What does the Bible say about birth control? Should Christians use birth control?

Modern birth control methods were unknown in Bible times, and the
Bible is, therefore, silent on the matter. The Bible does have quite a
lot to say about children, however. The Bible presents children as a
gift from God (Genesis 4:1; Genesis 33:5), a heritage from the Lord
(Psalm 127:3-5), a blessing from God (Luke 1:42), and a crown to the
aged (Proverbs 17:6). God sometimes blesses barren women with children
(Psalm 113:9; Genesis 21:1-3; 25:21-22; 30:1-2; 1 Samuel 1:6-8; Luke
1:7, 24-25). God forms children in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16). God
knows children before their birth (Jeremiah 1:5; Galatians 1:15).

The closest that Scripture comes to condemning birth control is
Genesis chapter 38, the account of Judah's sons Er and Onan. Er
married a woman named Tamar, but he was wicked and the Lord put him to
death, leaving Tamar with no husband or children. Tamar was given in
marriage to Er's brother, Onan, in accordance with the law of levirate
marriage in Deuteronomy 25:5-6. Onan did not want to split his
inheritance with any child that he might produce on his brother's
behalf, so he practiced the oldest form of birth control, withdrawal.
Genesis 38:10 says, "What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so He
put him to death also." Onan's motivation was selfish; he used Tamar
for his own pleasure, but refused to perform his legal duty of
creating an heir for his deceased brother. This passage is often used
as evidence that God does not approve of birth control. However, it
was not the act of contraception that caused the Lord to put Onan to
death; it was Onan's selfish motives behind the action. Therefore, we
can find no biblical admonition against the use of birth control in
and of itself.

Contraception, by definition, is merely the opposite of conception. It
is not the use of contraception that is wrong or right. As we learned
from Onan, it is the motivation behind the contraception that
determines if it is right or wrong. Married couples use contraception
for a variety of reasons. Some feel called to put off childbearing
until they are in a better position to care for children. Some, such
as missionary couples, may feel their service to God overrides the
desire for children at a particular point in time. Some may be
convinced that God has a different plan for them. Ultimately, a
couple's motives for delaying childbearing, using contraception, or
even having numerous children, are between them and God.

The inability to have children when they are desired is always
presented in Scripture as a bad thing, especially considering the
cultural stigma attached to childlessness at that time. There is no
one in the Bible who expressed a desire not to have any children. At
the same time, it cannot be argued from the Bible that it is wrong to
use birth control for a limited time, or even permanently, for that
matter. All married couples should seek the Lord's will in regards to
when they should try to have children and how many children they seek
to have.

It all comes down to this: no one has the right to determine whether
someone else should or should not use birth control, how many children
is the "right" number for them, or whether they should have children
at all. As in all things, we are not to judge others or cause brothers
and sisters in Christ to stumble, spiritually speaking.

Note - the principles outlined in this article apply equally,
generally speaking, to the various methods of birth control, including
using a condom / condoms, diaphragm / diaphragms, spermicide /
spermicides, contraceptives, intrauterine devices, IUD, or coitus
interruptus.

THINGS GOD HATES

We in the church have failed to remind this generation that while God
is love, He also has the capacity to hate. He hates sin, and He will
judge it with the fierceness of His wrath. This generation is schooled
in the teaching about an indulgent, soft-hearted God whose judgments
are uncertain and who coddles those who break His commandments. This
generation finds it difficult to believe that God hates sin.

I tell you that God hates sin just as a father hates a rattlesnake
that threatens the safety and life of his child. God loathes evil and
diabolic forces that would pull people down to a godless eternity just
as a mother hates a venomous spider that is found playing on the soft,
warm flesh of her little baby.

It is His love for man, His compassion for the human race, that
prompts God to hate sin with such a vengeance. He gave Heaven's finest
that we might have the best; and He loathes with a holy abhorrence
anything that would hinder our being reconciled to Him.

What Does God Hate?

What does God hate, you ask? Solomon answers the question in the Book
of Proverbs. We read: "These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are
an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed
innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift
in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows
discord among brethren" (Proverbs 6:16-19).

First, God hates a proud look. The Bible says, "Pride goes before
destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). It
says, "those who walk in pride He is able to put down" (Daniel 4:37).
And again the Bible says, "Behold, I am against you, O most haughty
one!" (Jeremiah 50:31).

In almost every instance in the Bible, as well as in life, pride is
associated with failure, not success. We hear a great deal about the
inferiority complex, but the superiority complex of pride is seldom
spoken of. Pride caused the fall of Lucifer, and he became Satan, the
devil.

Pride keeps thousands away from Christ today. What will my friends
say? What will my family think? Will my reputation be affected if I
become a Christian?

Jesus said, "And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who
humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). The entrance to the
Kingdom of Heaven is gained through your coming in humility.

The greatest act of humility in the history of the universe was when
Jesus Christ stooped to die on the cross of Calvary. And before anyone
can get to Heaven, they must kneel at the foot of the cross and
acknowledge that they are a sinner, that they have broken the
commandments of God and that they need the grace of God in Christ. No
one can come proudly to the Savior.

Second, the Bible says that God hates a lying tongue. Where did we
learn to lie? Isn't it strange that children lie instinctively without
being taught? The flagrant sins of fraud, embezzlement, slander, libel
and breach of promise are the products of a lying heart.

Where did this blighting deceit come from? Jesus gave us the answer
when He said to those who spoke a lie in His day, "You are of your
father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do" (John
8:44). Human nature was warped and twisted in the fall of Adam. But
Jesus Christ, who is the truth, came saying, "Ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).

Third, the Bible says that God hates hands that shed innocent blood.
The sixth commandment says, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13).
Psychologists tell us that the seed of murder lurks in the heart of
the most respected person.

The Bible says, "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know
that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15).
Murder can be committed in many ways. You can murder your wife, your
children and your friends by the poisonous venom of hatred and
bitterness.

Not all murderers are behind bars. It so happens that only those who
kill the body are punished by the law; but many who are free are just
as guilty of destroying the lives, the personalities and the souls of
others. The Bible says that you can strike someone with your tongue
(Jeremiah 18:18). You can ruin another person's reputation. God holds
such people accountable for murder.

Fourth, the Bible says that God hates a heart that devises evil
imaginations. Thought is sown in the mind before it is reaped in the
field of action. The law judges sin according to the act, but God
judges us according to the evil of our hearts. "Whoever looks at a
woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his
heart," said Jesus (Matthew 5:28).

We are living in a day when men and women's imaginations are evil in
the sight of God. The Bible says that He hates this. No person with an
evil imagination can inherit the Kingdom of God. God hates evil
imaginations. They lead to habits, habits lead to bondage, and bondage
leads to death: "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

Fifth, the Bible says that God hates feet that are swift in running to
mischief. Evil thoughts and imagination, if nourished and fed, will
eventually lead to sinful actions. There are people in every community
who openly and flagrantly violate God's law. They boast that they are
not hypocrites, and they make no pretense of being good. But this does
not excuse them for their wickedness.

Sixth, the Bible says that God hates a man or woman who sows discord
among brethren. We seldom hear the slanderer, the libeler or the
malicious gossip denounced. We have come to think that it is a
harmless thing to sow discord in the office, the shop, the church or
the home; but the Bible says that God hates discord and strongly
denounces those who sow strife.

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put
away from you, with all malice," says the Bible (Ephesians 4:31). And
the Bible says, "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does
not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion
is useless" (James 1:26).

What Can We Do?

"What can we do about these dreadful traits that are in our hearts?"
you ask. There is little that you can do, but there is something God
has done. The secret is found in the words of the Apostle Paul: "Do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind" (Romans 12:2). Jesus Christ, if received into your life,
can make your tongue so that it will speak only that which is good.
Jesus Christ can come into your heart and transform you, change your
nature, until you'll love instead of hate. Gossiping, slandering and
maligning will no longer provide pleasure.

