Question #1:
Dear Robert,
I thank you for your answer. I was raised as a Catholic and used to attend mass
on Sunday until my Mum passed away in 2018. Some parts of me wishes to return
but to be honest I am skeptical about some of their teachings. As a
non-denominational Christian what is your view or stance on birth control? Now I
understand that the Catholic Church teaches people to abstain from sex until
marriage which I can sympathise with. However the Church also tells married
couples not to use birth control (the pill or condom). I have never understood
the logic behind this teaching and I find it very dangerous. In my view married
couples should have the right to determine how many children they should or
should not have. Am I right in this view or do you agree with the Catholic
stance on birth control? Any help in this would be appreciated.
Thank you
Response #1:
That religion always seems to mess people up. I've not known any RC
ex-pats who've not had serious issues, so I do sympathize with the
residual negative effects you're dealing with.
As to the issue of birth control, scripture says nothing about it, and
that is not only because of the times in which the Bible was written.
There were abortifacients in antiquity but scripture assumes that godly
couples want children. And of course abstaining from relations will work
too, but that is prohibited (except temporarily for the purpose of
having time for prayer: 1Cor.7:3-5). I note that the RC church has
historically been supportive of the "rhythm" method. They have no
problem with that although it runs counter to scripture just as much as
any other method since it has the same goal of preventing pregnancy.
It has ever been impossible to live in this world outside of Eden
without making use of some technological means (even if as simple as the
plow and the loom). Christians thus must make use of all manner of
natural and scientific means to do all manner of things to survive in
this world. With some things we have no problem, but others may make us
uneasy, and perhaps rightly so. Especially in our present time of
technological explosion, it seems that some things are clearly wrong to
do/use, some clearly innocuous, some debatable.
This issue you ask about is no exception and is just one of hundreds of
other such "ethical questions" believers face every day. Where scripture
does not weigh in directly, it seems best to leave these things to the
consciences of individual Christians to decide because, after all, they
are "relative" matters which depend more on the level of spiritual
maturity of the individual Christians in question than on the issue
itself. We have to have confidence in the Holy Spirit that what we are
doing is right. If we do, then we do it courageously; if we do not, then
we refrain.
For whatever is not from faith is sin.
Romans 14:23b NKJV
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James 4:17 NKJV
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #2:
Hi Bob,
We are making good progress, as it seems to me. Thanks for sticking with me --
this particular exchange has been very helpful in figuring out some of these
ministry-related things. Hopefully we're nearing the end on most of these
matters.
An unrelated note on writing levels
You may have come across my explanation of "higher level writing" and "lower
level writing" on the site -- how I was going to to duplicate most of the site's
content at two different levels of writing. I thought this might be worth it to
benefit certain people who might otherwise struggle with the prose on the site
(children, non-native English speakers, people without a lot of education), but
as I've set out to write the lower level versions of several of my initial pages
(I naturally write at the higher level), it has very quickly become apparent to
me exactly how much time this takes. I thought I might be able to hammer out the
lower level versions quickly, but it seems more like sticking with this original
idea will double my production time... for everything.
As I've thought about it more, that's not a trade-off I'm willing to make. I'm
in the stages of figuring out exactly what I'm going to do instead, but the
answer is going to be along the lines of simplifying all writing on the site,
adding more in-line definitions (e.g., for theological terms being used), and
reducing complexity anywhere it is not strictly necessary.
I don't think the idea of making the writing more accessible is bad, but I think
I'm going to have to limit myself to "one version" otherwise I'll kneecap my
production speed greatly. This will be a rather significant difference between
Ichthys and my site once I've ironed this out more -- my site will be written at
a much lower academic level overall.
On the concept of fellowship, you wrote:
"So I tend to see "socializing" as a potentially dangerous virus. If you let it out of the lab (or "into" the assembly's primary function), nothing good is going to happen. So when you say "The fact that there is a lot of pointless social interaction in face-to-face contexts that have open communication channels does not mean that the second we establish open communication channels via the internet (and by this I mean forums, voice chat, and video chat) everything will turn solely social and unfocused", I don't take comfort from that because it usually DOES happen (if not "this second", then by next Tuesday) – and that has been the history of Laodicea. Playing with fire is playing with fire and it is dangerous to deceive oneself into thinking otherwise."
I see now. The virus analogy helps a lot. I guess where I was getting hung up is
thinking that it would be possible to enable socializing (something not
presently possible in the online context) without it metastasizing, as it were.
But now I can see that while I might have the purest intent, it still might not
work out in a safe way, with effective focus on Bible teaching as the casualty.
(And such a great casualty that is... as that's the whole point of actual
fellowship!).
I suppose some of where I was coming from is first establishing that what we
have presently does not in fact allow for the open communication and
socialization present in physical churches; not sweeping this observation under
the rug or pretending like it is not so. (Some people have accused me in the
past of redefining what "community" means).
In cheerleading for Ichthys and the online Bible teaching model in general (that
I am now following with my own site), I've had many people in my personal life
weigh in heavily against the idea of "online church" specifically because the
approach that Ichthys and others have adopted lacks these communication
channels. "Sure, these sites have Bible teaching that I can read, but we're all
supposed to support one another in the body of Christ à la 1 Corinthians 12, so
how do we support each other as the body if we can't even talk to each other and
stuff?"
I suppose I got so tired of hearing this particular excuse for clinging to
Laodicea rather than making use of online ministries that the impulse was to go
"Well, here you go, forums and audio chat and video chat, those precious
socialization options you wanted... now you don't have any excuse to not start
taking in real Bible teaching online!"
