Q&A Column

Q. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 ... "one hope, one faith, one baptism...".  Yet we read in the New Testament about water baptism (Mark 16:16), Spirit baptism (1 Cor. 12:13), baptism into Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:3), and "the doctrine of baptisms" in Hebrews...

Q. The best public confession of our faith is baptism?John A. Hello John,Thank you for your question. It addresses the tradition of recent years. Traditions can be helpful. However, sometimes they can be put on the level of God's...

Q. Is infant baptism scripturally sound?  I believe it is scriptural to baptize when one has the ability to believe on Jesus, otherwise it is a work of man to believe the Spirit is or has entered an infant.   What happens then to an infant of believing...

Q. John 8:30-31 As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;Can one be a saint, but not a disciple? It seems there are at least a couple...

Q. I understand that to be saved one must trust in Jesus. But is it necessary to humble oneself and confess that I had gotten saved? I made a profession of faith as a young girl. Later in my adult life I had doubts. I “settled” the matter by trusting...

Q. I enjoy & am edified by your articles & answers. "When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child" (I Corinthians 13) .... Pertaining to Children being "Saved" rather than "Safe" for a time, Do you believe caution is needed before...

Q. Can you articulate how the modern trends in Christian music, such as scooping, sliding, breathiness, emotionalism, ccm, worldly sound, etc., are serious hindrances to Revival?Philip A. Hello Philip,Thank you for your question. I...

Q. Hi John,Thank you for issues discussed thus far. In relation to the lordship salvation controversy, is it wrong to explain to a person the teaching of faith repentance for salvation—that in repentance the person should have a change of mind of who God...

Q. Dear John,Greetings in the LORD. Can you please comment about the believers position in Christ seated in the heavenlies (Eph 2:6) and the perspective of abiding in that position? I am familiar with the identification truths, but this one (Eph 2:6) seems...

Q. If a person says he has faith but he has no works, can his faith save him? James 2:24 says that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. Could you explain this please!Harold A. Hello Harold,Fair question that many...

Q. I know a young dad with 5 children. The oldest, a girl, struggles with mom's authority, never with the dad. She is 14 and wanted to be saved a few years. The dad wanted to see change in her before acknowledging her desire to be saved. I shared she could...

Q.John 1:12-13 along with many other passages declare that someone who places faith in Jesus Christ become a child through birth. We are born again and His seed is placed in us (regeneration). What then is the adoption noted in places like Romans 8:14-17? I am...

Q.Hello! Do you think you could do a post to shed some light on 1 Cor. 13 &14 as it relates to the gifts of prophecy and tongues? I recently encountered two individuals in my church who claim to have the prophetic gift. I learned growing up that this gift no...

Q.What is the difference between salvation by faith alone and lordship salvation? JimA.Hello Jim, Thanks for your question. The key is in your phrase “by faith alone.” Faith for salvation must be faith alone in Jesus or it is not saving faith. Obviously, to trust in...

Q. I have been saved for 51 years. From the time I was saved, I was taught and seemed to grasp quickly that God was totally in charge—that is totally in control. That nothing happened outside of his control. That he could do anything he wanted to do, etc....

Q. So for a while, while I was still living in Michigan, I would go to church and when the pastor told us to bow out heads and close our eyes, he asked us to raise our hands if we were saved, and I raised my hand every time. But then for some reason these...

Q. What do you say to people whose testimony of salvation does not include the Word of God? They just knew something happened sometime in their life, The Lord Jesus Christ gave them peace and their life was changed. Noel A. Hello...

Q. Hello, I’ve been struggling with assurance of my salvation for years now. I got saved when I was 4. I can see it in my mind and I remember my mom praying with me and then running into the other room to tell my dad and brothers that I got saved. But I...

Q. Hi John, Would you please explain what it means to walk in the Spirit & how you can know the difference as to when you are or aren't walking in the Spirit? Thank you, Misty A. Hello Misty, Great question! Many wonder about...

Q. How would you help someone who is dealing with an oversensitive conscience? This would be the kind of person who is living in a state of false guilt, constantly feeling the need to apologize for tiny things, over analyzing and over correcting while...

Q. Hello, I have friend at work that I have been talking to about salvation and he believes that when you get saved you abide in Christ and Christ in you. But when you start to live in sin and don’t abide in Christ then you walk away from your salvation and lose it. ...

Q. Hi John, I've recently subscribed to your blog and have appreciated your clear biblical teaching, particularly on defining repentance (Q#12 Repentance and Turning from Sin). I have a question regarding false conversion. I presume you would agree...

Q. Can a Catholic who believes in God but is raised to believe they can also pray to Mary go to heaven as long as they sincerely believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins? For some reason I seem to struggle with this today knowing my family is all...

Q. Hi John, My question is regarding the prophecy in Joel Chapter 2. Is it a conditional revival promise or an unconditional prophecy of the millennium? On the one hand, the announcement of the "locust army" in verses 1-11 and the signs in verses 30-31...

Q. Hi John. Recently I heard a Pastor speaking about our salvation as a three-step process. We were saved, are being saved, and will be saved. Is this a new way of talking about the doctrines of sanctification and glorification, or is there something else...

