John MacArthur's Questions and Answers

*Subject*	*Questions*
Teaching	Referring to your message this morning on Titus and the ability to teach, is there a difference, and what is the difference, between the ability to teach and the spiritual gift of teaching that is mentioned in I Corinthians 12? And then, flowing from that, is it possible to be in an elder position or a pastor position likes yours, without having the gift of teaching?
Television [01]	What has television done to the way we communicate?
Television [02]	I live in a Christian men’s home, and for the last year I’ve been battling the fact that they claim to be Christian, but yet there’s the yeast that keeps infiltrating through channel 40 [local "Christian" TV station], and I’ve literally watched dozens of lives destroyed by it. They’ve gotten hyper-Charismatic. They do respect you. If you can address that situation.
Temple	I was under the impression that the temple had to be rebuilt before the rapture would occur?
Temptation [01]	How do you know when you are being "tempted" by Satan or "tested" by God?
Temptation [02]	Correct me if I’m wrong, but last week, you said that the devil couldn’t put any thoughts in your mind?
Temptation [03]	In II Samuel, chapter 24, verses 1 and thereafter (about 5 or 6), it would almost seem as though God is prompting David to sin with respect to the taking of an inventory of his army and his troops. And, of course, in a footnote in the NIV, it says that God did not cause him to sin, which is true: everybody has free will. But, if it was to reveal his sinful nature--I’m assuming--if that be the case, would it not have come about regardless of whether God prompted him with the quote where it says, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah” and yet that’s clearly contrary… Because of pride--it almost seems as though He’s prompting him to do such.
Temptation [04]	In Matthew 4 where Jesus was tempted by the devil, I believe He answered three times a scripture out of Deuteronomy. Do you think that’s just a coincidence that they’re all three out of the book of Deuteronomy?
Ten Commandments 1/15/06	When Jesus taught and He referred to the Ten Commandments and said, “You have heard in the past not to commit adultery,” and then He goes on to say, “But I say to you, if you lust in your heart after a woman, you commit adultery in your heart,” and then He says the same thing with murder and hate… My question is, did He, for lack of a better word, amend the Ten Commandments there? Or, when God gave it to Moses in the beginning, did He already have that intention and we kind of messed it up?
Tithing [01]	There is a very popular Charismatic TV program that promotes the "law of reciprocity," as far as tithing goes--giving money to the Lord. In effect, that whatever you give to the Lord, you are going to receive it back while you are on earth. I just want to hear you views on that.
Tithing [02]	Does God require me to give a tithe of all I earn?
Tithing [03]	Should a person be excommunicated from the church for not paying his tithes?
Tongues [01]	In Acts 2:4 and 1 Corinthians 12, it talks about the tongue as a spiritual gift. My question is, "How is the tongue supposed to be used today, and how can we misuse it?"
Tongues [02]	In the account in Acts 2 of Pentecost, as I read my New American Standard Bible, over and over I come to the feeling that this miracle was in the hearing. I’ve never heard anybody comment on that and I just would like to hear your opinion of that.
Tongues [03]	I want you to explain speaking in tongues because I don’t understand it at all.
Tongues [04]	I have a friend of mine who's a medical doctor from the country which I came from. He’s a Christian, and he has witnessed to quite a few people up there using tongues and healings and miracles. And, he has spoke in different tongues. And because of that, many have come to Christ. So, I can’t really understand why you would say that tongues have ceased when he has done that miracle.
Transfiguration	What is the significance of Moses and Elijah being on the mount of transfiguration with Christ, and by that I mean, why was, of anybody to be there with Him, why was it Moses and Elijah? And why did there have to be somebody there?
Tribulation [01]	If the Church won't go through the Tribulation, and Matthew 24 has some believers who will be in the Tribulation, how do we separate the Church and these people since the Bible has them as one nation?
Tribulation [02]	I have recently finished the books on the "Left Behind Series," and now I am reading your book--I'm about halfway through, on The Second Coming of Christ. Now the implication in your book is that it is going to be extremely difficult for people to be saved during that time period of the Great Tribulation. That book, the "Left Behind series" kind of makes it seem like it is not all that difficult. I am kind of curious and kind of hoping for relatives and those that don't know the Lord, how easy it's going to be? I know people are going to be saved during that time period, but is it as difficult as you're implying in your book?
Tribulation [03]	Revelation 20:4-5 indicates that we will be going through the Tribulation Period. I was wondering if you would comment on those verses, in fact that this is the first resurrection.
Tribulation [04]	I’ve been going through the Second Coming of Christ with you on radio. And I’ve really been studying all those Scriptures, and I’m still a little confused here and there because there’s so much. But recently there was an article in the Israeli paper saying that they are ready now to push the PLO and Syria into war and back into Jordan. And of course this could, I thought, would be a possibility of the hook that would bring Russia down on them, and some others have thought the same thing. Now in Ezekiel 38 and 39, this is also confusing to me as to when this is supposed to start or begin, if this would be before the Tribulation would begin, or in the middle of the Tribulation?
Tribulation [05]	In light of the situation of today where we are seeing that Christ's return is eminent, I feel that, and we’re seeing maybe the one-world ruler coming about over there in the European Common Market. Just many things of Bible prophecy, and after reading Hal Lindsey's books and things like that. I just wanted to know what the attitude of a Christian is for the subject of food storage?
Trinity [01]	“Do you have to believe in the Trinity to become a Christian?”
Trinity [02]	The Trinity, how could there be three in one?
Trinity [03]	In a recent conversation with a coworker who’s an orthodox Jewess, she and I were discussing theology and we were fine on the Old Testament to a point, and then she turned around and said, “Christians are polytheistic.” I had never thought of this as being polytheistic and I didn’t know how to answer her.
Trinity [04]	I’m having trouble defining the Trinity at this time. I never really got into studying it; I just accepted God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And I still, in studying, I haven’t found any mention of the Trinity in the books.
Trinity [05]	Does Isaiah 48:16 relate to the Trinity?
Trinity [06]	I’m a new believer. So, I kind of have a complex question. The Trinity. I understand the Holy Ghost. I understand God, our Father. And, then, I get to Christ. And, there are references in the Bible that He’s the Lord. There’s references that He is the Son of God, that He is Son of Man, and, that He also takes care of the earth. But, we also are praying to God, Father. So, I’m confused.

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