So I tell God I am mad at him, and then what happens? Do I wait for him to do something or do I keep seeking after him? This should be easy, right?
God has different levels of love? So he could love my friend more then me, or other way around?
Why do people think you can lose their salvation? What evidence do they have?
Why does Satan try so hard to ruin things for us when he knows he is going to lose in the end? I mean, he does know that, right?
Board index ‹ Assorted Bible Questions
Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by jimwalton » Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:46 am
You ask good questions. Thanks for talking with me.
“God’s anger.” Yeah, just keep seeking after Him. He will teach you what He needs to as long as you are open and seeking. You will grow in your faith as long as you keep pushing toward knowing God better. Talk to God about real things, about how you really feel and what you really think. Seek Him, and He will do what He wants to do.
“God has different levels of love? So he could love my friend more than me, or the other way around?” That’s not a way of saying it that leads us to the best understanding. Let’s try this instead. I love my wife. I love her to pieces. I love my kids. My love for my kids is very different than my love for my wife. Whom do I love more? That’s not a fair question, and it’s not the best way of saying it. Love for my wife and my kids is very different from each other, but I’d be hard pressed to have to answer whom I love more. I love my friends, too, but that’s different as well from both of the others (love for wife and love for kids). I love my enemies, too, but that’s different, too.
I’m not sure it’s best to say God could love your friend more than He loves you, but it could be different. God loves his own children in a different way than He loves those who don’t belong to Him, that’s for sure. But to say He loves one MORE than another, well, that’s probably not accurate. Does that help?
“Why do people think you can lose your salvation? What is the evidence?” The evidence comes from texts like the Parable of the Sower, where the seed is planted, but in some it has shallow roots and dies, or in others it is choked by the weeds and dies. Then there are texts like Hebrews 6.4-12, 2 Tim. 2.12, and Matthew 7.21-23. In Revelation 2 & 3 it says repeatedly things like, “Those who endure to the end will be saved,” implying that those who don’t will not. I would say that most Christians, however, like myself, believe in eternal security. Those who are REALLY saved cannot lose their salvation. God will keep them secure (Phil. 1.6; John 10.28-29).
“Why does Satan try so hard to ruin things for us?” He will stop at nothing to destroy what God is doing.
“When he knows he is going to lose in the end.” He wouldn’t have attacked Jesus the way he did if he didn’t think that he really had a chance at succeeding. When Jesus was on earth he had set aside some of His divine prerogatives (Phil. 2.7), and so Satan thought that there might be some loopholes. After all, Jesus was susceptible to death, and death is Satan’s strongest tool. He might have actually been deluded enough to think he had a true shot at capturing the Son of God into his realm.
“God’s anger.” Yeah, just keep seeking after Him. He will teach you what He needs to as long as you are open and seeking. You will grow in your faith as long as you keep pushing toward knowing God better. Talk to God about real things, about how you really feel and what you really think. Seek Him, and He will do what He wants to do.
“God has different levels of love? So he could love my friend more than me, or the other way around?” That’s not a way of saying it that leads us to the best understanding. Let’s try this instead. I love my wife. I love her to pieces. I love my kids. My love for my kids is very different than my love for my wife. Whom do I love more? That’s not a fair question, and it’s not the best way of saying it. Love for my wife and my kids is very different from each other, but I’d be hard pressed to have to answer whom I love more. I love my friends, too, but that’s different as well from both of the others (love for wife and love for kids). I love my enemies, too, but that’s different, too.
I’m not sure it’s best to say God could love your friend more than He loves you, but it could be different. God loves his own children in a different way than He loves those who don’t belong to Him, that’s for sure. But to say He loves one MORE than another, well, that’s probably not accurate. Does that help?
“Why do people think you can lose your salvation? What is the evidence?” The evidence comes from texts like the Parable of the Sower, where the seed is planted, but in some it has shallow roots and dies, or in others it is choked by the weeds and dies. Then there are texts like Hebrews 6.4-12, 2 Tim. 2.12, and Matthew 7.21-23. In Revelation 2 & 3 it says repeatedly things like, “Those who endure to the end will be saved,” implying that those who don’t will not. I would say that most Christians, however, like myself, believe in eternal security. Those who are REALLY saved cannot lose their salvation. God will keep them secure (Phil. 1.6; John 10.28-29).
“Why does Satan try so hard to ruin things for us?” He will stop at nothing to destroy what God is doing.
“When he knows he is going to lose in the end.” He wouldn’t have attacked Jesus the way he did if he didn’t think that he really had a chance at succeeding. When Jesus was on earth he had set aside some of His divine prerogatives (Phil. 2.7), and so Satan thought that there might be some loopholes. After all, Jesus was susceptible to death, and death is Satan’s strongest tool. He might have actually been deluded enough to think he had a true shot at capturing the Son of God into his realm.
- jimwalton
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Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by Nic J » Sun Apr 23, 2017 3:45 pm
Everything you said makes sense .
How do you show Christ's love to people who are hard to love? How does God expect us to do that? It's hard.
Is it ever hard for God to love us?
Why does Satan want to destroy what God is doing?
Changing topics ..
Worship music: Is there any kinds of worship we shouldn't listen to?!
The Ten Commandments? Why are they are there? I know about Moses and everything but God sees sin all the same, right? Sooo, why the Ten Commandments? What's their purpose? Sorry—that sounds really bad.
How do you show Christ's love to people who are hard to love? How does God expect us to do that? It's hard.
Is it ever hard for God to love us?
Why does Satan want to destroy what God is doing?
