Articles by Bill Furioso

Preface “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer.” Acts 2:42[1] This verse tells us that following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the Christ Followers of the primitive church “continually devoted” themselves to “the apostles’ teaching and...

“Discipleship”[1] In my article, Discipleship & the Equipping Ministries[2], I discuss at length the particular ministry relationships between a disciple and an apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd, and teacher. Here, I would like to identify that which each of these Christ-appointed ministries have in common: “Apostolicity”. “Apostolic” “… He gave gifts...

How does one properly interpret the prophetic scriptures in the Old Testament? The same way the apostolic writers of the New Testament interpreted the prophetic scriptures in the Old Testament – recognizing God’s progressive revelation of Christ and His New Covenant. Interpreting in Light of Jesus as Lord and Christ...

“I recommend the following for open-minded and intelligent people who are searching for the true God and true peace of soul.”  Don Richardson, author of Eternity In Their Hearts from his forward to the book The God Who Is Real by Dr. Henry Morris. The following is an excerpt from The God Who Is Real by Dr. Henry Morris, the author...

Regeneration as a spiritual experience is represented in a multifaceted way in the Scriptures.  It means “believing in” and “receiving” Christ and “becoming a child of God”.[1]  It means being “saved by grace”.[2]  It means “passing out of death into life”[3], that is, “having eternal life and not coming into...

I am convinced that, particularly in the age in which we live, the adjective, “biblical”, has become of utmost importance.  It is definitive, separating true Christianity from all that is not according to Christ.  There are many false Christs, but the true Christ is a “biblical” Christ – that is,...

Preface In this teaching, “Breaking of Bread”, I attempt to elucidate what the term means and what it is referring to by discussing its Hebrew origins and its connection with the Old Covenant Meal – The Passover Meal, as well as its Christian usage and its connections with The New...

“… the weakness of God is stronger than mankind”. 1 Corinthians 1:25b This is, indeed, a captivating phrase penned by Paul – “the weakness of God”. The Greek word translated “weakness” is : asthenes[1], meaning “without strength”. There is a wonderful mystery in the many passages in which Paul speaks...

To discern the mystery of Christ fully, we must have revelation of Him as the Pattern of the New Covenant, because the New Covenant is all about Christ. This is the subject matter of this article. “Consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.”[1] “In these last days (God) has spoken to...

The Church (Ekklesia) In the Wilderness (Acts 7:38) “But what did you go out into the wilderness to see?” (Matthew 11:7)   God has a purpose in the wilderness. He wants His people to SEE “Something Better”.[1] People see what they want to see usually quail.[2]   “But what did...

Preface For the believer, the subject of faith contains several aspects which could discussed at length. However, here I am examining the subject of faith and the non-believer. Unless one is purposely preparing for a debate, most people do not spend much time studying something contrary to what they currently...

The New Testament Scriptures – Descriptive or Prescriptive? Do the New Testament Scriptures command us to gather and worship God according to the Conventional Church “Worship Service”? I would like to give my answer – or answers – and then explain why I have arrived at these answers: The answer...

This article will be an investigation into the nature of “the elementary principles of the world” (ta stoicheia tou kosmou) – a phrase penned by Paul, the apostle. We will look into the meaning of the Greek word, stoicheia; review the passages of scriptures in which Paul uses the term...

“I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations.”[1] Isaiah 42:6 In the midst of this Messianic prophecy in Isaiah,[2] we see disclosed the fact...

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.”[1]  How can we have peace in the midst of tribulation? How can we have courage in tribulation? How can we overcome...

This is a brief essay on a passage in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. My “bottom line” flies in the face of a current tendency in much of the professing Church in western nations, including most of the so called “Ekklesia” movements. That tendency is to shun the reality and...

The Divine Perspective Seeing from God’s Point of View  Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes: “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.”[1] ...

18 “To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ 19 “For that reason, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but continually proclaimed to those in...

Are there biblically-based affirmations as to the authenticity of one having been regenerated by the Holy Spirit?[1]  I’d like to list some indicators from the Bible that I believe point to the reality of having been born of the Spirit because they indicate the presence and ministry of the Holy...

