Board index ‹ Assorted Bible Questions

[Nic J]

So does everyone hear from God the same way? You hear him by the Bible does that mean the guy down the street is gonna hear him the same way?

Then what's with all these books and movies about people going to heaven and coming back and telling other people what they saw?

So what am I supoose to do with speaking in tongues? Why don't you seek it? How do you what a persons spiritual gifts are? Is interpreting it a spiritual gift?

So how does one have no substance but have all power? God is a spirit?

But Jesus is God? So does that work?

Where did he come from ? How is one always just there?

Thanks

[jimwalton]

“Does everyone hear from God the same way?” Not completely. The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself, and it is the primary way He makes himself known. Hebrews 1.1-2 says that God speaks through the prophets (and also the apostles, Ephesians 2.20), and through Jesus. And that’s what the Bible is: the record of God speaking through Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles. But we also know from the Bible that God speaks to people in many ways: a burning bush, visions, an audible voice, dreams, miracles, circumstances, other people, good works—right? God isn’t limited to how He speaks to us, but the Bible is the main way God says he talks to people.

“What’s with all the books and movies about people going to heaven and coming back and telling other people what they saw?” Those stories are SO INTERESTING, aren’t they? It’s hard to know what to make of them because some of them are so convincing. I wonder, though, why does nobody ever have an experience like that about going to hell and coming back and telling other people what they saw? Why is it always heaven? I’m not sure what to think of all those stories.

“What am I supposed to do with speaking in tongues?” There are Christians like myself who don’t speak in tongues and don’t consider it either necessary or beneficial. There are also Christians who do speak in tongues and consider it to be valuable. You need to study the Scriptures yourself and let God speak to you. Three times in the book of Acts people spoke in tongues, and Paul wrote about it in 1 Corinthians 12-14.

“Why don’t you seek speaking in tongues?” Because 1 Corinthians 14 says other practices are better to seek.

“How do you know what a person’s spiritual gifts are?” There are surveys you can take to help you discover your spiritual gifts. Sometimes churches run seminars (or special teaching times) for people in the congregation to take the surveys and discover their gifts. Sometimes people just know what their gifts are; they don’t need to take the tests.

“Is interpreting tongues a spiritual gift?” Yes. 1 Corinthians 12.10 says so.

“How does God have no substance but have all power?” Awesome question! Because there is such a thing as spiritual realities and spiritual power. All power isn’t physical. Magnetism teaches us that, and so does gravity. There’s nothing there to find—even if you dig all the way through the earth you won’t find any “place” or any “thing” that is the source of gravity. It has no substances but it has power.

“God is a spirit?” Yes. John 4.24 says so. He has no body parts: no eyes, no hands, no heart. He is non-material. But we’re not to think of God as nothingness. The idea in his Spirit-ness is that he is not confined to time and space, not that he isn't there. He is certainly not a part of our flesh-and-blood world, He is still not an "it." He is a "He," meaning that He is a being. It's never as if he's “the force” or anything like that.

“But Jesus is God? How does that work?” Are you writing late at night again? : ) We already covered this. "We believe that God exists as one essence (one deity) who manifests Himself as three distinct persons—the Father, Son, and Spirit. But “manifests” isn’t really the best choice of term, because it’s not just that God shows Himself in three different ways, it’s that the one God exists as 3 persons. The best analogy I’ve heard (though they all fall short) is: suppose I were going to write a book, and I make myself the main character in the book. The character in the book thinks like me, talks like me, acts like me—well, he IS me. And yet he’s NOT me. I’m out here, and the character in the book is, well, in the book. So he’s me, but he’s different from me. We’re both the same “Jim,” but we’re also separate and distinct. In the book I could even make the “Jim” in the book talk to the Jim who is writing the book, or vice versa.” Now you remember.

