People are more readily predisposed to get help when they have been devastated by some physical or emotional loss and are unsure of how to help themselves. In many cases, they will try to cope with their problem with drugs, a sexual relationship, a gang, or the occult. Others get involved in community activities to get their minds off their troubles and help them cope with life. Continue reading
A bias is the same as having a particular view of the world. Everyone has a bias. The atheist’s religious bias is that there is no God. A Christian’s religious bias is that there is a God and he created all things. People possess varying amounts of religious biases, political biases, racial biases, class biases, and so on. Continue reading
How do you stay hungry for God? That’s easy to answer. Never be satisfied with the world, the flesh, or the devil, and always strive for something beyond what you can attain on your own. As long as you are content and satisfied with the many things you can do, you’ll always be a step away from God. Continue reading
I recently watched the movie starring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame, The Woman in Black. This was a ghost story, complete with haunted house. When it was all over, I found it odd that the incidents in the haunted house were not really explained. For instance, how did the toys start up on their own? Was it normal for people to hear footsteps in the upper room, but upon investigating, see no one? Several times the lead character saw a hand or face on the other side of a window, but looking again, found no one there. Looking out of window to the grounds below, he could see a woman in black in a cemetery, but looking again, found her mysteriously gone. Continue reading
Here is the passage in question. As we see, Cain kills his brother, God confronts him with it, then the mark is applied:
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?
And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? Continue reading
One of the reasons you are confused about faith is because it has been ruthlessly redefined beyond recognition. Some people in religion have defined it as a power, while secularists have mocked it as believing contrary to proof. Both are wrong. We develop faith in God and his doctrines in the same way we develop faith in the non-religious aspects of our life.
A member of an atheist group has just as much faith as a Christian attending church services. Just consider this: when a member of an atheist group hears other members mocking God and the Bible and just nods in agreement, he is believing by faith. We know this because he does not point a finger at the speaker and say, “Prove it! What evidence do you have?” He just accepts what he hears; he does what he accuses the Christians of doing: believing apart form seeking facts; “stepping out into the darkness.” Continue reading
Here is the passage referred to:
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of (Genesis 22:1-2).
This concern is troubling on a number of levels. First, it’s horrendous to think of parents killing their own children. Second, it raises the disquieting thought: What if God tells me or anyone else to do it today? Continue reading
Some question whether Christ suffered enough for our sins. After all, He was on the cross for only a few hours, and less than four days in Hell. So how could that be punishment enough for the sins of the world?
Simple. Christ “died” for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3). The punishment the law required for our sins was not the whippings on His back or Hell, but death. Jesus’ substitutionary death perfectly fulfilled the offerings of the OT. Continue reading
Remember that atheists (and agnostics) do not have an experience with the spiritual, supernatural, or metaphysical spheres. As I remember in my days before Christ, when I did not understand these things nor comprehend their power, I reconciled them with my world by believing that they were psychological in nature. That is. . .
a. the people were brainwashed.
b. they believe in a God because they want comfort (yeah, like we believe in a God who could potentially @#!*% us all to @#!*% forever — surely you can make a better argument than that, mister!).
c. they’re young and foolish, or naive (yet many mature, distinguished scientists worship their Creator).
d. they’re crazy.
. . . you get the idea. Psychology. Continue reading
Here is the verse:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor. 5:17). Continue reading
Is it reasonable to assume that the six creation days in Genesis chapter one were actually extended periods of time, such as millions of years? Let’s step through the six days of creation, assuming that each day is actually an age of thousands or perhaps millions of years, and see how this idea holds up under scrutiny. Continue reading
All Christians can be tempted to sin; their history with God can help determine whether they’ll actually follow through with the temptation. For instance, if a person has been under depression off and on for many years, then accepts Jesus as Savior, and becomes depressed again, the person may not see her depression as something to be alleviated by God. She may kill herself, not realizing the new resources she has in Christ and in the church. (Many Christians don’t get involved with others; their church is just on the glowing screen, whether Internet or TV.) So I expect that those who have been saved only a short time would be more prone to follow through with their temptation. (This could be true for any temptation.) Continue reading
Here is one of the most remarkable descriptive passages in scripture. If you believe in flying saucers, then you may think Ezekiel is describing one here. However, the other elements in the narrative rule out the idea of a flying saucer controlled by aliens from another planet. Continue reading
“Live as though you were going to die tomorrow.” Is it possible to make this saying a guide to living? From a practical perspective, I have problems with it.
