Search — Theology Explorer

Will Sharing Tough Truth Ruin our Witness?: I'm afraid to talk about issues like abortion, LGBT, etc. for fear that I'll turn people off so much that they won't listen AT ALL when I try to share the Gospel. How can I resolve this?

Q&A question: Will Sharing Tough Truth Ruin our Witness?

abortion

How Do We “Abstain from Blood” Today?: How, as 21st century Christians, should we understand the decree for gentile believers to abstain from blood (Acts 15: 20, 28, 29)?

Q&A question: How Do We “Abstain from Blood” Today?

Acts 15 Acts 15

Are there Really Any “Righteous” People?: Do the Righteous live by faith, or is no one Righteous? How do we reconcile these ideas without compromising their original meaning?

Q&A question: Are there Really Any “Righteous” People?

Does Sincerity = Salvation?: I have a Muslim friend that I speak with regularly about God. I am a firm Christian, but I question how other God-fearing people who have been indoctrinated into a specific religion are not saved.

Q&A question: Does Sincerity = Salvation?

salvation Islam

Could the HS be Feminine?: Could the Holy Spirit be feminine? A biblically sound, wiser, older Christian in my life is unsure about this. He brings up decent arguments affirming this view, but then there's John 15: 26. Thoughts?

Q&A question: Could the HS be Feminine?

John 15 John 15

Has God Hidden What We Need to Know?: What are your thoughts on Mathew 11: 25? I was raised in the Branham cult where there is a great deal of anti-intellectualism. They also claim that God has blinded most Christians from Branham.

Q&A question: Has God Hidden What We Need to Know?

Will We Receive Anything We Ask of God?: The Bible says, “Ask and you shall receive.” I asked Jesus to save my mother, but He didn’t. Then why did He say, “Ask and you shall receive”?

Q&A question: Will We Receive Anything We Ask of God?

Jesus

1 Corinthians 11:16 complementarianism head coverings complementarianism

Winger examines multiple translations of 1 Cor 11:16 ('if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom') and admits he can't identify the major translational difference the questioner sees. The core debate is whether 'custom' refers to head coverings or to being contentious.

Q: Why does 1 Cor 11:16 seem to have opposite meanings depending on the translation?

Missing Verses? Is My Bible Reliable?: I've just learned that some Bibles are missing passages. How should we approach the Bible knowing some verses have been left out?

Q&A question: Missing Verses? Is My Bible Reliable?

Why Is There Still Evil on Earth?: My 10-year-old wants to know, if Satan was defeated, then why is there still evil on the planet? I couldn’t think of a good way to answer her. Help?

Q&A question: Why Is There Still Evil on Earth?

Satan

What is “Hyper-Charismatic”?: Please explain what "hyper-charismatic” means. Thank you.

Q&A question: What is “Hyper-Charismatic”?

charismatic movement

Joshua 7 Ezekiel Achan Joshua 7 Ezekiel

Why was Achan’s Household Punished?: Ezekiel 18: 20 says that the son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father. How do you explain the story of Achan in Joshua 7: 25 where he and his household were stoned and burned because of his sin?

Q&A question: Why was Achan’s Household Punished?

Did YHWH Lose to the “god” of Moab?: Did Yahweh lose to the god of Moab in 2 Kings 3: 27?

Q&A question: Did YHWH Lose to the “god” of Moab?

Is There a Temple in Heaven?: Is there a literal temple in Heaven, or is that meant to be understood figuratively? I have always understood that the temple/tabernacle on Earth were to represent truths about Heaven.

Q&A question: Is There a Temple in Heaven?

NAR

Using Time Wisely in Marriage: My husband likes to spend hours on meaningless videos or gaming. How can I talk to him about how he spends his time as a Christian, especially that our young kids see this?

Q&A question: Using Time Wisely in Marriage

marriage

Why is Bible Reading Important?: How is it important to read our Bibles outside of the church setting? And is there scripture to back this up? Why is it important to you to read your Bible?

