Q: How does God want me to see Him?

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

[Answered by Pastor Shu-Ling]

Q: 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: Believing in something you can't see, test or experience?

I always have these friends that say they won't believe in something they can't see. All I can say it that we have to trust and believe in him and let him guide us and support us through our friends, family etc. But they still think it's stupid to believe in something they can't see test or experience. What can I do to convince them or shed some truth in their lives?

This is a very broad question that can be approached from various perspectives, so I probably can't do it justice. But let me point you in the right direction and provide some further resources for you.

1. There are philosophical arguments for the existence of God such as:

a. The ontological (highest ideal) argument
b. The teleological (intelligent design) argument
c. The cosmological (first cause) argument
d. The Kalam (time) argument
e. The Axiological (moral) argument

I cannot explain each one in detail, but read this post carefully and/or grab a copy of Mark Driscoll's On Who is God? Both sources deal with these arguments in detail.

2. God reveals Himself to us in two ways:

a. General Revelation: God reveals himself to everyone everywhere through general revelation, which includes*:

i. Creation: Through all of creation (galaxies, atoms, earth, sky, animals, flower, etc.), God reveals his creativity ability, power and goodness to us (and thus his existence). This is why Romans 1:19-20 tells us that we are without excuse in knowing that God does exist.

ii. Common Grace: This is a term St. Augustine used. "Common Grace" refers to God's general goodness to believers and unbelievers alike. God's common grace allows all people to learn and develop in the areas of science, philosophy, technology and medicine. It also allows for families to exist and for societies to thrive. Lastly, common grace allows people who are not connected to Jesus Christ to live decent moral lives of compassion and kindness.

iii. The Human Conscience: God reveals himself through the conscience. We all know it is wrong to murder, steal, cheat. Why? Because God has written morality into our very being (Romans 2:14-15).

b. Special Revelation: In addition to General Revelation, God shows us his existence to us through special, supernatural means. Listen to what GotQuestions says:

Special revelation is how God has chosen to reveal Himself through miraculous means. Special revelation includes physical appearances of God, dreams, visions, the written Word of God, and most importantly—Jesus Christ. The Bible records God appearing in physical form many times (Genesis 3:8, 18:1; Exodus 3:1-4, 34:5-7), and the Bible records God speaking to people through dreams (Genesis 28:12, 37:5; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 2) and visions (Genesis 15:1; Ezekiel 8:3-4; Daniel 7; 2 Corinthians 12:1-7).

Of primary importance in the revealing of God is His Word, the Bible, which is also a form of special revelation. God miraculously guided the authors of Scripture to correctly record His message to mankind, while still using their own styles and personalities. The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is inspired, profitable, and sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God determined to have the truth regarding Him recorded in written form because He knew the inaccuracy and unreliability of oral tradition. He also understood that the dreams and visions of man can be misinterpreted. God decided to reveal everything that humanity needs to know about Him, what He expects, and what He has done for us in the Bible.

The ultimate form of special revelation is the Person of Jesus Christ. God became a human being (John 1:1, 14). Hebrews 1:1-3 summarizes it best, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son … The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being.” God became a human being, in the Person of Jesus Christ, to identify with us, to set an example for us, to teach us, to reveal Himself to us, and, most importantly, to provide salvation for us by humbling Himself in death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus Christ is the ultimate “special revelation” from God.

So friend, I hope these resources help. Read them carefully. Practically, I would suggest you discern what kind of person your friend is. Some unbelievers bash Christianity (and religion in general) because they do not understand it, or perhaps they have meet some people that have been poor representatives of Jesus. These individuals have not carefully considered their arguments, so they simply say that Christianity is stupid and shallow. If your friend fall into this category, a softer, more gentle approach is required. They may need a friend who listens to them and shows them genuine care more than someone who can debate them using logical arguments.

On the other hand, there are unbelievers out there that are intellectuals/thinkers. They want to talk to someone without getting the "easy answers." For these individuals, you must be prepared. You must do good research, articulate your points effectively and be able to engage them in rigorous debate. Discernment is required here. If they are willing to listen, then continue to conversation. If they continually put you down (and you can tell they are not really trying to learn, but just want to humiliate you), then perhaps it's not time to talk to them yet.