Suppose you were an employee in a dead-end retail job. If you were going to die tomorrow, wouldn’t you quit your job? If vast members of the workforce were to take this saying seriously, which is attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, many would tender their resignations immediately. But then what would they do the next day? The saying doesn’t tell us. Continue reading
This is the information age. We are constantly being bombarded with Twitter tweets, blogs, websites, Facebook or MySpace trivia, email spam, RSS feeds, television and cable/satellite programs, radio programs, DVDs and Netflix, MP3s, MPGs and YouTube, mobile phones, junk mail, billboards, as well as the ever-declining newspapers and magazines. Continue reading
There’s a problem with that assumption. Although it is true that the Bible offers comfort to Christians, it contains much that is hard to hear, too. The Old Testament is full of stories of human evil and depravity, and they can make for depressing reading. Where is the comfort in that? The New Testament is full of teaching for us to live right with God. The implication of all this is that we are miserable sinners who need to repent. If I were writing a book for encouragement, I would never include even half of the stories in the Bible.
Nevertheless, the Bible offers encouragement. The depressing stories of sin are in stark contrast to a patient God who has come to lift us out of the gutter and seat us in high places. No matter how dreary our circumstances, God is there to help us through, as he had helped the unbelieving, hard-headed Israelites in the past. We are not alone. The troubling circumstances we find ourselves in are temporary, for we have a future and a hope in the kingdom of God that will exist forever without evil or death.
What Do You Think?
a. How quickly and easily do you make up stories to find comfort? Have your stories given you comfort?
b. Is going to the movies to find short-term relief (a form of escapism) the same as finding comfort with the Bible? Why or why not?
c. Give an example of an untrue story people believe in that makes them happy. Are there ideas that help you and you’d rather they not be dispelled by an investigation?
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You lack the righteousness which comes by faith, which is required in God’s kingdom.
If I were to move to another country, I would have to leave the Bill of Rights behind. I would need to familiarize myself regarding the customs and laws of the land. In India, for instance, I learn that the death penalty applies to people who kiss in public.
Similarly, God’s kingdom has a different set of expectations for its citizens. Your moral values as an atheist do not meet the minimum requirements for acceptance in the kingdom of God. Romans 3:20 tells us that we have all sinned and fallen short with regards to keeping God’s laws for righteousness. In other words, you have already been found guilty and sentenced to death.
What laws have you broken? Naming one will suffice: “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Jesus explains the commandment in this way: “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother “Raca” [empty head] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, “You fool!” shall be in danger of @#!*% fire” (Matt. 5:22).
Have you called someone a fool or an idiot? Then you’ve broken this commandment. If you break a law in your state, you’d be a lawbreaker or criminal, and you could expect to pay a penalty, such as a fine, imprisonment, or do civic work. If you break God’s law, you are a sinner and can expect to be cast into @#!*% .
God is not looking for nice, moral people. He is looking for people who will love and obey him. Those who turn themselves over to him can expect to receive the Holy Spirit dwelling inside them to give them the power to live the life God wants.
What Do You Think?
a. Sometimes we can do the right things for the wrong reasons. Since God looks at the heart, wouldn’t he reward those who serve him from gratefulness more than those who scarcely acknowledge him?
b. Do you think you’ll get on God’s good side by ignoring what He wants you to do?
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To believe the television documentaries and books, you would think that the predictions of Nostradamus in the 16th Century mentioned Adolf Hitler, America, French president Charles De Gaulle, the moon landing, submarines, airplanes, space station, nuclear war, and the invention of the light bulb and radio.
But when you dig deeper, you find a cryptic hodge-podge of vague riddles that could be interpreted any number of ways. People have applied the same lines of his verse to several different historical events.
Nostradamus wrote thousands of prophecies in four-line verses called quatraines. They are assembled into centuries and numbered. Here are several examples:
In the year that is to come soon, and not far from Venus, The two greatest ones of Asia and Africa, Shall be said to come from the Rhine and Ister, Crying and tears shall be at Malta and on the Italian Shore. (C4 Q68).
The great one of Mayence to quench a great thirst, Shall be deprived of his high dignity, Those of Cologne shall mourn him so much That the Great Groppe shall be thrown into the Rhine. (C6 Q40)
If you were going to “believe” in Nostradamus, what are you supposed to believe about the above quatraines? (Some interpreters see Hitler in the verses.)
