Ask a Bible Teacher

The Parable Of The Weeds

Published: March 13, 2025
Q

According to Matthew 13:41 as I understand it Jesus says he will send his Angels, and they shall gather out of “His” Kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. First of all Jesus mentions “things”,then he mentions “them”which I believe refers to “humans”, which do iniquity. What I don’t understand is what type of people is he referring to, and are they Christians? Don’t you have to be a true Christian to be in “His Kingdom”? Can you please explain this?


What Wrath Was Paul Talking About?

Published: March 13, 2025
Q

As I read the passages in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, it sounds like the second coming, and that the church will be here watching. Verses 9-10 sound like passages about salvation only, not necessarily about the wrath of the tribulation. Please help me understand these passages. Do they speak of the rapture?


An Angel Of The Lord

Published: March 12, 2025
Q

I have always been taught that any time the Angel of the Lord showed up in the Old Testament it was pre-incarnate Jesus. But there’s another Angel of the Lord showing up to Joseph while Mary is pregnant with Jesus–who is this one?


Being Filled With The Holy Spirit

Published: March 12, 2025
Q

My question regards being filled with The Holy Spirit. I do not speak in tongues nor do I have a prayer language, although I have prayed and prayed to receive such. However, I feel God with me all the time. He answers my prayers ALL THE TIME. I know without a doubt that I am HIS and He is my Lord, King and Savior (and that should be enough right?) But is there anything in scriptures (other than the gift of tongues) that is evidence that The Holy Spirit is residing in a person? I would like to reference a scripture when talking to my daughters about this.


Confirming The 3 Day 3 Night Scenario

Published: March 12, 2025
Q

I recently found your article entitled “solving the three day, three night mystery” in which you provide evidence for a Thursday crucifixion and a Sunday resurrection. It was very helpful and I want to thank you for your efforts. In it you state “…at sunrise it was Friday day, day two” This leads me to ask what is meant in Luke 24:21 when Jesus met with the men on the road to Emmaus and they told him that it was the “third day since all this took place.

The road to Emmaus event took place on Sunday day (day three according to them) which would make Saturday day 2 and Friday day 1 since Christ was crucified. I just wonder how you make the 3 days 3 nights of Matthew 12:40, plus the Thursday crucifixion theory fit with Luke 24:21?


Born Of Water

Published: March 11, 2025
Q

Comparing the references to water in John 3:5 and 1 John 5:6: The John 3:5 reference is considered by many (and I agree) to mean physical birth, yet the 1 John 5:6 reference is considered by some to mean baptism. I believe that 1 John was written, in part, to refute false teaching and to stress that Jesus did come in the flesh. Because of that, it seems that there would be consistency in the usage of the word ‘water’ between the two passages with each one referring to physical birth. Can you point out what I’m missing?


Was The Lord Misleading Us?

Published: March 11, 2025
Q

How should Matt. 6:25-26 be correctly interpreted?

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Massive numbers of wild birds starve to death all over the world, especially during the winter, as well as other undernourished wild animals. Jesus would have known this, of course, and so would his hearers. I would just like your perspective, because I do not like having cognitive dissonance where Christ (and our Father’s provision) is concerned, and I hope you can help me be more comfortable with this saying.

 


Deliberate Disfigurement?

Published: March 11, 2025
Q

Matthew 5: 29-30 says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Did Jesus literally mean for us to maim ourselves ?


Loss Of Purpose

Published: March 10, 2025
Q

Recently, I feel like I’ve lost my sense of purpose. Since I believe the Lord’s return is right around the corner, maintaining my current schedule seems pointless to me. I spend most of my time either working or studying – and it kills me to know that I could be spending this time with my family. I’ve talked to my wife about this, and she believes that I should continue doing what I have been doing, in case the end is not as close as I think. What’s your opinion?


44 Commandments To Keep?

Published: March 10, 2025
Q

The Pastor on Sunday was teaching on Discipleship and how we can be better disciples for Christ, He was drawing from (an apparently popular book) I have never read or even heard of. The Pastor said that we needed to Love God with all of our Hearts, Minds and Souls, and that this is a commandment, which I agreed with. He went on to say in order to show God that we loved him we needed to follow and obey all of Jesus’ Commandments in the New Testament and he listed about 44 of them. He then said that if we do not follow these then we don’t love God and we aren’t saved. He even said that our salvation is based on a lot more than a little prayer we said when we accepted Christ.