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Results		Verse	Author	ID#
101	Did my dad go to heaven or hell?	Matt 18:3	MJH	166871
	Tyronesedeno, A book that may be helpful in your search for answers would be "The Last Word and the Word After That" by Brian McLaren. It is written as a story but is about the topic of hell. A fictional pastor in the story is searching and has conversations with people in his life.....makes a theological question easier to read. MJH
102	Context versus what is translated.	1 Sam 25:22	MJH	166870
	Shythiyl, This does not pertain to your question, which was already answered, but your text of choice has been a problem with me when I was younger. In the NIV the text reads that David was going to kill all of the males of Nabal's household. Even the males it would seem that did nothing to him. But the original text in Hebrew DOES NOT SAY THIS! The literal translation says that, "everyone who pisses against the wall (ie. David) will not be left alive”, meaning those males who did not "piss" against David would not be harmed. The whole text is wonderful in the original with word plays. David is the “wall” that protects Nabal and his household, and David is saying that he is figuratively being pissed on by Nabal and his family for not being compensated. So in reality, David may be targeting women as well, but since the NIV didn't apparently want to use the word "piss" in the Holy Bible (even though God did) they figured, only men can "piss on a wall" given their anatomy, so we will change it to say "men" rather than "anyone who pisses against the wall." In light of the correct translation the text doesn't contradict justice...too bad for those who only read one translation (or ignore the original) as I once did. MJH
103	homeless children and battered childrens	1 John	MJH	166260
	I usually answer this question by saying, "This is why you are here, to do something about it. If everyone followed in action what the Bible says, then these problems would be solved." When one thinks that God should magically solve every problem on Earth, they are missing something. Where did they get this idea from? God never says this in the Bible…He lays out for us how to live our lives and expects us to follow. When we do, we do not see these problems, when we don’t following God’s teachings we have them all over. Next time you are on vacation, take note of places where the people seem to be godly in general, then take note of places where the opposite is true. Following God makes a difference because God’s teachings work, not because of inequity. (In fact inequity is a result of a failure to follow God’s teachings, not a cause of problems.) Notice the following passages: Deut 15:4 "However, there will be no poor among you, since the LORD will surely bless you in the land..." Deut 15:11 "For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'" The first verse (4) says that there will be no poor among you because you will be blessed. Then verse 11 says the opposite, that there will always be poor among you. Without going into all the theology of this chapter of scripture, God is saying (on one level) that your blessings will be such that there would be no need to have poor if you followed my law; but since you will not follow my teachings, there will always be poor among you. The United States of America is the most blessed nation in the world, and even though we as a country are feeding, helping, and protecting more people in the World with that wealth than every other country combined, we still have poor even among us. A country can not solve the problem with the poor, and the United Nations could never do it, and states can't do it, and county's or cities can not do it. ONLY YOU AND ME AND EVERY OTHER NEIGHBOR can do it. When I or you fail to help, then we will have poor. And one last note: A person does not need to believe in God for his teachings to work. Not speaking about salvation, but simply in what ones life is like, and those around them, when you follow God’s principles, you are blessed by those principles. MJH
104	Should we pray outside of God's will?	1 Pet 2:24	MJH	166094
	The original state of man was one where sickness and death did not exist. God is a God of life, health, wholeness in every way. He is a God of truth, love, mercy, grace, justice, and holiness. When we pray for the health of any person, we are praying the will of God. We are praying that the "Kingdom of Heaven" (The place where everything is as it ought to be) will be a reality in the illness of our loved one. The fact that we die, get sick without being healed, does not mean that God willed that to be. It was never meant to be this way. And in the World to Come it will no longer be this way. I am certainly inadequate in this short reply to give an answer to the BIG question, "Why do bad things happen to good people." But one thing is for certain, it is not the will of God that bad things happen, so praying for good is always praying the will of God. …one reason for God seeming to allow this to happen, is because of the nature of God. We have sinned, first through Adam, and of course personally. The nature of such a state is what we are living in now. I do not subscribe to the idea that God wills bad things to happen, but just the opposite. Jesus the Messiah is the ultimate proof that God’s will is that all things be reconciled to Him as they were meant to be, and soon (hopefully very soon) they will be. MJH
