My wife was reading fictional book and ran across a word, Deism. It was explained in the book as a belief that God is a cosmic clock winder passively watching events unfold on the earth. My question is this: “Is there such a thing as “deism” and is it a form of religious belief?

You quoted in your recent psalm commentary from a friend: “Maximum trial, maximum grace.”

Is this true in the case if the trial or trials is/are caused by our sins? ( If we turn to the Lord for help asking for His forgiveness. If He’s not tired of me always doing something horribly stupid and then asking for His help!)

I’ve read the arguments about the people who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple being Assyrians. How can we be sure they weren’t?

I’m 17 years old and moved from Cincinnati into Austin Texas, which is a very liberal area. I’m having a lot of trouble adapting because I feel its so hard to really be proactive with my faith and get the word out, because I’m experiencing enough persecution as it is. Granted I do reach out to people here and there, but its hard to do in high school .

But as I’m reading you’re articles I feel encouraged because it brings to attention how stupid we are to worry so much about this life and what people will think of us, instead of focusing on the next life. It’s great that you tackle your subjects in a non-denominational sense and just focus on what the Bible says.

I have a question. I’m really worried about leading people astray. I feel the need to help people, and teach them the word of God, spread the faith, but I’m afraid of misleading someone unintentionally. Through misquotes or something of that matter, because I think the Bible says those who mislead people will face harsher judgement. So what’s your input on that?

Last Sunday our pastor was preaching on Psalm 23 and part of his message hit me as another answer to the OSAS issue. He said that when the Psalm refers to the security of a sheep in the Shepherd’s care “for His name’s sake”, it is referring to the fact that sheep are by nature unable to care for themselves and will wander into trouble, and when they do, it’s the shepherd’s responsibility to rescue them.

To be saved, it is not sufficient just to believe in God Whose existence can be inferred from nature. “Simple belief” in the existence of God does not meet the criteria for salvation according to Christian doctrine.

We must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, his substitutionary and propitiating death, and his resurrection, as payment for our personal and individual sins. How, then, does a person who “absolutely, positively never heard of Jesus” (title given to the article) have a choice to be saved?

How do you define “free grace” theology and do you believe it is biblical? I believe Lordship Salvation is unbiblical as I understand it but the other side of the spectrum is “free grace” and I am unclear on how it lines up with scripture as it is defined by its proponents. I fully believe that God’s grace is given to us freely irrespective of our merit but I don’t want to label myself as “free grace” if that means I am one who thinks I can live any way I want because that is not the case. Does this make sense?

My nephew was taught predestination. He takes that to mean since God knows the choices he is going to make, that he can make poor ones and it is totally OK, because God knew he would do it anyways. I really don’t know what to say to him or what scriptures to point him in the right direction. I mean, I know where he is coming from, but he’s twisted things to the point of no accountability. What do you think?

Is it wrong in the eyes of the Lord if I have fear of the unknown despite that I asked and ask His forgiveness and His help and I trust Him with everything? I handle hard my bad feelings, especially distress and fear. Are these feelings equal to doubt in the eyes of the Lord? I have problems with the definition of doubt, what the Lord counts as doubt.

1 Samuel 19:9 says, “And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand.” I don’t understand what it means when it says “the evil spirit from the LORD”. I believe the Bible, but can the evil spirit come from the LORD?