Latest Posts

I have a question regarding homosexuality. I am a Christian and obviously believe God’s word to be true. The Bible says homosexuality is sinful — something to be repented of…. Read More

I have a question about 2 Corinthians 2ff. and Ephesians 1. Paul often uses the term "we," "our," etc. In our reading and preaching of these texts, it seems to… Read More

"For many are called, but few are chosen" appears in some Bibles as part of Matthew 20:16, after "the first shall be last and the last shall be first." Yet… Read More

I would like to share the following submission from one of my readers. (My own position is that in 99% of all cases, abortion is indeed wrong.) Would you consider… Read More

I visited a Bible discussion on campus at a nearby university. The topic was the life of David. The leader mentioned (commenting on 1 Samuel 29) that since David fled… Read More

Can you please suggest some websites with some good biblical study courses? (several inquirers) John Lang, of Indianapolis, recently sent the following great links. I think you will appreciate all… Read More

Where can I find out what coins in Bible times looked like? Any pointers? A good Bible encyclopedia would probably help you, though there is a quicker way. Since you… Read More

I came across an online resource for a Bible translation I was unfamiliar with. The ISV (International Standard Version) purports to bridge the gap between literal and idiomatic translations. The… Read More

I found a book that answered a lot of my questions about prayer. It is Nelson’s Personal Handbook on Prayer, by James Wilhoit. On page 182 it says, "First of… Read More

Don’t the two following passages in the scriptures rule out that the kingdom of God came on the day of Pentecost? Luke 17:20-21: "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees… Read More

Could you please explain the concept of surrender as it applies to "letting go and letting God"? I hear this over and over, but I’m not sure that I know… Read More

Is it true that the Koran prophesies the "War on Terror" against Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden? I recently received an email. It said, "No other nation, except Israel,… Read More

I was reading about Origen (d.254 AD), one of the ancient church fathers in a recent Christian history magazine, and it got me thinking. My church has taught for years that… Read More

Do you believe that Revelation was written by John around 64-65 A.D, or do you hold to the more traditional date of 95 A.D? I know that the 95 A.D…. Read More

[The issue at hand: whether it is right to baptize a couple living together who are not technically married.] — See Q&A 0666 for the context. I was reading through… Read More

I read somewhere (I can’t remember where) that each of our modern-day paragraphs is the equivalent of a single sentence in the original Greek. But my interlinear Bible seems to… Read More

Do all who call on the name of the Lord get saved? Or only the ones who do his will? I am thinking of passages like Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32,… Read More

How do you explain that Jesus himself called people ‘fools’? Wouldn’t he be subject to hellfire according to his own words (Matthew 5:22 versus 23:17, 19)? What does this mean… Read More

I have a question about Romans 10:9. Before every baptism I’ve been to, including my own, the person to be baptized confessed "Jesus is Lord." Was this confession done in… Read More

I was wondering what your view was about life on other planets. — Chris Gordillo So far, there is no unequivocal evidence that there has ever been life any of… Read More

I’m trying to understand the idea of male-female relationships — i.e. marriage, or in my case, dating. My desire is to have a girlfriend, and eventually a wife, but I’m… Read More

I noticed in your book Genesis, Science & History [now Origins] that you teach Revelation 21-22 is about the church triumphant. My viewpoint on this is evolving, but I have a… Read More

What reference books do you recommend in order to study New Testament words? — C. W. Rardin Why not start with Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament… Read More

I believe Mary and Joseph were called "married" before Jesus was born. I do not understand this. Were they really married? And were they allowed to have sex together? And… Read More

Please help to make sense of the following scriptures — how they relate to one another and should be applied. Numbers 30:10-12: "Suppose a woman is married and living in… Read More

I recently visited a charismatic church. The sermon was about strengthening the spirit, or, as they put it, "Getting the wuss out of you!" The main scripture was Numbers 13:29,… Read More

In Acts 21:29, Paul was criticised for bringing an uncircumcised Greek into the temple courts. I was trying to find the OT regulation stipulating that Gentiles, aliens or the uncircumcised… Read More