The problem with his prophecies is that they have no context. They are so vague that if you read enough of them, you should be able to find a passage that mirrored some event that occurred. Of what use are they if you can only link them to events in the past?
Now let’s compare his random passages with the Bible prophecies. Biblical prophecies have a context: God used prophecies to prove that he is God, help the Jews recognize the Messiah when he came, and warn us to be ready for the Second Coming.
First, God used prophecies to prove himself as God. He challenged the Israelites to get their idols to foretell the future. If God could foretell the future and they could not, then they would know who God was. God has left his fingerprint on the Bible through the many literally fulfilled prophecies.
Second, when Jesus came, the prophecies had already been in print for the previous four hundred years. When he started performing miracles, the people began comparing his life with the prophecies. Many believed in Jesus because his life clearly matched up with the words. “And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?” (John 7:31).
Third, the prophecies of the end times are clear enough that we can see them shaping up in our lifetime. The previous generation saw Bible prophecy fulfilled when Israel became a nation again (Isaiah 11:11). We are seeing Bible prophecy fulfilled in our day as the nations surrounding Israel unite against it (Zechariah 12:2). That will continue until Jesus comes again. Thanks to their clarity, we may stand firm in the faith, knowing that Jesus will come indeed and reward us for our labors.
We have no reason to look to Nostradamus and his perplexing writings when we already have the Scriptures with God’s clear lessons to guide and encourage us.
What Do You Think?
a. Why would someone turn from the Bible for instruction to Nostradamus?
b. Have you seen any of the television specials on Nostradamus? Where they convincing regarding his prophetic powers? Why or why not?
Comfort, Ray, The Secrets of Nostradamus Exposed. (Living Waters Publications, California 1996.)
Several different religions have various teachings on reincarnation, including Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Taoism, among others. Their teachings differ slightly, but all of them are in opposition to the tenets of the Christian resurrection. Here are some of the similarities and differences.
In reincarnation, an individual dies and comes back to life again in a different body to live on earth again. This reincarnated (which means “returning to flesh again”) person has no knowledge of the past life. In resurrection, the person rises from death with a new body, but with full consciousness of the past. In Revelation 6:10 we learn of martyrs asking God when their deaths will be avenged, showing that they remember the past.
In reincarnation, people’s good deeds usually influence a favorable next life while bad deeds an unfavorable next life. In resurrection, both good and evil are raised to life to stand before God for judgment. Judgment will depend on two deciding factors. If one has rejected God in life, then eternal damnation. If one has accepted Jesus, then rewards will be given or not depending on the faithfulness of one’s works.
Revelation 20:11-15 portrays the Great White Throne judgment, where people are dealt with according to their names in the Book of Life, or according to their works. Several passages in the gospels teach us about how God will judge us and give us rewards.
The cycle of reincarnation continues multiple times. But resurrection happens once (with few exceptions, such as Jesus raising someone from the dead earlier). Hebrews 9:27 tells us that after we die once, then comes the judgment. Reincarnation is wholly impersonal; no God looks over the process. You can have no guarantee how many good deeds you’ve done will break the cycle and bring you further along, or even if there is a more favorable “further along.” You have little help in making a bad life better. But when we receive Christ and repent of our sins, God gives us the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us live righteous lives and prepare us for a favorable judgment. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that he who created us will never leave nor forsake us.
Reincarnation is full of unknowns. You don’t know how many bad deeds were committed in the past life, nor do you know what the standard is for good and bad deeds. But in Christianity, God has placed all our blame upon his Son Jesus Christ and punished him in our place on the cross. We may simply confess and get right with God, and know that all our past sins will be washed away. We may knowingly arrive at the throne of Jesus with our sins forgiven. We know the standards of right and wrong because God’s Bible guides us.
What Do You Think?
a. Some Christians believe that some of their recollections of past lives persuades them to believe in reincarnation instead of the biblical resurrection. A personal experience merely tells us that we experienced something. We are to interpret our experiences by the Bible; in this way we’ll understand our experiences from God’s viewpoint. Should our personal experiences trump the Bible? Why or why not?
b. What are some of the reasons why someone would prefer reincarnation over resurrection if they heard both sides?
c. What makes the case for resurrection more believable than reincarnation?