How can this be? I'll tell you. Christ, through His triumphant death
on the cross, purchased for you a new lease on life. "I have come that
they might have life," He said (John 10:10). The Bible says, "If we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). This is not just
a theological theory; it actually works. It has worked in my own life.
What is more, it will work for you. We have seen thousands of people
whose lives have been transformed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ (see Romans 1:16). The same power of Christ can transform your
life.

You say, "But Gabriel, I'm guilty of all the things you have mentioned
today." Yes; the Bible says, "all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

But no matter how guilty you may be (you may have broken every one of
the commandments), God can forgive you today because Jesus Christ died
on the cross for your sins. Yes, God hates the evil of your heart, but
He loves you. Just as a parent despises the bad behavior of their
child but still loves the child, God loathes the forces that would
cause you to be lost, but He loves you with an infinite love.

However, this matter of salvation is not thrust upon you; it is a
gift, and it must be duly and properly received. Here is the promise
on which you may put your whole trust: "But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who
believe in His name" (John 1:12).

At this moment you can receive Christ. He will forgive every sin that
you have ever committed and give you new strength, new power over the
temptations of life. But first you must renounce your sins, confess
them and receive Christ into your heart. Will you do that right now?
You can at this moment, and He will change your life.

Is listening to Christian heavy metal music wrong?

There are many people who enjoy heavy metal music that Christian metal
bands produce. There is nothing inherently wrong with any music
produced by committed Christians who desire to communicate biblical
truth—Christian heavy metal music deals with the dark themes of death,
pain, and spiritual warfare from a Christian perspective.

While there are some who feel that the heavy, rhythmic bass, frenetic
percussion, and high decibel levels of metal music have a negative
effect on a person's spiritual self, that is a controversial view
without evidence. Unless the lyrics celebrate sin, the music itself is
not sinful. This applies to Christian heavy metal music as well as to
country, jazz, rap, pop, reggae, bluegrass, etc.

The problem with Christian heavy metal music is sometimes one of
association. In the hands of the unsaved world, heavy metal almost
always embraces death and pain and suicide and drugs and anger (metal
is very rarely "happy music"). Believers have to be careful not to get
sucked into the culture of nihilism and antisocialism that metal
usually promotes. While it is true that pain and death are a part of
life, the key to overcoming those things is not anger or suicide or
revenge. The answer is the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16). There
is nothing in the Bible that praises or glorifies death in the least,
so neither should our music. Lyrics that violate biblical guidelines
or celebrate or exalt sinful conduct are not appropriate for
Christians.

With any kind of music, including Christian heavy metal, we must ask,
"Is the music glorifying Christ, or does it glorify anger, lust,
demonism, or some other sinful thing?" The style of the music is
really irrelevant. It's what the music communicates to our hearts and
minds that matters, either through lyrics or even through the notes
and instruments themselves. No style of music is actually "wrong";
it's what the musicians do with the music that makes it either "right"
or "wrong."

Regardless of the genre of music one listens to, the believer is to
exalt Christ. Philippians 4:8 gives us the description of what should
be on our minds: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." If
heavy metal produced by Christian musicians falls under this
description, then whether or not you listen to it is simply a matter
of musical taste.

What is the Great White Throne Judgment?

The great white throne judgment is described in Revelation 20:11-15
and is the final judgment prior to the lost being cast into the lake
of fire. We know from Revelation 20:7-15 that this judgment will take
place after the millennium and after Satan, the beast, and the false
prophet are thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). The
books that are opened (Revelation 20:12) contain records of everyone's
deeds, whether they are good or evil, because God knows everything
that has ever been said, done, or even thought, and He will reward or
punish each one accordingly (Psalm 28:4; 62:12; Romans 2:6; Revelation
2:23; 18:6; 22:12).

Also at this time, another book is opened, called the "book of life"
(Revelation 20:12). It is this book that determines whether a person
will inherit eternal life with God or receive everlasting punishment
in the lake of fire. Although Christians are held accountable for
their actions, they are forgiven in Christ and their names were
written in the "book of life from the creation of the world"
(Revelation 17:8). We also know from Scripture that it is at this
judgment when the dead will be "judged according to what they had
done" (Revelation 20:12) and that "anyone's name" that is not "found
written in the book of life" will be "thrown into the lake of fire"
(Revelation 20:15).

The fact that there is going to be a final judgment for all men, both
believers and unbelievers, is clearly confirmed in many passages of
Scripture. Every person will one day stand before Christ and be judged
for his or her deeds. While it is very clear that the great white
throne judgment is the final judgment, Christians disagree on how it
relates to the other judgments mentioned in the Bible, specifically,
who will be judged at the great white throne judgment.

Some Christians believe that the Scriptures reveal three different
judgments to come. The first is the judgment of the sheep and the
goats or a judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-36). This takes
place after the tribulation period but prior to the millennium; its
purpose is to determine who will enter the millennial kingdom. The
second is a judgment of believers' works, often referred to as the
"judgment seat [bema] of Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:10). At this
judgment, Christians will receive degrees of reward for their works or
service to God. The third is the great white throne judgment at the
end of the millennium (Revelation 20:11-15). This is the judgment of
unbelievers in which they are judged according to their works and
sentenced to everlasting punishment in the lake of fire.

Other Christians believe that all three of these judgments speak of
the same final judgment, not of three separate judgments. In other
words, the great white throne judgment in Revelation 20:11-15 will be
the time that believers and unbelievers alike are judged. Those whose
names are found in the book of life will be judged for their deeds in
order to determine the rewards they will receive or lose. Those whose
names are not in the book of life will be judged according to their
deeds to determine the degree of punishment they will receive in the
lake of fire. Those who hold this view believe that Matthew 25:31-46
is another description of what takes place at the great white throne
judgment. They point to the fact that the result of this judgment is
the same as what is seen after the great white throne judgment in
Revelation 20:11-15. The sheep (believers) enter into eternal life,
while the goats (unbelievers) are cast into "eternal punishment"
(Matthew 25:46).

Whichever view one holds of the great white throne judgment, it is
important to never lose sight of the facts concerning the coming
judgment(s). First, Jesus Christ will be the judge, all unbelievers
will be judged by Christ, and they will be punished according to the
works they have done. The Bible is very clear that unbelievers are
storing up wrath against themselves (Romans 2:5) and that God will
"give to each person according to what he has done" (Romans 2:6).
Believers will also be judged by Christ, but since Christ's
righteousness has been imputed to us and our names are written in the
book of life, we will be rewarded, but not punished, according to our
deeds. Romans 14:10-12 says that we will all stand before the judgment
seat of Christ and that each one of us will give an account to God.

WHEN YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY TROUBLES

BUT YOU, LORD, ARE A SHIELD AROUND ME, MY GLORY, THE ONE WHO LIFTS MY
HEAD HIGH. PSALM 3:3 (NIV)

Troubles seem to come in waves in our lives. There
are periods of relative calm and then suddenly
problems are all around.

King David certain understood this feeling when he wrote the third
Psalm. There he recounts how he feels at a low point in his life. He
says that many are wishing him harm and still more speak wishfully of
his destruction. He is, in effect, facing troubles and problems on
every side.

The third verse is the pivot point in the Psalm. There he says that
despite all this, God is there for him and goes on to describe how God
helps him during this difficult time. We too can learn from David's
time of trouble.

• WHEN TROUBLED REMEMBER GOD IS YOUR SHIELD

David first tells us that God is a shield. He understands that God is
protecting him and that the Lord can save him from anything…even waves
of troubles.

The word used here for shield has two meanings. The first refers to a
traditional shield and reminds us that God will protect us from the
arrows and attacks of the troubles we face. He will absorb the damage
and deflect the blows. He will put Himself between us and harm and
stop the onslaught before it reaches us. We may feel the force of the
impact on the other side of the shield but we will suffer no harm
because He is our great and mighty defender.

