Ask Anything

 

 

 

Question: Is it considered vanity to like to dress nicely and receive compliments as well as

attention for it? i.e. If I dress up business casual to work because I get compliments for it, is

that considered a sin?

 

Answer: That’s a great question. On the one hand, the Bible doesn’t say much about specific

clothes and sin, but it does mention accessorizing. In Isaiah 4:16-26 God is trying to wake up

the people who are going through life blind to the needs of others and committed only to

their own happiness. The list of headbands, bracelets, sashes, perfume, rings, and handbags

sounds oddly up to date - not that any of those things are sinful. God’s concern is where these

women’s hearts are focused.

 

Jesus said (Matthew 22:37-39) the best focus of life is to love God and to love each other.

That gives you two questions to consider when you get dressed each morning. Clothes often

communicate.

 

All of this is not to point out sin one way or another, but to point out the great love God has for

us and the wonderful invitation he has given us to express that love in all aspects of our lives

and in every relationship, even work relationships.

 

I have a Christian friend that believes that there is no such place as hell, and this was just

a made up story to keep people in line. She insists that the bible teaches there is no hell.

How do you respond to a friend who I believe with my whole heart is a Christian person.

 

The simple answer is that the Bible clearly teaches that Hell is very real. Jesus refers to

Hell in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 among other times. It is a place prepared

for Satan and his evil angels to spend eternity, and that those who die apart from saving

faith will indeed go there as well. Your friends contention about “stories made up” may

reflect an experience of poor teaching from the Word of God in her past or too much

authority given to the History Channel. Be gentle in your response and confident as you

search out information in the Bible. This is a hot topic today in Christian circles. To read

an excellent book on the subject, I'd highly recommend "Erasing Hell" by Francis Chan.

He does a wonderful job unpacking all the Bible has to say about this.

Question: Could Hitler be in heaven?

Answer: Your question sites someone of notoriety, the supreme villain we all want to Boo! If heaven and hell is about justice, surely we can all answer this question with a confident NO! For some people searching for a just God, any other answer might even be a deal breaker.

The crucial part of your question, however, is the word could. When Jesus was talking with his disciples about things like camels getting threaded through needles, he said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27 (ESV)  Is there a loophole even Hitler could get through?

I can’t say much about Hitler with certain, firsthand knowledge. In the end, God is the only one who gets to judge, because He is the only one who really knows. One thing I can say confidently is that God’s desire is for all to be with Him, and it is by His grace that any of us find our way through His loophole and I can well imagine there will be many surprises for us when we come to truly understand God’s grace, first hand, face to face.

Question:

How does one know if a promise or words of comfort taken out of the context in which they were given can be taken personally? I struggle with verses such as Zephaniah 3:17 which in context seems to written about the city of Jerusalem or Jer. 29:11 which is part of a letter written to the exiles in Babylon and an extension of what God promises to do for them as a nation and a people after their years of captivity. I have a hard time accepting such verses as being for me personally because they seem to be given to specific peoples, situations and places - how does one know when God means it for them personally?

Answer:
This is a very good question! It addresses the task of interpretation that all readers of the Bible face. We probably have all run into individuals who make some rather bizarre use of the Bible by isolating verses - Judas went out and hanged himself…Go and do thou likewise. We all should follow good guidelines for our interpretation as we daily read the Bible so that we can feel confident about the meaning of what we read.

The first task of interpretation is exegesis – discovering the original meaning of the text. This is what you were referring to concerning Jeremiah 29:11 and Zephaniah 3:17. We need to understand the historical context of these words and their place in the context of the whole message. When God sent this message to the prophet, there was a specific situation and audience in place. The more we understand the politics and economics those people faced, their social structure, the characters involved, the more the meaning of the text will unfold. The books of the Bible also use a variety of literary styles. As we identify the literary context, we better understand the vocabulary and imagery being used. Most study Bibles will provide introductory notes or foot notes that will help you with this kind on context.

Your question points to the second task of interpretation sometimes called hermeneutics. This is where we find the connection between that ancient situation and message and our contemporary situation and the relevant meaning for us. This is not a dangerous line, never to be crossed, but it is something to be done with care guided by the first task of exegesis. Yes, God was sending a message to a specific historical audience, but we also believe that the Holy Spirit breathes that message into the life of every believer in their own context. You may think you are disconnected from those residents of Jerusalem slipping into idolatry in a fruitless search for security, until you realize the turmoil of your own struggles of living out your faith and your own search for security.  Hearing those personal connections is what takes your daily quiet time with God’s Word from a purely study habit to an encounter with God’s will for you personally. We also see Paul take this hermeneutic step continually as he connects the words of the ancient text (Old Testament) and applies it to the contemporary situation of the believers in Rome and Corinth and Philippi, and so on.

Both tasks of interpretation support each other. Making a hermeneutical or contemporary connection of a passage without any context (exegesis) can be a license to make the text say anything. Using only exegesis leaves the Bible in the category of ancient literature, an interesting study, but denies the inspiration of God’s Word and the message He sends to people throughout the ages. If you are ever concerned about navigating these two steps of interpretation you can always get support from your small group or anyone on Trinity’s staff.

Question: My husband would like to pursue a career as a professional poker player, but I feel that gambling is wrong. I know there's no reference to riverboat casinos in the Bible, but does God's Word give us any helpful direction on this issue?

Answer:
First of all - we need to be clear that gambling in and of itself is not prohibited in the Bible. Playing some "penny poker" with friends or participating in the $1 office football pool could be seen as harmless entertainment and perfectly fine for a Christian who is seeking to live life according to God's plan and purposes. That said, our larger church body, the LCMS, has done a study on gambling and pointed out the following concerns...

