Revelation in the U.S. and dying for Christ

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Question:

Would you die for Christ if it came down to it, or would you give in and go the way of the world to escape death?
The reason I ask this:  U.N. scheme to make Christians criminal, By Bob Unruh, © 2008 WorldNetDaily:
"Dozens of nations dominated by Islam are pressing the United Nations to adopt an anti-"defamation" plan that would make Christians criminals under international law, according to a United States organization that has launched a campaign to defend freedom of religion worldwide.
"Around the world, Christians are being increasingly targeted, and even persecuted, for their religious beliefs. Now, one of the largest organizations in the United Nations is pushing to make a bad situation even worse by promoting anti-Christian bigotry," the American Center for Law and Justice said yesterday in announcing its petition drive." 
The rest of article found at http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageid=69163.

My Reply:

To answer the first part of your question, if it came down to it, would I die for Christ?  Heck yeah, definitely!  In fact, I even blogged on here about one time when I almost did.

In reference to your quotes and link: I find it interesting each time I see another point of reference to what Revelations says will happen.  For, just before mentioning about the 666-guy, it talks about how Christianity will be illegal, and Christians national (or worldwide) outcasts.

Actually, I had a dream about this, about 2-3 years ago:

Suddenly, all over the world, Christians were fugitives, even in the United States.  Much like the movie “Red Dawn”, a communist country had invaded and began imprisoning Christians all over the world...there was no escape from them (I know this because we could not figure a place to escape to).  I remember my wife & I sneaking around, looking over concrete barricades, and seeing enemy soldiers standing everywhere in groups of 2 or 3.  The confusing part about this though was who the country was that had invaded…in my dream/vision, It was revealed to me as North Korea, yet I remember being confused of their red markings, (awake, I know their flag matches that of the markings in my dream, but in my dream, they reminded me more like that of China or Russia...maybe a future team-up?)  I also recalled that the weather was cold, for everybody was wearing jackets and coats, and the skies were gray.  And one guy standing in the streets with a group was wearing a black, leather jacket; There were enemy soldiers and concrete all around.  And when I woke up, the song in my head was Tourniquet’s “A Dog’s Breakfast”.

Technically speaking though, regardless of what other countries and faiths believe, the USA is NOT a Christian country.  Though it may have been built upon Christian morals and ethics in the beginning, and though the original immigrants escaped over here in order to worship the Lord, the U.S.A. has fallen far from its original intents, for:

1. In 2004, the U.S.A. was deemed the 3rd largest Christian mission field in the world.
2. If you remember when Clinton was president, atheists would complain for "religious" symbols to be removed from US offices and such, and the president would grant it. But if a Christian organization wanted one put up, Clinton (a "proclaimed" Christian himself) rejected it.
3. Public schools (such as some in Texas) have been banning "religious symbols" since the 1990s.
4. Evolution is still being taught in schools
5. Some schools are teaching the Koran
6. Many schools teach new age (when I was in school, I had an assignment due on Greek Mythology).
7. Children of Atheists don’t have to recite the Pledge of Allegiance because it states "One Nation under God".
8. The 10 Commandments continue to get legally forced off of State and Federal Courts’ walls.
9. Americans "tolerate" (actually accept and defend) other religions while Christianity is condemned, judged, and attacked.
10. Holiness has been traded in for happiness (see my blogs on this: parts 1, 2, and 3)
11. Stores (and U.S. Presidents) changing "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays" (although this year, Walmart is advertising "Merry Christmas")
12. "Christmas trees" are instead being called "Holiday Trees"
13. Here's a good example going on now (October 2010)
14. ...

Even all throughout history we read of kings and emperors working to completely demolish Christianity, but they never could. We also hear of God's people continuing their worship in countries where Christianity is illegal today.

So even if (or when) such should (or will) happen in the US today, I don't believe it will harm our faith...who knows? If anything, it may bring out the true followers of Christ versus those who just claim the name for the sake of looking good in the public eye.

But yeah, if it came down to it, I'd die for Christ.

