There are two kinds of unforgivable sins. The first is where the person cannot be brought to repentance: no repentance = no forgiveness. It is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of […]
Should a man wear a hat during worship service, prayer, or in the Sanctuary?
The only relevant passage is 1 Cor 11:4-7 containing some comments from Paul: Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife […]
What does the Bible say about endogamy?
Is the Bible for or against it? Endogamy is “the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such bases as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships” — an unfamiliar term to many, but a very familiar practice, whether the criteria is racial, cultural, or […]
What is the “power of his resurrection” in Philippians 3:10?
The full phrase is found in the following passage taken from Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “…whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of […]
What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
Blasphemy is showing disrespect for God. Under the Law of Moses, anyone who blasphemed was to be executed by stoning (Leviticus 24:16). “Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” is only mentioned in the gospels: Matthew 12:31-32. “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not […]
Is it okay for Christians to eat pork and shellfish?
Yes, all food is permitted for Christians Yes, according to the New Testament it is perfectly okay for Christians to eat pork and shellfish, both of which were prohibited to Jews in the Law of Moses. This is illustrated by Mark’s comment that Jesus “declared all foods clean”: Mark 7:18 And [Jesus] said to them, “Then are you […]
Do we have to love everyone equally?
Love is a small word with a big meaning. We feel and show love to people in many different ways. This depends on who the person is. For example, the way that a husband loves a wife is different to the way that a father loves his children. Or the way that someone loves a […]
Why do some Christians not vote?
The Christian has an unusual position in relation to the political world. Fundamentally the Bible teaches that God controls who is in power (Romans 13:1) which means that in reality none of us can actually control who our leaders are: however we as individuals might vote, the candidate whom God needs to be in power […]
What light was there before the sun and moon were created? (Genesis 1:3-4,14-19)
There are (at least) two ways to think about this question. The first is to look for a simple, scientific explanation: does science tell us about any lights that were created before the sun? The second is to look for a different interpretation of the passage: is it definitely the case that we should be […]
When we are in the Kingdom of God will we know our family, parents and children?
In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 Paul talks about people who have ‘fallen asleep’. This means people who have died but, since they will be resurrected in the future, this is described as being a sleep. His words were a message of support and consolation to Christians whose friends and loved ones had died, and so […]