Gambling encourages the sins of greed and covetousness.
Gambling promotes mismanagement of possessions entrusted to us by God.
Gambling undermines absolute reliance on God for His provision.
Gambling works at cross purposes with a commitment to productive work.
Gambling is a potentially addictive behavior.
Gambling threatens the welfare of our neighbor and militates against the common good.

The full study and Biblical discussion can be found here:  http://www.lcms.org/Document.fdoc?src=lcm&id=358
This link is one among many that discuss the personal toll of professional poker.
http://www.addiction-intervention.com/current-events/poker-players-taking-risks-with-drugs/

While it would not be impossible for a Christian to make a living as a professional gambler, it would seem unlikely that that is God's plan for someone's life, considering these dangers and concerns. The "gamble" isn't about money, it's about the odds against becoming good enough to actually make a living...at the risk of squandering more tangible opportunities now, while endangering health and family relationships. I would encourage the person to see how the same gifts that make them good at poker (mathematical skill, ability to read others, ability to think under pressure, etc.) might be better used by God in another way.

Question: I am confused by last weekend’s sermon. Please help. I had always believed in John 3:16, that we are saved by grace and faith, that salvation is a free gift of God and can not be earned. Then I listened to this last weekends sermon and got confused by the bible verse, faith without works is dead. I seem fuzzy on the explanation of that verse even though I was really trying to pay attention. I know that good works is our way of showing gratitude to God for his gift of salvation, but I think I heard it said that if we don’t do good works for whatever reason, but have faith, we don’t really have faith at all, and that means our salvation is in question. Now I’m feeling guilty that I’m not out doing more good works, and wondering if this is going to effect me spending eternity with Jesus or not. Please help.

Answer:
Perhaps the difficulty we’re having is the variety of definitions “Work” can have.  You referred to John 3:16 which clearly states to our salvation comes through belief in Jesus, God’s Son. No contradiction here! Another passage that is often quoted is Romans 3:21-26 that again clearly puts faith as the path through which we are accounted God’s righteousness. Again, no contradiction here!

In this series we have been asking if Christianity Works. You can look at that in many different ways; does it work for me?... does it work on me?... do I use it to work on others? As we have examined the question in several different arenas, the direction of the work shifts. First it works on me, in transforming who I am through faith in Christ Jesus. It works through me as I bring that grace into my relationships. It works for me in bringing peace throughout the hardships of life. A long form of this week’s question could be stated, “As Christianity works on me, does that also carry through to work for my country?”

The text from James uses the word “works”. That is a word that usually causes Lutherans to run to Ephesians 2:8&9 to say that we are saved by God’s grace through faith, not works. No contradiction here! But the problem can be that we stop there and see only competition between faith and works. We blanch at any use of the term. However, if you continue reading in Ephesians 2 into verse 10, we hear that we are God’s workmanship, something God has crafted us into, for good works! In fact, those works have already been planned out into the map of our life. They are ready and waiting for us to walk through them. I’m thinking that means we can’t totally throw out that work word.

The James text that was used, James 2:8-19 is following that same path of Ephesians 2:10. When James uses the word faith he’s not arguing with Paul about receiving God’s grace through faith. He is, however, contending with some Christians’ use of the term faith in a watered down way that has no impact on their life. A simple assent to God’s existence that has not taken root through the Holy Spirit and “worked” on the heart is quite probably dead, not in the sense that it will not result in salvation, but in the sense that it bears no fruit. It hasn’t made that Ephesians 2:10 journey, which is the will of God for your faith.

I wouldn’t want you to wonder about spending eternity with Jesus. That is sure. But you might want to wonder about what those good works are that God has scattered in your path here in this world, this life, this community, this country. Christians all living out God’s plan for each one of them will have a huge impact on our country. James says Christians won’t walk by and not meet needs, “I will show you my faith by my works.”

Q: During a recent sermon, Scott Thomas preached about the new earth when Jesus comes again. Scott said that our spirits will come back down and re-inhabit our bodies, made perfect. What if we were cremated, there is no body to be made perfect, or even for those poor victims who might have been mutilated.

 

A: Thanks for asking your question. This question centers on the point of a physical resurrection. Scott’s teaching comes from 1 Corinthians 15:42-44. The resurrected body is something completely new. We have no fears about living with amputations, injuries or other evidences of the brokenness of nature that we endure in this life. When we are resurrected in the new creation all that brokenness will be restored. People often speak of cremation as some huge hurdle for resurrection to overcome. The normal decomposition of a body doesn’t leave much for resurrection to work with either if resurrection is taking pieces and resuscitating them. Resurrection is a whole new creation.

 

1 Corinthians 15:42-22 (ESV) So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

 

Question:

 

Answer:

The Apostle’s Creed is one of the ecumenical creeds. Its use predates any denominational division in the church, so you will not find any added phrases when you cross denominational lines. You may find slight shifts in the English translation from the original Latin. When I was young we would say “He will come to judge the quick and the dead.” We now use a translation that says “the living and the dead”.

 

Your question is on the phrase “He descended into hell.” It sounds strange to our ears if we group it with preceding phrase of the creed “was crucified died, and was buried. He descended into hell.” Then it sounds like Jesus not only suffered on the cross for our sins, but also suffered in hell.

