Q&As

In Matt 6:19-21, do you think Jesus was actually talking about an invitation to more generous giving, and a challenge to give away material goods as one way of storing… Read More

Someone is claiming that the original Hebrew root of “be still” (Ps 46:10) doesn’t mean be quiet, but rather to let go. Where do you come in on this? —… Read More

If Jesus is God, and Jesus is praying to God, then is Jesus praying to himself? (Guest response by Tim Barnett. He responds to an anti-Trinitarian meme.) A: If Jesus… Read More

What do you think about The Passion Translation? Brian Simmons is the translator. I really like its energy, and the way he puts things. I agree, TPT has a consistent… Read More

Why does God hate gay people? Of course, he doesn’t at all. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Please watch Guy Hammond as he responds to this question. Click… Read More

I have never been a boxing fan, but I have to admit when I saw a promo for Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul, I was intrigued, and kind of want… Read More

Apart from on a few occasions where Jesus’s words are given in Aramaic (for example Mark 5:41; 7:34; 15:34) all four Gospels report Jesus’s words in Greek. So did Jesus… Read More

Did Luke make a mistake when he reported the census of Quirinius? Why do so many scholars think he got it wrong? Is it possible to reconcile Luke’s account of… Read More

What’s up with the “politarchs” of Acts 17:6, 8? Did scholars at one point believe Luke had got it wrong? Yes, so it seems. The unusual word politarch (literally, city… Read More

Must Christians perform miracles? Doesn’t John 14:12 suggest that we should? The passage in question reads Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I… Read More

What is theology? Why should anyone study theology? (Isn’t that boring?) That’s a fair question. Sometimes when I tell people my favorite area of study is theology, they have little… Read More

What do you think of membership covenants for congregations? Are they helpful, or harmful? Guest reply by Malcolm Cox (Watford, UK) Lately, from a number of sources, I’ve been hearing… Read More

Yesterday I heard a preacher say Immanuel [Isa 7:14] means “God with you.” My antennae stood straight up because I think the Bible says “with us.” In my opinion, the… Read More

Is it acceptable to pray with an “agenda”? I ask this because of something I experienced not too long ago. I was part of a group prayer. The event had… Read More

What do you think of The Bible Project [many inquiries]? One of the blessings of our technological age is quick access to information, including resources intended to enhance our knowledge… Read More

Q: What is “Commonwealth Theology”? Is it true that we who are non-Jews have Jewish blood in our veins, and are the “House of Ephraim”?  .PDF version TEXT VERSION (following]… Read More

When priests were serving at the Jerusalem temple, and they had to go to the toilet, what could they do? Weren’t they required to remain on site? This could have… Read More

Is it okay for me to consume alcohol while I’m pregnant? I am not a big drinker. This would be just a couple of glasses of wine now and again…. Read More

In Matthew 26, when the high priest asks Jesus whether he is the Messiah, Jesus seems to equivocate. Why does he say “You have said so,” instead of simply saying… Read More

What is “balm of Gilead” (Jeremiah 8:22)? I first heard the phrase in a song we often sang in student devotionals, “There Is a Balm in Gilead.” It’s an old… Read More

I’m reading your book Origins—excellent book [on Genesis 1-11]. I had a question about the Watcher account of 1 Enoch and the knowledge that was passed on to mankind. I… Read More

Is “poverty” relative? And should my response be according to what I know? I know what real poverty looks like from working in Haïti. And yet I have to constantly… Read More

What’s the difference between a covenant and a contract? While they are equivalent in many contexts, there is an important nuance to covenant. In the words of philosopher Douglas Groothuis,… Read More

Q: In regard to your “conversation” on Matthew 28, I agree that placing emphasis on just one scripture (Mattt 28:18-20) made for a very efficient church-building programme, yet also resulted… Read More

I’ve recently noticed in increase in the use of the enneagram tool in churches. What is your view on using this tool (albeit with good intentions), bearing in mind that… Read More

As a Christian do I really have to accept that Jesus was born of a virgin? Couldn’t this just be an ancient way of highlighting his importance? A: That’s a… Read More

I have heard that the biblical authors did not understand sexual orientation or the concept of loving, monogamous gay relationships as we do today—making their writings obsolete. My thinking is… Read More

Is it true that the Bible can only be truly understood through a Jewish lens—the views to the rabbis who wrote the Talmud, Mishnah, etc? Some podcasts I’m listening to… Read More

