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Thank you for your insights. I’ve been reading about the inerrancy of the Bible, or rather, of the original writings. I’ve been systematically looking up the various verses that have discrepancies and reading about the reasons for that discrepancy. In reading the answers (which are all due to copyist errors), I wonder why, if the original writings were without error, don’t the bible translators/editors go back and correct those copyist errors … why leave them in? And, if the original writings are not available, how do you know they were without error?

First, I really want to say, Praise God for this website! God has used you’re writings to really help me grow in faith with Him.

My question is. What advice would you give someone that is called to youth ministry?

Thank you very much for your time and God Bless!

Please explain to me how you come to the conclusion that the “parable of the talents” and the parable of the “sheep and goats” have to do with people only in the Tribulation. I’ve read these parables many times before and I have never gotten that message.

Paul continues his view of the world’s spiritual condition. Remember, he’s not writing about believers here. His intent in this introductory survey is to show that everyone needs the Gospel, whether Jew or Gentile. But I’m going to treat some of this as if it applies to us as well,

A follow-up question to the kosher question I recently posted: regarding the Council of Jerusalem and the four edicts sent to the Gentiles and its applicability today, how what does it mean to avoid eating blood and things strangled and how can we avoid that today?

I understand that in keeping kosher, to avoid blood would require either broiling or soaking in saltwater to remove any residual blood, but are we expected to do that today? Inevitably, there seems to be trace amount of blood in precooked meat. Also, I understand that the prohibition from things strangled may pertain to avoiding eating meat from animals that have been inhumanely slaughtered. How can we be sure in today’s world? If the blood and inhumane slaughter avoidance is to be taken to the nth degree today, how does that apply to buying meat from the market or even eating out?

My 21 yr old son was raised Baptist but now has recently been going to a Pentecostal church. This makes me a little uneasy because I believe that they believe things that are not quite right such as believing that you can lose your salvation. Baptists believe that “once saved always saved”. Now I realize that denominations are a man made thing and that you can certainly be saved and not be Baptist. Am I right in my uneasiness or wrong?

Is there a verse or verses in the Bible that speak to the fact that God has put kings, leaders and even nations in place?

I have been tithing on my gross income. But my mother called me this morning and said that I should be calculating at net income. Do I calculate gross or net income?

I ask this question because I am about $20,000 in debt with credit cards. I really really want to pay them back steadily so that by the end of this year, a lot of it can be gone. I just started working so I built most of the debt up in college and grad school. One of my credit cards has an interest of 30%.

So I am generous in general with my money, but being so much in credit card debt, (not including school loans or car loans), I feel like I should be more responsible and pay the least tithe, at least until I’m somewhat out of major debt.

I want to do the right thing, and even if its hard, I will pay everything if I need to. But I’m behind and wish God could just cancel how much I owe Him.

During my recent Bible studies, I began to delve into the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. I had never really studied it before. I started to wonder at the meaning behind abstaining from blood and the meat of strangled animals and how it applies to Christians today. After going through various commentaries, I received so many varying points of view that I felt entirely uncomfortable eating any meats.

What are your thoughts on the following:

1. The purpose of the edicts in Acts 15 and their applicability today 2. The Law of Moses’s place for today’s Christian 3. Kosher as it applies to believers today

Does the gift of Grace cover hypocrisy? I know all sins, except for the one, are forgivable, but it just seems that Jesus deals with hypocrisy on a totally different level whereas I was always taught and believe that in the eyes of God all sins are basically the same.

In Ephesians 4:17-32 Paul listed a bunch of do’s and don’t’s (mostly don’t’s) for appropriate Christian behavior. Would I be correct in saying that Paul was warning us not to act in this manner because God will disapprove of our actions? But according to 1 John 1:9, if we do act in that way and ask for forgiveness He is faithful and just and will forgive us because He already died for all our sins. Is that the way you see it?

I know I am saved by God’s grace thru faith in what Christ accomplished on the cross. But how do we separate law and grace? Spiritually speaking we want to do what we know we should do, but how do we avoid thinking that it’s part of our salvation? In other words, how do I go on living “right” without messing with grace?

Romans 14:21-23, “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that will cause your brother to stumble be offended or be made weak. So whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

I understand the verse about not causing a brother to stumble. Please explain the rest for me.

More and more when I share my faith I get people saying things like, “I can see that it works for you.” or “Your way works for you and my way works for me.” They don’t believe there is only one way to God and think truth is subjective. I’ve even had people say to me, “Well, good for you.” when sharing what I believe. The only time they get their bristles up is if I talk about absolute truth and challenge their belief that there is more than one way to God. I don’t do that anymore since it doesn’t help. I’m at a loss. How do I witness to such people?

