Jesus, Mithras and Horus

Q:  How does one reconcile the existence of Jesus with the preexisting myths of Mithras, Horus, etc., which predate Jesus by centuries and have some great similarities with that story? Why is Jesus the savior and not Mithras?

A:  Those preexisting myths bear no resemblance to the story of Jesus Christ. According to what read, Mithras was not born of a virgin in a cave. In fact, Mithras was born fully grown from solid rock; the event leaving a cavity behind. There was no mention of a virgin. He was helped out of the rock by shepherds, who offer him a pick from their flock. Persian Mithraic traditions recount his conception through the incestual relationship of the god Ahura-Mazda and his mother. And the earliest written records of this story, again from what I have read, post-date Christianity. The more I read about Mithras, the more surprised I am that anyone would link it to Christianity and Jesus Christ.  Horus is even more difficult to understand since there don't seem to be any parallels to the history of Jesus. Mithras and Horus are myths, and they are known to be myths. The story of Jesus has a thorough, verifiable, historical record.

Why is the Beaverton Foursquare Campus So Big?

Q:  My question is not biblical but more practical. I've driven by your facility a number of times and wonder why it’s so big?  I questioned the purpose of the church and why it was necessary to spend so much money on facilities and stuff that so many Christians seem to think make up the Christian life when people are starving and dying on the streets and in prisons.  I'm interested in a church that has so many members that it requires police traffic intervention.

A:  It is big because over time we have grown to a fellowship of several thousand people and the facilities provide space for all of our worship and activities.  We are a Bible-believing and teaching church and we put a tremendous amount of resource into our children.  Other than the sanctuary, all of the other buildings serve children’s and youth ministries.  But please be assured, there is nothing sacred about our buildings.  If they were leveled tomorrow, we would still be the church.  The buildings merely provide the space we get to use together and minister to one another.

We question the same things, as well.  Our buildings are a legacy of past years and we are thankful for them.  But our goal is not to make our church into the place where Christian life happens.  In fact, we are very intentional about equipping our congregation to be the church in their own homes and communities.  We believe that the campus we have is a place to equip and “turn lights on” so that lights can be fired up in homes.  We value prayer, devotions (journaling) and developing our homes as places that produce disciples.  There may come a day when there will not be buildings.  We are more concerned with what goes on when people leave here than when they come.

We share your concern for those in the world who are struggling and so are very focused on missions, on making a difference in a number of communities, here and around the world.  We serve a generous congregation.  In the past year we have contributed to providing clean water by digging wells in Africa, we have built schools in impoverished towns in Sierra Leone, we have deployed missionaries to work with orphans in Romania and China, and we are in the middle of deploying missionaries to Southeast Asia to run a transition center for children rescued from sex slavery.  We are committed to participation in the Advent Conspiracy, a movement of like-mined churches who are forsaking the glitz of American Christmas for the opportunity to support world-changing missional efforts. 

And the reason we have police managing the traffic is that we have so many people who come to the service at the same times.  Between our church and Holy Trinity Catholic Church (next door), if it were not for the traffic cops, I am afraid we would create a traffic mess for the neighborhood.  We want people to be able to get in and out efficiently and without incident.  We want to be good citizens of our community. 

What is it That Makes Beaverton Foursquare Unique?

Q:  What do you have that so many other churches don't have?

A:  Each fellowship is unique in its own right.  In order to find out what we have that others don’t, I invite you to come and see.  Ron Mehl, the pastor of this church for many years (who died in 2003), built the church on a solid foundation of love of Christ and of one another.  Randy Remington, our current pastor, does the same.  There are many people who call our church their home fellowship because they want to do church together.  We are a large church, yes, but we are a church of small groups in many ways.  Many members of the congregation serve together within the setting here. 

There are many other good churches in the area that also worship Jesus Christ, each in their own way.  They have different styles of worship, or liturgy, or doctrinal distinctions.  We may be one of the largest churches in the area, but each of these Christ-worshipping church communities serves the same God and we stand with them and do many things together, like the Compassion Clinic we did in October. 

Churches aren’t full of perfect people, but forgiven people.  Forgiven people have more than just war scars, we have continued brokenness in need of more forgiveness.  God expects us to love each other anyway, and we earnestly try to be gracious to one another and to please Him in doing so.   We hope that our gatherings are places where such people can grow with one another and to abide in Christ. 

Trouble with Church People

Q:  Most church people only socialize with church people.  It's a tight knit social circle no matter how large the body. This is an issue I have encountered in every church I've attended since my salvation when I was a teenager.  It is the main reason of why I don't attend - this separatist attitude I find unacceptable.  I am not interested in forming friendships in church.  My ability to trust people, especially church people, has almost totally disappeared.  Trusting God, I can do.  Trusting people - I'm not able to.

A:  I don’t know if you are a reader, but I am enjoying a book called Reversed Thunder by Eugene Peterson.  In it, he tackles the question of “why the church” in chapter 4.  It has been a very good read.

The story you tell of drifting away from fellowship happens here too.  I wish I could tell you it never does and never would.  There are so many dynamics involved in such things that I frankly don’t know how to stop it from happening in a large church.  My prayer would be that those closest to someone who has been hurt would be there to include and to reach out, but those dynamics cannot be assured.  The church is made up of sinners – “the fleas come with the dog” – and there really is no way to insure such things outside of hope in the Holy Spirit.

Some of the fellowship groups that meet here are very well equipped to do that, since people who have something in common walk together through whatever it might be.  Some examples include Griefshare (for people who have lost a loved one), LAD (Life after Divorce), THRIVE (ministry to single moms), and a host of others.  If we know someone is in the hospital, one of our pastor/chaplains always visits.  But again, if we don’t know, we can’t visit.  So while those things aren’t perfect, they are there to be as responsive as we can to the places people are in their lives – especially when hurt and healing are critical. 

