Lexann’s blog

This is my last entry in this running series of "Tough Questions for Christians".  Although I do not know if these answers have been helpful to others, I know it has greatly increased my prayer, meditation and study of God's word.  These questions have pushed me to truly "be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you..." (I Pet. 3:15)  I hope you have enjoyed reading these, or at least been given some knowledge to aid you in your spiritual journey. 
God bless, Lexann

19.  Tough Question #19: Bumbling Idiot God
Did God create Hell with the foreknowledge and intent of torturing humanity?  Or is he a bumbling idiot who could not foresee the consequences of his own actions?
I’ve given an answer to enough of your questions by now that I’m sure you know that I do not believe that God is a bumbling idiot nor do I believe that He could not foresee the consequences of His own actions.  This question poses another in my mind which is: Should God have not created man at all?  Or should He have created man without the ability of free will?  Hell, as you mentioned, was not made for humanity.  God never intended it to be so, but where God is not, there is hell.  We have God ever present in this physical world, and so do not comprehend His absence.  In the spiritual world, the afterlife, if you prefer, God is separate from wickedness.  Light cannot abide in darkness.  Where light is not, there is darkness.  Those who choose not to abide in light must abide in darkness.  Not because God chooses such, but because an individual chooses such.  Man with his free will chooses separation.  God does not intend Hell for anyone, but knew that would be the outcome for some.  One day you may be blessed with children.  There is a high possibility that at least one of your children may reject the morals and principles you instill in him.  With that knowledge, will you choose not to have children?  God didn’t make that choice; He chose to create mankind with free will, despite the knowledge that there would be those who would use that free will to choose to be without Him.

 
20. Tough Question for Christians #20: Chimera
How many souls does a Chimera have, and what happens to the other soul?
This question is irrelevant.  I don’t mean that in an arrogant or self-righteous way at all.  I mean that this question is like asking, “Did Adam and Eve have a belly button?”  Although that might be an amusing bit of information to have, it makes no difference in the life of the believer.  When does God give the soul of man?  Is it at conception or implantation or perhaps when the brain stem forms?  Perhaps the soul, like the body, develops in the womb, and like many other things such as puberty or the age of accountability, it is different for each person.  I don’t know the answer to these questions, but they are not beyond God.  If the soul of the Chimera is “merged” or grows with the body or is bestowed by God at some other time, what does it matter?  God is not confounded by this anomaly of the nature that He has created.

 
21. Tough Question for Christians #21: God Hates Disabled People
Why would the presence of someone disabled profane God’s sanctuary?
I believe that in asking this question, you have no real concept of the holiness of God.  It is not really your fault.  We in our society have so denigrated God to make Him our friend and our “buddy” that we have forgotten who He is!  He is the I AM, the Almighty, the Holiest of Holies, the Everlasting Father, the Creator of the Universe!  To come into His presence is an awesome and terrible thing! 
The symbolism in the Temple was profound.  Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, the place where resided the Ark of the Covenant, and then only once a year after much ritual cleansing.  Only the priests could enter the Holy Place, and they were only men from the tribe of Levi.  Only Jewish males over the age of 12 could enter the temple courts.  Did God think less of men from tribes other than Levi?  Did God hate Gentiles and women and children?  God had dietary laws: no pork, no lobster, etc.  Is there anything wrong with these foods?  Didn’t God create it and give it to man as food?  Were these inferior items made by God?  God had specific details about sacrificial animals.  They were to have no blemish, not even a spot.  Is a spotted lamb’s wool inferior?  Does meat from a blind bull taste less appealing?  God did not make these rules because women or disabled people or spotted lambs are of lesser value, but to show the symbolism of His holiness!  These were external physical reminders to the people of Israel of the separation of God and man.  We must not take it for granted that we can simply enter into the presence of the Holy God with our unclean selves and demand audience! 
This is a reflection on the wonder and power of the blood of Christ!  It shows the superiority of Christ to the law.  When Jesus died, the temple veil that separated the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom!  (Matt. 27:51)  That symbolic separation between God and man that was so overwhelming in the Temple had been overcome through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus!  God and man need never again be separated!

16.  Tough Question #16: False Gods
What system did God establish, which “mislead” Christians ignore, that ensures you are following the real God, while other believers are so easily mislead?
One of your observations in asking this question is: “It can't be the simple act of prayer because the groups in question did that.  It can't be simply the study of the Bible because they did that as well.  Nor can it be simply the having of faith in the guidance of a loving God because this also describes them.”  How do you come to this conclusion?  It seems in the case of the Branch-Davidians and Jim Jones followers at least, that they had faith in the guidance of a man over the guidance of a loving God.  They apparently did not study the bible because otherwise their followers would have known them to be false prophets.  I don’t know the details, but I do know that David Koresh was a pedophile of his own followers’ children and Jones had his followers commit murder/suicide.  God tells us over and over again in scripture that you will know a false prophet by his actions.  (Jer. 23; Matt. 7:15-21; Matt. 24:23-26; II Pet. 2:1-3)  A man who exempts himself from the laws of God while professing to have divine inspiration is a liar.  This is the only “system” that we need to identify false prophets.
If you are a Christian who can isolate nothing you are doing differently from the people referred to previously, then here's another question: "How can you be sure that you are not yourself being misled by a false god?"
This isn’t exactly applicable to me as I believe I can isolate something different from myself and the groups you mentioned in your podcast: faith in God over any man.  You seem to be looking for a “secret” that only true Christians have, that others do not.  There is no secret.  God tells us in scripture that even the elect can be lead away by false prophets. (Matt. 24:24)  We, as Christians, must be diligent in our “true knowledge” of Jesus Christ (II Pet. 1:8), and must search the scriptures daily to see if what someone says is true, as did the more “noble” Bereans (Acts 17:10-11).

