|
100 tough questions and answers
The idea for this page came as i was thinking of answers for 10 questions sent my way via an internet chat room forum. It is important to stay away from rationalizations, pat answers, the party line as non-believers are looking for something real and not just the 'business as usual' mentality. what these pages are for is to help you find answers for those who ask these questions. this page will start with an original 10 and as time goes by more will be added until the total reaches 100. there is no hurry to reach that goal as answers take time and we are looking to provide real and honest responses which actually provide the right answer and does not evade the issue.
1. Why won't God heal amputees?
This is a tough question as it does seem strange that all amputees seem to have their requests denied. we know of one instance in the Gospels where Jesus healed the ear of the servant of the high priest, luke 22:49-51, so we know it is possible.
Yet there seems to be a shortage of such healings in this day and age. There are many reasons we can look to such as, the severed limb is lost, it is too damaged to re-attach, the body is not designed to regrow severed parts but many of these reasons could be looked upon as excuses when they are not. We know nothing is impossible with God thus re-attaching a limb or body part is an easy task for Him.
God does not promise that every request will be granted as He sees the heart of the individual and knows what their motivation is in asking for the severed limb to be restored. This is the key, what is it that lies behind the request? Is it pure selfishness or is it purely for vain reasons that a person wants to have their limb restored? Are the afflicted doing it so they can just be normal and fit in with their friends and society?
What would such a healing do to a person's or an observer's faith? We know that God is not going to do an action that will destroy what He says pleases Him. Also would He get the glory or would the event be taken for granted? We do not know. God is free to heal or not to heal and i doubtHe would want to be seen as some sort of magician who can place body parts back on a body to please His creation. He is not here to please us but we are here to find His will and see His wisdom.
One example of that wisdom can be seen through the construction of the human body. Why weren't humans designed with re-growable limbs? For the simple fact too many people would cut their limbs off just to watch them grow back. Such people would be so distracted or use such regeneration as a side show that no real work for Christ would be done.
God has given us a body which does not regenerate and rarely do we see amputations replaced and the only other reason I can see is that we are to be responsible with what we are given and learn to take care of that body for it is the temple of God, being watchful over it. Yes, accidents happen and we lose a body part but instead of trying to return to a physical normality we must learn what God wants to teach us and be prepared to face life handicapped. Not everyone is lucky to have a normal body for any amount of years and we must be ready to meet their needs through our own handicaps.
2. Why are there so many starving people in the world?
God can meet all the physical needs of the world, He has the power and the resources to get everyone to a point of satisfaction and contentment. Yet God has chosen to work through His followers and allow them the joy and benefit that comes from helping others. Unfortunately for the poor of the world, many of those followers have allowed themselves to be swayed by non-Christ teachings which hinders their ability to listen to God and meet many of the needs.
Also you must remember there is evil in the world and they work hard to keep God's creation trapped, helpless and bitter when it comes to these situations. Evil fights those who follow God and influences, or deceives those who do not believe into stopping such efforts. Corruption, not God, is one of the major causes for why people are starving today.
There are many reasons why people are starving but God is not one of them. He has provided the world with what they need to know and with enough food so that all can be fed but we still have to contend with the devil until that time he is finally bound for all eternity. People are too quick to blame God for all that is wrong in the world.
3. Why does God demand the death of so many innocent people in the Bible?
God doesn't. The secular definition of innocent is in contrast to God's definition and if you look closely the people being sentenced to death are not innocent, they have violated a rule/law of God. Lawbreakers get punished, even in God's kingdom and it is unrealistic to demand of God what they themselves would not grant to others. To the secular world, such violations may seem trivial but in God's eyes they are not as He knows who He is and what He requires for someone to be with Him for eternity. The world has thephysical world in its sites while God has eternity in His.
4. Why does the Bible contain so much anti-scientific knowledge?
It doesn't. It is the lack of faith of those who look to secular science for their answers and explanations which dictate such thought. By making secular science the final authority of what took place, the unbeliever, and sometimes believer, has replaced God with a god. Science is very limited and cannot see back into the past. What information it gathers is so sparse that it is ludicrous to think that science could even attempt to decide what did or didn't take place in the past.
Fopr example, let's look at noah's flood. We can use any significant event but this one will suffice. Scientists look at the flood evidence that we have from the past and because water damage is the same through out the ages they have no way of telling which came from a local flood and which came from Noah's deluge. Thus they could be looking at the results of Noah's time but credit the evidence to some later local flood.
