15
votes
Accepted
Why will drunkards not inherit the kingdom of God?
This is an excellent question that has plagued the Christian church for millennia with copious arguments on both sides. What are the Biblical facts:
There is no explicit Biblical command against ...
- 114k
13
votes
Accepted
Why would God create vessels of wrath prepared for destruction (Romans 9:21-22) if He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11)?
Paul was drawing an illustration from an Old Testament passage of Scripture, Jeremiah 18:3-6. In that passage, God sent Jeremiah to the potter’s house to learn a lesson. The potter was making a vessel;...
- 8,256
12
votes
Accepted
Can a person lose their salvation according to 2 Peter 2:20-22?
Can a person lose their salvation according to 2 Peter 2:20-22?
The short answer is "Yes, most definitely."
The following response may be unpalatable to some. However, it is certainly not my ...
- 9,378
11
votes
Accepted
Understanding the Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30)
The Greek ζιζάνια for tares/weeds has often been understood as a reference to darnel (a type of ryegrass, see here). If so, the meaning is clarified.
Wheat & darnel look essentially the same in ...
- 18.2k
9
votes
What is meant in 1 Peter 3:21 when it says "baptism now saves you"
What does the text say?
This verse is fairly clear: baptism now saves you. However, there are two things worth noting:
For the early church, faith and baptism were never intentionally separated. ...
- 5,742
9
votes
Accepted
Did the 5 foolish virgins lose their salvation or were they never saved to begin with?
In answering this question, we MUST remember that it is a PARABLE!! It is not necessarily literally true but teaches an important spiritual lesson.
However, we observe several things about the ...
- 114k
8
votes
Accepted
Do Jesus and Paul share the same doctrine of salvation?
On this very point (Romans 10:9 aorists) Mounce (regarding one-time confessions) says :
If we cease to confess and if we cease to believe, then we can no longer legitimately be called Christians, ...
- 32.4k
7
votes
Why is man condemned if he is incapable of doing good?
Since this is a hermeneutic site (not a theological discussion), I will limit the answer to Paul’s intent and theology. Paul does acknowledge people are incapable of not sinning or keeping the Jewish ...
- 21.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Who/what is the source of the power behind the miracles, signs and wonders in Matthew 7:22?
The Bible teaches that one can prophesy by God's Spirit without being sanctified by that same spirit.
Consider the following Biblical examples of this:
Balaam -- He wanted to curse God's people in ...
- 6,250
7
votes
Does Matthew 7:13-14 picturise an actual geographical entity of Jesus' time?
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me ...
- 4,442
6
votes
Accepted
Is the thief on the cross the first person saved under the new covenant?
Everyone who is saved is saved by the New Covenant.
The "Old Covenant" is the one in which we broke our promise to God. The "New Covenant" is its replacement; however, it is not &...
- 6,250
6
votes
Accepted
Why are few who find the narrow path to life? Matthew 7:13-14
““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and ...
- 9,266
6
votes
Accepted
Is there a theological difference between asking "What will it profit a man to have faith without works?" and "What will it profit a man who says he
The wording of verse 20 suggests that the text of verse 14 does lend itself to being rephrased in the way the OP suggests.
14 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has
faith, ...
- 3,795
6
votes
Does 2 Timothy 2:13 mean that a once saved person cannot lose his salvation?
2 Timothy 2:11-13 NASB
11 The statement is trustworthy:
For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12 If we endure,
we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He will also deny us;
13 If ...
- 9,970
5
votes
In Luke 18 why didn't Christ tell the rich young ruler to believe on Him for eternal life, as He had told many others in the Gospel of John?
I think there is a small error in your premise regarding the rich young ruler. Yes, Jesus did say "keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17), but when the matter was pressed, Jesus fleshed out the answer,...
- 2,227
5
votes
What is the difference between eternal life and immortality.?
Luke records the words, Luke 8:14, of Jesus when he describes the cares and riches and pleasures of life, using the Greek word bios, life - the time on earth, the living on the planet. Luke also ...
- 32.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Is the word "salvation" ever used in the New Testament 'justification' sense in the Old Testament?
You ask about (1) how the word for 'salvation' is used (and hence, understood) in the Old Testament. Your comments indicate that you take the O.T. useage to mean temporal salvation and not salvation ...
- 27.5k
5
votes
What is the meaning of the phrase "purge your conscience from dead works" in Hebrews 9:14?
The phrase "dead works" (νεκρῶν ἔργων) only occurs in Heb 6:1 and 9:14. Commentators have offered several views about what these are such as:
Sinful acts
Righteous acts done to earn salvation
Works ...
- 114k
5
votes
Are we saved by faith alone or by faith with works? James 2:14-17
I think, for Jews there is no rough distinction between Faith and Works as we perceive it today.
For the new testament writers (who were jews) to have faith is to trust in God and accept his ...
- 277
5
votes
Accepted
Mark 16:7 Did Peter lose his salvation upon his denial of Jesus thrice?
Whatever evil was done by Peter in his three-fold denial of the Lord was forgiven upon his three-fold affirmation after the His Resurrection.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon ...
- 12.5k
5
votes
Accepted
Could a written name in the book of Life be blot out (erased)?
In Ps 69:28 we find this:
May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the
righteous.
Recall that this was written under divine inspiration, but King David. There are numerous ...
- 114k
5
votes
Accepted
Do Christians receive the Holy Spirit upon conversion or not (Ephesians 1:13 vs. Acts 8:14-17; 19:1-7)?
Apollos
24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent ...
- 17.7k
5
votes
Eternal punishment vs eternal life in Matthew 25:46
Yes. Same word is used. ‘aiōnios’. And, the reason is simple, although it depends on your theological foundation.
Man is spirit. Spirits are eternal. They do not cease to exist. All [men] are eternal.
...
- 8,256
5
votes
Accepted
Eternal punishment vs eternal life in Matthew 25:46
The real question here isn't about the meaning of "eternal"; it means forever, without end, and both instances here have that same meaning.
Where the difference in meaning occurs is with the ...
- 7,143
5
votes
Why will drunkards not inherit the kingdom of God?
Most of these questions ask for subjective answers, but in the spirit of this site I will try to answer from a hermeneutical perspective. :)
Is there anything inherently wrong with alcohol or getting ...
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