Posts Tagged ‘terminology’
What is the difference between “happy” and “joy”?
Question: I can’t find a defined difference between happy or happiness and joy or joyfulness in the Bible. I was wondering about the difference. I remember learning about it one time, but I can’t find what I learned anywhere and my dictionaries are not that in-depth. Answer: “Joy” is the translation of the Greek word chara.…
Read MoreCould you explain “foreknew” and “predestined” to me?
Question: I have struggled for years with the “foreknew” and “predestined” parts. I believe the Bible 100% and actually understand what is being said; however, there is something I can’t quite get. Maybe I can ask my question this way: I am blessed with two grandsons. God knew from the beginning everything about these children.…
Read MoreWhat does it mean to contend for the faith?
Question: I am reading the book of Jude and he said in verse 3, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” What…
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 MoreOnly in the Lord
by Bob Buchanon Would you please explain the phrase “in the Lord” found in I Corinthians 7:39? Does this mean that if the widow chooses to remarry, she would only be allowed to marry one who is a Christian or “in the Lord”? The phrase “in the Lord” is prepositional and must modify either a…
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 MoreWhat would be considered “works?”
Question: I am writing to ask a question, but first I want to say I really like the new look of your web site. Very nice and appealing too. My question may seem elementary, but I am finding that maybe it isn’t for me. I am questioning this: What would be considered ‘works’? In the…
Read MoreWhat was Paul referring to when he talked about endless genealogies?
Question: In reading Albert Barnes’ Notes on I Timothy, he talks about genealogies which are referring to the verse I Timothy 1:4 “nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.” Albert Barnes states that the Hebrews kept careful genealogical records because…
Read MoreWhat are the seven mansions?
Question: In my Father’s house are many mansions. What are the seven mansions? Thank you! Answer: So how did you leap from “many mansions” to “seven mansions?” “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I…
Read MoreWhat is meant by “nations” in Revelation?
Question: What does Revelation 21:26 and Revelation 22:2 mean? What do the references to the nations mean? “And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.” “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits,…
Read MoreWhat does it mean when people say “God’s will be done” or “Lord willing?”
Question: What does it mean when people say “God’s will be done” or “Lord willing?” For example, some may say a prayer to God about getting a particular job or being accepted into a university, but then they also say something similar to “if it’s God’s will.” What do they mean by “God’s will?” With…
Read MoreWhat does it mean that God’s word is a two-edged sword?
Question: What does the Scripture mean in Hebrews 4:12 relating to a two-edged sword? Answer: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the…
Read MoreWhat does “end of the age” refer to?
Question: I am curious to know what you say the “end of the age” refers to? Does it refer to the end of the world or to a specific age? I ask this in relation to what you said about it in Matthew 28. I think some people (Full Preterists/Hyper Preterists) believe the “end of…
Read MoreWhat is meant by “the measure of a man, that is, of an angel?”
Question: In Revelation 21:17, what is meant by the phrase, “measure of a man, that is, of an angel”? Answer: “Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel” (Revelation 21:17). John is trying to give us the impression of the immense…
Read MoreWhy should YHWH be pronounced correctly and not Yeshua?
Question: I have just read your web page: Understanding the Tetragrammaton: Pronouncing YHWH. If your conclusion is accurate, then we should not be using the name Jesus, correct? To apply your conclusion or principle to YHWH, consistency, and accuracy being paramount with me, means that the use of Jesus it wrong too. We should be using…
Read MoreWhat was Jesus’ point about being lifted up for men to see?
Question: In John 3:14, Jesus is talking to Nicodemus and speaks of Moses lifting up the serpent. Is this the bronze serpent Moses made? And how does this relate to Jesus and what is Jesus trying to tell Nicodemus? I understand the part about believing and eternal life, but I still think I am missing…
Read MoreWhat is meant by a new heaven and a new earth?
Question: What is meant by a new heaven and a new earth? And what is meant by a war in heaven? Answer: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea” (Revelation 21:1). The first heaven and…
Read MoreWhy does Hebrews 9:27 state what it does and yet Elijah and Enoch did not experience physical death?
Question: Why does Hebrews 9:27 state what it does and yet Elijah and Enoch did not experience physical death? Answer: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). The writer of Hebrews is stating a general principle. Because of Adam’s sin, man is appointed to die. “In the…
Read MoreWhat does “put my tears in your bottle” mean in Psalms 56:8?
Question: Can you help me with the meaning of Psalms 56:8, especially the part “tears into thy bottle?” Answer: “You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?” (Psalm 56:8). Each phrase is a reference to God remembering or recording what has happened to David. This particular Psalm,…
Read MoreWhat does “the unsearchable riches of God” mean?
Question: There is a phrase used that I’ve heard which I am not sure I understand. The unsearchable riches of God. Why do people say, “unsearchable riches?” By reading and study of the Bible, we can learn what God wants and learn what Jesus did, said, and taught. But “unsearchable riches” must mean more than…
Read MoreDoes the Bible say the spiritual world is more real than the physical world?
Question: I remember reading in the Bible that “the spiritual world is more real than the physical world.” I have tried to find it again and cannot. Do you know what the reference for this is? Answer: I recall reading a short book by C.S. Lewis that had this idea as its theme. I also…
Read MoreWhat does “the day of visitation” mean?