The same word also can be used to refer to the armor-like skin of a
crocodile and perhaps God is using this specific word to say that,
beyond protecting us, He will also thicken our skin. He will help us
endure and ultimately shrug off the taunts of the enemy and the many
flaming worries he would cast over the fence into our lives.

• WHEN TROUBLED REMEMBER GOD IS YOUR GLORY

David goes one to say that God is also his glory. Your glory is both
that which you depend upon and that about which you boast. It's your
desire, fuel, and banner.

Many try to find their glory in wealth, beauty, pleasure, or the
esteem of others. All these fail miserably over time and being to
tarnish even as they are achieved. They go from being someone's great
glory to being their great regret. In the end these things are
actually not glorious at all.

God, however, is your all-in-all. He will never leave you and He
cannot fail you. He is your sustenance and the great boast of your
life that you will never regret.

• WHEN TROUBLED REMEMBER GOD IS THE LIFTER OF YOUR HEAD

Lastly David reminds us that God is the lifter of our heads. The Lord
is the one that comes to us no matter how downcast and defeated we may
feel and helps us to look up once again.

People bow their heads for all sorts of different reasons. Some look
down because of shame; some because of fatigue; others due to a lack
of desire to look ahead at what they face. Our wonderful God fixes all
these ailments and more.

He gives grace to the guilty, strength to the weary, and hope to the
hopeless. He is the one that can lift any head no matter the cause.

• WHEN FACED WITH TROUBLES

When faced with troubles look to your great Savior and lean on Him. He
will defend you. He will sustain you. He will give you a great hope
and future.

WHEN THE PATH AHEAD IS UNCLEAR

There are times in your life when you just know exactly what's going
on. You have the strong sense that you're in the perfect will of God
and you just know it. There are other seasons that come into our
lives, however, that aren't as fun. It's in these seasons that is
often hard to tell what God is doing in your life.  These cloudy times
challenge us all, no matter how long we have been walking with God.

I've learned over the years that during these times it's important to
do three critical things.

REMEMBER WHAT YOU KNOW

First, never question in the darkness  what you saw clearly in the
light. What I mean by that is that in times of cloudiness or darkness
we are tempted to question those things that we would never question
when we were seeing clearly.

It's vital that you remember what is true when you're thinking clearly
and seeing clearly and hearing clearly so that when the cloudy times
come, and it's dark and confusing, you will confidently know what is
true, and what is false.

LOOK FOR GOD'S BEACON OF LIGHT

God will never leave you completely in the dark. He gives us the sun
during the day but he also gives us the moon at night and, if nothing
else, he gives us the stars.

Our navigation point should always be Jesus and I don't care how dim
things may seem — I don't care how dark things may appear — if you
look up into the sky and earnestly search, I guarantee you, no matter
what season you are in, you will see at least one faint star, your
Lord Jesus Christ.

Your eyes may have to adjust to the darkness; you may have to scan the
horizon and search the skies; but there will be some light somewhere
because the light of Jesus Christ can never be completely crowded out
of your life.

To be sure, the enemy will send clouds, heavy dark clouds, your way.
But, he cannot extinguish the light above and that light will break
through. Sometimes it breaks through only in small pockets; sometimes
it breaks through in bold breathtaking ways, but it always breaks
through and the enemy will never be able extinguish or overcome the
light.

The enemy will try to distract you. He will try to confuse you. He
will try to flood your channels of communication with static. However,
he simple cannot sever the line between you and Christ. He cannot
break the relationship between you and Jesus. He may strain the
connection but he cannot cause a disconnection under any
circumstances.

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.  Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

DARE TO HOPE AGAIN

When the path ahead is dim and you don't know what to do, you will be
tempted to move into some sort of survival mode. You'll want to play
it safe and not stray far from where you're currently standing. This
will even work for a short period of time but, if you stay in this
mode, you will eventually start to lose hope of any ever changing.
And, when you lose hope you've lost the ball game.

The Bible says that Jesus is our "living hope"  and that means, among
other things, that as long as he is involved there is hope. Therefore,
we should not lose hope even if we can't see a way forward. Remember,
all things are possible with God.

Please understand that the real task at hand for you is not always
having to know the way forward. There are going to be many times when
you just can't see a clear path ahead and that's okay. You're not God.
You're not supposed to always know everything. In fact you'll drive
yourself crazy trying to figure everything out all the time.

No, the real task at hand, the real challenge before you, is to keep
hoping. You must keep your hope in God and his abilities alive. That's
where you should be spending your energies when the way ahead is dark
and foggy.

Do whatever you have to do but keep hoping and keep believing and keep
trusting your God. He is all-knowing; he is all powerful; and he will
come and redeem you. He will rescue you. He will even resurrect you if
necessary. But, you must keep hope in him alive in you. He will not
disappoint that hope and faith in him.

The Golden Rule - Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

The "Golden Rule" is the name given to a principle Jesus taught in His
Sermon on the Mount. The actual words "Golden Rule" are not found in
Scripture, just as the words "Sermon on the Mount" are also not found.
These titles were later added by Bible translation teams in order to
make Bible study a little easier. The phrase "Golden Rule" began to be
ascribed to this Jesus' teaching during the 16th–17th centuries.

What we call the Golden Rule refers to Matthew 7:12: "So in
everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this
sums up the Law and the Prophets." Jesus knew the human heart and its
selfishness. In fact, in the preceding verse, He describes human
beings as innately "evil" (verse 11). Jesus' Golden Rule gives us a
standard by which naturally selfish people can gauge their actions:
actively treat others the way they themselves like to be treated.

The English Standard Version translates the Golden Rule like this:
"Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for
this is the Law and the Prophets." Jesus brilliantly condenses the
entire Old Testament into this single principle, taken from Leviticus
19:18: "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your
people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." Again, we
see the implication that people are naturally lovers of self, and the
command uses that human flaw as a place to start in how to treat
others.

People universally demand respect, love, and appreciation, whether
they deserve it or not. Jesus understood this desire and used it to
promote godly behavior. Do you want to be shown respect? Then respect
others. Do you crave a kind word? Then speak words of kindness to
others. "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). The
Golden Rule is also part of the second greatest commandment, preceded
only by the command to love God Himself (Matthew 22:37–39).

What is interesting to note about the Golden Rule is that no other
religious or philosophical system has its equal. Jesus' Golden Rule is
not the "ethic of reciprocity" so commonly espoused by non-Christian
moralists. Frequently, liberal critics and secular humanists attempt
to explain away the uniqueness of the Golden Rule, saying it is a
common ethic shared by all religions. This is not the case. Jesus'
command has a subtle, but very important, difference. A quick survey
of the sayings of Eastern religions will make this plain:

• Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do
to you" (Analects 15:23)
• Hindusim: "This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would
cause pain if done to you" (Mahabharata 5:1517)
• Buddhism: "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find
hurtful" (Udanavarga 5:18)

These sayings are similar to the Golden Rule but are stated negatively
and rely on passivity. Jesus' Golden Rule is a positive command to
show love proactively. The Eastern religions say, "Refrain from
doing"; Jesus says, "Do!" The Eastern religions say it is enough to
hold your negative behavior in check; Jesus says to look for ways to
act positively. Because of the "inverted" nature of the non-Christian
sayings, they have been described as the "silver rule."

Some have accused Jesus of "borrowing" the idea of the Golden Rule
from the Eastern religions. However, the texts for Confucianism,
Hinduism, and Buddhism, cited above, were all written between 500 and
400 BC, at the earliest. Jesus takes the Golden Rule from Leviticus,
written about 1450 BC. So, Jesus' source for the Golden Rule predates
the "silver rule" by about 1,000 years. Who "borrowed" from whom?

The command to love is what separates the Christian ethic from every
other religion's ethic. In fact, the Bible's championing of love
includes the radical command to love even one's enemies (Matthew
5:43–44; cf. Exodus 23:4–5). This is unheard of in other religions.

