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Through the years we have collected and answered questions that many of you have asked. If you can’t find what you are looking for on these pages, please email feedback@scottsdalebible.com with your questions. Frequently Asked Questions by subject (categories A-C):  go to categories C-L | go to categories M-Z Abortion and Related Medical Questions - What is Scottsdale Bible Church's position on abortion? What does God have to say about it?view answer
- I am sure you have heard of the great debate over the issue of using otherwise discarded human embryos for research purposes. As a Christian medical researcher, I have been struggling with this issue (is it okay considering that the embryos would otherwise be discarded) and was wondering what you or the church or the Bible has to say about this subject. Thanks! view answer
Adultery - Do you think a Pastor should be permitted to preach after he has had an adulteress affair? What if his marriage dissolves, but he later reconciles with his wife—does that make it more acceptable? view answer
- What does the bible mean when it speaks of adultery? How does it relate to swinging and spouse-swapping (assuming that couples are consenting)? view answer
Alcohol - Where does the Bible talk about not drinking alcohol? Also, concerning Jesus turning water into wine ... I have heard some preachers say that it was unfermented wine. What is the difference between "wine" and "strong drink" as mentioned in the Bible? view answer
Adam and Eve - We were discussing the sermon about Adam and Eve and I asked him a question. His usual answer to me was as always let’s go read about it in the Bible, so we did. We started reading about Adam and Eve and on into the first chapter I asked him where did Cain’s wife come from?? view answer
America and God - Many Christians (including prominent figures) have attributed the atrocities on America as the "judgment" of God. Could you state your position on this issue? I believe that carelessness in regards to this issue by Christians is very damaging to our witness. view answer
Anointing With Oil - I don’t recall hearing sick people directed (I've seen them occasionally invited, like last Sunday) to call upon the elders, nor do I recall SBC elders anointing people with oil. As a lay reader of the Word, this directive in James 5:14-16 would seem as clear and adamant as others that we do follow I know that elders does not necessarily mean the Elder Board. What else am I not understanding about being directed and anointed with oil? view answer
Apostles - What are the names of the 12 apostles in order? view answer
Astrology - I have heard sermons in the past on the subject of Astrology, and am a bit reluctant to get involved but lack specific scripture to support my feeling that we as Christians are obligated to rely on Him only and suspect delving into astrology even as a bystander might be wrong for me. view answer
Baptism - If you were born into a Catholic family and you weren't baptised, are you Catholic? view answer
- Why didn't Jesus himself baptize, but delegated the rite to the Apostles. Why did he exempt himself? view answer
- Some say that although you are baptized into the body of Christ and the Holy Spirit indwells you when you are saved, there is a different event called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is also considered to be filled with the Spirit . If we only receive the Holy Spirit once and there is only one baptism that takes place, why does John 20:22 say that the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples He breathed on them and told them to receive the Holy Spirit, and then later in Acts 1:4 it says that on one occasion he told them Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard my speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit? view answer
- On the day of Pentacost were the apostles the only ones who spoke in tongues as a result of being baptized with the Holy Spirit? Also, I have come to believe that there is only one baptism of the Holy Spirit, that which every believer receives upon accepting Jesus as Saviour. At that time we are baptized into the body of Christ. However, I read in Acts 8:12-17 that although the Samaritans had accepted Jesus and had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus that the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them. It wasn't until Peter and John prayed and laid hands on them that they received the Holy Spirit. What is the difference between the Holy Spirit falling upon someone and someone receiving the Holy Spirit? It appears that there were two baptisms. There is a similar account of Cornelius in Acts 10. This is very confusing. Could you please explain? view answer
- What is the difference between a pentecostal church & a charismatic church? What is baptism by the Holy Spirit? view answer
- What is the origin and religious sigificance of baptisim? view answer
- Can anyone perform a baptism? For instance, can my husband and I baptize eachother (we are both believers) or must we have this performed at the church in order for it to be legitimate? view answer
- What is the origin and religious significance of baptisim? view answer
- I am Catholic and raised my adopted daughter in the Catholic Faith and recently she has become a born again christian after almost 15 years of drugging, drinking and lying and walking all over her father and I. We raised our granddaughter for the fist few years of her life and she was Baptised in the Catholic faith and our daughter told her that her Baptisim doesnt count in the Penticostal Holiness Church. The Catholic Church recognizes One Baptisim and it does not have to be Total Immerision. In your honest oppenion does it Count to God and all learned men of God? view answer
- Hello, I have a four year old son. Should I get him baptised? view answer
- I work with a fellow Christian who was baptized and has been pressing me to do so to ensure my salvation. I KNOW that I need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and accept Him into my heart in order to be saved. IAM sure of my salvation. I know scripture has a way of being interpreted differently from Catholic to Baptist, to Bible churches. Please help me to understand this. Why do some protestant churches believe that Baptism is NECESSARY to be saved? view answer
