Ask the Pastor

Do you have a question about the Bible? Ask the Pastor!

• "If God forbad Israelites from marrying foreigners, why was it ok with Moses?"

  "If God forbad Israelites from marrying foreigners, why was it ok with Moses?"

• "How do I know if I'm ready for the return of the Lord?"

  "How do I know if I'm ready for the return of the Lord?"

• Can "fishing" mean "judgment"?

  I can't seem to find fishing related to men in the OT that is not specifically for judgment... can you help me process this?

• What is a Pastor?

  What, according to the Bible, is a pastor? Can you please give scriptural references?

• Burial or Cremation?

  Will you discuss whether it is acceptable for Christians to be cremated at death? Does it biblically matter whether we are buried or cremated?

• Love or Charity?

  I am studying 1 Corinthians 13:4-11 and I see that the King James Version uses the word "charity", but the New King James Version and many other translations uses the word "love". Is "love" the accurate word? And verse 10 says, "But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away." Is this referring to Jesus?

• To Fast or Not To Fast?

  "Lately, God has been walking with me on a new journey and I'm learning a lot, and fasting is something I'd like to know more about. ... Do you fast? Is it true that you can fast food but still drink liquid during the fast? Can you fast things like TV and the Internet?"

• Renouncing Faith?

  Dear pastor, our church had a split over this: 'Can a 'born again' Christian renounce his/her faith?" Answers like, "He had not been saved in the first place", seems unsatisfactory to me. Please help.

• Bible Translations

  Question: With all the different bibles out there, how do you discern the meanings of the verses from one to the other? I've noticed some of the verses are condensed or paraphrased older bible verses. They don't mean the same thing a lot of times. Help!

• New Things

  How does Isaiah 43:19 relate to us today?

• Ascension

  If Jesus the only person who went up to heaven - or if there were other people who went to heaven before Him. John 3:13 seems to be saying that nobody went to heaven except Jesus. But what about Enoch and Elijah?

• Sins of the Father?

  Does God still punish the children if they are good-hearted, faithful people, just because their parents have sinned?"

• Head Coverings

  I was wondering what insight you could give me on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 about head coverings

• Women in Church

  A writer to the church has heard it taught that the Bible says women should keep silent in church, and they should rely on their husbands if they have anything to say. She writes: "I have no problem with it, but I would like to know your opinion on it. What if a woman doesn't have a husband, especially a Christian husband, dad, brother, son, or any male relative?"

• The Gospel and The Law

  "We know that the Gospel is salvation through Jesus, since by the Law nobody is perfect. So, when we preach the Gospel, do we need to discuss the Law at the same time?"

• Abram & Sarai

  "In Genesis chapter 16:5, why was Sarai angry with Abram when it was her idea in verse 2 to give her maid to Abram in the first place?"

• 1 John 1:9

  Would you give a short explanation of I John 1:9?

• Accountability

  "In the case of a person who was born prematurely, and that has mental disorders that cause them to not fully understand what is going on; are they competent enough to be held accountable before God on the Day of Judgment? Most of their emotions are due to their disability."

• Children's Salvation

  "I am 19 years old. I am also a wife and mother. Before my husband and I got married we had twin girls. My husband and I are both Christians and we are concerned about the children being saved. We were concerned particularly about Deuteronomy 23:2. Can you please give us some insight on this?"

• Non-Christian Marriages & Adultery

  "In Genesis chapter 16:5, why was Sarai angry with Abram when it was her idea in verse 2 to give her maid to Abram in the first place?"

• Genesis 48:5

  "In Genesis chapter 16:5, why was Sarai angry with Abram when it was her idea in verse 2 to give her maid to Abram in the first place?"

• Levi the Tax Collector

  Would the Levi, the tax collector, in the chapter 5 of the Book of Luke be a descendant of the tribe of Levi, a son of Jacob in the Old Testament? The people of the tribe of Levi was supposed to work as priests or at least some attendants in the temple, weren't they?

• The Oceans

  Why does God do away with the oceans?

• How Many Heavens?

  The Bible talks about more than one heaven. Please help me to understand where the first heaven and second, third, fourth heavens are at.

• Involved God

  Does God still answer prayers and get involved in situations in our daily lives?

• Subject of the Bible

  What subject is mentioned in the Bible the most?

• 12 Thrones

  Judas was among them, yet all of my life I have been taught that when Judas betrayed Jesus, and then later hung himself, he sealed his fate to spend eternity in Hell. How could Jesus tell the 12 they would set on 12 thrones, when He had to know that Judas was going to betray him and would not be in Heaven?

• Sunday Sabbath

  Why do you worship on and/or observe the Sabbath on Sunday? God clearly stated in Exodus 20 as the Fourth Commandment that the Sabbath (seventh day of the week Saturday) shall be kept holy, He blessed and sanctified the Sabbath.

• Smoking

  Is it a sin to smoke?

• Tattoos

  Is it biblical for a Christian to get a tattoo?

• Worshipping Jesus

  "If, in Exodus 20, we are forbidden from worshiping any other gods but the one true God, then is it wrong to worship Jesus?"

• Creation for the Birds

  Did the waters bring forth the birds? And did they then multiple in the earth after coming out of the water (Gen. 2:19)? WATER (GEN2:19)?

• Unforgiveable Sin

  "I've been told by different people different things about the "unforgivable sin". Some say that it's the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ when the Holy Spirit reveals Him to be the Savior. Others say that it's the sin of attributing the miracles of Jesus Christ to Satan. While the latter is really bad, is it unforgivable? What would make it unforgivable? I can see how rejecting Christ becomes unforgivable; but what about the other?"

