Theology and Doctrinal Questions – Page 2

The theology of the prophets before the exile had no place for blood sacrifice and no atonement. Why, then, did blood sacrifice become necessary later, after Ezra?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, History, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: The theology of the Prophets before the exile had no place for the priestly blood sacrifice system. There was no atonement. The law of forgiveness worked directly and without any ritual. If Abraham, Moses, David, etc. were saved without sacrifice, it is hard to understand how blood sacrifice became necessary for salvation from the […]

Is the penalty for all sins equal? What about Matthew 10:15?

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

Question: Is the penalty to every sin equal? If yes then why is it written in Matthew 10:15 that “truly I tell you it will be more tolerable on the day of judgement for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town”. So does it mean that the penalty of sin for that […]

What is the biblical meaning of Messiah or Christ? Why is Jesus called Son of God? Why is he called

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

Editor’s note: In this Q & A, I am interspersing the answers in italics among the four questions. 1) What does it mean to say Jesus is the ‘Messiah’ or ‘Christ’? What are some good Bible verses that show the meaning of the word ‘Messiah’ or ‘Christ’ when applied to Jesus? The Hebrew word for […]

Does God have unconditional love toward those who have been saved? If he does, does this mean that we cannot lose our salvation?

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

Question: I hope you can give me helpful answers for my questions. Is salvation unconditional love? What is God’s love like after baptism? Is it unconditional love? Do I still have obligations after baptism? Is it true that God will not love me if I don’t fulfill my obligations or if I do not grow? […]

When did the apostles come to believe that Jesus is God? Did they believe it before he was resurrected?

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

Question: 1. When Peter said about Jesus “You are the son of the living God” what did he mean? Did the disciples know about the trinity at that time? 2. When did the disciples firmly believe Jesus was God? Might the disciples have held a basic understanding of Jesus as a God but not confirmed […]

Muslims criticize the Bible for having polytheistic descriptions of God, such as his hands, his hair, his children and even his wife (Hosea 2). How do you respond to this criticism?

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

Question: Muslims says: God does not beget nor he has wife nor he has bodily form but prophetic books contains polytheistic concepts about God for e.g. 1. God has bodily form (Dan. 7:9) 2. God has sons & daughters (Isa. 43:6) 3. God treats Jerusalem/Israel as Wife (Isa. 54:5, Hos. 2:2). What’s your response? Answer: […]

How do you respond to the argument that, ultimately, Christian salvation is based on deeds, not grace?

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

Questions: 1. How do you respond to the argument that even Christianity is ultimately deed-based? In other words, even if we believed Jesus Christ, got baptized, a believer must keep his moral character and should maintain the discipline in order to inherit the eternal life in heaven. Even if someone believed in Jesus Christ and […]

What will be my fate if I die without being baptized?

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

Question: What will be my fate if I die without being baptized? Paul says in Acts 16:31 believe in Lord Jesus you and your household and you will be saved. But if we die without being baptized despite believing in Jesus will we not enter heaven? Jesus came down to die for our sins and […]

Is a Christian religious exemption from taking the Coronavirus vaccine justifiable?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Articles, Bible Teaching, General, Practical Christianity, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Recently, a friend who is a minister in a Christian church was approached by a few members of his church to sign a request for a religious exemption from getting the vaccination for the Coronavirus. He asked me to express my opinion about whether he ought to grant such a request. Below is an edited […]

Jesus said “I live because of the Father.” What does that mean? If Jesus “proceeds” from the Father, how can he be self-existing?

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

[Note: This is a series of three questions, all on a related topic. The answers are interspersed between the questions.] Question: I want to ask you about John 6:57. What do you think Jesus meant by the words “I live because of Father.” ? Answer: This is an interesting question. To be honest, I had […]

How can I reconcile God’s foreknowledge and man’s free will?

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

Question: I find it difficult to reconcile the relationship between God’s foreknowledge and man’s freewill. How could God foretell one is going to drink coffee or tea if man has free choice or predict the winner of two evenly matched basketball teams assuming He does not manipulate the game. For the same rationale, how did […]

Did Paul clearly state that Jesus is God in the seven letters he clearly wrote?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: In the seven letters that Paul clearly wrote, did he write that Jesus is God? In other words, did he teach that God existed in the form of three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Can you give me verses for this? Answer: To be honest, I do not want to answer this question. […]

It has been proved that behavior is determined by biology. The effects of brain injury proves this. Does this not disprove the reality of the soul/conscience/free will?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Anthropology, General, Philosophy, Q & A, Science and the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: I wish to bring up some issues regarding neuroscience. I was watching something on television about a man who suffered very serious brain injury. He survived, but his personality and behavior were completely different. Even his friends and loved ones said he was a totally different person. Does this prove that behavior really is […]

If the Law/Torah was abolished or nailed to the cross, then why does God put the Torah within our hearts in the New Covenant?

