Ask Dr. E

Q: According to an article in Christianity Today, polyamory is the next pastoral sexual frontier. My son and daughter-in-law are polyamorous. They have been married 9 years and have two kids, they each have significant others, and these individuals are part of their family unit. They spend time with the kids and are with the family much of the time, including overnight. My daughter-in-law's parents, like me, have a huge issue with this lifestyle choice. If we host a family event, we do not include the "extras," we've also let them know that we choose not to interface with these individuals at events hosted by others, as we can't see how to do that without condoning or appearing to condone this choice. While both were raised in Christian homes, neither claim belief in God and are both adamantly opposed to religion, specifically Christianity. Dr. Christopher Yuan joins Dr. E to answer this question. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: How do I get started reading the Bible? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: WOULD LOVE YOU TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO DENOUNCE THEIR FAITH AND WALK AWAY LIKE JOSHUA HARRIS AND NOW, SADLY, MARTY SAMPSON. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Should Christians practice yoga? Yoga's origin in pagan hinduism, yet many Christians practice it everyday. Is yoga a form of pagan worship that should be avoided, or is it personal preference? Is this comparable to Daniel's refusal to be defiled when he avoided the king's meat, is it 'legalism' to denounce yoga? Many churches offers yoga within their walls and this continues to grow. Are we headed down a dangerous path?Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: We mentor and are friends with many young adults that say they abstain from (premarital) sex but will spend the night at each other’s homes or go on vacation together and share a hotel room. I would love to hear a theological point of view of why you should not live with your spouse before marriage, spend the night at each other’s places, and/or share a hotel room while on vacation together if you are abstaining from sexual relations. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

When Jesus was on earth, could He only do what the Father asked Him to do? Since He was fully God and fully man, was He able to do miracles on His own? Was He able to look at the heart of man on His own or was it always through the power of the Holy Spirit or His Father who would communicate with Him because of their special connection? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: What is dispensationalism, and is there accuracy to this approach?

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Did God the Father turn His face away from Christ when He was on the cross? I've heard He did this in quoting Psalm 22, to fulfill its prophecies, but I've seen entire theologies built around this "cosmic abandonment" around this idea that Christ was separated from God while He was on the cross, but I don't know where that claim is substantiated in Scripture. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Short of heresy, is it ever okay, and if so when, to leave my church and look elsewhere to worship? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Battles loom large over the definitions of inerrancy and infallibility. What do these terms really mean when it comes to specific verses? For instances, some will say it’s an error when the Bible uses round numbers for how many are in a tribe, or for the number of people killed in a battle. When the text uses specific numbers in other places, or when one gospel account has Jesus calling for a single donkey to be brought to Him and He says, “bring it to me” – versus calling for a donkey and the foal of a donkey – “bring them to me.” Or they’ll cite the last two verses of 2 Chronicles, which duplicates the opening verses of Ezra exactly but cuts off the command of Cyrus mid-sentence, losing the gist of his command. Obviously God didn’t inspire the writer of chronicles to do that, there was an error of transmission over the centuries, and part of Ezra was copied into Chronicles. I’ve heard good theologians say, and I tend to agree, that scripture is accurate and dependable enough for the purpose for which its intended, but to insist that every word, every description, every story is perfect down to the molecular level leads to unnecessary controversies.

Q: I was listening back to an episode of Ask Dr. E and you were talking about oppression, or demonic or evil spirits, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit not allowing that. I was wondering if there was a differentiation between the old covenant and the new covenant. We seem to see evidence that the devil was given permission with Job and with Peter, “Satan has asked to sift you like wheat but I have prayed for you,” is what Jesus had told Peter, so I was wondering – is there that differentiation between the Testaments or the covenants, and the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

Q: Does the Bible say that to raise my children biblically, under God's design, I have to spank my child?Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

A local pastor named Josh wrote in and shared a man in his community he's been meeting with, who is an atheist. They've been getting coffee and having lots of "lively discussions." This man pointed the pastor to a series of articles he wrote, called "the false prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel." In these writings, he points to some of the more obscure prophecies and posits that history nowhere mentions the fulfillment thereof. He, therefore, comes to the conclusion that all Old Testament prophets are proven false, Jesus is a fraud, and Christianity has been exposed as a sham. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: I've been studying the different dispensations for a while and seem to get caught up in Ephesians 1:10 where the KJV renders the word "dispensation" but in the NASB it's "administration." what is the correct rendering in this word and does dispensationalism have a place for study and application here in 2020?

