Question: “If he didn’t, then he was positively untruthful, for He purposely conveyed an impression contrary to the truth. It represents Him not as instructing but deceiving His disciples, as encouraging superstition rather than teaching truth. It presents Him in a light entirely inconsistent with His claim to be a teacher sent from God, since […]
Who carried out the first baptism in the Bible?
Ceremonial washing and bathing in the Old Testament. The Law of Moses introduced various washing of hands, feet and sometimes the whole body. This is not actual baptism, and the Greek word baptismos, washing, is also found four times in the New Testament when referring to these Levitical washings : Mark 7:4, 7:8, Colossians 2:12 […]
What do verses like Jude 1:23 mean? Is there an eternal fire burning for those who do not believe?
Jud 1:22-23 And have mercy on those who doubt; (23) save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Clearly the fire cannot be completely literal; a literal fire consumes fuel, using oxygen to produce heat and smoke. Fire in this […]
What should you do if you think there is a demon or evil spirit around you?
It can be a great relief for someone who believes that evil spirits are around them when they come to realize that demons are not powerful intelligent malevolent beings. Demons have been the subject of other questions. They have no real existence. The Bible does not teach the superstition that illnesses are actually caused by […]
Is apostleship a calling by God or a title to gain?
Jesus called his disciples, who are later called apostles. Mat 4:21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. When Judas Iscariot was replaced as apostle, God selected him from […]
How many laws are there in the Law of Moses?
The most common figure given by Jews for the total number of laws in the Law of Moses is 613.1 This figure is first recorded in a third-century sermon given by Rabbi Simlai.2 Although the number was possibly not meant to be taken literally,3 it has become part of popular Jewish tradition. The figure has been […]
How do the four temperaments affect a Christian life?
The question: “What are your views on the use of the four temperament studies e.g. melancholoy, sanguine and their use on determining why a person behaves a certain way and how does this line up with God’s word and the use of theophostic prayer ministry.” Answer: It is a mistake to assume that the Bible […]
Why did James say the drought in the time of Elijah was 3.5 years long?
Both Jesus (Luke 4:25) and James (James 5:17) refer to the 3.5 year drought in Elijah’s day. In 1 Kings 18:1, we read After many days the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” This is the only reference […]
What does the word “Baca” mean?
In Ps.84:6 (ESV) it says: As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. The word in bold is sometimes taken to mean ‘weeping’, as in the ASV and NLT. Sometimes it is thought to refer to a plant that grew in the […]
Is getting a massage, such as you receive in an open room at the mall, a sin?
Having a massage can be a very helpful and good thing. It can ease tension in the muscles and help a person to relax.1 Of course, as with anything, a massage could be sinful because of the attitude the person has whilst receiving a massage (Mat. 15:19-20). A massage is not sinful in and of […]