Questions On Other Sins

Answer Yes, God does forbid His people from worshipping and prophesying by the stars or any other created bodies. When the Law of Moses was given, Israel was warned not to be deceived by worshipping the stars and the heavens that Had been created by God.

DEU 4:19 "And beware, lest you lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.

Then, when God foretold the fall of the Babylonian Empire, He warned them not to trust in the astrologers who predicted events based upon the stars. No matter what these false prophets said, God would destroy that empire. And, ironically, He would use the description of the stars falling from heaven to describe the coming destruction of Babylon.

ISA 47:13 "You are wearied with your many counsels; Let now the astrologers, Those who prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and save you from what will come upon you.
ISA 47:14 "Behold, they have become like stubble, Fire burns them; They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame; There will be no coal to warm by, Nor a fire to sit before!

ISA 13:10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises, And the moon will not shed its light.
ISA 13:11 Thus I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud, And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.
ISA 13:12 I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold, And mankind than the gold of Ophir.
ISA 13:13 Therefore I shall make the heavens tremble, And the earth will be shaken from its place At the fury of the Lord of hosts In the day of His burning anger.
ISA 13:14 And it will be that like a hunted gazelle, Or like sheep with none to gather them, They will each turn to his own people, And each one flee to his own land.
ISA 13:15 Anyone who is found will be thrust through, And anyone who is captured will fall by the sword.
ISA 13:16 Their little ones also will be dashed to pieces Before their eyes; Their houses will be plundered And their wives ravished.
ISA 13:17 ś Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them, Who will not value silver or take pleasure in gold,
ISA 13:18 And their bows will mow down the young men, They will not even have compassion on the fruit of the womb, Nor will their eye pity children.
ISA 13:19 And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the Chaldeans' pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
ISA 13:20 It will never be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation; Nor will the Arab pitch his tent there, Nor will shepherds make their flocks lie down there.

Today, we should not sin by trusting in the stars as having any power to control our lives. The power they have was given by God so they might bring forth light and provide geographical direction for humanity. Is is God that we must look to for how we should live our lives and the only way we can find this most important information is through His Word. Contact Gary

Question 2. My question is one on suicide and on suffering.

Answer I assume that you mean (1) is suicide a sin?; and (2) Why does God permit suffering?

Corinthians 3:16–17 says, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are." (NASB) The context of chapter 3 shows that Paul is speaking of the church as the temple of God, and that those who would tear it apart or destroy it by division or faction would themselves be destroyed by God. God does not take kindly to those who would seek to pervert, pollute or injure His church. In Ephesians 1:22–23 says that the church is Christ’s body. Notice that his argument is based upon the Sprit of God dwelling within. Though the "you" under consideration in 1Cor 3:16 is "plural," 1 Cor. 6:19–20 uses the same argument in regard to individual Christians: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." The matter under consideration here is of own "polluting" his own body by sexual immorality. The reason it is wrong is that it is a pollution of the temple of God—the same argument used in chapter 3. Note that those who become Christians become the "personal property" as it were of God: "You are not your own…you were bought with a price…" implies a master/servant relationship. The Scripture uses the term "bond-servant" (Rom. 1:1, for example). Suicide is the exercise of one’s own will in a matter which God has not granted permission: It is sin to take a life, even your own, because our lives belong to God, not ourselves.

Naturally, anyone who dies without having become a Christian by faithful obedience to His gospel, dies without hope (2 Thess. 2:8), so when anyone dies outside of Christ, death seals his fate (Heb. 9:27). In the matter of "Doctor assisted suicide" or suicide by reason of suffering, the same principles apply. There is no Scripture I know of that permits the taking of life without God’s direction or permission. Taking a life to "end suffering" is not something God has authorized, and to assist someone in this matter makes one a "partner in sin."

As to the matter of suffering in general, I would refer you to three articles that are posted on Gary Hunt’s Webster: http://www.biblesearch.com The articles are listed under the section "Something to think about--The Bible and current controversial questions." Contact Doug

Question 3. When the Bible speaks of wine, is it alcoholic or grape juice. specifically the miracle of the water changed to wine at the wedding in Cana.

Answer Just like our English word "wine", which can refer to fermented or unfermented grape juice, the word used in the Old Testament was YAYIN, (SHAKAR was used of fruits other than the grape.) and in the New Testament OINOS was used. In Latin, VINUM is used. All are generic terms which may refer to the various stages and kinds of the juice. The Old Testament had another word which was not wine at all, but the fruit of the vineyard in its natural condition.