Or scientists look at the physical evidence and compose some wild, fantastic theory which has no hope of ever being proven true. Conclusions are being made by the secular scientific community based upon imcomplete evidence, data and information while any gaps are filled in with conjecture and wishful thinking. It isn't the Bible that contains anti-scientific knowledge, it is the secular scientific world that lacks Biblical knowledge and faith.
5. Why is God such a huge proponent of slavery?
God isn't, this idea comes from the mis-understanding and mis-interpretating what God has spoken about in the Bible. We do know that the word translated as 'slave' in the old testament can be translated in other ways and cannot be construed as refering to the modern definition of the word 'slavery' as exampled by the american people of the 17th to 19th centuries.
Too often non-believers put their own definitions to certain Biblical words and refuse to accept the proper meanings, labeling them as rationalizations or excuses to get God off 'the hook'.
6. Why do bad things happen to good people?
Again we see a state of denial concerning the devil and his minions. All people are subject to his evil deeds and though believers have Christ to protect them, it doesn't mean they can't be lured away from that protection and be hurt. Being good does not make one immune to the natural events of life, the results of people's gift of free choice and others evil desires. Also, God has lessons for His followers to learn thus He allows certain events to take place in a person's life for their benefit and His glory. As we read in the gospels where Jesus disciples asked Him what was the reason for the man's blindness and the response they got was--For the Glory of God.
There are events in people's lives which are expressly done so that all will see God at work and from the result of that involvement praise God for what He has done. People need to see that God is God alone and that there is none above Him and that He alone is in charge.
7. Why didn't any of Jesus' miracles leave behind any evidence?
They did. Though the questioner is looking for more longer lasting physical evidence, what was left behind was the testimony of others who witnessed the miracles. If one looks at the miracles themselves, you would see allfit into the context of how God made the world. When Jesus calmed the seas, it was not for all time but for the immediate need at hand--safe crossing of the sea. Even the people that Jesus raised from the deadwere not granted eternal physical life, but eventually died a second time.
Plus, given the example of Lazerus and the rich man, we can see that unbelievers would not be swayed form 2,000 year old remnants of the past workings of Christ but would be demanding modern miracles to cause them to believe. We know from the field of archaeology that people do not believe simply because of an artifact they have dug up which proves an event true, so 2,000 year old evidence from Jesus' healing ministry would be dismissed and discarded as well. People see the evidence of modern miracles today and still do not believe so there was no need to have evidence remain from Jesus' life.
8. How do we explain the fact Jesus never appeared to you?
Very simple, faith. Jesus appearing to anyone in person would destroy any faith and undermine what Jesus told Thomas after His ressurrection, 'blessed are they who have not seen and believed.' We go to Jesus as our Savior by faith, by faith we are healed, by faith we receive things and so on. Jesus works within the limits set forth by God.
9. Why would Jesus want you to eat his body & his blood?
He doesn't, He wants us to remember His work and sacrifice when He was on earth. The idea that it is the real body and blood of Jesus comes from false doctrine and teaching. At no time does Jesus want us to be cannibals or cannabalistic.
10. Why do christians get divorced at the same rate as non-christians?
This is a sad trend in the church as we see people who claim to be christians, follow the world's thinking in these matters. Christians have long placed the Bible, God's word, under the interpretation of culture which opens the door for sinful thinking to enter and destroy God's teaching on marriage.
Christians also have not experienced the saving work of Christ in their lives thus they think along different lines and follow what they desire instead of humbly following after God. God's way is not easy and people want the easy route thus they look for alternatives to what scripture teaches despite what their actions say to the world.
Divorce is easy, a real marriage is not and that difficultness wears people down. Also the devil tempts many christians and being fallible people who err and make mistakes, marriages crumble and divorce takes place. It is not the will of God but people have the ability to freely choose in all situations and this is one of those situations where people can choose to follow God's ways or their own. That is why we have grace, so that we can repent from such errors, not make the same mistake again and be redeemed back to normal inspite of our unfaithfulness to God's directions and commands.
11. Does God Exist?
Yes. The Bible tells us that God has placed a desirew to know Him in our hearts which explains why man has this longing to find a supreme being. If volution were true we would not have this desire nor would we have even the concept of what a god or God would be. Evolution is totally void of any idea of the spiritual realm and does not contain in its framework, any mention or evidence for a spiritualworld. In fact the process itself is described as a non-thinking, non-comprehending, non-emotional, non-possessing process which is robotic in function and nature.
