Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:36 {Should Repetitive Bible Passages Concern Us?} I'm very confused about why Psalms 14 & 53 are almost identical. Is this an error in Scripture? Are any other pairs of psalms also duplicate? This is causing me to worry about the reliability of Scripture. Please help me understand this! 2. 11:07 {How to Connect Deeply with God} I struggle deeply with feeling the presence of a relationship with God. I believe I am saved, but I...
Jul 16, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 556
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:36 {Should Repetitive Bible Passages Concern Us?} I'm very confused about why Psalms 14 & 53 are almost identical. Is this an error in Scripture? Are any other pairs of psalms also duplicate? This is causing me to worry about the reliability of Scripture. Please help me understand this! 2. 11:07 {How to Connect Deeply with God} I struggle deeply with feeling the presence of a relationship with God. I believe I am saved, but I...
Jul 16, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 556
I am by no means certain about my answer here but it does seem to be right based on my understanding of the passage in question. Initially when I was challenged to look at this passage more carefully I started to doubt that I had properly understood it in the past. But when I really examined it carefully I came to feel even more firmly about this interpretation. If any of you disagree then I hope you are right! Please feel free to share your reasons in the comments. This is just one question fro...
Jul 14, 2021•7 min•Ep. 555
I am by no means certain about my answer here but it does seem to be right based on my understanding of the passage in question. Initially when I was challenged to look at this passage more carefully I started to doubt that I had properly understood it in the past. But when I really examined it carefully I came to feel even more firmly about this interpretation. If any of you disagree then I hope you are right! Please feel free to share your reasons in the comments. This is just one question fro...
Jul 14, 2021•7 min•Ep. 555
Bart Ehrman has convinced more people to reject the Christian faith than almost anyone alive today. But he has done so largely through being very misleading. I'm going to provide some solid examples of this as it relates to the crucifixion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark because I think there is a lot of benefit in dealing with misleading claims about the Bible. I'm doing a lot of apologetics related stuff here at the end of this series on the Gospel of Mark and I hope you find it faith building ...
Jul 12, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 554
Bart Ehrman has convinced more people to reject the Christian faith than almost anyone alive today. But he has done so largely through being very misleading. I'm going to provide some solid examples of this as it relates to the crucifixion of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark because I think there is a lot of benefit in dealing with misleading claims about the Bible. I'm doing a lot of apologetics related stuff here at the end of this series on the Gospel of Mark and I hope you find it faith building ...
Jul 12, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 554
I am totally open to changing my mind on this passage but I do currently think this is the right way to understand it and I didn't come to this opinion rashly. My research project on the topic of women in ministry and related issues is going to start once I'm done teaching through the Gospel of Mark (probably less than two months from now) and I hope I can offer real clarity on all this stuff. I know how important the issue is and how important it is that we strip away confusion and truly follow...
Jul 09, 2021•13 min•Ep. 553
I am totally open to changing my mind on this passage but I do currently think this is the right way to understand it and I didn't come to this opinion rashly. My research project on the topic of women in ministry and related issues is going to start once I'm done teaching through the Gospel of Mark (probably less than two months from now) and I hope I can offer real clarity on all this stuff. I know how important the issue is and how important it is that we strip away confusion and truly follow...
Jul 09, 2021•13 min•Ep. 553
There's a passage in the Bible that, according to some, shows necromancy working in the real world. Here are my thoughts on what we can learn about the legitimacy of necromancy from this text. Anti-supernaturalists would deny it and sensationalists might want to use it to say too much. But I will offer my own theory as to what was going on when the witch at Endor was used to try to access Samuel after he died and Samuel actually showed up! This is just one question from a long interview I did fo...
Jul 04, 2021•6 min•Ep. 552
There's a passage in the Bible that, according to some, shows necromancy working in the real world. Here are my thoughts on what we can learn about the legitimacy of necromancy from this text. Anti-supernaturalists would deny it and sensationalists might want to use it to say too much. But I will offer my own theory as to what was going on when the witch at Endor was used to try to access Samuel after he died and Samuel actually showed up! This is just one question from a long interview I did fo...
