Search Results for: baptism

The Newsletter of IBTM with Douglas Jacoby . 9 October 2024 Good morning! Earlier this year I was visiting my brother and sister-in-law in semitropical Florida. I was walking in… Read More

Why can I be positive that apostle Paul, in Titus 3:5, is talking about baptism? He doesn’t use the word “baptism” here. Couldn’t someone argue that it’s just a metaphor… Read More

I have heard people connect Gal 3:26-27 and Matt 22:11-12. They reason that unless you agree with their interpretation on baptism, you’ll be kicked out of the kingdom. I’m not… Read More

I recently found an interesting article at the website of the Biblical Archaeological Society. To read it, click HERE.

Q&A 1574-1580 . Q&A 1581-1589 .. …. Part 1 of Baptism Debate (Dr. Thomas Ross and Dr. Douglas Jacoby) . Part 2 of Baptism Debate (Dr. Thomas Ross and Dr…. Read More

Dear Renew Friends, This month we are emphasizing what the Bible teaches about baptism – and a key resource on baptism. Let me explain why this may be important to you… Read More

Isn’t baptism a work? Since we aren’t saved by works (Eph 2:8-9), baptism can’t be part of salvation. What do you teach about this?—Anonymous In the New Testament, baptism is… Read More

I’ve been hearing a lot lately the idea that there was a gospel of the kingdom for the Jews only, and another message, a gospel of grace, for the Gentiles…. Read More

In Luke 19:9-10, Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to… Read More

So, no one brings up the fact that Jesus is God’s Son in the first 7 chapters of Acts. Yet this is noticeably absent from the first gospel sermon in… Read More

“I wanted to ask your opinion about an article I wrote on the ‘age of accountability.’ At age 12, Jesus is referred to as a ‘boy/child,’ and the (little) girl… Read More

Posted on October 4, 2008 by John Oakes at his website, Evidence for Christianity. Used with permission. I was just reading an excerpt out of the book Who is My… Read More

Click here to watch a 5-minute video on baptism.  Chan’s view sees baptism as salvific, in the sense of a pledge and an appeal (combining the best of both translation alternatives,… Read More

What did the early church teach about baptism?  There is amazing unanimity.  If you are unfamiliar with the doctrine of the early Christians, you may be intereted in this article…. Read More

I thought you’d appreciate this correspondence between Jeff Smelser (a Northern Virginia Centerville preacher) and Edward Hobbs, N.T. Greek professor. It’s great primary source material on the subject. I received… Read More

Click on the link for the dialogue.

Download Baptism for the Dead2, by Glenn Giles (Denver).

Baptism Revisited, by John Lang John Lang (Indianapolis) has a different, and provocative, perspective on baptism: Baptism has long been a central concern of those with roots in the “Restoration… Read More

What is the importance and significance of baptism in salvation? — A.H. Please search the website first, then send many any lingering questions.  I have written a lot about baptism…. Read More

I was reading some of the early Christian writings recently and was surprised to come across references to infant baptism in the Church from such patristic heavyweights as Iraneus (130-202), Origen (185-254), Tertullian… Read More

I have been scanning your website and was confused on the subject of baptism. I was baptized not by immersion but rather by water being cupped and poured on my… Read More

Some brothers feel it is wrong and unclean to baptize in a bathtub? What do you think? We must ask, does the Bible state where someone ought to be baptized? If… Read More

The blood of Christ cleanses us from sin (1 Peter 1:19), but on the other hand baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). There are people who say… Read More

I have been studying the Bible with one of the college students here in Athens. He has agreed with everything until baptism. My question about Acts 2:38 is, What is… Read More

You wrote that those who received John’s baptism probably didn’t get baptized again. So how then did they get the indwelling or seal of the Holy Spirit? Did John’s baptism… Read More

I’m teaching a three-part series on baptism and have a question. With John’s baptism and the disciples baptizing while Jesus was alive, how could these baptisms be for the forgiveness… Read More

A friend was telling me that Jesus in John 3, speaking of being born of water and the Spirit, was referring to the womb (amniotic fluid), representing natural birth, and… Read More

I was talking to an old pastor friend and he cited the example of Cornelius receiving salvation and the Holy Spirit before being baptized. He said this was proof that… Read More

I read all your articles on baptism at the website, but ran into an anti-immersionist article on my own at another. They argued that baptein is the word for immerse/dip,… Read More

