What does the Bible say about spiritual warfare?

There are two primary errors when it comes to spiritual
warfare—over-emphasis and under-emphasis. Some blame every sin, every
conflict, and every problem on demons that need to be cast out. Others
completely ignore the spiritual realm and the fact that the Bible
tells us our battle is against spiritual powers. The key to successful
spiritual warfare is finding the biblical balance. Jesus sometimes
cast demons out of people; other times He healed people with no
mention of the demonic. The apostle Paul instructs Christians to wage
war against the sin in themselves (Romans 6) and warns us to oppose
the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:10–18).

Ephesians 6:10–12 says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his
mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your
stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against
flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces
of evil in the heavenly realms." This text teaches some crucial
truths: we can only stand strong in the Lord's power, it is God's
armor that protects us, and our battle is ultimately against spiritual
forces of evil in the world.

Ephesians 6:13–18 is a description of the spiritual armor God gives
us. We are to stand firm with the belt of truth, the breastplate of
righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of
salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and by praying in the Spirit. What
do these pieces of spiritual armor represent in spiritual warfare? We
are to know the truth, believe the truth, and speak the truth. We are
to rest in the fact that we are declared righteous because of Christ's
sacrifice for us. We are to proclaim the gospel no matter how much
resistance we face. We are not to waver in our faith, trusting God's
promises no matter how strongly we are attacked. Our ultimate defense
is the assurance we have of our salvation, an assurance that no
spiritual force can take away. Our offensive weapon is the Word of
God, not our own opinions and feelings. And we are to pray in the
power and will of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus is our ultimate example of resisting temptation in spiritual
warfare. Observe how Jesus handled direct attacks from Satan when He
was tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11). Each temptation was
combatted with the words "it is written." The Word of the living God
is the most powerful weapon against the temptations of the devil. "I
have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you"
(Psalm 119:11).

A word of caution concerning spiritual warfare is in order. Nowhere in
Scripture are we instructed to cast out demons or even to speak to
them. The name of Jesus is not a magic incantation that causes demons
to flee from before us. The seven sons of Sceva are an example of what
can happen when people presume an authority they have not been given
(Acts 19:13–16). Even Michael the archangel did not rebuke Satan in
his own power but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:9). When we
start talking to the devil, we run the risk of being led astray as Eve
was (Genesis 3:1–7). Our focus should be on God, not demons; we speak
to Him, not them.

In summary, what are the keys to success in spiritual warfare? We rely
on God's power, not our own. We put on the whole armor of God. We draw
on the power of Scripture—the Word of God is the Spirit's sword. We
pray in perseverance and holiness, making our appeal to God. We stand
firm (Ephesians 6:13–14); we submit to God; we resist the devil's work
(James 4:7), knowing that the Lord of hosts is our protector. "Truly
he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be
shaken" (Psalm 62:2).

What principles should distinguish a Christian business?

Are there certain laws, rules, or principles that delineate a secular
business enterprise from that of a Christian business? What are the
identifying hallmarks of a Christian business? Are there any biblical
guidelines to managing a Christian business?

First is integrity. Integrity is about Christ-centered living. It is
about doing what is right rather than what is expedient. The
organization with integrity will make its business decisions based on
the standards and principles of God—righteousness, truth and honesty.
That is, there is congruency between what the organization verbalizes
and what it practices. No one can point a finger at such a company and
justifiably cry out, "Hypocrite!" Socrates (469-399 BC) declared, "The
greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend
to be." A Christian business is the epitome of integrity. This means
"we are who we say we are."

Second is a commitment to excellence. Paul said, "This is a
trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that
those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to
doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for
everyone" (Titus 3:8). If an organization is to be recognized as an
exemplary one, one whose goal is to glorify God through its commitment
to excellence in its service and product, it must always honor God and
be thoroughly cognizant of its role and mission in a pagan world. Such
an organization never forgets that God has called them to be His
witness to the lost world in which they do business.

When business organizations commit themselves to the pursuit of
excellence, they exalt the Word of God. And as the Gallup and National
Research Center study revealed, they also demonstrate God's power to
transform lives, not only through their employees but with their
customers as well.

Finally, a Christian business should have a commitment to its people.
This includes the area of fair compensation, performance recognition,
and providing growth opportunities, both professionally and
personally. It has been determined that organizations that recognize
the needs of their people and create opportunities for them to fulfill
those needs are able to bring out the very best in them. The apostle
Paul indirectly addressed relationships between employers and
employees. To those who work for someone else, Paul gave this command:
"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only
when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of
heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all
your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that
you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the
Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:22-24).

Then to employers, Paul commanded, "Masters, provide your slaves with
what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master
in heaven" (Colossians 4:1). Paul gave this command to employers
because, just as their employees report to them, they themselves have
someone to report to—their Master in heaven. Employers could hardly
expect to be treated fairly by God if they failed to treat their
employees fairly. Paul's remarks concerning the employee/employer
relationship involve the mutual submission of employees to their
employers and vice versa. Employees, too, are to treat their employers
with respect and "obey them not only to win their favor when their eye
is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your
heart" (Ephesians 6:6).

In all things, for both employers and employees, Christ should be the
model for Christian business, because He was known to be a man of
integrity, even among His enemies (Matthew 22:16).

Why do we pray before eating meals?

Christians frequently pray before meals, giving thanks to God for the
food we are about to eat. Pre-meal prayers can be a simple "thank-you"
to God for the meal or lengthier prayers of thanksgiving for all of
His provisions in our lives. In praying before meals, we are following
the example of the Lord Jesus, whose prayers on several occasions are
our model.

In the two instances where Jesus miraculously fed multitudes of people
with a few loaves and fish, He "gave thanks" (Matthew 14:19-21;
15:34-36). In the first instance, He fed 5000 men, plus women and
children, with five loaves of bread and two fish. In the second, He
fed over 4000 with seven loaves and a few fish. At the Last Supper,
Jesus again set the example of thanksgiving. When He passed the cup
and the bread to His disciples, telling them to eat and drink these
elements which were symbols of His body and blood, He gave thanks.
When He appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus after His
resurrection, He stopped briefly to eat with them, and "took bread,
gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them" (Luke 24:30).

The apostle Paul continued this example of praying before eating, as
recorded in Acts 27. In this instance, Paul was on a ship with 276
other people when a hurricane battered the ship. After fourteen days
of not eating, Paul exhorted the sailors and other passengers to eat
something in order to survive. He "took some bread and gave thanks to
God in front of them all" (Acts 27:35). Even in spite of the danger
and terrible circumstances, Paul paused to give thanks to God before
the meal.

When we thank God for providing our daily bread, we are acknowledging
that all things come from Him (Ephesians 5:20; Romans 11:36). He is
the source of everything we have, and praying before meals as a habit
helps to remind us of that truth. Praying before we eat with a
thankful heart brings glory to God and centers our minds on His great
love for His children and the blessings He bestows on those who belong
to Him.

"Why is giving thanks to God important?

The Bible is filled with commands to give thanks to God (Psalm 106:1;
107:1; 118:1; 1 Chronicles 16:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Most verses
go on to list reasons why we should thank Him, such as "His love
endures forever" (Psalm 136:3), "He is good" (Psalm 118:29), and "His
mercy is everlasting" (Psalm 100:5). Thanksgiving and praise always go
together. We cannot adequately praise and worship God without also
being thankful.

Feeling and expressing appreciation is good for us. Like any wise
father, God wants us to learn to be thankful for all the gifts He has
given us (James 1:17). It is in our best interest to be reminded that
everything we have is a gift from Him. Without gratefulness, we become
arrogant and self-centered. We begin to believe that we have achieved
everything on our own. Thankfulness keeps our hearts in right
relationship to the Giver of all good gifts.

