I have a question about our faith. I am asking where our faith in the Bible as the Word of God comes from. I have only found this statement in the New Testament in one of the epistles, basically reading that all scripture is the Word of God. So I have two questions. One is that I am hesitant to believe that the author of the epistle considered his letters to others, as well as the letters of his contemporaries, or even the Gospels themselves, which were still being written, as scripture. Wouldn’t he only be referring to the Old Testament

Which leads to my second question. If we then have to take the rest of the Bible as the Word of God on faith, then, from an objective point of view, how is this faith different from faith put into anything else?

I want to obey my parents and show them respect, but sometimes it feels like their expectations are unreasonably high. When I was a child I could understand. But now that I’m 25, it feels like a huge burden as they are refusing to let me go. What does the Bible say about obedience to our parents? Does it mean we must follow every command they issue? What is considered “respect and honor?” How far can they go in terms of demanding respect and honor? How far must I go to make them feel respected and honored? I would greatly appreciate some insight as I really don’t want to disobey the 5th commandment.

I am saved and attend a great church, but lately I have been battling with fear. I search in the word of God for verses on fear and I read that we should not be afraid but somehow I continue to do so. I have tried to not fear some things and I find myself in the same place. I know the word of God, I know that he is faithful. So why am I afraid, why is the fear still there? I’m tired of fearing these things, I want to let them go.

What is it that I’m doing wrong. Please, it drives me crazy when I know that God is forever merciful and loving. Why? I don’t understand why I feel this way. I have made him my savior and I’m his child. I’m tired. I want to let go. I have prayed about it. I really have. I have cried myself to sleep sometimes because I don’t want to be afraid. If God offers peace what is wrong with me? Help me please.

I just got around to reading “The Way It Was Meant To Be” and just wanted to say you’ve got to be careful making it sound like we are never to confront sin in others. Some like to call it “judging”, which is a favored term for those who shy away from possibly offending a brother or sister over doing the right thing and in a loving manner helping/correcting them. It’s not “judging”. The Bible tells us to confront sin. Jesus did it often. One example was the woman at the well. He didn’t just chat with her and then say “have a nice day”. He confronted her with her sin and told her to sin no more. There are times when believers are to do the same. When they don’t, they can easily be construed as approving of the sins being committed around them.

In Matthew 18:22 when Jesus said to forgive 70 X 7 times do you think he might have had a reason for using this particular number?

I know we are supposed to pray for our enemies, but I run into trouble on what to pray about? Can you give me a sample prayer for the way you would do it? I’m thinking of people who are enemies of our Country foreign and domestic.

My sister used to be a very strong Christian. Since getting a divorce she has fallen away from the church and pulled her children out as well. She is also pulling away from the family. I pray for her continually but I wonder if God hears my prayers due to the anger that I have towards her. I am tired of seeing her hurt the family and her children while turning her back on God. How do I pray for her in a way that is glorifying to God when I cannot seem to get control of my anger and hurt towards her?

Concerning the trinity. When I read most of the verses that people use to “prove” the trinity, I do not see the same thing. When Jesus says ” if you’ve seen the son you’ve seen the Father”; and “the Father and I are one”; I always took that as meaning that they are very similar. Kind of like when someone says that your son is a chip off the old block. Could those verses like in John ch. 1 have been mistakenly copied or corrupted on purpose? I read a book about how other societies had their version of the trinity before Christ was even born. I want to say that I’m not taking anything away from Jesus and what he did for us. I truly believe he is God’s son and that he died for my sins and rose from the dead. He is my savior! It’s just that if the trinity is so hard to understand, maybe it’s because we’re trying to read it into the scriptures.

Just when I think I have finally understood and accepted OSAS, someone comes along and throws me a curve ball and steals my joy. Please help me understand 2 Peter 3:17, as that is the most recent curve ball thrown at me!!!

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. –2 Peter 3:17

I am hoping that you can clear an answer you gave, where you state “… that in some way we don’t understand He gave up His God-like powers when He came to Earth and became fully (and only) man.” However, in one of your earlier answers, you state “Spirit led study will bring one to the conclusion that Jesus is God, and Hebrews 1:8 the Father is quoted as calling Jesus God, and the fact that Jesus is God in the flesh is well documented.”

Please forgive me if I seem somewhat confused, but it seems to me that in your answer to me you say that Jesus was only a man and not God in the flesh, but in the other answers you cite Jesus as being God as well as Man in His human form. Of course, Jesus was fully God and Man, that is why I cannot understand your first quote above.