Who's Your Support Team?

Question: Do you receive more support from above than from those on earth? If we got rid of money would people be more willing to help, and comfort people more natural and compassionately.  It's sad in some cases that the people that get paid good to help those in need can't, or won't, and in some cases don't have the time to help because of so many cuts.  It's also sad when it's to do with money and what position you’re in.

I have gotten more help from above through prayer than the professional well paid people here on earth.  And when you get yourself involved with them, they can make things worse for you....sad and so ashamed of some humans.

My Reply:

For more than 10 years, while serving (in several churches) as Youth Pastor, I quickly learned that pretty much the ONLY encouragement/support I ever got was from "above" (the Lord), and then later also from my wife (we've only been married 3 years).
Not to dump on the position, for Youth Ministry is really a blessed ministry!  But in terms of support, Youth Ministry is really a thankless position.  In fact, Youth Pastors usually don't hear anything about how they’re doing unless it's a complaint.  I'll tell you though, while serving in such a position, the passage about focusing on God's recognition versus the world's really speaks to you (and challenges you).

So yeah, my main (and often only) support team (even today) consists of my wife, my dog, and Jesus (not in that order). But as Jesus told Paul in his times of trials, "My grace is sufficient."

---Pastor Andy

Faith Alone?

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Question:

Many Christians claim that "faith alone" saves and that there's no need to lead a righteous life.  I just want to ask them all, "are you sure you shall be saved?"  I am more than sure that their case will be worse than that of atheists. They're just using Jesus to promote sin!  They think that a simple faith in Jesus is the greatest thing a person can do on earth; it is by "GRACE" a person is saved and not by "FAITH". If a person is to receive God's grace, he should be righteous and should be following the words of God. By following the words of God alone one can prove his "faith" in God. It is not "knowing" Jesus' sacrifice that saves, but following the path he has shown that leads to salvation by grace of God through Jesus. Unless there is true faith (evidenced by following Jesus' words), no one can attain salvation. God is a righteous God and he loves righteousness.
The criminal who died with Jesus and saved is an example for a person receiving God's grace through repentance. It was his repenting mind that brought him salvation; not his faith. Faith without repentance and obedience means nothing. Hence, do not mislead people by letting them live in sin without fear of God since Jesus has died for them. No one shall be saved that way; the sacrifice of Christ is for those who truly repent and obey God.

My Reply:

My friend, I hear you, but I think you've combined salvation and discipleship into one.  We are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. But it doesn't stop there, and this is what I believe you're arguing.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer has a book called "The Cost of Discipleship", that I think you'll like, for it talks about this. Many Christians today promote what Bonhoeffer calls "cheap grace". They accept Jesus, but continue in their sinful ways. They figure they're saved, nothing can harm them, back to business. But this isn't what salvation's about.
Salvation in Christ is what Bonhoeffer called "costly grace", for to be called by Christ is to be called to come and die...to follow in His footsteps, even to the cross (if needed). 
I did a Bible study the other day where I learned that the word used for Peter's denial of Jesus is the same word that's used for when Jesus said that in order to be His disciple, one must first deny himself.  Same word, same type of denial, same impact.  Those who practice costly grace understand this.  Those who practice cheap grace might say they do this and agree with you, but obviously don't practice it.

James said faith without works is dead, and one of the main frustrations in the early Church was idle Christians. Unfortunately, we still have a similar problem in the Church today.

So yeah, you're on target, but I think you need to reword your question. Check out that book, too (linked below).

---Pastor Andy

Who Really Deserves Eternal Torment?

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Question:  

I am curious as to who in the history of the whole world deserves eternal torment. For this, we will leave Satan out of it. So in other words, "Who really deserves eternal torment besides Satan?" I think Satan is just metaphorical for the side of people that is prone to sin and makes bad decisions, but if you would please leave your religion too because in a way I am making a poll. I won't disrespect your beliefs and I hope you will do the same. I personally don't even think Hitler deserves such torment.

So far in my research, some people said that there is someone in the world that deserves this. So I ask, how do you feel about a human being more forgiving?  If it’s true that God would not forgive someone for his/her sins and I, as a mere mortal, would (and I believe I would be more forgiving, actually, and if you think about it, more just too. Although I am not saying that I am better than God, I want to get that clear right away). Think about this: Have you ever been seriously hurt? If not, think of a time that you were scraped up. Remember the pain…go back to the pain that you endured and then imagine it 10,000,000 times worse and it will never end nor go numb. Think about this. Does anyone deserve that for something as little as not believing?