When it comes to being saved, good deeds do not matter – simply because no one is good enough. This verse tells us clearly that we are saved apart from any good deeds: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). The salvation referred to here is that of faith making us righteous. Our good deeds could never give us a righteous standing before God.
Furthermore, good deeds are useless when it comes to escaping any punishment for crimes. For instance, if you were convicted of first-degree murder, it wouldn’t matter how many good deeds you’ve done. You must be punished for murder. Similarly, we’ve broken God’s laws, so we must be punished. That’s why we believe on Jesus – because he bore the punishment in our place.
Nevertheless, good deeds enter in when it comes to growing in faith. These good deeds are of an entirely different character than the deeds before salvation. Before we confessed faith in Christ, we acted out of personal decency and when it was advantageous to us. The gospel tells us, however, that despite all our good behavior, we were bound for @#!*% . When we acknowledged that truth and turned to Christ to save us, we saw our deeds in a new light – as directed by us and not God.
Because we acknowledge that our former way of life apart from God was sinful, we turn to the Word to learn how to live in a way that pleases God. That is a new motivation that we never had before. It gives rise to its own character of good deeds.
The Bible has much to say about good deeds. First, they are deeds reflecting a believer’s response to God as a servant of God. The Lord commands, and it’s our duty to obey (Luke 17:10). In the end, when our Master returns, we must give him an account of our service. At that point our deeds will be judged as to whether they’re worthy of a reward or not. If we are judged faithful, we will be handsomely rewarded.
Second, the good deeds Christians do will prove that they are taking their salvation seriously. Christians who persist in disobedience cut themselves off from many blessings in this life, and will forfeit some everlasting rewards for the time to come.
Third, good deeds, those which we do in faith and obedience, and those directed against sin, preserves our relationship with God. They show that we are holy, that is, set apart for God’s use in this world. Other reasons for good deeds exist as well, including the fact that God works through men and women who have yielded to him. Good deeds from such are God working through them in love. Through their faithful representation, the world can see what God is like.
What Do You Think?
a. If a man is on trial for first-degree murder, why should his good deeds matter? In the same way, if God has condemned the unbeliever for his bad deeds, why should his good deeds prevail?
b. If someone hurt you badly and destroyed his relationship with you, would you feel better if that person started doing good deeds in another area of the world? Why should that restore your relationship? In the same way, why should our good deeds restore a relationship with God if we continue to have nothing to do with God?
c. What religion practices the idea of good deeds outweighing bad deeds? Why would you have confidence in the truth of that system?
Many people would say that they are spiritual, but not religious. The way the world uses these terms, I would say that the “spiritual” person usually believes in a higher power, but doesn’t see the need to join a formal religious organization or church gathering. This “spiritual” person usually has a hodgepodge of beliefs cobbled together from various sources. This person does not need any proof for the validity of his beliefs. “You have your truth and I have mine,” is his mantra. For this “spiritual” person, truth is subjective, not objective.
On the other hand, religious people (again, I’m using the word “religious” the way the world uses it), usually subscribe to a set of beliefs and practices related to their God. With Christianity, that usually means that the Bible is God’s word, which tells its adherents how to live their lives. (Some factions of Christianity have seemingly done away with the use of the Bible.) Ceremonies and symbolic practices are usually part of their religion.
The Bible does not see spiritual and religious as contradictory – it defines the terms in a way the world does not. According to Vine’s dictionary, the Greek word used for “religion” refers to the external observances of one’s faith in God. This includes worship and helping others.
However, the New Testament makes a difference between spiritual and carnal. The carnal are living with the flesh as the foundation. They look to other men and women (1 Corinthians 3:1-4), and thus are “behaving like mere men.” Their values are usually no different than the world’s. Just about every Christian starts out this way. The carnal are also called “babes in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1) because they have not grown enough in their faith to look beyond their own needs and desires to the will of God.
On the other hand, the spiritual have Jesus as the foundation for their thinking, motivations, and works. They have moved away from self-centeredness to living their lives for their God. They are biblically religious in that they practice their faith in the real world. Their spirituality is not internal; they show by their lives that Jesus influences their choices in far-reaching ways.
Carnal and spiritual are not just interesting Bible terms. Leading carnal or spiritual lives has eternal consequences. The spiritual life is based on Jesus. The carnal life is based on self. According to 1 Corinthians 3:10-17, our works will be judged. If they turn out to be works of the flesh (outlined in Galatians 5:19-21), the works will be discarded and we will not receive a reward for all that labor. The spiritual works that spring from love for Christ and a desire to honor him according to his will shall receive everlasting rewards.
