• Drugs, Booze and Jesus
• Matthew Shepard and gay-bashing
• Lord's Supper ("Holy Communion"?) and baptism?
• Sex is marriage?
• Witnessing to a Catholic?

Q.
I NEED SOME HELP... I HAVE A FEW FRIENDS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN DRUGS AND DRINKING EXCESSIVELY. WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD OF APPROACHING THEIR CONDITION IN LIGHT OF JESUS?

A.
They need, first of all, to get saved. Peter used an old proverb, "But the word of the true proverb has happened to them: The dog turning to his own vomit; and, The washed sow to wallowing in the mire. (2Pt2:2)

When they drink and use drugs, they are doing the things that come naturally to them. You might give them rehab...but until the root cause is dealt with, they will most often revert back.

"Why" are they drinking? "Why" are they using drugs? Apparently they don't like life in its "reality" so they are doing things to give them an escape. That missing link is Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. But they won't receive Jesus until they come face-to-face with their sin. And they have to be "willing" to be "sober" long enough to face it, and for it to be so detestable to them that they want Jesus' blood to wash it away.

It's what's in their heart. Change the heart, the the booze and drugs will take care of themselves.

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Q.
I'm not sure if anyone else has asked you question already about the Matthew Shepard murder case but I have seen some christians holding up signs outside the court house saying that they dont blame the other two boys for murdering Matther Shepard because homosexuality is forbidden - "he got what he deserves" one said. As christians, how do we handle / approach this matter? What do we tell our children, that it's ok to kill because someone is a homosexual? And doesnt this situation just open the door for more gay rights?

A.
[Editor: For the benefit of people in other countries, Matthew Shepard was a college student in Wyoming who recently was tied up to a fence post and pistol-whipped, and left in the cold. He ended up in the hospital, and eventually died. Some accounts said it was merely a burglary to steal his money. But others say it was a "hate crime" because he was a sodomite. (they call it "gay") This latter issue is what has made national headlines for quite a few days; even eliciting comments from President Clinton. Not gaining as much attention is the fact that some others were beat up that night, too. Was one of them Hispanic? But the sodomite is getting the attention.]

Now, my answer...
At the VW website there is a commentary (Jan,95) about "Paul Hill." The issues, "Pro-life vs Pro-choice" or "Gay rights...?" it's all the same. The differences are between the "world" and "Christian." The "natural man" vs the "spiritual man." (1Cor2)

Yes, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorah (Gen18,19) as He will the world when He pours out His wrath (Rom1:18,24,27,29) These are "worthy of death." (vs32)

While God used the [NATION] Israel to wipe out sinful/perverted nations as they occupied the land of promise, you will notice that He did not command Abraham or Lot to organize militia groups to make commando runs to deal with the perverts. Nor to torture and beat them up. "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the LORD." (Rom12:19) In fact, when Sodom and Gomorah were captured by enemy kings, Abraham organized a resue mission to deliver them. (Gen14)

While Paul spoke against perversion in Romans 1, he says that his mission is to present Christ. "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (1Cor2:2)

Do we speak out against perversion? Yes. Do we cozey up to them and exercise "tolerance" towards them? No. "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [expose] them." (Eph5:11)

As Christians we are "subject to the higher [government] authorities." (Rom13:1) If we live in a "Theocracy" the laws will naturally condemn a sodomite to death. (Lev18:22-29) There is no such government (based on Jehovah) on earth at this time. (Israel has not yet turned back to God) Thus, we adhere to the laws where we live. And we trust God to deal with such people in His good time.

Besides, if we take matters into our own hands and kill such a person, how do we know but what they would have eventually repented and turned to God in saving Faith? After all, the sin of "sodomy" is not "unpardonable."

God is "the judge of all." (Heb12:23) Let Him be The Judge.

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Q.
I would like to clarify something about taking the Holy Communion. My friend told me that you can only take it if you are baptised, but I thought you can take it as long as you have received Christ. I have been taking Holy communion since I have received Christ and would like to confirm with you whether it is right or not, although I don't see any reason why believers although not baptised yet, cannot take the holy communion.

A.
What you describe is pretty much a "baptist" view-point. And depending on the "brand" of "baptist" they might even require that you were baptized in "their" particular church, too. (ANOTHER "baptist" church just won't do!)