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

Question: If the Law (Heb. Torah) was abolished or nailed to cross then why in the New Covenant does God put His Torah within us and write it upon our hearts? Answer: I assume you are referring to Colossians 2:13-14. “He forgave our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against […]

If Jesus could not prevent Ravi Zacharias from sexual misconduct, how can he save Christians from hell?

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

[Editor’s Note: Ravi Zacharias is a well-known apologist who died recently. After his death it was revealed that he had inappropriate sexual behavior. This is not just a rumor and it has been an embarrassment to Christians, which prompts this question] Question: If Jesus couldn’t prevent Ravi Zecharias from sexual misconduct, how shall he save […]

Is consciousness immaterial? What does the Bible say about consciousness? What about neuroscience?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Anthropology, General, Philosophy, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

[Editor’s note: By coincidence, two questions about consciousness arrived on the same day. I am including both Q & As below] Question: Is consciousness immaterial? Answer: Yes, consciousness is immaterial. How could self-awareness be a physical thing? It is a sort of epiphenomenon. There may be brain activities associated with consciousness, but it is hard […]

Is the doctrine of once saved, forever saved true? If so, are those who “fall away” never actually disciples from the beginning?

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

Question: Is the doctrine of once saved, forever saved true? Are those who “fall away” not the true disciples from the beginning? Answer: Once saved, always saved, also known as “perseverance of the saints,” is a false doctrine that was created in the sixteenth century by the likes of Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin and […]

Why did God send an evil spirit to torment King Saul?

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

Question: Why did God send an evil spirit to torment king Saul? Answer: This is a tough question. It can be hard to square our understanding of God as a loving father with biblical statements that God allows people to be overcome by evil. I would explain this by pointing out that there are a […]

The Bible makes it clear that sacrificing children is evil, yet he allowed Jephthah to sacrifice his daughter. Am I missing something?

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

Question: In scriptures such as Leviticus 18:21, 2 Kings 23:10, and Jerimiah 32:35, the Bible seems to make it very clear that child sacrifice is evil, and not acceptable. However, In In Judges 11:34 – 40 it seems as though God is accepting the taking of a child as a sacrifice in exchange for allowing […]

What is the best argument of atheists? Can science prove the existence of God? What about free will?

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

Question: 1. Which is the best atheist argument? 2. Can science disprove or prove the existence of god? 3. What do you think about this video on free will debunked? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpU_e3jh_FY  You don’t have free will, but don’t worry. In this video I explain why free will is incompatible with the currently known laws […]

Why is sin in Christianity so black and white? I understand adultery being sinful, but who is hurt by premarital sex or homosexuality?

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

Question: People usually accuse religions, including Christianity, of having a black and white view on sin. They are very direct like “you shall do this and you shall not do this” without considering the nuances. If God wrote his law in our hearts (conscience), then shouldn’t everyone or at least most people understand how homosexuality […]

If free will is real, then what about a child raised in the family of a terrorist? Are they as responsible as a child raised in a Christian home?

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

Question: Christians (non-Calvinists) tend to say that we have free will and that we ourselves are responsible for going to hell because we have the ability to choose between Christ and our worldly desires. But does free will exist to an extent that people generally believe? Isn’t everyone a subject to the family they were […]

If we are saved by faith alone, why do we need to keep holy and doing good works to maintain salvation?

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

Question: It is clear in the Bible that we are saved by Grace through faith in Christ Jesus alone, but the confusing part is, if we are saved by grace alone through faith alone, why do we need to keep holy or doing good works to maintain(or maybe earn) salvation? Does this have the effect […]

Will science be able to explain consciousness? If so, what would that do to our understanding of the soul? Why did God create us using evolution?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Anthropology, Creation, General, Philosophy, Q & A, Science and the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Questions: Will science be able to explain consciousness? What if this happened, how would it affect our understanding of spirit and soul? Why did god created us using evolution ínstead of creating us ex nihilo? Answers: This is a good question, but it is also a difficult question. It is a hard question because consciousness […]

If God is love, why did he create hell? What about good, moral people?

