Question: According to NIV & TNIV, Apollos was a Jew & an Egyptian (a native of Alexandria) (Acts 18:24) but GNB says he was a Jew but born in Alexandria. Is NIV & TNIV correct to say a Jew is also an Egyptian? Answer: Now, that is an easy one. In the first century Alexandria […]
Question: I’ve been doing some research on extra Biblical evidences as I continue studying the Bible with Chinese people. In my search I came across something about the moon turning to blood. Every time I study out that section in Acts 2, I’m not really sure whether that’s going to happen in the future, or […]
Question:A lot of anti-Christian biblical skeptics often use this objection to the Bible: “The Bible tells the story of Jesus being born when Herod was king (Matthew) and traveling to Bethlehem (Luke) for the census as if the two accounts were compatible but, they are actually ten years apart. Luke has Jesus born at the […]
Question: In your article on slavery you state "Therefore, for his own reasons, God chose to regulate the cruelty of slavery rather than to ban it outright for the Jews under the Law of Moses. He commanded that slaves be set free automatically after a certain amount of time But I read in Lev that […]
Question: Catholicsm is a tradition which has been passed for a long time. Where was its origin and the approximatly when did it begin? Answer: I will assume you are talking about the Roman Catholic Church. There is also the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church and the Coptic Catholic Church. These names are in a sense […]
Question: Many non-Christians see the Bible as just another book rather than accepting that it is inspired. What do we say to the non- beliver about the Insipriation of Scriptures? Answer: To be honest with you, Randy, this is really too broad a question for me to frame a reasonable answer. My simple answer is send them […]
Pregunta: Quisiera entender un poco más aquello de que Dios nos elige, entonces que ocurre con los que no elige Dios??… Si Dios no los elige son culpables? Dios endureció el corazon del faraon, si? No se trata de que el hombre quiera y se esfuerce sino de que Dios enga compasión. Respuesta: Dios elige […]
Question: Most biblical scholars claim that the King James Version isn’t the best to use today because of the archaic terms and non-usage of the latest surviving documents. Are there any flaws within the New King James Version? Answer: You have the right scoop on the KJV, otherwise known as the Authorized Version. The principle […]
Question: In studying the Bible carefully, I noticed that the type of wine which is mentioned in the New Testament is actually the unfermented grape juice. Certainly this is evidence that the Bible forbids the consumption of wine. You seem to say in your book Reasons for Belief that moderate consumption of wine is not bad. on what basis […]
Question: In 2nd corinthians 8:5 at the end I don’t quite understand if it means to also give yourselves to the people or just to God. I was wondering if you could help since i am teaching a class on stewardship. Answer: In the passage in question, Paul describes how the Macedonian Christians had given […]
Question: How should one approach those who believe that Christians can achieve sinless perfection at some point in their lives? Answer: It is hard to know how to answer this question. My answer would depend on where the person who believes this is coming from. Is this someone who knows very little of the Bible? […]
Below is a report of a teaching trip by Dr. John Oakes to the Caribbean July 16-22, 2010. Jamaica, Barbados, Trididad July, 2010 Kingston, Jamaica July 16-18 This is my first time in the Caribbean. I was met by Sonia and Greg Baugh, the couple who lead the church here. Actually, the churches, as […]
A review of the Forum at the recent International Christian Evidence Conference by Brian Colon, a member of the ARS board. See below. Editor’s Note: This review was written by Brian Colon. In the intereste of full disclosure, John Oakes gave some editing suggestions, but all edits were approved by Brian. 2010 ICEC Forum: Four Christian […]
See below for information regarding a class August 27-28 sponsored by ARS, taught by Dr. Douglas Jacoby and Dr. John Oakes in San Diego, CA Intro to Christian Apologetics: The Existence of God. Friday Aug 27th and Saturday August 28th at the Mission Center of Hope in San Diego. This is the seventh in our series […]
