Base

When I was a kid a whole bunch of neighborhood kids would play tag. We'd run ourselves ragged chasing each other around and it was fierce! Nobody wanted to be "it" but in the game of tag somebody is always it. Someone was always on the offensive (chasing) and someone was always on the defensive (dodging and weaving). At times we could avoid getting tagged but everyone was "it" eventually. And then, the pursuer became the pursued. Whenever we got weary from the chase we could enter that magical place called "base."

While standing at base breathing heavily from exhaustion we had no worries! We could rest there and relax. And sometimes, our "enemy" would wander over and have a casual conversation with us at base! And for a moment all that rivalry, competition and relentless back and forth was suspended. We were just two kids standing around together catching our breath. But as soon as we stepped off that base the never ending game called tag was back on. No one evers wins in tag...it just goes on and on and on.

Our current political climate reminds me a lot of playing tag. The rivals are always pressing, always pursuing, always trying to tag the other side. And it goes on and on and on. No one ever wins. Parties take turns attacking and being attacked. In contrast with the good-spirited competition of tag; politics is mean-spirited rhetoric, bullying, fear-mongering and spin....FROM ALL SIDES. I sometimes find myself asking "where is base?"

Every Sunday I gather with people from all walks of life at my church. We have young and old, blue collar and white collar, middle class and poor, and a whole variety of ethnic backgrounds. We have people who are passionate about politics and opinionated on current events. Monday through Saturday many of these people are tagging and getting tagged. But Sunday, for one hour we come to "base". We sing songs of encouragement. We pray. At communion we remember we are all deeply flawed and yet loved by God. Instead of railing about what's wrong with everyone else, we study God's Word to see where we need improvement. We stand around with other people who are trying to catch their breath. It's just one precious hour and then...back into the fray. If you need to catch your breath this week, whatever your politics, you might just try your local church. Just got tagged, gotta go! www.adventurecc.net

Question: If I am divorced am I able to remarry and not be an adulterer?

Answered by Community Pastor Jae Alexander

Before I start my answer I want to be sensitive to the realities of the pain involved in divorce for everyone. Spouses and children. No one really wins. I also know that each divorce has contributing factors from both sides. It takes two to make a marriage work and two to make a marriage fail. (Granted, one may make extra contributions!) 

This is one of those topics that the Scripture is actually very clear on. However, just because it is clear, doesn’t mean it is easy to answer. So, please read the entire response because this is a complicated issue. 

In Matthew 19 Jesus address this topic specifically. We’ll let Him speak for Himself;

“Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”” - Matthew 19:3-9 NIV

Based on the scripture I have to answer your question, “If I am divorced am I able to remarry and not be an adulterer?” With a “no”, you would be considered an adulterer. 

But let’s keep a few things in view as a finish my response. In the beginning of this answer I implied that divorce is a no win, complicated issue. Jesus’ answer is very interesting if you think about it for a minute. Putting things in context, He was approached by some Pharisees for the express purpose of “testing” Jesus. They are testing Jesus’ fidelity to the Law of Moses. Jesus, starts His answer at Creation, prior to the Law of Moses being given and explains God’s heart in the matter. Then He references the Law that was given and points to the hearts of men. Which shows that men did not have fidelity to God’s law.

Why was the Law given in the first place? Are we saved by the Law. Now or back then? Absolutely not. Because no one was able to keep the Law. It was given to identify our need for a Savior and demonstrate God’s grace. Ironically, this is the point that Jesus is trying to make to the Pharisees! The subject is about divorce, but the lesson is about Grace or the lack thereof. 

God’s standards don’t change. Neither does His love. Being an adulterer doesn’t keep you out of Heaven. Rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior does. When you make Jesus your Lord & Savior you are not identified by what you used to do, you are identified by what He has done in your place. He died for the sins that you have committed and are going to commit until you stand in His presence at the consummation of your salvation. At which time you will give an account of all the things you have done. If you are in Christ you have no worries.

I say all this to make this point. I recognize that at the heart of the question given to me to answer, the subject is about divorce; but what is really being asked is, “I have sinned in the past, can I still be right with God today?” I believe the answer to be, “yes”. But, as Christians we live parallel lives. We still live in time and space battling the flesh now. Yet we are in Christ too. 

When I sit down with people who have been through divorce and they are wanting to remarry or are remarried I make it a point to understand what happened. Was Jesus their Lord & Savior at the time of the divorce? Did they leave or did their spouse? Was there martial unfaithfulness like Jesus speaks about in our passage? Have they been remarried multiple times? How these questions are answered will dictate how I counsel them. 

I will close with this statement, keeping in mind that this question was given to me anonymously and I don’t know any of the answers to the questions above. Sometimes the Church can do a good job of reminding people of who they were before Christ, instead of reminding them of who they are in Christ now. It should not be this way. However, people in the Church should also be pursuing Holiness passionately. Divorce and remarriage should not be common place within the Body of Christ. Jesus makes that clear. So, we need to make sure that we are speaking the Truth to each other in love. Walking in the newness of Life that we have been given through the Holy Spirit. Practicing confession and repentance, while honoring marriage as God intended. If these things were happening in the body I guarantee that less and less people would be asking the question that was submitted. 

I appreciate the question and the reason it was asked. I sincerely pray that you will find the peace that God offers and not wrestle with guilt or shame.

Question: Why did God create humans?

Question: Why did God create humans?

Answer submitted by Pastor Jae Alexander

Well, the short answer is because He wanted to. Seriously, He’s God and can do whatever He wants! 

