jesus

jzeeb.com — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

One thing I've wondered about over the years is why most people who will be alive during the future seven-year Tribulation will worship the Antichrist.

We have many warnings in the Bible about false Christs, false prophets, and false teachers. We also have very specific details in the books of …

My Top 5 Reasons For The Pre-Tribulation Rapture

jzeeb.com — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Given all that we're seeing in the world today, I suspect that at least some Christians are wondering if we're in the Tribulation: the period of seven years characterized by many divinely-sent disasters upon the Earth before Jesus returns to set up his Millennial kingdom.

My answer is no, we're …

Important: Regarding Buying and Selling

jzeeb.com — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Because of current events happening in the world lately, I thought a reminder regarding buying and selling is in order.

Revelation 13 describes two future world leaders, the "Beast" (a.k.a. the Antichrist) and the "False Prophet" religious leader who will endorse and support the Beast.

At some point …

The Benefits of Daily Devotions

jzeeb.com — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

If you're around Christians often, you'll likely hear them talk about their daily devotional time, scripture reading time, and/or prayer time. It's usually one of the first things pastors recommend for Christians to incorporate into your schedule if you want to be spiritually healthy.

However, it's very easy to …

Advent and Politics

jzeeb.com — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Advent is the season of the church calendar leading up to Christmas. During this time, Christians remember when the divine Son of God became a fully human man named Jesus, about two thousand years ago.

Jesus was born to the virgin Mary, in order for Jesus to grow up, live …

Climate Change and the End Times

jzeeb.com — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

With the rise of Greta Thunberg as a public figure it seems that many more people are paying attention to news about climate change. However, Christians should not look only to the news media or to scientists to inform our thinking on this issue. Instead, we should consider how climate …

Why Doesn't God Prevent More Evil?

jzeeb.com — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0000

In a previous post I talked about the 'problem' of believing that God is fully good and loving while accepting that sometimes God punishes people with death because of their sins, and how I make sense of that.

Another frequent accusation against God's goodness is that if God was really …

Christianity is Not A Feel-Good Religion

jzeeb.com — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

There was a news article I read recently that has made me quite concerned for the future of Christianity and free speech in Canada.

In this article, two people were complaining that some teachings of Christianity regarding sin make people feel bad about themselves. They say that being told they …

Defending God's Justice Regarding Death

jzeeb.com — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

One of the frequent objections that atheists or opponents of Christianity frequently raise is about all those times in the Old Testament when God kills people, or tells the Israelites to kill certain people.

These critics claim that a God of love would never act like this, that it is …

Did God Really Say? Why Biblical Inerrancy Matters

jzeeb.com — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

As you may have seen on the About Me page, I agree with the Chicago Statement on Inerrancy.1

Basically, the idea of inerrancy as defined in the Chicago Statement is that the Bible is entirely without error in the original manuscripts (and thus, our translated copies are inerrant insofar …

Which Race Are You Running?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

I've heard it said that sometimes pastors preach to themselves by writing a sermon that is more about what they need to hear, than what their congregation needs to hear.

This blog post might be similar to that, in that it may be more of a reminder for me than …

Why Christians Need to Talk More About Heaven

jzeeb.com — Thu, 30 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Have you ever heard that saying "Don't be so heavenly-minded that you're of no earthly good"?

I hate this phrase, for two main reasons:

It insults Christians who do have a strong focus on heaven.
It implies that thinking about heaven and doing good works are mutually exclusive.

So in …

Christians Are Superheros

jzeeb.com — Wed, 22 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

It seems like there is a never-ending stream of superhero movies being released lately. Clearly, there is some demand for this genre of story.

In many of these stories, an average person is suddenly given some sort of super-powers, and they then go on to use these powers to fight …

How To Succeed In Seminary

jzeeb.com — Wed, 08 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Are you thinking of going to seminary, divinity school, or bible college? Are you wondering what you need to do in order to do the best you can in your studies?

Having gone through seminary myself, and having been a TA for several terms for Master's level seminary courses, I …

The Christian Hope of Resurrection

jzeeb.com — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

This past Sunday was Easter Sunday, where Christians celebrate Jesus' resurrection, when He came back to life after being killed by crucifixion.

But unfortunately, it seems that our understanding of Jesus' resurrection is frequently disconnected from other Christian doctrines, and especially, from what Christians believe about heaven.

A common description …

How Could Jesus Be Tempted?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0000

In the Easter story, Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane before he is about to be betrayed by Judas and arrested, brought to trial, and shortly thereafter, crucified.

All three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) record that when Jesus was in Gethsemane, he prayed,

Father, if you are willing …

How Suffering Is Useful For Christians

jzeeb.com — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

There are some mysterious verses about suffering in the Bible, and how that suffering is possibly useful or even beneficial to Christians.

For example, in Romans 8:16-18 Paul writes:

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs …

Theodicy as a Criteria for Theology

jzeeb.com — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

In an earlier post, I talked about why I'm interested in theodicy. Theodicy is the attempt to defend God's goodness despite all the evil and suffering in the world.

In this post, I want to talk more about how theodicy is one criteria I use to determine some of my …

Open Theism and Bible Prophecy

jzeeb.com — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

I came across a book chapter titled "Open Theism in the Hands of an Angry Puritan: Jonathan Edwards on Divine Foreknowledge" by C. Samuel Storms.1 Storms tries to use Jonathan Edwards' arguments about God's foreknowledge to refute open theism.

