Can you lose your salvation? In this episode of Ask Dr. E, Dr. Michael Easley answers one of the most common (and often most anxiety-filled) questions Christians ask. Dr. E walks through key Scriptures, the history behind Arminianism and Calvinism, the Synod of Dort, the TULIP debate, and the difference between eternal security and assurance of salvation.If you’ve wrestled with doubt, struggled with confusing passages like Hebrews 6, or wondered how sin affects your walk with Christ, this episode brings biblical clarity anchored in the finished work of Jesus.

-Eternal security vs. assurance of salvation

-Arminianism vs. Calvinism explained

-The Synod of Dort and TULIP

-What Scripture says about salvation and sealing

-The role of the Trinity in salvation

-Understanding Hebrews 6 and “warning passages”

-Can a Christian live in sin and still be saved?

Chapters

00:00 – Can You Lose Your Salvation?

00:42 – Why This Question Matters

01:10 – Arminianism vs. Calvinism (Quick Overview)

02:00 – Election, Grace, and the TULIP Debate

03:10 – Eternal Security vs. Assurance

04:00 – What the Father, Son & Spirit Each Do in Salvation

04:50 – Key Scriptures on Eternal Security

06:15 – Misused Passages: 2 Peter & Proverbs

06:45 – The Hebrews 6 Debate

08:10 – Can Sin Make You Lose Salvation?

09:20 – Fruit, Works, and Spiritual Maturity

11:00 – What About Christians Living in Sin?

13:00 – Why We Can’t Judge Another’s Salvation

14:10 – Final Encouragement & Next Week’s Question

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If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Can you be a Christian and not go to church?

What does Revelation mean when it says there will be “no longer any sea”? Does this mean no beaches in heaven? No oceans? In today’s episode of Ask Dr. E, Dr. Michael Easley explains the biblical symbolism of the sea, the continuity between this earth and the New Heaven and New Earth, and why the glory of Christ will overshadow every earthly landscape we imagine.

If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Did Old Testament believers know about heaven and hell?

In this episode of Ask Dr. E, Dr. Michael Easley unpacks what ancient Israelites believed about eternity, salvation, and the afterlife. Through passages from Psalms, Daniel, and Job, Dr. E reveals how figures like David, Enoch, and Job expressed faith in eternal life—long before the New Testament.

📖 Topics Covered:

00:00 Intro & Question from Daniel

01:30 What Sheol and Abaddon Really Mean

04:10 David, Enoch, and Job’s Understanding of Eternity

06:45 How Daniel 12 Describes Heaven and Hell

08:50 Why the Ancients Knew More Than We Think

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If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Should You Take The Bible Literally?

Q: I have a friend who has recently grown in their Christian faith, and part of that growth has been a new belief and interest in the Bible. However, this has led them to taking the scripture so literally that they now strongly believe that the earth is flat. 

They cite Isaiah 11:12– the four corners of the earth. Psalm 104:5– being set on immovable “foundations” (it will not totter). And Genesis 1:6–8– having a solid firmament.

The core of their argument: “If Scripture is God’s Word and perfect, why reinterpret it to fit modern science? Shouldn’t we interpret science through the Bible—not the Bible through science?”

Summary

What happens when someone reads the Bible too literally? In this episode, Dr. E responds to a listener’s question about a friend who believes the earth is flat—because “the Bible says so.” Dr. E unpacks why context matters in interpretation, using hermeneutics—the grammatical, historical, literal, and theological principles that guide faithful reading. While Scripture is perfect and true, hyper-literalism can distort its meaning when genre, audience, or idiom are ignored. 

Dr. E explains that phrases like “the four corners of the earth” or “the eyes of the Lord” are poetic or symbolic, not scientific. God’s Word reveals the truth about Himself and His creation—but it’s not meant to be a physics textbook. This episode helps believers discern when to take Scripture literally and when to understand it figuratively, so that we honor both the authority and intent of God’s Word.

