Ever since I started dating, all I have met up with are worthless men, and now I’m pregnant from one of them, but I changed my life and turned to God, but I just want to know why won’t God bless me with a good man?

Sincerely,
New Mama

Dear New Mama,

There is a universal life principle: we “reap what we sow” (Gal 6:7).  Ma’am, with all do respect, we believe that is what is happening to you.  If you hang around the kind of men that would have sex with you before marriage… and you consent to such behavior – you will reap what you sow.  Good men don’t try and behave in unseemly ways towards women, and they aren’t attracted to women who appreciate that kind of forwardness.

You say that you have changed your life, and that is wonderful!  As you begin to plant new behavior and choices in your life, you will reap different results.  Make the choice to spend time with people who have high moral standards, and you will see changes in your life.  Bad company corrupts good morals (1 Cor 15:33), and good companionship makes us into better people (Pr 27:17).  Go to church (we would be happy to help you find a faithful one in your area), repent of the lifestyle that got you where you are, and we promise that you will see a difference.

I am visiting family, and my sister-in-law invited an older child over to play with my daughter.  This child’s parents must use the phrase, “Oh, my God” often because the child said it a couple times.  My daughter has been taught not to say this, and at breakfast, she said, “(child’s name omitted) is using bad words.”

My reactionary reply was, “(child’s name omitted) is a bad-bad.”  This made for an awkward moment with this boy sitting at the breakfast table with his aunt & uncle close by who were watching him for the day.

I missed a moment to teach why we do not say, “Oh, my God” to the child and his relatives.  However, I’m not sure I would have explained it sufficiently if I would have tried.

Where in the Bible does it state using this phrase flippantly is wrong?

Sincerely,
Catch Phrase

Dear Catch Phrase,

In the Old Testament, it says to “not take the Lord’s name in vain” (Ex 20:7); it is the third commandment.  In the New Testament, we are told to “let not the name of God and the doctrine be blasphemed” (1 Tim 6:1).  The New Testament also says to treat God with reverence (Heb 12:28).  When we have an attitude of reverence towards God, we won’t use His name as a cuss word.  You are doing well to teach your child to hold God’s name in reverence and honor.  You’ve been doing the right thing… the verses back you up.

If the water pipes broke and the baptistery was bone dry, would my salvation have to wait until the plumber showed up?  If I were to die before then, would I go to hell?  If obedience to water baptism is the means of forgiveness of sins, then I would.

Sincerely,
Water Resistant

Dear Water Resistant,

Oh, the wonderful power of the ‘what-if’ question!  Hypothetical questions are the most powerful debating tool in the world because they don’t need to have any basis in reality… the reality is that if the pipes break at the building, there are rivers and streams nearby, and bathtubs, and hot tubs, and public pools, etc.  Our first answer to your question would be simply – there is always water to get baptized in.  After all, it’s water; two-thirds of the world is covered in the stuff.

The second part of our answer would be that God in His providence watches over those who are truly seeking baptism.  Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened (Matt 7:7).  God promises that if we want to obey Him that He will make it possible.  Therefore, if someone wants to be baptized, God is going to protect them until they can get to water.  God wants us to be saved; He finds no pleasure in people going to hell (Ezek 33:11).  If someone wants to be baptized for salvation (Mk 16:16, Acts 2:38, 1 Pet 3:21)… God is going to make sure they can be.

I have a family member that believes that we are descendants of Hebrews and who we know as Jesus is named Yashua, and God is Yah, but from reading the Bible’s Life Applications, it gives the definition of Jah (which is short for Jehovah).  What do I tell them?  They’re trying to say I’ve been misled by what I have been taught, but I need to know how to combat my faith in what I know about my personal Lord and Savior.

Sincerely,
Prefer To Remain Nameless

Dear Prefer To Remain Nameless,

Jesus’ name is ‘Yeshua’ in Hebrew, and in Greek it is ‘Haysoos’.  In Hebrew, God’s name is ‘Yahweh’, and sometimes it is shortened into ‘Yah’.  There is no contradiction between the Bible and what your family member told you.

The only incorrect statement they made was that christians are descendants of the Hebrews.  Christians are not descendants of the Jewish nation… they are the replacement for the Jewish nation.  Christians are the spiritual Israel (Rom 2:28-29); they have replaced the physical Israel.  Both Jew and Gentile are allowed into the kingdom of Christ – His church (Rom 9:22-24).