See below for a review of the evolution forum at the 2010 International Christian Evidence Conference. The review is by Brian Colon, a member of the ARS board. Review: ICEC Forum, "Four Christian Views of Evolution" Editor’s note: In the interest of full disclosure, John Oakes, who was one of the participants in the forum, did […]
A Hungarian translation of God and Science given in Bucharest, July, 2010. Science and God Romanian PPT 3.36 Mb
Question: Is it true that a Christian must necessarily must marry a Christian? What about a member of a particular church marrying within their group? What the Bible says on this subject? Answer: The Bible clearly teaches that a Christian must marry a Christian if he or she is to be married. Many use 2 Corinthians 6:14 […]
Question: Why the Mark 11:26 in brackets? Answer: What an interesting coincidence. I got two questions on Mark 11:26 in the same week. I am copying my answer to the other question below. Actually, he was asking about a different aspect, so I will add a couple of thoughts on your question as well. Like […]
Question: Why did God place the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden? Answer: This is a good question. Of course, we do not have a direct answer to this question, either in Genesis or anywhere else in the Bible. Yet, I believe that from what we know of God elsewhere in […]
Question: We are about to begin homeschooling our 4th and 6th grade boys and are looking for a great science curriculum that honors God and is also scientifically sound. Do you have any suggestions? Answer: I get many requests for this. I would love to have the time to produce such materials, but have not […]
June 23-July 12, 2010 Report East Africa East Europe
The power point and outline are for a class taught 6/22/2010 for the LAICC intern by Dr. John Oakes. The theme is how the early church grew and why it grew like it did which is accomplished by looking both at Acts and church history. Thoughts on Acts and World History 14.56 Mb Acts/Church History notes
View a video of Dr. John Oakes giving a lecture The Bible, From God or Man? in both English and Hungarian. Go to this URL http://vimeo.com/13257586
Question: I read your article on why there is no Mark 11:26, and it made me wonder, how than can we be sure that the Bible hasn’t been altered by other scribes somewhere else down the line. If scribes tryed to insert their own verses, han how can we be sure that the Bible is perfect […]
Question: What is the underlying issue that influenced the formation of the Essene religious group? Answer: It is hard for us to trace the roots of the Essene group. As far as I know, its history is not well known at all. We know quite a bit about the history of the Pharisees, a bit less […]
Question: Transubstantiation has been described on the website as a false doctrine of the Catholic Church (a doctrine I am not convinced of one way or another). Please, allow me a moment to play devil’s advocate… Several close Catholic friends of mine have explained that the doctrine for Transubstantiation was extrapolated from several biblical verses […]
Question: I just got back from a Bible camp I go to each summer. Every time I go I feel close to God and I almost accept Jesus as my savior. Then I drift away as the year goes on. I would like to know how to accept him as my savior. I’m almost there […]
Question: I recently saw an article in the telegraph stating that a scholar had claimed Jesus was not crucified on a cross but rather a stake like the Jehovas witnesses believe, explaining that "stauros" does dont mean cross but pole or stake. While I couldn’t care less on what shape the wood was that Jesus was […]
Question: Can we infer from Acts 18: 24-26 that Apollos did what was required to be saved? Did he undergo baptism in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins? Answer: If we take Acts 18:24-26 together with Acts 19:1-5 together, then we can reasonably infer that Apollos was baptized into Christ in […]
See below for outline of the class "Master and Commander: The Moral Argument for the Existence of God" by Dan Conder from the 2010 ICEC. Master and Commander: The Moral Argument for the Existence of God Romans 1:18-2:16 (see also Genesis 1-3) "You don’t have to believe in God to be moral." In principle, […]
Question: Is it possible for a baptized saved Christian to lose the Holy Spirit after receiving it like in Saul’s case who was disobedient and it was taken away from him? Answer: Yes, it definitely is possible for a baptized/saved Christian to lose the gift of the Holy Spirit. I do not believe what happened […]
