General – Page 57 – Evidence for Christianity

How does Christianity justify its staunch and abusive criticism of so called "Pagan" Religions in the light that it developed well after many other religions that were also the belief of many people before it?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, General Apologetics, Other Religions, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Note: The question is quite long. The answer is about five paragraphs down the page How does Christianity justify its staunch and abusive criticism of so called “Pagan” Religions in the light that it developed well after many other religions that were also the belief of many people before it? Too often “pagan religions have […]

In "The Passion of Christ", Caesar warned Pilate not to allow any more uprisings. Is there any historical basis for this?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, History .

In the recent movie, The Passion of Christ, there was a reference to Pilate being warned by Caesar twice not to allow any more uprisings. Is there any historical basis for this? I’m sure there was some political reason Pilate allowed a man he considered innocent to be executed. Melissa (Denver) Relatively little is known, […]

?What needs were answered by Christianity?? Please help me out.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Practical Christianity, Social Issues .

“What needs were answered by Christianity?” Please help me out. I will do something different from my usual pattern, and simply quote Bible verses in answer to your question. Romans 3:23-25 There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through […]

Do you have information on the changing of the Sabbath Day by Constantine?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General .

Do you have information on the changing of the Sabbath Day by Constantine? I have no information on this because it never happened. One of the most persistent false claims about the early history of the church is that somehow Constantine was able to change Christian doctrine of even the scriptures of the New Testament. […]

Have you noticed there are two accounts in the bible of Jesus cursing the fig tree and when Jesus drove the money changers out?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

Have you noticed there are two accounts in the bible of Jesus cursing the fig tree and when Jesus drove the money changers out? In one account, Jesus drove the money changers out and then cursed the fig tree the next day. (Matthew 21:10-22). And in the other account he cursed the fig tree first […]

How do I know that Christianity is the one true faith, and that Buddhism, or Hinduism, or any other religion isn't the "right one?"

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, General Apologetics, Other Religions .

How do I know that Christianity is the one true faith, and that Buddhism, or Hinduism, or any other religion isn’t the "right one?" I have received a couple of questions which are pretty similar to this one. Below I have included two similar questions and the answers I gave. After these two questions/responses, I […]

What about unicorns?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General .

What about unicorns? I have received a question about unicorns before. This question is not very specific, so I will simply copy my answer of a previous question. John Oakes In the Bible, what do the Unicorns symbolize and where in the Bible are they talked about? That is a pretty easy question. Unicorns do […]

Have you done much research on "Completed" or Messianic Jews?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General .

They have taken Jesus as Lord and claim to descend from the Jews in the book of Acts. I have a friend who is into this up north and I am trying to better understand this. They seem to thrive on the tenet that because NT scripture points them back to the OT that they […]

How do you explain Christianity to a black Muslim?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, General Apologetics, Other Religions, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

How do you explain Christianity to a black Muslim? The extremely simple answer is that I would explain it to this person the same way I would anyone else. I would present the true Jesus, son of God, fulfiller of prophecy, worker of miracles, sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world. Of […]

How can we claim apostolic authority for all of the books in the New Testament?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General .

The way I understand the compilation of the NT Canon is that the books that were accepted by the church and said to have apostolic authority, were the books put into the canon. However, this doesn’t make sense to me, because some gospels were not written by apostles… likewise we have no idea who wrote […]

Why did celibacy become mandatory for priests?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Church History, General .

Why did celibacy become mandatory for priests? Let me start by copying and pasting an answer to a similar question received previously. You will find the rest of my answer to your specific question after the following: Can you tell me when the Catholic church started insisting its priests were celibate? How celibacy became common […]

In "three days and three nights," was "three nights" a later editorial insertion, or is there some other explanation?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

I’m writing to ask if you have any explanation for one apparent discrepancy that I have often wondered about: “three days and three nights”. I have read that the “days” part of that statement was due to the Jewish tradition of counting any part of a day as a whole day in the description of […]

Is the Jerusalem Bible inaccurate about Daniel, Darius, Belshazzar, James and Peter?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Versions of the Bible .