People who are serving and contributing are usually around, so the relationships that happen here can continue constructively.  We certainly don’t have any litmus test for those to whom we are privileged to minister.   And we encourage our members to develop many relationships outside the church.  We aren’t going to lead too many people to the Lord on this campus – that happens in offices and coffee shops and in neighborhoods and on sports fields all over the city.  I would be personally grieved if there were a separatist attitude here.  If there is one, other than a few misguided folks, I am blissfully unaware (which may be, by the way). 

I know many people who share your sentiments regarding the church and who have been hurt by its hypocrisy.  I am not immune to the same concerns and feelings.  Still, this is where God does His work in many, many lives.  He is not restricted by our failings and in fact is glorified in them when we actually do a few things right!  It is easy to see the things wrong with the church – any church – but there are many things right.  The word is proclaimed, good works emanate, families are supported and Christ is worshipped.  And for the record, I don’t trust “church people” either – I trust Jesus Christ.  And I see him at work all of the time in this very community of believers.  The enemy wants us to see the worst in the church – and yet God invites us to become living stones in the building of God.  I trust God in what He has called me to and who he has led me to be in community with. 

Like you, my wife and I have many friends who have outdone our Christian friends in kindness and grace.  That grieves me.  But on the other hand, it makes me all the more want to introduce such people to Jesus Christ.  Eternity matters, and I want to share eternity with such people!  There may be some folks around here who are “elitist, self-righteous” people, but I can honestly say that most of the people I know here are just simple, forgiven people who love the Lord and are thankful to gather together. 

Is the Bible a Trustworthy Authority for Life?

Q: Why and how have you come to trust the Bible as having authority for your life? Why do you believe the Bible to be infallible and inerrant? And if you could, I'd appreciate leaving the arguments from Scripture such as II Tim 3:16 out of the second question (hope that's not too pompous).  It's important for me to come to a place of peace about what I believe about the Bible itself before I look at how and if I'm to interpret the Bible, believe that theology, and then apply those Biblical beliefs.  I've a very unsettled view of the Bible right now, so arguing that it's true and inspired because it says it's true and inspired just doesn't hold any weight with me.

A: I would like to start this answer by making clear that the Bible is not a text book to be interpreted, accepted and applied. It is a holy place to allow your spirit to abide in Christ. And by the way, even Karl Barth, a church theologian of the 20th century, who was having a difficult time responding to the historical critics of his day (evangelicals have done their homework since then), nonetheless proclaimed that in the Bible he came face to face with God.

I came to trust the Bible first by reading it. In the middle of my reading I began to hear the voice of God and it changed everything in my life. I came to know Him and to trust Him as the Word began to bring revelation into my world. It was (and still is) an incredible journey of discovery, especially given that I was coming from a pretty pagan perspective at the time. Infallibility and inerrancy are based on a number of things - starting, again, with God's revelation to me. Then Jesus' own commitment to the veracity of the Old Testament. He affirmed it over and over again. If the New Testament is reliable, then by Jesus' own proclamation, so it the Old Testament.  Then there is the remarkable evidence of the Church. There are people all over the world - and have been since the 1st century - who know this same God: same Christ; same Father; same Spirit. And it is also important to me that the Church has traditionally held that Scriptures is the infallible, inerrant word of God.

I was insatiably curious early on in my reading - and a bit skeptical - so I began to do my homework. I spent a lot of time reading about the authorship and time of the New Testament composition. I can refer some of the most helpful books to you, since they were tremendously helpful in undoing the bias that had already been in me from years of hearing why the Bible could not be what is claimed. I have read many of the early church fathers - those who wrote from the 1st to the 4th century - who affirmed the Scriptures over and again. Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Ireneus, Tertullian and so many more. I discovered that there is an unbroken chain of Christian scholarship from the earliest days of the church - and those authors wrestled with the same questions we do, only they had the benefit of being able to speak with witnesses and those who knew the witnesses (early on, anyway). They also witnessed to the veracity of God's Word.

If there are obstacles to believing the historicity of the Bible, I'd recommend you tackle a book called "Jesus and the Eyewitnesses" by Richard Bauckham. Just released, it is probably the best overall view of the historical record of the Bible and its writers. There is also an older book - a classic in forensic study of the Bible - called "The Testimony of the Evangelists" by Simon Greenleaf. These are scholarly and well-researched.

If you would like to do a read-through it will become self-evident to you. Let me know.  I pray that your search leaves you with a greater confidence in the Word of God.

Is the Bible God's final revelation?

Q. I'm wrestling with the idea that the Bible is the completed revelation of God, vs. the idea that God is still speaking to His people. What's the scriptural basis for saying that everything we have in the Bible is all there is? As for today, a contemporary revelation that contradicts scripture would be considered heresy. But what about a revelation that deals with something not found in scripture? How do we discern whether a prophecy is from God or not?

A. Thankfully, the answer is not either/or, but both/and (provided we properly define terms). The Bible is the completed revelation of God, and God does still speak to His people. By “completed revelation of God” people mean that:

(1) The Holy Spirit revealed things to the hearts of the original authors of all the books of the Old and New Testaments and they expressed those things in the words we know as Scripture (i.e., all the words of the Bible are inspired [e.g., see 2 Tim. 3:16] and therefore carry ultimate authority);

(2) These things can not be said of any other text outside the Bible. In that sense the Bible is the revelation of God and the complete revelation of God. The Bible, is the standard by which we judge the truthfulness of all else.

At the same time, the Bible teaches that God is the God of revelation, who delights in communicating with His children through the Holy Spirit. He does that directly to the believer’s heart (many examples in the book of Acts) or through another person when the gift of prophecy operates (1 Cor. 14). We can be fairly certain prophecy is from God when three conditions are met:
     • it doesn’t contradict what the Bible teaches,
     • it confirms what we know God is already speaking to our hearts, and
     • the truth is revealed.

The wise counsel of mature, discerning, brothers and sisters in Christ can greatly help us evaluate (“judge,”1 Cor. 14:29) the authenticity of what we believe to have been revealed in words.