• Abram & Sarai

  How important is the church family to our spiritual lives? Should we treat our church family as an extension of our family, nurturing and holding ourselves accountable to them; or do treat it the same as school and work - a desirable necessity, but not crucial?

• Old Names

  "Who was Cephus in the Bible?"

• Vengeance

  A visitor to our website writes with a question about "vengeance" in the Bible. He reads Romans 12:19 - "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." He was told that to avenge does not mean vindictiveness, revenge, or retaliation; but that it means restoration of wholeness and integrity. He was told that cries to God for vengeance in the Bible are often cries for redemption, restoration, health, and healing. He writes to ask for clarification on this.

• Revelations Revisited

  When will the events described in the Book of Revelation happen?

• Does it take a tragedy?

  ...It took a tragic accident to awaken this woman to her need for a Savior.

• Where are our souls before conception?

  In the opening passage of Jeremiah's prophecy, we read: 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,' and in Psalm 139:16 David said: 'Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.' It is clear from the Bible that from the womb, we are a person in God's eyes. However, my question is about our souls. "Since persons have eternal souls, where are our souls before conception?"

• Bishops and Cretans

  Was Apostle Paul inspired by God when he wrote in Titus 1:5-14 concerning bishops? If so, how come White Baptists don't have bishops in their churches and Catholic bishops are not married? Also, if Paul can say "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons... Therefore rebuke them sharply," can't we say that others are always liars and evil beasts; and deceivers especially Cessasionists who are to be rebuked sharply?

• God's Curse

  "Are we still under God's curse?"

• Playing Cards

  Some people make comments about 'playing cards' as something that's 'not Christian'. What does the Bible say about this?

• Dreadful Stories

  "I believe by faith that all of the Bible is God-breathed; but I wonder why some of the accounts were important enough to God that He would ensure them to be recorded for all history. For example, tonight I read Judges 19:1-30, which is the account of the Levite and his concubine. It was such a wicked, horrid and vulgar story. Why do you think that these kinds of accounts are important for us to read and know?"

• Too Young for Communion?

  How could a child who has not reached the age of accountability, and cannot discern good and evil, make the proclamation of Christ's death and it's meaning?

• Sins of the fathers?

  During a recent Bible study group session, we were reading 2 Chronicles 25:4; where it forbids that "the children be put to death for their fathers". All of us recalled reading Exodus 34:7; where it says that God visits the iniquities of the fathers on the children. We're questioning the contradiction between these two books and verses; and would be very interested in your explaining this to us."

• Difference between Pharisees and Sadducees?

  In Luke. 18:13 I read about the Pharisee praying his prayer, thanking God that he is not like the other men. Then the tax collector prayed his prayer of humility. Somehow I always thought that the other man was a Sadducee; and I was surprised when I read it again and found it was the tax collector and not the Sadducee. Where did I get the idea that the Sadducee was 'sad you see', and that therefore that was how you distinguish one from the other? What is the difference between the Pharisee and the Sadducee? Is there any other place that uses the Pharisee and the Sadducee in a situation that would have made me think that the Sadducee was a humble man?

• Baptized for the dead?

  I have a question about 1 Corinthians 15:29. In the New International Version, this verse reads, "Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are to raised at all, why are people baptized for them?" I have been confused in the past by Mormon teaching on this verse; and I still get twisted around by it. It sounds as if this verse is saying that, if people are going to be raised from the dead, then it's okay to be baptized for the dead. What does this verse really mean?

• Revelations Questions

  I am always told that the first three and a half years of Tribulation will be peaceful. I know that in Daniel the Bible says that the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel in the middle of the 7 years, does this necessarily mean that it will be peaceful in the first half...

• Reconciling Habakkuk with Job

  In Habakkuk 1:13, the prophet says that God is "of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness," and yet, in Job 1 and 2 Satan not only enters into the presence of God, but carries on a conversation with Him. How do we reconcile Hab. 1:13 and Job 1 and 2?

• Revealing Revelations

  I would very much like to know the meaning behind one third in the book of Revelations in regards to the Trumpets and destruction. Please help me with this.... (Also), I am having great difficulty in understanding chapters 6,7,8,9 of Revelations. Can you help me out?

• Nathan Who?

  "In 2 Samuel 7, we read about Nathan the prophet. Could this be David's son, the same Nathan we read about in Chapter 5?"

• Sermon Preparation

  "How do you prepare a sermon?"

• Revelations: Millenial Interpretations

  What are all the views and the Biblical backing for the three main views (premillennial, postmillennial, and dispensational) on how the book of Revelation is interpreted, and what, in your opinion, is the correct view on this topic?

• The Role of "Elders" in the Church?

  The Bible talks about "elders" in the church. Are these official positions in the church, or are they just people who are recognized as more mature members of a local church family? How do "elders" relate to other "appointed positions" in the church such as "pastors"?

• New Heaven?

  Can you give some insight into the Bible's teaching about "the new heaven and the new earth"?

• Which Bible?

  What Bible do you recommend, and what is this Gender-neutral version I been hearing about? It all sound nice, but wouldn't that alter the real meaning of what the Bible is saying?

• Kneeling While Praying?

  I pray everyday, the longest before going to sleep. But rarely do I ever get on my knees. It's not because of bad knees, it's more of being lazy or comfort. Do you think that weakens my prayer?

• The Order of Melchizedek

  The Bible tells us that Jesus was a priest after the Order of Melchizedek rather than the imperfect Levitical priesthood from the lineage of Aaron. What is it that God wants me to understand by this, here and now, in my life?

• September 11, 2001

  After the horrors of this morning's events in the east, I have to wonder what we can do?

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