Doctrine Archives | Christian Questions Bible Podcast

Doctrine

Are God and Evil Meant to Coexist?

2018/03/12 Christian Questions

For most of us it’s simple. God is good, Satan is evil. They fight and God wins. God destroys Satan and all evil with him. It is simple and reassuring until we think a little more deeply about it. Where did evil actually come from? If God created all things then He must have created evil – why would he do that? If God wins the battle between good and evil and then destroys evil, would He be destroying one of His creations? If God truly is stronger than evil then we need to ask if God is even paying attention because one look around our world and it is obvious that evil is handily winning. So, are God and evil really a compatible pair – opposites that need each other to exist? Could God ever truly destroy evil or is the destiny of our world and our universe to be subject to both?

Meeting a fist with an open palm - turn the other cheek

Doctrine

Do We Have to “Turn the Other Cheek”?

2018/02/05 Christian Questions

In today’s digital world, there are “internet trolls” that can insult, hurt and make fun of us anonymously. And the real world is hard enough! Is the teaching of Jesus to “turn the other cheek” still as relevant and powerful as it was centuries ago?

man with fingers crossed - are there consequences to our actions and lies

Doctrine

Does God Bless Us When We Act in an Unrighteous Way?

2018/01/22 Christian Questions

Are there consequences to the way we live from God’s standpoint? Take the example of King David in the Old Testament. He had some whopper sins and yet he was described as a “man after God’s own heart” and God loved and blessed him. How does that work with us today?

Doctrine

Will Prayer Change Your Life?

2017/12/18 Christian Questions

Prayer probably won’t change the lives of most people because they do not understand the basic fundamentals of prayer. But humans are tuned to opening their minds to some kind of external power or tranquility and this opening of the mind provides a sense of security and peace as they feel heard, accepted and cared for. What should you pray for? Does it really make a difference in the outcome of any circumstance?

Angel and Devil on Woman's Shoulders - contemplating sin

Doctrine

Are We SURE Sin is Really Sinful?

2017/10/23 Christian Questions

-2

What has happened to us? We live in an age where ego and emotion are more important than virtue and values. An age where personal preference outweighs personal worth and “I want it now” trumps integrity. We live in an age where absolutes aren’t (unless we decide they fit into our personal plan) and standards are only something to customize and remodel to our personal satisfaction. Ours is an age where the ancient principles of sin and objective morality are being relegated to the trash heap of history. So, what are we supposed to do? Should we go along with the flow of thoughts and emotions that are reshaping our social structure? Should we abandon what is considered to be the old and worn out moral thinking of the past and embrace the new and vibrant personally-based principles of the present?

Doctrine

Why Didn’t God Make the Bible Easy to Understand? (Part II)

2017/10/02 Christian Questions

A few weeks ago we began a conversation about the Bible and its inherent challenges of understanding and interpretation. As we discussed the book in all of its complexity, we suggested a very straightforward and simple conclusion: the Bible is difficult to understand because it was purposely written to be difficult to understand. Such a conclusion really disturbs most common Christian thinking about converting the world here and now. As we continue to lay out what we believe to be the reasons for such an avoidance of world appeal by the Scriptures, we now turn the focus on the really big question of results. Why would God, why did God set up a plan where everyone does NOT get a fair chance to come to an understanding of the Bible in our present environment? What good could possibly come from such a strategy?

Doctrine

Did Jesus and the Thief Go from the Cross to Paradise?

2017/09/25 Christian Questions

In the immensity and complexity of the book we call the Bible, there are some verses that have become somewhat famous…like the Christmas text “Good tidings of great joy…” The football stadium text “For God so loved the world… the character of God text “God is love…”. Another text that is well known and deeply meaningful is spoken by Jesus to one of the thieves dying on the cross next to him, Jesus said “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise…” This text shows us the power of God’s love as expressed through the compassion of Jesus and his sacrifice and it is truly inspirational in the hope that it portrays. Now, here is a simple and very legitimate question – what was Jesus saying to this thief? What was he promising and why was he promising it? As we find out by examining so many verses of Scripture, what seems to be said is not always what is really meant. So, did Jesus really say what most th

Doctrine

Why Didn’t God Make the Bible Easy to Understand? (Part I)

2017/09/18 Christian Questions

Pick up a book or an article and start reading…if that book or article is well-written, it will bring you to some kind of conclusion, some kind of understanding or realization that you didn’t have before. Now, these realizations can be across a wide scope of subjects and learning, but the bottom line is you picked up that well-written book or article and now you have some greater knowledge or insight. Now pick up the Bible and start reading…it starts out all good and wonderful and then just six chapters later it seems like God gets mad and pretty much scraps His whole creation thing. Why? Read further and the confusion grows! So, what’s up with this, anyway? The Almighty God, creator of all things, surely could have had the Bible written in such a way that it would be universally understood! Well the fact is, He didn’t! Why not? There is actually a really cool answer to this!

Doctrine

What Does it Mean to be “Born Again”?

2017/08/21 Christian Questions

…Unless one is “born again.” This phrase carries great meaning no matter what Christian denomination you come from. The meaning of the phrase certainly changes depending upon your particular belief system, but the power of the phase remains intact. To be “born again” in all cases implies one of the most significant spiritual changes any person can ever experience. So when does being “born again” happen and what does it really mean? Does this spiritual change happen when one is baptized as an infant or when one commits their life to God through Jesus or when one is baptized as an adult or when one dies? Is this spiritual change a prepaid one way ticket to heaven or an opportunity for power and control in your present life, or is it a sober and humbling opportunity to sacrifice all that you have and all that you are?

Doctrine

What Makes a Church a “Good Church”?

2017/07/31 Christian Questions

Christians like most other people are creatures of habit. Although society has engineered dramatic changes in how we handle our lives, for many Christians the act of going to church remains a staple in their lives. We go to church to do what? Traditionally we have gone to learn about God, to have fellowship with those of like mind, to get away from the rat race of our lives and to remind ourselves about how to live in a Christlike fashion. Traditionally we have gone to church to reaffirm our faith – to strengthen ourselves to better stand for our core beliefs. As I said, times have changed…now it seems as though many of us go to church for different reasons. In many instances church has become a place of neighborly activity, social acceptance, goodness, activities entertainment and fun. Church is now a nice place to go to feel good about myself. So, are these changes unhealthy or bad? What’s wrong with feeling good about myself? What makes a church a really good church?