Posted November 14th, 2009 in Selah, The Bible's Authority
This Week’s Feature Article by Jack Kelley
The Bible isn’t such a complex document that it requires years of formal education before you can begin to comprehend it. I’ve always believed the Bible was meant to be understood by any believer who can read and has a serious interest in knowing what it says. I say this because I believe the Bible is best approached by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than one’s own intellect. James 1:5 says that any of us who lacks wisdom need only ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault.
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Posted November 19th, 2009 in Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. A friend of a friend of mine sent her 5 year old to a sunday school. He came home in tears, because they were teaching on ” God killing the children of couples that were not married. I have never heard of such a thing. Is it true? The mother believes that it is somewhere in the old Testement. I do believe that the Lord wants these two people married, but, will he kill the children? Can you help me find this in the Holy Bible?
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Posted November 9th, 2009 in Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. Throughout the history of the church though there are stories of saints being visited by saints, having conversations about spiritual things and in the case of Thomas Aquinas even being taught about difficult spiritual matters. There is also the moment on the the mount of transfiguration when Jesus along with Peter, James, and John were accompanied by Moses and Elijah long since dead before that time. I know that in Matthew 22:32 Jesus mentions that God is the God of the living, and Paul writes that those believers who do die here are alive and well with Jesus. Would it be safe to say that these believers are momentarily given sight into and even caught up in the spirit and are temporarily granted access to the spiritual realm?
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Posted November 6th, 2009 in Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. It is difficult for me to understand how Jesus, in heaven prior to coming to Earth as a babe, being God, the second person of the Trinity, did not know about end time events prior to His coming. I have always believed that Jesus (God) was/is All Knowing, so why or how is it that He had to be told by the Father? This really has be confused and somewhat unhinged. He created the Earth and all but had no knowledge of end times? Before coming to Earth as a babe, was he not of “man form” in Heaven? Thank you for your help.
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Posted November 3rd, 2009 in Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. How do you counter a claim that the Bible contains error because of the story of the demon-possessed man and the herd of pigs? If some manuscripts say Gadarenes, some say Gergesenes, and some say Gerasenes, then how do you explain the discrepancy to someone looking for error, especially when the story appears in three of the gospel accounts?
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Posted November 3rd, 2009 in Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. I really enjoy your website and appreciate your teaching and insight. In the letter to the church in Sardis in Rev. 3, I understand these letters are to the believing church. In verse 2 “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God”, and then in verse 5 talking about erasing your name from the book of life leaves me with a question as to these believes losing their salvation. Although I understand that Jesus has taken our sin away and we can not work or have “deeds” to receive that salvation, can you explain the deeds part and the fact that their names could be removed from the Book of Life.
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Posted November 1st, 2009 in Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. Re: Luke 21:36. Please tell me what this verse means “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Again and again I see this verse associated with the Rapture but then that would imply if I don’t live a godly life I could be passed by, right? Or is this verse associated with the second coming? I do know I feel a great deal of stress inside every time I read it as I become afraid that I won’t be acceptable when the Lord comes for His Church.
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Posted October 31st, 2009 in Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. My question regarding Daniel 10: 13, “But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.”
Is this a physical resistance, spiritual, or some form of restraining that can’t be explained to a human? Do God sent angels and fallen angels fight in the sense that we humans fight with weapons? Or does the spirit world fight with words from the Lord?
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Posted October 31st, 2009 in Selah, The Bible's Authority
Commentary by Jack Kelley
The other day I received an interesting response to my answer stating that the Bible supports an approximate 6000 year history for the human race. This person didn’t dispute the Bible, only our interpretation of it, in disagreeing with my answer.
The essence of his response was that since science has found what it considers to be persuasive evidence that contradicts the literal view of the creation account, then our traditional interpretation of the language in Genesis 1 has to be flawed.
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Posted October 28th, 2009 in Ask a Bible Teacher
Q. I am puzzled by a difference in the wording of Matthew 24:36. My NIV says “nor the son…” but my KJV says “But of the day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (no mention of the son) What is the correct interpretation – does the son know or not? Jesus is the Godhead and if the Father knows, wouldn’t Jesus also know? Sorry if this is sounds confusing, but I am learning to check different versions.
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