I am reading through Chronicles and have a question about names in the Bible. Do you know the process by which names are translated? I came across one name Evil-Merodach,… Read More

I would like to study the water and HS baptism as one in the same theme. Do you have some scriptures or a study on that? Yes, chapter 24 of… Read More

I’ve been asked by a few friends, “Was it a sin to be immoral in the Old Testament without being married?” What do you say?”—Carmen (Long Beach) Absolutely! It is… Read More

The article posted at your website on this difficult subject is very helpful. I especially appreciate the time all the authors took in developing the “concessionary will” strand in the… Read More

1 Samuel 17:50 and 2 Samuel 21:19 appear to be contradictory. The second passage says Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim of Bethlehem killed Goliath the Gittite. If this is true, how… Read More

In Daniel 6:30, the king who conquered and took over the Babylonian empire was Darius, while I guess historical records indicate it was Cyrus. What would you say about this?… Read More

Are the Nag Hammadi and Lut Lake documents (gospels) true, or did somebody make them up to confuse the believers? If they are true, do they contradict with the Bible… Read More

In Acts 19, in Ephesus, the great goddess is named Diana in the KJV, but is called Artemis in the NIV. This seems like a pretty big difference. Any reason… Read More

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question in Q632. However, there are some loose ends I’d like to clear up. First, you said "Then why, you… Read More

At your website you wrote that if the laws of the land recognize you as married, then that is fine. I have a friend who has been living a common… Read More

Is masturbation sin? Can we separate the act from the sinful desires that accompany it? The Bible does not directly address the subject, so we should be careful in how… Read More

In Matthew 5:42 we read, "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Is it right for… Read More

I checked out one of your articles regarding the creation account, where you said, "There are several other scientific insights one can glean from Genesis. For example, Genesis 3 teaches… Read More

I will get married soon. My fiancée and I were wondering, "Is it really necessary to be married in front of the church, or only in front of the law?"… Read More

How should we proceed with people who in the past were disfellowshiped from the church? In Bulgaria we are asking ourselves, "For how long does the disfellowship apply?" and "If… Read More

A footnote in my NASB study Bible on 1 Kings 16 said Ahab was probably worshiping both YHWH and Baal, because the names of both of Ahab’s sons refer to… Read More

I just want to know about the biblical explanation of the Sunday church service. I am referring to such features as the welcome, opening prayer, communion, benevolence collection, message, response,… Read More

As a political science and sociology student I have found it fairly difficult to accept all that my country continues to do domestically and abroad to those less fortunate. I… Read More

It seems that Satan was created with the sole purpose of sifting men. God knew that Satan and the other angels would turn from him, before he even created him…… Read More

You wrote, "Whatever resists God’s will is evil’ (Q0067). Before, I viewed the cosmos as a duality with two forces, good and evil. But as I see things now, that… Read More

I’d love to see something posted on clearing debt. During my 19 years as a disciple, I’ve allowed contribution pressures to influence my financial decisions. I have a good bit… Read More

Here in Turkey it’s not that easy to get sources to teach us about Christianity. I have a question: Are the Nag Hammadi documents true, or did somebody make them… Read More

I have done some study about salvation and baptism, and have come to some conclusions that are in seeming disagreement with the doctrine of salvation through baptism. Undoubtedly, baptism is… Read More

When it comes to reading the Bible daily, is there any passage that calls us to read every day? I am looking for a passage that’s not been taken out… Read More

What are your thoughts on the authorship of Isaiah? I know that most scholars believe the book consists of the prophecies of two, three or more prophets, including various editorial… Read More

I noticed in The Muslim Challenge at the website the "Fatiha." I have studied part of the Koran back in high school in Lebanon and recently bought a copy of… Read More

Is Mary in Luke 10:38 the same Mary who appears at the foot of the cross in Luke and John? — Tasha No, Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, is… Read More

I am trying to figure out 1 Corinthians 11:17-19, where Paul talks about how there will be differences among brothers to show which have God’s approval. Does this mean the… Read More

I have been taught that in Matthew 16 Peter was given the keys (plural), and used one in Acts 2 for the Jews then the other in Acts 10 to… Read More

