First I wanted to thank you for your awesome website. It is very clear that you thoroughly study God’s work and have a good understanding of it. And you have been a tremendous help in motivating me in my walk with the Lord.

Having said that I would like to ask for clarification on your view of suicide. You had stated in answering a previous question that you believed that if a person committed suicide and had previously received the gift of salvation, that person would spend eternity with God. Having been raised Pentecostal, the Once Saved Always Saved belief has not been something I would say I have believed in, but the way you describe it and back it up with scripture, I am tending to believe you have valid points.

Until we get to the issue of suicide. I am having a hard time believing that this is not a sin that will keep you out of heaven. If you are right, then, we Christians could always take the easy way out when things got tough. We could say “I’m ready to be with Jesus, and tired of this world” and take our life, and instantly be with him. That is the one area I have come across that is preventing me from getting completely ‘onboard’ your belief, of OSAS.

As I read the Old Testament, I realize that there were also “gentiles” that believed in the true God of the Bible. Job, for instance, was not an Israelite, but was Jew, right? I constantly hear that the promises of the kingdom age are for Israel. Then what of the other Old testament saints? Are they included in that covenant?

My husband and I were discussing the time line in my Bible. Could you please tell us when humanity began on Earth since before Noah. Would it be over 5000 years, if so, how much? Thank you for your answer.

One doubt: in your question/answer – Is Dating My Late Wife’s Sister OK?

The person’s sis-in-law’s husband left her for another one. Is she really allowed to marry again?

MAT 5:31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Please reply. Thank you.

When drought forced a flight into Egypt, how many Hebrew people were involved in the eventual slavery under the pharaoh ? Thank you.

My question is about Deuteronomy 4:2, and the command not to add to or subtract from the Word of God. How do we know that this doesn’t apply to the books after Deuteronomy? Is there anything in the book of Deuteronomy or the previous books to support this?

In my church, the leader of the youth always tells us when we’re wrong and that we’re to submit (to authority). I know that as a Christian I am supposed to respect my elders and such but when that word is used in my church it seems like a thing taking away someone’s rights. I don’t want to challenge authority but I don’t like to feel like I have no ability to be unique.

Some churches teach once saved always saved, while others say you can lose your salvation, and if you do you can never get it back. Some teach that even if you are saved you have to earn your way to heaven by righteous deeds, others say belief alone is sufficient. There are churches that teach you are not saved until you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, or that if you have unforgiveness in your heart you won’t go to heaven, or that if you commit a mortal sin your soul is forever damned. And some churches teach that we are either predestined for salvation or we’re not, so it’s useless to strive for salvation if you are not one of the elect. It seems like everyone has a different interpretation of the Bible. How do I know which is the way to be saved?

Do you think it’s possible that people can be saved because we regularly and persistently pray for their salvation? Do you have some personal observation on this issue?

In all of scripture I have found but one verse that appears to back up the traditionally Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation (i.e. Presence of Christ dwells literally in the bread and wine). That being 1 Corinthians 10:16 “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?”

I just wanted to get your take on this verse, which has confounded this ex-Catholic.