We've moved!

Yup, it's true. With our brand-new website, we've incorporated the ASK US blog right there. Ask a question right there on the site, and get an answer there as well. So keep asking your questions, and check out the other parts of the site as well!

Q: I met a Taoist. What do they believe in?

A:  Taoism (also known as Daoism), comes from Eastern Countries.  Inherently, Taoism represents "the Way" or "the Path", but that "way" is not constant.  As in, there are many interpretations of the Taoist texts as to what is the way or path of life.  Thus, this Eastern religion has many streams and sects.

For Christians, we already understand that "the way" (and the truth and life), is Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  There is no doubt as to how we are to gain salvation or the path that we are to choose.  It is clear in the Biblical Scriptures.

To understand more about Taoism, please visit this site HERE.  You can also make use of Wikiepedia.org.

[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Following only some rules in Levicticus but not others?

The book of Leviticus was used as a guide for living a life pleasing to the Lord in the past. But nowadays, why do we only follow some rules and not others? (For example, we use the sexual relations guideline, but not the guideline about food and purification?)

Matt Slick, from CARM.org, takes the "traditional" approach in explaining how to apply rules from the Old Testament, including the book of Leviticus:

The Old Testament laws are categorized in three groups: the civil, the priestly, and the moral.  The civil laws must be understood in the context of a theocracy.  Though the Jewish nation in the Old Testament was often headed by a king, it was a theocratic system with the Scriptures as a guide to the nation.  Those laws that fall under this category are not applicable today because we are not under a theocracy.

The priestly laws dealing with the Levitical and Aaronic priesthoods were representative of the future and true High Priest Jesus, who offered Himself as a sacrifice on the cross.  Since Jesus fulfilled the priestly laws, they are no longer necessary to be followed and are not now applicable.

The moral laws, on the other hand, are not abolished, because the moral laws are based upon the character of God.  Since God's holy character does not change, the moral laws do not change either.  Therefore, the moral laws are still in effect.

In the New Testament we do not see a reestablishment of the civil or priestly laws.  But we do see a reestablishment of the moral law.  

Summarily, things like sexual relations fall under the moral law category and must be obeyed, but others like food and purification fall under the priestly category and do not have to be followed. I would suggest you read this article (especially the end) by J. Daniel Hays entitled, "Applying the Old Testament Laws." Hays suggests a new approach ("principlism"), which involves 5 steps.

1. Identify What The Particular Law Meant To The Initial Audience
2. Determine The Differences Between The Initial Audience And Believers Today
3. Develop Universal Principles From The Text
4. Correlate The Principle With New Testament Teaching
5. Apply The Modified Universal Principle To Life Today

The authors then gives an example of how this works from Leviticus 5:2, "if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt":

Leviticus 5:2 provides an example of how the method of principlizing can be used by believers today to apply legal passages without being under the Law. The verse reads, "Or if a person touches anything ceremonially unclean—whether the carcasses of unclean wild animals or of unclean livestock or of unclean creatures that move along the ground—even though he is unaware of it, he has become unclean and is guilty." The action required to correct one’s ceremonially unclean status in this verse is described a few verses later. So verses 5–6 should also be included: "When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned and, as a penalty for the sin he has committed, he must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin." The traditional approach simply classifies these verses as a ceremonial law that no longer applies to believers today. However, using the principlizing approach, one can interpret and apply this text in the same manner as one would narrative.

What did the text mean to the initial audience? The context of Leviticus discusses how the Israelites were to live with the holy, awesome God who was dwelling in their midst. How were they to approach God? How should they deal with sin and unclean things in light of God’s presence among them? These verses are part of the literary context of 4:1–5:13 that deals with offerings necessary after unintentional sin. Leviticus 4 deals primarily with the leaders; Leviticus 5 focuses on regular people. Leviticus 5:2 informed the Israelites that if they touched any unclean thing (dead animals or unclean animals), they were defiled ceremonially. This was true even if they touched an unclean thing accidentally. Being unclean, they were unable to approach God and worship Him. To be purified (made clean), they were to confess their sin and bring the priest a lamb or a goat for a sacrifice (5:5–6). The priest would sacrifice the animal on their behalf and they would be clean again, able to approach and worship God.

