263 results for tag: Q & R

Q&R: What is your take on the Nephilim? Brad Jersak

QUESTION"What is your take on the Nephilim?" RESPONSE: The brief mention of the Nephilim in Genesis is quite a mystery. The gaps in this fantastical story led to loads of creative fan fiction (the Jewish genre called 'midrash') and, more recently, bizarre conspiracy theories. Let's start with the initial text itself: Genesis 6: 1 When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, ‘My spirit shall not abide in mortals for ever, for they are ...

Q & R with Greg Albrecht – How does the gospel influence life and politics?

QUESTION: Let me start off by thanking you for your excellent resource which is a blessing and encouragement for those of us who have stepped away from institutional Christianity. So a big thank you for that. I've never found cause in any of Greg's writings before to want to write but wanted to comment on his blog post “Lost and Alone.”  My concerns are not with the theology but the social-political comments which I think highlight some areas for awakening and growth among US Christians. I'm an American ex-pat living in Europe where the Christians are surprised by the apparent lack of social conscience in America towards the homeless, poor, ...

Q&R with Brad: “Is reading the Bible through the Gospel ‘eisegesis'”?

Question: Is reading the Bible through the Gospel 'eisegesis'? "What I’m saying is that your criteria for judging a translation is not your linguistic ability or your academic credentials. It is your personal knowledge of who Jesus is, the nature of God as he revealed it, and the gospel he preached." Brad Jersak from "Gospel Before Translation" Brad ... is that not getting a little close to eisegesis? My personal growth is so much dependent on my openness to God revealing things to me about Himself and myself, that are sometimes very challenging of my well-formed, and dysfunctional, personal theology. Response: What a good ...

Q&R: Two Thieves & the Third Cross-piece

Question: ​ I have a question about the cross.​ I have seen what some call the "Russian ​C​ross​." What troubles me about it is the symbol of the third wooden cross-piece at the bottom, because it contradicts my belief in apokatastasis (ultimate redemption).​ Can you help me understand ​the following explanation better or offer an alternative?  "The slanted line reminds us of the two thieves on both sides of the cross. One of them to the right of Christ ascended to Heaven, while the other one sank to Hell. Thus bottom bar of the cross is like the scale of justice and its points show the way to the ...

Q & R: Greg Albrecht – “Does Satan exist?”

Question: I just listened to one of your sermons broadcast and after being with Plain Truth ministries for a LONG time, I was quite surprised when you said you didn't know if Satan exists? The Bible says that God created the devil as the most perfect beautiful angel he could make, but because of his beauty he turned against God and persuaded 1/3 of the angels to go with him, he was thrown down to Earth. I don't know why I'm writing this. You're more knowledgeable than I am, or at least I thought you were. I've settled in my mind that Satan exists as an evil influence, and that as humans, we're capable of evil but Satan with his influence makes things ...

Q&R: How to manage my bias when reading Scripture – Brad Jersak

Watch for times when Scripture rubs up against your own temperament, and your personal and cultural biases, yet you willingly undergo that tension as an act of submission.

Q&R with Greg Albrecht – “How does a pastor preach to *perfect* people?”

Question: I am a pastor and have long thought that the way we Christians present our doctrines and ideas leaves much to be desired. How do I, as a pastor, handle well-meaning people who have it all wrong? For example, our denomination considers it important to live a holy life, not to earn salvation, but out of gratitude. Many of our members have misconstrued that to mean we must be perfect like Jesus in order to “stay saved” or we can't call ourselves Christians. I've actually heard some of them say they no longer sin. Our official doctrine makes perfection a goal to be worked toward, with no expectation to reach it in this life. If we continue ...

Q&R: Codependent Christianity – Brad Jersak

"I thought I was going through a depression, but turns out, it was just my religion!"  The following is an email conversation about "codependent Christianity" that I'm sharing with the writer's permission. READER Hi Bradley, am so grateful for your teachings and guidance for those of us deconstructing.  I thought I was going through a depression, but turns out, it was just Evangelicalism!  If only that didn't mean that I now have to sort out the tangled mess that has intertwined in my best faith practice.   My biggest hurdle is repairing my relationship with scripture when it's neurologically sewn into my ...

