“Was Judas Iscariot forgiven/saved?”

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon


The Bible clearly indicates that Judas was not saved. Jesus Himself said of Judas, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24). Here is a clear picture of the sovereignty of God and the will of man working together. God had, from ages past, determined that Christ would be betrayed by Judas, die on the cross for our sins, and be resurrected. This is what Jesus meant when He said He would “go just as it is written about him.” Nothing would stop the plan of God to provide salvation for mankind.

However, the fact that it was all foreordained does not excuse Judas or absolve him from the punishment he would suffer for his part in the drama. Judas made his own choices, and they were the source of his own damnation. Yet the choices fit perfectly into the sovereign plan of God. God controls not only the good, but also the evil of man to accomplish His own ends. Here we see Jesus condemning Judas, but considering that Judas travelled with Jesus for nearly three years, we know He also gave Judas ample opportunity for salvation and repentance. Even after his dreadful deed, Judas could have fallen on his knees to beg God’s forgiveness. But he did not. He may have felt some remorse born of fear, which caused him to return the money to the Pharisees, but he never repented, preferring instead to commit suicide, the ultimate act of selfishness (Matthew 27:5-8).

In John 17:12, Jesus prays concerning His disciples, “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” At one time, though, Judas believed that Jesus was a prophet, or possibly even believed He was the Messiah. Jesus sent the disciples out to proclaim the gospel and perform miracles (Luke 9:1-6). Judas was included in this group. Judas had faith, but it was not a true saving faith. Judas was never “saved,” but for a time he was a follower of Christ

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“Why does God not seem to care about the millions of starving children in the world?”

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon


Some people blame God for the number of starving children in the world, accusing Him of lacking the power or the care He should have. It is true that hunger is a problem for many in our world, and many children suffer from malnutrition. Compassion International reports that over 3 million children die annually from malnourishment. In developing countries, 25 percent of children are underweight and at risk of suffering the long-term effects of being under-nourished. The problem is real, but the Bible teaches that God’s love is just as real.

For every question that we might have about God, He has provided insight, clues, and answers already in His Word, the Bible. Jesus taught that children are important to God: “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better off for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). Then, in verse 10, Jesus said, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels see the face of my Father who is in heaven.” The fact is God cares.

Relief organizations and government agencies agree that there is plenty of food in the world to feed everyone. The problem is not a lack of food but a lack of accessibility to the food. With enough food in the world to feed the entire population, the fault does not lie with God. Rather, the fault lies with the corrupt nature of man. Instead of acting as trustworthy stewards of the world’s resources, nations and individuals often hoard food, mismanage resources, and squander money instead of seeing that people are fed.

God is not responsible for the foolishness of man. Neither is He responsible for greed, selfishness, hatred, pride, laziness, hoarding, cruelty, spite, callousness, or any other sin that contributes to world hunger. There is no unrighteousness in God (Psalm 92:15). All people are sinners (Romans 3:23), and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The tragedies of the world—especially preventable tragedies such as world hunger—are the result of sin (see Romans 8:22).

God cares for the children of the world. He proves His care in that He sent His Son into the world to redeem us from the curse of sin. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).

God also shows His care in that He prompts the followers of Christ to help alleviate world hunger. God is currently working to feed the hungry children of the world through many Christian agencies—Compassion International, World Vision, World Help, Feed the Hungry, Samaritan’s Purse—the list could go on and on. Christian missionaries are all over the world helping people with their basic needs while teaching them God’s Word. They do this out of love for their Lord and love for people. They do this because they “are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10).

God is good, all the time. But it is often discouraging to see such evil and suffering in the world. We know that evil exists not because of God, but because of Satan, sin, and the fallen condition of mankind. We do not give up hope. We “resist in the evil day” (Ephesians 6:13). We love our neighbors as ourselves, for the sake of Him who “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16). One day, our Lord will make all things right, and “no longer will there be any curse” (Revelation 22:3).

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“Is Satan in hell?”

