Articles, Bible Questions and Discipleship Guides

Dwight asks, "There are people who use 1 Peter 3:21 to claim that water baptism saves you. Do you think that it's more likely Peter was... read more

Susan asked, "How was God's Word preserved during Judah's exile?" ... read more

Sanctification requires every ounce of diligence on your part to follow Christ’s example. Sanctification requires every bit of power on God’s part in order for you to follow Christ’s example. read more

Laura asked: Who were the Nephilim? ... read more

Pat asks, "In the practice of circumcision, why did God choose the penis as the place of marking? ... read more

Otis asked: Must I tithe on inherited money that has already been tithed? ... read more

Donald asks, "Can a person attend a church and not agree with all that is taught? Are some things important for salvation and others not?" ... read more

The age of accountability is not a fixed age. It varies from child to child. It refers to a level of maturity in which a child is able to understand the gospel and make a decision for or against Jesus. I further believe that some people remain permanently in that state if they are born with a mental disability that prevents them from having an informed response to the gospel. Anyone who dies prior to the age of accountability would be granted entrance into heaven. Everyone in that category will be raptured as well.  read more

This is a difficult truth, but the short answer to your question is no. The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. It's the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves and transforms lives. This reality should quicken the church to be active in both world missions and Bible translation.  But I'll say a bit more. read more

Meredith asks, "I've heard a pastor who is preaching that prophets are alive and well in this present time. Is this true? ... read more

Sandra asks, "I want to learn how to outline my testimony. Can you help?" ... read more

Thanks for your question.  There is nothing wrong or unbiblical about a church doing an alter call. However, there is no biblical mandate requiring churches to have an alter call.  Some people point to the fact that Jesus calls us to make a public profession of faith in Him as a biblical basis for having an alter call. We need to remember, however, that Jesus instituted baptism for that very purpose. Baptism is an ordinance that Jesus gave the church with the expressed purpose of identifying publicly with Him.  read more

Jerry asks, "When Jesus comes again, will there be any of the elect to go through the Tribulation? Will the anti-Christ come before Jesus... read more

Veronica asks, "Based on Hebrews 10:26, how can someone with an addiction still have a sacrifice for sin if they continue deliberately... read more

Judy asks, "What is the biblical answer regarding women as pastors?" ... read more

Maryann from Columbia asked, "How do you respond to someone who professes to be a believer but doesn't know what to believe in the Bible... read more

One way the word ‘vibe’ seems to be used today is as a synonym for ‘wish.’ Four example, if a person were to end an email to you with the phrase “good vibes,” she is likely trying to say that she thinking about you, and wishing you a good day. read more

The key to understanding this section is verse 25 which says [Jesus] "needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” In other words, Jesus knew the hearts of the people around him. The crowd was impressed with the miracles Jesus did, but they did not have saving faith in Him.  read more

The book of Revelation is one of the most fascinating and mysterious books in the Bible. It is filled with imagery and symbolism that can be difficult to decipher. One of the most intriguing images in Revelation is the group of 24 elders that appear in several passages throughout the book. In this article, we will explore the identity and significance of the 24 elders in Revelation. read more

Dwight asked: How can we balance Abigail's assertiveness, without Nabal's knowledge, with Paul's instructions for wives to submit to their... read more

Jermaine asked: What is the sign of the Son of Man that will be seen in Heaven according to Matthew 24:30? ... read more

Charles asked: Please explain the biblical meaning of "Long Suffering." ... read more

In Daniel's prophecy of 70 weeks, he refers to destruction that will come with a flood. Does that conflict with the Bible's teaching that God will destroy the world with fire? Stephen Davey answers that question and provides additional insight into the 70 weeks of Daniel. read more

Explore the complex issue of God hardening Pharaoh's heart during the plagues in Egypt, and discover how this relates to the concepts of free will, sin, and God's role in our lives. Gain insights into the biblical perspective on this fascinating topic. read more

