When people are resurrected and made immortal, they will not be dying creatures, so they will be perfect. They will look young always, even when they are thousands of years old. Jesus tells us: those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are […]
What’s the difference between a pastor, elder, bishop, minister and so on?
The Bible speaks of elders, overseers, deacons and deaconesses (depending on the translation used). The roles of pastors, bishops etc today, have significant differences to the roles of which Paul and Peter speak. The way the Bible instructs these roles to be carried out: Deacons & Deaconesses The word probably had the meaning, to be […]
What does the Bible say about people who practise witchcraft?
Witchcraft was forbidden under the law of Moses (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:9-11). However it might be helpful to focus on the New Testament. Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, (20) idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, (21) envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like […]
Is it necessary to rebaptize someone after they have learned the gospel more accurately?
It all depends on the circumstances and understanding of the person at their previous baptism. Before baptism there must be repentance and belief (Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16), so any previous “baptism” is not really baptism if it was not accompanied by any sort of belief. Thus baptism of babies is not baptism at […]
Was the church in the Old Testament?
The full question was: If in acts 7:38 Stephen called Israel the church, does that mean the church was in the Old Testament or should we just call ourselves Israel? This question is presumably based on Acts 7:38 in the KJV: This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel […]
If we are made in God’s image, does God have hair or eyes, and is he the shape of a man?
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (27) So God […]
Why do you suppose the Judaizers found it so hard to accept that God no longer required his people to keep the law he had given to Moses? (Galatians 2:11-21)
The Jewish believers in New Testament times had grown up with the Law of Moses. It was the structure through which they had learned to worship God, and the framework for their relationship with God. To have that suddenly removed would have been very difficult for them to understand as they needed to learn to […]
Should High Holy days be observed today as in New Testament times?
In the early days of Christianity, almost all believers were Jews and for a while it seems that they continued to keep the Jewish Sabbath and Old Testament festivals such as Passover and the other feasts (e.g., Acts 21:21-24) However, once Gentiles became part of the Christian church it was necessary to decide whether keeping […]
What did Moses see when he saw the back of God?
More details of the question: YHWH God visited Moses in Mount Sinai but Moses could see only the back side of God. What could be the shape of God in this context? Exodus 33:18-23 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” (19) And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you […]
Was Jesus God before he was born to Mary?
God was not born to Mary. Jesus was born to Mary. Jesus is not God and never claimed to be. He himself said is “a man sent from God” (John 8:30). Jesus did not exist before his conception and birth. . Jesus reveals his Father, but is not himself God: There is a prophecy in […]