Dear Roger, As of now I’m not interested in having a funeral when I pass away. My question is:..Did Jesus have a funeral and is it alright NOT to have one? Dear Pete, It is OK not to have a funeral.   However, here are some thoughts to consider as you make your decision.   A funeral is not necessarily for you, it’s for the ones you leave behind.   While you’re alive, you certainly have the primary input into what you’d like to include in your funeral service. For most people these are the things for which they’d like to be remembered. But, but keep in mind your target audience.   Here’s some reasons why you might want to have a funeral service.   A funeral service can provide a time of closure.   It’s like, “Well, it’s time to begin moving along.” There comes a time when it’s okay to pick up the pieces and start over.   A Funeral Can Provide An Opportunity To Reflect On The Life Of The Departed Loved One. There May Be Some Things From His/Her Life To Emulate.   An eulogy can provide an overview of the life of the departed. This is especially important to help people fill in the gaps since most people only knew the deceased at different times in his/her life.   Sometimes the loved one is not very lovable. He/she may have caused such pain and hurt that it may be best not to have a funeral at all.   A Funeral Can Be A Time Of Celebration, But Not At The Expense Of Mourning.   What stands out most in biblical burials is an intense time of grief and mourning.   Jesus said, “Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted” ( Matthew 5: 4 ).   According to the biblical examples, there ought to be a lot of tears at a funeral. Grieving is one of the five or six essential stages that can facilitate healing.   Shock Denial Grief Anger Depression Resolution These stages often occur in this order but usually not. Often we suffer a mixture of two or more simultaneously.   Don’t try to mourn alone. After all, it takes one to mourn and one to comfort.   A Funeral Reminds Us That Jesus Promised To Cheat Death And If We Believe In Him As Our Lord And Savior, So Can We (John: 25-26)!   What Do Biblical Burials Look Like?   Much mourning took place ( Deuteronomy 34:8 ). Shaved heads, sackcloth and ashes demonstrated deep grief ( Isaiah 61:3 ). Torrn clothes were associated with grief, and loss ( Genesis 37:29 ; Psalm 30:11 ). Bodies were washed the same day as the death in order to minimize the effects of decomposition ( John 11:39 }. Aromatic spices were sprinkled into the burial cloth as it was wrapped around the body ( John 19:40 ). Most individuals were buried in the ground ( Jeremiah 26:23 ). Others were laid to rest in caves or sepulchers hewn out of limestone ( Matthew 26:12 ). Countless funerals were mentioned in the Old Testament-Abraham’s burial of Sarah, Joseph’s request to be buried back in Israel, Jacob’s mourning procession from Egypt.   As best as I can tell, Jesus never had a funeral. After Pilate condemned him, he was dragged straight to Golgotha where he was crucified. If Jesus had any kind of funeral it would be the short eulogy delivered by one of the thieves on the cross: “This man has done nothing wrong.” Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury( John 19:40 ).   All that being said, it’s okay for you not to have a funeral if you so choose. Personally, the following process is a little unorthodox, but you might consider including your loved ones as you make your final decisions.   I hope my thoughts are helpful and I hope that God grants you many wonderful years ahead.   Sincerely, Roger    Jesus was buried in a tomb carved out of a rock-mass. ( Mark 15:46 ) Such a grave commonly had a narrow entrance. Inside, a number of niches, or shelf like spaces, were cut into the rock, where the bodies of deceased family members would be placed. After the flesh decomposed, the dried bones were collected and put in a stone box called an ossuary, as was the custom in Jesus’ time. In this way, the family could make space in the tomb for future burials.   Sincerely,, Roger P. S. I have a lot to say about cremation. See https://piti.wpengine.com/ask-roger/detail/can-a-christian-be-cremated/ .

Dear Roger, How do dinosaurs fit into the Bible? A. A. Dear “A. A.”, This question is one of the most intriguing and numerous ones that I’m asked these days. Fitting dinosaurs into the Bible is a daunting task—mainly because—they don’t fit!   The Bible is absolutely silent about the subject of dinosaurs. The Bible is a religious book that deals with theology (“God-study”). Its purpose is to reveal to us the nature, personality and character of God. The main message of the Bible is not that the good people—and not the bad people—get to go to Heaven. The message of the Bible is that no one is good enough for God’s perfect Heaven, Therefore, Jesus died on the cross as our substitute to pay the penalty for our sin, and by faith in Him, we have our sins forgiven and are now fit to live in God’s Heaven.   Nevertheless, I understand the assumption behind the question about dinosaurs. Those who interpret the Genesis One creation story as an ordered-scientific account of the creation want to know where dinosaurs fit into the story. Based on this interpretation, all astrological, geological, anthropological, archeological, and biological disciplines must fit into the framework of a literal-six-day, twenty-four-hour creation occurring just 6,000 years ago. (The figure of 6,000 years comes from adding up the Biblically recorded years from Adam to the present. Bishop Usher who did the counting came up with October 4, 4006 B.C., as the moment of Adam’s creation.) In recorded history, which begins about 6,000 years ago (when writing was first developed) there is no mention of dinosaurs on the earth. Frankly, from a scientific point of view, it is hard to cram dinosaurs into a 6,000-year-frame work.   Others view the Genesis One creation story by interpreting the Hebrew word “yom” as meaning “age” instead of a twenty-four-hour day. This is a perfectly good interpretation of this Hebrew word. This understanding extrapolates the Genesis days into ages of almost immeasurable million and/or billion-year eras. This interpretation of Genesis One gives a little more “wiggle room” to fit dinosaurs into one age or another.   The question of where do dinosaurs fit in chronologically becomes an irrelevant curiosity when the opening chapter of Genesis is seen in different context. There is little doubt that Moses was not concerned with giving a scientific explanation. He was anxious about the hard time the Israelites we having leaving the Egyptian gods back in Egypt (Read about the golden calf incident in Exodus 32 and Joshua’s declaration of allegiance to God in Joshua 24 to get a more through understanding of this struggle.) Following Hebrew poetical structure Moses expanded on the formless and empty earth of verse two. He formed the earth’s structure on Days One through Three and then filled in the forms on Days Four through Six. Moses declared that God created all the Egyptian gods. As a result, they were creatures and therefore not real gods at all! (I have written extensively on this subject in a previous Ask Roger answer concerning the creation . Let me encourage you to read that answer to further understand my understanding of this subject.   You can understand why I have so far intentionally not answered the dinosaur question from a Biblical perspective! However, that certainly does not mean that they don’t fit in somewhere! So, just for fun, let’s try to get a grip on a chronological time line of the emergence and extinction of the dinosaurs.   Albert Fox was a professional ball player and optical physicist. He was one of the finest Christian men I’ve known. He took me “under his wing” and mentored me through my adolescent years. Unfortunately, He died of brain cancer shortly after I went off to college. I still grieve his passing so early in life—especially when I think of all the talks and experiences we never had together!   One afternoon we were discussing the creation when he gave me his perspective on just how the dinosaurs fit in. “Imagine the history of the earth condensed into a movie running non-stop for an entire year, “he began. “The movie begins with the initial formation of the earth on January 1 approximately 4.5 billion years ago and ends at midnight on December 31.”   Let me summarize what he said in light of his one-year-length movie.   About March 31 (3.6 billion years ago) the first microscopic life forms appear. The first bacteria come into existence.   About June 1 (1.9 billion years ago) oxygen is first generated into the atmosphere. By the way, the process of atmospheric oxygenation continues still today. For example, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and give off oxygen. Plankton does the same thing in the world’s oceans.   On October 16 (900 million years ago) the first multicellular life appears.   On November 23 (450 million years ago) the first land plants appear.   At about six a.m. on December 11 (245 million years ago) the first dinosaurs appeared. They lived until December 26 (65 million years ago) when they all suddenly died out.   The Mesozoic era lasting from December 13-26 (245 million to 65 million years ago), spans the appearance and extinction of the dinosaurs. It is divided into three distinct periods:   1. The Triassic period lasted from December 11 (245 million years ago) to December 14 (210 million years ago). This period was dominated by dinosaurs such as Coelophosis and Euskelosaurus. Most of the first Triassic dinosaurs were small and quick meat-eaters that walked on their hind legs. By the end of the Triassic period larger prosauropods (20-foot-long plant-eating dinosaurs) were beginning to appear.   