A: Often times when we think of the battle we face as Christians we turn to the daily struggle with sin and how our flesh and Satan join forces to keep us struggling with it. While we should not discount this battle the ultimate battle takes place in our minds between the the truth and the lie. Satan deceived Eve by telling her that "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5)." To this day Christians still fall prey to the lie of Satan as we spare no expense and no amount of effort trying to be like God through the knowledge of good and evil. And, unfortunately, the enemy is using those from within the faith to advance this error. Whether from the pulpit, from the television and the radio or the daily conversations we have with each other, this lie is advanced with little to no resistance at all.
It could be the pastor who takes scripture out context when he says you can be the "head and not the tail (Deut 28:13)." When Christians are the "body of Christ (1 Cor 12:17)" of which Christ is the head (Eph 4:15). It could be the teacher who says that you can "speak things into existence" as if you are a little god with limitless power. When it is "God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were (Rom 4:17)." Or maybe it is your fellow brother or sister in Christ who constantly berates you with the idea that you must live a lifestyle of endless obedience and repentance to rules and regulations designed receive God's blessings or avoid His punishment. When the scripture is clear that the "righteous will live by faith (Rom 1:17)" and "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1)." The scripture tells us to take the "helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph 6:17)" because a helmet guards our minds and the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God we use to deflect the lies of Satan.
We have already won the battle. Therefore, if Satan can't have you, he will do everything to steal the joy of your salvation. After all, he "comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10)." And if he can get your mind on yourself, what you're doing and what you're trying to get from God, he has gotten your mind off Jesus, what He's done for you and what He has given you through faith. Be blessed.
Q: What is the "proof" that you are walking in "faith"?
A: Faith is your response to the truth that has been revealed to you. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1)." Christ is the substance (Col 2:17) of the things hoped for. What is the evidence? He lived a sinless life (John 8:29). Our response is to allow Him to live His life through us. He died on the cross to take away our sins for eternity (John 1:29). Our response is to thank Him for taking our place on the cross and not continue to ask for the forgiveness we already have (Eph 1:7). He rose from the dead to restore to us the life of God lost in Adam (John 11:25). Our response is to rest in His finished work, His resurrected life in us and to discover the inheritance we have been given through faith (Heb 9:15). The proof is seen in the level to which we walk by faith. "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith (Rom 1:17).""
The proof we are walking in faith is not measured by how well we live in obedience to rules designed to modify our behavior. It is not setting a goal to be a better Christian, to be more Christlike or to be like Jesus. Jesus is God and we are not. The proof you are walking in faith is how well you are trusting and depending on God, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to live His life through you. For example, when you sin a response of faith is not to ask God to forgive you. It is to thank Him for the forgiveness you already have because you know your sin is so terrible it deserved your death. But, God in Christ, died in your place. Now, you approach Him in confidence (Heb 4:16) to find out what it was you thought sin would provide that you don't already have in Christ. "We live by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7)." Proof of walking by faith is focusing on how God sees you not how you see yourself. Therefore, you may not always do the things you want to do or avoid those things you don't want to do, but you will always know one thing. "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Cor 1:9)." He is faithful, not you! Be blessed.
Q: The Bible says "honor" your mother and Father; So should parents have the "right" to make decisions in your marriage?
A: My brother once told our father, "I have all your teachings and shared wisdom in my mind and although it may not seem that I have put it to use, I slowly, but surely, make it a part of my life." This is an example of when the Bible says, "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching (Prv 1:8)." When a parent raises their children in such a manner, the children will no doubt grow up to be a reflection of the teaching they received. Therefore, the children will not curse their parents, defy their parents, mistreat their parents, rise up against their parents, rob their parents or strike their parents as the Bible warns could happen. The outcome will be that "Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children (Prv 17:6)." Thus, when the children get married and start their own life a parent will not be as tempted to try and "make decisions" in their marriage.
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Gen 2:24)." When a man, or a woman, leaves his or her parents it is to be "united" with his wife. United means to "form a single whole or unit." Therefore, they "become one flesh." This means that the married couple makes the decisions. Parents, depending on the situation, can and should be a resource for the marriage as they have wisdom and experience to offer. But, they don't have a "right" to make a decision in your marriage. If a parent has done their job and trained a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not turn from it (Prov. 22:6;Eph. 6:4). In the best case scenario, you will have a Christian marriage, grounded in the Lord, with parents on both sides available to offer guidance when asked. Parents must trust the Lord to guide their children when they've been married as well as trust Him themselves to guide them away from controlling the marriage. Be blessed.
Q: Why is important for Christians "not" to "speak" negative words over themselves?
A: We must first realize that words, in and of themselves, don't have power. We give words power by what we already believe they are saying about us. Therefore, if someone says something deemed to be negative about us, and we already believe it to be true, then it will effect us negatively. However, if we believe what they say to not be true, it will fall on deaf ears or serve as motivation to prove that person wrong. Jesus said, "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean (Mark 7:20-23).'" What we say are only a reflection of what we believe in our hearts. As Christians, if we know who we are in Christ, what we say will be a reflection of that truth.
When the Bible says that the "tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21)," this doesn't mean that we can "speak things into existence." It means that what we say can encourage or discourage the hearer. If a parent discourages their child the motivation that child has will be removed and, left to his own understanding, he will make poor decisions in life. Conversely, with encouraging words comes motivation, which leads to accomplishment, which leads to self-confidence. And that child will engage the world with zeal. So, as it is with God, we are constantly told that we are holy, blameless, forgiven, sanctified, justified, righteous, seated in the heavenlies, have eternal life, in the light, free from accusation, free in Christ and much more. These are the words that bring "life," and help us engage the world with what we have been given in Christ. They give us strength when times are tough, keep us humble in good times and always help us to "encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25)."
Q: The bible says "one" Lord, "one" faith, "one" baptism; So why is there so many "denominations"?
A: First off, denominations are man made and not of God. Secondly, there are so many denominations because, quite frankly, most Christians don't know the Gospel. Therefore, what you don't understand about the Gospel you end up adding to it to make up the difference. Then when you have a disagreement you have a split and, voila, there is your new denomination. For example, take the verse cited in the question from Ephesians 4:5. When you don't know the Gospel, "one faith," could mean any denominational persuasion. Therefore, that "faith" could be Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, Presbyterian and so on. And "one baptism" is often misinterpreted to mean water baptism. Then you get into side arguments about is water baptism the "first act of obedience" after salvation, is it required for salvation and how is it performed? Is it full immersion, a sprinkling, done in church or by the rivers edge? These are the things that lead to so many denominations.
Not knowing the Gospel is the biggest problem in the Church today. And when you don't know the Gospel, what you build off of it will be skewed. It is unusual to find a preacher that isn't fully convinced that his interpretation's of Scriptures is the way God intended. It is even more unusual to find two preachers that are in full agreement on how Scriptures are correctly interpreted. In Protestant Christianity there are over 500 individual denominations. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that at least 499 of them are not entirely correct. And if that's the case, it doesn't leave a very high probability of success for the last one. This is why you have so many people hanging onto things like the aforementioned baptism, spiritual gifts, speaking in tongues, etc. The Gospel is sin, death, forgiveness, life. Adam sinned and died spiritually. We are born spiritually dead. Jesus died to take the penalty for our sins for eternity. Now, raised from the dead, He offers the life lost in Adam as a free gift to all who believe. That life is an eternal life because no sin will cause it to leave again. One faith, in Jesus Christ. One Lord, Jesus Christ. One baptism, by Jesus Christ. It is that simple. Be blessed.
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