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Will the church be going through the tribulation?Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: The Bible talks about having faith when you pray, what if you don't believe God will answer you when you pray?

​​When we are secure [in our salvation], can we walk out of the hand of God volitionally or are we in His hand securely once we belong to Him?

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: I’VE BEEN READING A LOT ABOUT THE ISRAELITES LATELY AND I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE WAS SALVATION FOR ANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE GROUPS THAT WERE ALIVE DURING THAT TIME, OR IF ALL OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE ALIVE DURING THE ISRAELITES TIME WEREN’T SAVED BECAUSE THEY WEREN’T PART OF THAT GROUP?

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us at 615-281-9694 or email [email protected] with your question for Dr. E.

Q: Why did God give Israel so many weird, specific laws like not to boil a young goat in its mother's milk? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Why does it seem that church leaders are often so silent in regards to abortion laws and pro-life issues?

Q: Who were the saints that were raised in Matthew? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: How will rewards and leadership work in heaven? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: My brother’s attending a church where they are using a Bible called The Mirror Bible. I was just wondering if you had any ideas about this Bible, what you know about it. I have some concerns about it and wondered if you did, or if you’ve looked into that, I’d appreciate your help.

Q: I would think there are certain beliefs you have to have to truly be a genuine believer in Christ. One has come up recently that some of my dear Christian friends seem to be taken with and that is that they don’t believe there is a literal hell. I’m glad to be in Christ and saved from hell and I can’t understand not believing in that, and I think that would change a few things in life – maybe how you look at sin – so I just wanted your thoughts. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: It said in Genesis Cain took a wife from the Land of Nod. How did the people in Nod come into existence when God only created Adam and Eve who bore Cain and Abel at that time. Did they all come from Adam and Eve since they were the first creation? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

I believe that Jesus Christ died for all men. I don't believe that we are predestined–that He selected a few and died for the few. That would be like being on the cross and saying, “oh wait, i’m not dying for you. I'm just dying for these folks over here.” So i have a hard time with that concept. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: I began my eldership at Central Bible Church in Fort Worth on Jan 1, 2021. We are studying the qualification of "one-woman man" for eldership. The topic I am studying is "an elder can never have been divorced" Can you give me your thoughts on this? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: What are Michael's thoughts regarding Old Earth vs. New Earth? This is a question I’ve had for some time, being someone who has traveled and seen the Grand Canyon and other places that are supposed to be millions or billions of years old, and yet Scripture seams to teach the earth is more like thousands of years old. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

My question is about hearing from God. It seems to be a trend among popular bible studies and teachers today–hearing from God–quite a bit. Even my Sunday school class at church is doing a video series from a very popular christian author who talked about how God still speaks the same today as He did in the Old Testament through dreams, through burning bushes, etc, and I found that to be unbiblical. My understanding through studying the word is that God spoke in the Old Testament because we didn’t have the scripture yet, the inspired Word of God, and we didn’t have the Holy Spirit yet. And that, yes, today the Holy Spirit can speak to us but our primary means of hearing from God is through His word, the Bible. I just want to make sure I have a correct understanding of that, and I was hoping you could Biblically walk me through that to make sure I understand about “hearing from God.” Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Can prayer change God's mind or His plans for you? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Was God at work throughout history among ancient people groups other than the Israelites? If He was—do their ancient writings line up with ours?

Q: I’m stuck in Leviticus chapters 10 and 11: what should my takeaway be? Resource cited: Holiness to the Lord, Allen Ross. Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

What do you think about Jephthah's vow to sacrifice whatever came out of his house in return for his victory in battle that resulted in the sacrificing of his daughter? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Why does God seem so different in the Old Testament compared to the New Testament? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Jesus forgave two people in the Bible before He went to the Cross – what gave Him the power to forgive sin before He went to the Cross? Call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].