Dear Victorious,
I know you've said we're not to get caught up in the imagery of the book of Revelation. But sometimes I can't resist! Seriously, I am confused about the "trumpet judgements" and the "bowl judgements." How can I tell them apart and what is their respective significance?
Melanie E. - Katy, TX
Dear Melanie,
The trumpet judgements still give unbelievers an opportunity to repent. but the bowl judgements do not. These judgements are complete and finish off the destruction of all mankind which does not belong to God. Trumpet judgements are warnings. Bowl judgements are what we were being warned about - final judgement and destruction of all that is not redeemed by Jesus Christ.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Loss of Salvation
Dear Victorious,
I know that the Bible teaches we can not lose our salvation. But Scripture seems to contradict itself in places. For example, in Ezekiel 18:24 and 26, it appears that righteous people can lose their salvation by sinning and not repenting. Doesn't this mean that our salvation isn't as secure as the preachers would have us believe?
Luther A. - Dayton, OH
Dear Luther,
No, that's not what it means. The first thing you need to understand is that Scripture never contradicts itself. It's impossible. So if it looks that way to you, then you must conclude that there is something which you're missing or something that you don't understand. Never, ever conclude that Scripture contradicts itself. If you give in to that lie, then the truth of the whole Bible will be meaningless to you!
What is being talked about in Ezekiel 18 and what is being talked about elsewhere in the Bible in this regard really amounts to whether one was ever saved or had their salvation in the first place. Notice that in the same chapter of Ezekiel it speaks of people who do evil and then repent, and get life. But the verses you reference are where (seemingly) righteous people do evil and don't repent, and get death. This is very different than losing one's salvation. The question is whether one had salvation in the first place.
1 John 3:9 tells us that no one who is born of God (i.e., a true Christian) will continue to sin or go on sinning. That doesn't mean they will never sin. It means they can not sin without being grieved by it and being moved to repent of it. For sure, people are righteous and saved will sin. But the evidence of their salvation will be found in their repentance for that sin. Said differently, the things that grieve God will also grieve the one in whom God lives.
So Luther, the question is not whether one can lose their salvation. Rather the question is whether one ever had their salvation in the first place. Just because someone "got saved" in human terms does not mean that they received the Holy Spirit, and that He dwells in them now. Those things only happen when one has had a true change of heart and yielded himself (or herself) to God in a genuine way.
I know that the Bible teaches we can not lose our salvation. But Scripture seems to contradict itself in places. For example, in Ezekiel 18:24 and 26, it appears that righteous people can lose their salvation by sinning and not repenting. Doesn't this mean that our salvation isn't as secure as the preachers would have us believe?
Luther A. - Dayton, OH
Dear Luther,
No, that's not what it means. The first thing you need to understand is that Scripture never contradicts itself. It's impossible. So if it looks that way to you, then you must conclude that there is something which you're missing or something that you don't understand. Never, ever conclude that Scripture contradicts itself. If you give in to that lie, then the truth of the whole Bible will be meaningless to you!
What is being talked about in Ezekiel 18 and what is being talked about elsewhere in the Bible in this regard really amounts to whether one was ever saved or had their salvation in the first place. Notice that in the same chapter of Ezekiel it speaks of people who do evil and then repent, and get life. But the verses you reference are where (seemingly) righteous people do evil and don't repent, and get death. This is very different than losing one's salvation. The question is whether one had salvation in the first place.
1 John 3:9 tells us that no one who is born of God (i.e., a true Christian) will continue to sin or go on sinning. That doesn't mean they will never sin. It means they can not sin without being grieved by it and being moved to repent of it. For sure, people are righteous and saved will sin. But the evidence of their salvation will be found in their repentance for that sin. Said differently, the things that grieve God will also grieve the one in whom God lives.
So Luther, the question is not whether one can lose their salvation. Rather the question is whether one ever had their salvation in the first place. Just because someone "got saved" in human terms does not mean that they received the Holy Spirit, and that He dwells in them now. Those things only happen when one has had a true change of heart and yielded himself (or herself) to God in a genuine way.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
False Teachers
Dear Victorious,
I suspect that a preacher at our church is a false teacher (in the Biblical sense). How can I be sure?