The Bible refers to "wine" in many instances without regard to its character, either good or bad. Other instances it refers to "wine" as bad. And still other instances as good. Which would make more sense? To say the Bible always refers to fermented wine and calls it "good" if one doesn’t drink "too much" and "bad" if one "gets drunk"? How much is too much? How would one know when it went from being "good" for us to being "bad"? One drink? Five? Ten? The legal definition of "drunk"? Falling down drunk? Or for the "good" wine to refer to the "fermented" and the "bad" wine to refer to the "unfermented".

Those who try to justify "social drinking", will use the former argument and say the Bible only condemns the excess. And claim for the Jews to drink unfermented wine, it had to be "right off of the vine" else it would turn into fermented if allowed to "sit up". But is that the only kind of wine the Jews had? Nature does not make wine. It is an "art". What does it take to make fermented wine?

1. Saccharine (sugar)
2. Gluten (yeast)
3. Temperature between 50§ and 75§.
4. Water (juice)
5. Air
6. Exact proportions of each of these. To prevent or control
fermentation is done by altering these proportions.

Three ways to prevent fermentation:
1. When AIR IS COMPLETELY EXCLUDED (make the container air tight).
2. By BOILING DOWN THE JUICE (evaporating the water) making too large a portion of sugar and producing a thick syrup which could be preserved for years. (Water was added later to this unfermented thick syrup in order to drink it, but did not make it ferment.)
3. By FILTERING (removing the gluten or yeast) This would allow them to drink more without becoming intoxicated.

To control or stop fermentation once it had begun:
1. BY FUMIGATION: (Sulphur or mustard seed was added, absorbing the oxygen.) THIS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP FERMENTATION ONCE IT HAD BEGUN.
2. BY FILTERING: The gluten (yeast) was separated by filtering.
3. BY SUBSIDENCE: By lowering the temperature to 45§ or below. (If the fermented mass becomes clear and drawn off from the yeast which falls to the bottom being heavier. The newest, unfermented juice is taken, placed in a new container, made air tight and immersed in cold water for 45 days. (It will not ferment again though reheated to the proper temperature.)

Not only could fermentation be prevented, it could be controlled or stopped. ALL OF THESE METHODS WERE SIMPLE AND EASILY AVAILABLE TO THE JEWS.
1. They had airtight containers.
2. They could boil their juices.
3. Sulphur was readily available.
4. Filtering was simple.
5. They could drop the temperature by placing it in cold water (wells).

IN CONCLUSION: ˇ THE JEWS HAD ACCESS TO UNFERMENTED WINE. ˇ IT WAS PLENTEOUS. ˇ THEY DID NOT HAVE TO DRINK IT IMMEDIATELY BUT COULD PRESERVE IT FOR A YEAR OR MORE. ˇ WHEN THE BIBLE REFERRED TO WINE AS A BLESSING, IT WAS UNFERMENTED AND USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER BLESSINGS FROM GOD. ˇ WHEN THERE WERE WARNINGS ABOUT IT, IT WAS ALWAYS FERMENTED AND SYMBOLICALLY USED OF OTHER WARNINGS FROM GOD. (JOHN 2:111) DID JESUS TURN THE WATER INTO GRAPE JUICE OR FERMENTED WINE?

There are seven miracles in the book of John, which are called signs. The purpose of these signs was to produce faith (John 20:3031). They were designed to reveal something about what Deity was like. WHATEVER JESUS DID PERTAINING TO THIS MIRACLE, HE DID IT IN HARMONY WITH HIS RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER. Those who try to say the wine was alcoholic do so because the governor of the feast saying "good wine" is not served after "men have well drunk". Imply (1) The only "good wine" is intoxicating wine. (2) Those at the feast were already "well drunk". Jesus is called the Word in chapter one. Being the Word and knowing all the evils and warnings concerning alcoholic wine, His Works would be in harmony with His Word. Verse 11 says this miracle "manifested froth his glory". How could producing, it is estimated from 60 to 300 gallons of alcoholic wine "manifest his glory"? Those who were not drunk would become drunk and those drunk, even more so. (What is happening today to a group that in the past has knowing produced a harmful product? The Cigarette companies are being held accountable for its HARMFUL EFFECTS.) How could Jesus?