 Pastors Keith, Mark, & Greg

Was Satan the cause or the result of Adam and Eve's sin?

Q. Someone I was talking to said that since God can have nothing to do with evil, that Adam and Eve created Satan at the time of their sin. I know this is wrong, but I don't know how to respond. Do you know of any resource for me or him?

A. Thanks for your question Bruce. First of all you are correct. The person you were talking to was wrong. Man did not create the devil by their sin. They were tempted into their sin by the devil. It is always good to remember that the devil is not the equal opposite of God, but merely a fallen angel. He is a created being that became evil (sometime after Genesis 1:31 and before Genesis 3:1) that perhaps could be compared to a fallen version of the arkangel Michael. Some believe that Isaiah 14:12-15 may also describe the fall of Satan since Isaiah’s language seems to go beyond what could refer merely to the earthly king of Babylon. Ezekiel 28 is also believed to refer to the original state and subsequent fall of Satan, in the hyperbolic description of the king of Tyre.

As far as a resource for you to turn to on your own, I would recommend any well accepted book on systematic theology. We have a number of single volumes as well as sets in the several in the Church Library (Grudem, Bloesch, Chafer, Duffield & Van Cleave, Erickson, Finney, Oden, Otis, Wiley & Culbertson,) at the call number 230 or 230.046. Look up Satan in the index and find the section that deals with Satan and the nature of evil.

Do mentally challenged people go to Heaven?

Q: Do mentally challenged people who can't understand the concept of God go to heaven?

You asked if mentally challenged people who can't understand the concept of God can go to heaven. The simple answer is, “yes.”

I think there is a misunderstanding among some regarding faith – that faith is the acceptance of a truth proposition.  Yes, God reveals truth.  But more importantly, God reveals Himself in a personal way and invites us to know Him.  The Gospel story is one of love, centered on the cross, where the God who loves us looked at our helpless state and chose to bear the penalty of our sins so that we would know eternal life with Him.  The love of God is central to faith and it is the biblical message that is proclaimed from the first chapter of Genesis through the promise of a New Earth in Revelation.

You may be familiar with the passage in the Bible about children coming to Jesus.  It is in Matthew 19.  In it, Jesus blesses some little children.  It goes like this:

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”  (Matthew 19:13-14 - ESV)

I think you would agree with me that mentally challenged people frequently express a child-like kind of love.  Note that the response of the children was not from their understanding of concepts, but of their love of Jesus.  What is interesting about this little story is that it is surrounded by stories of learned men coming to Jesus to ask about what He was teaching.  The Pharisees wanted to quibble over various understandings of the law.  The rich man wanted to know how to earn his way to Heaven through his behavior.  Even his own disciples didn’t understand the significance of the children’s’ response to Jesus – these children were the kinds of people to whom belong the kingdom of God!  The children simply desired to be in His presence and to enjoy Him.  We still need to share Christ with the mentally challenged and to take seriously their ability to respond to God’s love.  We should never underestimate the ability of the Holy Spirit to speak through the disabled mind and into the fully responsive heart.  There may be situations where the impairment is extreme – and you might wonder if even the love of God can be felt.  This is where we pray and trust God and remember our own faith in the good Creator who protects the innocent and charges us with the same.  

This is a personal question for me since my own son is a mentally challenged adult.  He cannot comprehend things many people take for granted.  But he knows what it means to be loved and what it means to love.  We teach concepts he can understand, but more importantly, we introduced him to Jesus so that he would know Him as we do.  In fact, as his love for Jesus is unfettered and secure, he is frequently the one teaching us.  I say with all humility that I sometimes wonder who has the mental challenge. Who among us can comprehend all there is to know about God?  Perhaps the best answer to your question about whether the mentally challenged go to Heaven is, “yes, we do.”  


Thank you for your question.  Feel free to contact me if you’d like to have more discussion about this.

Why doesn't God answer prayer right away?

Q: Why does God not answer our prayers right away?

It can be hard to understand when we pray and have to wait for an answer. However I don’t think that it is necessarily accurate to say that he doesn’t answer right away. I would follow up you question with another question: What makes you think that he hasn’t answered your question? By what matrix are you judging whether he has answered or not? If we expect God to do what we want and he doesn’t do it and we are still waiting for it to be done it would appear that he hasn’t answered, that he hasn’t come through for us. We have all probably been in that place at one time or another.

It may be helpful to consider what God’s loving, wise, answer to our prayer might be. There are at least three different answers possible:

• Yes
• No
• Not yet.

What would each of these answers look like in your situation? Take some time to consider this, even writing out your answer. Are you still sure he hasn’t answered?

All three of the responses above are answers to prayer, but sometimes if it is not an immediate “Yes” we might think that he hasn’t answered. In those times when it seems that what we asked was according to God’s will, but has not come to pass yet, we need to default back to the character of God. He is always good, holy, loving, faithful, wise, and powerful. We can praise Him for who he is, even and especially, when we are still waiting for deliverance, healing, and vindication. I love the Psalms because they show us how to communicate honestly with God, and how to trust in his character even when we don’t see his answer yet.

Once you finish answering the question above, if you want I would like to see your answer. Then I will add my annotation to the Yes, No, Not yet.

What About "The Shack?"

Q: What's your opinion on the book The Shack? I understand it's written by an author who is a Christian but I've heard stuff that is critical.

I assume from your question that you have read it. What did you think? How did you respond? I have asked many people about The Shack and to a person if they have read the book then they were profoundly moved by the love of God, even though the most horrific tragedies and traumas of life. And to a person, if they have read the critiques and not the book they were incensed at the perceived theological liberties taken.

William Paul Young is a gifted writer who wrote a moving book about a man who encountered the living Triune God at the worst point of pain imaginable and he discovered God’s love, care and forgiveness. At a time when Christianity is being generally maligned by our culture as insensitive and condemning, this book has impacted people who long to know God as a loving and forgiving Father. For those who have suffered pain that has left them unable to resolve their world with the thought of such a loving Father, the book is a Godsend.

