Question: I was reading Ephesians chapter 1 yesterday and there’s all this talk of predestination, such as in verse 4,5,11. Does this affirm the U in the TULIP acronym (unconditional election)? What is your response? Also, what’s your response to verse 13 saying we were marked with the Holy Spirit at belief, versus receiving the […]
Questions: How can the Old testament Torah, give us the creation, and flood narratives, when other much older religions and belief systems existed thousands of years before? Are these stories not plagiarized from earlier historical narratives? How can Christianity claim to be exclusive and The way the truth and the life?? That they are the […]
Question: Hello Dr. John! I’m young in my faith (it’s been only 4 and around 1/2 months since I got baptized) and I read the a lot of the Bible. Now I’m restarting the book of Genesis. I just wanted to ask a question of the order of Creation. I find it quite difficult to […]
Question: In what language did Moses write the Torah? Critics say that he couldn’t have written the Torah because Hebrew didn’t exist at that time.” Answer: A good question. I believe that all or nearly all conservative scholars will agree that the Pentateuch was originally written down in Hebrew. Consider the name given to God […]
Question: How long were the Israelites in Egypt? 430 or 215 years (Septuagint)? If they were in Egypt for 430 years, how do we reconcile this with Galatians 3:16-18? Answer: It is worth bearing in mind that the Near Eastern way of thinking about lengths of time and numbers in general is not as precise […]
Question: Tacticus wrote almost nothing about Jesus – just one small passage. Tacitus only said that Christians in Rome believed such a thing. It does not prove that Jesus was crucified. Further, we do not find any mention of Jesus in Seneca’s (4 BCE – 65 CE) writings and the historian Pliny the Elder (23 […]
Question: God created humans and other living beings for nothing else but that they could serve him. He did not desire from them any provision or food. It was revealed to the Prophets to not associate any others with God in his Divinity. Didn’t Paul challenge OT teachings and make a mockery of them by […]
Question: David (Dowd – the Beloved) wrote Psalm 22 in first person because it is Dowd himself who would fulfill Passover Matsah and FirstFruits. He would have said “you” if he were speaking of someone else. YHWH calls Dowd His “Son, Messiah, Shepherd, Counselor, King, and Gibbor.” Isaiah 9 says that a child IS born– […]
Question/Comment: The Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) do not prove the inerrancy or historical accuracy of the Bible. The writings in DSS show a hugely different history than in the Bible. The Genesis Apocryphon is noticeably different from the Bible’s Genesis. Exodus, 1-2 Samuel and Jeremiah are extremely different in the DSS than in the Bible. […]
Question: I’ve been struggling for a while now to read the Bible itself but very often read commentaries, articles etc. concerning Scripture. I want to read Scripture itself but feel like I get the information so much ‘quicker’ from books etc. Any words of advice please? Answer: First of all, you do not need to feel […]
We are traveling to Ireland and England, as well as visiting churches in Dublin, Belfast and London. I will be keeping a journal of our travels here. Journal for Ireland and England May, 2024 Ireland May 15-22 Jan and I arrive in Dublin Wednesday evening. While in Dublin we are staying at the Auld Dubliner, […]
Dr. John Oakes gave a series of lessons for various regions and for the college students in the London Church of Christ, May, 2024. This collection is rather ecclectic, as I was teaching in a wide variety of situations for different groups. A Defense of the Christian Worldview Audio A Defense of the Christian...
Dr. John Oakes taught a number of classes for churches in Abidjan and Daloa, Cote d’Ivoire and Dakar, Senegal February and March, 2023. Notes and Power Points are available elsewhere. Church History I Abidjan Audio Church History II Church History III Church History IV Church History V Church History VI ...
Question: Theologian Bernhard Duhm (1912) wrote: “This process of editing the Prophetic Writings, with such added expositions, enlargements, and supplementation, went on to so large an extent that now no single prophetic writing exists in its original form. Indeed, more than once we find that what was originally not at all the work of Prophets […]
Question: I have learned that about 55% of Matthew’s gospel is just Mark’s material. If Matthew was an eyewitness why would he use 55% of Mark’s gospel? He even uses material from his gospel for events that he witnessed such as the last supper. In the last supper, the last part in Matthew and Mark […]
Question: What would you tell someone who was having trouble figuring out which religion is the one true religion? What would you tell him if he said he believes it must be Christianity, Islam or Zoroastrianism but he isn’t sure which of these three is the one true religion and isn’t sure how he can […]
Question: Several prophets make no definite promise of a “single person” as the Saviour; such as Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Haggai, the Deutero-Isaiah. All didn’t have a perception of the future salvation in connection with an individual. Dr. Oakes, What is your response? Answer: First, I ask the one who is posing this […]
John Oakes gave a series of classes on the Book of Hebrews for the teaching ministry for the LAICC Fall, 2023. Hebrews Audio I Hebrews Audio II-A Hebrews Audio II-A Hebrews LA Audio IV Hebrews V Audio Hebrews Audio VII Hebrews Notes Oakes Hebrews PPT Oakes...
