Tag: Questions

Matthew 27:5 tells us that Judas died by hanging himself. Acts 1:18 tells us that Judas fell onto some rocks and his body burst open. Is there a contradiction here? No. Both accounts are true. Apparently Judas first hanged himself. Then, at some point, the rope either broke or loosened so that his b...

There are two types of sermons—prewritten and extemporaneous. There is no particular value in one type or the other, but there are occasions when it is handy to be able to preach a well organized sermon off the cuff. So if you prewrite your sermons, but you want to learn to speak extemporaneously, h...

In Luke 18:18-23 Jesus answered the question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" by telling the rich young ruler to keep the commandments (v. 20). Does this statement support the idea of salvation by grace plus works? No. There is no evidence here or elsewhere that Jesus taught that good work...

It is customary to cross oneself when invoking the Trinity, before and after prayer, and at other times, which you can learn by observing other people in your church. You can also cross yourself when you need to pray but you are at a loss for words. If you are a Protestant, don’t get all huffy and s...

In 3 John 2 we read: "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." Some people have cited this verse in support of what they call the "prosperity gospel." But this is a misunderstanding of the verse. The Greek word for "prosper" here refers...

These are my personal suggestions for Protestant ministers whose denominations don’t give them guidance on what to wear while they conduct worship. I am following the general ecumenical practice in the United States. Presbyterians can use these suggestions; however, if they wish to wear the distinct...