Theology and Doctrinal Questions – Page 15

I was born & braught up in a muslim family in Bangladesh. I had a God fear heart. From my childhood I tried to follow my rituals. In 1995 I went to delhi ( INDIA) for my graduation. There I came across with some christian brothers who used to teach amon campus students. I learnt Bible with them. And thus God revealed the truth to me. I accepted jesus in 1996. then I also strarted teaching Bible among stdudents. ;But though I was bellieving in Jesus, I was never fully convinced by the 'Trinity' doctorine. I always felt uncomfortable with this doctorine. I talked with scolars regarding this and I was taught all the logics supporting the 'Trinity' but my conscious couldn't accpet it fully that 'Jesus is God'. I felt that everything is ok in christianity accept this part.;Later I came to know about the group called 'Jehovas witness'. I learnt that they believe in Jesus but not considers him as God. so i become interested about them. I talked with them. i found someof their logics are right but some are not. now i'm confused. if you allow me i'll write in detail where are my confusions. I'm afraid that i've written too long and making you bore.

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

Question: I was born & brought up in a Muslim family in Bangladesh. I had a God fearing heart. From my childhood I tried to follow my rituals. In 1995 I went to Delhi ( INDIA) for my graduation. There I came across with some christian brothers who used to teach among campus students. I […]

What does the Bible have to say about cremation?

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

What does the Bible have to say about cremation? The Bible says absolutely zero about cremation. Any thoughts on this practice must be generated based on biblical principles, not on direct Bible teaching. What we can say for sure is that our original bodies will completely decay eventually. They will return to dust, as you […]

Can we have the communion on any other day than Sunday? What does the insciption, INRI on the cross mean?

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

Question: Can we have the communion on any other day than Sunday? What does the insciption, INRI on the cross mean? Answer: Let me answer the easy question first. INRI is an acronym for a Latin translation of the inscription Pilate had put on the sign he placed on Jesus’ cross. Pilate had a sign […]

Are miracles still happening today? If we pray for a loved one, will they be healed?

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

QUESTION: Are miracles real and still happening today? In other words, if you believe for a loved one to be healed of a certain disease, the miracle can take place? ANSWER: The short answer to your question is “yes.” God is the Sovereign Creator of heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1), so He possesses all the […]

What is the definition of spirit?

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

Question: What is the definition of spirit? Answer: (Note: This is a follow-up to a question about the nature of a soul. To save the reader time, I am pasting my response to that question to the bottom of this answer) It is easier to define soul than spirit for the simple reason that the […]

Is a person who was immoral before becoming a Christian morally "married" to the person with whom they had sex? Can they marry after becoming a Christian?

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

Question: Here is a situation that I have come up against just lately, and would like your opinion. I listened to a CD by David Bercot, author of “Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?,” about the stance of the early Christians on divorce and remarriage. He states pretty clearly that it was the original […]

What are the properties of a soul?

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

Question: What are the properties of a soul? Answer: As a scientist I cannot define the word soul. As far as I know, the soul has no physical reality. Rather, it has a spiritual reality; not subject to experiment. It is ontolological, metaphysical. I will freely admit that my belief in a soul rests principally […]

What evidence have you for the existence of a metaphysical soul outside the Bible? Where is the soul located?

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

Question: What evidence have you for the existence of a metaphysical soul outside the Bible? Where is the soul located? Where absolute proof is unavailable, we should be able to proceed on the basis of the balance of evidence. For example, if a person is standing at a bus stop and a bus comes along […]

Is it possible that the earth is alive and that we are part of a larger living thing? This would make the idea of us being made in God's image different.

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

Question: I’ve always thought science was the study of God’s creation. If we find that our species is just a part of a living planet, that which was made in His image is a bit bigger than our species. In that case, God’s image is grander than is expressed in humanity-stood-alone, but more like humanity-in-and-of-nature. […]

Do people come to know God by their own effort or because God is reaching out and leading them to him? (also, what about the gospel of Judas?)

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

Question: 1. Would you say it’s true that everyone comes to know God in a different way? (because of their friends, after some sort of catastrophe, etc) Is one way of coming to God as good as another?2. When people come to know God, how much would you say comes frompeople’s own efforts, and how […]

Is it written that the communion should be taken every Sunday or once in a year?