But, I suspect that you might want a little more than that simple answer. I actually love this question. I have been asked it by 3 year olds and adults. I’ve kicked it around myself many times and plan on asking it to God when I see Him. 

Truth is the scripture never comes right out and states the answer to the question. But, I believe that we do see some clues dropped in the pages of God’s word. Before I go there, let’s talk about God as the Creator a little. Because it reveals something about His character that is important. The opening sentence of the scripture states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” 

First, we see that there is a chronological word in this sentence, “the beginning”. This indicates that God already existed before anything else did. This speaks of His being Eternal, without beginning or end. He has always been. Then we see that God did something. He created the heavens and the earth. Now, we are not just talking about the sky and our planet. We are talking about the Universe. This tells us that God is not a part of it, but responsible for it. The term used to describe this is called Transcendent. God is above and beyond His creation. It also reveals that He is Omnipotent or All-powerful. All the power that is in the Universe is derived from the Creator and nothing is beyond Him. 

Why geek out like this? Because, everything that is recorded through out the rest of the scripture is a record of God interacting with His creation. This flies in the face of such theories as Deism, Theistic evolution, etc… It also tells us something very important about God. He desired interaction or relationship with what He created. This didn’t come from something that God was missing, I believe that it comes from another characteristic of God that is revealed to us in the scripture.

“…God is love.”- 1 John 4:8

Love is not a feeling. Granted it can generate very strong feelings and emotions, but at its root it is not an emotion. It is action. It is wanting the very best for another and doing what is necessary to accomplish that end. So, I believe that one of the reasons that God created human beings was to be able to demonstrate His great love. 

Another reason that scripture implies is that He created us for His glory.

“everyone who is called by my name,

    whom I created for my glory,

    whom I formed and made.” - Isaiah 43:7 NIV

Now, I’ll grant that the prophet Isaiah had Israel in mind when he gave these words in the beginning but this does extend to the entire human race at the end of the passage here in verse seven. Well, what is God’s glory? This question has always been hard for me to describe and answer. The simplest way I can think to describe it is like this. It’s something that points to how awesome and great God is. Sometimes it’s from the natural world, sometimes it’s from the supernatural world. Sometimes it’s something from the supernatural world invading the natural world. 

Things from the natural world are things like the Universe, the human body, etc… The complexity of these things are amazing and they speak of the genius and the glory of the Creator. 

Things from the supernatural world would be like angels. We know of them due to their invading our natural world, which leads me to think of miracles that show the Glory of God. 

Why did God create humans? He wanted to. Because He desired to bestow His great love on His creation. In return, His creation would reflect His glory. Creating a perfect, beautiful, harmony between Creator and creation. Someday, because of Jesus, we will know this as reality. 

The devil made me do it and resisting temptation

“I grew up hearing that ‘the devil made me do it’.  I know that is just a saying but can Satan put thoughts in our head?

and

“How do you resist temptation”

By Pastor Stacey Weeks

I heard about the devil making you do things as I was growing up too.  Often it confused me, why did the devil care about that unauthorized cookie taken from the cookie jar or my yanking my little sister's braid and pleading no clue about why she was crying.  I knew it was me, right?

Well, to set this discussion into context, let’s talk about who is inside of you first.  If you are baptized believer in Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit inside you.  The Spirit serves as the voice of God in you and the voice of your conscience.  

Yet, we all sin.  We steal that cookie or harm others.  In doing so, we choose what our heart or or mind knows is not godly or of the Spirit but what seemed satisfying in the moment. That is the key here.  Sin is always a choice that we make.  Yes, sometimes we are overcome by the temptation to sin to feel better about ourselves, to ‘get what is ours’, or be part of the group, but the fact remains: sin is a choice.  

Your question asks if Satan can put thoughts in our heads.  According to Scripture, Satan uses all the tools at his disposal to deceive and lead people astray, so the answer is yes, he can.

In Acts 5:3. Peter asks Anaias why he withheld resources from the early church and in doing so asked why Satan had filled Anaias’ heart.

In 2 Corinthians 2-10-12, Paul writes about not being outwitted by Satan.  This verse gives us insight on how we are to treat Satan’s schemes.  Verse 11 reads, “ And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”   We need to be aware that Satan schemes against the followers of Christ, that is what he does and he is good at it!   

This thought is reinforced by 1 Peter 5:8 where Paul writes again, “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.”

This is where the second question comes into play: How to resist temptation.  This is where the rubber meets the road in our Christian walk.  Just like sin, the temptation to sin is something we all face.  James 1:12 (NLT), tell us “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

So, how do we resist temptation?  Scripture guides us to pray about temptation.  In the books of Matthew and Mark, we are told to keep watch and pray (Matthew 26:41 and Mark 14:38).  The Lord’s Prayer, when Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, echoes this as well in that prayer when we ask not to be led into temptation (Matthew 6:13).   We have to armor up here people, that is our first line of defense!  Get those close to you to pray with you as well if it is an ongoing temptation or sin.  Your besties, your life2life group, your step group, the mature Christians in your life.

How else can you avoid temptation?  Practically, it means avoiding the environments where you are likely to sin.  Blocking that website, avoiding those certain situations, replacing that thought or word, even giving up your smartphone.  Did I really say those things?  Yes, I did because the Bible takes it even further.

Matthew 18:9  (NLT) says “ And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

That sounds hard doesn’t it?  It is. Some temptations and some sins are easier to walk away from than others.  However, before you begin to fear the work of Satan and temptation, remember who you belong to!