What do we know about crucifixion in the ancient world? One of the best books I have ever read is The Cross of the Son of God (London: SCM Press,… Read More

From Deuteronomy 21:10-14, it would appear that God allows his people to marry outside of Israel. Was this a special case? What seems odd to me is that the husband… Read More

Thank you for your website. I find it quite helpful to hear the questions of others, and am thankful that others are just as confused about some things as I… Read More

Doesn’t Mark 16 encourage Christians to handle snakes? What do you say about that? In Mark 16 — if we accept the passage as genuine — Jesus predicted that believers… Read More

Biblical prophecy is nothing like the so-called prophecies of the world. It is accurate, reliable, and sure. The prophecies of the world, by contrast, tend to be vague, phony, or… Read More

I was reading through Luke, focusing on how Jesus started his ministry, and I started to wonder why Jesus wouldn’t call anyone to follow him before Simon and Andrew. Jesus had to have… Read More

My questions regard 2 Samuel 7:11-16. The passage seems to be referring to Solomon. On the other hand, I am tempted to believe this scripture refers to Jesus. Who is… Read More

Why did Jesus tell people they couldn’t have life unless they ate his body and drank his blood? This seems strange, as though it is coming out of nowhere. I… Read More

The question is about Mark 3:28 and Matthew 12:32 versus Luke 12:10. This is of importance for me, because Mark 3:28 is often explained by reference to its context. In… Read More

"The LORD says to my Lord" in Psalm 110:1 is usually considered proof of Jesus’ divinity. However, I’ve read some Jewish writers claiming the second "Lord" is a false translation… Read More

I’ve heard and learned that committing suicide is sin. Some people have cancer that doctors can’t help. Do they have to go through pain and suffering? The AMP version of… Read More

In Mark 4:10-12, we read, "When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of… Read More

I’ve often wondered what Judas did with his money he received for betraying Jesus. In Acts 1:18 it says he bought a field (where he died). But in Matthew 27:5-7… Read More

I have helped many people get baptized into Christ. I’ve also prevented many people from getting baptized because they were not meeting my expectations (or the specific challenges I laid… Read More

Can you help me reconcile these two scriptures: Matthew 2:13-23 and Luke 2:22? In Matthew, we find Joseph bringing Mary and Jesus to Egypt right after the visit of the… Read More

I do not see the Ark of the Covenant mentioned in the Bible after the time of Solomon. What happened to it? Where might it be? Is recovering it of… Read More

I have heard it argued for years that there should only be "one church in one city." Yet I have found at least three biblical examples of multiple churches in… Read More

In my spiritual world, quitting church and returning are very hot issues. The question is often posed, What must we expect from people who want to return to church? It… Read More

According to the Law God gave us by Moses each person should be responsible for his own deeds. “The father shall not be put to death for their children, nor… Read More

I have read in a book, Twisted Scriptures, that Hebrews 13:17 should not be translated "obey your leaders" — that this is an incorrect way to read the passage. It… Read More

I think that I’ve read somewhere that Paul stayed for several years in Tarsus after he had been baptized and before Barnabas came and picked him up. I used to… Read More

I heard a sister say, "Hi, I’m a recovering alcoholic." I understand that the point of this is to keep one humble by reminding oneself one is still an addict… Read More

Do you think it is important for a preacher to attend seminary? (A frequent question) Short answer: no. Long answer: Please keep reading. In the New Testament, it seems that… Read More

I get confused about when the Bible is talking about the end of the world or the end of Judaism. What is the "time of restoration" in Acts 3:21? If… Read More

In Acts 21:29, Paul was criticised for bringing an uncircumcised Greek into the temple courts. I was trying to find the OT regulation stipulating that Gentiles, aliens or the uncircumcised… Read More

Can you please suggest some books so that I can go deeper in my Bible study? This will also help me prepare lessons. You might want to take a look… Read More

I’ve been a disciple now for 12 years — and I think I have a pretty inquisitive spirit. I always question and analyze…..to some extent this is good, and to… Read More

What writings would you recommend that are not in the canonized Bible? It seems like there are a lot of good commentaries on the scriptures from our 1st and 2nd… Read More