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

Question: Is it written that the communion should be taken every Sunday or once in a year? Answer: The answer to this question is simple. It is not written how often the church should share the communion. For this reason, we should not be dogmatic about this issue. What we can definitely say is that […]

Are Satan and the Devil two different persons? Also, how do you explain Catholic miracles such as stigmata, statues crying holy oil and so forth?

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

Question: I was recently told that the original Hebrew word for Satan, is in fact a different word completely, when compared to the word “devil” which is used in the New Testament. The claim is that Satan, and the devil are actually two different entities. What do we actually know about Satan and the Devil […]

Does the New Testament support opression of women?

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

Question: I am currently enrolled in a college course discussing Western Religions. Currently the topic is Christianity. For the most part, the information presented has been bias, and not exactly fair. A recent topic of discussion has been how the religion may be oppressive to woman. Certain scriptures that were pointed out were : Ephesians […]

Why is it that Achan's family were all judged when it was only Achan who sinned?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: My question is partly related to the problem of theodicy. In Joshua 7 we see Achan and all his family executed for a sin which only Achan is responsible for. For years i’ve wrestled trying to reconcile this passage in light of clear divine instruction in Deut 24:16 and Ezekiel 18:4,20. I will acknowledge […]

Can Satan incite God? (Job 2:1-10)

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

Question: In Job 2:3 it says, “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still mantains his integrity, thought you incited me against him without any reason.’ ” […]

What is the legitimate relationship between human reasoning and religion/Christianity?

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

Question: What do you think of human reasoning? What are its boundaries when it comes to religion? Would you say that using reason is the wrong way to approach religion? Would you ever say that human reasoning is inaccurate? I was talking to a pastor and he said that reasoning was biased and it got […]

Was Judas destined to betray Jesus? If so, in what sense is God just in this case?

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

Quesiton: About Judas , it seems that he was destined to betray Jesus? If so, then it seems that God isn’t just. Please correct me if I am wrong. It seems that God caused Judas to betray Jesus so the scriptures would be fulfilled. What do you think about this? Answer: You raise one of […]

Please comment on N. F. Gier's claim that the Bible writers believed in a solid "firmament" surrounding the earth.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General, Science and the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: If you feel like a heart attack, go to the University of Idaho website, type N.F.Gier in the search box and then select GRE.It’s a reference to his book ” God Reason and the Evangelicals”. Then select Chapter 13. The point is that Genesis one describes the earth as surrounded by a solid “firmament.” […]

Isn't the gospel writers claims about what Jesus did just "spin?" (i.e. the gospels are unreliable accounts)

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, General Apologetics, Philosophy, Supposed Inconsistencies in the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question The earliest Gospel was written c. 70 AD. We have only purported reports of what Jesus said – see for example Geza Vermes ” The Authentic Gospel of Jesus” or further ” The Jesus Mysteries” by Freke & Gandy. Even evangelical writers such as Mark Stibbe talk of “redactors” and “interpretations.” The claims you […]

My college religion professor says the Jews were originally polytheists. Is this true, or is it a biased interpretation?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Archaeology and the Bible, General, History, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: I am currently a college student and have taken several religion courses. Often I find information that bothers me. One is that it is often very biased due to the teacher. What has been bothering me recently is some information that has been presented to us, and claimed as “factual.” It is said that […]

Are Muslims right that the trinity is not biblical teaching: that the New Testament does not say that Jesus is God?

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

Question: I have a friend who is a Muslim, and as most people know, they believe in only one God. My friend asked me if I thought that Jesus was God and further emphasized that the Bible does not talk about the trinity. He also pointed out that Jesus never refered to himself as God. […]

How can I explain God's justice given that people who commit worse "crimes" receive the same punishment?

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

Question: I have a colleague at work who professes to believe in Christ and yet lives a lifestyle which does not reflect this. During discussions on the issues in the Bible I am repeatedly confronted by the accusation that God cannot be just and still punish people for different crimes in the same way (I […]

Why did God allow multiple wives in the Old Testament? Did Rahab sin when she lied in the book of Joshua?

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

Question: Why did God allow people in the Old Testament to have more than one wife, even though we do not practice this today? What about “white lies?” Did Rahab sin when she lied? Did God allow immorality, such as with Jacob and his maidservant, which was consented to by his wives Leah and Rachel? […]

Is Partial Preterism wrong?

