An 8 lesson series based on questions submitted to The Gospel of Christ. These Bible questions are answered with Bible answers.
Questions 1-4
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
In Jeremiah 37:17 the question was asked, “Is there any word from the Lord?”
We welcome you today to our new series of lessons entitled ‘Bible Questions and Answers.’
Occasionally people submit questions for us through our website or email, and we want to answer those questions. Many of these are very good questions, questions that I suspect many of us have wondered about in the past. We hope you'll stay tuned as we're going to look to the Bible for the answer to these wonderful questions today.
Questions for this session:
1. Is it scriptural for a woman to pray in worship when men are present?’
2. Does the Scripture teach that Mary remained a virgin all her life?’
3. Is sprinkling an acceptable mode of baptism?’
4. I once heard someone say that to be saved we need to say the sinner's prayer. I've been looking into that idea some, where is the sinner's prayer found at in the Bible?’
(The full transcript is available in the "Download Document" button above.)
Questions 5-9
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
In Romans 4:3 a great question is asked, “What does the Scripture say?”
Welcome to our Bible questions and answers series. This is the second lesson in our Bible questions and answers series, and we're so glad that you've joined us for this exciting study. We've got some really good questions that have been asked by users of our website or those who listen to our program, and we're going to give a Bible answer to those questions today. Some of these questions you've even thought about yourself, and so we hope you'll stay tuned as we're going to look to God's word that has the answer to all questions.
Questions for this session:
1. I recently heard someone say they needed to have their baby baptized because babies are born in sin. Does the Bible teach babies are born in sin?’
2. Some people call their church by different names of men or different words or actions in the Bible. Does it matter what name we call the church? Does it matter today what name we call the church?
3. The thief on the cross,” the writer says, “was saved without baptism. Please explain why you teach baptism is essential to salvation.”
4. Why do Catholic bishops not marry and teach that one must not be married to be a bishop when in 1 Timothy 3:1 following the Bible says they have to be married to be a bishop?’
(The full transcript is available in the "Download Document" button above.)
Questions 10-14
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
We welcome you today to our Bible question and answer series. This is our third installment in this series of Bible questions and answers, and we have some really good questions that we're excited about looking to the word of God for the answer. I bet that you’ve had some of these questions even in your own mind. We're going to let God's word answer these questions.
Questions for this session:
1. Is hell a real place of eternal torment?’
2. I recently heard of someone being voted into a certain denomination to receive membership. Is this scriptural? How did people become members of the church in the Bible?’
3. I have friends who take of the Lord's Supper once a month at their church. How often did Christians partake of the Lord's supper in the Bible?
4. I've heard people say that the birth in water Jesus spoke about is what happens when you are born physically into this world. Would you please explain the teaching of Jesus in John 3:3-5?
(The full transcript is available in the "Download Document" button above.)
Questions 15-20
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
We welcome you today to our Bible questions and answers series.
We have some really good questions that we're going to look to the word of God for answers. I suspect that maybe even you have thought about some of these questions and are wondering- what does the Bible say on this subject?
Questions for this session:
1. Should we fear the Lord today or should we just respect Him? What does the Bible say about Christians fearing the Lord?
2. Sometimes I see people who sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and have things like a birthday cake and a party for Jesus on December 25. Does the Bible say December 25 is the birthday of Jesus and should we be celebrating His birthday?
3. What is the rock that the church is built on that is mentioned in Matthew 16:18-19? Is that rock Peter?
4. It seems like every time I go to church, they're asking me for money. I get so tired of this. What does the Bible say about the church asking for money?
(The full transcript is available in the "Download Document" button above.)
Questions 21-25
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
The Bible says “I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation,” Romans 1:16.
We welcome you today to our study of the word of God. In today's lesson, we're thinking about Bible questions and answers. We're continuing with our Bible question and answer series.
If you've got a question you'd like to submit for this series, you can send those questions to us by email, http://question@thegospelofchrist.com, or you can visit our website, http://thegospelofchrist.com/questions and submit those. We will answer them by the word of God.
