Qs and As

However, we don't have a sense of what God's Truth is or what a lie is and we absolutely definitely do not know the nature and character of God because we've been deceived by the devil's lies (Gen. 3:13).

Because we do not know God's nature and character, we need to listen to Jesus, for He spoke God's truth and He came to reveal the nature and character of God, that we may know God. The Bible reveals God's nature and character and His will for us, also. Do not be afraid to pick up the Book and read it, for that is the next thing you need to do. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to teach you about His nature and character as you read. He will. There is only one way to interpret His Word (the Bible), His way. You can listen to the testimony of other believers, talk to those who know Jesus and keep on praying and waiting on God until it pleases Him to reveal His Son in you (Gal. 1:16) and do not settle for less.

5. Q. I don't believe a loving God will punish all those nice people who do good deeds, in the world, just because they don't accept Jesus. If He does, then He is not a loving God and He is wrong to punish nice people, who do good deeds, simply because they choose to follow the religion they were born in.

A. Let me say again lovingly, religion will not save anyone from death, hell and God's judgment. God is Love. God is also Righteous, Holy, Pure, JUST, Merciful, Compassionate, and a whole bunch of other adjectives. God is not a liar and His Word is Truth, as Jesus said. When God says He will judge sinners, rest assured He will. If God does not judge sinners, then He is not God. All those nice people who rejected Jesus, rejected the only Way of Salvation and they will receive their reward along with the devil and his angels.

Only God knows the heart of a person, you and I don't. So how do you know those nice people who do good deeds are in a right relationship with God? How do you know that they've made their peace with God? How do you know the condition of their heart, when you do not even know the condition of your own evil heart? Who are you to judge God? Who are you to say God is wrong to punish nice or good people? Your idea of nice and good, is not the same as God's. Does that make you right and God wrong? God forbid!

6. Q. What is sin?

A. My niece who was studying for her Masters degree, in an effort to justify herself, asked me this question. You will not get the answer I gave her because I answered her according to her motif. I asked my 11 year-old (at the time), what sin was. After a minute of careful thought he replied, "Disobedience of God's laws and commands." That! From a learning disabled child.

To tell you what sin is, I want to take you back to the very origin of sin. If you have a Bible go to the book of Genesis at the very beginning of your Bible. For the benefit of those who do not have a Bible I'll write out the scripture. Genesis Chapter 2, verse 16 reads: And the Lord God commanded (there is that word command, pay attention!) the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may eat freely, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Chapter 3 begins: Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. He, the serpent, said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst (middle) of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die." Then the serpent said to the woman, "You shall not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your (mind's) eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (I guess he was suffering from brain drain, or a lapse of memory but he recovered quickly enough to blame the woman before God and to even blame God for giving him the woman).

We see in Chapter 2, verse 16 that God commanded, the man and woman not to do something. We see in Chapter 3, that the snake comes along and planted the first seed of doubt, "Has God indeed said?" That question planted the first seed of doubt about God's character, in the heart and mind of Eve. That question implied that God had lied to Adam and Eve. That question implied that the Snake was telling the truth. That the snake knew something they, Adam and Eve didn't know. And to prove it the snake told her, "You shall be like God to know good and evil."

We know now that that is not the case at all, for both Adam and Eve died, just as God said they would. So who lied God or the snake? Everyone born after those two are born spiritually dead, because the scripture went on to say that Adam and Eve bore children in their own image and likeness. So when Jesus told the Jews who wanted to kill Him that they were of their father the devil, that the devil was a liar and a murder from the beginning, He was referring to what happened in the beginning, in Eden. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:42-44). The devil lied about God's character to Eve and she believed him. He lied to Eve and told her she would not die he caused their deaths (murder). Jesus also said, murder begins in the heart.

The woman also sinned in her heart, for she chose to believe the serpent instead of believing God and she looked at the fruit of the tree and desired (coveted) it. That was the first unbelieving (sinful), and selfish thought to enter the heart of a human being. That unbelief and selfish thought led to her death and the death of her husband. So what is sin? Sin is disobedience of God's laws and commands. It is motivated by unbelief and selfishness that thing which led to the fall. Remember Rees Howells conversion experience? Anything done out of unbelief and a selfish desire is sin. Sin begins with a lack of trust in God and it doesn't end there. A lack of trust in God leads to a trust in oneself, or in someone or something else. And that misplaced trust manifests itself in our response or attitude towards everyone and everything, including our relationship with God and others.