Changing topics ..
Worship music: Is there any kinds of worship we shouldn't listen to?!
The Ten Commandments? Why are they are there? I know about Moses and everything but God sees sin all the same, right? Sooo, why the Ten Commandments? What's their purpose? Sorry—that sounds really bad.
- Nic J
Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by jimwalton » Sun Apr 23, 2017 4:17 pm
Hey. Good to hear from you again.
“How do you show Christ’s love to people who are hard to love? How does God expect us to do that?” I define love as making a willful choice to selflessly and sacrificially serve others for their benefit. We can still sacrifice ourselves for someone’s wellbeing, and serve them, even if we don’t like them. We certainly don’t like our enemies (or they wouldn’t be enemies!), but we can love them: serve them for their benefit. We are expected to be generous in our behavior to all, whether they’re good people or bad. How is it possible? My faith says I have to figure it out. I don’t have to like the person, but if I love them, it shows my love for God is real. We are to think differently than the people of the world, or than we would naturally. Those people are loved by God, and He died for them even in their sin (just as He did for us), so we have to submit our wills to the will of the Father and love them even in their sin. It’s very difficult to do, but not if we put our heads in a different place and learn to think as God thinks. We don’t let the lousy behavior of other people define us; we let the Spirit of God in us define us. To do so we have to swallow a lot of pride and ignore a lot of injury. But look at the other teachings in Matthew 5—they say the same thing: turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, and absorb wrong for the sake of Christ. Greg Elshof says, "This doesn’t mean to treat enemies exactly as you would a friend. While we should love our enemies, pray for them, and seek for their personal flourishing, treating them identically to friends would be unwise in some circumstances, and seeking their wellbeing may actually perpetuate evil in some circumstances. It’s very possible that one might need to protect oneself or others from enemies, or create a distance, or even containment, all the while continuing to love and pray for them.” But as God does for us, we offer grace and mercy freely.
“Is it ever hard for God to love us?” I don’t think so. He IS love. Eph. 4.30 says that we are not to grieve God, however. We can cause God great sorrow, but the Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us that God never stops loving us, and it’s not hard for God to love us. We may cut ourselves off from God, but He will seek us to restore it. We might sin and cut Him to the heart, but he stands ready to forgive if we will just repent. His love for us never fails.
“Why does Satan want to destroy what God is doing?” From the temptation of Jesus, there is every reason to believe that Satan sees himself as a competitor of God’s, of envious and as deserving of what God has (worship me, bow down to me, ruler of the world, dispenser of rules and giver of benefits). But, being evil, he doesn’t look to achieve these things by noble means, but by deceit, theft, and force. Being steeped in sin, the only tools at his disposal are lies, manipulation, and destruction. He doesn’t have access to love, grace, or legitimate power.
“Worship music….Are there any kinds of worship we shouldn’t listen to?” No. Music itself is neutral. It’s what people do with it that distorts is. All styles of music are harmless: classical, contemporary, rock, jazz, blues, pop, rap, R&B. What makes music harmful is how it is used. So, as a generality, I would say that there aren’t any kinds of worship we shouldn’t listen to. If it’s there to glorify God, then it’s a legitimate expression of worship, no matter what the style. Why do you ask?
“The Ten Commandments.” The Ten Commandments were never intended to be the whole law, to be the ultimate expression of God’s will or of sin, or to claim that some sins are greater sins than others (though it is true that some sins are greater than other sins—John 19.11). The Ten Commandments are not a legal code (the law—they are so general they are unenforceable in court) or a moral code (the definition of right and wrong). They are a statement of covenant policy: what God is like and how He expects people to respond to Him. Their purpose? God has revealed Himself to us, and we should respond with worship, gratitude, and a spirit of community, considering the other person’s rights as more important than our own.
1. God has a right to exclusive allegiance
2. God expects that we will represent him properly and well in our whole lives
3. People have a right to expect humane treatment from other people.
4. Parents have a right to respect (the assumption is that they seek to be godly people)
5. The person next to us has a right to life
6. The person next to us has a right to sexual purity
7. The person next to us has the right to personal property
8. the person next to us has the right to honest and truthful testimony in court.
9. the person next to us has the right to a secure marriage.
10. The person next to us has the right to enjoy property without fear from a neighbor.
The Ten Commandments show that God has been gracious in establishing a personal relationship with us, and we should be gracious in return, and gracious to each other. Everything we do should portray the character of God. That’s generally what the Ten Commandments are all about, and what is their purpose.
“How do you show Christ’s love to people who are hard to love? How does God expect us to do that?” I define love as making a willful choice to selflessly and sacrificially serve others for their benefit. We can still sacrifice ourselves for someone’s wellbeing, and serve them, even if we don’t like them. We certainly don’t like our enemies (or they wouldn’t be enemies!), but we can love them: serve them for their benefit. We are expected to be generous in our behavior to all, whether they’re good people or bad. How is it possible? My faith says I have to figure it out. I don’t have to like the person, but if I love them, it shows my love for God is real. We are to think differently than the people of the world, or than we would naturally. Those people are loved by God, and He died for them even in their sin (just as He did for us), so we have to submit our wills to the will of the Father and love them even in their sin. It’s very difficult to do, but not if we put our heads in a different place and learn to think as God thinks. We don’t let the lousy behavior of other people define us; we let the Spirit of God in us define us. To do so we have to swallow a lot of pride and ignore a lot of injury. But look at the other teachings in Matthew 5—they say the same thing: turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, and absorb wrong for the sake of Christ. Greg Elshof says, "This doesn’t mean to treat enemies exactly as you would a friend. While we should love our enemies, pray for them, and seek for their personal flourishing, treating them identically to friends would be unwise in some circumstances, and seeking their wellbeing may actually perpetuate evil in some circumstances. It’s very possible that one might need to protect oneself or others from enemies, or create a distance, or even containment, all the while continuing to love and pray for them.” But as God does for us, we offer grace and mercy freely.
