175 results for tag: Q & R

Is the Bible ‘the Word of God’? Q&R with Greg Albrecht

Question: Some people call the Bible “the Word of God.” Is it? What is the Bible exactly? Some say it is inspired, and then some even say it is infallible and inerrant.

Q&R: Why would a Christlike God kill the firstborn of Egypt? Brad Jersak

Question What do you make of the death of the firstborn in Egypt? If God is not a vengeful and retributive death-dealer, how do you read that story? Response The Egyptian firstborn who died in the tenth plague (Exodus 12) were ultimately victims of Pharaoh's willful defiance, and were specifically slaughtered by 'the destroyer.' The New Testament finally reveals that 'the destroyer' is not God nor even the agent of God (contra the original story) but the enemy of God who steals, kills and destroys (John 10:10)... the 'destroyer' is Abbadon who comes from the pit (Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12, Psalm 88:11, Proverbs 15:11; 27:20, Revelation ...

Q & R: “Do I need to be rebaptized?” Greg Albrecht

Greg Albrecht: President PTM Question: I was baptized when a baby in the Catholic Church.  I came to see that many of their teachings and practices left a lot to be desired (and I still feel that way).  So later, as an adult, I was baptized in the Worldwide Church of God.   I later came to see that many of their teachings and practices left a lot to be desired (and I still feel the same way).    Do I need to be baptized again? Response: No, you do not need to be baptized again.   If you wish to, that’s entirely up to you, but you are not obligated to.    If you ...

“If God loves everyone, what do I tell those who ignore him?” Greg Albrecht

Question Greg, I am afraid that I have given my brother the wrong idea about the gospel, and about God’s love. Years ago I told him I'm convinced God will save everyone in the end. I still believe that but maybe it's become for him easy to ignore pursuing a relationship with Jesus and the consequences of that. What do you suggest I do? Response Your question is superb because it goes to the heart of the gospel, at least as I perceive it. Here are some similar questions, observations and even objections to the gospel that are often voiced: 1) Why should I try hard if God is going to save me no matter what! 2) If what I do ...

Q&R with Brad – Revelation Retribution?

Question Your book, A More Christlike God, really helped me see God in a new light. I used to be afraid of God and constantly thought he was judging me. Your book showed me that God is love exactly like Jesus. However, I wonder how you would handle some of the more violent and "judgy" passages in the book of Revelation, where Jesus is condemning and even threatening some of the churches. For example, in the message to Thyatira, Jesus (?) says, 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching, she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of ...

Q&R with Brad – “What’s this about the courts of heaven?”

Question A friend of mine is becoming very excited by "The Courts of Heaven" theories promoted by Robert Henderson. They’ve obviously been around for a while but I’d not come across them before. I’m not persuaded by it at all, but why do these ‘new truths’ seem to work? Response "Courts of heaven" teachers such as Robert Henderson use biblical imagery in order to express spiritual realities as they interpret them. The question, then, revolves around their interpretation of the imagery and how they apply the imagery in practice. Full disclosure: I will first nod to some of the biblical foundations, then push back at aspects of ...

Q&R with Brad: “What was ‘this cup’ Christ drank?”

The Agony in the Garden, 1590-1600, El Greco Question I'm curious if you have written anything or have any references concerning the cup Jesus asked be passed from him in the garden of Gethsemane. Some say it is "the cup of God's wrath" whereas I recall learning it was the cup of human suffering. Would you kindly share with me a few words on this topic? Grace and peace. Response A very good and important question. Let's begin by reviewing the text in Matthew 26 (NKJV): 36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with ...

Q for Brad: “How did you defend penal substitutionary atonement?”

Question Dear Brad, You are on the record as having written an MA thesis under the title “The Nature of Christ’s Suffering and Substitution” in the 1980s. You changed your mind over the years and your books have been very clear about that. Would you still have a copy of that thesis? I would dearly like to see what you thought back in the 1980s and how you argued the case. Response Today, all that remains is my hard copy and probably the one in our college archives. The digital version was on 128k floppy drives that eventually suffered from digital drift and became a mush of characters. However, I can summarize ...