Giving thanks also reminds us of how much we do have. Human beings are
prone to covetousness. We tend to focus on what we don't have. By
giving thanks continually we are reminded of how much we do have. When
we focus on blessings rather than wants, we are happier. When we start
thanking God for the things we usually take for granted, our
perspective changes. We realize that we could not even exist without
the merciful blessings of God.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks; for this is
God's will for you in Christ Jesus." We are to be thankful not only
for the things we like, but for the circumstances we don't like. When
we purpose to thank God for everything that He allows to come into our
lives, we keep bitterness at bay. We cannot be both thankful and
bitter at the same time. We do not thank Him for evil, but that He is
sustaining us through it (James 1:12). We don't thank Him for harm He
did not cause, but we thank Him when He gives us the strength to
endure it (2 Corinthians 12:9). We thank Him for His promise that "all
things will work together for the good, to those who love God and are
called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

We can have thankful hearts toward God even when we do not feel
thankful for the circumstance. We can grieve and still be thankful. We
can hurt and still be thankful. We can be angry at sin and still be
thankful toward God. That is what the Bible calls a "sacrifice of
praise" (Hebrews 13:15). Giving thanks to God keeps our hearts in
right relationship with Him and saves us from a host of harmful
emotions and attitudes that will rob us of the peace God wants us to
experience (Philippians 4:6–7).

What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom?

The different terms used in the Bible for heaven and hell—sheol,
hades, gehenna, the lake of fire, paradise, and Abraham's bosom—are
the subject of much debate and can be confusing.

The word "paradise" is used as a synonym for heaven (2 Corinthians
12:3; Revelation 2:7). When Jesus was dying on the cross and one of
the thieves being crucified with Him asked Him for mercy, Jesus
replied, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise"
(Luke 23:43). Jesus knew that His death was imminent and that He would
soon be in heaven with His Father. Therefore, Jesus used paradise as a
synonym for heaven, and the word has come to be associated with any
place of ideal loveliness and delight.

Abraham's bosom is referred to only once in the Bible—in the story of
Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31). It was used in the Talmud as
a synonym for heaven. The image in the story is of Lazarus reclining
at a table leaning on Abraham's breast—as John leaned on Jesus' breast
at the Last Supper—at the heavenly banquet. There are differences of
opinion about what exactly Abraham's bosom represents. Those who
believe the setting of the story is a period after the Messiah's death
and resurrection see Abraham's bosom as synonymous with heaven. Those
who believe the setting to be prior to the crucifixion see Abraham's
bosom as another term for paradise. The setting is really irrelevant
to the point of the story, which is that wicked men will see the
righteous in happiness, and themselves in torment, and that a "great
gulf" exists between them (Luke 16:26) which will never be spanned.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the
dead is sheol. It simply means "the place of the dead" or "the place
of departed souls/spirits." The New Testament Greek equivalent to
sheol is hades, which is also a general reference to "the place of the
dead." The Greek word gehenna is used in the New Testament for "hell"
and is derived from the Hebrew word hinnom. Other Scriptures in the
New Testament indicated that sheol/hades is a temporary place where
souls are kept as they await the final resurrection. The souls of the
righteous, at death, go directly into the presence of God—the part of
sheol called "heaven," "paradise," or "Abraham's bosom" (Luke 23:43; 2
Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23).

The lake of fire, mentioned only in Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14-15,
is the final hell, the place of eternal punishment for all unrepentant
rebels, both angelic and human (Matthew 25:41). It is described as a
place of burning sulfur, and those in it experience eternal,
unspeakable agony of an unrelenting nature (Luke 16:24; Mark 9:45-46).
Those who have rejected Christ and are in the temporary abode of the
dead in hades/sheol have the lake of fire as their final destination.

But those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life should
have no fear of this terrible fate. By faith in Christ and His blood
shed on the cross for our sins, we are destined to live eternally in
the presence of God.

What does the Bible say about dancing? Should Christians dance?

The Bible doesn't give specific instructions on dancing. It may be
helpful to point out some examples of good and bad dancing, and then
mention some biblical principles to build dancing standards on. Exodus
32:6, 19-25—This is a disappointing part of Israel's history. While
Moses was up on the mountain talking to God, the Israelites built an
idol. In the process of the idol worship, they began to dance. This
ended up in "revelry" (v. 6) and being "out of control" (v.25 says
"naked" in some translations). In this case, dancing led to very
sinful activity. In Exodus 15:20 Miriam was dancing to celebrate the
victory God's power had brought at the Red Sea. Second Samuel
6:12-16—David "danced before the Lord" to celebrate the Ark of the
Covenant being brought back to Jerusalem.

Every instance of dancing that is not considered sinful was done in
worship or praise to God. Here are some more principles to keep in
mind in considering dancing: Ecclesiastes 3:4—There is an appropriate
time to dance (and, by implication, an inappropriate time to dance).
Psalm 149:3; 150:4—Both passages mention that we can praise or worship
God through dance. First Corinthians 6:19-20—Our bodies belong to God,
and they are the temple of the Holy Spirit. So everything we do must
be honoring to Him.

Dancing to bring attention to yourself or your body, therefore, would
be sinful. In 1 Corinthians 7:1-3, the writer says, "It is good for a
man not to touch a woman" (NASB, KJV). Paul was acknowledging that men
have a very strong sex drive that is easy to set off. Because of this,
many styles of pair dancing outside of marriage can be very tempting,
especially to the man. "Flee (as in "run away from") the evil desires
of youth" (2 Timothy 2:22). Any dancing that stirs up sinful desires
in ourselves or in others is sinful. Matthew 18:6—Doing something that
might cause someone else to stumble into sin is considered absolutely
inexcusable. Dancing in a way that would cause someone else to lust
would fall under this guideline. First Thessalonians 5:22—This is a
great rule of thumb if we're not sure if a dancing situation is
acceptable. "Avoid every kind of evil." If it even looks like it could
be sinful, don't do it.

In the end, there is a lot of dancing that is inappropriate for
believers, twerking for example, who should be seeking to glorify God
with their lives and especially with their bodies. Yet the Bible
acknowledges that we can dance in a way that does not tempt others,
does not tempt ourselves, and brings glory to God.

What does the Bible say about luck?

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "luck" as follows:

1. The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events. 2. Good
fortune or prosperity; success....to gain success or something
desirable by chance: "I lucked out in finding that rare book."

The main question is, do things happen by chance? If they do, then one
can speak of someone being lucky or unlucky. But if they do not happen
by chance, then it is inappropriate to use those terms. Ecclesiastes
9:11-12 states, "I have seen something else under the sun: The race is
not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to
the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time
and chance happen to them all. Moreover, no man knows when his hour
will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a
snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon
them." Much of what Ecclesiastes shares is from the perspective of a
person who looks at life on earth without God, or life "under the
sun." From such a perspective—leaving God out of the picture—there
seems to be good luck and bad luck.

A runner in a race may be the swiftest, but because someone in front
of him stumbles, he trips over him and falls and does not win the
race. How unlucky for him? Or a warrior king may have the strongest
army but some "chance" arrow shot up into the air at random by a
no-name enemy soldier just happens to pierce his armor in its most
vulnerable location (2 Chronicles 18:33) resulting in that king's
death and the loss of the battle. How unlucky for King Ahab? Was it a
matter of luck? Reading the whole of 2 Chronicles 18, we find that God
had His hand in the matter from the beginning. The soldier who shot
the arrow was totally unaware of its trajectory, but God in His
sovereignty knew all along it would mean the death of wicked King
Ahab.