Question: Most Christians generally agree that abortion is a sin. But what about abortion to save the life of the mother or abortion because of rape? I am stuck on determining these answers. In the first case, to save the life of the mother, I can see that it might not be a sin, yet […]
A power point by Dr. John Beggs, professor at Indiana University for 2010 ICEC on his research in neuroscience and the philosophical and theological questions of the existence of the human soul. PPT Defense of the Soul 2.36 Mb
The notes and power point are from a class taught by Dr. William Golightly at the 2010 ICEC. The notes/essay attached are particularly good, providing a fairly comprehensive description of where cosmology is at today, as well as listing anthropic fine tuning arguments. Essay: God and Cosmology PP God and Cosmology 3.78 Mb
Question/Comment: You say, with regard to the Letters, that "my assumption…. is that these are inspired writings." I have to point out that whenever God-inspired Scripture is spoken of in the NT, that it is the Jewish Bible that is spoken of. There is in fact no Biblical warrant for the inspiration of the NT […]
This power point is the one used by John Clayton at the 2010 ICEC in Irvine, CA Why Human Suffering 11.72 Mb
This is the power point used by John Clayton for his public lecture "Why I Left Atheism" at the 2010 ICEC in Irvine, CA Why I Left Atheism 12.57 Mb
A sermon given by John Oakes, PhD 6/13/2010 in Long Beach. Faith That Answers the Hard Questions
A class taught by John Oakes, PhD at the 2010 ICEC. A Defense of Christian Theology 1.17 Mb Notes: A Defense of Christian Theolgoy
A class taught by Dr. John Oakes for Proyect Esdras, Mexico City May 8, 2010. ppt Four Christian Views of Evolution (English) 4.10 Mb ppt Four Christian Views of Evolution (Spanish) (
This class was given at the 2010 ICEC by Dr. Robert Kurka of Lincoln Christian University. Note, the notes are more thorough than the ppt. PPT Science: Christianity’s Lost Child Notes for Science: Christianity’s Lost Child
Question: I am a Christian, but I am tempted to let go of my faith. My faith is based on fear (eternal damnation, hell, etc.). I just want to know any evidence of the authenticity of Christianity which is different from other religions. Others also have their divine scriptures and revelations. What makes Christianity different […]
Question: Out of curiosity, how do you address the problem of Israel’s population in Exodus? Supposedly I’ve heard that the increase in population from 70 to 600,000 isn’t realistic? Answer: I can see how one might wonder about this. Well, let us assume 430 years for the time in Egypt. I am not at all […]
Questions: 1. Moses was prevented from crossing the Jordan and entering the promised land by God, because of Numbers 20. If the promised land is a foreshadow of heaven, and Moses did not enter it, are we to infer that Moses did not make it to heaven? 2. We can see how God has protected […]
Question: I’m just curious; if there was nothing before Adam and Eve when did the dinosaurs exist? Answer: According to scientific evidence, based on fossils radioisotopic and other kinds of data, we know that dinosaurs lived from about 240 million years ago until 65 million years ago, at which time it appears that the last […]
An Article by John Oakes, PhD describing four Christian views of evolution, along with strengths and weaknesses of the four views. This essay is intended as a guide for the upcoming forum at the 2010 ICEC in Irvine, CA. Four Christian Views of Evolution John Oakes 6/3/10 We at ARS will be sponsoring a […]
Question: Looking at Mark 9:1 and 1 Cor. 15:51, it is clear that both Jesus and Paul were mistaken in expecting, the arrival of the Kingdom of God in the case of Jesus and in Paul’s case, the second coming, in the lives of some of those present in each situation. How do you cope […]
Question: When did Jesus become sin ? 1)When baptised by John the Baptist? 2)When he was tempted by Satan was he carrying our sin? 3)What does it mean to fulfill all righteousness? 4)When he was on the cross? Answer: Jesus "became sin for us" on the cross. This is why Jesus cried, "My God, My […]
As part of the 2010 ICEC John Clayton will be giving a public lecture titled Why I Left Atheism. Clayton was once a devoted atheist who set out to write a book "The Bible: A Book by Ignorant People in and Ignorant Age" The result: he became a Christian! 7:30 PM Location: 10 Goodyear, Irvine, […]
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