Fasting

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:54:27 +0000

We read in several places in Scripture that people fasted forty days and nights. Does "fasting" mean complete abstinence from food or was there a minimal amount each day that was allowed a person by the "laws of fasting" (if there were such a thing)? Forty days without eating anything seems to be almost a physical impossibility, doesn't it? What was the underlying reason for fasting? Clear the mind? Preparation? Other?

Answer:

There are no rules for fasting in the Bible. The only prescribed fast was on the Day of Atonement, and even this does not use the word "fast," but "deny himself" (Leviticus 23:29). The examples in the Bible that describe the fast are mostly absolute fasts.

Deuteronomy 9:9, 18 "...forty days and forty nights; (Moses) ate no bread and drank no water."

Ezra 10:6 "(Ezra) ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn...."

Esther 4:16 "Go, gather together all the Jews...and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day."

Acts 9:9 "For three days (Paul) was blind, and did not eat or drink anything."

Acts 27:33 "'For the last fourteen days,' he said, 'you...have gone without food—you haven't eaten anything.'"

Examples of partial fasts (abstinence from certain foods only):

I Kings chapter 17

Daniel 10:3 "(Daniel) ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over."

The main purposes were to focus on spiritual things and to express repentance.

Responsibilities toward civil authorities

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:22:42 +0000

What does the Bible teach about dissent or protests against authorities if official policies and practices go against what the Bible teaches? Should we be good patriots, vote, go to war for our country, and always go along with all policies?

Answer:

On the one hand the Bible clearly instructs us to respect and obey civil authorities as representatives of God in our lives. Read and ponder Romans 13:1-7 and parallel passages on this subject. Do this remembering that the authorities Paul was referring to in his letter to the Romans were among the more godless in history, including people like the Emperor Nero.

On the other hand, the Bible makes it equally clear that when we are specifically told to do something that is contrary to God's revealed will for us, we are to respectfully disobey. Read Acts 5:29 for the principle stated and review the events that are recorded in that context. Our highest allegiance and obedience is always to God, and when necessary we may become "conscientious objectors" to civil authorities on certain issues, namely if we are commanded to disobey God's will as our consciences understand God's will. This can result in suffering civil punishments as the (erring) civil authorities have the right to inflict. (Recall how most of the apostles died -- as victims of civil authorities who were using their power in misguided ways.)

In applying these principles, attention needs to be given to each situation and circumstance one at a time. Sweeping statements in application are not helpful or wise when dealing with the many diverse questions and challenges confronting a Christian citizen in a pluralistic country like the US. Better to get firmly grounded on the principles, examine thoroughly the situation in mind, and then make a responsible decision.

In answer to specific points that you raised: The description you were told about our church body is a caricature and not helpful since as citizens in a country in which disagreements may be voiced legally and properly, we often do just that. Your appraisal of Martin Luther's actions with the 95 Theses is not accurate since it was not a "spitting in the face" of either civil or ecclesiastical authorities, but a call to public debate on important issues regarding Bible words and their interpretation. Your positive appraisal of Dietrich Bonhoeffer is too broad since it seems to approve of his participation in an attempted assassination. The Bible never instructs us to counter immorality with another form of immorality.

I recommend a thorough review of Bible teachings regarding the role (and limitations) of civil government and citizens, through materials like the one offered here: God's Other Kingdom.

Appearance of Satan

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:35:19 +0000

Can Satan come to earth in appearance as a human being?

Answer:

While there is no explicit mention of his doing so, it seems a reasonable assumption that Satan is allowed to assume human form and will do so if he thinks it will serve his evil purposes. But this is a conclusion deduced from Bible evidence, not explicit statements. Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The word translated "masquerade" means to "change appearances." So we conclude that he can appear to people just as the holy angels can and have done (see Genesis 19:1-5, Matthew 28:2-3).

A far more important question is how we react to the reality and limited power of Satan and the evil angels. Too many people take these enemies too seriously and become terrorized at the thought of them, forgetting that their power is no match for the protective power of our Lord God. In Christ we have power to resist them successfully. Others tragically deny the existence of Satan and demons and take their danger too lightly, setting themselves up to become victims. Satan and his demons were defeated by Christ and through faith we share that victory.

Matthew 10:23 and Christ's Return

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:46:08 +0000

Help me understand Jesus' statement, "When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

Answer:

The words of our Savior in Matthew 10:23 have been discussed by many and understood in a variety of ways. Predictably, those who have a low view of Jesus himself or of his Word are quick to accuse him of being mistaken. Others who may love Jesus their Savior and have a high regard for his Word have been tempted to ignore the verse and pretend it doesn't exist. Far better is the route you are taking, namely, to seek additional information.

There is no question that, in context, Jesus is offering comfort along with instruction. His followers may rest assured that their sharing the good news of God's ruling activity will stimulate opposition and persecution as long as the world lasts and until Christ returns in glory. But they may remain confident. They will continue to testify among Jews as well as Gentiles until Christ does return. And he will return. To say it another way, Jesus is identifying the start of a process that will include multiple events and generations and will culminate on the Last Day.

Jesus gives this predictive prophecy using a device or technique that many Old Testament prophets also employed. Sometimes this way of speaking is called ""telescopic prophecy," "prophetic foreshortening," "intermediate fulfillment prophecy," or "mountain peak prophecy." It presents short-term and longer-term events in such a way that they merge and their similarities become prominent. Just as widely-separated mountain peaks are seen from a distance as one, so also different historical events are merged and seen as though they were the same. Jesus uses this technique again in Matthew chapter 24, merging the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD with the events of the Last Day. As the particular events are fulfilled and become history, God's people are able to identify the partial fulfillments and continue to anticipate the ultimate fulfillment.

In this verse Jesus is describing a pattern that will continue among his faithful followers and witnesses, a pattern that will culminate when he returns in glory.

Faith and Worry

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:13:57 +0000

How does one turn all their requests, cares, and troubles over to God and not worry? Often I think I try to second-guess God and do not truly leave things with Him. I tell myself God understands, and wants me to continue trying, as in continual prayer, but this always bothers me, and I do not wish to offend our Father.

Answer:

What you describe concerning yourself, namely, the tendency to worry and mistrust God even after you have turned things over to him in prayer, is all too common among believers. Yes, it is a sign of weakness in faith. Yes, it is dishonoring God contrary to what he desires and what we desire. It remains a pesky problem worthy of our attention and needing a remedy. Thanks for asking for guidance.

Allow an analogy. Imagine you are at one side of a bridge that spans a deep chasm and you are to walk over the chasm on that bridge. You may say, "I need to trust the bridge because I really have no other choice," but emotionally you are still worried and, frankly, you don't trust the bridge. So what do you do? Do you focus on your emotional state and spend a lot of time analyzing how you feel about the bridge? That's a waste of time. Rather you should focus on the bridge. Inspect its construction, consider what it is made of and how it has served others who have used it -- and then your mistrust of the bridge gradually will evaporate as your confidence grows. The more you know and examine and evaluate the bridge and what it's made of and its past performance, the more your trust will grow and your worry disappear.

I hope you see the point. Your question and the way you ask it tells me that your focal point is your worry and weakness of faith. Forget about that and simply begin to focus on God as he reveals himself in the Bible, as he informs you of how he has guided and protected his dear people in history, how he makes unconditional promises to you, and especially how he expresses his love and gives you eternal safety with the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ your Savior. The more you concentrate on him, his word and promises, especially his saving work for you in Christ, the more you will echo the words of Romans 8:31-32. More and more the attitude of David in Psalm 56:10-11 will grow and express itself in you and through you.

I hope you can see that what I am counseling you is quite basic and extremely practical. Your problem is weakness of faith. How does faith grow stronger? The Holy Spirit provides this blessing as he testifies to you through the Word and promises of God.

As we maintain primary focus on the Word of God and make this our lifestyle, the gift of faith will grow and increasingly govern our hearts and minds, emotions included. This is your path to victory in this matter just as it is for me.

Psalm 8:5 - Elohim

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:21:13 +0000

For you made him a little lower than ELOHIM (Psalm 8:5). Can you explain what it means?

Answer:

You seem to be especially interested in the meaning of the Hebrew word Elohim as used in Psalm 8. There are two ways of understanding the word in this sentence, ways that are faithful to the vocabulary and context of the psalm and also compatible with the rest of Scripture. The focus of the psalm and these verses is the "Son of Man" (Psalm 8:4), ultimately a reference to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

The first way of understanding the words is this: He was made a little lower than God (Elohim) in his humiliation, when he laid aside the full use of his divine powers and prerogatives for a time to serve as our Substitute and Redeemer. Some have seen the words as a foreshadowing especially of the events of Good Friday when Jesus was separated from God the Father and made to lack in that way.

A similar approach also sees this as a reference to Christ's humiliation but understands "Elohim" as a reference to angels rather than God Himself. The word Elohim can be used to denote representatives or messengers of God as well as God himself. The context is what leads us to make a decision regarding a given use of the term. See Psalm 82:1 and Psalm 82:6 for examples of how the word is used for civil authorities who serve as God's representatives. The translators of the Septuagint (early Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) translated Elohim as "angels" and the New Testament use of the verse in Hebrews 2:6-8 keeps "angels" in the translation used. Again, the humiliation of Jesus as the God-man in his service as our Sin-bearer is the focal point.

Ethnic Background and Church Membership

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:16:26 +0000

Are people of all ethnic backgrounds welcomed at WELS congregations? We are thinking of becoming members of a WELS church and our children currently attend the preschool. We can't help but notice that at this congregation, at least, just about all of the members are Caucasian. But I'm not sure if that is a factor of the neighborhood we live in.

Answer:

Thank you for asking. We welcome people of all ethnic backgrounds. Cultural or racial differences do not matter. Confession of sin and repentance, reliance on Jesus Christ as Savior, thankful joy in being forgiven sinners, and the desire to serve God and our fellowman in love -- these are what we consider important gifts from God for one and all.