A similar "chance" occurrence takes place in the book of Ruth. Ruth, a
widow who was caring for her widowed mother-in-law, seeks a field to
glean grain to provide for them. "So she went out and began to glean
in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found
herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of
Elimelech" (Ruth 2:3). Elimelech had been the husband of her
mother-in-law, Naomi, so Boaz was a relative of hers and was generous
to Ruth. As Ruth returns home with a great deal more grain than Naomi
expected, "her mother-in-law asked her, 'Where did you glean today?
Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!' Then
Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been
working. 'The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,' she said.
'The LORD bless him!' Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. 'He has not
stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.' She added,
'That man is our close relative; he is one of our kinsman-redeemers.'"
(Ruth 2:19-20). So Naomi did not see it as a "chance" occurrence but
as the providence of God, as do others later on (Ruth 4:14).

Proverbs 16:33 states a general principle: "The lot is cast into the
lap, But its every decision is from the Lord." This refers to the use
of casting lots (similar to the tossing of a coin or the rolling of
dice) to settle certain judicial cases. The case involving Achan in
Joshua 7 is an example in which the principle of Proverbs 16:33 is
used to find the guilty party. Proverbs 18:18 states something
similar: "Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents
apart." Again, the idea is that God's providence plays the determining
role in the results of the casting of lots so that judicial conflicts
can be resolved no matter how great the contention. Proverbs 16:33
would indicate that something as random as the rolling of dice or the
tossing of a coin is not outside of God's sovereign control. And,
therefore, its results are not merely of chance.

God's sovereignty involves two aspects. God's active will or
sovereignty would involve something He causes to happen such as the
leading of wicked King Ahab into battle (2 Chronicles 18:18-19).
Ahab's death was not merely the result of a randomly shot arrow, but
as 2 Chronicles 18 reveals, God actively directed the events that led
Ahab into battle and used that randomly shot arrow to accomplish His
intended will for Ahab that day.

God's passive will involves Him allowing, rather than causing,
something to happen. Chapter1 of the book of Job illustrates this in
what God allowed Satan to do in the life of Job. It is also involved
in the evil that God allowed Joseph's brothers to do to Joseph in
order to accomplish a greater good, a good not apparent to Joseph
until years later (Genesis 50:20).

Because we do not have the curtains drawn back to see what is taking
place in heaven, we cannot always determine whether God's active or
passive will is involved in the events of our lives, but we do know
that all things that take place are under the umbrella of His will,
whether active or passive, and, therefore, nothing is a matter of mere
chance. When a person rolls the dice to play a board game, God may
sometimes cause the dice to land a certain way, but more often than
not in such inconsequential matters, He may allow the dice to land as
His laws of nature would determine without any active involvement. But
even when He is not actively involved, how the dice land is still
under His sovereignty.

So it is for any event of life; no matter how small (Matthew 10:29-31)
or how large (Daniel 4:35; Proverbs 21:1), God is sovereign over all
(Ephesians 1:11; Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:9-10), and thus nothing is
merely the matter of chance.

From an earthly perspective, things may seem to happen at random, but
throughout the whole of Scripture, it is clear that God is in control
of all of His creation and is somehow able to take the random acts of
natural law, the free will of both good and evil men, and the wicked
intent of demons and combine them all to accomplish His good and
perfect will (Genesis 50:20; Job chapters 1 and 42; John 9:1-7). And
Christians, specifically, are given the promise that God works all
things, whether seemingly good or bad, together for good to those who
love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

What does the Bible say about integrity?

The dictionary defines integrity as "a firm adherence to a code of
especially moral or artistic values, or incorruptibility; incapable of
being bribed or morally corrupted." In the Bible, the Hebrew word
translated "integrity" in the Old Testament means "the condition of
being without blemish, completeness, perfection, sincerity, soundness,
uprightness, wholeness." Integrity in the New Testament means "honesty
and adherence to a pattern of good works."

Jesus is the perfect example of a man of integrity. After He was
baptized, He went into the wilderness to fast for forty days and
nights, during which time Satan came to Him at His weakest to try to
break His integrity and corrupt Him. Jesus was wholly man and wholly
God at the same time, and He tempted in every way we are, yet he never
sinned (Hebrews 4:15); that is the definition of integrity. He is the
only one who was ever without blemish, perfect, completely truthful,
and always showing a pattern of good works. As sinful human beings,
our integrity is flawed, but Jesus' integrity is perfect. When we are
"in Christ," we partake of His divine nature, having been given new
natures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and that new nature is one of
integrity because it is His nature.

The Bible also describes integrity as the truth. What is the truth?
Jesus is the only real truth and the only way to attain eternal life.
Nobody comes to the Father unless he goes through Jesus who is the
way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Many times, Jesus prefaced
His words by saying, "Truly, I say to you," which, in essence, means
"I tell you the truth." Jesus never lied, and His actions defined
integrity. Once we come to Christ in faith and repentance, He gives us
the gift of the Holy Spirit who assists us in developing our
incorruptible integrity. It is impossible to have real integrity
without Jesus as our Lord and Savior. May the Lord give us strong
integrity that becomes incorruptible through the power of the Holy
Spirit.

What does it mean to be above reproach / blameless?

The dictionary defines reproach as "shame or disgrace or that which
brings rebuke or censure upon a person." The Bible speaks of being
"above reproach" or "blameless" as one of the distinctive marks of
those who aspire to the office of elder or deacon within the church (1
Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6–7). Their work for the church, as well as their
interactions with others, are to be of such moral quality that they do
not bring shame or in any way disgrace the body of Christ or the name
of Jesus. This holds true not only within the church but outside it as
well.

The qualifications for the elder, sometimes called "overseer," and
deacon are outlined by the apostle Paul. He wrote, "Now the overseer
must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate,
self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach" (1 Timothy
3:2; cf. Titus 1:6–7). The word must is emphasizing that this
particular quality of being "above reproach" is an unconditional
prerequisite for a leadership role in the church.

Above reproach, however, does not mean without sin. No Christian lives
an entirely sinless life, nor will we until we reach the glorified
state in heaven. Above reproach means that the overseer's life is free
from sinful habits or behaviors that would impede his setting the
highest Christian standard and model for the church to emulate
(Hebrews 13:7; 1 Peter 5:3). Similarly, the overseer must not give
cause for those outside the church to impugn its reputation. Being
above reproach means that no one can honestly bring a charge or
accusation against him (Acts 25:7; 1 Peter 3:16).

In essence, the church's overseers must be men whose character is
unimpeachable, who are esteemed highly within their community. Such
men are known for their wholesome life and untarnished integrity.
Elders and deacons are to be men of good character and reputation.
Though Paul, in his letters to Timothy and Titus, is addressing the
distinguishing marks of those who desire to be church leaders, it
certainly does not diminish the need for all Christians to aspire to
the same qualities. Being above reproach should be an ongoing aim of
all believers (Colossians 3:7–10).

How should a Christian view sex education?

Sex education has become a hot topic in recent years. Until the
mid-1950s, sex education in schools was limited to the study of
biological reproduction in mammals. Since a comprehensive sex
education encompasses far more than a scientific discussion of
sperm-meets-egg, it was left to parents and churches to fill in the
rest. Today, sex ed curricula are a little more explicit than what
could be found in the classrooms of the ʼ50s.

Due to the intrinsic complexities of human sexuality, the physical
aspects cannot be separated from moral responsibility. Unfortunately,
many parents fail to instruct their children about God's view of
sexuality. The churches have been strangely silent as well. So the
schools have undertaken that responsibility. And when Christian
parents leave the moral training of their children to the government,
conflict in worldviews is inevitable.

Sexuality is a gift to us from God and should be viewed as such. God
created sex for two purposes: procreation and unity between husband
and wife (Genesis 1:28; Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:7–8; 1 Corinthians
7:1–5). Any other use of sex is sin (1 Corinthians 6:9, 18; 1
Thessalonians 4:3). Teaching children about sexual relationships apart
from morality is like teaching a child to drive a car without
explaining the traffic laws. Unfortunately, the moral climate of our
day is far from God's standard. Often, the only "rules" accompanying
public school sex education are that sex should not be forced on an
unwilling participant and that sexually active people should use birth
control. Any teaching of boundaries is limited to the avoidance of
consequences.