17. Tough Question for Christians #17: Never Heard of Jesus
If people can ONLY be damned if they consciously reject Jesus, why tell anyone about him?
Jesus tells us: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20).  God also tells us through inspiration, “…for whoever will call upon the name of the LORD will be saved.  How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent?...” and “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:13-15a,17)  It is the most imperative and urgent mission of the church as a whole and Christians as individuals to proclaim the gospel to all, and to send out preachers to every corner of the world so that all have the opportunity to hear.  Because God also tells us, “…when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”  (II Thess. 1:7b-9)  People cannot be saved without Christ.

18. Tough Question for Christians #18: Promised Land
Why did God make the Israelites murder so many people in order to take possession of the land he promised them?
I’m sure you’ve heard the arguments as for why the Canaanites were to be utterly destroyed, so I won’t reiterate something you’ve already heard (and don’t believe).  We’ll leave it at this:  God brought judgment upon them for their wickedness, and used the Israelites as His tool to administer this judgment. Therefore, you ask: “Why did God make the Israelites kill everyone off, instead of simply having the land prepared and ready for them, like he promised?”  Let me ask you something: do you make your child do chores?  At 1 & 4, my boys do “clean up” (put away their toys) and “help” with the dishes.  Do I need their help to get these chores done?  At this age they are more of a hindrance than a help, but the work is good for them.  When they are old enough, they will have to mow the grass and take out the trash, etc.  As they grow and get more responsibility, they also will get more privileges.  They will not “earn” their keep through these things, but it makes them appreciate what they have and respect their parents.  Did God need the Israelites to make war for Him in order to accomplish His goals?  Of course not.  The use of the Israelites was for the benefit of them, not God.  They had to put their faith in Him exclusively, not their own warfare abilities.  Most of the time they were vastly outnumbered and out-classed in their warring technology.  The conquering of Jericho was most obviously through the power of God.  These skirmishes were to teach and build God’s people to trust fully in Him, not their own strength.  (Duet. 6:10-15; Josh. 25:13-15)

13.  Tough Question #13: Reluctant God.
Why was God so reluctant to sacrifice Himself for your sins?

To start you need to realize that there is a difference between God the Father and God the Son and God the Spirit.  The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit act in complete unison according to the will of God.  Therefore the bible tells us “…The Lord is our God.  The Lord is one!” (Duet. 6:4)  When you praise the Father, you praise the Son; when you blaspheme the Son, you blaspheme the Father; when you call on the Spirit, you call on the Father and the Son.  However, we see that from the beginning, God is one AND God is the trinity.  (Gen. 1:2, 26 see also John 10:30 & John 1:1-3, 14)  In your web video you say: “He knew Adam and Eve would fall, and he knew that the only way he could forgive sin would be if he sacrificed himself – to himself.”  He did not sacrifice Himself to Himself.  The Son forsook His communion with the Father and the Spirit, took on flesh with all its frailties, lived blameless in the will of God, and then allowed Himself to be sacrificed for the sake of mankind. (Phil. 2:6-8 see also Rom. 8:3)  The bible makes clear from the beginning that the only payment for sin is blood; your own blood.  Someone else’s blood will not cover for your misdeeds, since they have sin of their own.  The blood of animals (who do not have free will) could only grant a temporary stay of judgment, not cleansing.  So, what is the solution to bridge the gap that mankind has made?  The solution is: blood from one who is sinless AND has free will of His own.  Only God is both.  Only the Son was able.  This also answers your comments: “The day before he is to die, he goes and prays to himself and begs himself to get himself out.  “God please remove this cup from me.”  “Please, let me out of it, I don’t want to do this.”…and… Why after he was here did he beg himself to let himself off the hook?”  Jesus did not pray to Himself, he prayed to the Father.  Knowing He must do this thing in order to fulfill the will of God did not make it any more appealing.  The Lord teaches us in His word that He can be persuaded.  He can change His mind.  Jesus prayed to the Father to change His mind or possibly find another way.  He did not want to disobey the Father, but He also did not want to be tortured to death.  Can you blame Him?

