Q: When Christians die, how will Jesus bring them up to heaven?

...Is it through some kind of spiritual realm or do they wait for a specified time until he brings them up to heaven?

This is a question that has been debated over many years. In Revelation 20:4-5, the Apostle John tells us that certain people "came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. " This is known as the Millennium. Now, if you read verse 3, you also find out that an angel of God came down from heaven and "And cast [the devil] into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."

How do we interpret this passage? Traditionally, there have been three accepted views. To be clear, each view has its merits. Because of the diverse views among many Jesus-loving, Bible-loving Christians, all three of the following views are acceptable.

1. Amillennialism: In this view, the church is already living in the millennium (i.e. there is no future thousand years). In fact, the "thousand years" is simply a figure of speech (i.e. should not be interpreted literally). The present age will continue until the return of Jesus, when there will be a resurrection of both believers and unbelievers. The bodies of believers will rise to be reunited with their spirits and enter into heaven forever. Unbelievers, however, will be raised to face final judgment. As I mentioned in my last sermon ("Servant - Part 2" Luke 22:24-30), believers will also stand judgment, but this judgment will be a judgment of service. God will judge how well and how hard we labored for his kingdom and give rewards accordingly.

2. Postmillennialism: In this view, Christ will return AFTER one thousand years. The present age of the church will continue as the power of the gospel gradually increases. More and more of the world's population will be Christians and subsequently, society itself will function more and more according to God's standards. This will usher humankind into a millennial age of peace on earth. Once this thousand years is over, Christ will return & believers and unbelievers will be resurrected to be judged accordingly.

3. Premillennialism: This view states that Christ will return BEFORE the millennium. When Jesus does return, he will bind Satan and rule on earth for 1000 years. At the end of this time, Satan will let loose, only to be destroyed by Jesus. Then comes the final judgment where believers and unbelievers are judged with the judgment of service and salvation respectively.

So there you have it. 3 views. If you're really serious about this topic, I'd recommend this site, which shows these views in graphic form. Also, use the search bar and type in "millennium."

Summarily, as a Christian, you can hold to any of the three views. There are both positive and negative results from holding to each of these views. For example, if you hold to the postmillennial view, one of the positive results is that you are optimistic about the power of the gospel to make personal and societal changes to the world. For the record, our church (RH3C) holds to the last view: premillennialism.

The last thing I will say is that - what is most crucial is not which view you believe in; it's whether or not you possess salvation in Christ. That's the most important thing: To repent of your sin and trust in Jesus. Whatever happens in the future, two things are for certain: Heaven is a glorious place free from sin, suffering and heartache. It is reserved for Christ-followers. Hell, on the other hand, is a place void of any good or beauty or love, because it is a place utterly removed of God's presence. It is reserved for those who do not have salvation.

I implore you to consider this heavily in your heart, and to receive God's salvation now, because your eternal destination depends on it. How we get there isn't so important. It's where we're going that is.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

References: Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Nottingham: IVP, 1994), 1109ff.

Q: Is it possible to be a bisexual and a Christian at the same time? Is a bisexual expected to suppress their feelings for the same sex to please God?

Many principles of a previous answer applies to this question. Take a look! Check out Pastor HM's answer too and watch the Mark Driscoll video.

In a nutshell: Any sexual orientation and action outside heterosexual male-female relationships is considered sinful. Other preferences are the result of the Fall (sin). Bisexuality would fall under this category. It is not what God intended for the purpose of sexuality.

So the answer in short depends on what do you mean by the word 'suppress'? If you intend to turn away from sinfulness, struggle against those feelings through His strength, and pray and seek out earnest healing and redemption from God, then yes, this is what God calls us to do. If by 'suppress', you mean ignore, then this would probably not be very helpful. You can't deny the feelings you have, whether light or strong; rather acknowledge that we still have sin that needs to be purged from our lives and fight against giving into them. God calls us to His will of holiness for our lives and to put away the desires of the flesh so that we may glorify Him. Trust in the Lord to get you through periods of temptation and believe that He is in the process of healing and redeeming us. Because these are deeply personal sins and hard to beat on our own, find an accountability partner to encourage and support you through these times.