Most modern sex education instruction presents perversion,
fornication, homosexuality, and living together before marriage as
"normal" expressions of sexuality. All of this is contrary to
Scripture (1 Corinthians 6:9; Leviticus 20:15–16; Matthew 5:28).
Christian parents should be actively involved in all aspects of their
children's education, especially in areas that compromise Scripture.
God holds parents responsible for the upbringing of their children
(Ephesians 6:4), and that includes instruction on sexuality. Many
parents find this topic awkward and embarrassing, so they disregard
their responsibility and allow those without similar values to train
their children.

Children will learn about sexuality from someone. The options are
their peers, pornography, school settings, experimentation, or their
parents. The best place for sex education is in the home, as a natural
part of training children "in the way they should go" (Proverbs 22:6).
It is the parents' God-given responsibility to teach children God's
perspective on every area of life, including sexuality (Deuteronomy
6:5–6). Parents should begin when the children are very young,
speaking matter-of-factly with preschoolers about their bodies and how
men and women are made differently. Those conversations transition
naturally into more complex areas as the child matures. It is
important that a child knows he can talk to mom or dad about anything
that confuses him.

Sexual information bombards us from every direction, so these
parent-child conversations must begin very early. Before parents allow
a school system to instruct in sexuality or morality, they must be
sure their children have already learned the truth. It is then crucial
to stay abreast of what the children are learning and how they are
applying their knowledge. Keeping a constant, open dialogue with one's
children is a key to staying in charge of what they are learning. When
parents are proactive in their children's instruction, those children
have a basis upon which to recognize and reject errors that the world
promotes as truth.

What does the Bible say about a Christian’s responsibility?

Without question the greatest reason that we live for God is our
unwavering belief in the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. It is
through His resurrection from the grave that we have hope and the
promise of life eternal with him. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the
apostle Paul explains that, because of these promises of a future
resurrection and of living eternally in the kingdom, believers have
not only the motivation but also eternal responsibilities for our
lives here on earth.

The apostle Paul touches on such responsibilities in his concluding
statement in the 15th chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians.
He declares that, if we really believe and if we are truly thankful
that our resurrection is sure, we should "therefore" demonstrate our
assurance and our thankfulness by "standing firm, letting nothing move
us" and "always giving ourselves full to the work of the Lord" (1
Corinthians 15:58). This, then, is the believer's responsibility: to
stand firm in the faith and give himself completely to the Lord.

The Greek for "standing firm" is hedraios, which literally refers to
"being seated, being settled and firmly situated." The Greek for
"letting nothing move you" is ametakinetos, and it carries the same
basic idea but with more intensity. It means "being totally immobile
and motionless," indicating that we should not even budge an inch from
His will. And with our being totally within the will of God, we are to
be "always giving ourselves to the work of the Lord," being careful
not to be "tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and
there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of
men in their deceitful scheming" (Ephesians 4:14).

Why did Paul give us this warning? Simply because, if our confident
hope in the resurrection wavers, we are sure to abandon ourselves to
the ways and standards of the world. Therefore, if there are no
eternal ramifications or consequences of what we do in this life, the
motivation for selfless service and holy living is gone. In other
words, our eternal responsibilities are abandoned.

Conversely, when our hope in the resurrection is clear and certain, we
will have great motivation to be attending to the responsibility we
have to "always giving ourselves to the work of the Lord." The Greek
for this phrase carries the idea of exceeding the requirements, of
overflowing or overdoing. A good example of this is found in Ephesians
1:7-8 where the word is used of God having "lavished" upon us the
riches of His grace. Because God has so abundantly provided for us who
deserve nothing from Him, we should determine to give of ourselves
abundantly in service to Him, to whom we owe everything.

The Bible teaches us that our responsibility as believers is to work
uncompromisingly as the Lord has gifted us and leads us in this life.
We must fully understand that until the Lord returns there are souls
to reach and ministries of every sort to be performed. We are
responsible for our money, time, energy, talents, gifts, bodies,
minds, and spirits, and we should invest in nothing that does not in
some way contribute to the work of the Lord. James tells us, "As the
body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead"
(James 2:26).

Our work for the Lord, if it is truly for Him and done in His power,
cannot fail to accomplish what He wants accomplished. Every good work
believers do has eternal benefits that the Lord Himself guarantees.
Jesus tells us, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I
will give to everyone according to what he has done" (Revelation
22:12).

Simply put, our responsibility lies in working for the Lord, whether
it is in "looking after orphans or widows in distress" (James 1:27),
giving to the hungry, the naked, visiting those in prison (see Matthew
25:35-36), serving in our workplace (see Colossians 3:22), or doing
whatever we do (Colossians 3:23). And our motivation is that we have
God's own promise that our work "is not in vain" in the Lord "since
you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a
reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:24).

How can I recognize the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told His disciples that He would
send one who would teach and guide all those who believe in Him (Acts
1:5; John 14:26; 16:7). Jesus' promise was fulfilled less than two
weeks later when the Holy Spirit came in power on the believers at
Pentecost (Acts 2). Now, when a person believes in Christ, the Holy
Spirit immediately becomes a permanent part of his life (Romans 8:14;
1 Corinthians 12:13).

The Holy Spirit has many functions. Not only does He distribute
spiritual gifts according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7–11), but He
also comforts us (John 14:16, KJV), teaches us (John 14:26), and
remains in us as a seal of promise upon our hearts until the day of
Jesus' return (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). The Holy Spirit also takes on
the role of Guide and Counselor, leading us in the way we should go
and revealing God's truth (Luke 12:12; 1 Corinthians 2:6–10).

But how do we recognize the Spirit's guidance? How do we discern
between our own thoughts and His leading? After all, the Holy Spirit
does not speak with audible words. Rather, He guides us through our
own consciences (Romans 9:1) and other quiet, subtle ways.

One of the most important ways to recognize the Holy Spirit's guidance
is to be familiar with God's Word. The Bible is the ultimate source of
wisdom about how we should live (2 Timothy 3:16), and believers are to
search the Scriptures, meditate on them, and commit them to memory
(Ephesians 6:17). The Word is the "sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians
6:17), and the Spirit will use it to speak to us (John 16:12–14) to
reveal God's will for our lives; He will also bring specific
Scriptures to mind at times when we need them most (John 14:26).

Knowledge of God's Word can help us to discern whether or not our
desires come from the Holy Spirit. We must test our inclinations
against Scripture—the Holy Spirit will never prod us to do anything
contrary to God's Word. If it conflicts with the Bible, then it is not
from the Holy Spirit and should be ignored.

It is also necessary for us to be in continual prayer with the Father
(1 Thessalonians 5:17). Not only does this keep our hearts and minds
open to the Holy Spirit's leading, but it also allows the Spirit to
speak on our behalf: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our
weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit
himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And
he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the
Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will"
(Romans 8:26–27).

Another way to tell if we are following the Spirit's leading is to
look for signs of His fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22). If we walk
in the Spirit, we will continue to see these qualities grow and mature
in us, and they will become evident to others as well.

It is important to note that we have the choice whether or not to
accept the Holy Spirit's guidance. When we know the will of God but do
not follow it, we are resisting the Spirit's work in our lives (Acts
7:51; 1 Thessalonians 5:19), and a desire to follow our own way
grieves Him (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit will never lead us into sin.
Habitual sin will cause us to miss what the Holy Spirit wants to say
to us through the Word. Being in tune with God's will, turning from
and confessing sin, and making a habit of prayer and the study of
God's Word will allow us to recognize—and follow—the Spirit's leading.