105	What are the limits of salvation?	2 Tim 3:15	MJH	165859
	Sorry for the late reply. 1) Many Christians assume that a mere intellectual accent to the facts of the faith is what “saves” a person from their sins and lead to salvation. Obviously one must have the intellectual accent to the facts of the faith, but that is not the extent of what the Biblical writers speak of. a) Jam 2:19 “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!” - This section of James letter is his attempt to help Greek thinking Jews among the nations understand a Hebrew concept. Greeks (as can be seen at Athens with Paul) prided themselves on hearing the latest thoughts, and it was common for one to distinguish between what they believed, and what they did. Just listen to some politicians even today, "My being a Catholic will have nothing to do with how I lead as a Senator." This is said as if it's the ideal, as if there can be a separation. - When James was following Jesus this argument would have sounded absurd to him (even though he later is the one who makes it), not because he would have disagreed, but that the argument would need to be made. 2) The first abridged answer to the previous question leads into the second. Is salvation a rescue from hell? Did Jesus or his followers see it that way? - They may have seen it that way as a distant thought, but it most definitely was not the driving force for what moved them nor should it be the driving force for what moves us. This may sound almost heretical, but scripture speaks for itself on this matter so much I’d have to quote nearly half the Bible to site all the examples. We are called to LIVE a certain kind of LIFE. The focus is on how we live our lives hear and now. Are we bringing more of God’s way into the world we live starting with ourselves or are we doing the opposite. Are we helping the orphans and widows? How many times does scripture speak of this? Even the parable about the sheep and goats is about how we live, not simply what we believe. - I am quite disappointed in the continued emphases on what happens when we DIE as if death is what it’s about. As if Jesus LIVED his LIFE to show us how to LIVE ours was only so we would be assured about our DEATH. (Caps are for emphases, not shouting.) I’m sure I’ve raised several red flags amongst the readers, so let me state emphatically…We are saved by faith in Jesus alone for salvation both now and in the world to come. It is not of our own doing, nor by works, but by grace alone. But show me your faith in the One True God, and then show me your life that is like the Accuser and I say you are in grave danger. But show me your life and how it reflects the character, love and mercy of the One True God yet your doctrine is messed up in lots of places, and I believe you are sitting in a good place…and should study and fix your doctrine, but I don’t believe there is a theology test at the pearly gates. MJH
106	Mentally incapacitated can be saved?	2 Tim 3:15	MJH	165500
	I notice that two very competent users have responded to your question already. In that light, I will not repeat what they said, but I think a couple of questions are in order. Your question makes two assumptions: 1) You seem to assume that salvation is determined by a cognitive accent to a Biblical belief. In other words, if I understand and say "Yes, I believe that…" then you are covered for your sins and "saved." Is this what the Scriptures teach concerning salvation? Also, the text quoted hear is to Timothy and refers to the Old Testament, not the New (although it also applies to the New Testament now, but when Timothy read it, there was no “New Testament.”) 2) Your question seems to assume that salvation is merely being rescued from hell in the life after. Is that your view of salvation and what Jesus gave His life for, or is it much more than that? MJH
107	What NAME do we call our GOD? Ex 3:14	Ex 3:15	MJH	164743
	The name of God is spelt using the four Hebrew letters, Yod, He, Vav, He. These four letters of God's name are also called the HEBREW TETRAGRAMMATON. I can not type Hebrew in the answer here, but you can find it by googling the word Tetragrammaton. The way the word if pronounced is lost to antiquity since the Jews, wanting to honor the 3rd commandment, would not utter the name out loud. It is NOT pronounced Jehovah, this we now know. The best guess is Yahweh. Some simply say the Hebrew letters (which sounds a lot like breathing in and out...so with each breath we take, we are speaking the name of God.) Some translations use LORD in all caps to replace the four letters. Others use Yahweh, or ADONI in all caps (Adoni is the word Lord in Hebrew.) I hope this helps, but I feel it may only complicate. Oh, and by the way, Jesus name is not Jesus but rather Yeshua. Yeshua means "God Saves or Salvation" And thus the passage where the angel tells Joseph to name the boy "Yeshua because he will save his peole from their sins."makes since in Hebrew. Also when Jesus says to Zacheus that he will be coming to his house he says, "Today salvation has come to your house." There is a play on words using Jesus' own name. Some people reject outright the name Jesus and claim it has pagan roots. The use of Jesus comes from translating the Hebrew name of Yeshua into the Greek and then into Latin and then to English. There are no pagan roots, but translation roots to the English name Jesus. MJH -
