Answer
Thank you for your information on honoring your parents
Question: I was reading Proverbs and came across Proverbs 20:20. I wanted a more definitive explanation of the verse. Thank you, for your detailed information and the resources included in the text. I received so much more! Sometimes, we think this refers only to young children and teenagers. However, reading this text reminds us that God commands us to honor…
Read MoreHow do I get a more disciplined life?
Question: Hi, I am 17 years old and have been a Christian since I was 8. I have a problem and don’t feel comfortable enough to discuss it with anyone I know personally. Ok, so here is my problem: my parents never punish me for anything. I really am not a bad kid and I…
Read MoreThank you so much for your site
Question: Hey! I’d like to say thank you so much for your site. It is so easy to understand and explains a lot. You are really helpful and think this is a good source to learn about the Bible. Answer: Thank you for the kind encouragement.
Read MoreWhat do you mean by saying fellowship is “a state of being?”
Question: I read your sermon outline on fellowship – it is very good. I have a question: you said that fellowship is a “state of being” and I do not understand what you mean. So can you explain it to me, please? People talk about “having fellowship” when they eat together, is it right to say that? Do I…
Read MoreAny suggestions on how to combat a proposal to ordain homosexuals in the ELCA?
Question: Thank you so much for your web site. The ELCA is presenting a policy for a General Assembly vote in August to approve the ordination of same-sex cohabiting individuals. I am a documentary producer and have offered my services to oppose the approval of this proposal. Have you any suggestions as to the best…
Read MoreWhy is “God” in Jonah 1:6 in lower case in some translations?
Question: Jonah 1:6 in NKJV & ASV show referring to God as “God.” The captain told Jonah to pray to his God. But in the NASB it refers to the Lord God Jehovah as “god.” Is this a typo with the printer? Why would the NASB show this? Could it be that the captain was…
Read MoreHow could my wife say she wants to repair our marriage when she has a court order against me?
Question: I am amazed at the way my wife asked you the question about us divorcing or not. On Feb 13, 2009, you received a question from her that left out everything that is important. I once served as a minister of a congregation. My wife and I did not have sex before we got married (and…
Read MoreI have a desire for sex and a fear of it at the same time. How do I handle it?
Question: I am a man 29 years of age. I was brought up in a very religious Christian family, and sexual relations were highly abhorred as a taboo. I grew up with this mentality and don’t know how to even relate to the opposite sex. Now, age (in terms of marriage) is telling on me.…
Read MoreAm I doomed to hell? Is it a sin to be gay?
Question: I am 20 years old. I am have been a sinner most of my life. I want to change my evil ways. Sometimes I feel my soul is doomed to hell to burn with Satan. I pray sometimes, but I still feel lost. I have one? I am bisexual. Is it a sin to…
Read MoreWhat happened before the Restoration movement?
Question: I have been discussing with a lady about the importance of worshiping God in “spirit and in truth.” I told her that the seed was planted in America according to the biblical pattern. Her question is “what happened to all the people between the time of the early church and the restoration of the church…
Read MoreIs it a sin to enjoy getting aroused from what I wear?
Question: I just enjoy wearing white nylon briefs. It makes me aroused, but nothing more than that. After arousal, I put them off and wear my normal shorts because it looks like a sin. Is it a sin or a psychological problem? Is it not normal? Answer: What you are doing is pursuing sensuality, which…
Read MoreHow do you justify using Acts 20:7 as binding the day but not the place?
Question: I just read your article, “When are examples binding?” and I must say the very idea that an example somehow becomes a command is a, well, stretch if you ask me. You used Acts 20:7 as your “example” for when we should meet together but you don’t use Acts 2:46 which tells us that…
Read MoreWhy were the Israelites not to use diverse weights?
Question: In Proverbs 20:10 it reads, “Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.” This is also stated in Proverbs 20:23 with a reference to Deuteronomy 25:13 which reads, “Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.” I know that “divers” means many…
Read MoreIs it right to deduct contributions from your taxes?
Question: Is it okay to deduct the money that is given to the church each week from your taxes when you file each year? Answer: The Scriptures teach that Christians should pay their taxes. “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:7).…
Read MoreWhy wasn’t Rachel buried with Jacob but Leah was?