Do you have to confess every sin before God will accept you as a Christian? Although I would not try to talk a person out of doing so, we must… Read More

I have a question concerning 1 Peter 3:21. The NIV reads "the pledge of a good conscience," whereas the NASB translates "an appeal to God for a good conscience," and… Read More

We know that John the Baptist immersed people. In John 4:1, we see that Jesus’ disciples were also immersing. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. What was the purpose… Read More

I am truly trying not to "speak where the Bible is silent," and I feel like baptizing children is one of those issues. I see that Jesus called children to… Read More

I have a question about Romans 10:9. Before every baptism I’ve been to, including my own, the person to be baptized confessed "Jesus is Lord." Was this confession done in… Read More

I would like to study the water and HS baptism as one in the same theme. Do you have some scriptures or a study on that? Yes, chapter 24 of… Read More

I have done some study about salvation and baptism, and have come to some conclusions that are in seeming disagreement with the doctrine of salvation through baptism. Undoubtedly, baptism is… Read More

I have helped many people get baptized into Christ. I’ve also prevented many people from getting baptized because they were not meeting my expectations (or the specific challenges I laid… Read More

How would you explain 1 John 2:12-14 in regard to the word "children"? This is one of the words used by Lutherans to justify the practice of baptising children. The… Read More

Q&A 0605 – Baptism and dementia “I have a question that has been troubling me this few days and I hope you can help. My mom studied the bible and… Read More

The Jews baptize their converts in living (flowing) water through use of a mikveh or natural body of water. Living water has symbolic significance just like full immersion. Since the… Read More

Do we really have to be baptized to have our sins forgiven?… Please explain to me what Paul is talking about when he says, “I have been crucified with Christ:… Read More

1 Corinthians 15:29 seems to suggest that Paul acknowledged the practice of getting baptized for the purpose of having those who have already died take part in the coming resurrection…. Read More

Did Jesus get baptized to “become like his brothers in every way” (Hebrews 2:17)? Was that what it meant for him “to fulfill all righteousness” Matthew 3:15? I thought that… Read More

When we say things like, "We believe that an individual is not a candidate for baptism and, therefore, salvation, unless he or she is ready to repent of sin and… Read More

I am a former disciple, and I am interested in getting your insight into different scriptural references used for restoration. Would Luke 15 be applicable? (The parables of the lost… Read More

I read somewhere that the answer to the question "Who’s a candidate for baptism?" is "a disciple." This is confusing. If a disciple (a Christian) is already saved why does he… Read More

I would like to know how much of a connection there is between circumcision and baptism. Some suggest they are extremely connected, and since circumcision was done to babies, it… Read More

This article originally appeared in the July 1987 issue of A Light to London, the bulletin of the London Church of Christ. There is an amazing wealth of evidence even… Read More

A dear friend of mine who has been a disciple for ten years is about to leave the Lord. She e-mailed me this question in an effort to resolve an… Read More

Whenever I share my faith with a highly religious person, the question of fire baptism comes up. What did John mean when he said "I baptize you with water for… Read More

[Greatly condensed] I would like to know everything possible about baptism. Can you point me in the right direction? I am glad you want to know everything about baptism. I… Read More

(Restoration Quarterly) Link

Link to Restoration Quarterly Article:  LINK

The Renewal of the Practice of Adult Baptism by Immersion During the Reformation Era, 1525-1700, by Wes Harrison Link to Restoration Quarterly Article: http://www.acu.edu/sponsored/restoration_quarterly/archives/2000s/vol_43_no_2_contents/harrison.html

In this article I am replying to a memo emailed to me… I recently read an article on baptism and its purpose. I fully believe baptism is necessary, but some… Read More

Whilst watching the movie Mary, Mother of Jesus and seeing baptism depicted as sprinkling, I suddenly wondered, Where did baptism come from in the first place? As I understand it,… Read More

My father is a denominational minister, and we have disagreed over the meaning of New Testament baptism. In a study Bible, I read the words of a scholar who said… Read More

In Acts 19:1-7, the men Paul spoke to were disciples. Where were those men standing with God if they had repented and been baptized and forgiven of their sins? What… Read More

In John 3:22 and John 4:2, it says that the disciples of Jesus were baptising. What kind of baptism was this? In Romans 6:1-7, the scriptures say Jesus had to… Read More