[Answered by Jon]

Q: If a homosexual accepts Jesus, and everything but still doesn't want to change who they are, will they still end up in heaven?

This one is a toughie, indeed. Maybe you were reading 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and this question popped up into your head. It's pretty hard language. I think this question has a bunch of layers, so I will try to unpack them as they come along.

First, take a look at THIS: Pastor Ho-Ming answered a question on the Biblical perspective on homosexuality. Here's another article from a Christian Apologetic website. It'll put things into perspective. According to Scriptures, homosexuality is considered a sin and is condemned. It is not considered higher or lower than other sins, as certain groups may have blown it up to be, but it is still a serious rebellion against God and the way He created humanity.

Secondly, the two premises that make up the first part of this question don't seem to follow each other. If considering what it means to truly accept Christ into our lives, this becomes somewhat of a non-question. (Kind of like - Skittles' slogan, 'Taste the rainbow'... How can we taste the refracted light off water particles?!?!) That being said: we can't on the one hand say that we follow Jesus and on the other hand, not strive to do what He calls us to do! Take a look at 1 John 2:4. Saying that we believe in God and rebelliously and purposely not doing what He commands makes us liars and hypocrites; we wouldn't have ACTUALLY been following Jesus. Being saved means freedom from the consequence of sin, the new life, the struggle to take off the old self (desires of the world and flesh) and put on the new self (holiness), and the continual healing and transformation of the Holy Spirit. Change goes hand in hand with accepting Jesus; that's all part of the 'everything' that comes along with it.

Check out this resource on whether it is possible or not to be a practicing homosexual and a Christian. This is another one that discusses the tension between homosexuality and following Jesus.

To clarify, it possible to be Christian AND struggle against homosexual desires and temptations. Treat this as any sin, whether lying, cheating, stealing, or slandering. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to continually repent of our sins, resist temptation, and strive to be more like Him. The journey may be hard and we may fall many times, but we look faithfully to Jesus for our salvation, strength, forgiveness, and renewal. It is NOT possible, however, to be a Christian and just willingly and unrepentantly keep sinning. This person has not felt the conviction of God, nor the power of the cross.

As for the last part of the question: will they still end up in heaven? If a person has truly accepted and believed in Jesus, repented of their sin, and decided to follow Him, then yes, they will spend eternity with God in heaven. But THAT person is in the process of being changed by the Holy Spirit and actively trying not to sin. If they just say they accept Jesus by words only and do not live it out and struggle to turn from their sin, then no, they will not be going to heaven since they do not know Jesus and are actually rebelling against Him.

This article by Dawson McAllister sums it up much better than I can. I love his quote, "No Jesus, no change. Know Jesus, know change.”

[Answered by Jon]

Q: Is it a sin to think about stealing, lying, sexual thoughts, etc. but NOT doing it?

I talked about this briefly in another post. But let me talk about this again in regards to your question. There have been many thoughts about how the mind, body, essence of how a human being really works. For instance, Dallas Willard breaks down a person into "elements." Think about an onion with many layers, with the spirit being the innermost layer and the social relationships a person has as the outermost layer:

         Elements of a Person: spirit --> mind --> body --> social 

For Willard, the Spirit of a person is the inner core of being from which actions flow (this is what many would consider “the will”). Our spirit is the power to do what is good or evil. So the spirit is where sin first arises. 

Think of it this way: You are confronted with a temptation to sin. Let's say your friends are talking badly about another friend behind her back (i.e. gossip). In order for you to commit sin, your spirit (your "will") must say “yes” to that sin. If there is no inner yes, there is no sin. Even if you think about sin, that’s not a sin (that’s not even temptation!). Remember, temptation is the thought plus the inclination to sin. It's when you linger over the thought. Sin is when we inwardly say yes to the temptation; when we decide to do it. 