But the problem is that this communication ability business was never their
issue to begin with. Their real issue is with not wanting to hear the truth. So
if we "solve" the communication excuse, more people won't really get the truth
as a result of it... but now we've shot ourselves in the foot, as the
socializing virus spreads itself throughout the ministry and infects everything.
So, claims to the effect "But this online ministry model doesn't allow for
completely open communication and socializing like my in-person church" are all
absolutely true. Your point is simply that this is a feature not a bug.
Have I understood things correctly this time around?
Your brother in Christ,
Response #2:
I'm happy you've found this helpful.
On writing levels, I deliberately didn't say anything about this because
I've not been able to ever do that myself. When teaching a class, that
is a different story. From the feedback one can tell whether or not the
material is registering and if not get more simple or go back to more
basic things. Hard to anticipate in writing what will or will not be
understood. The feedback loop for that at Ichthys are the Q/As.
Re: "Sure, these sites have Bible teaching that I can read, but we're
all supposed to support one another in the body of Christ à la 1
Corinthians 12, so how do we support each other as the body if we can't
even talk to each other and stuff?": I agree with everything you've
written here (nice job!). Also, I don't have any problem with believers
socializing with other believers. My issue, as you see precisely, is
with the Laodicean church substituting such activities for the primary
purpose of assembly – which is spiritual growth and encouragement
through the Word of God and its ministry.
(24) And let us give careful attention to one another['s ministries] as motivation for [our own] love and good works, (25) not abandoning your mutual assembling as some have made it their practice to do [and which makes this impossible], but rather encouraging each other [to persevere in this work of the Lord], and doing so to an ever greater degree to the extent that you see the day [of the Lord] drawing [ever] closer.
Hebrews 10:24-25
In regard to ministry (the quibble in the quote), we know very well that
God gives us plenty of opportunity to use our gifts – if we've been
willing to grow to the point of being prepared to do so. They don't have
to be used with those believers we're learning with (especially if we
don't even know who they are as is the case for most readers of
Ichthys). The Holy Spirit is the One who determines the gifts, the Lord
Jesus the ministry, and the Father the effects (1Cor.12:4-6).
So the author of the quote doesn't take into account that God is big
enough and smart enough to find just the RIGHT way for us to be
employing our gifts. The fact that it may not be the way we assumed it
would happen does not make it wrong – in fact it probably makes it all
the more right. The fact that how we end up employing our gifts may not
be what we wanted is even more a sign that when we were thinking like
that we were not yet prepared. And until we do get prepared, going to
coffee hour every Sunday and eating donuts with others who are NOT
prepared until the cows come home won't advance the kingdom of God one
iota. And we will not get prepared to minister by attending a
social-church where there is no substantive Bible teaching. And if we go
to such a church with the intent of ministering the Word we will be
disappointed since the people there are there because they are not
interested in that. If we try to teach the truth and minister through
the truth, we will likely be kicked out.
"Their real issue is with not wanting to hear the truth." Amen!
That says it all.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #3:
Hi Bob,
I figure I'll keep us in this chain, so that in the future specific ministry
questions will all show up here in the same place.
On the concept of me making myself available to site readers via calling,
texting, etc. What do you think about the idea of me making myself available to
site readers over phone calls, texting, and other such things (Zoom, WhatsApp,
etc. -- whatever works for them)? Both you and
Curt communicate with those
you teach strictly via email, as far as I am aware of. [omitted] The short
version of what we decided is that unlike a public online community which is a
bad idea period (like we discussed above), this is just something that is
dependent upon the teacher in question.
There are definite advantages to keeping things email-only (such as the fact
that conversations can be revisited any time by site readers, and we as teachers
can respond on our own terms), but there are also advantages to being able to
talk directly with people, especially for them.
I am pretty quick on my feet in spoken conversations, and also quite
extroverted. As points of comparison, __ has said that he likes taking his time
in digesting what is being said and doesn't do so well in rapid-fire spoken
conversations, and while __ is quick on his feet in spoken conversations like
myself, he doesn't think the phone-call thing is right for him, as he does not
at all do well having his schedule disrupted and finds that calls take more
energy out of him than writing.
By way of contrast, I think this idea is a good fit for me and my personality
and that I'd be able to offer this for my site readers without seriously
shooting myself in the foot. For people who would rather just talk directly
rather than deal with long walls of text, I think it might prove to be immensely
beneficial.
I'm pretty gung-ho about this idea and have put some thought in how to mitigate
some of the potential problems (many are discussed in the exchange __ and I
had), but before getting too ahead of myself, I wanted to see what you thought.
So what do you think?
Your brother in Christ,
Response #3:
I've looked over the three examples and this seems fine to me. Good
stuff, by the way!
On the other question, it's not just a matter of being quick on one's
feet. Often, taking time to reflect is a very good thing to do. The
tongue is deceitful, and once we've let something fly, there is no
taking it back. That is true of, e.g., an email as well, but at least
there we can consider our response at whatever length is necessary – and
also edit our remarks before we hit "send". This is no small matter when
we are addressing a single person as opposed to our entire flock.
And that brings me to the second point. My mentor, Col. Thieme, almost
never did anything or said anything "one on one". That was an extreme,
but the rationale was a good one, and one born out of his following the
other typical evangelical extreme in earlier years. If I say something
to the entire congregation, it's easier for them to be objective about
it and not take it personally – as if I were criticizing or
complimenting or generally critiquing them individually. But personal
conversations of every sort put a strain on the objectivity factor, even
for the most spiritual of individuals.
Emails mitigate this complication somewhat, but not entirely. I won't go
into examples where this problem of "taking it personally" has created
rifts and misunderstandings, but it is not an uncommon event. Were I to
take phone calls, I'm sure it would be much worse and for lots of
reasons having to do with the medium and also with familiarity.
