After a lot of searching, we found a small country church that we thought would accept us. I was even voted in as a deacon after we’d been there for several years. But gradually, I started to suspect I was being shut out from the workings of church business, and I began wondering why I was ever asked to be a deacon in the first place. Since we live outside the community, I’m puzzled why we still bother to attend, but I was told if we leave we would be forsaking the assembly, using Hebrews 10:25 as the authority. I’m at a loss. Would we be guilty of violating Hebrews 10:25 by leaving?

In Matthew 12: 30-32 Jesus is talking to the Jews, explaining a sin that cannot be forgiven. I understand all sins were forgiven at the cross, but in verse 32b he mentions “the age to come”. I assume that age to be the Kingdom Age as being the next age to come for the Jews. Am I correct in this thinking? And if so what does this mean for the Jews?

Why is the tribe of Dan is not mentioned in Revelation chapter 7? What happened?

Rev. 15 mentions a temple in heaven, and I am not clear on this. It is my understanding that it is there that God resides on his throne. Is there an actual temple or is heaven a template of a temple? Also, I understand that the temple contains an Ark of the Covenant. I look forward to your comments on this chapter.

This is a salvation question. When we look at salvation in both the Old Testament and New Testament, a person is saved by faith: In the OT a person’s faith was based on the promised coming redeemer. In the NT, it is also based on faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Yet in your response to a question on “The Backslidden Believer“, you responded with “The Old Covenant was a conditional relationship based on obedience and a person who became disobedient was said to have turned away from the Lord.” Are you saying that those saved in the OT was based on works and not faith – somewhat confused – can you please clarify?

I was looking on the web for the beatitudes when I stumbled upon them in the Catholic Encyclopedia. I was shocked when I read there that they have substituted the word “righteousness” with “justice.” To me these are very different things. When we speak of justice we usually mean redress in a legal sense. If you commit a crime against me I desire justice, for example. But when I think of righteousness I think of a divine attribute that can only be gained via relationship and bestowal from God through Christ. (Rom 3:10 & 2 Cor 5:21.) So it seems to me that the Catholic Encyclopedia is substituting a man-to-man relationship for a man-to-God necessity. What are your thoughts on this?

If you were a true, honest, believing Christian but you were in a situation where you were being tortured and through torture you were forced to renounce your faith in Jesus Christ, but in your heart you are still a Christian, feeling ashamed that you were too much of a coward to not resist denying Jesus Christ through torture, are you still saved?

1 Thessalonians 4:11 says we should live quiet lives and mind our own affairs and work with our hands. It seems like in other places, God is telling us to live quiet lives. What does it mean to live a quiet life as a believer?

I’m reading your book on Revelation. I find it interesting that the 24-elders are wearing crowns (Greek word stephanos) and the first horseman of the apocalypse is wearing a crown (same Greek word). I’d appreciate your usual clear insight concerning why they have the same crown(s).

In the church I attend, there is an invitation to everyone present to share in communion when we have it. This includes visitors and non-Christians and I know it is so they won’t feel conspicuous or awkward by abstaining. I feel uncomfortable by it and my thought is that non Christians shouldn’t partake of the Lord’s supper since it has no meaning for them. Does scripture address this?