Sin is rooted in unbelief and selfishness. Now name a person you know who has not been selfish at some point in their life. (No one is born a believer, that's why we must be born again). I thought so, you know no one. Now do you understand why Jesus said there is none good except God? And why the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God"? All have sinned. God says that, "As a person thinks in his (her) heart so is he(she)". Yes dear Reader we are what we think. Don't for one moment think that your sexual fantasies won't hurt you or anyone else. Scripture says it does. Are you going to believe the counsel of your own evil heart or are you going to believe Jesus?

7. Q. If God is love, then how can He hate?

A. We see over and over again that God hates sin and evil. God also gets angry (holy anger), and God does not sin. If God is Pure, Holy and Just and we know He is, then common sense dictates that He would hate anything that is contrary to what is pure, holy and just. And if He has revealed His nature and character and His will for us, then He has every right to be angry with us for not believing Him. Infact to disbelieve and dishonour Him is to slap Him in the face. He is the only One who deserves our love and alliance, no one else does. He is the only One who deserves our respect. He earned it, just look at Jesus!

What did He ever do to deserve what He got? If there is such a thing as Karma, then Jesus should not have suffered and died as He did. Since the scripture says, "His goings forth is of old," in other words His righteous ways are known from the foundation of the world - He never sinned in a previous life, nor in the one He lived. Do you know what scourging is? Scripture says Jesus was scourged. It means that He was beaten with a whip with a hook or hooks attached to the end of it. When that whip was applied to a person's back it would wrap around that person's body and as the whip is withdrawn the hook(s) would sink into the flesh and rip the flesh open as it was being dragged across the body.

Jesus was beaten in such a way. He was spat on, blindfolded and mocked, He was slapped around, He was made to carry His own cross, given sour wine to drink, (He didn't drink in by the way), when He was hanging there dying. All because He loved us enough to tell us the truth about an eternal hell waiting for us if we would not repent and believe Him. That is Godly love! Inspite of all that, He had it in Him to say, "Forgive them Father, they know not what they do." That is pure unselfish love, that is the love that hates sin and evil but loves peoples' souls enough to tell them the truth - at any price.

8. Q. You say God is love, but what is love?

A. The Greek language had specific words that define the different kinds of love, our English language is limited here. There is parental love, which is pretty self-explanatory. There is brotherly love (phileo), which is the kind of love you would have for a friend or a brother. There is romantic or sexual love (eros, the word erotic is derived from this Greek root word), like what most people know today. Lust and fornication, which is sex outside of marriage, would also come under this name for love. And the word (storge) is used for the love between a married couple. Then there is Godly love or sacrificial love (agape) which most people know of but do not know for they have never experienced this love. Godly love seeks the highest good of the other person, whether that person deserves to be loved or not. Godly love flows outwards, seeking only to bless, to give, it is not self-seeking. It does not seek Its own glory. Godly love loves to the death, even death on a cross! It is a love that does not lie. It has no reason to.

9. Q. But if I forgive someone for what they did to me, they'll get away with it. Why should I have to forgive?

A. Forgiveness does not mean that the ones whom you forgive will get away with what they did to you. They are accountable to God and they will answer. However, if you want God's forgiveness, you must be willing to forgive all those who have wronged you. Forgiveness does not mean you have to trust the person who wronged you. Nor does it mean that you must be friends with them. It does not even mean that you have to tell them you forgive them, unless God leads you to tell them.

It means you must choose to love that person (Godly love, that is) in spite of what they did to you, recognizing that they are as needy spiritually just as you are. Forgiveness is not an option. It is a command. Jesus said, you must forgive, if you desire God's forgiveness. He commands us to forgive others because He knows that forgiving them is necessary for our own healing. Actually, I have never met a person whom after recognizing their own need for God's forgiveness, unwilling to forgive others. It is not an easy thing to do, it doesn't come naturally because forgiveness is from God and of God. It's divine. But with the indwelling Christ in you, you can forgive. The question is will you forgive?

10. Q. I'm an atheist, I don't believe in the existence of God.

A. Then don't worry about this God thing - your future is six feet under. All you have to look forward to is nothing - unless turning to dust is a future worth looking forward to. I was once an atheist myself - I was a fool! "The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good." (Psalm 14:1). But for the ones who believe God, there is a hope and a future for them. "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans of good not evil, plans to give you a future and a hope." (Jer. 29:11). That hope is the one every believer has, that they will one day see the love of their life, Jesus, face to face and that future, is eternal life with Him, Jesus. We have an eternal future.

11. Q. I believe all truth is relative to the individual's environment and circumstances. You have your truth and I have mine.

A. And God has His Truth, Jesus. His Truth, Jesus, is the only one worth believing, living and dying for. His Truth, Jesus, is the only truth you and I will answer to at the end of time.

