Can you tell me what 1 Peter 4:17 means? “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God?: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of Christ” This verse has really impacted me.

Of the four soils in Matthew chapter 13, which ones do you think actually represent people who are truly saved?

I have a little concern here:

“Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barabbas (also known as Justus) and Mathias. (Acts 1:21-23) This means that there were more than 12 disciples that had been with Jesus all the time and were eyewitness since his Baptism and ascend to heaven. But why does the Bible only dwell on twelve?

It has been common among talk of the end times to use the phrase “The Great Tribulation.” And it is assumed that this phrase is referring to only the last half of the final 7 year period before Christ’s return. This is assumed because of the word “The.” But when Jesus used this phrase in Matt. 24:21, He never included the word “The.” Without the word “The,” the phrase “great tribulation” is much less precise, and doesn’t specifically refer to a period named “The Great Tribulation.” This would allow the period to refer to the entire 7 years of the 70th week. I would appreciate your comments on this issue.

The 7th chapter of Revelation seems to occur before the last 3 1/2 years. At the beginning of the chapter, the 144,000 are sealed, which happens before the last 3 1/2 years. And in context, the remaining verses speak of those who came out of the great tribulation. If this is referring to the final 3 1/2 years, then this part of the vision will have to happen after the final 3 1/2 years. But it seems more likely to me that this whole chapter takes place before the final 3 1/2 years. Which is correct?

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.

It seems to me that Jesus gave up his divinity when He became a man. He was still God and man but in order to pay the price to redeem us he had to do it as a sinless man. I don’t believe he ever used His divine power to do any of the works that He had done, but that He operated only in faith. Otherwise Satan could have said he (God) was operating illegally in the Earth.