Can Christians Know the Timing of Christ’s Second Coming? (1 Thessalonians 5)
Many wish to know when Jesus will return to establish his kingdom fully. Even the disciples asked this very question .
Tough Passages
63 results found
Can Christians Lose Their Salvation? (Hebrews 6)
We must respond to the terrifying possibility of irreversible apostasy and the comforting evidence of God’s heart-transforming, love-producing grace
Can Women Be Deacons? (1 Timothy 3)
Deacon's wives, whether or not they hold office, do hold responsibility for serving others. This is why they must bear character qualities fitted for a servant.
Did a Faithless Gideon Use a Fleece to Test God’s Will? (Judges 6)
It is always in the context of human weakness that the Lord achieves his greatest victories, even the weakness of his own Son’s death on the cross.
Did a Prophet Really Lay on His Side for More than a Year? (Ezekiel 4)
The signs of the prophets are not merely visual aids; they are designed to reach people’s wills and hearts, enabling people not just to see the truth but to feel it.
Did Jesus Come to Bring Peace or a Sword? (Luke 12)
Jesus came to bring peace, but peace is not the only consequence of his coming. Both peace and division, harmony and conflict, joy and strife will occur.
Did Jesus Descend to Hell? (Ephesians 4)
God is the Divine Warrior who ascends to his throne after defeating his enemies. Here, Christ is the victorious conqueror who ascends to his throne in heaven after defeating the spiritual forces.
Did Jesus Forbid Us from Taking Oaths? (Matthew 5)
Disciples must keep their word, especially when others depend on them, even if circumstances change or oath keeping brings real loss.
Did Jesus Really Mean That We Should Hate Our Families? (Luke 14)
He is to have absolute rule and sovereignty over one’s life; no family relationship can take precedence over one’s commitment to Jesus.
Does Baptism Save? (1 Peter 3)
God uses the water of baptism to save us—only in that it links us to Christ and his victory and promises.
Does God Single Out the Sin of Homosexuality? (Romans 1)
While in recent years same-sex relations have been glamorized in some sectors of society, Jesus confirmed that God’s will for marriage has always been lifelong heterosexual monogamy.
Does God Want Everyone to Be Saved? (1 Timothy 2)
God’s people are not merely praying for God to give them a peaceful and quiet life. They are praying that all people might experience salvation through Christ.
Does Rahab Show Us That It's Sometimes Okay to Lie? (Joshua 2)
Although sparingly told—or perhaps because it is sparingly told—the tiny drama has exercised a fascination out of all proportion to its size.
Does the Bible Condone Slavery? (Philemon 1)
Paul addresses a delicate matter in his epistle to the leader of a Colossian church.
How Does Jesus Respond When We Doubt? (John 20)
Do we think our doubts trouble Jesus? Do we think skepticism is a surprise to him? Our honest thinking will not offend him. He can handle any question we have.
Is It Fair for God to Judge Those Whom He Predestined? (Romans 9)
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Is It Okay to Pray a Curse on My Enemies? (Psalm 5)
Prayers of this sort generally carry the unstated assumption that the evildoers will not repent and seek forgiveness; should they turn, these prayers are reversed as well.
Is It True That “All Is Vanity”? (Ecclesiastes 1)
In a culture that promotes immediate gratification, will we have the endurance to persevere in the hard work needed to understand the message of Ecclesiastes?
Is There a Difference between Pastors and Elders? (1 Timothy 3)
Besides having good character, what qualifications must one meet in order to oversee others in the church?
Is The Song of Solomon about God's Love or Human Love? (Song of Solomon 1)
Although we are fallen and our sexual desires can easily be distorted and debased, there is still something “very good” about the desire for physical intimacy.
Must We Count All as Loss to Follow Christ? (Philippians 3)
Paul’s conversion came by embracing the righteousness of Jesus, not earned by works but received as a gift by faith. The righteousness a holy God demands of us, he gives to us in Christ.
Should Christians Always Submit to the Government? (Romans 13)
Paul’s counsel in Romans 13 assumes a government acting within its God-appointed parameters. When it does not, other measures may be in order.
Should Christians Sue Each Other? (1 Corinthians 6)
Paul’s main charge in this passage is that believers who have legal disputes with fellow believers should settle those disputes before believers and not take them to the law court before unbelievers.
Should the Sick Be Anointed with Oil? (James 5)
James instructs the church elders to “anoint” the sick person with oil “in the name of the Lord.” Throughout the centuries, Christians have struggled to understand and apply this verse.
Was Christ’s Coming the End of the Law? (Romans 10)
Christ is the termination of the law in the sense that he ushers in a new age— both continuous with and different from the former age.
Was King Saul Possessed by Demons? (1 Samuel 19)
Was Saul a prophet or was he possessed by a demon? Learn more about 1 Samuel 19 with commentary from the ESV Expository Commentary Series.
What Are the Seventy Weeks of Daniel? (Daniel 9)
The events detailed in Daniel 9 are fulfilled in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He is the coming king.
What Are the Tongues of Fire? (Acts 2)
Apostolic witness, signs and wonders, and regeneration—are all entirely the doing of the Spirit. How the Spirit is working and what he is bringing about depends on the context.
What Did John Mean When He Called Jesus the “Word”? (John 1)
John proclaims the Word as God, through whom the world was made, in whom is life, and who is unquenchable light.
What Does It Mean That All Israel Will Be Saved? (Romans 11)
There is a particular call to faith in Christ through the call of the gospel. Both God’s gifts and his calling of Jews to faith in Christ remain in force and will not be revoked.