What Do You Think?
a. Are you spiritual, or carnal?
b. What are you doing that demonstrates your belief in the Christian God?
Vine, W.E., Vine’s Expository dictionary of New Testament Words, MacDonald Publishing Company.
The many sales of self-help and spiritual-help books tells me that people are hungry to get more out of life. On the other hand, many people do not question their place in life. They are satisfied with the status quo. Their attitude is, “Don’t rock the boat. I’m enjoying my slice of life just fine.” “I’m making do with what I’ve got.”
Usually, a person starts seeking for more when she realizes that she is still not satisfied with life. Her financial or physical health, relationships, or activities has turned her to look for alternatives. For many people, that alternative is spiritual, since the material world has proven to be a disappointment.
So she starts asking, “Isn’t there more to life than this? What is the meaning of life?” Continue reading
If you, a stranger, were to come up to me and tell me that your father and my father were the same person because both are human beings, should I immediately assume they were the same father? To see if that were true, we would gather more detail about our fathers and compare them. You say your father was born in California. My father was born in Minnesota. Furthermore, you describe your father as 6′ 2″ tall. My father is 5′ 3″ tall. Lastly, your father is only 52 years old while my father is 82. So we have more than enough indications that our fathers are completely different human beings.
If all the religions simply call their god “God,” then it appears that they are all the same god. What happens when we investigate details about these gods? The Christian God describes himself as three persons in one essence. No other religion describes their god that way. Some religions have god as one person over all, such as the Muslims and Jews. Some religions have many gods, such as the Hindus. It’s when we get into the specifics about each god that we realize that different religions are not worshiping the same God. One religion’s god is human-like while another religion’s god is animal-like in appearance.
Because the details differ so drastically, the gods cannot be the same.
You might say, “Well, maybe the same god is appearing in many different forms.” We know it is not the same god because the gods differ in how they operate. The Christian God created all physical things out of nothing and said it was very good. Another religion says that physical things are evil, and god would never create them; or that god created beings out of other things. The Christian God desires to save all people from their sins through faith in Jesus Christ. Other religions depend on humans performing a variety of good deeds and keeping specific religious traditions in order to be saved. The Christian God promises eternal life and the kingdom of God for all those who believe in Jesus Christ. Other religions make no such promises because salvation depends on the followers’ own efforts.
If they were the same god appearing in different ways, surely there should be more consistency in his message to mankind.
What Do You Think?
a. Over-generalization can result in strange conclusions. Is it true that all religious people in America will vote for the same person for President? If not, then why would someone think we’d all worship the same God?
b. People within the same class will hold diverse views. Do all pet lovers love Scottish Terriers? Do all football fans agree on who is the best quarterback of all time?
c. If the Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews are worshiping the same God, then why would the Muslims, Hindus, and Jews persecute Christians for their beliefs in their lands? Evidently they don’t believe Christians are worshiping their god.
You assume that the presence of religion the only reason we lack peace.
The media is full of reports of people getting into trouble or suffering, and religion is seldom the issue. Are there not troubles based on money, sex, pride, ambition, politics, natural disasters, and disease? I see all kinds of problems arise in my life, and few of them have anything to do with religion. I know the crime series on television are fictitious, but nevertheless, few of the crimes have a basis in religion. As long as you have people in proximity to other people, tensions will flare.
So the answer is no – tensions will continue even if there were no religions.
What Do You Think?
a. What percentage of crime shows have you seen in which religion turned out to be the culprit?
b. How many times were you irritated (lost your peace) this past week by non-religious causes, like someone cutting you off in traffic?
c. Religions are composed of peace-loving people, along with people bent on hurting others. Suppose we narrowed the question further to “If trouble-making religious people did not exist, would there be peace on this planet?” How would everyday life inform your answer?
I’ve read online blogs composed of former customers of a store who were disturbed by its salesmen. Based on one event, they would never shop at that store or buy their services again. How many people have had protracted trouble with a particular car mechanic and decided never to buy cars of that brand again? Is it fair to judge a company based on one bad salesperson? Bad experiences with a representative of a company frequently sour us on the company itself.