You also say: “If your God is not a reluctant God, why did he wait 4,000 years before coming down and offering Himself as a sacrifice?  Why not do it immediately? There was no need, and no benefit to waiting 4,000 years and issuing laws that he’s just going repeal later.”  When God created Adam he did not immediately create Eve.  He had Adam see all the animals first (and name them), so that Adam would understand that “…there was not found a helper suitable for him.” (Gen. 2:20).  God knew that He would be making woman, and that it was not good for man to be alone.  But Adam needed time to realize it too, in order to appreciate the gift that was his wife.  In the same way, mankind needed time to appreciate the destructive force of sin and understand what it means to be separated from God.  The bible tells us that the old law was a tutor to lead us to Christ.  (Gal. 3:24)  It taught us why a perfect sacrifice was needed.  Man could not be holy without the help of God.  Man could not be reconciled to God without His help.  So in answer to: “And why did he try so many other plans before finally deciding that the only way he could do it would be to come down himself?”  He had only one plan (Gen. 3:15), the law brought us to it and taught us why we needed it.  The old law was not discarded or “repealed”, but fulfilled. (Matt. 5:17-18)

You say: “He knows all.  He knows the past, the present, and the future.  He knows the outcome of every decision anyone will ever make. In fact, the entire history of the world was known to God before he even created it.”  You do not believe that God is omniscient because according to you, He would have done things differently or on a different timetable.  I have two things to respond to that; the first is that God has His own timetable and His own counsels, and as GOD, He can make the right decision. (Isa. 55:8-9 – “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”)  The second is that He is long-suffering and gives man lots of time to repent, in hopes that He can reconcile with him.  (II Pet. 3:9) 

Lastly, let me tell you something about my son.  He loves chocolate ice cream in a cone.  I know anytime I ask him what kind of ice cream he wants, he will always respond, “chocolate in a cone”.  Because I know this, and I know him so well, I can predict his answer.  He is still free to choose any flavor.  He can get a cup or a cone.  But I know what he will choose.  Is God any less insightful?  He knew when He created man that he would sin.  For the sake of love, God created us anyway, and warned man of the consequences of sin, but sure enough, man sinned anyway.  Did God force man to sin just because He knew the outcome?  Again, for the sake of love, God had a plan of redemption and He knew that most men would reject it.  He predicted it; He set it in motion; and sure enough, it was fulfilled!  Were there no choices?  Could man have chosen not to sin?  Yes, but he didn’t, and God knew he wouldn’t.  Could Jesus have chosen not to come to earth?  Could Jesus have rejected the Father’s plan and decided to leave us to deal with the consequences of our own actions?  These things could have happened, but the Father knows the Son.  He knew that what He planned, the Son would fulfill.

14. Tough Question for Christians #14: Kill your kids for Christ
Would you risk eternity in Hell if it would guarantee your children would spend eternity in Heaven?

I have two sons.  They both crawled at 6 months.  But the eldest didn’t walk until he was almost 15 months, and the youngest was tottering around by his first birthday.  My first born didn’t say a word until he was more than 27 months old, my baby is a jabber-jaws at 18 months.  My point is, they are alike as brothers are, but they are also very different, including in the area of development.  At what point will they be old enough to be accountable to God?  It will be when they have committed sin.  (“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” as you so often like to quote.)  There is not an age or a demarcation line.  There is an action.  Once my boys are old enough to understand the difference in good and evil, once they have committed an act that will separate them from God, they are accountable to Him for that act.  At what point will that be?  Only God knows.  But although my boys have the potential to one day do evil, they also have the potential to one day do good.  Should I kill them now and rob the world of 2 souls potential good?  What sort of faith will these boys have?  I think they have enormous potential to do enormous good and show enormous faith!  I hope and pray that at least one of them is a preacher.  Perhaps their faith will lead thousands to Christ.  Perhaps it will lead one soul to Christ.  Either way that is tremendous good.  That is one more soul.  I would “risk” my boys souls that they would one day bring about a better world and the joy of salvation to others.  After all, if I kill my kids for Christ, I don’t really have faith in Him to save my boys through His plan of salvation, do I?

It is a good thing that God doesn’t think like you.  After all, if He just killed off all the faithful people to take them to heaven, then he would have left all the sinners on earth, and just taken Noah and his family to be with him.  He would have taken Abram, and we’d have no father Abraham.  He would have taken David, and the Jews would never have had their greatest king.  What a great loss for the rest of the world that would have been!  Not to mention that “without faith it is impossible to please [God].”  (Heb. 11:6)  Faith is an action.  Noah had to prove his faith by building the ark.  Abraham had to prove his faith on several occasions, including the sacrifice of his son.  All the great men and women of the bible had to ACT on their belief in God, and it was credited to them as faith! (Heb. 11)  If they had died as children how could they have shown their faith?  How could they have shown us?

15. Tough Question for Christians #15: Amputees
Why aren’t you reattaching limbs for the glory of God?

This question assumes that the promised signs given by Jesus in Mark 16:17-18 to his disciples just before he ascended to heaven was an unending promise to all believers.  It also assumes that God promised that miraculous gifts would continue as long as the church remained.  I believe that neither assumption is true.  Jesus gives his apostles lots of authority that was necessary for the establishment of the church and the spreading of the gospel that we no longer have or need today.  They were promised (and received) the “fire” of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11 for the prophecy, Acts 2:1-4 for the fulfillment), but we understand that was for them at that time to establish the church.  They were given the authority to “bind” and “loose” on earth and in heaven (Matt. 16:19), but we understand that authority was given to the apostles alone, not to all believers. I contend that the promised signs in Mark 16 were also limited to time and persons.  God tells us through His word that He would eventually end miraculous signs.  (See I Cor. 13.  For more about this, see my answer to question #8.)  I believe the bible teaches that God is not talking to people directly today, that is why He gives us His word. Don't get me wrong, it's not that God can't work modern day miracles, but I believe the scriptures teach that He won't. And God being God, wouldn't break His own rules. I believe very much in the providence of God: His actions through the natural world that bring about goodness in the lives of the faithful. Prayer is an important component of that sort of providence. I know that there are lots of people out there who would disagree with me on this, but all I've ever seen of people who allegedly have miraculous gifts are men who are looking to receive money, power and praise for themselves, not glorify God.  And on that point I would agree with you, if miraculous gifts continue in present day, where are all the healed people?

