Bible Q&As
Question: You indicate that to receive the reward of immortality (or eternal life), one must live a life of faithfulness to God, obeying the commandments and following closely the example of Christ in this regard. All of this would make sense, except according to Scripture, men are naturally sinful, so to what extent must one … [Read more…]
Question: After studying your two-volume set on the atonement, I continue to be very impressed with your treatment of this topic and have a few questions. In particular I am puzzled by a section in your book 1 on page 48. You state Christ’s physical death marked an initial reconciliation of the new believer, canceling … [Read more…]
Question: Please explain 1 John 3:9, ‘Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.’ How can this be? Answer: Taken at face value, this verse seems to say a believer is wholly incapable of sinning. However, this cannot … [Read more…]
Question: After rereading 1 and 2 Samuel and the First Book of Kings, I find it difficult to understand why these people seemed to have been allowed to have many wives. Were they operating within the will of God, or were these actions outside the will of God? 1 Kings 9:4-5 reads, ‘And if thou … [Read more…]
Question: “Why did 70,000 Israelites have to die for David’s sin in numbering Israel? Was that fair?” Answer: When we think about fairness, we think of impartiality, freedom from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism. When we think about a punishment being fair or unfair, the most likely criteria would be the issue of whether or not … [Read more…]
Question: How do we deal with certain biblical passages that seem to imply the pre-existence of Christ? (Deut. 18:15, 18; John 6:62; John 1:1, 14; Micah 5:2; Ps. 90:2) Answer: Jump To: Deut. 18:15, 18 | John 6:62 | John 1:1, 14 | Micah 5:2 | Ps. 90:2 Deut. 18:15, 18 The Lord your God … [Read more…]
Question: It seems to me that the ‘way of Jehovah’ of Isaiah 40:3 is applied to Christ in Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; and Luke 3:4. Does not this indicate that Christ is God? Answer: Isaiah 40:3 is a prophecy concerning the mission which John the Baptist fulfilled as the forerunner of Christ’s first advent. “The … [Read more…]
Answer: The book of Hebrews opens with a statement of the scope of God’s work through the ages. “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets…” (Heb. 1:1). The author introduces Christ as God’s special means of speaking to the people of “these last … [Read more…]
Question: Why does I Tim. 6:16 say no man has seen Christ, “nor can see” him, yet other places in Scripture talk about the visible presence of the Lord, like Rev. 1:77? Answer: The Bible leaves no question but that Christ was visible when He was on earth the first time, and that He will … [Read more…]
Question: Why was Ruth the Moabitess (a foreigner) accepted, when in Nehemiah’s day those who had married foreign wives were asked to give them up? The Moabites could not even enter the temple. Answer: Jump To:God Judges People By Their Conduct | God Is Not Partial | Ruth Accepted | Foreigners in the time of … [Read more…]