TURNING WATER INTO WINE WAS A REVELATION OF HIS CREATIVE POWER
1. John 1:3 "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (Physical creation) Jesus came to begin another creation. (Spiritual creation.)
a) Eph. 2:8-10 "…For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…"
b) John shows Jesus came to "finish the work" of redemption that God began in the Old Testament. (Redemption had to do with sin and sin included the sins involved in drinking alcoholic wines.)
c) 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
2. TURNING WATER INTO WINE WAS A REVELATION OF HIS TRANSFORMING POWER
a) Jesus, the fullness of the Grace (Ch. 1) would transform lives, which is what the gospel is all about.
b) It was not automatic. We must allow it to work in our lives.
i) John 1:11 "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
ii) Grace when believed and applied will transform our lives.
a) Compare the transformation of Paul, from one who wanted to kill Christians, to one willing to give his life, if possible, to convert "his kinsmen in the flesh" (Rom 9:13).
b) Jesus could take one whose life was water, and filthy water at that, and transform into a blessing, figuratively wine. (Fermentation, which is decay, would not fit.)
c) Jesus did not come to make us feel good (high) and drown our sorrows in alcohol, but to provide grace that would enable us to handle the problems of life. ( Read 2 Cor. 12:7-10 It was grace that enabled Paul to handle his "thorn in the flesh".)
d) Grace transforms lives by changing peoples attitude toward sin and the fleshly appeals of this world, of which alcohol is one.
3. THE GRACE OF GOD IN TRANSFORMING LIVES BUILDS STABLE MARRIAGES.
a) Marriage is a type of the work Jesus came to do.
i) Rev 19:7-9; 22:17
ii) Eph 5:22-32
iii) 2 Corinthians 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed (metamorphoo to under a spiritual transformation. From which we get our word metamorphosis.) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
b) The Church, consisting of people there by the grace of God, whose lives have been transformed to enable us all to live and work together.
c) (What does alcohol do?)
4. SYMBOLIZED THE INEFFICIENCY OF JUDAISM TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF SIN.
a) The reason verse6 "…six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews…" is mentioned. They could have all the waterpots they wanted but it would not wash away their sins.
b) John 1:17 "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
c) Heb 10:14 "…For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."
d) Heb 9:1517
5. ALSO SYMBOLIZED THE INEFFICIENCY OF MANKIND TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF SIN.
a) Education won’t handle. No change of environment. And for sure alcohol won’t solve sin.
b) (John 2:4) Shows it will not be handled because of fleshly descent or relations, but by his "hour", the cross.
c) Since the miracle was in relation to his death, MAN’S SOCIAL NEEDS ARE NOT PRIMARY.
i) Redemption is man’s greatest need, not wine to feel good.
d) (John 2:5) "…whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." Sin is handled when our faith is expressed in obedience.
e) This miracle had as its background Genesis 49:1011, a prophecy of Christ.
6. (JOHN 2:1225) WHEN GRACE IS REJECTED, UNBELIEF REFUSES TO ACCEPT HIM, IT LEAVES ONLY JUDGEMENT.
a) They did not use the Temple and the Jewish system as God intended.
b) (When we do not use God’s blessing as He intended (grape juice), it leaves only judgment.)
c) John 2:24 "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,"
i) If Jesus knows all men, He also knows the effect of alcohol upon them.
ii) Jesus is interested in what’s ON THE INSIDE OF MAN, NOT THE OUTSIDE.
7. JOHN 3 THE TRANSFORMING OF WATER INTO WINE IS PICTURED AS A NEW BIRTH, A TRANSFORMATION. Contact Danny

Question 4. After turning 18 recently I have been troubled by the question of whether Christians should drink alcohol? And should they associate themselves with non-Christians in a pub or nightclub?

Answer As to your question, I will try to answer it looking to a couple of different issues. First, specifically should we (Christians) associate ourselves with those who are in the specific situation of drinking (alcohol) parties or other social circumstances where alcohol is involved? Then, are there situations where we should associate with those who are lost and for what purpose should we have in these situations?

Before I begin, for information about whether we as Christians should participate in drinking alcohol and to what extent, you can look to a related question that appears on this page. the question relates to wine and the meaning of it in the Bible.

Now, should we associate with others at drinking parties or other situations where one of the main features is participation in drinking alcoholics beverages? The Scriptures are quite clear in this matter, although we may not like the answer. As Peter was writing his first letter, we read the following words,

1PE 4:1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
1PE 4:2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
1PE 4:3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.
1PE 4:4 And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you;
1PE 4:5 but they shall give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

Here, Peter refers to Jesus' life and how that is set forth as an example to us. Jesus suffered for doing what was right and we should be willing to do what is right, although we may suffer in the same way.

Then, he draws a contrast between the Christian life and the former life of sin that included not only drunkenness, but also drinking parties. Now, that we are Christians, we no longer participate in these things.

The reaction of the world is twofold, they malign us and they are surprised that we do not participate with them.

Secondly, are there times when we should associate with those in the world and if so, under what conditions should they be. Yes, we have responsibility to seek our the lost and to have a righteous influence upon them in our dealings with them. However, to gain this influence, we are not required to participate or to approve of sin that might be committed. See 1 Cor. 5:9-13, John 17:13-17, Matt. 5:13-16. Contact Gary

Question 5. My question is can you define gossip? and what are different forms of gossip? and scriptures can I look at concerning this?