Obeying the Christian imperative to love others is a mark of a true
Christian (John 13:35). In fact, Christians cannot claim to love God
if they don't actively love other people as well. "If someone says, 'I
love God' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does
not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not
seen" (1 John 4:20). The Golden Rule encapsulates this idea and is
unique to the Judeo-Christian Scriptures.

Spreading rumors?

A rumor is an unconfirmed, widely spread story or statement. Rumors
may or may not contain elements of truth, but their veracity is
anyone's guess—rumors carry no factual certainty. Rumors are also
known as gossip, and the Bible has a lot to say about that.

Scripture warns against spreading rumors and those who engage in
gossip. Proverbs 20:19 says, "A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid
anyone who talks too much." Words are powerful. They can build up or
destroy (Proverbs 18:21). James 3:2–12 instructs us to control our
words, stating in verse 5: "Consider what a great forest is set on
fire by a small spark." Spreading "harmless" rumors, then, can cause
great destruction. God desires that we use our words to praise Him
(Psalm 34:1), to speak wisdom (Proverbs 10:13), and to encourage and
edify each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ephesians 4:29).

The Bible often includes gossip in lists of specific evils (e.g., 2
Corinthians 12:20; Romans 1:29). Spreading rumors is so repulsive in
the Lord's sight that He made a prohibition against it in the Law He
gave to the Israelites (Leviticus 19:16). First Timothy 5:13 sternly
warns against using idle time to spread slander. And Proverbs 17:4
implies that those who eagerly listen to gossip have low character.

So why do we enjoy the rumor mill? Proverbs 26:22 gives one reason:
"The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the
inmost parts." There is a delicious thrill in hearing scandalous
information about someone we know or wish we knew. Jealousy is often
the root of spreading rumors. When we learn "the real reason" someone
did something, we can alter our opinion of him or her and make
ourselves feel better by comparison. We rarely hear rumors that exalt
someone's reputation. We don't hear rumors that someone's son worked
hard to make the honor roll again, a friend's spouse is kind and
devoted, or that the Joneses saved for ten years to take that luxury
cruise. That kind of information is not a "choice morsel." Instead, we
perk up when we hear that someone's son cheated his way onto the honor
roll, that a friend's spouse only pretends to be kind and devoted
because he is having an affair, or that the Joneses blew their
retirement to take that luxury cruise. Those kinds of tidbits let us
compare ourselves favorably with the ones gossiped about, and we feel
more satisfied with our own lives.

In Christian circles, spreading rumors has an ally in the guise of the
"prayer chain." Prayer chains are ways that local churches inform
other members of prayer needs within that body. They can be useful if
the information shared is general knowledge and those informed will
truly pray. However, many times prayer chains become excuses for
speculation and rumor as the story grows with each telling. A prayer
chain can become a real-life example of the party game "Telephone,"
with the last person on the prayer chain receiving information that
bears little resemblance to the original request. When this happens,
it is nothing more than spreading rumors and can be destructive to
individuals and churches.

Proverbs 26:20 gives us the antidote for spreading rumors: "Without
wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down." We cannot
stop all rumors, but we can refuse to participate in them. We can
break the "telephone" chain and refuse to pass it on. When we hear
slanderous news, we should go to the source and check it out. If we
are not part of the solution, and the person we are telling is not
part of the solution, then the news is not ours to propagate. Our
sinful natures enjoy possessing a juicy morsel of information that
would gain us attention in the telling. But when we are willing to
recognize the selfishness of that desire, we can repent of it and
dedicate our mouths to the glory of God (Psalm 19:14).

Is it better, spiritually, to be poor than to be rich?

How does one's financial status affect one's spiritual status? Or is
there any effect at all? Which is better, to be poor or rich? This
topic has long been debated within the church. Israel was promised
freedom from poverty if the people followed God's laws (Deuteronomy
15:4). Yet Jesus taught that the poor are blessed (Luke 6:20).

The apostle Paul addressed the issue of wealth in 1 Timothy 6:8–10:
"If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who
want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish
and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager
for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with
many griefs." Having money is not wrong, but loving money is. The
abundance of money or the lack of money is less important than our
spiritual condition.

In Jewish culture, poverty and even disability were often seen as the
result of someone's personal sin. In John 9:1–2, the disciples of
Jesus asked, "'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was
born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus,
'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in
him.'" While human nature often attributes poverty or other weaknesses
to something wrong a person has done, God can and does use such
circumstances to work His perfect plan.

The account of the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17–22 shows how riches
can be a spiritual stumbling block. Jesus told the young man to sell
his possessions, give the money to the poor, and then follow Jesus.
The man walked away sad because he was a man of much wealth. In this
case, the man's wealth was a negative since it kept him from following
Christ. He loved his money more than he loved Jesus.

While many of the psalms and proverbs speak matter-of-factly regarding
the benefits of wealth and struggles of poverty, the Bible is clear
that both poverty and wealth can be the will of God and a blessing
from God. Jesus lived in relative poverty; Solomon was blessed with
significant wealth. King David had a humble beginning and a wealthy
ending. The apostles followed Christ to persecution and martyrdom;
they were not regarded as wealthy, but they used all they had to share
Christ with others (Luke 18:28). "Rich and poor have this in common:
The LORD is the Maker of them all" (Proverbs 22:2).

The human perspective sees wealth as a blessing and poverty as a
curse. God's plan is much greater and uses both wealth and poverty to
accomplish His will. We are to avoid the temptation to see wealth as
God's only blessing and instead be content in any and every
circumstance, knowing that God's blessings are not defined by our
possessions in this world but are found in their fullness in a kingdom
not of this world.

Sex, The Christian Single Man and the Seductive Woman

In Gen. 39, we have a Christian single man, Joseph. The Bible says in
Gen 39:6 Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.   Potiphar was
Joseph's boss and God had given Joseph awesome favor with his boss.
Potiphar's wife had also noticed Joseph in particular his looks and
body.  The Bible says in Gen.39:7 that she cast longing eyes on
Joseph.  Whenever she see Joseph she would allow her eyes to gaze on
his physique.  Everything she found physically appealing about a man
she found in Joseph and day after day she observed this until finally
her observation created a lustful desire to have sex with him and
commit adultery.  The first time she approached Joseph, he explained
to her that he could not do that and he gave two reasons.  The first
reason was he could not betray his boss's confidence.  I think he
thought that if he said that to her, her loyalty to her husband would
cause her to realize what she wanted to do would not be right.  But
her gazing on Joseph's physical appeal had created a lust that over
powered any loyalty and commitment she had to her husband.  The other
reason he gave her that I believe controlled Joseph's decision to not
succumb to her appeal for a sexual encounter is his God would view it
as wickedness.  Joseph had a love for God that would not permit him to
engage in evil and this love was developed to the point that it
controlled his actions

Potiphar's wife however was an extremely lustful and determined woman
and she had fed her lust by a continual gaze on the object of her lust
Joseph and so one no from Joseph did not stop her.  She wanted him
desperately and so she continued to pursue him day after day, after
day.  He continued to turn her down and that made her want him more.

One day she found Joseph in an unguarded and unprotected situation.
Gen. 39: 11-12 says:  "But it happened about this time, when Joseph
went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house
was inside,  12.  that she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie
with me.''  Filled with burning passion and desire for this single man
she took full advantage of the fact that he had permitted himself to
be alone with her and she grabbed him asking once again for him to
have sex with her.  Joseph recognized that reasoning with this woman
and telling her no was not going to work in this situation.  They had
made body to body contact and he knew the only way out of this
situation so he did not succumb to her pass was to run.  Joseph was a
strong man and he loved Jesus, but he knew his limitations.  Her out
of control flesh was passionately pressing against his body crying out
for sex and to keep from giving in he ran.  Being not only a lustful
and seductive woman, she was also vindictive and realized that if she
could not have him, she was going to make him pay.  So she falsely
accused him of raping her and had him thrown in jail.    Joseph
suffered immensely for saying no, but he knew there was suffering
greater than being in prison falsely accused and that was sinning
against almighty God by committing adultery.  Once again this action
proved Joseph hated sin and loved righteousness.