Tough questions for Christians #1: When Can God Forgive?

Why is God powerless to forgive you after you’re dead?

In your example, you state that the person who committed the “sin” of damaging your car tries and tries to find you, but never does.  But in the search for God that would never happen.  God tells us in the bible, “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”  (Matt. 7:7-8)  He also says that Jesus is seeking us as well, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me.” (Rev. 3:20)  He gives all mankind that have the ability to commit sin, the ability to find Him to ask for forgiveness.  He does not forgive after you are dead because you have already made your choice prior to death.  He is not powerless to forgive, but He does not take away your free choice, either, even if that choice is eternal death.

Here is the next in the on-going series.

10.  Tough Question #10: Animal Sacrifices AFTER Jesus' Return
Was Jesus’ sacrifice too insignificant to please God?  If not, why does God re-instate animal sacrifices?
I find of all your “tough questions” so far, this is the least compelling.  You seem to be an intelligent person, and I find it curious that you would so easily be confused between the Old Testament and the New Testament.  Ezekiel talks about a revelation in chapters 40-48 of his book regarding a restored temple of impressive magnitude and the related sacrifices that will be given in honor of God and as sin offerings for the people.  These sacrifices were to take place before Christ’s sacrifice, when they were still necessary.  This revelation is obviously a promise to the people of ISREAL for a glorious future that will come to pass IF the people of Israel repent and are FAITHFUL to God.  (See Chap. 39 vs. 25-26)  This is not the only conditional prophecy in the bible.  In fact, I venture to say that most revelation of prophecy is conditional...IF the people do this THEN God will do this.  As for the reference to “Gog of the land of Magog”, as it is named with “Meshech” and “Tubal” it is possibly a region near Asia minor, but rather than a specific person or land it seems Ezekiel is using a metaphor for vast armies invading Israel from the north in the “end times”(38:8).  This seems to be a reference to the “end times” of the northern nation of Israel, not the end of all the earth.

Keep in mind that Ezekiel was preaching to the nation of Israel after they had been taken into captivity by the Babylonians.  The people are already oppressed.  They are separated from their land and the temple because of their iniquity.  God is making promises to them throughout this book because he wants to restore Israel to her promised land.  But it is conditional upon her repentance.

In the New Testament in the book of Revelation, Gog and Magog are symbolic names for evil nations deceived by Satan and opposed to God and His people.  I believe the early Christians of John’s day, (keeping in mind that the first Christians were Jews) when reading Revelation would have been familiar with Ezekiel’s writings and would have understood the reference.

As an aside, I would like to add that I am not a bible scholar, nor a theologian; I have no degree in any biblical arena.  So I will be the first to tell you that I know little of the great complexities of prophecy.  I will also tell you that I don’t believe that a person needs to be a theologian or philosopher to understand the bible.  I just read it with the right heart and an open mind to God.  I think that is all that God requires, and He will reveal Himself to you the more time you spend reading His word and meditating on it.  Of course, I also listen to sound preachers and older (wiser) men than I, but I must judge their words based on the bible.  Does what they say align with what I read there?  I believe in asking this question that you have been confused by the words of men and those “millennialists” who preach their own version of what they believe and try to twist scripture to fit their beliefs.  Your beliefs must change to follow scripture, not the other way around.

11. Tough Question for Christians #11: Kill All Unbelievers
What did Jesus mean when he commanded his followers to bring unbelievers hither and “slay them before me”? (Luke 19:27)
As you noted in your video, this statement is made by Jesus within a parable.  If you read the entire context, you will see that the “nobleman” (or “king” depending on the translation), goes away to “a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself”.  In the meantime he sets his servants to take care of his business while he is gone.  And as he is leaving, his citizens send a delegation after him saying, “We do not want this man to reign over us.”  When he comes back, he judges not only his servants to whom he set the charge of managing his business, but also his citizens who hate him.  He states “but these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.”  This was prophetic.  You were correct that the nobleman in this parable represents God.  God’s disgruntled citizens were the Jews, who did not want Him to reign over them.  He brought about judgment on them through the destruction of Jerusalem.  Just about 70 years after Jesus resurrection, the “enemies” of God (who had been His citizens) were slain in His presence.  We are His servants entrusted with the Word of God.  We must use it in order to increase it.  In other words, we are charged with telling the world the truth of God.  God will cause the increase.  (Isa. 55:11 “So shall my Word be which goes out from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty…”)

You have taken this one comment completely out of context.  This is not a command by Jesus for Christians to kill all non-believers as you suggest, but a warning by God that HE will judge His enemies!

