Q: Why is there so much bloodshed and murder in the Old Testament? God sent his people to slaughter entire cities, including men, women and children...

...Why Children? Maybe the men and women have done things God cannot allow, but children... They probably don't even know what they're doing. They're not given a chance to repent!

A:  This is an interesting question that has huge implications. In answering your question, I draw some of my insights from this article (http://tinyurl.com/28hwslu); I encourage you to give that a read if you have time.

I think it’s important to establish that from a divine justice point of view, we are deserving of nothing good. If God is God, and we are imperfect humans that fall short of His standards, then we have no right to demand anything from God. In fact, we should be punished for our sin with death, sickness, suffering, guilt, and every bad thing, in this life and in the life to come; this is what we deserve (Rom 6:23).

This is obviously a very counter-cultural teaching, as the world tells us that we are all entitled to basic rights and freedoms. In Canada, there are basic rights and freedoms that are guaranteed to us in our constitution and upheld by the law. According to our laws, we do “deserve” these things. On a side note, I would argue that these are good things, and that we should uphold basic rights. However, we should be careful not to extrapolate these basic human rights to holding any weight before God. As I stated earlier, we aren’t entitled to anything before God. We simply have no bargaining chips to negotiate with (Rom 3:23). That we are NOT dead, and that some even have a chance to know God, is already more than we deserve; it’s bonus.

As you process that reality, another problem in our thinking is separating the God of the OT (Old Testament) from the God of the NT (New Testament). Most of us are more willing to believe in a God that loves, and forgives, and lays His life down for us. It may seem a shock that the God of the OT could be so cruel as to command His people to kill entire cities. Though this loving depiction of God in the NT is not wrong, it is incomplete. And so is the view of a cruel God in the OT. In the NT, God demanded righteousness of his people, and even went to the extent of striking down members of the church (Acts 5) who tried to deceive Him. That standard for righteousness has not been watered down from the OT to the NT. Jesus asserted that he didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it (meaning he wasn’t undoing the OT). Likewise, the God of the OT was not as cruel as we generally make Him out to be; He showed many acts of tender care for His people, and even for those who were not His chosen people. In the story of Jonah, he mercifully sent the prophet to stop the city from living in sin. When they repented, he gladly spared them. Though the times changed, and the writing styles and authors changed, the God of the OT is indeed consistent with the God of the NT. It is important that we look to both to give us a full picture of God.

In fact, to believe that God was cruel then (in the OT), is similar to believing that He is cruel now. God is unchanging (Jam 1:17). When you look at recent catastrophes, like 9/11 or the tsunami, there were great amounts of death. Victims included men, women, children, Christians, Muslims, atheists, all killed by the catastrophes. As I argued above, none of us are truly innocent or undeserving of death, and none of us have a case to bring before God that “He shouldn’t have killed us”. If you believe God to be omnipotent and omniscient (all-powerful and all-knowing), then the fact that He foresaw these disasters, and chose not to prevent them (even though He was strong enough to), could be seen as cruel in the same light.

In reality, what we read about in the Bible is that God’s ways are beyond our ways. It’s difficult to wrap our heads around, but God actually cares more about the victims of catastrophes and injustices; infinitely more than we do. Remember, He created them (Psa 139). And just because He permits the acts to happen, does not mean He’s rejoicing. Instead He mourns. But everything God does is love, and in some way (that is totally beyond our understanding), God can act in love, expand His kingdom, and yet permit these killings.

I think the proper thing to do in our current position is give thanks to God. Give thanks that you’re even alive (when technically we all deserve not to be). Give thanks that you’re able to repent (if you’re reading this, you have the capacity to repent). Give thanks if you’ve heard the Gospel and accepted it. And give thanks for any other good thing in your life (whether friends, family, food, school, etc). It’s all gravy on top.

[answered by Mark Cheng, Agape Counselor]
 

Q: When people pass away, can they look down on earth and see us?

A: Great Question! There is no clear biblical passage to answer your question but consider the following.

Within the Christian faith, there is a significant amount of confusion regarding what happens after death. Some hold that after death, everyone “sleeps” until the final judgment, after which everyone will be sent to heaven or hell. Others believe that at the moment of death, people are instantly judged and sent to their eternal destinations. Still others claim that when people die, their souls/spirits are sent to a “temporary” heaven or hell, to await the final resurrection, the final judgment, and then the finality of their eternal destination. So, what exactly does the Bible say happens after death?

First, for the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that after death believers’ souls/spirits are taken to heaven, because their sins are forgiven by having received Christ as Savior (John 3:16, 18, 36). For believers, death is to be “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8;Philippians 1:23). However, passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 describe believers being resurrected and given glorified bodies. If believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? It seems that while the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, the physical body remains in the grave “sleeping.” At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is resurrected, glorified, and then reunited with the soul/spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the possession of believers for eternity in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21-22).

