QA

Q. Lately some friends have begun attending a church that doesn’t have membership; a person who simply attends is considered a member. Is this right?

Q. Two verses, 1 Samuel 16:7 and 16:12, seem to contradict each other. Please explain.

Q. Please comment on the practice in many churches of dedicating infants and children in a church service ceremony. Is there a Biblical basis for …

Q. Occasionally I hear preachers and others telling us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” How can this be right or even possible in …

Q: I have a question about the belief some have that each Christian has a personal guardian angel that watches over and protects us through …

Q. Please comment on Psalm 2:12, which mentions “kissing the Son.” A. The phrase “kiss the Son” is figurative language, referring to the actual practice …

Q: Is it wrong to invest time in genealogies, family trees, etc.? I refer to Titus 3:9. A: Titus 3:9 reads, “But avoid foolish disputes, …

Q: In reading the book of Daniel, I came across something that appears to be contradictory. Daniel 12:11 says 1,290 days, while my understanding from …

Q: What does “born of water” in John 3:5 mean? A: Several views exist. Some believe it refers to water baptism, meaning that a person …

Q: We’re convinced Jesus never married, contrary to what some attention-getting liberals have advanced lately, but what about His disciples? And if any of them …

Q. Are churches required to use bread without yeast in observing the Lord’s Table? A. Churches use a variety of elements in Communion bread, but …

Q. Please explain Matthew 7:1 in relation to our need to exercise discernment. A. The familiar verse is, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” …

Q. Recently I heard that a certain cult teaches we can become gods, based on Psalm 82:6 and John 10:33 and 34. Please comment. A. …

Q. Why is the number “666” used to designate the Antichrist, and not some other numerals or letters? A. Again we have a question in …

Q. John 8:1–11 tells about the accused woman who was dragged to Jesus because she had committed adultery. Jesus then wrote something on the ground. …

Q. Please explain what two curious statements mean Biblically: “Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30; cf. 20:16); and …

Q. I have met some believers recently who say that to truly be spiritual, one must know the original languages of the Bible (Hebrew and …

Q. I have some questions about Adam and Eve when they sinned. Where was Adam when Eve was tempted? Also, why does Adam apparently get …

Q. Why do we worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? Is it true that Sunday worship originated in Roman Catholicism? A. It may be true …

Q. In Genesis 3:22, God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil.” Many theologians say “Us” is …

Q. When the Hebrews left Egypt, they took their herds with them. Why didn’t they eat their flocks instead of complaining and receiving manna? Also, …

Q. Recently I was introduced to some literature by a group that says believers should petition angels. The group says that angels are our best …

Q. People in our fundamental circles believe that the so-called sign gifts in the early New Testament church, such as speaking in tongues, ceased and …

Q. In Acts 23 or 24, Paul talks to his accusers in either Aramaic or Hebrew—it depends on which translation one reads. What is the …

Q. Please comment on “unworthy” in 1 Corinthians 11:27. I’ll admit I sometimes am afraid of taking the Lord’s Supper unworthily. A. If you are …

Q. Please comment as to who the “angel” is in Revelation 2:1. A. Revelation 2 and 3 include messages the Lord gave to the seven …

Q. Legalizing polygamy has been in the news lately. If it’s wrong, why did so many Old Testament believers practice it? Why did they go …

Q. Just when did Satan fall? Why did God allow Satan to fall, and why did God even create Satan in the first place? A.To …

Q. Please comment on Exodus 11 and 12, where the “death angel” supposedly killed the firstborn of any families who didn’t have blood sprinkled on …

Q.  After Job’s intense suffering, the Bible says he was given more than he had before his trials began, including seven sons and three daughters. …

Q. Recently I came across a person who insists that Baptists are the only true church because only Baptists can trace their heritage to John …

Q. We are currently in Ezekiel in Sunday School, and I am stuck (I teach the adult class). I have a problem knowing which judgments …

Q. Every now and then in Scripture, I read about God asking people questions. Why would God, Who knows everything, bother to ask people things? …

Q.  In Exodus 2:18, the priest of Midian and father of Zipporah (wife of Moses) is named Reuel. In Exodus 3:1, the father-in-law of Moses …

Q. Why should we oppose the “prosperity gospel” in the light of 3 John, verse 2? A. The verse reads, “Beloved, I pray that you …

Q. Do you think the pontiff at Rome could be the Antichrist? A. Some people believe that the pope is indeed the Antichrist, regardless of …

Q. Please explain what the apostle Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 5:5. A. The verse reads, “Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction …

Q. Is Jericho also known in the Bible as the City of Palms? If so, I thought Jericho was destroyed by Joshua and not rebuilt …

Q. Is the story told in John 12:1-8 the same as the one in Matthew 26:6-13? I read a study that says so, but the …

Q. Please explain what Revelation 3:10 means. A. The verse reads, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from …

Q. In Luke 9:1–6, Jesus told His followers not to take various necessities with them when they went out to minister. Why did He instruct …

Q. In Genesis 44:5, it appears that Joseph practiced divination. I can’t imagine Joseph, the godly man he was, being involved with such. Also, I …

Q. There’s a section of 1 Corinthians 15, verses 39-44, that simply doesn’t make sense to me. Please explain. A. Looking at the whole context …

Q. What did Jesus mean when He told His disciples to “fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell,” if …

Q. Taking the view your group does on dispensationalism, premillennialism, and the pretribulational Rapture, I sense that you don’t believe in peacemaking in the world …