Who are the twenty-four (24) elders in Revelation?

Revelation 4:4 declares, "Surrounding the throne were twenty-four
other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were
dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads." The book of
Revelation nowhere specifically identifies who the twenty-four elders
are. However, they are most likely representative of the Church. It is
unlikely that they are angelic beings, as some suggest. The fact that
they sit on thrones indicates that they reign with Christ. Nowhere in
Scripture do angels ever rule or sit on thrones. The Church, however,
is repeatedly said to rule and reign with Christ (Revelation 2:26-27,
5:10, 20:4; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30).

In addition, the Greek word translated here as "elders" is never used
to refer to angels, only to men, particularly to men of a certain age
who are mature and able to rule the Church. The word elder would be
inappropriate to refer to angels, who do not age. Their mode of dress
would also indicate these are men. While angels do appear in white,
white garments are more commonly found on believers, symbolizing
Christ's righteousness imputed to us at salvation (Revelation 3:5,18;
19:8).

The golden crowns worn by the elders also indicate these are men, not
angels. Crowns are never promised to angels, nor are angels ever seen
wearing them. The word translated "crown" here refers to the victor's
crown, worn by those who have successfully competed and won the
victory, as Christ promised (Revelation 2:10; 2 Timothy 4:8; James
1:12).

Some people believe these twenty-four elders represent Israel, but at
the time of this vision, Israel as a whole nation had not yet been
redeemed. The elders cannot represent tribulation saints for the same
reason—not all had yet been converted at the time of John's vision.
The most likely option is that the elders represent the raptured
Church which sings songs of redemption (Revelation 5:8-10). They wear
the crowns of victory and have gone to the place prepared for them by
their Redeemer (John 14:1-4).

Who are the four living creatures in Revelation?

The four living creatures are found in Revelation 4:6–9; 5:6–14;
6:1–8; 14:3; 15:7; and 19:4. The texts that describe these creatures
do not indicate that they are figurative—they are real, actual beings.
The four living creatures (literally "beings") are a special, exalted
order of angelic being or cherubim. This is clear by their close
proximity to the throne of God. Ezekiel 1:12–20 suggests that they are
in constant motion around the throne.

Revelation 5:6–14 describes the duties or purposes of the four living
creatures. They fall down and worship the Lamb, Jesus Christ, offering
the same reverence to Him that they did to the Father (Revelation
4:10), proof positive of the deity of Jesus Christ. Along with the 24
elders, they have "harps and golden vials full of incense, which are
the prayers of the saints." Harps are frequently associated with
worship in the Old Testament, as well as with prophecy (2 Kings 3:15;
1 Chronicles 25:1). Incense represents the prayers of the saints.
Therefore, taken together, the four living creatures and twenty-four
elders hold in their hands all that prophets ever prophesied and
believers ever prayed for—all about to come to pass.

The purpose of the four living creatures also has to do with declaring
the holiness of God and leading in worship and adoration of God, and
they are involved in some way with God's justice, for when He opens
the first four seals and sends out the four horsemen to destroy, their
powerful voices, like thunder, command "come" (6:1–8). The horsemen
respond to the summons of the four powerful creatures, indicating the
power the creatures possess. That power is seen again in Revelation
15:7 when one of the four unleashes the last seven plagues of God's
wrath on mankind.

The four living creatures are very similar, if not the same, beings as
those in Ezekiel 10:2, 14, and 20 and Isaiah 6:1–3. They are four in
number, full of eyes, have faces like the beings in Ezekiel 1:10, have
six wings (Isaiah 6:2), and offer worship as the beings in Isaiah 6:3,
saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord." They may not be the exact same
beings, but they definitely are comparable and probably of the same
order.

In summary, these beings are an exalted order of angels whose purpose
is primarily that of worship (Revelation 19:4). They are very similar
to the beings in Ezekiel 10 and Isaiah 6:1–3, and they are in some
ways involved in God's divine justice.

Who is Allah? What is the origin of belief in Allah?

Allah is an Arabic word that means "God" or, more accurately, "the
God." In Western culture, it is commonly believed that the word Allah
is used exclusively by Muslims to describe their God, but this is not
actually true. The word Allah is used by Arabic speakers of all
Abrahamic faiths (including Christianity and Judaism) as meaning
"God." However, according to Islam, Allah is God's proper name, while
Christians and Jews know Him as YHWH or Yahweh. When Arabic-speaking
Christians use the word Allah, it is usually used in combination with
the word al-Ab. Allah al-Ab means "God the Father," and this usage is
one way Arab Christians distinguish themselves from Muslims.

Before the inception of Islam, most Arabs were polytheistic pagans,
believing in an unfeeling, powerful fate that could not be controlled
or altered or influenced by human beings. Muslims regard Muhammad as
the last and greatest prophet, and they credit him with restoring to
the Arabs the monotheistic faith of their ancestors. Islam and Judaism
both trace their spiritual lineage to Abraham, but the God-concept of
Islam is different from that of Judaism and Christianity in some
significant ways. Yahweh and Allah are both seen as omnipotent,
omnipresent, omniscient, and merciful. However, in both Judaism and
Islam, God's mercy is dependent, at least partly and many times fully,
on man's actions. The Islamic concept of Allah and the Jewish concept
of Yahweh both deny the triune nature of God. They eliminate God's
Son, Jesus, and they also eliminate the Holy Spirit as a distinct
Person of the Godhead.

Without Jesus, there is no provisionary salvation—that is, salvation
is based on man's effort rather than God's grace. Without the Holy
Spirit, there is no sanctification, no peace, no freedom (Romans 8:6;
2 Corinthians 3:17). Christians trust that by Jesus' death and
resurrection, along with the indwelling of His Spirit, sin is
forgiven, the conscience is cleansed, and the human soul is freed to
pursue God and goodness without the fear of punishment (Hebrews
10:22).

A Muslim may love Allah and wish to please Allah, but the question in
his mind will invariably be "is it enough? Are my works enough to
merit salvation?" Christians believe that God sent His Son, Jesus
Christ, to provide an answer to the question "is my work enough?" The
answer is, no, our work is not enough (Matthew 5:48). This is shocking
to anyone who has been trying on his own to appease God. But this was
the point of Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–48). The
Jews that Jesus spoke to, just like the Muslims who follow Allah, were
trapped by the knowledge that nothing they did would ever meet God's
perfect standard. But Christ's perfect life, atoning death, and
resurrection did meet God's standard (Hebrews 10:10; Romans 8:1–8).
Jesus' message to the Jews and His message now, to Muslims and
everyone else, is "repent and believe" (Mark 1:15). This does not mean
"stop sinning" and "believe that God exists." It means "turn from sin
and stop trying to please God by your own ability" and "believe that
Christ has accomplished everything for you." The promise to those who
trust Christ is that they will become the children of God (John 1:12).

Allah offers no such promise. Muslims believe Allah will be merciful
to them based on his evaluation of their performance. But salvation is
never sure; it is never a promise. When the Western world looks with
horror on things like jihad and acts of Islamic terrorism, they get a
glimpse of the powerful fear that Allah instills in his many of his
followers. Faithful Muslims are faced with a terrible choice: obey the
violent commands of an omnipotent deity whose mercy is given only to
the most passionate and devoted followers (and perhaps not even then),
or give themselves up as hopelessly lost and headed for punishment.

Christians should not regard Muslims with hatred, but instead with
compassion. Their god, Allah, is a false god, and their eyes are
blinded to the truth (see 2 Corinthians 4:4). We should be praying for
Muslims and asking God to show them the truth, revealing His promise
of mercy and freedom in Christ (2 Timothy 2:24–26).

Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?

