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This was a response to your statement, "Should we believe things that we cannot see such as the tooth fairy?" The fact that the tooth fairy is invisible is really not relevant; we have other reasons for not believing in a real tooth fairy. Similarly, the fact that God is not visible is...

We believe in lots of things that we can't see: gravity, electrons, love... Being able to see something is not the acid test of its reality. And no, simply believing in something doesn't make it true. (If only...) My faith in God doesn't make Him exist; if He doesn't exist, then I am wrong. I...

Not all Christians believe in a "young" earth. Nor is it necessary. The "1650 years" from the Fall to the Flood is based on an assumption that the genealogies in Genesis are complete (with no missed generations). But Biblical genealogies are not necessarily complete (look at Jesus' genealogy in...

Whatever this enigmatic verse (in KJV) means, it's NOT that "faith is believing things despite or in the absence of evidence"! "Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (NIV) “Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservations – a trust in...

Where does the Bible define faith as "believing without evidence"? Jesus never expected people to believe in Him without evidence. ("Evidence" is not the same thing as "proof", of course)

Hebrew has several different words for 'sacrifice', because there were many different types. Cain and Abel were offering a "minchah" - which was a tribute offering, not a sacrifice for sin. So it didn't need to contain blood. They each brought what they had. However, Abel brought the very...

But what did the Bread of the Presence represent, if not the Bread of life?

Scripture and tongues have different functions. So Scripture does not replace tongues. When Paul wrote to Timothy, the Scriptures he was referring to were largely the Old Testament - which the first Christians combined with the teaching of the apostles. The New Testament is the teaching of the...

We know, however, that even at the end of the first century AD the early church was having communion weekly. But as you say, not just a bite and a sip - it was part of a real, substantial meal. Jesus said, "Whenever..." He didn't specify how often, so there's a lot of scope for different...

There's a very interesting book, "The Righteous Mind", by Jonathan Haidt, which is worth a read by anyone, I think. He demonstrates that people don't make decisions solely through reason (even of they think they do) - they rely on emotion/instinct/gut feeling (call it what you will) and use...

"Tongues today are not even close to the originals." How would you know? "If they were genuine, the whole church would speak in them, not just a couple of sects with questionable origins." There are people with the gift in all denominations - even Roman Catholics. "Moreover, today's tongues...

2. Could Pharaoh Have Repented? To begin with, yes... but he went past the point of no return.

"While we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." This is my understanding: Our material, earthly bodies are temporary shelters only. They are...

I've changed my mind on several issues since becoming a Christian. But not through forums - rather, through reading and my own Bible study. Very very few forum posters can argue their case intelligently and persuasively. Most people simply criticise their opponents, demonise the alternative...

"But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." (Ephesians 5:3,4) That...

Do they have to be anything/anyone in particular? It's a parable, not an allegory where every detail is symbolic of something. (One might as well ask who or what is the donkey in the parable of the Good Samaritan - it adds colour to the story, but has no special significance) But if you insist...

First of all, a couple of definitions: SIN is the universal ‘disease’ of the human race, our spiritual inheritance going back to our earliest ancestors. It’s our rebellious attitude towards God, the conviction that we are the captains of our own souls and that God has no right to tell us how to...

It was right when the translation was made, but 'wrong' now only because the meaning of the word 'ghost' has changed over the centuries. To us modern English speakers, "ghost" implies a dead person - and the Holy Spirit is very much alive!

In Hebrews it says, "Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered and once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him." (Hebrews 5:8,9) This is ultimately a debate about definitions. What exactly do we mean by the word 'perfect'? It certainly...

I don't get any pleasure in seeing someone display their ignorance - and keep on doing it even after being corrected. This is nothing to do with NIV versus KJV. "Punctiliar ingressive" and "constative aorist" simply do not exist in Greek grammar.