Question: Catholicism VS Christianity I was told that from the beginning there was one real church, which was the Roman Catholic Church. But later on because of conflicts within the church, a man named Luther left the Catholic Church and formed another church which is today’s Christian church. How much truth is in this? Answer: […]
[editor’s note: This inquiry is the result of a presentation I gave in King’s College, London 6/12/14. This is a rather high-level discussion, so be forewarned that this might be above the head of many of our readers. ] Question: I wanted to thank you again for the time you took to meet me last […]
Question: In the event that a Christian is empowered to draft legislature is it biblical to allow for the death penalty for crimes like murder? Answerl: What the government does is their business. The government is not an arm of the church and neither is the church an arm of the government (hopefully). In the […]
[Editor’s note: This is a series of interchanges which might be a bit hard to follow, but I decided to post this pretty much as is. It is a series of exchanges on the rather abstract question of where Quantum mechanics interacts with free will.] Question: Dr. Oakes, I am researching a study for my […]
Question: I was just wondering if you could answer some of these questions. Keep in mind I don’t expect you to answer every single question but maybe a couple answers would help. I recently compiled most of the complaints from a very unusual website called Jesusneverexisted.com. Honestly at the end of the day none of […]
QUESTION: I listened to your lesson on Baptism (thank you, it helped me to better understand this aspect of our walk in Christ). However, I am not able to find any scriptural passages where it mentions that the apostles were baptized. Scripture mentions they did baptize others. Can you help with this question please? Thank […]
QUESTION: I listened to your lesson on Baptism (thank you, it helped me to better understand this aspect of our walk in Christ). However, I am not able to find any scriptural passages where it mentions the followers of Jesus were baptized? (The 12 disciples) Scripture mentions they did baptise others. Can you help with […]
Question: I did want to ask you if you have heard of an alleged inscription in the supposed largest near-eastern Mithraeum which was built in western Persia at Kangavar, which is supposedly dedicated to ‘Anahita’, with an inscription reading “the Immaculate Virgin Mother of the Lord Mithras” dated to around 200BC? I see this claim […]
Question: I was trying to do some research on the claims that the founding fathers of the United States either believed in God and or were Christians. I understand that the founding fathers were guided by secular ideas, and self, class, or state interests. Do most scholars believe that the fathers were deists, while other scholars […]
Question: Have you read questioningpaul.com ? Hab 2 is quite the prophecy about the coming of Shwaul as the”plague of death” and the one who “gathers all the Gentiles unto himself”, etc. Paul never quotes the Torah correctly. Response: I spent some time looking at the document you suggested and found this to be a […]
Question: How do you reconcile Matt 16:26,27? They are two distinct prophecies in these verses. One is about the distant future which is the judgment.The other happened six days later. Answer: First of all, I assume you mean Matthew 16:27-28, not 26-27. In this little prophecy of Jesus he is doing what he often did, which is mix prophecies […]
Question: Could you kindly explain in brief whether the widely accepted precept “Once saved is always saved” is consistent with Biblical teaching? Answer: The once saved always saved teaching is false doctrine. It originated as a result of the type of theology most commonly known as Calvinism, having been named after the 16th century theologian and […]
Question: I have a roommate who I am reaching out to. He said that the origin of the word “Christ” comes from the Indian God Krishna and that ancient monasteries have record of Jesus coming from Judea. He quoted John 10:34. Where it says we are “all Gods.” He used that to say that Jesus […]
[editor’s note: this is clearly not a Christian evidence question but we get this question fairly often so thought an answer would be useful to some of our readers] Question: I have a friend I have been studying with about baptism. She has shared with me the belief that we do not need to be baptized to […]
(editor’s note: This is a follow-up to a previous question which explains his asking about my “methodology used to acquire the [claim of] 99% [accuracy for the Greek NT]) Question: Thanks Dr. Oakes for taking the time to look at my contact form. he openly admits that we should avoid like the plague knowing with […]
QUESTION: I am studying with a pre-millenialist who is particularly caught up with Israel, end-times, and the special role of Jerusalem. The materials on Jacoby’s [editor’s note: he is referring to douglasjacoby.com] site recently published on the mass conversion of Israel were timely as well as John Oakes messages on the Kingdom of God. Thanks! […]
QUESTION: In Ezekiel 14: 14, 18 God said that even if NOAH, DANIEL and JOB were in the country, they would have only saved themselves by their righteousness. He would still stretch out his hand. He said if the three men were in the country, they would not save their daughters and sons. They will only save […]