108	Jesus or Immanuel	Rev 21:3	MJH	164724
	Personally I like the book, "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel. It is a good easy read that delves into most areas of dispute that seekers have. It is not so deep and scholorly as to turn people off from the detail. Lee Strobel did not believe in Jesus until his wife came to the Lord and changed her life. Lee set out to disprove the facts of the Bible, only to become one of the pastors of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. MJH
109	why only one angel help in Daniel 10	Dan 10:21	MJH	164722
	It is a common believe that one angel comes for one message/purpose. An example would be the three that visit Abraham came with three messages. I have read some ancient Jewish "midrashim" (Commentaries) that make this statement and it seemed to me that it was commonly held. Therefore, Michael was sent because there was only one message. This answer is NOT directly from scripture and should not be taken as a definitive truth. The book of Enoch has a lot about angels that the first century Jewish person would have been aware of. This is not a Biblical text, and it was not thought to be authoritative in Jesus day, but it was well known. MJH
110	The actual date of the birth of Jesus?	Luke 2:1	MJH	163812
	Christmas was placed on December 25th because it was the winter solstice celebration of the pagan people who converted to Christianity near the 2nd-3rd centuries. Because the people wanted to continue to celebrate their festivals, the leaders of the faith at the time, finding it too hard to get them to stop celebrating the pagan holidays, decided to make them into Christian holidays. When was Jesus born? The true answer is that no one knows. But that being said, I would LOVE to speculate. The census was not a one day deal. There was a period of time when the people had to show up. Since Nazareth was a long ways from Bethlehem, it makes sense that Joseph would have registered at a time when he would be nearby anyway. Scripture tells us that Joseph went to all three festivals every year, so it only makes sense that the birth of Jesus would be near one of the three festival times set aside in the Torah for the men to go to Jerusalem. Joseph would have taken Mary because it was close to the time to give birth. Why wouldn’t he stay and wait to register latter if he had a window of time to register? Because Joseph wasn’t going to miss a festival of the Lord for any reason. He, knowing the significance of this child, was not going to leave Mary behind either. Not to mention the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy. In 1st century Judaism, Jesus would have been either a Mamzer (Hebrew for basterd), or at the least a “doubtful mamzer.” The Mishnah (Oral Law, Traditions of the Elders) has many laws about what such a child could and could not do which is fascinating and would have made them outcasts among the devout. There must have been family tensions that Joseph and Mary were happy to leave behind for a while. Why did Mary not find room in a home to give birth? Think about it. Even a stranger would want to give up their accommodations for a pregnant woman giving birth, but for some reason, Joseph can not find room in the small village of his (and Mary’s) own ancestry. This is fascinating. Why do they even go to an Inn if they are in their families home town? Probably because they were outcasts do to Mary being pregnant out of marriage (see pervious paragraph) After the shepherds come and spread the “Good news” to the whole town, Joseph and Mary find themselves in a house according to Matthew. Maybe the family had a change of heart? I believe Jesus was born during the Feast of Booths, was crucified during Passover, sent the Holy Spirit on the feast of Weeks, and the Trumpet will would on the Day of Trumpets, and on the day of Atonement the Lord will return. OKAY, this is very speculative, and no, I do not subscribe to Hal Lindsey, but hey, it’s a lot more logical than December 25th. We know that during the feast of booths (Tabernacles or Sukkot), the people were to spend the week living in “booths” or temporary shelters. This is exactly what a stable would have been. One more thought that supports a birth during a festival. When would the Inn be full? During any ‘ol day of the year, or when hundreds of thousands of Jews from the world over were visiting Jerusalem for a festival just up the road? The Bethlehem Inn was excavated some distance north of Bethlehem (closer to Jerusalem near the main road.) It housed the people on a second floor, and the animals were kept below the rooms. They believe that the best place to find privacy would be in the stable under the Inn rooms. This is a possibility for the birth place as well as the cave theory. This would have been cleaner, had access to clean straw, and provided a place for the animals to move to (I doubt they were in the same room like our nativity scenes show). Of course the early church fathers say it was a cave and that’s some good evidence. MJH