Question: Why wasn’t Rachel buried with Jacob but Leah was? Answer: Rachel died shortly after childbirth during a journey from Bethel to “The Tower of the Flock”, which is believed to have been in the area Bethlehem. “Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel…
Read MoreHave you heard of Dr. Leonard Horowitz?
Question: I have recently discovered a man by the name of Dr. Leonard Horowitz. I have seen his lectures and his DVD “In Lies We Trust” and I have been telling a lot of people about it. This guy has done a lot of good for people and preaches the gospel too. I wanted to…
Read MoreIs the Bible sexist?
Question: I have asked you several questions in the past and really respect your opinions. I’m a freshman in college at the moment and in my English class, we are doing a unit on gender inequalities. The teacher (and other people in the class) think that the whole Bible is sexist because God is a…
Read MoreI would like to help the starving kids in Africa, do you know of a trustworthy organization?
Question: I really would like to send some money to the starving kids in Africa. Is this biblical and do you think that ‘Feed the Children’ is a good place to send this money too? If you know of a more trustworthy one, please let me know. Answer: “For you have the poor with you…
Read MoreWho was High Priest when David ate the showbread, Abiathar or Ahimelech?
Question: Can you please help me with this supposed contradiction? In Mark 2:23-26, Jesus talks about how David went into the house of God and ate the showbread “in the days/in the time” of Abiathar the high priest. In 1 Samuel 21, it says that David came to Ahimelech, not Abiathar when he eventually ate…
Read MoreHow can such a loving God condemn people who have never heard of Jesus or the Bible?
Question: I came across an old teacher of mine today and we started talking. She tells me I should join the service or go to college. So I started telling her my views of how I think that the Rockefellers and other rich families run this world and have influence in all the educational outlets and…
Read MoreAm I restricted to only marrying the boy I first had sex with?
Question: I was really having trouble ever since I had sex before marriage. I asked for forgiveness and I was terrified that I would not be forgiven, but tonight I went to church. I’m so happy to have learned and re-learned all of the things I have and I want to do right. I told…
Read MoreWhat was Isaiah’s sin?
Question: I am a Baptist Sunday school teacher and have a question about Sunday’s lesson. The title is “A Commitment to Change” and is taken from the book of Isaiah 6:1-8. My question is: What was Isaiah’s sin which necessitated the live coal being placed on his lips? I have read chapters one through five but…
Read MoreCan a person do good without God allowing him to do so?
Question: We were talking about God and grace and all that good jazz. We had a discussion about whether God is responsible for every good act done in the world. I disagreed with the statement because that would mean every good thing done would be credited to God. I am confused. Can someone do good without…
Read MoreHow can you say there is no symbolic meaning in the name “Hebron?”
Question: In light of II Samuel 5, I do not understand how you can say that the meaning of the word “Hebron” has no symbolic or deeper meaning in the Bible. Since David ruled from there for 7 1/2 years and then the leaders of the tribes asked him to unite Israel and rule over the…
Read MoreFrom the point of view of parenting children, what am I to learn from Luke 2:41-52?
Question: From the point of view of parenting children, what am I to learn from Luke 2:41-52? What principle did Jesus learn from this experience? To obey his parents at all costs? Or it’s sometimes acceptable to disobey them, especially if it means not prioritizing the will of our Heavenly Father? What should children learn…
Read MoreIs it wrong to work in a Catholic hospital or work for a company that produces sexual themed movies?
Question: In your answer “Is it wrong to have a job that encourages others to sin?” I was wondering if you could give me some examples of this. I got concerned because I have a mother whose employer sends her to work some days in a Catholic hospital. (She is NOT Catholic by the way).…
Read MoreIs it a sin to go to a youth group or chapel service during the week?
Question: I saw that the church only met on the first day of the week to gather and worship. Does this mean that I sin if I go to youth groups on Wednesdays (while still going to church on Sunday), or if my school has weekly mandatory chapel services on Thursdays? Answer: There are various…
Read MoreDoes God condemn pedophilia, rape, or self-defense?