Pastor-teachers always have to remember that this is NOT about "personal
relationships" – this is about the truth of the Word of God. Personal
relationships, wonderful as they can be, complicate things. They most
certainly strain objectivity – on both sides. We all want people to
"like us", but the spiritual welfare of those under our charge is what
is really important.
To use a loose analogy, military commanders who get too close
emotionally to those under their command are apt to make worse decisions
than those who have maintained their objectivity. Sometimes a course of
action which will surely result in casualties is actually the best one,
not only for achieving the objective but also in the long run for the
safety of the unit over all – even though some favored individuals are
going to be killed or wounded. In a somewhat similar way, a
pastor-teacher has to tell his flock what they need to hear – the truth.
And sometimes, often times, the truth not only hurts but is detrimental
to personal relations – since everyone, it seems, from time to time has
some areas of the truth they really don't want to hear. It takes
spiritual courage to be truthful, because no matter how tactful a person
may be, wielding the sword of truth always creates divisions sooner or
later. The stronger the emotional bond, the more difficult it is to do
what is right – and the greater the potential pain when you do. This
being the case, putting oneself in a situation where this has to be
dealt with instantaneously and with no prior warning at possibly a
really bad time . . . when the phone rings . . . is problematic.
Then there is also the issue of time. No small point! I guarantee you
that if you go this route, most people won't call you; some really good
people will call you occasionally, treating you with respect and will
have important questions which can be answered helpfully and
efficiently. But there will be a group which calls you incessantly, some
wanting to hash out the same things over and over and over again – but
never actually "hearing" what you say so as to be able to put the good
things you tell them into practice; some of these will have mental
problems . . . of all sorts; some will be hard to characterize but will
be thorns in your side. You had better have a strategy and a policy for
dealing with "the abusers" ahead of time. If you don't, they will
monopolize all of your time, energy and patience . . . and to no good
purpose in the end. There is a reason why therapists charge $100 an hour
or more. But if your time is free and unlimited from the point of view
of these callers, well, why NOT just give you a call?
Lastly, you may have noticed from reading the email exchanges at Ichthys
that MANY people 1) don't bother to read the materials already posted
which would have answered their question; 2) don't bother to spend
enough time on the specific responses I give them (so that I have to
keep responding when they should have "gotten it" the first time); and
3) all too often aren't willing to accept what I tell them – often
because they're not really "listening". Since that is true of written
correspondence which can be mulled over (if a person is willing to
really listen), how much more is that not the case over the telephone?
When you have a thriving mega-church, it might be a good idea to have
counselors or pastors who do this sort of thing. There are many out
there who would love to take advantage of such free services. Counseling
people takes a great deal of time, patience and emotional energy – and
it doesn't leave much for any sort of studying and teaching the Word. So
make sure you pay these individuals well: if they are good, they will
definitely be earning it. But for you personally, with a full time job
and just starting out with a teaching ministry, I think this could cause
problems.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #4:
Dear Teacher
I'm sorry for failing to clarify, Sir. Yes, that is correct. The job that __
told me about is the UK opportunity.
[omitted]
Thank you very much, Sir, for those prayers. I am very grateful for that support
especially.
Your student in Jesus Christ
Response #4:
Thanks for the clarification.
As to particular career paths and choosing the right one, when I was
just getting started in graduate school in Classics, I got "fired up"
about doing analytical linguistics. The idea appealed to me as a way to
be able to do the research I knew would be necessary to make a go of the
career track I was on. But before I had wasted too much time on this
false path I figured out that it was "not for me". Doing ancient history
is hard, but I don't hate it (as I would have hated that other track),
so I can do it (enough of it to stay employed). I'm very thankful to the
Lord that I was wise enough not to waste too much time on this false
path (or just lazy and dumb enough to see early on that it wasn't for
me).
So this is what I'm concerned about for you, and I'm a little reluctant
to say anything about it because of how little I know about the field
and since it is of course your decision and not mine. You're going to
have to learn an entirely new field. Not that this is a bad thing.
Anything one learns pays benefits. But we have limited time and energy.
[omitted] I'm hoping (and praying) for you for conviction on this – one
way or another.
It goes without saying that you have my friendship and encouragement and
prayers regardless.
Your friend in Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #5:
Hi Dr Luginbill,
Do you remember when I told you I used to feel guilty for doing normal
everyday things? Sometimes for no reason? That is no exaggeration. I
know most people don't feel that. I still do sometimes, but it is rarer
and rarer. And we have talk before about that thing that I struggled
with because it didn't mean much to say I felt guilty over it when I
also felt guilty for existing, but I do think that guilt is a tad
different and there is a strong argument to be made that it is in the
Bible as a sin-but anyway...I had said that my go to is my general
default now is that if the Bible does not forbid, it is not a sin. Why
do I bring this up?
Well, there is a song I recently found that I kind of like kind of don't
that I have been listening to here and there. The thing is I think most
people would say (if they took it seriously) that it is dark. But that
is the way life is for a lot of people. And it is really something to
discover some art that describes the darkness you are familiar with and
could not put into words. I know from my default it isn't a sin. But I
wanted to know what you think?
The question is: Can you tell me what you think of listening to music
with lyrics that many would take as dark if it is partly just a legit
description of reality for some or for yourself (at least at one point)?
I really am conflicted. Part of me says that it is easier to focus on
God without that stuff, but the other part of me says that you need
understanding of even some of these dark things for healing, the
problems don't magically go away without effort at understanding. I
wouldn't understand it was wrong, but would instead still be in contact
with my abusive family feeling guilty for existing.