“Where does God come from? How is one always just there?” Something has to be eternal. It’s either matter or energy or the universe or God or something. Everything that has a beginning had to have a cause. Scientists tell us the universe had a beginning (the Big Bang). We know of nothing that just popped into existence spontaneously all by itself—nothing we know of is self-caused. We know of nothing that at any time began to exist from its own nature (How can something pop itself into existence when it doesn’t exist?). Everything that had a beginning was brought into existence by something else that already existed, whether technological, mechanical, or even biological. Even biological things came from other biological things, or at least from something that already existed. Something had to always have existed. So what caused the universe to begin to exist? It has to have had a cause. God is a reasonable choice as to that cause. Something has to be eternal, and scientists tell us it isn’t the universe, matter, or energy. Then what is eternal?

We're intelligent people, right? We know that if we have nothing, we get nothing. If anything can pop into existence from nothing (like a pink unicorn), then there is no such thing as science. But there is something.

We know that we have an eternal cause. Something always was (whether matter, energy, a singularity, a metaphysical being). Something must have always existed. There must be some eternal first cause, whatever it was.

We know that we have a timeless cause. If the past is infinite, we would have no present. Imagine going to Wegmans to the deli counter. There you see a red thingy that says “Before you take a ticket, you have to take a ticket from the red thingy to the right.” And there’s a sign on that one that says the same thing. And on the next one. And the next. Only if we ever get to one that says “Take a ticket” can we run the sequence and get back to the counter. We can only get back to the counter if the line of red thingys isn’t infinite. Only if the past is finite can there be a present, so the cause of the universe must be timeless.

There must be a personal cause. Impersonal causes must have first causes. Only personal causes are capable of being first causes. Kinetic energy is energy is motion; potential energy is energy stored. The only way something begins in motion is if there is a first cause. What puts a system in motion?

We must have an intelligent cause. There are three types of data (random data, which doesn't require an intelligent cause, ordered data, such as snowflakes, which don't necessarily require an intelligent cause, and information data). There is no example in science that informational data can come from anything but an intelligent cause.

There must be a moral cause. We all know there is such a thing as right and wrong, good and evil. Though we disagree on some of what goes into those categories, we all subscribe to such objectivities as the existence of right and wrong. If we infer the most reasonable conclusion, we infer an objective moral source for objective moral realities. Without it there is not possible objective evaluation of an action or a thought as good or evil, because such things are only based on opinion and one's own perception. Everything would just be morally blank. There would be nothing wrong with murdering someone, and nothing good about saving a bus full of children from crashing down a cliff. Elaborate complex chemical reactions do not have any moral value or moral agency. Everyone would simply be a physical collection of atoms. Everything would simply just be. Without God, we might live in a MadMax world of insanity and chaos, but we could call that bad—just what is. We might live in a humanist utopia, but we couldn't call that good—just what is.

In other words, the world as we know it can only come from an eternal, timeless, personal, intelligent, powerful, purposeful, moral, free will, meaningful cause. And that’s God. He always was. Something always was, and God is the most logical answer.

Glad to talk to you. Keep ‘em coming!

[Nic J]

God still gives people visions? How do you know they are from God? How does someone tell that it is God giving them a vision?

When we go to heaven .. what will Jesus look like? A ghost? A human floating in air? Will we be able to talk to him? Will he talk back?

How can someone just know their spiritual gifts? Does God tell them?

Science proves God is real, then? But people don't beileve it—why ?

Thanks for answering these questions. Some of them are lame!

[jimwalton]

Good to hear from you again! None of your questions are lame, by the way. You’ve been asking good questions, and I’m glad you feel free to ask.

“God still gives people visions?” There have been a lot of reports recently of many visions in the Muslim community. It’s interesting that they all report similar experiences: Jesus himself appears to them and speaks to them, and they become believers.

“How do they know they are from God?” Even in the Bible there seems to have been something unique about real visions that they people having them could tell they were real (and not just a dream or a hallucination). They seem to have had a quality to them that people could tell. Since I’ve never had a vision, I can’t really explain it, but when you read the Bible, it seems to have been obvious to them.