Question: In Luke 19:44, what do you think is the “day of visitation”? What do you think the other references in the Bible mean in regards to this phrase? We are doing a chronological study and up to this time frame. I have asked you one other question and you are about in the same…
Read MoreSeveral questions from I Samuel
Question: We are continuing our study of I Samuel in our ladies’ class. We had a couple of questions. If you have time, we would appreciate your input. In I Samuel 21:5 do you think that the term “vessels” refers to the bodies of David’s men? Does this indicate that they were “clean” as far…
Read MoreWhy does Mark have “Eloi” and Matthew have “Eli” for the same statement?
Question: I believe that Matthew’s account lists Jesus’s cry from the ancient texts when he wrote “Eli, Eli lama sabachthani”. This is not a quote from Psalm 22. The Hebrew in Psalm 22 is ‘azab, not sabachthani. I’ve seen some stretches that try to link sabachthani with ‘azab, but I believe it is a bit of…
Read MoreCan you explain all these similar phrases about dying with Christ and dying to sin?
Question: What do these phrases mean? I have been crucified with Christ I am dead in Christ I have died to Christ I am dead to sin I am dead in sin I am resurrected with Christ Answer: Let’s examine each phrase in the statement in which it was given: I have been crucified with…
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 MoreIs the church the building or its members?
Question: is the church the building or is the church made up of its members? Answer: In English, the word “church” can refer to either the building or the people worshiping God in a local. For example, one set of definitions is: one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of…
Read MoreWhat is a “love feast?”
Question: What is an Agape Love Feast? Is it where food was served? Answer: The phrase “love feast” only appears once in the Scriptures. “Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are spots…
Read MoreWhat does it mean to “inherit the kingdom of God?”
Question: What is your position on Galatians 5:2? Is “inherit the Kingdom of God” compared to salvation or is it dealing with rewards? Answer: The Christian’s relationship to God is described by several metaphors in the Bible. One is seeing a Christian as a child of God. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit…
Read MoreWhat is the Law of Christ?
Question: Read an article on your page concerning Paul and his motives. If what is stated in the New Testament is true, I agree with you about him. Could you tell me what the “Law of Christ” is? My teaching, and correct me if I am wrong, is that “the Torah” better translates from the Hebrew into English…
Read MoreWhat is meant by “one will be left and the other taken”?
Question: Where it says one will be left the other taken away, (always mentioned by people with the rapture and stuff). I was wondering what was your take on that verse. Answer: The same illustration is used in two different contexts, though the overall meaning of the illustration is the same: “But of that day…
Read MoreAre the new heavens and new earth been already made or will it be created in the future?
Question: Are the new heavens and new earth been already made or will it be created in the future? Answer: This is a question that leaves me wondering whether an answer one way or another will make any difference in how you and I must live our lives on this earth. In the Old Testament,…
Read MoreIs there a distinction between forgiveness and redemption?
Question: First, I must say that your web site is fantastic! There is much cool stuff here that I wish I had more time to read. At Bible class last night, the issue of forgiveness vs. redemption and taking away sin came up. The issue, and my question, is whether forgiveness and redemption are the…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between a Greek and a Gentile?
Question: Can someone help me understand who is referred to when the Bible speaks of a Greek and Gentile? For instance, Timothy’s father was Greek. Does that mean he was a Gentile? And Paul said in Romans 1, “It is the power of God … to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Is…
Read MoreHow can we be children of God and slaves of God at the same time?
Question: I have been struggling with the concept of “children of God.” I understand we are made children of God when we becoming Christians, yet we are bondservants to God and Christ — we are servants. I was wondering when it refers to us being children of God, is it a general reference like the…
Read MoreAn Urgent Need to Study
Text: II Timothy 2:8-19 I. It is fascinating to read well crafted prose or poetry. With just a few words, the author can communicate not only a message, but even a mood. A. Individual words are not flat. Even synonyms carry subtle differences in meaning. B. And the idea is not restricted to the English language. Languages…
Read MoreWhat did Jesus mean by “eat my flesh and drink my blood?”
Question: I would like to know in John 6:53-56 what does Jesus mean by “eat my flesh and drink my blood”? What do flesh and blood represent here? Answer: The statement is found in a discourse recorded in John 6. In the context, Jesus had feed over 5,000 people miraculously and this created a crowd…
Read MorePlease explain the “baptism of fire”
Question: Please explain the “baptism of fire.” Thank you. Answer: The concept of a baptism of fire comes from a statement made by John the Baptist. “And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the…
Read MoreWhat is meant when Paul said we are by nature children of wrath?
Question: In Ephesians 2:3 it talks about by nature we are children of wrath, My own opinion is that it’s referring not to children, which is plain and clear, but to people who have already sinned. I’m trying to get this point across to my friend, but he believes in a sin nature and says…
Read MoreGospel, Word, Truth, Seed, Doctrine
by Carl A. Allen The denominational world has tried to seek unity by teaching we are to believe the Gospel and not enforce “doctrine.” According to them we should not divide over baptism, the Lord’s Supper, instruments of music, tithing, marriage, and divorce, etc. because all of this falls into “doctrine,” and we have no…
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