 

But if we look where the phrase comes from in 1 Peter 3:19 “he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.” We connect it as the first of several statements about Jesus’ power and authority. “He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the God the Father Almighty.” We see that it is a victory speech we are talking about. Christ proclaims his victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil on our behalf. With that series of phrases we make the statement, “I believe His power surpasses all.”

 

Question: I have heard of some interesting things that have happened in churches that are "charasmatic" such as instant physical healings, manna appearing the bibles, and people actually seeing Jesus or visions of heaven. Can all of this be true?
 
A: Our church body (The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod) has said the following:
 
"God can choose to perform mighty works in and through His church even today. Miracles of healing are not inherently impossible or absurd. The church must not deny the supernatural nor reject the possibility that God can intervene in the course of natural things as He did in apostolic times."  And further: "We are encouraged to exercise humility and modesty when expressing our judgments about a given case, recognizing that God's ways today (beyond, of course, what He has revealed to us in the Bible) are hidden to us and that of necessity our judgments about a specific happening will have to remain in the realm of human opinion. Such humble restraint, however, ought not to prevent us from placing our complete trust in our powerful and gracious God, in the confidence that when and where He pleases He will act (even miraculously, and through means such as modern medicine) in our behalf and for our good."
 
Can these miraculous things you mention be true? Sure! Are they? We don't know. But here is a miracle we DO know - God has come to us through his powerful Word and through the miracles of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. In these miracles he forgives our sin and gives us eternal life! Any miracles of healing or visions of heaven will always pale in comparison to these amazing miracles, which we must never take for granted.

Question: As we studied Psalm 139, my children asked me about Siamese twins and other birth defects. I have to admit, I was really stumped. They want to know if God knit those people together in their mother's womb, then did God intend for them to be like they are? Is this verse a general statement of God that people have made too specific? Are those "defects" evidence of sin in the world? Or does God truly create each child in the womb just as they are and have a different view of perfection than we do?

 

Answer:

While this is starting to cross into the "big unanswered question" of theology (Why does evil exist?) I would say this. God does indeed knit each of us together to be exactly the person he wants us to be - within the limits he has placed on himself about how he is going to interact with this fallen creation until Jesus comes again. That means a few things:

 

1. While he is perfect and would want to create each of us in his perfect image, because of the fall into sin we are created in the image of sinful human parents.

2. We will all be born with gifts and blessings from God, and with certain failings, sinful tendencies, and even defects from who we would have been without sin in the world.

3. When we are in heaven we will be "recreated" to be the perfect person we would have been apart from sin!

 

But - as to why God lets certain imperfections happen in specific people's lives, and as to why some seem (key word is "seem" - who is to say what is ultimately better or worse?) to be more severe defects than others - that is unknowable and I trust that God will sort that all out.

 

 

 

Q: One of the Ten commandments mentions honoring thy mother and father. How can I do that when they were emotionally and physically abusive to me when I was growing up? What does the bible say about this?

 

A: Let me start by saying my heart breaks at the hurt you have had to deal with. When we are in a situation that should only be nurturing and safe but receive injury instead, all heaven cries over the broken world we live in. Some of us experience that in broad generic ways. Others deal with it even in the intimate environment of our family.

 

One thing to understand about the “Honor your father and mother” directive in the commandments is that it is being spoken to a culture that has large extended multigenerational families living together in the same tent. We speak that phrase commandingly to 8 year olds. It takes on a whole other dynamic when it’s spoken to adults wanting their own way while still governed by the previous generation, and even more so when survival may make it expedient to jettison the old and infirm who are no longer contributing to the family’s resources. (1 Tim 5:4)

 

Honoring indicates respect, sometimes because of who they are, sometimes because of who they were. (Proverbs 23:22) It also assumes that there is a relationship that comes from a mutuality of respect. When sin and dysfunction come into the mix, respect fades. You can find a very complex example of this in the story of David’s family in 2 Samuel 13 – 18.

 

God does not endorse abuse of children when calling them to respect their parents. It’s especially tragic when parents fail to nurture their children because the child grows with a warped understanding of their identity. This is where the Good News from God brings healing. God does not abandon us to bad parenting. (Psalm 27:10) We find that we have a solid identity that goes way beyond our parents. God, by his love, makes us his children. (1John 3:1-3) Once we’re solid in this identity, honoring parents is no longer about who they are, or were. It’s more about who we are and want to be through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Your parents have put a huge rupture in your relationship. Is it a permanent rupture, or is it something you would like to repair based on the love God has given you and the healing you have experienced? You may need more time to heal, or you may discover bringing God’s grace into that disrupted relationship by giving some small form of respect may be the catalyst for your own healing.

 

Q: “If a fellow Christian commits a sin and asks for forgiveness are we obligated to forgive even though we are too angry to do so?”

 

A: God is the one who forgives sins and makes us His forgiven children. Psalm 103: 1-13 is a powerful declaration of God’s forgiving love in our lives.

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him

 

In the Lord’s prayer, Matthew 6:12-14, our Lord teaches His disciples to pray. A part of that prayer calls on us as His children to forgive as we have been forgiven.

 

“ and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. “

 

St.Paul in writing to the Christians at Corinth addresses a situation in which one of the members of the church had severely offended other members. They had apparently not been able to resolve the issue and for that reason had apparently also not dealt with the person in a forgiving way. Paul indicates that amounts to punishment “by the majority”. And asks the members of the church to “turn and forgive him, or he (the one who offended them all) may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” II Corinthians 2:5-8.

 

5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him.

 

I don’t know the situation to which you are referring, or exactly in what manner the person has sinned against you, but if that person has sought your forgiveness and you are holding back forgiveness, there could be the possibility that your reluctance to forgive might truly “overwhelm the person.”