With this 'father' of all that exists there is no room for this desire to know God and it cannot explain why this desire exists. There is the excuse that man wants more than what he sees in this world and they want some sort of hope. Yet if evolution is absent of and has no concept of hope,how could it instill such feelings into what it evolves? It can't. There is no possible way that evolution could impart to its 'offspring' what it itself does not possess nor can conceive.
An example, man has always wanted to fly like the birds and history plus mythology ar filled with tales of each attempt to master the art of flying, more without success than otherwise. in the last century man was finally able to invent and construct airplanes yet if there had been no birds to give man the concept of flying, then there would be no planes or helicopters today.
Since evolution is described as a non-thinking, non-feeling, non-comprehending process it is impossible for it to for it to 'create' anything we see today or even know which abilities or characteristics would be needed for each individual animal. How would it know to evolve the camel to survive in the desert? It couldn't, for it wouldn't even know that deserts existed or would exist. How would it know what changes to make and be able to make those changes in time before the species became extinct? It couldn't without foresight, planning, comprehension, understanding of how things work it is i possible for evolution to do anything it is credited with doing.
How do we know God exists? By the very fact of creation and the impossibility of alternatives.
12. Is Evolution True?
No. One of the fatal flaws that evolutionists face is that everything they say evolution did is only attributed to it, scientists have no evidence nor proof that: 1. evolution is responsible, or 2. that that the process actually exists. The whole theory has come from the fertile imagination of a man who is a self-confessed non-believer and who felt his original belief in God never took. Thus it is safe to say that this theory is a product of a deceived man who could not provide any proof other than theory or conjecture.
Even the advocates of this theory who accept Darwin's premise can do no better. At best they can only do what they criticise Christians of doing and that is trying ot prove a pre-conceived idea. In a lecture given by an evolutionary scientist (details have been forgotten) it was stated by the lecturer that in one experiment, 'if evolution were true, such and such would take place. It did and evolution must be true..." The problem with this statement is that it is very mis-leading for the scientist ignored the fact that he was trying to prove a pre-conceived idea and that he did not include the fact that alternatives to evolution could produce the same result.
Such ideas are conveniently omitted and the manipulation of the facts produce a false conclusion and show that objectivity is not in the evolutionary laboratory. This kind of trickery is what confuses the unaware believer. The evolutionist uses his credentials as a scientist to create a sense of authority to justify his/her experiments and to convince legal pundits to their validity while laying false charges against the christian scientist and his/her work.
Another fatla flaw in the evolutionary mindset, is Genesis 2:1 which states: "1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array." There is no ongoing creation at work, just like Jesus' work on the cross, when He said 'It is finished', God's work at creation was finished on the 6th day. What takes place today are the results of God's designing abilities and the result of of the fall of man when Adam sinned. There is no evolutionary process in action or at work trying to continue what God said was completed.
As stated earlier, evolution is the product of a fertile mind of a decieved man and its origination undermines any claims of its validity. There are many questions which the evolutionist nor theistic evolutionist cannot answer, such as; 'why did God wait till the 19th century to reveal the rest of the truth? or Why did God use a non-believing man to reveal more truth?, then there is, if there is no God why did this knowledge come in the 19th century and what do we do with it if there is no hope? all we have is despair.
These type of questions show why evolution is not true, the theory does not provide any answers nor any hope. Its inability to provide any proof nor credible evidence without hype, conjecture, inference and hypothesis along with an unrelaistic time frame for developement clearly demonstrates its falsehood and exposes its true purpose of trying to deceive God's creation. Be careful and do not let the secular idea that science is the final authority fool you. It isn't and it is too limited to provide people with the truth as creation is outside of its scope and boundaries. It is merely a tool and wielded wrongly, it will provide the wrong results, just like any other tool we use today.
#13. If a person is to take the Bible by faith why are Christians always trying to prove the Bible true?
Dr. Bryant Wood in a lecture on Jericho and the Bible Critics (ABR), said it best when he said: ‘We are not trying to prove the Bible true but we are trying to disprove the critics. ‘
This is very important because not all believers have the time nor the inclination to investigate and properly research into an opinion or conclusion.
