Subject

Questions

What is your obligation to your parents if they’re not Christians, they’re in their 80s and they drink alcohol and expect you to serve it in the home and have no respect for your Christian faith?

What is the significance of the unleavened bread at Passover?

I read an article in a "big city" newspaper, on the Pentecostal movement and I am still puzzled.  These people, true believers, and if they are true believers, what are they doing in this movement: "Heal me right away or maybe I'll walk away from Jesus Christ."  Can you shed some light on that?

I am a Hebrew Christian, and my dad doesn’t want me to come to church or anything, and I promised him that I wouldn’t go while I’m living at our house. The problem is that I think that I have broken a promise, right? And isn’t that something wrong? I mean when I go home tonight he’s going to ask me, “Did you attend the services?”

I have a question relating to the direction that the church, generally the Christian church in America, is taking. And, in particular, Grace Church. We are, as Christians, admonished to be salt  in a corrupt world. I feel, though, that many times, Christians who are sincere believers are not always terribly well informed as to the state of the world. The newspapers, some newspapers are quite misleading. Television has its devotees among the Christian community, but television is slanted news, so we’re really given a piece-meal diet, and it’s very difficult for Christians to sort out fact from fiction.

I know that a man is supposed to have only one wife, then what is the reasoning by Solomon having 600--but God still blessed the men that had more than one wife--like Abraham?

"Isn't it true that only the 'Regenerated,' that is, only the 'Born Again,' the 'Saved' people can communicate with God, for the purpose of solving their problems?" 

I know you have to pray in His will, as the Lord did, “Not my will, but Your will be done,” but how do you blend, that sometimes when maybe you think it’s a burden He’s putting on you to pray and yet you don’t see it come and you are still asking in His will?

When we pray does Satan hear our prayers? Or can he listen to us?

Would you comment on fleeces?

I understand why God might not answer a prayer for a [new sports car]. But I don't understand if a family is praying for a safe trip and on their way back half are killed and it's stated, "it's God's will." I don't understand what the point of prayer would have been or even constant prayer because it was going to be God's will for the family to split in the first place.

When you were talking about prayer, you made the comment that it was wrong for us to ask for more love or more peace because we already have this. And I assume that you were referring to us positionally--we have it all. But then there's the other side and don't you think that often when people pray for more love or more peace or any of these things that are ours positionally, that they're actually asking that it would be more of a part of their experience without denying the fact that it is their position? And in that it wouldn't be irrelevant to pray that way.

I have a question concerning the gospel where it's talking about hypocrisy of praying aloud versus praying in the closet and praying the Lord's prayer.

Could you please define what a genuine expositor of the Word is?

Thirty years ago you started teaching [here]. I’m just curious, have you changed in any of your stances or interpretations--anything biblical, or maybe the way you might have said something? Let’s face it, you probably have offended some people, and you know, maybe a better word is “convicted” some people. But, I’m just curious, are there any changes in your stances or interpretations?

To what extent do you use notes? Do you write a manuscript?

What use do you make of quotes and illustrations?

How long does it take you to prepare a sermon?

How do you guard your preparation time?

How long should a sermon be?

I've heard it said that 50 percent of a sermon should be application. Could you comment?

Do you find it easier now to develop a sermon from a passage?

How do you differentiate between persuasion and manipulation?

What abiding lessons would you teach men who are committed to expository preaching that will sustain them for a lifetime of ministry?

Since notable expositors are avid readers, what are your reading preferences?

What is the ultimate key to effective preaching?

If we are to proclaim the "whole counsel of God," why do you preach predominately from the New Testament?

Why are you compelled to preach verse by verse through books of the Bible, unlike other notable preachers such as C. H. Spurgeon?

How do you balance the need to not judge people’s [other preacher's] motives, and yet the need to keep the church safe from doctrinal error?

Dr. MacArthur, I would respect your opinion greatly about this…  Talk to me about the role of the Holy Spirit in preaching.

In Matthew 17 and 18, you quoted today that Jesus said, “I didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it and the prophecies.”  Also, in Daniel 12:21, there’s a little caveat in the NASB that says—“Let the reader understand…”  The fact that Matthew 28 says, “Go out and make disciples and baptize in the name of the Lord…,” and, back in Ezekiel, R. C. Sproul, earlier today, talked about getting up on the wall and warning people of danger that’s coming—my first question is, if we don’t warn people based on what we know in Scripture, is that considered a sin?

"I have been studying John, chapter 17, and one thing that came out was that our names are already written in the 'Book of Life.'  My question is, "Is that like Predestination?" 

I wasn't raised this way and I was just kind of curious about Predestination. I have heard back and forth that God had a plan. I was just curious about my family members that aren't saved, I thought, "Does God not choose them?"

I just wanted to ask what your view was on "Double Predestination" and why?

Do you believe in predestination?

Do the promises in Revelation 2 and 3 belong to all Christians?

On July 31, 1980 Israel annexed Jerusalem as its capital, which made a lot of the Moslem nations upset. And I was wondering if that was one of the prophecies, and are there any more prophecies that need to be fulfilled before the rapture or Great Tribulation takes place?

I recently received your series of 12 tapes on the Second Coming, and the question that I have is, you state in the tapes that there are 333 various prophecies on the coming of the Messiah. One hundred and nine verses predict the first coming and 224 prophecies refer to the Second Coming. My question is that when you refer to each of these particular verses in the Bible you indicate that the reason that all the predictions weren’t fulfilled by Christ coming was that He’s coming a second time. I can understand why it would have been difficult for the Jew not to accept Christ because He didn’t fulfill all the prophecies, could you clarify that for me?

In today’s times, we know Israel’s a new state as of 1948.  We know they’re rebuilding the temple.  I worked for the military in Japan and I know, from military websites, there’s actually a city of Babylon standing that our advisors are walking through right now with United Nations representatives and people of the Iraqi government, discussing how to open this place up as a trade center.  So, I go back to the book of Daniel, talking about Babylon will be destroyed in the end times.  My question is, if this is so important to preach and to be able to teach the truth biblically, why don’t more churches teach about the end times prophecies?

"How far are we supposed to go, as Christians, to protect ourselves, and our family, and our homes from intruders and such?"

"How do you feel about a march?  Christians are marching.  I saw Frank Schaeffer (sp.) leading, I believe, an Anti-Abortion march."

How does the Bible help us to be able to cope with the anxieties of life and psychological problems?

Why was nothing ever said or done to Aaron for making the golden calf in Exodus 32? There was never any mention that he protested against it; why was he not punished?