No, Jesus didn’t physically baptise anyone himself. John 4:1-2 explains: …Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples) Jesus’ disciples, under his authority, were baptising people on his behalf.1 Notes 1. Perhaps it’s a bit like in the Old Testament when the Tabernacles was […]
I thought we automatically received the Holy Spirit when we believed, but Luke 11:13 doesn’t seem to imply that. What does it mean?
The Holy Spirit is a multi-faceted subject. You have to look carefully at the context to understand what a given reference means. On one level, all people, believers or otherwise, have the spirit of God, because we know when people die, the spirit which powers them, goes back to God who gave it. Ecc 12:7: […]
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?” […]
How did any Egyptian livestock get boils in Exodus 9:10 when they all died in Exodus 9:6?
…All the livestock of the Egyptians died… [plague 5, Ex. 9:6] …boils breaking out in sores on man and beast. [plague 6, Ex. 9:10] The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast….[plague 7, Ex. 9:25] First off, Exodus 9:3 says that the fifth […]
Is it OK for Christians to serve on a jury?
No. At the moment, Christians are to judge those in the church (1 Cor. 5:12; cf. 1 Cor. 6:5) and, in the future, they will ‘judge the world’ (1 Cor. 6:2) and even “judge angels” (1 Cor. 6:3). But, for the time being, Christians are not to judge those outside the church: they are to leave that to […]
Do you think Joshua’s spies knew that Rahab believed in their God before they went to Jericho?
Joshua 2:1 simply says “[the spies] came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there”. No reason or motive is stated for them choosing the house of Rahab, so we can only speculate. There is one practical reason for choosing the house of a prostitute. It would not be unusual […]
Who took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne and who was on the throne? (Rev 5:7)
The one who sat on the throne is God (cf. Rev 4:8,11). The one who took the scroll is Jesus (“the Root of David” Rev 5:5; “Lamb” Rev 5:6).
Can we use the unfulfilled prophecies in the Old Testament as the promises of the church?
Yes and no. Yes. Some prophecies in the Old Testament have application to the church, including some that also have reference to the nation of Israel. No. It would not be reasonable for God to make a prophecy that is a clear reference to the nation of Israel being blessed after their repentance and play […]
How is the eternal life promised as a result of Jesus’ death different from the eternal life mentioned in Daniel 12?
The questioner also says: There is already eternal life (Daniel 12) in Old Testament. Then what is the need for our Lord Jesus to die on cross and raise on 3rd day only to promise us eternal life again? Eternal life promised as a result of Jesus’ death, is the same for those who came […]
Do the Mormons follow a false prophet?
Yes. Joseph Smith, the first “prophet” and the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more commonly known as the Mormons), taught things that contradict the Bible. If people say they are prophets but teach things that contradict the Bible, then they are false prophets. The prophet Isaiah says that if such […]