Jesus Christ is our advocate, our shepherd and the one whose blood washes away all sin.  Christ forgave all of the sins of your life in those final moments on the cross, long before you took your first breath.  He also loves us like children and stands ready to hear our cries, our confessions and His love for us is unwavering.

Remember that God wins on the final day and the schemes of the devil will be no more.  Take heart, pray on your armor, stand strong and be of good courage!  

If you confess sins to the Lord, do you need to confess to the one/others that you sinned against?

Question: If you confess sins to the Lord, do you need to confess to the one/others that you sinned against?

Answered by Community Pastor Jae Alexander

I love this question because I think confession is an extremely important and healthy part of the Christian life. 

I would answer “yes” to both parts of the question with the following explanation.

First, a reality of sin is that it separates. It severs relationships. It does relational damage. Every time. We see this first happen in the Garden between God, Adam, and Eve. The relationship was never the same after that even though God extended grace and showed mercy. The relationship between Adam & Eve changed too. 

Another reality of sin is that it is disobedience of God’s will, which means that every sin is against God. When I am leading someone to Christ or counseling a newer believer (and even some older ones), I teach them the importance of confession and how to do it. One of the things I tell them is when they realize that they have sinned, go to God first. Our tendency is to avoid Him. Because of our shame (a consequence of sin) we avoid Him. (Remember Adam & Eve’s initial response in the garden?) That is EXACTLY the opposite of what His word tells us to do! One of the greatest promises in all scripture that has probably saved my life many times is:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9 NIV

When we claim the promise in this verse, it can remove the shame & guilt that keeps us from turning back to our Heavenly Father. But, look where the verse starts, “If we confess…” God is All-Knowing. He knows you screwed up. You know you screwed up. Confess it! Don’t play games. Get your relationship with God right again through Jesus. 

Reality #3 about sin. It always, always has consequences. Now, unless you live in a vacuum or are a hermit. You have people around you. One of the consequences that I have seen or experienced over the years is that when I sin, I hurt not only myself, but those around me. When I lie, I compromise my integrity and mislead others. When I don’t show Christ like love to another person, I rob both of us from the blessings that God has for us. When I fight with my wife, it affects the whole family. That is why it is so important to confess to someone you have sinned against. Understand that your confession to them is not for them to absolve you from your sin. That’s God’s part. Confession to someone you have sinned against is for relationship repair. Reconciling. Consider Jesus’ teaching:

“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.” - Matthew 18:15 NLT

I recognize that this verse has the “sinned against” going to the “one that did the sinning”, but is showing clearly that the reason for confession to one another is for restoring damaged or potentially damaged relationships. 

I would also point out that the scripture often talks about forgiving one another and living in peace or harmony with each other. (Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 4:23 & 25, Colossians 3:13,  1 Thessalonians 5:13, 1 Peter 3:8)

Lastly, the scripture commands it. James 5:16 says:

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

I don’t think that James is just talking about physical healing here. I believe it can be physical, emotional, and relational.

So, in a nutshell always confess to God first. As you are confessing to Him ask Him to help you to deal with the consequences of your sins. Ask Him who you need to confess to in this particular case. 

Lastly, please, please accept the fact that He has forgiven you and don’t hold on to your failure. Just take care of your business and move on. 

Is there a sin that would keep me out of heaven?

Question: Is there a sin that would keep me out of heaven?

Answered by Community Pastor Jae Alexander

Great question and I think it is one that comes to people’s minds quite often. Short answer is yes, rejecting Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for your salvation. 

I would add this as well, God is not in the business of keeping people out of Heaven. We do a good enough job of that on our own!  Awhile ago Erik did a great job of touching on this the question a little when he addressed the question, “Once saved always saved”. I would encourage you to read that post by following the link below. 

http://adventuretoughquestions.blogspot.com/2014/11/once-saved-always-saved.html

Question: Can you please explain the Trinity? Part 2

Answer submitted by Community Pastor Jae Alexander

In this second blog post I will briefly touch on some common misunderstandings/heresies about the Trinity. Before I do that, let’s review what the the orthodox definition of Trinity is:

“God is three persons in one essence.”

Maybe a simpler way of looking at this would be: In God there are three WHOS and one WHAT. The WHAT is exactly the same in the WHOS.

Now, the common misunderstandings/heresies fall into three basic categories.

1. Philosophical/Reasoning
2. Tritheism (a specific type of polytheism)
3. Modalism

As I discuss these I will be quoting a lot from a book called the Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics by Norman Geisler.

1. Philosophical or Reasoning misunderstandings about the Trinity.

The number one misunderstanding that I hear quite often from this point of view is that the Trinity is a contradiction in logic or reasoning. This is often leveled at Christians from Muslims, Orthodox Jews, and critics in general. However, there is no contradiction in the doctrine from a logic or reasoning standpoint. 

The philosophical law of non-contradiction informs us that something cannot be both true and false at the same time and in the same sense. 1

(A cannot be both A and non-A at the same time and in the same relationship.)

This is the fundamental law of all rational thought. Applied the the Trinity this can be shown by stating first of all what the Trinity is not. The Trinity is not the belief that God is three persons and only one person at the same time and in the same sense. That would be a contradiction. Rather, it is the belief that there are three persons in one nature. This is not contradictory because it makes a distinction between person and essence. Or, to put it terms of the law of non-contradiction, while God is one and many at the same time, he is not one and many in the same sense. He is one in the sense of his essence but many in the sense of his persons. God is one in his substance. The unity is in his essence (what God is), and the plurality is in God’s persons (how he relates within himself). 