What are the differences between the initial audience and believers today?

What is the universal principle in this text? The central universal principle in these verses relates to the concept that God is holy. When He dwells among His people, His holiness demands that they keep separate from sin and unclean things. If they become unclean, they must be purified by a blood sacrifice. This principle takes into account the overall theology of Leviticus and the rest of Scripture. It is expressed in a form that is universally applicable to God’s people in both the Old Testament and the New Testament eras.

How does the New Testament teaching modify or qualify this principle? According to the New Testament, God no longer dwells among believers by residing in the tabernacle or temple; He now dwells within believers by the indwelling Holy Spirit. His presence, however, still calls for holiness on their part. He demands that they not sin and that they stay separate from unclean things. However, the New Testament redefines the terms "clean" and "unclean." "Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’ … What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean’ " (Mark 7:15, 20–23). Believers under the New Covenant are not made unclean by touching dead animals. They become unclean by impure thoughts or by sinful actions.

The New Covenant also changed the way God’s people are to deal with sin and uncleanness. Rather than bringing a lamb or goat to atone for sin, a believer’s sins are covered at the moment of salvation by the sacrifice of Christ. The death of Christ washes away sin and changes the believer’s status from unclean to clean. Confession of sin, however, is still important under the New Covenant (1 John 1:9), as it was under the Old Covenant. Christians are not under the Old Covenant, and their sins are covered by the death of Christ. Also because they have direct access to God through Jesus Christ, they no longer need human priests as mediators.

Hope this helps. Keep asking good questions such as this one.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What does it mean to meditate on God's Word?

To answer this question, we must first understand what the word meditate means: To engage in contemplation or reflection, to focus one's thoughts on: reflect or ponder over.

Listen to what one author writes:

Meditation is a function of the mind and the heart. It is what we think about in our hearts and it is something we each do every day. Whether we realize it or not, we all spend a large portion of our time in some form of meditation. The thing is, what we meditate on may or may not be worth while. In fact, what we habitually think about is frequently unhealthy for our growth as Christians. Often it is simply sinful. This is why I asked you earlier to spend some time making notes about what you thing about. This is the first step in the process of training ourselves to think correctly.

What then is Christian meditation? It is the deliberate practice of turning our hearts and our minds to the full time task of bringing the word of God to life in the daily activities of our lives. God wants to change us from the inside out. He wants to renew our minds and hearts so they will become more like his own. However, it is only by God's grace and power that this could ever happen. We cannot change ourselves. God uses a number of things to accomplish this. But the primary tool he uses is his own word recorded in the Bible. If we ignore it, he cannot work in us. If we use it and put it to use, he will be able to enter into our lives and form us into what he wants us to be. Meditation on the word of God allows its transforming power to renew our minds and change our hearts. 

HOW do we meditate on God's Word? Justin Taylor has a great little post that will help. It also contains a bunch of links that will further your understanding in this crucial area of Christian living.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Is depression a sin? Or is it an idol?

Tim Chester, from the UK, has a great post on this very issue. Read it in its entirety here. Chester writes the following:

Depression can have a number of underlying causes – guilt, disappointment, trauma, bereavement, betrayal and so on. (Depression is sometimes linked to chemical imbalances in the brain, but medical science is unclear which is cause and which is effect. In my experience and the experience of others pastors to whom I’ve talked, chemical imbalances are never the only cause. You have to remember that medical practitioners look at all problems in medical terms because that is what they are trained to deal with – they almost inevitably ignore the spiritual dimension.)