We now begin with our first question that has been submitted by one of our viewers. The question is asked: Dear sirs, do you believe that God heals people today?
Indeed, what a good question that is! It's one that all of us have thought about from time to time for the reason being, we all suffer and have sickness from time to time. There isn't a person alive who doesn't face some type of suffering, sickness, disease, or illness. We're looking for help, help beyond maybe even what the medical field can give us. We long for and we desire the divine help of God.
Does the Bible teach that God heals people today? He absolutely does. The scripture affirms that God does that through the power of prayer today.
I want to direct your attention to James 5:13 and following. The Bible says, "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing songs. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders in the church. Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effect of fervent prayer of a righteous man overcomes much."
From this verse, we hear God say, ‘is anybody suffering?’ What's the answer so that? Pray. ‘Is anybody cheerful?’ Let him sing songs. ‘Is anyone sick?’ Let him call for the elders of the church to let them pray over him,-and the prayer of faith, there's the idea- the prayer of faith will save him.
Does God still heal people today? He absolutely does, through the power of prayer. We have the privilege to approach the throne of God, the throne of grace, and find help. Hebrews 4:16 says it this way. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we might find grace and mercy to help in time of need." In the New Testament, we definitely know that God still heals people today.
In fact, you find that principle even under the Old Testament. Here's a beautiful passage that illustrates God's power to heal from the Old Testament. 2 Kings chapter 20, look what God says to King Hezekiah in verse number five. "God said to His prophet, return and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, ‘thus says the LORD, the God of David, your father.’" Now, listen to this. "I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Surely I will heal you." Hezekiah became sick, and so in his sickness and distress, he turned to God in prayer and made his request known to God. God said, ‘I've heard your prayer. I've seen your tears. I will heal you.’
Friend, the simple fact is that God does still heal people today, but maybe even more of an important question we might want to ask is- how is God healing people today? Is God healing people today maybe the way Jesus or the apostles did in the first century? For example, is somebody going to go around today by the power of miracles and heal someone
who's got a withered arm? Is somebody going to go to the cemetery and raise somebody who's dead like Jesus did Lazarus? Are we living in the age where men and women can miraculously do that today?
No, that's not the way God's healing. I Corinthians 13:8-10 teach us that the age of the miraculous, the ability to understand that miracle and the miraculous, the ability to pass that gift on, has come to an end. God still heals through the power of prayer. If I want to receive God's healing, and if it's according to God's will, then friend, I pray to God. I ask for God's help. The Bible says, ‘if anyone's suffering, he can pray.’ He can call for the elders of the church, and they'll pray over him. It is the prayer of faith that will save that individual.
So to answer the question, yes, God still heals today. He does that through the power and the avenue of prayer, which is a wonderful Christian privilege.
We now move to our second question that's been submitted. The question is: How do I get God's guidance today, and where do I go in life from here? Basically, the individual's asking, how do I get God's direction? Where can I go learn what God wants me to do in this life and in my life right now? Where do I go from here? How do I live a life that's pleasing to God?
Friend, what a great question that indeed is. Where do we get God's guidance today? Well, friend, God's guidance is found in his word. God gives us direction through his word. The Bible says in Jeremiah 10:23, “Oh Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself. It's not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” How do I get God's guidance? Not in men. Not in men's ideas and ways. Isaiah 55:7-11 God says, “My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are not your thoughts.”
God's guidance is found in His word. The Bible is the inspired word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the Bible- God's word- God's breathed out word, has everything we need for life in godliness. 2 Peter 1:3, “It is all truth.” John 17:17, if I will live by it and follow it, friend, I will assure you, if you want God's guidance, turn no further than the word of God.
Let's be careful in this area, because sometimes people want to turn to men for God's guidance. They want other people to tell them what to do and make a study for them and tell them what God wants them to do. Friend, I need to be sure to study the Bible for myself. 2 Timothy 2:15 and Acts 17:11, we need to search the scriptures daily. We need to realize God's ways may be different than what someone else is telling you. They may not be telling you what God says- if you don't check it for yourself.
