Bible Q&A: Does the Holy Spirit Coming Upon Cornelius Before His Baptism Show That He Was Saved Before Baptism?

The Holy Spirit gave Cornelius the ability to speak in tongues before he was baptized.  Does this show that one does not need to be baptized in order to be saved? No, for several reasons. First, Jesus said specifically that baptism is required for salvation (Mk. 16:16).  So did Peter, the apostle who was speaking… Read More Bible Q&A: Does the Holy Spirit Coming Upon Cornelius Before His Baptism Show That He Was Saved Before Baptism?

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Zechariah: Wickedness in a Basket (The Seventh Vision)

Inside the basket sat a woman (5:7b).  If this were a literal human woman, then she must have been a very tiny woman so as to fit inside a basket which would only hold about six or seven gallons of material.  Considering that the prophet did not understand what he was seeing and thus required the angel to explain it to him, it’s more likely that this was a small figurine of a woman instead of a literal human female.  Since the angel then apparently took the woman out of the basket, said of her, “This is Wickedness,” and then “thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening” (5:8), it’s logical to conclude that the “woman” was in fact an idol in the form of the figurine of some pagan goddess probably worshiped by the locals living around Jerusalem as the Jews were rebuilding the temple.… Read More Zechariah: Wickedness in a Basket (The Seventh Vision)

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My Thoughts on a Divine Warning Given to a Nation

Jesus warned that riches could — and in many cases, would — become a great distraction and keep us from becoming what God would have us to be (Lk. 8:14).  This was true for Old Testament Israel.  Moses warned them that their prosperity might cause them to give themselves rather than God the credit for their good fortune and turn away from serving Him, resulting ultimately in their own destruction as a nation. It is true for us today as well.… Read More My Thoughts on a Divine Warning Given to a Nation

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Following Jesus Requires Taking Genesis Literally

Think about it. If Jesus had not lived a sinless life, then dying on the cross would have accomplished nothing.  He would not have been our propitiation and Savior by doing so, because God required a sinless sacrifice. Yet in order to live a sinless life, Jesus had have always told the truth.  Always (1 Pet. 1:22).  If there was any dishonesty coming out of his mouth…ever…then he would not longer be sinless and thus not our Savior.  That would make the Christian religion as a whole a sham and meaningless. With this in mind, consider what Jesus said about the events recorded in the book of Genesis.… Read More Following Jesus Requires Taking Genesis Literally

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Bible Q&A: How Long Would You Recommend Discussing the Bible With Someone on Social Media?

How long would you recommend discussing the Bible with someone on social media? It depends. Do they seem receptive to scriptural truth?  Are they argumentative and combative?  Do they agree on some scriptural truths but disagree — yet in a respectful, friendly way — in other things the Bible brings out? If they seem receptive… Read More Bible Q&A: How Long Would You Recommend Discussing the Bible With Someone on Social Media?

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Zechariah: The Curse of the Flying Scroll (The Sixth Vision)

Israel had gone into Assyrian captivity and Judah had gone into Babylonian captivity because of their unrepentant disobedience (Hos. 4:2-3; Mic. 2:2-3).  By going into captive exile, they had already been “purged away” in those instances, and it seems Zechariah’s vision here servers as both a reminder and a warning for them to not make the same mistakes again. Christians, would God send a curse upon us because of unrepentant sin in our lives (cf. Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16-17)?  Let us examine ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5).   … Read More Zechariah: The Curse of the Flying Scroll (The Sixth Vision)

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Bible Q&A: In Romans 8:29-30, Was Paul Talking About God’s Foreknowledge of Israel (Rom. 11:2)?

In Romans 8:29-30, was Paul talking about God’s foreknowledge of Israel from Romans 11:2? Paul was not speaking about the nation of Israel as a whole in Romans 8:29-30.  Rather, he was speaking of the spiritual Israel of the New Covenant which is the church (cf. Rom. 2:28-29). Keep reading in Romans 11 down through… Read More Bible Q&A: In Romans 8:29-30, Was Paul Talking About God’s Foreknowledge of Israel (Rom. 11:2)?

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