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It will first be important to observe the larger context in which this puzzling text is found. Beginning in 1 Timothy 5:17, Paul provides instructions regarding certain matters relating to the elders of a local congregation. He states that they may be financially supported in their work. If neces...
As a general rule, we refrain from commenting on specific problems congregations or individuals may be having. Regardless, I must say that an individual who teaches what this question represents is incorrect in their views regarding Christ and the Holy Spirit. Let us consider each of the proposit...
Our modern word “coast” means “land alongside the sea; seashore.” However, in the seventeenth century, when the King James Version of the Bible was translated (from which the above translations were taken), the term “coasts” signified “the frontier or borderland of a country.” That English term h...
This is a good question, but the alleged problem is not of serious import. Let us consider the following factors. General Principles First, it has long been recognized that when referring to another's audible use of language or written words, it is not necessary to quote verbatim to accurately re...
The correct interpretation of this passage depends on four things — the meaning of “law,” the significance of “faith,” and a consideration of these terms in both the immediate and remote contexts of scripture. We must note at the outset that respectable scholars hold slightly different views on c...
The Genesis narrative indicates that Adam and Eve were charged with the responsibility to multiply and fill the earth (Gen. 1:28). After some ten generations of human history, a span of at least 1,656 years had elapsed. This figure is based on the biblical genealogical records. Moses recorded tha...
The prophecy in Daniel 2:44 says: “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” Some may speculate...
The inspired passage poses this question: “Are they [angels] not ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?” There are several points worthy of note here. First, as the question is framed in the Greek New Testament, there is the use of the neg...
We typically do not comment on specific issues related to congregations. It is impossible to know all of the facts surrounding certain events, and it is impossible to know the hearts of those involved. We can, however, address some general biblical principles. Individuals or congregations must ma...
What does this puzzling passage mean? As with any troubling or difficult passage, we must first understand the context to better grasp what the author means. Proverbs 31 begins as follows: “The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him” (v. 1). What did the king’s mother teach hi...
As is often the case, our Bible questions touch on some important fundamental issues: • What actually constitutes marriage in God's eyes? • What role does civil authority play? Let's examine what Scripture reveals. What Makes a Marriage Valid Before God? God's foundational design for marriage can...
Let us first address whether or not the content of Job is historically authentic. First, Job reads like history. It tells of events that happened to a man named Job. He lived in the land of Uz. It details his family, his life, and his suffering. It also conveys his friends’ interest in his suffer...
The Bible makes a claim that most books do not. It claims to be from God. Some books, both ancient and modern, also claim a divine origin. However, unlike other books that make the claim, the Bible’s claim is true. When we say the Bible is inspired, several factors must be considered. First, “ins...
The record of Cain’s rejected sacrifice reads: ““And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto Jehovah. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: b...
As with many Bible-related questions, the answer lies in how words and concepts are defined. Let's think about what are the real differences between monotheism and polytheism. Monotheism The original religion of ancient mankind was monotheism. Monotheism is the worship of one, true Supreme Being....
The term "condemned" in Galatians 2:11 is a point of controversy among some commentators. As with many biblical texts, it is important to understand what is happening in the passage and the circumstances that prompted the author to write. The larger context in which the controversial term is foun...
First, no evidence shows that anyone other than the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They had been promised that blessing (see Acts 1:5, 8). The only other exception was to the household of Cornelius, in fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, as a divine token th...
Before we obey the gospel, we are dead in sin (Eph. 2:1). But the question is, to what does this refer: the physical body or a spiritual condition? It refers, of course, to our spiritual condition. The passages cited in the question (Rom. 6:3-8; Col. 2:11-12) discuss the spiritual life we can hav...
No, it does not. Rather, Luke testifies to the voluntary, loving, and selfless disposition of Christians in Jerusalem: ““Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common...
Ecclesiastes 12:14 affirms the following: "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." The thrust of this sober passage seems to be this. The works of men, whether good or evil, may be hidden from one's contemporaries. That is,...