If you were recently told that a particular congregation only has white members, that might be true -- but not by design or intention. That simply might be the way things are now. I would recommend that you speak with the pastor of the church and allow him to address your question or concern in person.

Answers to our prayers

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:12:05 +0000

How does one know when prayer is being answered? I believe in Christ Jesus and I say my prayers, but I always seem up against it. If our Father blesses the unrighteous as well as the righteous, how does anyone discern any headway, or results in their dependence on God?

Answer:

You are asking a question many professing Christians have asked. And this allows us to identify a really important aspect of our faith-life as God's people.

"We live by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7) is a good description of the Christian life and perhaps especially of our prayer lives. Very often we do not know from visible or dramatic evidence that our prayers are being answered. That would be "living by sight." Rather, we know that our prayers are being answered because God invites us to pray and promises that he will hear and answer our prayers. So whether or not we can point to some "evidence" in our lives or the lives of others, we know our prayers are answered. That is "living by faith." The ability to do this and to be content with this is a gift of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God—and it is a great blessing regarding prayer, as well as regarding the work of our Savior Jesus Christ, the reality of heaven as our home, or the truth that God causes all things to serve our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). In short, you do well to stop asking, "Are my prayers being answered?" They are. God promises this.

Additionally, you do well to remember that while God always answers your prayers, he sometimes may answer "Yes!" and on other occasions "No!" Sometimes he says "Wait! or "Not yet!" and takes time to give us what we ask for. But all along we know by faith that he is answering our prayers. If he grants your request in a quick and obvious way, you know that he not only heard your prayer, but he decided to answer it the way you asked. But if he does not grant your request quickly or obviously, his answer may be "No" or "Wait." But he still answers the prayer. This we believe because he promises this and he is 100% faithful to his promises.

At times—and this may or may not be true of you—there might be specific reasons why God may not answer a specific prayer at a specific time. Here are some sample reasons the Bible mentions: We don't really believe God can answer the prayer (James 1:6-8). We ask with wrong motives (James 4:3). Unconfessed sin separates us from God, so that he won't listen (Isaiah 59:1-2). We don't answer those who cry to us for help (Proverbs 21:13).

I don't want you to jump to conclusions about your specific situation, however, so I urge you to speak with your pastor in person. You can then discuss more fully examples and features of living by faith rather than by sight.

What is Distinctive about Lutherans?

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:48:14 +0000

What is the difference between Lutherans and Christians? I know that Lutherans are Christians. But how do I explain the difference?

Answer:

What a wonderful opportunity to share with others what we believe and teach! The important thing is not the name ("Lutheran" or even "Christian"), but what we believe and teach, that is, the content of what is revealed in the Bible for us all.

I suppose you can begin by saying a "Christian," while defined differently by different people and groups, is to us anyone and everyone who relies on Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin. A "Lutheran" is someone who not only believes that, but also embraces and cherishes key truths that are related to that central truth of Jesus Christ as mankind's Savior from sin. And we must admit that many who claim to be "Lutherans" do not necessarily cherish all these truths equally. The name has to a degree become a somewhat meaningless label used by churches and people in the same way that the word "Christian" has been abused and understood in different ways by different people. As said before, the really important thing is not the name or label, but the content of what is revealed by God and believed by people.

What are the distinctively "Lutheran" convictions above and beyond reliance on Jesus Christ as Savior from sin? Here is a short but key list:

We believe that the Bible alone is the ultimate source of true teaching. Other sources of doctrines such as human and church traditions, supposed additional revelations, and human reason are not authoritative among us. When other writings repeat and accurately set forth Bible truths, we find them useful.
We believe that we sinners are justified (declared not guilty; pronounced forgiven) 100% by God's underserved love for us (his grace) and that this free forgiveness is received 100% through the gift of faith or trust in Jesus Christ alone. So we reject human merit, contributing good works, or human cooperation with God in conversion and salvation as false ideas.
We believe that God creates, maintains, and strengthens this saving faith (reliance on Christ) in us through the gospel or good news centered in Jesus Christ. This gospel is given by God to us through his Word and the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. These are his chosen "means of grace," and no one can have or maintain faith unless God brings this about through his Word and Sacraments as tools he uses to bless us.
We also believe that the Bible truths on these and additional topics are correctly understood and shared in writings that early Lutherans provided in the Book of Concord (finished in 1580). These are known as the Lutheran Confessions. We invite and encourage anyone and everyone to read these confessional statements and examine them in the light of the Bible (always the primary and central authority among us) and to share with us their questions and reactions.

Cremation

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:58:45 +0000

Does the Bible Talk about Cremation?

Answer:

God does say anything in the Bible about the cremation of a human body to reveal whether he approves or disapproves of it. Therefore we classify the custom as something God has neither commanded nor forbidden, that is, a matter of Christian freedom. In Bible times the prevailing custom was that of burying bodies, but this was never commanded as a moral issue among God's people.

There was a time (two or more generations ago) when the Christian community was more frequently opposed to cremation and strongly preferred to bury the bodies of the deceased. Aversion to the burning of the body did not stem especially from the Bible, but was more a reaction against atheists and agnostics who seemed to take pleasure in taunting God and believers by "challenging" God to restore their cremated bodies on the Last Day. It was a silly form of mockery, of course, and we seldom hear of that particular kind of taunt anymore. Cremations are more often performed today for ecological or financial reasons (to avoid using up limited land space in some areas and because cremations are often less expensive than cemetery burials.)

Catholicism and WELS

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:54:11 +0000

I am currently Catholic and am in a serious relationship with a WELS member. Someday, marriage is a possibility, but sharing the same religion as his wife is very important to my significant other. I am open to learning about the WELS, but am looking for some basic differences in beliefs between the two religions.

Answer:

Our congregations provide Bible information classes which you can attend to learn about our church. No obligation results from taking these classes. There also is a short, informative book called Basic Doctrines of the Bible by Armin Schuetze which you may be able to obtain through one of our churches.

In reply to your question, if you attend a WELS service you will notice significant similarities to Catholic worship. In most of our churches the liturgy is quite similar to the liturgy of Catholic church. We have the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and so on. We have baptism, and we receive Christ's body and blood in the Lord's Supper. Our youth are confirmed. We have some of the same hymns. Recently Catholic practice has become similar to Lutheran in some ways: more hymn singing, receiving both the bread and the cup in Communion, etc. We would say that Lutherans are catholic with a small c.

But in spite of these similarities due to a common heritage, there are important differences. They are chiefly two.

1) How are our sins forgiven? Catholics believe that forgiveness comes through both faith and works. Lutherans believe Christ has paid for all our sins, so our works are not needed to complete our forgiveness. Forgiveness is a gift received through faith alone. We are to do good works, not to obtain God's forgiveness, but to express our thanks for it. Catholics believe that Christ has not removed all the penalty that our sins deserve and that the faithful may have to spend time in purgatory to complete the penalty. Lutherans believe that since Christ paid for all our sins, the faithful go directly to heaven when their lives on earth come to an end. Also, since Christ paid all the penalty for us and our works do not add anything to this, we do not need merit or help from Mary and the saints to obtain God's forgiveness. We may look to saints as examples, but we do not rely on them for merit or help in salvation. We pray to God directly and have the same access to him in our prayers as any other believer.

2) What is the authority in the Church? We believe it is the Bible and that there is no one man like the pope or bishop who has authority over all Christians by divine right. Therefore, the church cannot make binding rules on people's conscience where God has made no rule.

For example, the church cannot make a rule that priests are forbidden to be married, since even Peter was married. If Christians want to fast on Good Friday as a special devotion, they are free to do it, but it cannot be made a law. Congregations are free to have a role in choosing their pastor. This is not a right given to a bishop alone. Churches have freedom in matters that Christ has left free as long as their customs are in agreement with the Bible. We may adopt common practices for good order, but God has not bound New Testament Christians to ceremonial laws as he did with the Old Testament church.

Marriage is an institution of God but not a sacrament. The church should teach the biblical principles of marriage as a life-long union, but it cannot set up courts or tribunals to rule over marriage as is done in the annulment tribunals of the Catholic church. It cannot properly refuse communion to a woman who remarries after she was wrongly deserted by her husband who abandoned their marriage. The church must teach what God teaches and must hold its members accountable to God's Word, but it cannot add laws to God's laws in such matters.

These are the two chief differences. The other differences are expressions of these two.

God bless as you study to learn his will as he has revealed it to us in his Word.

Reality of Heaven

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:11:15 +0000

How would you explain the reality of heaven to an atheist?

Answer:

I suggest that, in conversations with professing atheists, we acknowledge that there is no empirical proof regarding the reality of heaven -- but add that this is by no means the most important issue to be considered.

The beauties of heaven as well as the horrors of hell need to be understood in the light of the core Bible messages of human sin, divine love or grace, and Christ's atoning work as mankind's substitute. That is what should be the focal point of our conversations with professing atheists. They need to be brought by the Holy Spirit to confess sin in its deadly seriousness and to know Christ, their perfect Savior and substitute, and how by the grace of God we sinners find pardon and are promised a heavenly home.

If the atheist demands logical or reasonable arguments aside from law and gospel, sin and grace, then I would share information from Christian apologetics with him -- or point him to a website specializing in Christian apologetics. This will not convert the heart, but may extend the opportunity to witness to the truth in love for the person.

Sola Scriptura

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:55:01 +0000

What is Luther's argument for Sola Scriptura? Where is it in the Bible? I have heard 2 Timothy 3:16 used, but it doesn't seem to exclude other sources.

Answer:

The expression 'Sola Scriptura' is not really based on one specific passage but comes from everything the Bible says about inspiration - the fact that God the Holy Spirit moved the prophets and apostles to write his Word. The passage you cite about inspiration is relevant because it shows that Scripture is authoritative and that it provides everything we are to believe and not believe, to do and not to do. We don't need more and are not to follow anything contrary to the Bible.

