Question: How can you explain Matthew 12:7? Doesnt it say that God offers mercy and not sacrifice? How, then, can Jesus be the Sacrifice? Answer: As a general rule, when one finds what might appear to be a contradiction in the Bible, the first thing to do is to look at the context of the passage […]
Question: I noticed a curious thing tonight at bible talk. One of the passages we were asked to look at was Mark 11:22 – 25. I read a little further and noticed that there is no verse 26. Chapter eleven jumps from verse 25 to 27. What happened to verse 26? Answer: There is a […]
Question: I was wondering as a Christian, how sure are we that Matthew the Disciple of Jesus wrote the Gospel that bears his name and if he did, when can we assert he wrote his Gospel? Answer: I wish I could say that we know for sure that Matthew wrote this gospel and that we […]
Question: If you agree that the “appearance of age” theory can be rejected, what are the alternative ideas that you do believe? I remember that you believe that there may still be dinosaurs in Africa dwelling in uncharted territories. Do you still believe this? Although I haven’t seen “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, […]
Question: Why do some Christians believe Mark 16:15-16 is for us and Mark 16:17-18 is not for us but for the apostles? Answer: Before answering your question, let me point out something very important to know about Mark 16:9-20. Most scholars believe that it is quite likely this passage was not in the original book of […]
Question: A new question has been submitted by Karen (lilcricket229@aol.com) on [08/11/08]: In Genesis 6:3 God shorted mans lifespan to no more than 120 years, but Jacob live 147 years, and according to Exodus 6:16,18, and 20..three of Joseph’s brothers live 130+ years. Can you point me to what I am missing? Am I misreading […]
Question: The LDS church is very large. If The Book Of Mormon is not true then how come the church has been so prosperous? I am not saying that they are right but certainly they are doing goods things to earn God’s blessing. Answer: It is true what you say that Mormonism has grown fairly […]
Question: This has been bothering me for a long time, if Christianity is the true religion, why are there Christians converting to Islam? Answer: The fact that Christianity is the true religion (ie that is tells the correct story about God) does not prevent people from being Hindu, Buddhist, Confucionist or Islamic. People reject Christianity […]
Question: Is the Book of Mormon another testament of Jesus Christ? Answer: Joseph Smith certainly claimed that it was. This claim is found on the title page of the Book of Mormon. The simple answer is NO WAY. Joseph Smith showed no legitimate signs of being a prophet. He made no predictive prophecies which later […]
Question: Can you tell me About Baptisam? Without Baptisam can we be saved? Answer: All I can do on this one is go by what the Bible says. A good place to look is the first gospel sermon, preached by Peter on the Day of Pentecost, which is found in Acts chapter 2. After explaining to his […]
Question: Is saving grace conditional or unconditional? Answer: There is a sense in which this is a trick question, although I am sure you had no intention of posing a trick question. It reminds me of the situation in which Jesus was asked about whether one should pay taxes to Caesar. Simply saying either yes […]
Question: One might say it is unfair, that God might judge the world before some people (who are so very remote) ever get a chance to hear the message. What do you think? Answer: This is a very common question. I get it quite often at the site. It is a good question. My response is […]
Question: Is the situation in Irael just now, prophecy being fulfilled? Should we as Christians be concerned for the Israeli people? Answer: The quick answer is a definite no. I discuss in some detail the premillenialist view and the tendency to view modern events as fulfillment of prophecies in Revelation, Daniel or Ezekiel in an appendix […]
Question: Should christians or Elders today practice putting oil on their sick (siblings or relatives) and pray over them for healing? Is this something we shouldn’t be doing or should be doing? Answer; You question, I assume, is a reference to James 5:14-15. Here, James advises those who are sick to call upon the elders […]
Question: Why does the genealogy of Christ go from Adam to Joseph, when Joseph was not the father of Jesus (The Holy Spirit conceived Christ)? Answer: Actually, the genealogy in Luke goes through Joseph, but the genealogy of Jesus goes through Mary in Matthew. That is what most scholars accept. The reason for this is […]
Question: With all of the different dates that are floating around re: the manuscripts – especially those of the 4 major gospels – what dates do you rely on and how are those dated (e.g. carbon dating, etc)? Answer: One thing for sure is that we cannot use carbon dating to determine the date that […]