The Muslim and Christian views of God have some similarities.
Christians believe in one eternal God Who created the universe, and
Muslims apply these attributes to Allah. Both view God as
all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present.

A vital difference between the Islamic and Christian views of God is
the biblical concept of the Trinity. In the Bible, God has revealed
Himself as one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit. While each Person of the Trinity is fully God,
God is not three gods but three in one.

God's Son came in the form of man, a truth called the incarnation
(Luke 1:30-35; John 1:14; Colossians 2:9; 1 John 4:1-3). The Lord
Jesus Christ conquered the penalty and power of sin by dying on the
cross (Romans 6:23). After rising from the dead, Jesus went back to
heaven to be with His Father and sent the Holy Spirit to believers
(Acts 1:8-11). One day, Christ will return to judge and rule (Acts
10:42, 43). Those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus will live with
Him, but those who refuse to follow Him must be separated in hell from
the holy God.

"The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey
the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John
3:35-36). Either Jesus bears the wrath of God for your sin on the
cross or you bear the wrath of God for your sin in hell (1 Peter
2:24).

The Trinity is essential to the Christian faith. Without the Trinity,
there would be no incarnation of God's Son in the Person of Jesus
Christ. Without Jesus Christ, there would be no salvation from sin.
Without salvation, sin would condemn all to an eternal hell.

So, do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? A better question
is, "Do Christians and Muslims both have a correct understanding of
who God is?" To this question, the answer is definitely no. Because of
crucial differences between the Christian and Muslim concepts of God,
the two faiths cannot both be true. The biblical God alone addresses
and solves the problem of sin by giving His Son.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to
save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of God's one and only Son" (John 3:16-18).

Do we become angels after we die?

Angels are beings created by God (Colossians 1:15-17) and are entirely
different from humans. They are God's special agents to carry out His
plan and to minister to the followers of Christ (Hebrews 1:13-14).
There is no indication that angels were formerly humans or anything
else—they were created as angels. Angels have no need of, and cannot
experience, the redemption that Christ came to provide for the human
race. First Peter 1:12 describes their desire to look into the Gospel,
but it is not for them to experience. Had they been formerly humans,
the concept of salvation would not be a mystery to them, having
experienced it themselves. Yes, they rejoice when a sinner turns to
Christ (Luke 15:10), but salvation in Christ is not for them.

Eventually, the body of the believer in Christ will die. What happens
then? The spirit of the believer goes to be with Christ (2 Corinthians
5:8). The believer does not become an angel. It is interesting that
both Elijah and Moses were recognizable on the Mount of
Transfiguration. They had not transformed into angels, but appeared as
themselves—although glorified—and were recognizable to Peter, James
and John.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul tells us that believers in Christ are
asleep in Jesus; that is, their bodies are dead, but their spirits are
alive. This text tells us that when Christ returns, He will bring with
Him those who are asleep in Him, and then their bodies will be raised,
made new like Christ's resurrected body, to be joined with their
spirits which He brings with Him. All believers in Christ who are
living at the return of Christ will have their bodies changed to be
like Christ, and they will be completely new in their spirits, no
longer having a sin nature.

All the believers in Christ will recognize one another and live with
the Lord forever. We will serve Him throughout eternity, not as
angels, but along with the angels. Thank the Lord for the living hope
He provides for the believer in Jesus Christ.

Will we eat food in heaven?

Many people ask whether we will eat food in heaven because eating is
not only necessary to stay alive, but it is also so very enjoyable!
Because eating is enjoyable, many people conclude that what is
enjoyable on earth (sex, family relationships, etc.) will naturally be
present in heaven. Although the Bible does not give us a detailed
answer to the question of eating food in heaven, a few observations
from the Scriptures are in order.

It is interesting to note that when the Lord Jesus celebrated the
Passover with His disciples shortly before His crucifixion, He
referred to eating and drinking in the kingdom. "Assuredly, I say to
you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day
when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God'" (Mark 14:25). The earthly
millennial kingdom is certainly in view here, and in that kingdom all
who are His followers will have already received their resurrection
bodies. It would appear from this statement that we, in our glorified
bodies, will eat and drink in the millennial kingdom. But what about
the heavenly kingdom?

When John the Apostle was given a vision of the New Jerusalem, he was
shown "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street,
and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore
twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of
the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no
more curse…" (Revelation 22:1-3). The text does not say whether we
will actually eat the fruit of the tree of life, but that is certainly
possible.

If we will be eating in heaven, we don't know for sure what the
heavenly menu may contain, although it has been suggested that perhaps
our diet will be like that of Adam and Eve in paradise before the
fall. "And God said, 'See, I have given you every herb that yields
seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit
yields seed; to you it shall be for food'" (Genesis 1:29).

In the end, we don't really know if, or what, we will eat in heaven.
Believers only "know in part" (1 Corinthians 13:9). The joys of being
forever with our Savior who is the Bread of Life are beyond our
limited abilities to comprehend, for "it has not yet been revealed
what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this
hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure" (1 John 3:2-3).

What was manna?

During the forty years between the time the Israelites left Egypt and
entered the Promised Land, they faced harsh conditions, including a
scarcity of food. To alleviate this problem, God miraculously provided
the Israelites with "bread from heaven," called "manna." The manna
appeared each morning, and the Israelites were given specific
instructions on gathering it (see Exodus chapter 16). What was manna?
Interestingly, the Israelites asked the very same question: "When the
people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, 'What is it?' For
they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, 'It is the
bread that the LORD has given you to eat'" (Exodus 16:15). The Hebrew
word translated "manna" literally means "what is it?"

The Bible nowhere discusses the chemical composition of manna. All we
are told is that "it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of
it was like wafers made with honey" (Exodus 16:31). Numbers 11:7
states that manna's appearance was like "bdellium" or "resin." Psalm
78:24 refers to manna as "grain from heaven," and the next verse calls
it "bread of angels." So, manna seems to have been literal bread that
God caused to miraculously appear each morning during the Israelites'
wilderness wanderings. The miracle of manna ceased shortly after the
Israelites entered the Promised Land (Joshua 5:12).

Far more important than manna's physical qualities is what manna
foreshadowed. Manna is a type, or foreshadowing, of Jesus. After Jesus
miraculously fed the 5,000, they wanted Him to "give us this bread
always" (John 6:34). Jesus tried to get their attention off of
physical bread and onto the true "bread of life." "Truly, truly, I say
to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my
Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is
He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. . . . I am
the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever
believes in me shall never thirst" (John 6:32-35). Sadly, the people
could not get their minds off of physical bread long enough to
understand the spiritual truth Jesus was declaring (John 6:36-59).
They were more concerned with the condition of their stomachs than the
condition of their souls.

Just as God provided manna to the Israelites to save them from
starvation, He has provided Jesus Christ for the salvation of our
souls. The literal manna temporarily saved the Israelites from
physical death. The spiritual manna saves us from eternal death. "Your
fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the
bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not
die" (John 6:49-50).

Will we be able to see all three members of the Trinity in Heaven?

Before considering if we will actually be able to see God the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit, we need to establish that they are three
Persons. Without delving too deeply into the doctrine of the Trinity,
we need to understand that the Father is not the same Person as the
Son, the Son is not the same Person as the Holy Spirit and the Holy
Spirit is not the same Person as the Father. They are not three Gods.
They are three distinct Persons, yet they are all the one God. Each
has a will, can speak, can love, etc., and these are demonstrations of
personhood. They are in absolute perfect harmony consisting of one
substance. They are coeternal, coequal and co-powerful. If any one of
the three were removed, there would be no God.