Q&R with Greg Albrecht – “Law or Grace: A Debate”

Question 1: I have read repeatedly in the Bible about the “wedding garment” – most importantly, the passage where the man in heaven is seated at the table of the feast and is found not to have a wedding garment on. He is asked why and is speechless. So he is bound and thrown into “the darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 22:13). How do I know if I will have a “wedding garment”? Response 1: Great question! A study of wedding garments in the New Testament reveals that only Jesus can provide the wedding garment. The wedding garment is given, by grace, not by works. No amount of sewing or shopping on our part ...

Q & R with Brad Jersak: In whom and when does the Holy Spirit “enter” us?

Question:  Thanks, Brad for bringing so much needed clarity to the issues in your blog posts. I would love to see more information in regards to the work of Holy Spirit. When does he enter, manifesting his presence as sons, etc.? Response:  That’s an excellent question, the answer to which has filled volumes of books for two millennia. My brief response will cover just the two major features of your question: First, “When does the Holy Spirit enter”? Some say we all “receive” the Spirit when we first come to faith in Christ, others say it happens at our baptism, while still others associate the ...

Q&R: How can David killing Goliath be Christlike? Brad Jersak

Question: I’m reading through your books, which are faith-saving! The gospel is indeed beautiful. But after 40 years as an evangelical, I’m finding some things hard to read Jesus into… for example, David killing Goliath. I’ve heard one teacher say that God had to use violence in the culture of the day but will redeem it in the final judgment. He also says that Jesus on the Emmaus Road refers to the broad sweep of Scripture, not every last bit of the Old Testament. In a more Christlike view of God, how is David’s victory over Goliath Christlike? Response: The clarity of your question is extremely helpful. The Jewish Scriptures record this ...

Q&R: “Vengeance is Mine”? Brad Jersak

Romans 12:9 says, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” How shall we read that?

Q&R: If grace is free, why a ‘price’? Brad Jersak

If grace and forgiveness is a free gift from God, why does the Bible use payment language, such as 'ransom,' 'redemption,' 'bought' and 'purchased' to describe the Cross?  

Q & R: Are all people God’s children or only Christians? Brad Jersak

Brad Jersak Question: Previously, I responded to the question, "Is Christ in ALL people or only in Christians?" In that post, I talked about Scriptures that say, "As ALL were in Adam, so now ALL are in Jesus Christ," by virtue of the Incarnation. Christ in ALL because he united himself to ALL humanity. But I also identified at least four types of New Testament texts that narrow Christ's "IN-ness" to those who reciprocate the covenant relationship. Those who identify with Christ by faith, relate to him intimately, focus on him through prayer and worship, etc. are "in Christ" and Christ is "in them" in a particular way. In those cases, "IN" ...

Q&R: Why does God let it keep going? Brad Jersak

Why does God let it keep going? Even granted that “all will be well,” what is the true purpose of this existence when all the joys end, and some have no joy?

Q&R: Romans 8:9 – Who doesn’t belong to Christ? Brad Jersak

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Romans 8:9 Question: First, I want to say how much your work has helped me grow in the faith and seeing the beautiful reality of the gospel. My question is about a verse I'm trying to understand. Romans 8:9 says in the second part of this verse that "if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to him." I just read your article, "Is Christ in All people or only in Christians?". I get the part where you say, "Some Scriptures define our Being (all are ...

Q&R: The “Free Will Defense” & the “Freed Will Response” – Brad Jersak

Question: I have been reviewing PTM's summary of the dozens of Scriptures that dare us to hope. Among these, I see Jesus' stated intention to draw ALL people to himself, along with Paul's prophecy that "EVERY knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord," not to mention Peter's expectation in the "restoration of ALL things," or John's testimony of Jesus saying, "I am making ALL things new." On the other hand, I'm also aware of Jesus' deep commitment to our freedom, including the freedom to turn from him and say no to God's grace. In fact, he laid his life down for that freedom, even when we misused it to crucify the Lord of Glory. I ...

Q&R: What does “trusting God” mean in our suffering? Bradley Jersak

Question: Can you help me understand what it means to trust in God? I trust that at the end of this life, God will save me from the consequences of sin. Is it about happiness? fulfillment? meaning? And how does trust relate to those, like me, who experience the suffering of chronic illness? Response: That is such an important question, and I can see serious answers already embedded in your question. I can also see how you're asking warns against speaking of trust in platitudes.  Let's just start with the assurance that in and after death, God will raise us and heal us and receive us in the End... that assurance will ...

Q&R: “Why does God allow…?” Brad Jersak

“Why does God allow ...” 

Q&R: Does God feel anger? A Conversation with Brad Jersak

Does God feel anger?