Ask a Bible Teacher

Was Paul An Apostle?

Published: June 23, 2022
Q

Your definition of what an apostle is (“In the early church an apostle had to have been taught directly by the Lord, and had to have personally seen Him in a post resurrection appearance.”) seems to say that Paul is not an apostle. Am I right with my understanding of your statement? If I am right, how is it then that Paul defend very much his apostleship?


Main Line Protestants And Charismatics

Published: June 23, 2022
Q

Please explain what you mean about the two extremes in Christianity,the dead orthodoxy of mainline Protestantism, and the zeal without knowledge Charismatics?


Am I Worthy To Escape?

Published: June 22, 2022
Q

RE:Luke 21:36 – Jesus says “pray that you be counted worthy to escape these things” – meaning the horrors of God’s judgment. This scripture troubles me as I sometimes wonder if I AM worthy, even though I am a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian who loves the Lord and is serving Him to the best of the talents and abilities that He has given me. I have always believed in the pre-Trib Rapture, but this verse seems to suggest that there are some Christians who won’t make it.

Also – it has been reported that we, meaning the Church of this age, is the Laodocian church – the one that Jesus said He would spit out of His mouth because it was neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm. I tend to agree with this as I see very few churches, including my own, that are truly on fire for God.


This Kind Of Demon Or This Kind Of Faith?

Published: June 22, 2022
Q

I just read an interesting answer you gave concerning sentence construction, pronouns, etc. It reminded me of this passage of scripture that I believe many have misunderstood, which is Matthew 17:20-21, which states, “This kind comes out only by prayer and fasting.” Looking at the nearest noun, this passage would be talking about this kind of unbelief, not this kind of demon (King James version.) (Interestingly, the NIV deletes verse 21 altogether.) So what do you think…is “this kind” referring to this kind of demon or this kind of unbelief?


More On Being Unequally Yoked

Published: June 22, 2022
Q

According to 2 Cor 6:14, the Bible doesn’t allow believers to be unequally yoked with non believers (Marriage)? Is it then a sin or also not allowable for a pastor to marry the two should they insist? Or is marriage on it’s own only applicable or was established for believers only?


How Can Human Works Produce Faith?

Published: June 21, 2022
Q

The belief that Ephesians 2:8-9 says ‘faith is the gift of God’ begs the question: how do human works produce faith? It is not faith that is the gift of God but salvation.


One World Religion? Why?

Published: June 21, 2022
Q

What is so important about having a one world religion? I understand one world economics and government for the coming new world order, but could you give me an explanation of why there is so much effort being put into gathering religious thought into one paradigm? What does religion have to do with anything?


Water Canopy Or Clouds?

Published: June 21, 2022
Q

Awhile back I was reading something about in Genesis when God created water above the expanse of the sky. What this article was saying is that this was the creation of the water cycle (i.e. clouds). This seems so make sense and so does the Water Vapor Canopy. This isn’t an important issue worth arguing about but I’m just curious if you have anything against the water above the expanse being the creation of the water cycle.


Why Can’t A Divorced Man Be A Pastor?

Published: June 20, 2022
Q

Many people teach that if a man has been divorced that he does not qualify to be a Pastor, Deacon or Preacher. I struggle with this view because it seems as if divorce is worse than murder or other commandments that are broken…if breaking one commandment is equal to have broken them all…how is it possible that a man who murdered someone and repents and is saved can be qualified…but a man who has been divorced and has repented and been saved is not qualified…why does the divorced man have to live with his sin and the stigma but the murderer is white as snow…does God not forgive and forget our sins?

 


Did Paul Teach Against Cremation?

Published: June 20, 2022
Q

I have read your commentaries on the questions regarding cremation, and the Biblical/Christian perspective. My question is about the phrase in 1-Corinthians 13:3 “and though I give my body to be burned…” I would like to know what you think is the significance of that phrase, and what, if any, implication it may have. It almost sounds, to me, like some kind of forboding finality to be avoided. When pondering the question of cremation, for myself or my loved ones, my mind goes back to that phrase, and I wonder “why is it there and what does it mean; and is there an implication to cremation that should warn us to avoid it?”