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What is your opinion of casual, infrequent marijuana use by Christians, done in private, in a safe setting? True, it’s use is illegal and health risks of smoking are well documented. Those issues aside, in your opinion is it sinful to enjoy the “buzz” of pot or the sensation that a glass or 2 of wine provides?

Once the Rapture occurs, based on my understanding, our bodies will be glorified and our sin nature removed. Now, what I am having a difficult time wrapping my mind around is the type of consciousness that will still be present within an individual in regards to all of their earthly memories and emotions. For example, let’s say only one individual in a particular family is Raptured leaving behind their spouse, children, siblings, family and friends, it is hard to fathom how this person will not experience sadness knowing all of their loved ones have been left behind to face the horrors of the Tribulation, and even potentially an eternity in hell should they take the mark during that time period, while they are filled with joy and basking in glory beyond comprehension. I was wondering what your view was on this entire concept.

In Jesus’ prayer for His disciples (John 17) He says He’s not asking the Father to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one (John 17:15). Those who disagree with the pre-trib position use this as evidence that the church will go through the tribulation. How would you respond to this?

My step dad has become a very religious man, which is great for him. But he has no relationship with my mom, doesn’t ever contribute any support to the family, and just sits in the garage studying the Bible on the internet. He only speaks to her to remind her she’s supposed to submit to him. He believes the Lord wants him to do this and it’s the right way to live. He has withdrawn himself completely from every day normal life because he’s convinced the world will end soon. Even if that’s true, is this really how the Lord wants him to live?

I have heard several prophecy teachers state that the Rapture of the Church and the beginning of the Tribulation do not necessarily happen at the same time. I believe that to be true. I know that the Tribulation starts when the Antichrist signs a peace treaty with Israel. I know no one has inside information on the timing of the Rapture because it is a signless event. I just wonder how long of a gap there could possibly be between the Rapture and the Tribulation. The Rapture will undoubtedly put the world into a time of unprecedented crisis and I highly doubt the Antichrist will take too long to take advantage of this time of turmoil before he steps in as the “man with a plan”. Do you have any opinion on what kind of a time frame we might be looking at between these two events?

I’ve read your responses to the question of how gentiles were saved in the Old Testament. You say there was a court called the Court of the Gentiles outside the temple that gave Gentiles a chance to recognize God. But what about the people that lived too far away to ever have heard of it? You also say that every person on earth has a bona fide chance to hear the gospel at one point in their life. But what about the time right after Jesus died but the gospel hadn’t been spread yet? What about people in other countries like the Native Americans? (and I don’t believe the Mormon Jesus preached to them). How could they have a chance to accept the gospel if it hadn’t spread to them yet? I’ve read your other answers about nature testifying about God. If someone came to that realization before hearing about Christ, was that enough? Because certainly, it took some time for the gospel to spread.

A pastor I heard recently preached that after the rapture, those who had been given an opportunity to accept Jesus and had rejected Him and were thus left behind would not have an opportunity to accept Jesus post-rapture. He cited a verse in II Thes. where it talks of a great delusion being sent and the people believing a lie.

It would appear from The Revelation that those killed in the great tribulation come from every nation, tribe and tongue are before the throne (saints) and there are 144,000 Jews who are sealed with God’s seal, all of whom had to have accepted Jesus as Savior after the rapture. Therefore I question the accuracy of his belief. Can you shed any light?

Thank you for all of you efforts and insight. I have a question regarding Satan. If he indeed studies scripture to know what he knows about the future, then why didn’t he know about Jesus’ coming crucifixion and what it was going to accomplish? I have read that if he could look into the future, he would have never let it happen. Am I missing something?

At our church some people teach that after the rapture of the Church, the ‘grace’ or the ‘Holy Spirit’ will be taken away from the gentiles and given to the Jews. Now we believe that many Jews don’t believe in Jesus because it’s not their time of grace, but ours (the gentiles), and once the Church is gone then this time of ‘grace’ will be given to the Jews. Is this true according to the Bible? If it is, then is it fair to say that who ever remains on earth during the tribulation period, it will be very hard for them to give their lives to God as the Holy Spirit wont’ be there for them to convince them of their sin. Is this true? Thank you for your answer.

If there was no sin nature in the Garden and they sinned, what is to keep sin from happening in the New Jerusalem? We will be immortal then, too, just like Adam and Eve originally were. What am I missing?