12. Tough Question for Christians #12: Evil God
What actions would be “evil” or “immoral” if committed by God?
There are no actions committed by God that are evil or immoral.  It is like asking ‘what darkness is created by light?’  “…God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (I John 1:5)  You blame God for disease, disability and all bad things that happen on this earth.  Your logic is that if He created it, then all bad things must have been created by Him also.  But I suggest that there is a difference between that which is bad and that which is evil.  A child born blind is a bad thing, but not evil.  A man who purposely blinds a child is evil.  The difference is one is a happenstance of nature and the other is a choice of mankind against the will of God.  God never claimed that this life would be gentle and easy and all things good.  When Adam and Eve sinned, they immediately died spiritually, but they also caused all things physically to begin to die as well.  There are lots of things in this life that cause sorrow.  Death, which is common to all men, is one of the greatest sorrows, but all must experience it.  How do you react to bad things in life?  Do you turn to God for help, comfort, and guidance?  Or do you look to the world for the same?  Do you become bitter, indifferent and angry?  Or do you develop a sense of empathy, kindness and understanding?  How an individual handles the “bad” of this life shows the nature of the man, not of God.

This is the next in a series of responses to an atheist's questions.  It is a follow up to my earlier blog Tough Questions for Christians 2-5.

6. Tough questions for Christians #6: God’s Failures.
Is the bible, with the repeated stories of God’s failures, a true history of a PERFECT being?
First of all, there is a misconception here that needs to be cleared up from the start.  The Bible is NOT a historical book.  So, in that respect it isn’t a “true history” of anything.  It is not meant to tell you every trivial detail of history or all the reasons why God did or didn’t do this or that.  It is meant to lead you to salvation.  It is a collection of stories, commands and inferences designed to help those who seek Him, find Him.  It gives us insight for living holy lives and ways to draw us closer in our relationship to Him and others.  The examples you give of “God’s failures” are actually examples of man’s failures, and God’s willingness to overcome them in order to have a relationship with mankind.  Remember that whole free will discussion?  In order to truly have a relationship with someone, they have to have the free will to choose to love you or not.  God gave mankind free will from the beginning, knowing that with that free will many, in fact most, would choose to turn against Him.  But He made us anyway!  We are that important to Him.  He came to a point where, yes, it grieved Him that He had made us.  (Gen. 6:5-7)  If you had a child who grew up to be another Hitler, would it grieve you?  I think it would.  I think you might regret that your child had ever been born, and I think you might be willing to have that child arrested and sent to death row.  Do you no longer love your child?  Of course you do, but what your child has done is so egregious that you must act.  So it was with God.  BUT…Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord!  (Gen. 6:8)  God overcomes man’s failure! 

Now on to Abram/Abraham.  Were there no other good men?  Was God showing favorites?  I don’t think so.  As I said, the bible is not meant to give us the details of every life on earth.  It is meant to bring us the story by which we gain salvation…the story of Jesus.  Abraham was his predecessor, and so the story follows him and his descendents.  There were other men who loved God and followed His will; the bible just doesn’t go into detail about them because it isn’t necessary for our salvation!  Look at “Melchizedek” for example.  In all the books of the Old Testament only 4 verses mention him.  (Gen. 14:18-20; Psa. 110:4)  Yet he is called a “priest of God Most High.”  And as a result, Abraham gives him a tithe, a tenth of all his possessions (which were substantial).  Melchizedek was a priest!  He was surely a man of God, but the bible says very little about him.  God was not focusing His attention only on Abraham, but we only hear about Abraham’s story because it is all we need to bring us to salvation!  Angels are another good example.  Very little is said in the bible about angels.  The bible tells us that the Lord has “hosts” of them, they are always male, and they are God’s messengers.  Do they have free will?  Will they face judgment?  Have they already faced judgment?  Were they created before, after or during the creation of earth and mankind?  Are there any female angels?  I don’t know.  I don’t need to know.  It is not necessary for me to know those things in order have a relationship with God!  God doesn’t weigh us down with a lot of asides and details we don’t need.  The bible gives us concise stories that give us all the information we need to bring us to Him through Christ Jesus.

7. Tough questions for Christians #7: St. Thomas.
Why doesn’t God give everyone the same degree of evidence that He gave Thomas?
I propose that He does give everyone the same evidence that he gave Thomas.  He gives us the bible.  The bible is a collection of eye witness accounts (John 21:24) of all that happened, and Jesus tells us that if we don’t believe the scriptures, we are not going to believe even if a ghost comes back from the dead!  (Luke 16:31)  Thomas had doubts, yes, but to jump to the conclusion that he would have been an atheist if born today is ridiculous!  Besides the fact that he was a practicing Jew first, he then became a disciple of Christ so he already was a believer!  All believers have doubts sometimes, and Jesus is merciful and loving.  He reassured Thomas…as he reassured them all.  They all thought he was a ghost, remember?  (Luke 24:37)  And Thomas wasn’t the only doubter.  Look at Peter.  He SWORE that when Jesus was arrested that he would not deny him…no!  He was going to go to the death with Jesus!  I can just see the thoughts in his head, “This same guy who has done all those miracles must be mistaken; he can’t possibly die, but if he does, well, I’m gonna go with him!”  Then when Jesus told him flatly that he would deny Him and gave him the exact prediction as to when and where, he still didn’t believe Jesus!   Yet, afterwards Jesus showed him mercy, too, and gave him reassurance.  We all have doubts sometimes.  We all have questions.  God reassures us.  He sends His Spirit to bring us comfort, through His providence and His word.  I would like to add that the bible mentions that Jesus was seen by over 500 people after he was resurrected and before he ascended into heaven. (I Cor. 15:6)  He didn’t “prove” himself to just Thomas.  He had over 500 witnesses!  All those witnesses so that we can know that it was true!  (John 20:30-31)

