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Is it FAIR for God to forgive the rapist of a 3-year-old child?
Evolution -- are Christians ducking the issue?
Does a child of God really have two natures?
Anonymous writes: Was Jesus really dead when they buried Him? Why did Jesus remain dead for three days after He was crucified? Why wasn't He resurrected immediately? |
But when they (the Roman soldiers) came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (John 19.33-34, NKJ) |
When the Roman soldier rammed a spear into the Lord's side (most likely into His heart), the Bible records the outflow as being "blood and water." If Jesus had been alive when His side was pierced, there would have been NO water. Instead, if the Lord had been alive, the flow would have been spouts of pure blood, pumping out with every beat of His heart. The outflow of blood AND water showed that the blood's red cells and its watery serum had already separated, indicating extensive clotting of blood in the Lord's main arteries. This constitutes medical proof-positive that Jesus was unquestionably dead before they took Him down from the cross. As to why Jesus was not resurrected until after three days...
Belief in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is essential for our salvation (Romans 10.9-10). God does not expect us to believe based on "blind faith." Accordingly, God's Bible offers many infallible proofs of the Lord's death and resurrection. I have named just a few. If you want more, I commend you to read the Bible's New Testament. I also recommend the book, "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" by Josh McDowell. |
Rebecca writes: I have a few questions
regarding heaven. They may be a little broader than just heaven, but I think that it will link together. Today I received a prayer request for a little girl in Indiana. She is three years old and was raped by her step-father. I felt such a burden for this small child as I have two young daughters myself. Now my question is, if the man who did this repents and becomes a Christian, does that still make him eligible for the kingdom of heaven? I trust in the Lord to know his heart and I trust in the forgiveness of sins but for someone to do this to a child -- well it literally makes my heart hurt. I was also wondering that if this man and others who have committed similar crimes, such as murder, are in heaven, will we know them as we know them now? I have discussed this with my mother and she describes heaven to me as a place where we don't know each other as we know them now. She said that the relationships that we know with our husbands or wives or our children won't be the same in heaven. That we will recognize and know each other as a family but not the same as our earthly family. I guess that I am just confused on what the promise of heaven is and what it will be like. Will we just start over with everything new, with no mistakes and no questions? |
(Don't miss the special link at the end of this topic - added 11/7/99) A) As I understand your question, you are asking if a man who raped
his 3-year-old step daughter could possibly be forgiven by God and, upon his death, be received into heaven. It
is a difficult and heart rending question. I will answer it as best I can.
B2) The stepfather you described in your message did great harm to a few people. The Jewish man I have just described brought agony and suffering to hundreds of people. Yet God saw fit to save this terrible Jewish man.
C) King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and caused the murder
of Bathsheba's husband. Yet God forgave him. David wrote most of the book of Psalms.
F2) God has designed the human body in such a way that when we commit
sins, there is a penalty imposed upon our health and life span. Sins cause ulcers, sleepless nights, anxiety, depression,
and insanity.
G) If a person receives Jesus as Savior, then God forgives that person, and that person WILL go to heaven.
H) Under God's laws, the penalty for sin (ANY sin) is death. This death penalty was FULLY paid by the blood, suffering, and death of Jesus, who stood trial before God in our place. Accordingly, God is just to forgive ANYONE, because the penalty of sin has been fully paid. Click Here for further counsel and comfort from a Christian brother with first-hand experience in this matter. |
The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep
His anger forever. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities
those who fear Him. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of
the field, so he flourishes. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children. (Psalm 103.8-17, NKJ) * * * * * |
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J) A person who receives Jesus as Savior is changed on the inside. That person's heart and spirit become instantly new. This fact is clearly stated in Second Corinthians 5.17 and many other verses.
K) You also asked if people will recognize each other in heaven. The
answer appears to be "Yes." After their deaths, Moses and Elijah came down to earth and met with Jesus.
Peter and other disciples were present at the meeting. They immediately recognized both Moses and Elijah (Mt 17.1-3). May God richly bless you and grant you the power to forgive others as He has forgiven you. |
Professor writes: Why don't Christians offer scientific proof that evolution is not true? The answer is obvious -- they can't! |
Oh yes they can -- and they have! Not only Christians, but many NON-Christians have fully disproved the viability of the theory of evolution. There are numerous books that totally destroy the foundational premises of evolution.
I recommend you read some of the books written by such authors as Doctors Hugh Ross, Henry Morris, and Duane Gish. Because of the censorship mentioned above, you will probably have to visit a Christian book store in order to locate these books. But never mind the location -- these books are either "scientifically sound," or not. I challenge you to thumb through them and decide for yourself. |
"Concerned explorer" writes: ) Does a child of God really have two natures? If YES, since we are saints, new creatures, how can evil and holiness occupy the same body? If NO, why do we still sin? |
Dear concerned explorer,
E) Although you have the title deed (Eph 1.13-14) to both of your new homes, you can't live in either of them until after your sojourn on earth is finished.
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...we (Christians) ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Rom 8.23b) |
F) Thus, you are legal owner of a home in heaven, and of a glorified,
SINLESS body. You own these two homes but you won't go to live in them until you die. Theologians call this "positional
sanctification." G) When you were saved, your spirit was "born again" -- placed in union with Christ's Spirit. Your born again spirit is perfect -- freed from sin. However, your spirit still resides in a body of flesh, and that fleshly body still desires to sin. As it is written... |
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;
and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Gal 5.17) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me... O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Rom 7.18-20, 7.24) |
H) God recognizes that, while you live in your present body with all its lusts to do sin, you will be engaged in a constant struggle to live a holy life. Accordingly, God gives you much guidance as to how you can win this daily struggle. For example... |
Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God,
in righteousness and true holiness. (Eph 4.22-24) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin... Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. (Rom 6.6, 6.11-12) |
I) In summary, the answers to your questions are... Q: Does a child of God really have two natures? |
But we have this treasure (your born-again spirit) in earthen vessels (your body), that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (2 Cor 4.7) |
J) To the extent that you allow yourself to heed the lusts of the flesh, you will sin from time to time. However, God has provided a remedy... |
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1.8-9) |
K) I hope this information meets your need. May you walk with God in peace and joy! |
A visitor disagrees To read Kay's message and our reply, CLICK HERE. |
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