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

Question: If god is love why did he create hell? Again, if God is loving why does he send people to hell just for the reason for not believing in him? There are good and moral people who do great deeds but just because they are unbelievers how can a loving God send them to […]

Unitarians claim that Zechariah 12:10 (they will look on me, the one they have pierced) cannot be used to prove that Jesus is God. Response?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Historical and Messianic Prophecy, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Unitarians claim that Zechariah 12:10 cannot be used to prove that Jesus is God because Zechariah 12:10 says that Yahweh will be pierced, but according to trinitarians- Yahweh is God the Father- and we know that God the Son was crucified and pierced- not Yahweh or Father. As a Trinitarian, how to respond to […]

Why would God put himself on the same level as his creation and sacrifice himself? It does not add up. Are even rapists forgiven?

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

Question: A commenter who is unbeliever said the following. Can you respond to this? The comment: So God put himself on the same level of his creation just to sacrifice himself for his creation, getting killed by his creation? Just doesn’t add up. Why does God of the go to such levels just to forgive […]

What, exactly, is the Devil? Isn’t God arrogant to command us to love him over all else?

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

Questions: What is exactly the Devil? Is it not arrogant for God to tell everyone to love him over all things? When someone behaves in an evil way for example stealing money, is it because the Devil is making him do that? Answers: Perhaps it is a big surprising, but the Bible does not actually […]

How do I defend to my friend when he points out the wars waged by Abrahamic religions. He is losing his faith.

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, History, Other Religions, Practical Christianity, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: My friend is losing his faith because in history we are learning about wars, and some of these wars we are studying include wars that were made because of Abrahamic religions. In these religious wars, a lot of people were murdered and tortured as well as other bad things done to them. How would […]

My materialist friend says we are merely some cells that have not reached entropy. Your response? Why does God torture his sons in hell?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Philosophy, Q & A, Science and the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Questions: My materialist friend says that we are just some cells that have not reached entropy yet. How should I answer this? Why would a loving God torture his sons in hell? Answers: On the first question, we are certainly more than mere cells. Your friend is taking an hyper-materialist stand here which will not […]

Do you act because of something our brain does, or because of something our soul does?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Philosophy, Q & A, Resurrection of Jesus, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Do we act because of our brain or because of our soul? Are all NDE (near death experiences) unreliable? Did Plato prove that the afterlife is real? Answer: Your first question is a good one, in my opinion. I do not think that this is a particularly “Christian” question. The Bible will not help […]

The Bible says that we can ask anything in prayer and we will receive it, but experience tells me something quite different. This is confusing. Your thoughts?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, General, Practical Christianity, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: My question is in regards to these types of scriptures on prayer (I capitalised some of the bits I’m trying to unpack). 1 John 5:14-15. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us–WHATEVER […]

Some first century people such as Marcion of Sinope or the Docetists did not believe Jesus was a real person. Where did this idea come from?

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

Question; Why was there so much confusion even in the first and second century about whether Jesus Christ of Nazareth even existed as a historical person or not. One example of someone who questioned the reality of Jesus was Marcion of Sinope, a 1st century historical person. Also there were the Docetists, Gnostics and others […]

Why does Jesus almost always tell people not to tell others what he has done, but with Legion, he does the opposite?

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

Question: I️ am reading through the gospels right now, I️ am in Luke. As I️ have been reading through it I️ have noticed a majority of the time after Jesus heals someone He tells them not to say anything. He also tells the demons to be quiet when they try to speak about Him. Why […]

My Muslim and Hindu friends ask me to explain why God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. How do I answer?

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

Question: Why did God tell Hosea to marry a prostitute? Many from other religions such as Hinduism and Islam ask me this question. If God of the Bible is sinless how can he tell Hosea to marry a prostitute? Answer; Honestly, any fair-minded person could answer this for themselves. In the first three chapters of […]

Do you use the teleological argument? Can you respond to a video I found from a guy who claims to totally disprove the teleological/watchmaker argument?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Philosophy, Q & A, Science and the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: I have read on your website that you are in great support of the Cosmological Argument, but I have not been able to find what your thoughts are on the Teleological Argument (That everything is fine-tuned and directs to belief in a creator). I also know this argument is favored by Intelligent Design supporters […]

Why do Christians say that the earth was created 6000 years ago? Why does God love us?

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

Question: 1. Why do some people say the earth was created 6000 years ago? (since the bible does not mention this at all) 2. Why do you think God loves us so much? 3. Is your website Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, or a different type of Christianity? Answer: The reason that some Christians claim that the […]

A friend says before the universe existed, there was a quantum vacuum that created it. Your thoughts? Does God know all future events, including possible events?

