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Life-and-death issues are among the most difficult decisions we may ever have to make. This is a question many are facing, especially as medical treatments and technology can extend life beyond what the body can sustain on its own. Since the Bible does not provide specific answers to many questio...
When we discuss the fact that we “hear God,” we are considering what God fundamentally communicates about the plan of salvation and how we can obey it. Of course, God “speaks” through his creation (Ps. 19:1; Rom. 1:20). But this general revelation of God does not specify how we can be saved from ...
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...
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....
Yes, it is true that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The prophet Malachi wrote, “For I, Jehovah, change not” (3:6). In Hebrews 13:8, the inspired penman writes, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yea and forever.” So it is clear that God doesn’t change. He is Deity. And...
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 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...
Let's review the text from which this question comes. “And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the s...
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,...
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...
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 ...
The religious world is deeply divided over the following passage from Genesis. “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that the...
The term “Jehovah,” appearing in the American Standard Version (1901), takes the place of “LORD” (all caps) in the King James Translation, as well as in most modern versions. It derives from four Hebrew consonants, called the Tetragrammaton, a term that signifies a four-letter word. This expressi...
There are many ideas that people have about who will be in Heaven. Since no one on Earth today has ever personally experienced going to Heaven, all we have to go on is what has been revealed and confirmed through the Scriptures. What Does the Bible Actually Say About Who Will Go to Heaven? First,...
First, I would dispute the chronological theory that suggests the Universe is billions of years old. I do not believe there is indisputable scientific evidence supporting that view, and I believe there is substantial evidence against it. I have discussed this briefly in my book, Creation, Evoluti...
You have described a volatile situation. I’m afraid that many Christians are so uninformed about both the spirit and the practice of church discipline that extremes in either direction are common more often than not. First, it appears that the woman was never formally disfellowshipped. If she had...
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...
Because the Scriptures do not mention the Gideons, I cannot give you an answer based on explicit Biblical testimony. However, I can cite some principles that should help you reach a decision on this matter. Who Are the Gideons? The Gideons International association is an organized group of busine...
Since the New Testament does not address this concern specifically, one must draw a reasonable conclusion from the available evidence. My personal view is that, in the circumstances you describe, an adult son's defection does not necessarily disqualify the brother from serving as an elder. My rea...
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...