Percy I. - Carbondale, IL
Dear Percy,
I'm not sure what you mean by someone being a false teacher "in the Biblical sense." But if I read my Bible's warnings about false teachers, and examine the credentials for true teachers, there are three criteria that come to mind about false teachers:
1. Their teachings do not confirm what Scripture already says.
Preaching or teaching should have an element of redundancy in that nothing should be preached or taught which isn't already stated in Scripture.
2. They don't proclaim that Jesus is God.
Preaching or teaching should only help to point people to God. It should narrowly focus people on the gospel of Jesus Christ ... and not distract them with false gods like leadership, prosperity or service.
3. Their own life style is not consistent with Biblical morality.
The teacher must be living a life that is testament to what they teach. In other words, the teacher must excel at "walking the talk."
Having made these three points though, be cautious about this third point. Preachers and teachers are human. Thus they are infallible, hopeless sinners in desperate need of a Savior. You'll have to give them grace for their own sins and not judge them. So, for example, don't expect them to be sinless. Rather expect them to be repentant about their sin.
I suspect that a preacher at our church is a false teacher (in the Biblical sense). How can I be sure?
Percy I. - Carbondale, IL
Dear Percy,
I'm not sure what you mean by someone being a false teacher "in the Biblical sense." But if I read my Bible's warnings about false teachers, and examine the credentials for true teachers, there are three criteria that come to mind about false teachers:
1. Their teachings do not confirm what Scripture already says.
Preaching or teaching should have an element of redundancy in that nothing should be preached or taught which isn't already stated in Scripture.
2. They don't proclaim that Jesus is God.
Preaching or teaching should only help to point people to God. It should narrowly focus people on the gospel of Jesus Christ ... and not distract them with false gods like leadership, prosperity or service.
3. Their own life style is not consistent with Biblical morality.
The teacher must be living a life that is testament to what they teach. In other words, the teacher must excel at "walking the talk."
Having made these three points though, be cautious about this third point. Preachers and teachers are human. Thus they are infallible, hopeless sinners in desperate need of a Savior. You'll have to give them grace for their own sins and not judge them. So, for example, don't expect them to be sinless. Rather expect them to be repentant about their sin.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Ministry Alone?
Dear Victorious,
I am active in my church and serve faithfully in many respects. The problem is that I often see ministry needs which need to be addressed ... and end up being the only one who is willing to address them! I'll start a ministry endeavor and then find it is too hard to do by myself. But I have never been very good at recruiting others to join me in such ministry work. How do I get people to get more engaged?
Tiffany M. - Raleigh, NC
Dear Tiffany,
When God truly calls us to do something, most likely He is calling others in the same way. He never meant for us to be sole operators in ministry. Rather God wants us to function in the community of other believers whom He has called similarly. So if you seem to be the only one called to do something, I'd ask a couple of questions.
First, is it possible that this perceived "calling" is really just a manifestation of your own desire to be busy, produce fruit, etc.? Often people mistake their own thinking for God's. The way to be sure of that is to look for affirmation of whatever it is you think God has called you to do. Do other spiritually mature people agree that you're being called in this way? Is there a real need that should be filled? Do you see God working in this way without you?
Second, is it possible that the people around you are actually called but they aren't listening? In other words, are you simply experiencing the consequences of someone else's sin. You in fact may be called to do something, as are others. But perhaps you're the only one who is obedient to the call. If so, you may well find yourself serving alone ... ministering alone. In that case, God is with you and that will have to do. Do you trust God to equip and empower you to steer the course? Are you willing to obey Him even if others do not?
I am active in my church and serve faithfully in many respects. The problem is that I often see ministry needs which need to be addressed ... and end up being the only one who is willing to address them! I'll start a ministry endeavor and then find it is too hard to do by myself. But I have never been very good at recruiting others to join me in such ministry work. How do I get people to get more engaged?