Dr. John Oakes is teaching a five part series on how Christians ought to respond to false teachings which are found out there in the “Christian” world for a church in Guadalajara, Mexico. The recording is in both Spanish and English. Areas that will be covered include Roman Catholicism, Calvinism, Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, Premillennialism, Mormonism and […]
Question: If we don’t know who wrote the gospels then why should we trust them? Anyone could have just made them up. I want to be able to trust the gospels but since their anonymous I don’t know if I can. Answer: First of all, we very likely DO know who wrote the gospels. It […]
Question: How can I answer atheists and Muslim’s arguments like this: 1.) If Christianity is the truth, why there are so many sects and schisms? Imagine thinking you have the truth when you’re just a part of sub sect 26-times schism offshoot of another sect. Christianity has already changed from believing Jesus as a prophet […]
Question: In Matthew 26: 64 Jesus said: “From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” What did he mean by “from now”! Did Jesus really come on the clouds of heaven from the moment he said these […]
Editor’s note: This article appeared first as a Q & A at the website, but I am including it as an article. I have gotten a lot of comments and questions lately from Muslims in which they attempt to undermine the authority of the Bible by comparison to the Qur’an, so I decided to post […]
Question: Jesus will NOT be man of peace when he will come again according to Bible. For example Jesus will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:8), Jesus will fight a battle against God’s enemies (Zechariah 14). Christians should not blame Muhammad when their Messiah will […]
Dr. John Oakes is teaching a series of classes for the Sacramento Metro Church of Christ 7/9-11/21. Notes, power points and audio are here: Problem of Suffering PPT Pain and Suffering Audio Problem of Pain Notes Hebrews Audio I Hebrews Audio II Hebrews Notes Hebrews Living by Faith […]
Question: What are your thoughts on irreducible complexity? I read your essay on the four kinds of theistic explanations of creation a while ago and I remember you writing that you do not side with Intelligent Design and that irreducible complexity is an ID teaching. I’m currently reading your book “Is There A God?” and […]
Questions: I was reading on a website some questions of skeptics that had me thinking. 1 How can God love us if love is just an effect of chemicals inside our brain? 2 Your thoughts on the libet experiment? 3 Why do we have a brain instead of being a brain? Those were all my […]
Questions: My friend has been struggling with his faith because he read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. He also says that there is a lot of evidence of the multiverse and he is turning towards atheism/materialism. Can you can answer his concerns? Answers: I wrote a review of The God Delusion that will be […]
Question: It is said by some on youtube that there are over 10 significant major changes in the Bible and that the Bible has become corrupted over time. If it is true and that there are plenty of changes in the Bible, does it affect the core values belief of our Christianity like the resurrection […]
Dr. John Oakes gave a seven-part series of classes on the Book of Isaiah for both the San Diego Church of Christ and the Bakersfield Church of Christ March-April, 2021. Isaiah I Audio Isaiah II Audio Isaiah III Audio Isaiah IV Audio Isaiah Audio V Isaiah VI Audio Isaiah 60-62...
Dr. John Oakes gave a series of 15 sermons from the Gospel of John for the Bakersfield Church of Christ in Nov-Feb, 2020/21. Notes, power point and audio are attached. John Whole Series Notes John Whole Series PPT John I Woman in Adultery audio John II Meet Jesus Audio ...
Question: If Jesus of Nazareth indeed did miracles, healed the sick and raised many dead people, was crucified and was resurrected, then why don’t we have documents by non-Christian authors (Romans or Greeks or others) within His lifetime or within the first century. Many prominent leaders, kings, historians will surely have heard about such unique […]
Dr. John Oakes gave a class on Modernism and Postmodernism for the Dacca Church of Christ in Bangaladesh Saturday 10/24/2020. The class is not necessarily a condemnation of either modernism or postmodernism, but discusses the strengths and weaknesses of both, as well as where they fall short of being helpful to a Christian worldview. Here […]
Dr. John Oakes gave a four-part eight-hour class on the post-exile prophets in Bakersfield September, 2020 Repent, Return, Restore, Rebuild Audio I Repent, Return II Audio Repent Return Restore Rebuild III Repent Return Restore Rebuild IV Repent Return Restore Rebuild notes Repent Return Restore Rebuild PPT ...