Comment: I am wondering about the idea of sins of the Father being passed on to the future generations or in this case all of us being blamed for Adam’s sin. By ANY measure you wish to use, this is against all natural justice and fairness as is the idea that someone/anyone can take away […]
Questions: If Genesis is not literally true (for example Adam and Eve made in our image as we are now), then can Christians at least accept it calls into question the fall of man and a need for redemption by God via human sacrifice of Jesus? Simple question 1. If you accept the Bible as […]
Question: I have a roommate who I am reaching out to. He said that the origin of the word “Christ” comes from the Indian God Chrisna [sic. he means Krishna] (didn’t give the exact spelling) and that ancient monasteries have record of Jesus coming from Judea. He quoted John 10:34. Where it says we are […]
[editor’s note: this is a follow-up question to one posted just a couple of days ago] Question: Thanks for taking the time to explain in detail the different translations and for copy pasting the relevant texts. They are helpful indeed. I would appreciate if you can clarify one thing which was the reason behind my […]
Comment: Saw this pop up today on Facebook. Not sure how old the whole thing is but it often cracks me up even though I find it sad at the same time that people throw this around social media to discredit Christianity and in their eyes it’s always that one “smoking gun”. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3ALspOA4xo4GAJ%3Amoorishharem.com%2FCulture-detail%2F1500-year-old-bible-confirms-that-jesus-christ-was-not-crucified-vatican-in-awe%2F+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a Response: I […]
Question: Please tell me how do we determine if a certain translation of the bible is reliable or more reliable than others or the most reliable. Thank you very much. Answer: There are more than a dozen really excellent translations into English out there. You can use any one of these and consider them […]
QUESTION: Hi, John. I recently started to get acquainted with the questions of the origin of the universe and to publish your questions on this topic on our website. Stephen Hawking is more of a friend or an enemy to the Christian faith? On the one hand he supports the idea that the entire universe […]
QUESTION: I have tried to convince Jehovah Witnesses that Jesus is God but they interpret differently the scripture. Do you have a different aproach or material about this question? Answer: I address the question of Jehovah Witness teaching in notes and a power point at the web site. I suggest you go to the power point […]
QUESTION: Hello. I was wondering about the information on the Gospel of Barnabas. I’d like to know who after this site and from which point of view was the gospel taken. I couldn’t find about the writer or the author? Another question please, how can the author judge the language of the bible and even the […]
Question: I was going through a book by Spinoza and he describes a substance as having its characteristic as existence and independence from any other substance. But if that’s the case, then matter has existed ever since and will continue to exist. It cannot be destroyed or created.In this sense isn’t matter self-existent? My physics […]
Question: My brother-in-law is an atheist and mathematician. He has a couple of master’s degrees in “pure math.” He also has completed all his doctoral classes in this area. He challenged me to send him a few of the most compelling prophecies and he would research them. He is contends with great assurance that God […]
QUESTION: I am a disciple of Jesus in Abidjan. I work as a graphic editor for hebdoomadaire space. I called up the newspaper. But in this paper, there are topics like horoscope, new age, and the meaning of names. I feel like my hands are used as a tool to hurt spirutually those who read the […]
Question: I had posted this article “Life by Chance” to a bunch of friends who claim to either be atheists, agnostic or skeptics. I know it’s outdated, but I could use some help as I am not an expert or well versed in electrons and the like. Is there an article that expands on this […]
Question: I am now reading one of your books “Is There a God” [editor’s note: www.ipibooks.com]. I wondered about this: do simple one-celled organisms contain DNA? (I have heard of Dr. Flew’s view that DNA is too complex for accidental origination.) Answer: That is a simple question. All living things have DNA. Even the simplest […]
Question: I am an American pastor in Thailand. This season I have been approached about our Easter celebration being pagan and reflecting too much of the Catholic doctrine. Suggestion has been made to drop the term Easter and adopt the Passover as the true form of worship. Can you illuminate for me any biblical reasons […]
Question: Does Einstein’s Theory of Relativity require that God be temporal or atemporal to logically interact with His creation? What is essentially the effect of God that is greater than the speed of light in this understanding? In his book A Brief History of Time in pages 25-28, Stephen Hawking describes time existing as a […]
Question: I need your help on a few hard questions an atheist friend asked me: Before I state the questions, I wanted to let you know I have thoroughly looked at your articles on your website- Apologetics and Old Testament Atrocities. So here are the questions asked: What do you expect from a religion whose […]