We are not responsible for most of those causes. But we are responsible for how we respond to them. We all at different points in our life have to respond to adverse circumstances. Those circumstances may be external (bereavement, failure, disappointment, relational difficulties). They may be internal (illness, chemical imbalances). They may involve both external and internal factors. But we are responsible for how we respond and we will respond with different degrees of faith. Where we are not trusting God’s grace or God’s care or God’s goodness then that response will be expressed in ungodly ways.

The word ‘depression’ covers so much that it is impossible to say depression is a sin or not a sin. Many of those causes (guilt, disappointment, trauma and so on) will make us sad. They may sap our energy and our zest for life. They may feel like an overwhelming darkness. All these are classic symptoms of what people call depression. All of them are, I think, natural and often quite proper responses. But God also tells us to rejoice in the Lord. So in some people features of their depression can reflect a failure to have faith in God in some sense. They may doubt God’s grace and so be consumed by guilt. They may doubt God’s goodness and so be consumed by disappointment. They may doubt God’s care are so be consumed by fear. For some people their depression becomes an identity that enables them to avoid taking responsibility in life.

I am always surprised that people are so reluctant to say that sin might be involved in depression. People seem to think this is cruel. But it should not be shocking to evangelicals to discover that we are sinners, and that our sin affects us in profound and significant ways. And seeing the sin that is involved also offers profound and significant hope because we have a Saviour who rescues us from the penalty and power of sin. Often the process of change is slow. Complete change takes a lifetime. But change is always possible because of Christ’s work for us and the Spirit’s work in us. That is not cruel. That is good news.

Summarily, it is difficult to say definitively whether or not depression is a sin. Depression can arise as the result of sin. One thing is for sure however: How we respond to depression can be sinful. When we fail to trust God (in essence, we commit idolatry; we end up trusting/loving/serving something or someone more than God), then it will expressed in ungodly and sinful ways.

I think Chester's final comments are worth-noting:

It is simply not true that Christians with depression are in any way lesser Christians. In fact it’s a horribly, ugly distortion of the gospel. But the issue is not whether some people think depression is a sin or not (as if Christians without depression are not sinners in a myriad of others ways?!). The issue is people believing anything we might do could make us more or less a Christian. That is the lie. I guess it’s a lie many people operate with, but it is a lie. Our identity is entirely based on God’s electing love, Christ’s finished work and the Spirit’s regenerating power. I can’t add to that and I can’t take away from that.

Friend, remember our identity, significance, security and worth is found in Jesus. When you are faced with depression or anything else, remember this truth!

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Shunned?

I'm going into my senior year at school and since tenth grade, my class has pretty much shunned me for everything. It got pretty bad last year as to having my average drop from an 87% to a 63%. It's my last year at the school and I know I should make the best out of it. I've learned during the summer how love should work and why it should work the way it does. I'm trying, but even if I see one of my classmates from school at my youth group, I can't bring myself to start a small conversation without feeling bitter. I don't know what I’m supposed to be asking, but I’m pretty much just wondering how to get through the next year with my class. I have friends in other grades, but I mean, it is senior year and I should be spending more time with my class before we leave for university. Anything I can do?

GREAT QUESTION! Human beings were created to be social creatures, meaning that we are most comfortable when we have family, friends and acquaintances. Friendship is an important element in a fulfilled, contented life, and those who have close friends, whether one or two or a multitude, will usually be happy and well-adjusted. At the same time, those who call themselves our friends may cause us grief and hardship, and at times disappointing us. 

TRUE FRIENDSHIP

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:13-15). Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for His "friends." What is more, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him.
 
There is an example of true friendship between David and Saul's son Jonathan, who, in spite of his father Saul's pursuit of David and attempts to kill him, stood by his friend. You will find that story in 1 Samuel chapter 18 through chapter 20. Some pertinent passages are 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19: 4-7; 20:11-17, 41-42.  Proverbs is another good source of wisdom regarding friends: Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 18:24. The issue here is to remember that in order to have a friend, one must be a friend: Proverbs 27:6; Proverbs 27:17.
 