“Is it ever hard for God to love us?” I don’t think so. He IS love. Eph. 4.30 says that we are not to grieve God, however. We can cause God great sorrow, but the Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us that God never stops loving us, and it’s not hard for God to love us. We may cut ourselves off from God, but He will seek us to restore it. We might sin and cut Him to the heart, but he stands ready to forgive if we will just repent. His love for us never fails.
“Why does Satan want to destroy what God is doing?” From the temptation of Jesus, there is every reason to believe that Satan sees himself as a competitor of God’s, of envious and as deserving of what God has (worship me, bow down to me, ruler of the world, dispenser of rules and giver of benefits). But, being evil, he doesn’t look to achieve these things by noble means, but by deceit, theft, and force. Being steeped in sin, the only tools at his disposal are lies, manipulation, and destruction. He doesn’t have access to love, grace, or legitimate power.
“Worship music….Are there any kinds of worship we shouldn’t listen to?” No. Music itself is neutral. It’s what people do with it that distorts is. All styles of music are harmless: classical, contemporary, rock, jazz, blues, pop, rap, R&B. What makes music harmful is how it is used. So, as a generality, I would say that there aren’t any kinds of worship we shouldn’t listen to. If it’s there to glorify God, then it’s a legitimate expression of worship, no matter what the style. Why do you ask?
“The Ten Commandments.” The Ten Commandments were never intended to be the whole law, to be the ultimate expression of God’s will or of sin, or to claim that some sins are greater sins than others (though it is true that some sins are greater than other sins—John 19.11). The Ten Commandments are not a legal code (the law—they are so general they are unenforceable in court) or a moral code (the definition of right and wrong). They are a statement of covenant policy: what God is like and how He expects people to respond to Him. Their purpose? God has revealed Himself to us, and we should respond with worship, gratitude, and a spirit of community, considering the other person’s rights as more important than our own.
1. God has a right to exclusive allegiance
2. God expects that we will represent him properly and well in our whole lives
3. People have a right to expect humane treatment from other people.
4. Parents have a right to respect (the assumption is that they seek to be godly people)
5. The person next to us has a right to life
6. The person next to us has a right to sexual purity
7. The person next to us has the right to personal property
8. the person next to us has the right to honest and truthful testimony in court.
9. the person next to us has the right to a secure marriage.
10. The person next to us has the right to enjoy property without fear from a neighbor.
The Ten Commandments show that God has been gracious in establishing a personal relationship with us, and we should be gracious in return, and gracious to each other. Everything we do should portray the character of God. That’s generally what the Ten Commandments are all about, and what is their purpose.
- jimwalton
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9104
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:28 pm
Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by Nic J » Mon Apr 24, 2017 9:08 am
So God and us is kinda like a parent and child. I might mess up big time and make my parents disappointed in me but it doesn't mean they don't love me anymore. Right ?
God created Satan, right? Why did God create him?
I know he was a fallen angel. What does that mean?
Wait back up ... God doesn't see sin all the same?
Can you please explain more the "represent God properly," because I am pretty sure I mess that up daily ... oops. I don't do it on purpose—it kinda just happens.
Well, I asked about worship music because I love Christian rap music and I get a lot of grief for it from people. They don't think it's honoring to God—the sound of it—,but I promise you the lyrics are clean and uplifting and speak truth. I have done my research. I just wanted to know what the Bible said, if it said anything. (If you ever met me, I don't seem like I would listen to rap music.)
God created Satan, right? Why did God create him?
I know he was a fallen angel. What does that mean?
Wait back up ... God doesn't see sin all the same?
Can you please explain more the "represent God properly," because I am pretty sure I mess that up daily ... oops. I don't do it on purpose—it kinda just happens.
Well, I asked about worship music because I love Christian rap music and I get a lot of grief for it from people. They don't think it's honoring to God—the sound of it—,but I promise you the lyrics are clean and uplifting and speak truth. I have done my research. I just wanted to know what the Bible said, if it said anything. (If you ever met me, I don't seem like I would listen to rap music.)
- Nic J
Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by jimwalton » Mon Apr 24, 2017 9:58 am
So nice to talk to you.
“So God and us is kinda like a parent and child.” Absolutely. That’s exactly the image the Bible portrays: God as Father, we as adopted children, part of the family with all the belonging, blessing, inheritance, and discipline that implies. But God will never leave us or desert us. We are His, and there is nothing you can do that will make Him stop loving you (Rom. 8.38-39).
"God created Satan, right? Why?” God created all things (Jn. 1.3). But He created all things good. Everything that God made was good. So Satan, somewhere along the way, must have turned, by his own choice and not by God’s will, design, or action. So God created Satan to be different than he is and chose to be.