111	Praying for the 'World'.	Matt 5:44	MJH	163615
	Sonlite. You are in a good place. I joined in on this forum some time ago and it has been very fruitful for me in exploring new ideas and questions about the scripture. Many people hear are wroth listening to. I too have been raised in the church and held pretty much to the same doctrinal views for the first 29 years of my life. After joining a new church and meeting some new people, my views have been challenged a lot. After 4-5 years of this, I now actually have many more questions than before, but my views of God, Jesus, and His Word have become so much more great. The awe and worship of such a great God has changed not just my thinking, but my life and actions. There are MANY benefits for growing up in and staying within the same community of believers (there is plenty of Biblical evidence that this is the ideal.) However, doing so can make one think that "we have it figured out." All questions have an answer that is correct and that's that. But is that possible. Can a finite being understand fully an infinite God? Systematic theology, for all its good points, often removes the "mystery" of God that is so wonderful. I cherish my up bringing and love the church that brought me into the world of God very much. Without their dedication, the roots of my faith would not have been so deep, and the trails I have followed may have uprooted some of my faith, rather that cause it to bloom. I have seen people loose much of their faith because they were knew to Christianity and followed many of the same paths I followed, but did not have that deep root into a faith that has been tested by time, trials, as well as joys. All questions are worth asking, even the "scary" ones, because ultimately, on the other end, your faith will be stronger and you will probably be asking more questions and more questions... MJH
112	Sex before marriage and lesbian passages	1 Cor 6:16	MJH	157956
	When I was in my early 20's and working at a factory for the summer, there were men there that boasted of many things. When it became clear that I was a virgin, and they believed me, and that I was proud of it, some of them were amazed. One of them who was probably the most sexually driven asked me privately why I was proud to be a virgin. I had the opportunity to explain what a husband/wife relationship could look like, and that cheating on my future wife was still cheating. But then I said something that really struck him to the heart in a convicting way. I said, "I can be what you are any day I choose. It would not be difficult. But you can never be what I am." To this he had to agree. So, before I was married, I reminded those who thought they were something for having sex, that the REAL triumph was in being able to wait. Anyone can lose their virginity, but only a strong man can keep it for his spouse. MJH
113	1 Samuel 15:3 - a loving God?	Ps 115:3	MJH	157832
	A fairly good web site that gives answer to this question is found at www.theology.edu/canaan.htm MJH
114	Be fruitful, multiply or God's guidance	Rom 14:23	MJH	155990
	My wife and I spent a good amount of time looking into this very question. Read a lot of books and of course sought out the Bible and guidance in prayer. We ended up in a place I never thought I would. Even when we agree to look into this very question, I had my mind pre-made up. But.... Now we will have the children God blesses us with. There are sub-questions we ask, such as "Should we do Natural Family Planning until the new baby is old enough to wean in case my wife's milk supply dries up if she becomes pregnant?" (Believe it or not, the ancient Jews had discussed this very question, and said that â€œ[Natural Family Planning] was expected lest the baby wean too early and die.â€ That was a discussion prior to 200 AD.) Like I said, I didn't expect to end up here, but I am glad I did. Now I bite my lip when I listen to people's discussion about how many babies they will allow God to bless them with. Good question, and regardless of what your conclusion, keep asking and seeking answer to questions. If you want resources, I'll be glad to dig them up, at least the ones we used. MJH
115	When babies die?	Bible general Archive 2	MJH	153853
	Get the book, "I'll Hold You in Heaven" by Jack Hayford. ISBN 0830732594 Book Description (From Amazon.com) For those who have lost a child to death, Jack Hayford provides compassionate answers to troubling questions such as, What happened to my baby after it died? Will I ever see my baby again-and will I recognize him? what happens if I've had an abortion? Does God have a reason for letting my child die? God's Word shines with hope in the dark night of human pain. God showed his tenderness when David lost the child he had with Bathsheba shortly after its birth. In his pain and grief, David spoke the word of revelation-reassuring word of God's truth-saying, "I will go to (my child) but he will not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:19-23). The freeing truth of the Word of God promises that, like David, you will hold your child again in heaven.