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

Question: Is Partial Preterism wrong? Answer: If partial preterism is wrong, then I am wrong as well, as that is a fair description of how I view the book of Revelation. I am confident you know the meaning of this term, but for the sake of anyone else reading this question and answer, let me […]

Do infants need to be baptized? Is baptism necessary for Christians?

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

Question: What is your opinion on whether babies should be baptized or not? I am a member of the Church of England, so I would say yes but is it really necessary to be a Christian? My freind is a non- denominational Christian and hasn’t been baptized. Is he a Christian, or is the essence […]

Can a Christian eat pork, biblically?

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

Question: Can a Christian eat pork? I eat it all the time but I know that in the Old Testament it says you shouldn’t but in New Testament Christ says that is OK as nothing makes you unclean exept that that comes out of your mouth not in.Answer: In Mark 7:17-19, as you allude to, […]

Does Hebrews 6:4-7 teach that those who fall away cannot repent, or does God prevent them from being restored?

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

Question: Does Hebrews 6:4-7 refer to it being impossible for fall aways to repent due to their state of heart and mind, and not that God is preventing them from being restored to the faith? Also, in Matthew 24:12, who is referred to as “most?”Answer: If you just read Hebrews 6:4-6 in isolation, I can […]

What is Acts 10:44-46 talking about? How does it relate to whether baptism is needed for salvation?

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

What is Acts 10:44-46 talking about? Some people use this scripture to support that baptism is NOT neccessary for salvation, but I belief that baptism is indeed necessary for salvation. The context of Acts 10:44-46 is that this is the event through which God was able to convince Peter that salvation was for the Gentiles […]

What is the meaning/interpretation of the "birds of the air" in Matthew 13:31-32?

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

In Matthew 13:31-32 Jesus talks about the kingdom of heaven and what it is like. The mustard seed starting out small and growing into something big(a tree that grows 10-15ft high). My question is what do “the birds of the air” symbolize in this passage? Is there any reference in scriptures that would help identify […]

For a son born at 6:44 PM, what is the eighth day; the one when he should be circumcised?

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

If our son was born Friday 28 Oct at 6.44 pm, what day shall he be cirmcusised? When is the 8th day? If Friday counted as the first day or Saturday? I am assuming that you are a believer in Jesus, and will give you my response based on that assumption. First, there is absolutely […]

If Jesus was asked whether the earth is flat or round, would he have given the correct answer?

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

Someone asked me this question, i am not even sure if it makes any sense, but here it goes, Jesus being all knowing (you know; God in the flesh) would he have said that the world was round or flat and why? At first glance this seems like a very easy, almost a silly, question. […]

Are Christiand allowed to cast lots in order to make important decisions?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Are Christians allowed to cast lots to make important decisions? I am interested in whether it is “allowed”, not whether it is “recommended”. The standard response I get is that Christians are supposed to pray for guidance. The New Covenant (at least, after Pentecost) includes the provision to Christians of the Holy Spirit, also called […]

Is the idea of a "sin against the church" a biblical concept?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

I have heard people talk about “sins against the church.” Is this idea a biblical one? What would be the passages to show this? How would this fit with Matthew 18 and the confrontation with a brother in sin? I have heard people use the idea of a particular individual sin of a member of […]

What does your church teach on who is saved?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

I left a church in the ICOC eight years ago but have always felt blessed by the experience. I live in Iowanow and while there are various churches and ‘types’ of christians here, I don’t see the fellowship or accountability that I knew as a disciple. But yet I can’t believe that God will abandon […]

What is the connection between baptism and faith?

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

I have studied out baptism very thoroughly, and I know that to become a Christian one must repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. In recent conversations with disciples from different locations around the U.S., however, I’ve encountered a lot of dispute about who has done this. For example, say there was a […]

How do 1 Tim 2:9-10 and 1 Pet 3:3-4 relate? Can Christian women wear pearls, gold and braided hair today?

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

I was wondering about 1Tim2:9-10 and its relation to 1 Peter 3:3-4. I do not understand whether it means we are forbidden to wear pearls, gold and/or have our hair braided, or whether it is just a lesson that our obvious beauty should be of good deeds, etc. What do your think God is teaching […]

If the New Testament is now "true," then the OT Torah is no longer "true? How can this work?" Is Christianity the only true religion acc. the Bible?