Let us now dissect from this story the relevancy for today's single adult.

v     Prolonged gazing at physical attributes of attractive men or
women can create lustful desires.  I did not say you could not
appreciate the beauty or physique God has blessed a person with.  I do
it.  But to gaze on it for prolonged periods of time is deadly.

v     You can not reason with a seductive women.  You cannot engage in
what you believe are platonic friendships with seductive women.  Don't
fool yourself into believing you can handle her.  Her motivation and
her determined will is to lead you into sexual immorality.  She may
just want you for sex, but she may also want you for money, power,
control or destruction.

v     Wisdom dictates that a man or woman should never permit
themselves to be in situations where they are alone with the opposite
spouse of a person who has an obvious lustful attraction to you.  More
well-meaning Christians have fallen into sexual sin because of this.
The reason Potiphar's wife was able to come on to Joseph so strong and
have flesh to flesh contact was because Joseph permitted himself to be
in a situation where he was alone with her.  She was probably waiting
for this moment and had planned what she would do when it happen.  She
knew if she could get Joseph to feel her passionate flesh pressing
against his she could have him.  Joseph knew that his will power was
no match for her passionate flesh and Joseph ran.  When you have
intimate contact with someone of the opposite sex and it is obvious
that sexual stimulation is occurring in one or both people, that is
not the time to pray, take authority over the devil or speak the Word,
the only way to win out over that temptation is to run!  Joseph had to
do it to remain sexually pure and so will you.  The best way to
prevent yourself from having this situation to address is not to put
yourself in the situation to begin with.

I have established a ground rule.  I will not permit myself to spend
excessive time alone with women.  You may be asking why, don't you
trust yourself ?  And my response to you is the scripture admonishes
us to give no place to the devil and shun the very appearance of evil.
Keeping company with the opposite sex for prolonged periods of time in
your home alone has the potential of opening the door for the devil
(Ephesians 4:27) and giving the appearance of evil.  (1 Thessalonians
5:22)  Your desire to want to obey these admonishments has a lot to do
with the love you have for the Lord, because if you love Him you will
keep his commandments.

What happens to those who have never heard about Jesus?

All people are accountable to God whether or not they have "heard
about Him." The Bible tells us that God has clearly revealed Himself
in nature (Romans 1:20) and in the hearts of people (Ecclesiastes
3:11). The problem is that the human race is sinful; we all reject
this knowledge of God and rebel against Him (Romans 1:21-23). If it
were not for God's grace, we would be given over to the sinful desires
of our hearts, allowing us to discover how useless and miserable life
is apart from Him. He does this for those who continually reject Him
(Romans 1:24-32).

In reality, it is not that some people have not heard about God.
Rather, the problem is that they have rejected what they have heard
and what is readily seen in nature. Deuteronomy 4:29 proclaims, "But
if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you
look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." This verse
teaches an important principle—everyone who truly seeks after God will
find Him. If a person truly desires to know God, God will make Himself
known.

The problem is "there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God"
(Romans 3:11). People reject the knowledge of God that is present in
nature and in their own hearts, and instead decide to worship a "god"
of their own creation. It is foolish to debate the fairness of God
sending someone to hell who never had the opportunity to hear the
gospel of Christ. People are responsible to God for what God has
already revealed to them. The Bible says that people reject this
knowledge, and therefore God is just in condemning them to hell.

Instead of debating the fate of those who have never heard, we, as
Christians, should be doing our best to make sure they do hear. We are
called to spread the gospel throughout the nations (Matthew 28:19-20;
Acts 1:8). We know people reject the knowledge of God revealed in
nature, and that must motivate us to proclaim the good news of
salvation through Jesus Christ. Only by accepting God's grace through
the Lord Jesus Christ can people be saved from their sins and rescued
from an eternity apart from God.

If we assume that those who never hear the gospel are granted mercy
from God, we will run into a terrible problem. If people who never
hear the gospel are saved, it is logical that we should make sure no
one ever hears the gospel. The worst thing we could do would be to
share the gospel with a person and have him or her reject it. If that
were to happen, he or she would be condemned. People who do not hear
the gospel must be condemned, or else there is no motivation for
evangelism. Why run the risk of people possibly rejecting the gospel
and condemning themselves when they were previously saved because they
had never heard the gospel?

Why don’t Christians fast the same as Muslims?

Both Muslims and Christians fast, but their purposes for fasting
differ. In order to keep one of the Five Pillars, a Muslim is
obligated to fast during Ramadan.

The Bible teaches that fasting merits neither God's favor nor a place
in paradise. Christians may fast for one of the following reasons:

• To demonstrate their satisfaction in God (Matthew 4:4)
• To humble themselves before God (Daniel 9:3)
• To request God's help (2 Samuel 12:16; Esther 4:16; Ezra 8:23)
• To seek God's will (Acts 13:2-3)
• To turn from sin (Jonah 3:5-10)
• To worship God without distractions (Luke 2:36-38)

Jesus fasted
At the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, before His great miracles
and teaching, He fasted forty days. Afterwards, the devil tested Jesus
while He was weak with hunger: "And after fasting forty days and forty
nights, he was hungry. . . . Again, the Devil took Him up into a very
high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their
glory. And he said to Him, 'All these things I will give You if You
will fall down and worship me.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go, Satan!
For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only
you shall serve."' Then the Devil left him. And behold, angels came
and ministered to Him" (Matthew 4:2, 8-11).

Although Satan tempted Jesus to sin, Jesus remained perfect, unlike
all other human beings in history.

Jesus' warning against prideful fasting
The religious leaders of Jesus' day prided themselves in fasting twice
a week, but Jesus challenged their sincerity.

• Don't fast to appear religious before men
"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they
disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly,
I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen
by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who
sees in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:16-18).

• Don't fast to earn forgiveness of sin

(A Pharisee is one who belonged to a religious, fundamental sect of the Jews.)

"The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you
that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or
even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of
all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not
even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be
merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house
justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will
be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke
18:11-14). Jesus taught that we cannot earn entrance to paradise
through fasting. Our sin renders even our best religious deeds
unworthy (Isaiah 64:6).

Jesus' transformation of fasting
Jesus taught that following God's will brings more satisfaction than
eating: ". . . His disciples were asking Him, saying, 'Master, eat.'
But He said to them, 'I have food to eat which you do not know.'
Therefore the disciples said to one another, 'No one brought Him
anything to eat?' Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of
Him who sent Me and to finish His work'" (John 4:31-34).

What is God's will? "And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life.
He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes on Me shall
never thirst. But I said to you that you also have seen Me and do not
believe. All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one
who comes to Me I will in no way cast out. For I came down from
Heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me. And
this is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all which He has
given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the
last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who
sees the Son and believes on Him should have everlasting life. And I
will raise him up at the last day'" (John 6:35-40).

Just as we will die if we don't eat bread, we will die (i.e., be
separated from God eternally in hell) if we don't receive Jesus, the
Bread of Life. Because He came "down from heaven," born of a virgin,
Jesus called God His Father. Jesus proved by His perfect life, death,
and resurrection that He is divine, the Son of God. Jesus fulfilled
His Father's will: saving believing sinners by taking their punishment
for sin on the cross. By raising Jesus from the dead, God showed that
He accepted Christ's sacrifice.

How do you receive the Bread of Life? You must turn from sin and trust
in the Lord Jesus' death and resurrection to save you—not your own
goodness through works such as fasting.

After saving you from sin, the Lord will give you the desire and
strength to glorify God through good works—even fasting: "But now,
being made free from sin, and having become slaves to God, you have
your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of
sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord" (Romans 6:22-23).

A personal testimony of fasting
A wise man, who spent years of his life serving Muslims in the Middle
East, shares his reasons for fasting.

I want fasting to be . . .
• an honest statement of what is most important to me. I want this
simple act (going without food for a while) to remind me that
spiritual, eternal things are more important than temporal things.

