Please distinguish the terms "vow", "oath", "swear" and "pledge." Some of these are interchangeable and some are referred to in the bible as totally different from each other. I'm specifically interested in what Jesus meant in Matthew 5:33-37 and how that applies to nowadays "pledging" for a building fund or other church projects.
How does the practice of "Urim and Thummin" in the Old Testament differ from forbidden practices of divination?
I recognize the Bible states that God "predestines" us (Christians) for a future with Christ in Heaven [Ephesians 1:4-6, Romans 8:29-30, Romans 11: 5-6] and that he does NOT predestine others to Hell (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9]; however, does this mean that only a few of the Christians on Earth were predestined by God and the rest "happened" to come to Christ by the work of these Christians and the Holy Spirit? Or were ALL the people who God knew would become Christian through His omniscience thus "predestined" by Christ?
When the Great Tribulation comes, how can people be saved? Is it still by faith or plain works?
Except for the reference in Matthew 3:11, the term "threshingfloor" is found only in the Old Testament. Its use there indicates there is a particular significance in a "threshingfloor". 2 Samuel 24 tells of King David buying a threshingfloor, to build an altar on it. Why a "threshingfloor" and not a field or some other structure? I believe God has a purpose in every word in His Bible. What's the significance in this usage?