Tiffany M. - Raleigh, NC
Dear Tiffany,
When God truly calls us to do something, most likely He is calling others in the same way. He never meant for us to be sole operators in ministry. Rather God wants us to function in the community of other believers whom He has called similarly. So if you seem to be the only one called to do something, I'd ask a couple of questions.
First, is it possible that this perceived "calling" is really just a manifestation of your own desire to be busy, produce fruit, etc.? Often people mistake their own thinking for God's. The way to be sure of that is to look for affirmation of whatever it is you think God has called you to do. Do other spiritually mature people agree that you're being called in this way? Is there a real need that should be filled? Do you see God working in this way without you?
Second, is it possible that the people around you are actually called but they aren't listening? In other words, are you simply experiencing the consequences of someone else's sin. You in fact may be called to do something, as are others. But perhaps you're the only one who is obedient to the call. If so, you may well find yourself serving alone ... ministering alone. In that case, God is with you and that will have to do. Do you trust God to equip and empower you to steer the course? Are you willing to obey Him even if others do not?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Stubborn
Dear Victor,
My wife says that I am stubborn and that it is wrecking our marriage. I come from a long line of German people and we've always considered stubbornness a virtue. After all it's about being intentional, single-minded and confident. What can I do to lead my wife to a better conclusion about my stubbornness?
Ralph Y. - Germantown, MD
Dear Ralph,
I'm afraid you're barking up the wrong tree with me on this one. Blaming your stubbornness on your German heritage is a cop out. It's buying into the lie that our culture trumps virtue. (It never has.)
Stubbornness is rooted in self centeredness. Of course those who are stubborn have great difficulty seeing that. It's hard for them to imagine that their stubbornness could ever be their fault. So it would take a brave man to first admit that he is stubborn (which is not a virtue) and then to honestly seek the truth about why he is that way.
Perhaps you've already come to the conclusion that you are stubborn. Now you just have to admit that it's a character defect and start treating it that way.
My wife says that I am stubborn and that it is wrecking our marriage. I come from a long line of German people and we've always considered stubbornness a virtue. After all it's about being intentional, single-minded and confident. What can I do to lead my wife to a better conclusion about my stubbornness?
Ralph Y. - Germantown, MD
Dear Ralph,
I'm afraid you're barking up the wrong tree with me on this one. Blaming your stubbornness on your German heritage is a cop out. It's buying into the lie that our culture trumps virtue. (It never has.)
Stubbornness is rooted in self centeredness. Of course those who are stubborn have great difficulty seeing that. It's hard for them to imagine that their stubbornness could ever be their fault. So it would take a brave man to first admit that he is stubborn (which is not a virtue) and then to honestly seek the truth about why he is that way.
Perhaps you've already come to the conclusion that you are stubborn. Now you just have to admit that it's a character defect and start treating it that way.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Helping Government
Dear Victorious,
You seem to rant about the national debt quite a bit. What you don't seem to grasp is that the common citizen is really pretty helpless. Do you honestly believe there is anything any of us can do individually that could really help?
Marva B. - Scottsdale, AZ
Dear Marva,
Yes, I do.
We could vote. A shocking number of people fail to vote in most elections, especially for our local officials and delegates to the federal government. Most people don't know who their Senators or Congressmen are. We stick our heads in the sand and assume that it's out of our hands. It would be responsible for us to actively research and know the candidates, vote for the ones who are qualified and ethical, and then follow their activity to ensure that they're voting our values. When they screw up, we can communicate with them --- letting them know that we don't approve of pork, poor legislation or other irresponsible representation. In other words, we can hold accountable those whom we elect. This of course would be inconvenient and require sacrifice on our part.