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon

At the moment, Satan is not in hell. Rather, Satan roams the earth, seeking people to tempt into sin and thus separate from God. First Peter 5:8 states, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” In John 14:30, Jesus called Satan the “prince of this world,” and the apostle Paul referred to him as the “ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2). Satan does not live in hell; he lives and works on the earth and in the heavens circling it.

Satan is the “father of lies,” and he influences and rules the world right now. Satan desires worship (Matthew 4:9), and he uses deceit and distractions to draw man’s focus to himself. The world worships Satan in one way or another, except for those who are of the Kingdom of God and are therefore called out of the devil’s deceptions. If a person is not a child of God, he is by default a child of Satan (see John 8:44; Acts 13:10). First John 3:10 tells us how to distinguish the two: “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.”James 4:4 explains that anyone who is a friend of the world is an enemy of God. The children of God must come out of the world and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:17).

This is important to know, because soon Jesus will return to earth and collect what belongs to Him. He will defeat the followers of Satan and claim His elect for Himself. Ultimately, Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). Afterward, Jesus will judge unbelievers according to what they have done during their lives. Anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life is thrown into the lake of fire where Satan and his minions will be by that time (Revelation 20:13,15). Hell and death are also thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14), so, technically speaking, at no time does Satan reside in hell. But he will be confined permanently in a very hot place that could be called a “hellish” location, to be tormented eternally.

The key takeaway for each person is to ensure that his own name is written in the Book of Life so that he may have eternal life in heaven, rather than eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.

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“Are there angels among us?”

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon

Our society has a fascination with the supernatural, and angels receive a lot of attention. We see bumper stickers, jewelry, T-shirts, movies, and tv shows that glorify angels, especially guardian angels. Some people allege having encounters with angelic beings and contend that there are angels among us.

Maybe you have heard the stories: a mysterious man rescues someone in peril, but as soon as the victim is safe, the mystery person vanishes into thin air, to the confusion of the one he helped. A young woman walking alone passes a would-be rapist lurking in the shadows but is not harmed; the foiled attacker later admits he did not bother the girl because of “the two large men walking on either side of her.” A woman is prevented from getting on an elevator by a strange, intense-looking man in white clothes; the elevator doors close, and the elevator immediately plunges down the shaft, killing everyone on board—but the body of the man in white is never found.

Some people swear such stories are true. Others remain skeptical. Some pray to angels and claim to have their requests answered. Still others believe childish imagination and myth are at the root of all angel-talk.

We could interview people all day long about their theories on angels and never arrive at the truth. The exclusive authority on angels is the Bible. Throughout Scripture, we see numerous instances in which angels were an integral part of God’s plan. One verse alludes to the possibility of angels walking among us today: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). The obvious reference is to Abraham, whose angelic visitors appeared to him as mere men (Genesis 18). This verse may or may not confirm that angels are indeed walking among us unawares; “have shown” is past tense, so present-day encounters are not explicitly mentioned.

There are dozens of scriptural examples of angelic encounters, so we know that God can and does use angels to accomplish certain things. What we don’t know for sure is how often angels allow themselves to be seen by people. Here are the basics about angels from the Bible: angels can instruct people (Genesis 16:9), help people (Daniel 6:22), deliver messages to people (Luke 1:35), appear in visions and dreams (Daniel 10:13), protect people (Exodus 23:20), and help carry out God’s plans.

We know that God created angels, and He uses angels in His plan. Angels have a sense of individuality, as some have names (such as Gabriel and Michael) and all have different responsibilities within the angelic hierarchy.

But do they walk among us? If God so chooses to use them in His custom-made plans for us, yes, they absolutely can walk among us doing God’s will. Angels are mentioned in Genesis and in Revelation and witnessed the creation of the world (Job 38:7). God has used His heavenly host from the beginning of time and will still use them at the end of time, according to Scripture. It is quite possible that many people today have met or seen an angel without realizing it.