In any case, The Bible says that we must accept by faith the fact that God exists: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). So pray for your friends; ask the Lord to open their hearts and minds so they can have faith.

Hope this helps. I will say a prayer for you this week.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

*See Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears, Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010), 37ff.

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: Christians versus the Beast of Revelation?

"I have been studying a lot about the Beast of Revelations and I was wondering, what will God do to those people who are Christian but don't know about the Beast of Revelations? Will they be punished?"

There are actually TWO beasts of Revelation, which I described in THIS POST. Here's an excerpt that is related to your question:

The only thing Scripture tells us is that though the beasts of Revelation (i.e. Satan and his demon minions) continue to influence and dominant the world, he can never dominate the Christian, even if he takes away our earthly lives:

Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain (Rev. 13:7-8).

In other words, Christians may or may not be aware of the Beasts of Revelation (after all, there are many, many interpretations as to who exactly the Beasts really are), but they need not be afraid of them. God will not punish Christians, but rather ensures that they will conquer Satan and his forces:

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death (Rev. 12:11).

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: The anti-christ will be a persecter and perpetrator to Christians and Jews, but will he know what he is the anti-christ?

To be clear, we must know who the anti-christ is. I've answered a question on the anti-christ before, so read this post.

In summary, here is what you should know about the antichrist:

1. The word "antichrist" is only used 4 times in the Bible, especially in the letters of John. Now, to be clear: The antichrist in 1 and 2 John should not be confused with the beast of Revelation, who will appear prior to the second coming of Christ and will cause great suffering and persecution, only to be eventually destroyed by Jesus. The antichrist is mentioned 4 times, while the beast is mentioned 39 times in Revelation. The beast has yet to come, but the antichrist is already here.

2. The word "antichrist" literally means “against Christ” (anti, christos). The antichrist is simply anyone who doesn’t acknowledge Jesus to be The Christ; someone who takes a stance against the fundamental truths about Jesus. So yes, I believe the anti-christ does indeed know who he is: He is someone who embodies an opposition to Christ and is the precursor of the final "antichrist," the Beast of Revelation.

Hope that helps.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What is the beast of Revelation?

This is a very tough question because the beast of Revelation (chapter 13) has been under much debate over the centuries. Read the entire chapter in your Bible or HERE.

In this chapter, there are 2 beasts described. The first beast was a monster having 7 heads & 10 horns (each horn with a crown). On each head, the writer of Revelation, John, saw a name that blasphemed against God (v. 2). This beast was also "given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation" and they worshipped him (v. 7-8). In verse 3, we learn that one of the beast's heads suffered a "fatal" wound form which it was healed, and in turn, the world "marveled" at it. Lastly, we learn that the beast was "was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them," (v.7) i.e. it persecuted Christians.

This first beast derived its power from the dragon - the 2nd beast of Revelation 13. This 2nd beast is, in fact, the devil or Satan (Read Revelation 12:7-8, where Satan is described as a "dragon": "Now war arose in heaven, r Michael and s his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.").

What does this all mean?

First, let us understand why John wrote Revelation: "The original purpose of Revelation 13 was to show the Christians of Asia that the Roman Empire and the worship of the emperor and local deities was not of God. There was no point of compromise between this Babylon the Great and the people of God. The churches were warned that a time of persecution over these issues would befall them. The members were to stand fast in the faith of Christ, their slain Lamb, even if it led them to their death. In death or martyrdom they would witness to the fact that a greater than Caesar was alive, Jesus the Alpha and Omega. In the end, the church would win and the martyrs would reign with Christ as priests and kings"

[see the full article HERE].

Second, if you read articles or books, you'll find various opinions from various people. Some have identified the first beast as the Roman Empire of the 1st Century. The Roman Empire considered itself to be kind of savior to the world and thus, expected to be worshipped - which actually happened as many citizens bowed to the emperor and considered him to be a god. Additionally, the Roman empire persecuted the church. Some even suggest that Nero, one of the Roman emperors at the time, is the "wounded head of the beast" (13:3) as he committed suicide in the late 60 AD.

Others hold a completely different perspective, namely Revelation 13 is future prophecy. They identify the first beast will rule the world using a world government much like the Roman Empire of the 1st Century. He is what the Apostle Paul calls the "man of lawlessness" (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and will rise to gain much global attention, but also horrifically persecute Christians.

