Bible Questions with Andrew Farley

Is it biblical? Lordship Salvation teaches that individuals are saved when they surrender and submit fully to Christ’s Lordship. This is contrasted with so-called “easy believism” or the concept that salvation is offered freely and needs only to be received (Romans 6:23). Jesus did tell us what He offers is “easy” and “light” and brings “rest” (Matthew 11:28-30). In addition, He told us that whoever believes in Him (even those who believe on His name) has eternal life (John 3:16; John 1:12). Salvation is indeed a gift of God so that no one can brag they surrendered or sacrificed enough to earn it (Ephesians 2:8-9). In short, Lordship Salvation is a crippling doctrine that causes morbid introspection and hinders assurance of salvation.

Some argue that we should adhere to what the “early church fathers” taught during the first few centuries of Christianity. While this might sound like a noble idea, it is problematic in that the early church fathers did not even agree with each other about key issues! Furthermore, many of the so-called “early church fathers” promoted unfounded (even heretical!) ideas. In short, it is not the age of a belief that determines its truth value. What is most important is what the Scriptures actually teach, not what those who came later might have claimed. And the Spirit of God is perfectly capable of teaching us the truth of the Gospel today, so we have no need to blindly submit to the ideas proposed by the “early church fathers.”

Is Catholicism the purest form of Christianity? While one can be an earnest believer in Jesus and be part of the Roman Catholic Church, it is erroneous to state that it is the one true expression of the Christian faith. It is also highly problematic to affirm that God saves through the Roman Catholic religious system.

While Isaiah 53:5 is sometimes interpreted to mean that Christians have guaranteed physical healing through the finished work of Christ, the passage is actually speaking of a spiritual healing which occurs at salvation because of Christ’s removal of our sins (1 Peter 2:24).

The Bible is inerrant in the original manuscripts. Still, something is always lost as the original languages are translated into new target languages. This is unavoidable. Despite minor variations in expressing things among translations and Bible versions, the most important thing is that the Gospel message itself remains crystal clear.

In today’s culture, many believe there is no evidence for Christ’s resurrection. However, there is actually ample evidence in both biblical and extrabiblical sources for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

While pornography and sexual fantasy are clearly sinful, the physical act of masturbation is not mentioned in Scripture and seems to be an issue of conscience for each individual.

While the world around us seems to separate sex from the marriage commitment, God’s design is for them to be integrated as one. Sex should involve a commitment to marriage. The two are not to be seen separately (Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:8-10).

God designed men and women to have intimate sexual relations with one another within the marital context (Genesis 1-2). After sin entered the world (Genesis 3), God’s original design was distorted. This distortion led to homosexual practices which are shown to be sin in Scripture (Genesis 19:1-11; Romans 1:26-27).

If so, what does it mean to submit within the marriage context? While Scripture does teach the importance of wives submitting to their husbands in Ephesians 5:22, it teaches this in the context of mutual submission to each other which is to occur in marriage and in the church (Ephesians 5:21).

Some Christians believe God forbids remarriage after a divorce. However, this is not an accurate view of the whole of Scripture. God’s grace is big enough to handle any failed marriage and to empower us to have a new and healthy marriage going forward.

While God intended marriage to last a lifetime (Matthew 19:6), there are some circumstances in which it is healthy for a believer to divorce their spouse (1 Corinthians 7:15; Exodus 21:10-11).

While many claim God killed Ananias and Sapphira, there’s no evidence they were true believers, and there’s no evidence that God actually killed them.

Many teach that believers will receive rewards in Heaven because of good works performed in this life. However, this concept is absent from the New Testament. Instead, the Bible teaches that all believers receive the same reward (singular): the reward of the inheritance in Christ (Colossians 3:24).

Some teach that James 3:1 speaks of Christian teachers/pastors being judged more harshly by God than other believers. However, the judgment in the passage is not from God but from people. Scripture is clear that all believers (including pastors and teachers!) have passed from judgment into life (John 5:24), and we are no longer under any condemnation (Romans 8:1). However, Bible teachers are often in the spotlight and their actions are judged more critically by those around them.

Some teach that God disciplines His children because they sin. But this is inconsistent with the fact that Christ removed our sins and remembers them no more (Hebrews 8:12; Hebrews 10:14). The truth is that we are always under the discipline and counsel of our Father. God’s discipline is training for the future, not punishment for the past.

Christians will not face any judgment for their sins. Christ died to take away our sins, once and for all (Hebrews 10:14). As a result, we have passed from judgment into new life in Christ, and there is now no condemnation for us (John 5:24; Romans 8:1).

We often associate the word “fear” with being afraid. While Scripture is clear there is a healthy fear (awe) of God we can have (Matthew 10:28; Philippians 2:12; Proverbs 9:10), God does not want us to be afraid of Him (2 Timothy 1:7; Matthew 14:27; Luke 1:30). In fact, His perfect love is designed to cast out all fear from our lives (1 John 4:18).

You might be tempted to think God is angry with you, but this is not the truth. God loves the whole world so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take away your sins and offer you eternal life (John 3:16-17). This reveals God’s outrageous love for you! And consider this: What is the only thing that angers God? Sin. What does He do with your sins through Jesus? When you call upon the name of the Lord to be saved, He takes them away, once for all. Therefore, there’s no reason left for God to be angry with believers. Even the message for unbelievers is that “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them” and “we implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

The imagery of crowns is used in different ways in the New Testament. However, crowns are never presented as heavenly rewards for good works. The crown of life, the crown of righteousness, and the crown of glory all refer to Jesus Himself and what He means to us.