According to Acts 2, to become a Christian we must repent and be baptised. My question is in regard to exactly what repentance is referring to. In Acts, it does… Read More

What purpose did the baptism by John and the other disciples serve before Jesus’ death and resurrection? — Jamie Janus In John 3:22 and John 4:2, the Bible says that… Read More

John 4:1-2 mentions that Jesus disciples were baptizing, but Jesus had not yet died and been resurrected. So were they applying a form of the baptism of John? Did those… Read More

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commanded his disciples to baptise the new disciples in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, but in Acts… Read More

What was Paul referring to about the baptism for the dead? What are your thoughts and what do you know about it?–Thomas, as well as Ben (Hilo, Hawaii), and John… Read More

Introduction In 1976 after I my “conversion experience “1 I began attending charismatic prayer meetings. I continued to go because there were lots of food nice girls and a high… Read More

LIGHT FROM THE CHURCH FATHERS (95-325 AD), PART 1 The period of the early church, particularly the first three centuries (up to the Council of Nicaea, 325 AD), can be… Read More

THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM with Douglas Jacoby . 20 November 2024 Greetings from San Diego! I’m here for the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. While here in California… Read More

THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM with Douglas Jacoby . 23 October 2024 Good morning from windy Lancashire! Today’s bulletin offers: Insight into the relationship between Judaism and Christianity around AD 160… Read More

Dr. Richard Hays is a very influential New Testament scholar. In 1996 he wrote a book called the Moral Vision of the New Testament, in which he argued that a… Read More

THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM  with Douglas Jacoby . 18 Sept 2024 Good morning from the island nation of Sri Lanka! Due to mechanical problems with the aircraft from the UK,… Read More

THE NEWSLETTER OF IBTM With Douglas Jacoby . 4 September 2024 Good morning from Northern England! Do you enjoy the outdoors? One of our new favorite things to do is to head… Read More

Back in December [2023] I received a message from a brother in Uganda through our ministry Fair Havens. Fair Havens provides spiritual support for the journey: listening to their stories, attempting… Read More

Critical Theory vs. the Christian Worldview By Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer OCT 13 READ IN APP One of the most interesting assessments of [critical theory] is an essay by… Read More

  July 2023 – Updates & Ministry Overview First and foremost, we thank God for your continuous love and prayers for us and for our ministries.  God has continued to… Read More

A conference paper for the Symposium, ‘Men, Women and the Church’ St John’s College, Durham, September 4, 2004 by the Bishop of Durham, Dr N. T. Wright I am very… Read More

Steve StatenMay, 2023 During the turbulent era of the 1880s through the 1940s when there were competing publications, mission societies, schools, and conventions, there were four courageous evangelists who strove… Read More

Good afternoon from Livingston, Scotland It’s the Ides of March (the 15th), the ominous day on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC. Not a good day for him,… Read More

How were women converted to Judaism in ancient times, if they were not circumcised? I looked online and couldn’t find anything.—M.H. I suppose there are two separate questions: (1) How… Read More

. Resurrection (Matt 28:1-10) Terrified men & courageous women First witnesses of resurrection are women. Worship (v.9) Commission (Matt 28:11-20) Mountain—connection with Matt 5 and 17, and with Moses Worship—and Jesus… Read More

Note: The following was constructed from an 8-part series in our 2022 newsletter. Catholicism’s Seven Sacraments The Council of Trent (1545-1563) affirmed: “If anyone says that the sacraments… are not… Read More

. Jesus heals the leper (Matt 8:1-4) This connects with the bird baptism passage of Lev 14! Several connections with Christ: the water, the wood, the blood (yarn), cleansing (hyssop),… Read More

Review—Some big ideas in Matthew 1-2: The man Jesus is the Christ, son of David and son of Abraham. Yet his lineage (as Matthew relates it) honors a number of… Read More

Thomas Jefferson on Jesus By Colin Brown and Craig A. Evans Dec 10 Two works that specifically dealt with the historical Jesus were unpublished pieces compiled by Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826),… Read More

Daniel McCoy | Bio SHARE How destructive is the sin of greed? Greed is an attitude that craves more and more and can never find enough. Colossians 3:5 equates greed with idolatry,… Read More

Written by Rubel ShellySeptember 2022 Edition The following article is reproduced by permission of its author, Rubel Shelly. This list of ten practices was handed out at Harbor: The Pepperdine Bible… Read More