Q&A question: Why is Bible Reading Important?

Infinite Punishment for Finite Crimes?: Why does God give infinite punishment for finite crimes? Even from a biblical point of view, not every crime is prescribed the same punishment. So why, then, can a person never serve the entirety of their punishment in Hell?

Q&A question: Infinite Punishment for Finite Crimes?

hell

Why Did God Allow Sin?: If God knew that humans would fall into sin, why did He allow us to live in this fallen world and not take us straight to Heaven?

Q&A question: Why Did God Allow Sin?

heaven

Has Christianity Changed Over Time?: How do you know the Christianity you believe is the same they were practicing in the early Church if history says Constantine and the Greeks changed things?

Q&A question: Has Christianity Changed Over Time?

Constantine

Why Won’t Christians Marry Non-Christians?: A woman stopped dating me because of worldview differences. I believe in a higher power and wouldn’t have pulled her away from her faith. It hurt badly. Why do some Christians do that? She seems indoctrinated (“can’t marry a non-Christian”).

Q&A question: Why Won’t Christians Marry Non-Christians?

dating and relationships

Is Christianity Itself a Cult?: How is Christianity like (or not like) a cult in either definition and/or practice?

Q&A question: Is Christianity Itself a Cult?

Is Every Good Thing an Answered Prayer?: Why are some people so quick to celebrate when God answers “small” prayers, but they overlook the fact that He didn’t answer “bigger” prayers like healing someone of cancer?

Q&A question: Is Every Good Thing an Answered Prayer?

prayer healing

Why Aren’t Mormons Christians?: Ex-Mormon here. Surely all Christians believe things about God that are incorrect, but they're still saved. What makes the LDS different? How are my misconceptions acceptable when theirs aren't?

Q&A question: Why Aren’t Mormons Christians?

Mormonism

Are Miracles Unreliable?: If Satan and his workers can perform miracles to mislead people, why should I believe Christians when they tell me to look at miracles, or when Jesus says to look at His miracles?

Q&A question: Are Miracles Unreliable?

Jesus Satan miracles

Why Does God Allow Painful Grieving?: Why did God allow My cat to be attacked by a dog if He could have stopped it? We are heartbroken.

Q&A question: Why Does God Allow Painful Grieving?

Did Jesus Know He’d be Resurrected?: Did Jesus know He was only going to die for 3 days and it wouldn’t actually be for eternity? And why did the father require a sacrifice if it wasn’t for eternity?

Q&A question: Did Jesus Know He’d be Resurrected?

Jesus

Did Jesus Exist & Is Scripture Really Inspired?: What proof is there that Jesus really existed, and if the Gospels were written by man, how do you prove they were inspired by God and not by man?

Q&A question: Did Jesus Exist & Is Scripture Really Inspired?

Jesus

Why does God Require Prayer?: Why would God require prayer for what He knows He SHOULD heal?

Q&A question: Why does God Require Prayer?

prayer

Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?: Are there any good rules of thumb for atheists attending a church service for the purposes of learning? Assuming they have no intention of conversion, is this considered rude or invasive?

Q&A question: Can Non-Believers Come to Church to Observe?

atheism

Is God Egotistical?: Isn’t it egotistical for God to ask us to worship Him?

Q&A question: Is God Egotistical?

worship

Why does God Expect Perfection: The Bible says, “Be perfect as your father in Heaven is perfect.” Why would God, knowing that we will always be sinful when we are in flesh, expect perfection?

Q&A question: Why does God Expect Perfection

heaven

Is the Bible Just a Storybook?: How can you believe in a storybook (referring to the Bible)? This was actually a question I faced several times when I stayed in Germany for a while.

Q&A question: Is the Bible Just a Storybook?

{Does God Know Every Choice We’ll Make?” Does God already know what choices we will make? Does He just know the outcome of every single option, or are there maybe two or a couple possible options for everyone’s choices? If the first, what's the point?