Why can I be positive that apostle Paul, in Titus 3:5, is talking about baptism? He doesn’t use the word “baptism” here. Couldn’t someone argue that it’s just a metaphor… Read More

How were women converted to Judaism in ancient times, if they were not circumcised? I looked online and couldn’t find anything.—M.H. I suppose there are two separate questions: (1) How… Read More

When was Moses circumcised, and by whom? — S.W. First, let’s read the passage about Moses’ birth. We read in Exodus 2:1-2, “Now a man from the house of Levi… Read More

When baptizing or praying in the name of Jesus, is it crucial to use the Aramaic pronunciation of his name? — C.M. Not at all. (As if you or I could… Read More

Some articles I’ve read in academic journals (about carbon dating) have led me to reject the scientific consensus that the earth is billions of years old. Please look at the… Read More

I have heard people connect Gal 3:26-27 and Matt 22:11-12. They reason that unless you agree with their interpretation on baptism, you’ll be kicked out of the kingdom. I’m not… Read More

Why did Jesus say he had to go in order for the Holy Spirit to come to the disciples? – T.K. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep… Read More

I’m reading Ezra and am wondering if you have any insight for me. Ezra 4:1 states that “the enemies of the Jews” wanted to join in the work of building… Read More

Exactly what are the “heavenly hosts,” as in Luke 2:13? Are these choirs of angels? That’s what I used to think, probably because of the Christmas hymn “Oh, Come, All… Read More

The Messianic Jews say the Old Testament food laws were never repealed. I also heard on the Bema podcast that part of Mark 7:19 (“Thus Jesus declared all foods clean”)… Read More

Could Jesus have been born on 25 December? (My own question.) A: As Christmas nears, I wanted to reconsider the matter of the date of the first Christmas. Why? A friend (Chuck… Read More

My church teaches that it is wrong and unbiblical to use musical instruments in the assembly. I know there are instances of instrumental music in the Old Testament, but those… Read More

I was listening to your message on zombies—which I enjoyed! You asked, “What scripture comes to mind when you think of zombies?” I was surprised you didn’t discuss the passage… Read More

You’re wrong in your history. You are misleading others with false information. If you study cases of Hidrosis [sweating] you will find that there are cases of actual capillaries rupturing… Read More

Does Psalm 105:15 (“Touch not my anointed ones, do any prophets no harm”) mean that we are never to criticize our leaders? When I try to bring something up, even… Read More

What are the four fasts mentioned in Zechariah 8:19? I thought the Jews were only required to fast on Yom Kippur. Great question. Here is your passage: This is what the… Read More

What does the writer of Ecclesiastes mean by the words “under the sun”?  In this book of the Old Testament Wisdom Literature, a common phrase is “under the sun”—as in… Read More

Who was Caesar? I’ve heard the name, but who is he, and when did he live? And were the others who also claimed to be Caesar? Julius Caesar was a Roman… Read More

Talking with one of my religious friends, I’ve just heard a new term called “election.” Is this biblical? Actually, election is an old term, since it appears in the Bible… Read More

Do you think the remains of James the Just are in the church of St. James of Compostela (Santiago de Compostela) in Spain?  Reply from Joseph Harris (Augusta, GA):  No,… Read More

The Bema Podcast has been very helpful in providing the Jewish / Eastern context of the Scriptures, as well as many things I have missed for many years. It has… Read More

I have a question about John 1:19-28. I noticed that the priests and Levites asked John the Baptist whether he is the Messiah, Elijah or the Prophet, multiple times. Additionally,… Read More

I’m inspired by the teachings of “Christian Spirituality,” found at https://www.glz.org/en/knowledge/introduction. Much is well explained in the many books that I am currently working through (transcriptions of medium transmissions in deep trance). In… Read More

I was reading an article [by Richard Rohr, an American priest focusing on spirituality] and came across the following explanation of metanoia, and it surprised me. “Remember, presence does not happen in the… Read More

Guest Q&A from John Oakes, of evidenceforchristianity.org. Recently, a friend who is a minister in a Christian church was approached by a few members to sign a request for a… Read More

Does God actually hate divorce, as we have often heard? The older rendering of Malachi 2:16, “I hate divorce,” is taken to imply that the Lord disapproves of all divorce… Read More

I’ve had reservations regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, and believe Satan has been attacking me with doubt, through the scripture about “the mark of the beast.” I keep thinking about how… Read More