Do you remember Proverbs chapter 16 and Proverbs 14? The Bible tells us ‘there's a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.’ Let's realize we want to put God's ways first. When we think about where we go from here, when I start studying my Bible, friend, I want to know what God wants me to do. I want to start with the attitude of, ‘Lord, what would you have me to do?’ Acts 9:4-6 Saul asks that great question. From the point I start studying, I want to go forward. I want to go forward in learning God's will. I want to take steps forward in following the example of Christ, I Peter 2:21. I want to move onward in having the mind of Christ, Philippians 2:5, and in transforming my life into the image of almighty God, Romans 12:1-2.
And so, a great question being asked. God's guidance is found in His divine word, which has everything we need to make us complete, 2 Timothy 3:16-17. When a person commits himself to studying the Bible, friend, we want to go forward, press toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, Philippians 3:12-16.
We now direct our attention to a third question that has been submitted by one of our viewers. The question is: The Roman Catholic Church is trying to stop cremation for funerals. They only want to do full burials. They claim this way, the full body and soul reach the heavenly Father complete. I am for burial. What does the church, in essence, what does the Bible teach on this subject?
Well, friend, as we think about the subject of cremation versus burial, we need to first put our focus on what man needs to be worried about, as it pertains to his nature. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28 and He taught us where
the real emphasis should be. Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, "Do not fear him who can destroy body only, but fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hellfire." I'm not afraid of what somebody might do to my body, how somebody might persecute us, or hurt the body. We're not worried about those kinds of things in this life as our emphasis. The emphasis for the Christian is upon fearing Him who can destroy both body and soul in hellfire. The real emphasis needs to be upon God. What does God want us to do? Not what can men do to the body, but what does God want us to do in this life, and how does God want us to live in such a way that'll please Him?
There are some passages in the Bible which clearly teach that burial is an accepted way. Jesus himself was buried in the tomb. We learn. Lazarus was buried in John chapter 11. We also need to realize that during the Hebrew time, there were some passages that taught that cremation was a standard that was being used during the time of the Israelites. For example, listen to Amos 6:10 where we learn that this was a common practice during the time of the Israelites to, at least on some occasions, cremate certain people. Amos 6:10 the Bible reports these words for us, "And when a relative of the dead with one who will burn the bodies picks up the bodies to take them out of the house, he will say to one inside the house, ‘are there any more with you?’ Then someone will say ‘none,’ and he will say, ‘hold your tongue for we dare not mention the name of the Lord.’" Here you've got an example under the Old Testament where God's people were, as a practice at least for some people in that day, were using cremation.
Cremation was something they used then as well as burial. You'll find other examples: Saul and his son. God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on the fire. Although he did not go through with that, the process naturally would have burned his body. We find other examples as well where certain men's bones are burned, and there are times where that is done as a curse, and there are times when it's not done that way. Sometimes it's done for the preventing of disease. Sometimes it's done for custom's sake under the Old Testament. Then forget not the words of I Corinthians 13. I want you to listen to what verse number 3 says to the
Christian. It asks this question. Paul, as he's speaking about love and sacrifice and making sure that the motive is really what it ought to be, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:3, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love it profits me nothing." Friend, is Paul talking about a practice here which would have been contrary to the will of God? I understand he's talking about persecution. I understand that some may do that to dishonor them, but would that cost Paul or any other Christian their soul? If cremation is wrong, then we have to consider these things.
And so, what does the scripture teach on this subject? Friend, we have examples in the Bible of burial. We have the examples in the Bible of cremation. The Bible doesn't condemn any of those types of practices, and so either would be approved or acceptable for the child of God. There's no scripture preventing either one of those from being contrary to the will of God.