 

It surely is the Lord’s will that you do forgive that person. The issue for you might now be, what keeps you from forgiving that person? What makes it hard for you to let go of the anger you expressed? Is it that you feel the person was insincere in asking your forgiveness? Is it possible this has happened before, perhaps more than once and the person’s request for forgiveness was not followed up by appropriate action on his/her part?

 

In a sense you have a concern with that person. For what ever reason, you have something against that person. I think you could possibly consider addressing that concern to him/her. Matthew 18 gives our Lord’s great guidelines for confronting those who have sinned against us.

 

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed.

 

Ask the Lord to guide you as you search your heart, come to him in prayer for guidance and then decide which course of action would truly lead to a God-pleasing resolution of this issue.

 

Q: If God has a plan for us, why do we pray for something/anything we may need or want to happen?

 

A: Great question since on the surface it seems that God’s sovereign will for us would overrule any prayer request. Here are three points that I think will help answer this question.

1. God through His Son tells us to pray and to be persistent:

 

¹ And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. ² He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. ³ And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ⁴ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” ⁶ And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. ⁷ And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? ⁸ I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Luke 18:1-8 (ESV)

 

⁶  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 (ESV)

 

2. God promises to answer our prayers (but not always with the answers we want).

 

⁷  “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Matt 7:7-8 (ESV)

 

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.^[2] James 5:13-16 (ESV)

 

3. The mystery of “changing the mind of God”. For this complex answer, let’s refer to the FAQ section of the LCMS website and see what they have to say.

 

Q. Can we change God's mind through prayer or are all of our actions and days of our lives predetermined? If we pray that God's will be done, where does the power of prayer come in?

A. The question you raise touches on one of the great mysteries of prayer as it relates to the nature of God, and there is no simple "answer" to this question that is comprehensible to human reason. On the one hand, Scripture does not teach "predeterminism," i.e., that every single thing that happens in our lives has been "predetermined" by God from eternity; in that case (as you suggest) petitionary prayer would really be a meaningless activity. On the other hand, we know from Scripture that God is omniscient, also as regards His foreknowledge--He knows from eternity everything that will happen, but that does not necessarily means that He causes it to happen.

There are certainly examples in Scripture of God "changing his mind" (e.g., Ex. 32:14) as a result of prayer or intercession--which results in the rather mind-boggling conclusion that God was completely serious about His original plan or intention (in the case of Exodus 32, to destroy the sinful Israelites), but that He also knew in advance (by virtue of His foreknowledge) that He would change his mind as a result of prayer. Since we will never (on this side of heaven) fully comprehend mysteries such as these, the best course of action is simply to trust God's promises about the power and value of prayer in Christ's name and heed Scripture's many admonitions to pray faithfully and frequently. God has promised to hear our prayer and to answer prayer, according to His good and gracious will. God always know what is best for us.

 

Q: If I attend church regularly and serve, am I wrong to not be in a small group? What’s the difference?

 

 

A: First, thank you for attending church regularly and for serving your congregation.  Those activities are more than valid reflections of life in the body of Christ.  You certainly are not “wrong” for not being a part of a small group.  We simply believe small groups contain the catalytic elements for life transformation—the presence of God’s Word, the word of God spoken through his people to one another, and the Holy Spirit in the midst of this all.  To give you a little glimpse, our small groups, consisting of 3 – 20 people, connect regularly (many weekly) on their journey to grow closer to God.  Spiritual and relationship growth take place as the group reads, prays and discusses the application of God’s word in their lives.  True story—a person very recently joined a men’s small group.  He has been attending services regularly for 6 years, but has never opened up or owned a Bible.  He would not have known where to find the book of Genesis.  Not negating anything he experienced from worship services and sermons he heard, but this gentleman was never personally challenged, face-to-face across a table from another believer, to dive into God’s Word.  Upon his second small group meeting, he was given a Bible as a free gift and is taking spiritual steps towards growing in his relationship with Christ unlike he has ever experienced in his Christian life.  This is just one example but a powerful one depicting how God uses small groups of believers to disciple, support, and encourage one another. 

Q: Do we need to be baptized again if we were baptized as an infant?”

A: Baptism received in the name of the Holy Trinity is always a Baptism, no matter what. Some protestant churches have roots in the "Anabaptist" tradition; the word "Anabaptism" means, "Baptized again." At the time of the Reformation in the 16th century there arose groups that were collectively known as "enthusiasts" or "radical reformers" and eventually known as the "Anabaptists." One of the hallmarks of their theology was the view that infant Baptism is of no effect and believers must all be baptized again.

The Lutheran church, on the basis of Scripture, believes, teaches and confesses that Baptism is that one-time wonderful act of God in our lives by which He incorporates us into the life and death of Jesus Christ. It has life-long and ongoing blessings, but is performed only once on a person.  Our Lord said, "Go and baptize," not "Go and baptize the same person numerous times."  And although it is administered only once, Baptism is to be used by Christians throughout their whole life. Nowhere do the Apostles call on Christians to repeat Baptisms; however, they frequently recall to their minds the Baptism once received (1 Cor.1:13; 6:11; 12:13; Rom. 6:3ff; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12; Titus 3:5-6; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Q: How do you respond to someone who says “all gods are the same"?

 

A: Great question, and one that I have heard a lot.  When studying the world religions, one of the things that becomes immediately apparent is just how incredibly different these religions are, right down to how they think about God.  Usually people who say "all gods are the same" have never really spent any time studying the worlds religions.  If they had, they would see just how faulty this idea is.