8. Tough questions for Christians #8: St. Paul.
Why is God only willing to give extraordinary evidence to some people, instead of giving the same degree of proof to everyone? 
This is really an extension of the Thomas question.  And once again, I propose to you that God gives us all the evidence we need through the bible and the eyewitness accounts therein.  As for why Saul/Paul received a miraculous message from God when no one else did, you are wrong there.  Cornelius received direct revelation from the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit sent Peter to him miraculously to preach to him the gospel (Acts 10).  The Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-40) also received direct intervention from the Holy Spirit who sent Phillip to him miraculously to preach the gospel to him.  In Saul’s case he was sent to a place, where the messenger was then sent to him (Ananias).  But just as in the case of Cornelius and the Eunuch, Saul still had to have the gospel preached to him and be baptized to become a Christian.  (Acts 22:16)  There is also the story of the Macedonian call and resulting conversions, and lots more!  There are loads of stories of miraculous actions that lead to conversions to Christ in the early days of the church all throughout the book of Acts. 

As for why these miraculous actions ended, that is answered by God’s Holy Scriptures as well.  All miracles ceased after the death of the apostles as God said they would: “…but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away, and if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is [miraculous] knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.” (I Cor. 13:8-10)  Miraculous gifts had only one purpose, to prove the truth behind the words of those who performed them.  God gave miracles to the early church so that people would know that what they said was true and was actually from God.  Once they had the full revelation of God written down (the scriptures), there was no longer any need for miracles.  In other words, how were Paul and the other early converts to Christianity to know that it was truly from God?  The scriptures at that time were incomplete.  They only covered the Old Testament…the Jewish law if you will.  How else were they to know that Jesus was in fact the promised Messiah [Christ]?  They did not see His miracles, so they had to see the miracles of others or have direct revelation from God to know the truth.  But once the truth was available to all, as prophesied, miracles were done away.  They had the partial (miracles), but when they had the “perfect”, in this text meaning “complete” or “whole”, the partial was done away.

BONUS QUESTION:  When God converted Paul did He take away his freewill?
You say, “Christians say that God won’t reveal Himself to you because to do so would take away your free will”.  Hogwash!  God revealed Himself plenty of times to men who still chose not to follow Him!  (Cain, the Israelites at Mt. Sinai, and Jeroboam all come to mind.)  If He were a God of “robots” why even bother?  He would just make us do what He wanted.  But going back to the free will discussion, God does not take away anyone’s will, otherwise it isn’t free.  Paul had the right to deny Jesus, even after receiving direct revelation from him.  Granted, that would have been pretty stupid, but possible never the less.  Paul still had to hear from Ananias, and “rise and wash away your sins”. (Acts 22:16)  I’m sure during his 3 days of blindness, prayer and fasting he had plenty of time to think and repent.  There were plenty of people who saw Jesus personally, heard him prove himself through scripture and saw his miracles, and yet they did not believe!  Just as those people chose not to believe despite the miraculous evidence, so Saul chose to believe in Jesus.

9. Tough questions for Christians #9: Pleasurable Sin.
If God didn’t want us to sin, why did He make it pleasurable?
God didn’t make sin pleasurable.  He made ALL things pleasurable.  Go back and read the account of creation in Genesis.  After He completes His creations on each day, He says, “It is good.”  Eating is pleasurable.  It satisfies hunger, it is good for the body, and a necessity to live.  However, eating too much is gluttony, and has the opposite effect: it is not satisfying, it is not good for the body, and it could kill you.  Eating is still pleasurable, but look at what the sin causes you do to yourself.  Sex is pleasurable.  It is good for the physical and emotional well being of the individual, it brings a couple closer in their relationship, and yes, it also promotes procreation.  (I would be the first to argue that procreation is NOT the only purpose of sex.)  However, having sex outside of marriage is emotionally distressing; it can tear a couple apart; and destroys the family.  The act is still pleasurable, but look at what the sin does to you and others.   Sharing what you have is pleasurable.  It makes you feel better inside and it helps those in need.  However, when you steal from another, even if he can “afford” it, you have not only taken a thing, you have taken dignity from that person and yourself.  Etc, etc…  The point is that all the good things in this life that are pleasurable are made by God to be so on purpose.  They are good things.  However, when we do not use God’s good things as He intended, it is sin and that is damaging to ourselves or others in some way.  It is Satan and the selfishness of man that turns these things into sin with the only purpose being immediate pleasure and selfish gratification.  You ask “why did God make sin that way?”  He didn’t.  You may as well ask a spray paint manufacturer why he made spray paint such an attractive drug for pre-teens…he didn’t!  He made paint!  The fact that teens choose to misuse it and die from it, doesn’t make it the manufacturer’s design flaw.  The fact that we human beings choose to misuse his creations and die from that misuse, doesn’t make it God’s design flaw.  (Choose…hmmm, there’s that whole “free will” thing again.)