If angels do walk among us, it is because they are serving a God-ordained purpose. The Bible mentions demons who wander the earth with no purpose other than to destroy (Matthew 12:43). Satan and his demonic force can probably appear physically, much like holy angels can. Satan’s purpose is to deceive and kill. Satan “masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

An important note: angels are not to be glorified or worshiped (Colossians 2:18). They are entities who carry out God’s will, and they refer to themselves as “fellow servants” with us (Revelation 22:9).

Regardless of whether we actually experience angelic encounters, the most important thing is that we experience salvation through Jesus Christ. He is beyond all angels and all humans, and He alone is worthy of worship. “You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you” (Nehemiah 9:6).

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“What is the age of the universe?”

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon

 

In Genesis 1:1, we are told that “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The Bible gives no date for the creation; the only hint is that it happened “in the beginning.” In Hebrew, the word for “beginning” isbereshith, meaning literally “head.”

All Christians agree that God created the universe. Where Christians have a difference of opinion is in the interpretation of the word day (Hebrew yom) in Genesis chapter 1. Those who hold to a literal, twenty-four-hour “day” believe in a young earth; those who hold to a non-literal, poetic “day” believe in a much older earth.

Many scholars and Christian scientists believe the word day in Genesis refers to a literal, twenty-four-hour day. This would explain the repetition throughout Genesis 1 of the statement “and there was evening, and there was morning.” One evening and one morning make up one day (in Jewish reckoning, a new day begins at sunset). Others point to the non-literal use of the word “day” elsewhere in Scripture, i.e., “the day of the Lord,” and argue that evening to morning does not equal a day, and should instead be understood as figuratively referring to beginnings and endings of periods of time.

If the genealogies in Genesis chapters 5 and 11 and the rest of Old Testament history are interpreted strictly literally, the creation of Adam can be dated to approximately 4000 BC. But this would only date the creation of Adam, not necessarily the creation of the earth, let alone the universe. There is also the possibility of “gaps” of time in the narrative of Genesis 1.

All that to say, the Bible does not explicitly give the age of the universe. Baptist Voice Ministries leans towards the position of a young earth and believes that literal twenty four hour days in Genesis 1 is the better interpretation. At the same time, we do not have serious disagreements with the idea that that earth and the universe might be significantly older than 6,000 years. Whether the differences are explained by gaps or by God creating the universe with the “appearance of age” or by some other factor – a universe older than 6,000 years does not cause significant biblical or theological problems.

Ultimately, however, the age of the universe cannot be proved from Scripture or from science. Whether the cosmos is 6,000 years old or billions of years old, both viewpoints (and everything in between) rest on faith and assumptions. It is always wise to question the motives of those who argue the earth must be billions of years old, especially since the Bible does not appear to support such a presupposition.

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“What does the Bible say about population control?”

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon


The Bible doesn’t say anything about population control. Instead, humans are told to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:22,28). Psalm 127:3-5 tells us that children are a heritage from the Lord and that the fruit of the womb is a reward from Him.

At the time of this writing, there are approximately 7.1 billion people in the world. There are about 7.5 trillion square feet of land in the state of Texas alone. This means that, theoretically, every person in the world could fit in the state of Texas, and each person would have 1,056 square feet of living space—4,224 square feet for a family of four! One might say that the problem is not the number of people but rather the lack of resources (food, water, etc.) and the ability to distribute them.

If all the people on Earth could fit in Texas, imagine all the room people would have if they spread out over the entire United States. This would allow plenty of living space plus access to water, arable land, and roads and other infrastructure.

Of course, there are locations in the United States that are not habitable. However, there are many places around the world with plenty of arable land and fresh drinking water. In reality, the population should not need to be “controlled.”

Those who advocate population control usually support ungodly methods of control, such as abortion, euthanaisa, and forced sterilization. Schemes such as forced abortion directly conflict with the Bible’s teaching that human life is sacred. Promoters of population control advance policies that presuppose the problem is too many humans, while the real problem is ignored.