116	Is lucifer an angel? Heaven?	Rev 12:9	MJH	153494
	See also Luke 10:18.
117	Will there be a partial rapture?	1 Thess 4:17	MJH	153491
	Kalos, Who says that the believer will be raptured rather than the non-believer. No where in scripture does it say which will go and which will stay. Jesus' parable states that two women will be in a field and one will be gone, but He does not say which. First century Judaism (at least that I am aware of...) does not show any picture of the faithful leaving to be with God, but God coming to be with His people. 1 Thess. has the best evidence that the rapture is a picture of believers "going to be with the Lord" but the picture is of a King coming to the people. In the first century, the people would leave their town, village, or city to meet the King (Emperor) on the way, and then all go back to the city with the King. (Trumpets announcing the Kings arrival were all apart of the production.) So, before one can answer the question about 1 or 2 raptures, one needs to know who is being raptured. Also, the rest of scripture is ALWAYS showing a picture of God making his dwelling among mankind, not the reverse. ... MJH
118	New Wine vs. Fermented	Bible general Archive 2	MJH	153490
	Jesus drank fermented wine as did every Jew of his day (as well as their children) during the Passover. Only those taking a Nazarite Vow would abstain from fermented wine or anything from the grape vine for a period of time (about 3 months usually). Or in the case of Samson, for life. Some Pastors teach that Jesus and the first Christians did not drink fermented wine in order to justify their church's "rule" to not drink at all, but these arguments are not historically accurate. If a church chooses to make a "rule" to abstain from alcohol of any kind, that is fine. Elders can add certain rules or yokes for their congregations (binding and losing), and their congregations should abide by them if they attach themselves to that community of believers, but to claim something about Jesus and the disciples that is patently false to justify it is wrong. MJH Scripture: Num 6:3; Luke 1:15 (why say John the Baptist can not drink "strong drink" if no one did?); John 2; 1 Cor 11:21; etc...
119	what color was jesus christ to look upon	Bible general Archive 2	MJH	153475
	Confusing question . . . Jesus was born in Israel, Bethlehem, and lived and grew up in northern Israel in Nazareth. He was Jewish and therefore one can assume he was the same color as every other Jew or Israelite at the time. He was not from Africa, but did spend time there when a very young child. But, as the others have asked, what is the purpose of the question? Especially since the answer is historically obvious. Does it matter his color? No. Does it matter his genealogy and race? YES. The Messiah had to be an Israelite from the tribe of Judah; therefore he had to be a Jew. MJH
120	Why can we not just be Christians?	1 Pet 1:2	MJH	151878
	I believe that we are doing God's will by participating in these types of discussions. One of the ways in which Jesus (and all the Rabbis during His time) taught was by asking a question, and the answer would be formed as another question, therefore adding to the discussion. AND, during Jesus time, there were 8 great debates (and hundreds of little debates). Jesus participated in all of the big 8 debates. Now, we know that Jesus' answers were the right ones, but one thing Jesus NEVER did was to denounce the debates, rather he encouraged them. The election/forknowledge/free choice debate is one of my favorite. I think Paul gives a great reply to these discussions by saying . . . "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:33-36 MJH

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