This plurality of relationships is both internal and external. Within the Trinity each member relates to the others in certain ways. These are somewhat analogous to human relationships. The Bible’s description of Yahweh as Father and Jesus as Son says something of how the Son relates to the Father. Also, the Father sends the Spirit as a Messenger, and the Spirit is a Witness of the Son (John 14:26). These descriptions help us understand the functions within the unity of the Godhead. Each is fully God, each has his own work and interrelational theme with the other two. But what it is vital to remember that these three share the same essence, so that they unify as one Being. 2

Heresies are teaching that reject and attempt to replace orthodox views. They are the things of cults. The topic of the Trinity is subject to possible heresy. It happens when distinctions about God’s nature or persons are made into divisions or the distinctions about God’s person’s are ignored. He is what I mean. 

2. Tritheism (a specific type of polytheism)

The Bible declares emphatically: “The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deut. 6:4). Both Jesus (Mark 12:29) and the apostles repeat this formula in the New Testament (1 Cor. 8:4, 6). And early Christian creeds speak of Christ being one in “substance” or “essence” with God. The Athanasian Creed, reads: “We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor divining the Substance (Essence).” So Christianity is a form of monotheism, believing in one and only one God. 3

No analogy of the Trinity is perfect, but some are better than others. First, some bad illustrations should be repudiated. The Trinity is not like a chain with three links. For these are three separate and separable parts. But God is neither separated nor separable. Neither is God like the same actor playing three different parts in a play. For God is simultaneously three persons, not one person playing three successive roles. 

Tritheism makes the One True God into three gods. That is simply not what the scriptures teach.

This heresy can be seen today in Mormon teaching with a twist. (They tend to lean into full blown polytheism, with a Trithiestic emphasis). 

3. Modalism

The heresy of modalism, also called Sabellianism, denies there are three distinct eternal persons in the Godhead. It believes that the so–called “persons” of the Trinity are modes of God substance, not distinct persons. Like water with its three states (liquid, solid, and gaseous), the Trinity is said to be only three different modes of the same essence.4 However, normally water is not in all three of these states at the same time, but God is always three persons at the same time.5 Trinitarians do not affirm a god with three different substances; they confess that God is three distinct persons in one substance.6 So, this analogy falls very short of teaching the orthodox meaning of the Trinity.

This heresy can be seen today in Oneness Pentecostalism or Jesus only movement churches. 

1. Geisler, Norman L. (2011-08-31). Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker Reference Library) (p. 732). Baker Book Group - A. Kindle Edition.
2. Geisler, Norman L. (2011-08-31). Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker Reference Library) (p. 732). Baker Book Group - A. Kindle Edition.
3. Geisler, Norman L. (2011-08-31). Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker Reference Library) (pp. 735-736). Baker Book Group - A. Kindle Edition. 
4. Geisler, Norman L. (2011-08-31). Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker Reference Library) (p. 735). Baker Book Group - A. Kindle Edition. 
5. Geisler, Norman L. (2011-08-31). Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker Reference Library) (p. 735). Baker Book Group - A. Kindle Edition. 
6. Geisler, Norman L. (2011-08-31). Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics (Baker Reference Library) (p. 735). Baker Book Group - A. Kindle Edition.

Please explain the Trinity - part 1

Question: Can you please explain the Trinity?

Answer: submitted by Community Pastor Jae Alexander

Your question is one that falls into the realm of mystery. I want to be clear about what I mean when I say “mystery”. This is not to say that we can not know anything about the subject, but that we can not know it completely or fully because it directly relates to the nature of God. All knowledge that we have about the nature of God has been revealed to us by Him through general revelation (Romans 1:19, 20) and/or His special revelation (Hebrews 1:1, 2). Having said this we may never fully understand God, but we can know Him because He desires us to know Him.

Also, this topic has been discussed for thousands of years. I am humble enough to recognize that I probably will not be able to answer it in one blog post. So, I’ll attempt it in two! ;-) (Just kidding) I will start by defining the orthodox Christian view of the Trinity. In the second blog posts I will briefly touch on some common misunderstanding/heresies about the Trinity.

Trinity is a term used by theologians to describe the distinctions that are found or made in the Scriptures that describe God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Read that sentence again slowly. It summarizes something that is commonly misunderstood about the doctrine of the Trinity. That is  this, “The doctrine of the Trinity did not come first and the passages second. The passages came first, and the doctrine of the Trinity came as a best effort of devout, cautious, and thoughtful believers to harmonize the passages.”1  

I would also say this, distinctions DO NOT indicate division. The word Trinity literally means “Triunity”. Why do I make this point? Because the orthodox definition of Trinity is this:

“God is three persons in one essence.”

Maybe a simpler way of looking at this would be: In God there are three WHOS and one WHAT. The WHAT is exactly the same in the WHOS.2

Some might be saying, “That hurt my head Jae!” I’m with you! It’s been hurting my head for years. Let’s look at Scripture together to see how we came to this definition for Trinity.

The Jewish Shema  in the Old Testament proclaims, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Jesus, in the New Testament when asked what the greatest commandment is starts His answer with the Shema (Mark 12:29) affirming His agreement with it. This statement is a bold declaration of monotheism. (Only one God).

Yet, Jesus claims to be God multiple times in the New Testament. But, you need to understand something from the original language here. When Jesus claims to be God, He doesn’t just say, “Yeah, I’m God.” in the general sense of the word. He claims that He is Yahweh God. That’s a really big deal!

Exodus 3:14

“God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

John 8:58

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

He is not just claiming to have existed before Abraham here. He is claiming equality with the, “I AM” in the Exodus passage. There is no mistaking what Jesus meant here because of what is recorded to have happened next. They picked up stones to kill him. Why? His audience understood that He was claiming equality with God. 