So summarily, NO - it is not a sin to think about stealing, lying and sexual thoughts. It is not even temptation. It is when you inwardly say yes to an action (and this includes thinking sinfully about something such as lusting over a person in your mind) and then decide to do it - that's when it becomes a sin. That is why the Bible tells us we must resist and run from temptation when we see it, rather than allowing our fascination to draw us closer. God provides for this in 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What about salvation in the Old Testament?

Recently, we answered this question. Here is what Pastor John MacArthur from California says. 

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This will be posted on the SPLAT site soon.

Q: God sent Jesus, His son to bear the consequences of our sins. Why did God have to send someone ELSE down to do it?

...Couldn't He have taken the wrath upon Himself?

Actually, God did take on the wrath Himself.

When Jesus died on the cross, that WAS God dying for us. It's often confusing to think about God as three persons (this is what is known as the Trinity; God in 3 persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). This means that Jesus and the Father are one in the same. You can find out more by reading this post here about the Trinity, answered by Pastor HM.

When Christ came down to earth, He came as a human being. This was the only way in which Jesus could have taken the sin for us. Jesus was a SINLESS man that died for SINFUL people. He died on the cross, in our place, for our sin, thereby taking the wrath of God away from us.

[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Is it "bad" to wear short shorts and tank tops?

Okay, there are so many ways in which I can explain this, so I will be "short" and sweet.

Firstly, I suspect that a girl is asking this question, so that is the route in which I will gear my answer to.

It's all about perspective, okay? When it's 30 degrees outside, and you're on vacation in Hawaii, yes, I absolutely think it's fine to wear [shorter] shorts and tank tops. No one expects you to be modest in a turtle neck and snow pants in that scenario.

However, if it's only 10 degrees outside and you want to get attention by wearing skimpy clothing than I would say the following:

1. You're attracting attention in the wrong way (guys should want to get to know you because of your intellect and brains, rather than solely with your physical attributes). In this way, you are also being a stumbling block to those guys who struggle with this sin of lust. Don't put it out there if you know a brother is weak in this area [read 1 Corinthians 8:9-10].

2. Your attitude is wrong and you're really abusing the body that God gave you. It was never meant to "flaunted" that way.

3. You're objectifying yourself. I hate it when I hear guys talking about girls like a piece of meat. It's so rude and completely disgusts me. We are people, with real feelings, with real emotions and real intellect. By putting our body out there and saying "look at me", we are feeding into this mentality that we are just great bodies. In fact, it's insulting for the rest of the women in this world when girls do this because it sends the wrong message and enforces the idea that we can be looked at as such.

4. Lastly, the combination of really short shorts and really low tank tops just look bad. It's not fashionable.


So, in conclusion. No, it is not bad to wear short shorts and a tank top. But please do it appropriately and for the appropriate reasons.



[answered by Pastor KJT, who wore shorts and tank tops in 2007 while vacationing in Hawaii]

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Q: What does "mighty to save" mean?

The phrase comes from the book of Isaiah (63:1):

Who is this coming from Edom, 

       from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? 
       Who is this, robed in splendor, 
       striding forward in the greatness of his strength? 
       "It is I, speaking in righteousness, 
       mighty to save."

You may also be referring to the Hillsong song by the same name. Watch it below:

The chorus lyrics are as follows:

Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of Salvation
He rose & conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

I suppose the best way of answering this question is to examine the Scripture first, because - I assume - the song is based upon it. In this verse, Isaiah looks ahead to the future to see Edom and Bozrah - both unbelieving nations southeast of Jerusalem - being defeated by God. As all scripture is focused upon Jesus Christ, the text is ultimately describing the Messiah, returning from battling and conquering his enemies (Rev. 19:11–21). Edom and Bozrah, after all, typify those who disregard God. What this verse tell us is this: Though evil, injustice and suffering happen today, when Jesus returns, he will march "in the greatness of strength" (i.e. mightily) to save those who believe and repent, and defeat those that do not. 

