Q: How does God want me to see Him?

God has chosen to reveal Himself through His Son Jesus Christ, who is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Therefore, we are to view Jesus as THE example of who God is. As God has revealed Himself throughout His word, His ultimate revelation is through the life of Jesus Christ His Son. We are to view God through His Word become flesh (a Man) as it says in John 1.

[Answered by Pastor Shu-Ling]

Q: How do you worship God through actions?

Worshipping God through actions, movement or physical expressions are evident all over the bible. Although there is no clear biblical support “mandating” these actions, we can still, however, see that the many people in the bible expressed themselves in outward movements (actions) in responsive worship to God.

Here are some examples (specifically in the book of Psalms) of the actions of people worshiping God:

1. Psalm 95:6 – Come, let us bow down in worship (Symbol of Humility)
2. Psalm 63:4 – In your name I will lift up my hands (Hand gestures for the attitude of the heart)
3. Psalm 33:2-3 - Play skillfully on the lyre (Worshipping through playing music instruments)
4. Psalm 47:1 – Clap your hands, all you people! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! (clap hands while singing songs of joy in God)
5. Psalm 66:1 – Shout to God with joy, sing the glory of his name (Spontaneous joy and gladness because of the Creator and Redeemer)

Lastly, I will leave you with this thought about “movement” from the Global Worship Movement which I have found helpful.

Movement – this word has two implications;

1) Movement in regards to a physical participation in worship --we have a passion to inspire and lead everyday people in the integration of movement into worship and to embody Romans 12:1 


2) Movement in regards to a move of God --we have a passion to be used by God in His acts of redemption and restoration of His creation throughout the world

[Answered by Pastor Shu-Ling, Worship Ministry]

Q: Do Aborted Fetuses Go to Heaven?

I have reservations in answering this question. The truth is, I am, at best, guardedly optimistic (though more so for the aborted children of Christians [whether because of elective abortion or miscarriage] than of non-Christians; see Acts 2:38–39; 1 Corinthians 7:14).

In the end, the most Biblical and responsible answer is to be agnostic on the matter.

Let’s start with some foundational Biblical presuppositions.

1. The doctrine of original sin says every human being, from conception, is legally guilty of sin. (David alludes to his own prenatal guilt in Psalm 51:5.)

2. The general way that people come to faith is through the preaching of the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

3. The unborn are human beings (see my previous posts), which means they have an eternal destiny: a resurrection of the body either to eternal glory or eternal wrath (John 5:28–29; Acts 24:15). (Note: this resurrection doesn’t happen at death, either for the aborted fetus or for any of us. Resurrection happens when Jesus returns. Resurrection should also not be equated with “heaven,” but that’s the subject for another post.)

We may say of the unborn, then: (1) they are guilty of sin; (2) they haven’t come to faith (at least, in the usual manner); and (3) they have an eternal destiny. The fate of individuals who are guilty of (1) and (2) is, according to the New Testament, hell. It must be admitted that the unborn are guilty of unrepentant sin.

However, we should also concede that it is possible for God to save the unborn (and very young, infant children) in an atypical way. (He’s God!) Both the fetal Jesus and the fetal John the Baptist are examples of the Spirit dwelling in the unborn (Luke 1:39–45). King David seems to expect to join his dead infant son when he, himself, dies (2 Samuel 12:23); a possible indication of the view that the unborn (and those who do not have the capacity for faith) will be saved in the end.

John Piper holds this view. He believes “God has a way to cover [the sins of those who don’t have the capacity for faith, such as babies and the profoundly mentally disabled].” He appeals to Romans 1:19–20. You can read his argument here. I must confess that I am not entirely convinced, though I dearly hope that he is right.

It does bears noting that the Bible’s silence on this matter is one for which we should be thankful. Imagine, for instance, if we had chapter and verse clearly stating that all children who die before they reach the age of three will be resurrected to eternal life. How many babies, infants, and toddlers would be killed by well-meaning parents to secure their eternal destiny?

Ultimately, I don’t believe we can say with complete certainty what happens to aborted fetuses and must be content to leave things in the hands of our just and merciful God.

[Answered by Dr. Stephen Tu]

Q: Who sins in abortion, the woman having the abortion or the doctor performing it?

The answer, of course, is both. Both the mother who wants, permits, and approves of the killing of her child, and the doctor who kills the baby are guilty. Both need to repent. But the net of guilt is cast wider than simply the mother and physician.

The boyfriend who prods his girlfriend to kill their unborn child sins. The parent who’d rather not deal with the stares and gossip and drives her daughter to the abortion clinic sins. The person who actively participates in a culture that abdicates parental responsibility and devalues prenatal life by promoting individual privacy at the expense of the unborn sins. In fact, I’d argue that each of us by simply paying taxes in our province that then go to government-funded health care that pays for abortions sins. It should crush us that being a tax-paying resident or citizen of Canada means we pay for the legal killing of our country’s children.