Thanks for getting back to me. I recently listened to one of your audio CDs. It was the disc about atheism in “From Facts to Faith.” My question concerns your claim about… Read More

Tell me, Douglas: I want to “up my game” in memorising scripture. Is there any good literature you can refer me to where I can learn effective techniques? There are… Read More

In Luke 4:23 we read “… You will quote this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself’…” Do you know the origin of this proverb? – B.B. I don’t know its origin, though… Read More

The Qur’an mentions prophets being sent to other nations, and records dialogues with the nations, but where in the Bible is it recorded that Iddo, Jonah, Joel, Obadiah, Habakkuk, and… Read More

Following is a question I’ve come across only twice in my life, but it’s a good one, emerging from a Western cultural perspective, and deserves a response. It has to… Read More

In 1 Corinthians 15:4 I read about Christ “that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” What scripture was Paul referring to? —… Read More

Does the Roman Catholic church correctly interpret the nature of the eucharist [the Lord’s Supper]? Is Christ’s body sacrificed in this ceremony? My friend told me that’s not what they teach…. Read More

If Jesus is real, why are there so many different churches? Because there are many different Jesuses (2 Cor 11:4)! The only way to know we are following the real… Read More

Does Jesus’ appointment of 12 apostles connect to the 12 tribes of Israel?  Yes, indeed. The 12 patriarchs (Levi, Judah, Benjamin, Dan…) were the 12 sons of Jacob, whose covenant name… Read More

Why did Jesus speak Aramaic and not Hebrew?    Why don’t Italians still speak Latin? Why don’t Britons speak Middle English—or even early Modern English (Shakespeare, KJV)? Because languages are constantly… Read More

Any thought on the hair length of Jesus as he is currently portrayed, in light of historical norms? In far too many films and works of art, Jesus is portrayed… Read More

Since most atheists require evidence, what would be the best way to approach them, aside from using scripture? Why not the way Paul approached the Athenians (Acts 17), or the… Read More

From Wikipedia: “Panentheism (‘all in God’), from the Greek πᾶν, pân, ‘all,’ ἐν, en, ‘in,’ and Θεός, theós, ‘God’) is the belief that the divine pervades and interpenetrates every part… Read More

I recently came across something claiming to be “The Very First Bible.” It claims to be an authentic translation. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this—whether we need to know… Read More

Is the “rod” in Proverbs 13:24 actually an implement for disciplining a child? Does the Bible require corporal punishment for disobedient children? This is a fair question, and an increasingly… Read More

Gluttony is a real struggle for me sometimes. Proverbs 23:2 says to put a knife to your throat if you’re given to gluttony. What is meant by “put a knife… Read More

I came across a book outlining the difference between sin and iniquity. The author defines iniquity as generational soul sin. I’m finding the book interesting and enlightening, but perplexing too…. Read More

I am going to have a difficult conversation with a visitor in our church who has been a “friend of the family” for years. She is convinced that the call… Read More

Douglas and John, would you please address the issue of Christians smoking mushrooms, especially for healing, from an eastern medical perspective? What about the spirit world? I know some believers who… Read More

Q&A 1574-1580 . Q&A 1581-1589 .. …. Part 1 of Baptism Debate (Dr. Thomas Ross and Dr. Douglas Jacoby) . Part 2 of Baptism Debate (Dr. Thomas Ross and Dr…. Read More

Used with the permission of John Clayton, of Does God Exist?, who wrote this article Because we live in a time when virtually all of our information comes from news sources… Read More

Jesus didn’t start his public ministry until he turned 30. Do you think this had anything to do with Numbers 4, where we read that a Levite needs to be… Read More

How do you answer the objection that belief in baptism being necessary for salvation is false because it adds to the already finished work of the cross? For example, one person… states:… Read More

I often hear people saying, “The Lord put this on my heart.” Then they talk about their plan, or what they’re asking me to do for them. I do believe… Read More

Does 1 Corinthians 11:3 mean women are forever subordinate to men? Paul is considered to be a strong advocate for women, yet there is a passage or two in his… Read More

In Matthew 5:13 we read, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for… Read More

What does the bibble [sic] say about marijuana? After all, it is just a plant. Have you smoked it? Have you read about the effects it has on you? This is… Read More

Please, you claim to be the only Christians that are right, so tell me have you ever seen Jesus in the flesh, and if so what colour is he? —R.B…. Read More