My Reply:

Who deserves eternal torment?  We all do.  Seriously! I mean, look at us:

• God tells us not to do something and we do it. 
• God tells us to do something and we don't.  
• God calls us to be holy, as He is holy, and we choose to be secular.
• God sends His love, and instead of receiving it, we debate whether God even exists or if His love is sufficient.
• God tells us to make every effort to be at peace with one another, and we choose wars.
• We were given the planet to care for it, and we litter and pollute it.
• We were given authority over the animals, and we abuse them.  
• We were given emotions to feel, and we abuse substances in order to feel numb. 
• God sent His Son and we killed Him. 
• We threw away God's standards and replaced them with our own cultural standards, then complained that God's not fair.  
• And we continue to commit the same sin that Adam & Eve committed that got us here in the first place...we try to live our lives (or certain parts of it) without God. 

Dude, we all deserve eternal torment.  But praise the Lord, He's given us another option! :)

---Pastor Andy

What Exactly Is Communion?

(Copyright Gospel Communications International, Inc - www.reverendfun.com)

Question: 

Hello!  I was wondering, what exactly is a Communion. Detail and all!  Thanks!

  

My Reply:

OK, this is going to be long...

1) In the culture, people mostly just ate w/ friends (often peers)...but Jesus' friends weren't peers. And the fact that He ate with sinners and such outcasts expresses Jesus making friends with them at meal-fellowship. It also points to the eschotolical age, when the outcasts will be (are now) invited to eat with the Lord, as friends.

2) In Old Testament days, when a nation wanted to wipe out somebody completely, they'd make it so that their name wasn't remembered…but at communion, Jesus is to be remembered.

3) Taking communion is not only partaking with other believers, but also with Christ...the Last supper was the last time Jesus would eat food on earth...the next time He'd eat is in Heaven. So it's suggested that when we partake in communion in remembrance of Him, we're actually eating WITH HIM at the table, as His friends…everybody, together.

4) The thing about calling it "Eucharist": Charis (Caris) means "Grace" in Greek. So the Greeks couldn't say the word "Eu-Charis-t", without saying "grace": we are joined together as 1 body by God's grace.

5) Also, back to #1, even if we have enemies...we make them friends w/ us when we have fellowship w/ them at the table, because it's sharing at the table with them in the presence of the Lord, as HE eats w/ us, too. The Apostles' only thing in common was Jesus (well, Peter & Andrew had the same parents). Really, when you look at what a motley crew the apostles were...(band of outcasts who'd never get along…not the best of people, really...trouble makers…misfits)…I mean, you had fishermen, a tax collector, a Zealot (believed in forceful conversions & killing with daggers those who opposed them), 2 guys w/ really bad tempers, and a thief…they're indeed a bunch of trouble makers…if not for Jesus, you'd never see them together. So the only thing they had in common was Jesus. And after Jesus' resurrection and ascension, it was Jesus that held them together as friends. So in the same way, taking communion together brings us together at the table as friends, as we join the Lord at meal fellowship.

---Pastor Andy

Anybody want to add more to this answer? Drop me a comment!

All Religions Are False!!!

All religions...are they true, or are they false?  What is the possibility that everyone's outcome (after death) relies only on their own views. Possibly, there is no right way or wrong way to worship 'God' (if you believe in him) or fear hell (if you believe in it).

 A lot of people say: "Well what about murderers"? Well, who's to say they won't live peacefully as well? The important thing is not that we're punished for our mistakes, but rather that we learn from them and progress. Surely God (or whatever's out there) is willing to forgive them for learning a lesson. Weren't we all sent here to learn lessons?

Please answer this question with an open mind.

  

My Answer:

You're right...all religions are false. I say this as a Christian, for Christianity isn't a religion, but a RELATIONSHIP with God through Jesus Christ. So the possibility of all being right is several billions (of religions) to 1. And I am saying this with "an open mind".

Religions are all about "what I need to do" in order to be "happy", at peace, or obtain righteousness from God or a god, to be a "good person", or to change. But the Bible tells us that righteousness can only be obtained through faith (which is also entering into a relationship with God through Christ), not works.  But religions are about works. So when faced with the Truth of God, anything else can only be false.
The Pastor at the church we're frequenting said it another way: "Religion tries to change you from the outside-in.  But Christianity changes you from the inside-out."

In terms of punishment, the important thing isn't that we're punished for our mistakes, for often times we're punished even in our innocence. What about murderers? We can ask about their salvation, but to say that we're punished for our mistakes is to say that the people he murdered deserved it, and if so, then the murderer shouldn't be punished, right? But he/she is, right?