In the end, all of us need to repent of our complicity in abortion.

[Answered by Dr. Stephen Tu, Trinity Pacific Church, Vancouver]

Why does God allow events such as abduction, child abuse, terrorists, etc. happen?

Why doesn't he do anything about it? Sometimes I'm afraid I get kidnapped and terrible things might happen. But I want to know if God will help me during that time. Sorry, this question is kind of oddly worded but I just want to know if God is really there during those crucial times in our lives.

Author Josh McDowell answers your question well. Read his entire answer here. Events such as abduction, child abuse and terrorism happen because of the sinfulness of man:

...The Scriptures make it plain that God did not create the world in the state in which it is now, but evil came as a result of the selfishness of man. The Bible says that God is a God of love and He desired to create a person and eventually a race that would love Him. But genuine love cannot exist unless freely given through free choice and will, and thus man was given the choice to accept God's love or to reject it. This choice made the possibility of evil become very real. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they did not choose something God created, but, by. their choice, they brought evil into the world. God is neither evil nor did He create evil. Man brought evil upon himself by selfishly choosing his own way apart from God's way. 


Because of the Fall, the world now is abnormal. Things are not in the state that they should be in. Man, as a result of the Fall, has been separated from God. Nature is not always kind to man and the animal world can also be his enemy. There is conflict between man and his fellowman. None of these conditions were true before the Fall. Any solution that might be given to the problems mankind faces must take into consideration that the world as it stands now is not normal.

Why doesn't he do anything about it? You are falsely assuming that God does not do anything about it. Let me explain. God did do something about it in the person & work of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to take away the sin of the world by suffering for our sin, in our place (consider the fact that the suffering Jesus endured was the result of the sin, cruelty and hatred of man). Because of what Jesus did, we have an answer to our suffering: One day Jesus will give us new resurrected bodies (Philippians 3:20-21) that will be immune to suffering and sin. 

Second, God is doing something about it through his followers. McDowell puts it this way:

Christians have a justification for fighting evil, immorality and corruption. The world was not designed with evil in mind and the believer has a real basis for fighting social ills. He is not following the belief that whatever is, is right. The Christian does not condone wrongdoing by claiming it is God's world, neither does he assume that everything that happens is agreed to by God. God does not desire evil nor does he ever condone it. He hates evil, and the Christian also is not only to despise evil, he is obligated to do something about it. Even though sin is real, it is not something that the believer accepts as the way things ought to be. By identifying with Jesus, the believer has a duty to call things wrong that are wrong and to speak out when evil is overtaking good. The Christian is not fighting against God by fighting social problems. Natural disasters, crime, and mental retardation should not be the accepted order of things, because they were never meant to be and they will not be in God's future kingdom.

Christians are God's hands and feet to a hurting world. God is doing something about suffering through us. 

Third, God is doing something "behind the scenes." His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8), so even if we do not understand why he allows suffering to happen or why he does not immediately cure suffering, we must trust in Him. GotQuestions states three reasons.

First, He uses pain and suffering to draw us to Himself so that we will cling to Him. Jesus said, “In the world you shall have tribulation” (John 16:33). Trials and distress are not something unusual in life; they are part of what it means to be human in a fallen world. In Christ we have an anchor that holds fast in all the storms of life, but if we never sail into those storms, how would we know that? It is in times of despair and sorrow that we reach out to Him, and, if we are His children, we always find Him there waiting to comfort and uphold us through it all. In this way, He proves His faithfulness to us and ensures that we will stay close to Him. An added benefit is that as we experience God’s comfort through trials, we are then able to comfort others in the same way (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Second, He proves to us that our faith is real through the suffering and pain that are inevitable in this life. How we respond to suffering is determined by the genuineness of our faith. Those with faith truly from God, “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), will not be crushed by suffering, but will come through the trial with their faith intact, having been “proven through fire” so that it “might be found to praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7). Those are the ones who do not shake their fists at God or question His goodness, but instead “count it all joy” (James 1:2), knowing that trials prove that they are truly the children of God. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12).

Finally, God uses suffering to take our eyes off this world and put them on the next. The Bible continually exhorts us to not get caught up in the things of this world, but to look forward to the world to come. This world and all that is in it will pass away, but the kingdom of God is eternal. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), and those who would follow Him must not see the things of this life, both good and bad, as the end of the story. Even the sufferings we endure and which seem so terrible “are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

Summarily, I would say this: Don't be afraid friend. God is always with you, even in your suffering. It is natural to cry out to God when you are suffering (and if he answers in a tangible way, praise Him!). However, if he does not answer immediately or in the way you want, praise Him anyway! God is using the suffering in a way to shape your character (remember your character is what you take with you in the next life; not your comfort) for your own goodness and for his glory. He may also be allowing suffering to happen to you so that you can understand the suffering of another person and bless them.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

I'd recommend you get a copy of C.S. Lewis' book, The Problem of Pain. It will help you answer some of you questions.