Respectfully,
Response #5:
We do live in QUITE a culture, and it's getting edgier and more
problematic with every passing day. With the need to interface with
technology nowadays just to earn a living, it's virtually impossible to
stay ignorant of or completely separated from negative influences
(unless one jumps into a hole and pulls it in afterwards). But to one
degree or another that has been true of all cultures since Adam and Eve
departed from Eden – it's just a matter of type and of degrees.
For Christians who love the Lord and are doing their best to follow Him,
less of "bad stuff" is always better than more. Take TV, video and
movies, for example. Not having anything to do with them whatsoever
would probably not kill us, and we could use the time profitably doing
other things. But staying away from some of it (as disturbingly
negative) and limiting our contact with the rest of it (as not the best
use of our time) seems to me to be a good middle ground. Having some
idea of "what's happening" is not without its value (though there are
other ways to achieve this).
I will say that from my perspective it's a mistake to justify, e.g.,
watching cable news (especially a LOT of it) as "needing to be
informed". It's better to admit to oneself that this is something one
wants to do, and also to keep it at arms length emotionally even while
indulging (it IS an indulgence). The same would be true of all manner of
cultural activities, in my opinion, music included. If we are wrestling
with our consciences about any particular such cultural activity, then
we need to take that into consideration: if we can't relegate it in our
hearts to the insignificant place it should occupy, then perhaps we
should leave it alone – for a bit, at least – whatever it is.
As to guilt, that is a problem, and more of a problem for some than for
others, and more of a problem in area X for person A than for person B
or C who have the issue in areas Y and Z. Guilt is one of the devil's
main weapons. Clearly, we should NOT do things that are wrong and sinful
– and if we do we are right to feel bad about it (and the Lord is
certainly able to make us feel bad through divine discipline if we're
not willing to reform). But the evil one loves to make us feel guilty
about past wrongs (when we know we are forgiven) and about things which
now cannot be changed (Christians need to learn to live with the status
quo and not try to change the past out of guilt). Satan is also adept at
making us feel guilty about things which are not actually sinful or are
not our fault (as in your case). The antidote for that is 1) viscerally
rejecting all such lies, and 2) joyously embracing the truth. Staying
away from things and from people who upset us, however, is also not a
bad idea – and that includes not dwelling on things in our hearts that
are making us upset when instead we should be thinking of "the things
above" (Col.3:1-2) . . .
. . . that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:7 NKJV
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #6:
Hi Dr. Luginbill,
But you would agree that we should watch or read at least some news, I
am sure. And that is a mainstream example (easier to understand). The
other thing I thought of is some of the stuff in Lamentations. Some
parts of that, if it were not the Bible and were out of it speaking of
something else and the language made a little more modern, may even be
comparable (for ex: filthiness clinging to the skirt, statements that
those in authority [religious and kingly] lied to them to their
destruction, being swallowed up, women eating their children, etc-yet
all of this is in the Bible for people to read permanently). I have also
been reading the Psalms, and some of them are similar-more poetic and
pure, but similar. But if it were a person on the street singing
something like some of those things about their life, some would
consider it dark.
On a more positive side, I would also say the Song of Solomon doesn't
really mention God much, but is like an ancient love song, right? But if
that were sung before written down or made part of the Bible, how many
would say that it distracts us from God? I don't know, the more I read
and live and learn, the more I feel there is something not quite right
with that line of thinking. I can imagine what people who think like
this (having been one of them myself for a long time) would have said
when alcohol or music or many other things were first discovered if they
had been there.
I have found that reading the Bible and knowing what it says, and using
that when I feel guilty for things I shouldn't does help (like what you
said about countering strongly with the Truth). For example, the above.
Respectfully,
Response #6:
"I have found that reading the Bible and knowing what it says, and
using that when I feel guilty for things I shouldn't does help" -
Amen! That is exactly the right approach, my friend!
There are of course certain things in scripture which are hard to
understand. The Song of Solomon is, essentially, a parable about Christ
and the Church, looking forward to the consummation of our blessed
relationship with Him. Lamentations has some wonderful things in it
(Lam.3:21-36); there are certainly a good many disturbing things that
book relates, all of which are the result of judgment for turning away
from the Lord – so these are also salutary for us to hear because they
remind us that sticking close to Him is the only safe course (and that
is the case with most of the other prophetic writings as well).
I do watch and read news. Sometimes more than I should. Sometimes less
than I probably should. That's a matter of individual application. It
may not be good to go to either extreme, but I would be hard pressed to
proclaim it absolutely "sin" if a person watched/read none or a great
deal. These are matters of personal application which can only really be
addressed by the person in question in the Spirit – and as always it
also depends on "us", who and where we are . . . especially in terms of
spiritual maturity.
Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #7:
Hi Dr L,
As a Christian woman am I obligated to smiley all the time out of
politeness/civility? Because I get that impression now and again. But it
is weird to me, because it isn't like certain words or actions, but that
I am being dictated what my feelings must be ALL THE TIME. At the
dentist, I was asked why I wasn't smiling. On the street also, Etc.
I remember my grandmother who was a pastor's wife and I don't remember
her smiling much, so maybe the answer is just to ignore those people who
say that.
Response #7:
Believers in Jesus Christ belong to Him, and He loves us regardless. We
set ourselves, therefore, to be pleasing TO HIM, and not to other human
beings.
That does not mean that we cannot or should not reasonably accommodate
to societal expectations – to a degree. Bathing regularly and keeping up
an acceptable appearance that does not draw negative attention is both
respectful of others and salutary in avoiding unwanted negative scrutiny.