Let me give you a brief example.  Christianity says that God is a personal being.  Buddhism says that there is no god at all and that the "divine" is simply an impersonal, transcendent reality.  So which is it?  Is there a personal God or is the divine simply some impersonal transcendent reality?  It is easy to see how absolutely incompatible these two fundamental ideas are.

However, let's bring it a little closer to home.  What if we were to take two monotheistic religions, like Christianity and Islam?  Again, we would see that their understandings about God are strikingly different.  Christianity says that God entered the world as Jesus Christ to die for our sins.  Islam says that this is impossible; that God would could never die for our sins, much less become human.  Muslims claim that this would be contrary to his nature.  So which is it?  A God who loves the world and enters into to it to die for us?  Or a God who is totally transcendent, judging us from afar?

Again, who God is, what He is like, and how He relates to us are fundamentally different from one religion to the next.  People who claim that all religions are the same often have the best intentions by trying to say that no religion is better than any of the others.  However, they then end up making a blanket statement about the world’s religions that totally ignores the major differences between them.  So, to the person who says "all gods are the same", I would encourage him or her to take a second look at those religions and really try to understand what they believe.  To do any less is to insult the beliefs of religious people everywhere by simply writing off their teachings with an overly simplistic answer.
 

Q: Many large churches baptize adults by immersion. Is this different than an infant baptism?

 

A: On the basis of the evidence provided in the New Testament, it is not possible to prove that the term "baptize" always refers to immersion, nor that the Baptisms mentioned were all done by immersion--implying (in the view of some) that only Baptisms done by immersion can be considered valid. In fact, taken as a whole the evidence suggests otherwise. In some cases the term "baptize" is synonymous with "wash" (Tit. 3:5-6; see also Heb. 9:19; Eph. 5:26, Acts 22:16, and Mark 7:1-4—a passage in which some earlier translators considered the term "baptize" to include the washing of "dining couches"), and it is highly likely that Baptisms were performed in the early church by methods other than immersion. Three thousand were baptized on Pentecost in Jerusalem, where no river exists and no mention is made of other large quantities of water that would or may have been used. In fact, the shortage of water supplies in general in many parts of the ancient world would have precluded Baptism by immersion. As the Supplementary Volume of The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible correctly notes, "It is unlikely that in Jerusalem, Samaria, Damascus, Philippi, Corinth, Rome, or Asia Minor enough water was always available for a full bath" (87).

 

It should be noted that very early in Christian history methods other than immersion were used and allowed. The Didache requires the administrant of Baptism to "pour water three times on the head" (7:3). No mention is made of immersion. Early Christian art depicts Baptisms of persons standing in shallow pools with water poured on the head (see David Scaer, Baptism, 96-101).

 

Lutherans have therefore held that the manner of Baptism (that is, immersion, pouring, sprinkling, etc.) does not determine whether a Baptism is valid, any more than the manner of distributing the Lord's Supper (common cup, individual glasses) affects the validity of this Sacrament. Only the Word of God and the "element" (water), according to divine institution, makes a Baptism valid.

Q: What do you mean by the “gift of tongues” and do we still recognize this gift?

 

A: We saw in 1 Cor. 12 Paul’s earnest desire that the Corinthian congregation mature and that maturity is the use of gifts governed by love (chapter 13). This quality of love, the true evidence of the Spirit, will bring the best benefit to the congregation and to their mission. In chapter 14 Paul returns to the gift of tongues because of the way it is affecting their worship together.

 

He starts by again urging them towards love (14:1) and then points their attention to prophecy as something that will benefit their worship together. He puts some guiding restrictions on the use of tongues (14:13-19) to keep the congregation’s worship focus on the gifts that function for the best benefit in a corporate setting, both for the congregation and for their mission.

 

Neither one of these words, tongues or prophesy, are very often used in our Lutheran atmosphere, so you may ask, “What’s going on?!?” In our Three Colors of Ministry class we define the gift of tongues as the use of a language you have never learned (Acts 2), either in personal prayer or for a public message. We define the gift of prophecy as serving as the vehicle for a divine message regarding a concrete situation.

 

The gift of tongues serves as a powerful connection to God for the individual in worship. Paul says in Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” It is a great energy boost for the individual’s faith and often for the faith of those who witness it. We glimpse in it God’s nature to completely bowl over resistance with the power of his presence. Paul’s point in 1 Cor. 14:6-12, however, is that without interpretation, the full maturing benefit of understanding is lost on the congregation. It is our understanding that tongues can be beneficial for the individual to practice in personal or small group settings, but is not our practice to include it in corporate worship.

 

We don’t often use Paul’s word prophecy, but if you think of the definition, you’ve probably seen it in action very often. When the Word of God is unpacked with great meaning, interpreting the signs of the times in its light, giving warning and guidance, that is prophecy. It may remind you of what you have heard in some sermon lately. You can see why this gift that brings understanding was something Paul felt would bring great benefit to the Corinthian congregation as they tried to figure out how to live as Christians in a pagan city.

 

So, why does the practice of tongues seem to come and go, as if a fashion statement of a particular congregation or even a particular era of the church? Some point to 13:10 where Paul talks about tongues passing away when the more perfect comes. As the knowledge base and quality of preaching the message of the Gospel increases, the need for the power jolt of tongues is no longer needed and so it has passed away. The era of tongues is over. Others interpret the more perfect as a longing look into heaven, where all gifts will be overshadowed by God’s presence. Love, the one thing that governs all gifts, will be all that remains. That’s the crux of the debate Christians continue to carry on about the gift of tongues.