Some additional passages that warn against following other sources and doctrines of men are:

(Isaiah 8:20) To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
(Luke 16:29-31) Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'
(Galatians 1:8) Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!
(Revelation 22:18-20) I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

World of Warcraft Computer Game

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:49:18 +0000

Should a Christian play computer games that involve curses and hexes? Is this demonic warfare and does it desensitize players to true evil in the world? Or is it no different than what you might see on TV shows or in the movies?

Answer:

I am not familiar with this computer game (or any others actually), but I am aware that many of them use terminology that is drawn from the occult and demonic activity. While I may not appreciate the kind of fantasy world being constructed here when so many others could have been chosen, I cannot say they are sinful in and of themselves. Classic fantasy stories like the Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis) and Lord of the Rings (JRR Tolkien), written by Christians and enjoyed by Christians, also use the imagery of curses or hexes and there is no evidence that reasonably mature believers confuse fantasy with reality or are seduced into the occult.

That does not mean that your husband's use of the computer games, as you describe it, is without sin, however. But more likely this is a sin against the principles of stewardship, time management in particular. I cannot defend wasting 4 to 5 hours a day on such stuff, for children or for adults, and say this is a God-pleasing use of the gift of time. There are so many opportunities to be doing other things that will better serve the gospel, my neighbor, and my family than to fritter it away in this manner. If someone else misuses time watching TV or doing something else with limited value or good for anyone, that does not excuse his waste of his time.

I suggest that you, perhaps your whole family, seek counseling and specifically advice on how better to use the time, talents, and resources God has given you to the glory of God and improvement of other people. I suggest that you sit down with your pastor to discuss these things.

Calculating the End of the World

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:58:26 +0000

I have heard people on the radio express the belief that the Day of Judgment is going to happen on May 21, 2011. They base this on mathematical anomalies and history found in the Bible. These people claim to know when the Great Flood took place, and therefore know when the earth was created. Do you think there is any validity to this belief, or is this a ploy being used by Satan to try to confuse me?

Answer:

The history of the church has always had more than its share of false teachers who claim to have calculated and determined the time when Jesus will return in glory and judge mankind. While they may reach their conclusions in different ways, they all have one thing in common: they are false teachers and do not deserve our attention.

Jesus repeatedly emphasized that we are constantly and continuously (today!) to remain alert and prepared for the Last Day. That's ultimately all we know and need to know other than this: We are properly prepared for Christ's second coming when we know and rely on what he did for us at his first coming. Never are we instructed to calculate past dates of events (e.g., Creation, the Flood, Christ's crucifixion and resurrection), and never are we encouraged to calculate the future date of Judgment Day. Nowhere in the Bible are we given adequate information to enable us to do such things.

In other words, there is no validity to the subjective and irresponsible teachings of any date-setters.

Satan is delighted whenever Christians are misled by error or persuaded to focus inappropriate attention on worthless ideas at the expense of Bible truths including its central message about our sinfulness and our Savior Jesus Christ. The devil gets good use out of these false teachers and their sensationalistic pronouncements.

For trustworthy and edifying study helps, visit the NPH web site and in the search tool enter: the book of Revelation.

Section missing from Mark 16

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:57:34 +0000

How can we trust that the entire Bible we have today is the inspired Word of God when there are sections included in certain translations that were not included in some of the early manuscripts? One example is the conclusion of Mark Chapter 16.

Answer:

This does not have anything to do with the verbal inspiration of Scripture. "Verbal inspiration" refers to the giving of the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:13, 2 Peter 1:21, and 2 Timothy 3:16), not to its copying and printing. God gave the Bible to us through the prophets and apostles in an errorless form. Minor human mistakes can be detected, however, as a result of the centuries-long process of copying the Bible by hand, and even later on after the invention of printing. For example, there was a famous printed Bible that was nicknamed the Wicked Bible because the printer left the word "not" out of the sixth commandment. Such mistakes are easily corrected through a study of the context and of the many other copies of the Bible that can be found.

Some slight differences or "variants" are apparent among the many ancient, handwritten copies of the Bible that are available. However, when we study the early variants, such as the end of Mark chapter 16 where editors disagree about which reading is the original, we find that none of the variants affect the doctrinal content of the Bible since the same information can be read in other parts of Scripture.

In both scrolls and books, pieces are most easily lost at the beginning and the end of a document. Apparently some ancient copy of Mark lost the end page. Certain manuscript copiers who were aware of this may have supplied a replacement for the missing page.

The opinion of the note in your English translation of Mark, which says that the longer ending is not the original, is just that--an opinion. A better editorial approach probably would be to print the longer form of the text and then note that it is not in all manuscripts. In either case, the length of Mark 16 does not affect our knowledge that Jesus rose from the dead, appeared to his disciples, and then sent them out to preach the gospel.

Baptism and Salvation

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:23:57 +0000

What if a person who was baptized as an infant dies an unbeliever; will that person be saved because of the baptism received?

Answer:

If a person dies as an unbeliever, whether once baptized or not, that person is tragically lost, not saved. Baptism gives saving faith, but unless that faith is preserved in life through application of the gospel in Word and Sacrament, the faith will die and does the person no good.

A more detailed answer to your question was the subject of an article in our Forward in Christ magazine not long ago. I copy and paste it here for your reading:

In today’s religious world, Christian baptism is often misunderstood and sometimes downright disrespected. This God-given instrument that gives or strengthens saving faith in Christ is too often turned into a mere human act of obedience or considered a mere external sign that points to a gracious work of God that will or might be carried out without any connection to baptism. It has become the Rodney Dangerfield of God’s designated tools – it gets no respect.

But is it possible that people sometimes give baptism too much credit? Your question makes us think of that possibility and we thank you. Are blessings of baptism overstated when we speak of it “guaranteeing faith and eternal salvation?”

Baptism Gives Saving Faith

Paul assured the Galatians, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Gal 3:27). In and through baptism a most intimate link between the sinner and the Savior is promised and assumed. Other New Testament passages affirm that the gift of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sins, and salvation are bestowed through baptism. They are not just symbolized or pictured in baptism; baptism is said to give these blessings. Perhaps because of such vigorous promises, people speak of baptism “guaranteeing” salvation. But more needs to be said.

Saving Faith Needs Gospel Nourishment

If the baptized sinner retains saving faith, he or she will retain the gift of salvation and inherit heaven. But this is different than saying baptism guarantees heaven. Baptism is God’s way of beginning or enriching a lifelong relationship, but it remains vital that the faith given be nurtured and strengthened through the gospel aside from baptism. This is why, when children are baptized, we normally urge parents and others to include the children in family devotions, train them to read Scripture at home as well as participate in public worship and Sunday school.

It is important that all who are baptized enjoy growth in faith and Christian lifestyle to maintain their hold on God’s salvation promises. If the saving faith received through baptism is allowed to die, the result is a personal forfeiting of spiritual and eternal life. It is irresponsible to speak of baptism “guaranteeing” salvation unless this kind of clarification is immediately added. God has chosen to give and preserve faith through instruments that accompany baptism, namely the Bible and the Lord’s Supper. To despise these is more like guaranteeing eternal death, not life.

A Parallel to Circumcision

Since the Bible draws the striking parallel between baptism and Old Testament circumcision (see Colossians 2:11-12) we may draw a fitting analogy. Any Old Testament Jew who thought that his being circumcised was a “guarantee” of eternal blessing was very wrong. Paul explains: “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code” (Romans 2:28-29a). This is not a despising or a denial of the blessings received through circumcision. But it is a strong reminder that unbelief forfeits all blessings once received through the God-given external rite with its internal promises.

Similarly, a baptized person is not to be considered a believer if he was once baptized but has neglected the gospel ever since. To think that baptism guarantees the preserving of faith for a lifetime is unwise presumption involving a misunderstanding of how the Spirit works. The Spirit gives saving faith, as he does with infants through baptism, and then preserves faith, through Word and sacrament, until we depart this life at death. We are commanded to seek and rejoice in both aspects of his gracious work. We desperately need both. We praise him for giving us both.

Punishment for sin

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:42:53 +0000

I feel like today I'm being punished for my sins. I feel like everything that should go right goes wrong. So my question is, does God punish us for our sins?

Answer:

Christ bore all the punishment for our sins, so there is nothing left for us to pay. Read Romans 8 for a statement that our suffering is not a punishment for sin, nor does it separate us from God.

Why then do Christians experience suffering?

There are cases in which suffering is a result of our faith, as when persecution strikes Christians (John 15:19) or when Satan launched attacks on Job (Job 1-2).

There are cases where suffering is caused by specific sins: imprisonment for a crime, sexually transmitted diseases, the effects of alcohol and drug abuse, the shame that follows notorious sins.

Much suffering, however, is the suffering that strikes every person living in a sinful world. We cannot conclude that a person who suffers more is more sinful. We often cannot answer why some specific suffering comes to an individual.

Suffering may make us think about some sin that we have committed in the past, and this may make us feel guilty. But we are to trust God's forgiveness for these sins (1 Timothy 1:15).

If your feelings about this persist, this is something you should discuss with your pastor or a Christian friend to understand why you feel that your experiences are punishment for sins and to get help in applying the gospel to your situation.

Demon Possession

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 23:09:22 +0000

In a conversation with students about exorcisms and demon possession the question was asked - can a Christian be demon possessed?

Answer:

We cannot give a definitive, dogmatic answer, but we can present the following points to consider from Scripture.

First, we must distinguish physical possession by Satan from spiritual possession. Spiritual possession occurs when a person has given himself up to Satan. It is closely related to hardening of the heart and the sin against the Holy Spirit. An example would be Judas, who spurned all the warnings he received and pushed on to betray Christ. When he ignored the last warning, Satan entered into him (John 13:21-27). A person possessed in this way cannot be a Christian.

Bodily possession occurs when Satan or one of his demons controls the body of a person in such a way that the voice speaking through the body is the demon's and the actions are the actions of the demon (Mark 1:23-24). The victim's personality is suppressed.

