Problem: According to Paul in this passage, God “alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light.” However, in other places, Paul speaks of Christians being raised in “immortal” physical bodies (1 Cor. 15:53) and partaking of “immortality” through the Gospel (2 Tim. 1:10). But if God alone has immortality, then how can anyone else have it?
Continue reading →
Problem: In some verses of Scripture, people see God. But, in other verses, it says they cannot see God? Is this a contradiction? It is not if you understand the Trinity and the context of those verses.
Continue reading →
Does the Bible support slavery? Skeptics of the Bible often claim that it does. For instance, in their book What the Bible Really Says, skeptics Morton Smith and R. Joseph Hoffman write,
There is no reasonable doubt that the New Testament, like the Old, not only tolerated chattel slavery (the form prevalent in the Greco-Roman world of Paul’s time) but helped to perpetuate it by making the slaves’ obedience to their masters a religious duty. This biblical morality was one of the greatest handicaps that the emancipation movement in the United States had to overcome.[1]
How should believers respond to such claims? Does the Bible support slavery?
Problem: Many Christians argue that consumption of alcohol is sinful. However, Paul specifically tells Timothy to drink alcohol. Should we drink alcohol or not?
Continue reading →
Problem: The Bible repeatedly warns against abuse of strong drink and drunkenness (Prov. 20:1; 31:4–5; Isa. 24:9; 1 Cor. 6:9–10; Eph. 5:18). However, here Paul tells Timothy to “no longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.” Doesn’t this commend wine drinking?
Continue reading →
Problem: Paul says that widows are not permitted to remarry: “When they [widows] feel sensual desires in disregard of Christ, they want to get married, 12 thus incurring condemnation, because they have set aside their previous pledge” (1 Tim. 5:11-12). But elsewhere, he makes clear that they can remarry (1 Cor. 7:9, 28). Which is it?
RESPONSE: The context for this passage is the stewardship of the church to help the truly poor. The financial giving of the church is a serious stewardship. Failure to properly distribute the church’s hard-earned resources is sinful (v.7). Paul’s instruction is to give to “those widows who are really in need” (v.3 NIV). He states that younger widows don’t qualify, because they can get remarried. In this day, women were dependent on their families to care for them in old age. Paul explains that widows with children or grandchildren should depend on them for help (v.4, 8).
Continue reading →
Problem: Jesus exhorted His disciples, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matt. 6:19). Luke added, “Give to everyone who asks of you” (Luke 6:30). By contrast, Paul affirmed that “If anyone does not provide for his own … he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8). And Proverbs 13:22 claims that “a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” But how can we give all our treasure to God and others and still have an inheritance left for our family.
Continue reading →
Problem: Only God can ensure salvation –not men (Jn. 6:37-40; 10:27-30; 1 Cor. 1:8; Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:1; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; Eph. 1:13-14). However, this passage states that Timothy could “ensure salvation” for himself and the people in his church.
Continue reading →
Problem: Paul tells Timothy to “kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim. 1:6). What was Timothy’s gift, and why was it given through the laying on of Paul’s hands?
Problem: Paul refers to Timothy’s “youthfulness.” We picture a “youth” to be in their teenage years. However, Timothy was the leader of the church in Ephesus, which must have been quite large. Was a teenager leading a church of this size?
Continue reading →