Religious followers can leave bad impressions as well. The problem is that people don’t know a religion’s teachings except by seeing the religion’s followers. How many people have read the Bible or the Koran? What are people to think when they hear that Islam is a religion of peace, but then read of Islamists blowing themselves up to kill innocent bystanders? Many people have not read the words of Jesus, but they have heard of the Crusades and Inquisition.
We can’t help it if people think negatively toward Christianity when they see a few acting contrary to its teachings. So I like going onto different Internet forums where I can explain exactly what the Bible teaches and clear up misconceptions. Perhaps a person or two will read what I wrote and get a better understanding of what Jesus came to do and teach.
What Do You Think?
a. Careful researchers, such as detectives and investigative journalists, try not to rely on just one source for all their facts. They try to corroborate their information with well-known authorities. They try to interview as many of the players as possible to get the most accurate picture they can. Is this a better means of getting to the truth of a matter?
b. How much work are you willing to engage in to determine the truth of a matter? Does truth matter to you?
c. Do you immediately forward email warnings to your friends without checking to see if they are true? Have you ever visited snopes.com to verify whether the story is accurate or not?
d. Did you believe the emailed story was true simply because a friend forwarded it to you (and you assumed that the friend had already checked the validity of the message)?
We can answer this by examining how Jesus responded to Peter’s question. Peter wondered what he was going to get after leaving all to follow Jesus:
“Then answered Peter and said unto him [Jesus], Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” (Matthew 19:27-29).
Jesus did not rebuke Peter for asking what he’ll get for leaving all. Jesus’ positive answer encourages us to reach for the rewards he offers. If God wants to grant us rewards to motivate us to greater endeavor, then who are we to tell him it is wrong to do so?
Salvation comes to us as a gift through no merit of ours. But rewards are not given as gifts. They are for those who have earned them, just as the athlete whose efforts earned her the gold medal. Christ recognized Peter’s extra effort, and it will not go unrewarded.
Paul disciplined his body, and brought “it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (1 Corinthians 9:27). He wanted a full payment for his labor. He recognized that his bodily cravings could invalidate him for a reward. We’ve all heard of men of God who fell because of shameful sin and lost their position. Paul understood that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6b), not of those who fervently seek carnal pursuits, placing their own wills over the will of God. When we know that rewards are given to those who do the will of God faithfully, it will make a difference in how we live.
God will grant crowns to those who meet the conditions. He will reward thrones to those who have served him faithfully. Just about any boy may join the Boy Scouts, but to rise through the ranks in honor, one must earn the badges through effort. Not all will want such honor; they will be happy to make friends and participate in the many enjoyable activities. Many Christians will be content to be saved from the Lake of Fire, and enjoy the many earthly blessings from the Father of lights, but they will miss out on the supreme honor awarded to those who gave their lives in service.
What Do You Think?
a. If a person loves God, but does not do anything that shows it, how would you describe that love?
b. What do you think God is really rewarding, love, or works based on that love? Is there a difference?
c. If we loved the Lord more, in what ways would our works of love change?
Here are the two verses:
And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 21:15, 17)
Remember that this was part of a covenant between God and his people. If they did indeed want God to live in their camp and lead and bless them, then in addition to the blessings he promised, they had to accept a stricter code of conduct with its severe punishments. After all, this was a holy God in their midst protecting them and promising peace, prosperity, and protection-which he by his own power could actually give them.
In God’s plan, the parents would receive the highest honor in the society, and thus are worthy of the highest respect of the children. In many societies, parenting has been greatly devalued, with absent fathers, kids born out-of-wedlock, and child abuse abounds. Here, the children themselves are highly valued and are being held to a high moral standard.
This commandment obviously does not apply to very young children who don’t know any better. It applies to those who refuse to control themselves. Please note that God is not telling the parents to kill or abuse their children. They are to take the disobedient person to the elders for judgment. The elders then render final judgment.
We cannot use these laws in our land because our laws do not reflect a covenant between God and man. Now we have the freedom to curse our nation’s leaders and belittle the soldiers who have spilled blood to protect this liberty. We may insult and disobey our parents. If we do these things, God may not punish us; nevertheless, we’ll still suffer the consequences of strained relationships.
In God’s camp, the people were held to a higher standard because the reward God was going to give them for their faith was greater than any earthly ruler could bestow-life in the kingdom of God with lasting riches and joys unbounded.
