Question: Why will there be a temple during the millennium? Will there be sacrifices and if so, why?
Answer:
Peter
Biblical theologians have grappled with this interesting question over the centuries. But all are left with the same dilemma… Scripture seems to indicate that, in fact, there will be a renewed physical temple and a system for worship practiced in the millennial kingdom! Read more…
Question:The premillennial position was not held by early church fathers, reformers and some great scholars today. Why?
Answer:
Peter
Why? First off, because that was the singular view taught by the apostles. :-) Secondly, these early church fathers were faithful to pass on the teaching of the apostles. They fought hard to “defend the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).
Many of them died as a result of the apostolic faith they proclaimed! Church historians have established that Polycarp was personally discipled by the apostle John – the Spirit-led, human writer of the book of the Revelation (who, we can rest assured, knew a few things about the end of the age and God’s plan for the future!). Polycarp was later marytred for his faith.
So, that begs the question… When did premillenialism start? When and why did the church develop differing views regarding end-times? Let’s look at it… Read more…
Question: How can we show non-believers that Daniel was written before the predicted events and not after?
Answer:
Peter
Therefore, it is important to appreciate this principle for a couple of reasons. Namely, to provide context and clarity because 1) a portion of the predictions are yet future (Dan 7:1-8 and Dan 11:36-45) . And 2) to accurately understand “when” and “how” these events happened vs. those yet future we must use other validation methods like archaeology and recorded human history as well as the Bible. This is where most of the confusion lies for believers (e.g., Dan 11:36-12:13).
To use Daniel as a means to demonstrate the supernatural nature of the Bible to unbelievers can be a good tool. It can be a useful means or segue to sharing the gospel because many today are troubled by the state of the world and mankind’s future on earth. So… Getting to the gospel is the key!
Question: Does the Antichrist know of his eventual defeat to Christ, like Satan does?
Answer:
Peter
Based on the personal characteristics of the “man of sin” described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, we can safely draw some inferences about him:
Scripture declares that Satan is the father of pride, the father of lies and the deceiver. As a part of God’s sovereign plan for redemptive history, Satan is allowed to use this final “son of perdition” to carry out his evil attempt to usurp Christ and be worshipped as God. Satan will do anything to oppose God’s rightful rulership and glory. Therefore, one can safely argue that the Antichrist, in a way and depth unmatched by any of the other preceding megalomaniacal world leaders, is blinded, self-deluded and completely given over to evil through Satanic influence. (Far more than Antiochus Ephinanes or Adolf Hitler!)
Like Satan, he is completely consumed with pride and self-idolatry. I believe the Antichrist will be shocked when he swiftly incurs his ultimate fate - the just and eternal wrath of God.
“And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming” (2 Thess 2:8)
Question: What is the difference between the lake of fire and hell?
Answer:
Peter
First, those who have died without repenting and trusting Christ’s payment for their sin (thereby receiving the imputation of His righteousness to them see – 2 Cor 5:21) are awaiting “final judgment” of their lives (Rev 20:11-15). In contrast, the believer’s sin was judged at the cross through Christ’s atoning death (1 Cor 15:1-4). So there is no judgment of our sin at death because Christ’s perfect payment cancels our unpayable debt of sin to God! (Jn 19:28)
The Bible states that when the unsaved die, they await final judgment of their sins in a place called Hades (the Greek word for the Hebrew word sheol) – c.f., Matt 11:23, 16:18; Lk 10:15, 16:23; Rev 6:8.
Hades is not the ultimate destination of the unrepentant (i.e., Hell). Read more…
Question: When we get to heaven, what happens to your spouse? Are you still married?
Answer:
Peter
“When the dead rise , they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this resepect, they will be as the angels in heaven”(Matt. 22:30)
Scripture does not teach there will be no marriage in heaven! In fact, it clearly teaches there will be marriage in heaven. What it says is that there will be one marriage, between Christ and His bride- and we’ll all be part of it! (Rev 19:9; 21:1-2)
The one-flesh marital relationship which we enjoy on earth is a signpost pointing to our relationship with Christ as our bridegroom. Once we reach our ultimate destination, the signpost becomes unnecessary (i.e., earthly marriage). That future marriage – our marriage or union with Christ – will be so infinitely and completely satisfying that even the most wonderful earthly marriage could not be as fulfilling.
Many happily married believers struggle with this , but they really shouldn’t! I fully expect that my wife, Linda, and I will be closer than ever in heaven. We will enjoy one another in ways that we can’t yet imagine or conceive of in this earthly realm! All believers will overflow with joy, being part of the same marriage – an eternal marriage – to Jesus Christ, our bridegroom.
“As the Scriptures say,”A man and women leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife and the two are united as one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the Church are one” (NLT, Eph 5:31-32)
Question: If the general path of society continues to decline as expected, what practical ways should we as believers demonstrate unconditional love, rather than judging?
(NOTE: This TXT question has been reworded a bit from the original to clarify what was asked.)
Answer:
Peter
However, he makes a very clear point of distinguishing between judging those in the church and “the immoral people of this world” (1 Cor 5:10). Paul emphatically declares that we are not to judge the behavior of those outside the faith (1 Cor 5:10). Read more…
Question: If I am not persecuted, am I not following Christ?
Answer:
Peter
To “live godly in Christ” means faithfully living a life that puts Jesus on display, showing and sharing Him in a world that rejects His message and His gospel. Jesus said in the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt 5-7) that we are blessed when we live in a way that pursues and manifests His righteousness. We are not blessed by the world, that’s for sure! No! Jesus says we are blessed by our faithfulness to Him, both in this life and the life to come! Being persecuted for Christ results in a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. He goes on to say what true persecution looks like — casting insults against you, hunting you down, ridiculing you and falsely accusing and slandering you (Matt 5:10-11). He then gives the reason for this type of verbal and physical abuse — it is on “account of Me.” We will be despised and persecuted for reflecting Him . . . for attitudes and actions that look like Jesus! So where’s the blessing?? The apostle Peter says it this way, “if you are reviled for the name of Christ you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and God rests upon you (1 Peter 4:14).”
So, here’s the point: Read more…
Question: Where does the Bible talk about sanctification?
Answer:
Peter
So what is “sanctification”? Here’s a simple biblical definition:
“That life-long work of the indwelling Holy Spirit that progressively molds and shapes the believer into the image of Christ ” (Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18).
Question: How can I learn from Daniel to move from living in fear to faith?
Answer:
Peter
