Was Paul Judas' Replacement?

Question:

Could Paul have been the replacement for Judas, had the disciples waited instead of casting lots (gambling)?

My Reply:

Yes, Paul COULD have been Judas' replacement. in fact, many Christian Scholars and Ministers (including myself) believe this.

The understanding is that Paul was God's choice for Judas' replacement, but the other guy, who was chosen by lots, was the human choice.  But the choice was born due to human interference, while the other was promised by God...sort of like the issue between Isaac and Ishmael.

Although keep in mind that, though we'd recognize it today as gambling, casting lots was something commanded in the Law of Moses.  Casting Lots was also often used for making decisions or distributing something between others (Here's a link to see some of these places).  But it was always done in the presence of the Lord, which IS what the Apostles did for Judas' replacement.

I've personally always been skeptical about casting lots though.  I mean, best 2 out of 3 means somebody in the group there will win, and shortest straw pulled will always end up in somebody's hand.  Plus, throughout all of His ministry, Jesus continued to show His 12 that the ways of tradition were not to take the place of your worship for God, so I wonder if using this tradition could have also been recognized as a tradition that they should not have picked up for this matter, as you're suggesting.

---Pastor Andy

Why did Abraham make Judaism so hard?

If Abraham had made it a little easier to become Jewish, would Judaism be a great world-wide religion?

For example, if he had omitted the circumcision thing.

My Reply:

It wasn't Judaism back in the days of Abraham, but I know what you mean.

If Abe had omitted anything that God had commanded him to do, then he wouldn't be following God. Actually, Judaism as we know it today isn't anything like "it" was in the days of Abe.
For example, if you'll look at the Patriarchs, their connection with God was based on their relationship with God and faith in Him. The Apostle Paul tells us that God considered Abe righteous through the faith that he had in God, not in keeping with the Law. Granted, they didn't have the Law yet, but God did still require certain behaviors from them, and certain ones, such as circumcision, were more than requirements, they were covenants between God, Abe, and Abe's future children.
Today as Christians, many of us (me in particular) believe that Jesus brought it all around back to how it was in the days of the Patriarchs. We still have standards and expectations that we need to follow, but instead of trying to follow all the laws of Moses, we realize that when in a close relationship with God (through Jesus), we tend to take on (and WANT to take on) God's character and what it means to be His people (and His friends, as the Patriarchs were). 
Most of Judaism today focuses on works, deeds, and tradition. In fact, many get so caught up in all this and their heritage that they don't even believe in God. Orthodox Jews are so caught up in making sure they keep with the law's requirements that they often take God out of the equation, making righteousness fully on their own efforts. 

Heck, if anything, I'd say that "Judaism" in the days of Abe was a whole lot easier than the Judaism that we know today.

---Pastor Andy

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

Godly Sorrow vs. Worldly Sorrow

Question:

Can somebody please give me a better understanding of 2 Corinthians 7:20?

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets, but worldly sorrow brings death."

My Reply:

Actually, that's verse 10...
First of all, remember that when reading the Epistles, these are letters, and so every chapter is connected with the rest of the chapters in that letter.

In this passage, Paul is talking about their effects by one of his previous letters (probably 1 Corinthians). They were stricken at first with sorrow and sadness because of what he'd written to them (if you read it, you may understand why). At first, he regretted saying such things in it because of how they responded to it, but he soon changed his mind because their sorrow actually made them stronger in their faith, even bringing them to repentance. This is an example of "Godly sorrow", for since it brought them to repentance, it set them right with God...put them back straight on the right path with God. The no regrets part is that if they hadn't been shown their sin, they'd still be messed up. So praise the Lord for showing them (through Paul's letter and by means of conviction by the Holy Spirit) their sin.

Worldly sorrow, on the other hand, doesn't build up...it only tears down, and such eventually leads to death.

---Pastor Andy 

Later comment by asker: That’s true. God will reveal your sins to turn away from, as did JOB, and that certainly leads to repentance.  Thanks!