What Many Christians Need to Know

So, yesterday I was reading an article about a women who had a miscarriage at 19 weeks and the article talked a lot about the family's experience as well as detailing how a 19 week fetus, and those of similar gestational age look human and are not just a "clump of cells."  Well this post is not about that article, but about the comments to that article.

Why arguing is pointless
As with most articles, whether talking about abortion, global warming or even the color of sheets that people most prefer, it seems that in the comment section there seems to always be a battle between Christians and Non-Christians.  It seems to always turn into an argument that both sides think they can win, but in reality neither side will gain any ground.  I cannot answer for the non-believers, but I can say this to those who believe:  Why bother arguing?  The Bible is clear:

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.

The unbeliever will always view God and anything about Him as foolish.  We cannot, in ourselves, do anything about that.  So, as a believer this is what we should do.  Arguing is futile.

Titus 3:6 But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

It is God alone who can change the heart of the unbeliever.  He alone can call the sinner to Himself.  He may use us in that process, but in reality, arguing on a message board will not win anyone for Christ.

The Devil causes sin
This comment was on the message board SO much!  Saying this like "the devil causes sin in the world" or "the devil made me do it" is giving the devil way to much credit.  The devil cannot make us sin, he can only tempt us to sin.  The sin comes from our own heart.  We are all born with a sinful nature and it is by the grace of God we are brought out of that nature into a new nature in Christ.

The baby will be in heaven
Many Christians tried to give comfort for the family telling them their baby is in heaven and in God's arms.  Where does the Bible tell us this?  No where.  Each and everyone of us were conceived in sin and each and everyone of us must deal with the consequences of sin.  That goes for those who are in the womb as well as those who are living in the world.  If as a Christian we believe that the fetus inside the mother is a human with a soul, we must also believe that the child is sinful, even though he/she is not yet born.  As Christians, we also believe that God will justly judge all humans and give them the consequences they deserve.  I am sure that the unborn who have passed away will be judged in a just way just as us who live today.  I am not saying unborn children our young children who pass away before they themselves are conscience of such a decision as to follow Christ will not be in heaven, but I cannot say with certainty that they will be. 

Why would a loving God cause a baby to die?
This question was asked multiple times.  The answer, while partly given was never fully explained.  Yes, our God is loving, but he is also wrathful and jealous.  The nature of God is more than love.  The real reason, however, that a baby dies is because of sin.  Yes, this was pointed out by many people.  Sin causes death. 

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Death entered the world when Adam and Eve ate the fruit.  It was not completely Eve's fault.  She was tempted to sin, Adam was not.  Eve would not have eaten if the devil hadn't tempted her.   Adam was there the whole time the devil was speaking to Eve and did not even try to stop her.  The command had been given to Adam, and not to Eve.  Well, anywho, I am getting a little off topic here, let me get back to my point.  Sin entered the world through sin.  Before sin, there was no death.

Going back to the question, yes, the death of the child was the will of God, or it would not have happen.  This does not make God evil for allowing the child to die.  Death and sin was necessary for Christ to come.  If there was no death or sin, then Christ would not have come and we would still be living in the Garden of Eden without sin and with a perfect relationship with God.  This, however, would not have served God's purpose of man.  Man is here to glorify God.  God wants the greatest glory for Himself.  If everything had remained perfect, and there was no sin, how much would we appreciate what God had done for us?  We would not know despair or sadness to know what joy and happiness would feel like.  The greatest glory for God is having His son come and give Himself for us.  Remember, Christ was the plan from the beginning.  All of creation and everything that has happened was for Christ and the glory of God.  Sin and death was necessary for Christ to come.  One day, everything will return to paradise.  We will again live in perfect harmony with our God and creator.  It isn't here yet, but it is coming.

You can't judge me!
Um, if you are a Christian I can.  The Bible tells me to do that.  What we are not to judge is whether or not someone is a believer.  We cannot tell by looking at someone if they are or are not a Christian.  We should reserve this type of judging to God, and God alone. (I believe this is what James is talking about).    We are to judge the actions of our fellow believers.  If we see our brothers and sisters straying away from God, we are to point that out to them, lovingly, and bring them back to Christ. (This is talked about in Matthew).

One of the commenters stated how he hated Christians because they were hypocritical and did not approve (or allow) him to live in a sinful situation.  We are hypocrites.  We are not perfect.  Even though we are Christians, we are still sinners.  It is by the grace of God we can claim a relationship with Him and believe we can go to heaven, when what we deserve is Hell.  It is not a Christians place to tell him not to live in sin because he is not a Christian.  I do think this commenter is giving Christians too much credit in the equal marriage debate.  How much influence do we Christians have in politics?  How many of the politicians today are truly Christian?  If Christians had their way in all things, abortion would be illegal as would any sin that could be committed, but a vast majority of sins (according to the Bible) are legal and even protected under the law. 