2. The Jurassic period lasted from December 14 (210 million years ago) to December 19 (145 million years ago). Many new types of dinosaurs, mammals, and reptiles emerged during the Jurassic period, including the plated dinosaurs and the sauropods—heavy, long-necked dinosaurs that walked on four legs. There were also large theropods, or meat-eating dinosaurs, roaming the Earth. This period was dominated by dinosaurs such as Diplodocus, Stegasaurus, and Brachiosaurus. The first birds (and bird-like dinosaurs), such as Archaeopteryx, appeared during this period.   3. The Cretaceous period lasted from December 19 (145 million years ago) to December 26 (65 million years ago when the dinosaurs became extinct). Flowering plants and modern insects appeared. Dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes walked the land, including duckbills, armored, horned, and dome-headed dinosaurs. There were new forms of giant meat-eaters, as well as a deadly new breed of hunter dinosaur, the “raptor”, known for its sharp teeth and curved claw on each hand and foot. Velociraptors and Tyrannosaurus Rex ruled the land. Also, the bony plated Triceratops lived during this time.   Most of the toy dinosaurs children play with are from this last period. Children (and most adults) seldom realize that very few—if any—of the species they are playing with were alive at the same time. Most species of dinosaurs lived only for a short time (relatively speaking) before they became extinct. All the while other species were continually appearing and becoming extinct. By the way, over 99.9% of all biological life forms that have ever lived on earth are now extinct.   One of the great mysteries in science is the extinction of the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. What caused the massive number of deaths is unknown. Dinosaurs lived almost everywhere including Antarctica. Their bones, laid down over time, give a geological record of their age and existence. The lower stratums of rock contain the earliest and most primitive species of dinosaur, and the upper stratums contain the newer species. Suddenly, at a geological strata line called the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, often referred to as the K-T Boundary, the dinosaurs disappear.   Many scientists believe that climatic changes caused the extinctions. There is evidence that the global temperature dropped significantly at the end of the Mesozoic Period. This may well have affected the growth of plants which reduced greatly the dinosaur’s food chain. Many other theories are suggested for the extinction of the dinosaurs: cosmic radiation from a nearby exploding supernova star; acid rain from volcano activity; the appearance of small mammals that fed on dinosaur eggs; and disease.   The most well known is the asteroid theory. About 65 million years ago a meteorite about 12 miles in diameter struck the earth with catastrophic results. The impact threw multimillions of tons of dirt and dust into the atmosphere which darkened the sky for years. By the way, the massive 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in the South Pacific threw so much sun-blocking dust into the air that the temperature of the earth cooled significantly for the next several years. In fact, the people in New England referred to 1883 as “The Winter That Never Ended.” The asteroid impact 65 million years ago exploded millions of tons of dirt and dust into the atmosphere. Normal plant growth was impaired and the food chain was interrupted. Massive forest fires, triggered by the hit, induced thick smoke into the atmosphere. This cooling affected the earth for decades. All life forms but a few became extinct—not just dinosaurs. Only a few species survived past the K-T boundary.   This theory gained credence several years ago with the discovery of a world-wide layer of iridium which covered the earth about 65 million years ago. Iridium is rare on earth, but abundant in meteorites—which again suggests a massive asteroid impact. Several years ago a huge impact crater 130 miles across was identified under water near the Yucatan peninsula just beyond the coast of Mexico. The impact was created it is dated to about 65 million years ago.   Well “A.A,” I hope my answer provides some help in figuring out how dinosaurs fit into the Bible—or not. I am not so naive as to suppose that everyone will agree with my answer. Most all Christians agree that the Bible is a religious book (God’s Word). Much will rest on whether or not Genesis One is interpreted as a science book as well.   You might say, “Your answer sounds a lot like evolution.” It is. I think evolution provides the best explanation for the truths we observe in the universe—at this time in human history. Frankly, I think of myself as a theistic-theoretical evolutionist. This means that from a theoretical point of view I see evolution as an unproven theory which happens to answer many of the questions as to how God might have created all. However, I consider many of evolutions assumptions and tenants as questionable and open to debate. Some of its foundational tenants are rather incredulous as far as I am concerned—like the naturalistic evolutionary attempt to explain the inner workings of mitochondria in cell nuclei. From a theistic point of view, I believe that however the creation was accomplished, God did it all!   Frankly, whether God used some sort of evolution or not is immaterial to me. I imagine when we get to heaven the Lord Jesus Christ (the agent of creation) will explain to us how He really did it. Who knows? A six-day-twenty-four-hour creation might be exactly the method He used—or not.   Until we get to Heaven, we base our faith on passages like Hebrews 11:1-3 : “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.   By the way, on December 31, at 11:56 p.m., just before midnight, modern man (homo sapiens sapiens) finally comes on the scene.   Thanks again for the question. “A.A.”, I hope we can talk more about this over the Pacific again some day.   Love, Roger

Dear Roger, I am a glutton. I know I am because I weigh too much. My BMI is just inside of obese. I’ve tried Weight Watchers and Slim fast and support groups. I’ve counted calories. Three times in my life I have crashed dieted and lost over 50 pounds. Unfortunately, within three months I gained it all back. I even took part in a research project studying the most effective ways to lose weight. I’m obese and losing the battle-instead of losing the fat. Any biblical help would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Tubby (I mean Roger) Dear Overeater, Note to self: I have never taken an accidental bite of my food in my life. Unfortunately, Tubby, I’ve taken too many bites. I, too, have too much fat. Nevertheless, I feel somewhat qualified to answer your question–especially because I know that I can share with you what the Bible says about how to get victory over gluttony. Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more food than we require. Gluttony is an acceptable sin in the church today. That’s not how God sees the sin of gluttony in our midst.. I imagine that God might say to the church, “I really don’t like all that fat slopping around the Kingdom..” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 is addressed to the church: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 is addressed to individuals: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” WHY OVEREATERS EAT TOO MUCH 1. Overeaters May Eat Too Much Because Food Is Everywhere. C. S. Lewis sets the scene in “Mere Christianity”: The theater lights dim, the band begins to play softly and sensuously as a man enters from stage left carrying a silver tray which is covered by a white cloth. He walks to the middle of the stage and begins dancing lewdly before setting the tray with the white cloth on a table. He whirls his hands over his head and then moves slowly and deliberately as he slides the cover off the silver tray. In the middle of the tray is a pork chop. “Would not you think that something has gone wrong in that culture about food?” He asked. Of course, his seventy-year-old vision has come true in America today. From the Food Channel to “Chopped,” we are strangely twisted and out of control with our love for food. 2. Overeaters May Eat Too Much Because Comfort Food Works So Well. When we’re miserable it’s so easy to over eat carbohydrates— especially sugar. Within forty-five minutes those chemicals are transforming into serotonin which is the “feel good” neurotransmitter in the brain. When we are really stressed our brains may scream at us to eat carbohydrates. It’s hard to say “no” when our brains are screaming “yes”. I testify that comfort food really does work. I can eat a half-gallon of ice cream in less than an hour when I need to. 3. Overeaters May Eat Too Much Because Our Genetic Makeup Can Program Us To Overeat. Geneticists have discovered at least forty genes that help control and oversee our eating. It’s possible that overeating turns on some genes that make us hungry that would not have” turned on” if we had not started overeating. Our ancestors pass along genes and chromosomal material that may influence our weight. Notice how Eskimos are so fat. They need insulation from the cold. Some people have faulty hormonal problems (like thyroid issues) that take weight control completely out of their hands. It’s hard to say that overeating would be their fault. However we acknowledge that if no food is available anywhere, no matter what the chemistry, people will not get fat. 4. Overeaters May Eat Too Much Because Poor Nutritional Habits Developed During Childhood And Bad Modeling By Significant Others Can Doom Us To A Lifetime Of Overeating. Personally, I was big for my age— not fat, just big. Unfortunately, I remember that in fourth grade I picked up the nickname, “Fats”. Sadly, I took it to heart. I remember eating triple-decker peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to impress the guys in the class. What a shame. Looking back, I see how my mother tried to control everything we ate, and when we ate it. I can’t blame my mother for my adult overeating, but I do think that in some ways I was set up during my childhood to overeat. 