“I know he was a fallen angel. What does that mean?” We actually know nothing about the origin of Satan. There are some verses in Isaiah 14.12-15 that are traditionally said to be a description of Satan, but there’s no reason to take them as such, and I don’t think they’re about Satan at all. We don’t know anything, when it comes right down to it, about the origin of Satan: what he was, when he turned, or how he turned. Now, it makes perfect sense that he was a spiritual being, but there are lots of spirit beings that aren’t angels (cherubim, seraphim, archangels, and who knows what else). We don’t know what Satan was, when he turned, how he turned, or why he turned. The Bible tells us he exists, and we know God created everything good, so we are left to speculate a whole lot. We try to be careful and not teach things the Bible doesn’t teach (i.e., Satan was a fallen angel). We just don’t know.
“God doesn’t see sin all the same?” That’s right. John 19.11 is very clear. J.I. Packer (a big cheese theologian and excellent Bible teacher) says, "All sins are not equal. Scripture shows that in God’s estimate some sins are worse and bring greater guilt than others, and that some sins do us more damage. Moses rates the golden calf debacle a great sin (Ex. 32.30). Ezekiel, in his horrific allegory, says that after Oholah (Samaria) had ruined herself by unfaithfulness to God, Oholibah (Jerusalem) 'became more corrupt…in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister' (Ezk. 23.11). John distinguishes sins that do and do not inevitably lead to death (1 Jn. 5.16), picking up Jesus’ warning about the unforgivable sin (Mk. 3.28-30).”
He then continues: "On one level, all sins are equal in that no matter how trivial they seem, they all deserve God’s wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come, and cannot be expiated but by the blood of Christ. No sins are small when committed against a great and generous God. Beyond this, however, the gravity of each transgression depends on varying factors."
1. The extent to which the perpetrators know better. People who know more are held more accountable.
2. It matters who we are offending. Sins against God are greater sins than sins against humans, and sins against weaker brothers are greater than sins against others.
3. The extent to which perpetrators are acting deliberately, willfully, impudently, maliciously, obstinately, or joyfully. Willful sin is worse than accidental sin.
4. Circumstances of time and place can make bad things even worse (Ezk. 23.37-39; 1 sam. 2.22-24).
5. Resistance to the truth about Jesus (Mt. 12.31-32; Mk. 3.28-30)
And we know there are degrees of punishment for sin in the afterlife. It’s not “one fire fits all.” People will be punished according to what they have done. Hell is not the same for everybody, and neither is heaven the same for everybody.
Mt. 11.22-24 – "more tolerable"
Mt. 23.14 – "greater condemnation"
Rev. 20.13 – "each in proportion to his works"
Lk. 10.12 – "it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town"
Lk. 12.47-48 – beaten with few blows or more blows
“Represent God properly.” When we agree to follow God, it’s like we are signing a contract. We are promising to love Him, to devote our lives to Him, to obey what He says, and to be His ambassadors to the world by representing Him properly. Often the only things unbelievers know about God is what they see in Christians. If Christians are jerks or hypocrites, they walk away from God. If Christians are mean or judgmental, they want nothing to do with a God like that. If Christians are shallow thinkers and spout all kinds of things that are incorrect, the unbelievers lose respect for God. Often what people think of Christians is what they think of God. So we have to be very careful how we represent Him (2 Cor. 3.2-3). When we screw up, people assume God is a screw-up. That’s not what I want for God, or for myself. I love God, and I want others to love him. So I have to be careful about how I represent him. But we all screw up. It’s human nature. But God has given us a way to screw up less and less all the time (it’s called sanctification) and a way to become more like Him all the time. It takes commitment and work, but that’s what we signed up for when we said, “I want to follow Christ.” Nobody forced you to—you volunteered. Since you signed up, then do everything in your power to live it well.
“Rap worship music.” Some Christian rap music is the most hard-hitting and worthwhile music out there. Christian rappers are telling the truth possibly more than any other musicians on the planet right now, and they are worthy of being listened to and respected. People who put that music down mostly do so because it isn’t their preference (they don’t like rap and don’t consider it music). It’s a preference and an opinion, but it’s not biblical. God’s creation can’t be graded according to our preferences. No one can claim that God has musical preferences, or that only certain styles of music are acceptable to God as worship. Christians are biblically justified in fully celebrating artistic activity or the most diverse sort.
“So God and us is kinda like a parent and child.” Absolutely. That’s exactly the image the Bible portrays: God as Father, we as adopted children, part of the family with all the belonging, blessing, inheritance, and discipline that implies. But God will never leave us or desert us. We are His, and there is nothing you can do that will make Him stop loving you (Rom. 8.38-39).
"God created Satan, right? Why?” God created all things (Jn. 1.3). But He created all things good. Everything that God made was good. So Satan, somewhere along the way, must have turned, by his own choice and not by God’s will, design, or action. So God created Satan to be different than he is and chose to be.
“I know he was a fallen angel. What does that mean?” We actually know nothing about the origin of Satan. There are some verses in Isaiah 14.12-15 that are traditionally said to be a description of Satan, but there’s no reason to take them as such, and I don’t think they’re about Satan at all. We don’t know anything, when it comes right down to it, about the origin of Satan: what he was, when he turned, or how he turned. Now, it makes perfect sense that he was a spiritual being, but there are lots of spirit beings that aren’t angels (cherubim, seraphim, archangels, and who knows what else). We don’t know what Satan was, when he turned, how he turned, or why he turned. The Bible tells us he exists, and we know God created everything good, so we are left to speculate a whole lot. We try to be careful and not teach things the Bible doesn’t teach (i.e., Satan was a fallen angel). We just don’t know.
