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I recently read your article on Hebrews, Part 4, and a question came to my mind. As in the case of the prodigal son, the son came back to the Father, but what if the son had died before he came back to his father? What if a Christian who left his faith died before he returned to his faith? Would he go to heaven or to hell?

Thank you so much for your website. In the short time since I first discovered it, it has helped me tremendously.

Within the Olivet Discourse from Matthew 24:32-36, verse 35 states that “Heaven and earth will pass away…” I’m a bit confused in that the consensus seems to be that the earth and Heaven will remain into eternity. Is this wrong?

Does Isaiah 58 refer to the modern church or past Israel? Does it have anything to do with reward that the church will receive (Crown)?

What do you think of denominations? I see the denominations as a divisive and counter to Jesus’ prayer in John 17. In this chapter Jesus is praying for unity for all the would believe. He obviously knew that the church would have a problem with this.

I don’t believe that there is necessarily a blue print laid out in Scripture for what a church is supposed to be, but there are examples. I am tired of churches being run like businesses with clever marketing schemes. I simply want the truth. I have a Bible degree, but have had a hard time of finding what the purpose/design of the church is. Anyhow, maybe you can give me some insight into.

Also, what does Biblical discipleship look like? Thanks.

I know a lot of prophecy scholars use the general life span of 70 years for the countdown for all end time prophecy to be fulfilled which leads us to 2018 or 2037. But We are also told man can live up to 80 years if they are strong and God also limits our years to 120. I’m so scared of another false hope debacle.

So many people swore the end of this age would come by 1988 due to a generation lasting 40 years. They were obviously wrong. So what if 2037 passes? Will people start saying we were wrong again and it could at the latest be 2087 (1967 + 120 maximum lifespan)?

I want to say that I respect you as one of the foremost Bible teachers of our day. You have helped me immensely over the years. I pastor a small church and for the most part, things are going well, but there is one situation that I need your advice on. A few years ago an older couple started coming to our church. I was under the impression they were married but found out later that they’re just living together.

Apparently, they want to get married but haven’t yet for financial reasons. She draws a pension from her first husband’s estate and if she remarries she will lose her pension.

My question is: how should I handle this? I pray for them continually but wonder if I should confront them about this issue. I believe in grace, but as a pastor, you have to deal with things sometimes even when you don’t want to. They are great people. I’m always amazed at your insight and would greatly appreciate any advice you could give me.

I have been listening to your mp3 series on Revelation for two days and I have to take a little break to try to work out an idea that has cropped up. If a river flows out of the temple mount and runs in two directions and one of the directions is toward the Med. Sea, then I can’t see how the Med Sea flow into the river won’t change the direction back toward the other end. The other end of that flow would be the Dead Sea. Isn’t the Dead Sea way below sea level? And if so, won’t the water try to reach it’s own level which would be the level of the Med Sea?

Maybe I missed something but I can’t see water staying at two levels in the same river without some kind of lock system like the Panama Canal. How much of Israel and Jordan (the whole mid east) would go under water if the Med Sea gets a chance to flood it? I’m stumped.

How do you interpret Proverbs 23:34 and reconcile it with it being okay to drink alcoholic beverages? It seems if one should not even look upon wine when it is fermented (as Proverbs 23:34 says, and I believe this means to look upon in the light of desiring to drink it), then God does not want us to drink it at all because of the sin and degradation it leads one into.

Many go to the wedding feast where Jesus turned the water into wine to justify drinking alcoholic beverages because if it wasn’t okay then surely Jesus would not have turned water into wine. But has anyone thought it possible the water that Jesus turned to wine was not fermented wine? In light of Proverbs 23:34, I believe Jesus turned the water into the pure juice of the vine (not fermented). Otherwise, Jesus has contradicted His own words. I don’t believe Jesus would do something God said not to do. I don’t believe Jesus would have provided fermented wine to those at the wedding feast knowing there would be some who would consume too much and end up drunk and committing other sins that drunkenness leads to. If that were the case, then Jesus himself would have been a stumbling block and a hypocrite.

Paul said it was okay to “take a little wine for thy stomach’s sake” (medicinal purposes). I believe that would be the only occasion to take of alcohol during biblical times. Nowadays we have so much “medicine” for various illnesses that do not contain alcohol that there is no excuse to consume alcohol in any form.

Can you prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus turned the water into (fermented) wine?

I am interested in your thoughts on Deuteronomy 32 verse 39 thanks.

I see that you agree that in the Bible Jesus and the father are one and the same. So God is a jealous God , right? So am I worshiping two Gods, because I believe Jesus is God? In church I pray to him, talk to him, sing to him, etc. I am very afraid of this. So in heaven are there two, is Jesus sitting at the right hand of God? I am very confused. God said you shall serve no other God than the Lord thy God. In Rev. Jesus said I am (that is what God called himself I AM ) the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. See how this can be so confusing? I would love to hear your view on this. I respect your answers.