“What will Jesus look like in heaven?” After the resurrection he had a “physical” body, but there must have been something different about it that people could detect. Well, there WAS something different about it because he could walk through doors (Jn. 20.26) as if they weren’t there! But he could also eat, so we know he wasn’t just a ghost. People could see him and touch him (Jn. 20.27). It was different enough that some people actually wondered what in the world they were seeing (Mt. 28.17). Most people could recognize him (Jn. 20.20), but others didn’t recognize him right away (Jn. 20.15; Lk. 24.16—I think it wasn’t Jesus’ appearance that kept them from recognizing him, but the Holy Spirit, though it’s tough to know). This is what he will look like in heaven. A “physical” body, but qualitatively different than ours is now in that it will be incorruptible (1 Cor. 15.35-53). Will he float? He’ll be able to (Acts 1.9). Will we be able to talk to him? YES! Can’t wait. Will he talk back? Absolutely. I’m so excited to see him in person.

"How can someone know their spiritual gifts?” Sometimes people just know. They know how the Holy Spirit works in them and shows Himself through them for the benefit of the church. Other people take surveys or fill out questionnaires and find out that way.

“Science proves God is real, then?” I’m convinced it does. First, science tells us a lot about God. Second, I think science itself shows us that theism is a much stronger possibility than atheism in explaining the things we see, and what science tells us. I think science is a strong “proof” for God.

“But people don’t believe it? Why?” There are a couple of reasons. (1) Some people are spiritually blind, and they just can’t see it. (2) People tend to believe what they want to believe, and only pay attention to the evidence that supports their position. (3) Some people just refuse to believe in God no matter what. They, like, stubborn or defiant, and they just refuse to admit or even try to think that it’s true. (4) Some people have thought about it hard, weighed the evidences, and in their minds come to the conclusion that the evidence just isn’t strong enough to “prove” God to them.

[Nic J]

How does God forgiveness work? So I mess up and ask for forgiveness .. so if I do that? Does that mean I still have to tell my parents what I did? Also if you ask God for forgiveness does mean it's forgotten? So on judgement day when we get judged does God bring up every sin that wasn't asked forgiveness for ?

In heaven it's "perfect," right? What does that look like? I think I asked about heaven, but i don't know if I asked this question.

What if everything we beilve is a lie? What if it's not true? Then what? What if God is not real? What if I stink at this whole following Jesus thing?

[jimwalton]

“How does God’s forgiveness work?” What He offers is complete forgiveness, full and free, for anything we have done that is sin and creates a dividing barrier between us and him, which is everything. He will wipe it away if we simply truly repent from it and turn away from it. It’s a spectacular offer. With such an offer on the table, some people feel, then, that “Hey, I can do whatever I want and get off scot free!” The proper response, however, is to feel, “He is willing to do ALL THAT for ME? I will honor that love and sacrifice by doing as little as possible to require forgiveness.” Remember, forgiveness is always a sacrifice. If I am going to forgive someone, I have to absorb in myself, in my person, the pain of the event, and pledge myself not to act on it or even to harbor an attitude about it. It’s possible the other person experiences sorrow or pain over what they have done (it’s also possible they don’t), and rather than increasing that pain by retribution or making them feel worse about it, I keep that pain in myself to let the situation go. Imagine what God absorbed to forgive the sins of the world!

Absorbing the pain doesn’t mean that I forget what they’ve done. I just make a decision in myself not to act on it towards them; I will treat that person as if it never happened. Sometimes I may forget, but other times I never forget, but I choose to act as if that offense never happened. To me, that’s what forgiveness is.

There’s no portion of the Bible that doesn’t include some picture, story, or teaching about forgiveness. It is one of the great themes running through all of the Bible: God forgives our sin. His forgiveness is complete, and it completely forgives all (1 Jn. 1.9). Since He is just, sin must still be punished. He punishes Jesus in our place (Heb. 9.22). But His forgiveness isn’t just free for all; one must repent and turn away from their sin for the forgiveness to be effective (Acts 3.19).