This is what the famous preacher Charles H. Spurgeon said of this verse:

By the words “to save” we understand the whole of the great work of salvation, from the first holy desire onward to complete sanctification...Christ is not only “mighty to save” those who repent, but he is able to make men repent. He will carry those to heaven who believe; but he is, moreover, mighty to give men new hearts and to work faith in them. He is mighty to make the man who hates holiness love it, and to constrain the despiser of his name to bend the knee before him.

What Spurgeon is saying is that God's power is not only shown in the future day of judgment, but in the present: He has the greatness of strength to change a person's heart from rebellion & sin to salvation & holiness. 

My prayer is that God is mightily working in your heart today. 

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Are the words "free will" or "freedom of choice" used in the Bible? Even if it doesn't, does it allude to it anywhere?

These exact phrases are not found in the Bible. However, Scripture does talk about the concept at length. After all, free will is the ability for a person to make choices that determine his actions. Below are some verses which strongly show that mankind has the responsibility to exercise their free will and is commanded by God to do so.

Deuteronomy 30:15-19: "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong [your] days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live."

John 14:15: "If you love me, keep my commandments."

Romans 2:10: "but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

1 Timothy 6:12-14: "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and [before] Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep [this] commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing."

2 Timothy 2:21 "Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work."

It is clear that God designed us and calls us to exercise our free will in joyful obedience to him. A number of scholars have written about how this actually works. Dallas Willard, for instance, breaks down a person into "elements." Think about an onion with many layers, with the spirit being the innermost layer and the social relationships a person has as the outermost layer:

         Elements of a Person: spirit --> mind --> body --> social

For Willard, the Spirit of a person is the inner core of being from which actions flow (this is what many would consider “the will”). Our spirit is the power to do what is good or evil. It’s the center of who we are and ultimately who we become. According to the Scriptures, this is what is enslaved to sin (Rom. 6:14-20), is desperately sick (Jer. 17:9), is full of evil (Mark 7:21-23), loves darkness rather than light (John 3:19), does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12), and cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). No matter how hard a person tries, she cannot change this state through a focus on external behavior (e.g. changing the way you dress/behave/talk; attending all sorts of programs, etc.). It is because the will is bent "away from God" and only "toward sin." Summarily, the will is free, but only free toward sin. If we put our faith and trust into Jesus (& his once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross for our sin, in our place), then Scripture declares that we are given a new spiritual heart that is now responsive, alive and warm to God. This is exactly what the prophet Ezekiel predicted thousands of years ago, before the coming of Jesus:

"I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules" (Ezek. 36:26-27).

To be sure, our will before faith in Christ was like "stone" (i.e. completely unresponsive, dead toward God). Consequently, we were "free" only to choose sin. When The Holy Spirit comes into our hearts, we are given a new spirit (heart, will) that has the POWER to fight temptation and thus sin. 

Think of it this way: You are confronted with a temptation to sin. Let's say your friends are talking badly about another friend behind her back. That’s when your spirit comes into play. In order for you to commit sin, your spirit ("will") must say “yes” to that sin. If there is no inner yes, there is no sin. Even if you think about sin, that’s not a sin (that’s not even temptation!). Remember, temptation is the thought plus the inclination to sin. It's when you linger over the thought. Sin is when we inwardly say yes to the temptation; when we decide to do it. 

Here's the point: For those that place their hope and trust in Christ, God transforms our spirit to give us the new power to fight against the "inner yes" to sin. So in this way, our free will becomes "free" to follow God in humble and joyful obedience, and "free" from sin.

I know there are many, many more issues concerning free will, particularly as it relates to the foreknowledge of God (e.g. If God knows our free will choices, do we still have free will?). See CARM.ORG's articles HERE.

[Answered by Pastor HM, who is glad he freely choose ice-cream]

Q: What are your, the Bible's, and Christianity's positions on same sex marriage?

