All Questions
18
votes
3answers
279 views
What does the Bible say about tithing?
Do we have to tithe? Why does God need us to tithe? What are the results of NOT tithing?
17
votes
5answers
383 views
What is the physical evidence for a global flood?
I would imagine that a geological event on the scale of a global flood would leave extensive evidence in its wake. To what extent can phsyical data be interpreted as consistent with the idea of a ...
16
votes
6answers
1k views
What happens to unborn, unbaptized babies who die?
If we accept that unborn babies are human beings and not merely a non-human organism, and further we require baptism as a prerequisite for salvation (using it as justification for infant baptism)...
...
15
votes
4answers
648 views
Is an action morally good because God commands it, or does God command it because it is good?
The christian morality derives from God, and God is benevolent so whatever he commands is morally good. Does that mean that anything God does or commands is morally right? Or does God only act and ...
14
votes
2answers
244 views
What is the Biblical basis for Unconditional Election?
Calvin, among his other points includes the point that we are Unconditionally Elected and chosen by God alone and nothing we can do can help or hurt this fact. What is the Biblical basis for this?
13
votes
6answers
545 views
What is the Biblical evidence for Old Earth?
According to a comment by another user in this question Why do OEC discount the literal interpretation of the book of Genesis?, apparently there's Biblical evidence for an Old Earth. As a Young ...
12
votes
5answers
157 views
Is a moral society more open to the gospel than an immoral one? [closed]
One of the answers to Why do many Christians object to same-sex civil marriage? got me thinking. If we work to make the common morals of our society more in line with Biblical morality does that make ...
12
votes
2answers
262 views
What does it mean to comment on scripture with scripture?
What does it mean to "comment on a verse with a verse" or "only scripture can explain scripture"? I see these kinds of comments popping up in comment threads that discuss the meaning of a verse.
What ...
11
votes
6answers
591 views
What are the theological implications/problems with theistic evolution?
Theistic evolution holds that God used evolution to create mankind. It seems to follow then that this view must also hold the creation account in Genesis to be unhistorical. So, Adam and Eve may ...
11
votes
3answers
213 views
On which date was Christ born?
Most Christians celebrate the birth of Christ (Christmas) on December 25. But was this really the day of Christ's birth? What was the actual date of Christ's birth?
11
votes
2answers
237 views
What is the origin of the Christmas tree and is it accepted in all Christian traditions?
What is the origin of the Christmas tree and is it accepted in all Christian traditions?
I'm certainly not aware of a "Christmas" tree appearing in the Christmas story, so I'm curious when it was ...
10
votes
4answers
255 views
What official statements represent Christianity's position on the Gospel of Barnabas?
The Gospel of Barnabas is a text that has turned up in the form of 16th century manuscripts in Italian and Spanish. The text claims to be the witness of Jesus' disciple Barnabas, however its content ...
10
votes
2answers
242 views
On what do Mormons base their practice of proxy-baptisms on behalf of the dead?
How does the LDS Church define their practice of performing baptisms on behalf of people who have died? I realize there is the following verse, but there seems to be few other Biblical references to ...
10
votes
1answer
924 views
What is “intercession” and what kinds of “intercessory prayer” are there?
Different traditions seem to have different ideas about intercession.
What are the major different types of "intercessory prayer" and which traditions employ them?
If applicable to the definition, ...
10
votes
5answers
284 views
Into whose name should Christians be baptised?
Jesus said, "...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
However, the early church apparently baptised in the name of ...
9
votes
3answers
241 views
How does LDS doctrine reconcile monotheism with men becoming gods?
A follow-up to this question, if the LDS church teaches that men can become gods, how does it reconcile this with the concept that there is only one God?
Isaiah 45:5:
I am the LORD, and there is ...
9
votes
3answers
325 views
Exorcisms: effective remedy or historical curiosity?
Are exorcisms considered, in the various Christian Professions, an effective remedy for possession?
I thought they were just a curiosity from the past, but here's what I found on Wikipedia:
...
9
votes
1answer
85 views
What is Common Grace?
The term "Common Grace" is often thrown around in reformed circles. What is this concept? What is the scriptural basis for the belief?
9
votes
3answers
223 views
Where does prevenient grace originate in the Bible?
What is the Biblical basis for Prevenient Grace?
I am specifically referring to the belief that if a child is born and dies before reaching the age of responsibility, and so did not have the ...
8
votes
1answer
730 views
How many 'Books' never made it to the Bible (Old and New Testament)?
Alternatively:
How many books were included in early Bible compilations and then later removed?
A book in the bible, to my understanding, is one of the many named divisions in the Old and New ...
8
votes
3answers
336 views
Why would God create beings with the capacity to sin?
Life on earth is filled with the horrible effects of sin. Why did God create mankind with the capacity to sin? Was there a higher purpose in this or was there a specific reason for it?
I'm ...
7
votes
3answers
171 views
What is an LDS general conference?
Tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday, the Mormon church is holding a general conference, which happens twice a year, in place of regular church meetings.
There's some basic stuff on their website about it, ...
7
votes
5answers
280 views
How do I get more faith?
I'm really terrible at faith. I understand that it's a choice to have or not have faith, I'd really like to choose the former, but my very much neurotic nature often gets the best of me, and often ...
6
votes
2answers
273 views
What does it mean that all scripture is God-Breathed?
In 2 Tim 3:16, Paul writes
All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness (NIV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and ...
6
votes
2answers
133 views
Of what nature is Satan?
Recently, a good friend of mine posed the question:
What (or who) is Satan and how do we know?
I answered him, saying that Satan is an evil angel because this is what I've been taught since I ...
6
votes
1answer
116 views
Does the doctrine of Sola Scriptura prohibit the use of empirical information to understand the bible?