Q: Thanks for sharing about your personal spiritual retreat in Canada [October 2019]. This is making me curious (and I suspect that others might be wondering also) about what is… Read More

The Book of Hebrews says the Old Covenant is obsolete, so since I already believe in Christ, I don’t need to bother with the Old Testament.—E.E. As there is a… Read More

My book club is reading Falling in Love With Jesus: Abandoning Yourself to the Greatest Romance of Your Life. The authors teach that Christian women, whether single or married, should refer to… Read More

What do you think about the recently discovered Christian letter? I learned about this through Fox News. The article is titled “1,700-year-old recently discovered Christian letter offers clues into how faithful… Read More

We believe we Christians will spend eternity with God. No disrespect meant, but sooner or later, wouldn’t that grow old? Maybe the first few years or centuries would be great,… Read More

In Joshua 6, God commanded the Israelites to circle the city 7 days in a row. Therefore, one of those days had to be a Sabbath. Would walking around the… Read More

Why did the Lord tell Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? This seems barbaric. Indeed, this is one of the more disturbing passages of the Old Testament. In the 22nd chapter of… Read More

I agree with your take on communion as an actual meal. Concerning excluding unbelievers because they can’t “connect” with it, did the early church use this rationale for any means… Read More

In Deut 23:3 God gives the command that no descendants of the Moabites even to the tenth generation may enter the assembly of the Lord. I was wondering if Ruth… Read More

Is it a sin for a divorced couple to have sex even if there was no adultery? —S.K. Yes, since they are no longer married (by definition). Good question, though. Divorce… Read More

You say the minimum number of Jesus’ siblings is seven. Matthew 13 says his brothers are James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and also mentions “all of his sisters.” Four brothers are… Read More

“Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them” (Isa 1:14). I also find something… Read More

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Four in five Americans believe in the healing power of prayer, according to surveys, and even a majority of medical doctors say that miraculous healing sometimes occurs…. Read More

Do the “watchman” passages apply to all Christians? I have heard it preached—and I myself have preached—that when we fail to take advantage of an opportunity to share Christ, the… Read More

We don’t have that much information on the lives of the apostles, apart from a few passages on Peter and John, and of course lots on Paul. But even then… Read More

I recently heard you state that God’s forgiveness is conditional—which made me feel uncomfortable. Is this a widespread idea? I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before. It would help… Read More

Genesis records that when Abram received the divine call he was in Haran (Gen 12:4). Yet Stephen said God called Abram in Ur (Acts 7:3-4). Which was it, Ur or… Read More

Isn’t baptism a work? Since we aren’t saved by works (Eph 2:8-9), baptism can’t be part of salvation. What do you teach about this?—Anonymous In the New Testament, baptism is… Read More

Did you know Thomas Jefferson edited his own Bible? I found it here. Apparently he wanted to focus on Jesus rather than on his miracles? What doctrine might have influenced… Read More

My question is about murder mysteries. Some in our church really like this genre. Our campus ministry, planning one of these, invited our teens to a locally written murder mystery… Read More

What is meant by the word “godhead”? While many use “godhead” to stand for the trinity, the word actually means (only) divinity. In older English, god-head = god-hood. All three… Read More

My professors in seminary told me that the Bible’s claims that there were camels in Israel is false. They say it’s anachronistic. What do you say? Is the Bible wrong?… Read More

I was reading your article on Heaven and Hell. What is your explanation of the words “everlasting destruction” in 2 Thess 1:9? — B.W. You were reading the article on… Read More

At my church this morning it was preached that the apostle John survived being boiled in oil before he was exiled on Patmos. Is this true? It is certainly true… Read More

In 1 Kings 22:19-22 it appears God is sending a spirit to tempt false prophets to lie. This would be contrary to James 1:13-14. I see this as similar to… Read More

How do we come to grips with the eternal destiny of the multitudes that die because of weather catastrophes like tsunamis, or atrocities like the Holocaust? First of all, we… Read More

Why does God allow the death of innocent children, like in school shootings?** Because we have free will. Killing is something that we do to each other, and we can… Read More

I have frequently heard Proverbs 22:6 referenced as a promise that godly parenting always leads to godly children. One of my children has rejected God. Is this my fault? Certainly… Read More

Are birth defects a work of Satan? Birth defects happen because of genetic accidents. Both biology and physics reveal a certain degree of randomness in our world. This is not… Read More