 

 

Q: If anyone of us were to “enter” this world of ours, and have no knowledge of the existing religions, which “religion” would we choose? Reasons for choosing?

 

A: In all honesty I think you have asked a question that I cannot answer:)  There is no way that I can know how another person will respond in a hypothetical scenario nor can I know the reasons for their response.

However, I think I know where you are coming from.  I've heard a similar question many times before and that is:

 

What happens to people who are raised without knowing Jesus?  Is it fair for God to judge them for accepting whatever they were brought up to believe?

 

Would it be accurate to re-phrase your question in this way?  If not, please let me know and I can try and give a more accurate response.

If your question is along these same lines, I'll do my best to answer.

One of the things that the Bible tells us is that, whether we realize it or not, we are all searching for a deeper connection with God.  The apostle Paul highlights this when he spoke to a group of philosophers in Athens: 

 

"And [God] made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him.  Yet he is actually not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:26-27).

 

One of the things that I think this tells us is that, as humans, we have an inherent desire to look for something outside of ourselves to which we relate and in which we find meaning.  I think that this actually explains the presence of so many worldviews and philosophies, both the religious or secular.

However, Paul also notes our tendency for self-deception.  When writing to the church in Rome, he said:

"For what can be known about God is plain to [humanity], because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (Romans 1:19-23).

 

While Paul is specifically talking about the religions of Greek and Roman paganism, I think this passage highlights some important things.  Specifically it notes how we, as humans, tend to end up worshiping things other than God.  We end up buying into systems of belief that reflect more about our desires than they do about God.  Furthermore, this leads us to become blinded to spiritual truth when we encounter it.

So, on the one hand, I think the worlds religions and philosophies highlight an honest attempt by humanity to find God, but are also limited by our own tendency to accept beliefs that simply meet our desires or needs rather than seeking after spiritual truth.  This is both the promise and the limitation of the world religions.

So, what about those who are raised in an environment where Christianity is not taught?  Well, I am not entirely sure.  I would say, based on what we have seen in Scripture, that anyone who simply accepts a worldview that they are handed without exploring it to see if in fact it is true are setting themselves up for disappointment when they meet God.  This goes for Christians as well.  The excuse of "Well, that is what I was given" won't cut it.  As best as we are able, we are responsible for whether or not we seek out God.  That is a choice that we are accountable for.

Now, that being said, if someone truly is not able to find the truth about Christ because of the lack of Bibles, living in an environment where Christianity is not present, or because they die before finding Christ, I think God will take these factors into account.  The Bible tells us that God is just and will not punish a person unfairly.  The question will be whether they were truly seeking Him or not.  This is why I am glad that God makes the final call and not me, because only He knows the condition of a person's heart.  I believe that those who were truly seeking to know God and have a relationship with Him will be looked upon with mercy.

However, the final thing that we have to take into consideration is what ultimately can save us.  In the end, we are all dependent upon the grace and mercy of Christ, for the Bible also says:

 

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

 

A person, whether Christian or not, will not be saved because of how "good" he or she was, because the ultimate standard is the glory of God; a standard that no human being can ever live up to if left to his or her own devices.  Furthermore, the Bible tells us that all those who die not knowing Christ will be "judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done" (Revelation 20:13).  We are only guaranteed salvation by having a relationship with Jesus Christ:  acknowledging him as our Lord and Savior and living out that relationships in obedience to him.

This is why it is so important for Christians to be a part of spreading the Gospel message.  It gives everyone a chance to know Jesus Christ and to have an eternal future which is secure in his grace.  Without this, we are left to our own with no guarantees of our eternity.

So, what happens to those who follow other religions?  I'm not sure.  That is for God to decide when he judges them.  The only guarantees come through a living and vibrant relationship with Christ.

 

Q: Who wrote the Apostle’s Creed?
 

A: The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod has a wonderful website with a great FAQ section. The Apostle’s Creed didn’t have a single author but it was a compilation of what the church believed that was set in writing by the early church. By 150 A.D it was in use at Christian centers all along the Mediterranean Sea, such as Jerusalem, Alexandria (North Africa), Rome, and even Spain, especially in conjunction with Baptism. As the water was applied, the question would be asked: "Do you believe in God the Father? God the Son? etc." Very quickly the answer developed into what we now call the Apostles' Creed. It is often called the baptismal creed. In addition to its primary use at all baptisms, it is also very appropriate for use in daily devotions.

Q: Did anyone actually see Jesus go when he ascended into heaven?

 

A: Two Scripture references indicate that a number  of the Disciples were with \him, when he  was taken up to heaven.

 

Mark 16:14-20

14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
 15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.
 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

 

Apparently the eleven Disciples witnessed the Ascension.

 

Also it is recorded in Luke 24- Luke records the ascension after the appearance of Jesus to Thomas.  It begins in verse 36 and goes to the end of the chapter.

 

 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."
 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
 44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
 46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
 48 You are witnesses of these things.
 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

 

Q: I have heard people say that if you believe enough and pray enough that all your problems will be solved. I pray at least once a day and I don’t think I could believe anymore. But why are my life problems not getting any better? Do I need to pray more or something?

 

A: I appreciate the honesty of your questions.  The question of "having enough faith" is a human question. God never asks 'how much faith is needed."  Romans 5:1 and following  says,

     "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

     through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of

     the glory of God."

