I-5 Questions Part 4

OTHER RANDOM TOPICS:

What is your view on The Shack?

I have not read The Shack. I have merely read some reviews. The quotes I read from excerpts of the book do not reflect accurate doctrine or biblical positions regarding the Trinity and the nature of salvation.

Is Jesus God or the Son of God?

Jesus is God and the Son of God as a member of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Here are the reasons:

1. Jesus clearly said He was God. (John 8:58; John 5:17-23; John 10:30)
2. Jesus’ name meant “God with us” (Matthew 1:23)
3. Jesus was killed for claiming to be God (John 5:18; Matthew 26:53-66)
4. The first Christians understand Jesus to be God (Colossians 1:15-20)

What about the Bible and divorce? Is anger a reason for divorce?

Jesus and Paul both offer very limited reasons for a divorce and having an angry spouse is not one of them. Jesus and Paul had a very high of marriage and ending a marriage through divorce is not encouraged, although sometimes it is allowed. The reasons for divorce are marital unfaithfulness (adultery) and abandonment of a believing spouse by a non-believing spouse.

God’s ultimate desire is for marriages to be reconciled through repentance and forgiveness, not matter the sin. We should all labor for this.

Thoughts on Evolution

There are certainly problems with evolution as a worldview and evolutionary theory (its science is not as proven as some would have us to believe. As Christ-followers, the key is to understand God as our Maker and Creator and what that means for us.

We also must understand that Genesis 1-2 are not primarily scientific texts; they are primarily theological texts and should be treated as such. This is not to say these passages do not have implications for science and our understanding of the created world.

In the ancient Hebrew language, there is no word for “nature,” only “creation.” This is significant because this tells us that we are here not by accident, but by God’s decision and design. We also know that people are God’s image bearers, which gives humanity special significance and dignity, as well as authority over creation.

I can make a case for a literal 6-day creation event. I can also understand the case for a young earth and for an old earth. I can also see that Genesis 1:1 may refer to God creating the earth over an indefinite period of time and Genesis 1:2-27 might refer to God preparing the land for man and woman in the area around Eden and not referring to the entire earth. I can appreciate a wide variety of perspectives on this issue as long as those viewpoints do not reject the authority and trustworthiness of the Bible.

Ultimately, there are few non-negotiables: 1) God did it. He designed and authored creation. 2) God did it good. There was no evil, no sin, nothing bad; and 3) God created human beings in His image and intends for a special relationship with humanity.

How do I stay Christian in college?

College years are rich in experience, forming values, and becoming a responsible adult.

They are also full of new temptations and interactions with a wide variety of people. I would suggest a few things:

1. Be in community with other Christians. Commit to a local church and get connected and involved. Don’t go at it alone.
2. Have guardrails. Protect yourself against your common temptations. Have accountability (For example, you could commit to never being alone with a member of the opposite sex).
3. Memorize Scripture. This alone is a massive weapon in the battle to stay true to God and walk with Him.
4. Develop a Christian worldview. Read books, ask questions, know what you believe and why.

The moment you die are you with Jesus?

YES -- if you are a Christ-follower who has placed faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord and obediently following Him as His disciple. See 2 Corinthians 5:8

What is the whole purpose of even putting "gods people" on an earth to test them? I am a non believer and nobody can seem to answer this question with an answer that makes any sense.