Friends are of like mind. The truth that comes from all of this is a friendship is a relationship that is entered into by individuals, and it is only as good or as close as those individuals choose to make it. Someone has said that if you can count your true friends on the fingers of one hand, you are blessed. A friend is one whom you can be yourself with and never fear that he or she will judge you. A friend is someone that you can confide in with complete trust. A friend is someone you respect and that respects you, not based upon worthiness but based upon a likeness of mind.

 
Friendship can have its negative aspects as well. Supposed friends can lead us into sin (2 Samuel 13:1-6).  A friend can lead us astray in regard to our faith (Deuteronomy 13:6-11), provide false comfort and bad advice (Job 2:11-13, 6:14-27, 42:7-9). Friends can also prove false, pretending affection for their own motives and deserting us when our friendship no longer benefits them (Psalm 55:12-14; Proverbs 19:4, 6-7). Friendship can be broken down through gossip (Proverbs 16:28) or grudges (Proverbs 17:9) or in your case – being deliberately avoided or shunned by your friends.

Friends should be chosen very carefully because, as Paul told the Corinthians, “bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Proverbs 1:10-19 and 4:14-19 contains warnings about friends and how we should choose them. We are not to associate with those who entice us to do wrong, no matter how appealing their “friendship” seems to be. 

BEING SHUNNED

Many of us have probably felt shunned by our friends at one point or another and most often than not those feelings may have caused some disagreements and hurt feelings. The thing about shunning is that sometimes those may not have been our intention and because nobody speaks up about what has happened the situation gets out of control. 

Know that as born-again believers we have a resource in God's Word that can bring comfort and clarity to this situation. One person or even a group's rejection does not mean we are unlovable.  We can choose to allow rejection to determine how we feel and allow that feeling to color our idea of who we are, or we can choose to put that behind us and move forward on the basis of something that is far more lasting.

For believers, we need to remember our position in Christ. When we are born again, we are accepted. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves" (Ephesians 1:3-6).
 
Even though we do not deserve it nor can we earn it (Ephesians 2:8-9), the Lord Jesus Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and has made us accepted in Him. This acceptance is His gift of grace, and it transcends any and all other "feelings" we may have because it is not based on "hope so" but on "know so." We know that this is true because God's Word tells us, and as we believe this truth by faith, it becomes reality in our hearts and lives.
 
As believers we are not defined by our past failures or by disappointment or by the rejection of others. We are defined as children of God, born again to newness of life and endowed with every spiritual blessing and accepted in Christ Jesus. That is the defining factor when it comes to victorious living. God has prepared for each of us unique opportunities to walk through the "all things" of this life. We can either walk in our own strength and what the Apostle Paul calls our "flesh," or we can walk in the power of the provision God has made for us through the Holy Spirit. It is our choice. God has provided us with armor (Ephesians 6:11-18), but it is up to us to put it on by faith.

Therefore, if you are a child of God, you may suffer disappointment in this life, but you need to remember that as a child of the King, this rejection is a momentary bump in the road. You have a choice to either allow that bump to derail you and walk wounded, or you can choose to claim the heritage of a child of God and move forward in grace. Forgiveness of others and of self is a gift that you can give because it is the gift given to you by the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:32).

If your friends in your senior year won't talk to you then most likely you are not going to be able to get a response as to why they shunned you or why they may have avoided you through these past few years.  Perhaps you are going to need to just move forward in your life, making new friends, prepare for this coming school year and future campus life.  You have already demonstrated that you can be a top student.  So focus on doing well in school, serving and developing your friendships in fellowship.  Remember that once you graduate from high school, everyone will be heading off to different campuses, different parts of the province and world.  That may mean focusing on the friends you already have and seeking to build new relationships with others in your senior grade that have common interests with you.

