Lisa Said:

where can i study biblical greek online?

We Answered:

The Midlands Bible College http://www.midbible.ac.uk provides a course called New Testament Greek for beginners that can be studied by distance learning.

Marcia Said:

Can you really learn a foreign language online?

We Answered:

You can if you put in the time and make use of as many resources as possible. You’ll probably want to supplement the online course with other offline material like phrase books, grammar workbooks, and audio courses. Also make use of other online options like talking with a language exchange partner over Skype or the like. Here’s a list of more options for conversation practice when you can’t find a local course or tutor: http://www.fasterforeignlanguagelearning… . Get as much input and conversation practice as you can rather than relying on the course to feed you everything. No course can do that, really.

Learning a language takes time and dedication, so I would seriously recommend going for the language you really want to learn rather than taking a classroom-based course in some language you couldn’t care less about. Settle for some language you have little interest in and every word and grammar rule you need to learn may feel like pulling teeth.

Are you absolutely sure you have to take a course and can’t just take an exam in the language after having studied on your own? You’ve looked into that option already? After all, what if you’d grown up bilingual?

Anita Said:

Why are the Gnostic gospels not accepted and how did they manage to be kicked out of Biblical canoncity.?

We Answered:

First, the canon of the Bible was not decided at the Council of Nicaea. The purpose of that Council was to determine the nature of Jesus (same as God, or like God?), and to decide when Easter should be celebrated. The Nicene Creed was also created there.

The biblical canon was actually officially decided later, at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage (393 and 397 A.D, respectively).

As for the Gnostic and apocryphal texts themselves... they are really interesting. Most of them can be found on earlychristianwritings.com.

The thing to understand is that while there wasn't a uniform canon until the late 4th century, most churches used most of the same books. The Councils of Hippo and Carthage simply made official what had been held unofficially since the 1st century A.D.

Tracy Said:

How can I find out my state's requirements and guidelines for religious programs?

We Answered:

http://www.universalspiritualchurch.org/…

http://www.amfellow.org/minister-certifi…

Doesn't seem like there ARE any government requirements.

Play with google, I can't find any.

Sean Said:

question from my morning devotion, Psalm 79 please read ???

We Answered:

Before we begin, we need to establish and important principle found in Exodus.

Exodus 20:5
You shall not bow down yourself to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me,

The principle here is that iniquities pass down from generation to generation. This can easily seen, addiction, divorce, anger, attitudes, feeling of rejection of the forefathers manifest also in the children. We see in the next verse that the curse gets passed down 3 to 4 genereations. The gospel is our only way to break free.

Exodus 34:7
Keeping mercy and loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but Who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children, to the third and fourth generation.

This principle works for our benefit as well as our destruction. A born again believer walking in the freedom purchased at Calvary will begin a blessing that passes down onto the children as long as they choose to follow the Lord and His Word.

What you see in Psalm 79 is a nation that has humbled themselves and come to repentance, asking the Lord to forgive the iniquities of their forefather as well as their participation with sin. This is necessary for one to walk in freedom, one must ask the Lord to forgive the sins of the generations in order for the generational curses to stop. This give the Lord license to forgive, cleanse and deliver you from the influences that have come down your generations.

Psalm 79

8O do not [earnestly] remember against us the iniquities and guilt of our forefathers! Let Your compassion and tender mercy speedily come to meet us, for we are brought very low.

9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name! Deliver us, forgive us, and purge away our sins for Your name's sake.