Question: I have been needing some evidence to prove evolution wrong. Could you help but put it in wording for a thirteen year old to underderstand? Answer: The problem with your request is that there is no evidence which proves evolution wrong. In fact, the scientific evidence in support of evolution is quite strong. Perhaps you […]
Question: How, John, can you state so confidently that hostages were taken and that some items from the temple were taken." This clearly is what you would like to be able to establish in order to be able to clear up the conflict between 2 Kings 24:1 and Daniel 1:1. The author of Daniel transfers things that […]
Question: 1) Dan. 5:30 Belshazzar dies – Darius becomes king of Babylon 2) Dan 6:28 Daniel prospers during the reign of Darius and (later) Cyrus (Daniel 1:21) 3) Dan 9:1 Darius is said to be the son of Xerxes (Ahasuerus) 4) It is a historical fact that the conqueror of […]
Question: When did the ascension happen, on the first day of the new week as stated in Luke 24:51 or was it 40 days later, as stated in Acts 1:3? Answer: Of course, it was about forty days later. Luke does not say when it happened. The scene in Luke 24:33-49 takes place in Jerusalem, as […]
Question: I am currently reading your book on "Reasons for Belief" and I am learning so much new information that has been very faith lifting. I have recently come across a video on CNN about a certain tablet that looked similar to the one you talked about in your book. The reporters are calling it the […]
Questions: 1. Our GOD knows everything; even all thoughts before it appear to mind then why did he let Lucifer have a prideful thought? 2. In the begining how did the marriage of Cain take place as there were no women in that time(except Eve)? 3. Paul has written in 2 Corinthians 12:7 that he has wounded in his body. […]
Question: I’ve been wondering with regards to the Sabbath. Why do the 7th day Adventists still keep the Sabbath? I had an encounter with one of them and found that they practice Christianity much like I do. The only thing was that of the Sabbath. I then wanted to do a study but couldn’t wrap […]
Question: Is it true that parts of Noah’s ark where found in Turkey? Answer: The simple answer is no. Many have looked all over the region of Mt. Ararat and a number of expeditions have been made to the top of Ararat. A number of people have claimed to have found the ark or evidence […]
Question: I am reading your book on Daniel after listening to the sermon you gave out in Riverside back in 2005 about the book of Daniel. This was prompted by a read through the Bible were I am currently in Daniel. I notice in most versions the "ab" is translated father in Dan 5:18. However, […]
Question: Can you please explain to me Numbers Chapter 23:19? Wouldn’t that disprove the trinity? Can you please help me understand contradictions in the Bible? I am very confused with these. Answer: This is an interesting question. The answer involves how the phrase "son of man" is used in the Bible. Let me discuss "contradictions" in […]
Question: I am having a hard time convincing someone I am studying with about the Oneness of Jesus Christ and God. He has argued that if Jesus and God is one why is it that Jesus prayed to the Father/God, if He really is God. Can you please give me Scriptures and your insight about the Scripture about […]
Question: Please, explain me, what does it mean "to pray to the Hole Spirit". Yesterday during the lecture about the Hole Spirit this phrase was said twise. I don’t understand how to pray to the Hole Spirit, and i never saw this in the Bible. Answer: I am sure you pray to God the Father […]
Questions: In my study I have come to realize a few things. One of them is that Paul, "called to be an apostle", never really knew Jesus. How then can he claim that "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you…" (1 Corinthians 11:23)? How can he formulate theologies that […]
Question: When one reads your materials you seem to claim(though not clearly) that the four gospels recorded in the New Testament are the only ever written. However, nowadays some reseach has proven the existence of other gospels for instance "the Gospel according to JUDEA". Do you have anything to say about this? Answer: Yes, […]
Question When God created the heaven and the earth the Bible says the seventh day God rested. But when one thinks we realise that "rest" is a characteristic of imperfection. Can we say instead that God took one day to relaxe? Is it a translation mistake? Answer: The word translated "rested" in Genesis 2:2,3 is the Hebrew word […]
Question: Would you say that Proverbs 25:17 applies in our one another relationships as Disciples? Justin; I would say that this proverb principally applies to our neighbor who is not necessarily our brother in the church, but in principle it could even apply to our relationship with other Christians. Of course, as with Proverbs in […]
Question: Is it permitted for a woman to stand in an assembly and talk even if it is for a testimony? Answer: In my opinion, yes it is acceptable for a female Christian to speak in a church assembly, and to give a testimony. The matter of interpreting 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Corinthians 14:33-36 […]