Not every physical affliction caused by Satan is possession. Paul's thorn in the flesh was an attempt of Satan to hinder Paul's mission work (2 Corinthians 12:7). Job's afflictions were attempts of Satan to shake his faith (Job 1-2). Neither of these men were possessed. A Christian can suffer physical afflictions caused by Satan.

But can a person who is a Christian become bodily possessed by Satan? I will say, no, I do not think this can happen unless the Christian turns from God and enters Satan's realm by dealing with Satan. We are promised God's protection against Satan. When Balaam tried to curse Israel, he learned that no occult practice can prevail against God's people (Joshua 24:9-10). Israel came under judgment, however, when they went over to Satan's side, so to speak, by joining in the idolatries and abominations (Numbers 25). It seems the same principle applies to demon possession.

We do not have any definitive example or statement about this in Scripture. People whom Jesus freed from demon possession were believers after they had been freed, but in no case do we know how it came about that they were possessed. Had they in any way opened themselves to this or were they innocent victims? We do not know.

What can we learn from this?

We are to trust in the power of God and the means of grace to keep us safe from Satan and use those means of grace and prayer faithfully (Ephesians 6:11-17). Comfort Christians with this assurance. We do not need to live in fear.

We must not dabble with witchcraft or in anything occult in any way, shape, or form even in jest or for fun. Keep away from it (1 Peter 5:8-11). Some forms of drug abuse also seem to be involved in occult possessions.

If we encounter a true case of demonic possession, we will refrain from jumping to conclusions about the victim or about how he or she became possessed. We will not assume a person did something to bring this about when we have no evidence of this.

True cases of possession are very rare in a secular society where people don't even believe Satan exists. Satan does not need to possess those he already has. You might never see a case of possession--they seem to happen when the gospel is moving into new area to crush Satan's kingdom, such as at the coming of Christ, the coming of the apostles, or the coming of missionaries into a heathen area where the people have been serving the demons.

Immortal Soul

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:18:29 +0000

A common question often asked of Christians is "What happens when we die?" A common answer is that our body goes to the grave while our disembodied immortal soul is presented before God for judgment and subsequently either allowed into the Kingdom or cast into the lake of fire or hell. This means that every human being that ever lived and died is either in heaven with Jesus right now or is in the fires of damnation right now.

An alternative is that at death we enter a state of spiritual sleep and stay there until Christ's second coming. Hence the phrase Rest In Peace. Every human being that ever lived is judged at the same time. This would mean that as of right now, there are no human beings in the lake of fire and the only humans in heaven are Moses and Elijah who were bodily taken up.

1) When are we judged, immediately after death or on the Last Day?
2) If we are judged immediately after death, then what are the following passages talking about, particularly the Revelation passage? (Job 14:10-12, John 11:11-14, Daniel 12:2, Psalm 115:17, Revelation 20:11-15)
3) If we are judged on the Last Day, would that mean we are not born with an immortal soul, but rather Christ gives immortality to us when He returns?"

Answer:

The soul continues to live in a conscious existence in heaven or hell even while the body sleeps in the grave. A few of the many evidences of this are Jesus' statement that the Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and that this shows that they are living with him (Matthew 22:32), the story of the rich man and Lazarus after death (Luke 16), the promise to the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43), Jesus' descent to hell to "the spirits in prison" who had perished in the Flood (1 Peter 3:19-20), the saints who praise God throughout the book of Revelation, including the souls at the altar in Revelation 6:9 and who rule with Christ in Revelation 20:4. There are many more references to departing to be with the Lord (Philippians 1:23).

The references to sleeping and waking apply to the bodies of those who have died. They are dead to life on earth and their work in this world is ended. The references to resurrection on the last day also apply to the body.

The judgment that follows is not for God to decide where those who already have died are going. It is a public display of the justice of the judgments that already began at death. For them, it is more like a sentencing day that gives the reasons for their sentence than like a trial to determine guilt or innocence.

Take a look at John 11:25-26. The life we have with Christ does not end with death. It continues even when the body is dead.

Salvation and Personal Decisions

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:22:47 +0000

I am struggling with a question about salvation - there is no personal decision to come to Christ, but the following minute one can make the personal decision to reject Christ and “fall”? Please answer including the additional context of the strength of God’s hand - as is written in John 10:28-29 - once we are in God’s hand, no man can pluck us out.

Answer:

Scripture doesn't put these things in chronological order--as if salvation came first and the possibility of rejecting God's gift came in only later. It teaches two truths that we allow to stand side by side. Salvation is 100% God's gift from begining to end (Ephesians 2:8-9); this gift includes the faith God provides me that takes hold of the redeeming work of Christ and makes it my own. On the other hand, human beings have the ability to resist the Holy Spirit's work and reject God's gift (John 1:11-12, Acts 7:51).

Human reason finds this contradictory, but the teaching of Scripture is that if someone is saved, this is entirely the work of God. If someone is lost, this is entirely the fault of the individual.

Jesus' words in John 10:28-29 are intended as a comfort for believers. They certainly do not exclude the possibility that a person can lose his/her salvation through neglect, or through persistence in godless living (Luke 8:13, Romans 8:13, 1 Corinthians 10:12, etc.).

Honor your father

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:36:16 +0000

How are we to honor a father who acts dishonorably?

Answer:

When God tells us to honor our parents and others who are called to serve as his representatives in our lives (like teachers, pastors, and governing civil authorities), he does not do so because of their godly character or conduct, but because of their God-established positions in our lives. Recall how young David continued to honor his predecessor, King Saul, as long as Saul was God's anointed king and despite Saul being a wretched human being and, in fact, a persecutor of David (for example, 1 Samuel chapters 24 and 26). We may also recall how Jesus submitted to and obeyed his earthly parents even though he was their Lord and God (Luke 2:49-51). He was fulfilling God's law and honoring them for their position, not because they were more godly or wiser than he was.

When a choice has to be made between honoring or obeying parents or other authorities and honoring or obeying God, then "we must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). That is the principle that guides us whenever earthly authorities depart from their proper role and fail to serve as God wants them to serve. Despite acknowledging Saul's kingship, David distanced himself from Saul in many ways. Despite honoring and obeying his earthly parents, Jesus sometimes reminded them of his priorities and refused to consent to their wish when it interfered with his primary call to obey the Heavenly Father (see John 2:4, Matthew 12:46-50, or Mark 3:21, Mark 3:31-35).

In applying these principles in your situation with a parent who apparently is far from God and alienated from his family members, you may still acknowledge that God provided him as a parent and entrusted him with an honorable position. This honoring does not always mean obeying or appreciating the person as a person. Here you will be guided by other principles of Scripture including those of being adequate parents to your children and protecting them from evil influences. You will also seek opportunities to testify to the unbelieving parent concerning the seriousness of his sin and the greatness of the work of his Savior Jesus Christ -- so, as uncomfortable and distasteful as it may be, you may seek to maintain some relationship with him despite keeping some distance at the same time.

To chart a specific course of action in all this requires more intimate knowledge of you, your father, the family, and the situation. I urge you to sit down with your pastor or another trusted Christian counselor to discuss options and form a strategy.

Christ's descent into hell

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:56:29 +0000

When did Christ descend into hell?

Answer:

There is little about Jesus' descent to hell in Scripture. The only direct reference is 1 Peter 3:18-20. As you see when you read this, Jesus did not descend to hell from the cross. He visited hell after he had been made alive again.

There have been various theories about the descent to hell. One is that "hell" refers to the suffering Jesus experienced on the cross. Another is that "descent" simply refers to being buried in the ground. But neither of these does justice to the passage in which Peter says that Christ "preached to the spirits in prison." Jesus' descent was not part of his suffering, but a display of his victory over Satan. Colossians 2:14-15 may refer to this.

Another wrong theory is that Jesus went to hell to rescue the Old Testament believers who had to stay there until his victory was won. Others thought Jesus went to hell to give the people there another chance. Both of these ideas contradict Scripture.

The word order of the Apostles' Creed is rather confusing. One way to explain it is that Jesus died on Friday, when both his soul and the soul of the repentant thief entered heaven (Luke 23:43,46), and Jesus' descent to hell was perhaps the first event that occurred when he returned to life on Sunday. Jesus' resurrection is mentioned after his descent by the Creed because Jesus' resurrection appearances to the disciples followed the descent to hell.

The Ten Commandments

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:39:50 +0000

Why do Lutherans number the Ten Commandments differently than other Protestants?

Answer:

The Bible calls them "commandments" and says that there are "ten" of them (Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13). It doesn't tell us, however, which commandment we should call Number 1, Number 2, etc.

Neither the Roman Catholic-Lutheran way of numbering them nor the Protestant way is free of difficulties. The Roman Catholic-Lutheran way results in two commandments against coveting (Exodus 20:17), which we might not have expected. On the other hand, the Protestant method separates the prohibition of having other gods from the prohibition of making idols (Exodus 20:3-4), when these naturally belong together. Sometimes it is suggested that the Protestant method was motivated by a desire to have a separate commandment against making any sort of religious image. A careful reading of Exodus 20:4-5, however, shows that it is only those images that become objects of worship that are the problem.

Actually, the Jewish method has a lot to recommend it. Using the terminology in Exodus 20:1, Jews refer to these as the 10 D'varim or "Words" (D'varot in Rabbinic texts). The first "word" is, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." This states God's covenant relationship with his people, which provides the motivation for wanting to keep God's law.

Creation

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:35:48 +0000

Could the World have been created in more than seven days because days lasted longer than 24 hours? Also, could the big bang theory be correct if God caused it?

Answer:

Read on its own terms, the account in Genesis 1 makes it clear that each of the six "days" of creation was just that--a normal cycle of the clock with a period of darkness and a period of light. See also Exodus 20:9-11.

The "Big Bang" refers to a scientific theory that says that the universe began around 13 billion years ago. According to this theory, initially all the matter/energy in the universe was concentrated in one hot, dense mass, which then exploded and has been expanding ever since.

