Dear Roger, Was Jesus a socialist? Sincerely, Wayne Dear Wayne, First of all, Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ. His beliefs transcend any economic or governmental system. His kingdom was not of this world. It occurs to me that the very question, “Was Jesus a Socialist?” implies our attempt to discern whether or not Jesus agrees with our own governmental and/or economic ideals. His backing would be powerful support for one side or another. Remember, Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ. His beliefs transcend any economic or governmental system. Now, let me address your question and offer my thoughts. It’s a great question, especially with the current governmental trend to take over control of the economy at the expense of the private ownership of goods and the free market enterprise! The most obvious answer may well be, “Of course He was a socialist!” However, frankly, there is more Biblical evidence that He was a capitalist than a socialist. Before we talk more about Jesus, let me share a simple description of both socialism and capitalism and how they differ. The real difference between socialism and capitalist revolves around just who is going to be in charge of the money. Socialism is system in which the ownership and control of production and the distribution of goods, land and capital is overseen and controlled by the government. Socialism attempts to distribute assets equally so that no one has more than anyone else while the needs of everyone in society are met. Unfortunately, socialism often reduces incentives to perform and often hastens a welfare mentality that believes that it is the government’s job to meet needs. Equality can never be obtained because those higher up in the system always end up with more than everyone else. Capitalism is an economic system in which the ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is maintained chiefly by private individuals and/or corporations. Capitalists operate and manage their property for profit. Capitalism provides for the needs of society by creating jobs which allow people to meet their needs and to own their own things. Unfortunately, materialism and greed can destroy the goodness of any capitalistic society. By the way, I have always found interesting those persons who use the story of Robin Hood to justify the taking of money from the rich and redistributing it to the poor. Robin Hood never took money from the rich; he stole money from a governmental system that was exorbitantly and unfairly overtaxing the poor. The Sheriff of Nottingham was the governmental authority who was stealing from the people. Now, let’s talk about Jesus. The most clearly defined picture of Jesus is as a capitalist. During the last week of His life the Pharisees were trying to trap Him as recorded in Luke 20:22-26: “Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” He saw through their duplicity and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent. The Roman Empire was basically a capitalistic society. While the government controlled a portion of the wealth and occasionally doled out handouts and welfare checks to control certain segments of society, capitalism ruled. Businesses were privately owned and operated. Profits were made and lost under systems of free enterprise. In a sense Jesus put His stamp of approval on a capitalistic system. As best as I can tell, Jesus never addressed the validity of a socialistic society. He was quite concerned with ministering to the needs of the “down and outs” of society. He fed the hungry 5,000 in John 6:1-15. In Matthew 25:34-46, He praised those who cared for the poor and needy. To answer your question, Wayne, I spent the last hour combing the gospels and I can find no passage where Jesus even remotely hinted at the concept of socialism. Somewhat of a socialistic model is seen in the coming together of the early church Christians in Acts 4:32-35: All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had…. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. Within twenty years this form of church structure ceased to exist except for in some isolated cases. As best as I can tell, the concept of bringing all possessions together for equal ownership in order to meet needs and bring oneness and unity is never put forth as a definitive Christian model for society. In Romans 13:1-7, while in the process of describing the reasons and importance of God-ordained governments, Paul clearly instructed Christians to pay taxes and revenue, respect and honor to support the Roman governmental system: … This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. I hesitate to declare Jesus a capitalist. Whether or not He had socialistic leanings we will never know. After all, His mission was to sacrifice Himself in order to forgive the sins of those who accepted His gift of salvation. His mind never wavered from His purpose. He rarely veered from discussing anything except His mission. Since He never made either capitalism or liberalism the focus of His work, we have no right to try to put Him in either camp. When I think of Jesus’ approving socialism, capitalism—or not—I always think of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Solzhenitsyn was a Russian and Soviet novelist, dramatist, and historian. Through his writings he helped to make the world aware of the Gulag, the Soviet Unions forced labor camp system. Ever since I read “The Gulag Archipelago” and “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” about his incarceration and survival in the Hellish Soviet prison system, I have considered him a personal hero. By the way, he was a deeply committed Christian. I was thrilled when he was released from the Gulag after his gulag was smuggled out and published in the West. He was declared “persona non grata” in the Soviet Union. He chose to relocate to Vermont in the United States. In June, 1978 he was invited to speak to an elite group at Harvard University on the insidious and destructive nature of the Soviet Socialistic System. So, he did. But, no one was ready for what came next. He was expected to approve the achievements of Western society in contrast to Soviet communism. But, he didn’t. Instead, he gave a scathing denunciation of the failings of Western society. He cited a decline in courage among American politicians; the moral degeneracy of Western citizens because they get most everything they want; a misguided legalistic system which leads to moral mediocrity; a freedom to justify any sort of moral behavior; and an unchecked freedom of the Press which is allowed to crucify individuals with impunity. I’ll quote the paragraph from his Harvard speech which helps explain in a nut shell what he said: There are meaningful warnings that history gives (to) a threatened or perishing society. Such are, for instance, the decadence of art, or a lack of great statesmen. There are open and evident warnings, too. The center of your democracy and of your culture is left without electric power for a few hours only, and all of a sudden crowds of American citizens start looting and creating havoc. The smooth surface film must be very thin, then, the social system quite unstable and unhealthy. The reason discussed Solzhenitsyn is that on one ever wanted to hear from Him again! He was never again asked to speak in any public forum of significance. The West closed its selective eyes and refused to hear what he had to say. Solzhenitsyn was Solzhenitsyn. His beliefs transcended both East and West. Remember, Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ. His beliefs transcend any economic or governmental system. Well, Wayne, great question. I feel like my answer is somewhat of a “rough draft” answer. Nevertheless, I hope it provides some good food for thought. I invite you to comment on the matter in the blog response below. I sure other responders have quite a lot to say on this subject as well. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, So, I have some tough (or not so tough) questions that I think you might be able to help me with. It’s about the 144,000 who are sealed. The Jehovah’s Witness say that Bible passage applies to them. First off, I have seen translations where some read the seal is ‘on’ their foreheads and some where it says ‘in’. I guess it would be kind of both in a way – but clearly the person who is sealed would know it, but do you think that others would be able to see this seal on those people as well? If not, then this would of course prove the supernatural aspect of God to the person sealed, but it really wouldn’t help others see what is coming. But if it was noticeable by others, then it would help spread the Gospel in a way never seen before since Jesus and the original twelve. Let me just say it is something that is close to my heart and been on my mind ( so to speak) for quite a while and if you could pray about it and just let me know whatever God speaks to you I would really appreciate it…. Sincerely, Daniel Dear Daniel, Jehovah’s witnesses claim the number 144,000 applies to them. Many of us have direct contact with them every time they ring the door bells of our homes and try to invite themselves inside to discuss their doctrines for the purpose of evangelizing others to join their group. The Society was established in the nineteenth century by Charles Taze Russell. A schism occurred after Russell’s death and after decades of theological development, the society has reached its present form. The central beliefs of Jehovah’s Witness revolve around the return of Christ to establish His Kingdom on earth thus solving the problems of mankind. The name “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” which is based on Isaiah 43:10–12, was adopted in 1931. In 1914 the group announced that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent. When Jesus failed to appear that year the projected date was changed to 1925. When that year came and went they reconsidered and again changed the date to 1975. As far as I know, no future dates are predicted at this time. Russell’s original teachings identified his followers to be the 144,000 mentioned in the book of Revelation. Only Jehovah’s Witnesses had any hope of surviving the impending doom. Problems arose when the number of society followers exceeded 144,000 (The society now claims some 18 million members.) In order to handle the problem, Witness’ doctrine was adjusted so that God would ultimately decide those who were in the 144,000 and who were not. Those chosen will be resurrected to live forever in an earthly paradise ruled by Christ and the 144,000. You are referring to the Book of Revelation where God seals 144,000 (12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel). Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:2-4). Let’s start with the seal. What is it and will others be able to see it? The best interpretation of Scripture is Scripture. Paul refers to the seal of the Holy Spirit which identifies, preserves and protects Christians from the moment of salvation out into eternity. This seal is the guarantee that we as Christians are God’s children: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30-31). This seal is obviously an internal-spiritual one. Christians today do not walk around with any sort of visible seal. In the same way, it is safe to say that the sealing mentioned in Revelation Seven is an internal, spiritual seal which encourages and comforts the 144,000. There is, however, the mark of the Beast, which appears to be an outside marker of the followers of the Anti-Christ. John tells us in Revelation 13:11-18 that the mark (“666”) is placed on their hands or forehead. John tells us that true Christians will refuse the mark and thus will endure economic sanctions, physical persecutions and martyrdom. Anyone who receives the mark will be excluded from the Kingdom and eternal life. Regarding evangelism during the end times, God has several groups of evangelizers. First are these 144,000. Note that these are Jewish converts to Christ. We might say that these are 144,000 Jews for Jesus! Note that immediately following their conversion and sealing mighty rejoicing occurs in Heaven because of the many on earth who are saved through their testimonies. Second, the martyrs mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11 are put to death precisely because they were sharing their faith in Christ. Next, Jesus sends two witnesses who evangelize with mighty signs and wonders for 1260 days. They are then killed in the streets of Jerusalem to the rejoicing and relief of the Anti-Christ and his followers. Three and one-half days after their martyrdom they are miraculously resurrected. The Second Coming occurs moments later (Revelation 11:1-13). Many believe that these two witnesses are Moses and Elijah. God Himself had access to their bodies and many feel that they were once again clothed in their earthy bodies and sent back to earth for a season of evangelistic endeavor. Finally, three angels supernaturally share the Gospel with every living creature on earth (Revelation 14:6-13). In the Olivet Discourse Jesus said: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). By the way, there is another group of 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 14:1-5. Many feel that this is the same as the 144,000 Jews for Jesus. Since these are pictured in Heaven giving honor and praise to the Lamb of God, we may well be glimpsing the praise and worship of the 144,000 after they enter Heaven’s glory! I love the irony that God has written His name on their foreheads. On the other hand, the group in Revelation 14 are specifically described as those who “did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless” (Revelation 14:4-5). Perhaps these descriptive monikers identify a different group of 144,000—perhaps not. Daniel, I hope my answer gives some insight to your questions. Ask me another sometime. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, Recently, I was teaching Christian theology in another country to some pastors and pastors’ wives. One pastor told about a man who came often to church; but his family never came with him. One of the church members decided to go into the jungle area where the man lived and meet with the family. He was shocked to discover that this church-attending man had two wives. The practice of polygamy was deeply ingrained in his tribal culture. The visiting church member proceeded to tell the man that according to the Bible having more than one wife was a sin, and that he must divorce one of the wives before he could again attend their church. This encounter spread like wildfire throughout the tribe and neither the polygamist, his family, nor any one else from that tribe have darkened the door of the church since. Did this church member do the right thing? Sincerely, J. (This story/question is a summation of a discussion that I had recently with J.) Dear J, I remember an experience early in my ministry when a married man came to me with a similar problem. He had fallen in love with a woman not his wife and was deeply guilt-ridden. He wanted advice about what to do. I told him that the first thing that he needed was to surrender his life to Christ as his Savior and Lord and become a Christian. I shared the gospel with him and asked him if he would like to repent of his sins and invite Jesus into his life. He nodded his head. He was ready. Then I said, “If you want to come to Jesus you must first give up your sin. Will you confess to God that having a mistress is a sin and that you will end your relationship with the woman immediately?” He began to weep. His body shook. He was obviously under deep conviction. After more discussion, clarification and tears he decided that he just wasn’t ready to give her up. As we parted I told him that I would pray and fast for him for the next three days in the hope that he might surrender the error of his ways, repent, ask God for forgiveness and forsake the woman forever. Three days later I called him. He was quite curt as he cut off the conversation and hung up on me. I’ve never seen him again. I’ve thought often of that encounter. He was on the verge of surrendering his life to Christ and becoming a Christian—and then chose to turn away. For years I wondered if I somehow mishandled that sacred moment. The issue of forsaking sin before coming to Christ revolvers around two opposite poles. One end of the spectrum says that you have to clean up your life and your sin before you can come to Christ. The other pole says that you can come to Christ at any time and then Christ will go to work cleaning up your life—and your sin. In my encounter with the mistress-laden man above, I chose the former approach. Jesus at times chose the same. When He encounter the Rich Young Ruler, Jesus told him in no uncertain terms that he must surrender all that he owned before he could come and follow Him. Jesus felt deep sorrow and compassion as the young man declined His offer (Luke 18:18-30). On the other hand, I am more inclined now to handle those sacred moments of potential conversion more carefully. None of us have the personal power to forsake sin and make sense of our broken lives without the life and power of the indwelling Christ. This power is available only to those who become Christians. In other words, we can come to Christ before we forsake all of our sins and then let Christ begin and continue the cleaning up process. This latter approach was the one He used with Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus, the hated Roman tax collector, climbed a tree in order better to see Jesus when He walked through town. Jesus proceeded directly to Zacchaeus’ tree and said, “Zacchaeus, you dirty sinner, stop it!” No, of course not, that is not what He said at all. I think Jesus looked into Zacchaeus life and thought: “Zacchaeus is a thieving, selfish, greedy, materialistic man—who is feeling lonely, rejected, guilty and unloved—what he needs is companionship, forgiveness, acceptance and comfort.” So, instead of saying, “Stop it and come down,” Jesus said, “Come on down, let’s go to your house and have lunch together.” Three hours later the door opened and Zacchaeus stepped out on the porch and announced to the crowd, “Half of all I own I give to the poor, and anything I have stolen from you I will restore four times over!” Then, Jesus stepped out on the steps and said, “Today salvation has come to this house!” (Luke 19:1-10). In this model Jesus invited Himself right into Zacchaeus’ life and then proceeded to clean up his sin and turn his live completely around. It only took three hours in the presence of Jesus for the transformation to occur—it may take a little longer with some of us. I conclude that both models are appropriate. The key is having the spiritual insight to know which model to use when. Jesus was very clear about the sacred solemnity of how we handle those who are close to coming into the kingdom. Sometimes, we need to get out of the way and just let Jesus and the Holy Spirit do their work. Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 23:13-14: “Woe to you, teachers of the Law, and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the Kingdom of Heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, now will you let those who are trying to.” As I think back to my encounter with the man struggling to give up his mistress—I am pretty sure that I used the wrong model. I believe that what I should have done was lead him into a saving relationship with Christ. He wanted and needed Jesus. After all, Jesus said that it only takes a little faith (Matthew17:20) to come into the kingdom—and I believe that he had more than a little faith! Then, I could have befriended him, invited him to church and guided him into a small group where he could grow in Christ. I would like to think that he would mature spiritually to the point where Jesus could inspire him to make the proper decisions regarding his mistress and marriage issues. But, I didn’t handle this well. I have never seen him again. Well, J, I am really glad we talked yesterday. I think that it is good to ponder just how we handle those who are so close to coming into the Kingdom. We want to do all we can to open the door and not shut it. Love, Roger

Hi Roger, I’m borderline computer illiterate so I couldn’t figure out how to shoot you a question on Ask Roger. Hope this reaches you. Jesus taught that we are to love our enemies and do good to those who spitefully use us. He also taught that we shouldn’t resist evil, but overcome evil w/good. I feel that I need to speak out against the ground zero mosque but that’s resisting. I love Muslims but I’m not happy about the mosque as it is intended to symbolize conquest over America and particularly, it implies that 9/11 was in fact a victory in jihadist’s war against America. The psychological impact of that is very destructive and intentionally so. Our founding fathers didn’t overcome evil w/good. They didn’t stay in England and endure the persecution, affecting change by their example of Christ like love. They resisted the King of England and when that didn’t work, they left Europe for America. What’s the balance supposed to be like Roger? This antagonism of America is very painful. I want to do the right thing but I’m somewhat at a loss to understand what that is. I know the right thing doesn’t involve violence. I’m very clear on that. But what are Christians supposed to do? Sincerely, Ed Dear Ed, You always ask me the most difficult questions. I enjoy them; especially because they almost never allow for a simple “black or white” answer. You always ask about the “gray areas” of life where thinking Christians have to make wise decisions about how to behave in complex situations. Frankly, the issues we face are usually in the “gray” areas of life. Deciding how to behave and respond takes much godly wisdom—especially because Paul’s teachings regarding the conscience mean that what is the right behavior for one may be sinful for another. So, let’s start with the two extremes. Terry Jones’ behavior is on the dark side. Remember that he is the pastor of a small church in Florida who recently declared that he would publicly burn a copy of the Quran on 9/11. News of his derogatory behavior circled the globe. I read one headline that said, “Christian Pastor To Burn Quran On 9-11.” As I read those lines I thought to myself, “That headline is an unfair slam against millions of loving, accepting and kind-hearted Christians and pastors all over the world.” A much fairer headline might have read, “Mean, Unloving, Thoughtless, Radical, Arrogant, Un-Christian Jackass To Burn Quran On 9-11.” Please excuse my using a term like, “jackass”. However, it just seems appropriate, when according to the following article from Newsweek Magazine (“As Death Toll Rises, Media Should Look at Role in Quran-Burning Flap-Newsweek Sept 13”), he might be an accomplice to the persecutions and murder of Christians in other parts of the world that resulted from his un-Christian attitudes and behaviors. In the end, Pastor Terry Jones bowed to all the pressure, and perhaps his conscience, but it was too late. At least 16 people have been killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir and Afghanistan through today, as riots sparked by Jones’s planned—and then scrapped—burning of the Quran spread across the region. The violence started the day after 9/11, when the world should still have been recoiling from confronting the dangers of religious extremism. The terrible deed wrought by religious zealots nine years ago had the power to help prompt two nearly decade-long wars in which