We learn and progress, yes, and there IS a God out there willing to forgive them, yes, but they have to repent and accept His forgiveness. Sounds pretty easy, right? Yet so many choose not to and instead follow a religion.

Finally, why were we sent here? To glorify God. If you choose not to glorify Him, then why would you want to spend all of eternity with Him? Because that's what Heaven is...God's home. Good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, left vs. right, yin vs. yang, yes vs. no, heaven vs. hell. God didn't create hell for us, but for Satan and his demons. But as a loving God, He's given us the freedom to choose where we wish to go when we die. We could go to be with Him, or not.  Check out my blog for more on this topic.

---Pastor Andy

Christianity-"Lite"

Question:  For example, say you're a good person deep down, you believe in the goodness of people, and you help people. But you don't live a restricted life, you drink occasionally with friends, you enjoy a nasty joke, and you have sex outside of marriage (in a relationship)? I am in college.  I joined a Christian group and they would crap their pants if they knew that about me. I like them...but they are such prudes! lol. Is it possible to be a "light" Christian?

My Reply:

There's this disease being spread in many of the churches and ministries today, and it's called "cheap grace". Cheap Grace says that you can be a "light Christian"...God loves you the way you are and because He loves you, He won't ask you to change a thing. Holiness is not a factor, and discipleship is a disinterest or considered unnecessary. There's no repentance, just acceptance. And people who have accepted Cheap Grace believe that as long as people are "good" in terms of the world's standards, then they too will be saved, and anybody who says otherwise (even quote scripture out of context to back it up) are closed-minded. 

Unfortunately my friend, it sounds like you've been infected with it, and if you don't take the antidote combination (which are Jesus Christ with Costly Grace), then yes, you will die.


Check out this ad for more information ;)

---Pastor Andy

Why Can't I Boast About Salvation?

Question: (Ephesians 2:8-9) Why can't I boast about salvation? That's the whole point of me believing!

My Reply:

You can't boast of your salvation because it's by the grace of God that you were saved, not what you did or what you deserve. In fact, what Paul's saying here is that Christ died for us when we least deserved it, and offers His salvation as a free gift to all who choose to receive it.
You don't deserve to be saved...none of us do. In terms of deserving, we all deserve to be nailed to the cross, not Jesus. So if you believe so you can boast, then you're backwards. The answer to your question is even in the verses you mentioned. Start with verse 1 and go to verse 10 for more explanation

Are All People Created Equal?

Question:

I know people say that we are created equal and all, but I mean like, what about competition? If we were created equal, then why do we compete to see who is better than the other person?  People look different, so why do some people consider one person better looking than another? I don’t understand how people are supposed to be equal if both people have different personalities.

What about money? I mean, just because someone has more money than another person, they think that they are better. So how exactly are we all equal to one another?  And if ALL people are created, then you are saying we are equal to Jesus and that every one is equal to mass murderers such as Hitler and the like. But then, how are we created equal to the mentally incapable and the newborn babies that die at birth? How exactly are all people created equal? Don't tell me it’s in the Bible because its not. Or if it is tell me the verse. You can’t!

My Reply:

Your question is about creation in words, but your explanation is about culture and status set by worldly standards. For example, when it comes to money, money is NOT something that sets our equality or status in CREATION...it sets our status in the culture...worldly standards.

Although we were all CREATED equal, none of us were created to be equal to Jesus.  Jesus is God. If we were to be equal to Jesus, then that would be to say that we were created equal to God. But if that were the case, then we would be God (or gods), too...but we're not.  Also, Jesus wasn't created...Jesus has always been.  So in terms of us being created, we were created in God's image...equally.

As for equality with mass-murders...you know, let me ask you something. Is it fair to say that babies who died at birth are equal with us, but also to say that we're not equal with mass-murderers?

You wanted scripture that talks about us being created equal. Look at Romans 3:23. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." You might say we were all created equally-screwed. Verse 24 tells us also that all "are justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

So we're all created equally into sin, and all equally able to receive righteousness and salvation from this sin through Jesus Christ, regardless if you're a mass-murderer, Hitler, Mother Theresa, the Pope, or just somebody trying to figure out why the world's cultures continue to shun the equality in which we were all originally created.  It's when culture and humanity take what God equally created, and turn it into their interpretations of how it "should" be, that this equality is destroyed. 

But we were all CREATED equal.

---Pastor Andy

Equal sign courtesy of: http://www.polyvore.com/equal_sign_image_picture_sarahwentz/thing?id=228016