“God doesn’t see sin all the same?” That’s right. John 19.11 is very clear. J.I. Packer (a big cheese theologian and excellent Bible teacher) says, "All sins are not equal. Scripture shows that in God’s estimate some sins are worse and bring greater guilt than others, and that some sins do us more damage. Moses rates the golden calf debacle a great sin (Ex. 32.30). Ezekiel, in his horrific allegory, says that after Oholah (Samaria) had ruined herself by unfaithfulness to God, Oholibah (Jerusalem) 'became more corrupt…in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister' (Ezk. 23.11). John distinguishes sins that do and do not inevitably lead to death (1 Jn. 5.16), picking up Jesus’ warning about the unforgivable sin (Mk. 3.28-30).”
He then continues: "On one level, all sins are equal in that no matter how trivial they seem, they all deserve God’s wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come, and cannot be expiated but by the blood of Christ. No sins are small when committed against a great and generous God. Beyond this, however, the gravity of each transgression depends on varying factors."
1. The extent to which the perpetrators know better. People who know more are held more accountable.
2. It matters who we are offending. Sins against God are greater sins than sins against humans, and sins against weaker brothers are greater than sins against others.
3. The extent to which perpetrators are acting deliberately, willfully, impudently, maliciously, obstinately, or joyfully. Willful sin is worse than accidental sin.
4. Circumstances of time and place can make bad things even worse (Ezk. 23.37-39; 1 sam. 2.22-24).
5. Resistance to the truth about Jesus (Mt. 12.31-32; Mk. 3.28-30)
And we know there are degrees of punishment for sin in the afterlife. It’s not “one fire fits all.” People will be punished according to what they have done. Hell is not the same for everybody, and neither is heaven the same for everybody.
Mt. 11.22-24 – "more tolerable"
Mt. 23.14 – "greater condemnation"
Rev. 20.13 – "each in proportion to his works"
Lk. 10.12 – "it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town"
Lk. 12.47-48 – beaten with few blows or more blows
“Represent God properly.” When we agree to follow God, it’s like we are signing a contract. We are promising to love Him, to devote our lives to Him, to obey what He says, and to be His ambassadors to the world by representing Him properly. Often the only things unbelievers know about God is what they see in Christians. If Christians are jerks or hypocrites, they walk away from God. If Christians are mean or judgmental, they want nothing to do with a God like that. If Christians are shallow thinkers and spout all kinds of things that are incorrect, the unbelievers lose respect for God. Often what people think of Christians is what they think of God. So we have to be very careful how we represent Him (2 Cor. 3.2-3). When we screw up, people assume God is a screw-up. That’s not what I want for God, or for myself. I love God, and I want others to love him. So I have to be careful about how I represent him. But we all screw up. It’s human nature. But God has given us a way to screw up less and less all the time (it’s called sanctification) and a way to become more like Him all the time. It takes commitment and work, but that’s what we signed up for when we said, “I want to follow Christ.” Nobody forced you to—you volunteered. Since you signed up, then do everything in your power to live it well.
“Rap worship music.” Some Christian rap music is the most hard-hitting and worthwhile music out there. Christian rappers are telling the truth possibly more than any other musicians on the planet right now, and they are worthy of being listened to and respected. People who put that music down mostly do so because it isn’t their preference (they don’t like rap and don’t consider it music). It’s a preference and an opinion, but it’s not biblical. God’s creation can’t be graded according to our preferences. No one can claim that God has musical preferences, or that only certain styles of music are acceptable to God as worship. Christians are biblically justified in fully celebrating artistic activity or the most diverse sort.
- jimwalton
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9104
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:28 pm
Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by Nic J » Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:33 am
I am glad this is a conversation you enjoy having.
How are you so sure God can't stop loving someone?
Why did God leave out things about Satan? Wouldn't it be important for us to know?
We're gonna be punished in heaven? Can you please explain that more? Isn't living on this earth punishment enough? You have to admit our world is messed up. <---- I am being serious not being snarky or snotty at all. Or I just don't want it to come off that way at all.
Glad to know to I can still listen to rap (Christian) music
Thank you .
Is drinking ( alcohol) is that against the Bible ? I have been it is not and I have been it is?
I have a question for you personally, and I don't know if I should ask it, but here it goes: Would you be willing to die for your faith ?
How are you so sure God can't stop loving someone?
Why did God leave out things about Satan? Wouldn't it be important for us to know?
We're gonna be punished in heaven? Can you please explain that more? Isn't living on this earth punishment enough? You have to admit our world is messed up. <---- I am being serious not being snarky or snotty at all. Or I just don't want it to come off that way at all.
Glad to know to I can still listen to rap (Christian) music
Thank you . Is drinking ( alcohol) is that against the Bible ? I have been it is not and I have been it is?
I have a question for you personally, and I don't know if I should ask it, but here it goes: Would you be willing to die for your faith ?
- Nic J
Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by jimwalton » Tue Apr 25, 2017 10:05 am
Well, I hope you’re enjoying the conversation, too.
“How are you so sure God’s can’t stop loving someone?” Love is an important part of God’s nature. Just as He can’t stop being eternal, He can’t not be righteous, He can’t not be all-powerful or all-knowing, He also can’t stop loving. It’s who He is. It’s part of His nature. He can never act in a way that isn’t loving.
Now, we also know that God doesn’t just blow His power around everywhere. He can actually hold it back sometimes, or at other times just use it to the amount that is appropriate for what He’s doing. So also His love: it’s always there, but it’s not always the same. But it’s always there. He can’t stop loving someone. Not only does that make sense logically, but it’s what the Bible teaches. There is no text that tells us God ever stops loving.
