Questions to Ask Your Pastor

 

1. How does it appear that something has existed from Eternity?
2. How does it appear that this earth and the visible system are not from eternity?
3. How does it appear that the existence of man is derived and dependent?
4. How do you prove the natural perfections of God, viz. His intelligence, infinite power, foreknowledge and immutability?
5. How do you prove His moral perfections, that He is a friend of virtue, or absolutely holy, true, just and good?
6. How do you prove that the Scriptures are a revelation from God? and what are the evidences, internal and external?
7. How do you prove the divine Mission of Christ?
8. How do you prove the divinity of Christ?
9. How do you prove that the persons in the Trinity are one God?
10. How do you prove that the persons in the Trinity are one God?
11. Whence arose the Manichean motion of two Gods, and how is it confuted.
12. Whence arose the polytheism of the Pagans and how confuted?
13. Whence w as it that the knowledge of the one true God, in which Noah was instructed, was not preserved among his posterity in all ages?
14. Why are not mankind in all ages (their internal faculties and external advantages being sufficient) united in right sentiments of the true God?
15. Were the moral character of God and the moral law understood and loved, would there be any objections against revealed religion?
16. What is the true idea of God's decrees?
17. How do you prove absolute and particular election?
18. Did God decree the existence of sin?
19. Why did God decree sin?
20. In what sense did He introduce sin into the universe?
21. How do you reconcile this with the holiness and goodness of God?
22. What is necessary to constitute a moral agent?
23. Are men moral and free agents?
24. What is the difference between natural and moral power and inability?
25. How is absolute moral necessity, or inability, consistent with the free agency of man? 
26. How is the doctrine of universal, absolute decrees consistent with the free agency of man?
27. How do you prove an universal and special providence?
28. What is the covenant redemption?
29. If man was created in original righteousness, how is that consistent under which Adam in innocency was placed?
30. What was the constitution under which Adam in innocency was placed?
31. Was Adam under the same necessity of falling that we are of sinning?
32. Are all intelligences bound to love God supremely, sinners and devils?
33. Is the law holy, just and good, and how is it proved?
34. Are they who are under its curse bound to delight in it?
35. How great is the demerit of sin?
36. Are the torments of hell eternal?
37. How do you reconcile them with the justice and infinite goodness of God?
38. How do you reconcile them with those texts which say Christ died for all men, that God will not that any perish?
39. How does it appear that human nature is originally depraved?
40. Whence comes that depravity?
41. How is it proved to be total?
42. What is the covenant of grace?
43. Are the law and gospel inconsistent with each other?
44. Why was an atonement and one so precious as the blood of Christ necessary?
45. In what manner did Christ atone for sin?
46. To whom does it belong to provide an atonement, God or the sinner?
47. Did Christ redeem all men, alike, elect and non elect?
48. Can the offer of Christ be made with sincerity to the non-elect?
49. How is redemption applied?
50. What is the office of the Holy Ghost in the work of Redemption?
51. What is regeneration?
52. Whence arises the necessity of it?
53. What is true love to God?
54. What is true benevolence to man?
55. What is true repentance, and how distinguished from legal?
56. What is true faith?
57. What is pardon and justification? what is their foundation and what is the influence of faith therein?
58. How are full satisfaction and free pardon consistent?
59. Is the sinner forgiven before he repents?
60. Is sanctifying grace needful at all to any man, unless to that which is his duty, and in neglect of which he would be without excuse?
61. What is the sum of man's duty, and what the effect produced by the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit? 
62. Can that holy volition in us, which is the effect of divine power be wholly our act or our duty?
63. How is it proved that unbelief is sin, and that all errors in moral matters are of a criminal nature?
64. Will the wicked heathens, Jews, Infidels and errorists of every kind be without excuse at the day of judgment?
65. What is the essence of true virtue, or holiness?
66. Is there no virtue in the exercise of natural conscience, the moral sense, natural compassion and generosity?
67. Is not self love the root of all virtue?
68. Do not the unregenerate desire to be regenerated and can they not properly pray for regenerating grace?
69. Do they not desire the heavenly happiness?
70. What is the utmost the unregenerate do in the use of the means of grace?
71. Is any duty done by them therein?
72. Do they grow better in the use of means?
73. To what are they to be exhorted?
74. What is the real advantage of the assiduous use of means to the unregenerate?
75. How do you prove that the institution of the Sabbath is of perpetual obligation?
76. How is it that the Sabbath is changed from the seventh to the first day of the week?
77. How do you prove that publick worship is to be celebrated on the sabbath?
78. What is the foundation and duty of prayer, since God is omniscient and immutable?
79. How do you prove that family prayer is a duty? 
80. To whom are the promises of the gospel made, to the regenerate or unregenerate?
81. Are no encouragements given to the unregenerate?
82. How do you prove the saints perseverance?
83. What is the nature of a Christian Church?
84. Who are fit for communion therein?
85. What is the nature and import of baptism?
86. How do you prove infant baptism?
87. What is the nature of the Lord's supper?
88. What are the rules and ends of Church discipline?
89. What is the character of a good minister of Christ?
90.  In what does the happiness of heaven consist? 

Jonathan Edwards
Theological Questions