Ask a Bible Teacher

Pre-Church And Post-Church Salvation

Published: August 3, 2016
Q

My question has to do with salvation during the Old Testament, New Testament, and during the tribulation. I am still a little confused about how people were saved in the Old Testament, and how they will be saved during the tribulation. I understand that in this age of grace, we are saved by trusting that Jesus died on the cross as a propitiation for our sins, but were the Old Testament patriarchs saved by believing on a coming savior, or did they have to meet certain behavioral requirements as well, in essence making it a type of faith-plus-works salvation? And will that also be the case for Tribulation believers?


Who Do We Address?

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

I continue to be amazed at your abilities and your willingness to share. Thank you!

I have a question about the Trinity. Does it matter which member of the Trinity one addresses? I made a comment to a pastor, at a church picnic, that God was present with us. He denied it and said that God was on His throne in heaven. If God is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient then what difference does it make by which name to use?

I have the witness of the Holy Spirit within me, I claim Jesus in my heart, and I pray to God, so what is the appropriateness of address in any given situation?


Sent Or Left?

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

In regards to the Greek in Matthew 24:41, where the word “aphiemi” is translated into “Left” ( Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.), can you elaborate on the verb-tense of the word? Transliterated, it shows the word as aphietai. The ending etai means that the verb is a present-passive-indicative in the 3rd-person singular. It’s also the same tense as the preceding verb, “taken”.

Of course, I know nothing of what that means, but I feel it’s important. Can you elaborate on the meaning of the PPI 3rd tense of the verb aphemi?

Because, according to Strong’s, the word can mean sent or it also can mean left. And I think that the tense would give us a clue as to which it means.


Doesn’t Satan Know?

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

I have recently found your website and would like to thank you for your incredible insight into the book of Revelation via the Revelation Times articles you have written. They have certainly answered many questions I had and are BIG faith increasers!

My question is in regards to Satan’s knowledge of the end times. Am I correct in assuming that Satan knows of coming events such as the rapture (even though he doesn’t know the exact timing), the Gog/Magog war, the rise in power of the anti-Christ, Armageddon and the 2nd coming of Christ, and the fact that he will be bound for 1000 years and then loosed for a “little while” until he is thrown into the lake of fire?

Does he know this, and more importantly, is he ignorant enough to believe he can change the course of these events to his favor? Or does he know he’s doomed for eternal punishment no matter what he does? Hate must be his motivator?


Tithing

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

This is a question about tithing. I have heard that if we don’t tithe a tenth of what we earn to God first then God will curse all of our money. Is this scriptural?


Why Was Enoch’s Book Excluded

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

I was reading your answer to the question: How Can Angels And Humans Have Children? I looked up the Book of Enoch. Very Interesting. Can you tell why it wasn’t included in the Bible?

Also, I was discussing this with my husband, and he said Enoch came from Cain, so I thought maybe that is why it wasn’t included, but then I was looking in Genesis, and it seems as though there are two men named Enoch in the Bible, one indeed from Cain, but the other from Jared (Seth’s side). Genesis 4 and 5 can cause some confusion if a person isn’t really paying attention. So many parallels in names: Methusael (from Mehujael)-Methuselah (from Enoch) ; Lamech (from Methusael) -Lamech (from Methuselah) ; Enoch(from Cain)-Enoch(from Jared).

I guess I am asking about this point to make sure I understand correctly, these are six different people? Do you know which Enoch the Book of Enoch came from? Thank you.


Sheep And Goats

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

I have been reading your messages and very blessed. Thank God for using you to spread His word to prepare believers waiting in anticipation of His coming.

Regarding the Parable of the sheep and the goat. This is my understanding: The sheep refers to friends of Israel. The goats refer to non-friends of Israel. The world is divided into two camps, one is nations for Israel, the other is nations against Israel. What do you think?

 


Age Of Accountability

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

Some popular prophecy scholars teach that children will be included in the rapture regardless of whether they are believers or not. What scriptural basis is there for this? What is the age / event at which a child becomes old enough to be responsible for their own beliefs?


Three Views On Earth’s Creation

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

I read a commentary about the book of Genesis and it says that there are three interpretation as to the age of the earth; 1. that the earth was created 7000 thousand years ago according to the genealogy in the bible literally in 7 days 2. That the earth was created millions of years ago, and 3. That the earth was created in 7 days but one day is equal to thousands of years.

These are confusing because of so much evidence that speaks about millions of years of earth’s existence. I cling to that view because God created the heavens which is the universe and the earth; but the very heaven where God lives we don’t know exactly because it is where God lives and since God is eternal then heaven is eternal and God did not create it in human understanding of creation and therefore angels were created long time ago too before the creation of man.

Please share your view on this one and thank you for sharing your wisdom to us. God bless you my faithful brother


The Nature Of Prophecy

Published: July 31, 2016
Q

Are some prophecies meant to be fulfilled all at once, others piecemeal, and others multiple times over?