“Why did God leave out things about Satan?” There are a lot of things the Bible doesn’t tell us. The Bible is primarily a book that reveals God to us. It tells us what He is like, and how He acts in the world and in history. It tells us who we are and how we are expected to respond to who God is. It tells us what God will do for us if we honor Him, and what the consequences are for when we dishonor Him. There’s a lot it doesn’t tell us about science, about psychology, about creation (wouldn’t you love to know more??), about the angels—about hundreds of things. But the Bible is telling us about God. In ways it doesn’t matter where Satan came from. What really matters for us is how to successfully rebuff him. When it comes right down to it, that’s all we really need to know: He’s a powerful spiritual force against God, and we are to consider him our enemy and not a friend. He works to deceive us, but the truth is in God. That’s the part we need to know.
“We’re gonna be punished in heaven?” I didn’t think I said that. What I said is that there are degrees of reward in heaven. Some will be rewarded more than others, based on what they did (Mt. 25.14-23, Lk. 19.12-19, and others). People who were better servants of God, more faithful and responsible will receive greater rewards; those who were marginal or lesser will receive lesser rewards. No one’s getting punished. But we will receive rewards equal to what we deserve (2 Cor. 5.10). Heaven isn’t the same for everybody, just like hell isn’t the same for everybody.
“Is drinking alcohol against the Bible?” The Bible never forbids the drinking of alcohol, but it does say that getting drunk is wrong, and that alcohol having control of you (even if you’re not drunk) is wrong. I, personally, don’t drink because (a) there’s no real need to, and (b) it has so much potential for abuse and problems. I don’t drink because I don’t think drinking is a wise choice, especially in our society where people have such little self-control, and there is so much that is messed up (as you said). People use drinking as an escape, as a social lubricant (things friends do together), to try to forget pressures for a little while, and to relax. I don’t happen to like those reasons. I go to God when I need those things (when I’m uptight, when the pressures are too strong, etc.), and I certainly don’t need alcohol to be with my friends. I can handle myself just fine without it, thank you. I don’t need a crutch for me to enjoy my friends. So I don’t drink. But I don’t judge or condemn Christians who do. The Bible doesn’t forbid it, though it warns us about its potential for problems. Each believer has to make up their own mind as to (a) why you’re drinking (why bother?), (b) what effect it has on you, and (c) what effect it has on others. A lot of teens drink to feel grown up, to feel ease from the pressures of life, out of curiosity, or because it’s “bad” and they like to be rebellious. That’s what I mean—why does someone drink? What is it they’re doing? To me, all those reasons are sort of off target. We drink alcohol to enhance, to forget, to impress, to rebel, and to relax. Hmm—it just hits me like there’s something wrong with drinking for those reasons, you know what I mean? So I don’t. I never do. I don’t need that, and I don’t need to spend that money (the stuff’s expensive!) or to tempt myself with all the potential problems. But if other Christians drink, that’s up to them. The Bible doesn’t forbid it.
“Would I be willing to die for my faith?” I would like to think I’d be that strong if the time ever came. I am 100% convinced of the truth of the Bible and of salvation in Jesus Christ. I am 100% convinced that God exists, and that the God of the Bible is the true God. I can’t imagine even in my worst nightmares that I would renounce that to save my own skin. I would hope that if the time came, the Holy Spirit would enable me to stand boldly and strong for Him at a moment like that.
“How are you so sure God’s can’t stop loving someone?” Love is an important part of God’s nature. Just as He can’t stop being eternal, He can’t not be righteous, He can’t not be all-powerful or all-knowing, He also can’t stop loving. It’s who He is. It’s part of His nature. He can never act in a way that isn’t loving.
Now, we also know that God doesn’t just blow His power around everywhere. He can actually hold it back sometimes, or at other times just use it to the amount that is appropriate for what He’s doing. So also His love: it’s always there, but it’s not always the same. But it’s always there. He can’t stop loving someone. Not only does that make sense logically, but it’s what the Bible teaches. There is no text that tells us God ever stops loving.
“Why did God leave out things about Satan?” There are a lot of things the Bible doesn’t tell us. The Bible is primarily a book that reveals God to us. It tells us what He is like, and how He acts in the world and in history. It tells us who we are and how we are expected to respond to who God is. It tells us what God will do for us if we honor Him, and what the consequences are for when we dishonor Him. There’s a lot it doesn’t tell us about science, about psychology, about creation (wouldn’t you love to know more??), about the angels—about hundreds of things. But the Bible is telling us about God. In ways it doesn’t matter where Satan came from. What really matters for us is how to successfully rebuff him. When it comes right down to it, that’s all we really need to know: He’s a powerful spiritual force against God, and we are to consider him our enemy and not a friend. He works to deceive us, but the truth is in God. That’s the part we need to know.
“We’re gonna be punished in heaven?” I didn’t think I said that. What I said is that there are degrees of reward in heaven. Some will be rewarded more than others, based on what they did (Mt. 25.14-23, Lk. 19.12-19, and others). People who were better servants of God, more faithful and responsible will receive greater rewards; those who were marginal or lesser will receive lesser rewards. No one’s getting punished. But we will receive rewards equal to what we deserve (2 Cor. 5.10). Heaven isn’t the same for everybody, just like hell isn’t the same for everybody.