Q&A question

dating and relationships

Was YHWH a “Storm god”?: I have been hearing atheists & Muslims saying our God YHWH was originally a storm god. Has this been proven archeologically? Any implications on our faith? Any thoughts on that?

Q&A question: Was YHWH a “Storm god”?

atheism Islam

Stumbled by Theological Doctrines?: The different theologies like cessationism & continuationism can be a stumbling block for unbelievers and cause confusion. How can this be explained to them?

Q&A question: Stumbled by Theological Doctrines?

cessationism

Are Older Texts More Likely to be True?: What about other books like the Vedic texts that are older than the gospels? Should “older” equal more accurate or true?

Q&A question: Are Older Texts More Likely to be True?

Bonus Q: Why is he still babbling and not demonstrating his god exists?

Q&A question

demons

AI – Image of the Beast?: What are your thoughts on Chat GPT (and AI in general)? As Christians, should we be concerned about this type of technology? Is it OK to experiment with, or should we "steer clear"?

Q&A question: AI – Image of the Beast?

Worshiping at Work: Divided Attention?: Is it bad to listen to worship music when you're working? I prefer it over secular music, but I also feel guilty for not giving it my full attention. Is this treating it as entertainment?

Q&A question: Worshiping at Work: Divided Attention?

worship

Speaking Over Our Lives: Is “speaking something over your life” a biblical concept? A Christian said something like, “If you were going to die in one week, how would you live? I'm not speaking that over your life though!”

Q&A question: Speaking Over Our Lives

1 Samuel 16 Samuel 1 Samuel 16

God Sent an Evil Spirit?: 1 Samuel 16: 14 and 1 Samuel 19:9 speak of an “evil spirit from the Lord” tormenting Saul. How could a holy/righteous and loving God give him a tormenting spirit?

Q&A question: God Sent an Evil Spirit?

1 Corinthians 9 sanctification 1 Corinthians 9

Disqualified from our Rewards?: Since sanctification is a work of the Holy Spirit, and we will never be fully sinless in this life, how do we not become disqualified from/lose rewards in Heaven (1 Corinthians 9: 27)?

Q&A question: Disqualified from our Rewards?

The Biblical Way to Get Married: Why do we have to have an ordained pastor to get married? Is there Scripture to back this up? If two people make a commitment to each other and God, is that enough?

Q&A question: The Biblical Way to Get Married

pastoral ministry

What Does Evil Music Sound Like?: If we took away the lyrics from music, would there still be such a thing as “bad music” or “evil music”? If so, what does evil music sound like?

Q&A question: What Does Evil Music Sound Like?

Romans 7 salvation Romans 7

Do We Still Have a Sin Nature?: Does flesh = sin nature? Adam & Eve sinned, even without a sin nature. After salvation, we still have the flesh (Romans 7: 18), but we’re dead to sin/not slaves to sin (Rom 6:2-7). Does this mean we no longer have a sin nature?

Q&A question: Do We Still Have a Sin Nature?

Can We Go Outside of Scripture for Context?: I've heard 1 Corinthians 4:6 used to say not to go "outside" of scripture (e.g., learning history to help interpret biblical context). Your thoughts?

Q&A question: Can We Go Outside of Scripture for Context?

hermeneutics

Roman Catholicism worship

The Origin of Sunday Worship: When is the earliest, in church history, that we see Christians worshiping on Sunday instead of the Sabbath? Did it begin with the Catholic Church, or was it before?

Q&A question: The Origin of Sunday Worship

What Makes “Drag” Wrong?: Drag queen culture is championed by the LGBTQ movement, and therefore feels immoral by association, but I find it hard to put a finger on why drag by itself is biblically wrong. Any thoughts?

Q&A question: What Makes “Drag” Wrong?

homosexuality

Genesis Genesis 9 Genesis Genesis 9

Eating Meat After the Flood: In Genesis 9:3, why did God allow us to start eating meat after the flood?

Q&A question: Eating Meat After the Flood