John 20:23 says: "If you forgive anyone his sins they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." If after you had sinned against a person and asked to be forgiven, have you received forgiveness even though the person in question did not forgive you?

This scripture needs to be looked at in context of the two preceding scriptures. After Jesus was resurrected, he appears to his apostles and tells them, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and [...]

How do you surrender fully to God?

Total submission to God requires sacrificing your self-will in every matter of life in order to do the will of God. When you surrender your will to God, you make a covenant of sacrifice.  You sincerely endeavor to live a life that is pleasing to [...]

Which scriptures pertain to intoxicating wine versus non-intoxicating wine (sweet wine or grape juice)? What is the difference between old and new wine? In Regard to the miracle that Jesus performed in Cana, what is the difference between the "best" wine that was served at the end and the inferior wine that was served earlier?

The difference between old and new wine is based on fermentation. Old wine is fermented and has an alcoholic content. The new wine mentioned in the Bible is usually grape juice and has no alcoholic content.The word “wine” is mentioned 231 times in the [...]

How long was Jesus in the grave for?

The Jews began the celebration of the Feast of Passover after the 14th of Nissan, which is referred to as the Preparation Day. Jesus was killed on the Preparation Day. (See Luke 23:54 and Matthew 27:62.) Preparation Day was when the lambs were killed [...]

Will you kindly explain the seemingly harsh Bible statement, the expression of the Savior, as given in the `24th chapter of Matthew, the 19th verse`– “And woe be unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days?”

This expression is a portion of our Lord's great prophecy relating to events and conditions that would develop in the last days of the Christian dispensation. As with all prophetic expressions it is in highly figurative language. The clue to the understanding of this [...]

If hatred is not a virtue, why does it say in Ecclesiastes 3:8 "There is a time to hate?" Why does Christ say in Luke 14:2: "If any man come to me and HATE not his father and mother, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple?"

Our Lord in all of his instructions to his followers continually admonished them to love one another, and not only this but that they were to love their enemies as well (John 13:35, Matthew 5:43,44-46, 1 Peter 2:23). Therefore, it would not be consistent [...]

What is the "key of knowledge" referred to in Luke 11:52, where the Lord Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees "Ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered?"

The “key of knowledge” was the scriptural truth of Jesus' Messiahship that would have allowed the Jewish people as a nation to be a part of the heavenly kingdom. In context, this was the first of seven “woes” Jesus pronounced on the Pharisees. The [...]

At the transfiguration of Jesus, Matthew 17:3, states that Elias and Moses appeared and talked with him. Will you please explain how it was possible for the apostles to recognize that these two who were with the Lord were Moses and Elias?

The scriptures do not tell us how the apostles recognized the vision of the Patriarchs. However, we would like to suggest two reasonable solutions. In the account it says, "There appeared unto them Moses and Elias, talking with him." During this conversation it would be natural [...]

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