---Pastor Andy

I believe in Jesus and God, but I also make a lot of sins

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Question:

My parents don’t go to church, so then I can’t (not SO I cant) but they just don’t go, but they believe.  I tend to sin a lot (never stolen anything, or killed a human, but I tend to lie but I try not to).  I pray a lot and ask for forgiveness.  I’m only 15. Is there a big chance that I go to hell?  I just get worried sometimes.

My Reply:

In the Bible, we're told of a woman who was literally caught in the act of adultery, being brought to Jesus for judgment. After Jesus shamed her accusers, He forgave the woman for her sin. But we have to remember what He said after that: "Go, and sin no more." In other words, I've forgiven you for this sin, now stop doing it.
Liars are not good representations of Jesus, are they? Then stop doing it...don't try to stop...stop!
As for church, I can understand being a Christian and not going to church, but Jesus did call us to be a Christian community, united in Him. If you're not going to church, are you at least meeting with other Christians to worship as a united community?  You need to find a church and get involved. Among the great many things, they also serve to keep us in check, help us from sinning, and support in prayer. Talk to your parents and tell them that you all need to go to a church. It could be near home or a little distance, but you really should go (use Acts 2 if you need).

---Pastor Andy

Rush Limbaugh and Conservative Christians

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Question: Does radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh speak for most conservative Christians?

My Reply:

No, he speaks for himself. Try to remember...Rush is a radio personality...that means he's a ratings-digger first, before he's anything. Rush is also a controversial personality, so if he's going to blow something out of proportion, he needs to side with somebody...he can't be an independent because it wouldn't amount to anything otherwise. Honestly, if it didn't help him out financially, it wouldn't go any further than his news reporter's copy.
Remember also that many Republicans, though they may be conservative in their stances on the country, aren't very conservative in their Christianity.  I think Romans 13:1-7 speaks well on this.  Also, check out my blog for a post on this.

Anyway, as for me, I'm "conservative" in the sense of not being liberal in my Christian faith...and Rush Limbaugh definitely does NOT speak for me.

---Pastor Andy

Hey, on that note, I saw Rush Limbaugh on William Shatner's "Raw Nerve" TV show one night, and they got onto the topic of what it means to be a Conservative.  Check it out here on YouTube.  Also, check out some of these other resources on Rush and Conservatives:

      

Jesus in the Koran

Question:

Why does the Koran state that Jesus wasn't really crucified?  I'm Christian and I also respect the Muslim following...I've been developing large respect for the Koran since I've been studying it...my mind is baffled by this disparity though...If Jesus wasn't really crucified, as the Koran states, then that pretty much makes Christianity null and void. But I've had such powerfully undeniable experiences as a Christian, so I'm not about to turn away from that belief system. Sometimes I want to throw religion out the window because there are so many contradictions, but I really do value the depth and intellectual value of it all. Care to contribute some (peaceful, non-inflammatory) insights?

My Reply:You're absolutely correct in saying that if Jesus hadn't died on the cross, then Christianity would be void. I too have done some studies on Islam, and I have also had many discussions with both Sunni and Shiite Muslims on this topic, and I have found that Islam's take on the crucifixion is contradicts itself with their beliefs about who Jesus was/is.

For instance, Muslims say Jesus didn't die on the cross, but instead set up a buddy to take the fall for him. The Muslims even have a name made up for the supposed guy. But there are several problems with saying this:

1) In order to be a "prophet" in the eyes of Muslims, one must be blameless, sinless, and worthy of being in the direct presence of God. Now, though they deny Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, they do acknowledge that Jesus returned later, that Jesus claimed He'd died and was resurrected, and that Jesus later ascended into the clouds, promising to one day return to judge the world. But you see, the problem with this belief is that if Jesus claimed to have died on the cross, but really didn't, then Jesus would be a liar, and thus would disqualify Himself as being a prophet of God. And if Jesus is not a prophet of God, then Islam would also be void, because Muhammad claimed Jesus to be a prophet.

