June 25, 2018 - "Questions To Ponder"

Chaplain’s Corner

Monday, June 25, 2018

Questions to Ponder

Greetings, Patriots!

This is going to be a different type of blog, today. I want to inspire you to think, and possibly to answer a few of these questions for yourself. These are not rhetorical questions, but I also do not expect a lot of replies. I mainly wanted to plant some seeds and see if anything grows from it. By the way, these are not simply “made-up” questions. These are very real questions about very real situations that I am aware of or have been exposed to personally, and I know how I feel, but wanted to see what other Christians may have to say.

Do you believe that we, as humans, are born into sin, and in need of a Savior? Do you believe that Adam’s sin in the Garden was the reason that we all inherit our sinful condition? Do you believe that God has a right to have moral standards and be in charge of your life?

What do you say to someone who has been going to the same Christian church for over 40 years and has considerable influence on the members of that church, when they openly advocate for outright immorality? What do you say when you privately ask that person to consider their position and the effect it is having on others in the church, and they say things like this: “I believe God created them LGBT and that it is His will and purpose that they be authentic to their creation, and that they should not be ashamed of their created, God-breathed nature.” “And I believe making anti-LGBT statements such as were made from the pulpit Sunday is a destructive and unloving act, and that it endangers the welfare, health, life, and spiritual walk of our LGBT members -- especially our LGBT children, youth, and young adults.” “I don’t believe in inborn sin. It’s offensive and anti-Christian.” Or when that person goes to their public Facebook page right after the conversation and posts this: “‘But what if you are wrong and God

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really is a bigot, and will keep you out of heaven for not also being a bigot?’ a doubter asks, in so many words. Do I really need to answer that?”

How do you read and understand Romans 5: 12 - 19?

“12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” (NIV)

How do you read and understand Galatians 1: 3 - 10?

“3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil

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age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (NIV)

How do you read and understand 1 Corinthians 5: 1 - 13? 

“5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven,

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the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (ESV)

How do you read and understand Paul’s words in his next letter to the Corinthian congregation in reference to that same man after he was repentant before God and cleaned up his life? “ 5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. - 2 Corinthians 2: 5 - 11 (NIV)

Are we to hold one another to a high moral and scriptural standard? Are we to go in love to our brother (or sister) and seek to help them see the error of their way, especially when the things they are saying, doing, and advocating for are so public? How do you respond? Do you simply say, “I will pray for them.” Or, perhaps say, “I will leave it in God’s hands. It’s none of my business.” Or will you say, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” Or will you

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quote Jesus about removing the rafter from your own eye before trying to help someone else with the splinter in theirs? Are we ever in a position spiritually to reach out, in love, and try to “save” a brother (or sister) from themselves or their outrageous actions that affect the whole congregation?

These are things to think about, and if you feel like you want to answer here, feel free. I am just asking real questions to incite us all to examine ourselves and our beliefs and see where we stand in our Christian walk. It is sad for me to see so much “Political Correctness” in the Christian community today. I am curious to see how many Christians will support God’s standards as seen and revealed in His Word, the Bible, versus those who will talk about relativism and how outdated the Bible and its moral standards are.

God bless you, every one, and
God bless America!
Stephen King
Chaplain@3upi.com