Read: Matthew 1

1:1-14

The gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy ending with the birth of Christ. Matthew’s genealogy is designed to show us the kingly line of Christ and is divided neatly into three 14 generation cycles.

1:18-25

This section highlights the birth of Christ. The critical aspect of the narrative is found in 1:18, where we read that his name “will be called Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.” At the very beginning of the earthly ministry of Christ, we have a clearly stated purpose for his advent: the salvation of sinners. The whole purpose and mission of the Savior is to give his life a ransom for sin.

bible readingWilliam HillJanuary 13, 2023Matthew 1, Bible Knowledge

The Morning Devotional: WCF 1.6 (Part One)

The Morning Devotional for January 13, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 1.6

The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.a Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word;b and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.c

a. Gal 1:8-9; 2 Thes 2:2; 2 Tim 3:15-17. • b. John 6:45; 1 Cor 2:9-12. • c. 1 Cor 11:13-14; 14:26, 40.

The Morning Devotional: WCF 1.4-5

The Morning Devotional for January 12, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 1.4-5

IV. The authority of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the Author thereof; and therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.a

a. 1 Thes 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:19, 21; 1 John 5:9.

The Morning Devotional: WCF 1.2-3

The Morning Devotional for January 11, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2-3

II. Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:

Of the Old TestamentGenesis. Exodus. Leviticus. Numbers. Deuteronomy. Joshua. Judges. Ruth. I Samuel. II Samuel. I Kings. II Kings. I Chronicles.II Chronicles. Ezra. Nehemiah. Esther. Job. Psalms. Proverbs. Ecclesiastes. The Song of Songs. Isaiah. Jeremiah. Lamentations. Ezekiel.Daniel. Hosea. Joel. Amos. Obadiah. Jonah. Micah. Nahum. Habakkuk. Zephaniah. Haggai. Zechariah. Malachi.Of the New TestamentThe Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. The Acts of the Apostles. Paul’s Epistles to the Romans. Corinthians I.Corinthians II. Galatians. Ephesians. Philippians. Colossians. Thessalonians I. Thessalonians II. To Timothy I. To Timothy II. To Titus. To Philemon.The Epistle to the Hebrews. The Epistle of James. The First and Second Epistles of Peter. The First, Second, and Third Epistles of John. The Epistle of Jude. The Revelation.

devotional, Westminster Confession, confessionsWilliam HillJanuary 11, 2023Scripture, Bible, inspiration, authorty, faith, life, canon

Bible Knowledge Project: Genesis 1

Read: Genesis 1
The opening chapter of the Bible starts with a grand declaration, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” There is no defense of God’s existence. There is only a statement that it is God who created all things, visible and invisible.

God determined to create all things in the space of six days, and the account of it is given to us in 1:3-31. The following is a short summary of the days of creation:

bible readingWilliam HillJanuary 10, 2023Genesis 1, creation, man

The Morning Devotional: WCF 1.1 (Part Two)

The Morning Devotional for January 10, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 1.1 (Part Two)

Of the Holy Scripture

1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; a yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation;b therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his Church;c and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing;d which maketh the holy Scripture to be most necessary;e those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.f

a.Psa 19:1-3; Rom 1:19-20; 1:32 with Rom. 2:1; 2:14-15. • b. 1 Cor 1:21; 2:13-14. • c. Heb 1:1. • d. Prov 22:19-21; Isa 8:19-20; Mat 4:4, 7, 10; Luke 1:3-4; Rom 15:4. • e. 2 Tim 3:15; 2 Pet 1:19. • f. Heb 1:1-2.

devotional, video, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillJanuary 10, 2023Bible, devotional, Scripture

The Morning Devotional: WCF 1.1 (Part One)

The Morning Devotional for January 9, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 1.1 (Part One)

Of the Holy Scripture

1. Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable;a yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation;b therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal himself, and to declare that his will unto his Church;c and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing;d which maketh the holy Scripture to be most necessary;e those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.f

a.Psa 19:1-3; Rom 1:19-20; 1:32 with Rom. 2:1; 2:14-15. • b. 1 Cor 1:21; 2:13-14. • c. Heb 1:1. • d. Prov 22:19-21; Isa 8:19-20; Mat 4:4, 7, 10; Luke 1:3-4; Rom 15:4. • e. 2 Tim 3:15; 2 Pet 1:19. • f. Heb 1:1-2.

Bible Knowledge in a Modern World

We live in a world of instant information. Yet, with our access through various mediums and devices, God’s people are more biblically illiterate than ever in history. Not long ago, parents catechized their children, conducted family worship each evening, and spent time praying together as families. Not long ago, missing worship (both services) would have been unthinkable. Things have changed in our modern world, and I am not convinced they have changed for the better. The fruit of our failures to catechize, conduct family worship, and teach the importance of corporate worship each Lord’s Day is rotten. Its effects are visible across the spectrum of our culture and, worse, our churches.

bible readingWilliam HillJanuary 3, 2023bible, knowledge

The Basics of the Christian Life

Another new year is upon us, and if you are anything like me, you take the time to reflect on the previous year and make plans and goals for the new one. In some sense, this time of the year allows you to hit the "reset" button on your lives and adjust what needs to be changed related to your families, your relationship with Christ, and other essential matters. It is the second item, your relationship with Christ, that I want to focus on briefly, especially related to the fundamentals of the Christian life.

The basics are very important. If you watch sports, you will notice that when athletes competing at the highest level are in a tight spot and the game is on the line that their fundamentals are what gets them that hit that is needed or golf shot within feet of the hole, or the important pass to win the game. So much depends on the basics – the fundamentals. It is no different in the Christian life.