 

You may remember the story of the thief on the cross when our Lord was crucified. His confession of faith was simply "Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom."  Jesus reply was also simple and straightforward,  "Today you will be with me in paradise."

 

God surely wants us to grow in faith, "Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord." (2 Peter 3:l8) but the presence of faith is what brings us God's forgiveness and the blessings of His love, not any supposed quantity of faith.

 

It is the same with prayer.  While God invites us to pray, and encourages us to pray often, the quantity of prayer is never the issue. In speaking to people of His day who made a show of prayer in public to impress people. , Jesus made it clear that quantity of prayer is not the issue.  Matthew 6:7-8 "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Hear our Lord assurance there also that He does know your needs.

 

One other point I think is important.  You express frustration that your life problems are not getting any better.  In I Cor 10:13 God, speaking through St. Paul make a wonderful promise,  "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
 

I think those words are powerfully supportive of all of us who live with the pressure of real life in our world of today.

 

 

Question: In the beginning, god created the heaven and the earth. How can it be the beginning if god was there? Where did he come from?

 

A: Your question is a good one. The Bible says in Gen. 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The short answer is that God is the only being that wasn’t created by something or someone else. That is one of the unique features of God that nothing else or no one else can claim. There are more Bible passages on this subject but I’ll refer to three:

 

• The first you already quoted in your question. Gen. 1:1 says that God was there from the beginning or more clearly, He was always there.

   

   

•  If you go to the end of the Bible where God is speaking to the apostle John, God says “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev 1:8 (ESV) God is saying that He “is” (the now), “was” (from forever) and “is to come” (for ever).

   

   

• One of most famous passages about God’s name is in Exodus 3:1-22 where Moses encounters God in the burning bush and asks God for His name. God says “I AM WHO I AM”.

 

We worship an almighty God who always was, is and always will be, truly unique and worthy of praise and worship. He is also the God who created you and me, loved us so much that He sent his Son, His only Son, to die on a cross from us so that we can live with the great “I AM” forever in Heaven. We have a loving God as our Father.

 

 

Q: As a Christian parent of a child who was raised in this church and attended a Lutheran school, how do I effectively address the situation of living with a potential spouse without the benefit of marriage?

 

A: Our recent series Let’s Talk About Sex dealt with our culture’s contrast to the principles for marriage outlined in 1 Corinthians 7. The basic assumption in all that Paul says is that the life of the unmarried is a celibate life. Even if that is what your child heard in their forming years, and what you reinforced while sharing your own life and faith story, we have to acknowledge the sheer volume of influence and input our culture has in the attitudes of our children, and the fact that they must finally take their own steps. Our parent hearts understand the plea of Proverbs 6:20-21 and 10:1.

 

You ask about effectively addressing the situation. Recognize that this could be a long process. The quality of your communication will be key, especially in how you can communicate your value for the relationship you have with your adult child. We follow God’s example. He speaks clearly about what path brings the best promise of life for his children and he opens his heart of love even when his child strays.

 

• 1 Cor. 7:2 Paul describes marriage as the environment that gives safety and full expression to our sexual life. Entering a sexual relationship without the safe binding of marriage can bring uncertainty, disappointment and hurt in the long term.

• Psalm 103 tells about the vastness of God’s love and mercy. Rest confidently in the knowledge that God will not walk away from the situation. Rely on his patience and his love while you hold on to your relationship with your adult child.

 

Also, consider this – how do you apply the wisdom of God’s Word to your life? Do you take the Bible as advice, words for consideration, or do you give it full authority with the power to curb your own inclinations? This will be an underlying issue in many of life’s choices.

 

Many people in our culture consider Jesus as a good and wise teacher, but do not give him any authority to rule their lives. Similarly, they consider the Bible to be a good book among many good books, not The Book given by God to govern our lives. When your spoken words fail, let your behavior and choices model the power of God’s Word in your life. 2 Timothy 3:16

 

 

 

Q: Religion makes a virtue out of not thinking. Why is this, in the 21st century, a good thing? 

 

A:  I would challenge the basic assumption of this question. I do not believe religion makes a virtue of not thinking. In fact, there are many places in scripture where we are encouraged to use our minds. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Reading and studying God's word is a life-long learning process. It challenges us to think and not blindly follow a list of rules. It stretches our understanding of the universe and of ourselves.

 

There have been many very intelligent people of faith. Read something by C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) or by modern author Timothy Keller (The Reason for God) and you will find people who know Christianity is not about checking your brain at the door. And by the way - Trinity will be doing a series in 2011 entitled "Can Smart People Believe in God?" We have some very intelligent people right here at Trinity that work at places like Argonne and Fermi who will have some fascinating things to say about thinking and faith.

 

Q: “God appeared and spoke to His people in early times. Why do you think he doesn’t do so today when reassurance of His presence would be such a support to mankind?”

 

A: The question you ask reminds me of the story of The Rich Man and Lazarus from the Bible (Luke 16:19-31). When I look at verses 28-3, Jesus seems to be saying that the Father has given us everything we need to come to know Him. We have “Moses and prophets” which to them was their Bible - the revealed word of God. Jesus says that even if someone should rise from the dead (and Jesus has done that) some people wouldn’t believe. The bottom line is that God has given us His creation as a witness, His revealed Word (the Bible), sent His son to redeem us and His Holy Spirit to comfort us until He returns. God seems to be saying that He has provided all we need to accept Him and live according to His will. If we needed more, I trust that He would have provided more.

 

Q:  How do you get child like faith as an adult? I used to believe without doubt. I have a lot of doubt and would like that assurance back!