Good question. A few things I want to mention:

1. I believe that the Bible is the final authority of all matters. Therefore, my position is that of the Bible. 

To be clear, the Bible condemns the practice of homosexuality. Here is a brief video that explains it well:

2. Sadly, many have taken the Bible out of context - either using it to support homosexuality or using it like a weapon to condemn homosexuals in a self-righteous way. Both of these usages of the Scripture break God's heart, because he loves people. He condemns homosexuality (and same-sex marriage) because he did not design his creation that way. It is not healthy for society, nor beneficial for the raising of children within a family. It also breaks his heart when people (including Christians) act in a self-righteous, judgmental manner toward homosexuals.

3. Other Resources:

a. Read Brian Pengelly's work at New Direction Ministries. Brian struggled with homosexuality for many years, until he came to know Christ. He also shared his story at our SPLAT service in 2008. Listen HERE (search for "April 20th 2008). Additionally, read his story HERE.

b. Read THIS comprehensive, but short article by Matthew Slick from Carm.org. He answers some of the common objections toward the biblical view of homosexuality at the end.

c. Read THIS article about "Speaking The Truth in Love." The author writes this at the end, and I think it summarizes the issue well: 

"I have only touched on a few of the challenges surrounding this terribly difficult issue. We need God’s grace to walk the tightrope, following His word with humility in all that it teaches, loving those who disagree with us, and reaching out in compassion to those men and women who are suffering the sad and tragic consequences of living outside the created sexual boundaries that God gave us for our good."

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What is the character of GOD?

This question is MASSIVE in scope, and therefore we cannot give a comprehensive answer. However, I will say a few things about this and point you along to some helpful resources.

1. Because we are finite and God is infinite (unlimited), we can fully never know God. It's true we can know God, but we cannot know him (or his attributes/characteristics) completely. Psalm 145:3 affirms that his greatness is "unsearchable."

2. There are two kinds of attributes to God*: (i) Incommunicable Attributes and (ii) Communicable Attributes

Let me explain with an example: 

A communicable attribute is God's wisdom, because he can communicate this to us (i.e. we can also be wise). 

An incommunicable attribute is God's eternity (i.e. we can never be eternal like God).

3. When you read the Bible, look out for the Names of God. In Scripture, a person's name is a description of his/her character. For example, in the Bible, God is compared to a lion (Isa. 31:4), an eagle (Deut. 32:11), a lamb (Isa. 53:7), a fire (Heb. 12:29), the bright morning star (Rev. 22:16), etc. Taking from human experience, the writers of Scripture also describe God as a judge (Isa. 33:22), doctor (Ex. 15:26) and a father (Deut. 32:6). 

4. Here are some helpful resources:

a. http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Gods-Attributes/

b. http://www.bible.org/series.php?series_id=90

c. Who is God? An article by Matthew Slick.

d. Get your hands on this groundbreaking book by one of the world's top scholars, J.I. Packer.

e. Get your hands on another great book about God by Chip Ingram.

f. Finally, read Mark Driscoll's On Who is God is a short, 1-hr. read, but includes a list of God's characteristics. See below!

[Answered by HM]

*See W. Grudem, Systematic Theology (Notthingham, England: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 156-225.

Q: How can we tell when the Bible is being literal or figurative?

"Sometimes it seems like we pick and choose to match our own."

This is a good observation! The main issue here is one of interpretation. The Bible has many different genres of literature and thus different parts must be read, interpreted and applied in different ways. I would highly recommend you read this book by Gordon Fee, which explains how to read the Bible according to its different genres. It's free on Google Books. 

It is clear that some parts of Scripture are to be taken literally. For example, Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection, as recorded in the four gospels, are historical facts that should be seen as literal events that happened two thousand years ago. The events described in the letters of Paul should also be taken literally as they did happen during the 1st Century. We cannot that Paul was writing figuratively or poetically. This is like asserting that the reports in the Toronto Star newspaper should be read figuratively as well! 