So in heaven, there are three Persons. But will we be able to actually
see them? Revelation 4:3-6 gives us a description of heaven and the
throne that is occupied by God and by the Lamb: "the one sitting there
had the appearance of jasper and carnelian… a rainbow resembling an
emerald encircled the throne. Before the throne… a sea of glass, clear
as crystal." Since God dwells in "unapproachable light" and is one
"whom no one has seen or can see" (1 Timothy 6:16), God is described
in terms of the reflected brilliance of precious stones. First
Corinthians 2:9 says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has
conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Because of
God's holiness, it may be that we will never be able to look upon His
face, but again, this is speculation.

Revelation 5:6 tells us that in heaven, the Lamb stands in the center
of the throne and there are descriptions of Him clothed in brilliant
white. Since the Lamb represents Christ Jesus, and we know that human
eyes have beheld Him after His resurrection and glorification, it
seems reasonable to conclude that in heaven, we will be able to look
upon our Lord and Savior.

The Holy Spirit, by the very nature of His being, is able to move at
will and take various forms. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit
descended on Him in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:13-17). At
Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was accompanied by a loud rushing noise and
was seen as tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4). It may not be possible to
see the Holy Spirit unless He chooses to manifest Himself in some
form, but that is speculation.

Mere mortals do not have the ability to grasp the wonders of heaven—it
is entirely beyond our comprehension. Whatever heaven is like, it will
far exceed our wildest imaginings! All we know is that we will be
worshiping our great God and full of wonder that He died to save
sinners.

What did Jesus mean when He instructed us hate our father and mother (Luke 14:26)?

First, we must take this verse in the context of the chapter. Jesus is
teaching His disciples, and like any good teacher, He begins with a
truth statement that is hard to understand in order to get His
students thinking. Then, He clarifies the difficult truth statement
with a metaphor. The truth statement is the confusing verse 26, "If
anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife
and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he
cannot be my disciple." So, if we don't hate our family and our own
lives, we can't be His disciple. But does He mean we are to have real
hatred for our parents?

Next, Jesus relates a metaphor about a man who builds a house without
counting the cost and finds that he cannot follow through with what he
set out to do. He leaves the house unfinished because he cannot pay
what is required. Jesus is showing us the explanation to His difficult
statement—that we must count the cost of discipleship. This is the
point of the passage. In order to be a disciple, we must be willing to
give up everything for Jesus. Therefore, if our parents will not
follow Jesus, or even if they disown us for being Christians, we must
still choose Him over them. It is in this sense that we are "hating"
our family members who reject the Lord or reject us because of the
Lord. This is not easy, and of course it is right that we should love
our family members and want our family members to love and follow God.
After all, 1 John 4:7-8 says "Beloved, let us love one another for
love is from God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God.
The one who does not love does not know God for God is love." And that
is only one of many passages commanding us to love others. But despite
our love for the people we know, here is the key: if they don't love
Jesus, He must still be our first priority. We must esteem Him more
highly than the people we love here on earth and we must love Him more
than our own lives. In fact, we must love Him so much that our earthly
loves pale in comparison, even to the point of seeming like hate.

Second, let's take it in context of other places in the Bible. Matthew
19:29 says, "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a
hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." So, here is the
promise: God has required total commitment from His followers, to the
point of heart-breaking separation from any natural family members who
reject Jesus, but in heaven we will have a hundred times what we
lost—an entire family of believers who love Christ and who love us!
Even the material things that we had forsaken in order to follow Him
will be given back to us in a form a hundred times better than what we
lost! So, He is a good God, after all, and, no, He does not want us to
literally hate (viciously despise or wish harm to) the members of our
family. All we are required to do is choose Jesus over them even if
they force us to do so by rejecting Him.

Jesus may have chosen the word "hate" to show us that this is how a
mother or father will perceive the actions of a child who chooses the
Lord above them. They will see it as disloyal, especially if we try to
witness to them. The love of a Christian for a non-Christian is almost
always seen as hatred, intolerance, bigotry, etc. But we must be okay
with being seen as "hating." After all, our unbelieving relatives are
part of the world, and Jesus said, ""If the world hates you, keep in
mind that it hated me first" (John 15:18).

If Moses met face to face with God, why, later, was he not allowed to see God’s face?

Before the official tabernacle was built, "Moses used to take a tent
and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the 'tent
of meeting.' Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of
meeting outside the camp" (Exodus 33:7). As Moses visited this tent of
meeting to intercede for the people of Israel, "the pillar of cloud
would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with
Moses" (verse 9). Moses' position of favor with God is evident in the
fact that "the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks
to a friend" (verse 11).

However, later in the same chapter, Moses requests to see God's glory,
and God replies, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of
you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. . . .
But . . . you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live"
(Exodus 33:19–20). To protect Moses, God put him "in a cleft in the
rock" and covered him with His hand as He passed by (verse 22).
"Then," God promised, "I will remove my hand and you will see my back;
but my face must not be seen" (verse 23).

This passage prompts several questions. Does God really have a "hand,"
"face," and "back"? Why could Moses speak to God "face to face" in
verse 11 but could not see God's "face" in verse 23? What is fatal
about seeing God's "face"?

We know from Scripture (e.g., John 4:24) that God is spirit. Spirits
do not possess physical attributes. So, when Moses spoke "face to
face" with God in Exodus 33:11, there are only two possible ways to
understand it: either Moses was speaking to the pre-incarnate Son of
God (a Christophany); or the passage is using a figure of speech
called anthropomorphism, in which human qualities are applied to God.
While a Christophany is certainly possible, it is probably better to
view the chapter as using figures of speech. The terms face, hand, and
back in Exodus 33 should not be taken literally, and face to face,
being idiomatic, is also metaphorical.

In verse 11 the idiom face to face can be simply understood to mean
"intimately." Moses spoke with God familiarly, as a man speaks to a
friend. In verses 20 and 23, face and back are in reference to God's
"glory" and "goodness" (verses 18–19). Since God is spirit, and since
glory and goodness are both intangibles, we can take face and back to
signify varying "degrees" of glory. God's hand (verse 22) is an
obvious reference to God's "protection."

In the Bible, God often communicates using terms easily understood in
the human experience. God's use of anthropomorphism in Exodus 33 was a
perfect way to describe what was happening. As humans, we know the
importance of one's face. To readily identify someone, we study his or
her face. It is also the face of a person that reveals the most
information about his or her character, mood, and personality.
However, if all we catch is a glimpse of a person from behind, we are
left without a lot of valuable information. It is difficult to
identify a person from behind; we know very little about a person if
all we can see is a back view.

When God told Moses, "You cannot see my face, for no one may see me
and live" (Exodus 33:20), He was saying that truly seeing God as He
is, in the fullness of His glory, is more than mortal man can tolerate
(cf. Isaiah 6:5). Therefore, to protect Moses, God was only going to
reveal that portion of His majesty and power that was humanly possible
to absorb. God communicated this plan to Moses in a way we can all
understand: "You cannot look Me full in the face [it is impossible for
you to know everything about Me], but I will allow you to see my back
[I will reveal to you a small portion of My nature so as not to
overwhelm you]."

All of this makes Jesus' words to Philip all the more amazing: "Anyone
who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). When Jesus walked
this earth, His glory veiled, we could look Him in the face. "In
Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" (Colossians
2:9). On one brief occasion, Jesus' glory was revealed in this world,
at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:2). Interestingly, Moses was there,
speaking to the glorified Lord, face to face (Matthew 17:3).

How did people know about God before the Bible?

Even though people did not have the Word of God, they were not
without the ability to receive, understand and obey God before there
was a Bible as we know it. In fact, there are many areas of the world
today where Bibles are not available, yet people still can and do know
about God. The issue is one of revelation—God's revealing to man what
He wants us to know and understand about Himself. While there has not
always been a Bible, there have always been means for man to receive
and understand God's revelation. There are two categories of
revelation, general and special.

