Advocates of the doctrine of premillennialism cite this passage (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) as evidence for their theory of two literal bodily resurrections of the dead where the dead in Christ rise first, followed by a literal thousand years, in which the wicked will then be raised bodily from the dead.
Read MoreThe Bible clearly teaches that Satan is a serious adversary who desires to devour our soul (1 Peter 5:8,9). While the devil is a fearful foe, the good news is we can and must defeat him. Here are three ways to defeat Satan:
Read MoreThere were three feasts the Jewish males were required by God to observe annually and religiously in remembrance of significant events in their history (Exodus 23:14-19). When Jesus died on the cross, He wiped out the Old Testament handwriting of ordinances, including the requirement of these feasts (Colossians 2:11-17). In fact, under the New Testament if anyone observed these annual events (called "years") as religious holy days, they were rebuked (Galatians 4:9-11).
Read More"Please explain 1 Corinthians 1:18-27. What did Paul mean by the "foolishness of preaching"? Was he stating that preaching is foolishness?"
Corinth, in the first century A.D., was one of the most corrupt cities in the ancient world. The marvelous power of the gospel is found in the conversion of the Corinthians in that they turned from inordinate immorality (Acts 18:1-17; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Read MoreSome have attempted to "wrestle the Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16) by citing Philippians 3:15 as proof that Christians receive direct revelations from God today.
Read MoreAbsolutely not!
1 Corinthians 7:10,11: “Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.”
No. There are several reasons why "tongues" in the New Testament were real, human languages (such as Hebrew, Aramaic, Koine Greek, Latin, etc.). The miraculous ability to speak in another language one has never studied is special because it was only given to a few Christians in the first century A.D. until the infant church of the first century came to maturity in order to confirm that the partial revelations were from God (Mark 16:20; 1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 4:7-16).
Read MoreWe live in a world that is in constant turmoil and chaos. People are murdering other people over mundane things. Children are raped and molested on a daily basis. Lying, stealing, and cheating are second nature to some. We see many people who commit fornication to fulfill their sexual urges. Does God really expect us to control ourselves?
Read More(2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1)
2 Samuel 24:1: "Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah."
1 Chronicles 21:1: "Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel."
The apparent "problem" that skeptics see in 1 Chronicles 21:1 is that Satan is cited as the one who instigates David to number the people of Israel; whereas in 2 Samuel 24:1, the Lord is cited as the instigator. Is there a "contradiction?"
Read MoreIn the context of 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Paul is dealing with the issue of lawsuits between Christians. Paul writes a rhetorical question in the context that asked: “Do you not know that we shall judge angels?” The answer is an obvious and rhetorical “yes”. But what does it mean?
Read More1 Corinthians 12:4-11 states: "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
Read MoreThe Gospels record the account of the Pharisees castigating Jesus' disciples for eating from the grain fields on the Sabbath day (Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5). In response to the Pharisees' unjust accusation, Jesus sites the historical account of David eating the showbread - an act only lawful for the priests in 1 Samuel 21:1-6. Some people have misconstrued this passage to teach that Jesus was upholding "Situation Ethics" and that David actually did not sin on this occasion. Such, however, is not the case.
Read MoreNo.
In Romans 16:16, the Bible states: "Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you." Is this an obligation that is mandatory of Christians for all times?
Read MoreMatthew Vines is a popular speaker and author who has advocated the position that is not sinful for a Christian to be a practicing homosexual. He claims in his book, God, and the Gay Christian, as a tenet of his main thesis that the Bible teaches that the passages that seemingly teach that homosexuality is sinful are passages that are actually referring to those people who are rapists who have forced themselves upon others sexually. That is the illicit type of behavior that is condemned according to Vines. It is not forbidden, according to Vines, for two homosexuals to participate in a consensual, “loving” relationship as he would term it. Is Vines correct?
Read MoreThis question comes from Romans 8:28. It states: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."
Some falsely believe that Paul is saying all things that happen in this earthly life will turn out for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Do all things that happen to us turn out for good? There are consequences that result from free moral agents who choose to make evil choices. For example, a child is killed by a drunk driver in a car accident and a preacher decides to use this verse for the grieving Christian family. Is this appropriate?
Read MoreThis question stems from this context in Luke 17:1-4: "Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,' you shall forgive him."
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