The Lord Will Answer

“I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words.”

~Psalm 17:6

We all have questions and that’s a good thing. Asking questions is how we learn, and we should never stop learning, no matter how old we are. But when we are answering questions, we should also stick to the facts and not use our own opinions as answers. Allowing someone to hear the facts and then form their own opinions is part of being a good teacher. Jesus was like that. He answered questions a lot, but His answers were simple facts and not just His own opinions. He allowed everyone the opportunity to either believe Him or not, to form their own opinions, and to either follow Him or go their own way. I try to remember that when I’m asked questions. I have formed lots of opinions in my life on a lot of topics, but I always hope that others will gather the facts and form their own opinions, instead of just relying on my answers, or anyone else’s for that matter. With that in mind, today, I decided to answer some of the many questions I receive.

From Oklahoma:

Do ghosts really exist? I asked two pastors and got two different answers. One says that ghosts and spirits are the same thing and they do exist, and the other says they are two different things and don’t exist. What do you think?

MM: In the Book of Acts, the term Holy Spirit and Holy Ghost are used interchangeably, so yes, they are the same thing, just different terms. And of course, the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God, and He most definitely exists. As far as ghosts in the sense that when someone dies, does their spirit hang around on earth for their families to see, that is a matter of opinion, which I have said I will keep to myself for this forum.

From Oklahoma:

The Bible uses the term “sleep” instead of death but then it says the “dead in Christ will rise first,” so does that mean we don’t go to Heaven as soon as we die and we’re just hanging around waiting on new bodies before we can go to Heaven?

MM: 
Generally, the term “sleep” is used for believers in Christ who pass away and “death” is used for non-believers. The reason is that the death of our bodies here on earth is not the end. When Christians die, our spirits are released from our bodies at the moment of death, and we go to Heaven. However, when a non-believer dies, the term “death” is used because it is not just bodily death, but spiritual death as well. Paul said, “We are confident and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).” And in Philippians 1:23 he says, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” As far as the “dead in Christ will rise first” I believe that is a more involved conversation than I can write here, however, I think that while our spirits go to Heaven immediately, there will come a day when our bodies will be resurrected as a new, celestial body just as Christ’s was when He walked out of the tomb, and our spirits will be reunited with that new body.

From West Virginia:

Deborah was called to rule over Israel; God gave her that leadership. Was there any other women called to lead like Deborah? Her story is amazing.

MM:

If you want women who ruled the way Deborah did, the Bible is sorely lacking in that area, although I am sure there were many more. You have to remember in those days that women were not much more than chattel and used as bargaining tools, broodmares, and maids. In Deborah's case, no man stepped up to do the job, so God put a woman in place. For that era, it was a slap in the men's face to have a woman in a position of such power in Israel. In today's time, there is still as much division over whether women should have positions of authority in the church as in biblical times.

1 Timothy 2:12 "But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet."

That verse is used by men to show God doesn't want women in positions of power.

1 Timothy 2:15 "But women will be saved through childbearing if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety."

1 Timothy 5:14 "So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander."

And these verses are used to back up the idea that women are to be satisfied with being wives and mothers, serving their husbands while the husband serves the church.

Now, that being said, I agree with it. I was perfectly content to be a wife and mother, and now a wife and grandmother. And if we lived in a perfect world, which is what those verses speak to, there would be no need for women to have positions in the church other than teaching Sunday school and singing in the choir or running the bake sales. The problem, however, is the same one that occurred in Deborah's time. Men do not want to step up and take hold of the authority they have been given—not in the homes and not in the church. So, we see women stepping up to take those roles. That is why I think God said in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

That being said... there are other examples of women who served in positions that no man could have filled. Most of the women in the Bible from Eve to Mary were the reason Christ was born. But also, there are others who served in their own ways. Marion was a worship leader. Rahab saved the spies Joshua sent into the land. Elisabeth gave birth to John the Baptist. Mary & Martha prepared Jesus' body for burial. And Mary anointed Jesus' feet by breaking the alabaster box of oil that was worth a fortune.

I don't think our gender really matters. I think we serve the Lord in whatever way God presents to us whether it's teaching Sunday school, pastoring a church, or staying home to raise the kids.

From email:

Why is there such a divide in churches? And not just between denominations but even in churches that claim the same beliefs like Baptists or Pentecostals. Ask them a question and you get different answers and it starts a fight. What’s up with that?

MM:

I have heard a lot of disagreements as well and what I have learned is to not ask random people the same questions. Find someone you trust to give you straight answers from the Bible and not just their opinions. Humans are fallible, even pastors and teachers, and we have a hard time not interjecting our own opinions into everything. But to understand the Bible, you must first accept Christ as your Savior, and then have the infilling of the Holy Spirit, who is our teacher straight from Heaven. And no matter who you go to for answers, always make sure their answers line up with God’s Word. 1 John 2:27 says, “But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you.” Seek the Lord and He will teach you.

“No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in Him (1 John 2:23-27).”

Read Jeremiah 6-12

©2017 Marie McGaha