The problem is neither population size nor resource availability. The problem is sin. Selfish, sinful, and power-hungry people have misused God’s creation. God intended that man have dominion over the rest of creation (Genesis 1:26). Men were to be stewards of the earth, and 1 Corinthians 4:2 adds that “it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy” (ESV). Sadly, corrupt governments, rather than acting as trustworthy stewards of a country’s resources, often hoard food, mismanage resources, and squander money instead of seeing that their own people are fed. Large corporations, too, strive for more and more control of the food supply and seem more willing to strike lucrative deals than to benefit society.

The biblical answer to “over-population” is not to demand fewer people. It is to honor people enough to provide for their needs (see Mark 12:31). Greed, lust for power, and foolishness lead to the mishandling of resources, and millions of people suffer as a result.

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“Is sexting a sin?”

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon

“Sexting” is obscene texting. It is the act of sending sexually explicit messages and/or photographs, usually between mobile phones. Sexting has become so prevalent that, in August 2012, the wordsextingwas listed for the first time inMerriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

Some people view sexting as harmless. After all, there are only a few words and maybe some pictures involved. It’s not as if people are actually committing adultery or fornication, right?

Matthew 5:28 says, “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” This moral concept also applies to how women look at men, and Jesus clearly equates lust with adultery here. So the fact that “only words or pictures are involved” is obviously immaterial to God. What matters is what is in our hearts. Colossians 3:5 warns us to “put to death” whatever belongs to our earthly nature, including sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires.

Galatians 5:19-21 reveals the severe consequences of disobedience in this matter: “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity . . . and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

But what about sexting between a married couple? Technically, sexting between a husband and his wife would not be a sin, since a satisfying sex life is a gift God gives to married couples. However, it is still ill-advised. We never know who might read our messages or view our pictures. It’s possible that someone may happen to see nude photos of your spouse over your shoulder, and this may cause lust in that person as a result. Sound unlikely? James 1:14-15 says, “Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

Given recent revelations concerning government surveillance of cellular telephone and internet traffic, as well as the ability of hackers to intercept personal communications, we should be careful in our use of phones and web-enabled devices. Even if we’re not sexting, we still face the problems of identity theft and data privacy.

It’s best to follow the advice of 1 Corinthians 10:21, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

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“Did Jesus ever laugh?”

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon

 

There has long been a notion that Jesus never laughed. Traditionally, paintings of Jesus have tended toward melancholy portrayals of a somber, glum Savior. It is true that Jesus became our Sin-bearer (1 Peter 2:24) and that He “was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain” (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus was rejected in His hometown (Mark 6:1-6), He wept at a friend’s graveside (John 11:35), and of course He experienced the cross. However, this does not mean Jesus never had a lighthearted moment or that He never had occasion to laugh.

The picture of Jesus that we find in the Gospels is one of a well-rounded, magnetic personality. He carried children in His arms—and what child wants to be around someone who never laughs (Mark 10:16)? He was accused of beingtoojoyful on occasion (Luke 7:34). He told John’s disciples that it was not a time for mourning (Matthew 9:15).

The very fact that we humans have a sense of humor indicates that God does, too, for we are made in His image. (The existence of penguins, platypuses, and puppies also builds a strong case for God’s having a sense of humor!) Jesus, as the Son of God, shares the Father’s attributes, including a sense of humor.

As the Son of Man, Jesus shares in the full human experience. We cannot imagine life without laughter; even those in dire circumstances have known seasons of joy. Everyone laughs and appreciates good humor. To say that Jesus never expressed joy through laughter is akin to denying His full humanity.

Jesus evinced a sense of humor in His teaching. Jesus’ discussion of the “log” in one’s eye is a purposeful exaggeration—and a lighthearted one at that (Matthew 7:3-5) Also, the incongruous image of a camel going through the eye of a needle contains humor (Matthew19:24).

Jesus encouraged joyful laughter, most famously in the Beatitudes, recorded in Matthew 5 and Luke 6. Jesus said, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.” Jesus spoke of rejoicing in His parables in Luke 15—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son were all found. The result in each case was great rejoicing. Even more telling is that Jesus told these stories as illustrations of the “joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

Jesus had a serious mission to accomplish in this world, but He was not one to be somber all the time. There is no verse in the Bible that says, “Jesus laughed,” but we know that He empathized with us completely and felt all of our emotions. Laughter is part of life, and Jesus truly lived.

