I have got a question about “we reap what we sow”.  I can’t seem to understand this.  It seems that if this were true… how come some people that are really “bad or sinful” get really great lives and seem to have such great luck while some people give to the needy and help people all their lives and always seem to have bad things happen to them?  It would seem that this “we reap what we sow” would not let that happen.  Sometimes I would see someone (for example) lie to get a job, and I would think that one day it would come back to bite them, but after years of them getting everything (it seems all that they ever wanted), I start to wonder.  I do believe in “we reap what we sow”, but I just don’t understand why it only seems to work for some people.  I’m sure this is a question a lot of people wonder about; that is another reason why I am asking it.  Thanks and God bless!

Sincerely,
Small Harvest

Dear Small Harvest,

It is a question that a lot of people ask, and the answer is “consider their latter end”.  In Ps 73:3-12, the psalmist, Asaph, ponders why it is that wicked people prosper and the righteous are downtrodden.  The question vexed him deeply because his enemies succeeded while he, a godly man, was constantly in pain (Ps 73:13-14).  Eventually, Asaph went to the temple and thought about the end of a wicked man’s life (Ps 73:16-17).

A life of wickedness is a slippery slope – one lie leads to another until all you have is a tangle of lies and deception (Ps 73:18).  The wicked man has no peace because he is totally dependent upon his own strength and wiles for success… every moment of life is lived upon a precipice (Ps 73:19).

Contrast that life to one of a righteous man.  God holds the hand of the righteous, so they will not despair (Ps 73:23), and God is a righteous man’s counselor and friend (Ps 73:24).  Ultimately, the righteous go to heaven, and the wicked spend eternity in hell (Ps 73:25).

It may seem like wicked people prosper, but eventually, their wickedness becomes their downfall.  Sometimes their sins take years to catch up with them (pay attention to some of the latest headlines in politics and Hollywood), but they always do.  If a man becomes wealthy through evil… he may have money, but he won’t have peace.  As Pr 15:17 points out, a wealthy feast filled with hatred isn’t nearly as enjoyable as a humble meal eaten with loving friends.  Financial prosperity is not synonymous with happiness.  Gal 6:7 is always true… but you and I may not always see the sorrow and suffering that goes on behind closed doors.

Hi.  In Daniel 12:1, when Daniel is receiving the message about the time of the end, the messenger says, “At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise.”  Can you explain this to me better because I thought that Jesus is the one who is coming and will arise?  Thanks much.

Sincerely,
Questioning The Angel

Dear Questioning The Angel,

Dan 12:1 says “at that time”… Michael the archangel will stand up.  We need to know what “at that time” refers to in order to have a proper understanding of the verse.  Context is very important when looking at symbolic passages like those found in Daniel and Revelation.  In Matt 24:21, Jesus uses the exact same words as Dan 12:1.  Jesus’ commentary on these events is very specific.  Jesus says that Daniel’s prophecy was referring to the end of the Jewish nation… not the end of mankind.  Matt 24:15-21 describes the fall of the Jewish nation at the hands of Rome.  Rome would encircle Jerusalem (Matt 24:28), utterly destroy that city, and tear down the temple (Matt 24:1-2).  All of these events happened in 70 A.D.  Not all of Daniel’s prophecies refer to 70 A.D., but the verse in question (Dan 12:1) does.

If you would like more information on the book of Daniel, please consider listening to our class taught on the subject.  You can find it here.

Hello, I’m sixteen and homeschooled and have been knowing God since I was a small child in Christian school, but I feel the pulse that I’m here to do something for God… not that I feel more important than anyone else.  I just feel I’m here to accomplish something for Him on earth, and I also have a strong pull towards Armageddon in Revelation; am I just weird, or is my strong pull towards doing something in God’s name real?

Sincerely,
Full Of Fire

Dear Full Of Fire,

You aren’t weird… the right word is ‘zealous’.  Being zealous for God is a good thing (1 Pet 3:13, Tit 2:14).  The important thing is to take the zeal of youth and combine that with Biblical knowledge.  It is only when we combine a zealous spirit with truth that we can please God (Jhn 4:24).  Many people have a zeal for God but fail to gain knowledge to properly serve Him (Rom 10:1-2).  Dedicate yourself to becoming a worker who has no need to be ashamed because you will have gained a proper and deep understanding of the Scriptures (2 Tim 2:15).  God wants to use everyone for His service – the question is whether or not we will be prepared (2 Tim 2:21).