“Is drinking alcohol against the Bible?” The Bible never forbids the drinking of alcohol, but it does say that getting drunk is wrong, and that alcohol having control of you (even if you’re not drunk) is wrong. I, personally, don’t drink because (a) there’s no real need to, and (b) it has so much potential for abuse and problems. I don’t drink because I don’t think drinking is a wise choice, especially in our society where people have such little self-control, and there is so much that is messed up (as you said). People use drinking as an escape, as a social lubricant (things friends do together), to try to forget pressures for a little while, and to relax. I don’t happen to like those reasons. I go to God when I need those things (when I’m uptight, when the pressures are too strong, etc.), and I certainly don’t need alcohol to be with my friends. I can handle myself just fine without it, thank you. I don’t need a crutch for me to enjoy my friends. So I don’t drink. But I don’t judge or condemn Christians who do. The Bible doesn’t forbid it, though it warns us about its potential for problems. Each believer has to make up their own mind as to (a) why you’re drinking (why bother?), (b) what effect it has on you, and (c) what effect it has on others. A lot of teens drink to feel grown up, to feel ease from the pressures of life, out of curiosity, or because it’s “bad” and they like to be rebellious. That’s what I mean—why does someone drink? What is it they’re doing? To me, all those reasons are sort of off target. We drink alcohol to enhance, to forget, to impress, to rebel, and to relax. Hmm—it just hits me like there’s something wrong with drinking for those reasons, you know what I mean? So I don’t. I never do. I don’t need that, and I don’t need to spend that money (the stuff’s expensive!) or to tempt myself with all the potential problems. But if other Christians drink, that’s up to them. The Bible doesn’t forbid it.
“Would I be willing to die for my faith?” I would like to think I’d be that strong if the time ever came. I am 100% convinced of the truth of the Bible and of salvation in Jesus Christ. I am 100% convinced that God exists, and that the God of the Bible is the true God. I can’t imagine even in my worst nightmares that I would renounce that to save my own skin. I would hope that if the time came, the Holy Spirit would enable me to stand boldly and strong for Him at a moment like that.
- jimwalton
- Site Admin
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Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by Nic J » Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:10 am
Oh my goodness you didn't say that at all. I am so sorry. My brain late at night doesn't work the right way. I should not anwser these emails that late. I am enjoying the conversation. It makes me think and go back to the Bible and look up the passages you put in your email and I also love learning.
Speaking of science ... how does that fit into the Christian world? I am pretty sure I didn't evolve from a monkey but there are also things in science that make sense that Christians support ? How do we live with our faith and science in this world?
So how do we reject Satan successfully? It's kinda hard ..he's kinda powerful. Just by staying close to God?
Heaven and hell aren't the same for everybody? What does that mean?
I asked about drinking because I grew up in a Christian home but my family drinks but they are careful and it seems okay but on the other hand for myself when I become of age I kinda think the same you do on this topic .. it's pointless for me. I don't want to ever be tempted to be out it control of my body. I have struggled with what I am going to do when I am 21. I am probably not going to. It seems the safest way.
What if I wouldn't be able to die for my faith? What happens? Would God ever forgive me for that? The reason I am asking is because I just read something about a Christian girl being burned alive for her faith. I can't imagine that. That's crazy. That's scary.
Speaking of science ... how does that fit into the Christian world? I am pretty sure I didn't evolve from a monkey but there are also things in science that make sense that Christians support ? How do we live with our faith and science in this world?
So how do we reject Satan successfully? It's kinda hard ..he's kinda powerful. Just by staying close to God?
Heaven and hell aren't the same for everybody? What does that mean?
I asked about drinking because I grew up in a Christian home but my family drinks but they are careful and it seems okay but on the other hand for myself when I become of age I kinda think the same you do on this topic .. it's pointless for me. I don't want to ever be tempted to be out it control of my body. I have struggled with what I am going to do when I am 21. I am probably not going to. It seems the safest way.
What if I wouldn't be able to die for my faith? What happens? Would God ever forgive me for that? The reason I am asking is because I just read something about a Christian girl being burned alive for her faith. I can't imagine that. That's crazy. That's scary.
- Nic J
Re: Why should I stick with my faith?
by jimwalton » Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:40 am
I’m glad you’re enjoying the conversation, too. Apparently I’m saying things that are different from what you’ve heard all your life, and it’s really making you think. That’s a good thing. We really are supposed to know what we believe, and to think through what we believe and why.
“How does science fit into the Christian world?” Science has to be true. It fits all the criteria of what is true in the world and how we know what we know. The Bible has to be true. It also fits what is true in the world and how we know what we know. Therefore the Bible and science cannot contradict each other. Science and the Bible have to be telling us the same thing. Galileo said (and I agree): “God has two words: the Bible and science.” He reveals Himself in both, and so I respect them both and learn as much as I can from both. That’s not to say that some scientists aren’t telling us the whole truth about what science is telling us, because I think some scientists have a secular agenda. But it’s also not to say that some Bible teachers aren’t telling us the truth about what the Bible says. So we have to be smart about such things.
I was raised believing very strongly that evolution was a lie, and it was just something that ungodly people said because they were trying to destroy our faith in God. After studying for lots of years, I don’t believe that any more. I actually have become convinced that evolution is true—that most of it (not all) is good science from people who are sincere about learning the truth. I believe it’s possible to believe in the Bible (that God created) and to believe in science, particularly evolution. But as I study the science, I am convinced that it’s just not possible that evolution happened by itself. The universe was intelligently designed, and the evolutionary process just had to have been guided by God, or it never would have happened. So I believe that God created all things, but He created them by designing them, implementing a long guided process of development, and bringing us to the place we are today. It’s a position called evolutionary theism (different from theistic evolution). I’m very comfortable with it, but more importantly, I am convinced that the Scripture allows for such an understanding. We can talk about this more as you wish. It’s a very large subject, and I’m guessing you’ll have some questions.
