We recently changed churches, for reasons not that important, now the church is not talking to us. The other day we ran into the pastor he was rather upset with us and told us of all the mistakes we made in leaving his church. Is this a Biblical thing? Where does the Bible tell us we have to come to the pastor and tell him we selected another church to attend. I thought that as the church we were all united in the same work.

There’s something I have been puzzling about. Let’s say there are two good Christian friends. They both dabble in witchcraft and read their horoscopes every day. Then God tells one of them to stop doing that because he doesn’t like it. So the first person changes his lifestyle, but the second one never hears from God. They remain friends, despite the change. Now why does this happen? Why does God call one person and ignore many others who are doing the same thing? If the activity is displeasing wouldn’t he tell ALL of them to stop?

From a different angle – if you’re Christian and you believe Jesus died to save you, and OSAS is true, why does God call you out of doing certain things? Because if your behavior had no bearing on being saved, then you could go around doing witchcraft or whatever and it would be okay, wouldn’t it? I’m really confused. Please help.

May the Lord continue to bless you in this unique and wonderful ministry He has given you! I have a question about Luke 2:13-14. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” In passages like this we see the heavenly host ‘praising God’. A minister once said that if you check the scriptures, we never read that the angels are singing. He believed that only humans actually sing, not angels. Any thoughts on this statement?

My question is from Genesis 13-14 with Abram and Lot. After he rescued Lot, Melchizedek, priest and king of Salem and the king of Sodom meet Abram. For what purpose are Melchizedek and the king of Sodom together? Sodom was wicked and full of great sinners and Melchizedek was the priest of God and also the king of Salem. Why were a king of such a sinful and wicked city and a king and priest of God together like that when God could easily have made their meetings separate with the same outcome?

Something you said in one of your answers was that God can’t forgive us if we don’t confess. I was taught that all our sins are forgiven already at the cross, but that we should confess them which is to admit our wrong to God so that we can be closer to God. But our sins are forgiven at the cross, everyone of them, so I feel it was wrong to say God can’t forgive us if we don’t confess because he already has.

I have read the following on a web site and am wondering if the translations are correct. “There are two different Greek words that are translated as “temple” in English. One word “hieron” is used by Paul when referring to an actual building made with wood and stones. The other word “naos” is used when referring to the spiritual temple of God which refers to His people. The word “naos” is the one used in this 2 Thessalonians 2:4 verse, and therefore is NOT talking about a physical temple.”

Re the picture of the hooded (“shepherd”?) on your homepage: is that supposed to be Jesus Christ? I’m sure we don’t need to have an IMAGE of our Savior. Perhaps the Ten Commandments even forbids it …? I tend to associate images with the worship in the Roman church. I look forward to your response as I count the issue as important.

I’ve written to you before expressing my frustration at being married to an unbeliever and being unable to be as fully involved in service as I would like to be. Recently, I’ve sensed the Lord telling me I’ve been trying to walk someone else’s walk instead of my own walk with Him. Instead of embracing my situation and what the Lord would have me do, I’ve been envious of other Christians who are free to serve in the church. I really want to walk in the works God has laid out before me.

I am a wife and mother, and am completely surrounded by family members who do not know the Lord. I’m sensing the Lord telling me my service to Him involves praying for and ministering to my family who don’t know Him. I’m not sure of the best way to do that aside from prayer and would love to have your wisdom in this situation. I know time is very short, and I don’t want to spend what’s left of my earthly life envying someone else’s walk, thereby missing out on what God intends for me. What do you think?

I have read your study on Matt: 25:1-13, about the 10 virgins. I have always believed this to be about the rapture of the church, but your explanation has convinced me it is about trib. believers, those who come to faith after the rapture. The only thing I am still confused about is v. 10. How can anyone come into the marriage after the rapture? Who would be left for the millennial kingdom?

In response to your answer to the question about Proverbs 8, how can we explain Proverbs 8:22-31 as referring to Jesus when Jehovah’s Witnesses use this to try to say that Jesus was created (as the Archangel Michael) by Jehovah God?