Q&R with Brad – How do we pray regarding natural disasters, like these fires?

Question How do you pray these days regarding natural disasters, like the fires we're seeing in the Northwest and in Turkey?  Is God in control? Is God controlling?  As you mentioned in A More Christlike God, God set the parameters for natural law to take place. So is there any point asking God to intervene and stop the fires? Does God do that?  Response First, let's remember that God doesn't DO control. BUT God's love is mediated into this world through willing human partners who invite God's participation. WE mediate God's goodness as image-bearers in this world. God enters our world by invitation, and our prayers ...

Q&R with Brad – “Is sex before marriage a sin?”

Question I have a question. Is sex before marriage a sin? It seems it is best to wait considering the risks. But, the Bible isn't clear on this. The word fornication comes from the Greek word, porneia which means whoredom, harlotry, idolatry, and selling off sexual purity, or marital unfaithfulness (adultery). However, what about in committed relationships where people are not married? Response This is such a poignant question in this sex-positive, post-"purity culture" era. It seems like a risky question to address ... almost a lose-lose as we straddle 21st-century reality and yet hope to stay anchored to some sort of sex ethic that ...

Q&R with Brad – “But God is holy…”

Poem by Franki (@frankiwritespoetry on Instagram) When yourperception of thelove and acceptance of Godis less than what ahuman beingwould offer a stranger, it'sprobablywrong. Reader's question But he's God. He's holy and I can't get past how that makes me view him as a judge of my behavior. He doesn't accept sin. And I "was born in sin". I don't want to see myself as sinful needing a savior from my evilness, but I feel the Bible tells me this story. If he accepts me, why do I need to do anything at all? Response This is such an important line of inquiry that it bears answering in stages. "But he's God." I don't see that "but" ...

Q&R with Brad: How does God interact with the universe? Control vs. Love

Question I am about halfway into A More Christlike God (I pre-ordered A More Christlike Word a few months ago as well!). Your work is refreshing to my soul. In fact, I conduct research among secular, Gen Z college students, and some of your insights address precisely their struggles with the Christian faith, most notably the wrath of God and Christ pitted against the Father. Anyway, as I have been reading A More Christlike God, I’m struggling with what seems to be a contradiction of sorts, and I would greatly value your insight. In Chapter 7 (pp. 129-32 in my copy) you discuss “secondary causes.” Here, you discuss ...

Q&R Dealing with Doubts – Brad Jersak

Question I get caught up in my 5 senses. I want to move past these things and accept God and Jesus and the afterlife and in my good moments, I do. But I have these sad downturns where I question everything. How is your faith so strong? Do you ever have moments of doubt? How do you move past them or how can I build my faith up so I no longer doubt? Response I'd probably be a bit worried if you never had doubts. Doubts are often an invitation to bring our hard questions to God and it's exactly at those moments (or seasons) that our wrestling turns into deeper convictions. For example, those who experience suffering may have deep questions that ...

Q&R: Eternal Life – now or later? Brad Jersak

Question The more I experience this beautiful gospel, the more I feel that it’s all about NOW, the present. And trying to know the Father (eternal life) more and more and experience His love for me more and more as well as living out this Love so that others around me could get to know Him and His love for them.​ What are your thoughts on this? Response This is ESPECIALLY true in the Gospel of John where both 'perishing' and 'eternal life' are NOT treated as afterlife concerns (heaven and hell). In John's Gospel, Jesus comes to a world that is already perishing now. Christ comes because his children are in a downward ...

Question: Women in Pastoral Ministry – Greg Albrecht

QUESTION: I spent some time in two church organizations both of whom believed women should not be involved in pastoral ministry.  But I now question this view.   I did make  a sort of peace with the idea over the fact that I'd rather hear a woman speak truth than hear a man speak nonsense. In spite of that though, I'm still a bit troubled by the Epistles of Paul on this issue. I'm aware of the argument that Paul's statements were directed to a male dominated culture but that raises the question that if the culture were wrong, why did God cater to it? What I want to understand is the theology of this issue. I don't ...