A lot of people I know are on painkillers. Given the role that suffering plays in developing character and a cruciform life, should we avoid taking pills? There are always… Read More

Hebrew 13:4 says, “Marriage must be respected by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and adulterers.” I recently read a book that claimed, “It… Read More

How should we respond to the claims of the Zeitgeist internet movie? Although I have addressed this elsewhere, let me direct you to a useful refutation of the numerous bogus… Read More

I visited the National Geographic Museum in DC today and went through the “Tomb of Jesus” exhibit, where they have done a good job of showing what the Church of… Read More

Do you think it is plausible that David is basing his conviction in 1 Samuel 24:6, not to kill Saul, on Psalm 105:15? — Reto Zingg (For those who have… Read More

I strongly believe that we Christians should fast thrice a week, not for to be righteous, since (as you point out) this can’t be quantified, but to subordinate flesh to… Read More

I was a little surprised when you mentioned you have apps for BBC and CNN, and although I understand we need to get our news from somewhere, these news agencies… Read More

In your podcast, you mentioned fairly wealthy families you know who give very little. How do you deal with this? I think about Ephesians 5, where Paul says no immoral,… Read More

I often wonder about how it will affect my daughter when she finds out that Santa is not real. She associates Christmas with Santa and with Jesus. When she finds… Read More

Doesn’t Luke get it wrong when he has Gamaliel say, “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men.  For some time ago Theudas rose… Read More

It’s Gay Pride Week in Toronto right now, with the festivities ending with the largest Gay Pride Parade in North America tomorrow afternoon. Over the years I have had several… Read More

A friend has been diagnosed with cancer. She is refusing treatment, despite her cancer growing from stage 1 to stage 2. Her reasoning: she believes her days are already numbered… Read More

In your podcast on John 18 you note that the Jews were prevented by Roman law from inflicting capital punishment during Jesus’ time. But if the Jews were unable to… Read More

I need a little insight from those familiar with the Hebrew language. I ran into someone who claimed that not only does the Hebrew alphabet convey the letters by which… Read More

I’ve been reading an article by Stephen Hawking on his theory of the “Spontaneous Quantum Creation of the Universe,” as promoted in this article. I would love to hear your… Read More

“Most of us assume Psalms is the longest book in the Bible, since it has 150 chapters. In your recent Bible quiz, however, you listed Jeremiah as the longest book…. Read More

“I just finished a textbook on New Testament Greek and am honing my linguistic skills. I’d appreciate any advice you may have to offer.” — R. Jones My advice is… Read More

“On page 75 of your Exodus book you state, ‘Nowhere either does the Bible associate obedience and works with the old covenant, or faith and grace exclusively with the new… Read More

Exodus 12:29-30 says. “At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the… Read More

How can some people say that dark skin is a curse from God? They point to the curse of Ham in Genesis 9. The target of Noah’s curse wasn’t so… Read More

Myrrh is a strange word. But it’s in the Bible many times. What is this substance? You’re right. It’s in the Bible a lot (Gen 37:27; 43:11; Exod 30:23; Esth… Read More

If angels were made to serve humans (Heb 1:14), then were angels created before there were humans, or after? Guest response by Joe Sciortino I’m not sure, but if God’s… Read More

Are we living in a (computer) simulation? Elon Musk thinks so. Is there Biblical support for the idea that we are living in a “(computer) simulation”? I would love to hear… Read More

Isaiah 61 is an amazing chapter. It is very meaningful to me, my wife, and many others who have gone through loss. However, I struggle with the words “instead of,”… Read More

It’s interesting that in Ezra 5-6 the Persian kings are once referred to as Babylonian and once even as Assyrian. Any thoughts on this?  However, in the first year of Cyrus king… Read More

Is all sin equal in the eyes of God? “When Pilate heard what they said, he was more afraid than ever, and he went back into the governor’s residence and… Read More

Could you please give me a clear definition of the Greek words malakoi and arsenokoites? I have been unable to find a definition that is not either religious or gay… Read More

From your knowledge of Scripture and logic, is it biblically “comparable (not comparing apples to oranges) to ask: When was Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins acceptable to God?  (A) When… Read More

Was Noah’s Flood really global? Is there evidence for this? Please help me think this through. I am happy to help. Let me say, first off, that whatever one’s conclusion… Read More