John Oakes did a series of midweeks on the reliability of the Bible in Bakersfield, summer, 2020 Reliability of Bible Manuscripts Reliability History Archaeology and Bible ...
Dr. John Oakes is teaching a 12-hour class on Church History for campus interns in Bakersfield, California 7/24-25/2020. Notes, power point and audio are available here: Church History PPT church history notes Part I Church History Notes II Ch Hist Audio 1 Ch Hist Audio 2 Ch Hist Audio 3 Ch Hist Audio 4 […]
[Editor’s note: the one asking this question did some follow-up research, finding his own really useful additional information on what Nebuchadnezzar did to fulfill the prophecies in Ezekiel and Jeremiah. His additional information is at the end of my original response.] Question: I want to ask some things relating to some answers you’ve given on […]
Question: When Jesus said to Thomas “blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed” what does he mean? Does he mean that we should have a blind faith without looking for facts? Today we search for answers regarding the evidences of Bible’s reliability, we find solutions for apparent Biblical contradictions, we search for […]
Question: If we are 100 percent sure that the 4 gospels are written by authors whom we attribute them to, why don’t they identify themselves in the gospels? Let’s exclude 2 and 3rd gospels (Mark and Luke) because they were not eyewitnesses, but let’s take 1st and last gospel (Matthew and John) if these gospels […]
Question: In Matthew 11:25-27 (Luke 10:21-22) Jesus says, “I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned…this is what you were please to do…no one knows the father except the son and those to whom the son chooses to reveal him…come to me all…” […]
Question: I am reaching out to you today to ask a question. Sometimes it is easier to meditate on God’s Word intellectually but harder to connect to God through His Word emotionally or in a deeper level that produces transformation, which then leads to aligning myself to God. How do you gain the knowledge about […]
Question: Would you be able to explain the words Jesus spoke in his monologues to himself and with the devil (being tempted in Matthew and Luke 4… etc)? If He were alone at those times, how were the Gospel writers able to report what transpired ‘accurately’ – since no one except Jesus could be there […]
Dr. John Oakes’ new book In Christ has just been published by Illumination Publishers. It is available at www.ipibooks.com The book is about the blessings that come with life in Christ. A few of the chapters are: You Were Outside of Christ You Came Into Christ You Have Been Reconciled With Christ You Are a […]
Dr. John Oakes gave a series of lessons for the International Churches of Christ in Jakarta, Bandung and Surabaya in March 13-20, 2020. Audio for the lessons in both English and Bahasa is attached. Hebrews 11 Bahasa Audio Hebrews Bahasa I Hebrews Bahasa II In Christ Bahasa Audio Holy Spirit Bahasa...
Question: I have done a Bible study about the COVID 19 Virus and I wanted to get your thoughts on it. I was recently asked if I think that “meeting on line” would satisfy the command from when God said “Do not give up meeting together as some are in the habitat of doing but […]
Question: Recently I have heard from a Jew that Jesus was born of a Roman soldier and Mary. But I don’t no where he got this from nor do I know anything that says otherwise. So, does this claim have any backing or is this just a myth? Answer; This meme has floated around the […]
Question: Hi Dr. John. I want to have a better understanding about Melchizedek and the relevance of him to Jesus. Based on the text found in Gen 14:18 and Hebrews 7. What is his relevance to Jesus Christ? Thank you! Answer: Good to hear from you. It just so happens that I just published a […]
Dr. John Oakes gave a series of six sermons from the Book of Ezekiel Fall, 2019 in Bakersfield. Audio, PPT and notes are included. Ezekiel I God Commisions a Prophet Ezekiel II God’s Watchman Ezekiel III God’s Justice Ezekiel IV God Calls a Remnant Ezekiel V God Saves a Remnant Ezekiel VI Gog […]
Dr. John Oakes gave a series of seven sermons from his new book “In Christ” in Bakersfield Fall, 2020. Recordings, PPT and notes are here. In Christ Part I In Christ Part II In Christ III In Christ Part IV In Christ V In Christ Part VI In Christ VII In Christ...
We want to invite you to our first annual teaching ministry conference. It will be Friday and Saturday, March 6-7, 2020 at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. This conference is for anyone who is now doing the work of a teacher or anyone who aspires to be a teacher in the […]
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