5. Overeaters Eat Too Much Because They Are Sinners. Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins. Gluttony is a sin of the flesh. 6. Overeaters May Eat Too Much Because They Are Under A Satanic Attack. In Ephesians Chapter Four Paul mentions that it’s possible for us to commit a sin so often that we open the door for Satan to have a demonic “foothold” in our lives. Victory here would necessitate winning a spiritual battle. Remember that the Bible teaches that every area of our lives not under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit is open to control by demonic spirit. 7. Overeaters May Eat Too Much Because Are Addicted To Food. Eataholics must be beware of falling off the wagon just like an alcoholic. A support group with weekly meetings is essential. They need extra help and support to get well. HOW TO WIN THE BATTLE WITH FOOD 1. Treat Gluttony As The Sin That It Is. Confess that you are guilty of gluttony and that you know it is wrong. Repent by “turning over a new leaf” and commit to a new life without gluttony. Ask for and receive God’s forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” ( 1 John 1:9 ). Read Romans 6:1-12 and recognize that you are dead to sin and that you don’t have to sin if you don’t want to. 2. Be On Guard Against A Satanic Attack Which May Be The Result Of Perpetually Succumbing To Gluttony (Ephesians Four). If Romans Six doesn’t bring victory and you feel that your gluttony has become a spiritual foothold satanic attack, use James 4:7 as your guideline for freedom: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” ( James 4:7 ). 3. Go Ahead And Be Afraid Of Fat. Extra fat in our bodies is a quiet killer. At can cause cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and cardio-vascular disease. Recognizing that it’s slowly destroying us can scare us into keeping our mouths shut more often. 4. The Only Foolproof Way To Lose Weight Is To Stop Eating So Much. We are bombarded with advertisements for quick weight-loss diets. Let’s be honest, they don’t work. Those who lose weight with a quick-loss diet will soon begin regaining what they lost. They have not changed their eating habits enough to maintain their goal weight over time. Faithful adherence to “Weight Watchers” principles of wise eating over a long period of time has brought success to many. Personally, I’ve tried everything ranging from counting calories to support groups to research projects to quick loss diets to Weight Watchers. Nothing worked for me until (1) I started treating my gluttony as sin and (2) I began recognizing that I could choose to eat smaller portions if I wanted to. Remember. The only way to permanently lose weight is to treat gluttony as a sin and stop eating so much. “The ability to say ‘no’ to anything in excess—self-control—is one of the fruits of the Spirit common to all believers” ( Galatians 5:22 ). Well, Tubby, I hope that I given you some long-term-helpful advice. Here are several more versus that you might enjoy applying in your life. Proverbs 23:20-21 : “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” Proverbs 23:2 : “And” put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.” Proverbs 25:16 : “If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 : “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Romans 12:1 : “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”   Love, Roger

Dear Roger, My daughter broke my heart. I just can’t seem to forget her angry words, her rejection. How do I get past my bitterness to forgive her? Disillusioned Mom Dear Mom, Jesus says we are not trapped by our bitterness. We can move from bitterness to healing forgiveness and reconciliation. When we face the temptation to be bitter, we must remember who we are in Christ. We must put on spiritual clothes. Condemnation can destroy us. Pastor Driscoll shares many of these principles in his sermon, “Continuum from Bitterness to Forgiveness.” How do you know you are bitter?  You keep thinking about the hurt. It affects you emotionally. You remember clearly every detail. The way you dig up the “root of bitterness” is with the “shovel of forgiveness.” Distancing yourself from the person or the relationship will not make the hurt go away. You can pretend that the problem doesn’t exist by avoiding your friend (enemy). It will cripple every relationship you have. You will start to build walls and live a guarded life. Christ is our forgiveness. As Jesus responded to me, I can be empowered to respond to others in the same way. How do you begin the process of forgiveness?   Don’t minimize the hurts in your life.  Mourn your hurts. Express them to a trusted friend or spouse and allow you to be comforted. Jesus died for those hurts. Talk honestly about them. Who has hurt you the most? With whom have you not reconciled? Who does the Holy Spirit bring to your mind when you think hurtful thoughts? Jesus said, “Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Remember, it’s okay to get angry . God did. Anger is one of His emotions. Anger is a powerful emotion that can lead us to righteous indignation and holiness. Anger, improperly used, can lead us into sin. Satan has access to us when we are in rebellion.   When we refuse to forgive, we are inviting Satan to empower bitterness, disunity and destroy people.   The most difficult people I deal with are hurting, unwilling to let go of their anger. Proverbs says that our tongues can be sharp swords. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:29 that we are to build others up. We need to seek good for others. This is only the Holy Spirit’s enabling.   If you don’t choose forgiveness, you choose bitterness.  Bitterness from unforgiveness can often turn inward. Many women turn their bitterness inward and become depressed. Many men turn their bitterness outward and their anger tends to escalate.   Here is what you need to know about bitterness:   1.  People who tend to be bitter, tend to have a good reason. Hurt results in anger, unprocessed anger simmers and become bitterness.   2.  Bitterness can include anger toward God.  Naomi, who lost her husband and sons, called herself Mara, or Bitter. But by the end of her story, she is a happy grandmother and her grandson is a forerunner of Christ. God gives you hope and a future. Wait upon Him to see His goodness and His Hand in your life.   3.  Sometimes people will become bitter because they feel wounded, cheated, neglected or dismissed.  They have experienced great loss and they don’t know how to deal with it.   4.  Bitterness has less to do with the magnitude of the offense than the proximity of the offender.  When you see the person who has wounded you every day, the offense is magnified.   According to Paul in Ephesians 4 ,  this is how bitterness escalates. Rage-you can’t contain the bitterness, it simmers inside. Anger-people can see our emotion. Brawling-we become combative or passive-aggressive. The internet can cause havoc. Once you air your grievance, it lives on forever and can gather momentum, destroying lives. Slander-we go public and get others involved in our offense. “You hurt me and I will hurt you!” We get creative on how to punish the offender. Such behavior grieves the Holy Spirit. We must begin by confessing our sin. Be specific. When you do so, 1.  You cancel the debt. 2.  You remove that person’s control over you and your emotions. 3.  You give them the gift of forgiveness.  Forgiveness is not only for them, it is a gift for you. 4.  You forsake revenge . “Vengeance is Mine,” saith the Lord. Why? Because ultimate justice must be left to God. God is just. 5.  Forgiveness is both a decision and a process.  It may take time and cover a series of issues. 6.  You know you have forgiven them when you genuinely want God to bless them, you want good for their lives.   Here is what forgiveness is  NOT.   1.  Forgiveness is not denying the offense ever happened. 2.  Forgiveness is not enabling another to repeat the offense . A woman was molested by her Dad. When she had children, she allowed her father to babysit her children. He molested them as well. 3.  Forgiveness must not cover up the offense . We are to walk in the light. 4.  Forgiveness is not forgetting.  We often quote the verse that God remembers our sins no more. God is omniscient. He knows our sins. But He looks at us through the lens of what Christ has done. He chooses to interact with us in the light of Christ, His Son. 5.  Forgiveness is not a response to an apology . It is freely offered by the offended. We must forgive as God in Christ forgave us.  No one has been sinned against more than Jesus. In Psalm 51:4 , David said, “Against Thee and Thee only have I sinned.” Our Savior humbled Himself. He never sinned. His wounds were undeserved. Everything He experienced was completely unjust.   “I went with an archaeologist to see the Roman bathrooms. The rich sat and relieved themselves on marble benches. Slaves took sponges to clean out the excrement and used vinegar to sanitize them once again.   The vinegar sponge the soldier’s put to Jesus’ lips on the cross was toilet paper for them .” Mark Driscoll   Jesus kept speaking loving words even with His dying breath. He forgave them, and He forgives you. Offer that gift to others by His power and unconditional love. Excerpts taken from “Continuum from Bitterness to Forgiveness” by Mark Driscoll, “Racial Reconciliation” by Matt Chandler, and “Job and His Comforters” by Roger Barrier.