On the other hand, there are texts in the Bible that should be read figuratively. Let me illustrate. When you read poetry like Psalm 95: 4, "In his hand are the depths of the earth..." it is obvious that there is no physical hand of God holding dirt from the Earth's core. This is poetic language and it is because Psalms is a book of poetry. This, however, does not mean we interpret this part of Scripture as untrue. Every figurative piece of language has a literal point. In this case, the psalmist is saying that God created everything, including the Earth, and therefore, it belongs to him. He is the source and sustainer of creation. 

That being said, there are still many places in Scripture where it is unclear whether the event is literal or figurative. The classic example is that of Genesis 1, the creation account. Did God literally create the world in 6, 24-hour days? Or should interpret this figuratively (i.e. the point here is God created, and these 6 days could represent thousands, if not millions, or years)? Here is a blog post about how to interpret the creation account.

When it comes to these sorts of controversial texts, we must graciously explore what the Bible says together (meaning that there can and should be healthy debate between Jesus-loving, Bible-believing people on matters like this!). Remember that the goal of interpretation is to find out what God is trying to tell us through the Bible - and apply it to our (private and communal) lives. This is how we ought to read all texts of the Bible, whether the language used points to a literal or figurative event.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Here is a video of Pastor Tim Keller of New York that explains what we've been talking about briefly

Q: Did anyone see God (literally) and live to tell about it?

What a thought-provoking question that combines aspects of theology, human capability, revelation, and Scriptural accounts! Or it might be that you’re curious and wondering what God meant when He told Moses in Exodus 33:20 that, “No man can see Me and live!” Maybe you just watched Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Either way, the answer to your question is a resounding ‘Yes!’, but also a regretful ‘No!’.

The Old Testament offers several accounts of people encountering God. Some of these were in the form of visions, dreams, or angels of the Lord. However, other accounts specifically mention an encounter with God on a very close and personal level, appearing as the Lord Almighty. But how can this be if God himself said that He can not be seen? Is this a contradiction?

To approach this question, we first have to come to an understanding of the nature of God, existing in the Trinity (the Lord existing as the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) and the magnitude of His glory.

On the one side, those who have seen Jesus, have seen God, because He is the Son and the Incarnate One, the person of the Trinity that has the full nature of both a human and God. The apostle Paul talks Jesus as being the image of the invisible God in Colossians 1:15. This refers to the encompassing spiritual nature of God. Some interpretations refer to some of the encounters of God in the OT as meeting with the Son. The first chapter of John talks about Jesus as God being made flesh. And yes, people saw Him and lived to tell about it: that’s why we have the gospels.

But it is also true that God has not been seen. This specifically deals with His complete glory and holiness, attributed to the Father in heaven. He has not been seen, nor can be seen due to humanity’s fallen and sinful nature. If the fullness of God was revealed to us, we would be consumed. Even though we long to know God even more, we will only be able to see God when we are completely made holy and new (sanctified), with the resurrection of the body.

Here is a good SITE to check out that takes a look at the verses which recount times in which people have seen God and compares them to verses which claim that no one has seen God or cannot see Him for that matter.

Also, check out this ONE, which talks about if anyone has seen God.

[Answered by Jon, who believes in what is seen and unseen]

Q: What can we do other than pray for a family member who's bisexual?

An increasing number of Christians have within their circle of friends/family who is struggling with homosexuality (including, bi-sexual/lesbians).Usually, there is a conflict, desire to help, but feelings of not knowing what to do or say. I can honestly say I AM NOT an expert in this field. After spending some time to think and research about it, here are a few suggestions that may be helpful for your situation.

1. Realize that God has placed you in this situation for a special reason; you do have something to share. You do not have to be a professional counselor or come from a homosexual background to be effective. Your life can make a difference!!

2. Remember, your family member IS A WHOLE PERSON, not just a homosexual/bisexual. There is more to him or her than his sexual sin. He or she has value as a person, since your family member was made in the image of God. Christ died for him or her and will continue to love him or her no matter what. This must also be your attitude. Any attempt to help your friend without this unconditional love will fail.

