The chapters in this small volume were conceived many years ago as a series of two-minute recorded telephone messages. Hence, they are all about equal in length, and short. They make no claim to being exhaustive studies of any subject, nor is the sum of them a comprehensive list of every important Bible theme. Rather, they are intended as an introduction to certain basic topics, many of which, as the subtitle suggests, have become twisted and misunderstood over the centuries since the Bible’s writing. This decline was predicted in the Bible itself (e.g., Acts 20:29-30; 2 Tim. 4:3-4), so it should not be surprising that today, what is commonly believed is often at odds with what the Bible clearly teaches.

It is hoped that in these short chapters readers will find beliefs that make sense --- logical sense, yes; but more importantly, Biblical sense --- and be challenged to "search the scriptures daily" to see if these things are so (Acts 17:11).

A great debt is owed to the late Robert Roberts, whose classic Christendom Astray (1884) and other works provided a good deal of the material (and not a few turns of phrase!) presented here.

Todd Treadway
May, 1999

All Bible references are from the King James Version except where noted.