Question: I talked with someone from Asembly church and they say we should worship God on Saturday which is Shabbat day. Here are some scripture he showed me. Gen 2:1-3 Exo 20:8-11 Num 28:9-10 Mat 5:17-18 Jn 1:29 Lk 4:16 Mat 7:21-23 Mat 15:7-9 Mk 16:9 He said, worshiping God on Sunday is the ritual of men […]
Question: I had a recent debate with an atheist friend who claimed that those who believe in God have the burden of proof to support their claim. I would like to hear your thoughts on this question. Also, I came up with my own response shortly after debating my atheist friend. It attacks the prolific misuse […]
QUESTION: What does 1 Thessalonians 5:20 “Do not scoff at prophecies,but test everythiing that is said” mean? Answer: We do not know the exact context of the interesting command from Paul to the Thessalonians. We must assume that some were “scoffing” at prophecies. Another translation has them treating certain prophecies “with contempt.” I will speculate […]
Question: The saying ‘Faith is released by speaking words’, is used by some preachers to describe that sick people remain sick though ‘saved’ because of their inability to release their faith and be healed. They say God has put authority under us to move mountains therefore we should exercise it for the purpose of healing. Also […]
Question: I have tried to find out for a long time what the word “hupostasis” in Hebr 11:1 means – “Faith is the ‘hupostasis’ of things hoped for…” confidence, assurance, substance, and title-deed are some translations of the word “hupostasis”. The translation of this word is critical to the understanding of the verse and […]
QUESTION: I recently listened to a debate between Sam Harris and Dr. Craig. I remember listening to your audio where you mentioned that you have not come across any scientific discrepancies in the Bible. This is more or less a statement that Sam Harris made in regards to scientific discrepancies found in the Bible: ‘Genesis […]
Question: I want to ask about a particular apologetics strategy know as Presuppositional Apologetics. What do you think about it? Do you believe that you presuppose that God exists and that everything the Bible says is true off the bat? Or does it take reasons to reach this conclusion? I recently heard a good explanation […]
Question: Hey Dr. Oakes, I have a question about predestination. I have been running into people that use Romans 9, or Romans 8:28-30. They claim that God chose those who are saved already and we have no free will. The particular verse in Romans 9 was verse 11-18. Answer: I have taught a class on […]
QUESTION: I have been a devout follower of Jesus Christ for 22 years. Recently, I have been questioning the validity of Christianity. The Freemasons tell their members that they have made up Christianity and all world religions as a way to better society. When I look at the ancient Sun God worship Mithraism and other forms […]
QUESTION: Where in the Bible do we find Sunday worship to be supported? Answer: I believe you put the question in a wise way. You ask, not “where in the Bible can we prove Sunday worship,” but rather where can we go to support the practice. The strongest support for Sunday worship comes from outside […]
QUESTION: If the Bible is the most accurate historical text, and doesn’t have any direct proof against it, then what makes the Old and New Testament only 99% accurate and not 100% accurate? Answer: The original writings of the New Testament authors (known as the “autographs” to scholars) are perfect and inspired. These letters were […]
Question: Hi, John! I can’t find the meaning of “tHul 2:22-23”. What it is? An ancient book? I don’t know how to translate it into Russian. Thank you! Answer: tHul 2:22-23 is a reference to one of the Jewish writings of the very early centuries AD. It is the Hullin tracate of the document known […]
Question: Hello! I was just looking through you’re site – a very interesting one, very thought provoking – and came across this article: https://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/once-we-are-saved-is-out-salvation-set-in-stone/. Now, I should say at the forefront that I am what you may call a “Calvinist” – that is, I believe that the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints is […]
QUESTION: I’ve heard a lot of other Christians say that the “third part of the stars of heaven” mentioned in Revelation 12:4 is a reference to the fraction of angels that followed Satan in his rebellion. In other words, this passage tells us one-third of the heavenly host followed Satan. They are the “stars of heaven” […]
Question: I stumbled upon an unpublished blog and I was wondering if you could help me respond to it. The title of the blog post and the argument are below. I find this article to be quite fishy and it really bothers me because I don’t know how to answer it. A Short Proof […]
QUESTION: I studied with a Catholic guy long time ago… He argued that they believed in baptizing infants because there are example(s) of such in the Bible, citing Acts 16:31-34; 16:15. I tried to convince him on the essence of ‘faith’ in salvation(Gal. 2:16; Romans 3:25-26;Romans 6:8) of which infants can’t even understand. but the […]
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