Re: Recognized By Their Fruit. You are not saying that believers will or must produce fruit or their faith is not genuine, right? Fruit is only evidence of belief & not a litmus test. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved is what the Bible says & nothing added to it, correct? I’m asking because I have believer friends who think no fruit means no belief, and I think only God knows the heart & anything else is works.

I’ve just read your articles and have learned many new spiritual insights.

I grew up in a Muslim country and have seen much injustice, but the Christians in the West that I know don’t seem to care about those who are not believers.

As a born again Christian, how should we respond to human rights violations against non-Christians? Are we to only take care of those who believe as we do?

Do you believe global warming/climate change is a concern we ought to worry about? If you do, how ought we to handle it? I do not trust the global warming advocates. If it is real do you think it could be part of the plan of God to bring about more global sanctions and rules preparing for global government?

I have been following where you are saying that the “Church” is the “bride” of Yeshua. But isn’t the church supposed to be pure, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish as Ephes, 5:25-27 says? In my experience the Church is anything but pure, and many don’t even seem to care. Are we not supposed to be working on ourselves? I am in a Messianic bible study where they teach us that the Lord could not bring a Church like this to himself. What do you think?

Your articles on eternal security were such a blessing to me. I am still wrestling with some vital concerns, however. You stated in several of your articles the believer’s behavior will not negate his or her salvation. But there are several verses in 1 John which seem to indicate to the contrary. For instance, 1 John 3:9 says anyone born of God will not continue to sin because God’s seed remains in him, he cannot continue to sin! There are several others as well.

Coming out of a denomination that stressed grace/ works and struggling with sin as a believer, I want with all my heart to embrace what you’re teaching! My sanity and marriage depend on it. Please keep serving our precious Lord by helping to liberate multitudes in bondage to legalism and rules and commandments taught by men!

I’m having trouble reconciling the stories in the Old Testament where Israel stood up to her enemies and often called on the wrath of God to save them and the New Testament teaching of being kind to your enemies and turning the other cheek.

Although we are commanded to forgive and I understand fully the reasons for doing so, there is also a part of me that would want God to step in and be the vindicator; that there is a system of justice in the world.

My husband (a non believer) hurt me very deeply when he commited adultry and left me and my children to set up a new life. He periodically continues to hurt me when he withholds money and makes me feel in the wrong for asking – humiliating and belittling me to the point where I feel totally useless. Trying to follow God’s will for my life is seen as a weakness; Godly principles are dismissed as meaningless – seen through worldly eyes.

Forgiveness is difficult but necessary. I find myself though, in the same vein as the psalmist who asks how long this will continue. I want God to open my husband’s eyes and allow him to see what he is doing.

I look then to my Saviour who having been beaten, scourged and crucified, appealed to His father to overlook the crimes of his enemies. This makes me feel ashamed and that God is disappointed in me for not handling things better. I know God’s anger will be unleashed on those who persecute his beloved, but are we to ask for their forgiveness nontheless and does this apply to people who hurt us on a personal level? Like God, is there a time when our patience should come to an end or are we truly to forgive 70 times 7?

I was saved when I was 13 and baptized six months later. I attended church faithfully with my family for a few years after. When I was 16 my parents became disenchanted with the church and stopped attending, and since I didn’t have a car or any other way to get there, I had to stop going, too. I started going again when I was 19, then stopped again because my husband was not a church going man. I became enchanted with Wicca and even Satanism for a while, but I feel the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart, and I would love to start going back to church again.

My question for you is this: after studying Wicca and Satanism, does God still love me and am I still saved? I never denounced God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit when I was studying the preceding, but I’m still unsure as to whether or not I am still saved. I have asked for forgiveness, stated all of my sins, and gotten rid of everything having to do with Wicca and Satanism, but I still feel unclean. Does God still love me and am I still His child?

I know that Jesus changed the apostle Simon’s name to Peter which means “rock”, but what does the name Simon mean? I tried looking on the internet, but came up with all kinds of different results.

I am trying to locate some information concerning a book a work colleague gave me to read regarding earthly wealth and possessions. This book espouses a “doctrine of non-accumulation” concerning Christians owning earthly possessions.

As for myself, I have very little in this world. I do not own a home, nor do I have investments etc… but I am also not in any debt, and I tithe faithfully every week (cheerfully I might add). The one “worldly” thing I do own is a boat, and it is the only thing that I enjoy besides Christ and Church (call it my tinker-toy). I think my colleague believes that I shouldn’t own this “luxury” item either, and that I should sell it and give the proceeds away (which I believe to be his reasoning for giving me the book).