- I have been a member of the Roman Catholic Church my entire life (I'm 25). My boyfriend is a member of your church. We have discussed marriage and frequently talk about the role of religion and faith in our life. We believe it's important that we worship in the same church and raise children in the same faith community. My question to you is, what are the major differences between your church and the Catholic church? What is the process of leaving one faith to join another. Obviously, I've been baptized, but does is that baptism recognized in all Christian faiths? I have to admit, I'm a bit sheltered when it comes to other denominations of Christianity. I've never considered joining another church until now. My boyfriend and I both believe that the Lord brought us togethe and, in return, we want to worship together. Your advice is greatly appreciated. I know that I will meet you one day soon, as we plan to attend services when he return to the Valley. Many thanks!! view answer
"Beauty" - What is the church's opinion on girls wanting to be thin, to the point of death? view answer
The Bible and How Do We Get The Bible - Where in Bible are two disciples that were called Sons of Thunder? view answer
- Whose names have been changed in the Old Testament and New Testament? view answer
- I have a friend who believes that the Bible is just a bunch of "Stories" and they should not be taken literally. How can I share with this person in a "Logical" manner to maybe explain to him why that is not true. He is pretty intelligent from a "Worldly" standpoint, but I don't believe he's ever read the Bible. view answer
- I have 2 questions regarding the creation of the Bible: The first is did the writers of the letters in the New Testament consider their works to be "scripture" when they said that all scripture was the word of God, that it was inspiried? The second question was how have the choices made when defining the Cannon played into this? Is there a good book you could point me too on that subject? view answer
- Any thoughts on the New Living Translation? I've been studying their website. Seems earnest and good. view answer
- I am interested in your thoughts about the Holman Christian Standard Bible. The publisher boasts a literal, word-for-word translation from the original languages. In seeking a translation that has not been influenced by our culture or "political correctness" would you recommend this new translation? view answer
- I have a friend that used to be a Christian and after reading the book Cristology, is now believing that Christ was purely human born from Mary and Joseph and doesn't believe the books of Timothy were written by Paul because they were written 165 years after Jesus. He said the books were written by someone else to form the church. My question is what do you know of the validity of the books of Timothy and where might I point him in regards to the validity of the books of Timothy? view answer
- The best seller list includes a book by Michael Drosnin titled "Bible Code II". This is a theory that the Bible has been coded to foretell all events both past and future. It is predicting a world 'end of times' for 2006. How does SBC view the Bible Code? view answer
- I really want to know why does the Catholic Bible have extra books in it? Where did they come from and what do you think about them? view answer
- I was wondering what Scottsdale Bible's stance is on the Old Testament and the historical back round of it. view answer
- I have just finnished reading the Old and New Testaments and the Koran. It is said that all of these books are the word of God written by his Prophets. I would appreciate your opinion as to whether this is correct or that there are possiable errors in the translations? view answer
- Pastor, I have a friend that is driving me crazy with his suggestion that those who do not read the King James Bible are decieved. His reasoning is that "the King James language has not been changed as all other Bibles have". He likes to quote from Revelation 22:18-19. What can I say to put an end to his acusation view answer
Bible Study - Do you have any advice about Ancient civilizations and how they corrolate with the Bible. I have always been interested in Ancient civilizations, but never really tried to pursue any knowledge that can come with that. view answer
- I am in need of an answer for our bible study as to what the difference is between "Jesus" and "Immanuel". We've already researched the Greek origins of both, only to find that they mean very separate things. Please help. view answer
- A recent article in USA Today claims that many pastors today are downloading messages from other websites and preaching them in their home churches as their own. In addition, a prominent Christian leader recently told me that 90% of the pastors of seeker churches are doing the same thing. What do you think about this practice and what can be done to prevent it? view answer
- I am struggling with the original NAS vs. the NASB. In the Matthew 6:25-34 passage, the NAS uses the word "anxious," whereas the NASB text uses "worried." Is there a significant difference between the 2 translations? I have looked seriously at the NASB study bible, the Ryrie NAS expanded edition, and the Life Application NAS bible. What would be your best recommendation? I greatly appreciate your input. view answer
- While I enthusiastically study the bible on my own, I am not to the point that I can gain the insight that I get when you present it. Do I need to study Hebrew and Greek or attend seminary. I want to be able to understand the deep meaning of the passage and be able to interpret it in light of other scripture. How do I get to that point? view answer
- I know I need to be disciplined in reading my Bible, yet I find that I skip around alot and I'm not sure which book to read first. Any suggestions on how to study better? view answer
- What books would you recommend for us to read? view answer
Biblical History and Stories - I have heard that all of the diciples died terrible, martyr's death's. Is this true? view answer
