Tag: Questions

In 1 Corinthians 10:14 we read, "Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry." The Jehovah's Witnesses argue that the command against idolatry in this verse represents a command not to wear a cross. To wear a cross, they say, is a form of idolatry. It is certainly true that Christians must avoid ...

In Ezekiel 1:4-6 we read: "I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north -- an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures." Many New Agers think this v...

If you are a lay person, use this page only to satisfy your curiosity. The instructions on this page are for clergy who have an occasion to baptize by immersion, but don’t customarily do it that way. Special Cautions You can cause serious problems if you attempt to immerse infants or people who are ...

Jesus is well known for His continued emphasis on love, forgiveness, and "turning the other cheek." It is therefore surprising to find Jesus advising the disciples to buy a sword in Luke 22:36: "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and ...

Here are a few tips for making your sermons truly lousy, eminently forgettable, and completely ineffective. Quote too many scriptures or scholars Everyone already knows that you are an expert; that’s why they are listening attentively. There is no need for you to prove yourself. A whirlwind tour thr...

In Mark 11:23-24 we read, "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have receiv...

In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus said to the disciple Peter: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." As a backdrop to understanding this passage, wheat in ancient times was s...

In the Church, the day begins at sunset, so Easter Day really begins at sunset on what we call Saturday evening. The ancient Church held its main Easter service on Saturday evening, and some Orthodox churches have continued this tradition to the present day. The Easter Vigil service begins somberly ...

In Genesis 32:30 Jacob said, "I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared." Mormons sometimes cite this verse with a view to proving that God the Father has a physical body with a face that can be seen. This is a faulty interpretation. To begin, it is possible for a blind person to speak "fac...

First Kings 11:1-3 indicates that King Solomon had hundreds of wives and hundreds of concubines, many from lands of which God had previously instructed the Israelites to avoid intermarrying. God knew that such intermarrying would lead to the worship of false gods. Why, then, did Solomon do this? His...

In Jesus' instructions about prayer, He taught His followers: "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words" (Matthew 6:7). These words of Jesus were aimed straight at the Pharisees. These individuals always made a public show ...

I believe they did. Let us consider the apostle Paul as an example. In 1 Corinthians 2:13 the apostle Paul said he spoke "not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." In this passage, Paul (who wrote a huge portion of the ...