It is also too easy to hear the word ‘expert’ and automatically shut ones mind off and blindly accept what the person is saying even though he or she may be presenting a theory contrary
to the teachings of the Bible.
Jesus is the Truth and believers must make sure they are getting the truth or they are in danger of being led astray and relating a lie to Him. The Bible lays out the criteria to determine who is or isn’t a false teacher and the believer needs to compare those requirements to the speaker and his or her message. This is not judging but keeping the wolves from entering into the chicken coop.
#14. Why would the Dalai Lama and other 'good' people go to hell?
Being good is not an automatic ticket to heaven, anyone can be good but it takes a strong person to turn their back on the world and its ideas, rewards and pleasures. Following Christ is not accepting the world and Him which a good person can and does do. Instead salvation depends upon a simple choice and action, accept Christ as your savior and repent from your sins.
Good people, like the Dalai Lama, do not do either. They may acknowledge Christ as historical or as a good teacher but they do not always see thatthey need to repent or that they are need of a savior. The Bible is very clear here as we look at John 3:16 which says: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that WHOEVER BELIEVES in him shall have eternal life.
Thus the criteria for salvation and entrance into heaven is not being good but believing in Jesus Christ. This does not mean that after one believes they get to live life the way they
#15. Is homosexuality sin?
The short answer is yes with an explanation. it is not because of the familiar saying that most evangelicals recite, 'God created Adam 7 Eve, not Adam and Steve'. Such frivolities do more harm than good. Homosexuality is sin because God finds it an abomination and it mocks what he did at creation. he did creat man (anthropos) in two forms, male and female and gave them a command, 'Be fruitful and multiply...' such a command would be useless if God created homosexuality as there is no chance of multiplying with same sex partners.
Also, since sin entered into the world at the fall of man, we can see that homosexuality was a part of that corruption that entered into God's creation at that time because homosexuality goes against all that God created and perverts His intended purpose of the union between male and female. There is no command or comment in the Bible that directs a follower of God to cleave to a same sex partner but we do see comments that 'a man and a women will leave their parents and join together...' Thus homosexuality is outside the will of God and disobeys God which makes it sin.
#16. Why do homosexuals appeal to the love of God?
As far as i can tell, homosexuals focus on the love of God and cite it often in their arguments for several reasons. 1. They practice an abnormal sexual preference and are thus rejected by all those who do not. This rejection makes the person who practices homosexuality loved starved and they are looking for some sort of not sexual affection to fill a need they cannot have filled. 2. The think that the love of God will overlook their choice of sexual preference and give them a pass into heaven because they claim to believe in Jesus Christ. 3. The appeal to the love of God because it is the compassion they seek and they hope that in that compassion they will find justification for practicing their sexual preference even though God has said He has rejected such practices.
What the homosexual does not realize is that to be a believer in Jesus, be accepted by Him and others and make into heaven, they must repent of their sexual preference and follow what God have said in the Bible. They cannot have it both ways and like everyone else they have to choose--eternal life or sin. This DOES NOT mean that they have to find a woman, get married and have children, if they choose salvation. NOT in the least, they can remain single and serve God to their fullest. There is no command in the Bible that a person has to be married to be a Christian but they do have to give up practicing their homosexual preference.
#17. Is speaking against homosexuality a hate crime?
For many years now, the homosexual community has lobbied to be called a minority but that would be a lie to label them as such. Since homosexuality is a sexual preference and not a race of people it would be impossible to classify them as a minority. Such acts sound like this community is looking for a safe haven in which to feel accepted by others and to be able to find retribution for the rejection by the hetrosexual crowd.
Speaking against homosexuality is not a hate crime because one is not attacking the person per se (bashing these people physically is not the issue here) but in reality it is pointing out that that particular sexual preference is a sin, like lying, stealing, murder, and so on. One needs to repent of practicing it if they want to experience salvation and see heaven. Now there are some who do attack these people out of hatred BUT that is not what the christian is doing or supposed to do. The believer is to preach against the sin and its practice while demonstrating God's love to the person. If anyone expects the homosexual to change then they need to experience God's love via His instruments, His followers. It is not enough to just preach homosexuality is wrong, they need to see and realize the difference betweenwhat they have and what Christ offers.
Bringing salvation to someone, pointing out a sin, declaring what is sin IS NOT a hate crime but an act of compassion by one who wants to see more people saved from destruction and hell. This is quite within the will of God if done with God and through His ways.
#18 Is Christianity exclusive?