When it comes to behavior and our personalities, however, there are
certainly limits to what we can or should do. We are "us", and that is
important. A good deal of the "us" is how God made us. We certainly
should refrain from sinful behavior and also do our best to walk in this
world in the godly way which scripture lays out everywhere (just for
example, Col.3:12-17). But when it comes to things like "smiling", or
laughing or other very personal behaviors, I would be averse to try to
"re-write" my personality to make it sync with the expectations of
others. We are striving to be pleasing to the Lord in thought, word and
deed – not to the world (e.g., 1Cor.7:33-34).
Wishing you a great week ahead! Classes start here tomorrow for me.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #8:
Hi Bob,
How was your day? Any developments on the work front? I'm back focusing
on my exercise again after Christmas.
Thanks for your prayers for me last week. It was a very tough week and a
big test but the Lord helped me through.
I had a good talk with __ on the phone about the whole situation. __ was
saying he thinks __ has a severe personality disorder (I'm not sure what
your thoughts are on this kind of thing,?).
[omitted]
I was reading the emails this week and I found encouragement and could
relate to numbers 15, 16 and 17 about suffering abuse. I understand what
your correspondent was saying about dealing with favouritism.
We don't have to adjust to bad treatment or try to get used to it. If it
doesn't seem to bother anyone else but it's hurting you then it is a big
deal, it's still important that you look after your own health. People
who say things like, "Oh that's just the way they are, they've always
been that way so we just have to accept it and put up with it" are just
minimizing or excusing the bad behaviour and allowing them to continue
to hurt others. I did that for years until you helped me to realise I
didn't have to take the abuse anymore. I could still obey the Lord and
love and honour from afar.
I'm happy that even though I went through what I did as a child, when it
came to having my own children I was determined to give them all the
love, care, support and security that I never had. That they would have
a happy childhood with happy memories to look back on. I did and still
do the best I can for them and to hear them say they love me and they
wouldn't want anyone else for their mom makes everything I went through
worthwhile.
I'm blessed and really happy that the Lord has brought me safely through
another week of testing and flak! I'm loving learning and growing and
being a part of the good fight! I wouldn't want to fill my time or my
heart and mind or life with anything else but the Lord. We haven't got
time to waste it on anything else!
Your friend in Jesus
Response #8:
Terrific to hear that you weathered this storm and that the Lord brought
you safe through to the other side. I'm very pleased to hear that
instead of "blow back" you got some gracious understanding from your
family. You passed this test with colors flying, my friend! You held
your ground in a godly way and He brought you through!
As to "personality disorders" and the like, I tend to think that we are
ALL a little messed up (the old sin nature, after all), just in
different ways. Then we make decisions to cope in reasonable ways (and
in godly ways for those who come to Christ) . . . or not (in which case
these ticks may get worse). What good it does to acknowledge and
characterize and analyze and diagnose such "disorders", I'm not sure. If
it only ends up giving people an excuse to do what they are doing rather
than encouraging them to learn to cope and do better, then I'm not for
it. But I have known of people who have been noticeably helped by
"therapy" so I'm not willing to throw the baby out with the bath water.
I will say that even in such cases I still am of the opinion that a
solid dose of Bible truth and trusting the Lord would have been better –
and had better results.
"I'm happy that even though I went through what I did as a child, when
it came to having my own children I was determined to give them all the
love, care, support and security that I never had." – Amen! Doesn't this
prove beyond any doubt that it's what we choose that matters? People
from good environments go bad and people from bad ones go good – if they
choose to do so.
Thanks for being such a good witness for the Lord!
Things going OK here. Just got back into work today (not on campus until
next week). So far, so good – but lots of uncertainty with the coming
semester – especially if we go into some sort of "national lockdown"
after the inauguration.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #9:
Hi Dr Luginbill,
How are doing? Let me know!
I am doing alright. Getting a bit better at accomplishing goals. I am
trying for 2 hours of Greek again, hopefully I can get it (trying it in
a bit different way). I finished Homer and started on Euripides'
Electra. It seems very different in language at first feel. Also I am
trying a bit of Acts (remember how I said I figured it was easier in the
language and you were like 'no' lol). And I am still doing Bible reading
and the other things (right now one of the 3 portions I do is going
through the priestly duties in Lev, so that is interesting). You know I
sometimes think there is something to those types of rituals, because
humans seem to seek them out in one form or another.
I met up with a friend that was a teacher of mine in high school, and
she and I are both believers, so it was really nice (not needing to have
a guard up).
One more thing! I do like reading and watching leaders that I like doing
their thing. And I definitely like work and pushing myself and rushing
to my goals. But I wouldn't want to lead. I like the support position,
is that weird? Our society wants everyone to be a leader. But if
everyone is the captain, who will do the actual mechanics on the ship's
equipment?
You know like they always say "are you a leader or a follower" and they
mean you are supposed to answer that you are a leader. But I am a
follower, however I am picky about who I follow. There's One, who is THE
BEST. And any others. Following doesn't mean brainless or no-free-will.
Response #9:
Good to hear that you're getting out and meeting people in spite of this
craziness. I think the enforced isolation is having a lot more negative
consequences than the bug itself (and it's cutting down on the natural building
up of immune systems in the process).
Also good to hear that you are working away at your Greek and Bible study.
You are right, it seems EVERYONE wants to be "the boss". It seems all and sundry
want the power and the status and the position and all the perks. But how many
want to do the really hard work to get to the place of being qualified to be a
good leader, or the hard work of doing what is right if one does get that
chance? Very few.
In the Church of Jesus Christ, well, we know that things work a little
differently:
But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Matthew 20:25-28 NKJV
In Jesus our dear Savior who died for us all.
Bob L.
Question #10:
Hi Dr Luginbill,
Well I am still getting 30 mn-1 hr daily, but the effort to do more
consistently wipes out my mental energy. I will see.