Passages that people often cite to prove cremation is wrong were under the Old Testament where people were using that sometimes with idolatry, sometimes to maybe put a curse on other people, but God never places that in the Bible on other people. The Bible doesn't say either way as to one of those being better than the other. A Christian could participate in either one of those and not live and be in accord, not live contrary, to the will of God. Now, are there personal preferences? Well, sure there are. As the reader, as our viewer notes, his personal preference would be burial. That would be my personal preference as well, but friend, we're talking about personal preference. We're not talking about what does the word of God say. God does not condemn either practice, and thus a Christian could not come down hard and fast and say someone who is cremated is going to hell.
The Bible's going to turn to dust either way. The emphasis in scripture is not what happens to the body after this life. The emphasis in scripture is- was my soul prepared to meet my God? That's Matthew 10:28. ‘Don't fear him who can destroy the body.’ That's not the emphasis. The emphasis is not on the body, what happens to it. ‘Fear Him who can
destroy both body and soul in hellfire.’ And so, many people do opt for cremation today. A common burial cost today would be somewhere between $8,000 and $12,000. You can look at the numbers today, and a common cremation cost is about a third of that- $2,000. You can see why some people might opt for that, and again, the Bible doesn't condemn either one of these practices as being sinful. And so this is an optional matter that a Christian may choose upon himself, and the word of God does not condemn as wrong or right as wrong because God does not say that is the case.
We now move to another question concerning these items of our Bible questions and answers. One of our viewers writes: Concerning 2 Corinthians 6:17 and I Thessalonians 5:22, the individual says, please explain these verses. Here's the background of that question: I have heard one say to not go around people who are not or have not obeyed the gospel. If I go somewhere, to a family member's house, or something like that, and they are drinking or doing something wrong, I would no doubt leave. But just to visit somebody who's not a Christian is that wrong?
Well, in both contexts and understanding these scriptures’ context would be key. 2 Corinthians chapter six, the context begins in verse number 14 where we are told to have no fellowship with immoral practices and that which is contrary to the will of God. We're not to have fellowship with Baal, the false gods. We're not to have fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness, Ephesians 5:11. I'm not to be in a joint venture and have in common with these types of immoral practices. Then of course, I Thessalonians 5:22, "Abstain from every appearance of evil." When God says ‘come out from among them and be separate,’ 2 Corinthians 6:17, He's talking about people no longer living a joint, common practice like that, people leaving that lifestyle. I'm no longer going to be attached to people who live immorally to false gods and idolatry. I'm not going to be equally yoked together with unbelievers is the context of 2 Corinthians 6:14-17.
When I obey the gospel, I leave that lifestyle and those relationships and those immoral practices behind. Now, does that then mean that I can never be around someone who is not a Christian? Well, friend, if that's the
case, how would you ever teach them the gospel? If that's the case, how would you go anywhere in the world? How would you go grocery shopping? How would you walk down the street? There's going to be people of the world everywhere. What we find in the Bible is this type of ideology. Christians are not to be of the world. We're in the world, but we're not of the world. That's the idea of 2 Corinthians 6:17. If I go over to someone's house or a friend's house or a family member's house who is not a member of the Lord's church, and we're visiting, I can take opportunities to encourage them. I can let my light shine as a Christian, and there's nothing immoral or ungodly going on. Have I committed some sin by doing that? Well, of course not.
Jesus, where did He go? He went to the sinners. He went to the tax collectors. He spoke at the well with the woman who was in sin, and He often would go to those who needed Him the most. Was it sinful for Jesus to do that? Well, of course not. Now, if then practices began to occur that are immoral and that can affect my reputation that can tempt me to sin, well no doubt, I'd want to depart from that. If someone begins to do drugs, if somebody begins to be involved in alcohol, or somebody begins to be involved in some immoral practices, there's something being shown on the TV that's ungodly- I want to depart from that. I want to remove myself from that temptation. I don't want to be in fellowship with that. But to say that you can't even visit with people who are not Christians, that's not the context of 2 Corinthians 6:17. The same would be true with I Thessalonians 5:22.