The charge of being exclusive is a common one made by those who cannot agree with Christ's position or God's rules. They find that not being able to find salvation their own way offensive and falsely accuse God of leaving people out in the cold. This false accusation is far from the truth and the reality and is a good justification to ignore what God has said and excuse or allow one to practice their own form of the faith.
Christianity is not exclusive as any person, no matter what race, gender, age or color can come to Christ, repent, believe and receive forgiveness along with salvation. No one who does it Christ's way is excluded and God does wish 'that none should perish'. WHAT IS EXCLUDED is sin and the doing it your own way. God is offering salvation and He gets to make the rules, not His creation, if people are unwilling to humble themselves and accept that fact then they will have trouble with salvation and will arrive at the false conclusion that God, Christianity is exclusive. In reality, it is the human that has rejected God and excluded Him from their lives not the other way around.
#19. Are Mormons Christian?
The short answer is --no. The simple reason for this answer is that they do not, despite what they claim, practice the teachings of Jesus as found solely in the Bible. The have turned to the books and words of a man whose claims could not and cannot be verified (see the mormon page on this site). They have actually developed contradictory scriptures, with the Bible saying one thing and the Book of mormon (and other mormon scriptures), saying the exact opposite. The mere fact that the Mormons have additional scriptures, not given by God, alone disqualifies them from any part of Christianity. Their secrecy, their additional doctrines which are not found in the Bible AND the fact that these additional books were given approx. 1800 years AFTER the Bible tells us that they are not part of the Christian faith.
What we know of God from the Bible is that he is fair, honest, just and all that is destroyed if the Joseph Smith was right and that he got new revelations long after the ressurrection of Christ. How? That 1800 year gap has billions of people missing out on the words of this new revelation and that is not honest, it is not fair and it is not just and it is not how God works. God has always provided a testimony for His creation so that they would know the truth and such examples are: Enoch, Noah, Melchezidek, Jesus, he Apostles and so on. at no time has God left a gap where people could not here the truth and be saved if they so chose.
We know that the mormon faith is not of Christ and this gap helps provide the simple evidence to prove their declaration false.
#20 How do we deal with Jehovah's Witnesses?
The Jehovah's Witness, (hereafter j.w.s), Organization is a cult whose members thrive on being abused and rejected. Such harsh treatment is a badge of honor for them as they feel they are being persecuted for their faith. it is best to be polite, close the door softly on them, and let them go their way. Now one should NOT invite them in to their homes for discussion as the Bible tells us not to do so nor shoul dyou have dinner with them or whatever. Evil walks with them and by opening the door into your home and life you are opening the door to the evil that comes with them.
Now this does not mean that when you see them in trouble or in need of help that you ignore their pleas or plight,on the contrary, one must act according to what Jesus taught and be a friend to them. We are 'to do good to those who do evil...' we arejust not allowed to open the door to their evil ways. It is best to look for God's guidance when dealing with this or any other cult member.
#21 Are we allowed to say who is a false teacher or prophet?
Yes. The Bible warns us that many will come in Jesus name and say they preach the truth and that they follow Christ, yet what they preach is not of God nor of the Bible and that we should be wary of all those who preach the gospel. The Bible then gives us many different criteria with which we can tell the difference, 'by their fruits ye shall know them...' isone such criteria. Another is if they are 'preaching another gospel...' Such regulations, for lack of a better word, help us to discern who is telling the truth and who is 'a wolf disguised in sheep's clothing...'
Also, if we know someone is preaching a lie then we have the duty to warn all fellow true believers of the false prophet so that they can be prepared and avoid being deceived. We need to watch out for each other as all christians are not as strong as others and can easily be tempted to go astray. This is how we can say that there are cults and that they do not belong to Christ. The mormons are a good example. They put up a good exterior and live their lives quite christian-lke but once you get past that illusion and see what they are really teaching then you can see the difference between their words and Christ's and then be able to reject their advances avoiding falling into a snare of the devil.
This is important as we all have the responsibility to care for God's followers andmake sure thatthey are not drawn away back into sin. We do not shoot our wounded but lovingly dress their wounds, care for them until they can fend for themselves and with stand such deception and then continue to salvation. But when we make such declarations that someone is a false teacher or prophet, we better be sure and do not let paranoia, fear, false conclusions, assumptions dictate our warnings. Seek God's word and be sure before crying wolf.
|