On the boss. Well the person it takes to do it tends to live and breathe
their work nearly every hour day and night (being married to the
job/their work). Even if they are married to a person lol. I don't know
if they are just wired that way or what. I read about characters doing
it, and I try, and I do make progress, but at that level (and being
aware of what people like that in real life can do day to day), I just
don't have the energy after a certain point.
And it is different for us, yes. Not to mention He works differently
than the world, doesn't He? The world doesn't value the same things. So
our work is not the same. But it is certainly better and more precious.
Please take care,
Response #10:
Yes, there is a limit to how much and how long most people can focus on things that really are difficult – especially if it's not a question of one's livelihood. That necessity does make a difference:
The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.
Proverbs 16:26 NIV
So we just need to stay "hungry" for the Lord.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1st Corinthians 15:58 NKJV
In Jesus our dear Lord and Master,
Bob L.
Question #11:
Good morning Dr Luginbill,
How have you been? Busy I am sure.
[omitted]
Response #11:
I'm getting through. How about you?
As to personality, the best thing is to be oneself and not to try and
adapt to our perceptions of what other people prefer. Not to say that we
can't be thoughtful and generous and accommodating etc. These are godly
things to be. But I wouldn't worry overly about trying to change – since
I doubt that is possible anyway.
When it comes to friendship or something more, anyone who really cares
about us – anyone "worth their salt" – is going to esteem us for who we
are, not for whom they might prefer us to be. If we take that attitude,
God will provide. Otherwise, we risk falling into a trap.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #12:
Thank you for your encouragement. Well, I am doing one day at a time. I am
trying to work on my budget and schedule too. I am alright.
[omitted]
Please take care.
Response #12:
God made us – and He knew what He was doing when He did so. As long as what WE are doing is what the Lord wants, we don't have to worry at all about all the other stuff.
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.
Acts 20:24 NIV
We know why we are here and who it is we are serving, looking forward to
a "well done!" from Him.
Keep running your good race!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #13:
Hi Dr Luginbill,
I had not thought of that reason before-that providing those miracles would have
pushed Sodom and Gomorrah past the free will point [link].
I thought it meant that they may have repented temporarily, but backslid, but
not backslid bad enough to be destroyed later. But I think your explanation fits
better (because it seems like something special for them to last that long in
the normal course of things).
Thanks for the teaching,
Response #13:
Thanks!
That's right. There are no hypotheticals in the plan of God.
There is only what did actually happen. Application for us:
looking backward is fruitless; looking forward is pointless;
concentrating on doing what the Lord wants us to be doing right
now is the best way to grow, to help others, to honor the Lord .
. . and to earn a good reward.
I greatly appreciate your encouragement and support, my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #14:
Hello Dr. Luginbill,
I have this brother/friend that claims that one can be a Christian and still
participate in homosexuality periodically. His claim is, well we all commit sin,
and homosexuality is a sin, so what's the difference. I tried to explain but you
probably know what happened, another believer to work with. So, I would
appreciate your help so that I can adequately respond to him. Thanks so much, as
always,
Here is the response that I sent to this man who made the comments about
homosexuality. I had asked you to provide some comments but decided to respond
to him myself.
Just wondering what your thoughts were on these comments I wrote to him.
Here are the brief comments:
In response to the brief discussion we had several days ago, I offer these
scripture verses and comments: Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. If a person was a
homosexual and then gets saved? , but periodically returns and commits it again
and again, then what is that person classified as, according to Scripture? They
are still homosexuals. A murderer who gets saved and then goes and murders other
people are they still saved? Not according to the Word of God. They are still
murderers. Notice 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 11.NASB It says, "Such were some of
you; but you were washed but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God". When a person still
goes back to their homosexual practice from time to time, what does that make
them, but a practicing homosexual...o remain a believer, a person cannot go back
to their old lifestyle and still be a Christian according to scripture. Read
Romans 1:27-28. The question is, why did God single out those outlined in 1
Corinthians 6:9-10? If we take what you said in reply to my comment, well
everybody sins, even after they are saved, then is what you're saying true that
we can do whatever we want and still be a Christian? because everyone sins? What
happened to true repentance for these folks?
God bless you and hope you are doing well after the Covid vaccines. My wife and
I received both of them about a month or so ago, and had no side-effects
whatsoever, not even a smidgen.
Thanks for your comments,
I know you are really busy because you always reply fast to my emails.
Blessings to you always,
Your friend,
Response #14:
It's a particularly debilitating sin, that is for sure.
As to "who is saved?", believers in Jesus Christ are saved; unbelievers
are not saved (Jn.3:18).
Can a believer in Jesus Christ do XYZ and still be saved? This is a
common question, but it's very important to keep the issue of behavior
on the one hand and of saved or unsaved status on the other separate in
our evaluation of people – or at least exercise some care there since
there is the chance that this behavior we may notice is not the enduring
pattern.
It's very common to hear, "He/she could not be saved and do/have done
that!" I'm sure David heard it . . . after committing adultery with
Uriah's wife and then having him murdered. David committed adultery and
murder. But David was not an adulterer nor a murderer – this horrific
behavior was not a pattern which marked his status; it was a terrible
anomaly . . . and he was disciplined VERY heavily for it.
People who regularly commit murder or adultery without remorse, however,
are doubtless NOT believers (1Jn.3:15). That is not because of the
behavior (bad as it is), however. People are not saved because of good
behavior, nor are they condemned because of bad behavior. That is a
typical secular view, that is the RC view, but that is not the truth.
People are saved by grace through faith in Christ, washed clean and
redeemed and justified by His blood (i.e., His spiritual death on the
cross; cf. 1Cor.6:11); and people stand condemned through their
rejection of Jesus Christ and what He has done for them.