Hello, Roger!   Jack Wellman of “Telling Ministries: Talking Truth Through Technology”, emailed me an article that he had written delineating some of the signs of apathy that tell the pastor that it is time for him/her to leave the church and move on.   Frankly, I always thought that I would “move on” by being fired. Every pastor I knew growing up got fired. I guess that emotionally, deep down inside, the image of those pastors’ painful dismissals were never far from the forefront of my brain.   Brother Johnson decided to stop being a Baptist and become a Methodist. I was only-five-years old but I vividly remember his going away party. I wondered at the time how everyone could be having so much fun at such a somber occasion. As I grew older I realized that his departure was amicable. Nevertheless he was asked to move on.   I sat under the teaching and leadership of Brother Baker for the next 13 years. His departure was not so sweet. Several men decided that the church could do better with another pastor. They had both reasons and power. I never thought the reasons were valid. There was no doubt about their power.   They forced him out. His sons and daughter were hurt, angry, and bitter. Most of them will never darken the door of a church again. Who can blame them?! The only lasting result of the insurrection centered around the hurting people of the church, most of whom had no idea what happened, only that something bad happened and all was not as it appeared to be. Brother Baker was kicked out on his ear. There was no party.   By the way, over 70% of all pastors will be fired, forced out, asked to leave, or maneuvered out by a few select church deacons or elders sometime during their church ministries. The only job I know of with less security than pastoring is being a college or professional football coach.   Fortunately, gratefully and thankfully I finished my career without being fired. I started pastoring at twenty-years old and kept pastoring for the next forty-four years until my heart said, “No more,” and the time had arrived for me to transition the church to new young leaders.   One group of eighteen people did try to get me fired. They told me that they would get me on the front page of the Sunday morning paper and so disgrace me that I would never preach again. Six months later I was on the Sunday front page. One of the eighteen said to one of our elders, “We’ve got him now; they’ll be lined up nope not now outside his door on Monday demanding his resignation.” He was wrong. There was no line on Monday and I lived to pastor another thirty years after that. One of my cherished memories is a retired Marine general took me to lunch to tell me he been watching closely to see how I would act under trial. I passed and he told me so. “They certainly meant to do evil; but, God meant it all for good.   When I first read Jack’s list, it dawned on me that most of the things on the list were the same things I was listening and watching for in order to be certain that my ministry was secure.   As I read through a second time, it dawned on me that Jack had outlined well what could be considered the marks of a dying church.   As a result I’d like to share Jack’s thirteen thoughts, along with four of mine, and consider, “Seventeen Ways To Know That Your Church Is Dying (Or, Already Dead).”   When the church body is becoming indifferent about anything and everything   When members stop attending   When members stop giving   When the church family stops evangelizing   When they stop serving   When church ministries begin to dissipate   When staff, elders, deacons, and volunteers stop doing their jobs   When the church building and/or property is no longer cared for and no one cares enough to do anything about it   When the fellowship hall is used only for family parties and post-funeral meals   When the church is shrinking   When your family is being attacked   When morality and sinful activities predominate   When church members refuse to be disciplined according to the biblical model   When the church is scrambling to pay the mortgage and the budget is devastated   When the number of first-time visitors drops to near zero and below   When the church fails to draw in a younger generation to rebuild and/or revive the church   When you hear someone say, “it’s time to find a new pastor.”   For members, it may be time to leave.   For pastors, it may be time to go.   But, by the way, you don’t have to leave the church just because it’s dying. The preceding list may give you some ideas on what to work on in stabilizing and healing your church.   By the way, no church lives forever. Churches are born, grow, stabilize, decline and die. What breaks my heart is that very few are willing to love a church and the church family through decline and finally to death.   Most dying churches began with great hope and vision. Through the church lifecycle, children leave, communities decline and the people who began the church, and stayed with it for years, now grieve in agony as their church dies and nothing they can do seems to help it. Oh, for men and women who will put aside their great desires to build a big church and give their lives away in comforting and strengthening the older members as their churches go away.   Thanks, Jack, for sharing your thoughts. I do believe that many in the Christian community will profit greatly from your ideas. I know they’re helpful to me.   Love, Roger

I read your article on alcohol, tattoos and implants, and thought it very well done. But, since marijuana has become legal, should the Christian partake of it? Sincerely, D   Dear D, The Greek word for witchcraft is “pharmarkaia” from which we get our English word, “drugs.” Note the correlation between drugs and witchcraft. Any sort of mind-altering drug leaves our minds open to control by demonic influence. So, don’t smoke marijuana. It is more of a spiritual warfare issue than a legal one. There are also both short-term and long-term health risks associated with marijuana use. Since as Christians our bodies are temples indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we shouldn’t smoke marijuana.   I affirm your affirmation that Christians are to obey the law. Therefore, those living in states or countries where marijuana use is outlawed have a Christian responsibility to avoid the drug. Paul makes governmental obedience a must for Christians in Romans 13:1-2 : “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”   However, twenty-four states, including Canada, have legalized marijuana. In fact, marijuana use is legal in most of the countries of the world. So, your question is not so hypothetical after all!   Historically, documented marijuana use extends back to the third millennium B.C. Charred cannabis seeds were found in a ritual blazer at an ancient burial site in present-day Romania. The ancient utilization of Marijuana use is known now to cover virtually every country in the world from 5,000 years ago to the present.   Cannabis was used by the ancient Hindus and Sikhs of India and Nepal. The Assyrians discovered its psychoactive properties and passed it on to Turkey, Greece, Thrace and Bulgaria. The shamans of ancient Dacia (today’s northern Greece) used it in religious ceremonies and called it, “way to produce smoke.” In 2003, a leather basket filled with cannabis leaf fragments and seeds was found next to a 2,500- to 2,800-year-old mummified shaman in Xinjing province in China.   Intriguingly, it seems that William Shakespeare was quite familiar with the usage and effectiveness of marijuana. He makes several veiled references to the drug in his sonnets. Marijuana residue dating back to his lifetime was found in several places in his estate home.   The United Nations estimates that about 4% of the world’s population (162 million people) use marijuana on a sporadic basis while about 0.6% (22.5 million) use it daily.   Frankly, I see no reason why marijuana can’t be used JUST for medicinal purposes—especially as an analgesic to reduce physical pain. However, that does NOT infer that I believe it should have been legalized. From my research, I can only say that cannabis used medically can reduce nausea and vomiting, stimulate hunger in chemotherapy patients and help in treating both breast cancer and glaucoma.   In short term use, marijuana has psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties. It alters proper perceptions of reality, alters mood, increases blood pressure, increases heart rate and impairs both short-term and long-term working memory. I don’t care to be near a marijuana impaired driver—ever!   Concerning long-term effects, Cannabis is ranked as one of the least harmful drugs by a study published in the UK medical journal, The Lancet . However, daily cannabis smokers have a 5.7 times higher risk of lung cancer than non-users. Several studies correlate marijuana uses with the development of anxiety, psychosis, and depression.   Thanks, D, for your question. I imagine that many Christians are asking the same question. In summary, I see it could possibly have value for medicinal use. There is no other acceptable reason for a Christian to ingest it.   God bless. Love, Roger

