The change in food laws was an act of the Roman Catholic church
Question: I was reading your article you had done concerning Animal Rights and the Bible, and upon reading it you stated that the Most High had given Israel food laws, and then stated the Most High changed the food laws in the book of Acts. Sir, that teaching is totally false and because the Roman Catholic…
Read MoreCan you explain Hebrews 13:16 in terms of fellowship?
Question: So now I am having trouble with Hebrews 13:16. He says, “But to do good and to communicate forget not”. The words “to communicate” are the word Koinonia (fellowship). So he is saying “But to do good and to fellowship forget not”. So what does he mean by telling them to fellowship? Other translations…
Read MoreWe have strong feelings for each other, but how do we know if we are made for each other?
Question: My problem is that I love a person, well, we both love each other, but he is a year younger than me; I’m 20 and he is 19. We indulged in sexual touching, but soon we realized that we were sinning. We do not do it anymore. We seriously are repentant about our past…
Read MoreWhat kind of skin did God make for Adam and Eve after their sin?
Question: I found this article interesting and informative, but wished to correct one piece of information. God didn’t kill any animals to clothe Adam and Eve, that Bible quote is referring to Him creating our skin. Because after eating from the forbidden tree, Adam and Eve realized they were naked — so they couldn’t have been clothed…
Read MoreWhy are older people so much nicer and more respectful than young people?
Question: Every time I attend worship, older people like me more than people my age. Why are older people so much nicer and more respectful than young people? There are no young people as nice and respectful as older people. I wish our young people were nice like older people. Answer: “Let your speech always…
Read MoreDid Jesus Use Carnal Methods to Attract Crowds?
by Greg Gwin via Gospel Power, Vol. 16, No. 23, June 7, 2009. Many religious groups use a variety of carnal appeals to draw people to their assemblies. For instance, there are suppers and ice cream socials, ball games and entertainment events, etc. When asked to justify these activities they will commonly refer to the…
Read MoreCan you explain Philippians 3:10?
Question: I am still studying all about fellowship. It is a very interesting study. Now I think I understand what you have been saying that fellowship (koinonia) is a noun and it helps to think of it like we do the word “friendship.” So if two people are friends, they are friends based on their…
Read MoreYour rhetoric regarding the Church of the Nazarene is wrong-headed and malicious
Question: I am a minister in the Church of the Nazarene and take offense to your article about the church. Interestingly I was raised in the Church of Christ until I left home in my late teens. Your rhetoric regarding the church is wrong-headed and malicious. It does not help the cause of Christ to bash…
Read MoreIs it wrong to make a decision about what is right or wrong based on what you think a cartoon character would do?
Question: Is it sinful to base your life on a cartoon? Let’s say you’re being tempted, but to help you get past your temptation you think about what a hero on a show would do. Would that be sinful? Answer: A lot would depend on the cartoon I would think. Behind every cartoon is a…
Read MoreWhat are the four faces of Jesus?
Question: What are the four faces of Jesus? And how are they related to the present-day church? Answer: The phrase is not used in the Bible, but it is how some modern writers refer to the four gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Each gospel is addressed to a different audience and, therefore, addresses different…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between courtship and dating?
Question: What is the difference between courtship and dating? I don’t see any difference. Answer: Dating in American culture is when a boy and a girl see each other regularly and go out on outings together, one-on-one. The purpose is to get to know each other and to decide if each wants the other as…
Read MoreHow do I find a girlfriend in the United States?
Question: I am a 20-year-old boy. I don’t have any girlfriend and I want to find a nice girl, say between 18 and 45 years of age, from the United States of America or another American country. So what should I do to find her? Answer: Let me first warn you, there are a number…
Read MoreHow do Luke 21:16 and Luke 21:18 harmonize?
Question: In the context of Luke 21:5-19, how would you harmonize 16 and 18? If you take the figurative approach to 18, what do the hair and head represent? Literal? I look forward to your thoughts. Answer: Luke 21 is a parallel account to Matthew 24 and Mark 13, discussing the fall of Jerusalem. In…
Read MoreWould it be wrong to punch your friend if he agreed to being punched?