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
1st Corinthians 6:9-11 NKJV
Anyone who IS a believer and engages in foul and sinful conduct of any
kind WILL be disciplined by the Lord. If they persist instead of
repenting, the discipline gets progressively worse . . . until things
come to that most critical fork in the road. The Lord will not allow a
genuine believer to persist in gross misbehavior forever. If said
believer insists on continuing anyway, one of two things will happen. For
those who refuse to let go of their faith OR their vile conduct, the
Lord takes these believers home via the "sin unto death" – a horrible
exit from this life and a shameful one as well (Saul is an example of
this). For those who are unwilling to change their behavior but ARE
willing to allow their sinful modus vivendi to continue to alienate them
more and more from the Lord, eventually their faith weakens, and,
eventually, their faith dies out altogether. That is apostasy. Once a
believer apostatizes back into the status of an unbeliever, "the latter
end is worse for them than the beginning" (2Pet.2:20) and " it would
have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment [i.e., the
gospel] delivered to them" (2Pet.2:21). The Lord is no longer concerned
about these individuals because they no longer believe in Him and no
longer belong to Him.
So if the question is, "can a believer in Jesus Christ engage in
horrifically sinful conduct with impunity?", the answer is, not forever
and generally not for very long . . . as long as they are really still
believers.
Key Ichthys link:
"Apostasy and the Sin unto Death" in BB 3B
Hope this helps, my friend. I spend Saturday's on weekly postings and
must devote my time to that on "the seventh day", so emails that come in
after I've stopped work on Friday are generally not responded to until
Sunday evening.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #15:
Good morning Bob.
I hope this message finds you well. Much as I understand that there are
times for everything, I struggle with outcomes that can be much
different from, say, a prayer for healing or restoration. I also would
rather dream of the Presence of Christ my Savior, and have my focus on
Him while awake or asleep. Would you pray for me about this? Thanks Bob.
If there is anything I can pray for you please let me know.
Response #15:
It's true that the Lord doesn't always answer our prayers in the way or
at the time WE would prefer. At such times, it's very important to
remember that the plan of God is absolutely perfect and that everything
that happens is in accordance with that absolutely perfect plan. When we
don't see it, that is the time when we need to trust Him even more –
more, that is, than what we feel or hear or see.
It would be great to dream only about wonderful things. But we know that
this is also a front on the battlefield. Job, for example, was harassed
in his dreams too – even though he was a great believer doing everything
right (Job 7:14).
It is also true that our "cares" influence what we dream (Eccl.5:3), so
that the more we learn to trust the Lord when we are awake, the more
likely we are to have "sweet dreams" when we are asleep.
See also:
Dreams, Visions, Miracles, Exorcism, Tongues, and False Prophets
I do promise to say a prayer for you on this, however, my friend.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #16:
What position do you hold concerning women preachers/teachers? Some women seem to be called in that ministry but it feels contrary to what the scripture says although the clear reasons are do not seem to be laid out.
Yours in the Lord Jesus
Response #16:
There is a good deal about this in BB 6B (at the link: "women in leadership"). In a nutshell, women believers have spiritual gifts just as men believers do, and many women are gifted as teachers. But neither women NOR men who are not gifted to be pastor-teachers. And EVEN men who are so gifted but are not yet properly prepared are authorized to teach the general congregation of women and adult men. So we all have had to learn to accept authority in the Church of Jesus Christ – if we want to get anywhere spiritually and earn an eternal reward.
(3) Endure hardship with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (4) No one on military campaign becomes involved in the affairs of normal life. [He avoids such things] that he may please the one who enlisted him. (5) Likewise if anyone engages in athletic competition, he does not win a crown if he fails to compete according to the rules.
2nd Timothy 2:3-5
Yours in our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Bob L.
Question #17:
Do we have to abstain from pork and other meats that were considered unclean in the OT? A lot of people claim that Peter's vision in Acts of the animals was merely about the separation between Jew and Gentile, and that God wasn't actually commanding him to eat them, otherwise Peter would have understood the vision immediately.
Response #17:
The command to Peter was very clear (these people clearly have no idea what they are talking about), and I assure you that the dietary regulations of the Mosaic Law no longer apply (see the link). These were meant to demonstrate by a physical method the spiritual distinction between believers (Israel) and unbelievers (gentiles). But now the Law has been abrogated (e.g., Rom.10:4), and even in apostolic times (before these matters were as yet completely understood), even the Jerusalem council didn't require gentiles to observe these regulations (Acts 15:23-29). Scripture is very clear about this:
So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
Colossians 2:16-17 NKJV
Of course, this is hardly the most important issue. I encourage you to
be reading into this ministry and growing spiritually daily – that is
the most important thing.
In Jesus our dear Savior,
Bob L.
Question #18:
Turns out, I don’t know how to grieve. It feels wrong to be so down and
sad, but I know not acknowledging the pain and void will surely catch up
to me.
I’m not in denial, but there is some disbelief. I keep forgetting that
__ is not just waiting to be discharged. These last few months were such
a mess, in and out of facilities, it just feels like he’s still in one
of those places and we’re waiting.
There were the few days following the heart attack that we were unsure
he’d make it, but then he made a miraculous turn around. All __ can say
during her down moments and times of disbelief is, “we were supposed to
go home; we were supposed to go home.” And I think we all feel that way.
Everything just feels so off right now. And empty.
Please pray for my strength…And I welcome any advice or links, only if
you have time of course.
I feel like I’m back to when as a new believer I was fumbling around in
prayer and in the Bible… unsure of what I’m looking for or how to stay
focused. Having trouble sorting my feelings/emotions from real Truth.
Then I beat myself up because I think, if I hadn’t wasted so much time
in my youth, I’d be much further along in my spiritual growth and better
equipped to handle this loss. And I’d better be able to help my family.
