Re: Jerusalem Post article on the tomb of Jesus being discovered. I take God at his word-all the time. The fulfillment of prophecy also bolsters my faith. Learning to respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading has also bolstered my faith. Because the enemy will try to attack the believer’s faith with this supposed discovery could you give us some of your thoughts on this to use when fellow believers struggle with doubt.

What is the “sin unto death” in 1 John 5:16? I have been told it refers to believers who cross the line and God takes them home.

My brother passed away suddenly. Because he was born severely retarded and couldn’t speak or hear, I’ve always believed that he would go to be with the Father when he died, the same as children who are too young to make the choice that you and I and your readers made. I know it has to be Biblically based, but I don’t recall ever seeing the scriptures that belief is based on. Can you help?

My question revolves around the idea that you and many others put forth, the once saved always saved doctrine. Once I became a Christian, I couldn’t snatch my soul back from Christ even if I wanted to.

I have been raised on this doctrine and I do believe it. However, I have noticed other commentaries on other Christian sites that seem to point more towards an attitude that says that Christians shouldn’t ever sin. In fact, I have even found some sites that say that if you are really a Christian, then you are incapable of sin. Is it possible that sinful behavior could be present in someone who is saved? Shouldn’t the Holy Spirit have driven such sinful activities from the body at the time of the individual’s salvation, I ask mainly because I know that I am not sinless even today, but I have always believed in the power of God and his son Jesus Christ to save me in spite of my occasional failings. However, messages like these have had a tendency to make me feel like I should question my salvation because I still sin.

Would you please explain James 2: 14-26? As Born Again Christians, the Holy Spirit leads us and inspires us to do good deeds. But, are these deeds or works compulsory for salvation? I believe we are saved by grace thru faith alone. I see many churches focused on works which seems to me to be more of a religious approach rather than a true faith and relationship with Jesus. James 2: 14-26 seems to imply that to be saved you must have both faith and deeds. Or is it implying that by his faith and being saved, a true believer shows his true faith with compassion and works by being led thru the gift of the Holy spirit?

If there is not a partial rapture can you help me with Rev. 12:5 and those who are caught up here and possibly the timing of this event?

My regular Bible study this last Wednesday was run by someone other than our regular teacher. At one point in the discussion he stated that our sin, especially a willful sin, was subjecting Jesus to additional beatings and punishment. This didn’t seem right to me. What say you?

I understand that being sealed with the Spirit is something distinct to our dispensation of the church. I also understand that Old Testament Saints were not sealed by the Spirit and that the Spirit could come and go, sometimes for the purpose of only empowering people for a certain task and then he would leave. The Spirit was never promised to a believer. In fact you could be a believer and not even be indwelt by God’s Spirit. My question is why you don’t believe in Eternal Security for the Old Testament Saints?

Thank you for always being there for all of us! I’m so glad that we have you. When we go in the Rapture and are at the Bema Seat judgment, are we going to be going over the what we did good and what we did bad things? Are we going to be in a bad way for maybe some things we could have done better? Are our lives going to be sifted through like the White Throne judgments? I asked this because of what some kids were told at youth group that really frightened them.

Matt. 7:22-23 confuses me a bit. I understand that these people who will be uttering these statements are non believers, but what doesn’t sink well to me is how can they drive out demons and perform miracles in the name of Jesus Christ if they are not believers?