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How many Christians are regular followers of TV faith healers like Benny Hinn? I do not believe that Benny Hinn is a man who submits to the God of the Bible. He believes in another God entirely...one who gives you whatever you ask for, like an indulgent parent. Have people been helped by his ministry? I have no doubts about that. Have people also been hurt by it? Yes, to be certain. If God could use Balaam's ass, he can use Benny Hinn. I just wish Hinn would...

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How do you know if you are being called to be a minister? I asked the same question of several people I trusted and respected, who had all claimed to have been called. Interestly, they all had the same answer (though I asked them separately): If you can't imagine doing anything else with your life and being fulfilled, you should get started answering that call. You may find in the process that you're not heading in the right direction,...

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What is Sheol? A more full answer might mention the story told by Jesus in Luke 16, describing a place where both the righteous and unrighteous dead reside separately. Traditionally, the righteous were in "Abraham's Bosom" (or "Paradise") and the unrighteous were in "Sheol". This seems to be what Jesus meant when He told the thief that he'd be with Him in Paradise...

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How does the act of killing Jesus Christ redeem us? Let's look at this logically: 1. Jesus was, according to Revelation 13, slain before the creation (or foundation) of the world. This means that it was part of God's original plan. 2. The Law came later...saying that there's no remission of sin without the shedding of blood (Leviticus 17:11). 3. Obviously, God chose this method of redemption over all others. Why? Because...

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What is the explanation for the Christian God's transition from a wrathful god of war into the modern day god of peace and love? God's judgment and God's mercy are both found in either testament. It's a common misunderstanding that God was wrathful in the Old Testament and loving in the New Testament. The question is usually better asked "why does it appear that God changed?". The answer is, as has been suggested, that His interaction with us changed. We see this foretold in Jeremiah 31,...

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If Jesus and God are the same, who was in heaven when Jesus was on the Earth? While Jesus IS God, He is NOT the Father. The Father sent Him. Jesus did His Father's will. Jesus returned to the Father. They're not the same, despite the fact that both are God. There's no Scriptural warrant for the claim that Jesus was "a god". Instead, there's plenty of Scripture that shows otherwise. Jesus did what only God could do: for example, He forgave...

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Why did God institute the Sabbath? Like every part of the Law, the Sabbath points us to Christ. The Jews had to repeat sacrifices over and over to make sure of their standing with God. This was symbolized by the fact that the priests couldn't sit down in the Temple: their work was never complete. This 'striving' was put to an end on the cross. Hebrews 10 tells us that Jesus' sacrifice ended the striving:...

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I have to attend a social event where there will be a large number of devout Christians. Is there anything in particular I should consider behaviour or dress-wise? A wise question. You seem concerned about avoiding offending people unnecessarily, which is very mature. I wish everyone accepted everyone else regardless, but that's not reality. No matter where you go, someone won't like what you wear...so take it all with a grain of salt: Avoid clothing that's designed to draw sexual attention...form-fitting tops, hip-huggers, etc. You...

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Can you be "born again" twice? There's no evidence in the Bible that anyone was ever 'born again' again.

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If Jewish Kosher laws are based on Scriptures Christians also read, why don't Christians observe Kosher laws? I'm a Christian, but I'm not Jewish. Why would I try to take part in Jewish traditions? Response: The Bible doesn't teach that Gentiles become Jews when they turn to Christ. Paul certainly maintained the distinction between Jews and Gentiles throughout Romans. This so-called "replacement theology" comes from British Israelism and is nothing but bunk.

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If God created man in His image, why are we not sin free? Mankind was indeed created in God's image, but that image was never "complete"...in other words, we were never exactly like God. We were given some of His attributes, but not His character. The images of God in man is now marred by sin. Adam and Eve were sin-free at one point...but they had the capacity, as God intended, to choose to do wrong. They did, and things changed.

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If I go to heaven and my spouse goes somewhere else, I will be unhappy in heaven. Can someone explain this paradox? Our marriage to Christ is symbolic, written in terms that we'll understand based on the symbol used in Scripture.

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Are there any places on the Internet where one can access different Bible translations? Here's a short list of some great free Bible resources online: http://thebiblerocks.com/resources/

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If masturbating is a sin then how do I release the sexual "pressure" that builds up inside me, aside from having nocturnal emissions? There's nothing in the Bible that suggests that masturbation is wrong or bad. Certainly, as with anything else, masturbation can become an obsession...but it's not inherently sinful.

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Does religion really matter, or is the important thing just belief in God? Belief in God is good. The religion you choose is irrelevant...unless, of course, that religion is untrue. It's important to ask tough questions about faith. Zen, for example, teaches that something can be true and untrue at the same time. This seems like nonsense to most of the rest of us. Mormonism, as another example, teaches that Jesus came to America after His resurrection...but...

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How does one get ordained? According to the Bible, God ordains ministers. Churches and denominations can do no more than recognize and acknowledge God's ordination prior to giving someone a position of responsibility and authority. Each church has different criteria that ministerial applicants must meet, but (in theory, anyway) all of those criteria are designed to determine whether someone has indeed been...

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If I go to heaven and my spouse goes somewhere else, I will be unhappy in heaven. Can someone explain this paradox? The Bible is chock full of symbols that help us understand who God is and what He wants from us. Marriage is one of those symbols. As with all Biblical symbols, marriage simply points us to a greater reality. The Bible describes marriage as a way for us to understand the love of God. Marriage is a very good thing, or should be...but it wasn't designed to be permanent. It was designed...

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How can I write a letter to my pastor and congregation telling them of my need to attend another church? Having been a pastor, I can say this with confidence: your pastors are there to serve YOU, not the other way around. You owe them no allegiance, and certainly no explanations. If you wish to tell them why you're moving on, they'll probably appreciate it...but you don't need their blessing, permission, or approval. Do what you think is best...and don't forget to ask God...

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If God is against homosexuality, why would he allow people to be born gay, or even bisexual? God isn't "against" homosexuals...He's only "against" anything that keeps us from becoming who we should be. That apparently includes lying, stealing, overeating, and homosexual activity - to name only a few. Homosexuality isn't a special kind of sin, and God's not irrationally biased against homosexuals. There's ZERO solid evidence that anyone is...

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