Paul claimed to be an apostle and saw Jesus. The choice of Matthias to be the successor of Judas by the Eleven was before the descent of the holy spirit at Pentecost. Was Paul the successor of Judas, remembering there were to be but twelve Apostles, and that Matthias was not afterward heard of?
The eleven apostles were acting without authority in selecting Matthias to be the successor of Judas. Jesus had instructed them to stay in Jerusalem and to wait for the outpouring of the holy spirit at Pentecost. It was during this waiting period and [...]
What is the scriptural method of ordination of church leaders? Should the congregation choose its representatives?
Priestcraft, and not the teachings of our Lord and his apostles, is responsible for the division of the church into two classes called "clergy" and "laity." It is still the spirit of priestcraft that seeks [...]
Please explain 1 John 3:8: "Whosoever is born of God doth not sin; for His seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin because he is born of God."
A better translation from the original Greek manuscripts renders the passage as, "No one who has been begotten by God practices sin; because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he has [...]
One of the commandments of the Bible reads, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” How may I know who is my neighbor?
Our Lord gives a clear answer to this question in `Luke 10:29-37`. He describes a man in distress and need. A priest came along and seeing the man passed by on the other side as [...]
Can the dead talk to the living?
The Scriptures unmistakably teach that the dead are unconscious in the tomb and will not be awakened until the resurrection morning. The Bible explains about fallen angels - demons - who left their former habitation [...]
Can you explain the words of the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 7:14): "For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the (believing) wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the (believing) husband; else were your children unclean (sinners under condemnation, unjustified, unrelated to God, aliens from His care and blessing) but now are they holy"?
The disobedience and alienation of Adam and Eve from the Heavenly Father brought alienation to all their offspring. Whereas, the reconciliation of the Lord's people through the merits of the great atonement brings them back [...]
Is a lie ever justifiable?
The development of character is the main purpose of our present existence. The importance of this work is manifest when we reflect that our interests throughout eternity depend entirely upon the kind of character we [...]
Did Ananias tell the first lie, and is that the reason why we often speak of an "Ananias Club" whose members are reported to be notorious liars?
The Lord Jesus declared that Satan told the fist lie, saying, "He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a [...]
What is meant by the expression, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”? (`Exod. 21:24`.)
The Law given to the Israelites by the Lord, through Moses as the Mediator for that nation, was designed to emphasize and impress the lesson of the Divine principle of JUSTICE on the minds of [...]
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 [...]
Was Job a real person or only an allegorical character?
We believe Job to have been a real human man. He is so referred to in the following Scriptures: Job 1:1, Ezekiel 14:14-20 and James 5:1. However, a great allegorical lesson is taught by Job's experiences. [...]
We know what becomes of the obedient and disobedient, but there is another class, which really cannot be called obedient nor yet disobedient. I mean the irresponsible, and they who love this present world and have not even a desire to know what God requires of them, and which, in my opinion, form the vast majority of mankind even in this enlightened age (so-called). What becomes of them?
The answering of this question involves the consideration of the doctrines of "Election" and "Free Grace," both clearly taught in the scriptures, as all Bible Scholars recognize. It is only within recent years that the [...]
How and to what extent were the Apostles inspired?
There are some at the present day who believe that modern authors, teachers and poets are as fully inspired as were the Apostles. Even some clergymen apparently have the thought that they themselves are as [...]
Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Mark 10:14). Does this not mean that there will be infants in heaven?
There is a simplicity and gentleness about little children. The disciples thought Jesus was too busy to be bothered by children. But this was not true. Jesus understood that Jewish mothers wanted Him to give their little ones [...]
Is it true the "Highway of Holiness" is opened now and that the way of salvation is so plain that a "wayfaring man though a fool shall not err therein" (Isaiah 35:8-10)?
The Bible teaches that God, through His mercy and grace, provides mankind with not one, but two paths to salvation; one present and one future. Both paths are made possible by the sacrifice Jesus made [...]
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, [...]
Please explain what is meant by Preaching the Gospel, and what is the Gospel?
The word gospel signifies a message of glad tidings. Preaching the Gospel means proclaiming the good tidings, or massage of gladness, to others. When the Lord Jesus came He declared, "The spirit of the Lord [...]
The Apostle says, "We are fools for Christ's sake!" What did he mean by this expression? How are Christians made fools? See 1 Corinthians 4:10.
The Apostle Paul, because of his zeal and earnestness in the cause of Christ, had suffered opposition and persecution of various kinds and had even endured hunger and thirst and hardships, as he proceeds to [...]
`Heb. 11:5`, we read that Enoch was translated that he should not see death. Then in the `13th verse` we read that these all DIED in faith, referring to those mentioned in the preceding verses. Would this include Enoch among those mentioned? And if so please harmonize the two statements.
From the Genesis statement (`Gen. 5:22-24`) and the Apostles' words in the 5th verse of this 11th chapter of Hebrews, (`Heb. 11:5`) we are inclined to believe that the Lord translated Enoch that he should [...]
What did Christ mean when he referred to John the Baptist as Elijah? (Matthew 17:11,12 – Mount of Transfiguration) Is this evidence that he recognized reincarnation as a truth?
The theory of reincarnation is nowhere taught in the Scriptures. Our Lord Jesus and the apostles never, in all their teachings, said a word about reincarnation. As to the meaning of the Savior's words referred to [...]
Where does the Bible say Jesus was 40 days old when he was presented in consecration to the heavenly Father by his parents? Is this the basis for the custom observed by some in presenting their children to the Lord?
As narrated in Luke 2:21-23, the mother of Jesus, in conformity with the Law given to the Israelites by God through Moses, presented him in consecration to the heavenly Father. (See Exodus 13:12,15) This presentation [...]
What is conscience?
Man when created was endowed with the moral faculties; that is, the faculties with which to determine between the right and the wrong. The faculties were perfect in the first man formed by the Creator. [...]