Q. First Corinthians 15:51 and 52, apparently referring to the Rapture, link that great event with a sounding of the last trumpet.  In Revelation 11:15-19, …

Q. Why does Revelation 5:6 speak of seven Spirits, when there is only one Spirit? A. The “seven Spirits” should be regarded as “sevenfold Spirit,” …

Q. Why did Nicodemus come to talk with Jesus during the night? A. Nicodemus appears three times in the Gospels; you are referring to the …

Q. When one searches for information in Scripture on Jesus’ childhood, why do we find so little? One would think that more of Jesus’ example …

Q. Is it right to call Jesus the “Lily of the Valleys” and “Rose of Sharon”? A. Song of Solomon 2:1 presents a conversation between …

Q. I’ve always been under the impression that the Antichrist will be a Jew. Is this correct? A. The belief that the Antichrist will be …

Q.What is a proper Christian response to people who claim Christmas and other Christian celebrations are pagan? A. First, if we are honest, we are …

Q. I can’t understand 2 Corinthians 8:3. It appears that these believers, giving “beyond their ability,” were going into debt, and the Bible forbids indebtedness. …

Q. How does one answer an amillennialist to prove Christ will reign a literal thousand years on earth? Revelation 20 clearly says so, but that …

Q. Why do believers, including Bible characters, have disagreements, when they all are supposedly indwelt by the same Holy Spirit? One would think that all …

Q. Is marriage a covenant? A. I assume you are not asking about so-called covenant marriage, which has been in the news. In contrast to …

Q. Which of these two words should we use—“sin” or “sins”? Is there any difference between the two? A. A fine passage to observe is …

Q. How did the word “Easter” get into Scripture? Easter has pagan connotations. A. Acts 12:4 is the single use of the word “Easter” in …

Q. Explain Matthew 22:13 and 25:30, where a person is said to be cast “into outer darkness.” Was the person a Christian? In Heaven, will …

Q. I’m concerned about coming in last, if that is the right way to put it, when it comes to Hebrews 12:1 and 2. It …

Q. Biblically, how does one witness to a Jehovah’s Witness? A. Your question reminds me of a story told by a pastor. A church member …

Q. (1) Who was Jesus referring to when He said, “Get behind Me, Satan” in Matthew 16:23? (2) What did Jesus mean when He called …

Q. Did Adam and Eve ever repent after their sinning in the Garden of Eden? A. Initially they didn’t, of course. The Biblical account shows …

Q. I recently watched an evangelism training video that uses the Ten Commandments to reach people. One of the trainers says that if the persons …

Q. With the ugly happening at Virginia Tech recently, I see capital punishment being attacked with new vigor in the newspapers and on TV and …

Q. Is there such a thing today as the gift of discernment? I’ve heard people talk about it, as though only certain believers have that …

Q. I don’t know how prevalent it is in our group, but lately I’ve noticed more evangelical churches using such fund-raising methods as bazaars, bake …

Q. What does the phrase “from faith to faith” mean in Romans 1:17? A. Romans 1:17 is the last verse in Paul’s introductory material of …

Q. Ephesians 4:8 says Christ ascended on high. The next verse, Ephesians 4:9, says He first descended. What does this descending mean? A. First, let’s …

Q. Please explain Matthew 16:27 and 28. It seems that Jesus was talking about the Second Coming. Is this right? If so, how could He …

Q. In Exodus 1:15–21, was it right that the midwives lied? It seems that God honored what they said. A. The occasion of this passage …

Q. What does the word “Selah” mean in the book of Psalms? I’ve noticed that in church, during Scripture readings in unison, people don’t know …

Q. Every now and then I’ve heard speakers appealing to unbelievers to trust Christ because they’re lonely. Also I can think of a few songs …

Q. What does one say to a person who doubts that insurance is Biblical, believing it is a sign of distrusting God and also a …

Q. In Mark 5:19 Jesus told the demon-possessed man of Gadara to tell his friends what had happened to him, but in Mark 5:43 Jesus …

Q. How did animals find their way to the ark before the Flood? How did they survive all that time in the ark? After the …

Q. When I was young and before I became a believer in Christ, I took a vow that I would never leave the church I …

by Norm Olson Q. I heard someone say the wise men were into astrology. I’ve been taught that astrology is sinful. Please comment. A. First …

by Norm Olson Q. A born-again Christian I visited with the other day believes that we have just one nature, based on Romans 6:6 and …

by Norm Olson Q. What about a new movement or thought among Christians known as transformation? Is it Biblical? A. Is it Biblical? should be …

by Norm Olson Q: What did the Jews and early church offer in training compared with churches today? For example, they obviously didn’t have Sunday …

by Norm Olson Q: Was Elimelech right or wrong in moving his family to Moab in Ruth 1:1-5? A: Bible scholars hold varying views on …

by Norm Olson Q: Why did Christ curse the fig tree in Matthew 21:19? A: This account is also found in Mark 11:11-14 and 19-26. …

Q. In 1 Timothy 2:8 does “men” mean “males” or “mankind” in general? Does “lifting up holy hands” indicate something we should be doing? A. …

by Norm Olson Q: When a Christian dies, does the soul go directly to Heaven (later to be reunited with the resurrected body to appear …

Q. Is corporal punishment (as in spanking) truly Biblical; and if it is, how do we answer all its opposition? A. Corporal punishment is certainly …