The Bible does not give un any instructions on how to perform a wedding ceremony. The very marriage between Adam and Eve was performs by God Himself. He simply declared them to be husband and wife. In fact, there is no description of a marriage ceremony at all in the Bible. That said, the belief that sex is what makes a marriage in God’s eyes is a completely backwards view of God’s vision for marriage. God makes clear that marriage comes first and is followed by intimacy. He made Eve for Adam as his partner before they were joined together. read more

What makes this question an especially difficult one to answer is the fact that Job’s wife, or Mrs. Job as I like to call her, is a largely anonymous biblical figure. She is never named and only speaks briefly in Job 2. Because of that, I cannot give a definitive answer with the authority of God’s Word when it comes to Job’s wife; but I do believe that Job’s wife at the end of the book of Job is the same woman as at the beginning. I believe Mrs. Job experienced all the suffering of Job—along with her own suffering—and was restored with Job to fullness of life at the end of the book. While some Hebrew tradition contends that Job’s wife was Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, we cannot know for sure. Historical evidence does indicate that Job lived around the same time as Jacob, but there is no clear biblical evidence that he married Dinah. read more

Sudhakar asks, Is it right or wrong for believers to be married some place other than a church? ... read more

Janet, I'll unpack this for you a little bit. I believe that Jesus was crucified on Thursday and not Friday. Mark 15:42-43 tell us that Jesus body was taken down from the cross in the evening because the Sabbath was approaching. Because the normal Sabbath is on Saturday, most people believe that Jesus must have been crucified on Friday. However, the weekly Sabbath on Saturday is not the only Sabbath. According to Leviticus 23, there was a “high Sabbath” observed during the week of the Passover. The Jews were to rest on that day, just as they would rest on a normal Saturday Sabbath. read more

John, thank you for your question and I appreciate the way you carefully and diligently read God’s Word. There are two different Mephibosheths mentioned in 2 Samuel 21:7-9. The passage starts with God affirming that David did in fact spare Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, “because of the oath of the LORD that was between them” (2 Samuel 21:7). read more

While the Bible does not give us clarity on this question, there are inferences we can make. One is an inference from the grammar and the other is an inference by omission. In Esther 2:8, the Hebrew verb “to take” is used to describe Esther being taken into the palace to participate in the king’s contest. Some people have argued that this means she was taken without her consent and against her will. read more

Thank you for your question! Praying in the Spirit is an attitude and fervency toward prayer that all believers can and should utilize in their prayer lives on a regular basis. Praying or speaking in tongues is a specific spiritual gift given by God for specific people during a specific time and for a specific purpose. We know that praying in the Spirit is not a specific spiritual gift, because the apostles command all believers to pray in the Spirit. Jude instructs all believers in “Building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). read more

Corporate prayer matters in churches today as we seek to follow the example of Old and New Testament believers and follow the example of Jesus Himself. In many instances in both the Old and New Testaments, we see a spiritual leader praying publicly before a congregation. Solomon does so during the temple dedication in 1 Kings 8 and the first century church prayed together many times, including in Acts 4:24. When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion, he took his disciples with Him and urged them to pray with and for Him that night; yet the disciples all fell asleep. read more

For the Christian, we know that animal sacrifices ended at the moment of Jesus’ death, when the temple curtain was torn in two. That moment signified the final, once-for-all sacrifice of the innocent lamb, Jesus Christ, that replaced the need for animal sacrifices at the temple. In the Old Testament, only a priest could offer sacrifices and they could only be carried out at the temple in Jerusalem. But the apostle Peter encourages us that through Jesus, all believers are “a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). read more

Hi Cindy, Thanks for your question. The Bible teaches that the taking of life is not always murder. The Old Testament law mandates capital punishment, or the death penalty, for many types of sins of which a person could be found guilty. And even if a modern government today would not use the death penalty in an instance, for example, like striking or disrespecting a parent, it is impossible for us to say that any element of God’s law is unjust, for that would be contrary to His nature as God. read more

In Exodus 4, Moses gives five different excuses to God, each one indicating that he should not be the person sent to Pharaoh. This particular excuse about his speech is the fourth in the list. So keep in mind that Moses was greatly exaggerating his own weaknesses as he attempted to convince God that he was not the right person. And, of course, God saw right through his exaggerations and excuses. But taking Moses’ words as true, there are two different interpretations of what Moses means when he says “slow of speech and tongue.” Some scholars believe that Moses has some speech impediment, or stammer, that affected him as he spoke in public. read more

