Just the Simple Truth

Category: Questions

  • What is the Will of God?

    In 2012, the Christian band Sidewalk Prophets released a song about the will of God entitled “Help Me Find It”1 which has since received 1.9 million hits on YouTube2 and been played on Christian radio stations all across the country. The lyrics are as follows: I don’t know where to go from here It all used to […]

  • Is Abortion a Sin?

    Statistics are not always trustworthy but they do help us to identify trends and the trends tell us that abortion is still very popular today. The Guttmacher Institute, which supports the practice of abortion, says that 21 percent of all pregnancies today end in abortion and one in 10 women will have one by the […]

  • What is the Church Supposed to be Doing?

    In his autobiography, Charles Spurgeon gave the following insight into the Christian ministry: I do not look for any other means of converting men beyond the simple preaching of the gospel, and the opening of men’s ears to hear it. The moment the Church of God shall despise the pulpit, God will despise her. It […]

  • Is Homosexuality a Sin?

    When I was in high school, one of my heroes was a guy named Ted who was several years older than me.1  He was a great athlete who drove a sports car that made me drool with envy.  One day, I noticed that Ted had a rainbow spectrum on the back of his car.  I […]

  • Who is Jesus Christ?

    There is a lot of debate today on university campuses and in scholastic circles as to Who Jesus Christ truly was.  One book describes the dilemma this way: Interpretations of Jesus are fraught with bias.  He’s a powerful figure whom people want on their sides – and they’re willing to re–create him in their image […]

  • Why the Resurrection?

    Since the very beginning of Christianity, there have been numerous attempts to prove that the resurrection of Jesus Christ did not happen.  One of these attempts is known as the swoon theory.  According to this theory, Christ was indeed nailed to the cross.  He suffered terribly from shock, loss of blood, and pain, and he […]

  • What was the Resurrection Like?

    For many people today, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a seemingly insignificant point of Christian doctrine.  They think it does not matter whether Jesus was raised from the dead or not, what matters is that He lived a good life.  But it should be pointed out that that is not the position of the […]

  • What is the Trinity?

    It is an astounding fact that every cult and false religion in the world hates the idea of the Trinity.  If one was looking for a common thread that unites all the non-Christian religions in the world, this would be it.  They either deny or ridicule or misunderstand the Trinity.  For example, the religion of […]

  • What Does It Mean to be Filled with the Spirit?

    In 2008, a news release was sent out in Great Britain entitled, “World’s Oldest Living Animal Discovered After He is Pictured in 1900 Photograph.”1  The article showed a picture taken on the island of Saint Helena, several hundred miles off the coast of Africa.  The picture showed a solider and a prisoner from the Boar […]

  • How did Jesus Christ grow His Church?

    There are hundreds of ideas floating around right now about how the church of Jesus Christ should grow.  In our day and age, Christian leaders are obsessed with finding new ways to get their membership roles to sky-rocket and their offerings to go up and their baptismals to run over with new converts. To prove […]

  • What is True Worship?

    If you asked the average American 200 years ago, “Why do you go to church?,” he would probably say, “Because of the preaching.”  He would say that he goes to hear the Word of God expounded and explained.  A high value was placed on the office of preacher in the 1800’s.  Sermons were talked about […]

  • Is the Church necessary?

    Is the church still needed today or is there a better way to live the Christian life?  Several decades ago, that question would have been unwarranted as Christians understood that the primary place where they should worship is the church.1  But, today, with the amazing rise of parachurch ministries and other Christian organizations,2 the question does […]

  • What is Expository Preaching and why is it important?

    If I could pick a job that is becoming more and more outdated today, to the point that it might become extinct in the next 100 years, I would pick the job of a preacher.  In most churches nowadays, Christians are becoming less and less eager to want to sit through a 30-45 minute sermon.  […]

  • Do people still speak in tongues?

    It is very common today to hear stories of people experiencing God in unusual ways.  Several books are currently available that describe someone’s trip to Heaven1 or Hell2 or they tell how God spoke to the author and told him to do something.3   This is nothing new.  It has been going on for centuries in some form or […]

  • How can I tell if someone is a Christian?

    Central Illinois is a very agricultural area.  Corn and soybean and even pumpkin fields are everywhere and, at certain times of the year, you can see dozens of tractors and combines plowing the land between the towns.  Country music is very popular here and some of the people love to wear Wrangler jeans and cowboy […]

  • How is the Bible inspired?

    The word “inspired” is taken to mean a lot of things nowadays but it usually means “motivational, encouraging, or uplifting.”1  It is typically used to show that something stimulates a person to excel.  Coaches inspire their athletes to compete harder and perform better.  Teachers inspire their students to study harder and make better grades.  Employers […]

  • Does the Bible have errors in it?

    When I get to Heaven, there are a few people that I cannot wait to meet.  One of them is Martyn Lloyd-Jones.  Another is George Whitfield.  The Apostles Peter, John, and Paul also make the cut. But one name that sits at the top of the list is Charles Spurgeon.  If you have never read […]

  • Why are there so many translations of the Bible?

    Several years ago, my wife and I were passing out fliers for a summer Vacation Bible School at our church when we came across a house with an entire family in the front yard.  The mother and father were sitting in lawn chairs.  The children were playing chase or some kind of game involving tag.  […]

  • What Does Foreknowledge Mean?

  • How Can I be Sure of Anything?

    Certainty is a rare thing today.  In fact, in many circles, it is a hopeless cause.  It is nothing more than a fantasy.  In the words of the 19th Century Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “Truth” is an army of mobile metaphors, metonyms, and anthropomorphisms – in short, a sum of human relations, which have been enhanced, […]

  • What is Faith?