Question: God says no one can come to me unless I call him.please could explain me what exactly are the meaning and the implication of this sentence, because on the other hand when one reads the Bible it appears clear that those who continue to live a sinful life will perish.so how should one know that […]
Question: 1. I was looking a little at a book called "A History of the Jews" by Abram Leon Sachar. He seems to suggest that the Bible’s account of Solomon is incorrect, exaggerated, and biased. He says his genius was never of a moral or spiritual quality, but the Bible says otherwise. He also says […]
Question: I have recently heard that many scholars believe 2 Peter is pseudepigraphical and was written around 100-150AD. Is there any evidence that shows that it was written around 64-65 AD which is another possible date that it was written? Answer: The date of writing of the New Testament books will always generate some controversy. We […]
Question: Would you tell us from a scientific and Christian point of view how old is the earth? Answer: I answer this question in detail in several places at the web site. You can pick up a copy of my book Is There a God? from www.ipibooks.com which has an entire chapter devoted to this […]
Question: I want to know from when or which nation the Muslim religion started. Is it from Ishmael son of Abraham? Answer; Islam as a religion was established by Muhammad, a member of the Arabic Quraish tribe from the West-Central part of the Arabian Peninsula in the region of present-day Mecca. Muhammad is a real person […]
Question: I am from India, a country with majority of Hindus. Hinduism is now proclaiming itself to be the ‘most glorious religion’. ‘Human Gods’,with ability to show miracles,are sprouting up in Hindu community. Many Indian Christians are attracted to Hinduism through such miracles. Have you done a comparative study of Hinduism & Christianity? How can […]
Question: What is the "heart" behind Leviticus 5:3? The reason I asked is because according to this verse, in the Old Testament anyone who touches anything that could make him unclean, even unwittingly, makes him guilty. Now, Jesus intentionally touched a leper (Matthew 8:1-4), yet remained guiltless (Hebrews 4:15). I assume the reason for this […]
Question: Where was Daniel when the trio were in fire? What is your view on the rapture, pretribulation, posttribulation or midtribulation? Answer: The Bible does not answer this question. In such a case, one is left to propose reasonable speculation. Such "reasonable speculation," is just that–speculation. Bottom line, we do not know. Let me share […]
Question: In the beginning, GOD created the heavens and earth. Why not Pluto and Mercury at the same time? Answer: First of all, when Genesis describes the creation of "the heavens and the earth" this is language to those in the ancient Near East to mean, essentially, when God created the universe. In other words, […]
Question: If adam and eve were white people,how did blacks originate? Answer: First of all, what possible reason is there to believe Adam and Eve were white? I know of no reason to assume this. More likely, they may have been the color of people as we find them in Mesopotamia today, which is "olive […]
Request: Can you please comment on the exchange below I found recently on the meaning of Colossians 2:13-14. Does this passage imply that the Law of Moses was done away with when Jesus was killed on the cross? Editor’s note: This will be a fairly long passage, with the answer well down the page. –Quote— […]
Question: Why can’t Muslims admit that Jesus "claimed" to be the Son of God? We know that Muslims, Jews, and many other people don’t believe that he actually is the Son of God but I can’t get past the intellectual obviousness of his claim. I don’t think anyone else in the world disputes this historic […]
Question: I understand and certainly accept the logic of good and evil on earth and why evil is necessary in order for man to have free will. My question is, how will this be in heaven? It doesn’t appear that one can "sin" in heaven due to the explanation given to the rich man and […]
Question: Why did Constantine and the Council of Nicaea choose to"edit" The Bible by inserting and removing certain books? What was the real aim of canonization? Answer; This is an easy one! Constantine did not "edit" or change the New Testament in any way. Neither did the Council at Nicaea change the New Testament in […]
Question: I read your discussion of why the gifts of the Spirit disappeared. By no means do I consider myself an expert on the Early Church Fathers (my personal library is limited to one book). However, in preparing a lesson on false doctrines for a ministry training class I’m teaching, I came across some quotes […]
Question: Someone gave me this quote from an Artscroll Torah……Direct from Isaiah 45:7: "I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things. " I checked the translations that I am familiar with and none of them said "create evil" but he said "Ra" is never translated as disaster […]
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