Conclusion
So, I really should not read the comment sections on articles.  The get me so riled up, but I know it is pointless to argue with those who think I'm crazy no matter what I say.  I do believe we should share our faith, but I see no need to argue my believes with other people.  I do not need to prove my believes to anyone.  Just like the old argument, "Prove to me that God exist!"  I want to ask them to prove that He doesn't, but that to is just pointless. 

Genesis 7 -- The Flood Happened!

Genesis 7:1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before Me in this generation. 2 You are to take with you seven pairs, a male and its female, of all the clean animals, and two of the animals that are not clean, a male and its female, 3 and seven pairs, male and female, of the birds of the sky—in order to keep offspring alive on the face of the whole earth. 4 Seven days from now I will make it rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe off from the face of the earth every living thing I have made.” 5 And Noah did everything that the Lord commanded him.

I notice a consistent theme here in reading about Noah.  He "did everything that the Lord commanded him." He alone was righteous, which is why God decided to spare he and his family from the destruction that was about to come upon the earth.  Noah was faithful to God in that he trusted everything God had told him.  He obeyed God's commands and did not question what the Lord was doing.  We also, should do everything God commands of us.  We should be faithful, like Noah, to follow through with what the Lord commands us to do.

Genesis 7:6 Noah was 600 years old when the flood came and water covered the earth. 7 So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the waters of the flood.8 From the clean animals, unclean animals, birds, and every creature that crawls on the ground, 9 two of each, male and female, entered the ark with Noah, just as God had commanded him. 10 Seven days later the waters of the flood came on the earth.

11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the sources of the watery depths burst open, the floodgates of the sky were opened, 12 and the rain fell on the earth 40 days and 40 nights. 13 On that same day Noah along with his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah’s wife, and his three sons’ wives entered the ark with him. 14 They entered it with all the wildlife according to their kinds, all livestock according to their kinds, the creatures that crawl on the earth according to their kinds, all birds, every fowl, and everything with wings according to their kinds. 15 Two of all flesh that has the breath of life in it entered the ark with Noah. 16 Those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered just as God had commanded him. Then the Lord shut him in.
17 The flood continued for 40 days on the earth; the waters increased and lifted up the ark so that it rose above the earth. 18 The waters surged and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 Then the waters surged even higher on the earth, and all the high mountains under the whole sky were covered. 20 The mountains were covered as the waters surged above them more than 20 feet. 21 Every creature perished—those that crawl on the earth, birds, livestock, wildlife, and those that swarm on the earth, as well as all mankind. 22 Everything with the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils—everything on dry land died. 23 He wiped out every living thing that was on the surface of the ground, from mankind to livestock, to creatures that crawl, to the birds of the sky, and they were wiped off the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters surged on the earth 150 days.

Through the flood, God destroyed everything that was not on the ark.  Every creature that walked along the face of the earth and all birds of the air.   Many people try to say that the flood could not have possibly cover the whole earth and cover all the mountains in 20 feet of water.  Why not?  Why couldn't God have done that?  Many cultures have a story of a great flood and how people repopulated the earth.  To say it was localized to Noah's region does not account for all the stories other cultures tell.  Now, I believe the Bible portrays the accurate version of events.  The others, though having some truth, are not completely accurate.  Everyone likes to use the game telephone to describe this.  The Bible tells the true story, but others heard the story passed down from generation to generation, and the story slightly changes or parts are exaggerated and then myths are formed.  Now, you may say, "what a minute, wasn't the story in the Bible passed down from generation to generation, so it would have mistakes too, right?"  No!  And here is why:  The Bible is the inspired word of God.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

ALL scripture is inspired by God.  God does not lie!  He always tells the truth.

John 8:42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on My own, but He sent Me. 43 Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the Devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Who among you can convict Me of sin? If I tell the truth, why don’t you believe Me? 47 The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.”

John records Jesus's words here saying that the Devil is the father of all liars.  Jesus says he speaks the truth!   Paul also plainly states that God cannot lie:

Titus 1:1 Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to build up the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.

Since God does not lie and all scripture is inspired by God, then all scripture is true.

Psalm 119:The entirety of Your word is truth,
and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.

Since all scripture is true, we must obey what it says.  By faith, we believe that the words are true, as the Bible describes.  Like Noah, we must do "everything that the Lord commanded" us.