My question is from Revelation. I notice that the letters to the churches are addressed to the angels over those churches. My question is, Are the angels responsible for taking… Read More

I was listening to your sermon on Ephesians 4. You said the great thing about the Bible is that, even if all Christians died off and only the Bible was… Read More

I’ve recently read a little about the Indian Bible. the Bhagavad Gita, and in it there is much written about a figure who has many similarities to Jesus. He was… Read More

How would you explain 1 John 2:12-14 in regard to the word "children"? This is one of the words used by Lutherans to justify the practice of baptising children. The… Read More

A friend of mine who tends to question everything about Jesus suggested that he might have been married. What do you say? –Katie Campbell (Columbus, Ohio) Knowing–and as he often… Read More

I am reading Early Christian Readings, by Andrew Louth. A couple of his statements confused me. (He is very Roman in his leaning). First, he refers to the Martyrdom of… Read More

I have heard it preached that the word "righteousness" (as in Matthew 6:33) in the original language is same as the word for "charity" and that, therefore, "Seek first his… Read More

Jesus was born into a Jewish household, and Joseph presumably taught him everything he (Joseph) knew about God’s word and God’s plan. How do we know that he and Mary… Read More

There is a scripture that says we can cause a little one to stumble. Yet I was under the impression that each person is responsible for his/her sin. How can… Read More

In a response to an inquiry entitled "Email from a Dead Mormon!" you said. "The Book of Mormon claims to have come through the mediation of an angel…" Could you… Read More

I just wanted to know what would be your opinion regarding the sentences below, which I found at sex education website. "God never said that sexual information was a sin:… Read More

There is not much said about demons in the Bible except that they exist. It is generally believed that they are the fallen angels, but my study of 2 Pet…. Read More

I was wondering what your take is on hypnosis. My question more has to deal with the idea of suppressed memories and things of that nature. Although mental health counseling… Read More

Q&A 0605 – Baptism and dementia “I have a question that has been troubling me this few days and I hope you can help. My mom studied the bible and… Read More

In Luke 9:41, we read, ‘O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here." I sense… Read More

Would Christians have been involved in the building of the temple in Jerusalem, or was this temple somehow associated with the coming of the kingdom for Jews who did not… Read More

As I was reading my Bible I have noticed that the Song of Songs talks not about a wedded couple, but an engaged couple. I was wondering how you interpret… Read More

Why do you feel the need to teach about either hierarchy in heaven or one’s appreciation of heaven? I refer to one of your visits to England when you taught… Read More

I was studying Hebrews 9, and have a question about verse 28: "So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time… Read More

Is there any evidence that Mary Magdalene was one of the apostles, or that Jesus married her (or was her lover)? Lots of popular books and movies seem to take… Read More

Is it really wrong for a Christian to use violence against his enemies? — [Many questions] Violence was not the way of the Lord. Non-resistance was his position as well as the… Read More

I was just wondering, exactly what are the two unchangeable things mentioned in Hebrews 6:17-18? — Chad Garber As I understand the text, they are the promise (v.15) and the… Read More

What did Jesus mean when he said to Mary, "Dear woman, why do you involve me?… My time has not yet come" (John 2:4)? Did Mary know Jesus could perform… Read More

I’ve been studying the influence of culture on church practice. 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 got me thinking, and I have done a lot of further study on this subject. You are… Read More

Your answer to the question of communion really intrigues me. I was neither a Catholic nor a Protestant prior to making my decision for Christ; I am (and was) a… Read More

What does it mean when Acts says "the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more…"? Was Philip actually "sucked up" somehow and transported… Read More

One book I read claimed that the meaning of "faith" according to the book of James is different than "faith" according to Paul in Romans. How should I think about… Read More

My question is about disciples moving between cities or countries. Recently a disciple asked me for advice on moving to another city in the United States, one in which the… Read More

Before becoming a disciple, I used to practice witchcraft. I could, and still can, meet people for the first time and pretty much know their life story. I use this… Read More

Bible critics are quick to point out that bats are incorrectly grouped with the birds in Leviticus 11:19 and Deuteronomy 14:18. Since bats are mammals, what do you say about… Read More