Takeaways

Good hermeneutics keeps interpretation faithful, not fanciful.

The Bible uses poetic and symbolic language to reveal truth.

“Four corners of the earth” reflects language, not geography.

Hyper-literalism can miss the heart of what God intends to teach.

Scripture is sufficient for faith—not a science textbook.

Context, audience, and theology must guide every interpretation.

Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here.

If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Why were Adam and Eve the first people? How are there so many nationalities today? Why is there a time period where not much is written about Jesus? 

Summary

In this episode, Dr. E and Hanna wrap up their three-week journey through Sydney’s questions, diving into biblical origins, Jesus’ early life, and the purpose of Scripture itself. Dr. E explores why God created Adam and Eve as the first people and how nationalities came to be, tracing it back to the Tower of Babel and God’s plan for humanity to fill the earth. The discussion turns to Jesus’ “silent years,” the time between His childhood and public ministry, and what Scripture intentionally reveals—and withholds—about His life. 

Dr. E reminds listeners that the Bible gives us everything we need for faith and godliness: to understand our sin condition, God’s love, His redemption through Christ, and His eternal plan. While many of our questions may remain unanswered on earth, eternity will bring clarity beyond imagination. Heaven won’t be an endless church service in the clouds—it will be a perfect, unhindered relationship with the Triune God, filled with purpose, joy, and awe.

Takeaways

Adam and Eve were created as image bearers with the capacity to relate to God.

The Tower of Babel explains the origins of languages and nationalities.

Scripture doesn’t answer every question—it gives what we need for faithfulness.

Jesus’ “silent years” remind us that God reveals what is essential, not exhaustive.

Heaven will be an eternal, unhindered relationship with the Triune God.

Eternity will bring clarity to the mysteries we can’t grasp on earth.

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If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: How can God know the future? How can God make everything?

Summary

How can God know the future? Dr. E unpacks this question by pointing to Scripture’s prophetic precision. From Isaiah’s writings—700 years before Christ—to Jeremiah’s prophecy of Israel’s exile and return, the Bible repeatedly reveals God’s perfect foreknowledge. Archaeological discoveries, such as the Assyrian carvings of Israel’s captivity and the Pontius Pilate stone, confirm what Scripture already declared true. Dr. E reminds us: the Bible doesn’t need to be proven—it proves the evidence around it. God knows the future because He wrote it.

The conversation then turns to creation itself—how God made everything ex nihilo (“out of nothing”). While humanity can invent and build using existing materials, only God can bring something into being by His word alone. From forming Adam from the dust to speaking the cosmos into existence, creation reveals God’s unmatched power and sovereignty. In a world that marvels at human innovation, Dr. E points us back to the Creator who authored time, matter, and life itself.

Takeaways

Biblical prophecy demonstrates God’s complete foreknowledge.

Archaeological evidence supports, not disproves, Scripture.

God’s promises—like Israel’s return from exile—always come true.

Humanity can create from something, but only God creates from nothing.

God’s sovereignty extends over all time, space, and creation.

The Bible’s truth continually aligns with world history.

If you’ve been wondering whether faith and evidence can align, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here.

If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: How did God create Himself? Where did God come from? How can God see everyone at the same time?

Summary

In this episode, Dr. E and Hanna dive into two main questions: Where did God come from? and How can God see everyone at the same time? Dr. E explains that Scripture reveals God as eternal—He has always existed and always will. Passages like Psalm 90 and Isaiah 40 affirm God’s existence “from everlasting to everlasting,” reminding us that He alone is the Creator and sustainer of all things. From the vastness of galaxies seen through the James Webb Telescope to the microscopic precision of an atom, creation itself bears God’s fingerprints.

They also explore God’s omniscience and omnipresence—His ability to see and know everything at once. Using Psalm 139 and 2 Chronicles 16:9, Dr. E unpacks how God’s eyes roam the earth to strengthen those whose hearts belong to Him. Unlike Satan, who prowls step by step, God perceives all at once and intimately knows every detail of our lives. He doesn’t just see humanity collectively—He sees you personally. This eternal, all-knowing God is not distant but deeply present, caring, and actively engaged with those who are fully His.

