The pastor of our church has in the past taught regularly on tithing and giving, but recently he has introduced the need for a Terumah offering, which he says we must do to be truly blessed the way God wants us to be. He teaches that the Terumah offering is a further 2.5% of our gross income and is paid directly to him for his personal use. I have not heard of this before and it troubles me. Can you shed some light please.

I bought your book (7 Things You Have to Know to Understand End Times Prophecy) and greatly enjoyed it. I was a post Tribulation believer, but I am starting to change my mind. My question is, what will happen right after the Rapture if it is indeed before the Tribulation? Won’t everyone see that by the disappearance of millions of people all of a sudden that the Bible is right and therefore have a Bible believing world? I was thinking that since we won’t have our resurrected bodies til the 2nd Coming that perhaps after the Rapture our spirits will go to be with the Lord and our bodies will be left on the earth. Thus appearing to the people left behind that millions of people have “died” instead of disappeared.

Matthew 7:21-23 reads” Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Does this scenario take place at the great white throne judgement?

Regarding your interpretation of Matthew 7:1, you seem to render the context to imply that this verse is broadly speaking against judgments of any kind. We sin so we can’t judge sin in another. But the context of Matthew 7 reveals that Jesus was mainly concerned with hypocrisy and not sin in general. “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5) Also in the same sermon 7:15-23 Jesus warns his disciples to watch out for false prophets, that we ought to judge these by their fruits i.e. actions.

Re: the third heaven of 2 Cor. 12:2. Are there Biblical references to the first and second heaven? What are your thoughts on the heavens?

Can a Christian die spiritually? Romans 8:5 says if anyone lives according to the flesh, they will die, and James 1:15 says that when sin is matured, it brings forth death.

Whenever I express my concern about our current government, well meaning friends say that we are to pray for those in authority citing 1 Timothy 2:1-3. Seeing all that I believe is going wrong, I have great difficulty praying for such people. Are my friends using these verses correctly?

I don’t belong to a local church because of those I’ve visited, none really preach the word and seem more interested in programs that benefit themselves than helping the poor. Does God really want us to find a local church (even if we don’t believe they’re acting according to Biblical principles) and tithe there? Or can I keep doing what I’m doing, giving and tithing to various ministries as He leads?

In Acts 16 we read of Paul telling the jailer to “believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved — you and your household.” The jailer listens, acts on what he hears (by washing all their wounds and setting a meal before them), and his whole house is saved. However, we don’t read of other members of his household giving their testimony, their story of being swept away in God’s grace, and understanding their need of Him for salvation. I know God is the same always. I know He isn’t going to change his method of salvation. But I find it difficult to defend passages that seem to contradict one another.

You said “The concept of collective salvation is not Biblical. Nor is it possible for a person with God’s mark to transfer its benefits to someone with out it.” With regard to Abraham and his family, why would God extend this mark as a covenant to some (such as infants) who may not have ever formally recognized the implication of God and His covenant, while in Ezekiel, we read that the mark was given to those who mourned and lamented over the state of their country. It appears that in the first instance, the mark was “decreed,” while in the latter instance, the mark was given on a case by case basis to those whose hearts were right before God.