12. Q. Why are you Christians so intolerant of others and their beliefs? I believe everyone has the right to do what they want to do and choose what they want. Who are you to judge?

A. If Christians are so intolerant then how come there is sex, greed and violence, sex, greed and violence and more sex, greed and violence everywhere? From Hollywood to the White House, from the Pulpit to the Rectory, from the classroom to the Internet, from Homosexuality to incest, from child pornography to rape, from fornication to adultery, to murder to war, need I go on? If we are so intolerant of other beliefs, how come there is a glut of religions and cults out there, today? Why are we still being crucified in Afghanistan*, beaten and killed in India, persecuted in Arab nations and hated in this so called civilized North America?

Is it Christians who are intolerant or is it non-Christians? Who crucified Jesus? Were they being tolerant when they beat Him and killed Him? How was Jesus intolerant? Think about it! Christians do not judge. We simply speak God's Truth. It is God's Truth that judges the unbeliever, or convicts the believer, of their sin. Judgment leads to condemnation (for the unbelieving), but conviction (for the believer), leading to repentance and Salvation. Since when is testifying to God's Truth, Jesus, judging? As for choosing what you want to do, a person has only one of two choices in life. Obedience leading to life or disobedience leading to death - take your pick and then live with it. Don't be a hypocrite.

We are not to compare ourselves with each other - because we will see ourselves in each other and we are all evil. We need to compare ourselves with Jesus, then we will see how far off we are. Then we will really see ourselves for what we all really are.

14. Q. I don't care what you say, or what the Bible says. The Bible is just a book written by mere men. I don't care what anybody says, I will follow the religion my father was born into and nobody will make me change.

A. You might as well be saying, "I was born a sinner and I will die a sinner, or I was born ignorant and I am going to die ignorant." If mere men wrote the Bible, then who wrote the Glorious Qu'ran (which by the way, apparently teaches that Jesus is alive therefore the Arabs are without excuse for persecuting Christians in their countries), the Ramayana, the Vedas, etc.? Mere men could not have written the Bible, because mere men do not know the nature and character of God.

The knowledge and wisdom in that book is too high for mere mortals. It is the inspired Word of God and until you can prove otherwise, it is foolish to argue that the Bible is not the inspired Word of God. Yes, through translation some New Testament wordings have been changed. Something I personally do not agree with. Some Old Testament books have been lost, and some eye witness accounts in the Gospels vary (which makes the conspiratory theory impossible), but the essence of the message remains the same - repent, believe God and His Salvation, Jesus or die.

Still, there is going to come a day when we will all know who was right and who is dead, won't we? It matters not whether you are an atheist, evolutionist, or agnostic. You will be raised from the dead to be judged. And if you are content to wait until that day, then be my guest. Just know this that on the day you are dragged up from wherever you've been buried or scattered, and made to stand before the Judgment seat of Christ, to give account, you will be without excuse. Truly, faith is an unspeakable gift.

15. Q. What about those people who never heard the Gospel?

A. My, my, how very considerate of you to ask about their welfare. 1 Peter 4:5 says, "They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." Those people have heard the gospel and those who heard and believed were raised, "...and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many." (Matt. 27:52-53). That is another reason why Jesus had to die, so that the dead may hear the Gospel and they did. Romans 14:9 says that, "To this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living." Now you are hearing it, because this testimony is about the Gospel of Salvation in the life of one individual - me. So don't worry, you can rest assured that a Pure, Holy and Righteous God would be Merciful and Just enough to judge the dead fairly, just as He will judge you fairly.

16. Q. I want to be saved. I believe in Jesus, what should I do to be saved?

A. Someone once asked the Apostle Paul and Silas this question and they replied, "Believe on the Lord, Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, you and your household." (Acts 16:31). Jesus said, "If you believe Me you will obey My commands," (do as He says). If you believe, then step out in obedience and start to walk in obedience to God. Live a life of obedience and submission to God's will for your life and you will find yourself bearing the fruits of the Spirit of God, which are: Love, Joy, Peace, long-suffering (patience), kindness, gentleness, self-control. Against these things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22). You may also find yourself coming under conviction as you speak to others. Go to the Lord in repentance and accept his correction, so that you may continue in obedience and hence reap the fruits of the Spirit continually.

17. Q. Ok, I hear what you are saying and I believe but what exactly must I do in order to obey God? What is expected of me? How do I obey God?