Takeaways

God has always existed—He has no beginning and no end.

Scripture, not speculation, defines our understanding of God’s eternality.

Creation—from galaxies to atoms—reveals God’s creative power and design.

God is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent—everywhere, all-knowing, all-powerful.

Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows our thoughts, actions, and words before we do.

God’s all-seeing nature isn’t distant; it’s personal, intimate, and loving.

Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here.

If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: Dr. E, my question concerns prayer. Does God ever tell us not to pray for someone or something? What does this say about the power or purpose of prayer? Jeremiah 7:16 God states do not pray for those people, when he found that Judah was not inclined to repent. In the New Testament, John 17:9 Jesus did not pray for the world, but those you have given me.

Summary

In this episode. Dr. E unpacks a fascinating question rooted in Scripture: when God told the prophet Jeremiah not to pray for Judah, what did He mean—and what does that teach us about prayer today?

Dr. Easley explains that Jeremiah’s command was a specific prophetic instruction tied to judgment, not a model for believers today. In contrast, we’re repeatedly told to “pray without ceasing” and to bring everything before the Lord.

Prayer, he reminds us, isn’t a formula or a way to change God’s mind—it’s an alignment of our hearts with His will. “The litmus test for prayer,” Dr. Easley says, “is whether the answer would glorify God.” It’s not outcome-based but obedience-based.

Drawing on examples from Jeremiah, Jonah, and Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17, Dr. Easley helps us see prayer not as a spiritual wish list, but as humble communication with our Creator—rooted in trust, surrender, and reverence.

Takeaways

Prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind—it’s about aligning our hearts with His will.

God’s command to Jeremiah not to pray was a specific act of judgment, not a model for believers.

The purpose of prayer is to glorify God, not to secure the results we want.

Even Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done,” modeling perfect submission.

True peace comes when we bring our requests to God and trust His verdict.

The best prayers we can pray are those shaped by Scripture and God’s revealed Word.

Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here.

If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].

Q: The death of John MacArthur.  I've heard Abner Chou in both a Sunday evening church service and seminary chapel, eulogize Mac Arthur and claim that "all heaven gave him a “standing ovation” when he died.” In Chou’s mind, MacArthur is elevated to the position of the apostle Paul. Is there any scriptural basis for this type of recognition of a man entering heaven? 

 The hero worship grates on me. I’m a widow; all men die. Some men fought for our country; others were martyred. This type of eulogy detracts from my Savior, the one who died for all of us. 

Summary

In this episode of Ask Dr. E, a listener raises a question following the passing of John MacArthur: is there biblical basis for imagining heaven giving a standing ovation when a well-known Christian leader arrives? 

Dr. E explains that while it is appropriate to acknowledge the ministry impact of faithful men and women, Scripture makes it clear—Christ alone is the hero. Hero worship, even in subtle forms, distracts from the glory of God. Mature Christians know that heaven is not about applause for accomplishments but worship of the triune God.

From church history, we can honor figures like D.L. Moody, Charles Spurgeon, and Billy Graham, but even their legacies fade with time. In contrast, God calls His people not to fame or recognition but to faithfulness.

Dr. E reminds us that heaven is not about eulogizing human achievement but magnifying Christ. Our calling is simple: be faithful servants of Christ. Whether known by millions or by a few, believers are celebrated in the right way only when Christ is the focus. God does not ask us to be successful—He asks us to be faithful.

Takeaways

Hero worship in the church can easily distract from Christ as the true focus.

Eulogies should highlight faith in Christ, not human accomplishment.

Scripture shows that Christ does not share His glory or worship.

God uses flawed people, but their legacies ultimately fade with time.

True recognition in heaven is given to faithful servants of God.

God calls His people to faithfulness, not worldly success.

Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here.

If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].