hundreds of thousands have perished. All that horror – and many would say, folly—was ignited by the fundamentalist passions of a small number of lunatics. This time a single man—the leader of a tiny, obscure church in Gainesville, Fla., sparked the bloodshed. By Saturday, Jones had told NBC that he would not burn a Quran, “not today, not ever.” But the rage that he seemed so bent on tapping into had already exploded. Ultimately, the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was marked by more religiously-inspired violence and pointless loss of life. But the news media may have to examine their role in this episode. News organizations may well need to ask what public good was served by giving minute-by-minute updates of the antics of a little-known preacher. Jones’s decision to burn holy books near his sparsely attended church became global news because, well, it was disseminated globally. By making it big news, the media had a hand in prompting the subsequent violence. The question is what happens next time a crackpot decides he wants his 15 minutes of notoriety and chooses to do so by insulting Islam or baiting some other group.” OK, Ed, I know we agree that a blatant attack on the most sacred text of Islam is not only nasty behavior, it can lead to bloodshed. By the way, so can the irresponsible behaviors of a thoughtless media whose primary concern is to make money at nearly any cost. Now let’s go to the other extreme and consider the “white” side. This extreme is just as “dark” as the previous one; however, in our “black and white” analogy, we may call this the “white” side. But, it is really not that white after all. This extreme proposes that Islam is no threat to our national security nor to our current way of life. Islam is a security threat in the sense that extremists use sections from the Quran to justify both terrorism and jihad—not only on America but on other Western nations as well. Acts of murderous behavior perpetrated by Muslim extremists against Christians in Allah’s name occur in places like Thailand, New Guinea and other Indonesian nations. In many ways Islam is a threat to our current American way of life because it is a cultural phenomenon that slowly changes cultural dynamics wherever Muslims congregate and ultimately proliferate. Historically, much of North Africa was Christian until the Muslims slowly began to move into those areas, and today, Christianity is not welcomed in any North African nation. Several hundred years ago the peaceful Muslim infiltration into Spain was arrested when Islamic extremists attempted to overcome the Moors who lived there by force. In the ensuing battles he Moors were victorious and the Muslim advance into Europe was stopped—for a while. The current immigration of Muslims into France and England guarantee that the centuries-old lifestyle of those two nations will be (and already are being) irreversibly altered. One of the strategies used by Muslims to permeate and transform a community is to build large Islamic centers or Mosques that will, by their size and activities, draw in people from the surrounding area and see them convert to Islam. If the trend continues there will no longer be a church on every corner as we have exclaimed in the past. In a generation or two we will find a mosque on every corner. Nevertheless, their goal to spread Islam through such a center is not foreign to history. We Christians have done the same thing, many times, to spread the message of Christ. Without a doubt, like the Muslims, we will keep on doing it. All right Ed, as you ask in your letter, allow me to answer your specific questions more directly. Let’s maneuver into the “gray area” as we seek a balanced approach as we sort out our feelings and actions regarding Muslims and the teachings of the Quran. When Jesus taught that we are to “love our enemies and do good to those who spitefully use us,” He in no way expected that we must muzzle ourselves so as not to offend or hurt the feelings of our enemies. I don’t look at our Muslim friends as being our enemies anyway. They are people just like we are who want to experience a peaceful existence, raise healthy, well-adjusted children, have loving friends, enjoy a measure of material success, find meaning and purpose in life and to enjoy the benefits of religious freedom. We must remember that many of our Muslim friends are appalled at the behavior of Islamic terrorists. Time and time again Muslim leaders have tried to separate themselves from any association or approval of the terrorists and their activities. Maybe it is time we listened. Hesham A. Hassaballa recently addressed this issue when he quoted the declaration made at the second most influential school in the Islamic world, the Darul Uloom at Deoband: “[At] this All India Anti-Terrorism Conference attended by the representatives of all Muslim schools of thought organized by Rabta Madaris Islamiah Arabia (Islamic Madrassa Association), Darul Uloom Deoband condemns all kinds of violence and terrorism in the strongest possible terms.” Maulana Marghoobur Rahmad of Darul Uloom said, “There is no place for terrorism in Islam. Terrorism, killing of the innocent, is against Islam.” Hassaballa observed: “Although I am not a scholar, all my reading of Islamic scripture and teachings have informed me that violence against the innocent is totally abhorrent in Islam. One does not need to be a scholar to fully grasp this understanding; it virtually screams out of Islamic teachings–if anyone is willing to listen.” With this understanding, may we solve conflicts with our friends in a functional way as Jesus recommend in Matthew 18 and in the Sermon on the Mount. Paul encouraged us throughout his epistles to handle conflicts openly, honestly, and functionally. I conclude that it is quite all right to express displeasure with our Muslim friend’s behaviors without doing it in a mean or offensive way. Our loving behavior may be a marvelously attractive expression when contrasted with the name-calling and criticism so angrily expressed by some in our culture. Just because we don’t appreciate our friends’ behaviors in no way means that we can’t express our displeasure with a Mosque being erected at Park 51. Speaking out against the ground zero mosque is not necessarily “resisting”—it is our freedom to express our views. But, remember, in a country built on the concept of religious freedom, both Christians and Muslims have every right to express their religion without being persecuted, ostracized or ridiculed by others—and vice versa! By the way, I personally feel that it is quite all right to be absolutely incensed at the erection of a mosque so near to what is becoming a sacred place of its own in America. Very few would argue against your idea that the mosque is intended to be anything other than a symbol of conquest over America and that as you say, “it implies that 9/11 was in fact a victory in Jihadist’s war against America. The psychological impact of that is very destructive and intentionally so.” Your parallel question regarding the seeking of religious freedom by our founding forefathers is intriguing. I think of Paul in the Book of Acts about to be murdered by terrorist Judaic leaders. He was persuaded by his friends not to stay and fight the unwinnable. They lowered him over the wall at night and Paul ran away to live and fight another day. There is time to get stoned to death by the citizens of Lystra. There are also times to sneak out in a basket to live to fight another day. When every attempt to reconcile with the English monarchy was stymied, and no more amount of Christ-like-love would change matters, it was time to get in the boat and sail to America. Let me suggest a practical answer to your question, “Just what are Christians supposed to do?” Cherie Grey is a Casas’ member who has done an outstanding job helping Middle Eastern families locate successfully to Arizona. She has a number of people organized to provide food, clothes, housing, jobs and support for these transplants. Cherie wrote an article several years ago entitled “Ministering to Muslims.” I think she has answered your question better than I ever could. We can build walls or we can build bridges. We can start with all the reasons why our religions are different and why we have different god’s and why what they believe is wrong and what we believe is right. Or… We could find the redeeming truths that they already have in their culture and use those as BRIDGES to share Truth with them. Here are some bridges to start with: 1. Allah- this is the Arabic word for God and is used by all Arabic Christians when referring to God, and is written in Arabic Bibles as well. 2. Isa- this is the Muslim word for Jesus, no matter what country they are from or what language they speak; most often our Arabic Muslim friends refer to Jesus as “Isa al-masih” which means “Jesus the Messiah” although they don’t understand what Messiah means. 3. Prophet- Muslims honor great men of God and will give them the title of Prophet when they speak of them, for example “Prophet Moses” or “Prophet Abraham”; Muslims have great reverence for God while we practice a more casual faith in America. 4. Four Holy Books- every good Muslim who has been educated at all knows that there are 4 holy books and they should read them all— •Torah (they say Taoorat)- the law of Moses •Psalms (they say Zaboor)- of Prophet David •New Testament (they say Injeel)- story of Jesus life •Quran 5. Injeel- this is the Muslim word for Bible (as well as the word for the N.T.); if you call it a “Bible” then your Muslim friend will assume that it is the Christian book that has been corrupted, but if you call it an “Injeel” they will be drawn to read it, especially if you can find one in their language; treat it like a holy book and don’t put it on the floor or show irreverence. 6. Prayer- take every opportunity to pray with your Muslim friends; remind them that Jesus is the only Prophet in the Quran who can heal people and raise people from the dead and so you want to pray in Jesus name because it has power; all 4 holy books suggest that we pray with our hands raised and our eyes toward heaven and this is how our Muslim friends will recognize our reverence for God. 7. Christian- most Muslims have very wrong definitions of “Christian” just as we have many misconceptions about them; because of the influence of Hollywood in so many countries most of the world thinks that Christians are immoral, polytheistic, wine-drinking, pig-eating, loose-dressing, materialistic, corrupt, unclean Westerners. It is wise to identify yourself as a “follower of Jesus” rather than a Christian, and this usually opens up wonderful conversations. 8. Dress- Muslims measure godliness by what they see on the outside; when visiting with Muslim friends you want them to know that you honor God and what you are wearing says a lot about your faith even before you open your mouth; it is wise for us to err on the conservative side (cover shoulders and knees) if you feel comfortable doing so. 9. Friendship- above all else our Muslim friends value relationships and their “love language” is hospitality and generosity; as believers our friendship needs to be faithful and consistent with them as we establish trust and offer our hospitality and love them as Jesus loved them. Jesus taught that we “shouldn’t resist evil, but overcome evil w/good.” In other words, the love, support and kindness, we demonstrate to our Muslim neighbors should be so attractive that they are irresistibly drawn to Christ and soon surrender their hearts to Christ as their Lord and Savior. Well, Ed, I hope you some help and guidance in my answer. Thanks again for asking. Love, Roger By the way, thanks to the efforts of some of our Casas missionaries, we have the entire audio New Testament in Arabic on our site.