Barack Hussein Obama is now officially the first black man to ever be this close to the White House, let the games begin! 
Here's the wind up:  Obama resigns from his church. 
And the pitch: Hillary Clinton has already sounded her call for the VP spot...fat chance. 
And it's a line drive down the center:  McCain welcomes Obama to the fall campaign with a few choice words.  "Americans ought to be concerned about the judgment of a presidential candidate who says he's ready to talk, in person and without conditions, with tyrants from Havana to Pyongyang, but hasn't traveled to Iraq to meet with General (David) Petraeus, and see for himself the progress he threatens to reverse," McCain said as his rival wrapped up the Democratic nomination. 
This is going to be a great season!
  

The following commentary was was written by Craig R. Smith of the World Daily Net. This was from Nov '06, so it's a little old, but I just read it recently, and wanted to share.

Posted: November 20, 2006
By Craig R. Smith  © 2008

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The same magazine that employs Michael (Qurans in the toilets at Gitmo) Isikoff. Here I promised myself this week I would be nice and I start off in this way. Oh what a mean man I am.

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I starting thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all involved. Whether you are rich or poor they treat your wounds and even, if necessary, send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home, you may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of having a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes; an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents; neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president who cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So, why then the flat out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells. Just ask why they are going to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book and do a TV special about how he didn't kill his wife but if he did … insane!

Stop buying the negative venom you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

I close with one of my favorite quotes from B.C. Forbes in 1953:

     ''What have Americans to be thankful for? More than any other people on the earth, we enjoy complete religious freedom, political freedom, and social freedom. Our liberties are sacredly safeguarded by the Constitution of the United States, 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.' Yes, we Americans of today have been bequeathed a noble heritage. Let us pray that we may hand it down unsullied to our children and theirs.''

I suggest this Thanksgiving we sit back and count our blessings for all we have. If we don't, what we have will be taken away. Then we will have to explain to future generations why we squandered such blessing and abundance. If we are not careful this generation will be known as the ''greediest and most ungrateful generation,'' a far cry from the proud Americans of the ''greatest generation'' who left us an untarnished legacy.

While perusing Youtube last night I came across an atheist who has done a series of video clips where he questions the values and beliefs of Christians.  I could not in good conscience not respond, even though I'm pretty sure this person is not looking for enlightenment, but for an occasion to mock.  However, his questions were the type that require more than a pat less-than-500-word answer.  So, I decided to write out my answers to his questions and post them here.  I will provide a link to this site and hope this man responds in sincerity to my replies.

To:  AZ Superman 01
Jesus tells us not to “cast our pearls before swine”, and perhaps that is what I am doing here since you’ve obviously already made up your mind about what you believe, but I feel you need an answer.  Perhaps you will simply dismiss these answers or find fault with them, but God gave us a mind to reason, and He gave us scripture to answer our questions and give us understanding.

Tough questions for Christians #2: Crimes of Mankind
Why do we have to pay for the debt of our sins if Jesus has died and already paid that debt?

I’ve have watched your “tough question” video and find that your basic premise in this question is a misunderstanding of God and His scriptures.  God did not send Jesus to die for all sins ever committed.  God sent His Son to sacrifice his life for the sins of all those who would believe.  John 3:16 (NASV) says, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”  This belief (and subsequently the paid debt that comes with it) is available to the whole world, but each individual in the world has an obligation of faith before that salvation is attainable.  The debt isn’t paid twice.  It’s paid once by either your blood or the blood of Jesus.  Who makes that payment is up to you.

Tough questions for Christians #3:  Freewill
Why does God give us freewill and then not allow us to use it?

Once again you have a misunderstanding of God.  His greatest desire is to have a personal relationship with His creation.  Ever tried to have a relationship with someone who is forced to be your friend?  Or a relationship with someone who only likes you for what you give them?  It’s not a relationship.  The only way to have a true friendship, true love, is to give your love freely to someone, and for them to respond freely back to you.  He gives us free will to love Him, or not.  That’s the great catch.  If someone has free will they may love you…they may not.  But if God were to take away that free will from anyone who does not agree with Him or does not love Him, then He hasn’t really given free will, has He?  God knew this from before the beginning of creation.  He knew that if He made man in His image (with the ability to accept or reject Him), there would eventually be those that rejected Him, and He made us anyway.  And He planned right from the beginning to provide a plan of redemption for those who would reject Him, and then change their mind.  He loves us that much.

As for not allowing us to use our free will, well, look at the world today.  There are quite obviously lots of people who use their free will to reject God every day.  That’s why the world is in the condition it is in.  God’s will is not some arbitrary list of rules for making our lives miserable.  They are laws designed to help us live in peace with ourselves and one another.  His will is for us to follow His laws, which are things like, “Don’t commit adultery.”  Why?  Because He doesn’t want us to have fun?  Because He is anti-sex?  No, He is the one who created both sex and sexual desire after all.  Adultery hurts other people.  It hurts the spouse who has been betrayed.  It hurts the children who are abandoned by one of their parents who is seeking after his/her own pleasure.  All His laws have a purpose: “Don’t steal.”  That hurts the one robbed.  “Don’t use My Name in vain.”  It’s disrespectful.  “Don’t covet.”  It only eats you up inside and builds anger and resentment in your own heart. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  That one needs no explanation. 

Tough questions for Christians #4: Torture
Do you really think you DESERVE to be tortured?