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

1) Christianity holds that at one pointing time, the Old Testament was the truth and the Jews were the chosen people. What changed this? The Torah states 23 times “this is an eternal law for all generations” (to name a few, Exodus 12:14, 12:17, 12:43, 27:21, 28:43). If the Torah was at one point true, […]

If you discovered a truth which was truer than the Bible, would you go for it?

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

I was posed with a question that I did not know exactly how to answer, one of many that I am unable to answer is; “If you discovered a truth that was truer than the Bible, would you go for it?” In other words, if you were to discover there to be a higher truth […]

What is the difference between choice and fate in Christianity?

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

I would like to know difference between choice and fate in our Christian walk. Starting from Adam to Judas. This is certainly one of the most significant theological/doctrinal debates in the history of Christianity?indeed in all religions. Given that God is all-knowing and all-powerful, and given that he exists outside of time, it seems logical […]

Does "born of water" in John 3:5 refer to being born as a baby or to baptism?

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

In John 3:5 Jesus tells Nicodemus that no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. In John 3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” In my opinion its […]

How did Christianity play a part in slavery?

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

How did Christianity play a part in slavery? I am afraid that this is a fairly complicated issue. The simple answer is that true Christianity never condoned or supported slavery in any way. However, such a statement deserves an honest treatment of history as well as exegesis of the relevant biblical passages. The fact is […]

What is the history of "total immersion baptism?" (versus infant baptism)

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

Here is something I have wondered about. What is the history behind “totally immersion” baptism? I understand how infant baptism does not mold with the Bible?s teachings on baptism, but I always wondered what did the first century Christians do if there was not available water? Or not enough water for them to be totally […]

Could the Greek for "he" and "him" in John 1:1 be better translated "it" so the Word is not God?

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

I have heard that the word “he” and “him” is not a proper translation in John 1:1, but that it is the word “it.” If so, then “it” is a reference to the word logos and would not be a person, so, in a sense is not God. Is this true? Let me begin by […]

Could some of the early church fathers with a pagan background have taught false ideas about the godhead?

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

I have heard the claim that the early church fathers were from pagan backgrounds and their basis for explaining the godhead come from Plato and Aristotle and cannot be trusted in terms of their view of God. Is this true? First of all, the statement that the early church fathers were from a pagan background […]

What is the difference between Jesus calling God his "father" and us calling God our "father?" In John 10:33, is Jesus claiming to be God?

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

The following four questions all came at once, presumably from the same person, and will be answered together, as they are all related: 1. In John 5:18, John says that Jesus was accused of calling God his own Father; making himself equal with God and that is why they wanted to kill him Don’t we […]

Is it true only the apostles had the ability to give the miraculous gifts of the Spirit by laying on of hands? What about Ananias?

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

1. I have been told that only the apostles had the ability to lay their hands on people to give the gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, Ananias laid his hands on Paul to restore his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Maybe he laid his hands on him to restore his sight […]

What did the word "Son of God" mean to the Jewish people in Jesus' time?

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

What did the word “Son of God” mean to the Jewish people in Jesus’ time? is there any historical evidence about what that meant? I am afraid you that I am not an expert on this question by a long shot. I will provide at least a hint of an answer, but suggest you continue […]

How can well-educated theologians teach for so many different denominations? What laws must Christians keep today?

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

I have a few questions about the Bible. I’ll list them here. 1. Why do some theologians who have studied the scriptures for years still preach many different denominations/religions and salvation by works? People teach and believe false doctrine primarily because they were “raised up” in these false teachings and because it is always easier […]

Are instruments in worship acceptable according to the New Testament?

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

I visited a site called bible.ca. There a section which talks about instrumental music in worship as being wrong and they quote some things from early Christians. I know that in the OT instruments were allowed and from what I understand the NT Christians didn’t use instruments because it was associated with pagan worship (so […]

Does Acts 2:23 mean that every human who ever lived is responsible for Jesus' death?

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

Someone told me that Acts 2:23 talks about the fact that every human being who ever lived contributed to Jesus’ death. But all I read is that Peter is talking to the crowd who agreed that Jesus be put on the cross. I don’t understand how my sin is a contribution to Jesus’ death 2000 […]