• a symbol of the satisfaction I'm finding in God Himself: loving Him,
learning of Him, doing His will.

• a celebration of God's setting me apart, granting me forgiveness
through the Lord Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and rescuing me from
the sinful habits that were enslaving me.

• a time of gladness, praise, and intercession on behalf of my family
and friends in many countries.

• a means of deeper contentment in the Lord. Thus, I will be more
motivated and better able to share my material and spiritual gifts
with others. The Lord Jesus said, "And your Father . . . will reward
you" (Matthew 6:18b).

Is Christianity a religion or a relationship?

Religion is "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling
power, especially a personal God or gods." In that respect,
Christianity can be classified as a religion. However, practically
speaking, Christianity has a key difference that separates it from
other belief systems that are considered religions. That difference is
relationship.

Most religion, theistic or otherwise, is man-centered. Any
relationship with God is based on man's works. A theistic religion,
such as Judaism or Islam, holds to the belief in a supreme God or
gods; while non-theistic religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism,
focus on metaphysical thought patterns and spiritual "energies." But
most religions are similar in that they are built upon the concept
that man can reach a higher power or state of being through his own
efforts. In most religions, man is the aggressor and the deity is the
beneficiary of man's efforts, sacrifices, or good deeds. Paradise,
nirvana, or some higher state of being is man's reward for his strict
adherence to whatever tenets that religion prescribes.

In that regard, Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship
that God has established with His children. In Christianity, God is
the aggressor and man is the beneficiary (Romans 8:3). The Bible
states clearly that there is nothing man can do to make himself right
with God (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6; Romans 3:23; 6:23). According to
Christianity, God did for us what we cannot do for ourselves
(Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our sin separates us from His
presence, and sin must be punished (Romans 6:23; Matthew 10:28;
23:33). But, because God loves us, He took our punishment upon
Himself. All we must do is accept God's gift of salvation through
faith (Ephesians 2:8–9; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Grace is God's blessing
on the undeserving.

The grace-based relationship between God and man is the foundation of
Christianity and the antithesis of religion. Established religion was
one of the staunchest opponents of Jesus during His earthly ministry.
When God gave His Law to the Israelites, His desire was that they
"love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). "Love"
speaks of relationship. Obedience to all the other commands had to
stem from a love for God. We are able to love Him "because He first
loved us" (1 John 4:19). However, by Jesus' time, the Jewish leaders
had made a religion out of God's desire to live in a love relationship
with them (1 Timothy 1:8; Romans 7:12). Over the years, they had
perverted God's Law into a works-based religion that alienated people
from Him (Matthew 23:13–15; Luke 11:42). Then they added many of their
own rules to make it even more cumbersome (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew
15:9). They prided themselves on their ability to keep the Law—at
least outwardly—and lorded their authority over the common people who
could never keep such strenuous rules. The Pharisees, as adept as they
were at rule-keeping, failed to recognize God Himself when He was
standing right in front of them (John 8:19). They had chosen religion
over relationship.

Just as the Jewish leaders made a religion out of a relationship with
God, many people do the same with Christianity. Entire denominations
have followed the way of the Pharisees in creating rules not found in
Scripture. Some who profess to follow Christ are actually following
man-made religion in the name of Jesus. While claiming to believe
Scripture, they are often plagued with fear and doubt that they may
not be good enough to earn salvation or that God will not accept them
if they don't perform to a certain standard. This is religion
masquerading as Christianity, and it is one of Satan's favorite
tricks. Jesus addressed this in Matthew 23:1–7 when He rebuked the
Pharisees. Instead of pointing people to heaven, these religious
leaders were keeping people out of the kingdom of God.

Holiness and obedience to Scripture are important, but they are
evidences of a transformed heart, not a means to attain it. God
desires that we be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). He wants us to
grow in grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18). But we do these
things because we are His children and want to be like Him, not in
order to earn His love.

Christianity is not about signing up for a religion. Christianity is
about being born into the family of God (John 3:3). It is a
relationship. Just as an adopted child has no power to create an
adoption, we have no power to join the family of God by our own
efforts. We can only accept His invitation to know Him as Father
through adoption (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). When we join His family
through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit
comes to live inside our hearts (1 Corinthians 6:19; Luke 11:13; 2
Corinthians 1:21–22). He then empowers us to live like children of the
King. He does not ask us to try to attain holiness by our own
strength, as religion does. He asks that our old self be crucified
with Him so that His power can live through us (Galatians 2:20; Romans
6:6). God wants us to know Him, to draw near to Him, to pray to Him,
and love Him above everything. That is not religion; that is a
relationship.

How should a Christian respond to Hollywood?

Hollywood is more than a city in California. The name has become
synonymous with the values, lifestyles, and hedonistic philosophies of
movie stars, celebrities and wannabes. In the Bible, the cities Sodom
and Gomorrah had the same stigma (Genesis 18:20; Jude 1:7). They had
become defined by their extreme values and lifestyle. To this day,
when we hear of Sodom and Gomorrah, we think of sexual perversion
great enough to bring God's judgment (Genesis 19:24–25).

We often use the term Hollywood to refer to anything pertaining to the
entertainment industry, even though other cities such as New York and
Nashville contribute to it also. Although there are many Christians
and ordinary people living in Hollywood, the city is known for its
lavish materialism, adultery, sensuality, self-worship, idolatry, and
anti-God bias. The overwhelming majority of movies and television
shows Hollywood produces are filled with profanity, graphic or implied
sex, and blatant promotion of all types of sin. Children are seduced
by the "glamor" of Hollywood from their preschool years and grow up
longing to be movie stars. Parents who recall their own star-struck
childhood race to buy the latest product endorsed by the current
heartthrob, regardless of the morals or lifestyle that idol embraces.
Unfortunately, we are reaping the disastrous results of another
generation raised by Hollywood's standards.

There are several questions to consider in forming a response to Hollywood.

1. What, exactly, so attracts us to Hollywood? Part of Hollywood's
appeal is the covetousness it champions. From every newsstand and
television set, we are told that we want what the celebrities have.
Headlines such as "America Wants to Know!" or "The Life Every Woman
Dreams Of" scream at us from checkout lines, planting the message that
we cannot possibly be content if we are not following celebrities.
Millions gobble it up and, in their attempt to live like their idols,
become indebted, anorexic, or promiscuous. Hollywood is in the
business of creating idols and foisting them upon us whether we want
them or not.

God has strong words for the sin of covetousness. He included it in
His Top Ten List (Exodus 20:17). Jesus said, "Watch out! Be on your
guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an
abundance of possessions" (Luke 12:15). Covetousness is a thief that
steals joy, peace, and contentment—qualities God wants His children to
have in abundance (Galatians 5:22; 1 Timothy 6:6). So, for a Christian
to become enamored with the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous
is to break God's tenth commandment and forfeit the contentment He
wants us to develop.

2. Why is Hollywood so influential? Aside from the materialism it
wallows in, Hollywood has come to represent the great American
fascination with entertainment. Entertainment is an idol that has
crept quietly through the back door of Western Christianity. It goes
mostly unnoticed as a threat because it does not wear the mask of
evil. Entertainment itself is neutral. We use it to distract crying
babies, quiet restless children, and relax weary workers.
Entertainment can help unify a family on vacation, give teenagers
something healthy to do, and bring enjoyment in stressful times.

But in prosperous cultures, entertainment has become an addiction.
Entertainment for its own sake steals time, money, and mental energy
that could be spent on more worthwhile pursuits. The world's appetite
for entertainment is Hollywood's lifeblood. Hollywood could not
sustain itself without the public's hunger for more. As with any
addiction, the craving for greater thrills increases, and that's why
the public demands spectacles that are bigger, louder, more exciting,
more beautiful, and more sensual. The lust for entertainment replaces
the joy of the Lord until time with God is seen as an interruption in
the pursuit of pleasure. At that point, entertainment has replaced God
as our supreme delight and has become an idol (Exodus 20:3; 34:14;
Jeremiah 2:13).