I was reading the introduction of the Jerusalem?s Bible (Biblia de Jerusalem), which is translated and commented by Catholics. I don?t know if this translation exists in English. For me is the best translation for Portuguese. The problem is about the authorship and the dates of some books. The comments say that Daniel was written […]

Why do pastors still preach teach and insist on Old Testament laws when the same stand cancelled in the New Testament?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Why dopastors still preach teach and insist on Old Testament laws when the same stand cancelled in the New Testament? Preachers teach the need for Christians to follow the Old Testament law because of bad theology. This is one of the most common false doctrines in the “Christian” world. Different religious groups teach the need […]

Was Mary Magdaline married to Jesus as The Da Vinci Code Claims?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General .

I am currently reading Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” and he makes a convincing claim of the possibility that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. Is there any possibility of truth in this? (I am a dedicated Christian, and an answer either way wouldn’t shake my convictions about following Jesus’ teachings, but I was […]

Would you please give me some information on the prophet Daniel.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Daniel, General .

Would you please give me some information on the prophet Daniel. This is a really general question, so I am not at all sure what kind of information you may want. It so happens that I have published a book on Daniel. You will find a lot on Daniel in my book! To buy a […]

When do you think John wrote Revelation and what makes you think that?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General .

It’s been a while since I posed any questions however I’m currently reading several of your articles and in your article Biblical Prophecies Fulfilled you state the following: While the writings of John preceded the persecutions of Domitian and his successors by less than a generation, they nevertheless show the continuity of the New and […]

Who was the author of Ecclesiastes?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General .

Who was the author of Ecclesiastes? The general consensus of conservative scholars is that King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes. The introduction certainly implies this. It describes the author of the book as “the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.” There is only one person who we know was described in his own time as the […]

Did the Council of Nicea determine the New Testiment canon?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General .

My question revolves around the true role of the Council Of Nicea. Some have argued that the council canonized certain texts to fit their purposes. I have heard the counter argument that the council merely canonized what was already widely accepted as Inspired Word, but even this wide acceptance does little to guarantee that the […]

Could recommend any reading for me that may help me overcome my growing skepticism?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, General Apologetics .

I have been studying the new testament for the past 6 months and found a lot of encouragement generally throughout and it was leading me to begin to believe, though some parts of the text I found a bit troubling and not often addressed by other Christians other preachers. I even discovered some misinformation on […]

How can a perfect Bible be created by imperfect human writers?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, General Apologetics, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

The Bible is generally used as the primary reference for Christians. Even if I accept that the Bible is actually God’s word, you have to admit that it was put on paper by humans. And since humans are imperfect, how do you put such faith in the Bible? Also, what about the books of the […]

What does it mean when the Bible says we were made in his image? What about other religions?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Other Religions, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

In anew Comparative Religion course I’m taking at school. we’re currently studying Hinduism and will soon move on to Buddhism its actually quite fascinating. Hinduism, with all its splendid contradictions and incongruities, is really not that bad of a religion. Dont get me wrong, my faith is not wavering but I found that studying the […]

Were there real dragons?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General .

Were there real dragons? Do you mean were there ever actual, living, giant reptiles which could fly and breathe fire? I believe it is safe to say, at least from a scientific perspective, that almost certainly no such creature ever lived. Of course, many cultures, most notably the Chinese, but many others as well, have […]

What happens when all nine planets line up?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Science and the Bible .

What happens when all nine planets line up? The answer to this question is pretty straightforward. Nothing! From a scientific perspective there is no reason to believe there would be any significant effect at all if all the planets were to line up. First of all, it is literally impossible for all nine to line […]

What does the Bible say about Polygamy. Can polygamist serve God?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Social Issues .