Question: If you were offered $100 to punch someone (no person in particular). So you get one of your friends and you say, “Let me punch you and I’ll give you $50.” If he says, “yes,” is it a sin? Answer: I’m puzzled about where this one is going. You see, I used to do…
Read MoreWhat do you suggest I do when my brothers are bugging me?
Question: What do you suggest I do when my brothers are bugging me? Answer: Having siblings is a blessing and a curse. It is great to have someone there to do things with, but because you live together they know all your weak points. If they want to irritate you, they know just how to…
Read MoreYou May NOW Kiss the Bride
by Cindy Dunagan via Focus Magazine, No. 98, April 2008. Sexual purity. What virtue is more difficult to instill in our teenagers than purity of heart? No one needs to tell you we are living in an ultra-sexualized culture where your teenagers will be continually surrounded by sexual temptation. This roaring lion (I Peter 5:8-9) is…
Read MoreYou Are Beloved
by Kent Heaton To be a child of God is to enjoy the immeasurable blessings of a heavenly Father who grants gifts of mercy and grace to His children daily. Because of the sacrifice of the “only begotten Son,” (John 3:16) Christians embrace the warm relationship of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. The…
Read MoreWorship: The Emotional Component
by Warren E. Berkley “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth,” (John 4:24). Every element of true worship involves some emotional component. The emotional component is not driven by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit (as in Calvinism) or “getting the Holy Spirit” (as in Charismatic practice). The…
Read MoreIf a person doesn’t follow God’s specific will for his life, he’ll end up in hell. How can you teach otherwise?
Question: I must question your answer in “How will I know that this is the girl God wants me to marry?” The Bible is remarkably clear that God has an intricate plan for our life, which includes specifics such as which college to attend, whom to marry, where to live, which car to buy, and…
Read MoreCan the church pay for things pertaining to the upkeep of the church building?
Question: Do you think the church can pay for things that pertain to the church building for things such as repairs or the lawn maintenance and work around the grounds to keep it looking presentable and then accommodations such as nursery items (baby bed, rocking chairs, books, maybe even toys, etc…), things that are simply conveniences…
Read MoreIf God gave us free will, why is it Satan can still tempt us?
Question: Okay, I don’t really know how to put this so here goes: If God gave us free will, why is it Satan can still tempt us? Answer: A good question. Free will means that God allows you to make choices in your life. God decided before making the world that He wanted people who…
Read MoreI married a woman in name only so she could become a citizen of my country. I have a girlfriend and a child by her. How do I fix this mess?
Question: I have a question. I married someone so that they might become a citizen of my country. I did not do this for money, but because I felt it the right thing to do at the time, although I was aware I might be misusing marriage as God intended. We have never been intimately…
Read MoreWhy did God prove He existed before but not now?
Question: My son has come to me asking questions about the church. He is a member of the church but has fallen away. His asking questions is a crack in the door I don’t want to miss out on. He’s asking why did God allow proof that He existed then, but doesn’t now. He said…
Read MoreMy husband cheated and I cheated. I lived with a man for years before the divorce was final. We eventually married, but did I have the right to marry again?
Question: As I read through some of your posts on adultery, one comes strongly out to me. I will explain my situation: I married a man. I didn’t talk to God or parents before it and we were kids, even as adults we were kids. Then we had a kid. He cheated, I cheated. We…
Read MoreI don’t practice witchcraft anymore because the Bible says it is wrong, but I still feel no evil acts are done by Wiccans. Am I wrong to feel this way?