Although we are to abstain from every appearance of evil, that would include impacting my influence, I'm not going to be seen going into a place where immorality is rampant. I'm going to remove myself from that so it doesn't affect my reputation and influence. Jesus taught that Christians are to be in the world but not attached to the world. We’re not to have those things in common with the world is the idea. We must be very careful that we walk the way God wants us to walk, walk in the light, and follow the example of Jesus.
I have to live in this world. If I'm going to teach others the gospel, how will I ever evangelize if I'm never around people who are lost in sin? It
would be impossible to. I've got to go places where they are. Not participate in what they do, but I've got to go down maybe to where people are dealing with problems, maybe where people are involved in things that are immoral. Again, not to associate with that, but with the clear intent of teaching the gospel. If that begins to be something they don't care to hear or listen to, I'm going to depart from that because I don't want to be in fellowship with immorality and ungodliness.
I hope that answers the question as we think about our fellowship and our participation with those who maybe are not members of the church, and hopefully all of that is done with an eye toward and with the mindset of teaching them the gospel and being a faithful child of God.
Another viewer has submitted this question, such a good question for us to conclude our lesson on today, and the question is: Please explain why Christians no longer have to adhere to the Law of Moses. There is a growing movement today that claims both faith in Christ and binding of the Law of Moses.
And so we think about today, can a person have faith in Christ, be a Christian, and then demand that we also keep the Law of Moses? Now, let's direct our attention to several scriptures that teach that we cannot bind the Law of Moses today, nor would we want to. Hebrews10:9, speaking of Christ and His willingness to come as a sacrifice the Bible says, "Then he said, behold, I have come to do your will, oh God." Now, don't miss this, "He that is Christ takes away the first, that He may establish the second."
What is Christ taking away? What is Christ establishing? What He's taking away? The first covenant. Hebrews 10:3-4, ‘the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin.’ Ephesians 2:14-15 and Colossians 2:14-15, Jesus nailed the commandments, the old law, to the cross. He tore it down, breaking down that middle wall of separation between Jew and Gentile. Christ in His death, in His sacrifice, took away the first. It is no more. If it's taken away, it's no longer man's obligation to follow that. He may establish the second. The second covenant, the law and the covenant of Christ.
Now, here's something interesting to consider. James 2: 10 says this, ‘He who stumbles in... He who keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one part,’ James says, ‘you've stumbled in all of it.’ What's James correlating there? That the whole law must be kept. You can't take bits and pieces and parts and say, ‘well, I like this in the old law, but we don't need this anymore. I like this, but we don't need that anymore.’
Friend, here's the idea. If Christ is our sacrifice today-Hebrews 10:12 says He clearly is- “This man having offered one sacrifice for sin forever, sat down at the right hand of God,” then if I'm going to say that's true. What about all those Old Testament sacrifices? If I don't keep those, then I'm stumbling in all of the law. What about building a booth in the month of October and living in those booths? What about the Feast of Tabernacles? What about Passover and all those various ideas, burning of incense? What about the priestly order of Aaron? During the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, all those genealogical records were lost. How can anybody be an Aaronic priest today, a Levitical priest today, if all that's been lost?
We've got Christ. Exactly the point. If Christ is the new priest, if He brought in the new law, if He is the sacrifice, then friend, it's impossible for me to keep the old law. The old law itself says if you stumble in one point, you've stumbled in it all. I'm going to say old law, friend, it's all of nothing. Now, we can't keep it all today. Even Peter said that. Acts 15:7-10 Peter said, ‘neither we nor our fathers could keep it perfectly.’ Listen to the words of Hebrews 8:13 in that, God says a ‘new covenant.’ He's made the first obsolete. What is becoming obsolete and growing old, the Hebrews writer said, is ready to ‘vanish away.’ The old law according to the New Testament is obsolete. Like a horse and buggy transportation, like a rotary phone, like washing clothes on a washboard- the old law is obsolete. It's no good. It's not for Christians to follow, and we're not commanded to keep that.
