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Bible Q

What does the Bible say about prayers for the dead?

The Bible has no examples of anyone praying for the dead. This is not a biblical practice. Firstly because the dead are dead. They no longer exist. Their names hopefully are recorded in the ‘book of life’ to be opened when Christ returns to raise the dead, but nothing can be done to alter their […]

Does “ask in my name” (John 14:13-14, 15:6, 16:23-26) mean that all prayers must end in “in the name of Jesus”?

The context is this: Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, […]

What does the New Testament say about praying to Jesus?

This is an awkward question because the answer is basically “nothing”. The New Testament teaches prayer to God: In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 16:23) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every […]

Should we use God’s name, Yahweh, when talking about or to him?

The divine name YHWH appears only in the Hebrew Old Testament. It appears without vowels in the Hebrew text, and is read with the Hebrew word for ‘Lord’ both by Jews and in traditional Protestant Bibles. The spelling Yahweh occurs in some Bibles like the Roman Catholic Jerusalem Bible. Yahweh is also how scholars of […]

Why does Jesus call the Father ʺhis Godʺ (Rev 1:6)?

… and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (Rev 1:6) This is just one of a number of passage which speak of the God of Jesus: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” […]

What does John 4:23 mean by praying in spirit and truth?

John 4:23 actually says “worship in spirit and truth”. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John […]

Should we stand for communal prayer?

The full question was “Why do some religious denominations ask you to stand for communal prayer, while others ask you to remain seated, others just ask you to bow the head. Surely, standing is inappropriate for communal prayer- thinking of acts 20:36 and acts21:5 just 2 examples which i have just read?” To the “Why” […]

How can I ask God to take away a desire to be rich?

You say How can I ask God to take away the thought of wanting to be rich? I have struggled financially all of my life and I have gotten to the point where I pray for winnings in the lottery. I don’t like thinking like this, so can you suggest a verse or prayer? Probably […]

Should we worship Jesus?

It seems to me that the best way to approach this question is to look at what the Christians at the time of the apostles did. If they worshipped Jesus then we should probably do so too. If they did not worship Jesus then we should not. In recent book entitled Did the first Christians […]