”… so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.”[1] God has a cosmic point to make: God’s WISDOM makes the wisdom of the world and the god of this world look foolish.[2] But...

Introduction It is written in the gospel of Matthew that John the Baptist came preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”[1]  And, if you turn the page in the same gospel, you can read that after Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan, and subsequently...

From surveying the Scriptures, walking in the New Covenant – in both our individual and collective lives – seems to involve: Knowing God (Jeremiah 31:33; 9:24) Being Born of the Spirit (John 3:3-8; Romans 8:9) Being Led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14; Cf. John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28; 12;49; 14;10)...

 A Prophetic Word A little over 40 years ago, while reading the scriptures, I had a very brief vision : The “canvas” was entirely black. Then out of the blackness, bright specs jumped into the center of the picture. This continued until the center had grown into a bright golden...

19“In accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 … He (Father God) brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and...

The Foundation I Corinthians 3:10-11  10 According to the grace of God, which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a...

 “We are asking God that you may see things, as it were, from his point of view by being given spiritual insight and understanding.” Colossians 1:9, J.B. Phillips Translation  “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1...

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”  1 Corinthians 3:9  We must seek God for guidance in the work of God. When I speak of “seeking God for guidance”, it can be equated with “the fellowship of the Holy Spirit”[1]. Reflect on how Jesus described...

A foundational Scripture passage – Proverbs 30:24-28 “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; The rock hyraxes are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; The...

 A foundational Scripture passage – Proverbs 30:24-28 “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; The rock hyraxes are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; The...

A foundational Scripture passage – Proverbs 30:24-28  “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; The rock hyraxes are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; The...

A foundational Scripture passage – Proverbs 30:24-28  “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer; The rock hyraxes are not mighty people, yet they make their houses in the rocks; The...

Introduction What this article is about: To be clear, salvation is totally dependent upon the work of the Holy Spirit: “Salvation belongs to the LORD.” (Psalm 3:8) “No one can by any means redeem another.” (Psalm 49:7) But we are called to co-labor with the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9) So, we need to understand...

Maher-shalal-hash-baz Isaiah 8:1  A Prophecy for a People Not Unlike Ourselves *******  “Be broken, you peoples, and be shattered; and listen, all remote places of the earth. Get ready, yet be shattered. Get ready, yet be shattered. Devise a plan, but it will fail. State a proposal, but it will not stand, for God is with us. For so the LORD spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me...

“For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:9 ******* This essay is about “tearing down” and “building up” the people of God – “God’s field” or “God’s building”. There are plenty of scripture references which speak about exposing error.[1] This essay is NOT questioning...

Concerning the title, “The Even GREATER Commission for the Church” ….[1] We are all familiar with what is called the Great Commission – to preach the gospel and make disciples.  In his epistle to the Church in Ephesus, I believe Paul is explaining what could be called the “Even Greater...

“ … though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 9:21 Preface I find “The Law of Christ”[1] to be an intriguing, important, and immeasurable topic. I have written about it elsewhere[2]; and plan to write more on it in the future. In...

 WHAT Do We Mean By “The Cross”? The first mention of “the cross” in the Bible is spoken by Jesus Himself: “And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse...

“What does the future hold?”, if we were to give a one-word answer to that question, that one word would be “TRIBULATION”.  Jesus told us this 2000 years ago. In Matthew 24 Jesus said the indications of the end of the age[1] would be deception[2], lawlessness[3] and tribulations[4]. “Deception” and...

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armour of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the...

What is the essence of the New Covenant? The most significant scriptural reference to the New Covenant is Jeremiah 31:31-34. Its significance is attested to in that the writer to the Hebrews, who was focused on distinguishing the New Covenant from the Old Covenant, chose to quote Jeremiah verbatim in...

In Search of New Covenant Worship in Spirit & Truth In his book, “Custom and Command”[1], Stan Firth’s stated purpose was this: “All I am trying to do in this book is to encourage dear friends in the unstructured churches that they are well within God’s framework in the way...

John 3:1-11[1]  1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless...