Answer
How do I address the criticism of the church by a family member?
Question: Hello, I am a member of the body of Christ and it disturbs me greatly that people within my physical family, as well as my spiritual family, are saying that God never founded the church of Christ. Below you will find a few correspondences sent to me by a family member who has left…
Read MoreThe New Testament was written in Hebrew, not Greek!
Question: You seem to teach that the original New Testament was originally written in Greek. I hate to differ with you. Nowhere is that fact proven. I believe that Luke may have written his manuscript in Greek, since he was of Syrian descent and also perhaps the books of Acts, but as far as the…
Read MoreHow can I help break an impasse between two young people?
Question: I would, please, like to know your thoughts about a particular courting problem with which I am involved. The problem is concerning two young friends of mine, a young lady and a young man. They’re both serious disciples of Jesus, as are their respective families. They and their respective families each attend a different congregation. Up to the present time, the only way…
Read MoreWhen does head covering apply?
Question: I am a Christian wife and mother. First of all, I would like to thank you for your excellent web site, which I just found this morning. I look forward to reading many more of the articles. My question at this moment, though, pertains to the teaching of I Corinthians 11. I was raised…
Read MoreWhy do I still not have control over my anger?
Question: This morning, I found that I still have problems with anger management. I had to go to a doctor’s appointment again, and when I went to the front desk, the secretary mentioned my bill. I have been unable to pay, due to no work, and many health problems which prevent me from working. Sad…
Read MoreWhere are we headed?
Question: I have been reading your web site for some time. I have lots of questions but I will try to limit them to one subject: human reproduction. Every four years abortion is a huge subject, then after the election, it is soon forgotten. There is disagreement about using discarded “test tube” babies for stem…
Read MoreDoes a change in the Law mean God changes His mind a lot?
Question: Since God changed His Law, then apparently God changes His mind a lot. Answer: Actually God planned the change all along. The Law of Moses defined sin and bound it to mankind, but it could not in itself save. It spoke only of future salvation. “For the law made nothing perfect; on the other…
Read MoreI’m not certain whether my boyfriend went to heaven or hell. How can I know?
Question: My ex-boyfriend passed away seven years ago and I still think of him, especially on his birthday, which happens to fall on Valentine’s day, February 14th. I know he is in heaven, but just today something just keeps bothering me, like I’m unsure whether he is in heaven or hell. I feel like I…
Read MoreIs masturbating wrong for women?
Question: I am a female, Christian, and a young adult who has some questions about the topic of masturbation: Is masturbation wrong for women? (It seems as if God doesn’t talk about women, he seems to just mention “semen”). Is masturbation wrong, if you are thinking about sex in the boundaries of marriage (not fornication)? (For…
Read MoreIn the stations of the cross, why is Jesus shown carrying the cross after Simeon carries the cross?
Question: In the stations of the cross, and in Luke, Simeon is made to carry the cross for Jesus. But, in the following stations, Jesus is depicted carrying the cross. I do not understand that if Simeon is carrying it, why Jesus is shown carrying it. Answer: The simple answer is that “the stations of…
Read MoreWhich antidepressant is best for the treatment of drug addiction and for dealing with anger?
Question: Please advise: Which antidepressant would you say is the best for the treatment of drug addiction and also best for dealing with anger? Answer: I have not analyzed the various antidepressants, nor do I have the expertise to make such a judgment call. That is something that would have to be discussed with a…
Read MoreWhat can I do about my mother-in-law’s interference?
Question: I am feeling unhappy with my wife’s mother yet again. Why can’t she allow my wife and me to live our lives as a married couple? Yesterday, the three of us went to a family get-together. My wife had a seizure and her mother took control of the recovery of my wife. I am…
Read MoreA Question about Dowries
Question: I have a question bothering me and this issue is about tearing apart one of our congregations here in Nigeria. Please, is parental consent considered to be marriage; that is, the cohabitation of a man and a woman without the payment of a bride price or dowry? Since examples in the Bible state Christ…
Read MoreWho was sent out as the first missionary?
Question: Who was sent out as the first missionary? Answer: The answer depends on how tightly you want to define the word “missionary.” It isn’t a word used in the Scriptures, so we can’t apply a Greek or Hebrew definition to the word. Technically, “missionary” means someone sent on a mission and there are numerous…
Read MoreWhy don’t Protestants honor Mary as Catholics do?
Question: The original question was: Why do Protestants not honor Mary as Catholics do? We are to imitate Jesus Christ, are we not? Well, Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law perfectly, and part of the Law is the Fourth Commandment. Jesus honored his Father and his Mother, so we should do the same. Answer: The command…
Read MoreYour website is great and really uplifting
Question: Your website is great and really uplifting. I accidentally came across it while searching. Answer: Thank you for your kind words.
Read MoreIf the man I committed adultery with is getting divorced, can I marry him?
Question: I have committed adultery with a married man and now their marriage is breaking. This man and I have realized our mistakes and we ask pardon from God daily. But he is getting divorced. Is it right for me to marry him? Would I be committing adultery again? Answer: If he is being divorced…
Read MoreDoes losing your faith means losing your salvation?
Question: Hello, I was reading I Timothy and came across mention of Hymenaeus and Alexander. Not knowing anything about them, I did a google search and found your site with your explanation of them. In it, you say that it is possible to lose one’s faith as seen in Hymenaeus, Alexander, and Philetus. Does that also…
Read MoreHow can I help a brother become a better teacher and preacher?
Question: One brother here that is dependable when it comes to helping me with preaching and teaching. He has very little experience but will do his best at anything I ask him to do, really a prince of a man. A few of the members have come to me complaining about his teaching methods. Although they all agree…
Read MoreWhy are animals put to death when it is the person who sins?
Question: God condemns bestiality in Leviticus 18:23, but why does He command that the animal be put to death in Exodus 22:19. Answer: Unlike animals, man is given a spirit in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27). In part, this gives man the ability to operate contrary to instinct. We have the ability to choose…
Read MoreShouldn’t we follow the Old Testament and the New Testament?
Question: Shouldn’t we follow God’s rules in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament? (I’m reading the Bible currently, and I’m only in Joshua right now.) I mean, well, some of the rules would be considered kind of illegal, such as sacrificing your first born child. I could not do that even if…
Read MoreMy non-Christian wife led me to stop attending worship, but I’m trying to come back. Do you have any advice?
Question: Hi! I am a strong Christian husband married to a non-Christian wife. I realize I can’t change her or make her do anything. Only God can change her. I do have to admit that it really hurts me because before we got married she went to church with me. After we got married, she…
Read MoreDoes Christ’s law about divorce and remarriage apply to non-Christians?
Question: I met a lady who is not a Christian (or proclaims to be a denominational Christian) and she has been divorced for a while (not by the approved way of Christ). If she became a true Christian and remarried, would she still be guilty of living in sin or does the Bible refer to…
Read MoreI think I have a child with a girl, but she doesn’t want me in her life. What do I do?
Question: I am single and I had a relationship for a year with a girl who lives with her boyfriend. I knew from the beginning that I was doing wrong. She is an atheist, but I believed in God. I always felt guilty. Many times I wanted to stop, but I continued thinking that she…
Read MoreThe Plan of Salvation in One Passage
by Dan Gatlin “Wouldn’t it be nice if the New Testament were laid out like a book of theology? In just a chapter or two God could have explained the work, worship, and organization of the church. He could have stated in clear, unambiguous language all of the doctrines we are to believe and teach. …
Read MoreWhat do you think about adding a verse finder to your web site?
Question: Thanks again, man, for being a million candle power flashlight to us sinners. I wish I knew the Bible in and out like you do and am interested in knowing how you came to know the Bible so well. What would you suggest as a good way to learn Scripture, memorize it, and comprehend it?…
Read MoreI love “Raising Godly Children in a Wicked World”
Question: I love this series: Raising Godly Children in a Wicked World. Keep up the good work! Answer: Thank you for your kind words.
Read MoreWhy don’t Protestants say the Rosary?
Question: I’m a Catholic, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you a question about the Blessed Virgin Mary. Why is it that Protestants don’t honor Mary as Catholics do? The rosary, for example, is very biblical, yet most Protestants don’t pray it. Why is this? Answer: The answer is not difficult, but…
Read MoreShould anti-depressants be used to help come off of drugs?
Question: Please, can you advise whether it is a good thing or a bad thing to take anti-depressants for a year or two after extensive abuse of drugs such as dagga, ecstasy, and cocaine; or, is it best to allow the brain to heal itself? Answer: I listed out the effects of the three drugs…
Read MoreWhy did God put the tree in the garden if He knew man would sin?
Question: “Why Does God Allow Evil?” was a great explanation about why sin exists in the world, I enjoyed reading it and it has been a helpful tool when people ask me about sin and why God allows it to happen. I would like to ask you a question about the tree of knowledge that…
Read MoreWho cares if the word “rapture” doesn’t appear in the Bible? It is still a term used to describe a real event
Question: I read your article on the Rapture. It was interesting but not convincing to me. Who cares if some people use the word ‘Rapture’ – it is only a term used to describe a real event. The word ‘trinity’ isn’t in the Bible either but most Christians use the term freely to describe the…
Read MoreTo whom should we pray?
Question: To whom should we pray? To the Father, or to the Son, or to the Holy Spirit, or to any of the three? Can we say “you died for us” during prayer? Answer: The majority of the prayers are directed to God in general or to God, the Father, specifically. “In this manner, therefore,…
Read MoreDid I commit a deadly sin by having sex with my girlfriend, even though I know I’m going to marry her?
Question: Please help. I am a Christian and I have been in a celibate relationship with the person I love for 3-1/2 months now. We have told each other many times that we love each other and would do anything for each other many times. We have also said that we want to marry and…
Read MoreIf other sins in the Old Testament are no longer sins, then isn’t homosexuality also not a sin?
Question: The Bible is the Word of God, but Leviticus, in which Moses wrote about homosexuality, also lists other sins that are on the very same level of homosexuality (because God says that every sin is as bad as every other sin). Leviticus 19:19 says, “Do not wear clothing of different kinds of material.” But…
Read MoreDoesn’t John 20:23 say that priests can forgive sins?
Question: You commented on priests not being able to forgive sins. What about John 20:21-23? Answer: After Jesus’ resurrection, he appeared to the apostles. “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and…
Read MoreMy husband supposedly stopped viewing pornography, but he has stopped sleeping with me. How can I trust him?
Question: My husband used porn. He says he quit over a year ago but still can’t, or won’t, have sex with me or even try. We averaged sex two or three times a month for the first couple of years of marriage; then it dwindled to once or twice a year. We’ll be celebrating our…
Read MoreIs kissing and fondling my boyfriend fornication?
Question: My boyfriend and I indulge in kissing and fondling only. Could this be fornication? Answer: The Bible states that sexual touching is not right prior to marriage. “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman” (I Corinthians 7:1). The reason is…
Read MoreMy wife divorced me after getting involved in a charismatic group. What do I do now?
Question: I’m not sure really how to express all that I’m feeling or even the doubts that I do have. First, I would like to ask a question: I’ve seen your essays on the “modern” tongues, and, to be honest, I agree completely with you. I’m divorced, now for 2 1/2 years. It all came…
Read MoreWhat will heaven be like?
Question: Hi! I am wondering what Heaven is going to be according to the Bible. Is it just worshiping God for eternity as Revelations 4 talks about? What about John 14, and the rooms, dwellings, or mansions that Jesus talks about? What else does the Bible say? Answer: When we trying to explain something to…
Read MoreIs living together, but not sleeping together, a sin?
Question: I’ve just got back from my youth group after having a discussion about living together before getting married. I’ve searched your articles and I don’t think they quite answer the question “Is living together before marriage a sin?” We actually want to know is living together, but not sleeping together, before getting married a…
Read More