06.14
Q: Does God forgive big sins different that little ones?
I’ll answer this one on Sunday.
Q: Was the story of Adam and Eve literal or figurative?
I believe the first chapter of Genesis is a song, a figurative account of creation. (I also believe that chapter two supports this view.) I believe that Adam and Eve are literal figures of history, but some intelligent, conservative scholars believe that they are figurative. Do you know when we’ll be 100% sure about this? 
(You’ll get that joke if you were in yesterday’s service.)
Q: How do I balance child-like faith with being able to give an account for the faith that I have? How do I keep from dishonoring God with distrust??
My follow up question to this one is, ‘Who are you trying to fool?’ Think about it. God knows our hearts better than we do. He already knows our doubts. So start by being honest. But like I said yesterday, Make sure your faith rules your doubts, instead of your doubts ruling your faith.
Q: What does God say about tattoos?
Read the blog from June 9th… last question.
Q: I don’t doubt but I get impatient w God because of His apparent lack of interest in destroying the evil in this world.
It’s easy to feel this way, but you’re making a critical mistake… you believe you know and understand everything that’s going on right now. We don’t have a clue. We even misinterpret current events. Don’t let yourself get into that trap. I promise you. God is your champion and thwarts Satan more than we ever know.
Q: I trusted God, let him in my life, and accepted him but now I just go with the flow… What can I do to feel that way again?
God doesn’t want you to feel ‘that way’ again. That’s like us saying, ‘How can I feel giddy and care free like a baby.’ That said, I understand what you’re saying. There are times I feel close to God and times I don’t. It’s a normal pattern of life. Try praying daily and buy the devotional, Jesus Calling. It will help you understand how God works in the world and you’ll be encouraged by it. If you want a link to the book, CLICK HERE
Q: Does God really intervene on our behalf? Does He really want us to be happy on this Earth with all of this evil surrounding us?
Yes to #1. No to #2, but He does want us to live with love, joy, and peace… even with all the evil going on around us. God leaves us here to join His mission in redeeming this world. Come next week and you’ll learn more about what I mean. In the meantime, as you learn to trust God more, you’ll develop more love, joy, and peace… even with all the evil in the world.
Q: Doesn’t God have an obligation to make Himself know in order to help me know He is real?
Come Sunday and I’ll answer this question.
Q: Are Catholics Christians?
If they trust Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins, yes. I quoted one of my mentors in the 9:30 am service. He said, “If Mother Teresa isn’t in heaven, we’re all in trouble.”
Q: How do we respond when a unbelieving friend has a bad experience with a crazy “sidewalk preacher” or a Christian who is not preaching grace?
I always say that Jesus would be turned off by these people, too. Here’s a good life principle (one that WE should embrace FAR more than we do)… Don’t Ever Judge a Group by the Fringe Elements of That Group.
Q: What do you think about the missing books of the Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls?
See my sermon on May 3, 2009. It’s a podcast on the website. If you haven’t heard that sermon, it’s the second most important sermon you could listen to. The most important sermon was last Sunday’s.
Q: Do you think the Lakers will win?
No. Boston will wrap up the series tomorrow night.
Being your mother, I have to ask,”Did you text or email the last question to yourself?”
On the subject of tattoos, there are health risks. Even in a “clean” shop, mistakes can happen. Tats and piercings are medical procedures and things can go wrong–such as:
1. Serious infectious diseases such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B or HIV (which are passed on via infected blood or other body fluids), or tetanus.
2. Skin infections such as impetigo (‘school sores’).
3. Dermatitis– “inflammation of the skin” (i.e. rash).
4. Flare ups of existing eczema.
5. Allergic reactions other than rash.
6. Thick scars called keloids (you are more likely to get these if you have dark skin).
Also, distress due to regret after the procedure – this has been identified as one of the main problems after getting a tattoo. Factor in the great cost of even a simple tattoo and the fact that some jobs and careers might be closed to you if you have visable tats, you are better off buying some jewelry to commemorate an event or remember a person or to show your “style”. Much easier to change!
Interested to hear your take on whether there is a difference in God forgiving our sin -whether its big vs. little. I don’t think so. The question about God’s apparent lack of interest in destroying evil in this world struck me along these lines. My thought is that we ask for God’s mercy in forgiving OUR sins, but yet we aren’t wanting him to be merciful to others who we perceive as causing evil in the world – i.e. the “big” sinners – murders, rapists, etc. So are we in essence judging God for not judging others? Are my “little” sins any different than the “big sins” and does God forgive them any differently? If not, then by being impatient with God aren’t we really asking him to hurry up and judge other sinners, when all we ask of him is to be merciful to us?
Great thoughts, Sarah!
Evil is a choice. For God to ‘cure’ evil, he must remove human will. But God created Man in his Image. In other words, all humans are given the gift of free will. To “fix things” God would have to take back that gift. Everyone who is “evil” would become an automaton, without volition, in order to ensure that they did not ‘choose’ to do things we would say are evil.
A judgement is coming. But no one should wish to hasten the arrival of that judgement. Now, there is time to reach the human souls who have come under the sway of the Evil One. There is time for them to hear about the salvation that comes through the blood of Jesus Christ. Without the power of choice, free will, you can not choose to follow God in obedience. It’s not a just a death sentence in a physical sense, it’s a death sentence in a spiritual sense as well. If you are not allowed to choose God, then, the lake of fire, the second death, is all the future holds for you. I would say that these kinds of things are beyond the purview of mortal man. Personally, I’m going to leave the judgement stuff to God.
Referring to creation question, another view:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/