Second, for those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Savior, death means everlasting punishment. However, similar to the destiny of believers, unbelievers also seem to be sent immediately to a temporary holding place, to await their final resurrection, judgment, and eternal destiny. Luke 16:22-23 describes a rich man being tormented immediately after death. Revelation 20:11-15 describes all the unbelieving dead being resurrected, judged at the great white throne, and then being cast into the lake of fire. Unbelievers, then, are not sent to hell (the lake of fire) immediately after death, but rather are in a temporary realm of judgment and condemnation. However, even though unbelievers are not instantly sent to the lake of fire, their immediate fate after death is not a pleasant one. The rich man cried out, “I am in agony in this fire” (Luke 16:24).

Therefore, after death, a person resides in a “temporary” heaven or hell. After this temporary realm, at the final resurrection, a person’s eternal destiny will not change. The precise “location” of that eternal destiny is what changes. Believers will ultimately be granted entrance into the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1). Unbelievers will ultimately be sent to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). These are the final, eternal destinations of all people—based entirely on whether or not they had trusted Jesus Christ alone for salvation (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36).

After death, the believer in Christ is in heaven and is most assuredly perfectly content to enjoy the glories of heaven and worshipping the majesty of the Lord without worrying about the Earth and its inhabitants. For those who do not receive Jesus as Savior, the story of the rich man and Lazarus is instructive (Luke 16:19-31).

[answered by Pastoral Intern Ray Lee]

Q: If Lazarus died and rose again, did he get to see what heaven was like before he was risen from the dead?

A:  Truth be told, this is a question that I cannot fully answer with certainty.  Mainly because this is a wonder that is not fully explained to us as it is miracle that Christ performs, but also because it is not addressed in the Bible.  It's just something that we have to take by faith as truth and trust that what the Bible tells us is in fact what happened.

I will say that when we die, our bodies are not resurrected, it is our souls.  For Christians (which is the case for Lazarus), we are told that are souls are taken to heaven as we have been redeemed by Christ's sacrifice and forgiveness.  Our bodies are left "as is" until the 2nd and final coming of Christ in which case our bodies and souls are resurrected. 

Again, the case of Lazarus is a phenomena that we cannot understand.  God does, what God needs to do.  For more information, please go HERE. 

[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: God hates me?

How do you respond to a person who thinks that God hates him because so much has happened in his life where he has prayed, but nothing has happened. Also, he has experience so much pain and death around him that he believes God has been idle to?

This is timely question as I'm sure some of those in Haiti are wondering the same thing. First, I'd encourage you to do is pray for your friend. You have to rely on God because there is nothing we can do or say - in our own wisdom - to make your friend believe in Jesus. Pray that God would open his spiritual eyes because your friend may believe nothing is happening, but this does not mean God has ceased to work.

We are human beings with finite senses and intellectual capacities. So when we pray, we often think that God only answers our prayers IF He answers them our way or when we can visibly see the results. This is simply untrue. I believe God listens to our prayers; and answers them according to His time and in His way. So I'd respond to your friend by telling him to be patient and wait upon the Lord.

The second thing is to point your friend to Jesus. Jesus came to our world to suffer with us and for us. When people suffer, there are two usual responses:

(1) “You’re suffering because God is judging you. You’re doing something bad, and God is angry with you.”

(2) “You’re suffering and that means there is no God. Or at least, He doesn’t care about us.”

When we look to Jesus, however, we see neither of these gods. We don’t see a condemning God; we see a God of love that bears the punishment for our sin. We don’t see a missing God. We see a God who is willing to enter a world of suffering to suffer with us and for us. No other faith or philosophical system makes such a claim. So whatever your friend is going through, let him know that Jesus has been there too. Jesus knows what it's like to betrayed; to lose a loved one; to be hated; to be beaten and to die horribly. And that's why when your friend prays to Jesus, he can rest assured that God is listening! He is not idle nor incapable. He is a compassionate God who listens to and answers prayers in his sovereign, perfect timing.

I'd also recommend you listen to this sermon & read this article - so you're equipped to handle your friend's questions about suffering in general.

Friend, God has given you the great gift of ministering to your friend in his/her time of need. Pray hard. Study hard. And listen attentively. Sometimes the way a person gets to know Jesus isn't through what you say, but what you don't.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Isaiah 65:20?

Q: If you look at Isaiah 65:20, it talks about infants that only lived a few days would die at 100 in this new creation. I know in Revelation it says that there will be no more death (Revelation 21:4). Why John would write one thing and then Isaiah speaks of something else?

The first thing to bear in mind is that both books - Isaiah and Revelation - are books of prophecy, and thus contain poetic and symbolic language. This means their interpretations should be considered carefully as much of the language is figurative. Moreover, the purpose of prophetic books are not simply to predict the future, but to express the redemptive plan of God in human history.

The two verses in question are (1) Isaiah 65:20...

No more shall there be in it, an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.

And (2) Revelation 21:4...

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

For years, scholars have debated what Isaiah meant: (1) An intermediate "millennial" state or (2) the eternal state itself. The expression, "new heavens and a new earth" would seem to suggest an eternal state (such as the one described in Revelation 21:4), yet the mention of people dying, as well as the presence of sin, seem to suggest the opposite.