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

Question: 1. What would you say to a person that claims this: Before the universe there was a quantum vaccuum that created the universe? 2. Does god know all the future events that may or may NOT happen? Answer; On the first question, if anyone says this then I assume that they do not know […]

Does science know what happens when we die? Do we have any evidence for the existence of soul/spirit?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Q & A, Science and the Bible, Supernatural, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Does science know what happens when you die? Do we have any evidence for our soul/spirit? Answer: On the first question, it depends on what you mean. Science can answer physical questions about physical, measurable things. Science can tell us that, when we die, our bodies begin an immediate process of decay back to […]

Why did God make wickedness? Why pray if God has already decided what will happen? Are vaccines the mark of the beast?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

[Editor’s note: There are several questions here. Answers are interspersed in italics] I am struggling with questions! I have so many and need to discuss with someone. 1) There is nothing that exists that was not created by GOD, so why make wickedness/evil to begin with? I am currently teaching a class in which I […]

If God wants a relationship with us, why doesn’t he give us evidence that would make us believe?

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

Question: Hi all at EFC, I was wondering, how do I help someone who asks “If God truly wants a relationship with me, why doesn’t he give evidence that he knows that I would have to believe in him.” Thanks. Answer: God provides us great mountains of evidence for his existence, and also that the […]

If everything comes from God, doesn’t that mean that evil comes from God?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Creation, General, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: If everything comes from God, doesn’t that mean that evil comes from God as well? Thanks Answer: Yes and no, but more no than yes. Let me explain. God created everything, and it was all good. In fact, it was very good (Genesis 1:31). At creation, everything God made was good and there was […]

Jesus said “For judgment I came” (Jn 9:39) and “I did not come to judge the world” (Jn 12:47-48). Is this not a contradiction?

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

Question: In John 9:39 Jesus says, “For judgment I came into this world.” But then in John 12:47-48 Jesus says “I did not come to judge the world but to save it.” Are these not a contradiction and how do we resolve this? Answer: A great question. I had never noticed this potential contradiction. When […]

How do I deal with the feelings I am having because I see people I believe are probably not saved due to doctrinal error who are nevertheless living a Christ-like life?

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

[Editor’s note: this question is an “insider” question from someone in the churches of Christ. For those who are not part of this fellowship, please understand and perhaps excuse that I am publishing a question that you may not be able to relate to.] Question: I am a college student and a part of the […]

Does the tendency of many Christians to exhibit Eurocentrism harm the way we do church? Is it “Eurocentric” to talk about the inferiority of other religions?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Other Religions, Q & A, Social Issues, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Does our Eurocentrism harm the way we live in the church? Some say that our Eurocentric or Western perspectives hinder our reading of religions. Therefore, we cannot talk about the inferiority of other religions as this would be Eurocentric. Answer: I am guessing that you have read an article which claims that Eurocentrism is […]

Why does God allow natural disasters to happen?

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

Question: Why do you think God allows natural disasters? Also, why do people not believe in God, although its clear that he exists? Thanks. Answer: This is a common question. The atheist asks the Christian believer why God, if he is so loving and so powerful, does not prevent natural disasters. Actually, I assume that […]

Does 1 Peter 3:18 prove that Jesus had a spirit-only body after his resurrection as my Jehovah Witness friend tells me?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in Bible Interpretation, End Times, General, Other Religions, Q & A, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: Please respond to this article: https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/jesus-body/ Is it true that Jesus’ resurrected body was a spiritual one only according to 1 Peter 3:18, and that we too will have spirit, not physical bodies in heaven? Answer: First of all, you will do well to not listen to Jehovah Witnesses, both in person and […]

What did Jesus mean when he said, that if we live and believe in him we will never die? It seems believers are still dying!

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

Question: What did Jesus mean he said “I am the resurrection and life and those who believe in will live and those who live and believe in me will never die? The fact is that those who believe in him are still dying. So, what did Jesus mean? When he said that those who follow […]

Can we prove that Jesus claimed to be God from the gospels other than John, which was written latest?

Dr. John Oakes wrote in General, Other Religions, Q & A, Reliability of the Bible, Theology and Doctrinal Questions .

Question: I have a question. Muslims always say that Bible corrupted, but there is no evidence for it, in fact there is evidence for reliability of the Gospels. Now in gospel of John we can see how Jesus made claims about His divine nature, but is the Gospel of John reliable, since it latest of […]

Can I be saved just by choosing Jesus as my savior, asking for forgiveness and repenting of my sins?

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

Question: Can I be saved just by choosing Jesus as my savior, asking for forgiveness and repenting of my sins? Answer: The best thing I can do for you is point you to the first gospel sermon ever preached. Surely the means of salvation was clearly laid out in this essential sermon. After preaching about […]