“Do I have to tell my parents what I did?” It depends. Sometimes the only way to a clear conscience is to ask forgiveness of all those involved in the hurt. The cleansing of the conscience is a powerful thing. Sometimes when it is the parents who have been injured, repentance to them is the only appropriate course of action. But sometimes confession to parents just makes things worse or opens up a can of worms that would have been better kept closed. You have to seek God for the best course of action. This is a powerful battle inside us, though. We are trained to keep our sins secret thinking that’s the best way to protect ourselves. God says differently. He says that confession is healthy for the soul. Only you can know the answer to this question.

“If you ask God for forgiveness, does it mean it’s forgotten?” Sin is rarely, if ever, forgotten. But when we repent God covers our sin with the blood of Christ and He doesn’t see it any more.

“On judgment day when we get judged, does God bring up every sin that wasn’t asked forgiveness for?” Nope. It’s covered. He will treat us like kings and queens. When He justifies us with His blood, our sins are covered as if they don’t exist. Such a truth should lead us to faithful obedience and deep worship.

“What is heaven like?” Heaven is a "spiritual" realm that is not tainted by sin and is where God's presence dwells. The Bible only ever discusses Heaven in abstract and metaphorical terms because it's not exactly something we can easily understand. It's very different from our "physical" world. It is NOT a "place" exactly. It's not a part of our universe. And it does not "contain" God. Heaven was created by God just as our universe was.

Heaven is usually mentioned in the Bible in one of two ways. On one hand, it's sort of a place that God rules from. The main idea is that God's presence and righteousness is there in full force. Jesus often talked about God's kingdom coming to Earth. We see Heaven as a place which is already entirely God's kingdom. And he is always being worshiped there, by angels. So presumably it's where angels generally exist—they're only ever seen on Earth when given a specific mission or responsibility here.

Heaven is also used as a place that we want to go in the afterlife. It is a place where there will be lots to do. In Luke 19.11-27, Jesus tells a parable about "when the kingdom of God appears." Many people believe that he's talking about heaven and hell. In the story, people in "heaven" are rewarded with jobs and responsibility, much like we have here on earth. Since the book of Revelation describes heaven as being on this earth (Rev. 21.2), and it describes heaven as a city (Rev. 21.10), it makes sense to me that life in heaven will be filled with productive labor, meaningful activity, great relationships, and lots to do. It certainly won't be sitting around playing harps. That would kill any of us. Watchman Nee wrote, "Heaven is not a place of inactivity, but we shall be called to a greater work." The reward for responsibility is more responsibility. To him who has, more will be given. Isaiah 65 makes it sound like people will build houses (v. 21) and do work that is productive and fulfilling (23). Zechariah 14.16 makes mention of worship, as does much of Revelation. Matthew 25.14-30 also mentions "I will put you in charge of many things."

In a speculative vein, what if God starts creating again (since it is his nature), and there are more worlds to explore, and new worlds to explore, and every day something new is popping up (since God is infinite in his creative nature) to do, see, and enjoy? It's a fascinating prospect—a God of infinite creative ability letting loose again for our continual enthusiasm and inspiration.

“What if everything we believe is a lie?” This isn’t possible. There are enough evidences to prove to us that it IS true, the primary one being that Jesus came back from the dead. It happened in time and history, and we can look back to that event, know that it happened, and therefore know that what we believe is true. God is real, He revealed Himself to us in the person of Jesus, and our lives can be changed because of salvation. We can KNOW it because of the resurrection. Then, beyond that, we can think about all the arguments for the existence of God, and how much sense they make, and know that they, combined with the truth of the resurrection, make an even stronger case. Then we add to that people’s experiences about God, what we know about science and the earth, and the truth about things taught in the Bible, and it’s a slam-dunk, watertight case that what we believe is TRUE.

“What if I stink at this whole ‘following Jesus’ thing?” Then keep trying to figure it out and make it work. Nothing worthwhile is easy. In ways, God didn’t ask much of us. He doesn’t require us to be smart, beautiful, athletic, talented, or mystical. He just asks us to follow—it’s something anyone can do. If you having a hard time doing it, then keep working at it. As God said, “Those who find me are the ones who seek me with all their heart.” Loving God and following Him is possible for anyone.

[Nic J]

How does the blood of Christ stop God from seeing our Sin?