No celebramos Halloween. Solía tener la idea de que los satanistas ven a Halloween como un día especial. Sin embargo, he intentado investigar en libros, publicaciones periódicas, e internet sobre… Read More

Scientists say the world is really old, but my Bible teacher says it only appears old — but it actually young, only 1000s of years old. What is the truth?… Read More

What exactly was the Inquisition? (If you prefer to listen to my reply, click on the arrow for the podcast, The Inquisition (20 min). If you want to save and… Read More

What do you think is the most accurate translation of “propheteousa” in 1 Corinthians 11:5? A conservative translation would be merely “speak,” but I don’t think that translation accurately captures… Read More

I’m having a little difficulty with a teaching in my church. There is a belief that everyone in a leadership position has been placed there by God. This doesn’t seem… Read More

How long are the days in Genesis 1? Some of my friends insist they can only be regular 24-hour days. Others think they may be long periods of time. I’m… Read More

Did Moses really write Genesis? Is he the author of the “Books of Moses,” the Old Testament Law? Jewish tradition holds that Moses either wrote or was responsible for the… Read More

[On the total solar eclipse of 21 Aug 2017.] I remember well my tremendous enthusiasm for the last total solar eclipse in the U.S. (1970). It’s been a long wait…. Read More

What’s the correct name for the Holy Land, Israel or Palestine? And what’s the difference between the two? Are Israelis different than Palestinians? Not at all; Israelis and Palestinians are not the… Read More

I was reading your reply to Q 1361, ‘Lower than the angels?’. Your answer directly supports and describes the temporary and voluntary surrender of Christ’s higher authority while he was… Read More

Our church is initiating a “Crusade” to take our city for Christ. This makes we wonder, what about the Crusades in the Middle Ages. What were they? As a Christian… Read More

Is there miraculous knowledge in the numbers of the Qur’an? I have heard it said, for example, that the word “day” turns up exactly 365 times in the Qur’an –… Read More

Is “Islam” really the Arabic word for peace? For some time now, and especially since the attacks of 9/11, many Muslims have made the claim: Islam means peace. (Not that it’s… Read More

In the controversy of Acts 6, is the apostolic requirement that these leaders (the Seven) be full of the spirit, respected, and faithful still the rule for us today? And is this… Read More

Before I became a Christian, I smoked marijuana regularly for over 10 years. It helped me with anxiety and depression, and I wasn’t “high” when I smoked it. I took it in… Read More

In 1 John 3:4, sin is defined as transgression of the law of God. Can you please tell me which law is being referenced? Thanks. — Cyndi H. In 1 John… Read More

I found a website proving that radical Islam is prophesized in the book of Revelations 6:1-8. Surely it cannot be a coincidence that the colors of the four horsemen of the apocalypse –… Read More

What is your viewpoint on scientists’ attempt to land on Mars in order to search for signs of life? Is the exploration of Mars a progressive endeavour, or is it a waste of… Read More

I heard from a preacher that when Paul was watching Stephen being killed (Acts 7:58), and as he continued to persecute Christians, he was doing what he had been trained to… Read More

I have a concern about the translation of John 1:1. Should the Greek text be translated “the word was God,” “the word was a god,” or “the word was divine”?… Read More

Hi Douglas, not sure how much time you’ve spent digging into this, but are you familiar with the case for a flat earth? A dear friend of mine has been studying it… Read More

Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.”… Read More

Good evening! A young Christian just asked if angels have the Holy Spirit. I never thought about it: Is “having” the Spirit necessary in heaven? The Spirit is there….. We’re given… Read More

In Genesis 10:5 we read: “From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.” But in Genesis 11:1 we… Read More

[Islamic televangelist] Zakir Naik points out that Jonah was still alive when he was in the belly of the fish. But [we say] Jesus was dead and resurrected after three days. So… Read More

A friend recently raised an interesting matter, and I was hoping you could provide some clarification. He pointed out that Joshua 17:18 indicates the Israelites would be able to defeat… Read More

Douglas, you are thought of by some as quite broad-minded. What do you teach about how to become a Christian? I hope my teaching on salvation is no broader than… Read More

Why isn’t there a book to the Bereans, and why isn’t there more mention of them in the N.T. since they were “of more noble character than the Thessalonians”? I… Read More

I’ve been hearing a lot lately the idea that there was a gospel of the kingdom for the Jews only, and another message, a gospel of grace, for the Gentiles…. Read More

