There are some who teach that the wicked will not be required to endure an “eternal punishment” (see Mt. 25:46) in hell. They argue that since “hell” is the “second death,” and as “death” is to be “destroyed,” it follows that hell will be destroyed ultimately. In this week’s Question and Answer segment, Wayne Jackson responds to this fallacious argument.

What will be the ultimate fate of those who never have a chance to hear the gospel of Christ? This is a question with which every sensitive soul struggles.

A critic, who believes that “speaking in tongues” is a gift available in this age, believes he has detected a flaw in our position that the gift of tongues was restricted to the first century. Based upon his view of 1 Corinthians 13:8ff, he argues that if “tongues” are obsolete, then “knowledge” should be as well. Since we still have knowledge, it is claimed, tongues remain as well. Here is our response to the gentleman’s objection.

A sincere reader wants to know whether or not Judas was “predestined” to betray Christ. He feels that certain New Testament passages suggest that he was. This week’s Question discusses this issue.

The Jews of the Old Testament regime were responsible to the law of Moses. But what law were the Gentiles under? This is a question that perplexes many Bible students.

Does any man have the right to forgive sins? Some suggest that Jesus granted this authority to the apostles, and then, through them, to others (see John 20:23). Can you explain this passage?

It is commonly alleged that Jesus, in John 6:37, endorsed the idea of “predestination” as popularized by John Calvin in the 16th century. Did he? Study this question with us.

Why don’t most Christians practice church “feet-washing” today, since Jesus did say, “you ought to do this”? We are responding to this sincere question in this week’s Question period.

Is it necessary to be a member of a local church?

Some claim that Jesus, in his conversation with the rich, young ruler (Mk. 10:17-18), denied that he possessed the nature of deity. What is the truth of this matter? Study this controversial passage with us.

Matthew 10:23 is a difficult text that has generated much controversy among Bible students. Just what is the meaning of the Lord’s statement, that the apostles will not have evangelized all the cities of Israel, “till the Son of man comes”? Wayne Jackson discusses this problem in this week’s Question segment.

On his way to Golgotha, Christ addressed a group of Jerusalem’s weeping women, and asked: “For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” What is the meaning of this mysterious “green tree” saying?

Is the Bible a historically dependable book? If not, why should one trust it in redemptive matters? The fact is, however, the Scriptures have been demonstrated to be trustworthy in countless details. This week’s Question/Answer briefly addresses this issue.

Is “faith” a gift of God that is bestowed independent of man’s freedom of choice? In a recent article we argued that such is not the case. In view of our dispute of the Calvinistic position, a courteous critic asks for an explanation of Hebrews 12:2, and the divine affirmation that Jesus is the “Author” of “our faith.”

In a letter to the church at Corinth, Paul affirmed that “the natural man does not receive the things of God.” Some allege that this text suggests that one cannot understand the Scriptures without direct guidance from the Holy Spirit. But, as Wayne Jackson demonstrates in this article, this view reflects a misunderstanding of the apostle’s argument.

Does the Bible sanction a speaking in “tongues” that involves the utterance of “ecstatic” sounds that are understood only by the speaker and God? Sincere Pentecostal folks answer in the affirmative. They contend that these indiscernible sounds are the “tongues of angels” (1 Cor. 13:1). This article demonstrates that there is no support for such a view in the Corinthian text.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul refers to Christ as “the firstborn of all creation.” Does this phrase suggest that Jesus was a “created” being? The “Jehovah’s Witnesses” so allege, but what is the truth of the matter? Study this intriguing question with us.

In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul mentions those who, when speaking in tongues, utter “mysteries.” Does this phraseology support the idea that these tongues are not human languages, but, instead, special “ecstatic” tongues?

A commonly asked question is this: “Who made God?” Some ask the query sincerely. Others frame it cynically. The answer is the same in both cases.

Sabbatarians contend that all of the Ten Commandments are binding today, including the requirement to “keep the Sabbath day holy.” They allege that if one argues that the Ten Commandments were abolished when Christ died, this would license all sorts of evil today. Is this argument sound? Wayne Jackson addresses this in this Q&A segment.