And so, should we keep the old law today? That's not the law I'm going to be judged by. I'm going to be judged by the words of Christ.
And friend, if you've never obeyed the gospel, more than anything, we encourage you to submit to the teaching of Christ.
Have you heard the message about Jesus? Do you believe he's the Son of God? Would you be willing to repent and change your ways and be immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins, Acts 2:38?
If you've never done that, today, we're encouraging you to obey the gospel before it's too late.
Study Questions for: “Questions and Answers: Lesson 5”
1. According to Romans 1:16, what is the power of God?
2. What should we do if we are suffering according to James 5:13?
3. What overcomes much according to James 5?
4. According to Hebrews 4:16, what will we find in time of need when we pray?
5. According to 2 Kings 20:5, how did Hezekiah let God know he was hurting and sick?
6. According to Jeremiah 10:23, can man know in himself what is the right way to live?
7. What does 2 Timothy 3:16-17 say of all scripture?
8. What is scripture useful for according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17?
9. According to Matthew 10:28, who and what should we be focused and concerned?
10. According to Hebrews 10:9, what did Christ take away?
Questions 26-30
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
A great question is asked in Jeremiah 37:17, "Is there any word from the Lord?"
We welcome you today to our study of Bible questions and answers. In this series of lessons, we're answering questions that have been submitted by you our viewers either through our email address, questions at http://thegospelofchrist.com, or through our website. As always, we want to take these questions and look to the word of God.
Questions for this session:
1. Is listening to music like rock or pop or even country music a sin? I listen to pop and rock songs and it sometimes refers to sex, drugs, alcohol, or things that are immoral.
2. Is sprinkling of babies found in the Bible?
3. Please explain the history of instrumental music in the church. Is instrumental music something that has always existed and should we use them today?
4. We live in a state where there are a lot of casinos and most people in our state gamble- Is it scriptural? Is it okay for a Christian to participate in gambling?
(The full transcript is available in the "Download Document" button above.)
Questions 31-35
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
In Romans 4:3 the Apostle Paul asks the question, "What does the Scripture say?"
We welcome you today to our study of Bible Questions and Answers. In this series of lessons, we're taking questions that had been submitted by our viewers, and we're looking to the Word of God for answer to those wonderful questions.
Questions for this session:
1. I am dating a man who has been married and divorced several times. Is it okay to date him, and what does the Bible say about marrying someone who is divorced?
2. What do we do when the law of the land says one thing and the law of God says something contradictory or totally different? Who should we obey? And so basically if God's law says one thing, and the law of the land says something different or opposite of what God's law says. Who are we to obey?
3. Why do some religious groups refer to their religious leader as father and others refer to them as reverend or pastor. Are those titles that men or women should wear today?
4. I've always struggled with pornography. Is pornography sinful? And if so, how do I overcome this in my life?
(The full transcript is available in the "Download Document" button above.)
Questions 36-41
May 24, 2022 • The Gospel of Christ
The apostle Paul encouraged the young man, Timothy, “Study to show yourself approved under God a workman who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth,” 2 Timothy 2:15.
We welcome you today to our study of the word of God. In this series of lessons, we've been looking at Bible questions and answers that have been submitted by our viewers. We're going to the word of God with these questions to give a "thus sayeth the Lord”, from the word of God.
1. As a very young child, I was baptized into the Lord's Church. The only problem is I don't really know if I understood why and if I was mature enough to be baptized. Should I be re-baptized?
2. I often hear people talk about the security of the believer. When asking about this, they would say that a Christian does not have to worry about being lost, because once he's saved, he can never be lost. Is this doctrine true, according to the Scriptures?
3. I work in a factory, and many of the people I work with claim to be Christians; however, most of them curse or use bad language. Can you give me some Bible verses that teach about cursing and bad language, and how a Christian should talk?
4. My Mom believes that it does not matter, what you believe or teach, that everyone is going to be saved. What does the Bible say about this?
(The full transcript is available in the "Download Document" button above.)
