In 2 Cor. 9:12-14, who is the ‘all’ he is speaking about in verse 13 when he says that the liberality of your contribution is given to them and to ‘all’?

Sincerely,
All Confused

Dear All Confused,

2 Corinthians 9 is discussing the kind and generous giving of the christians from Corinth.  Paul had requested that the congregations in Galatia, Macedonia, and Achaia take up a collection for the needy christians in Judea (1 Cor 16:1-5).  Paul was hoping that the Corinthians would stand by their promise to give liberally to the needy saints.  Paul reminded them to be cheerful givers (2 Cor 9:5-8).  He spent the rest of chapter nine exhorting them that their gift would do much good and bring glory to God (2 Cor 9:10-12).  The ‘all’ referred to in 2 Cor 9:13 is in reference to how the Judean christians would give thanks for the much-needed financial relief and also glorify God for the good that was done by the Corinthian church to ‘all’ the needy saints – not just those in Judea.  Since the Corinthians behaved with such brotherly kindness to the once-despised Jews (Corinth was a primarily Gentile congregation), they would not likely refuse to do good to ‘all’ needy saints.

What kind of food is holy to eat?

Sincerely,
Looking For Lunch

Dear Looking For Lunch,

Under the New Covenant, all food is clean.  God sent Peter a vision of unclean beasts and told Peter to “kill and eat” (Acts 10:13).  Peter told God that he would never eat anything unclean (Acts 10:14), and God informed Peter that He had cleansed all meat (Acts 10:15).  Jesus also specifically said that all food is clean in the New Testament (Mk 7:19).

Later on, the apostle Paul reiterates this idea and says that all meat is clean unless it offends your conscience (Rom 14:20).  So, feel free to eat pork, rattlesnake (if you dare), and clams without fear of sin.

Who wrote the book of Matthew, and what is it about?

Sincerely,
Cliffs Notes Please

Dear Cliffs Notes Please,

The book of Matthew is the historical account of Jesus’ life written from the perspective of the apostle Matthew.  Matthew was a Jewish tax collector (Matt 9:9) and one of Jesus’ chosen apostles (Matt 10:2-4).  The book of Matthew is one of four accounts of Jesus’ life; the other three are the books of Mark, Luke, and John.  Each account provides a unique view into Jesus’ ministry and provides a perspective that complements and adds to the other three books.  The book of Matthew focuses a lot of attention on Jesus’ fulfillments of Old Testament prophecy and spends a lot of time detailing Jesus’ sermons.

So how do I put on the armor of God?

Sincerely,
Soldier

Dear Soldier,

Ephesians 6 describes the various pieces of armor that God has provided to protect us against the temptations of sin (Eph 6:13).

1. Gird yourself with truth (Eph 6:14).  The truth is the most basic tool that we have against sin.  The devil uses lies to deceive us and tempt us (Jhn 8:44).  If you know the Bible truth about what is right and wrong, you will be prepared to identify Satan’s traps (Heb 5:14).
2. Protect your heart by living righteously (Eph 6:14).  One of the simplest ways to avoid sin is to pursue righteousness (1 Pet 3:11).  Fill the days of your life with good behavior, and there will be no room for bad behavior (Matt 12:43-45).
3. Seek to live a peaceful life and dwell in harmony with others (Eph 6:15).  When we love our fellow man and seek what is in his best interest, we avoid a great deal of opportunities for anger, sin, and division.  Never compromise your morals, but as much as it depends on you, be at peace with all men (Rom 12:18).
4. Carry the shield of faith (Eph 6:16).  Faith is the act of trusting God and following the Word of God (Rom 10:17).  Faith is an act of loyalty to the Lord (Matt 22:37).  It is often hard to do the right thing, especially when a simple lie or sin would prevent discomfort.  Have faith in Him who is able to save your soul.  He can cause all things to work together for good (Rom 8:28).
5. Remember your salvation in Jesus (Eph 6:17).  It is the hope of salvation that drives us forward, renews our zeal, and reminds us of what we are fighting for.  Hope whets our appetites for better things to come and makes it easier to purify ourselves from sin (1 Jn 3:3).
6. Know your Bible (Eph 6:17).  The Bible is described as a sword (Heb 4:12), and it is able to both defend and fight back against evil.  There is no greater tool in your arsenal against the wiles of the devil than your Bible.  Learn it, read it, fill your mind and heart with it, and return to it constantly for renewed strength.  When your Bible becomes your close friend, you are ready for anything.
7. Pray without ceasing (Eph 6:18).  Prayer gives us strength to stand strong, and it gives you direct access to the Creator of all.  God is great; ask Him for help and courage.

Where is this verse located?  It's killing me!  I'm pretty sure it's Paul.

"The more we learn about the Law, the more we realize we are not keeping it."

Thank you!

Sincerely,
On The Tip Of My Tongue

Dear On The Tip Of My Tongue,

The verse you are looking for is probably Rom 3:20, which points out that "through the law comes the knowledge of sin".  If that isn't the exact verse, the next best place to look would be in Rom 7:7-12 which also discusses the fact that God's laws point out our sins and remind us of how much we need the blood of Christ.  As James reminds us, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all." (Jas 2:10).