Seek to be that true friend like the example of David and Jonathan and you will find that people will be drawn to you.  Be open, friendly and kind to all.  

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”


[Answered by Ray Lee, Summer Intern]

Q: Why doesn’t God make Himself visible to us? Why doesn’t He make everything in this world easy to understand?

A:  People often claim that if Jesus would appear in front of them or make everything easy to understand they would believe. They claim that the reason they just can't believe is because they can't see Jesus or any evidence of Him.

So why would a loving God, who wants us to believe not make himself visible so that we would all believe? The answer is simple, He tried that once. Look at the life of Jesus. He taught here on earth for 3 years, and many people did believe but many still did not. He healed the crippled and made them walk. He healed the blind and made them see. He even raised people from the dead. Still many people did not believe that He was the Son of God.

He even told a story of a rich man who had it all and died and a poor man who also died. The rich man was in torment but could see the poor man who was now taking it easy in what we would consider heaven, but at that time, (before Jesus died) it was called paradise. After being told that there was nothing that could be done to help him, the rich man asked that the poor man be sent back to talk to his brothers so they would not end up where he was. Luke 16:31 says, "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" This verse is very important. Remember Jesus told this story before His own death and resurrection. He was right, many of those who refused to believe before His death still refused to believe after He arose from the dead.

Remember how the disciples were changed after seeing Jesus after His death, but they did not have a clue until they saw Him. In John 20:27-29 he said to Thomas: "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Do you realize Jesus was talking to Thomas about us? We are the ones who are blessed because we believe even though we have not seen Him. But don't miss what He told Thomas: Stop doubting and believe!

For instance let’s say that you are on one side of a deep pit and another person is on the other side. There is a bridge over the pit but you know that it is not safe so you tell the other person not to go out on it but they tell you they don't believe you. They then go out on the bridge and start jumping up and down, and sure enough the bridge gives way and they are killed. What will your reaction be? Will you admire them because they checked everything out for themselves? Or will you think they were stupid, because they would not listen to you? They could not see that the bridge was weak, so why should they believe you?

Does it make you feel good when people trust you? Does it make you mad when people refuse to trust what you say? God has done many things to prove to mankind that He exists but we keep refusing. He takes trust and belief very seriously. John 3:18 tells us that whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

What does God require of us to be saved? People asked Jesus the same question in John 6:28-29. Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." The one who was sent was Jesus. That is all God requires of us, that we believe.

People claim that because God does not show himself visibly to them proves that He does not really want to save everyone. That is a lie. In fact we are told in 1 Timothy 1:15-16, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

God has revealed enough of His nature for us to be able to trust Him. He has declared and shown through the events of history, in the workings of nature, and through the life of His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that He is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving, all-holy, unchanging, and eternal. He has shown that He is worthy to be trusted. But as with the Israelites in the wilderness, the choice is ours as to whether or not we will trust Him.

Often, one is inclined to make this choice based on what he/she thinks he knows about God rather than what He has revealed about Himself and can be understood about Him through a careful study of His inerrant word, the Bible.



If we are honest, we have to admit that there are many things we don't understand about God and about life. We do not have final answers to the deep problems of life. There are areas of mystery in our Christian faith that lie beyond quick answers or even the most profound spiritual exercises. For many people, these problems raise so many questions and uncertainties that faith itself becomes a struggle, and the very person and character of God are called into question. Instead, let’s encourage one another to face up to the limitations of our understanding and to acknowledge the pain and grief they can often cause. Instead let’s be like the psalmist in Psalm 73:28: “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God and made Him my refuge that I may tell of all your works.”

For those who refuse to believe, we cannot blame God. Based on the evidence of the life of Christ and the Bible, we have all the proof we need right before us. All we have to do is believe and we will be saved. The decision is up to each person. We need to remember that only we can make this decision while we are still alive. Once we die it is too late, our fate is sealed.

[answered by Pastoral Intern, Ray Lee]