Today I was reading in Mark 15 and 16 and came across an interesting situation. In 15:46 it mentions the rigamaroll that Josepth of Arimathea went thru in preparation for the burial of Jesus, finishing off with the statement “…and rolled a large stone in front of the sepulchre”.

Okay. Then in 16:3 it mentions when the two Marys are on the way to the tomb and it is mentioned “who will move the stone for it was very great”

Question. How big was that stone?

Since the only way to eternal life is through Christ, how is it possible for the Old Testament saints and adopted foreigners to be saved since they have already died? Did Christ preach the gospel to them during the time He physically died, and from there take the souls to heaven? If that’s the case, will they never get to experience the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises for the nation of Israel (eg. The Millennium).

If Christ preached the gospel to even the souls in Hades, how does it bode for those who are in the other side of Hades…that is, the side of Torments? Even if they heard it and believed the gospel (which I’m thinking they most desperately would believe now) they wouldn’t get the opportunity to choose anymore. So how could one side (Paradise) get the opportunity to hear the gospel and choose, while the other (Torments) had to listen and despair?

On (another website) I saw a statement that troubled me greatly. Regarding the “beginning” of God, he says “It is possible that the Lord may have existed for so long even He has lost track of His own beginning.”

Is this really possible? I have always believed that God “always was” but now, although I still believe our God is eternal and un-created I was wondering if you could point out some scripture that confirms the fact that Our God did not simply “lose track” of his existence and that he has in fact, although it is is incomprehensible to the human mind, existed forever.

Why should we try to sin less if we can never be fully sin-free in this lifetime? Does that “less” in frequency really matter? If Christians will be forgiven of their sins after they ask for God’s forgiveness but later they still keep sinning of the same or different in nature and keep asking for forgiveness from God, what is the point of living a holy life which is clearly not achievable in this lifetime even in Christians?

Which bible verse says there are no greater or lesser sins and all sins are the same before the eyes of God?

How should Christians view such things as fantasy tales and science fiction?

I grew up with Disney movies such as Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, etc. My parents read me fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm. I never thought these things were real and I never felt they skewed or damaged my view of God or relationship to Him. Likewise, my brothers grew up on Star Wars, alien space ranger stories, and things like that. Obviously, we knew they were all “pretend”.

I’m at a place now where I’m wondering what God thinks of fantasy and fairy tales involving fairy godmothers, magic spells, etc. If a person doesn’t believe in those things and understands that these plots and stories are just “make believe”, what is your opinion of what God thinks of that? Are we allowed to indulge in childlike imagination or are these things that add fantastic creatures to what He’s already created intrinsically wrong and the gateway to the occult as I’ve heard argued by ultra-conservative Christians?

I want to please God and pursue a holy life, but as I near a point in my life where I move towards marriage and begin having children of my own, I find myself wondering if princess fairy tales for any daughters I may have and space ranger stories for any sons are wrong in God’s eyes or if they fall under disputable Romans 14 matters. What do you think?

I am currently involved in a Christian chat room whereby debating and fellowship occur. One of the debates that comes up frequently is whether man has free will when it comes to choosing our Lord. Many feel that it is predetermined and those that will be saved are the ‘elected’.

I know the Lord is all knowing and knows who will come to him and who will not. But I am having a very difficult time thinking that the Lord has predetermined who will be saved and who will not. I truly believe that the Lord is love and he would not create some simply for them to go to hell.

Can you clear this up for me? Do we have free will or is there predestination? Thank you.

Do you think the rapture happens as the dragon is cast out of heaven? I wouldn’t want to be around when he is cast down and confined and angry. It’s interesting that Jesus comes with the archangel but it doesn’t say with a great host of angels. Perhaps the angels are kicking butt and clearing the rebel angles out and getting things ready for us. When Jesus said He saw Satan fall like a lightening bolt, how does that fit in to the war in heaven when He is confined to earth?

I have a question about something that was thrown into the middle of the conversation between Jesus and the centurion in Matthew chapter 8. In 8:11 and 12, Jesus goes from marveling at the faith of the centurion to telling His followers about people eating with Abraham Isaac and Jacob (the Jewish people) in the Kingdom of Heaven but those that already live there (the children of the Kingdom) will be tossed out. Is this referring to the angelic realm? I’m really confused.

The Bible says, “In my Fathers house are many mansions.” Who lives or will live in those mansions?

I was wondering your thoughts on God testing us. I’ve only heard this taught one time, Deuteronomy 8:2 says that God tests us in order to know what is in our heart, whether or not we will keep his commands. If taken literally, or at least the way I take it, the LORD brings things across my path to see how I will respond… Will I chose to act in faith on his word, or be in fear. Will I choose to obey or not and so on and so forth. Is this correct? If so it would give a different outlook on “problems” we encounter on a day to day basis.