- Why did Mordekai tell Esther to hide that she is Jew? Was it because she was an exile? Was Mordekai afraid of any stereo type against Esther since he thought that it would be a great opportunity to be seated as a queen? view answer
- What does the salt convenant mean? view answer
- Who was the first Jewish man? I believe it was Abraham as God had his covenant with him and he was the first to be circumised. My friend says it was Jacob as his name was changed to Israel. view answer
- When Jesus gives the parable in Matthew 13 about the sower and the seed He describes the different soils the seed falls on. Obviously the seed that fell on good soil was the hearts of believers. Do the other soils mentioned in the previous verses represent the hearts of unbelievers? view answer
- Could you clarify/explain what nations evolved from Cain, Esau and Ishmael? view answer
- I was wondering if anybody has found remains of Noah's Arc? If not, how come people can find dinosaur bones but not a gigantic arc? view answer
The Body Calvinism - What is your stand on the 5 points of Calvinism? view answer
Capital Punishment - My Grandfather and I just had the discussion of Capital punishment, provoked by Timothy McVeigh's execution. I used to not believe in this form of government punishment, until I became a Christian. Please explain to me again why Capital punishment is accepted by God and what verses I can refer to when explaining to my Grandfather. Thank you view answer
Catholicism - I have been hearing a lot of things about Brennan Manning's books. I have not read any of them. Based on the things I hear I wonder how biblical they are. I'm a little sceptical. Do you know? view answer
- Why do Catholics not eat meat on Fridays during Lent? Is there a Biblical basis for this? Or is it true that the fishing industry lobbied for this practice back in the time of the early church? Should members of a Bible church observe Lent and its practices? How should one respond to Catholics who observe these practices? view answer
- The Catholic Bible has more books than our Bible. I know some have been excluded due to their content, or a belief that they were not inspired by God. What exactly is in them that we do not agree with? I know this is a big question, but I would be grateful for any insights you could give me on just one of the books in the Catholic bible we do not condone-or credit. view answer
- What does the Catholic Church have to say about genetically modified animals? view answer
- Is the Catholic Church the only Church of Christ, and Transubstatiation view answer
- Is there a biblical reference that speaks against the Catholic tradition of prayers for the dead? view answer
Christian Daily Living - I have been raised to believe that self-gratification is wrong. I am struggling with this - do you know of Scripture that addresses this issue? I think it would help me to know Biblically that it displeases God. view answer
Christmas - Why Do Christians Celebrate Christmas on December 25 and Why Do Christians Believe that Jesus was God? view answer
- How should I prepare for the holiday season? Is there any Christian basis for Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, and Gift Giving? view answer
- I have heard many people(predominantly Seventh Day Adventist) say they will not celebrate Christmas because 1)it was originally a pagan holiday and thus should not be condoned, and 2) there is absolutely no convincing evidence to suggest that Christ was indeed born on December 25, let alone in winter (one argument involves that shepherds probably wouldn't be watching their sheep in the dead of winter). So if there is doubt as to whether December 25 is really Christ's birth, then why celebrate it, especially since it was a pagan holiday? view answer
Cloning - What wisdom from the bible can we use to evaluate a position on cloning of humans or human embryos? view answer
Communion - Do you feel that when communion is celebrated it is important to make it clear that only beleivers are to participate in communion? What are your reasons for you belief? view answer
The Church and the Body of Christ Creation and Evolution - What is the point of the "young-Earth" creationist who imply that if you don't believe that Genesis 1 describes 24-hour Earth days, you can't be a true Christian? view answer
- It has been said that dinosaurs were killed because of Noah's flood, if so, why didn't Noah take any on the boat with him and the other animals, seeing as though he was supposed to take two of every animal? view answer
- I understand that GOD created everthing and that he is the Alpha and Omega. I can't find where there is scripture(S) on dinosaures? What role or purpose did they have here on earth? view answer
- What order did the dinosoaurs, woolly mammoth, cavemen and Adam and Eve come in? How do you explain the fossil records for these prehistoric creatures? view answer
Crucifixion - Jesus's sacrifice on the cross view answer
- Assuming that time, even years, are only a blink to God, something like 3 days would be less than a nanosecond. God sacrificed His only son, but really only for 3 days ( which would be less than the blink of an eye to Him). If your son were to die but be fully restored to your presence for all eternity within 3 days, wouldn't that somewhat minimize the overall sacrifice. We always make it sound like God's loss in Jesus' death is far beyond the loss of any death on earth. When in fact, even though the excruciating torture of the way He died is beyond comparison, any death on earth will not reunite a son to his earthly father for years or even decades...well beyond 3 days. Where did I get off track here in my thinking? view answer
Cults - Good morning,with all respect I am addresing you with a very simple question and in the same not a simple answer specially to the person that ask me these questions. He is my son 25 years old we spended about 3 hours in a general father son conversation concerning character integrety ,family and faith. He asked me, "what is the difference between christianity and a cult, if a religion group believes in Christ our Lord? Will that group be considered Christian as like Catholics and Lutherans?" view answer
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