Question: I am struggling with a bit of guilt. And some indecisions in my life. I am at this point, committed to God and His unchanging word. I have been in this same place in my life before. The problem is that I have, in even the recent past, gotten into Wicca and paganism. I…
Read MoreI disagree with your stances on the Sabbath and on masturbation
Question: I must disagree with you on two counts. First of all, I cannot agree with your stand on the Sabbath day. When Paul and the other writers write of various points, such as honoring parents, not killing, not stealing, etc. they are not establishing new rules but are quoting from the Ten, which their…
Read MoreWith God
by Kelsey Harris I like to be by myself, but I can’t stand being alone. I love the dark, but I hate not being able to see. I enjoy meeting new people, but I hate being with strangers. I want my voice to be heard, but I despise talking loud. I want to be in…
Read MoreWisdom and Youth
by Marshall Reid via Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No. 29, July 20, 2008. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was a teenager at Florida College, full of energy and life, feeling like I could take on the world. I was going to be successful. I was going to be somebody. I had so…
Read MoreWill Men Become Gods?
by Brian A. Yeager The Mormons (Church of Christ of Latter-Day Saints) are known for holding many views which are contrary to God’s word. One of those views is that man can become God. In fact, they teach that God was once a man. Notice the following Mormon teachings and we will then examine the…
Read MoreCan a person give his contribution to his unemployed mother instead of to the Lord?
Question: As far as the collection goes, would it be wrong to take the money one would put in the collection plate every Sunday and give it to his unemployed mother, who is living with her daughter, which would be his sister, instead? Answer: What is happening is a person is trying to play one…
Read MoreDo you think this web site’s discussion of sex and the Bible to be accurate?
Question: I’d like you to check out this web site and advise me if you feel it is a “false prophet” kind of deal or if it indeed biblically founded. Check it out! It’s pretty interesting. Answer: It is nonsense of the worse sort. It is so ridiculous that I’m not certain the person is serious. Just…
Read MoreHow do I talk to my husband about God?
Question: How can I talk to my husband about God? He is a very confused soul. He doesn’t believe that the Bible was written by God. He believes that it was written by men. He thinks that religion is overstated and not really worth anything. I don’t really have a good track record with him…
Read MoreDoes someone need to invite people into their homes to practice hospitality?
Question: Does someone need to invite people into their homes to practice hospitality? I know this is not the only way to serve. Answer: The word “hospitality” can translate the Greek word philoxenia. It is a compound word of “love” (philo) and “guest room or lodging” (xenia). This word is used in Romans 12:13 and Hebrews…
Read MoreCan a man still be an elder if his faithful children have died before him?
Question: I understand that to be qualified as an elder a man must be the husband of one wife. If the wife dies that man is no longer qualified. The elder must also have believing or faithful children. If the children should die having been faithful their entire lives would that elder then be disqualified?…
Read MoreHow can I be certain I am doing what is right?
Question: Ever since I became a Christian again, I have always felt very uncertain about everything. For example, I would worry about whether a particular action was sinful. Consulting commentaries only provided me with conflicting information and made me feel less at ease. Some of these, such as using crass language, I found out were sinful,…
Read MoreWhat are the definitions of “foolish talk” and “coarse jesting?”
Question: Ephesians 5:4 says that “neither … foolish talking nor jesting” ought to be found among the saints. However, I have had difficulty coming to the precise meanings of these words, or maybe I am afraid to. I see on your web site that you, and most others, define “foolish talking” as sinful or tasteless talk, for…
Read MoreAre motives all that matter to God?
Question: Are motives all that matter to God or do actions matter too? We read in James that faith without works is dead. So what good is my good motive if it is not acted upon? Answer: We are judged by what we do, qualified by why we acted as we did. “For we must…
Read MoreAre there such things as “mamzers” — good and bad seeds?
Question: I am confused about good seeds and bad seeds and the children produced from the joining of good and bad seed; called “mamzers.” Could you give me some help, please? If there are children, they are supposed to be void — neither good or bad. Would I be considered one for my father was…
Read MoreShould Christians get counseling?
Question: Does the Christian faith believe in theological counseling? I believe that is what it is called. My boyfriend went through it after his divorce. My boyfriend’s ex-wife was committing numerous adulteries. He received counseling through faith with a minister and not through medicines. Do you think this is a good idea for us to…
Read MoreIs it wrong to self-pleasure while thinking of a spouse?
Question: I am wondering what your opinion is on self-pleasure while thinking of a spouse. It is not adultery because you are married to that person, and I am not sure if lust still applies when you are married. Answer: I know of no argument against it other than if a person uses self-pleasure as…
Read More