So now what? A few important notes here:

1. To claim that a specific time in history is when the events of Revelation 13 goes beyond what the writer of Revelation, John, intended. We do not and cannot known when specific events of the last days will happen (Matthew 24:36).

2. The only thing Scripture tells us is that though the beasts of Revelation (i.e. Satan and his demon minions) continue to influence and dominant the world, he can never dominate the Christian, even if he takes away our earthly lives:

And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 13:7-8)

3. The good news is that Jesus Christ is greater than the Satan. His plans of redemption will not be stopped or delayed. One day in the future, God will judge Satan - the beast/dragon of Revelation (see Revelation 20:2) and those that rebel against him (Revelation 20:15).

Hope this answer clarifies things a bit. Keep the questions coming. We're trying our best!

[Answered by Pastor HM]

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: 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 is the anti-christ?

The word Antichrist is only used 4 times in the Bible, especially in the letters of John. Now, immediately we have to understand one thing: The antichrist in 1 and 2 John should not be confused with the beast in the book of Revelation. The antichrist is mentioned 4 times, while the beast is mentioned 39 times in Revelation. The beast has yet to come, but the antichrist is already here.

Now, the word antichrist literally means “against Christ” (anti, christos). Let’s quickly go over the passages that talk about it. Two of the scriptures tell us that even though some say the antichrist is yet to come, it is already here:

1 John 2:18: “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist I s coming, even now many antichrists have come.”

1 John 4:2-3: “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”

The next two verses help us identify the antichrist:

1 John 2:22: “Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.”

2 John 7: “Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

The antichrist is simply anyone who doesn’t acknowledge Jesus to be The Christ. It is someone who takes a stance against the fundamental truths about Jesus.

The antichrist is already here. It has been around since the 1st Century, and it will be here until Jesus comes back. Now, am I saying to go around telling all your unbelieving friend or your next-door neighbor that they are the antichrist? NO. What I am saying is (1) Continue to take a stance for Christ in your circle of influence (2) Be careful of those who deny the fullness of Christ either in His humanity or His divine nature. There are many people that spread this false teaching against Christ and as Christians, we must oppose them.

Now, in terms of the beast of revelation, that is an entirely different subject. So ask next time or do some research yourself!

Q: What's the deal with Revelation 3:15-16?

The verse you are refer to states: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

Traditionally people have interpreted this verse by believing that “hot” refers to lively, passionate, hard-working Christians and that “cold” refers to uncommitted, unfaithful, carefree people. So essentially: Hot = spiritually active believers; Cold = apathetic unbelievers. But if you interpret the verse this way, this creates the problem of Jesus appearing to say he would rather people be in utter unbelief than in a back-sliding, albeit still saved, condition.

I think a better interpretation is as follows. First, we must understand the ancient geography of the land. Remember this part of Revelation was written to the church in the city of Laodicea. Laodicea itself lacked a natural water supply and was dependent on its neighboring cities: Hierapolis (10 km north) and Colossa (17 km west). Now, I believe, this explains the imagery in this passage.

“Hot” and “cold” do not refer to the spiritual “temperature” or the believer or unbeliever. Rather the word “hot” refers to the well-known medicinal waters of Hierapolis. Hierapolis had many “hot springs” which were used for healing. On the other hand, the word “cold” points to the refreshing waters of Colossae.

If this is what Jesus truly had in mind, then the church is not being called to check its spiritual temperature, but condemned for not doing good work. The church of Laodicea was neither providing refreshment for the spiritually weary (cold water), nor healing for the spiritually sick (hot water). The church was simply ineffective and thus distaste to God.

Now, the question you have to ask yourself is what temperature would God use to describe your life and the work of your life? Would it be hot (source of healing to those around you)? Would it be cold (source of refreshing to those around you)? Would it be a bit of both? Or would it be lukewarm (your life is barren of good works)? Because it is ‘lukewarm’ God has some severe consequences. Now, this imagery of ‘spitting’ of such people from God’s mouth doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t have salvation. But we must take this imagery seriously as a threat of divine discipline. If you are feeling like you are lukewarm, I will suggest you will need to do two things: Repent and Obey. Ask God to change your life; to help you see the sin of apathy; and to fill it with good works.

[Answered by Pastor Ho-Ming]