Case in point, it is clear from your question that you have some misunderstandings about the book of Revelation.  We recommend you start building a sturdy and scholarly Bible knowledge now.  We have an entire section of our website dedicated to classes on every book of the Bible.  We recommend you visit sermons.mvchurchofchrist.org, download, and listen to classes on various books of the Bible… including the book of Revelation.  The more you know, the more you will be prepared to do good in this world.

I have pondered about the idea of a messiah.  It seemed to me that all cultures and religions have a savior.  It seems to me quite possible that God sent His son, or Himself, or the third iteration of Himself (however one interprets the messiah) to all different peoples to lead them around the same time, essentially.  And presently, Satan exploits this to make humans fight each other because we all worship the same god.  So any theism works… that is what I’m trying to say and what I think.

Is Jesus Christ special, or was Isus the Egyptian messiah, or Allah, or Krishnu, or Jehovah just as good?

Sincerely,
Open Minded

Dear Open Minded,

Jesus is special, and He left no room for other gods.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jhn 14:6).  Jesus was either the one and only Messiah – or He was a crazy lunatic.  Jesus teaches that we can only have one Master (Matt 23:10) and that serving anyone else is a sin.  Jesus taught that we either confess Him as the Christ, or we will be denied before God (Lk 12:8-9).  Jesus cannot coexist with other gods.  The Bible is clear – there can be only one (Eph 4:4-6).  Isus, Allah, Krishnu, etc. are all false gods.

Why is it so hard to just have faith?  Why can’t it be absolute instead of questionable?

Sincerely,
Wanna See It

Dear Wanna See It,

Faith, without an element of trust, isn’t faith at all.  If you can see something, then all doubt is removed – faith is a conviction in things not seen (Heb 11:1).  God has provided ample evidence of His existence (Rom 1:20, for further details read “Does God Exist?”) as well as abundant evidence that the Bible is His Word (see “Who Wrote The Bible?”).  The vast preponderance of evidence proves that God exists, but it is up to us to trust the evidence without actually seeing Him.  Faith is the great struggle and battle of the human soul.  Will we choose to believe in a God we cannot see (but can logical prove exists)… or will we choose to believe that there is nothing after death?

(This question is a follow up to “Kudos To Who?”).

What I am talking about is a certain day that the church sets aside for the pastor.  Right now, we are asked to give one thousand dollars to the pastor for pastor appreciation, but in this particular church, you pay for everything that is done, and the leadership caters to groups who give that money, and others are left out.  I wanted to be a greeter in this church and was told that I couldn’t because I didn’t sign some type of contract and pledge to give every time they ask for something.  A thousand dollars is a lot of money for some, and I really don’t think that they are understanding what Christ’s church is all about.  If you have heard this before, then believe it because it is happening, and these people think they are right, and it saddens me to see people doing it, and nobody is doing anything about it.

Sincerely,
Hand On My Wallet

Dear Hand On My Wallet,

Wow!  Apparently there is big money in pastor “appreciation” day.  If only we all could get a thousand dollar gift from our friends and neighbors.  This sort of money-grubbing worldliness makes us sick… and it sickened Jesus too (Mk 12:38-40).  Heb 13:5 teaches that everyone, and that includes church leaders, should be free from the love of money.  All sorts of evil comes from the love of money (1 Tim 6:10), and a pastor is specifically forbidden to be a man who is a lover of money (1 Tim 3:2-3).

The church you are describing is a false church, and the best thing you can do is leave.  They are using the Gospel as a means of financial gain and power – a deplorable misuse of Christ’s message.  These wolves in sheep’s clothing have perverted the Bible for their own wicked gain (Acts 20:29-30).  We recommend you read “Finding The Church” and start looking for a faithful congregation.  If you would like our help, feel free to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will happily point you toward a faithful congregation in your area.