Dear Roger, There seems to be such competition among churches today. The pastor says the right words but it seems to me that many are engaged in trying to be the biggest and the best. I think Paul might be embarrassed by the competition going on in the churches (and pastors) of our culture today. I wonder if we have lost perspective. What do you think? Sincerely, Rick Dear Rick, As a young pastor I thought that the best pastors were the ones with the biggest churches. I wanted to build a big church. I learned a lot from Bill as I worked in the children’s ministry during seminary. He pastored a rapidly growing church. The church was built on excitement. We had Mrs. America give her testimony. We had a returning veteran Vietnam prisoner of war tell of how Christ helped them through his seven-year-ordeal in the hands of the Communists. I remember the Sunday morning a Samurai swordsman split in half a water melon perched precariously on the pastor’s stomach. Every other Sunday was high-attendance day. Bill knew how to get people to come to church.   At staff meetings on Tuesday he took the visitor lists from Sunday and assigned each of us on the staff singles and families who we were to cultivate and talk into joining the church the next Sunday. We were to call him every Saturday with a report on who was going to join the next morning at church. We lied a lot. “Well Bill,” we would say on Tuesday, “I don’t know what happened. They promised they would join.”   When I was graduated from seminary Julie and I headed West to pastor. I knew that the best way to please Jesus was to build a big church. Bill taught and told me how. He said to pick a church that was just ahead of us and work to “beat it” in attendance. When that church was conquered, move on and conquer the next one.   Competitive Christianity flourishes as  unadulterated pride. It is the sin of seeking glory for self instead of for Jesus. It is the sin of leading the people to think that “I did it,” instead of that “God did it.”   Competitive Christianity can actually lead us to the place where we are in competition with Jesus.   Examples of Competitive Christianity fill the Scriptures.   The people were thirsty. So God told Moses “speak to the Rock and I will bring forth water.” Unfortunately, Moses was angry and screamed, “Must I also bring forth water from this rock for you,” and he struck the rock and the water flowed. God said, “Since you stole my glory you man never enter the Promised Land.”   Competitive Chris is spurned by a personal desire to lead the people to praise the leader instead of Jesus. Maybe I will put it like this. The leader thinks, “I am interested in having my followers think that I did this or I worked with God so that we together made this occur.”   Jesus put it like this in John 5:44 : “How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?”   Joab pleaded with David not to take a census of the fighting men in Israel. God wanted to show the people what He could do in battle. David was more concerned with the people knew what he could in battle (David’s sin here has to do with the temple tax, but that is another story.).                      King Uzziah took on the role of priest (God’s position) so God gave him leprosy He was ostracized and dying slowly until the end of his days.   The beginning of my healing from Competitive Christianity commenced the day I came across a studied analysis of mega churches written up in a Christian magazine. The authors intervened and examined the workings and ministries of over 100 fast growing churches in America. Their conclusion:   “We have found among these pastors and churches an intense passion to build a large church. However, we did not find a corresponding passion to know God.”   My conclusion: If I would spend as much time and effort becoming a spiritual man and developing a spiritual church as Bill spent trying to build a big church his way, I would come out much better in the long run. Good choice! Of course, pastors aren’t the only ones who succumb to this dysfunctional disorder. Any Christian, young or old, can slip down this slick slide.   I have mentioned mega churches several times. I need to say a word to pastors of smaller churches. It is easy to feel inferior or struggle with feelings of self worth if (and when) you compare your church with a larger one.   Charles Jefferson was invited to give the Yale lectures on preaching in 1922. He titled his five lectures, “The Minister As Shepherd.” He asked the rhetorical question, when is the last time you saw a shepherd herding his flock down Main Street, USA? You never have. You never will. Why? Because the shepherd’s best work is done on the back side of the hill where no one is looking.”   Recently I had an opportunity to attend a large church. The building was huge. The people were streaming in. I was looking around. After a while I turned to my son-in-law Ricky and said half-jokingly, “I think I could beat him.” We both laughed. Suddenly, I stopped laughing. I guess that it wasn’t just a joke after all. Competitive Christianity is woven deeply into the sinful nature of mankind.   Charles Spurgeon was one of my heroes. His Christian work and ministry literally circled the globe. He built a mega church in the poor stretches of east London in the 19th century. Spurgeon was a legend in his own time. So was Joseph Parker. He also build a mega church in London. Both were great preachers. It was standing room only in both churches on Sunday.   At the close of the morning service the average comment heard as the people exited the Parker’s church was, “Oh, that Joseph, Parker. What a wonderful preacher!”   Many of those same people then hurried over to Spurgeon s tabernacle for the 2:00 afternoon service to hear Spurgeon preach. As the service ended at the tabernacle and people left to go home, it’s said that the most often heard comment was, “Oh, that Jesus, what a wonderful Savior.”   Thank you for the question, Ricky. Love, your father-in-law.

Dear Roger, I am a new Christian. I attend a weekly Bible study with men who have been Christians a long time. Someone mentioned about spiritual gifts but did not stop to explain it. I’d like to know what spiritual gifts are and how they work. I’d like to know if I have one. Please help me. Sincerely, Harry   Dear Harry,   I think the best way to answer your request is to use a question-answer format.   1. WHAT IS A SPIRITUAL GIFT?   A spiritual gift is a God-given ability, distributed to individual Christians by the Holy Spirit that allows him/or her to work through their lives to help the church execute its mission on earth.   2. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND NATURAL TALENTS?   Natural talents are physical abilities to do special things. Some natural talents might be musical ability, carpentry, mechanical aptitude, and artistic skills.   Spiritual gifts are spiritual abilities to do certain things.   Natural talents are often the vehicle through which spiritual gifts can be used. For example, a Christian vocalist may have the spiritual gift of evangelism being expressed through the vehicle of musical talent.   3. ARE SPIRITUAL GIFTS THE BEST SIGN OF SPIRITUALITY?   No! Christ-like maturity is primarily indicated by the manifestation of the Fruit Of The Spirit, not by the presence of spiritual gifts ( Galatians 5:22-23 ).   God may choose to shine forth in a spiritually immature baby Christian. However, that does not make the baby spiritual. A spiritual child may say excitedly, “I got the gift of tongues last night and now I’m spiritual!” But, Jesus said: “For by their fruit you shall know them” ( Matthew 7:16 ).   Satan can imitate and counterfeit spiritual gifts, but he is baffled in trying to imitate the fruit of the Spirit.   4. DOES EVERY BELIEVER HAVE A GIFT?   Yes! Every believer has at least one gift ( 1 Corinthians 12:6-7 , 11 ). All believers are to evaluate themselves in terms of their God-given gifts ( Romans 12:3 )   5. HOW MANY GIFTS ARE THERE? WHAT ARE THEY?   According to 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 , 28-29 ; Romans 12:3-8 ; Ephesians 4:11 ; and 1 Corinthians 7:7 , there are at least twenty-two spiritual gifts. They are as follows: Apostles; Prophets; Pastor-Teachers; Evangelists; Prophecy; Teaching; Wisdom; Knowledge; Faith; Miraculous Powers; Healing; Distinguishing Between Spirits; Speaking in Tongues; Interpretation Of Tongues; Helps; Service; Administration; Encouragement; Giving; Leadership; Mercy and Celibacy.   6. WHEN DOES THE BELIEVER RECEIVE HIS/HER GIFT?   There is no clear-cut Biblical teaching as to when the believer receives his/her gift. However, it seems that the gift comes with the Giver and is bestowed at conversion ( 2 Timothy 1:6 ).   7. CAN A BELIEVER HAVE ANY GIFT HE OR SHE WANTS?   No! ( 1 Corinthians 12:29-31 ). The Holy Spirit gives out gifts as he sees fit ( 1 Corinthians 12:7 , 8-9 , 11 ).   This is why there is no prescribed way to get a gift.   However, if we are faithful with the gift, or gifts, that the Holy Spirit has already given us, he invites us to pray for another ( 1 Corinthians 12:29-31 ).   8. DO SPIRITUAL GIFTS COME READY TO OPERATE?   No! It often takes time for gifts to mature and develop into their full effectiveness. Spiritual gifts come “in the rough”.   Every believer is obligated to mature his/her gift.   Each Christian should have an opportunity to use his/her gifts interdependently with others ( Romans 12:4-6 ).   9. IF A PERSON DOESN’T HAVE THE GIFT OF EVANGELISM, IS HE/SHE EXCUSED FROM TRYING TO WIN PEOPLE TO CHRIST?   Of course not! The absence of gifts does not take precedence over clear-cut Biblical demands.   For example, we are all commanded to be liberal in our giving. Just because a Believer does not have the gift of giving does not mean that he/she can say, “Never pass me the offering plate again. I don’t need to tithe. I don’t have the gift of giving.” We are all commanded to share the gospel with others whether we have the gift of evangelism are not.   10. CAN SPIRITUAL GIFTS BE LOST?   Yes! Gifts which are not used or developed can apparently be lost (like the appendix in the human body).   Jesus’ parable of the talents illustrates the danger of neglecting the gift that the Holy Spirit has bestowed. To do so means censorship and rebuke by the Master Himself ( Matthew 25:14-30 ).   11. ARE SOME GIFTS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS?   Yes! Prophecy is the most important. Speaking in tongues is the least. All the others fall somewhere in between ( 1 Corinthians 12:31 ).   The relative value of spiritual gifts is to be tested by their usefulness to the church as a whole.   