Today, evangelicals defend Luther’s pithy statement: “Justification by faith alone in Christ alone.” Here is what R.C. Sproul, founder of Ligonier ministries, has to say about Luther’s theological accomplishments. “Luther… Read More

  From Five Fingers to Five Steps Written by Jack Reese – Excerpt from “At the Blue Hole,” Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 2021. Reprinted with permission. Scott (Walter… Read More

. I. Meeting the Kandos How much do you know about the Dead Sea Scrolls? If you’re like most people, you have heard of these ancient artifacts. Most people leave it… Read More

To hear the message of Day 6 in the James series, “Listening & Looking” (15 mins), click the play arrow below.   The next two sections in James (today’s offering plus… Read More

Introduction C.S. Lewis used the term ‘a great cataract of nonsense’ to describe how people use a modern idea to construe Bible theology. One such example, perhaps the best example,… Read More

A thoughtful American sister recently asked what I thought of evangelical scholar David P. Gushee’s Changing Our Mind: Definitive 3rd Edition of the Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBT Christians with Response… Read More

Art by Catherine Williamson | Learn more at www.catherinescolors.com “The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name… Read More

I have a question about John 1:19-28. I noticed that the priests and Levites asked John the Baptist whether he is the Messiah, Elijah or the Prophet, multiple times. Additionally,… Read More

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only… Read More

(It seems fair to say we Christians don’t do very well when it comes to hashing out difficult topics—at least without descending into quarreling or acrimony. This is largely (I… Read More

Written by Derrick Jones, July 3, 2021 On the surface, the above title might sound like a good thing, but in my view, it is not. Let me elaborate on… Read More

Summer solstice, 2021 In our corner of the northern hemisphere, this week’s solstice has brought amazingly long days—with first light at 3:26 am and last light at 11:06 pm. Everyone’s… Read More

What was Jesus’s approach to politics? And what are the implications for us today? Opening thoughts     Politics is the management of power. Dictionary def: “the activities associated with the governance… Read More

To listen to CLEAN podcast 17, The Synagogue Demoniac (11 minutes), click on arrow. To download and listen later, right click here and choose ‘save target as’ or ‘save link as’. Scriptural study: Mark 1:21-28 Jesus… Read More

A Medical Account of the Crucifixion Simplified & Amended [1] Hanging, electrocution, knee-capping, gas chamber: these punishments are feared. They all happen today, and we shudder as we think of… Read More

Introductions Aquila Aquila means “eagle.” There are 7 well-known Aquilas in ancient times, including our Aquila. He is always mentioned with his wife. Priscilla Her name means “venerable.” There are 2… Read More

The apostle Paul 1 Cor 7:10-12, 15 “Not I, but the Lord” and “I, not the Lord.” Paul reveals the Lord’s will on an issue common in the Greco-Roman world:… Read More

Background Lydia is from Asia (Thyatira), but resident in Europe (Philippi). She is the first convert from Europe in the book of Acts. Philippi is a Roman colony—there’s no synagogue…. Read More

The following two hundred plus articles are searchable nowhere else at this website, as they are found only in newsletter pdf files. USE SEARCH OR SCROLL DOWN TO THE ITEM… Read More

Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Stepping into the Jordan Patrons, Prophets, and Preachers by Rob Kranz One of the advantages of teaching is that I always… Read More

        Main ideas: 1st century: apostles agree Gentiles are not obligated to follow Torah (Acts 15:1-35; Titus 1:10-11). 19th century: rooted in evangelism of Jews in Israel during the Ottoman… Read More

The Twisted Scriptures? Sometimes my intent is well-meaning, and yet, my conclusions, actions, and/or attitudes are misguided. Someone said, “any logical deduction taken to its extreme becomes absurd.” For years,… Read More

How do you answer the objection that belief in baptism being necessary for salvation is false because it adds to the already finished work of the cross? For example, one person… states:… Read More

Acts 2.38 and Understanding Purpose examines whether complete cognizance is necessary for a valid baptism by identifying analogous grammatical structures in the Greek N.T.