(Again, I realize living in the past is not glorifying God or helpful to
anyone, but here I am.)
If you made it this far, thank you.. and sorry for the rambling. You’re
the only person who gives me true encouragement (and/or tough truths).
I’m tired of the people saying, “he’s in a better place now.” While I do
hope that to be true, that doesn’t help my aching heart that is missing
__. And I really have to watch my responses when someone says, “now
you’ve got a guardian Angel with you.” Bah! No!
Parts of this email might be too many personal details to share on your
site, but I’m sure you’d work around It if you ever needed to post it.
If I trust the Lord & I believe His timing to be perfect, what am I even
doing? I say I believe it and I trust Him, but do I really? Is this
grieving — to wrestle with emotions and question the plan while also
trying to trust the plan?
Your friend in Christ who is a mess and apologizes for taking up so much
of your time,
Response #18:
In a loss such as this, it really can be an extra load to have to put up
with people who mean well but who are not very adroit at comforting
others. This is one of those crosses mature believers have to bear.
As far as beating yourself up, well, we ALL could have "gotten to it"
earlier and could have been more consistent and done more along the way,
etc. etc. But the important thing is that we ARE in the fight now. So
don't let anything take away your spiritual momentum. That is what makes
all the difference in the long run.
Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her
weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where
have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
John 11:33-36 NKJV
Grief is normal. Grief is unavoidable when we've lost someone we love.
Our Lord knew that He was going to bring Lazarus back to life, but that
did not eliminate the emotion and the fact of the grief that He felt
over his death and being temporarily deprived of His friend, or seeing
and experiencing the pain of His other friends in their mutual grief.
Of course we know that those we love who are saved have eternal life –
and from all you've shared I certainly do believe that __ was – or more
to the point, IS saved. But even our perfect Lord wept in grief at the
loss of Lazarus. True, we do not "grieve as those who have no hope"
(1Thes.4:13). We absolutely do believe in the eternal life of those we
love who are saved and departed. We absolutely do believe in their
resurrection to come, that we will see them again, that this separation
is only temporary. But that does NOT mean that losing them does not hurt
– it hurts a great deal indeed.
We have a right to be emotionally distraught and to cry over our loss.
We have a right to grieve. Indeed, it is a big mistake to assume that we
are somehow above this because we are believers, because we do have
hope. Our hope is a wonderful solace, but it does not take away the pain
of loss which is often profound. And it is not meant to. But we
believers have the ability to cope precisely because we have the solace
of knowing that our believing loved ones are in the Lord's embrace, and
that thus death does not mean the end, rather the beginning.
So please do not be down on yourself for being sorrowful about the loss
of someone so dear to you. How could any normal person be otherwise? You
are clearly "holding it together" and you also clearly know the truth
which lies beyond the veil of tears which hides the coming light from
our physical eyes at present. So you are "doing it right". Do not fail
to grieve – as much as you need to and for as long as you need to. It is
necessary. Just ask our Lord.
Here are some links:
I am keeping you in prayer about this my friend.
In Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Savior,
Bob L.
Question #19:
Hey Dr Luginbill,
I wanted to ask if you could give me a vague idea of what your schedule
is like. Not to get personal, and if you feel like it is then you can of
course decline. The reason is that I have so many things on my to do and
there just isn't enough time. And I wondered if seeing how someone else
does all their things (as you are someone who also does many things, a
number of them similar to my own, though a higher level obviously) might
help. Or maybe if you just have advice that has worked for you.
[omitted]
Response #19:
It does sound to me as if you are doing well with this. However, we can all
afford to improve, it's true.
One thing I can tell you is that in order to be consistent on the things one
finds of most importance, it's not the worst idea in the world to "front load"
the time devoted to them. And if there's not enough time to get to top
priorities before one has to go off to work, then getting up earlier to have the
time is also not a bad idea. This is how I deal with a good part of my "must do"
list. This is also what the ancient Roman aristocrats did – getting up in the
dark to have time to devote to the things that mattered to them before having to
go off to the forum for business of one sort or another ("lucubration" which
literally means "working by lamp light").
Another important point is not to consider as a complete failure any day when
not everything gets the time or energy one had planned to give it. Put the day
"to bed" and thank the Lord for the good things that did get done and try harder
tomorrow. Also, don't try to "make it up" tomorrow, or give yourself the excuse
that you'll "make it up tomorrow". Do what you purpose to do today today, and
don't burden yourself tomorrow with what you didn't get to (for whatever
reason).
Time is the most valuable resource we've been given. The more we redeem for the
Lord, the more treasure we're putting into our heavenly thesaurus
(Matt.6:19-21).
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5:16 NKJV
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
Colossians 4:5 NKJV
Hope this helps.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #20:
Hi Bob,
How are things with you? I hope all is well.
Thank you so much for all the time and energy you have given in getting
Peter #36 out there for us. It has been written
just at the right time for me and has given me lots of encouragement as
with the Lord's help I'm still working through some tough testing of my
own (that good old stuff!). I'm still hanging in there though and
continuing to pray and study and remembering your advice to me which is
helping a lot too.
I'm still praying for you, Bob and chuffed that I can see the Lord
answering my prayers for you and your ministry!
In our dear Lord Jesus
Response #20:
Good to hear that you are hanging in there, my friend! At times, that is
the best we've got! I'm praying for you for a little relief.
And look how you're helping me and this ministry in spite of all you've
got on your plate! I'm truly grateful. Thank you!
If we just "keep plugging away", ofttimes after a while we look back and
see we've made it quite a ways forward.
But with respect to the progress you have made, keep on advancing in the same way!
Philippians 3:16
Your friend in Jesus Christ,
Bob L.