Q. Could you possibly explain 1 John 3:6-10 to me? We studied it at church last night and many people weighed in and the general consensus was that a true believer cannot continue in sin habitually. It is proof that he never knew God in the first place....

Q. What are the "treasures" Jesus calls us to lay up in heaven? If they are spiritual, does that mean they are not tangible, physical things (crowns would be tangible)? My first thought was that it is referring to souls that God has used us to lead to...

Q. Hey John, I wanted to ask you about Romans 10:9-10. My question: is confession or a prayer necessary for salvation or is simply believing the Gospel sufficient? I have gotten away from things like “ask Jesus into your heart,” “give your life to Christ,”...

Q. Hi John, Just read E. M. Bounds, "Power Through Prayer." The basic theme is effects of hasty prayers vs. time spent with God, etc. Have questions. My husband always said prayer is listening to and talking to God. Bounds says much time in prayer is...

Q. Hello John, I am having trouble understanding Romans 7 which describes the war between the old man and the new man (I think!) and at the end Paul asks who shall deliver me and he says that thru Christ he will be delivered. But then he says only with his...

Q. Hello Bro John! I have a couple questions regarding putting off the old man and putting on the new man. I know at salvation a part of us dies and that is our old man or our old spirit. What would Romans 8:10 be referring to when it is says “the body is...

Q. I hear a lot of Pastors say you are to pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and other Pastors that you don't pray for filling of the Spirit, which is right? I always understood that when you yield to the Holy Spirit your walking in the Spirit and...

Q. Some in fundamentalism are teaching that the resurrection was not necessary. Where do you stand on this issue? It is a new and unexpected position to me, and I'm wondering if it is a common belief among fundamentalists? Judy A. ...

Q. Deut. 10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. Deut. 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that...

Q. Brother Van Gelderen, In your answer to question #43, you seem to indicate a belief that spiritual regeneration is a privilege for New Testament believers that Old Testament believers did not experience. I wonder how it is possible for an individual to...

Q. If spiritually, someone had a "seared conscience," can God still talk and work through that person? Can they be revived? Or is there no hope and God turns them over to a reprobate mind, as Romans 1 states? Thank you. Janis A. ...

Q. Your blog post on "Biblical Balance on Standards" was excellent.  I really appreciated it, but could you give one or two real life examples, I do not quite understand how it works out.  If a church group has standards, what would be one, and would the...

Q. Dear John: Enjoying your latest book, Experiencing Jesus. In another one of your books, I am struggling with how our faith is increased. I believe you mentioned it has to do with duration. I used to use the phrase from faith to faith, as pictured as...

Q. In regard to salvation, what must be surrendered? Would it be accurate to say that one must only surrender his soul to be saved by Jesus?  And that surrendering anything else would be a works-based salvation? Isn’t this what lordship salvation teaches?...

Q. Brother Van Gelderen, how did Old Testament saints achieve sanctification even though they were not united with Christ? Were things different for them back then? Hector A. Hello Hector, Thanks for your thoughtful question....

Q. I had a question regarding your thoughts on the parable of the vine and the branches. Near the last part you stated, "The “them” in verse six is neuter, and “it” is cast out, not “they” the people." This was a bit confusing to me because, Jesus says...

Q. My question has to do with baptism, specifically, New Testament usage and how our understanding is affected by passages such as Acts 1:4-5 (Spirit baptism) and 1 Corinthians 12:13. Hoping not to be misunderstood, I must ask whether, as Christians, we do...

Q. Hello John. In your article on Holy Hands and Pure Hands you said, "But we don’t ever earn things from God. Jesus earned it all." How does this work together with 1 Corinthians 3:8? "Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall...

Q. In your article about lifting up holy hands (see Lifting Up Holy Hands) would this be the same as holding up pure hands? Like someone that is righteous and has a very close relationship with Christ? Kelli A. Hello Kelli, Thanks...

Q. Are the gifts of the Spirit for today? Nancy A. Hello Nancy, Thank you for your question. Many have wondered about this. It seems extreme positions have been taken. Like many issues there is a biblical balance between the...

Q. Brother John, good article on the armour of God (see Q#36 Faith and the Armor of God). My question is, is there a difference between having v14 and taking, take v16-17. Does having indicate a completed action that we must recognize and taking up an...

Q. How does Ephesians 6 work out in relation to walking and living the Spirit filled life, i.e. putting on the whole armor of God.  It seems to be a list of "to do". Take up the armor to be able to stand in evil day Gird with Truth Put on breastplate of...

Q. Should any distinction be made between the Bible words flesh (sarx) and body (flesh)?  Are they synonymous in some contexts? Mark A. Hello Brother Mark, Intriguing question! One I’ve thought about as well. Yet in some ways hard...

Q. If a child is doubting their salvation where is the best place to start in the Bible so there is no confusion? Kelli A. Hello Kelli, Thank you for your question! Jesus spoke of having faith like a child. We often call this...

Q. As I witness, after I get to Heb 9:27 I then ask the question: "Wouldn't you like to see what the Judgment looks like?" Then, I take them to Rev 20:11-15 and explain that having their name listed in the book of life is the means to avoid the lake of...