Yes, there are a number of things to critique if you were reading The Shack as a book of theology, which it isn't. It is a fictional novel. Just as in the Narnia series by CS Lewis, if it was held to the standard of a theological treatise, it would be found wanting. The most obvious theological issue of the book is that of presenting God the Father as a human. In doing so, Young emphasizes the personal nature of the Father – characterized by grace, mercy and love – without including any portrayal of the righteousness of the Father – characterized by holiness, justice and even wrath. To the person who does not know the God of the Bible, that leads to a misunderstanding regarding the seriousness of God’s plan for mankind and the reason Jesus came to die a substitutionary death on the cross. The demands of God’s righteousness met the provision of his personal care at the cross, where God Himself did what we could not. The cross, the central revelation of Scripture, is where the love of God meets the wrath of God. And we can learn this all in the Bible.

Which brings up another important issue regarding Young’s book: the relative absence of direct Scriptural quotes from the Bible. Young puts words into God’s mouth, but they are rarely directly from the one source that we understand to be God’s revelation of Himself. It would have been helpful if Sarayu (the Holy Spirit) had made clear the connection between how “she” peaks into the spirit of a man and the Word where that interaction takes place – the Bible.

Having said that, in our opinion, many of the criticisms leveled against The Shack are out of step with the tone of the book, which is fictional and not theological. Though there are some legitimate concerns, it really is a good story and a good read. Story can be very powerful and effective at importing a message into the heart, and for many people, The Shack has been a doorway to a re-engagement with God. I encourage people to read it and then talk about it. And remember, that author (Young) wrote about another Author (God). If you liked The Shack, you really need to read the book by the Author of whom Young wrote, the Bible. Then you can have your own encounter with the living Triune God!

Statements & Questions from a Seeker

Statement: I have lately been studying religion on my own and while never having read the Bible, I believe that I have gleaned a decent amount of knowledge though other books and Wikipedia. I honestly find the Bible a bit difficult to understand properly.

Answer: The Bible is not really so hard to understand properly. It was written in plain language so that people could read and hear the voice of God. Reading about the Bible without reading it is a bit like dating a picture of a girl. There is no relationship until you are with the living, breathing, face-to-face girl in the picture. I would encourage you to get a copy and begin reading in the New Testament. If you have questions, our pastors would be more than happy to answer questions (as we do here).

My questions are these . . .
Q. In the days of Jesus, the hand of God seemed to be plainly visible on the Earth. Why did God need to make His presence seen more then He does now? Where did God go?
A. God is plainly visible in the Earth. That did not depend upon Jesus. God’s fingerprints are evident everywhere. The Bible teaches that the skies themselves proclaim the glory of God. From my perspective, as a pastor, I do see Him plainly, as do believers who open their eyes to see what He is doing. You’ve heard it said that “seeing is believing.” But in God’s economy, “believing is seeing,” which is why it is important to seek God in faith. Jesus’ entry in to the world was not so that God could be seen, but so that sin could be atoned for by His sacrificial death. It would be interesting to be able to sit with you and speak about this. We could review a series of Scriptures that deal with this question.

Q. In addition to Earth, is there any belief that God created other worlds?
A. God created a distinctly different spiritual world that is populated by angelic beings, and that is part of the biblical record. In addition, there are creatures in Heaven who are distinct from men and angels. As for whether there are planets that are populated in the universe, the Bible does not address that. Traditionally, Christians have not viewed the Universe to be populated apart from Earth.

Q. What is the reasoning behind going to church instead of learning of and worshiping God in your own way?
A. Jesus’ introduction of the New Covenant, which is the covenant under which the church exists, is that we would love one another, as He loved us. The church is a community and Christianity is defined by Jesus as a fellowship of the sons and daughters of God. To be a Christian and not be in communion with other believers makes no sense – a kind of spiritual oxymoron. Furthermore, getting to know God takes place within the context of community (as He prescribed it) and not in isolation. Christianity is not a set of facts we acknowledge and agree to, it is the presence of the living God in a very real relationship – and we are aware of His presence – in our lives individually and more so collectively. Worship is one of the expressions of that.

Q. I'm unemployed and don't have much money. If I came to church would I still need to pay a tithe? What is the purpose of tithing besides supporting the church? Is there a religious reason?
A. We do not require anyone to tithe. The New Testament doesn’t prescribe tithes. Rather, we are told to make gifts and offerings out of our heart’s desire – God loves a cheerful giver. You are under no obligation to our church to pay a tithe. However, I want to help you understand the nature of the concept of the tithe (Old Testament) and giving (New Testament). Our giving is an act of trust in the God who said that if we will give faithfully, He will honor that giving. The Sabbath is a similar concept. One day a week I put aside productive time (during which I could earn money) and God says that if I will trust Him, I will not have suffered for giving that up, but would in fact be blessed. The Sabbath becomes a day of rest and a time to enjoy relationships with God and others. You should only give as an act of faith, and not out of obligation.

You have asked some intriguing questions. We would love to meet with you and answer these questions if you are interested. Just give us a call or meet us between services.
Pastor Mark

Statements and Questions from a Skeptic

Statement: I don’t believe, and never will, that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
Never will? If I could provide him with convincing proof, would you still say that? The Bible is absolutely clear on this, so your questions hinges on the reliability of the Bible. Are you willing to do the homework to discover the reasons why we know it to be reliable? I can point you in any number of directions to learn this on your own if this is your major stumbling block. A careful study of all the facts will give you confidence in its reliability. There is a historically verifiable path you can follow – real places, real people, witnesses and evidence.

Statement: I’ve read a lot about other religions, and they claim to have answers, too.