2) If Muhammad claimed Jesus to be a prophet, but it turned out that Jesus wasn't, then that would also void Muhammad's credibility as a prophet of God.

Their point of explaining away Jesus as being the Messiah, and claim Him as being only a prophet, allows Muhammad to claim to be the final prophet, even giving him permission to correct (or change) Jesus' teachings.

In your studies of Islam, you may find it interesting that there are actually a lot of similarities in the practices of Islam when compared with Catholicism. For instance, the prayer beads (or the Catholic Rosary). They also have saints, prominent people in the faith, who they are told to pin to their walls and pray to. And if you go to Mecca during their pilgrimage, I understand there's some holy rock they're told to bow to (as Catholics do to statues).

Notice, most religious cults build off of Christianity in one form or another. They change the faith, alter God and His character (ultimately making their god different from the God of Israel), take away the relationship part of Christianity and make it all about good works and deeds (like taking Jesus out of the equation and turning it back to a law-based religion), is led by somebody who claims the authority to do so, and promotes that their way is the only and/or correct way. Islam is no different in this respect.

---Pastor Andy

God and Forgiveness

Question:

God forgives all sins, but what about a broken covenant?  I know God will forgive us our sins when we repent but what about if you break a covenant...such as getting remarried after a divorce...and you were the one being unfaithful...are you forgiven for committing adultery by getting married again?
After all... a marriage is a covenant between the couple and God...bringing them together as one flesh.

My Reply:

In terms of breaking covenants, the Israelites broke God's covenants time and time again, but the Lord never left them...though they did endure some trials during their time of getting back right with the Lord.
Let's look at scripture:
Remember the woman who was brought to Jesus in John 8:1-11? She was caught literally in the act of adultery. Jesus didn't condemn her, but notice He also told her to sin no more (or don't do this again)...and she was forgiven.
The Apostle Paul also talks on remarriage in 1 Corinthians. Basically, he suggests that the "unmarried" (thought to be those who were divorced) should remain unmarried. But if they're burning with lust, then it's best that they marry. But Paul also says that your new spouse should also be a believer in the faith.
 But it's not in remarriage that you're forgiven, nor is the making of a new covenant to cover up the past broken one a means of setting things right. God demands your heart...He always has. And the fact that you're even asking this question shows that you have every intention of giving it fully to Him.
 I would suggest though, you and your fiance’ engaging in pre-marital counseling by your pastor/priest before marrying, and keeping a Christian counsel throughout your marriage with whom you may consult should doubt or the temptation to cheat ever again arise.

---Pastor Andy

Bible Version Suggestion (1)

Question: I’m a new Christian.  What version of the bible should I read for better understanding?

My Answer:

I'd suggest the New Living translation. It was created specifically for new Christians so that y'all can better understand, while also not paraphrasing it too much.

Check out this link to learn more about it.

The Meaning of "Begotten" in John 3:16

Question:  For those Christians who believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are the same, what does "begotten" mean?  I promise I'm not trying to be antagonistic, I really want to understand your point of view. I come from an LDS/Mormon background, and while I don't believe in a lot of what I believe in, the idea of the Trinity still confuses me. It doesn't make sense to me that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are really one personage...What does in mean in John 3:16.."begotten?" If Jesus is God, then doesn't that mean He wasn't watching over the rest of the earth when He was man? Please take me seriously, I'm not a troll, I really want to understand your point of view.  Also, I know how to look thinks up in dictionaries, I'm not stupid. I want to know what it means for you in the concept of trinity. Anyone could look up a definition of something, what I'm looking for is how you INTERPRET it.

My Reply:

I was reading the beliefs of a Messianic Jewish site the other day, and I believe their translation of the Trinity makes the best sense to somebody who's confused about it:
They said that God revealed Himself throughout the Gospel in 3 ways, "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit".

God the Father: Jesus continued to point to Him...remember, Christianity is about a relationship with God through His Son (God the Son), Jesus Christ. And when we enter into this relationship, we receive the Holy Spirit.

