Sermon Q&A Blog

• 	Abounding Grace Sermon Questions Sermon Q&A Blog: 30 March 2010 Question One: You said that our conscience was an imprint of God in us, something I’d agree with. But it made me think – Adam ate the ‘apple’ from the tree that would ‘open their eyes and enable them to know good and evil’. Do you think this was actually the birth of our conscience? If so, is our conscience something that wasn’t originally in mankind’s DNA, so although its an imprint of God in us…we weren’t originally intended to have that imprint? Answer: Before Adam and Eve sinned, they had an understanding of right and wrong. We know this because they were given instruction from God not to eat from the tree of ‘the knowledge of good and evil’ (Genesis 2:17). The sense of conscience that all people have is similar, it’s ... More

• 	'Reigning in Life' Question Two Sermon Q&A Blog: 23 March 2010 Question: You said the reign death had over our lives was akin to that exercised by the tyrannical Henry VIII and not like that of Elizabeth II. I wondered whether there was a distinction in the Greek between the 'reign' that death had in Roman 5:14 and 17a to the 'reign' that we now have "in life through .. Jesus Christ", Romans 5:17b? Answer: The Greek word that Paul uses in this passage for reign is βασιλεύω (basileuō), and is the same word used in both contexts. My Greek dictionary would define this word as: ‘Reign of a King’ to have ‘complete control’ and to ‘formally reign’. The reign of death would be like a tyrannical/oppressive king who wields his power over all people in a fearful way, this is implicit from the ... More

• 	'Reigning in Life' Question One Sermon Q&A Blog: 23 March 2010 Question: It’s great that as Christians we can be assured of our future, but what do we say to those who have lost loved ones that don’t know Christ? And to comments like 'they're in a better place now'? Answer: This is an important question! Ultimately only God knows whether or not someone is saved. It would be wrong of us to conclude that an individual definitely wasn't a Christian; it remains quite possible that God may have encountered this person during their dying moments. However, I would want to explore (sensitively - i.e. let's not get too intense if we're only a few days or weeks into the grieving period) why the grieving person believes the one ... More

• 	Salvation by Faith Question One Sermon Q&A Blog: 23 February 2010 Question: Surely salvation being wholly by faith and not by ‘works’ removes the need for me to do anything as a Christian, if what I do does not really matter? Answer: Salvation is wholly by faith. There is nothing that you can do that will get you saved, or make God love you more. However, genuine faith in God and belief in what He has done for us, results in a changed heart and a desire to live in such a way as to point towards Jesus. Of course this will affect what you do; but it won’t get you to heaven – that was solely accomplished through ... More