We could pay. It is estimated that as many as 43-49% of all U.S. citizens will pay no federal income taxes because of the way the tax code is written. They either earn too little to pay or they have sufficient deductions reduce their tax liability to zero (or less). Common sense would tell you that this isn't a sustainable economic model. All of those people are benefiting from the services of the federal government. So we could stop taking tax deductions and credits that we're entitled to legally --- in an effort to voluntarily help the government fiscally. We could stop taking government benefits like social security, disability, Medicare and Medicaid, welfare, food stamps and other entitlements unless we absolutely need them and have no other way to support and sustain ourselves. Finally, we could freely give money to the government. People will give millions to their alma mater because they're proud of it and want to help it be stronger and even more credible. Why couldn't we view the federal government the same way. We could name the U.S. government in our wills, specifically designating the funds to be used for retiring national debt. This of course would be inconvenient and require sacrifice on our part.
I am not optimistic that the American culture will embrace any of these things soon.
You seem to rant about the national debt quite a bit. What you don't seem to grasp is that the common citizen is really pretty helpless. Do you honestly believe there is anything any of us can do individually that could really help?
Marva B. - Scottsdale, AZ
Dear Marva,
Yes, I do.
We could vote. A shocking number of people fail to vote in most elections, especially for our local officials and delegates to the federal government. Most people don't know who their Senators or Congressmen are. We stick our heads in the sand and assume that it's out of our hands. It would be responsible for us to actively research and know the candidates, vote for the ones who are qualified and ethical, and then follow their activity to ensure that they're voting our values. When they screw up, we can communicate with them --- letting them know that we don't approve of pork, poor legislation or other irresponsible representation. In other words, we can hold accountable those whom we elect. This of course would be inconvenient and require sacrifice on our part.
We could pay. It is estimated that as many as 43-49% of all U.S. citizens will pay no federal income taxes because of the way the tax code is written. They either earn too little to pay or they have sufficient deductions reduce their tax liability to zero (or less). Common sense would tell you that this isn't a sustainable economic model. All of those people are benefiting from the services of the federal government. So we could stop taking tax deductions and credits that we're entitled to legally --- in an effort to voluntarily help the government fiscally. We could stop taking government benefits like social security, disability, Medicare and Medicaid, welfare, food stamps and other entitlements unless we absolutely need them and have no other way to support and sustain ourselves. Finally, we could freely give money to the government. People will give millions to their alma mater because they're proud of it and want to help it be stronger and even more credible. Why couldn't we view the federal government the same way. We could name the U.S. government in our wills, specifically designating the funds to be used for retiring national debt. This of course would be inconvenient and require sacrifice on our part.
I am not optimistic that the American culture will embrace any of these things soon.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Faithful To God
Dear Victorious,
What does is mean for someone to be "faithful to God?"
Dee Ann L. - Kissimmee, FL
Dear Dee Ann,
Faithfulness to God is really an acute sensitivity to ... and sorrow over sin. Any sin. It could be my sin, it could be your sin, it could be our sin, or it could even be the sins of other people. All sin should grieve those who are truly faithful to God. It's really an alignment with God's will and then sin and sorry for any departure from His will.
The Bible puts it this way in Ezekiel 9:4-5. If you go to http://www.biblegateway.com/ you can look it up in various translations. I specifically like the Amplified Bible and The Message translations.
Recognize that any attempt to broaden the definition of faithfulness is pretty futile --- as sin is already a pretty broad definition. It includes anything that is not God's will, including not doing His will when it is known, not following Him, etc. Truly faithful people are just as grieved by and sorry for that as they are for the more blatant sins mankind commits.
What does is mean for someone to be "faithful to God?"
Dee Ann L. - Kissimmee, FL
Dear Dee Ann,
Faithfulness to God is really an acute sensitivity to ... and sorrow over sin. Any sin. It could be my sin, it could be your sin, it could be our sin, or it could even be the sins of other people. All sin should grieve those who are truly faithful to God. It's really an alignment with God's will and then sin and sorry for any departure from His will.
The Bible puts it this way in Ezekiel 9:4-5. If you go to http://www.biblegateway.com/ you can look it up in various translations. I specifically like the Amplified Bible and The Message translations.
Recognize that any attempt to broaden the definition of faithfulness is pretty futile --- as sin is already a pretty broad definition. It includes anything that is not God's will, including not doing His will when it is known, not following Him, etc. Truly faithful people are just as grieved by and sorry for that as they are for the more blatant sins mankind commits.
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