God the Son, which is Jesus, which is God in the flesh. But John also tells us in his first chapter that Jesus was the one who created everything that exists. This isn't to say that the other 2 parts didn't create, but insists that Jesus is God.

We know that the Holy Spirit dwells in God's people, both in the New and Old Testaments. Genesis also tells us that the Spirit of the Lord hovered over the waters. And Jesus talks of the Holy Spirit as being the mediator that's needed in order for us to communicate with God, who also supplies us with spiritual gifts.

John 3:16, "begotten": When Jesus is called God's "only begotten Son", the actual translation from the Greek is "God's one and only Son." John made this point because some off-religions (cults) and false teachers at the time said that God had other children, and that Jesus was just one of them. Being from the LDS, I'm sure you're familiar with such teaching that Jesus and Satan were brothers. But John tells us that this isn't true, and that Jesus is the ONLY Son of God.

---Pastor Andy

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Quoting the Bible IN Context

Question:

It seems that whenever anyone quotes from the Bible it is automatically out of context, or that whatever the Bible says, Christians just believe the opposite.  For example, It says homosexuality is wrong - Christians don't. It says that women shouldn't speak in church - Christians don't believe this either.

Have I now found the right context, should I just believe the opposite of whatever the Bible says.

My Reply:

I think one of the biggest issues we have in Christianity today is that so many "Christians" are biblically illiterate and very liberal in their theology. So they don't know what the Bible says, and even when they do, they pick and choose what they want to believe, usually based on feelings, friends’ experiences, or cultures outside the Church.

Actually, I'm glad you mentioned the 1 Corinthians text in your question. For, in response to it, if you put it into the correct context, you'll see that believing that women shouldn't speak at all in church is in fact taking that little paragraph out of context.  
1 Corinthians is a reply letter from Paul to the Corinthians. Part of it is what was reported to Paul from members of Chloe's house-church, part of it was in response to a previous letter written to him asking about certain issues.  In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, Paul is addressing the need for order during the worship service.

In the context of this passage, the girls didn't understand everything being preached...it was over their heads. But instead of asking their OWN husbands, they were asking other men and other women's husbands, thus disrupting the worship, and disturbing the men they were asking, who really wanted to listen. Notice IN CONTEXT, Paul tells them that they should shut up and wait until after they're home, where they should ask their OWN husbands for understanding.  Paul says it's disgraceful for them to speak in church because the focus is supposed to be fully on the Lord...their disturbances are preventing this (it's in sync with Paul's talk about the head coverings).  If you have doubt of this, then notice that women were not the only ones Paul tells to shut up in service, but also prophets who were speaking out of turn, and those speaking in tongues without interpreters, something you'll notice if you keep this paragraph in the context.

So you see, Paul wasn't saying that women (in general) shouldn't speak in church, but that these particular women need to shut their mouths during worship so as to stop disrupting the focus from Christ.

As for homosexuality, you're right, it is wrong. I think though that so many people attack gays with the Bible that people's compassions cause them to see scripture incorrectly, thus judging it or counting it wrong. Then they start believing whatever they want (or feel is right) instead of what the Bible actually says. I think that if they were to focus on 1 Corinthians 6:11 ("And that's what some of you WERE. But you were washed, sanctified, and justified..."), instead of the verses before it, they'll see that it's not a means of tearing gays down, but helping them to understand that such is not the behavior of those within the Body of Christ...there's supposed to be a transformation by the Holy Spirit that takes place...a cleansing, sanctification, justification, and transformation. Those behaviors mentioned in this chapter are those of the culture outside the Church, and thus unacceptable as ones of those called to be Holy, as God is Holy.

How's that for quoting scripture IN context?

---Pastor Andy
Check out my blog for more on holiness

A Christian Man

Question: Isn't a Christian man a man in whom Christ is enthroned at the center of his personality?

My Reply:
No.
A Christian Man is a man in whom Christ is enthroned at the very center of his BEING.  His personality is just a reflection of this.