My wife and I are currently reading your parenting book, The Quiver [republished in 2017 as Principle-Centered Parenting]. I can’t tell you how much pressure I feel as a dad…. Read More

I’ve been reading Romans and am finding it very difficult to understand some of the concepts I find there. For example, does God create people to be destroyed in order… Read More

I have been trying to look for scriptures that speak about God’s affection. As a woman who grew up in a dysfunctional home without men, I long to feel loved… Read More

Where does the Bible speak helpfully about sexual abuse? I’m having a hard time overcoming my childhood abuse. I’m taking part in a “recovery” ministry right now to deal with… Read More

Proverbs 27:10 says, "Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you; better a neighbor nearby… Read More

Matthew 5:19-20 reads, "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but… Read More

I recently read the book of Revelation, as far as I could. In the end it’s written that saved souls are going to rule. But what are they going to… Read More

Critics of the Bible point out that the reference to the "Sea" in the OT shows mathematical confusion. [The Sea was an enormous basin in which the priests bathed before… Read More

Please recommend a good website for online Bible resources. Take a look at http://www.studylight.org. There you will find the complete ISBE, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. (I recently purchased the hard… Read More

Does God approve of affirmative action? — M.D.N.W. I don’t know what God’s opinion is concerning "affirmative action" — he hasn’t told me! — though I do know from his… Read More

Do we need to confess our sins daily to someone else? Things I do know: confession to God is of the utmost importance. It is also important to confess/make amends… Read More

As Christians, should we believe in fate or destiny? Really interesting question. We sing "He’s got the whole world in his hands…" We trust the Lord, and rightly so. Providence, the… Read More

In Matthew 25:31-46, the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, is Jesus saying that this is all that is required to enter heaven? Surely I don’t think so, but it… Read More

I don’t understand this verse about forgiveness. Perhaps you can enlighten me on the context/meaning of this? I thought that unconditional forgiveness is commanded according to Matthew 6:14. — Josephine… Read More

Hebrews 11:4 says, "And by faith he Abel still speaks, even though he is dead." My Bible notes suggest that he still "speaks" through his spiritual reputation and good influence…. Read More

I have been reading a book on Greco-Roman cultural norms. It was mentioned that in most cases the Roman government would not legally recognize the marriage of a citizen to a… Read More

In Corinthians 5 Paul challenges the church at Corinth to expel the immoral brother from the fellowship, and then he lists other sins at the end of the chapter. Is… Read More

If you’re studying the Bible and are a smoker but haven’t been baptized yet, should being a smoker stop you from being baptized?… Most smokers haven’t been immersed, therefore they… Read More

Which scriptures will help a believer not to become legalistic? Any help will be greatly appreciated. — Veronica Galatians is very much written to combat legalism. Romans also addresses the… Read More

I have always had a concern when connecting/projecting Jesus’ directing Nicodemus that he must be born of water and the Spirit to new covenant baptism, as in Acts 2:38. I… Read More

My second question: I have often thought that perhaps the serpent in the garden of Eden was a dinosaur, and when God gave him his punishment in Genesis 3:14, that… Read More

Your article on the limited duration of hell was extremely beneficial to my faith; I cannot tell you what an answer to prayer it was! Since angels have free will… Read More

Romans 16 shows that there were many churches in the city. Is it possible to have five or eight churches in one city, each with independent authority? — Fabio Castellanos… Read More

Does 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:19-20 refer to the body as a group or rather to individual Christians? I have heard that the applications of these scriptures to us as individuals… Read More

I have been told that the “Eye of the Needle” was a narrow passage in Jerusalem’s city wall through which caravans could pass only with the greatest difficulty. Perhaps this… Read More

Today I read Luke 17, Jesus’ words about the kingdom of God. In the NIV he says "the kingdom of God is within you," but in the New American Standard… Read More

James 2:24 says, "You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." I’ve had to chew on this one for a while as… Read More

What does the Bible say about wisdom? Where should I go in order to study out this theme? Let me suggest you approach the subject by studying wisdom and its… Read More

Recently I was given these questions by my teenage daughter. I would appreciate it if you would comment on these questions, as they are probably similar to questions other teens… Read More