Does 1 Corinthians 11:3 mean women are forever subordinate to men? Paul is considered to be a strong advocate for women, yet there is a passage or two in his… Read More

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matthew 7:6).   This text connects with… Read More

  “Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven,    hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come,     your will be done,       on earth as it is… Read More

4) Abuse of authority Leaders have authority, but not to create their own rules, or in the language of Jeremiah, “to rule by their own authority” (Jer 5:30-31). “Giving up… Read More

History — We Are Church A Brief History of We Are Church. Excerpt from Letters to the Church, by Francis Chan. Why I Left My Megachurch In 1994, when I… Read More

Is the Holy Land the Promised Land? Leading evangelical supporters of President Trump tout the modern state of Israel as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Scholars in Churches of Christ… Read More

To listen to lesson 7 in the CLEAN series, The Leprosy of Naaman (14 minutes), click on the play arrow. Or you can download the podcast by right clicking here and choosing ‘save target… Read More

Dear Renew Network Subscribers, Would you be interested in some really great Biblical teaching this week? We have two opportunities for you and one other upcoming event that is sure… Read More

Good morning Renew Network subscribers, Would you join us as we seek to renew the teachings of King Jesus in our day? It is a bold aspiration. It will require… Read More

Marshall Keeble and Martin Luther King Jr. fought for ‘different things in different ages.’   By Hamil R. Harris and Bobby Ross Jr. Marshall Keeble was calling sinners home at a… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (18 minutes), or right click here, in order to download, save, and listen later. 2:1 My little children, I am writing these… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (15 minutes), or right click here, in order to download, save, and listen later. 1 We declare to you what was from the… Read More

John 19 concludes with the burial of Jesus. Now, in John 20, it is Sunday morning, the third day since the crucifixion—and the tomb is empty! Click on the arrow… Read More

Click on the arrow to play the podcast (18 minutes), or right click here to save and listen later. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,… Read More

We come to the ever-popular John 3!  While most who profess Christ know only verse 16, the entire chapter is chock-full of incredible passages. For example, verse 16 requires faith… Read More

Having set the stage with his prologue (vv.1-18), John the evangelist now begins the story proper. In this lesson (22 minutes), we cover John 1:19-34, which details the first two… Read More

In this lesson (20 minutes), we will finish our study of the prologue (1:1-18), which sets the stage for the entire gospel. Click on the arrow to play the podcast,… Read More

To listen to the third podcast in the series on Christian identity, Why I Am Not an Evangelical—or Am I? (32 min), click on the arrow. To download and listen… Read More

To hear the podcast (44 mins), Why I Am Not a Fundamentalist, click on the play arrow. To download and listen to it later, right click here and then on ‘save link as’… Read More

To hear the podcast (54 mins) titled Why I Am Not a Protestant, click on the arrow. To download and listen to it later, right click here and then on ‘save… Read More

Douglas, you are thought of by some as quite broad-minded. What do you teach about how to become a Christian? I hope my teaching on salvation is no broader than… Read More

To hear podcast 11, The 10 Lepers (10 minutes), click on the play arrow. Or, to download, right click here, and choose ‘save target as’ or ‘save link as’. Introduction… Read More

For CLEAN podcast 5, on Walking in the Light, click the play arrow. The podcast (14 minutes) can also be downloaded. To listen later, download by right clicking here, and ‘save target… Read More

A brother in a church in my state has been making the use of “Yahweh” (God’s name, in Hebrew, in the Old Testament) a matter of salvation. He is now going… Read More

My personal experience in converting from non-believer to believer was very much supported by your book True & Reasonable [now Compelling Evidence]. However, my moment of accepting the scriptures came about… Read More

I’ve heard many times that salvation is a “free gift” and one can do nothing to earn it, and that’s what sets Christianity apart from other religions. But obedience to… Read More

Born: 13 August 1959, Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Marriage: 17 August 1985 to Victoria Gibbs; three adult children Residence: Lancashire, England and Atlanta, Georgia EDUCATION 1971-77:  The Ranney School, Tinton Falls, New Jersey: Valedictorian…. Read More

Showing Christ’s Love to Transgender People My name is Brandon Redler and it is an honor for me to be used by God in my role as a member of… Read More

The following is a 7-fold response to the problem of suffering, complementing the Newsletter of 16 September 2015, in the Answering Skeptics series. The Problem of Suffering In all my… Read More

by Douglas Jacoby We would like to encourage you with the story of Michael Jacobs, 59, of Marietta, Georgia. Mike was brought up Jewish (bar mitzvah, rich cultural heritage, values… Read More