Jesus also is credited for doing things only God can do. Forgive sins, change water to wine, heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, and control the powers of nature. 

The Holy Spirit is also called God in the Scriptures (Acts 5:3-4) and attributed to have all the same qualities as God the Father and the Son. (Psalm 139:7-12; Genesis 1:2; John 3:5-6, 14:26, 16:7-13; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11) The Holy Spirit is hands down the central figure in the book of Acts guiding the expansion of the Kingdom through the Church.

Also, each member of the Trinity has special functions that help us to identify them. (In my opinion this is the reason for the distinctions.) For example, the Father planned salvation (John 3:16; Eph. 1:4); the Son accomplished it on the cross (John 17:4; 19:30; Heb. 1:1-2) and the resurrection (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:1-6) and the Holy Spirit applies it to the lives of the believers (John 3:5; Eph. 4:30; Titus 3:5-7)

Having observed all of this from the scriptures we come a couple of conclusions:

1. There is one God.
2. There are three distinct persons who are God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.3

One WHAT, three WHOS. How can this be? I don’t know. It is a mystery. There are things about God that are beyond my comprehension and there are things about God that He has revealed about Himself that I can know (1 Corinthians 13:12). He is truly awesome in the very literal sense of the word.

Now, there are attributes or characteristics of God (His essence) that make Him God. To name a few He is eternal, immortal, all powerful, all knowing, unchangeable, etc. When talking about the Trinity it is important to understand that the Persons in it share in these things perfectly & equally. I say this because many of the heresies and misunderstandings about the Trinity will remove in some way the equality among the Persons. Which changes the Essence (What) within that Person (Who). That is why in the beginning I was careful to stress that making a distinction does not mean we are making a division. 

Understand, if we make a division in the Unity of the Godhead then we end up with polytheism (multiple gods) and that is not taught in the Scripture.

I will give you an illustrations of the Trinity, but with this caution. No illustration or analogy of the Trinity is perfect. (Remember, it is not completely understood.) But, some are better than others. The one I am pulling from comes from Augustine. “He suggested of how God is both three and one at the same time. The Bible informs us that, “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Love involves a lover, and beloved, and a spirit of love between lover and loved. The Father might be likened to the Lover; the Son to the One loved, and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love. Yet love does not exist unless these three are united as one.”4

Great question! I hope this gives you a good start as you consider and ponder the Trinity. Believe me, it is something that you will touch on the rest of your of walk with Jesus. Next week I will touch on some common misunderstandings and/or heresies concerning the Trinity from the past & today. 

1. Just the FAQs about God - pgs 44-47 Thomas Nelson publishing ISBN 0-7852-4760-2
2. The Doctrine of the Trinity Study guide from R.C. Sproul -digital copy from Ligonier Ministries 
3. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics - Norman Geisler pgs. 730-737
4. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics - Norman Geisler pgs. 730-737

What happens to people who commit suicide?

Question: What happens to people who commit suicide?


Answer submitted by family pastor Justin Werber.

There are a lot of questions we find ourselves asking on the topic of suicide. What does the Bible say about it? Will God forgive someone that kills themselves? Or even one of the most popular questions, does someone that commits suicide go to hell?

All of these are great questions! In my research on this topic, I found a great article from Christianity Today that I thought I would share with you:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/april-web-only/when-suicide-strikes-in-body-of-christ.html

Once Saved Always Saved

Question: What do you think about once saved always saved?

Answer submitted by Pastor Erik Neilson.

First, let me say that we do not believe this is an essential doctrine (we can be wrong about this and still be saved). What you believe or understand about this topic does not gain or cost you your salvation. I hope we all agree on that.

Second, I do personally believe that someone can lose their salvation, but not everyone at Adventure agrees with me and that's ok.There are passages in the Scripture which warn us against falling away and passages that make that seem unlikely. I want to be intellectually honest with my people about that. People on both sides of this issue have convincing arguments and the dialogue on this topic shouldn't sink down into name calling but should focus on what the Scripture says. I would encourage people to pray and wrestle with tough passages/doctrines and not to just blindly believe what their pastor says.

Third, while I do believe that losing your salvation is possible I have never ever told someone who is a back-slidden Christian that they have lost their salvation. Not one time. This is important because theology means nothing if it's not practical. When a Christian is caught in sin, or has been away from Christ, I help lead them to repentance and get them back on track. (Gal 6:1-2)

So, why do I believe that someone could lose their salvation? Because of passages I find in Scripture that I can't explain away. The problem with interpreting Scripture is that we all proof-text our beliefs. We find verses that seem to support our point of view. But basic interpretation of Scripture calls us to consider all of what Scripture says on a topic and not just certain verses.

Those who believe salvation cannot be lost point to Scripture like these:

• John 10:28-29 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.” 
• John 6:37 “However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.” 
• Rev 3:5 “All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.” 
• Romans 8:38-39 “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 
• Hebrews 13:5 “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 

Those who believe it is possible to lose salvation are looking at verses like these:

• 2 Peter 3:17 “You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.” (people abandoning truth for wickedness and false teaching lose security) 
• James 5:19-20 “My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.” (a brother or sister saved from death after wandering away) 
• Colossians 1:23 “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.” (why warn us not to drift away if we cannot drift away?) 
• Hebrews 2:1-3 “So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. Sowhat makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?” (if we drift away what makes us think we will escape punishment?) 
• Hebrews 3:12 “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.” (He's clearly talking to Christians here) 
• Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. (This passage troubles me more than all the others. It seems there is a line that cannot be crossed and not uncrossed.) 