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“Is Mary the mother of God?”

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon


The phrase “mother of God” originated with and continues to be used in the Roman Catholic Church. One of the topics at the Council of Ephesus in AD 431 was the use of the Greek termTheotókos, or “God-bearer,” in reference to Mary. That council officially proclaimed Mary as the “mother of God,” and the doctrine was later included in the Catholic catechism. The idea behind calling Mary the “mother of God” is that, since Jesus is God and Mary is the mother of Jesus, she is the mother of God.

The major problem with this logic is that the term “God” implies the totality of Yahweh, and we know that Yahweh has no beginning and no end (Psalm 90:2). First Timothy 6: 15-16 says that God is immortal. Being immortal, God never was “born” and never had a “mother.” The third Person of the Trinity, Jesus, did have a beginning to Hisearthlyministry when he was conceived in Mary’s womb and was born, but from eternity past He had always been the Son of God.

Philippians 2:6-7 gives us a bit more insight on what transpired when Jesus left heaven to become man. The New Living Translation says, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.” Jesus was already one with the Father, but He set aside His rights as Divinity and took the form of a baby (John 1:1). He went on to live the normal life of a Jewish boy, obeying His earthly parents (Luke 2:51).

A mother by definition precedes her child and at some point is more powerful than her child. So to call Mary the “mother of God” gives the misleading implication that Mary preceded and at one time was more powerful than the Lord God Almighty. Although Catholic doctrine tries to deny this implication, it is inescapable.

It is biblical to say that Mary was the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ during His incarnation on the earth. However, Catholics believe it is not enough to say that Mary was the mother of Jesus. Pope John Paul II, in a speech in 1996, encouraged people “not only to invoke the Blessed Virgin as the Mother of Jesus, but also to recognize her as Mother of God” (L’Osservatore Romano, 4 December 1996, p. 11). This is not biblical. The Lord God Almighty has no mother, since He has no beginning and no end (Genesis 1:1;Revelation 4:8).

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“What does the Bible say about cremation?”

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Dr. Mike Harmon


The Bible does not give any specific teaching about cremation. There are occurrences in the Old Testament of people being burned to death (1 Kings 16:18; 2 Kings 21:6) and of human bones being burned (2 Kings 23:16-20), but these are not examples of cremation. It is interesting to note that in 2 Kings 23:16-20, burning human bones on an altar desecrated the altar. At the same time, the Old Testament law nowhere commands that a deceased human body not be burned, nor does it attach any curse or judgment on someone who is cremated.

Cremation was practiced in biblical times, but it was not commonly practiced by the Israelites or by New Testament believers. In the cultures of Bible times, burial in a tomb, cave, or in the ground was the common way to dispose of a human body (Genesis 23:19;35:4;2 Chronicles 16:14;Matthew 27:60-66). While burial was the common practice, the Bible nowhere commands burial as the only allowed method of disposing of a body.

Is cremation something a Christian can consider? Again, there is no explicit scriptural command against cremation. Some believers object to the practice of cremation on the basis it does not recognize that one day God will resurrect our bodies and re-unite them with our soul/spirit (1 Corinthians 15:35-58;1 Thessalonians 4:16). However, the fact that a body has been cremated does not make it any more difficult for God to resurrect that body. The bodies of Christians who died a thousand years ago have, by now, completely turned into dust. This will in no way prevent God from being able to resurrect their bodies. He created them in the first place; He will have no difficulty re-creating them. Cremation does nothing but “expedite” the process of turning a body into dust. God is equally able to raise a person’s remains that have been cremated as He is the remains of a person who was not cremated. The question of burial or cremation is within the realm of Christian freedom. A person or a family considering this issue should pray for wisdom (James 1:5) and follow the conviction that results.

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