I like to summarize comparative religion in a nutshell like this…All religions in the world basically establish the format, regulations, and requirements, whereby mankind can earn his way back to God, heaven, Nirvana, etc. Christianity is different, because, right from the outset it admits that this is impossible to accomplish. Further it states that God in his love for us came down to us (since we couldn’t make it to up him), took our place. Christianity is a relationship with the One who saves me from my own rebellious, selfish, harmful actions and even our well-intentioned, but weak efforts at altruistic behavior.

The distinction that I like to make regarding other religions is that of revelation (in other words, God reveals it). Man has always sought to understand the nature of God. Unless man rejects God all together, he is left to wonder and to try to come to conclusions about what God must be like, which accounts for the many varieties of religion in the world. Man also seeks to understand how to be made right, knowing that he has failed some kind of moral code that he senses in his own heart. But God did not leave us to figure out for ourselves. He came and lived as a man so that we would know. He did not leave us to repay or make up for every sin we have committed. He died for our sins in order that they would be settled in the eternal account of grace and mercy that God provides. And He left a witness not only in the Bible, but importantly, in the Holy Spirit who speaks into the heart of all who seek Him earnestly. The questions that other religions leave unanswered are answered completely in Jesus Christ.

Question: What about Heaven and Hell? How can someone who has never heard of Jesus be condemned to hell? Hell must be filling up pretty fast if every person who has ever lived without hearing about Jesus is in hell.

This is the uneasy reality of the honor God has bestowed on man’s free will. We are not forced to go to heaven. God says that there is enough witness in nature itself for men to acknowledge Him. In our day and age, such an acknowledgement will lead to openness to the Gospel, which answers the very question in man’s heart – “if you are out here God, do I matter and will you speak to me?” The resounding answer is yes and yes. The fact is that men’s hearts are inclined inward and we reject God, until He does something to replace our “heart of stone” with a “heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). He doesn’t condemn us for not hearing about Jesus. We are condemned already, by our own actions and inactions. Hell doesn’t sit well with God either and he determined to do something about it. He sent Jesus to make it possible for us to be set free from the penalty and power of our sin, at the horrible cost of his own life. He took our penalty upon himself because he loved us.

By the way, we make a leap when we assume that God is not able to meet people in ways that we do not understand – regardless of whether a Christian trudged into the village with a message. As Abraham asked God, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” He is a superb communicator. Hell’s doors are locked from the inside. The sad reality is that even when people are provided with compelling evidence of God, some still would say, “No, I will be my own god over my life.” God honors that response.

Question: How do you know your religion is right?”

First, we do not believe in something that is not reliable – the historical witness of the Bible is something that can be verified (see the first statement). It is not too difficult for people to understand – it is told in plain language. But more importantly, we know because the Holy Spirit lives within us and God is able to reveal it to us personally. We who know Him could no more deny His presence than deny our own existence. We have seen the difference He has made in our own lives and the lives of others. Encounters with God are always one-on-one. Our prayer is that you will have such and encounter and will be able to rely on the witness that God gives you in a direct revelation.

Answered by Pastors Mark and Greg

How can I learn to be the man God wants me to be?

Your Question:  I am 25 years old. I grew up without a Dad and though I was raised by an amazing single mother, I have always had to sort of figure out what a real man is and how they act. It is something I have always struggled to do and I unfortunately have made more mistakes than I would like to admit, but it is something that is really important to me. I want to set a good example for all men and hopefully for my family one day. I was wondering if you know of any specific bible passages, books, audio books, websites, seminars/conferences or people I can talk with to seek out help with this. I want to make sure that I am consistently growing in this area of my life as well as the rest.

This is a great question Will! It is a struggle for most of us to figure out “what a real man is.” Whether we were raised by a single mom, or had an emotionally distant, or physically absent father or a dad that was abusive or inconsistent at best, it is a question more men today should ask. Even good fathers and husbands make misstates and fall short! We all have to learn to trust God and follow his lead on a daily basis if we hope to be a good example to others, to our spouse, and to our children. We can’t help the example or lack of it we had when growing up. What we can change is what we do going forward!

The most important thing in discovering how to be a “real man” is to have a personal, vital, growing relationship with our heavenly Father. We can allow him to be our mentor, our teacher, our coach in the process. I once had a youth leader that was supposed to be discipling me, but he kept missing our meeting times. Later I bemoaned the fact that I had never had anyone disciple me and someone said to me, “That’s not true. God discipled you.” Take advantage of God’s narrative history in the Bible (how he reveals who he is and what he is like through history). Intentionally look at Jesus’ life and relationships as a model for masculinity. Look at the apostles and other heroes of the faith. Get involved in one of our men’s ministries or serving God alongside other men and you will have a wealth of examples to learn from even as you are being an example yourself.

If I had to sound like a preacher in addressing this question I would suggest four things (all starting with “S”) that are keys to becoming the man that God intends for you to be. They are . . .

1. Seek: Real men admit need. They confess when they are wrong and seek to make things right. Real men are comfortable seeking the biblical Jesus (as opposed to some feminized cultural Jesus) as a mentor in being a man. They also are teachable and seek to learn and grow, celebrating lessons learned and answers discovered and then seeking to apply them more consistently in their lives.

2. Study: What the Bible says about being a man; the lives of men who left a lasting positive impact on the world; books and other teachings on being a man of God; with other men, especially intergenerationaly, to encourage each other in the journey “as iron sharpen iron.” We facilitate many men’s study groups, journaling groups, and support groups at many different times during the week.

3. Serve: Children only want to be served. Real men serve others. One of the best ways to learn about being a man is by joining other men to serve others. I can think of many projects hosted through our Missions department locally (Vernonia relief, Season of Serving), at a distance (Biloxi rebuilding), and overseas (Sierra Leone, China, Indonesia). There are great opportunities to serve here at the church with mature men (Ushers, Safety Team, CM, Youth, even the Library)

4. Share: Real men don’t isolate themselves from others. They are generous with what they have and what they learn. They seek to encourage others with the encouragement they have received. Our cultural heroes of masculinity may be loners (Superman, Spiderman, etc.) or nearly so (Lone Ranger, Batman, etc), but we are placed by God in a community and need to function effectively within it. That only happens when we share our life with those around us. Just as you would want someone to come alongside you and show you the way, be such a person for others behind you.