Jul 04, 2021•6 min•Ep. 552
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:39 {Do you Know of any Biblical Marriage Songs?} I write lyrics for songs and I'm wondering if there are any marriage songs based on biblical theology. I spent years writing one to my wife and it still doesn't work. Looking for examples to follow. 2. 6:00 {About Jude Quoting Enoch} How do you explain Jude’s apparent quote of the book of Enoch in verses 14-15? 3. 9:14 {Was Jesus Dead for Three Days?} According to Matthew 12:...
Jul 02, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 551
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:39 {Do you Know of any Biblical Marriage Songs?} I write lyrics for songs and I'm wondering if there are any marriage songs based on biblical theology. I spent years writing one to my wife and it still doesn't work. Looking for examples to follow. 2. 6:00 {About Jude Quoting Enoch} How do you explain Jude’s apparent quote of the book of Enoch in verses 14-15? 3. 9:14 {Was Jesus Dead for Three Days?} According to Matthew 12: 40, J...
Jul 02, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 551
If you encounter a cult that denies the deity of Christ, they WILL quote this verse. Here's a quick analysis of why Jesus is called "firstborn" in Colossians 1:15 . This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest...
Jun 30, 2021•4 min•Ep. 550
If you encounter a cult that denies the deity of Christ, they WILL quote this verse. Here's a quick analysis of why Jesus is called "firstborn" in Colossians 1:15 . This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest...
Jun 30, 2021•4 min•Ep. 550
Time Stamp Map 0:00 - Introduction 1. 1:11 About BibleThinker 2. 2:46 What is baptism, what does it do, and what does it declare? 3. 5:23 Is baptism purely a symbol, or is there something spiritual that happens when a person is baptized? Does baptism affect salvation? 4. 6:35 When a person makes a profession of faith, should they be baptized right away, or should there be a waiting period for their leaders to observe their conduct before allowing them to be baptized? 5. 8:02 Is pedo-baptism (inf...
Jun 29, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 549
Time Stamp Map 0:00 - Introduction 1. 1:11 About BibleThinker 2. 2:46 What is baptism, what does it do, and what does it declare? 3. 5:23 Is baptism purely a symbol, or is there something spiritual that happens when a person is baptized? Does baptism affect salvation? 4. 6:35 When a person makes a profession of faith, should they be baptized right away, or should there be a waiting period for their leaders to observe their conduct before allowing them to be baptized? 5. 8:02 Is pedo-baptism (inf...
Jun 29, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 549
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:43 {Why does John and Other Passages Not Mention Repentance?} If repentance is required to be saved, why is it not mentioned in the Gospel of John and other evangelical texts like Acts 16: 31 and Romans 10? Can repentance be somewhat synonymous with belief? 2. 10:41 {About Orthodox Beliefs} What do Orthodox Christians believe vs. Protestants? Is their doctrine as problematic as Catholic doctrine? (I heard Hank Hanegraaf converted...
Jun 26, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 548
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:43 {Why does John and Other Passages Not Mention Repentance?} If repentance is required to be saved, why is it not mentioned in the Gospel of John and other evangelical texts like Acts 16: 31 and Romans 10? Can repentance be somewhat synonymous with belief? 2. 10:41 {About Orthodox Beliefs} What do Orthodox Christians believe vs. Protestants? Is their doctrine as problematic as Catholic doctrine? (I heard Hank Hanegraaf converted...
Jun 26, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 548
After this interview I was thinking about the possibility of other examples where Jesus uses a present physical object in a purely symbolic sense and I think we do have some. When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well He told her that she should ask Him for water, and while there was physical water present the real point Jesus is making is that she needs non-physical water which is representative of new life in the Holy Spirit. Jesus also manifested bread for the crowd but told them that this was...
