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]

Q: As a follow-up to "Does God love sinners?" I have some problems with the response, where you established that God is not pleased with unrepentant sinners. Yet, this does not necessarily mean He hates them, it just means He's upset with their choices, so the answer you gave was a bit ambiguous...

...Second, the argument made by many theologians is that God hates anything that is sinful, and only loves Christians because of imputed righteousness through Christ. As such, this hatred extends to all unjustified sinners, even those who have been elected but not yet come to repent and accept Christ. Keeping this in mind, I guess the proper question to ask is: Does God love unjustified sinners, those who in their current state do not accept Christ (regardless of whether they will in the future repent)?


A.  Thanks for your follow up question and I apologize if my answer has been confusing.  I will try to clarify and hope that we can resolve this issue.

Fundamentally, God hates sinners.  Because God is righteous and without sin, He hates anyone that sins.  Passage such as Psalm 5:5 and Proverbs 6:16-19 talk about the sins that God hates.  As a result, God must punish the sinner for what they have done.  This is part of His justice and righteousness.  He is holy and the sin offends Him.

At the same time, in His wrath and righteousness, God is also loving and merciful. The punishment of sin is death (Romans 6:22-23).  Those who sin should die, which means that all sinners must pay for their sins.  In His love, God gives us Jesus Christ, who dies on the cross in place of our sins.  Justice is served, and the price was paid.  The wages of sin are death...and the death has come in the form of Jesus Christ.  Our penalty for our sins have been fulfilled.

And so, while God has a hatred for sinners and sins, He also has a love for those He has created.  These two ideas are not mutually exclusive.  God is just, and in his justice, the sin has to be punished with death.  Jesus comes to save us from this death and dies in our place out of love. It's a mystery how this works, that God could perfectly love a person as someone He has created and can redeem, but also hate him for his unbelief and sinful lifestyle.  As we are imperfect humans, we cannot understand or do this.  But we have the opportunity to accept God's love in His judgement of us. 

For more information, please read this. 

[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Where is the proof that God exists?

I know this question is hard, but my classmate keeps on asking me these questions and I just don't know how to answer them! Please help! Thanks guys for making such a wonderful website!

Hello, friend. Thank you for encouraging us with your kind words. I've answered this question in this previous post. Please read it carefully. In addition, please consider this article ("How Do I Know God Exists?") by Josh McDowell (McDowell was an atheist until a friend challenged him to examine the claims of Christianity. After he did so, the evidence was so convincing he became a Christian and dedicated his life to showing others that there is no dichotomy between faith and intellect). I'd also recommend getting your friends a copy of Lee Strobel's "Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity."

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: I asked before: "Does God loves sinners?" and the answer was a simple, unquestionable "yes". Yet, this position is opposed by pastors such as John Piper and Mark Driscoll...

...who believe that God has a lawful hatred of unrepentant sinners, supported by verses such as Psalm 5:5 which states "You hate all who do wrong." How does one go about reconciling these beliefs?

[The question that was answered previously can be found here.  You may want to read it before you continue]

Hello friend!  Thank you for your response.  It is good to know that people are following up and reading the answers, I appreciate your feedback. 

I'd like to point out that the two questions you have asked are different.  The first one you asked is "Does God love sinners?" and I stand by my answer with the "unquestionable yes."  God is righteous.  He cannot be in the presence of sin.  But He loves us - those who have sinned against Him. His love is why he sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and to make us holy. 

I interpreted "sinners" in your first question as one who loves God, yet continues to fall short of God's glory.  They would be people who are striving to live a life that honors God. However, the sinners that you are referring to in your second question are "unrepentant sinners," in which case, I agree that God is not pleased with their actions.

The unrepentant is sinner is one that does not live in reverence or fear of the Lord.  There is a disregard for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  They live selfishly, justifying their sins and actions.  The live in sin and continue to willingly do so.  They perpetuate the sin in their lives and make no intention of repenting for them.  In a sense, they are non-Christians and the Bible says that God will be judging them accordingly.

There is a difference between the "sinner" that continues to try and repents of their sins as opposed to the one that makes excuses for them.  If you came to the Good Friday Service, I talked about the 2 criminals who were crucified alongside Jesus on the cross (Luke 23:43).  Both are sinners, both faced the same death sentence. But one was unrepentant, while the other one turned to Jesus as his Saviour.  Which one do you think gets the promise of Paradise?

[Answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: What does it mean when the Bible says "God is love?"

The phrase, "God is love" is found in 1 John 4:8, "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." What does the author mean?

1. "Anyone who does not love does not know God...": If a person lacks love, he is unchanged at the core of his being by God. The implication here is you cannot say you know God if you do NOT love others. Remember the more you know a person, the more that person's values will influence your life (e.g. decision, behavior, thoughts, etc.). Therefore, the way you know whether someone loves God or not is whether she is influenced by him - if she loves others as He does.

2. "...because God is love." The author is not saying that God is ONLY love (because God has many other attributes), nor that love is God (i.e. the emotion or feeling of love equals God). "God is love" means that God always gives of himself to others and seeks their goodness. The most visible way He shows us this attribute is through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ (1 John 4:9). God came into our human world to suffer with us and die for us - demonstrating the greatest act of love.

Also consider the community and intimacy between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is the perfect example of love, servanthood and humility. Indeed, God shows love, but more importantly, God IS love.

[Answered by Pastor HM & Elvin Wong, Agape Counselor]

Q: Is it right to say you want to glorify God's name? Is His name already glorified?

A:  To answer both questions: YES!

Your question is a matter of wording and language. As in, wanting to "glorify" God's name is an verb and "glorified" is an adjective.

The act of glorifying God is a reaction to the way the Gospel has penetrated our hearts.  Another way of thinking about this is "representing God's name."  We are Christians - as in we follow Christ.  If we adhere to this, than we need to represent Him in what we say and do.

To "glorify" God is also an attitude.  It means that we are humble in what we are doing and never point to our own ability, but to God who gives freely. In that, we are putting God first, thereby glorifying Him above ourselves.

You are also right to point out that His name is already glorified.  If our God is a God who could create the world and everything in it, I'm sure that He could glorify Himself if He wanted to.  But I believe that God wants to partner up with us and give us an opportunity to share in this joy.  Hence, giving us Christ and a second chance for a relationship with Him. 

[Answered by Pastor KJT]