First of all, let us look at this phrase. From Wikipedia we can glean this interesting information: “‘In God We Trust’ is the official motto of the United States of America, Nicaragua, and of the U.S. state of Florida. It was adopted as the United States’ motto in 1956 as a replacement or alternative to the unofficial motto of E pluribus unum, which was adopted when the Great Seal of the United States was created and adopted in 1782. ‘In God We Trust’ first appeared on the two-cent piece in 1864 and has appeared on paper currency since 1957.”

It is an interesting question to ask if this would be permitted today.   And even if it were, would it be embraced with the same deep intended meaning? You just have to wonder as the USA, as well as many other nations around the world, have become much more secular and permissive societies. 

Continue reading "Is the phrase “In God We Trust?” found in the Bible?"

From time to time, we are faced with the question of how men and women should wear their hair, especially in church services. Some new people who get in contact with us feel that a woman must wear a veil in services, and especially during the opening or closing prayer. Others feel that a man can wear shoulder-length long hair, or he can do so by wearing it as a ponytail. Then, teens and young adults, and/or their parents, often may not know what hair length and hairstyle is appropriate for them.

We have previously addressed the issue of proper hair length in Q&As. Before extensively quoting from them, a word of caution, which we set forth in regard to proper dress in chapter 12 of our free booklet, “How Can Young People Cope With Life?”, but which would equally apply to the question of proper hair length:

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With all that is going on in the world at present, war is on many people’s minds. War is a terrible thing, showing the worst excesses of sinful man.   On the website worldpopulationreview.com, we read that there are currently 12 different countries involved in war, civil war, drug wars and terrorist insurgencies.

We have a 78-page booklet entitled, “Should You Fight in War?” This is a thorough exposition well worth reading, or re-reading, showing that it is not the way that man should behave, ever!   On pages 17 and 20, we read under the heading “THE CHRISTIAN DUTY—TODAY!” the following:

“True Christians need to understand that they must already have God’s attitude toward peace and war, knowing that PEACE, not WAR, will be the reality of the future world under God’s rule. They must lead by their good example TODAY, showing others that we can live the way to peace and avoid the way to war. 

Continue reading "Are Christians currently involved in war?"

Even though the Bible records that some in the Old Testament paid God’s tithe before Moses, there are those who claim that there was no obligation to pay the tithe before Moses, and it only became an obligation when the Levitical tithing system was instituted under Moses. They also claim that the tithing system was only instituted for Israel (some even say, the Jews, confusing the house of Israel with the house of Judah), and that any obligation to pay tithe ended at the time when Israel and Judah went into captivity. They say that in any event, there is no tithing obligation for New Testament Christians as Christ came to abolish the commandment to pay tithe.

All of these assumptions are wrong.

We say the following in our free booklet, “Tithing — Today?” 

“One of the ancients who honored God with tithing was righteous Abraham. We are told that Abraham [Abram] gave a tithe of his income to the high priest, Melchizedek. We read in Genesis 14:20 that Abraham gave him ‘a tithe [or one-tenth] of all.’ In the book of Hebrews, it is again mentioned that Abraham gave Melchizedek ‘a tenth of the spoils’ (Hebrews 7:4)…

Continue reading "Whom did the Ancients give God’s tithe to prior to Moses and the Levitical tithing system?"

Passion is described as an emotion, an intense desire or enthusiasm about something.  This can be positive, like a strong desire for God or righteous actions, or negative, like sinful desires or uncontrolled anger. In the New King James Bible, “passion” is used in Romans 7:5 and Galatians 5:24 to describe bodily desires or affections that can lead to sin. In Colossians 3:5, “passion” is mentioned alongside other negative desires, suggesting it refers to inappropriate cravings or lustful appetites.

Different translations of the Bible may use slightly different wording. For example, some translations might use “lust” or “inordinate affection” instead of “passion” in certain verses. In other contexts, “passion” can refer to zeal or fervor, like the desire to see God’s house cleansed (John 2:17).