Other Resources

You also asked about resources for men. We have a ton of materials in our church library from books and audio books, to DVDs and magazines. Come by some time and we’ll get someone to show you where the men’s section is (248.842). Here are just a few items:

• Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes
• Tale of Three Kings, Gene Edwards
• To Own a Dragon: Reflections on Growing Up without a Father, Donald Miller
• Four Pillars of a Man’s Heart, Stu Weber
• Man to Man, Charles Swindoll
• Every Man’s Battle, Steven Arterburn

How does the commandment to "remember the Sabbath" apply today?”

Question: “How does the commandment to "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" apply today?”

This has been asked many times over the years, and is kind of a trick question as it applies to a far larger set of commandments than just the ones pertaining to the Sabbath. I think that we need to consider three separate biblical issues regarding the Sabbath: Commandments, Purpose, and Principles. There were many prohibitions established in the Old Testament (OT) that applied to ancient Israel but no longer apply today as commands, but are still part of God’s Word and are useful for instruction on many levels. Those commands were part of God’s covenant (contract) with Israel. Today, if we are Christians, we are not under obligation to the requirements of the old covenant; instead we are part of the new covenant. Interestingly, all the moral commands of the OT are repeated in the NT, but the ceremonial, dietary, public worship, public health, and anti-idolatry laws are not renewed. Don’t misunderstand me, the NT is very strong in its stand against idolatry, and other sinful lifestyles, but does not contain commands to enforce physical punishment upon those choosing to live in rebellion to God’s plan like the OT does. So to answer your question about the command to "remember the Sabbath and keep it holy", I would say that we no longer have the weight of such a command upon us just like we no longer need to travel to Jerusalem three times a year to worship God in Israel’s great national festivals.

Now let’s consider what the purpose of the Sabbath was. Jesus said on more than one occasion that the Sabbath was created for man and not man for the Sabbath. Jesus also said that He was the Lord of the Sabbath and that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Jesus provoked considerable anger against himself from the religious leaders of his day by violating their legalistic Sabbath commandments. What did Jesus do on the Sabbath? He taught in the synagogues, healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, taught his disciples, and went about his Father’s business. Here are a few passages from the life of Christ that are a helpful study—Matthew 12:1-12; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-11; Luke 13:10-16; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 14:1-6; John 5:1-15; John 7:21-24; John 9.

The Jewish Sabbath celebrated a finished creation. It involved mandatory resting from one’s normal work in order to trust God for provision. The Sabbath was a revolutionary concept in the ancient world . . . a six-day work week; because God loved us he gave us a day of rest.

So what is the Sabbath principle? Regular weekly sabbath rest is a good thing for us:

• physically—to rest. Our bodies need a break and if we don’t take one they will.
• economically—to trust God, not our own efforts, to provide. Can God make up for the time we take to rest from the insidious intrusion of worldly cares, or do we live like we have to handle it all ourselves?
• socially— to gather in community with family and fellow believers to remember what the Lord has done for us and to encourage each other –Heb. 10:25.
• spiritually— to take time to serve someone besides ourselves, to worship God, and to quiet the other noises and demands of life to listen for the Shepherd’s voice).

Your original question begs another question . . . that of worshipping on the Jewish Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) or on “the Lord’s Day” (Sunday). The early church began meeting after the resurrection on Sunday (usually in the evening), which they called “the Lord’s Day” to celebrate and remember Jesus’ resurrection which signaled a finished redemption. Whereas in the OT believers kept a Sabbath day, we are now called to live a Sabbath life! We don’t set aside one day a week to worship and six days to do our own thing. We no longer have to work to earn salvation but have received it by grace. We now are called to rest from our own efforts to procure that which we never could, and instead live in the rest, joy, and peace of right relationship with our Lord. Every day is a day of worship, a day of seeking God’s best for others, a day of trusting God for our salvation! Saturday? Yes! . . . Sunday? Yes! . . . Today? Yes!

“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17 ESV)

What are some good resources on the historical accuracy, or that support the validity, of the Bible?

Question: While I've been raised a Christian, I am still relatively young in my faith. As a senior in college, I am currently facing some scholarly arguments against Christianity. What are some good resources on the historical accuracy, or that support the validity, of the Bible?

It is not new, though it is surprising, that professors at reputable universities seem unaware of current scholarship on the historicity of the Bible. In my view, it undermines their credibility. It is as though they are operating in an echo chamber with other skeptical professors. The proliferation of theories and books claiming the Bible is not historically accurate has kept evangelical scholars busy, even when they have little more than opinion to stand on. Frankly, it has been a bit of a blessing, since we have had to sharpen our own skills and resources and to delve into the rich history of the time of the Bible – it gives new cultural understanding and context to those who study and proclaim the Bible. Be assured, that there is exhaustive research in response to the revisionists’ theories of the past century and the scholarship is both broad and deep. I can point you in a number of directions that might help you in responding, if you want to invest the time (see the book list below).
 
However, it is important to understand that the hinge on which rejection or belief of the Bible turns is not information, but revelation. God has given us a revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ – for which the Bible serves as the prime testimony. We know and trust God because He has revealed Himself to us, not because someone gave us a carefully crafted syllogism. We know and trust God because in the simple story of the Gospel our hearts responded with faith (1Cor 1-2). Our hearts became tuned to the reality of God’s love and promises – a relational reality for which logic has never had an answer (the rubric from which the naturalist determines his beliefs has never been able to deal with non-Cartesian evidence). We testify of God not because we are history scholars, but because God is a supreme communicator who has revealed Himself to us in our lives. Let God continue to speak to your heart in this matter.