Dear Roger, What are your thoughts on the “feel good” church, and how do they get away from preaching the gospel and the studies through scripture…..!!?? From Concerned Child Dear Concerned Child, I assume that you are using the term “feel good” to define churches—especially today’s megachurches—which seem to water down the gospel and avoid and/or seldom us the word “sin” in order not to offend. These churches seem to prefer pop-cultural counseling sermons to Biblical ones. Some describe “feel good” churches as those which minimize the awe and holiness of God in favor of a “good-buddy” Jesus who is more friend than Lord and Savior. The music in these churches seems more “me” focused than God focused. Sermons and worship services seem shallow and close to a waste of time to Christians who long to mature in their faith. Concerned Child, I hope I have accurately summarized to some degree what you had in mind by the term “feel good” churches. Churches come in a variety of forms with varying values, styles, emphases and expressions of their faith. Hopefully, values remain intact while expressions of the Faith change from decade to decade and from generation to generation. I occasionally hear Christians say, “I just want a return to the first century church.” I respond, “Which first-century church would you like to attend? Jesus wrote to seven of them in Revelation 2-3. Would you want to attend the church at Ephesus with great Bible teaching but no love? Or, perhaps you might select the persecuted church at Smyrna? Or, perhaps you might like to attend the church at Thyatira which was full both of love and of tolerance for sin? The church at Sardis is not too attractive, don’t you think; it had great form but no power? Who would want to associate with the church at Laodicea which is the church that isn’t a church? Frankly, of the churches that received letters of evaluation from Jesus, my preference would be to attend the church at Philadelphia—the evangelism church. The members of this church were so engrossed in reaching the “Lost” for Christ that they had no time to fall into sin. Philadelphia is the only one of the seven churches which received nothing but praise from Jesus. Philadelphia is what we might call a “Kingdom Church.” A Kingdom Church confronts culture with the gospel. A Kingdom Church is sometimes mistaken for a “feel good” church. By the way, since we will use the term “Lost” numerous times throughout my answer, we must recognize that this is Jesus’ term for people who are wandering unforgiven outside the Shepherd’s fold. Jesus told three parables in Luke 15 describing His desperate searching for lost souls. The parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son demonstrate the joy in Heaven for each one of the Lost who are found and now safely in the arms of the Good Shepherd. As culture changes some churches modify their forms, practices, and expressions of Christianity in order to remain relevant to the changing society around them. These churches constantly rearrange their strategic and tactical plans both for how they will approach and reach the Lost, and with regards to how they are going to “do” church. Churches that adapt instigate a new generation of ministry. The other churches die out. Early in my ministry I observed that most evangelical churches could be separated into five major categories: (1) Bible Teaching; (2) Evangelistic; (3) Charismatic; (4) Prayer; and (5) Cross-Cultural Missions. Many churches combined various aspects from several categories so that church expressions were multiplied, varied and individualistic. The church I pastored when I first entered ministry, Casas Church in Tucson, was a mixture of two categories: Bible teaching and evangelism. As the years passed Casas evolved more into a Bible Teaching church that was focused not nearly enough on evangelism. Over the last two generations Casas has morphed more into what I call a Kingdom Church. While trying to be sensitive to over generalization, I tend to categorize today’s churches into four major categories: (1) Fortress (2) Prophetical; (3) Kingdom; and (4) Compromising. A church tends to be in one category or another. These categories are based on how a church deals with society. The Fortress Church deals with society by withdrawing from it. The Prophetical Church (modeled after the Old Testament prophets) deals with society by pronouncing judgment upon it. The Kingdom Church deals with society by engaging with it. The Compromising Church deals with society by becoming it. A Fortress Church deals with society by withdrawing from it. The Fortress Church focuses primarily on keeping Christians safe, secure, and separated from the evil and seductive influences of the “non Christian world.” In practical reality they are so focused on protecting themselves from cultural contamination that they seldom venture out to engage the Lost or open their doors and invite them to enter. A Prophetical Church is modeled after the Old Testament prophets who pronounced judgment on a wicked and perverse people. (This term does not refer to churches that place great emphasis on end times prophecy teachings nor on the spiritual gift of prophecy.) This type of church focuses primarily on declaring judgment and destruction on the ungodly behaviors and sinful people who fail to live up to Biblical standards. One clearly-stated purpose of a Prophetical Church is to restore Christian principles to a godless nation. The Prophetical Church is a triple-edged sword. On one hand, our present culture needs to hear about sin, judgment, repentance and Biblical teachings. On the other hand, it is not possible for those without Christ to make godly changes or to live by Biblical principles when they have not the spiritual power of the indwelling Christ. On the third hand, I grieve that judgmental cries of condemnation have failed, not only to change society, but they have decidedly damaged evangelistic efforts to reach the Lost. How so? Christians were known in the first-century-Roman Empire as the people who loved God and each other. Today, surveys reveal that 78% of Americans identify the evangelical Christian church as the most judgmental segment of our society. I wonder what happened to the days when Christians were known as the people who loved God and each other? The Prophetical Church misunderstands how Jesus approached different groups. He had strong words of judgment and denunciation for the religious leaders who defined spirituality and the pathway to God as obeying and practicing outwardly focused rules and regulations. He demonstrated warm-hearted love and acceptance for Lost Sheep. While describing the abundant life He had to offer, He was not easy on their sin. As the word got out, thousands flocked to experience the reality of His life and love. Obviously, love is a better tool than judgment for attracting and leading the Lost into the kingdom. A Kingdom Church deals with society by engaging with a lost culture for the purpose of leading people to Christ. The Kingdom Church focuses on using whatever tools are necessary to bring the Lost into the Kingdom (Matthew 6:10 and Luke 19:10). A Kingdom Church attempts to emulate the lifestyle of Jesus who was known as the One who spent most of His time with prostitutes and tax-collecting cheaters (Matthew 11:19; Mark 2:15-16). I define a Kingdom Church as one which moves out into society to seek the Lost wherever they are—even at the risk of “cultural condemnation.” A Kingdom Church functions as a spiritual hospital for sin-sick souls. In my opinion the Kingdom Church walks a thin line between staying true to the Gospel without compromising the necessities of facing the damning power of sin with repentance and for receiving Christ as Savior and Lord. The temptation is to become Pergamum (Revelation 2:14-16) or Thyatira (Revelation 2:19-23). The church at Pergamum compromised with the world while the church at Thyatira tolerated sin. The Kingdom Church reminds me most of the Philadelphian Church that advanced through open doors into a totally pagan culture in order to share the gospel with the Lost. Despite the obvious temptations, this churched walked the thin line and remained properly focused and balanced as they resisted compromise and contamination and received special commendation from Jesus. Now, Concerned Christian, my observation is that many Christians view the Kingdom Church as compromising and “shallow”—and some churches certainly are compromising and shallow! On the other hand, what may seem like shallow, “feel good” sermons may well be directed more at reaching the Lost on Sunday morning than at providing “deeper” Bible teachings for hungry Christians. This is all right with me as long as the church provides for “deeper” Bible studies in other settings. Seldom using the term “sin” on Sunday morning may seem compromising; on the other hand, not utilizing the term may be tactically designed to keep from alienating the Lost during their initial exposures to church. Nevertheless, a Kingdom Church will assure that the Lost will confront their sin, and their need for repentance and forgiveness at the proper time in their spiritual journeys. Let me share a short Biblical checklist of values which may help in evaluating the spiritual soundness of the Kingdom Church. First, a Kingdom Church presents the Gospel to today’s culture in a meaningful and relevant way. This presentation is effected by the evangelistic heart of its members as they interact with people in society—especially with their friends. The Kingdom Church may use the Sunday Morning Worship Service as their primary tool for making the gospel simple, inviting, and easy to understand. The driving value here is 1 Corinthians 9:22-23: “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” Second, care must be taken to preach from the Bible the “whole doctrine of truth”. The Bible must be treated with holy integrity and its Words not compromised in any way. Very few come to church desiring to hear politics and/or pop-psychology. Every one comes eager to know, “Does God have a word for me, today?” Third, a Kingdom Church does not shy away from the sin issue. Sin may not make a good Sunday morning topic for the Lost; but, the problem of sin and the need for a Savior must be dealt with at the proper time and place. The operative verses here are Romans 3:23: “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”, and Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Fourth, a Kingdom Church is careful to provide small groups for Bible study, prayer, fellowship, mentoring and discipleship. Acts 2:42 outlines the process: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” If Bible exposition is not the focus of the traditional Sunday morning service, then Bible teaching for maturing Christians must occur in carefully planned settings. This is often accomplished in small groups led by spiritual Christians and good Bible teachers. By the way, sermons