What does the Bible say about Polygamy. Can polygamist serve God? Most believers would probably say that this is an easy question, but that is not necessarily true. Most would say that it is a sin to be a polygamist and that this is a clear and unambiguous teaching of the New Testament. The fact […]

How can Genesis 11:1 (one language) and Genesis 10:5 (more than one language) be explained?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

Genesis 11:1 says that the world at that time “had one language and a common speech.” However, Genesis 10:5 seems to imply that there was more than one language at that same time. Please explain this. I can think of a couple of possible explanations, but the most obvious one is probably correct. Although Genesis […]

What evidence do we have that the stories on Christianity are real?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, History .

What evidence do we have that the stories on Christianity are real? Unfortunately, this is a rather vague question. I will give a fairly vague answer in response. If you have a more specific question in mind, please send me another question. I am not sure what you mean by “stories” in Christianity? Do you […]

Can I trust the council of Nicea? How can I trust the New Testament books are without error?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General .

My question revolves around the true role of the Council Of Nicea. Some have argued that the council canonized certain texts to fit their purposes. I have heard the counter argument that the council merely canonized what was already widely accepted as Inspired Word, but even this wide acceptance does little to guarantee that the […]

Did the Genesis writer rely on the Gilgamesh Epic in writing the flood account?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, General, Science and the Bible .

Every one knows the story of Noah and his ark. Some believe it, some don’t, but that is irrelevant. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the fist written story ever found. This epic describes how Gilgamesh took two of each animal plus his family into an ark to avoid a world wide flood sent by the […]

Who is the disciple Jesus loved? Could Jesus have been gay? How do I deepen my faith?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Practical Christianity, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

I have been studying the new testament for the past 6 months and found a lot of encouragement generally throughout and it was leading me to begin to believe, though some parts of the text I found a bit troubling and not often addressed by other Christians other preachers. I even discovered some misinformation on […]

Since human beings wrote the Bible, how can we trust it? How do we know the right books ended up in the Bible?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General, General Apologetics .

The Bible is generally used as the primary reference for Christians. Even if I accept that the Bible is actually God’s word, you have to admit that it was put on paper by humans. And since humans are imperfect, how do you put such faith in the Bible? Also, what about the books of the […]

What was the affect Constantine had on the church? Did he eliminate certain groups of Christians?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, Church History, General .

The Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and is credited (by some) as being responsible for Christianity flourishing. But, Constantine chose one form of Christianity and killed anyone who practiced any of the other forms. What about these other forms? Combine this with the crusades and we get the classic line “history is written by the […]

Was Jesus born on September 11, 4 BC? I heard all nine planets lined up at that time.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Science and the Bible .

I was brought up to believe that Christ was born on September 11th, either 3 BC or 4 BC (I can’t remember the year). Supposedly all nine planets were lined up in a straight line on that day. Does this claim have any validity? The fact is that no one knows the exact date of […]

Does the "gap theory" explain Genesis chapter one?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Science and the Bible .

For some time I have held the view that the age of the earth, dinosaurs, and remains like “Lucy” can be explained by the gap between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. The earth was created “in the beginning”, not the first day. The earth was then “formless and void”, a phrase that can be rendered […]

Does the second law of thermodynamics imply the big bang theory is wrong?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Science and the Bible .

I have recently heard an argument for creationism using the third law of [thermo-dynamics/ thermo nuclear physics] as it’s catalyst against the idea of the big bang theory. Namely stating that things left to themselves have a tendency to decay – not grow in complexity. What is this law – I have only guesses at […]

No one outside Christianity believes Jesus rose from the dead. How can I be sure it happened?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Miracles, Resurrection of Jesus .

No one outside Christians claim that Jesus rose from the dead. A few mention he had been crucified- and they admit Christians believe he rose from the dead, but no one outside Christian writers say he rose from the dead. And there’s no writings from the actual existence of Jesus that say he was crucified […]

What does 1 Corinthians 15:29 about baptism for the dead mean?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General .

As usual I have another query. This is regarding the Baptism for the Dead mentioned in 1Cor15:29: “Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?” Now I know this cannot mean that Paul […]

How can I know if Christianity is true beyond a doubt? Isn't faith blind?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, General Apologetics .