Q: I have a friend who recently became a Christian. What steps should she take now? I have invited her to come, but she has other things to do during fellowship times and Sunday mornings. So as much as she wants to come, she cannot. Any advice?

A:  Firstly, we rejoice in the fact that your friend has become a Christian!  What a wonderful and exciting time this is for you to witness a transformation and a soul won for God!

Secondly, what you are facing right now is the issue of discipleship.  When we become a Christian, we can consider that the "conversion".  But after the conversion, must come the discipleship part.  This is the part where a person grows in their faith through reading God's Word, being part of a community and having accountability through their brothers and sisters.

It is very difficult for a new Christian to know what to do after they accept Christ.  There are a lot of unknowns; we are essentially starting a new life!  That's why the discipleship process is so important - it directs and guides them to grow in their faith.

For your friend, I suggest to utilize the power of the Internet!  Go to splat.rhccc.ca to listen to the sermons we preach at SPLAT and Doxa.  Our Daily Bread (odb.org) has good daily devotions that may help your friend with their faith and understand the Scriptures.  Encourage your friend to read through the Bible.  A good one is this one from Mars Hill.


In addition to this, minister to her outside of church times.  Dedicate one lunch a week to discuss a topic (Christian dating, baptism, specific passages are all engaging topics). Check your school to see if they have a Christian fellowship she can attend on a weekday.  Most high schools and some elementary school around the area have one.

Lastly, keep her in prayer.  It is only through the Holy Spirit that your friend came to know God and only through the Spirit will she continue her journey as a Christian.  Pray for her often and commit her to the Lord.


[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Is it okay for a confirmed Catholic to partake in Holy Communion in a Christian church?

If I'm a confirmed Catholic, is it bad to go to Christian church?

Hi friend. It seems you have two questions, so I'll answer them separately. To be clear, when you refer to the "Christian church," what you really mean is the Protestant church. Read about the differences in this previous post.

1. If I'm a confirmed Catholic, is it bad to go to Christian church?

It is not bad at all. At RHCCC, people of all faith backgrounds are welcome. However, I do challenge you to take a deep look into the core beliefs of both churches. There are major differences between what Protestants believe and what Catholics believe. Visit this website for dozens of articles that will be helpful for you.

For instance, consider the most crucial issue of salvation. If you genuinely hold to OFFICIAL Roman Catholic doctrine and believe you can enter God's kingdom (at least partly) on your own merit, you will be at odds with what Protestants believe. Sooner or later, you must make up your mind and settle on the belief system of one church. How do you know which to settle on? Always go back to Scripture. What does the Bible say? Regarding salvation, Romans 3:24-25 tells us that we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed as a propitiation in His blood through faith." Good works arise from faith in Christ and thus are an indication that one is truly saved. But in and of themselves, they do not justify or save us.

I hope you can see whether this is going. There are so many divisions between Protestants and Catholics that you cannot embrace both theological systems. I highly encourage you to read this article - I believe it will help in your faith journey. Also read this one.

2. Is it okay for a confirmed Catholic to partake in Holy Communion in a Christian church?

The purpose of communion is to remember the sacrificial death of Christ (N.B. This may contradict what you've been taught at a Catholic church. Read this post for further information). Here is an excerpt:

The Scriptures declare that the Lord's Supper is a memorial to the body and blood of Christ (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25), not the actual consumption of His physical body and blood. When Jesus was speaking in John chapter 6, Jesus had not yet had the Last Supper with His disciples, in which He instituted the Lord’s Supper. To read the Lord’s Supper / Christian Communion back into John chapter 6 is unwarranted. For a more complete discussion of these issues, please read our article on the Holy Eucharist.

The most serious reason transubstantiation should be rejected is because it is viewed by the Roman Catholic Church as a "re-sacrifice" of Jesus Christ for our sins, or as a “re-offering / re-presentation” of His sacrifice. This is directly in contradiction to what Scripture says, that Jesus died "once for all" and does not need to be sacrificed again (Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 3:18). Hebrews 7:27 declares, "Unlike the other high priests, He (Jesus) does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins ONCE for all when He offered Himself."

Summarily, you may take the communion if you are a Christ-follower, even within a Protestant church. However, when you do take it, please know that we do not practice transubstantiation. We hold to memorial view in which we remember and celebrate the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

Hope this helps.

[Answered by Pastor HM]