The theory does allow that the universe had a "beginning" of sorts, but that is about the only thing that it has in common with the biblical account of creation. The two really can't be reconciled.

English Standard Version Bible

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:00:47 +0000

I've looked and can't seem to find any thoughts given by those in the synod about the English Standard Version Bible. Has anyone found any downside to this version? Are there any plans to recommend it as an acceptable translation for church use?

Answer:

The English Standard Version (2001) is a revision of the Revised Standard Version (1952) which was a revision of a revision of the King James Version (1611). It is a somewhat more literal rendering of the Hebrew and Greek constructions than the New International Version (1978). Nevertheless, it is quite easy to read.

The NIV uses a more contemporary, more idiomatic English and is a little more free in its renderings. The ESV is being used in the new Lutheran Study Bible that was produced by Concordia Publishing House toward the end of last year. It is a good alternative to reading the NIV if you are looking for something a little more literal. In a couple of years when the NIV is revised, WELS may want to revisit the issue of which version to use as our base translation.

Creation

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:26:02 +0000

How can you explain to an unbeliever that Adam and Eve and their offspring, through incest, populated the earth, when such a thing leads to developmental and physical problems?

Answer:

In the beginning, when God created all things, he could have made dozens of couples to populate the world if he had chosen to do so, but he did not. He made us all from one (Genesis 1:27, Acts 17:26). Significantly, God also saved all people through one person, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12-21).

The question you ask or that you are being asked by others mistakenly exports the concept of incest back to the beginning when it did not apply. In fact, as late as the time of the patriarch Abraham, who lived long after Adam (see the geneologies in Genesis 5 and Genesis 10-11), marriage with sisters or half-sisters was done (Genesis 20:12). It was only later still, at the time of Moses, that this became against the law (Leviticus 18).

We do not know when or how diversity in reproduction became beneficial and began to safeguard against developmental problems. We have no information about this.

Prayer posture

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:17:46 +0000

I learned that we fold our hands when we pray out of respect to God. Recently I've seen young families that hold each others' hands when they pray. I am wondering if this takes the focus away from God and applies it to one another.

Answer:

Different prayer postures are described in the Bible, but there are no prescribed postures. None of the physical postures in themselves add anything to the power of prayer, but they may be an expression of the worshiper's attitude or an aid in focusing the worshiper's attention.

Folded hands and closed eyes are a way of focusing exclusively on the prayer. Kneeling expresses humility. Bowed heads are most appropriate in prayers of repentance. Looking up to heaven is also mentioned in the Bible.

In some cultures it is considered disrespectful to pray while standing. In some it is disrespectful to pray while seated.

Some today pray with arms extended out to the side, palms upward. Placing the hands palm to palm is a gesture of attention and reverence. Neither of these postures is common among Protestants, however.

Praying in a circle emphasizes the unity and fellowship of those praying. If it is done in a family and each member adds petitions to a prayer which is the joint prayer of all, it can be meaningful. However, if there is the notion that hooking the pray-ers together, like hooking together a lot a batteries, makes the prayer more powerful, the practice of joining hands becomes similar to meaningless repetition.

Any posture displayed in public to impress others as the Pharisees did would likewise not be a good thing. Again, the motive is important. Is the prayer posture designed to impress someone with a show of piety or is it simply a quiet confession of the importance of prayer as a part of life?

It is good to give thought to the posture we use while praying. What meaning does it have? What attitude and impression do we convey by using it? Yet, the most important part of prayer is not any specific posture. It is that we approach God with faith in Christ our Savior.

Praying for a miracle

aneumann — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:43:04 +0000

Is it okay to pray for a miraculous healing?

Answer:

It is proper to pray for healing and to ask your pastor or a fellow Christian to join you in such prayers. Nowhere has Scripture declared that divine healings have ceased, nor has Scripture anywhere advised that we should not include such matters in our prayers.

It is wise, however, to have realistic expectations. Not all the sick and dying were healed when our Lord served among people, and not everyone was healed among the apostles or those they served. Paul was denied healing of a physical ailment he asked to be removed (2 Corinthians 12:8-10), Paul's coworker Epaphroditus almost died and was not quickly healed (Philippians 2:25). Trophimus was not miraculously healed (2 Timothy 4:20), and Timothy was instructed to use medicinal remedies rather than being healed (1 Timothy 5:23). God has always been selective and has not given a guaranteed promise of miraculous healing to his dearly loved people. Since the time of the apostles, the phenomenon of miraculous healings has apparently substantially decreased in number. Perhaps this is because one of the purposes of miracles is no longer needed. Originally God provided them to substantiate the trustworthiness and truth of the Apostolic New Testament (Mark 16:20).

When you pray for healing, do so as a humble child of God and ask that God's will be done—and tell him you pray that healing is indeed his will. Ask confidently, knowing that he is not only fully able to heal but also able to sustain you in illness and use sickness for your spiritual and eternal good as well as for his glory.

Praying for others

aneumann — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:59:55 +0000

I have two loved ones who are battling cancer, and I don't know how to pray for them. Do I ask for their healing even though it looks grim? I know God's will is already known to him . . . so do I ask for a miracle? How and what do I pray to our Lord for?

Answer:

There is no doubt that the Lord is presenting you with some challenging situations. Knowing how to pray is not always an easy task. We want to accept God's will and his providence over our lives and the lives of our loved ones. But we realize that he also invites us to pray.

We may wonder why God does this, especially if he knows what he is going to do anyway. Here we simply have to trust that our prayers do make a difference because God says they do. He tells us that "the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" (James 5:16). Hezekiah even gives us an example of how God altered his course of action because of the prayer of one of his people (Isaiah 38). Our prayers make a difference. They play a part in God's governance of the world.

Let's explore what God's Word says about how we should pray. The Lord invites us to "call upon him" (Psalm 50:15) and to "cast all our anxiety on him" (1 Peter 5:7). Jesus adds, "My Father will give you whatever you ask in my name" (John 16:23). Although it may sound as though Jesus is giving us a blank check, we understand his words alongside of other sections of Scripture where God teaches us that we always pray with the attitude, "Not my will but yours be done" (Matthew 6:10; James 4:13-15). However, these passages do point out that we are to pray with confidence, knowing that we can ask for anything and that God will hear that prayer and consider our request. In Philippians 4:6 the apostle Paul states, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

You certainly have some matters that are weighing heavily on your heart and mind. God invites you to bring these matters to him in prayer. He also adds that you can ask for what may seem impossible recognizing that what may seem impossible to us is possible for God (Matthew 19:26).

Considering these passages, it is appropriate for you to pray for a miracle in the lives of your loved ones. You can pray that the Lord will heal them from their cancer. But as you pray for this miracle you accept the fact that God may not work a miracle in this case. This does not mean God did not hear your request. It does not mean that God did not answer your prayer. God always hears our prayers and answers them. But when he doesn't give us what we want, he gives us something better. That is not always easy to understand in this life. We may not see how God is giving us something better by allowing a loved one to suffer through an illness and perhaps even die from that disease. Yet we have his promise that he will do what is best for us and our loved ones.

How to pray

aneumann — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:58:30 +0000

When I'm praying, sometimes I have difficulty making sense of things and coming up with the words, especially when I am overcome with emotion about a particular matter. Can I assume that God knows what I'm trying to say even if I don't?

Answer:

Yes, you may assume and know with certainty that God knows precisely how you feel and what you are seeking to express. Romans 8:26,27 gives us this kind of assurance: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will." You will also find comfort in pondering the truths of Psalm 139:1-4.

You will still benefit from taking the time to sort out your thoughts and reactions to things, and then to strive to express yourself clearly in your prayers as well as your conversations with others. But when, despite efforts to do this, you find yourself having trouble, rest assured your heavenly Father knows what you are thinking, desiring, and asking.

Premarital dating and sex

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:09:56 +0000

How far is it acceptable to go, sexually, with a Christian partner? I have been dating my boyfriend several years, and though we are not officially engaged, we plan on getting married. We both believe strongly that sex should be reserved until marriage, but what about more physical acts, if done purely out of love for each other and not just for physical gratification?

Answer:

Competent pastoral counsel normally requires that the person offering counsel knows personally the people being counseled. In a question like yours, this is especially true. You and your boyfriend should be speaking with your pastor. Here I can only share general information that should be of some help to you, but cannot take the place of face-to-face pastoral counseling.

Attitude is everything, as they say, and aside from your shared reliance on Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord (the highest attitude), you do yourselves a favor by pondering passages like these very seriously and discussing them very straightforwardly: Ephesians 5:3-5; Colossians 3:5,6; Hebrews 13:4,5; and 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5. God has high standards for his dearly loved people, quite different from the standards of our culture.

Here are additional observations to consider:

The Bible does not explicitly answer your "How far is it acceptable to go?" kind of question largely because our culture's style of courtship was not prevalent in Bible times. Back then, the normal marriage age, parental involvement in spouse selection, more consistent mores in society, and more firm civil penalties helped to safeguard young people from inappropriate external behavior to a greater degree than the customs that prevail today. So don't expect the Bible to give you an explicit answer in so many words.

There are so many dividends to premarital chastity. These include (1) maintaining a clear conscience before God, (2) fostering a mutual respect with each other, (3) developing a stronger relationship, and (4) avoiding or minimizing potential spiritual offense to others. All of these inevitably point to being content and seeing the wisdom of less sexual activity rather than more. A Christian conscience should be actively testifying to this as well.

To maintain an appropriate level of ethical premarital activity, the following points may be useful:

Consciously and openly discuss and express the degree of commitment/propriety.
Communicate and maintain agreed on limits that reflect a high view of love, respect, and responsibility.
Seek out and plan situations and company to prevent undue difficulties and temptations (Remember the "flee" word in 1 Corinthians 6:18 and 2 Timothy 2:22).
"Foreplay" is just that, so don't do it. Recall the principle of diminishing returns.
Upon engagement, set a realistic wedding date. Avoid what will soon be regretted.
Do not forget the enduring gifts of grace: repentance and forgiveness, prayer and new resolve to a life of holiness, perseverance and character through trials.
If a moral lapse occurs, repentance and forgiveness remain as divine gifts. Do not assume that marriage must follow for this reason. Do not let the sin fester for years; it will.