I have not been a christian for very long, in fact a little over four years, and I wasn’t baptized until almost three years ago (I was thirty-one).  I grew up in an (you could say) agnostic family; we didn’t bother God, and He didn’t bother us.  Needless to say, I have many questions.  My problem is that I am having a hard time finding a church where I can ask questions, really deep questions about meanings and inferences and the like.  I go to these Bible study groups, and I find myself being the only one who wants to do actual Bible study and have deep philosophical discussions.  Everyone else wants to talk superficially and then eat some cake.  They all seem to feel safer pretending that their life is all roses because God is with us.  I mean to say I KNOW God is with us, but life is not always roses; and what’s so bad about asking difficult questions?  What’s so sacrilegious about being angry with God at times?  You can be angry and love/respect/fear Him, and I’m sure He knows this.  I am convinced He does; there is story after story of Him being angry with His people but loving them the whole time.  (See what I mean, these are the type of things I want to discuss, and it is so hard to find a group of people to do this with.)  So I often find myself studying alone, but “it is not good for a man (or woman in my case) to be alone”.  Could you suggest some sound websites or discussion forums that I might engage in, so I could at least be part of a virtual community of ‘laymen’ that want to ask sincere, difficult, intelligent questions?  Or am I just being a jerk?

Sincerely,
Curiously Alone

Dear Curiously Alone,

We here at AYP firmly believe that there is a Bible answer for every question.  God tells mankind that we should feel comfortable to “come and reason” with Him (Isa 1:18).  God is not a God of confusion (1 Cor 14:33), and the Bible contains everything that pertains to life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).  Unfortunately, most modern churches have turned their backs on God’s teachings and embraced a more emotion-based religion.  Most people want to have their ears tickled with smooth sayings and easy words (2 Tim 4:3)… but there is so much more to serving God than just feeling good.  If all we ever do is talk about what we want to hear, we will miss out on what we need to hear.

We say all that so that you realize you are not crazy.  In your journey for truth, you are finding that not everyone is as interested in truth as they are in feeling good – not all churches are equal.  Jesus even said that many will cry, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by Thy name, and by Thy name cast out demons, and by Thy name do many mighty works?” (Matt 7:22), and His answer will be, “I never knew you.” (Matt 7:23)  Being religious is not the same as being faithful.  Faith comes by God’s Word (Rom 10:17).

We often help people find faithful congregations in their hometowns because where they are isn’t working.  We especially believe that to be the case for you.  Your questions deserve answers – and any church worth its salt should teach the truth (1 Tim 3:15).  The Lord’s church isn’t fancy, but it is full of faithful God-fearing people who are seeking the truth (Lk 11:9-10).  We recommend you read some of our other articles in the New Testament Church category (especially the posts entitled “Finding The Church” and “Preacher Interrogation”).  See for yourself whether our articles match up with the Scriptures, and if they do, consider letting us help you find a congregation in your area that behaves like your Bible teaches.

Why do the majority of Christian/Non-denominational/Protestant (Evangelicals especially) base a majority of what they talk about on Malachi 3:10?  Why is there such an importance placed on giving money to a church, TV program, or some charity?  When all we see are rich pastors walking around in $500 suits and a big gold and diamond encrusted ring? Okay, so I understand that God gave us what we have, and we are to share the fruits of our labor, but some pastors teach as if this is the ONLY thing in the Bible.  What about compassion for the penniless?  Oh, right, then they’ll bring up the little old lady that gave her last two pennies and how magnanimous of her that she gave all she had, and we are only being asked to give 10%; how positively horrible of me.  Doesn’t God know that I am broke?  Doesn’t He understand that if I don’t pay my rent, I end up homeless?  Doesn’t He understand that you can’t squeeze blood from a turnip?  Okay, so a miracle will happen?  But how am I supposed to believe that God *wants* me to be financially well-to-do?  I should think He has more pressing issues (like forgiving a sinful world) than whether or not I am going to have a financial breakthrough.  Am I wrong, because it seems to me Jesus never asked for money, neither did any of the twelve (with the exception of Judas and the thirty pieces of silver); in fact, weren’t they poor and only had the clothes on their back and what they could carry with them?  Didn’t Jesus tell them that this is how they were to live?

Sincerely,
Money Mad

Dear Money Mad,

You are absolutely 100% right.  A large portion of evangelists today teach what is called “the prosperity gospel”.  Mal 3:10 is one of their favorite verses because it is so easy to twist out of context.  Yes, God blesses us when we obey Him.  Yes, God blesses us when we contribute financially to His work… but those blessings aren’t always financial.

James tells us that the poor are often the most spiritually rich because they have learned to trust in God for their daily needs (Jas 2:5).  The church at Laodicea was financially wealthy, and that was their downfall because it led to pride and a sense of self-sufficiency (Rev 3:17).  The riches that really count are spiritual ones (Matt 6:19-21).  These preachers that tell people to “give so that they can get” are snake oil salesman.  They are of the same character as the Pharisees who “devoured widows’ houses” (Mk 12:40).

If this is the type of church that you are attending… there is a better and more godly way.  Yes, we should give of our finances… but that isn’t the totality of the Bible message – it isn’t even the majority of it.  We would be happy to help you get in touch with a faithful congregation in your area that teaches the truth.  After all, the church is supposed to be the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim 3:15) – not the pillar and ground of the financial world.  E-mail us (askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org) with what part of the world you live in, and we will do our best to get you in contact with a congregation in your area.