Paul’s wrote that due to the interdependent nature of all of the gifts, there should be no spiritual pride associated with any of these gifts.   12. CAN SPIRITUAL GIFTS BE MISUSED?   Yes! For example, Paul described the use and misuse of the gift of tongues in the Corinthian church ( 1 Corinthians 14 ). For example, Paul taught that speaking in tongues without someone in attendance with the gift of interpretation will only bring confusion to the church family and ridicule from unbelievers.   Accordingly, when I was pastoring, in order to curtail the misuse of the gift of tongues in our church worship services, we encouraged people to use the gifts of tongues and interpreting towns only in private settings. To use them in a worship service when most of the folks have no idea what’s going on is to invite great misunderstanding and confusion.   When we were laying down the guidelines for the use of the gift of tongues in our worship services our Christian education pastor said, “I’ve got a great idea. If some woman stands up in the midst of a worship service and begins speaking in tongues, I’ll wait until she’s finished. Then, I will say to the crowd, ‘I have the gift of interpreting tongues and this sweet lady has just donated her house to the building fund.’” (Of course, you know that this was a joke.   13. ONE THING VIVIDLY STANDS OUT. SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE TO WORK TOGETHER IN UNITY FOR THE “COMMON GOOD OF THE CHURCH ( 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7 ).   Harry, I hope that I’ve given you some insights into spiritual gifts that will be helpful for you as you grow in Christ and utilize well your own spiritual gift (s).   Sincerely, Roger

Dear Roger, “I was reading Hebrews 10:19-26 . Does verse 26 refer to repeated sins I commit? Do I keep following 1John 1:9 to take care of my sins? Sincerely, Steve Dear Steve, Hebrews 10:19-26 has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with repeated sins that Christians commit after becoming Christians. The theme of Hebrews is that Jesus is the only Savior and those who reject Him and His sacrifice have nowhere else to turn for salvation. Let me explain verse 26 to make this clear. Let’s look at this verse phrase by phrase: First Phrase: Hebrews 11:26 : “If we deliberating keep on sinning after we have rejected the knowledge of the truth…” refers to those who reject the Gospel and keep on rejecting. Second phrase: “no sacrifice for sins is left” means that those who choose not to receive Christ have nowhere else to turn to have their sins forgiven. Third phrase: “but only a fearful expectation of Judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God…” The meaning here is obvious. Continually rejecting Christ will result in Judgment and Hell fire at the Great White Throne Judgment ( Revelation 20:11-15 ). By the way, don’t miss the fact that those who reject Christ are described as enemies of God. Now, let me address your second question, “Do I keep following 1 John 1:9 to take care of my sins?” As a pastor I find much confusion among Christians regarding the meaning of 1 John 1:9 : “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This verse speaks to Christians who sin after conversion. When we bow before the cross and receive Christ we know for certain that all of our past sins are forgiven. God also forgave all the sins we would commit in the future! Can you imagine that we might one day do something to cause God to say in surprise, “I can’t believe what Roger just did down there on earth! I never saw that sin coming! I’ll have to take his salvation and eternal life away!” No, of course not! Psalm 103:12 is the operative verse here: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgression from us.” Read John 3:1-21 and Hebrews 9:11-15 for more truth concerning forgiveness of sin at the cross. 1 John 1:9 deals with our post-conversion sins that dirty up our inner spirits and impair our ability to see and hear from God. Jesus declared in Matthew 5:8 : “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” We can’t see God clearly when our hearts are dirtied by sin. Confession, as described in 1 John 1:9 , is God’s method for cleaning up our dirty sins so that we can again see and hear God when He speaks deep within our souls. Well, Steve, thanks for the good question. I hope this answer helps. Ask me another soon. God bless you and thanks for taking such good care of the Golden and the Corgi! Love, Roger

Dear Roger,   In our Bible study group last Thursday night, one of our ladies brought up the shrinking middle class in America. “It’s just not fair that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer,” she said. We talked in circles, but we didn’t reach any conclusions. Is there a biblical perspective on this?  Sincerely, Ginger   Dear Ginger,   Yes, the Bible does speak to this issue. In fact, it explains exactly why money flows to some people and away from others.   Mark 4:24-25  records one of Jesus’ profound statements regarding money and finances: “Consider carefully what you hear. Then with the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”   In its most basic terms, I understand this Bible verse to mean, “The person who has something will receive more, and the person who doesn’t have anything will lose the little he or she already has.”   Those words are contrary to how most people think.   If you assigned the average person to rewrite this section of the Bible, the results might read something like this: “The person who has something shouldn’t get any more, because he already has enough. The person who doesn’t have anything should get something because that’s fair.”   This revised approach sounds like a deal that everyone would like! But the biblical truth of  Mark 4:25  plays out in our finances every time. We are either in a position where money flows  to  us, or we are in a position where money flows  away from  us.   In  2 Corinthians 9:6 , Paul teaches the same principle, saying,  “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”   However, just because money flows in is no sign that God is blessing some people over others.  Psalm 49  is the Psalm about the rich materialist. This Psalm parallels what we see happening all around the world. People of all ages are lusting for material things as they fall simultaneously into spiritual poverty. In eternity the materialist will lose it all and have nothing left! Not even his/her own soul!   “Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die”  ( Psalm 49:16-20 ).   What causes money to flow either toward us or away from us?   The prophet Haggai explained that one of the reasons money flows away from us is because we have a money bag with a hole in it.   “Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it’”  ( Haggai 1:5-6 ).   Our wallets and pocketbooks today are the same as money bags in Haggai’s time. When we ask God for financial blessing, our focus is typically on God pouring more in the top. “If I just had $150 more a month, everything would be so much better.”   What if God looked in our money bag and saw a hole.  Would it make sense for Him to keep shoveling more in the top?   I have had occasion to counsel with individuals who earn relatively high incomes. In spite of their substantial cash flow, they were having financial difficulty. The remarks they made were familiar: “I don’t know where it all went”; “I don’t have much to show for it”; etc. They often had a debt problem as well. Such stories illustrate that money can flow from us, even if the income is large.   Our response to the biblical principles places us in a position where money either flows powerfully  to  us or powerfully  from  us.   Woven throughout the Proverbs are some 20 to 25 verses that show cause-and-effect relationships regarding our actions and our income: “If you do this, you will lose money” or, “if this action repeats itself in your life, money will go from you to a stranger” or “If such-and-such an impulse is out of control in your life, it will lead you in the direction of poverty.”   Solomon’s wisdom covers virtually all the possible financial mistakes a person can make.   Consider the following verses as you reflect on any “holes” in your personal finances:   Spiritual and Moral Habits and Actions   Ignoring the poor:  “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered”  ( Proverbs 21:13 ). Unfortunately, researchers demonstrate that the richer we are, the less we give to charities and to people in need.   Not being generous with the Lord and others:   “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty”  ( Proverbs 11:24 ). Generosity is a blessing to those who receive as well as to those who give.   Immorality:   “Keep a path far from her [immorality]… lest strangers feed on your wealth and your toil enrich in the house of another”  ( Proverbs 5:10 , see also 29:3). If someone becomes immoral or perverse such as by engaging in adultery or fornication or addiction to pornography, this text says clearly that “strangers [will] obtain your wealth.” Consider the impact of child support, alimony, and financial slavery to pornography.   Loving pleasure or wine:   “Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.”  ( Proverbs 21:17 ). This passage is not just about wine. Illicit drugs, cigarettes, and hard liquor are also in play.   Overeating:  “For drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags”  ( Proverbs 23:21 ). Is there any doubt that drunkards and gluttons are the fattest and most out of shape people in the world?   Refusing corrections:   “Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored”  ( Proverbs 13:18 ). Once upon a time we had a country where morals, values and ethics meant something. All of that changed when the Supreme Court took the  10 Commandments  out of public schools and replaced them with nothing.   