Fighting with relatives

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:29:41 +0000

I go to gatherings with relatives and don't talk but fight with some of them. If you are the one who often says something improper, how do you change? Or better yet, how do you apologize to the one you disagreed with?

Answer:

I appreciate your attitude and agree that there is great value in serving as a peacemaker rather than as someone who contributes to unnecessary arguments. The encouragement of Romans 12:18 will never go out of style.

My frustration in trying to answer you is that I am ignorant of the kind of topics that apparently stimulate disagreements and I do not know you or the relatives at all—so I must speak only in very general terms. Here are some broad but helpful principles to keep in mind:

Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (see James 1:19-20). Really listening to others is one of the most challenging things, especially if you believe the information is inaccurate or the speaker is less than loving when speaking to you. Concentrate on information that you don't already have. Nod your head to affirm that you are listening. Place your need to understand before your desire to be understood.
Measure your words, respond softly and courteously, and make your goal to serve other people, not to impose your ideas on them (see Proverbs 15:1, Proverbs 15:18). Bite your tongue if you find yourself tempted to say anything that may be perceived to be condescending or loveless. It is often helpful to use the other person's name and to ask for clarification—we are told that people usually respond in a calmer emotional state if they hear their own names.
If, as you suggest, there is cause for your apologizing, do it straightforwardly and sincerely. Keep in heart and mind what God has done for you in Jesus Christ—you are a forgiven sinner and citizen of heaven. So while there is a risk (socially, emotionally) in apologizing to others, if it's the right thing to do, it's the right thing to do. Besides, you have Someone who looks out for your best interests. The Lord will take care of your own emotional needs. Ponder the practical advice given in Romans 12:14-21. Love as the Lord has loved you first.
Talk with your pastor who knows you and with whom you can share specific examples.

Taking care of parents

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:45:25 +0000

My family disagrees with me about the responsibility of taking care of parents, either elderly or sick. Is there a Bible passage or any words that I can give them to help them understand? I'm tired of fighting.

Answer:

There is no shortage of Bible invitations and instructions for us to care for our parents. This is properly an expression of honor and respect for them as God's representatives in our lives, so the Fourth Commandment may fittingly be used here (see Ephesians 6:1-3). There is no time limit or expiration date for honoring parents; it is a lifelong privilege and responsibility. 1 Timothy 5:4 expresses well the attitude and basis for caring for parents who took care of us when we were young. Proverbs 23:22 and 1 Timothy 5:8 may also be used to highlight duties within family units. 2 Timothy 3:2, while giving examples of bad behavior, also mentions ingratitude and disrespect of parents as noteworthy negative examples.

The way you expressed yourself, however, including your repeated reference to "fighting" with other family members on this issue, probably deserves attention. This leads me to suspect that merely citing Scripture and pointing to God's will may not resolve the issue or end the struggle that prevails in your family. I suspect there are deeper attitudes and issues that also need to be addressed among your siblings. I'd guess they already know within themselves what is basically right or good in these situations. What is more than likely missing is the strength of resolve, the love or respect, and the spiritual maturity to carry through on what the Bible says. There may also be differences of opinion on what precisely your parents need or how best their needs may be met. So I recommend your working with your pastor or another qualified counselor to sort out bigger issues and identify potential remedies.

Religion and dating

aneumann — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:33:54 +0000

I have been dating a non-Christian for about three years. It seemed like at the beginning of our relationship he showed more interest in religion, but now he says he just went along to church because it seemed important to me. I have been praying about this quite a bit. What can I do to show him the truth about God?

Answer:

I commend you for your continuing desire to serve the spiritual needs of your boyfriend. And I am also sad because he does not seem at this time to be really open to learning more about the Savior and his Word.

You ask what you can do. There are a number of things that might be recommended:

Keep the matter in your prayers, and ask that the Lord use one or more other Christians to make an impact on your friend's life in addition to you.

Keep treasuring your relationship with Jesus and his Word and do not let your friend's indifference to Christ or despising of the Bible negatively influence you. Three years of dating an unbeliever can bring powerful temptations to compromise God's truth and your faith. I believe concerns are appropriate.

Most of all, continue in a simple, loving, and kind way to testify to your friend's sinfulness and need for a Savior and then tell him what Jesus Christ has done for all of us sinners with his innocent life and death on our behalf. In short, continue to use law and gospel and trust the Holy Spirit to use that to change his heart.

Finally, be prepared to terminate your dating relationship if your spiritual life is negatively impacted. I will grieve with you over the loss of your friend, but will rejoice that you have chosen the more important thing by far.

Sex before marriage

aneumann — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:32:17 +0000

I have recently started dating a man that sees nothing wrong with sex before marriage; however, I was taught differently. What does the Bible say about sex before marriage? I want to believe the whole Bible is true, but he says not to take it so literally.

Answer:

Those who trust in Jesus as their Savior will want to take seriously everything written in the Bible, for every bit of it is God's Word. That would include what the Bible has to say about sexual relations apart from marriage. Already at the beginning of time the Bible makes it clear that sexual relations were meant to be a part of marriage. The book of Genesis says, "A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). Notice that it doesn't say, "A man and a woman will become one flesh, and then become united in marriage." It's the other way around: first marriage, then sexual relations.

The Bible calls sexual relations outside of marriage "fornication," or "sexual immorality" and it says that "God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral" (Hebrews 13:4). In other words, engaging in sexual relations prior to marriage is a sin. Therefore, Christians, who love their Savior and want to do his will, will abstain from sexual relations until after they are married. You will not regret waiting. God's will is always for our good and our joy.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 18:00:00 +0000

Could you please compare the main teachings and doctrines of confessional Lutherans to those of the Jehovah's Witnesses? What is their acceptance of other religions?

Answer:

Although Jehovah's Witnesses claim to accept the inspiration and authority of Scripture, in practice they subject all teaching to human reason. Historically, the starting point for the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses was the hostility which their founder, Charles Russel, had against the doctrine of the eternal duration of hell. He believed this teaching was contrary to reason, justice, and love.

The most serious consequence of the Jehovah's Witnesses' use of reason as the standard for doctrine is their denial of the Trinity. They believe there is only one divine person, who should be called Jehovah. Christ can be called Son of God, but he is only "a god," not true God. Before he came into the world he was the archangel Michael. He is not equal to the Father. The "holy spirit" is only the power of God.

Since Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe Jesus is the divine Savior from sin, their doctrine of salvation is a system of work righteousness. All that Christ won for us is a chance for us to win life for ourselves.

Other errors of Jehovah's Witnesses are millennialism and rejection of the continued existence of the soul between death and the resurrection. During the millennium people will have another chance to win salvation.

A practice which has often gotten Jehovah's Witnesses into difficulties with governments is their refusal to salute the flag or to participate in the affairs of secular government. Jehovah's Witnesses have sometimes been taken into court because their beliefs led them to refuse blood transfusions for their children.

The errors of Jehovah's Witnesses are so serious that they cannot be regarded as a Christian church. They, however, regard themselves as the true religion.

Other Lutheran denominations

aneumann — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:55:20 +0000

What's the difference between WELS and other Lutherans?

Answer:

WELS is grateful to God for the bond of faith that unites them with all the Lutheran church bodies belonging to the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC). Our fellowship, however, is limited to the CELC. Why is this?

Christ's prayer is that his followers be brought to complete unity in order to let the world know that God the Father sent him as our Savior (John 17:20-23). God also cautions us to avoid false teachers (e.g. Romans 16:17) and people whose lives do not follow his Word (1 Corinthians 5:11). So we believe that Christ intends us to be united in doctrine and practice with other Christians before we join in proclaiming the gospel of Christ, gather together around the Lord's Table, or engage in other forms of church fellowship. This is the faith that Christ has given us, and it is the key difference between WELS and many other Lutheran church bodies.

In general, our church body has been unable to reach agreement with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) regarding fellowship, church and ministry, and gender roles. Our areas of difference with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) also include their views on Scripture, biblical interpretation, and homosexuality.

For a detailed explanation of the doctrinal issues that currently separate our church body from LCMS, ELCA, and others, please refer to these publications: WELS and Other Lutherans and What's Going On Among The Lutherans?, both available through Northwestern Publishing House.

Presbyterians and Lutherans

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:02:53 +0000

I would like to know the differences between what the Presbyterians believe and what Lutherans believe.

Answer:

Just as all churches that bear the name "Lutheran" do not teach the same as other "Lutherans," so not all churches that bear the name "Presbyterian" teach exactly the same. We can, however, speak of what Presbyterians believed historically and compare it with what confessional Lutherans believe.

Historically, as strict Calvinists, Presbyterians taught that from eternity God elected some to be saved and some to be damned (double predestination). By no means do all Presbyterians believe this today. Confessional Lutherans believe that from eternity God chose those whom he would convert through the gospel and preserve in faith to eternal life. See Ephesians 1:4-6; Romans 8:29,30). Confessional Lutherans reject the notion that unbelievers were predestined to damnation, for "God does not will that any should perish" (see 1 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9).

Historically, and as a corollary of the Calvinist belief in double predestination, Presbyterians taught that Christ atoned for the sins only of those predestined for life in heaven. Confessional Lutherans believe that Jesus Christ, the God-man, was sent by the Father to atone for the sins of all people, and that he did so. See Romans 5:18,19; Isaiah 53:6; 2 Corinthians 5:19; and John 1:29.

Historically, Presbyterians believed that it is impossible for a believer to fall from the faith. Confessional Lutherans believe that it is possible for believers to fall from faith. See 1 Corinthians 10:12.