This is just a sampling of the verses on both sides of the issue. I have 100% confidence that I am secure in my salvation. I have 100% confidence that my salvation is secured because of Christ's action and not because of mine. I have no fear whatsoever that my soul is in jeopardy because of my relationship with Christ. I hope all of you feel the same! But, who are these verses written about? Who are they written to? Surely, the writers of Scripture had someone in mind as they said these things. And from real life practical experience (and Scripture) we see people walk out on Jesus Christ all the time. Not have a bad day. Not have a struggle with sin. Not miss church for a few months. I think these verses are talking about people that fall into two categories: Those who were never really saved in the first place but had everyone fooled. And second, I think these verses are addressing those who commit the unpardonable sin. Not just any sin but the sin that Jesus said will not be forgiven: Luke 12:10 says, "Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." The blasphemy of the Spirit is the total renunciation of faith. It is the complete severing of the relationship with Jesus. It's not unforgivable because God is unable to forgive it, it's unforgivable because those who have blasphemed the Spirit don't want to be forgiven. I suspect this is very uncommon which leads me to say, it's possible for someone to lose their salvation but it doesn't happen accidentally. It happens from willful and total rebellion and renouncement of Christ.

Pray over/anoint the sick

Question: "Why do we rarely, if ever, lay hands on and/or annoint with oil, the unwell, or hurting in our church?”

by Pastor Stacey Weeks

Scripture and this question talk about the practice of anointing with oil and laying on of hands for the living. Anointing in Scripture starts in the book of Genesis, when the consecrating of the pillar in the temple to God occurs. Then a second type of anointing happens in Exodus for the calling out and setting apart of leaders (priests). Both types of anointing were used for consecrating the items or the people for the work of God. It is a way of setting them apart as holy and chosen.

Another type of anointing is in regards to those that are sick. That is the type of anointing that this question addresses.

James 5:14 speaks directly to this:
Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. (NLT)

At Adventure, our shepherds (elders) do anoint and pray over people. In accordance to this Scripture, it is done where the ill person is and typically not during our Sunday worship services. The seriously ill and injured are usually incapable of attending church. Usually this work is done in hospital rooms, emergency departments or in the person’s home.

I also want to spotlight the tone and instruction at the start of James 5:14. It instructs the members of the church to call your elders. In other words: let them know what is going on!

As a pastor, I know it makes my heart hurt to find out that someone was ill or injured and did not call their church leaders or ask someone to contact the church. Part of being in a Biblical community is being honest with each other when we are scared or hurting. It is also allowing others to love on you when you are down, due to illness or other circumstance.

We are each called to help the hurting and reflect Christ’s love. Once we know what is going on, it means a lot of people at Adventure will pray (our prayer team and pastors), the elders (shepherds) will pray and anoint, and others will prepare meals, mow a yard or even watch the kids (life2life groups and others). This is the church being the church and each of us doing our part in the roles we have in this body of believers.

Every week there is an invitation during service to come to our shepherds if you feel you need prayer. If you prefer to put your prayer request in writing, please use the prayer card inside the bulletin.

And if something happens during the week, contact your faith coach, a pastor, or the main office and let us know! We are not meant to walk alone!

What happens to the people who crucified Jesus?

Question: What happens to the people who crucified Jesus?

Answer submitted by Pastor Justin Werber

Over the years, many people have questioned and debated as to whether or not those that crucified Jesus on the cross will be in heaven. I believe this question at its core has two meanings behind it. First, what actually happened to those that crucified Christ, and second what does this mean for me?

We all have tough questions, but who or what do we turn to for answers? I know as a pastor it is easy to say "God’s Word", but do we honestly go there first? Before we talk to our spouses, friends, family, or even Google Answers, maybe we should see what God says in His Word.

To answer the first question, I want to turn to Matthew 27. We see that after Jesus released His spirit and died some interesting things started to happen. The Temple curtain was torn in two, the earth shook, rocks were split apart, and tombs opened. But the part that stands out to me is the Roman officer’s (or Centurion’s) reaction as well as the other soldiers: they were terrified by all that had happened, and they said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

Although these men were tough, mighty soldiers, they were also scared. Something changed their hearts. Before Christ died, they were ruthless and eager to kill Jesus, but after, it is almost as if their hearts were torn, they were cut to the heart. They were wrestling with the idea of Christ really being God. These men were mocking Jesus earlier, and then they were honoring Him by calling him the Son of God. But can we call these men Christians? Will we see them in Heaven one day?

I honestly cannot say either way as of now, because we don’t know the rest of the story. What we do know is that only a few books later in the book of Acts, we see Peter preaching to a crowd of people. In Acts 2 he calls people out saying “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” After hearing this, the crowd was pierced to the heart. They asked Peter what they could do. Peter simply says, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”

Based on that, I believe that if the Centurion, the soldiers, and those that wanted Christ to die on that cross believed that Jesus was Lord, and that He died for them, if they repented of their sins and were baptized that we will one day see them in heaven.

What does this mean for us though? If you are worrying that your sins are too great for Christ to forgive you, remember Christ asked for those crucifying Him to be forgiven. The questions you might want to ask yourself are, “Have I accepted Jesus as Lord, have I repented of my sins, have I been baptized to walk a new life, and am I following Christ today?”

Dressing Modestly

Question: ‘I've noticed a lot of Christian women are dressing what I would consider ‘immodest’. What does a Christian need to dress like to represent the Lord?