As far as the Bible is concerned, Jesus Christ affirmed the Old Testament, so the question of the historicity of the Old Testament rests on Jesus’ credibility. We now have copies of the Old Testament from the 2nd century prior to the birth of Jesus, so we have the very word that Jesus affirmed, not a revision. As for the New Testament, it is a collection of writings that had to undergo the test of eyewitnesses. They were not written centuries later by a one-to-one transmission, each person picking up something new and passing along a mix of understanding and confusion. They were written within the time of living witnesses. And these living witnesses continued to affirm it. Before the close of the 1st century, Clement of Rome (1Clement) was quoting from the Gospels. Throughout the 2nd century, there were writers who continued to hold these Gospels to the test by asking living relatives whether they were trustworthy accounts. The early church had prolific writers, which alone is a worthy study (many of these can be found in text form on the Internet).
 
Rejection of the Bible as historically reliable is not based on a careful study of the facts, but an a priori conviction that it cannot have been inspired by God. For the naturalist, or for the skeptic, or for the person who does not want to consider the implications of God’s word, the Bible is rejected before it is even considered carefully. The best current book that gets to the heart of the witnesses is the book below by Richard Bauckham. It pretty much puts the nail in the coffin to those revisionists who claim the Bible is without historical basis. If you are ready for some heavy reading, I recommend it.

I hope this helps. Feel free to write with more questions. We could even meet me at church when you are there for a discussion. I am praying for your triumph in a spiritual battle that Jesus Christ has already won.

Here are some books that might help you…
• Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, by *Richard Bauckham – a tremendous work – recently released – that answers the major critics claims by careful weighing of the evidence.
• Jesus was a Carpenter, by Josh McDowell – a simple and easy read – some things that critics have not been able to respond to effectively.

• The Testimony of the Four Evangelists, by Simon Greenleaf – an agnostic professor (Jewish by birth), this is a work of legal apologetics. He wrote it after being prompted by his students at Harvard into examining the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Gospels (after which he became a Christian).
• Evidence that Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell – the body of work behind Jesus was a Carpenter. A scholarly examination of the facts surrounding the life and testimony of Jesus Christ in the Bible and the early Church.

Early Church Authors and Writings…

• Didache
• Clement of Rome
• 2 Clement (not authored by Clement of Rome)
• The Shepherd of Hermas
• Ignatius of Antioch
• Polycarp
• The Martyrdom of Polycarp
• Epistle to Diognetus
• Fragments of Papias
• Quadratus of Athens
• Aristides
• Justin Martyr
• Claudius Apollinaris
• Minucius Felix
• Melito of Sardis
• Hegesippus
• Dionysius of Corinth
• Athenagoras of Athens
• Irenaeus of Lyons
• Rhodon
• Theophilus of Caesarea
• Theophilus of Antioch
• Maximus of Jerusalem
• Polycrates of Ephesus
• Pantaenus
• Clement of Alexandria
• Tertullian
• Serapion of Antioch
• Apollonius
• Caius

Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?

Question: Can you explain BFC's (and, perhaps, the Foursquare movement's) position on whether someone can lose their salvation? If so, what are the circumstances under which that might happen?

As far as I can tell, the Foursquare denomination does not have a written “position” on this issue. It is a question that has been hotly debated in the church for the last 500 years and before! Both sides of the issue are represented by sincere, intelligent, Christians. On one side you have those who believe in a “once saved always saved” position, also called “Eternal Security,” or the “Perseverance of the Saints.” Those who hold this position are called Calvinists, or “Reformed”. On the other side, you have the Arminian/Wesleyan/Holiness positions that while not denying the certainty of salvation for those who believe would also say that the possibility exists that by an extreme, conscious act of the will someone could renounce Christ. The Foursquare movement as a Pentecostal denomination is more closely related to the Arminian/Wesleyan roots from which it sprang than to Calvinism.

Years ago, I had a godly Bible teacher (actually a Quaker) who answered this very question by saying something like, “I don’t think that you could lose your salvation the way you might lose your pocket knife, or your homework paper, but I do believe that a person could publically renounce Christ and the Lord would sadly honor that request.”
Actually, like many issues, it is one that gets weirder the further you go to either extreme. On the one extreme, you have people saying that having once professed faith in Christ for salvation it doesn’t matter what you do (an ancient heresy called antinomianism and practiced widely on college campuses!). Not too many Calvinists would go that far. On the other hand, you could be so freaked out by the personal responsibility/holiness passages that you live in constant fear and think you’ve lost your salvation every time you fall short of perfection. Thankfully, there is a lot of real estate in the middle where most Christians live! The interesting thing is that the net result in both cases is sadly the same. Let’s say that a person “came to Christ” at some point in their life but then later renounced Christ and became an outspoken infidel attacking the things of God and then dies. In such a case the Arminian might say that the person had “lost their salvation”. The Calvinist would say that he was never saved in the first place…that he had only the appearance of being a Christian. We see that both sides agree on the tragic outcome, but use different reasoning to get there.

I know that this is part of a huge theological debate, and while I have strong opinions on this subject, I have no thought that I can solve it by writing this blog. When I read the Bible, I try to take the text for what the text says, rather than superimposing my frameworks on top of it (and squeezing doctrines out like so much Play-Doh). In my Bible, I see passages that look a lot like Calvinism and I see a lot of others that sound like Arminianism. Can it be that the Bible teaches both God’s sovereignty and man’s free will, the perseverance of the saints and personal responsibility? I’m just simple enough to believe it!

We can say that Beaverton Foursquare Church, as a congregation is:

• Biblically conservative (i.e., we believe the Bible is the Word of God), and
• Experientially moderate (e.g., no snakes, no Kool-aid, no chandeliers to swing from, no ranting screeds, but we do raise our hands!),
• Enthusiastically desiring to be spiritually passionate Christ-followers!

If we are wholeheartedly following Jesus, and have a desire to please him, then the possibility of losing our salvation is a moot point and the question nothing more than an irrelevant hypothetical. We choose faithfulness!