I bought and am taking Methoxygen, a legal sports drug that has steroid like effects, and there are no harsh side effects. It is expensive — $75/month. I use it… Read More

I am a disciple in the Middle East and I just wanted to ask about 1 Corinthians 7:36-37. Was Paul talking about a man who decided not to marry because… Read More

I’ve been reading Ephesians and 1:10 mentions "the fullness or fulfillment of the times." Most commentaries and dictionaries tend to interpret this scripture as referring to the end of time…. Read More

Is it more difficult for some people to live as disciples than for others? I realize that all of us need to die every day which is a sobering fact…. Read More

I’ve looked into what is being called the emergent church and I’m a little confused by various articles that I’ve read about it. Do you have a simpler explanation of… Read More

Is Romans 7 written by Paul of his past or his present struggle to do what’s right? I’ve heard arguments within the church from both sides of the table that… Read More

What are your views on the use of Einstein’s relativity equation in the way suggested at this website?  Does the evidence limit the age of the universe to just a few… Read More

Most games have some element of violence in them. Many RPGs (longer in-depth games) involve magic spells and choosing your religion according to the story. How do you know as… Read More

In John 2, we see that Jesus clears the temple. A friend asked me if this was a fit of rage. I have heard some people refer to it as… Read More

How can I publish a book?  Do you have any advice for a would-be author? — Many persons If you would like to become an author, you should learn all… Read More

First, can you give some insight on the "third heaven" that Paul was referring to in 2 Corinthians 12? Second, is Paul the "man" in 12:2? — Steve Johnson The… Read More

I had a little confusion concerning what I read in Matthew 5:16 and Matthew 6:1. They seem to be related, but at the same time cancel each other out. Matthew… Read More

Is John 7:37-39 referring to Ezekiel 47:1-12? — Jason Alexander (Madison, Wisconsin) Yes, I think it is. That means that Ezekiel 47 is not a literal passage. The temple is… Read More

I was reading in my quiet time in Hosea 1:4 that God was going to punish Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel. Yet in 2 Kings 9 and 10, God… Read More

I came across a webpage that claims there is evidence that Jesus was in India and Tibet during part of his life. It claimed that Jesus is known there as… Read More

I read your "vivid dreams" Q&A and still have a question. I have been a Christian for 11 years. For the first 6 years I would have thought that someone… Read More

Have you ever seen this?  I think it is interesting. This website claims the Qur’an gives us the speed of light! —Matt Lovacheff The passage the link refers to is Surah 32.5: (Allah) Rules… Read More

My wife and I were discussing the meaning of Acts 17:24-28. In other translations, it appears that God determines the epochs during which men will rise and the areas of… Read More

My question regards the meaning of the word "spiritual." I was involved in a discussion the other day about the words to a song. I said that even if the… Read More

Paul told Timothy, "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers…" (1 Timothy 4:12). Is there any way we can… Read More

I had a question about the saying, "Speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent." To me this means that if there is no biblical… Read More

Why is there so little mention of heaven and hell as an afterlife in the O.T.? And where does Jesus’ understanding of an afterlife come from? — Joel Leiby You… Read More

For some time I have held the view that the age of the earth dinosaurs and remains like "Lucy" (Australopithecus afarensis) can be explained by the gap between Genesis 1:1 and… Read More

Would you explain the difference between the amillennial, pre-millennial and post-millennial interpretations of the book of Revelation? — Charles Cardo (Tampa) Those who endeavor to take Revelation literally insist on… Read More

Recently I read F.F. Bruce’s The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? It was a great book. However it raised a few questions regarding Paul s apostleship. From my understanding… Read More

I study French literature at the doctoral level at a public university. I enjoy my studies very much but I worry that my convictions will be compromised by secular theories… Read More

I have been wondering for some time now about Israel’s right of statehood from a biblical perspective. I know from the Bible that Israel isn’t any longer God’s chosen nation…. Read More

I read an article that teaches that there was two calls to discipleship, one for the apostles and eyewitnesses of Jesus, and other to people who would believe through them…. Read More