Answer submitted by Pastor Stacey Weeks

Clothing is an outward expression of ourselves, that much is true for both genders. Clothing sends messages to others about what we like, who we admire, what we affiliate ourselves with and even what we believe. Clothing is also used as an identifying measure. It identifies priests, those in mourning, or the wealth of the wearer throughout Scripture.

As we turn towards the Bible to guide us on this question (and the other tough questions in life), there are a few things to keep in mind:

First, taking verses out of context to further your position (also known as ‘proof texting’) is easy to do on this topic. Take the time to really read through the passage, the chapter/book of the Bible you are in and see what the Holy Spirit reveals to you about what the passage’s audience, intent and meaning is. Otherwise no women would wear gold or pearls and men would not wear utlil-kilts to the clan meetings. Following Scripture at face value could lead to no wedding rings and Scotsmen being shameful in God’s eyes!

Second, use the teachings of Jesus as your “lens” as well. What did Jesus say about or how did he treat those who were not dressed appropriately for their situation or station in life? Prostitutes, tax collectors, wedding guests and the like?

Third, remember that this is not a salvation issue! At Adventure, we agree to preserve the unity within our community and to focus on reaching more people for Jesus.

So what about our threads, our duds, our favorite designer clothes? In 1 Timothy, Paul writes about modesty, as well as gold and pearls.

And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. (1 Timothy 2:9)

So what was Paul really getting at in this verse? The letter is focusing on not distracting others from worship. Some clothing choices can be a distraction! For instance, a T-shirt with obscenities on it or a short skirt have equal power in the ability to distract a worshipper or someone serving within the church gathering.

This is where the discussion really begins. Scripture doesn’t directly spell out what modesty is. How short is too short for her skirt? How low can a man wear those pants? How much cleavage is vulgar? Should women wear long johns instead of nylons with dresses?

But the discussion is bigger than that. Will the outfit play well in New York CIty but not in the African countryside? What is appropriate in one region or community may not be appropriate in others. How can there be a single definition of what is modest?

Another factor is that people are refined in their faith over time and the intervention of the Holy Spirit. What an individual may choose to wear one day may not be what they would choose in 5 or 10 years. Kind of like watching a toddler choose it’s clothes, some outfits may not make it over time.

Your opinion may simply be your opinion. Scripture may not be able to back your view on clothing.

This is why I offer caution before offering comment on someone’s clothing. We are not called to be cruel or heavy handed in how we discuss this topic (or any other!) with each other. You may also want to ask yourself if you are right person in that individual’s life to speak about the clothing. Would that hurt your relationship with their parent, spouse, or another?

"Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."  

(1 Peter 3:3-4)

Married to a unbelieving spouse.

Question: ‘How do you live day to day with an unbelieving spouse, not losing your spiritual connection and be a witness for Christ.”

Answer submitted by Pastor Stacey Weeks:
Tough question. Tough situation.

Christian marriage is a covenant before God between two baptized believers of Jesus Christ. If the marriage is between one believer and a nonbeliever, the playing field changes considerably.

Under a covenant marriage, there are many gifts a couple can share - the Holy Spirit, the power of prayer, the Bible, as well as the fellowship of believers. These are gifts that are only being used by one person in the marriage if you are married to a nonbeliever. Living day to day and using those spiritual gifts alone can be challenging.

I know this because when I married Kevin, he was not a believer and I was. I clearly remember the days when the hurt was almost physical because I knew what my best friend and husband was missing out on, the best news ever and the peace that can only come from Christ. (Kevin professed Jesus as his Lord and was baptized after 12 years of marriage).

From my experience, I can tell you this:
* God is with you and you are not alone on this path. God wishes for your spouse to be saved even more that you do!
* Keep doing what you are doing: reading Scripture, attending church, listening to Christian music, blessing meals, talking about your faith with your friends and family. Even though sometimes this may be awkward or even difficult, your spouse is watching what you are doing.
* Pray faithfully for your spouse’s salvation and have others praying with you as well. This will bolster you as you wait as well and give you other believers to walk this with you and encourage you.
* Don’t preach at your spouse. You cannot talk them into faith! There is their part, God’s part and your part in their salvation. Trust God’s timing and His plan for your spouse and you.
* Do discuss with their questions with them. Listen to their hurts or issues around faith. Some of these discussions may develop over years. If they ask questions you cannot answer, seek out a pastor or your faith coach.

Please know that I pray for you and all those married to non believers.

Predestination

Question: We received several questions that deal with the subject of predestination!

Answer submitted by Pastor Erik Neilson:

Predestination is a bit of a hot topic among scholars and those interested in debating theology. The most important thing I can say initially is that this topic deals with salvation but is not a salvation issue. In other words, we could be wrong in our understanding of this topic and still be saved! As always, Adventure Christian Church believes, "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things love." We can be passionate about our views but we must be respectful when we disagree for the sake of Christian unity. Having said that, here are just a few thoughts on predestination:

1. Predestination is a biblical concept used throughout the New Testament. The word predestined (in Greek proorizo) appears in Acts 4:28; Rom 8:29-30; 1 Cor 2:7; Eph 1:5, and Eph 1:11. Please realize that your Bible translation may not use the exact word "predestined" but will sometimes use synonyms like "chosen" or "called" or "foreordained." All Christians should believe that the Bible teaches predestination, but not all Christians agree on what it means.