alone can never fully disciple anyone. Discipleship only occurs in close knit fellowship with other Christians. Paul outlined the process in 2 Timothy 2:22: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” Finally, a Kingdom Church provides opportunities for true worship. Sunday morning is not the only time for engaging in heart-felt worship. The morning-service music should not be the only place believers are led into the throne room of Christ. Other opportunities must be carefully planned and provided. The guideline here is from Ephesians 5:19-20: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In my mind, churches face many challenges in transitioning into Kingdom Churches. One of the biggest challenges is providing fulfilling and meaningful worship and Bible sermons for Christians who are conditioned for having those needs met in a Sunday morning worship setting. Another challenge is to provide enough healthy small groups to accommodate the Christians already in the church and all the new people coming into the fold. Another challenge is to keep the gospel pure and unadulterated without sacrificing it on the altar of tolerance and compromise. Another challenge is to present a proper view of God. While His is intimately and caringly involved in our lives (Psalms 103 and 131), He is also a God who judges sin. While He gives His children total love and acceptance, He is at times deeply disappointed in them. Another challenge is to ensure that Jesus is uplifted in public to His proper place as Savior of the world (John 3:14-16 and 11:32). Jesus is worthy to be worshiped publicly and openly (Revelation 4:11; 5:9-15) in order that all may see our total and complete surrender to Him as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). Well, Concerned Child, I hope some of my thoughts will help as you personally evaluate the changes of church models in our generation. Thank you for the thoughtful and relevant question. Love, Roger Here are the truths that shaped my life and ministry: https://piti.wpengine.com/ask-roger/detail/what-i-believe-and-why/

Dear Roger, I am a pastor and just found out that our worship pastor is committing adultery. I have heard through the grapevine that you’ve dealt with this issue on several occasions. This man has a significant following and I am afraid that he will spin his sin in such a way that might split the church and cause much confusion and pain. As far as I know very few people are aware of his behavior. I want to handle this problem Biblically and properly. I want to keep the residual damage to the church as minimal as possible. Thanks for your help. Sincerely, Any Pastor Dear Any Pastor, Unfortunately, you are not the first pastor to face this issue. We all hear stories about how adultery and all kinds of sexual sin leads to such turmoil and destruction. In your case worship pastor sinned. However, any staff member can fall. I couch my answer in the “worship leader context” because this is the case in your particular situation. Nevertheless the principles apply to any staff position—male or female. Let me share several principles that I hope are helpful. Sexual sin by a church leader cannot be allowed to go “underground.” The key words for handling this situation are truth, truth and truth. The next three words are openness, openness and openness. The next three words are leadership, leadership and leadership. Carefully ascertain, as best you can, the validity—or not—of the accusation. Paul gave clear-cut guidelines to Timothy: “Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19). Sometimes, you may need to seek out quietly the “right” people in verifying the accuracy of the allegation. At other times you may pesonally just figure out what is going on. Once, one of our staff began acting strangely, keeping unusual hours, not going home on time, etc. I added up two plus two and got four. After church the next evening one of my trusted elders and I took the man outside. I said, “You’re committing adultery, aren’t you.” Mine was more a declarative statement than a question. He stammered, “Yes,” before he even had time to think. Early on in the process include a trusted and influential church leader into the loop. You certainly don’t want to give an opportunity for a “he said … you said … she said … I didn’t say that …” scenario to develop after you confront the worship leader. This is not a church problem you want to handle alone (Galatians 6:1-2). Understand that this church crisis is not the time for debating how to handle the problem, whether or not to try to restore him, whether or not to allow him to continue leading worship while you search for a suitable solution, or whether or not he should keep his job. His trust level with you, the rest of the staff and the church congregation has dissipated like the morning mist. He has lost his authority to minister (This can be regained later—perhaps). If he keeps his job and commits another sexual sin, the church is now wide open for lawsuits. We have a “duty of care” to protect others in the congregation. Consider that it is not unwise in today’s litigious society to obtain legal counsel as you proceed through the process of handling the sinful situation which is now tossed in your lap. Call an elder’s or deacon’s or board meeting the same week you that unearth and verify the sin. The official leaders must be informed and action taken to remove the offender from job responsibilities immediately. Remember that, as pastor, you are in the “power position.” As a result, you want to act quickly and decisively—before the rest of the church suspects a problem—and before the worship leader can rally a following. Your official church leaders also have “power.” You want them to know the truth so they can squelch potential lies or rumors. Pick the right time to confront. Once we had a series of multiple-night-church pageants. I knew what was going on behind the scenes with one of our staff persons. Unfortunately, he was such an integral part in the nightly performances that to remove him would necessitate canceling the remaining programs. So, I decided to let him finish out the next several nights. As soon as the last performance concluded, he and I had a talk. Sadly, the offender’s job must be terminated immediately. Have him clean out his office. Remove him from all places of leadership. He (or she) may not stand before any church group to explain, repent or suggest anything at this time. That can come later. If that seems a little harsh, so be it. Having just been “caught”, his emotions, thinking and words can’t be trusted. A time for repentance may come. But, not until the crisis is settled down and time has passed and you know whether or not true repentance is occurring. Three affected areas need special care: the sin; the church; and the sinner. The Bible is quite clear about how church leaders are to handle the sin of another church leader. They are to expose the improper behavior to the church in order that the fellowship may understand that no one is so high up in church leadership that they can sin and get away with it. Paul advised Timothy: “Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning” (1 Timothy 5:20). Sin in the church is serious business—especially when committed by a church leader and must be handled accordingly. Let’s talk about what exposing sin and improper behavior might look like. This can be done discretely to ensure minimal damage to the church and to the staff pastor who sinned. The Sunday after the elders make the termination official the church needs to be told. Remember, nothing hidden; tell the truth. Telling the church what happened and why the leader can no longer keep his job is handling the issue decisively and will immediately stop all rumors. I tell the congregation that the worship leader has committed a sin that forfeits his job. Then I say, “I am not going to tell you what sin he committed. We will leave that between him and the close group who are sorting out and properly handling the issues. Don’t be too harsh; some of you have committed exactly the same sin—or a variation of it. This is not the time for judgment. It is time for grieving and compassion. We are all hurting. But, none of us is hurting as much as he and his family. They need love and compassion; so when you see them, grieve with them and comfort them.” Then, I continue, “If you feel that you have to know which sin he committed, then ask him. He can choose to tell you or not” (By the way, as far as I know, no one has ever taken me up on this offer.). Then, I proceed: “His job is terminated because his behavior has violated trust to such a degree that he can no longer work here with integrity. We have developed a restoration plan that we pray can heal the marriage and one day result in a renewed opportunity for him to reenter into ministry. At the proper time he can publicly share his sorrow, regret and repentance with us all if he so desires.” In my experience, some avail themselves of this opportunity; and, some decline. Finally, I say, “The worship leader and his family have decided to stay in our fellowship for a while as they begin to put their lives back together” (Every one of our ministers who has fallen in our church has chosen this option.). I continue, “I know it is awkward, but their friends and support are in our congregation. So love them and treat them with the care they need.” Some groups need a little more care and restoration. In most cases we arrange for the fallen pastor to meet with the ministry groups that he worked with and led. This often results in a time of broken-hearted confession and repentance which is good for all involved. Not surprisingly, some have a hard time holding back their anger because of the loss and betrayal they’ve experienced. At this point, one or our counselors or I talk about the range of emotions we are all feeling and how to handle them properly. This is a good time to let the words and emotions of the group flow as they struggle to begin healing. Now that we have talked about handling the sin and healing the church, let’s talk about the needs of the worship leader. We are dealing here with a broken-hearted man and his family. As I mentioned before, we invite them to stay in our fellowship as they heal. We arrange and pay for marriage counseling. Unfortunately, not every church has the resources to do this. We invite several men to develop a support group to help restore him to integrity and to ministry. We ask several women to join in comforting and supporting his wife. We try to care for them financially as they make the transition to a new life and line of work. In our case we usually continue salary for four to six months with the provision that when they obtain another job, or if they do anything to unsettle the church or congregation, their transition funds terminate. We also try to work out a way to help continue their medical insurance, if needed. Anger at the worship leader and the pain he has caused makes it quite tempting to withhold proper care. Just remember that the church is not the only victim is this whole affair. If there is any time that a wife and children need support and financial security, this is it! If for no other reason, take care of his innocent family in their turmoil. In my experience, and in discussions with other pastor friends, we agree that it is easy for husband and wife to ultimately join forces and blame the church for their demise—and what they consider to be ill treatment. They will often, unknowingly or not, transfer a tremendous amount of anger from themselves to the church. I’ve heard people say things like, “Well, what do you expect? The church always shoots its wounded!” When I hear this comment I often think, “Well, everything would have been fine had he not first fired a double-barreled shotgun in our midst.” But, I never say those words—out loud! I just pray for the hurting couple to find healing, relief and restoration—and perhaps one day to successfully reintegrate into ministry. Well, Any Pastor, I hope these thoughts may be of help. May God bless you, your church family and your broken minister as you utilize truth, openness and leadership, during these painful times. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I’ve heard that the Bible says that one of the ways we will know that the end is near is a dramatic increase in the number and intensity of earthquakes, volcanoes and natural disasters. Tsunamis in Indonesia, earthquakes in Haiti, volcanic mud slides in Chile and droughts in Africa are killing people by the hundreds of thousands. Now, we are seeing the greatest ecological disasters of all time. Marine habitat is being decimated; fish and birds are dying by the millions. Recent studies predict that so much oil is gushing unchecked from the ocean floor that the spill will travel along the Gulf Stream currents to foul the beaches of Ireland, England and France. In addition, the prospect of the devastating effects of global warming is frightening. Do you believe that all these are signs from God that the end is near? Sincerely, A whole lot of us Christians Dear a whole lot of Christians, The Bible has much to say about the natural signs that precede the destructive end of time. While these signs are scattered throughout the Scriptures, most of them are detailed in the Book of Revelation. We will focus our attention here. Three cycles of destruction are outlined in Revelation 6-16. The cycles are grouped in sevens: seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls of wrath. Some interpret the cycles as occurring one after the other in linear time-line fashion. Others view them as occurring simultaneously. Whatever interpretation we choose, we notice that some overlapping occurs. Many view the opening of the Seven Seals as describing Man’s plagues upon mankind. The blowing of the Seven Trumpets corresponds to Satan’s destruction on mankind. The pouring out of the Bowls of Wrath is God’s judgment on mankind. Some evidence for this interpretation comes from the increasing intensity of destruction from the Seals to the Trumpets to the Bowls. Let me summarize the devastation described by each seal, trumpet and bowl so that we can observe them all at once: First Seal: The rider on the white horse offering temporary-deceptive peace Second Seal: The rider on the red horse taking peace from the earth Third Seal: The rider on the black horse of famine Fourth Seal: The rider on the pale horse of death Fifth Seal: Christian martyrs in Heaven pleading with God to judge the world Sixth Seal: Great earthquakes, darkened sun and blood-red moon (volcanic ash?), the stars in the sky fall to earth, the sky recedes like a rolling up scroll (an intercontinental-ballistic-missile-nuclear holocaust?) Seventh Seal: A period of stunned silence in Heaven for thirty minutes at the destruction yet to come on earth First Trumpet: hail and fire mixed with blood hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth, the trees and all the green grass is burned up. Second Trumpet: A blazing is thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turns into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea die, and a third of the ships are destroyed. Third Trumpet: A blazing star falls on the rivers and turns them bitter. Many die. Fourth Trumpet: A third of the sun, moon, and stars, are destroyed so that a third of the day and night turn dark. Fifth Trumpet: A star falls from heaven and opens the door to the lowest Hell to unleash a world-wide demonic infestation of all who are imprinted with the “666” sign. Sixth Trumpet: Two hundred million troops are released to kill one-third of mankind. Seventh Trumpet: Heaven is unveiled to reveal lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. Satan is cast from Heaven to earth. First Bowl: Ugly and painful sores break out on the people who have the mark of the beast and who worship his image. Second Bowl: Blood is poured out on the sea and every living sea creature dies. Third Bowl: Blood is poured on rivers and streams and all the fish in them die. Fourth Bowl: The sun becomes scorching hot (global warming? The increasing ozone hole over Antarctica). Fifth Bowl: Darkness covers the earth. Sixth Bowl: The Euphrates River dries up to allow a giant army to advance to Armageddon. Seventh Bowl: God’s final judgment of mankind begins with the Battle of Armageddon and is accompanied by fire, earthquakes, natural disasters and destruction. Some think that the signs can begin at any time preceding the return of Christ. Others see them commencing at the beginning of the last-seven-year period before the Battle of Armageddon when the Anti-Christ signs a peace treaty guaranteeing the security of Israel. Still others feel that proper Biblical interpretation places them at the three and one-half-year point when the Anti-Christ breaks the peace treaty and all Hell breaks loose in a time of “Great Tribulation” which leads up to the final battle. As I peruse these twenty-one disasters, I have no trouble relating them to what we see occurring today: natural disasters, ecological turmoil, nuclear threats and accidents, unrelenting genocide, civil unrest, terrorism and civil war. The idea that natural and man-made disasters will increase in frequency and intensity as the end approaches is enunciated by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25. As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:6-8). The operative words here are “birth pains”. Birth pains increase in intensity and frequency until the baby is finally delivered. Wars, famine, earthquakes, global warming and man-made ecological disasters will grow in intensity and frequency as the end draws near. It may be that the frequency and intensity are really not increasing at all. Earthquakes transpire daily at different places throughout the earth. Tsunamis and volcanoes are ongoing occurrences. In fact, eight to ten volcanoes are erupting with varying intensity on any given day. They are in remote places and simply pass unnoticed unless they are located in Iceland and affect air travel across the European continent. It may well be that the only reason these events seem more frequent and intense today is because the news media makes us instantly aware of things we never had access to know before. The key to all of this may very well be found in the concluding verses of the Book of Daniel. Daniel is an Old Testament prophetical book which details the world’s governments from King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon to the Second coming of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth. At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge (Daniel 12:1-4). Two things stand out in these verses which summarize the end days. First, “seal up the words of the scroll until the time of the end,” means that the Book of Daniel will be an enigma until the events recorded in the Book are close to being fulfilled. I believe that the prophecies of Daniel are now understood in ways that they never have been before. In other words, one sign the end is near is that these verses are now easy to understand. Second, “many will go here and there to increase knowledge” seems to me to refer to the fact that amount of knowledge doubles every five years. I think that, among other things, this refers to the media proliferation of knowledge dispersed world-wide. There are no more earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. than before. It just seems like it! Do I think that the increase of devastations means that the end is near? Yes, but how near? Frankly, I really don’t know. But, I do know this, the end is closer than it has ever been before. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, As a Christian, is it okay to take yoga classes since yoga is from a non- Christian practice? Faith Dear Faith, Yoga originated and may still be used in a non-Christian way. You would want to avoid using, practicing, or attending yoga classes with religious overtones. On the other hand, Yoga is practiced today by many solely for physical strength, flexibility and meditative purposes. I would not hesitate to use yoga in a non-religious setting for your own personal health and profit. Most exercise clubs offer yoga classes without the religious overtones. The term, “yoga,” refers to traditional physical and spiritual disciplines which originated in India. Based on images in the Indus Valley, yoga was practiced at least 5,000 years ago. The practice of yoga was codified between 1500 and 1200 BC and has spread throughout many civilizations and religions as a way to meditate and quiet one’s mind while merging with the infinite. Yoga is an integral practice of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism as well as a plethora of smaller religions. I was not at all surprised to Google “yoga” and find that the number of yoga-exercise sites outnumbered the yoga-religious sites by about four to one. One yoga center focused on the religious significance of yoga, promoting its classes of yoga as a: path of self-study and meditative attunement which induces a direct perception into the nature of consciousness, the patterns of your mind and of Life itself. It is the art of total balance, a science for harmonizing the disparate parts of your being into wholeness, a way of creative living (This a direct quote from Goswami Kriyananda). On the other hand, another site promoted only the exercise and fitness aspects of its yoga classes. Bikram’s Yoga College of India … invites you to come in and experience the most exciting, challenging, effective and amazing hot yoga you’ll ever encounter! Scientifically designed by Yoga expert Bikram Choudhury, the series consists of 26 postures (asanas) and two breathing exercises, performed in a given order in a heated room. This series is designed to benefit every muscle, tendon, joint, ligament, organ, gland and cell in your body. It will detoxify you and improve the functioning of all bodily systems. Our certified instructors will guide you through the 26 Bikram postures helping you to achieve the maximum benefits from your practice. Our studio has separate men’s and women’s changing areas and showers ready for our guests. So come prepared to work hard, sweat, and have fun! Some Christians take the position that any contact with yoga is wrong. For example, in 1989, the Vatican declared that Eastern meditation practices such as yoga can “degenerate into a cult of the body.” Some Christian organizations consider the practice of yoga to be inherently tied to its religious background, and therefore, a non-Christian religious practice. Some also consider yoga to be a part of the New Age movement and therefore inconsistent with Christianity. Personally, I would no doubt benefit from a yoga class at the fitness center. Unfortunately, I am afraid that I might rip some muscle that I didn’t even know existed and be laid up for weeks. Frankly, I see no problem with a Christian taking part in yoga classes that are basically for fitness and exercise. On the other hand, as a Christian, I would never be comfortable—nor would I ever—place myself at the feet of anyone who was teaching yoga from a religious perspective. I hope these thoughts are helpful to you. Exercise well. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, Some believe the Bible is the absolute word of God. Others believes that the Bible is God inspired. I believe in the latter. What is your feelings about this and why? Thanking you in advance for your answer. John Dear John, I believe in the infallible, inerrant, verbal, plenary inspiration of Scripture. In other words, the Bible is fully inspired; has no mistakes; and every word is literally inspired by God. I believed that the Bible is absolutely the Word of God; and that the original autographs (the documents actually written and signed by the original Bible writers) are 100% accurate. The doctrine of the inspiration of the Bible means that the Bible is God-breathed, that it is a divine product, and, because it is divine, the original documents are inerrant (Copies of the original documents are not inspired). I don’t believe that the Bible was simply dictated by God to the Biblical writers. Otherwise, the Bible would sound the same from start to finish. I think that God used the individual personalities of each writer to influence the style and the manner in which the divine words are composed. The Biblical writers often declared the validity of the Scriptures as the words of God. For example, Paul when wrote to Timothy about the purposes of the Bible, he began with a declaration regarding the divine validity of the Bible: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The word “inspired” is literally “God-breathed” (“theos” and “pneuma”). Peter also agreed that, “no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21). According to Peter, prophecy is not the product of human will. Prophecy is a divine certainty because those who wrote were moved to write by the Holy Spirit Himself. Jesus affirmed that the gospel writers were trustworthy because the Holy Spirit would accurately help them remember everything that occurred during Jesus’ time on earth: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). Not every one agrees with this position—even some who are Christians. Some people teach that the Bible writers never claimed to be inspired or directly guided by God. They say that neither the writers nor God viewed Scripture as a revelation of the mind of God which we should follow as a pattern for our lives. Personally, as far as I’m concerned this view empties the Bible of all authority. If this view is true, then why bother with the Bible at all? Others teach that the writers did put down some of God’s ideas, but that some writers also included their own uninspired ideas. In essence, they teach that the Bible “contains” the Words of God and therefore, we are free to try to determine which are His and which are not. I find it inconceivable that anyone would see this endeavor as anything more than an exercise in human speculation and/or futility. Anyone who claimed to have separated God’s words from man’s would be guilty of gross arrogance. Others say the Bible writers speak the truth in matters of religious faith and morals, but when the Bible writers speak about history or science, they are writing as humans and may be wrong. Unfortunately, my opinion is that those with this view have a shallow understanding of Biblical hermeneutics (the principles of Biblical interpretation). A proper understanding reveals no conflict between the Bible and Science. Many of those with persuasion refuse to accept the Bible accounts of miracles. They thus relegate the Biblical teachings regarding miracles to be little more than humanistic myths. In one way or another, each of these non-Biblical views of inspiration leaves little doubt that errors exist in the words written by “inspired” men. In other words, the Bible is not the infallible, inerrant, verbal, plenary truth of God expressed accurately as recorded in the Bible. These attacks on the Bible originated in the 1800s with the rise of German rationalism which literally gutted the Bible of anything that could not be understood from a human, naturalistic perspective. Today, these views are often characterized by the terms “modernism” or “liberalism.” John, our belief in the infallible, inerrant, verbal, plenary inspiration of Scripture is a matter of faith. The Bible declares itself to be divine. Certainly, you know that it is not possible for anything to validate itself by itself. I mention this because you may at times find yourself discussing the truth of the Bible with non-Christian friends and they might point this out to you. Don’t let your faith falter in the face of their arguments. All of the Christian life is based on faith. Fortunately, the book, “The New Testament Documents: Are they Reliable,” by F.F. Bruce not only speaks to this issue but will greatly strengthen you faith in the inspiration, divinity and reliability of the Word of God. This book is a page turner. You will really enjoy it. Well, John, I hope you find my answer helpful in strengthening your faith. Let me leave you with Jesus’ words in Revelation 19:9: “These are true words of God.” Love, Roger

Dear Roger, Did Jesus think about having a sexual relationship? Sincerely, Fred Dear Fred, Did Jesus ever think about having a sexual relationship? Of course, He thought about it. In fact, like most men and boys, He thought about it a lot. I have read that most all adolescent males think about sex at least every fifteen minutes, or so. Jesus was once an adolescent. Jesus was fully man and fully God, so explore the following answer with me. God has embedded the sexual drive deeply into the human psyche. God intended His earth to be well populated as evidenced by His command to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:27: “Be fruitful and increase in number.” Sexual relationships are God’s method for “being fruitful and “filling the earth” with people. As a human being, just like us, Jesus dealt with sex issues constantly. As far as I can tell, Fred, except for some false Gnostic writings in the late second and early third centuries which claimed that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, ours is the first generation to seriously consider the idea of Jesus having a sexual relationship. As far as I know, the subject of Jesus and sex in not discussed with any seriousness until our sex-crazed, humanistic society began stripping Jesus of His holiness, purity and deity in the middle of the 20th century. I really appreciate your asking this question. Many Christians today are wondering about how close Jesus came to eating the forbidden “apple”. Much discussion focuses on whether or not Jesus was capable of sinning. After all, He was God. Could God sin? The obvious answer is, “No, God cannot sin. However, the answer is a little more complex than a simple “yes”, or “no”. I believe that the Biblical evidence makes it quite clear that not only was Jesus temped, He was fully capable of sinning and ruining the plan of redemption. In Philippians 2:1-11 Paul composed a melodic poem which described Jesus taking seven steps down to humanity and the cross. Paul then described Christ’s seven-step exaltation back into Heaven to receive back His glory as fully God (beyond our understanding). In verse six Paul declared that in the process of abandoning Heaven, Jesus made Himself “nothing”. The Greek word “kenosis” literally means, “to empty one’s self”—whatever that means. Somehow or other He emptied Himself of some of His “godness” in order to put on “humanness.” He remained 100% God, but also became 100% man. This is called the “hypostatic union”. This doctrine is inscrutable. I believe that His “emptying” Himself is what opened the door so that He could actually sin (for a more extended interpretation of this concept, read my “Ask Roger Answer” entitled, “Son God or son of man?”. In my mind, there is no way Jesus could fall into sin as fully God. On the other hand, He certainly could fall into sin in as fully human. After all, if Jesus could not sin, why would Satan bother to tempt Him at the commencement of His earthly ministry (Matthew 4 and Luke 4)?! Both gospel writers declared that temptation would follow Him all the days of His life. Furthermore, in describing Jesus’ ministry as our great high priest, the writer to the Hebrews revealed that Jesus endured every temptation (including sexual temptations) that we face—without sinning: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). The term, “yet without sin,” obviously means that He was fully capable of falling into sin—but, HE DIDN’T. Temptation is not a sin. Martin Luther wrote, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head; but, you certainly can keep them from nesting in your hair.” That’s good, isn’t it!? Jesus taught in Matthew 5:27-28: “You have heard it said, ‘do not commit adultery’. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Let’s look carefully at what Jesus taught in light of Luther’s illustration. Looking at a woman and appreciating her beauty is not a sin. Perhaps even a moment’s imaging a sexual encounter is still not a sin. The sin occurs when we mentally and emotionally dwell upon one particular individual while imagining a drawn out sexual experience with him or her. Temptation has now evolved into lust. The sin occurs in the long-drawn-out visualizing, not in the thought which comes to mind for a fleeting moment. Did Jesus think about having a sexual relationship? Certainly, He did. Both Satan and/or His own humanity occasionally guided the sexual temptation “bird” to fly over His head. However, according to the Hebrews passage mentioned above, He never allowed that bird to nest in His “hair”. Tradition tells us that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute who tempted Jesus (and obviously others) to have personal sexual relationship with her. “The Last Temptation of Christ”, a novel written by Nikos Kazantzakis, as well as other contemporary authors, have postulated that Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus cast seven demons (Luke 8:2), was His temptress, at least, and more probably His girl friend. Whatever lifestyle she lived before was dramatically changed by her spiritual encounter with Jesus. She became a devoted follower and financial contributor to His ministry who witnessed the crucifixion, prepared His body for burial and was the first to hear the good news of the resurrection! So far, we have discussed the idea of Jesus having a sinful sexual relationship. We need to ask the question whether or not Jesus longed for a legitimate sexual relationship in a marriage context. Since Jesus was like us, He experienced the internal-God-implanted-sexual drive to procreate and thus fulfill His Father’s command to be “fruitful and fill the whole earth”. This command applied only in a marriage context. Therefore, I believe that He considered marriage as a viable option for fulfilling God’s plan for His life. The “Da Vinci Code”, a contemporary novel written by Dan Brown, imagines that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and fathered children by her. He intertwines this concept with the legend of the “Holy Grail”. Could Jesus have been married? Could He have had children? Some Christians have little difficulty answering “yes” to both questions. PERSONALLY, I HAVE DIFFICULTY SAYING “YES” TO EITHER QUESTION. I believe that Jesus quickly dismissed any possibility of marrying and having children, His mission was to “bring many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10) not to marry and procreate. Jesus made it clear that the “Son of Man came to seek and to save those who were Lost.” This God-inspired calling far outweighed the distraction and any possible fulfillment He might have gained from having His own wife and children. Would He have liked to be married? Probably. Were marriage and children included in God’s will for His life? Probably not. Well, Fred, thanks for asking such an intriguing question. I hope my answer gives several provocative and helpful insights to you and others about the sexual life of Jesus. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, What is in a name? Since I married and took on my (then) husband’s name that it really never fit me and that in some way it is like a curse on me. Even while we were married I felt this way. I feel very silly talking about this. And yet can’t shake the idea. I desperately want to change my name and I don’t know why. We have been divorced for three years, I had planned to keep it because we have a child and I don’t believe that I wish to dump the name because of feelings I have about my ex. I want to know how much a name means to our life and spirit, and does it matter to God? Rose Dear Rose, I am sorry that your marriage didn’t work out. I know this has caused you a tremendous amount of grief. Knowing that you’re still struggling about your feelings and emotions toward your ex makes my heart hurt for you and your child. Recovering from a failed marriage, especially when children are involved can be devastating—and often results in a rather long recovery. Therefore, I am not surprised at your desire to remove yourself as far as possible from his influence. More women than ever are returning to their maiden names after their divorces. I think it quite significant that there was something about his very name that bothered you even when you first married. As far as the Bible is concerned you are free to keep your name or to change it. Paul addressed this subject in 1 Corinthians 10:23: “Everything is permissible—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible—but not everything is constructive.” Before God, you can keep or change your name. Names had much more significance in the Bible than we ascribe to them today. They were often related to an event that occurred at birth or to something significant in the lives of either or both of the parents. For example, while dying during childbirth, Rebecca named her son, “Ben-Oni,” which meant, “Son of My Trouble.” However, as soon as she died, her husband Jacob immediately renamed him, “Benjamin,” which meant, “Son of My Right Hand” (Genesis 35:13-16). Jesus was named, “Jesus,” which meant, “Savior,” because, the angel Gabriel instructed Joseph, He would save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Julie and I named our second-born child, “Brianna,” which means, “Gift of God.” WE were grateful for a healthy baby because our first-born died too young. I named our third-born, “Bronwyn,” which means, “Pure Heart.” My parents intended to name me, “Douglas Wayne.” The all changed the moment my dad first saw me and declared that I looked just like Him! I became “Roger, Junior” immediately. My name has an English background and means, “Spear Thrower.” I have yet to impale anyone. I agree with your conclusions that the biggest issue here concerns your child. I believe that your child needs the security of knowing that he or she has the same last name as mom. Regarding the idea that your husband’s name might be cursed, I doubt it. However, you may pray renouncing any spirit (James 4:7) that may have cursed the name. Then, don’t worry about it any more. As to your last question, I believe that your name need not affect your spiritual life or relationship with God in any form or fashion. If you were to choose to call yourself, “Killer,” or “Baal Worshipper,” or “Jezebel,” then Jesus might have some feelings about the reasons behind your choice. As long as you stay away from names like that, you should have no problem! Solomon said: “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold” (Proverb 22:1). Well, Rose, I hope my thoughts are helpful. Whatever name you settle on, may God grant that whenever your name comes up in conversation—because of the reputation you’ve built for integrity, compassion and spirituality—that your name will remind people of Jesus. Love, Roger.

Dear Roger, I have to conduct a service for a man who took his life. There was no evidence of an acknowledgment of Christ. What tips? Sincerely, Tim Dear Tim, Sorry to hear about the suicide—especially for a man who was not a Christian. The hardest suicide funeral I ever did was for a twenty-two-year-old man who blew out his brains with a shotgun in front of his nine-year-old sister. Sister will be traumatized for the rest of her life. Since he left no suicide note, mom and dad and the rest of the family will struggle with so many unanswered questions and will suffer a legacy of guilt: “Why did he do it? If we’d only known his despair, what could we have done to help him before it was too late? What warning signs did we miss?” A no-note suicide is one of the nastiest and harshest things any one can do to their family and friends. The family didn’t care much about what I was to say during the funeral. The only thing that mattered was that we play the song, “Desperado,” because it was his favorite. The funeral was incredible. As I rose to speak I saw his wife and baby sitting on the front row to my left. The woman sitting alone on my right was his girlfriend. No wonder he committed suicide. Suicides are the hardest of all funerals; so, we approach them carefully. We must keep our expectations in line with reality. We cannot fix the situation. We cannot explain the circumstances. Most of the people are so distracted in their own guilt and misery that they won’t hear much of what we say anyway. That is not to say that we can’t bring peace and healing to those in the room. Let give you a few thoughts that might help as you prepare. 1. The family of an unsaved suicide needs comfort. Let me share several comfort passages that I use again and again: Psalm 23; Psalm 103; 119:76; 2 Corinthians 1:3; and 2 Corinthians 1:4. Focus on understanding their grief. Refrain from encouragement, rationalization and explanation. These don’t matter much at a suicide funeral. Rational explanations and encouragement can come later. Tell them how sorry you feel for them and how much you grieve for their pain. 2. Don’t talk about Heaven or Hell. You don’t want to raise false hopes and you certainly don’t want to pretend he is in heaven when you are fairly certain he did not have a relationship with Christ. 3. Arrange for someone to share several good memories about his life. Humor and funny stories are more than appropriate. Humor can dissipate the strained nerves of a tense situation. 4. In some funerals having an “open microphone” and allowing people from the audience to share special stories can be effective. However, in this case I would refrain from that. The risk is that the wrong people will say the wrong things and embarrass themselves, or more likely, the deceased and/or the family. Instead, arrange for two or three friends or family members to share. Have them write out their comments in advance. This will help to alleviate the problem of people saying whatever comes to mind at the moment and will lessen the chance of someone speaking way too long. 5. It is hard to be evangelistic without sounding insensitive and “preachy”—especially in this case. If you can work the gospel in, do it gently and by all means proceed. This may be the only chance the folks in the audience will ever hear the gospel. Leave a good impression on the folks and you may have a more effective time to share later. 6. Fear of appearing “preachy” in no way means that we stay away from talking about Jesus. Using the story in John eight of Jesus’ restoration of the woman caught in the act of adultery gives a hopeful sense of picking up the pieces and starting over again. Using Philippians 4:10-13 about the God who pours in the power through Jesus Christ to give victory in every situation can be helpful and appropriate. 7. In most circumstances services for the unsaved who commit suicide don’t need to be long and drawn out. The “shorter the better” is good advice for many things and applies well here. The suffering and guilt in the room are incredible. This is not the time to speculate why he did what he did or attempt to answer questions regarding suicide. Keep this service as short as possible (20 to 30 minutes, including music and songs) is enough. 8. At the end of the service encourage the friends of the family to comfort the survivors in their pain. Tell them that comfort is emotional. It looks like empathy. It consists of words of compassion and care: “I am so sorry;” “I know the pain is incredible;” “I can’t come close to knowing what you are going through. I know it hurts;” “I grieve with you.” Comfort helps to heal hurts. Tim, I hope that I’ve shared some things that might be of help. May God give you blessing and wisdom as you take part in this funeral Love Roger