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The question clearly indicates that the author is a conditionalist. A conditionalist is one who believes that at some point following death, those who die estranged from God will be annihilated, that is, cease to exist. This is the dogma of the Seventh-day Adventists, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and...
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 Catholic Church teaches two errors with reference to Mary’s alleged sinlessness: 1. It argues that the mother of Jesus was conceived "immaculately," meaning she did not inherit, as others supposedly do, the guilt of Adam's "original sin." 2. The Roman Church also contends that Mary never comm...
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...
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...
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...
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 Samaritans accepted only the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) as Scripture, yet they confidently anticipated the Messiah. In the Temple court, Peter preached: ““Moses indeed said, A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me; to him shall ye he...
The answer to this question lies in understanding some important features of biblical prophecy. Some Prophecies Had Dual Applications There are prophecies in the Old Testament that have a dual application. That is, they have a rather immediate application to a more temporal circumstance. Then, th...
Certainly. Your question is very thoughtful. The following points, I believe, will help put this issue in focus: First, the Bible does not attempt to conceal the foibles of the great people that adorn its pages. Abraham, Isaac, Moses, and David were normal human beings. They sinned like all other...
No, it wouldn’t. Note the following factors: 1. The term “unknown” is not in the original text. It was added by the King James translators. It is unwarranted and unnecessary. 2. The nature of the “tongues,” alluded to in this chapter, must be the same as those defined earlier in the New Testament...
Let me approach this from two different vantage points. First, suicide by a responsible person is clearly a sinful act. The Scriptures teach that life is a sacred gift from God (Acts 17:25), and no person has the arbitrary right to destroy it—not even their own. Judas, one of the Lord’s apostles,...
To begin with, it is important to refresh our minds with those principles that identify an actual discrepancy. The law of contradiction briefly stated is this. “A thing cannot both be and not be for the same object at the same time in the same sense.” To summarize, if different things (or people)...
I believe the brother is mistaken in his view. Several things should be noted. First, it should be understood that Matthew's record is a very abbreviated account of John's ongoing ministry. Vast multitudes were pursuing John as he preached in "the wilderness of Judaea" (3:1, 5). The verb "went ou...
The King James Version is an old and respected translation of the Holy Scriptures. We have a very high regard for this popular version. Its translators attempted to reproduce the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek original text into the English tongue in a faithful way. In evaluating any version, however...
The pagan myth charge, often applied to the birth of Christ, is frequently made by the uninformed. Here is a classic example: “The idea of a supernatural or virgin birth is pagan, and it must have found its way into the story of Jesus through Gentile-Christian channels (Bundy, p. 11).” The truth ...
Many sincere Bible students frequently misunderstand this passage. It is also a source of some division. Let's explore the meaning. Walking in the Light First, 1 John 1:7 teaches that we have ongoing forgiveness only so long as we "walk in the light." Part of that "light" shows that we petition G...
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...
In Paul's letter to Timothy, he instructs his young protege to teach: “that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works (1 Ti...
Fasting, in the biblical sense, is the abstaining from food and drink for a spiritual reason.. In the Old Testament era, the Jews fasted frequently, though only one fast was prescribed by the law. Once each year on the Day of Atonement, the Hebrews were to afflict their souls (Lev. 16:31), which ...