2. For some predestination means that God, in his absolute sovereignty, picked who would go to heaven and who would go to hell. People in this camp believe that saved people had absolutely nothing to do with their salvation; God selected them and they had no power to resist him. Similarly, this view teaches that the unsaved have been selected by God for destruction and they have no ability to change that. Hearing the gospel, believing the gospel is not an option for them because God will not allow them to be saved...they are "predestined" for destruction. How far people apply this can vary, but at it's core is a great emphasis on the fact that God is in control. Understandably people who are saved like the idea that they were specially "chosen" by God. Some have called this view the "Great Doctrine of Comfort." I suppose it should be comforting to believe that God has saved you while passing over others and nothing you can do will ever change that!

3. For others predestination is understood as God already knowing how things will turn out in the end. Romans 8:29-30 says, " For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." Some understand predestination as it pairs with the idea of foreknowledge. The thinking goes like this: God already knows will be saved (and who will not be saved) at the end. But his knowledge of the end did not determine the end. Those whose destinies were foreknown by God were the ones who are "predestined" to be like Jesus (vs 29).

4. So who is right? God is right. That may sound like a cop-out but it's the truth! We should never understand salvation apart from the work of God. There is no salvation apart from God (Ac 4:12). No one can come to Father without God drawing them to salvation (Jn 6:44). No one can even declare Christ as their Lord without some divine assistance from the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3). I think we should always emphasize God's role in our salvation because his role is primary. What do we really contribute to our salvation?

5. For those who are adamant that God forces people to be saved and condemned I think we should think carefully about passages that deal discuss God's desire for people to believe, repent and be saved. (2 Peter 3:9, 1 Tim 2:4, John 3:16, etc) How can God want people to be saved while depriving them of the opportunity to be saved? That's a question that must be addressed in our thinking through this issue.

6. People who are passionate about this topic will present very strong arguments from Scripture on both sides. For some, this issue is so central, that they will not fellowship with people who disagree with them. I think it's ironic and a bit sad that saved people could divide on an issue dealing with salvation.

7. One of the tough questions I was asked dealt with a specific passage on this topic from Romans 9. I've included my response to that question since it deals with this same topic:

Dear ______________,

I'm wrapping up my tough questions series and didn't pull yours so I thought I'd respond via email. First of all...great question. Probably the most debated issue among Christian scholars concern the Sovereign will of God versus the free will of man. Let me break it down like this:

1. Some people believe that people have no free will whatsoever.
2. Other people believe that people have free will and do whatever we want to do.
3. Other people believe somewhere in the middle.

When we read passages like Romans 9 it's important to remember that the whole Scripture determines our theology. So we can't read one section apart from the others without skewing our understanding. If we read Romans 9 by itself, without considering other portions, it would seem that some people are just chosen for God to destroy. By whatever criteria, for whatever reason, they never had a chance. Many people believe that and I respect that view and even understand how they reach that conclusion. But how do we justify that with passages like 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Tim 2:4, and John 3:16.

When we read that God hardened people's hearts, I think that there is something implied in that. At face value that sounds like God played a mean trick on someone. But consider what what commentator said:

"We should not think that God persuaded an unwilling, kind-hearted Pharaoh to be hard towards God and His people. In hardening the heart of Pharaoh, God simply allowed his heart to pursue its natural inclination." (Guzik)

The hardening spoken about in Romans 1:24, 26, 28 makes it seems that God "abandoned" (NLT) or "gave them over" (NIV) to what they already were doing. In other words, he allowed them to go the direction they wanted unrestrained. And that's what we see with Pharaoh. Consider Exodus 7:13, 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7, 9:34. All these passages tell us the attitude of Pharaoh towards God and his people.

I think the problem with passages like that this is that we theologians want to pin God down. In our supreme wisdom we get hung up on things like free will. Common sense says we all have a degree of free will. Scripture's teaching is that God has a will as well, and his ultimate will is always accomplished. The truth is that this is a mystery and I prefer to marvel at it and wonder rather than strip it down to it's frame and reassemble it in the way that makes most sense to me. I recently heard a very scholarly professor say, "god makes me do his will of my own free will." I agree with that!

Do we confront people who claim to know Christ and love Him but have no fruit?

QUESTION: As a Christian, do we confront people who claim to know Christ and love Him but have no fruit?  No Christian friends, do not attend church, live in sin?

ANSWER SUBMITTED BY PASTOR STACEY WEEKS:

Tough questions tend to be yes and no answers, and this question is another one of those!

Yes, we are called to gently correct others in love.  Galatians 6:1-2 provides a great road map for this:

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-2, NLT) 

In breaking down this verse and looking at all the pieces, there are some things we clearly cannot do as we gently correct people.  That is where the ‘no’ part of my answer comes in.

First, this is to be used for believers.  This is not for those who have not professed Christ with their mouth.  If you are not sure on this point, ask the person!

Second, ask yourself if the person is ‘overcome’.  Is the sin is overwhelming their life in some way?  Was it a momentary poor choice or is it affecting their relationship with others or themselves?  

Ok, with those elements spelled out, here comes the No part of the answer:   

-Do not fall into the temptation to sin in correcting another.

-Do not do this to break relationships apart or do other damage.

-Do not be abrupt, angry or prideful as you speak with the person.

I strongly recommend bringing the confrontation to God in prayer.  Pray over it for some time and ask God to prepare your heart and to provide you the words.  Remember what Jesus taught and walked: love the person and despise the sin.

The reality is that we will all be corrected over sin at points in our Christian walk and some sins may need repeated correction conversations.  

This is our legacy from the Fall and part of being a human being on this Earth.  It does not make God love the person receiving the correction any less or the fellow sinner speaking the truth any more.

After all, God sent Jesus to die on the cross for sinners.   He died for each of us and all of us.