Bible Questions with Andrew Farley

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.

While it’s sad to lose a household pet, there’s no passage of Scripture that directly states they’ll be in Heaven. However, the Bible is clear that there’ll be no tears or sorrow for us in Heaven (Revelation 21:4). This means there will be no regrets or emotional pain over our pets.

While some deny the existence of Hell, the concept is present in Scripture. Hell is described as the place reserved for fallen angels and those who have rejected the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 14:10).

Contrary to some popular teaching, God has chosen that everyone be invited to the Gospel message. He wants none to perish and everyone to believe (2 Peter 3:9).

The idea of predestination (God pre-planning something) often causes debate among Christians. However, the Bible makes it clear that predestination is simply God’s secret plan (now revealed!) to unleash the Gospel on the Gentiles and not just the Jews. This becomes obvious as one examines the “we” (we Jews) and “you also” (you Gentiles also) in Ephesians. This is why predestination as a doctrine is only explained in letters written to Gentiles. The Jews already knew they were God’s “chosen people.” The big newsflash through the ministry of the Apostle Paul was that the Gentiles were being included in the Gospel invitation. This accurate view of predestination does away with the false notion of God pre-selecting some to believe and not enabling (or allowing) others to believe. It also affirms the pervasive New Testament truth that Jesus died for everyone (2 Corinthians 5:19; John 3:16) and God wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; John 12:32).

If so, what is free will anyway? The term “free will” is problematic. While we humans have the obvious ability to make choices, including the choice to believe the Gospel, we are always under the influence of something. Before Christ, we were under the influence of sin (Romans 6:20). After we are born again, we are then under the influence of righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 6:18).

Colossians 3:2 encourages us to set our minds on “things above.” We do this by making the conscious decision to think truth-filled thoughts and take every idea captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5; Philippians 4:8-9). The more we set our minds on truth, the more we will enjoy the reality of our new identity in Christ and God’s love for us (Romans 12:2).

While some claim Satan is only a symbol, the Bible is clear that he, along with a host of fallen angels, are real enemies waging war on God’s creation. This is the meaning of “spiritual warfare.”

While the Bible is largely silent as to the precise nature of demons, a little analysis seems to reveal that demons are fallen angels who were cast out of Heaven along with Lucifer when he rebelled against God (Isaiah 12:12-15; Revelation 12:4, 9).