    Faith is: Belief in and commitment to something or someone.  Christian faith is specifically a complete trust in Christ and his work as the basis of one’s relationship to God.1 Biblically speaking, faith is to put one’s trust or confidence in the factuality of a person and his ideas.  It is to believe that what […]

  • Why should we talk about Hell?

    It probably goes without saying that non-Christians do not like to talk about Hell.  Of all the doctrines in the Bible, there is none more offensive to them than this one.  You can talk to unbelievers about God’s goodness and God’s love.  You can talk to them about God’s faithfulness and God’s mercy.  You can […]

  • What is Hell Like?

    There is probably no doctrine in the church that is as universally hated as the doctrine of Hell.  It truly is a hot topic (pun intended) but listen to these words from R. V. G. Tasker, [The Bible’s teachings on Hell contain] sayings of terrible severity, but they are just as much part of the […]

  • What is wrong with the Invitation System?

    In an earlier Frequently Asked Question on this website, the subject of conversion was discussed.1  “Conversion” means “a change or a transformation.”2  It is to change your thinking and your lifestyle from one thing to another.  It is to have your dead soul resurrected.3  It is to have a heart of flesh replace your heart […]

  • What is Conversion?

    Recently, I led a church service at a Nursing Home in Central Illinois.  I gave a simple salvation message and, afterwards, I wanted to see if the people understood what I was saying.  So I approached an elderly lady in a wheelchair and asked her if she attended church before coming to the home.  She […]

  • What is the Gospel?

    The term “Gospel” is a very popular one in Christian circles today.  “Together for the Gospel” is a bi-annual conference held on the campus of Southern Theological Seminary to encourage conservative pastors to stay true to the Biblical Gospel.1  Books such as A Gospel Primer for Christians2 and What is the Gospel3 have been written […]

  • Was the Bible copied accurately?

    When talking with skeptics or religious seekers, it is very common to hear the following questions in regard to the Bible: “How can you trust something that is that old?” “How can you believe in a book that contains so much error?” “How can you base your life on a book that contradicts itself on […]

  • What does Archaeology say about the Bible?

    On December 18, 1995, TIME magazine published an article entitled, “Are the Bible’s Stories True?  Archaeology’s Evidence.”  The article said this: In another part of the world, it would have been a straightforward public-works project.  A highway was too narrow to handle the increasing flow of traffic, so the authorities brought in heavy equipment to […]

  • What does the Bible say about itself?

    Of all the Frequently Asked Questions, this one might seem to be the most out of place.  As you are looking at the list, you are probably thinking, “Does God Exist?  I can see why that question is on the site.”  “What is the Bible?  Yeah, that makes sense.”  “What is a Christian?  That’s a […]

  • What is the Bible?

    In years past, the Bible was a book that was talked about a lot in secular and religious circles.  Listen to what some of the following famous people said about the Bible.  John Quincy Adams: So great is my veneration for the Bible, that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident […]

  • Does God Exist?

    One of the greatest questions that a person could ever ask is: Does God exist?  Is God real?  And if He is real, how can I be certain?  How can I tell?  If there is a God Who made me and expects something of me, I need to know so I can live my life […]

  • Why the Cross?

    Crucifixion was a horrible way to die. In the First Century B. C., the Roman orator Cicero wrote this about crucifixion, To bind a Roman citizen is a crime, to flog him is an abomination, to kill him is almost an act of murder: to crucify him is – What? There is no fitting word […]

  • Didn’t Jesus say that we should not judge each other?

    Jesus did say that we are not to judge. In Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus says, Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. If these words are not strong enough, our Lord goes on […]

  • How do we interpret the Bible?

    Some would consider this question an understatement. There definitely are passages that are very perplexing. Consider this passage from Deuteronomy 23:3–4: No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord, because they did not meet you […]

  • Why did Jesus come?

    The World Book Encyclopedia defines Christmas as “a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.” 1 The encyclopedia goes on to write that: Christmas is the happiest and busiest time of the year for millions of Christians throughout the world. People of different countries celebrate the holiday in various ways, depending on national […]

  • What is a Christian?

    It may be helpful to answer that question with an example. One of the most popular books, written within the past several decades, indirectly answers that question the following way: Right now, God is inviting you to live for his glory by fulfilling the purposes he made you for. It’s really the only way to […]

  • What is Elder Rule and Congregational Rule?

    Elder rule and congregational rule are methods of church government. Elder rule is defined as government by a plurality of godly men who “care for and spiritually oversee the churches”57 of which they are a part. These men are “called elders because of their superior wisdom and experience”58 in Christian ministry and life. The term congregational rule is a bit confusing […]

  • What is Lordship Salvation and Carnal Christianity?

    Lordship Salvation and Carnal Christianity are terms used to refer to the sinner’s responsibility in salvation. The lordship of Christ refers to “Jesus Christ’s authority and rule over the life of the Christian.”51 Lordship Salvation, consequently, is the view that a person must accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to be saved. The sinner must believe […]

  • What is Premillennialism and Postmillennialism?

    Premillennialism and postmillennialism26 relate to the timing and nature of Jesus’ future return and reign in the millennial kingdom. Jesus’ return and ensuing reign are described in Revelation 19:11–13; 20:4, which says, And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness […]

  • What is Arminianism and Calvinism?

    Arminianism and Calvinism2 are doctrinal systems that deal with how God saves sinners. According to Clark Pinnock, Arminianism teaches that “God is love, and therefore expresses his power, not by having to control everything like an oriental despot, but by giving humanity salvation and eternal life under the conditions of mutuality.”3 By “conditions of mutuality,” Pinnock means […]