3. EXAMINE YOUR OWN BEHAVIOUR AND MOTIVES. Before you attempt to help, be certain that your relationship with Christ is firm. Ask Him to bring to mind, and to change, any areas of your own life that are inconsistent with His will.

4. Determine if your family member is a Christian. If he/she is not, your first priority is to introduce them to the Lord. Stick to the issue, not on their homo/bi-sexuality. Remember that we are all sinful and have come short of the Glory of God. Their homo/bi-sexuality is not a special case. Homo/bi-sexuality is not the biggest sin. In fact sin is sin in God’s eyes…there is no difference!

5. As you talk. Keep in mind that homo/bi-sexuality (like other sins) is just ANOTHER EXPRESSION OF UNFULFILLED NEEDS and unresolved hurts. As these basic needs are filled and hurts resolved, homosexuality will gradually lose its power and appeal.

6. ESTABLISH TRUST. Be a true friend. That is your duty as a Christian. Do not play psychologist. Be yourself. Respect your family member’s confidence as you expect them to keep yours.

7. Be HONEST with your family member. Do not break down on God’s standard, that homo/bi-sexuality is sin. God hates sin, but loves the sinner. Do not be afraid of such loving confrontation.

8. As you would with any friend, SHARE TRIALS THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST or are going through now. Convey hope. Tell how God helps you.

9. Finally…..BE PATIENT, realize that you will not have all the answers. Be willing to admit your limitations. God is at work. Do not judge your family members progress. God is ultimately in control. If after all this, your friend rejects God’s help and yours, Don’t’ blame yourself or lose confidence in God.


[Answered By: George M.]

Q; If Jesus is the only way to get to heaven, than what about all those who came before Jesus? Do they all go to hell?

There are many that came before Jesus (i.e. Old Testament era), who were saved by faith in God, including David (Psalm 86:1-2), Isaiah (Isaiah 61:10) and Abraham (Genesis 15:6). For a more comprehensive list, read the famous Hebrews 11 passage on the faith of these Old Testament figures.

How could they have been saved when Jesus had not yet died for their sins? The answer is that these figures had FAITH that God would, in His perfect time, provide them with a Messiah (a savior) to bring salvation from their sins (Zech. 9:9, Job 19:25-26, Gen. 3:15, Gen. 22:8, Isa. 53:5). The entire animal-sacrifice system (see Leviticus 16's description of the Day of Atonement or "Yom Kippur") pointed the fact that God would provide a Redeemer to shed blood in atonement for their sins, so if a person believed in a Messiah-to-come (and not in themselves or false idols), they would be indeed saved. 

[Answered by Pastor HM, who is thankful Jesus came!]

Q: Are God and Jesus the same beings? When I pray I imagine God and Jesus to be different people.

This is a good question, friend. The doctrine of Trinity means there is one, true and living God that exists eternally in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. These three persons share the same divine nature yet are different in role and relationship (see figure above). 

Pastor Mark Driscoll of Seattle writes the following concerning the persons of the Trinity:

“Person” does not mean that God the Father or God the Spirit became human beings. Rather, it means that each memberof the Trinity thinks, acts, feels, speaks, and relates because they are persons and not impersonal forces. Further, each member of the Trinity is equally God, which means that they share the divine attributes, such as eternality, omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.

[HERE is the rest of the article]

Though this definition of the Trinity appears simplistic, it is not and therefore, it is a highly confusing topic for many people. While many Christians have heard that God exists in three persons, many seem to think that God merely manifests himself as either Father, Son or Holy Spirit on different occasions. This is the theological error known as modalism. Another theological error often made is that of tritheism, which overemphasizes the distinction between the three persons of the Trinity. 

In terms of prayer, I would say, feel free to pray to any persons of the Trinity, because you are praying to GOD, who exists in three persons. Here is an article (entitled "Who can we pray to?") which addresses this issue specifically.

[Answered by Pastor HM]