The only requirement for salvation is true belief in Jesus Christ as the One who died for sin and rose victoriously over death. Since we reject a works-based salvation, but believe in sola fide—faith alone—we know that baptism is not a requirement for salvation. Many people throughout the years have been saved on their deathbeds, with no opportunity to be baptized, but they are still saved. The sinner on the cross next to Jesus, who Jesus told would be with Him in Heaven, died before any chance to be baptized, yet Jesus pronounced him saved. read more

While I love providing guidance on issues like this, I don’t want to fall into the trap of speaking with God’s authority on an issue He never spoke about in Scripture. There is no mention of blood or organ donation in Scripture because doctors didn’t have the tools to perform those procedures back then. The first blood transfusion took place in the late 1900s and the first successful organ donation occurred in 1954. I cannot answer this question with the definitive authority of God’s Word, but I do want to provide some helpful guidelines, using Scripture, to help you make a godly decision when it comes to these issues. read more

In Exodus 32, God pronounces judgment on many sinful Israelites who instigated and willingly participated in the construction and worship of the golden calf. God says to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book” (Exodus 32:33). This terminology of “the book of life” is found in the Psalms, in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, and throughout Revelation. We do not know whether this is a physical book with names written in it, or just an expression to refer to those who have been saved by God and will be with Him in heaven. read more

I’ve been asked many variations of the question, “How could a loving God allow …” The idea of a good and perfect and holy God allowing—or perhaps even causing—tragedy and death in this world is no easy thing to explain away. There are two premises that all believers must accept that are the foundation for answering this question: read more

While this idea of all people being saved—a concept theologians have termed universalism—may sound appealing, it is a flawed and heretical interpretation of the Bible. Essentially, universalists believe that because God is loving and just, and because Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, every person will be saved, whether or not they recognize their need for salvation and place their faith in Jesus. According to universalists, it doesn’t matter what a person believes religiously, because their eternal salvation is secured, whether they live life on earth as a Christian or not. read more

Are babies born with sin? Or do they become sinners later in life after committing their first sin? As hard as it might be to look at a sweet, seemingly innocent baby and think of her as a sinner, the truth might surprise you. read more

We know that God has a clear moral code and commandments for His people. But what about topics God doesn’t directly speak on, like homeschooling? What about the topics we call “Christian liberties,” where the Bible may provide guidance but not outright commands. I think there are three questions every believer should ask themselves as they try to align their lives with God’s Word and his will. read more

To begin answering this question, we must first look at God Himself, and then look at humanity—the subjects of his judgment. One of the attributes of God is His justice. God is at all times just, and he cannot do anything unjust, because doing so would violate the nature of who He is. Wayne Grudem wrote it this way: “God’s righteousness means that God always acts in accordance with what is right and is himself the final standard of what is right” (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology). read more

Carlos from North Carolina asks, “When Jesus healed the paralytic man lowered down before him, and Jesus said his sins are forgiven, does that mean he became a paralytic because he lived a life of sin?” read more

Beth from Alabama asks, “The Bible clearly teaches that we’re to show love, grace, and forgiveness to everyone, but does that mean that there is never a time to break fellowship with someone who does not respond to the efforts one makes to show those things mentioned?” read more

Thank you for your question, Brenda. Your question is part of one of the most nuanced elements of theological study in the Bible: what parts of the Old Testament Law was strictly for the Israelites, and how much of the Old Testament Law applies to believers today? read more

Dwight from Alabama asks, “Is there anywhere in the Bible that says we should pray for faith and for our faith to increase?” read more

Nancy from Michigan asks, “What is the significance of the transfiguration?” read more

James from Alabama asks, “How does the Bible define hope?” read more

Patricia asks - I have been introduced to a view that says that the word "homosexuality" is a mistranslation of a Greek word that really means 'pedophilia.' We know that people have used the bible to push their own personal agendas, so what does the Bible really say? read more