Ask a Bible Teacher

Is The Father Greater Than The Son?

Published: September 28, 2023
Q

I don’t have a problem with the trinity but I have a friend who does. He asked me why did Jesus say “My Father is Greater than I.” How would you answer that question?


Finding Joy Again

Published: September 28, 2023
Q

I have placed my faith in the saving power of Jesus’ sacrifice and therefore I am standing on the promises found in Scripture regarding salvation. However, I am troubled by my inability to find joy in life. I am amazed by persons at church who always seem so happy … who walk around with perpetual smiles on their faces. I know that we live in a sinful and imperfect world that is full of trials … just watching the way people (even professing Christians) treat each other wears me down. I LONG for the rapture or even my own death (though not enough to take an active part in producing it). What am I missing?


Using The Name Of Jesus

Published: September 27, 2023
Q

I have heard Acts 19:13-16 used to support that only those called to the ministries of deliverance and spiritual warfare may cast out demons in Jesus’ name. But that doesn’t seem right to me. It seems to me that anyone with the Holy Spirit in them should be able to invoke his name and that forces of hell must obey. I do notice that that the exorcists in Acts 19 were Jews, not Christians, But I don’t see how it relates to the demon’s response. Why was the demon unaffected by the use of the Lord’s name? I thought demons couldn’t stand to hear the name of Jesus. Can you help clarify what this passage is saying?

 


Do I Have Enough Faith?

Published: September 27, 2023
Q

Is it true it only takes a small amount of faith in the Lord to become saved, or do you need a lot? The Bible talks about mustard seed sized faith, but I’ve also heard you need to believe with all of your heart. What if a person definitely wants to be saved but doesn’t think they have the faith they need?


Easy Believism

Published: September 27, 2023
Q

Have you ever encountered the term “easy believism”? If so, could you comment on the term? I typed it into your site search box and it didn’t come up with anything.


Did The Scarlet Ribbon Stop Turning White?

Published: September 26, 2023
Q

I was reading “Why Is The Church Special,” on how the remainder of the scarlet ribbon would turn white when the goat was released. I thought I had read one time that after the crucifixion of the Messiah, this phenomenon no longer took place. Can you verify or debunk this?


Why Is The Church Special?

Published: September 26, 2023
Q

Why is the Church special? We are the only group that is securely saved. The old testament believers, tribulation believers, and millennial believers will all have to provide evidence of their faith to remain saved. Why are only we so blessed?


Is Faith Without Works Dead?

Published: September 26, 2023
Q

I’ve been given to understand that when James says that faith without works is a dead faith, he’s referring to someone who’s not saved. That’s what “dead faith” seems to mean in that context. But in Romans 4:5, Paul seems to be saying that if a person does no works, his faith in Him who justifies the ungodly is counted as righteousness. In other words, he’s saved. Please help me reconcile what’s being said in James 2:20-26 and in Romans because both invoke Abraham as an example.


What Am I Missing?

Published: September 25, 2023
Q

I have a question about 2 Thes. chapter 2. Verses 1 and 2 seem to be one sentence and continuing thought. If so, that would seem that “the coming of our Lord Jesus and our gathering together to Him” in verse 1, and “the day of the Lord” in verse 2 are the same thing. Verse 3 says it (apparently both things mentioned in verses 1 and 2) won’t happen until the man of lawlessness is revealed. Verse 8 says the lawless one will be revealed after the restrainer is removed. Obviously the revealing of the man of lawless can’t happen both before and after the same event so what am I missing?


Daniel, The Magi, And The Star

Published: September 25, 2023
Q

You’ve stated that Daniel 9:24-27 tells when to expect Christ to come but it is His coming as King that it talks about. How did the Magi, taught by Daniel’s book know when he was to be born? and where is the “star” prophecy? Did the Mazzaroth display it as Psalm 19 might indicate or was it really Balaam’s prophecy in Numbers 24:17? Also did Herod die in 4 BC or is there enough doubt that recent claims of 1BC could be true?