The King James Version, translated 1611, has been a cherished and favorite of millions of Bible readers. Some claim that the KJV alone is “authorized” — that this version is… Read More

Our third podcast (17 minutes) covers a number of scriptures, like Acts 19 (Sons of Sceva), 2 Thessalonians 2:9ff (the powerful delusion), Matthew 6 (“many words,” a possible reference to… Read More

Listen to the 11th podcast in Romans A-Z.  This podcast (13 minutes) covers the first 8 verses of the chapter. Click here to download. In chapters 1-3 Paul reasons that all… Read More

Do you need structure in your daily Bible reading? Or want to study an entire book of the Bible—not various verses, but a whole book, to get a sense of the flow?… Read More

What is Jesus talking about in Luke 11:13, since we receive the Spirit at baptism? — S.F. Here’s the passage, in case anybody isn’t familiar with it: 11 “Which of you… Read More

This lesson was original taught in Mexico City (“Manteniendo la Sana Doctrina,” 9 August 2014). Listen to the English podcast (52 minutes). Click here to download. Life and teaching Every… Read More

After his death and resurrection, Jesus gave the charge, the “Great Commission,” to the eleven faithful apostles. Let’s take a look at this passage and see what conclusions we can… Read More

To watch video, click on link: http://vimeo.com/81639585   Jesus Christ: Prince of Peace or God of War? Douglas Jacoby, 2013 Harvard University  Observations 1.    O.T. Church-state. Although priesthood and monarchy were separate,… Read More

Q&A 1358 – Evangelism for everyone? or How much can we read into the scriptures? Douglas, I thoroughly enjoy and am built up by your Q&A section. I’m writing about… Read More

To download, right click on the link and click “Save Link As” or “Save target As” – Download Podcast Learn about Christ, Our Gracious Guide to Eternal Life (19 minutes)… Read More

To download, right click on the link and click “Save Link As” or “Save target As” – Download Podcast Listen to Romans & Galatians: Baptized into Death (15 minutes). Background… Read More

To listen to Steven Jacoby’s Tithes & Offerings, Pt. 2 (29 minutes), click on the play button: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as”… Read More

To listen to Steven Jacoby’s Tithes & Offerings, Pt. 1 (25 minutes), click on the play button: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as”… Read More

2024 Newsletters Nov 27 – Headstrong Seminarian / San Diego Highlights / 4 Days till Advent Nov 20 – Dumb Decisions of a Fired-Up Young Christian / Global Warming: Do… Read More

Douglas Jacoby Douglas Jacoby is an international Bible teacher who served as a minister on church staff for 20 years (London, Birmingham, Sydney, Stockholm, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Washington DC). Since 2003… Read More

Ron Moseley’s book, Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church (Clarksville, Maryland: Messianic Jewish Publishers, 1996) is an interesting read. I have met representatives of this… Read More

BOOKS & AUDIO Books Advanced Christian Training (1986) Till the Nets are Full (formerly Shining Like Stars). Also available in Vietnamese. The Powerful Delusion (1987) I Was Hungry! The Christian… Read More

  Reality is the hardest thing to correctly perceive. To know reality is to know truth. (The terms can be used interchangeably). Or, reality is the state of things as… Read More

I am often asked about the merits of various Bible translations. Like many of my readers, I was brought up on the NIV.  When I became a Christian (1977), the… Read More

Common Misconceptions  The study of conscience biblically is a very interesting study, due partly to how misunderstood the subject actually is by many.  For example, it is common to hear… Read More

2024 (events in-person [not online] unless noted) Reykjavik, Iceland — Where Is God in this Crazy World? European School of Missions (Paris, by Zoom)—World Religions (4 sessions in Q1) San… Read More

Any study of prophecy eventually leads us to Christ. Prophecies about the Messiah are called “Messianic” prophecies. The term “messiah” comes from the Hebrew Massiah, which means “anointed one.” The… Read More

“Cross the Bridge or Fade Away”  is a controversial article that may be of interest to some who are interested in exploring boundary issues. Click here for the .pdf file.