Abuse, stress or pain on your family:  “Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.”  ( Proverbs 11:29 ). The American divorce rate is now over 50 percent. Seventy-eight percent of second marriages end in divorce.   Financial Habits and Actions   Unwise use of debt:   “The borrower is slave to the lender”  ( Proverbs 22:7 ). Arguably, not all debt is created equal. The most crushing is the uncollateralized kind that brings in no income and ends up on credit cards. Paying 15 to 20 percent interest is like having a siphon hose in our back pockets. Resolve to stop immediately accumulating this kind of debt.   Not having and holding to a budget:   “Any enterprise that is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts”  ( Proverbs 24:3 , author’s paraphrase). Christians need to study money management. We must learn to budget as well as make wise purchases. As the adage goes, “When my outgo exceeds my income, then my upkeep becomes my downfall.”   Co-signing a note:  “Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe.”  ( Proverbs 11:15 ). Can Solomon make it any clearer than this?   Unwise use of credit:  “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down”  ( Proverbs 14:1 ). An incentive to being debt-free is to think about what could be done (both giving and increasing) with that money if it wasn’t servicing all that debt.   Giving to the rich:  “One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.”  ( Proverbs 22:16 ) Think socialism. While this political system claims to make everyone financially equal; the truth is that the average person gets poorer while those at the top get richer.   Charging inordinate interest (usury):  “Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor”  ( Proverbs 28:8 ). Is it any wonder that credit card companies charter in the state of Delaware where they are allowed to charge as much as 19 percent interest?   Get-rich-quick schemes:  “The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.”  ( Proverbs 28:22 ). Playing the Lottery is like driving through the Circle K parking lot and throwing money out the window.   Lack of sales resistance:   “The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.”  ( Proverbs 14:15 )! When is the last time you dealt with a used car salesperson and felt good about it?   Work Habits and Actions   Sleeping too much:   “How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man”  ( Proverbs 6:9-11 ). Many would call this welfare!   Not being diligent:   “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth” ( Proverbs 10:4 ). Paul says, “Take care of your family. Go get a job.”   Talking too much:   “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty”  (Proverb 14:23). Dreamers make big plans but never follow through.   Chasing fantasies:  “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty”  ( Proverbs 28:19 ). Solomon is talking about get rich quick schemes.   Holes Can Be Caused by Attitudes and Motives   Greed:  “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures”  ( James 4:3 ). The Book of James was written to Christians who desired material things. They asked God but did not receive. Why? They were greedy.   Making decisions based on money alone:   “You cannot serve both God and man” ( Matthew 6:24 ). Jesus was addressing motives with His disciples. He is in no way excluding His followers from having money. Rather, He was warning against making decisions based on our pocketbooks.   How to Close the Holes in Our Finances   The wisdom of God tells the believer to find out what created the hole. The next step is to find out what is necessary to repair it.   Closing the holes begins with following God’s plan of biblical economics.   Trust in God’s provision:  “Don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children” ( Genesis 50:21 ).   Tithe 10 percent of our income to the Lord:  “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone”  ( Luke 11:42 ).   Pay taxes according to the law:   “Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor” ( Romans 13:7 ).   Meet our family’s needs:   “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” ( 1 Timothy 5:8 )   Stay out of debt on depreciating items:   “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously”  ( Psalm 37:21 ).   Maintain a positive cash flow:  “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down”  ( Proverbs 21:20 ).   Save a portion of income for future needs:   “Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer”  ( Proverbs 30:25 ).   Respond to the needs of others:  “At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need”  ( 2 Corinthians 8:14 ).   Focus on the Bottom of the Bag   It is always easier to ask God to pour more into the top of our “money bag” when we know in our hearts that we have repaired the hole in the bottom. It all comes down to attitudes, motives, and making wise decisions.   Proverbs 22:4  states:  “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.”  Humility is an attitude; the fear of the Lord is a motive. This verse implies that if the right attitudes and motives find a place in our hearts, then instead of riches, honor, and life flowing  from  me, they can flow  toward  me. We can quickly evaluate our motives by measuring them against  Matthew 6:33 :  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”    “Seeking first the Kingdom” means having God’s interests at heart. Whatever is important to Him must be important to us.   Jesus wraps up the results in  Luke 6:38 , when He says,  “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”   Sincerely, Roger

Dear Roger, Is drinking alcohol a sin? Sincerely, B Dear B, I want to give you two perspectives. I want to spend a significant amount of time on scriptural insights that you can study carefully to make your decisions, but I also want to tell you my story. What happened in my family was also God’s way of giving me guidance concerning how I should handle my own personal decision about drinking, social or otherwise. You will find the same. Study the scriptures carefully and thoroughly. Seek God and let Him speak to your conscience. Listen to godly counselors. And learn from life lessons. I certainly learned from mine. HERE’S A 10-QUESTION TEST TO IDENTIFY IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE IS AN ALCOHOLIC. 1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol? (0) Never [Skip to Qs 9-10] (1) Monthly or less (2) 2 to 4 times a month (3) 2 to 3 times a week (4) 4 or more times a week   2. How many drinks containing alcohol do you have on a typical day when you are drinking? (0) 1 or 2 (1) 3 or 4 (2) 5 or 6 (3) 7, 8, or 9 (4) 10 or more   3. How often do you have six or more drinks on one occasion? (0) Never (1) Less than monthly (2) Monthly (3) Weekly (4) Daily or almost daily   4.How often during the last year have you found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started? (0) Never (1) Less than monthly (2) Monthly (3) Weekly (4) Daily or almost daily   5. How often during the last year have you failed to do what was normally expected from you because of drinking? (0) Never (1) Less than monthly (2) Monthly (3) Weekly (4) Daily or almost daily   6. How often during the last year have you needed a first drink in the morning to get yourself going after a heavy drinking session? (0) Never (1) Less than monthly (2) Monthly (3) Weekly (4) Daily or almost daily   7. How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking? (0) Never (1) Less than monthly (2) Monthly (3) Weekly (4) Daily or almost daily   8. How often during the last year have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because you had been drinking? (0) Never (1) Less than monthly (2) Monthly (3) Weekly (4) Daily or almost daily   9. Have you or someone else been injured as a result of your drinking? (0) No (2) Yes, but not in the last year (4) Yes, during the last year   10. Has a relative or friend or a doctor or another health worker been concerned about your drinking or suggested you cut down? (0) No (2) Yes, but not in the last year (4) Yes, during the last year.     I never met my maternal grandfather. Mom told us many stories about how she and her sisters hid under the bed when dad came home. They stayed hidden until they were sure he was not again home and drunk. They could usually tell by whether or not he was yelling at my grandmother, Nana. He had a great job at Woolworth’s Department Store during the Great Depression of the 1930s and mom’s family lived well. But, he began social drinking with his customers and couldn’t leave the hard stuff alone. The income stream trickled to a halt when he was fired—no longer able to hide or overcome his alcoholism. He committed suicide when I was two. Maybe I did meet him. Maybe he held me in his arms when I was a baby. I’ll never know. My mom never talked about him. I’ve never seen a picture of him. I think mom threw them all away. Mom fought fear and insecurity all of her life. She never forgot those terrifying nights under the bed.   My mom’s younger sister spent so much time in bars that my mom and dad took away her daughter and raised her as part of our family. This poor sister seldom had money for a baby sitter so my young cousin often accompanied her. She remembers as a child sitting on a bar stool while mom drank. I’ll never forget the look on thirteen-year-old D’s face as she came to live in a household of boys, struggling through her toughest teenage years away from her mom.   My mom’s other sister and her husband were driving home from a party when my uncle made a left turn in front of a drunk driver. We got the news of the fiery car crash and raced to the hospital. Of course, this probably would not have happened if my uncle had not imbibed too much himself. My uncle was killed instantly. They told us that my favorite aunt lingered for a while—but not long. The funeral had double-closed caskets. Once again, my mom stared into the emptiness of her family that was lost. Her sister was her closest friend. Nineteen-year-old Mindy, my aunt’s youngest daughter, then came to live with us. Bill and Betty’s oldest son, was never the same. He too felt the scars of their untimely deaths.  