Entertainment is also wrong when we allow ourselves to be captivated
by things that displease the Lord (Romans 1:32). When we excuse a
movie's sex scenes with "It had a good message" or become fans of
openly immoral entertainers, we are crossing a line. We are allowing
Hollywood rather than God's Word to define our values. When making
entertainment choices, one good question to ask is: "If Jesus was
coming to spend the weekend with me, would I be happy to share this
with Him?" Would He approve of the movie? reality show? new CD? Would
He buy a People magazine and feast on the stories of mate-swapping and
infidelity? Would He applaud the sensual dancers on the stage? If He
would not, then why do we?

3. Do we excuse language and behavior in movies and television shows
that we would never endorse if it was done in our homes? If we
willingly sit through acts of violence, immorality, profanity, and
anti-Christian themes without it bothering us, then perhaps we have
allowed the values of Hollywood to invade our lives. When we can fill
our minds with vulgarities on Saturday night, yet show up for worship
on Sunday morning with no awareness of the inconsistency, we have
fallen victim to the lure of the Hollywood god.

Philippians 4:8 instructs us about our thought life: "Finally,
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if
there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think
about these things" (ESV). Jesus said, "For out of the heart come evil
thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony,
slander" (Matthew 15:19). When our minds have entertained that which
God calls evil, our thought life and eventually our actions will be
affected. Proverbs 13:20 says, "Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm."

How we spend our time eventually defines us. If Hollywood is not
reflecting the values we claim to cherish, then we must be careful how
much time we spend with it. To honor God, we must compare the values
coming out of Hollywood to the unchanging standard of Scripture. Then
we must "hate what is evil; cling to what is good" (Romans 12:9).
Hollywood flaunts what God despises. Why do we suppose God is
indifferent when a culture clamors for depictions of sin? As
Christians, we are to seek after God and His righteousness (Matthew
6:33). If any form of entertainment does not support that goal, our
response must be to reject it.

What does the Bible mean by 'dying to self'?

The concept of "dying to self" is found throughout the New Testament.
It expresses the true essence of the Christian life, in which we take
up our cross and follow Christ. Dying to self is part of being born
again; the old self dies and the new self comes to life (John 3:3–7).
Not only are Christians born again when we come to salvation, but we
also continue dying to self as part of the process of sanctification.
As such, dying to self is both a one-time event and a lifelong
process.

Jesus spoke repeatedly to His disciples about taking up their cross
(an instrument of death) and following Him. He made it clear that if
any would follow Him, they must deny themselves, which means giving up
their lives—spiritually, symbolically, and even physically, if
necessary. This was a prerequisite for being a follower of Christ, who
proclaimed that trying to save our earthly lives would result in our
losing our lives in the kingdom. But those who would give up their
lives for His sake would find eternal life (Matthew 16:24–25; Mark
8:34–35). Indeed, Jesus even went so far as to say that those who are
unwilling to sacrifice their lives for Him cannot be His disciples
(Luke 14:27).

The rite of baptism expresses the commitment of the believer to die to
the old, sinful way of life (Romans 6:4–8) and be reborn to a new life
in Christ. In Christian baptism, the action of being immersed in the
water symbolizes dying and being buried with Christ. The action of
coming out of the water pictures Christ's resurrection. Baptism
identifies us with Christ in His death and resurrection, portraying
symbolically the whole life of the Christian as a dying to self and
living for and in Him who died for us (Galatians 2:20).

Paul explains to the Galatians the process of dying to self as one in
which he has been "crucified with Christ," and now Paul no longer
lives, but Christ lives in him. Paul's old life, with its propensity
to sin and to follow the ways of the world, is dead, and the new Paul
is the dwelling place of Christ who lives in and through him. This
does not mean that when we "die to self" we become inactive or
insensible, nor do we feel ourselves to be dead. Rather, dying to self
means that the things of the old life are put to death, most
especially the sinful ways and lifestyles we once engaged in. "Those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its
passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). Where we once pursued selfish
pleasures, we now pursue, with equal passion, that which pleases God.

Dying to self is never portrayed in Scripture as something optional in
the Christian life. It is the reality of the new birth; no one can
come to Christ unless he is willing to see his old life crucified with
Christ and begin to live anew in obedience to Him. Jesus describes
lukewarm followers who try to live partly in the old life and partly
in the new as those whom He will spit out (Revelation 3:15–16). That
lukewarm condition characterized the church of Laodicea as well as
many churches today. Being "lukewarm" is a symptom of unwillingness to
die to self and live for Christ. Death to self is not an option for
Christians; it is a choice that leads to eternal life.

What is spiritual death?

Death is separation. A physical death is the separation of the soul
from the body. Spiritual death, which is of greater significance, is
the separation of the soul from God. In Genesis 2:17, God tells Adam
that in the day he eats of the forbidden fruit he will "surely die."
Adam does fall, but his physical death does not occur immediately; God
must have had another type of death in mind—spiritual death. This
separation from God is exactly what we see in Genesis 3:8. When Adam
and Eve heard the voice of the Lord, they "hid themselves from the
presence of the LORD God." The fellowship had been broken. They were
spiritually dead.

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, He paid the price for us by dying
on our behalf. Even though He is God, He still had to suffer the agony
of a temporary separation from the Father due to the sin of the world
He was carrying on the cross. After three hours of supernatural
darkness, He cried, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Mark
15:33-34). This spiritual separation from the Father was the result of
the Son's taking our sins upon Himself. That's the impact of sin. Sin
is the exact opposite of God, and God had to turn away from His own
Son at that point in time.

A man without Christ is spiritually dead. Paul describes it as "being
alienated from the life of God" in Ephesians 4:18. (To be separated
from life is the same as being dead.) The natural man, like Adam
hiding in the garden, is isolated from God. When we are born again,
the spiritual death is reversed. Before salvation, we are dead
(spiritually), but Jesus gives us life. "And you He made alive, who
were dead in trespasses and sins," (Ephesians 2:1 NKJV). "When you
were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful
nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins"
(Colossians 2:13).

To illustrate, think of Jesus' raising of Lazarus in John 11. The
physically dead Lazarus could do nothing for himself. He was
unresponsive to all stimuli, oblivious to all life around him, beyond
all help or hope—except for the help of Christ who is "the
Resurrection and the Life" (John 11:25). At Christ's call, Lazarus was
filled with life, and he responded accordingly. In the same way, we
were spiritually dead, unable to save ourselves, powerless to perceive
the life of God—until Jesus called us to Himself. He "quickened" us;
"not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his
mercy" (Titus 3:5).

The book of Revelation speaks of a "second death," which is a final
(and eternal) separation from God. Only those who have never
experienced new life in Christ will partake of the second death
(Revelation 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8).

Can a Christian lose salvation?

First, the term Christian must be defined. A "Christian" is not a
person who has said a prayer or walked down an aisle or been raised in
a Christian family. While each of these things can be a part of the
Christian experience, they are not what makes a Christian. A Christian
is a person who has fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior
and therefore possesses the Holy Spirit (John 3:16; Acts 16:31;
Ephesians 2:8–9).

So, with this definition in mind, can a Christian lose salvation? It's
a crucially important question. Perhaps the best way to answer it is
to examine what the Bible says occurs at salvation and to study what
losing salvation would entail:

A Christian is a new creation. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he
is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians
5:17). A Christian is not simply an "improved" version of a person; a
Christian is an entirely new creature. He is "in Christ." For a
Christian to lose salvation, the new creation would have to be
destroyed.

A Christian is redeemed. "For you know that it was not with perishable
things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty
way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the
precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter
1:18–19). The word redeemed refers to a purchase being made, a price
being paid. We were purchased at the cost of Christ's death. For a
Christian to lose salvation, God Himself would have to revoke His
purchase of the individual for whom He paid with the precious blood of
Christ.