 

A:  Moving from childhood where life is generally a bit more simple to adulthood with all of its complications, pressures and challenges surely creates a challenge also to faith.

Faith is a gift from God, given in baptism and nurtured  by use of the Word and Sacraments.  Romans 10:17 states:

          "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is

          heard through the word of Christ."

You have faith because of the Word of God you have heard and believed.  That faith will continue to grow as you continue to hear the Word in worship or in private reading and devotion. 

Here are some of the promises God makes to you in His word.

Hebrews 13:5-8

5 God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

The Lord is your helper, and He will help you deal with doubts that trouble you.  He will help you through His word. He will help you through worship and involvement in the life of our congregation.

Jesus also speaks a word of wonderful promise as He spoke to all of us as His disciples sending us as believers on His mission as His people the church.  Hear especially the end of verse 20. That's His promise to you, to be with you always, in the midst of any doubts, to support you in spite of those doubts and to help you deal with those doubts.

Matthew 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

I think the Words of Romans 8:35-39 are most powerful in reminding us of God's promises to support us , no matter with what struggle difficulty or doubt we may be dealing.

35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 

Q:  How long do we have to suffer before things get better?

 

A:  Suffering can take so many different forms in our life.  Surely one of the cause of suffering is when an important person is no longer a part of your life.

 

I of course don't know the circumstances  that brought that about, taking that person out of your life,  but I know God doesn't bring pain or loss into our lives. He wants to help us deal with it.

 

Rather God wants to assure you of His love for you to support you in the midst of this loss.  One Scripture text that comes to my mind is I Corinthians 10:13..

 

          "God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the

          testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it,"

 

That is a sure promise from our gracious God. It may be hard to understand or accept at a given moment, but God is faithful. 

 

In the book of Romans, St. Paul speaks to the issue of facing loss, difficulty, problems and trials. 

 

Romans 8:28-39

28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?
33 Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Trinity offers small group opportunities that would offer a place to form supportive relationships with friends of faith. Contact Craig Mattes for help hooking up with a small group.

 

 

Q: What happens if you’re a good person and do good things but don’t quite believe in God?

 

A: You obviously care about the quality of your life. You describe yourself  as a good person doing good things. Yet you indicate that something makes it hard for you to believe in God. Be patient with yourself.  Your concern for living a good life, i.e. a responsible, law-abiding, caring life surely indicates great respect for life as a gift and for living that life in a responsible way.

 

If you sincerely desire to receive the gift of faith, then ask God to open your heart to the Word of God. I pray that you would continue to attend church with us at Trinity. The Word of God is taught there every week. 

 

You also need to know it is God's heart felt desire that you do believe in him.  In I Timothy 2: 1-8 St. Paul is writing to a young pastor Timothy, about the importance of worship in the life of the congregation.  I think these words can speak to you as well.

 

 NIV 1 Timothy 2:1

 1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--
 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men-- the testimony given in its proper time.
 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle-- I am telling the truth, I am not lying-- and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles

Most importantly you need to know God loves you and wants you to know His love and forgiveness for your life.

 

 

Q: Does God answer every prayer?

 

A: Yes,God does answer every prayer. The issue for us as human beings is that the answer may not be the answer we expect, or desire.  Answering our prayer is not the same as granting our request.  Sometimes the answer could well be "no."

 

The best example of prayer is our Lord's own prayer in the garden of  Gethsemane, right before he was arrested, tried and crucified. 

Our Lord prayed urgently that if it be possible He wouldn't have to go through the suffering that was just ahead.

 

Matt 26:39 - Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

 

It is that model of prayer our Lord gave us that enables us to come to him with all our concern, adding that wonderful statement of faith and trust, "yet not as I will, but as you will."

 

Q: Do Muslims worship the same God as Christians? Do they worship the only true God, but reject Jesus, or do they worship a false god?

A: That is a great question and one that I get a lot, especially as a Christian who has spent some time studying Islam.  I would say that the answer is "Yes" and "No".  What I mean is that there are certain things about God that Islam gets right and certain things that it gets wrong.

For example, two of the most prominent names for God in the Qur'an are "The Merciful and The Compassionate".  Now, Christians also believe that God is merciful and compassionate.  So, in this respect we agree and Islam is saying something right about God and His nature.  So, where there is overlap between Islam and Christianity, then I would say that they are acknowledging the truth about God.

However, there are also many differences between Islam and Christianity.  The most fundamental, and probably most important, comes down to the nature of Jesus.  Muslims acknowledge Jesus as a prophet, but do not believe that he was God or that he died for our sins.  Christians believe that Jesus Christ was and is God, that he died for ours sins so that we might enter into a new relationship with God and live eternally with Him when He comes in glory.  Furthermore, Christians believe that accepting Christ and your Lord and Savior is necessary for salvation.  Muslims believe that this is unnecessary and that we are saved based on whether or not we live in obedience to the Qur'an.

On this point, we would say the Muslims have missed the truth about God and are not worshiping Him in spirit and truth.

Now, I've had people ask me whether or not a person who is worshiping Allah in a Muslim country that is closed to the Gospel is truly worshiping God or not?  In all honesty, I do not know.  I think that only God can determine whether they are or not because only He knows the condition of their heart and whether or not, if they heard the Gospel, they would take the next step and become a follower of Jesus. 

However, for the Muslim who has access to the Gospel and rejects it, whether outright or by refusing to examine it, I would say that they are willfully rejecting God, regardless of whatever overlap there might be between the teachings of Islam and Christianity.  The point is whether or not we are in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ or not, for Jesus tells us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).