What about survivalism? Are these people on the right track biblically? Can Christians be “survivalists”? Survivalism as a popular movement is well worth understanding, especially as some Christians are attracted to… Read More

In Luke 19:9-10, Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to… Read More

Of all the passages you’ve submitted, none may be more shocking than this. “Here is a scripture that confuses me because it is unfair to the rape victim. In Deut 22:28-29, the rape… Read More

I met a young lady who was desperate. She says she is under the control of a demon who makes love to her in her dream (incubus and succubus). This teaching… Read More

I noticed The invention of “heterosexuality” on the BBC News App. “A century ago, people had a very different idea of what it means to be heterosexual. Understanding that shift in thinking… Read More

In Luke 19:27, the Parable of the Minas, the king orders his servants to arrest those who rejected him “and slaughter them in front of me.” I remember seeing a… Read More

When Jesus met Mary Magdalene after his resurrection, we read “Jesus replied, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and… Read More

Why does someone have to die if he sees the face of God? A few years ago I would think that our sinful physical body could not bear the presence… Read More

{1} Please give me your thoughts on contemplative prayer. My church is diving in head first into this “new way” of communicating with God (contemplative prayer), and I am nervous… Read More

My question concerns Galatians 5:20, where witchcraft is listed as a sin. I read in Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words that the Greek word is pharmakia. The definition states that pharmakia “denotes… Read More

Jesus tells his disciples in Mark 13:28-30, “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In… Read More

If God knows what people will choose, why did God regret creating human beings on the earth? Did God know that people would be bad but He didn’t know how… Read More

What if a person has a business in event planning, and they are asked to do work for a gay/lesbian wedding,? Is it wrong for a Christian to do this? — Mary… Read More

What is a good Bible software program? Any recommendations? — Jide [Reply by Joey Harris, Bible teacher in Augusta, Georgia] Choosing Bible software is not that easy. It depends on… Read More

Why should people not pray to the saints? My Catholic friend says she is asking these people to pray (intercede) for her, and that it is just like asking a… Read More

A brother in a church in my state has been making the use of “Yahweh” (God’s name, in Hebrew, in the Old Testament) a matter of salvation. He is now going… Read More

How is Numbers 24:17 a Messianic prophecy? I’m not convinced. After all, these are the words of Balaam, who led the Israelites into sin. Help me out. To begin with,… Read More

I am considering a job offer from a company whose parent company is involved in the weapons industry. This obviously raised some questions for me as a Christian. On the one… Read More

I happened to watch a video by a Muslim apologist. He claims that the Comforter mentioned in the Bible [in John 14] is Muhammad, and that he is also mentioned in… Read More

Is there a biblical precedent for a church leader asking a church member to write and publicly read before the entire church a letter confessing a personal, private sin—such as… Read More

What do you think about Reiki, especially with its Buddhist component? Is Reiki okay for Christians, or is this idolatrous? AND Is it wrong for a Christian to engage in a Reiki… Read More

Thanks for the podcast on Fasting and Prayer. Today I was read Neh 1:4. After reading other scriptures about fasting and prayer, I notice that mourning sometimes accompanies fasting (2 Sam 1:12;… Read More

I have some questions about 1 Corinthians 14:14: “If I pray in tongues, my spirit is in prayer but my mind is unfruitful.” I understand that today there no longer exists the… Read More

I heard a sermon online recently that claimed the inscription Pilate had placed on the cross, “This is Jesus, King of the Jews”, INRI in Greek, in Hebrew actually translates… Read More

I’d be interested in your response to a question. In 1 Cor 15, Paul mentions that Jesus appeared to more than 500 of the brothers, yet in Acts 1:15, the… Read More

[Guest article] December 19, 2016 So here we find ourselves in the United States, a full decade behind our neighboring Canadians, in a land where gay marriage is not only… Read More

 A few years back I read your Genesis, Science & History. For me this book placed the creation account soundly out of the reach of “scientific creationism” and into its actual… Read More

In Matthew 24:36 Jesus said that only God knows the day and time (not even the Son). Is that only because Jesus was human and limited, though once back in glory,… Read More

My personal experience in converting from non-believer to believer was very much supported by your book True & Reasonable [now Compelling Evidence]. However, my moment of accepting the scriptures came about… Read More

A brother recently wrote to me, “I would love some biblical input on rewriting well known songs from the world and singing them in church services. Do the lyrics’ original… Read More