FAQ


Historical Evidences of the Gospel: Roman Senator speaks of Christ and the Church

As with our previous discussion of Josephus, we turn to other sources of significance. Significant because they were quite contemporary with the events of Christ and the early church, but also that these sources were not apart of believers in Christ. These historians, who were not believers, and therefore had nothing to gain by reporting the life of Christ as fact, serve as important witnesses. After all, some of the most important witnesses (of any situation) are those who have nothing to gain, nor do they side with the individual(s) they are reporting facts about. Tacitus There are three Roman […]


Historical Evidences of the Gospel: Josephus speaks of Jesus

Josephus speaks of Jesus In the last couple of articles we have considered Josephus’ documentation on John and Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, and Herod. In this article we will be looking at Josephus’ most important corroboration with the biblical account, his documentation on Jesus. There are two separate occasions when Josephus mentions Jesus, and we will deal with the second time first. In Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews (20.9.1), he speaks of the stoning of James, and identifies him as the brother of Jesus: “and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name […]


Historical Evidences of the Gospel: Murder of James

The Murder of James The bible is clear that Jesus had plenty of siblings. These would be half-brothers and half-sisters, in that Jesus came from Mary while she was still a virgin, and the rest therefore, came from the loins of Joseph afterward. Matthew 13:55-56 records the views of the Jews toward Jesus, as they said “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So then, of the four brothers […]


Historical Evidences of the Gospel: Death of Herod

Josephus (Please Refer to the previous article for information on who Josephus was), a non-Christian historian from the first century, unwittingly became a significant source by corroborating with events also found in the biblical account of the beginning days of the gospel. In this article we will examine his account of the death of Herod, and parallel it with what the bible has to say about these events. How God Killed Herod. Acts chapter twelve records a short term persecution when King Herod Agrippa, possibly wanting to gain favor from some influential Jews, “stretched out his hand to harass some […]


Historical Evidences of the Gospel: John the Baptist

Flavius Josephus In the year 37 AD a Jew named Joseph was born. He grew up to become a General in the Jewish forces. During the Jewish-Roman war (66-70 AD), General Joseph and the Jews were defeated by the Romans at Galilee. Joseph then defected to the Romans and remained on their side till his death in 100 AD. He took the name Flavius Josephus, and after the war, he became a historian, recording the events of the war, as well as recording the whole history of the Jewish people. His history of the Jews certainly corroborates all of the […]


Am I wrong to doubt sometimes?

Doubt is a part of human nature, it can often keep us safe and secure, but if we let it have too much control over our actions, then it can also keep us from a lot of good things too. I imagine that the majority of people who become Christians will have doubts at some point and time, but is it wrong, i.e. is it a sin to have doubts? Firstly, doubting is not the same as disbelief; although it could eventually lead to unbelief. Nor is it faithlessness; though it does demonstrate a lack within one’s faith. Doubting refers […]


Does God have a Plan for me?

There are a number of ways to answer this question. First, he absolutely does have a plan for you and everyone else on this earth. A plan for us that is so important that it is the cause for every page of the Bible. God designed a plan for man to live with Him eternally. God first wants man to hear about His plan. This is accomplished through the revelation of His plan documented in the pages of the Bible (Romans 16:25). Then, it is through the spreading of His revelation by His disciples that this is fully accomplished (Matthew […]


Isn’t the church of Christ the group that believes they’re the only ones going to heaven?

This question only comes up when the church is viewed from a denominational standpoint, otherwise the question is invalid. Because, to look at the church in the bible, we can quickly see that the only ones going to heaven are those whom God Himself adds to the church. Consider Acts 2:47, where it is written: “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Becoming a member of any local church does not mean you are saved. And for the sake of the original question, I imagine that there will be some, if not many, in […]


What is the Church?

The word “church” is an English word, and those who speak English all seem to have a varying idea as to the definition of the word. But when the church in the New Testament was established, there was no English language, but rather the Holy Spirit utilized the Greek language of that day to give us a proper understanding of what the church is. The Greek word used in the scriptures is “ekklesia,” and it has a very simple definition. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of New Testament Words defines it this way: “a gathering of citizens called out from their homes […]


I’m searching for a new church home. What should I be looking for?

This is an excellent question that sets one up for success when they’ve made the preparation in their mind of what to look for in a church. This question provides the perfect opportunity for one to obtain the proper perspective before walking through any doors of a church. It is such a challenging task to find the right church. The reason why is because of the confusion that presently exists in the realm of religion. Every group lays claim to being the one with the truth, but each are practicing something different. It is illogical and frustrating. So here are […]


Why do I need to go to Church? Everyone there is a Hypocrite Anyway.

While it is certainly true of all Christians that we all do things that are hypocritical of what we otherwise practice and teach in our everyday lives, this does not make one a hypocrite. We all on occasion will slip and fall into temptation and commit sin; a sin that we all teach against and refrain from on regular circumstances. But again, committing an act that is hypocritical of what one stands for does not make them a hypocrite. It does however make one an individual who does make mistakes and knows that they do make mistakes from time to […]


Why do you say that only adults should be baptized, wouldn’t it be logical to baptize babies since we are born sinful?

It would make sense to baptize babies if they were born sinful. The problem with this idea is that the bible does not teach that babies are born sinful, nor does it teach infant baptism. In Ezekiel 18:4, God says: “behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die.” Further in the chapter, He says in verse 20, “the soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. […]


How could a loving and merciful God send me to Hell?

The very thought of Hell is terrifying. Such a thought is an intense provoker for many to repent of their sins and revere the word of the Lord. However, others think little of Hell. For example, you may have heard someone say something like “how could a loving, kind, and merciful God send me to Hell?” Such people who hold this view must be taught the truth of the matter before it is too late and they find themselves in the very place they once believed they would never experience. The truth of the matter is found in the word […]


Are my parents lost because they did not practice the things which you teach?

First and foremost, if you or I even attempt to answer such a question, then we have placed ourselves in the determining judgment seat that belongs to the Lord Jesus. Your parents are in the hands of the capable Lord who judges according to justice and fairness. Our place is not to reside on the throne of God, but to teach others the will of the Lord; this is where our responsibility lies, and we must do just that. Therefore, we will leave the judgment of your parents to the Lord, knowing with confidence that no one will be lost […]


How could God forgive me after all the sins that I have done?

God answers this question for us in Isaiah 55:7-9. God begins by calling all sinners to walk away from sin and come to him for forgiveness. It doesn’t matter what the sin or how many times it has been committed, God said that “He will abundantly pardon” (vs.7). The word “abundantly” means “exceedingly, much greater than, and plenteous.” His pardon (forgiveness) is plenty for our sins, no matter how many; His forgiveness is exceedingly greater than all the sins we could ever commit. And if we still doubted God’s ability to forgive, the text continues with this point: “For My […]


I know that God was very strict in the Old Testament, but today, with the grace of Jesus, isn’t God much less severe?

This thought may enter into most minds, but is it a biblical concept, or are we missing something? Hebrews 2:1-3 certainly suggests that we have definitely missed something. It reads: “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.” The text […]