We are about to appoint deacons in our congregation and only the men will be voting on the nominees. The scripture referred to is in Acts 6:1-6 where the brothers… Read More

Sometimes I feel like I have gone over the "limit" of sin which I am allowed. While the Bible clearly teaches about the continual forgiveness of God (1 John 1:9)… Read More

Herod Antipas, the tetrarch who beheaded John the Baptist, is called a "king" in Mark 6:14-29. Since a tetrarch is a "ruler of a quarter," and he was just ruling… Read More

In warning someone for divisiveness, does such a sin carry a "life sentence"? Titus 3:10-11 says, "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that,… Read More

Are slaves allowed to revolt? In Ephesians 6:5-9, we read about how slaves should be submissive to their masters and serve them as if they were serving the Lord. How… Read More

I would like to know what is the New Testament premise for full time ministry "staff." — Siobhan O’Hanlon (Ireland) Thanks for your question. (And its brevity!) As I read… Read More

I have been doing some study on the book of Revelation and recently learned that all my views were wrong! My premillennial view was incorrect. But I have one lingering… Read More

I’ve been studying out the doctrine of the Trinity, and I had some questions about the traditional use of John 1 as a proof text for Jesus’ divinity. What in… Read More

I believe that there is a perception in the church that if a husband serves is any leadership role in any ministry then automatically the wife needs to serve as… Read More

The Jews baptize their converts in living (flowing) water through use of a mikveh or natural body of water. Living water has symbolic significance just like full immersion. Since the… Read More

I was studying the Bible with a man from a group called the Holy Spirit Church. He made a point about the name of God, saying that his church uses… Read More

I have been reading a book that suggests Noah’s curse on Ham in Genesis 9 was because Ham committed maternal incest, and that Canaan is actually Noah’s wife’s child. This… Read More

In 1994 you wrote an excellent paper on The Lord’s Supper. You suggested that the Supper is an actual meal, and best observed by Christians only. Is there a reason… Read More

I was reading through past issues of your question and answer column and it made me curious about women teachers. Do you think women could aspire to teach other women?… Read More

I am so interested in Melchizedek! There is so much mystery surrounding this man. Why was he still in the priesthood if he is "without genealogy"? After all, Nehemiah threw… Read More

I have often heard it said that there are no such thing as "big sins" or "small sins," since all deserve death in the eyes of God. But in Mark… Read More

I have read part of the History of Joseph the Carpenter, the apocryphal book about the father of Jesus. It seems to be very "catholic" in its theology, portraying Joseph… Read More

I have a question that you might answer, about Daniel in the furnace. The Bible says that the furnace was very hot and killed the guards that took the guys… Read More

I enjoyed your class on World Religions in Orlando in 2003, and would now like to read the scriptures of the following world religions: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Taoism, and Judaism…. Read More

I want to ask you about Matthew 10:23. What did Jesus mean when he said: "You will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man… Read More

I was just wondering if it is a sin for a woman to shave her head? I was just curious if it there was any biblical reference about the subject…. Read More

It seems that actors and actresses are held up as the standard to live by in the world, to the point of being worshipped (idol worship). We as humans can’t… Read More

Do we really have to be baptized to have our sins forgiven?… Please explain to me what Paul is talking about when he says, “I have been crucified with Christ:… Read More

I have been struggling with emailing you because I know you probably get a million emails a day and I didn’t want to burden you with my question, but then… Read More

On page 12 of your book I Was Hungry you state: "There is no inherent virtue in poverty and certainly none in asceticism" citing Proverbs 30:7-9 and 31 as proof… Read More

I read your recent response to the matter of missing meetings. My dilemma is a little different. I am an athlete and have decided to compete in a decathlon. This… Read More

In a document about qualifications of a teacher, you wrote (in the eighth criterion): “His wife must have passion for the ministry as well; they must be well matched in… Read More

Is it biblical and or wise to leave final decisions to church boards who are neither elders nor full time staff regarding issues such as ministers’ salaries, the spiritual direction… Read More

There are quite a few references to divination in the Old Testament. What is it? It is my understanding that it was not proper for God’s people to practice anything… Read More