Jun 21, 2021•5 min•Ep. 547
After this interview I was thinking about the possibility of other examples where Jesus uses a present physical object in a purely symbolic sense and I think we do have some. When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well He told her that she should ask Him for water, and while there was physical water present the real point Jesus is making is that she needs non-physical water which is representative of new life in the Holy Spirit. Jesus also manifested bread for the crowd but told them that this was...
Jun 21, 2021•5 min•Ep. 547
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:11 {About the “5-Fold Ministry”} Have you heard of the "5-Fold Ministry" way of thinking about apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers exercising those gifts today? And if so, what are your thoughts about it? 2. 12:40 {When does Competition become Unbiblical?} The Bible stresses the importance of unity within the body of Christ. When does competition among believers (even seemingly friendly competition ...
Jun 18, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 546
Question Time Stamps for Quick Reference: 0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:11 {About the “5-Fold Ministry”} Have you heard of the "5-Fold Ministry" way of thinking about apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers exercising those gifts today? And if so, what are your thoughts about it? 2. 12:40 {When does Competition become Unbiblical?} The Bible stresses the importance of unity within the body of Christ. When does competition among believers (even seemingly friendly competition - games, spo...
Jun 18, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 546
For anyone who finds this video too short... here's my much longer video on the topic of suicide. https://youtu.be/T6nlUhWJe00 Please share your thoughts (hopefully in a gracious manner) in the comments below. These are tough topics. Do you think I'm right about seeing suicide and euthanasia as fundamentally different situations from having a DNR or pulling the plug on life support under certain dire conditions?
Jun 17, 2021•4 min•Ep. 545
For anyone who finds this video too short... here's my much longer video on the topic of suicide. https://youtu.be/T6nlUhWJe00 Please share your thoughts (hopefully in a gracious manner) in the comments below. These are tough topics. Do you think I'm right about seeing suicide and euthanasia as fundamentally different situations from having a DNR or pulling the plug on life support under certain dire conditions?
Jun 17, 2021•4 min•Ep. 545
This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set.
Jun 16, 2021•3 min•Ep. 544
This is just one question from a long interview I did for the moderators of the r/Bible subreddit. They asked their subreddit to send me a bunch of questions and I spent a lot of time preparing so that I would be able to offer the best answers I could. I'll be posting these answers as individual videos so keep an eye out for the rest in the set.
Jun 16, 2021•3 min•Ep. 544
On one side we have skeptics who want to easily dismiss much of the biblical account of Jesus' crucifixion. On the other side we have "progressive Christian" teachers who want to take away essential theological truths about the meaning of the cross of Christ. I'm tackling all of that today. I find it genuinely intimidating to be speaking on the topic of the death of our Lord, since I don't know how any man could do true justice to the glory and horror of the cross, but I pray that God uses this ...
Jun 14, 2021•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 542
On one side we have skeptics who want to easily dismiss much of the biblical account of Jesus' crucifixion. On the other side we have "progressive Christian" teachers who want to take away essential theological truths about the meaning of the cross of Christ. I'm tackling all of that today. I find it genuinely intimidating to be speaking on the topic of the death of our Lord, since I don't know how any man could do true justice to the glory and horror of the cross, but I pray that God uses this ...
Jun 14, 2021•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 542
0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:10 {Regrets about Not Sharing the Gospel} My father recently died, and I don’t think he was a true Christian. I’ve been a Christian for 7 months and I didn’t share the Gospel with him. Would things have gone differently if I did? 2. 7:03 {Witnessing to Mormon Family Members} I'm a Christian who is married to a non-practicing Mormon who still bases his beliefs on LDS doctrine. I think I want to go into apologetics (largely inspired by you), but I don't t...
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 541
0:00 - Introduction 1. 0:10 {Regrets about Not Sharing the Gospel} My father recently died, and I don’t think he was a true Christian. I’ve been a Christian for 7 months and I didn’t share the Gospel with him. Would things have gone differently if I did? 2. 7:03 {Witnessing to Mormon Family Members} I'm a Christian who is married to a non-practicing Mormon who still bases his beliefs on LDS doctrine. I think I want to go into apologetics (largely inspired by you), but I don't think my husband wi...
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 541