A. Excellent question, how can you obey God if you don't know what is expected of you. The only two commandments (there is that word command again, pay attention!), Jesus gave us are: "Hear O Israel (put the rest of the world in as well, it certainly applies) the Lord, the Lord God is one and you shall LOVE the Lord your God, with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength." "And the second commandment (there is that word command again) is as the first, Love your neighbour as you would yourself. On these hang all the laws including, the ten commandments and the prophets." To love God is to know Him, to know Him you must know His nature and character.

God is Omniscient (all knowing), Omnipotent (all-powerful) and Omnipresent (present in all places at the same time). God is not the universe and the universe is not God, as the New Age belief system would have you believe. God exists outside and apart from the universe, He is not confined within the borders of His universe. He made the universe and before the universe existed, God was. As the first line of the Bible says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," the universe.

God is in control, not controlling, he doesn't need to be. He is no dictator, He's a Commander. God does not dictate to us how to live our lives, He commands us to live life on His terms or suffer the consequence of our rebellion. God is not a liar His Word is Truth, as Jesus said. You can believe every word that has ever come out of the mouth of God. Take God at His Word. Trust Him with your very life, after all, He made you. He knows what is best for you. Wait on Him to provide you with all your needs.

God will never cause you to suffer needlessly. It does not give Him pleasure to allow us to suffer - but suffering is necessary for our eternal salvation. It is part of our child training - as children of God. God is a Redeemer and a Restorer of souls. He is the only One who has the capacity to take all the bad things you have ever done and that others have done to you - and all the bad things that will happen to you and use it for your own good and His glory. He will not waste anything from your past but use it to teach you, convict you, mature you, chastize you, even rebuke you and conform (mold) you into the image (nature and character) of His Son, Jesus.

Live in the moment. Know Him in the moment. Trust Him moment by moment, situation by situation, day by day. God will NEVER ever, ever squander what you give to Him. You can count on that. Whether it is your grubby material possessions, your spouse, your children or your very life. After all, you received them all from Him. They are His. You are simply giving Him back what is rightfully His. I guarantee you He can take care of you and your possessions better than you ever will. You will find your life more fulfilling as you do these things daily, moment by moment, situation by situation.

A word of caution to the wise here; beware of falling into the trap of legalism. You are saved by Grace through faith in Jesus Christ (see Eph. 2:8-9), not by obeying any laws. Keeping the Sabbath will not save you, or put you in right standing with God. You need to immerse yourself with God's Truth so that when Cults and a certain Denomination come after you to join them, you will know what to say to them. The Jews had the laws, including the one to keep the Sabbath holy, written on tablets of stone. You have the Law of liberty written, "by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." (2 Cor. 3:3b).

Some well-intentioned believers will come and try to tell you that if you obey the Ten Commandments, why are you not obeying the one that tells you to keep the Sabbath holy, tell them to read (Col. 2:16-17). Besides the Sabbath rest of the Lord is not the same as the Sabbath day - Saturday. You entered into the Sabbath rest of the Lord at the point of Salvation, when you received the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The Sabbath day (Saturday) is a foreshadowing of the Sabbath rest of the Lord, that inner peace you receive when Christ indwell you.

The law was given to reveal sin in us, the law cannot and will not justify us, our Justification is by Faith. (See Gal. 2:16-21, 3, see also Col. 2:11-20, especially vs. 16-17). Jesus came and gave us a new Commandment, "A new Commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (See John 13:34-35). You now have the Golden Rule and that is sufficient, you are now under Grace, not under law. Read the account of the Jerusalem Council in the Book of Acts, Chapter 15 verses 1-29 and see also, Col. 2:11-20, pay particular attention to vs. 16-17. Verse. 20b tells you not to subject yourself to regulations, i.e. religiosity.

Remember, religion or religiosity will not save you, it is God's Grace, Jesus Christ, through (your) faith that will save you (Eph. 2:8-9), and keep you till He comes back to claim you as His own.

For the benefit of those who do not or cannot read the Bible the Jerusalem Counsel in the Book of Acts says in summary; to abstain from things polluted by (offered to) idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled and from blood. Also, I am sure that most people know that lying, cheating, and stealing, any kind of sex outside of marriage, etc. are not pure, holy and righteous activities. Do not do them.

18. Q. The final question is one from me to you, the reader. It is this: Do you believe Jesus is God, or that Jesus and God are one? "I and My Father are one," (John 10:30). Do you love Him above all else? Do you love Him more than yourself, more than your own life? Do you truly, truly love Him?

A. Write your answer here and then live by it _________. If you answered no, then may God reward you according to your choice. If you answered yes, then may God reward you according to your choice, also. Deut. 30:19 says: "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, that both you and your children may live."