Now, concerning your original question. Is alcohol a sin?   It depends. In fact, drinking may be a sin for some people while not being a sin for others. Let me explain.   A quick overview of relevant passages demonstrates that drinking alcohol is certainly not a sin. For example, Jesus made wine at a wedding feast when the host’s supply ran dry. In fact, the guests commented that Jesus’ brew was the best wine of the evening ( John 2:1-11 ).   Paul encouraged Timothy to take a “little wine” when he had stomach trouble: “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses” ( 1 Timothy 5:23 ).   In Genesis 14:18-19 Melchizedek used wine and bread as an offering to God when he blessed Abraham: “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, …” Of course, it is easy to see the foreshadowing here of the institution of the Lord’s Supper (communion) by Christ the night before He was crucified.   As we delve a little deeper into the issues, we find that while drinking alcohol in itself is not a sin, drunkenness certainly is.   In Ephesians 5:18 Paul contrasted the delights of life in the Spirit with the misery of an overdose of alcoholic spirits: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”   Genesis 9:20-21 described the beginning of long-term curses upon Noah’s descendants which originated the morning after Noah got drunk: “Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.”   In Titus 2:3-4 Paul admonished older women to be careful of becoming addicted to alcohol: “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.”   How do you know if you have an addictive personality? Listen to my podcast with Dr. Steve Dowdle entitled Anatomy of Addiction.   Now, let’s delve even deeper. Besides drunkenness, drinking alcohol can also be a sin in three other circumstances.   First, if your conscience is trained to believe that drinking is a sin, then, it is a sin for you to drink. This is because the conscience is the “interface” between our inner-most-human-spirits and our minds. It is through this interface that God speaks to us—Holy Spirit to human spirit. We are never to violate our conscience because violated conscience impairs our ability to hear God speak.   The Biblical foundation for what I just said is found in Romans 14:1-23 —especially verse 23: “But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith ; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”   The second circumstance comes into play in social settings. Paul identified a Christian with a “strong” conscience as one whose conscience does not condemn him or her for drinking. On the other hand, Paul defined a person with a “weak” conscience as one whose conscience condemns him or her for drinking—even though drinking is not a Biblical sin. If a Christian with a “weak” conscience is nearby, then, those whose consciences are “stronger”—limit their freedom in order not to offend the one with the “weaker” conscience. Drinking in front of those who believe that drinking is a sin may impair or cause them to stumble in their spiritual journeys. Therefore, those with “strong” faith are responsible for limiting their freedom so as not to offend, or as Paul put it, not to put a stumbling block in the way of those with “weaker” faith.   It is at this point that the third circumstance comes into play. Failure for the “strong” to limit their freedom would be to sin against those who are “weaker.”   While the “strong” limit their freedom, the “weak” are responsible for realigning their consciences with Biblical truth so they are not longer weak in this particular area.   By the way, these concepts are applicable in many areas of life than just drinking.   By the way again, those who are strong in one area may certainly be weak in others—and vice versa.   By the way again, and again, being a “strong” Christian does not mean that you have to drink or feel odd or even guilty for choosing not to drink. Here is where personal convictions come into play. I have a personal conviction not to drink. The reason is quite simple. As I mentioned earlier, numbers of my family members and relatives are no longer alive because of what can be the devastating effects of alcohol.   Please Read: Dead Drunk: Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction.   Personally, I have no Biblical qualms with any Christian who drinks not to excess. But, understand why I need to be judicious in my own spiritual walk concerning alcohol or any substance abuse. I hope these thoughts are helpful. Thanks for the question. May God bless you.   Love, Roger One final thought: If you are riding with a friend or family member who drives after drinking, buy a breathalyzer before you let them get behind a wheel. Here’s a good one: BACtrackS80 Professional Breathalyzer, found on Amazon. Keep it in your glove compartment.

Hi, I don’t feel comfortable stating my name, but I am 17 and a Christian. I was raised as one and was always told and preached that without God and believing He died for me then I’m not living right. But I have these constant lows lately…I always pray to God for help and strength but I never get anything back and that just makes me so much more angry at him that he won’t help me. I know he is but at the same time, I feel like id be better off just giving up. I guess my main question is, if were to one day give up and let in to my depression and commit suicide…would if go to heaven still? Unknown. Dear Unknown, I am so sorry! I know how you feel! I was standing on a third-floor balcony the day I decided to jump. The problem was just how to do it. If I jumped off feet first I decided that I would probably just break both legs and have to explain to everyone what I was doing. The other option was to dive face first and I decided that the sudden stop sounded awful. I remembered my freshman year in college during final exams when one of the students jumped out a dormitory window face first. The Baylor Lariat newspaper described how his eyes popped out of his head. I didn’t want my eyeballs lying outside their sockets.  So, I backed away from the ledge and leaned my back against the wall and sat totally depressed.  I wasn’t worried about going to Heaven or to Hell. Jesus forgave all of my sins at the cross–even suicide was forgiven.  As I sat thinking It dawned on me that I didn’t want to enter the Heavenly Throne Room before my time . I imagined Jesus saying: “Roger, what are you doing here? I’m not scheduled to see you for another forty-seven years. I have so much planned for you to do.” Arriving early to meet Jesus before He was finished with me on earth made suicide much less attractive. Dear Unknown, you are depressed and depressed people don’t think clearly. My philosophy is that I never make important and/or life changing decisions when I’m depressed. Life always looks dark to one who is depressed. 1. Call  a suicide hotline and get help immediately. If you do not live in the United States, here is an international suicide prevention line you can call. 2. Talk to a pastor or Christian counselor right away . If you don’t know of a pastor or counselor, find a mature Christian with whom you can talk and pray. Don’t navigate these waters alone! 3. Before you make any unchangeable-life decisions please go find a medical doctor who can give you anti-depressant medication. Life can look very hopeless when you are depressed. And, it can look really good when you aren’t. People who are not depressed seldom have any thoughts of suicide. So, get some medical attention for depression ASAP. If you can’t find a doctor, there is even a chat room with a medical doctor who can give you assistance. You can even go to a hospital emergency room in your area. 4. If you continue to think of committing suicide, you may need long-term support. Medical and psychological professionals can help get you back “up on your feet.” Many churches have Christian psychologists who will walk with you through recovery. You are not alone. 5. Find a trustworthy friend and prayer partner. Depressed people don’t see things rationally. They don’t need reasons and explanations and not much encouragement. Hurting people need comfort. Jesus said in Matthew Five: “Blessed are they who mourn,. for they shall receive comfort.” Mourning and comforting take at least two people–one to mourn and one to comfort. Comfort is the language of depression. Find a friend. You will be surprised at how many friends and neighbors are around just waiting to help.  By the way, it is not a sin to be depressed and want to commit suicide. Job experienced deep depression as recorded in Genesis because of great trials that fell upon his life. Fortunately, Job worked through the pain finally got his life back together and had a great ending. You can, too.  Be comforted. God has a plan and purpose for your life . Peter taught that God matures to us to look like Jesus by sending and/or allowing us to go through trials and difficulties.  Handling depression for me was made much easier the day I realized that God was using my depression to help mature me to look Jesus. I decided that I was alive, like all Christians, to express the love of Christ and to help advance the Kingdom of God right here, right now.  Now, concerning the suicide, yes, according to the Bible people can go to Heaven even if they commit suicide. but, you don’t want to commit suicide.  Remember, God has a time and plan laid out for your life. He has all sorts of good intentions for you. Again, you don’t want to come into the throne room unannounced before your time. So, I would encourage you to continue to find strength and peace from God to keep on living. Let me know how you are doing. I am praying for you. Love Roger