As you monitor developments immediately outside the "brother" circle, here’s a suggestion in case you haven’t yet encountered it–the "Gospel in Our Culture Network," (http://www.gocn.org) an interdenominational group of scholars… Read More

Putting “Supper” Back in the Lord’s Supper This essay aims to address one of the basics of the faith: our communion. People have often asked such questions as why we… Read More

Here is a study of the popular evangelical doctrine of Receiving Christ (22 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

For N.T. Character Study 30, John the Baptist (30 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click here and select “save link as” or “save… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Decalogue C: The 3rd Commandment (16 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on The Name of God (18 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as”… Read More

This is a question that comes up repeatedly. Some of the reasons given are as follows: The person did not understand Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The person was confused… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Mormonism (47 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you can… Read More

This lesson is a critique of Ron Moseley’s Yeshua: A Guide to the Real Jesus and the Original Church (40 minutes). Introduction To download the podcast, right click on “download”… Read More

For N.T. Character Study 22, Simon the Sorcerer (28 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or… Read More

Here are a podcast and notes on Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Shinto (19 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as”… Read More

Can you elaborate on the idea of godly division v. sinful division? — Ed  Good question. I hope these general comments about division help clarify the issue at hand. God… Read More

For N.T. Character Study 5, Paul (31 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

For N.T. Character Study 1, Jesus (40 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

1 Timothy 5:22 reads, "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure." I’ve searched your Q&As… Read More

Why is it that the book of John doesn’t mention Jesus’ 40 days of temptation in the desert? Moreover, why does John explain seeing Jesus the day after his baptism,… Read More

Why are there so many differing views of Christianity? The amount of theological debate going on out there about baptism, predestination, salvation, etc is overwhelming! How can one approach these subjects without… Read More

The Bible says not to use your freedom as a Christian to indulge the sinful nature… What if I know that something I am involved with is sinful, but I refuse to… Read More

Thanks for recommending some reading (in the past) so that our family will be able to make an informed decision regarding what we believe about creation. We are a home-schooling family… Read More

My Bible, the New Living Translation, has Acts 2:38 saying baptism is to "show that our sins have been forgiven." But no other translation says this. What is happening? –… Read More

THE LORD’S SUPPER Putting "Supper" Back in the Lord’s SupperThis essay aims to address one of the basics of the faith: our communion. People have often asked such questions as… Read More

Polycarp declared, "Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me injury. How can I blaspheme my King and Savior?” (Polycarp, Martyrdom of Polycarp 9, c…. Read More

Following is a paper I wrote on the topic of Original Sin. The podcast includes everything in the paper –and a little bit more — and is 27 minutes in… Read More

To hear Those Who Have Never Heard (27 minutes), click on the play button below. To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save… Read More

A dear friend and brother says that a person will be saved when a person believes and get baptized (Mark 16:16), even if he thinks he was saved before the… Read More

How can one be sure he is saved? I mean there are baptism conversion, faith, and love for God. The latter seems to waver quite often in my life. God’s… Read More

When Jesus died on the cross, did he impart his righteousness to us through the Holy Spirit? Please help me also with scriptural references. — Art The answer is yes… Read More

For Purgatory (12 minutes), click on the play button below: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you can… Read More

For the O.T. Lesson 4, Abraham (40 minutes), click on the button: To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and… Read More

In Acts 22:16, where Paul is told, “Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord,” my Amplified Bible says that the phrase “wash… Read More

For the O.T. Lesson 4, Abraham (40 minutes), click on the button:   To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target as” and you can download… Read More

In the book of Acts, the 3000, the Ethiopian eunuch, Saul, Cornelius, and others didn’t have elaborate doctrinal studies to complete as a prerequisite to baptism. We should provide a… Read More

The thief (robber) on the cross couldn’t get baptized and was still saved. How can we explain that? Do extraordinary faith and confession of Jesus as Lord save us, as… Read More

Some people think a person can be saved even if he is still smoking, as long as he’s cut down on the number of cigarettes smoked a day. The goal… Read More

What do you thing about Didache? I had read this text, but I see something wrong about baptism. It sounds rather Catholic. — Jorge (Cuba) I believe you will find… Read More

On the subject of deaconesses you wrote: “The office of deaconess had not developed until the 3rd century. What does the Bible teach? What was the practice of the first… Read More

I got asked a bit of a stumper the other day. Paul received the indwelling of the Spirit at baptism, but he was laid hands on by Ananias, who was… Read More

In John 14:12-14, Jesus says that he will do whatever we ask and that we may ask him for anything. Also, Stephen, when dying, says "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."… Read More