Ever since extremists who have sworn to destroy America had attacked the Twin Towers in New York City, we Americans have accepted more laws and inconvenience than we have ever accepted before. Searches at airports are prolonged and flight delays are commonplace. Surveillance cameras are going up at a rapid pace. Civil liberties are eroding. We allow these happenings in the interest of greater safety. How much more would we accept the death penalty for cursing our parents if we knew that the God who opened the Red Sea to save us, the God who destroyed entire Egyptian army single-handedly, has expressed his intentions to love us and protect our nation against all enemies forever?
What Do You Think?
a. Suppose there were a guarantee that your country would experience everlasting peace and freedom from war and disease, and every citizen would prosper in health into old age. However, the law of the land specified capital punishment for chewing gum, smoking, spitting in the street, and children cursing their parents. Would you accept these inconvenient conditions to gain unlimited protection and prosperity?
b. If God had first destroyed all our enemies, would you find the above agreement more acceptable?
Here is what the Bible actually says:
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8)
A world of murderers
The men God created became so horrible that you would not want to live next door to them. You would fear for your life and the lives of your children and friends. Here’s an example of how bad it was: one of the people boasted to his wives, “I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me” (Genesis 4:23b). If you hurt one of these people, they would kill you and boast to others what they did to you. These people were not like your frieds and neighbors. Continue reading
Here is the passage:
“Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately” (Numbers 31:17-18).
I read an article of a mother who lives in a gang-infested part of town with her son. Each morning the child dresses for school and the mother checks to make sure he’s not wearing any gang-affiliated colors. Then they pray for his safety. The boy sets off for school, taking a zigzag, maze-like route down alleys and neutral streets to avoid gang members who intimidate other youth.
Reading of youth gangs in newspaper articles like these help me see how bad it can get among the youth. The stories of children killing on campus tell me how bad it can get even with the young. Stories like these shine a glaring beam of light illuminating the problem facing the Hebrews as God brings them into the land he promised them. In other words, we’re not talking about Boy Scouts here.
The Hebrews could not possibly reform the youth of the land they were entering. God was bringing the Hebrews into the land to judge the peoples of gross sin. God is the judge of the whole Earth and it is his prerogative to execute judgment. God did not call the Israelites to destroy all children in the land, however, and he even gave the reasons why children should be killed in this one instance: “Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord” (Numbers 31:16). This passage tells us that God limited his judgment to a specific group of people, including their children, for a specific purpose. According to the passage quoted at the beginning of this answer, not all children were to be killed.
Amazingly, God chooses to withhold punishment more often than not. God has declared that all of us today have sinned and are worthy of death. He does not desire that we perish in @#!*% , and for the most part has resisted carrying out the punishment we all deserve. Instead, he invites us to believe on Jesus Christ that we may survive the coming judgment.
What Do You Think?
a. Several children in schools and campuses in recent years have opened fire on teachers and children. If the killers had lived, should they have been tried as children or as adults in the courts? Why or why not?
b. America dropped atom bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in WWII, killing an estimated 120,000 men, women, and children. Was the act justified, even though children were killed? Why or why not?
Do keep the violence in perspective. God made a covenant with the people of ancient Israel. The covenant through Moses stated that God would bless them with his protection and provision if they obeyed him, and visit them with war, death, diseases, and other judgments if they turned away from him (Deuteronomy 28:1-68). They knew these conditions in advance and accepted them.
We make a similar agreement with the laws of our land. If we murder someone, we can expect punishments in the form of incarceration or the death penalty. However, we hope the penalties for breaking the law will deter most people.
Today a new covenant is in effect between God and his people. The blessings of the old covenant depended on how well the ancient Israelites obeyed God, and they failed miserably. The new covenant rests on God’s faithfulness and promises, neither of which can fail. We enjoy the blessings of the new covenant when we act in faith toward God.
Why did God treat the nation of Israel so violently? When the nation of Israel turned its back on trusting God, he afflicted the nation in various ways according to his agreement with them. When Israel returned to God, he forgave them as he promised, then brought them peace and prosperity again. The violence was not capricious, but used judiciously to encourage them to return to a proper relationship with their God.
What Do You Think?
a. Do you agree that criminals deserve the violence they experience in prison? Do you agree that ruthless street criminals deserve to die when they are killed by a rival street criminals? Why or why not?
b. Do you agree with the laws of the land that will result in imprisonment or confiscation of your driver’s license if you violate certain state vehicle laws?