As an example, what about examining Jesus' interaction with the Roman Centurion using historical documents explaining how the Roman Army was run?
6
votes
6answers
1k views
Who was the 12th Apostle - Matthais or Paul?
First off, a distinction between disciple and apostle - a disciple is a student, and the 12 disciples were Jesus' students. An Apostle is one who was "sent out." Eleven of Jesus' disciples were sent ...
6
votes
2answers
453 views
What is the Biblical basis for multiple judgments?
I recently heard a talk on the notion of "multiple judgments"; the idea is one is initially judged simply on the fact of their salvation - did that person put their life in Christ's hands and accept ...
6
votes
1answer
640 views
What are the requirements for a Protestant joining the Catholic church?
What are the requirements for joining the Catholic church as an adult?
I'm interested in all the requirements, including whether a previously baptized Protestant would be required to (or forbidden ...
4
votes
1answer
104 views
What was the Biblical basis for testing the truthfulness of every statement made by 'real' Prophets or Apostles?
I have encountered a famous individual who claimed to be a prophet and warned ‘critics’ who tested the validity of his healings and words as ‘endangering themselves’ as they were thereby ‘resisting ...
4
votes
1answer
71 views
What is “Apologetics”, exactly, and how is it used to defend the Christian faith?
For those who are unfamiliar with the term, or those who have only a passing familiarity, what is apologetics, in relation to Christianity? Is it "proving the existence of God"?
For that matter, ...
4
votes
3answers
443 views
From where did Cain get his wife? [closed]
I want to know that where did Cain Son of Adam and Eve get his wife? As there was nobody except Adam and Eve after he killed Abel.
4
votes
4answers
271 views
What do Protestants say was the source for the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary?
Not counting Martin Luther, who appears to have believed in the doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, what do other Protestants think is the source and reason for Catholic adherence to the ...
4
votes
3answers
246 views
Are there any tenets of Gnosticism that are still present in the church today?
Towards the end of the New Testament writing, the heresy of gnosticism was one of the chief "false teachings" against which Paul and the other writers were contesting. Could someone present some of ...
3
votes
1answer
130 views
What is the biblical support for the moral-civil-ceremonial distinction of Old Testament laws?
I just asked this question looking for where this view point came from and when it was made popular.
Ceremonial Law: This type of law relates to Israel's worship. (Lev 1:1-13) The laws pointed ...
3
votes
2answers
292 views
What are the main differences between Reformed Protestant Biblical Theology and Covenant Theology?
I have mostly studied theology by people who have their views labeled as Covenant Theology, by the label makers. Recently, I have studied views of some who prefer the label, Biblical Theology.
I have ...
2
votes
3answers
115 views
Did Mary have other children?
Since it appears that Jesus had brothers and sisters, did Mary have other children? If not, how many wives did Joseph have?
Matthew 12:46-47 NIV
46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, ...
2
votes
2answers
139 views
Do those who pray to saints ascribe to them the quality of being able to hear many people at once?
I mean, there could be thousands of Orthodox Christians at this moment praying to, say, Saint Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, and there could probably be even more of Catholic Christians praying ...
1
vote
0answers
22 views
Where did the moral-civil-ceremonial distinction of Old Testament laws come from and when was it popularized? [duplicate]
When answering this question: How many laws from Old Testament are still valid in New Testament? I was reminded that my answer is not Biblically derived in making the trinary distinction of Old ...
0
votes
1answer
122 views
Is Catholicism heretical due to perceived idolatry? [closed]
The King James Bible says,
Exodus 20:3-6 KJV
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of
any thing that is in heaven ...
-3
votes
4answers
335 views
Why not give credit where credit is due?
Why do people often seem to give credit to their God instead of themselves or those directly deserved of the credit?
For example, the food you eat likely came from a farm or store, why not thank the ...
17
votes
17answers
2k views
Who created God?
The question of man's creation is addressed quite thoroughly in the Bible (whether you believe it is metaphorical or not). Does the Bible (or other relevant references) in any way answer who created ...
16
votes
7answers
322 views
How should Christians meditate?
In the recent years the word Meditation is used widely by everyone, and the word is used widely in non-religious context too.
Should we, Christians meditate? If yes, what should we do while ...
31
votes
9answers
1k views
How do Christians understand the omniscience of God in relation to the Uncertainty Principle?
One of the foundations of modern quantum mechanics is the Uncertainty Principle. This principle is not an assumption, but rather is derived from assumptions made with regard to the structure of ...
28
votes
11answers
2k views
Jesus predicts that some will not die until he comes in his kingdom, but did this occur?
Matthew 16:28
I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
Mark 9:1
And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, ...
18
votes
4answers
3k views
Why did Jesus tell His disciples to buy a sword?
At the Last Supper, Luke records this dialogue:
He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: ...
14
votes
3answers
501 views
How could a loving, just, merciful God have created such an unfair test for humans?
According to the Bible, God is loving:
1 John 4 (NIV)
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4 (NIV)
16 And so we know and rely on the love God ...
11
votes
4answers
606 views
How do we get morals?
The Bible often makes references to the law being written on our hearts, for example:
The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
And his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is ...
28
votes
1answer
2k views
Why didn't C.S. Lewis convert to Catholicism?
This might seem like a weird question if you're a protestant and really like C.S. Lewis, but as a Catholic, I don't see him as ever espousing particularly non-catholic positions and he is very well ...
20
votes
7answers
378 views
Why is the Bible a foundation of theological evidence?
Please excuse my ignorance I'm new to this.
I've been looking through the Q&A on the site and I've noticed scripture and especially passages from the Bible are cited as evidence for one argument ...
