Volume 10 / Issue 12 | December 2023

The Apologetics Newsletter
of the Missouri Baptist Convention


In This Issue: John's Testimony from Patmos ... The Devil and His Details ... The Father of Lies ... Paul's Anticipation of Christ's Return ... Horns and a Pitchfork? ... and more!

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John's Testimony from Patmos

In the visions John receives while exiled on the island of Patmos, he often records the words of Jesus foretelling his return. In these sayings, Jesus assures his followers -- and warns his opponents -- that his return is certain.


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The Devil and His Details

In a short summary of Satan's diabolical activities in this present age, and his ultimate destiny in the days to come, we note seven key contrasts between what the evil one does now and what eventually becomes of him.



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Satan: The Father of Lies

Jesus uses the term "the father of lies" to describe Satan during an encounter with the religious leaders of his day. Jesus exposes their plot to kill him, and then contrasts his Father (God) with the father of the scribes and Pharisees (Satan).


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Paul's Anticipation of Christ's Return

How could the self-proclaimed "worst of sinners," suffering confinement in Rome, write a letter to a distant church, expressing gratitude and joy? Paul's letter to the Philippians is a remarkable epistle that proclaims the joys of knowing Christ, the rewards of persevering in the faith, and the secret of contentment.



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Horns and a Pitchfork?

The subtlety of the father of lies is rooted in his character as the master of a million faces. And these faces are beautifully bathed in light. The grotesque images of the evil one as a fiery red beast with horns, a pointy tail, and a pitchfork come to us, not from Scripture, but from Middle-Age caricatures.


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All About the Evil One

Was Satan once an anointed cherub, God's prime minister of the universe? When and how did he become the father of lies, tempter, and adversary? And what hope is there for followers of Jesus in knowing that God has prepared a special place for Satan and his messengers? What Every Christian Should Know About Satan explores more than a dozen biblical names and titles that reveal the evil one's character, tactics, and ultimate destiny in the lake of fire. Written for pastors and laypersons alike, this resource is designed for personal or group study.


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