Since I wrote my Master of Theological Studies thesis on …

The Most Convincing Arguments for Hell as Annihilation

jzeeb.com — Sat, 09 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000

I was recently on a discussion forum where there was a debate going on about the nature of hell.

Someone was arguing for the traditional view where people who are sent to hell will be tortured forever (a.k.a. eternal conscious torment), whereas I was trying to get them …

Why It's Good To Read Theology

jzeeb.com — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

"I never read theology or Biblical studies—I only need one book: the Bible". Or so I've heard some people claim.

While this can sound pious, after thinking about it, I am concerned.

In this article I'll point out some reasons why I think all Christians should read at least …

Avoid Comparing Your Ministry or Gifts With Others

jzeeb.com — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

As we begin the new year, we often take time to reflect on what we've done the past year, and what we hope to do in the upcoming year.

I end up thinking not just about my career or studies, but also about how I've been doing in using all …

Why Jesus Must Be Fully Divine

jzeeb.com — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

It's nearly Christmas, and so the Incarnation is likely a topic you'll hear mentioned in sermons and Christmas carols. Songs about God being born as Jesus of Nazareth in Bethlehem are something that we hear all around us in the background as we're Christmas shopping or preparing dinners and attending …

Reasons to Pursue Sanctification

jzeeb.com — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Recently, I was discussing with a friend about how the Free Grace movement makes a clear distinction between eternal salvation (or justification) and discipleship (or sanctification).1

In this view, our eternal salvation is based only on our faith in Christ as our savior, whereas discipleship involves following Christ's example …

Theological Insights on Why We Eat

jzeeb.com — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

The upcoming Christmas season is a good time for an article about eating, for many of us will be enjoying especially good food with family and friends at dinners or parties over the next month or so.

However, the specific question I will address was inspired by a friend who …

Purgatory for Protestants?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

I've come across something strange in several books I've read. Certain Protestant authors are actually considering the idea of purgatory as legitimate, and even advocating for it to be included as a part of Protestant eschatology.

It's because, they say, some Christians die who are not yet holy enough for …

God Commands What He Is: Love

jzeeb.com — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

One sentence spoken by Jesus had always perplexed me: "You are my friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:14).

I always thought to myself, "What sort of person would demand that their friends obey them in order to be considered their friends? Who would say they …

Why Did God Create the Universe?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

For my PhD dissertation, I am studying the American pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards, who lived in the 1700s.

To me, one of his most interesting writings is titled "Concerning The End for Which God Created the World," sometimes shortened to "End of Creation". It was one of the last …

What Does it Mean to Be Made in God's Image?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

For one assignment in a Christology course I took as part of my PhD, I wrote a review of Oliver D. Crisp's book The Word Enfleshed: Exploring the Person and Work of Christ (2016).

While this book is quite philosophical and not meant for beginners in theology, there were a …

Is Eternal Life Opt-In or Opt-Out?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

One of my highly recommended books is Does God Love Everyone? The Heart of What is Wrong with Calvinism by Jerry L. Walls.

Walls has a very good introduction to the debate between Calvinists and Arminians, and good insight into what he thinks the debate is ultimately about.

I do …

Being Open to Changing Our Minds

jzeeb.com — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

I've called my blog Continually Sharpening, based on Proverbs 27:17, NIV: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

I hope that as I study and teach, I will have my theological views continually sharpened and refined, so that they become more and more Biblical and in alignment …

Is Correct Theology Necessary for Salvation?

jzeeb.com — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

While I'm not really a history expert, I was called on to TA a course last winter on the history of early Christianity. As part of this, I gave a lecture on early Christian heresies about Jesus, and why they were problematic.

If you're not familiar with the term:

Heresy …

The Antidote to Treadmill Theology

jzeeb.com — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

In my previous post, I had discussed a form of theology I like to call Treadmill Theology.

This theology insists that continual obedience in doing good works and sanctification (growth in holiness) is mandatory in order to be finally justified (qualified for eternal life).

The problem is that it effectively …

The Exhausting Teachings of Treadmill Theology

jzeeb.com — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0000

It's probably safe to say that no one really likes to be on a treadmill. Even if it's good for our health and gives some people a rush of endorphins, is there anyone who wouldn't rather, if they had a choice, get off the treadmill and take a break?

But …

Why I Study Theodicy and Difficult Topics

jzeeb.com — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Some Christians and even pastors shy away from the difficult topics in theology such as evil, suffering, reprobation, and hell. They say we shouldn't think about such awful things, and should focus on the positive parts of Christianity.

However, I am drawn to the challenge of these areas, all of …

Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech Under Threat

jzeeb.com — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000

There is a concerning trend today in academia and public discourse.

It is the claim that not all views are worthy of being heard or discussed seriously. The idea is that certain ideas are beyond question or debate, and that there are settled truths which must be accepted by everyone …

Why Theology Matters

jzeeb.com — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0000

When I made the switch from engineering into theology, it was based on the question of what I felt I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing, and thus, what would be personally meaningful enough to re-train and (hopefully) start a new career for?

I already had some …