So we get jobs in heaven?

God made us in his image right ? Soo what does that mean? God didn't make any mistakes in making anyone?

I sure hope this all is worthwhile because it's not easy at all.

[jimwalton]

“How does the good of Christ stop God from seeing our sin?” Technically it doesn’t, because God knows all and sees all. We use that language, though, because in the blood of Christ we have full forgiveness for everything we’ve done, so it’s like “God doesn’t see it any more.” More accurately, He sees it, chooses not to judge us for it because He already judged Christ for it (on the cross, where He bore the sins of the world), and therefore treats us as if we didn’t do that sin. It’s called “justification”: “Just as if I didn’t do it.” We do this kind of thing all the time. People say hurtful things to us, and we talk it over with them, decide to still be friends, forgive them, and go on as if it never happened. We don’t necessarily forget that it happened (sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t), but we treat them as if it didn’t.

“So we get jobs in heaven?” It’s hard to know, but it could be possible. Most indications of heaven are that it’s going to be a lot like life on earth, but without all the problems, crime, hurts, pain, abuses—you know, without sin. We’ll have responsibilities, go places and do things, be with people, know God face to face, work, worship, and play.

“What does it mean that we are in the image of God?” According to Genesis 1.26-28, it means that we rule the earth as God would rule it, in love and responsibility. Read Genesis 1.26 carefully. It says, “Let us make man in our image, so that they may rule over…” And then in Gn. 1.27 it says God created them in His image, and then in v. 28 He commands them to rule over…” So we are made in God’s image in that we are God’s vice-presidents, so to speak, His vice-kings or deputies. He has left the earth in our care, and we are to take care of it and rule it as he would. It says the same thing in Psalm 8.5-8. We act on God’s behalf by ruling and subduing. Both men and women are co-rulers together with no difference in rank between them.

It doesn’t particularly imply that “God didn’t make any mistakes in making anyone,” because God often lets nature take its course, and some people come out with genetic deficiencies, diseases, mentally handicapping conditions, and malformed parts (or even without some parts). We are not to think that God has personally micromanaged the development of each individual. People usually use Psalm 139 (esp. vv. 13-14) to teach that God made us each exactly the way he wanted us to be, and God doesn’t make mistakes! But let’s look at Psalm 139.

Vv. 1-6 talk about God knowing everything. It’s a statement of His omniscience, but it’s not a cold, technical knowledge, but personal and active. Then vv. 7-12 talk about His omnipresence. God has access to every place. There is no place you can go where He loses track of you. There is also no place where God doesn’t have authority.

Then vv. 13-15 are about God as the source of life who knows all and cares for all. The idea is that he knows you before birth (omniscience) and even in the womb God doesn’t lose track of you. God has access to every place. And when v. 16 says, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be,” it means that God cares about our lives (as the sovereign one who knows all and has access to every place). It doesn’t mean we’re robots programmed by God or puppets on a string, but only that God wants a personal, loving relationship with us. We can talk about this more if you want.

“I sure hope this is all worthwhile because it’s not easy at all.” It’s the only thing that is supremely worthwhile. Jesus said pay any price to get it (Mt. 13.44-45). Paul said there’s nothing that compares to its worth (Phil. 3.7-14; 2 Cor. 4.17). The images John uses in Revelation are all about its unquestionable worth (Rev. 21.10-27). The point is clear: there is nothing more valuable than life in God. Pay any price (Mt. 13.44), make any sacrifice (Mt. 10.39; 19.29), and don’t fear any commitment to it (Rev. 2.7, 10-11; 3.5, 11-12).

[Nic J]

But God controls nature doesn't he? He knows what nature is going to do so why let a baby be born with a deformed face or a missing arm ? Or something ? I get he doesn't want to treat us like we are robots .. I guess I don't get it ... why make someone with a deformed face ? What's the point ? That's it fair.

So why don't we rule the earth like God would ? Why would God leave that to us ? We are far from it and are not very good at it ..

So you personally have found following Jesus Christ as best as you can is worth while ? [ I might have asked this already I am sorry if I did ]

Is the book of life a actual thing ? Is it a actual book ?