So what are we to make of this verse? The Bible Knowledge Commentary has a solid explanation:

In Revelation, however, the new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21:1) follow the Millennium (Rev. 20:4). Most likely Isaiah did not distinguish between these two aspects of God’s rule; he saw them together as one. After all, the Millennium, though 1,000 years in duration, will be a mere pinpoint of time compared with the eternal state.

Summarily, there is a period of time (the "millennium")* - described in Isaiah 65:20 - before the creation of new heavens and new earth - described in Revelation 21 by John.

Hope this wasn't (too) confusing. Remember, interpreting verses like Isaiah 65:20 are of importance, but not primary importance. What is of paramount importance is accepting Christ's gift of salvation while you still have time on this earth - before all of the events predicted by John & Isaiah occur.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

*According to this interpretation, one must concede that the millennial state includes both death and unbelief.

Q: What is the biblical stance on euthanasia, assisted suicide, and mercy killing?

This is a very sensitive and difficult question. The fine folks at GotQuestions have an answer here that will help. Also read this article by Kerby Anderson, who wrote Christian Ethics in Plain Language (2005). Both of these sources argue the following:

1. God is sovereign over life. Moses was told by God “I put to death and I bring to life … no one can deliver out of my hand” (Deut 32:39).


2. It is Against the Sanctity of Human Life. Human life is sacred. We are made in God’s image Gen 1:27. For this reason it is even wrong to curse another human being (James 3:9) let alone kill them. Unlike animals, human beings are rational (Col 3:10, Jude 10) moral beings. They resemble God and are morally responsible to him (Gen 2:16-17). The can be holy as he is holy and are exhorted to moral perfection.


3. It is a form of suicide or murder. You shall not murder (Ex 20:13). Killing one self is both a rejection of God’s sovereignty over life and an attack upon the sanctity of life. It matters not whether the human life is our own or another’s; it is still in God’s image, and he is sovereign over it. Even the most desperate believer in the Bible who wished to die never contemplated taking his own life but prayed, like Jonah, “O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life” (Jonah 4:3). Suicide fails to take responsibility for the life God has entrusted to us. It fails to show the basic self-respect of which Paul spoke about “No one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it” (Eph 5:29).

To be clear, we must also distinguish between active euthanasia (which is morally wrong) and passive euthanasia (which can be wrong depending on whether it is natural or unnatural):

Active Euthanasia: Taking life to avoid suffering. This is morally wrong.

Passive Euthanasia: Allowing death to occur in order to avoid suffering. Within this category, there are two sub-categories:

• Natural: By withdrawing artificial or unnatural means of life support (respirators, artificial organs, machines) in order to allow death.
• Unnatural: By withdrawing natural means of life support (food, air, water) in order to allow death. This is morally wrong.

It is never right to take a life (active euthanasia) or to withhold ordinary life sustaining means such as food, water and air. But for the cases of withdrawing unnatural life (see chart above) saving mechanisms for irreversible, terminal sickness a death can be justified. This is when extraordinary human efforts are really prolonging death rather than prolonging life. When artificial life supports are interfering with the natural process of death, rather than enriching the person’s natural life, then their use is wrong. It is resisting the hand of God involved in the process of death. There is a difference between repairing life to function naturally and sustaining life artificially.

Summarily, to allow death...

1. Has to be artificial means to keep alive not natural means

2. The disease must be irreversible and terminal: No one should be allowed to die if we have the means at hand to save his life. Even if we have artificial means.

3. The patient has veto power: If the patient is conscious and rational, then he has veto power over any decision not to extend his life by artificial means. If he is not conscious and no expressed will was made previously, then others responsible for him must make the decision.

4. A collective decision: Family members, with doctor, pastor, lawyer. But even before this pray and consult God.

[Answered by Pastor HM and Pastor Quang]

Q: Why does everyone want to go to heaven, but no one wants to die?

Heaven is a place of goodness, beauty and perfect community, where sin does not exist. Revelation 21:1-5 says this concerning heaven...

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

From this description, you can see why everyone would want to go to heaven.

I can think of some reasons why some people (notice I didn't write 'everyone' because I truly believe some do not wish to go to heaven - they'd rather cease to exist or go to hell and spend eternity away from God):

1. Some people don't want to die because they will leave their loved ones behind. Of course, this is a reality each one of us will have to face. As Christians, it is also the motivation to spread the gospel to as many of our friends and family as possible. So when we die, we will do so knowing that our loved ones will eventually join us in the perfect community of heaven.

2. Some people are not afraid of dying and going to heaven. Rather, they are afraid of the way in which they will die.

3. Some people like the IDEA of heaven (i.e. "a better place"), but in their hearts, they believe that their life on Earth IS HEAVEN. Perhaps they are healthy, rich and powerful and do not wish to leave all of that behind. Sadly, many people in our culture believe this. They want to earn lots of money, build a good career, have a great family and save up for an early retirement. Yet they forget that life is short, fragile and does not end with physical death. It continues forever. Where they spend forever, however, depends upon their relationship with Jesus in this present life. See Luke 12:13-21.

[Answered by Pastor HM]