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Age of accountability

Paul does speak of a moment that seems to have a sense that is similar to what is taught in the age of accountability: Romans 7:9  Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. Yet it seems that Scripture teaches that people at all […]

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Canon of Scripture – What books should be in the Bible?

First we need to know what Scripture should be… We can say that a book is inspired if God guided the authorship, so that it has no errors (it “cannot be broken,” Jn. 10:35), and if it has moral purity (“the word of the Lord is right,” Ps. 18:4), if it teaches us of God […]

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Conversion – How does a person become a Christian?

The ways Jesus responded to people, showing them what they should do to have eternal life, are quite different! To one, Jesus said “Go, sell all you have, and give to the poor, and follow me.” To another, Jesus said “Come down, I must eat at your house today.” To a third, Jesus said “Go […]

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Did the Holy Spirit live in OT saints?

Apparently there was some firstfruits of the new covenant even in the time of the Mosaic covenant: Hebrews 8:10  This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. ISA 51:7 Hear me, […]

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Where does the Bible teach that Jesus is God?

First, we may notice that Jesus accepted worship: JN 9:38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. JN 20:28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus did not rebuke them, like angels invariably would do when people would worship them: Revelation 19:10 At this I fell at his […]

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Sola fide – Does faith alone save?

James 2:24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. Certainly James and Paul are using works in two different senses, the works James mentions are contrary to legal edicts. I think James and Paul are also viewing two different aspects of justification: James 2:23 And the scripture was […]

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Impassivity – Does God experience pain and suffering?

The only clear statement I know of of the doctrine of “impassivity” in the Bible is in the book of Job, and it is spoken by Elihu, one of Job’s comforters: Job 35:8  Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men. This seems to make this idea […]

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Are there errors in the Bible?

Scripture itself claims to be infallible: “If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken)…” (Jn 10:35) So if this statement is fallible, I don’t know how we can tell what parts are not fallible. “In the late 1940s, Billy attended a conference in California only […]

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Kenosis – What did Jesus give up, in coming to earth?

Is Jesus teaching that he was omnipresent, even when on earth here? Matthew 28:20 “… and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” But this was after his resurrection! He also said here “All power has been given to […]

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Omniscience – Does God know all the past, present and future?

John 21:17 “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Now this is in a context where Jesus is remonstrating (though gently) with Peter for his denial, which Jesus predicted. Then after Peter says “you know all things,” Jesus doesn’t say “But we must be careful here, my prediction need not imply […]