Thank you for your website I have learned so much from it. I understand what James was teaching, that saving faith in Christ would produce good works, not that works saves a person. James I believe was talking to believers. My question is this, why did James have to tell them this at all? If faith in Christ produces good works (and I believe it does) and James was speaking to believers, this is something that just comes naturally, to me it is like telling a fish to swim, or a bird to fly. In my opinion, it seems to have caused a lot of confusion to those who believe a Christian can lose their salvation. Why do you think God inspired James to write it like this? Do you think maybe it was to cause us to dig deeper into His word? This is a prime example I believe of why it is so important to rightly divide the Word of God. I know God in His foreknowledge saw the confusion it would cause, and I know He had a reason for wording it this way. Do you have an opinion of what it was?

Also in a casual reading of James 2:24 in my little finite mind it just seems like a lost man could be confused into thinking if he has good works he is saved. If James would have stopped at verse 23 when he referenced Romans 4:3 it just seems to me it could have avoided so much confusion, but then he dropped the bomb in verse 24. In your opinion why do you think verse 24 was necessary. I would like to know your thoughts on this. I am in no way saying James got it wrong, I believe every word of scripture is God breathed. I just wonder why with God knowing it would cause confusion, why didn’t he word it where there would be no confusion?

I have had failing health for over a year now. I have developed high blood pressure and, I have bones spurs in my spine and destroyed facets in the lower part of my back. If I’m sitting and go to stand you can hear and feel my back crack all the way down to the vertebra. And the pain is so bad. (But according to the doctors my back isn’t bad enough for surgery yet) I’ve gotten addicted to pain medication because the pain is so severe. I’ve begged God to heal my back and as of yet it has not happened. I know that in the book of Revelation it talks about people would not repent of there pharmaceuticals. I do not want to take these drugs. I just don’t want to hurt anymore. How can I get victory?

I read several books written on the subject of the Bible codes. One book explains the phenomenon from the secular stand point, several – from Christian, and one – from Jewish. All these books use the so called ELS (equal length sequencing) method. The Jewish source clams that in the book of Deuteronomy where Torah talks about idols, ELS method reveals the names of Mohamed (Islam) and Yesha (or Yeshua – Jesus). And the word “false” is found next to the word Yesha 3 times. Yet, in the book “Yeshua is my name” written by a Jewish writer who became a Christian, it says that in Isaiah 53, ELS methods reveals the phrase “My name is Yeshua” to identify the “suffering servant” with Jesus. I’m confused. As a statistician I understand how improbable the coincidences are. What is your take on all that. Do you think that the method is reliable? If so, how do you explain the “False Yesha” message.

Many blessings to you for your ministry! My question is Jesus has a glorified body from the resurrection. We will all have these bodies at the Rapture at least the believers will. I was told that in heaven God will have no body. I would think he would have a Glorified body also but maybe not. I mean you have the Holy Trinity. I guess I have just always assumed the Father & Son would have glorified bodies and then you have the spirit part of the Triune as the unseen always working for the glory of God. What do you think?

John’s measuring of the temple in Rev. 11:2 didn’t include the outer court, because it had been given to the gentiles. Is this a result of PM Olmert giving the temple mount to the muslims? The rumors say he’s going to give half of Jerusalem to the Muslims as well. What are your thoughts on this?

I recently read a paper on Catholic apologetics. Having grown up Catholic (though I’m not anymore) I found much of it a surprise. Apparently, at least in my area, the church didn’t want to make too much noise.

My question is, now that Catholics are attempting to refute the concept of Sola Scriptura by saying that it is self-defeating in that scripture itself doesn’t claim to be the only spiritual source of truth and that they are seeing that as a green light to push their own doctrines such as transubstantiation, purgatory, and veneration of Mary and the saints.

I was wondering, while very possibly true the apostles didn’t write down everything they taught necessarily, it could be possible to refute some of these things by exposing their contradiction to established infallible scripture. Such as transubstantiation being a violation of God’s command to not consume blood. I was wondering if you could teach some on Christian apologetics and defense against those who would try to introduce pagan influences into the church?

I’ve been in a relationship with my boyfriend for almost 6 years now, and I’m still not sure if he’s a believer. Is it a sin to continue a relationship with him and even marrying him if he still ends up being a non-believer? I’m very concerned for him. If I stay on with him, I really hope another few years down the road, I’ll see changes in his belief because I would like to build a family with a husband and a father who goes to church with me and my children.

But my family doubts he’ll change since we’ve been dating for 6 years already. But I believe nothing is impossible with God as I know it takes great faith for it to happen. To stay positive, I view it as a time of testing and trial from God. Having said that,I’m still rather confused and don’t know what else to do next. Will other Christians view it as a sin? Will my parents be upset? Will God be angry and punish me?

I was watching a program on the Discovery Channel, where they were saying that a lost book of Peter had been found, also the book of Judas. It does seem like there should have been a book of Peter in the Bible does it not, since Jesus said upon this rock I will build my church. Yet no one knows what Peter had to say. Have you read this book of Peter? If so what do you think? What about the book of Judas?

I enjoy your site every day, and I know you have a great love and knowledge of God and his word. My granddaughter was watching this program with me and asked if we had the whole Bible and was our Bible right? I told her God had made sure we had all the information we needed to be saved. The one and major knowledge that Jesus was the son of God sent by god to die for our sins on the cross and that he rose from the dead and went to heaven to be with the father. Was I right?

I have a question concerning Daniel 8:19-25. It speaks of Alexander the Greats’ horn being broken and four that stand up for it and four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation. These I understand as Ptolemy, Cassander, Seleucus, and Lysimachus. But in verse 23 it says “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.” It seems the “Latter time of their kingdom” would be the time period of the last days that we now live in, or pretty close to it. Do you think there could also be some kind of revival of these four kingdoms in the last days?

I know most everybody believes in a revived Roman Empire because of the the statue of the legs of iron, but I wonder if the ten toes has anything to do with a revived Roman Empire or maybe a revived Grecian Empire of sorts. Whoever the Abomination of desolation is I think he will come on the scene as fast and furious as Alexander did. What’s your take on all this?

My wife and I have been married for 24 years. As ‘fully committed’ Christians we both tried to maintain our walk with God and I’d often pray and ask God to help me ‘change into the ‘right’ sort of husband that my wife wanted. However we both have a ‘lot of baggage’, etc and basically have found living together quite difficult. Now my wife feels that I don’t love her and never did, which is incorrect as I do love her but just find her difficult to live with. She recently told me that I was now in ‘sin’ and out of God’s grace as I wasn’t ‘loving my wife as Christ loves the church”.

Technically she’s correct I guess but I did tell her that I’m just a ‘fallible man’ whereas Christ is perfect., but as she’s’ the one who’s pulling away from me I ‘hope’ that I’m still in God’s grace. I know that all of my sins have been paid for at the cross and God now sees me as ‘righteous’. I’d appreciate your thoughts on this.