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If God gave me something great – whatever we imagine to be great; whether it be a wife or a husband, a lot of money, a house, or a position in the Church or at work –, then I would give it my best! We may have said this before or thought it. I would be ready for more. I would love to serve God with something significant.

But Jesus draws our attention to an important connection. In Luke 16:10, he says, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”

Jesus is referring to the principle of faithfulness here. And He makes it clear that faithfulness does not begin with big, admirable tasks. It begins with the small things, in the hidden places, in everyday life.

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In the first part of this Q&A, we ascertained that the fundamental idea of Christian universalism is that ALL human beings will eventually receive salvation.   We looked at a number of biblical references which refute this assertion, and we will now continue to show from the pages of the Bible, that this belief is void of any Scriptural approval.

Universalism seems to ignore the fact that some will commit the unpardonable sin. In our free booklet “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?” we find this information:

“What is the Unpardonable Sin?

“From other Scriptures we know that there are at least two ways in which the unpardonable sin can be committed.

“Jesus warns us in Mark 3:28–29, not to ‘blaspheme’ the Holy Spirit, regardless of whether we are converted or not. If we do, we reject the only power that can convert and change us. And if we continue with that course of action of resisting God and refusing to repent, then we might reach a point when it will become impossible for us to repent. We will then have made the final, irrevocable decision never to repent and to change. Such an attitude will lead to actual hate and resentment for God and His way. You see, if we don’t want to repent, God will not grant us repentance. And without repentance, there can be no forgiveness. That is why a sin which we refuse to repent of, will not be forgiven.

Continue reading "Would You Classify Yourselves as Universalists? (Part 2)"

In order to address this question, we need to know what a universalist is.

Wikipedia states the following: “The fundamental idea of Christian universalism is universal reconciliation – that all humans will eventually receive salvation. They will eventually enter God’s kingdom in Heaven, through the grace and works of the Lord Jesus Christ.”   They also have this reference:

“Otis Ainsworth Skinner (1807-1861), A Series of Sermons in Defense of the Doctrine of Universal Salvation, Page 209, [points out that universalism] is not part of mainline Christian doctrine either Catholic or Protestant. [He writes that] ‘Repentance is a means by which all men are brought into the enjoyment of religion, and we do expect any man will be saved while he continues in sin. However, Unitarian Universalism holds a universal salvation, because… ‘we expect all men will repent.’”

Continue reading "Would You Classify Yourselves as Universalists? (Part 1)"

The Christian Post reported on September 15^th 2024 what the Pope (Pope Francis at that time) had said during a visit to Singapore.  It read as follows:

“During a three-day visit to Singapore, Pope Francis declared that ‘all religions are a path to God,’ sparking backlash among religious leaders in the U.S.  The statement was made at an interreligious meeting with young people at a Catholic junior college shortly before his departure back to Rome. Departing from his prepared remarks, Francis spoke off the cuff, stating that different religions are like ‘different languages to reach God. During his 2022 trip to Kazakhstan, he made similar statements. Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Astana, a frequent critic, had then commented on the risk of creating a ‘supermarket of religions.’”

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God tells us that He will bless us when we obey Him and curse us when we disobey Him (compare Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28). He explains to us that He curses those who sin against Him. Are we therefore to curse those who sin against us—who have become our enemies?

In Matthew 5:43-44, we read: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…”

Christ loved us and died for us when we were sinners and His enemies, hoping that we would become His friends. Once that relationship of friendship with Him and His Church (His Body) has been established, He tells us to love one another with the same godly love with which He loved and loves us. This love (to love others AS He has loved us) He does not require of us in regard to our enemies in the world. But He does tell us that we are to love them which is really only possible if we have God’s love (agape) in us. How are we to love them?

Continue reading "Are we to curse or to bless others, including our enemies? What exactly does the Bible teach?"