To answer this, you have to get out of your mind the world’s religions creation of Hell.  The idea of Purgatory and the Inferno are man made creations, not God made.  Let’s start with scripture.  The bible tells us in Gen. 1:26a, 27 (NASV) “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’(27) And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”  We are in His image; does this mean our physical being looks like Him?  Of course not.  We are like Him in that we are eternal beings…we have a soul.  Of all His creation, that makes us unique.  The bible also tells us that when we die the soul returns to God.  (Eccl. 12:7)  And the bible tells us that God is Holy.  How can His holiness tolerate the soul that has been marred by sin?  Therefore, the soul that has returned to God must be blameless to remain with Him.  There are only two ways that a soul can be blameless: either that person has never committed sin, or that person has the blood of Jesus to cleanse him from sin.  If that soul is not blameless, then his eternal soul must be separated from God. 

We as flesh bound human beings, cannot fathom how horrid a thing it is to be separated from God.  “…for in Him we live and move and have our very being.” (Acts 17:28)  He sustains all our lives regardless of whether we accept or believe in Him.  “…for He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matt. 5:45)  He set the earth and all its natural laws in motion, and He sustains it and us.  He is the reason we wake each morning and breathe in & out, and the reason we think, and the reason we live and move and have our very being.  I have heard the definition of dark as “the absence of light”.  Similarly, Hell is the absence of God.  But that doesn’t really sound that bad, right?  That’s because we as human beings have never been totally without God. 

How do you describe the horror of the absence of God to those who cannot fathom it?  Jesus once told one of his followers, “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you heavenly [spiritual] things?”  (John 3:12)  How can we earthly beings comprehend spiritual things?  God through his Word [Jesus] told us about spiritual things by using earthly parallels.  So, how horrible is the absence of God?  Jesus tries to put it in language that earthly people of his day can understand.  He says it’s so horrible to be completely without God that it’s like the smelly, filthy trash pit outside of town (known as “Gehenna” and translated “hell”), except that the worms will never die and the fires (that burn the trash) will never be quenched.  (Mark 9:44)  In the same way that God gives us glimpses of the wonders of His eternal presence (Heaven) through earthly images: “pearly gates” and “golden streets”, He gives us glimpses of the horrors of His eternal absence in the only way we can understand.  After all, how do you describe the wonders of earth to a babe still in the womb?  If he had a choice about being born, he’d probably say, “No thanks.  I’ll stay here.  I like it.  It’s warm, snug; I’m well fed and have all my needs met.”  But then that baby would never know the wonders of earth: color, love, mountains, grass, dogs, sky, wind and on & on…  You cannot explain these things to the unborn.  How do you describe the wonders of heaven to those who have not died?  How do you explain the horrors of hell?

As for your hypothetical example of a 10 year old child who died and “didn’t have time to accept Jesus,” you are once again listening to the world rather than to God and His word.  The bible defines sin as “lawlessness” (I John 3:4).  Therefore those who have sinned have committed an act against the law of God.  Even if you do not have a bible and do not know God, His laws are things our common sense can tell us are wrong. (Rom. 1:19-20)  When we purposely defy God by doing that which we know to be wrong, we sin.  We do not “inherit” sin as some religions would have us believe.  God tells us through inspiration that “The soul who sins will die.” (Ezekiel 18:4).  A little further in the chapter God tells us, “Now behold he [a wicked man] had a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise…but executes My ordinances and walks in My statues; he will not die for his father’s iniquity, he will surely live.  As for the father, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.”  (Ez. 18:14, 17, 18 NASV - Emphasis mine.)  In fact, I recommend reading the whole chapter of Ezekiel 18.  The innocent are not condemned to hell by God.

 
Tough questions for Christians #5: Purpose of Hell
What is the purpose of Hell?

            The bible tells us that Hell was not prepared for man but for the devil and his angels.  (Matt. 25:41)  Hell is a void where God does not dwell and those who are not holy will be left without God.  It was not God’s design or desire that man ever be without Him.  But then, we have to go back to the whole free will discussion.  In order to have a free will, man must be able to choose to be with or without God.  For those who do not choose to be with Him by accepting the grace of His salvation through His Son, there is only one other location for that soul. 

Your question assumes that the purpose of hell is punishment, and therefore must be either 1.) correctional, 2) preventative or 3.) to protect the welfare of others.  You have completely disregarded the true function of hell, which is justice.  God is a JUST God.  If He is anything, He is fair.  He gives us time and time and more time to make the right choices.  (“The Lord is not slow about His promise [Jesus’ return & judgment day], as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:9 NASV)  But eventually, a fair God must provide justice, and that means judgment must be applied.

I hope to address more of these questions in future blogs, so stay tuned!

Okay, so I'm the first to admit, I'm barely computer literate.  I know how to turn the darn thing on, and it's great for reports and spreadsheets.  But I only feebly make my way around cyberspace and please don't use URL or Mega-whatever geek speak with me.  It'll only confuse me.  However, my sister and my nieces & nephew are all very current and technology savvy.  So, when they told me that they all had MySpace pages, I decided to open up an account and keep in touch that way.  I've only been on Vox a few months, and I've only been on MySpace a few weeks, but in every way I can think of, Vox is supremely superior to MySpace.  The controls are easier, the links and uploads easier.  I can design my page SO much easier.  Having been on Vox first, I was spoiled.  I found myself trying to upload vids & pics and just general blogging, and thinking...this is SO much easier (and looks SO much better) on Vox!  I'm a believer!