Historically, Presbyterians have believed that Sunday has replaced Saturday as the Sabbath, to be observed in a way similar to the Old Testament regulations. Confessional Lutherans believe that New Testament believers are free to gather for worship on Sunday (or any other day), without special rules regarding work or recreation. See Colossians 2:16,17: "Do not let anyone judge you . . . with regard to a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."

The name "Presbyterian" means "having elders (teaching and ruling or presiding)," as the only form of church government that has God's approval. Confessional Lutherans believe that the Lord has instituted and provides for the gospel ministry, but that there are no commands in the New Testament as to forms of organization.

Like other Protestant (non-Lutheran) churches, Presbyterians do not believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are means of grace—forms of the gospel through which the Holy Spirit gives and strengthens faith. Confessional Lutherans believe that Baptism gives new life (Titus 3:5) and cleanses from all sin (Acts 2:38). Confessional Lutherans believe that as believers receive Christ's body and blood under the bread and wine they also receive the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 10:16).Presbyterians do not believe communicants receive the Lord's Body and Blood in his Supper.

Assembly of God

Mon, 06 Sep 2004 00:58:43 +0000

Can you explain in detail the difference between confessional Lutherans and Assemblies of God?

Answer:

Confessional Lutherans and Assemblies of God members hold many basic Christian beliefs in common. Both believe in the inerrancy and infallibility of the Holy Scriptures. Both confess the doctrine of the Trinity and the deity of Christ along with his virgin birth, substitutionary work on the cross, his bodily resurrection from the dead, and his exaltation to the right hand of God.

But Assemblies of God teach that faith is a condition of salvation rather than teaching that faith is the way God has chosen for us to receive salvation. The implication is that an unconverted, sinful human being must "decide" for Christ. The Wisconsin Synod teaches that people by nature are dead in their transgressions and sin and therefore have no ability to decide of Christ (Ephesians 2:1,5). We do not choose Christ, rather he chose us (John 15:16). We believe that human beings are purely passive in conversion.

Assemblies of God teach that Baptism and Holy Communion are ordinances whereby Christians declare to the world that they have died with Christ and share in the divine nature. They do not believe that the sacraments are means of grace through which the Holy Spirit works to create or strengthen faith. They deny the real presence in the Lord's Supper. They insist that the only legitimate way to perform Baptism is by immersion. The Wisconsin Synod teaches that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are means of grace through which the Holy Spirit works to create or strengthen faith (Titus 3:4-7, John 3:5-6, 1 Peter 3:21, Matthew 26:26-28). We believe that Christ's true body and blood are truly present in the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-28, 1 Corinthians 11:23-29). The Bible does not mandate the mode of baptism. The water can be applied in the name of the Triune God by sprinkling, pouring, immersion, or submersion.

The Assemblies of God are premillennialist. They believe that Christ will return and reign physically, visibly, and politically for 1,000 years on earth. The Wisconsin Synod rejects the teaching that Jesus will return to establish a political reign here on earth (John 18:36, Romans 14:17, Colossians 1:13-14).

Assemblies of God are a perfectionist church body. According to the official Web site of the Assemblies of God, they believe that "by the power of the Holy Ghost we are able to obey the command: 'Be ye holy, for I am holy.' " Holiness/perfectionist church bodies often seem to make rules where God hasn't and to call things sinful which God has not forbidden. For example, some congregations have determined that dancing is inherently sinful and therefore forbid it. The Wisconsin Synod teaches that although we will strive for Christian perfection, we will not attain it in this life (Romans 7:14-25, Philippians 3:12). We are careful not to call things sinful which God has not called sinful (1 Corinthians 10:23-33, Romans 14:1-23).

The Assemblies of God believe that every believer is entitled to "baptism in the Holy Spirit" (an experience separate from water baptism) with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues. They also practice faith healing. They teach that such "divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers." The Wisconsin Synod does not teach a "baptism in the Holy Spirit" separate from and subsequent to water baptism. We do not see speaking in tongues and faith healing as normative for Christians today.

Lutherans and Baptists

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:10:13 +0000

What is the difference between confessional Lutheran beliefs and the beliefs of Baptists?

Answer:

We can only answer your question in a general way. There are between thirty and forty different kinds of Baptists in the United States alone, so they do not all believe and teach precisely the same things. But they have general traits that can be mentioned here.

In most Baptist doctrinal statements there are portions that are basically identical with ours, such as a high view of the authority and accuracy of the Bible, the importance and reality of Jesus Christ and his work as our substitute, and the confession of mankind's sin and need for the Savior as well as God's grace and saving work for us. In short, there is much to be thankful for, since fundamental Christianity is confessed here.

You asked about differences. First of all they reject the sacraments (both Baptism and the Lord's Supper) as instruments through which God graciously creates or strengthens faith in human hearts. They treat the sacraments as "ordinances" to be obeyed, and being baptized or receiving communion is an "act of obedience" and something WE do rather than primarily a tool of God to give blessings.

Baptism: Southern Baptists believe that baptism is an act of obedience symbolizing a believer's faith. They do not baptize infants. We believe that baptism is a means of grace through which the Holy Spirit works faith, offers and conveys the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation (Titus 3:5-7, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21). We believe that infants are to be baptized because they are included in Christ's command to baptize all nations (Matthew 28:19). They are sinful and need to be born again (Psalm 51:5, John 3:5-6). Babies also can believe (Luke 18:15-17).

Lord's Supper: The Southern Baptists believe that the Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church memorialize the death of Jesus. They deny the real presence in the Lord's Supper. We believe that believe that Christ's true body and blood are given with the bread and wine to assure us that our sins are forgiven (Matthew 26:26-28, 1 Corinthians 11:23-29, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

Most Baptists believe we can cooperate in our conversion, making a decision for Christ. Lutherans believe we cooperate with the Holy Spirit only after our conversion. He is completely responsible for the change that takes place in our conversion.

We believe in election to salvation as taught in Ephesians 1. The Bible clearly says there is no predestination to damnation, but God wants all to be saved.

Many Baptists hold to a concept called "once saved, always saved" that they called "eternal security." We believe a person can fall from faith because the Bible says he can (Hebrews 10:26-31, 1 Corinthians 10:12). We don't base this conclusion on reason. But in this case the principle is the same as a common principle of daily life: if I give you a gift of money, you have not done anything to earn it, but if you foolishly throw it away you lose the benefit of the gift. Faith and forgiveness is a pure gift, but the person who throws them away loses the blessing that was his.

The Episcopal Church

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 23:06:42 +0000

What are the differences between confessional Lutheran beliefs and Episcopalian beliefs?

Answer:

Lutherans in general believe that sinners are saved by Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, and that the only reliable source of teaching in the church is the Scripture alone.

Although Article XI of Episcopalian statement of faith, "The Thirty-nine Articles" speaks of salvation through faith alone, the American "Book of Common Prayer" says nothing about justification or justification by faith.

The nearest it comes to teaching how Christ's work becomes our own and how we are saved is: "Christ commanded us to believe in him and to keep his commandments." The Bible says, and Lutherans teach, "We maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law."

Today, as in the past, there are Episcopalians who are very much in agreement with the Roman Catholic Church. There are Episcopalians (including bishops and other clergy) who hold or can tolerate almost any doctrinal view. There are Episcopalians who believe in salvation through Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone.

The name "Episcopal" explains in part why these three groups can all live together in one church. They believe that their bishops are in the line of the apostles, that their authority is like that of the apostles.

With regard to the Lord's Supper, Lutherans believe that when Jesus said, "This is my body . . . my blood," he meant exactly that, and Lutherans confess that in the bread and wine we receive exactly that. The "Thirty-nine Articles" do not make this confession.

Methodist beliefs

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 18:00:00 +0000

In what ways are Lutherans different from United Methodists?

Answer:

There are many differences between the United Methodists and Lutherans. I will note some of the most basic.

Following the father of Methodism, John Wesley, United Methodist theology is basically Arminian. The United Methodists teach that unconverted people have free will in spiritual matters or the ability to accept or reject God's offer of salvation.

Lutherans teach that unconverted human beings are dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1, 5), hostile to God (Romans 8:6-8), and cannot accept the gospel message (1 Corinthians 2:14). Human beings play no part in their own conversion, but are purely passive.

The United Methodists teach that God's "prevenient grace" surrounds all humanity and "prompts our first wish to please God" and "our first glimmer of understanding of God's will." This grace surrounds everyone whether they have ever heard the gospel or not. Lutherans believe that God's grace comes to us only through the means of grace, the gospel in God's Word and the sacraments. There is no salvation apart from the means of grace (Romans 10:13-17).

Lutherans put the primary theological emphasis on justification and what God has done for us in sending his Son to live and die for us, forgiving all of our sins and giving us eternal life and salvation. Methodists put their primary theological emphasis on sanctification and what God does in us to lead us to do his will. Lutherans teach that every Christian is both sinner and saint at the same time and will remain so until we reach the perfection of heaven. Methodists teach the possibility of reaching Christian perfection in this life.

The United Methodists see Scripture as the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine. They emphasize the importance of tradition, experience, and reason for Christian doctrine. Lutherans teach that the Bible is the sole source for Christian doctrine. The truths of Scripture do not need to be authenticated by tradition, human experience, or reason. Scripture is self authenticating and is true in and of itself.

The United Methodists believe that the church has a responsibility toward the structures of society and therefore commit themselves "to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young adults, the aging, and people with disabilities; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities . . . collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress."

Lutherans believe that God has given the church the commission to proclaim the gospel and administer the sacraments so that people can be saved for eternity (Matthew 28:18-20). God has not called the church to reform society or to wield the law as a curb for societal ills. God has instituted the government for that purpose (Romans 13:1-7). As the church carries out its responsibility of proclaiming the gospel and there are more Christians in a country, society will be affected. For individual Christians as citizens will work to address the problems that they see and to improve society. The Christians are then carrying out their responsibility as citizens and are not carrying out the work of the church. We reject the social gospel, the belief that the church's responsibility is to change the structures of society through mass or group action.