[jimwalton]

“God controls nature, doesn’t he?” There is no indication in the Bible that God controls nature. What the Bible says is that at times he does (like during the 10 plagues in Egypt when he sent hail), but not that everything that happens in nature is controlled by Him. Instead, God created the universe to have cause and effect, and God lets that play itself out. The world spins, temperatures change, and sometimes there is sun and sometimes rain. God didn’t make that happen; it happens by itself because the earth is spinning, so winds are forming, temps are changing, and things happen.

So also with births. God doesn’t organize the arrangement of every DNA strand for every individual and animal, nor does he design that some have genetic diseases or cause some to have malformed births. Rather, God has caused DNA, body functions, and birth processes to happen, and they happen. He doesn’t interfere with that process. He created the processes to work, and they do. But in the complexities of what he designed, there are necessary changes that occur every day in the weather (not just the weather, but earthquakes, volcanoes, and such) and in births (every living thing born has a unique DNA setup). Because those changes are happening by design, God is not micromanaging the recipe of every person. Sometimes the system God designed filters out abnormalities (by miscarriage), but sometimes the abnormalities get through (a person born with a missing arm), in the same sense that sometimes when we go through life there are accidents and diseases. Remember what we said before—God is not controlling these things, or (1) we would all be robots, (2) science would be a worthless discipline, (3) there would be no such thing as reason because nothing would make sense, and (4) even things like medicine and engineering would be worthless disciplines, because nothing would ever go wrong. That’s not how God runs the world. Instead, the world takes its course (cause and effects sequences, as God designed), and God reveals himself in that world, and we are expect to trust in His wisdom as to when he intervenes, how, and why.

“Why don’t we rule the earth like God would?” Because we chose sin instead. We chose to follow our own “wisdom” (which has proven itself not to be a good plan) instead of God’s. We chose to rebel and to be more interested in self, power, and comfort than righteousness, justice, and fairness. Sin is the problem, and we chose it, so we are the problem behind sin. That’s why God works to redeem and reconcile. He’s constantly working to undo the messes we cause.

“Why would God leave that to us?” What the Bible tells us is that God isn’t a tyrant ruler, but a loving one, and in his love He wants our participation in who He is and what He does. He lets us share His life, He shares His knowledge with us, His power, and His work. We get to participate in it. It’s a privilege to be side by side with Him, but it’s also a great responsibility. It’s like a father and children working on a project together and sharing their lives with each other. That’s how God wants it to be. He could just be Holy God up there, never talking to us, unreachable, not able to be understood, but that’s not how He wanted it. Instead He comes next to us and says, “Here, do it with Me.” But you’re right that we’re not very good at it. We have to keep seeking God, keep walking with Him, and learn to do it right and well. Unfortunately, many people are not interested in doing it right, doing it well, or doing it God’s way. They either don’t care, don’t try, or think they know better. We’ve made a terrible mess with that approach.

“So you personally have found following Jesus Christ as best as you can is worthwhile?” Absolutely. Without a doubt, without question. It’s what life is all about. Jesus is everything to me, and the most worthwhile investment in life there ever could be.

“Is the book of life an actual book?” The Book of Life is mentioned 8 times in the Bible (Ps. 69.28; Phil. 4.3; Rev. 3.5; 13.8; 17.8; 20.12, 15; 21.27). It’s probably not an actual book. It’s a metaphor of citizenship, or belonging—being included in those who live in the town and have all the rights and responsibilities that brings with it. If our names are written in the book of life, it’s a way of saying we belong to God, we have access to Him in relationship, for His work in our lives, His protection, and that we have inheritance rights, meaning what is His is also rightfully ours (spiritual blessings, salvation, justification, sanctification, glorification and eternal life). To put it colloquially, you won’t get fired, and you will always get a good reference. It’s a guarantee of admission to the mansion and fellowship with the owner. The words are ultimate, unconditional, and final. It gives us total security and confidence in the promises of salvation and that God HAS us and won’t let us go.