Is Cosmetic Surgery a Sin?
First, we must clearly state that there are legitimate uses for plastic surgery. As a former police detective, I have seen several people that have been disfigured by accidents, crimes, fires, etc.…
Can you be saved and still follow a false teacher?
Excellent question. The short answer is "yes," it is possible (see the 7 Churches of Revelation). When one is initially saved they normally know very little of the truth. All they are familiar with…
Same-Sex Love?
In answering this question it is necessary to define some biblical terms from God's holy perspective and to understand God's definition of "love" in regards to couples (families). Biblical romantic…
Unnatural Acts
In the context of Romans 1, these verses seem to refer only to homosexuality. Although bestiality and other sexual sins are condemned in other portions of Scripture, they are not the topic of…
Gender Roles
I should begin by saying that there are some ways in which men and women are equal, and other ways in which they are not equal. For example, men and women are both made in the image of God -- this is…
Marriage vs. Celibacy
For many centuries, the church has basically taught that singleness is better than marriage, but that not everyone has the "gift of singleness." That is, the church has taught that Paul thought…
Jephthah and Sinful Vows
Some commentators believe that Jephthah would not have sacrificed his daughter. They believe this on the basis that such human sacrifice would be abhorrent to God, suggesting instead that she was…
Should we pray the EXACT Lord's Prayer?
First, the Lord's Prayer is called such not because it is a prayer that Jesus needed to pray (he never sinned), but because it was one he taught to his disciples and thus his church to pray. It may…
May a Believer Initiate Divorce and Remarry?
Thanks for the question! We need to draw a clear distinction between an invalid divorce and an invalid/illegitimate marriage. From the sound of it, your wife did not have biblical grounds to leave…
Why Do Christians Need Doctors?
There are many good and reasonable answers to this. I will be brief and comment on only a few. Every healing that happens is God's miracle. Honest doctors will tell you that they do not heal, they…
Can Christians eat apples?
Apples appear in many religious traditions as the forbidden fruit. The book of Genesis, however, does not actually describe the forbidden fruit (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-6). According to Wikipedia, the…
Backsliding Christians
The Bible teaches that once you are saved you cannot lose your salvation. There are many, many arguments and proofs for this doctrine, including: Christians are predestined not just to initial…
Divorce and Remarriage
Whether or not a divorced Christian can remarry depends upon the circumstances of the divorce, and to some degree upon the conduct of both ex-spouses after the divorce. In general, Christians are not…
Can Christians Stop Sinning?
I would answer with Paul and the rest of the biblical authors that a Christian cannot totally cease from sinning. As Paul wrote in Galatians 5:17, "The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and…
Unequally Yoked
The Bible teaches in various ways that believers are not to marry unbelievers. In the Old Testament, Israelites were prohibited from marrying non-Israelites who did not convert to the religion of…
Marriage, Divorce, Children, and Heresy?
I am grieved to read of your difficult circumstances, the behavior of your husband, and the troubles you and your children face. I have prayed that the Lord will give you wisdom as you seek his will.…
Predestination v. Prayer
You certainly should continue to pray for your children. As odd as it may sound in light of predestination, prayer really is effective. There are two doctrines that it is often hard to balance. The…
Suicide and the Sovereignty of God
I must admit I'm kind of shocked by the question. If we love others then of course we will do our very best to help them from moments of crisis like this. While there are some suicides that are…
How is a Christian to deal with a spouse who has no interest in sex?
This is a very complex question with several different possible things to address, thus, I may only make general comments. As most are aware, a husband and wife should not "defraud" one another…
Women in Secular Leadership
The Bible indicates that women may hold leadership positions over men in many areas of life. Restricting the office of elder ordinarily to men, and affirming male headship within marriage, are the…
Violent Resistance
As far as violence/non-violence in the current age goes, Christian scholarship is divided on the issue. Personally, I think violence is sometimes justified. First of all, Paul teaches clearly that…
No Kids for Me!
In Scripture, children are a primary blessing of God's covenant with his people (Deut. 28). When God offers something as a blessing, he indicates that it is a good thing that he values. And to speak…
Blessing God
The word generally translated "bless" in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word barak . Barak can mean many different things, depending on its context. The same thing is true of the Greek word eulogeo…
Can His Presence be Lost?
For the true Christian, it is essential to stress in answering this question that God is ALWAYS present (Ps. 46:1; Acts 17:26-27). He is near enough to see us: The eyes of the LORD are everywhere…