The Lutheran religion

aneumann — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:46:49 +0000

What is a Lutheran?

Answer:

Lutherans get their name from Martin Luther, a man born in Germany in 1483. Luther was baptized and grew up as a member of the Catholic church. His leaders in the church gave Luther an assignment. He was to study and teach the Bible.

The Bible showed Luther that the church was not teaching God's pure truth. The church was not teaching the Bible's answer to this life-and-death question: how can I know that God loves me and forgives my sins?

Luther taught God's answer to this question as he learned it from the Bible. As a result, he was put out of the Catholic church. Those who believed and confessed as Luther did were called "Lutherans" by their enemies. Christians who accept and teach what Lutherans taught call themselves Lutheran today. Some Lutherans no longer accept everything that Luther taught but still call themselves Lutherans.

Salvation and the sexually immoral

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:53:14 +0000

Can sexually active teens go to heaven?

Answer:

Your question, while clear enough in its wording, is so broad that it is challenging to offer a meaningful answer. It is the kind of question that really deserves to be asked of a pastor or spiritually trustworthy friend, in person and with the ability to clarify what or who is being spoken about. I urge you to do this, the sooner the better.

I will assume that your phrase "sexually active teens" refers to (1) unmarried people, (2) who are habitually sexually active as a matter of lifestyle rather than people who have fallen prey to temptation against their own conscience. These distinctions are of great importance since there is a great difference between

those who persistently and impenitently sin against God's will because they are horribly ignorant of or confused about right or wrong (since their natural knowledge of God's will has been blurred by ceaseless wrong information through godless culture and media) or have knowingly and willfully despised God's will for themselves; and
those who have a real reliance on Jesus Christ as their Savior but who are tragically so weak and psychologically or emotionally wounded that they fall prey to temptations almost to the point that they appear to be unbelievers, but are really weak believers who need firm help and guidance.

Diagnosis needs to precede applications of law and gospel, but our task in dealing with "sexually active teens" is to apply law and gospel clearly, lovingly, repeatedly, and in a way that is measured to correspond to their spiritual condition (as broadly described above). We are not here to speculate about such teens and salvation because we cannot read hearts, and that really does no one any good. We are here to serve people, not to categorize them.

A Christian's good works

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:38:19 +0000

Someone told me that you need to do good works to be a Christian. I said a person can be a Christian even if his "works" are not that visible, and that belief in Christ is the only way to heaven. Was I right in telling him that?

Answer:

Good works are not what makes a person a Christian, but a Christian will do good works. Just as it is the nature of an orange tree to produce oranges and an apple tree to produce apples, it is the new nature of a Christian to produce good works (2 Corinthians 5:17). They are a fruit of faith in Jesus Christ, our only Savior.

We need to beware of judging these good works by false standards. They are not necessarily flashy works that attract a lot of attention, but can be ordinary things like carrying out our responsibilities in our families, in our jobs, and in our community. Works do not contribute to our forgiveness or win salvation, but they will appear in the life of a Christian. As faith grows and matures, so will works (Colossians 3:12-17).

We can't really envision a Christian life which is all wickedness with no evidence of faith. It is not clear what standard of recognizing works you are using.

People without the gospel

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:26:26 +0000

Will people who never had an opportunity to hear about Jesus be sent to hell? If so, how do we explain the "unfairness" of this judgment by a God who loves the world and wants all to be saved?

Answer:

You are expressing the same kind of thoughts that probably come to the mind of most Christians. We rejoice at every mention of people hearing the gospel, being brought to trust Jesus, and becoming citizens of heaven. We also grieve because so many in this world do not enjoy these blessings, and we feel particularly bad when their religious environment fosters and perpetuates ignorance and unbelief. This brings us no joy but rather highlights the importance of mission work and evangelism by all Christians.

Regarding the "unevangelized" or those who never heard of Christ, we must affirm that they, like everyone else, were born in an inherited sinful condition and live their lives as sinners who need forgiveness to be saved. We also affirm that Christ is the only revealed Savior for all mankind. There are no exceptions to this. On the basis of clear Scripture, then, we understand that all people need faith in Christ, and that faith in Christ is given by God through the gospel. In saying this we acknowledge that, if he saw fit to do so, God could create faith in people's hearts without using the gospel, or he could devise other ways and means for saving them if that were his will. We merely report that God throughout Scripture reveals that he works through the gospel to create faith and that this faith is necessary for personal salvation.

It would be presumptuous for us to assume that the unevangelized are nevertheless headed for heaven. This idea is not based on Scripture. It is quite popular and emotionally pleasing, of course, and we fully understand the motives in adopting such a position. However, we bind ourselves to Scripture alone for doctrine and simply say that there are things we do not fully understand and cannot fully explain—this subject is one of those. To say it bluntly, here we are in the realm of the unsearchable judgments of God. That is where we should leave this kind of speculation.

We are given the assurance that God is a compassionate God, whose judgments are fair (Psalm 103:8-11). We make this the basis of our convictions about what is fair or not fair; whatever God does is fair and right, and good. What "seems fair" to our limited minds and emotions is not to be made the standard of truth.

The way a person seeks to respond to a question like, "What about people who are never exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ?" tells us a lot about how that person does theology. If we limit ourselves to Scripture alone, we do not have a lot to say about this. We will stress what God has graciously revealed to us and admit our limitations. And we will recommit ourselves to witnessing and the support of mission work. But if we are willing to manufacture other answers that strike us as reasonable or emotionally satisfying, lots of ideas are possible. I sincerely pray that we never take that route, but entrust these issues to the gracious Lord who will answer our questions when we get to glory. "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears . . . " (1 Corinthians 13:9-12).

Judgment and good works

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:29:49 +0000

We are saved by grace alone because of the redemptive work of Christ on our behalf and this grace is received through faith, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit. But will we be judged according to our works? Is it true that there are levels of glory in heaven that will be based on a person's good works?

Answer:

As you have stated, the Bible repeatedly emphasizes that we are saved through Christ's work on our behalf and through the faith in that saving work that is likewise God-given. In short, we are and will be judged on the basis of or according to the gospel and faith. The unconditional gospel covers everything that is sinful in us, all evil works, and all evil that is even in our imperfect good works. Christ's perfect work on our behalf, embraced by faith, blots out our sinful works and causes our good works (which are imperfect or deficient because of sinful elements caused by our sinful nature) to be considered perfect.

You ask, "Will we be judged according to our works?" The most helpful way to answer this is to say, "No, we are judged according to the gospel of Christ and faith in Christ." Whatever works are mentioned on the Last Day (and Jesus uses this kind of language in Matthew 25:34-40) will not be the standard of judgment, but used as evidences of saving faith in Christ.

You also ask about "levels of glory" and whether they are based on the good works of believers. The best way to respond is first of all to emphasize that all believers will share the same salvation and will experience complete joy. There are no levels or degrees of being saved or receiving joy in the Lord's presence. There are, however, a number of passages that allow us to speak of varying "degrees of glory." We believe that they also are gifts of divine grace and are related to our works (fruits of faith) and our faithfulness on earth. Matthew 25:23, 28-29 and Luke 19:17,19 are sample passages to be considered.

Being good enough for heaven

aneumann — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:09:47 +0000

Am I good enough to go to heaven?

Answer:

Mom went over to the slow cooker where the turkey had been all day. As the lid was taken off, a shriek filled the air. The slow cooker had been unplugged hours before to make room for Uncle Bob's famous sweet potato soufflé.

Tears filled Mom's eyes. "My dinner is ruined!" she cried. Dad chimed in, "Oh, honey. I am sure that it is good enough." However, the half baked turkey was not good enough, nor was it safe to eat.

In our lives we probably hear or say those words often. "Oh, the lawn looks good enough. I can wait another couple of days to mow." "Oh, the house isn't that dirty. It is good enough for now." "My job was done well enough for today. I am going home!"

What about when it is quitting time here in this life? Are we sure that we are going home to heaven? Are we good enough?

We may be individuals who settle for good enough more than we like to admit. However, we have a God who doesn't settle for anything but perfection. Jesus says, "Be perfect . . . as your heavenly Father is perfect" Matthew 5:48.

So are we good enough to go to heaven?

God takes the "lid" off of our hearts and tells us what he sees. "Every inclination of the heart is evil from childhood" Genesis 8:21. Even if we try hard and work at being kind, good, and perfect we still fail. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23.

So now what do we do? Similar to an uncooked turkey, does the heat get turned up on us in hell? Is our hope to have life in heaven ruined?

Thanks to Jesus Christ our Savior the answer is, "No." We do have hope because Jesus has forgiven our sins by dying on the cross and he has declared us to be innocent by rising from the dead. Because of what Jesus has done, every time that God looks at us he sees "you holy in his sight without blemish and free from accusation" Colossians 1:22.

Are you good enough to go heaven? Jesus did not just make you good enough but he made you perfect! Through faith you receive "the gift of God which is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23.

Original sin

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:21:21 +0000

I have been having a hard time trying to understand original sin and how salvation is given, yet also chosen. How does original sin and the inability of man to bring himself to God work for man's salvation?

Answer:

In a word, it doesn't. Original sin is the Bible's teaching that we are by nature spiritually blind (Acts 26:18), spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) enemies of God (Ephesians 2:3, Romans 8:7). Because of our sinful nature, we aren't able to choose God or to save ourselves. Even if we could do those things, our sinful human nature wouldn't want to.

For this reason, the Bible describes our coming to faith and receiving God's gift of salvation as a second birth (John 3:3). The comparison is significant. We didn't decide to be born the first time. In the same way we are reborn, not through a personal decision, but through a miracle of God's grace. Other verses describe our conversion as the gracious work of God raising a dead soul to life (Ephesians 2:4-5), or as the creation by God of a whole, new person (2 Corinthians 5:17).

None of these are things we could do for ourselves. The Bible's teaching of original sin helps us understand what a miracle it is that we now belong to God. All the glory belongs to him.

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