Many people follow religions, based on some sort of Bible, as if a god would choose to give us something to know he existed. All religions have doubts, loopholes, seeming contradictions. You’ve said before that a whole college degree could be devoted to simply the interpretation of the Bible (among other aspects of religion). Faith […]

In general, why is philosophy a problem for many people of faith?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Philosophy, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

In general, why is philosophy a problem for many people of faith? That is a good question. I would say that, in general, philosophy does not pose a big problem for people of faith. It is for people who do not have deep faith in God and in the Bible that philosophy poses a big […]

Are Micah 5:2 and Micah 5:4-7 both messianic passages? How does that work?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy .

Micah 5:2 Says that the messiah would be born in Betlehem. After that it goes on to speak of the assassins invading Israel and that he and 7 others would save Israel. (v.4-6).What’s that about? If also verses 4-6 can apply to the same great leader in v.2 (and it seems to me that it […]

Is the Bible Code real?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General .

Is the Bible Code real? I am not sure exactly what you are referring to as the Bible code. Many people at various times have claimed to have found mysterious codes in the Bible which gives them access to special spiritual knowledge, deeper than the common run-of-the-mill Christian. The freemasons are famous for finding secret […]

If the temple was God's house and if "God does not live in temples," how can I understand these two together?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible .

In Luke 2:49 Jesus refers to Temple of Jerusalem as his father’s house. Also, King Solomon built this Temple for God according to His instruction. However, in Acts 17:24 it is taught that God does not live in any human built building. I am having some difficulty to explain this issue can you please help […]

How to I answer some specific questions regarding Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code?"

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General .

The reason I’m writing is because of a friendly discussion with friends regarding the well-written novel by Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code. The following has been put to me regarding Jesus Christ and the ancient god, Mithras: 1. Mithra was born of a virgin on December 25th in a cave, and his birth was […]

How do I know the "all roads lead to God" philosophy is wrong?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

I was fielding some good questions from co-workers today like — “If all roads don’t lead to God, then how do you know which one is right? I know many people from different religions that seem very happy and fulfilled from their faith. It’s not fair that God will send people to hell if they’re […]

What happen between the Old Testament and New Testament?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, Daniel, General, History .

What happen between the Old Testament and New Testament? You should get a copy of my book on Daniel; Daniel, Prophet to the Nations. It is available at www.ipibooks.com There is a lot of material there on intertestamental history. Another source is the book of 1 Maccabbees, which is contained in Roman Catholic Bibles. A […]

What does the Bible say about slavery? If God gave us a sinful nature, are we at fault for sinning?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Social Issues, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

What does the Bible says about slavery? Many people have tried to argue that since the Bible endorses slavery, citing certain pauline letters which seem to encourage compliance with slavery, then the Bible must be flawed and therefore not the word of God. I was wondering how you would answer this? Also, if God made […]

Is it a sin for different races to marry?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Social Issues .

Is it a sin for different races to marry? No. There is no conceivable grounds in the Bible to justify any sort of racial prejudice or discrimination, and refusing to marry people of other races would certainly fall into this category. James 2:8,9 lists discrimination as a sin on par with adultery and murder. Although […]

Could clay or crystal surfaces have helped life to form spontaneously? (and three other relate questions)

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Science and the Bible .

Four Questions follow, with the four answers below: 1)The amino acids are L and D, and in proteins are only L. So in any hypothetical primordial soup, surely there would have been an equal proportion of both. The problem for the materialist is to answer how did the first proteins be of just L a.a […]

What does the word Amen mean? Is it related to the Egyptian God Amen?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Manuscripts and Textual Questions, General, Other Religions .

I have studied the word Amen. What does it mean and what is the origin of the word? I have read it in the Egyptwebsite that Amen is the ancient name of their god Please Check if it is true. The word amen simply means, so be it or I agree. The etymology of the […]

What is the other book the Author of Acts refers to in Acts 1:1?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General .

This morning my roommate was reading Acts and came across Acts one which reads: In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. My roommate […]