Subject

Questions

Dr. MacArthur, I was wondering if you could tell us why you believe that babies go to heaven when they die?

I have a verse here I’ve been having a little bit of a problem with. In Genesis 10, verse 5, it refers to the descendents of Noah and the settling in the certain areas. I’m not having a problem in the verse by itself, but I’m coming to my problem after the verse, it says, they were divided in their own lands everyone after their own language or tongue. I think that’s referring to language, everyone after his tongue. Then we come down to verse 20 and it’s talking about the sons of Ham, and they were divided after their tongues. And then verse 31 after their tongues. The problem I was having with this is that it appears to me that this all takes place before Babel. And in chapter 11 verse 1 there, the whole world was in one language. And I just couldn't reconcile that it appears that happens earlier in time or before the tower of Babel. Could you clarify that, or maybe this happens afterward. It seems to me like it happens before.

Who or what is Babylon the Great, as listed in the seventeenth chapter of Revelation?

I got a question from Acts 2:38, Peter says, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins."  It seems like Peter is indicating that you have got to be baptized to be saved, yet the Bible teaches that we are saved by grace through faith.  So I am wondering, what did Peter mean by "being baptized" and why did he say it?

If you have been baptized in another church, whether by immersion or sprinkling, is that acceptable for membership at Grace Church?

Is Baptism necessary for salvation?

I was listening to a tape by Al Martin where he was pointing out that Jesus basically gave one duty for us to do: to proclaim our faith in a public manner and that was baptism, not altar calls and raising your hand and all of that stuff...it really has nothing to do...that’s already been covered. God has made provision for us to do that. So, I just would like you to comment on how you feel the truth of this issue should effect evangelism, including DE [Discipleship Evangelism] and all of those other things.

Now, my Mormon relative quoted to me, some time back, 1 Corinthians 15:29, and I have looked at that and tried to study it and figure out what they are saying, because she said, "It says, right in the Bible, that you baptize for the dead."  But yet Scofield says down below in the footnote, that they are not talking about that.

In Acts 19 where Paul talks about John’s baptism being of repentance, it’s in the third through the seventh verse. He asked the people of Ephesus there, some disciples, it says, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit?” and they said, “No, we never even heard there was one.” And this girl I was talking with the other day at work, was telling me that she received the baptism of the Holy Spirit about 3 or 4 days after she was saved. I’ve heard a lot about that, I was taught back and forth when I first became a Christian and I’m not real sure. She showed me this section of scripture and I didn’t know how to answer her to say that it was all at one time.

"If the Bible is the Word of God, then why does Paul say, 'This I say; not the Lord?'"

Occasionally, you will mention in one of your sermons, and especially when I listened to a few tapes, that you would leave a word or a particular verse out. An example, would be in the 23rd chapter of Matthew, I think the 14th verse or somewhere around there, you said, "was not in the better manuscripts." What are the better manuscripts and how do we determine which manuscripts are better than others?

Can you give me a reference of some people that have, or maybe yourself, that have written some books about science in the Bible.

Which Bible translation is best?

How do I explain Deuteronomy 4:2, which says, “You shall not add to the Word, which I command to you, nor take from it,” since a lot of books were written after Deuteronomy?

"How are we as Christians to view the new wave of science creating life, as they want to call it, in the laboratory.  The 'test-tube babies,' the 'sperm-banks?'"

What does the Bible teach about birth control?

What is the Christian view of abortion and birth control?

With the family becoming more or less extinct to how we used to know it 20, 30 years ago, what should a Christian’s viewpoint be on birth control?  Where the Bible teaches the fruit of womb is His reward, is it possible to be over-rewarded?

"I have a question on Isaiah 7:14-16.   In the context when you read it, it sounds as though the child had to be born during the time of the prophet, whereas Matthew refers it to the birth of Jesus?"

"Why are there some of us blessed, and little children are dying in Africa and starving to death?"

In your message “Can God Bless America and Preserve His Reputation”…you’ve also mentioned in the past that you believe that America is under the judgment of God, is that right?

"What your belief is on the Blood of Christ?"

Could you clarify this issue with the "blood"? 

"Is it wrong and how would you tell a fellow Christian that it is, to get involved with some of these multilevel marketing things, such as Amway, where you set your sights on certain material things, and then come back and say it is all going to be for the glory of God, because when I get all of this money I will help support retired pastors or I'll do this or I'll do that?"