Question: I saw your web posting about “Animal Rights and the Bible.” I am glad to know there are people like you out there who can boldly say you hold God’s word as the ultimate authority. Many Christians today twist God’s word to fit their own feelings and forbid what God has not forbidden. I…
Read MoreWas Mark Peter’s son?
Question: In I Peter 5:13 Peter said, “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus, my son.” Since Peter was married, could Marcus be his son? Answer: It wasn’t unusual for preachers who worked closely with younger men, who would eventually succeed them, to refer to them…
Read MoreWhy did Nehemiah have to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem? What happened to it?
Question: Why did Nehemiah have to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem? What happened to it? Answer: God had the Babylonians come to take Israel into captivity because of Israel’s sins. The Israelites resisted and the Babylonians (also called the Chaldeans) broke into Jerusalem and leveled the city. “And in the fifth month, on the seventh…
Read MoreWhy do so many teach that baptism is unnecessary?
Question: Hello. I have spent some time on the Internet this evening looking at baptism. In the search engine, I typed in the question: “Is baptism necessary for salvation?” Naturally, several hits came up. I’ve only looked at a few and for the most part, all seem to say no it is not necessary. I…
Read MoreDid Asa and Jehoshaphat’s reigns overlap in Judah?
Question: From the dates I can find, King Asa and Jehoshaphat overlapped in their reigns as kings. 873 – 870. Is that correct? And why the overlap? Also, when Elijah was fleeing from Jezebel and went to Judah do we know for sure which king was reigning over Judah (Asa or Jehoshaphat). Answer: Asa is…
Read MoreI’m using some of your pictures in my Sunday school class
Question: I do appreciate free pictures you hold on your web site, I have printed out some of them to teach. I am a Christian and have served as a teacher of Sunday school for children for 15 years. In Japan, a church’s membership is 30-50 people or less. To keep faith is so difficult…
Read MoreHow do I convince my brother that the Bible is complete?
Question: I was discussing baptism with my brother. He knows he needs to be baptized, but he doesn’t have confidence in the Bible. He says he watches these shows that tell how corrupt men took books out of the Bible that really might be important. One example was that Mary Magdalene was supposedly one of…
Read MoreCan the passage about homosexuality in Romans 1 and the one about the Jews and Gentiles in Romans 11 be compared since they both talk about what is natural or contrary to nature?
Question: I have a question about homosexuality. I have been thinking about something, analyzing it, and wondering if you could make an argument out of something I noticed. In Romans 1:26-27: For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and…
Read MoreDid Laodicea have cold and hot water?
Question: In Revelation when John or well Jesus is addressing the churches, I have a question about the last church, Laodicea, in Revelation 3:15-16. I have heard many rumors about what the verse means. One says the passage means just what you read. The other is there were a hot spring and a cold mountain…
Read MoreHow did the different races come about?
Question: I’ve read over some of your answers on race. Is there any way to know just when different races did come about? Do you think that Adam and Eve would have had to have been a different nationality? Answer: In our modern terminology, Eve was a clone of Adam, with some modifications. “And the LORD…
Read MoreI wonder if Jesus would approve my getting divorced and how do you forgive a husband who is an unrepentant adulterer?
Question: I am seriously considering divorcing my husband. We are separated and I have reason to believe he has committed adultery. I understand that if he has, and I divorce him, I am free to marry another. However, I see it is an option given to us in scripture under such circumstances. My dilemma is that while I feel it…
Read MoreHow do we know that we have an accurate rendition of the oral teachings?
Question: Since parts of the New Testament were first delivered orally, how do we know if we have a 100% accurate rendition of the original writings that were spoken by the Holy Spirit? I’ve heard that through oral teachings, details could be lost and distorted. For example, someone may deliver a story to 20 people…
Read MoreWas it a requirement to be married to be a member of the Sanhedrin court?
Question: Was it a requirement to be married to be a member of the Sanhedrin court? Was the Apostle Paul a member of the Sanhedrin, and if so, what happened to his wife? Answer: There was no requirement to be married to be a member of the Sanhedrin. By the days of Jesus, it was…
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