A Christian is justified. "Therefore, since we have been justified
through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Romans 5:1). To justify is to declare righteous. All those who
receive Jesus as Savior are "declared righteous" by God. For a
Christian to lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and
"un-declare" what He had previously declared. Those absolved of guilt
would have to be tried again and found guilty. God would have to
reverse the sentence handed down from the divine bench.

A Christian is promised eternal life. "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" (John 3:16). Eternal life is the promise
of spending forever in heaven with God. God promises, "Believe and you
will have eternal life." For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal
life would have to be redefined. The Christian is promised to live
forever. Does eternal not mean "eternal"?

A Christian is marked by God and sealed by the Spirit. "You also were
included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of
your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,
the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our
inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to
the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:13–14). At the moment of faith,
the new Christian is marked and sealed with the Spirit, who was
promised to act as a deposit to guarantee the heavenly inheritance.
The end result is that God's glory is praised. For a Christian to lose
salvation, God would have to erase the mark, withdraw the Spirit,
cancel the deposit, break His promise, revoke the guarantee, keep the
inheritance, forego the praise, and lessen His glory.

A Christian is guaranteed glorification. "Those he predestined, he
also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified,
he also glorified" (Romans 8:30). According to Romans 5:1,
justification is ours at the moment of faith. According to Romans
8:30, glorification comes with justification. All those whom God
justifies are promised to be glorified. This promise will be fulfilled
when Christians receive their perfect resurrection bodies in heaven.
If a Christian can lose salvation, then Romans 8:30 is in error,
because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He
predestines, calls, and justifies.

A Christian cannot lose salvation. Most, if not all, of what the Bible
says happens to us when we receive Christ would be invalidated if
salvation could be lost. Salvation is the gift of God, and God's gifts
are "irrevocable" (Romans 11:29). A Christian cannot be un-newly
created. The redeemed cannot be unpurchased. Eternal life cannot be
temporary. God cannot renege on His Word. Scripture says that God
cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

Two common objections to the belief that a Christian cannot lose
salvation concern these experiential issues: 1) What about Christians
who live in a sinful, unrepentant lifestyle? 2) What about Christians
who reject the faith and deny Christ? The problem with these
objections is the assumption that everyone who calls himself a
"Christian" has actually been born again. The Bible declares that a
true Christian will not live a state of continual, unrepentant sin (1
John 3:6). The Bible also says that anyone who departs the faith is
demonstrating that he was never truly a Christian (1 John 2:19). He
may have been religious, he may have put on a good show, but he was
never born again by the power of God. "By their fruit you will
recognize them" (Matthew 7:16). The redeemed of God belong "to him who
was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God"
(Romans 7:4).

Nothing can separate a child of God from the Father's love (Romans
8:38–39). Nothing can remove a Christian from God's hand (John
10:28–29). God guarantees eternal life and maintains the salvation He
has given us. The Good Shepherd searches for the lost sheep, and,
"when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home"
(Luke 15:5–6). The lamb is found, and the Shepherd gladly bears the
burden; our Lord takes full responsibility for bringing the lost one
safely home.

Jude 24–25 further emphasizes the goodness and faithfulness of our
Savior: "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present
you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to
the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!
Amen."

Is the Christian life supposed to be boring?

There are many misconceptions about the Christian life, and one is
that it is boring. The truth is the Christian life is where we find
true joy and lasting peace, hope and contentment. These things, like
all good and perfect things, come from God (James 1:17). The
difficulty is that, if you're not a believer in Christ, you truly
don't know what you're missing.

This is not to say that the Christian life is easy. One writer
describes growing in the Christian faith as being "on a never-ending
downward escalator. In order to grow we have to turn around and sprint
up the escalator putting up with perturbed looks from everyone else
who is gradually moving downward." Christ never deluded anyone into
thinking it would be easy to follow Him (see Matthew 10:34-39). It's
not easy, but the hardships help prevent boredom.

Those who believe the Christian life is boring have never taken God's
invitation to "taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8).
Instead, they selfishly pursue whatever they think will make them "not
bored" or happy or content. The problem is, the things of this world
are temporary and can never truly satisfy. The Bible tells us that
sowing to please our sinful nature will surely lead to destruction
(Galatians 6:8). King Solomon, the wisest and richest person who ever
lived, had everything a person could possibly want. He said, "I denied
myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure"
(Ecclesiastes 2:10). Solomon had it all, but he concluded that it was
"meaningless" and likened it to "chasing after the wind" (v. 11). In
other words, he had everything this world had to offer, and he was
bored.

Sometimes, a new Christian is surprised that his new life is not "more
exciting," as if the Christian life is supposed to be a
thrill-a-minute extravaganza. No life is that. Boredom is something we
must all overcome. Everyone stands in line at the grocery store, gets
caught in traffic, or is given jobs he'd rather not do.

Part of the problem may be how "boredom" is defined. Is it a lack of
excitement? Nothing can stimulate perpetual exhilaration. Is it
inactivity? If so, then the key is to find something to do. Is it
uninterest? If so, the key is to be more curious. Is it a lack of
"fun"? In that case, "fun" needs to be defined, since "fun" is itself
a highly subjective concept.

Some people assume that being a Christian is boring because they've
heard that Christians have to give up all the "fun" things in life.
It's true that Christians give up some things, but it's not the fun.
Christians give up their sin, their self-destructive behavior, their
addictions, their negative attitudes and their ignorance of God. In
return, they receive "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"
(Romans 14:17). They "live as children of light" in a dark world
(Ephesians 5:8). The mistakes of their past no longer have a
stronghold in their lives. They no longer live for themselves but for
the One who died for them. They serve others and make a difference
(Romans 14:7; Philippians 2:4). They are becoming everything that God
created them to be. It is virtually impossible to be bored in such a
life.

The only thing in this world that has eternal value is a relationship
with Jesus Christ. A growing, committed Christian will find that life
is never boring. There's always another step of faith to take, another
relationship to build, another person to serve.

Is the Christian life supposed to be "boring"? Absolutely not. Jesus
said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"
(John 10:10).

What does the Bible say about contentment?

One dictionary defines contentment as "the state of being mentally or
emotionally satisfied with things as they are." Today it is rare that
we find anyone who is truly content with his or her condition in life.
The Bible has a great deal to say about contentment—being satisfied
with what we have, who we are, and where we're going. Jesus said,
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat
or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more
important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"
(Matthew 6:25).

In essence, Jesus is telling us to be content with what we have.
Moreover, He has given us a direct command not to worry about the
things of this world. Then He adds, "For the pagans run after all
these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But
seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things
will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:32-33). From Jesus' words, we
can deduce that lack of contentment is sin and it puts us in the same
category as those who do not know God.

The apostle Paul was a man who suffered and went without the comforts
of life more than most people could ever imagine (2 Corinthians
11:23-28). Yet he knew the secret of contentment: "I know what it is
to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned
the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well
fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do
everything through Him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:12-13).
The writer to the Hebrews adds, "Let your conduct be without
covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself
has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly
say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
(Hebrews 13:5-6). Yet people continue to seek after more of the things
of this world, never contented with their lot in life. The bumper
sticker that reads "He with the most toys wins!" epitomizes the
world's cravings for more and more.

The latest global statistic shows that if one has a roof over his head
and a meal on his table he is richer than 93 percent of the world's
population. If a person wears a pair of shoes he is richer than 75
percent of the people in the world. Solomon, the wisest and richest
man who ever lived, said, "Whoever loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is
meaningless" (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

"Be content with such things as you have" means as believers such
should be our trust and confidence in God that we should be satisfied
with our condition regardless of our circumstances. For we know
assuredly that if we are faithful God will cause all things to work
together for our good (Romans 8:28).

To worry means we do not trust God. The key to overcoming our
discontentment and lack of faith is to find out who God really is and
how He has been faithful to supply the needs of His people in the
past. Such study will grow one's confidence and trust for the future.
The apostle Peter said it succinctly: "Humble yourselves, therefore,
under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all
your anxiety on Him because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7).