Question 1

Is the gift of tongues biblical?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The gift of tongues (glossolalia) appears throughout Acts and 1 Corinthians. Paul distinguishes between tongues as a public sign (requiring interpretation), a personal prayer language, and an intercessory gift. Far from being abolished, Paul writes 'I would like every one of you to speak in tongues' (1 Cor 14:5) and 'do not forbid speaking in tongues' (1 Cor 14:39).

Question 2

What is the Divine Council in the Bible?

Accepted Answer

The Divine Council is the heavenly assembly of spiritual beings (elohim) that serve under God, as described in Psalms 82, Deuteronomy 32:8-9, Job 1-2, and 1 Kings 22. Scholar Michael Heiser shows this is central to understanding the Old Testament's supernatural worldview and explains the origin of evil, the nations, and why Jesus came to 'destroy the works of the devil.'

Question 3

What did Paul actually teach about the Gospel?

Accepted Answer

Paul's gospel is the announcement that Jesus of Nazareth is the risen Lord and cosmic King — not merely a personal sin-management offer. As N.T. Wright and Scot McKnight show, the gospel in Paul is rooted in Israel's story: Jesus fulfills the Abrahamic covenant, defeats the powers of sin and death (Christus Victor), and inaugurates the Kingdom of God. The charismatic gifts are the Spirit's presence confirming and empowering this reign.

Question 4

What is the Kingdom of God?

Accepted Answer

The Kingdom of God is God's active rule breaking into the present age. It is both 'already' (inaugurated by Jesus' death and resurrection) and 'not yet' (to be consummated at his return). The Church is not waiting for the Kingdom — it is the Kingdom's outpost in enemy-occupied territory, empowered by the Spirit to heal the sick, cast out demons, preach the good news, and disciple all nations.

Question 5

Are charismatic spiritual gifts for today?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The biblical and historical evidence for the continuation of charismatic gifts is substantial. Cessationism (the view that gifts ended with the apostles) has no clear scriptural support. Paul's instructions in 1 Corinthians 12-14 are written to regulate ongoing gift use, not to predict their cessation. The gifts are tied to the ongoing mission of the Church, which is not yet complete.

Question 6

What is inaugural eschatology (inaugurated eschatology)?

Accepted Answer

Inaugural eschatology (inaugurated eschatology) is the framework that the Kingdom of God was genuinely launched at Jesus' resurrection — the 'already' — while its full consummation remains future — the 'not yet.' George Ladd's 'The Presence of the Future' and N.T. Wright's work on resurrection established this as central to New Testament theology. 1 Corinthians 15 shows Jesus as the 'firstfruits' of the general resurrection; Romans 8 describes creation groaning for the full redemption still to come. The Spirit's gifts are 'already' signs of the Kingdom's arrival.

Question 7

What is the Third Temple and what does the Bible say about it?

Accepted Answer

The Temple in Scripture is the place where heaven and earth meet — God's cosmic dwelling. The First Temple (Solomon's) was destroyed by Babylon in 586 BC; the Second Temple was destroyed by Rome in AD 70. The New Testament reveals Jesus as the true Temple (John 2:19-21; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 9-10). A Third Temple is expected by many as a feature of end-times prophecy (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15). From an inaugurated eschatology perspective, the full Temple story concludes in Revelation 21:22 — the Lord God and the Lamb are the Temple of the new creation. Israel's ongoing role in God's purposes is affirmed in Romans 9-11.

Question 8

How did first-century Christianity differ from modern Christianity?

Accepted Answer

First-century Christians read Scripture through a Second Temple Jewish lens: they expected a cosmic battle between God's Kingdom and the rebel spiritual powers (principalities); they understood 'Jesus is Lord' as a direct counter-claim against Caesar's imperial lordship; they met in small, Spirit-filled house churches where prophecy, tongues, and healing were normal; and they read the Old Testament through the lens of the Divine Council worldview (Psalm 82; Deuteronomy 32). Recovering this lens — through scholars like Michael Heiser, N.T. Wright, and Scot McKnight — transforms how we read Paul's letters and the Gospels.

Read the Bible Through the Eyes of a First-Century Jew

The Cosmic Mosaic

The Kingdom of God Is Already Here

The Divine Council and the Unseen Realm

What Paul Actually Taught

Spiritual Gifts Are for Today

Explore the Site