I don't know of any Scripture that says a person must be (water) baptized to partake of the Lord's Supper. Anyone who is a Believer in Christ HAS BEEN baptized in the Spirit. (Rom6:4) The fact that one is a Christian, means he has the Holy Spirit residing. (Rom8:9) He [IS] "baptized" ...spiritually, because the Holy Spirit "seals" the Believer at salvation. (Eph1:13)

Water baptism comes "after" the spiritual salvation. The "condition" for the Ethiopian Eunuch to be baptized was the fact that he "believed" in Jesus Christ. (Acts8:37)

When Paul spoke of eating and drinking "unworthily" (1Cor11:27) the context indicates the matter of the heart harboring sin, and the "purpose" for which the Corinthians were partaking. "Baptism" isn't mention in that passage.

Addendum:
By the way, the term "Holy Communion" I believe has pagan roots. This expression is not found in Scripture. What Paul says in 1Cor11 is "Lord's Supper" (vs20) And other references speak of the "bread" and the "cup" (vs23-28, Mt26:26-27, Lk22:19-20) In the instance of "communion" in 1Cor10:16, it means "fellowship" and is more "descriptive" rather than a title or label. While Paul exhorts the Believer to "being holy" (action or state of being) regarding partaking, there is nothing intrinsically "holy" about the bread or wine/juice that is used during the "Remembrance." The bread and wine do not BECOME the body and blood of Christ, as the Catholics teach... thus, making the items, themselves, "holy." Thus, the bread is not "holy" when eaten, nor the wine/juice "holy" when drunk. The Lord's Supper is, again, a matter of the heart and mind before God. It is a time of "REMEMBRANCE" of Christ's death on the cross. (1Cor11:25)

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Q.
Could you tell me please, when a couple has sex and have not taken the marital vows does that mean that they are married in God's eyes?

A.
I believe so. When Paul speaks of fornication he uses the "marriage" language about doing it with a prositute. "Or do you not know that he being joined to a harlot is one body? For He says, The two shall be one flesh." (1Cor6:16) That's the same language as for marriage "the man shall..be joined to his wife, and the two of them shall be one flesh." (Eph5:31) The same expression God used for Adam and Eve. (Gen2:24)

What are "marriage vows?" Did God institute them? They are man-made. I don't know this for fact, but it seems to me that the "vow" thing likely came about from economics and politics, when families or nations were joined or agreed upon. A peace agreement between two countries was sealed with the marriage of significant individuals from each country. Economics...when a daughter was given in exchange for goods and services, etc. e.g. Jacob worked for Laban 7 years each for his two wives, Rachel and Leah.

However, when Isaac and Rebekah were "married" ...he took her into his mother's tent and "she became his wife." (Gen24:67) In the context, it's pretty obvious "what" they did, for her to become his wife... When a man acquired a female (captive from war Deu21:10-13) and wanted her for his wife, it gives the month waiting period, and then vs13 says he may "go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be [his] wife". Are not the words "go in to her" (Gen29:21, Deu25:5) rather graphically descriptive of what creates the marriage.

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Re: response to Morsel-Xtra "Sinful Silence"

Q.
So, are what you saying is that if we find something wrong with something a friend believes then we should tell them? My best friend is Catholic, and I am not. She believes in Purgatory, and I do not...But what about the verse that says that there should be no division among you????

A.
If you are a True Believing Christian in Jesus Christ, due to His one-time death on the cross, as you have come to Him in repentance and received Him...then, there ALREADY IS a "division." The division/difference between "saved" and "lost."

When Paul speaks, "that there be no divisions among you" (1Cor1:10) he is writing to Christians. And this unity is something which Jesus accomplished as He cried out on the cross "It is finished" (Jn19:30) in fulfillment of His prayer in John17 as he "is our peace" (Eph2:14) Thus, the unity is a unity "in Christ."

A true Catholic is not part of that unity in Christ. They do not worship Christ. They have given their deities the names of Jesus and Mary. But their true allegience is pagan. They actually worship the ancient "Queen of Heaven" (Ishtar, Ashtoreth, Isis), etc.

So, for you to witness to your catholic friend is not to "create" division. It merely recognizes the division that already exists, and has been there ever since you became a Believer in Christ. Jesus said, Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword" (Mt10:34) ...because of the difference between His followers and those who are lost.

Yes...by all means...WITNESS to your friend. Share the "one time" sacrifice of Jesus with them. (Heb9:28) When He cried out "it is finished" that means He doesn't need to be re-sacrificed everytime the Mass is celebrated. Everytime they "sacrifice Jesus" in their "perpetual offering" they are, in actuality, "shaming Jesus." (Heb6:6) He is no longer on that cross (crucifix) as the angels proclaimed "He is not here, for He has risen!" (Mt28:6)

Your friend is in darkness. When you witness, you are not "bashing" another belief-system and making "personal attacks" on the person with those beliefs. It is for the purpose of bringing her "out of darkness into His [God's] marvelous light." (1Pt2:9)

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