“How do we reject Satan successfully?” Satan has absolutely no power over us, unless we let him. He is very powerful, but if we are in God’s hand, Satan is nothing. We resist him by staying close to God, by turning away from sin at even the slightest hint, and by walking away from temptation. If we are strong in God, Satan will come against us, for sure, but he’s got nothin’.
“What does it mean that heaven and hell aren’t the same for everybody?” It means that you will be rewarded or punished according to how you lived. That’s what 2 Cor. 5.10 and Rev. 20.12 say. We get to heaven by faith, not by works, but we will be judged according to our works. Those who are more faithful servants will get a greater reward (Mt. 25.14-23; Lk. 19.12-19). Those who have been less faithful will get lesser rewards. Those who are more sinful will get more punishment in hell, and those who were good people will get less punishment:
Mt. 11.12-24: “more tolerable”
Mt. 23.14: “greater condemnation”
Rev. 20.13: “each in proportion to his works”
Lk. 10.12: “it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town”
Lk. 12:47-48: beaten with few blows or more blows
People say, “How can hell be fair?” But this is how—because it’s proportionate to the life a person actually lived. This might sound weird to you, but I don’t believe hell is actual fire. I think fire is just an image that the writers of the Bible use to tell us how horrible it will be. But fire doesn’t have degrees of punishment, and I am convinced that hell does. As you can see, I also believe that heaven has degrees of reward. God will be perfectly fair about all this. People will get what they deserve.
“What if I wouldn’t be able to die for my faith? Would God forgive me for that?” Yes. The only unforgivable sin is rejecting God. No one will be sent to hell because of a lack of courage or because of fear. But it’s also very possible that if the time came, the Holy Spirit would give you the strength and courage you needed to testify to His name. It is scary to read about what happens to Christians who are really persecuted. It’s frightening how evil some people can be. There is a website called Voice of the Martyrs (http://www.persecution.com) that tells about such things, and what is going on around the world, if you are interested.
“How does science fit into the Christian world?” Science has to be true. It fits all the criteria of what is true in the world and how we know what we know. The Bible has to be true. It also fits what is true in the world and how we know what we know. Therefore the Bible and science cannot contradict each other. Science and the Bible have to be telling us the same thing. Galileo said (and I agree): “God has two words: the Bible and science.” He reveals Himself in both, and so I respect them both and learn as much as I can from both. That’s not to say that some scientists aren’t telling us the whole truth about what science is telling us, because I think some scientists have a secular agenda. But it’s also not to say that some Bible teachers aren’t telling us the truth about what the Bible says. So we have to be smart about such things.
I was raised believing very strongly that evolution was a lie, and it was just something that ungodly people said because they were trying to destroy our faith in God. After studying for lots of years, I don’t believe that any more. I actually have become convinced that evolution is true—that most of it (not all) is good science from people who are sincere about learning the truth. I believe it’s possible to believe in the Bible (that God created) and to believe in science, particularly evolution. But as I study the science, I am convinced that it’s just not possible that evolution happened by itself. The universe was intelligently designed, and the evolutionary process just had to have been guided by God, or it never would have happened. So I believe that God created all things, but He created them by designing them, implementing a long guided process of development, and bringing us to the place we are today. It’s a position called evolutionary theism (different from theistic evolution). I’m very comfortable with it, but more importantly, I am convinced that the Scripture allows for such an understanding. We can talk about this more as you wish. It’s a very large subject, and I’m guessing you’ll have some questions.
“How do we reject Satan successfully?” Satan has absolutely no power over us, unless we let him. He is very powerful, but if we are in God’s hand, Satan is nothing. We resist him by staying close to God, by turning away from sin at even the slightest hint, and by walking away from temptation. If we are strong in God, Satan will come against us, for sure, but he’s got nothin’.
“What does it mean that heaven and hell aren’t the same for everybody?” It means that you will be rewarded or punished according to how you lived. That’s what 2 Cor. 5.10 and Rev. 20.12 say. We get to heaven by faith, not by works, but we will be judged according to our works. Those who are more faithful servants will get a greater reward (Mt. 25.14-23; Lk. 19.12-19). Those who have been less faithful will get lesser rewards. Those who are more sinful will get more punishment in hell, and those who were good people will get less punishment:
Mt. 11.12-24: “more tolerable”
Mt. 23.14: “greater condemnation”
Rev. 20.13: “each in proportion to his works”
Lk. 10.12: “it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town”
Lk. 12:47-48: beaten with few blows or more blows
People say, “How can hell be fair?” But this is how—because it’s proportionate to the life a person actually lived. This might sound weird to you, but I don’t believe hell is actual fire. I think fire is just an image that the writers of the Bible use to tell us how horrible it will be. But fire doesn’t have degrees of punishment, and I am convinced that hell does. As you can see, I also believe that heaven has degrees of reward. God will be perfectly fair about all this. People will get what they deserve.
“What if I wouldn’t be able to die for my faith? Would God forgive me for that?” Yes. The only unforgivable sin is rejecting God. No one will be sent to hell because of a lack of courage or because of fear. But it’s also very possible that if the time came, the Holy Spirit would give you the strength and courage you needed to testify to His name. It is scary to read about what happens to Christians who are really persecuted. It’s frightening how evil some people can be. There is a website called Voice of the Martyrs (http://www.persecution.com) that tells about such things, and what is going on around the world, if you are interested.
- jimwalton
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9104
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:28 pm
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