General revelation deals with that revelation from God universally to
all mankind. The external aspect of general revelation are those
things which God must be the cause or source of. Because these things
exist, God must also exist in order to have put them into existence.
Romans 1:20 tells us "For since the creation of the world His
invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things
that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are
without excuse." So all men and women everywhere can look at the
creation and know that God exists. Psalm 19:1-4 further explains that
the creation speaks clearly of God in a language that all understand.
"There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard" (verse
3). The revelation from nature is clear. No one can excuse himself
because of ignorance. There is no alibi for the atheist, and there is
no excuse for the agnostic.

Another aspect of general revelation—that which God has revealed to
everyone—is in the existence of our conscience. This is internal.
"What may be known of God is manifest in them" (Romans 1:19). People
today, because of what they have on the inside, are conscious that God
exists. These two aspects of general revelation are clearly seen in
the countless stories of missionaries coming upon native tribes who
have never seen a Bible or heard of Jesus. Yet, when the plan of
salvation is presented to them, they know that God exists because they
see evidence of Him in nature, and they know they need a Savior
because their consciences convict them of their sin and their need of
Him.

In addition to the two parts of general revelation, there are also
methods of special revelation God uses to show mankind about Himself
and His will. Special revelation does not come to all people, but only
to certain people at a certain time. Examples from Scripture of
special revelation are the lot (Acts 1:21-26, also Proverbs 16:33);
the Urim and Thummim (a special type of lot used by the High
Priest-see Exodus 28:30, Numbers 27:21, Deuteronomy 33:8, 1 Samuel
28:6, and Ezra 2:63); dreams and visions (Genesis 20:3,6; Genesis
31:11-13, 24; Joel 2:28); Appearances of the Angel of the Lord
(Genesis 16:7-14, Exodus 3:2, 2 Samuel 24:16, Zechariah 1:12) and the
ministry of the prophets (2 Samuel 23:2, Zechariah 1:1). These
references are not an exhaustive list of every occurrence, but should
serve as good examples of this type of revelation.

The Bible as we know it is also a form of special revelation, though
it may not seem like it. It is in a category all by itself, however,
because it renders the other forms of special revelation unnecessary
for today. Even Peter, who along with John witnessed Jesus talking to
Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17; Luke 9),
declared this special experience to be inferior to the "more sure word
of prophecy, to which you would do well to take heed" (2 Peter 1:19),
by which he meant the Word of God, the Bible. That is because the
Bible is a written form of all the information God wants us to know
about Him and His plan for our lives. In fact, the Bible contains all
that is needed to be known about God in order to have a relationship
with Him.

So, before the Bible as we know it was available, God used many means
to reveal Himself and His will to mankind. It is amazing to think that
God did not use just one form, but many. It makes us thankful that God
gave us His written Word and preserved it for us today in the Bible,
so that we are not at the mercy of someone else, but can study it for
ourselves! Of course, the clearest form of revelation God used was
when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take on human form and walk
this earth among us, and die for our sins in our place on the cross.
That alone spoke volumes!

Do angels have free will?

Although the Bible mentions angels over 250 times, the references are
usually incidental to some other topic. Learning what the Bible has to
say about angels can certainly aid in an understanding of God and His
ways, but what is learned about the angels themselves must be drawn
from implicit, rather than explicit, descriptions.

Angels are spiritual beings who have personalities that include
emotions (Luke 2:13), intelligence (2 Corinthians 11:3), and wills (2
Timothy 2:26). Satan was an angel who was cast out of heaven along
with many other angels who decided to follow him and chose to sin (2
Peter 2:4). In terms of free will, the Bible reveals this was an
exercise of their ability to choose (Jude 1:6).

Some scholars believe there was a sort of "probation period" for the
angels, similar to the time when Adam and Eve were in the garden.
Those angels who did not choose to sin and follow Satan have become
the "elect" angels (1 Timothy 5:21), confirmed in holiness. These
angels are also referred to as "holy angels" (Mark 8:38) and "holy
ones" (Psalm 89:5).

Even if the elect angels are confirmed in their holiness, it doesn't
mean they have lost their free will. Certainly, every living creature
has choices to make at any given moment. The holy angels might have
the ability to sin, but that does not in any way mean that they will
sin.

To help understand this issue, we can consider the life of Christ.
Christ was "tempted in every way" (Hebrews 4:15), yet He did not sin.
Jesus had the ability to choose whatever He pleased (John 10:17-18).
However, Jesus' first priority was always to please His Father, and
that is always what He chose (John 4:34). If Christ, who was 100
percent human (as well as 100 percent divine), could live in a sinful
environment and face daily temptation, surely holy angels who live in
a purely holy environment can freely choose good over evil. The elect
angels praise God because they choose to; they obey God because that
is what they desire most to do (see Jonathan Edwards's Freedom of the
Will).

Humans have free will, but they struggle with sin because the human
nature has been corrupted by sin. This is why all humans sin (Romans
5:12) and find it much more difficult to "be good" than to "be bad."
The holy angels are without a sinful nature. They are not inclined
toward sin but rather toward righteousness, doing everything that
pleases God.

In conclusion, it doesn't actually matter whether or not holy angels
have the freedom to sin. They have a free will, but the Bible makes it
clear they will not sin. The apostle John, in describing heaven, wrote
there will be no mourning, crying, or pain there (Revelation 21:4),
and anyone who does evil will never be permitted to enter (Revelation
21:27). The angels who are part of heaven are sinless.

Do angels have wings?

The most common image of an angel is essentially a human being with
wings. This is not Biblical. The Bible often presents angels as
appearing as human beings. However, this does not indicate that angels
in their essence resemble human beings. Further, the Bible vary rarely
describes angels as having wings. However, there are definitely two
types of angels mentioned in the Bible that have wings: Cherubim
(Exodus 25:20; Ezekiel 10) and Seraphim (Isaiah 6). Cherubim and
Seraphim are two types of angels, possibly the two highest orders of
angels. So, this much is clear, some angels do have wings.

The Bible tells us that angels are spirit beings (Hebrews 1:14). The
descriptions of the Cherubim in Ezekiel chapter 10 and the Seraphim in
Isaiah chapter 6 are highly unusual. It is clear that Ezekiel and
Isaiah were having trouble accurately describing the amazing visions
they saw of Heaven and the angels. As spirit beings, it is unclear as
to why the angels would require wings. A spirit being does not need
wings in order to fly. The angels are not bound by the laws of the
physical universe. So, do angels have wings? Yes, some angels do have
wings. However, we should not limit what the angels can or cannot do
based on our limited understanding of the wings angels possess as
described in the Bible.

When did God create the angels?

Trying to determine when God created the angels is somewhat tricky
because anything God did "before the foundation of the world" puts the
event outside of time itself. Time and space are characteristics of
our world, not God's. He is not limited by hours, days and years as we
are. In fact, the Bible tells us that "with the Lord a day is like a
thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day" (2 Peter 3:8).

We do know that God created the angels before he created the physical
universe. The book of Job describes the angels worshipping God as He
was creating the world: "Where were you when I laid the earth's
foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions?
Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what
were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone - while the morning
stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4-7).

If we consider the function of angels, we might conclude that God
created the angels just prior to the creation of mankind because one
of their duties is to be "ministering spirits sent to serve those who
will inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). We also know they existed
prior to the Garden of Eden, because Satan, who was formerly the angel
Lucifer, was already present in the Garden in his fallen state.
However, because another function of angels is to worship God around
His throne (Revelation 5:11-14), they may have been in existence
millions of years—as we reckon time—before God created the world,
worshipping Him and serving Him.

So, although the Bible does not specifically say when God created the
angels, it was sometime before the world was created. Whether this was
a day before, or billions of years before—again, as we reckon time—we
cannot be sure.