Question:

If evolution and abiogenesis have simply naturalistic explanations behind the origins and development of life itself, then wouldn't this replace any need for a god? Abiogenesis for example gives forth purely scientific and naturalistic reasons behind how life came into existence, why at this point would there be a need for such a deity? The same is true with evolution, which gives reason behind the emergence of species, surely there is a strict naturalistic reason behind the appearance of all life forms that exclude God. Is there any method in which God can be integrated into these processes?

Question:

I was so grateful for your sermon yesterday in the Cape Town church. I was wondering how you would assist someone who comes from the quantum physics background to believe the Bible.  In particular my friend adheres to the teachings of Bruce Lipton "The Biology of Belief"?

Question:

Dr. Oakes, I have a question about Isaiah 11. I understand that the chapter is a messianic prophecy, but how do you interpret verse 14? Is it fair to say that this would conjure up images of a restored kingdom of Israel (God) and is symbolic of the breaking in of the kingdom in the time of Jesus? I would really appreciate your thoughts on this passage.
Thanks.

Question:

A religious friend of mine shared this with me. Basically a “theologian” friend of hers wrote it showing “support” for Jesus actually being born on December 25th.

"Why do we celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th?  Dec. 25 was chosen because the 25th of the 12th month (Chislev) is the first day of the Feast of Dedication (Chanukah) in Israel. The earliest written record of Christians believing that is the correct date goes back to the 2nd century.   And no legitimate challenge to the date has ever made sense. Shepherds remain in the fields as far as February in the Holy Land and it almost never gets cold enough to snow in Bethlehem. It's a desert after all. 5BC (the likely correct year of His birth) is interesting as December 25 falls on the same day as Chislev 25 on the Hebrew calendar if you calculate the Western calendar backward.  The foolish notion that the date is related to the Roman Saturnalia feast is ludicrous because early Christians were mostly Jewish, not pagan. And the Jewish feast is a more obvious antecedent.   It also fits the timeline.  From Josephus we know when Zechariah's priestly course (Abijah) was on duty in Septemberish of BC 7. 6 months later Mary was visited by Gabriel in March. 9 months later is late December-Early January.  And Herod the Great died in 4 BC.  So...Why dispute ancient authorities when all the documentary evidence from the period points to the authenticity of December 25, 5 BC.”   Here’s the entire article.  http://www.struggler.org/birth3.htm

Question:

I recently came across a video titled "A History of God" and it suggests that Josiah ordered religious reforms commanding the Deuteronomists to delete all Polytheistic themes in the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, and Kings. Additionally the Israelites were supposedly always polytheistic and that the "Yahwists" apparently enforced strict monotheism as late as the 8th, 7th, and 6th centuries. Here is a link to the video. Thanks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlnnWbkMlbg

Question:

Does the account of the Last Supper as a Passover meal indicate biblical errors and historical unreliability?

1. Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, and Luke 22:7-38 call the Last Supper a Passover Meal as described in Deuteronomy 16:5-6, occurring on Thursday Nisan 14, and that Jesus was crucified on Friday and resurrected on Sunday.2. John 13:1 and 18:28-19:16 described Jesus and His disciples eating the Last Supper on Wednesday night Nissan 13, meaning that Jesus was crucified on Thursday and resurrected on Saturday.3. Mark 14:17-15:47 records events that contradicted Jewish Passover festal regulations and infringing upon their levitical purity for Passover: (1) Jesus left Jerusalem and visited Gethsemane; (2) the temple guards carried weapons; (3) the high priest tore his clothes at Jesus' perceived blasphemy; (4) the removal of Jesus body from the cross; (5) Mary Magdalene prepared spices for His body; (6) the Jewish people participated in the Roman trials; (7) Jesus was executed on the first day of the feast; (8) Simon from Cyrene had traveled a long distance from the country; (9) Joseph purchased a linen shroud for Jesus' burial; (10) The Sanhedrin met and condemned Jesus during the night of the Passover feast.

4. Acts 2:42 indicates that the early Christians celebrated the Last Supper daily while the Passover was an annual event.

5. 1 Cor. 5:7 describes Jesus as the Passover Lamb that was sacrificed, and the Passover lambs were sacrificed on Thursday Nisan 14 implying that He was sacrificed on Thursday and therefore resurrected on Saturday.

6. 1 Cor. 15:20 describes Jesus as the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep and the Jewish first fruits were offered on Saturday Nisan 16 implying that He was crucified on Thursday and resurrected on Saturday rather than Sunday.

Question:

I really need an information about the Family Federation (Moonies/Unification Church). I am going to meet a student who invited me a couple of days ago. We decided to meet for a coffee and as I don't know anything about them, I am thinking to let her share what she believes. But in the  meantime I want to get prepared and until now I didn't find any kind of information in your website about them. Can you please help me with some information? Thank you very much in advance because I know how busy you are with travels and teachings.

Question:

Can you explain the supposed contradictions in Luke and John according to Muslims?    In John 16:7 the criteria for the coming of the Holy Spirit is that Jesus has to go away, but the Holy Spirit was already present as stated in (Luke 4:1,14,18) for example.  Isn't this a contradiction?  Please reply as soon as possible because I am in a debate and I want your help.   My facebook Muslim friend asked me that if the Holy Spirit was there before Jesus then why did Jesus say he would send the helper.  This Muslim says that Jesus was talking about Muhammad in John 16.

Question:

Does God play dice?  Quantum events are random. So how can God know who is going to heaven? The Bible mentions that those who are saved have been written in the book of life before creation. You also mention the universe has a sort of free will so how does God know about events like Sodom and Gomorah or other natural disasters?

Question:

Recently I was browsing an article on Wikipedia titled "History of ancient Israel and Judah" and I read some passages I extracted and wanted to know of you could tell me if there is any actual historical credibility to them.

1 The religion of the Israelites of Iron Age I, like the Canaanite faith from which it evolved[77] and other ancient Near Eastern religions, was based on a cult of ancestors and worship of family gods (the "gods of the fathers").[78] Its major deities were not numerous – El, Asherah, and Yahweh, with Baal as a fourth god, and perhaps Shamash (the sun) in the early period.[79] By the time of the early Hebrew kings, El and Yahweh had become fused and Asherah did not continue as a separate state cult

2 There is a general consensus among scholars that the first formative event in the emergence of the distinctive religion described in the Bible was triggered by the destruction of Israel by Assyria in c. 722 BCE. Refugees came south to Judah, bringing with them laws and a prophetic tradition of Yahweh. This religion was subsequently adopted by the landowners, who in 640 BCE placed on the throne the eight-year-old Josiah.

3 Josiah and the Deuteronomists launched a bid for independence expressed as loyalty to "Yahweh alone" and in the law-code in the Book of Deuteronomy, written as a treaty between Judah and Yahweh to replace the vassal-treaty with Assyria

4 According to the Deuteronomists, the treaty with Yahweh would enable the god to preserve both the city and the king in return for the people's worship and obedience to the legal code.

5 The history books, Joshua and Judges to Samuel and Kings, interpreted the Babylonian destruction as divinely-ordained punishment for the failure of the Hebrew kings to worship Yahweh to the exclusion of all other deities