I would like to share a few Bible passages, a sampling, for you to wrestle with if you want to do the homework.

• Ephesians 2:8-10
• Romans 6:1-23
• Romans 8:31-39
• 1 John 1:9-10
• Hebrews 3:12-14
• 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Finally, one of my favorite statements on this subject was given by the late Dr. Guy P. Duffield in a sermon (he was in his 80s at the time) from Acts 1 entitled, “Mind Your Own Business!” He said,
“I feel as if I am standing in a great gabled house. I look out the window on my right and I see the rafters of Calvinism. Then I turn and look out the window on my left and I see the rafters of Arminianism . . . and where these two great rafters meet is . . . somewhere way over my head."

Is it morally wrong to commit to do something?

Question: My friend claims that it is morally wrong to commit to do something, but that you always have to say "I'll try to do..." To me when they say "I'll try" it sounds like they are giving a half-hearted attempt to do something. But he says that he fully intends to do it and they just can't say "I'll do..." because if something happens and he can't do it, then it is a lie. In the Bible I found this verse: "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." --- Matthew 5:37. From this verse I feel like it is saying that we should say that we will or won't do anything and that our maybe's come from the devil. Am I missing something? Are there any other scriptures that you can lead me to?

Good question. First, let me say that the point of Matthew 5:37 was to preclude the use of oaths or promises as a guarantee that you are telling the truth not to rule out the use of tentative words like maybe, perhaps, and hopefully. Jesus basically says, that we should always be telling the truth. All promises and oaths indicate that honesty is not our normal way of speaking and living. It is also true that the verse in Matthew 5 may be emphasizing caution and commitment. Be careful what you say 'yes' to and what you say 'no' to. It is important to know what God wants you to do (and not to do) and it is important to be a person of your word. If I have a reputation for being a person who does what I say I'll do, then a simple “Yes” or “no” is sufficient. Saying that, I do understand that there are sometimes things that are beyond our control that happen and change our ability to do what we say. For instance, "I'll help at the school tomorrow" and then, you get the flu and cannot help out. You were still sincere when you committed, but were not able due to circumstances beyond your control.

I think the scriptural principle that your friend is alluding to when he warns against definitive statements, is found in James 4:13-17
13Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"— 14yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. (ESV)

Here it is clear that the purpose is not to forbid being decisive, or committed, but to forbid the arrogance of thinking we can plan our life (either strategically or tactically) while effectively excluding God and his plan for us from the process. The key is not to be legalistic, but to consistently seek God's will and do what you commit to do, in the strength and grace that Jesus provides.

Your friend sounds sincere in his/her concern, but seems to have missed the real intent of this passage. When my son asks me if I will pick him up after practice, I am not going to say, "I'll try." If an earthquake or a car breakdown prevents me from getting him, I am sure it is not sin and I know he is not viewing me as lacking in integrity. When my wife asks me if I will be home for dinner, I don’t hesitate to say yes, though there are times when other things prevent me – and we are not at odds because of it. The Bible doesn’t teach us to avoid commitment, but to keep the commitments that we make; honoring God and loving people in the process.

Is Jeremiah 29:11 a promise for us today?

Ken's full question was: "I often see Jer. 29:11 quoted with the implication that it's a promise for all people. However, since the context is God's promise to the exiles from Jerusalem to Babylon, is this really applicable to you and me?"

What a thoughtful question! It reveals that you are looking at context when considering how to interpret or apply a given passage. Context is very important! It is good to see people thinking about what they are reading the Bereans in Acts 17:11. You are right that Jeremiah 29:11 is frequently quoted as a promise for all people and that it was a specific prophetic promise to those who were going into the Babylonian exile. For those unfamiliar with this passage, here it is …

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)

Is it any wonder that we would want to apply such an awesome promise to people today? But can we do it with integrity? First we step back and look as you did at the larger context of the paragraph that contains this verse…

10"For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

The context can be expanded even wider and we see that the problem for the Jews was that they hadn’t believed God warning of judgment and now that they have been judged they seem to have given in to despair. God here speaks encouragement to them so that they might repent and be eventually restored. To determine if this applies to us today we need to consider what is the same and what is different in our situations. Let’s start with …

What is not the same: We are not ancient Jews in Babylon with a 70 year horizon for returning the land of Israel. Yet Christians have often seen both the bondage of Israel in Egypt and the Babylonian exile of the Jews as typical (a “type” is a precursor, a foreshadowing of something yet to come) of our personal bondage to sin before we have been set free by faith in Christ’s sacrifice.

What is the same? First, God’s character never changes. The OT declares repeatedly that His loving-kindness/steadfast love never fails (e.g., Psalm 136), while the NT affirms the same (e.g., John 3:16-17; Hebrews 13:8). So we can accurately conclude that the beneficent attitude God had towards his OT people is still present in his attitude towards his NT people. Second, man’s need never changes. We all are sinners and need God’ gracious involvement in our lives. Have we mourned over our failures and the sinful things we have done and wondered if God still can use me? We may not be physically deported to modern-day Iraq, but we live in the midst of a very anti-God culture that in many ways is Babylonian…and yes, God still has plans for us! Finally, there are conditions (v.12-13) that were attached to the Jews being able to experience God’s plans for their welfare. Those same conditions would seem to apply to all people today as well. If we are to experience God’s plan for us we must first call on Him (acknowledge our need), coming and praying, seeking God with all our heart and there is the assurance that He will hear us and be found by us (e.g., Matthew 6:31-33; Luke 11:8-10; John 6:35-40; Acts 2:21).

What is better? W e have to ask, “If this was how God dealt with his people under the old covenant, then how much better is his dealing with his people under the new covenant?” Hebrews 8:6 says that we now have a better covenant, mediated by Christ, which is “enacted on better promises.”

In conclusion, the promise found in Jeremiah, may be applied to our lives (because of what is the same and what is better) though we are outside of its immediate context. However, it doesn’t guarantee us a life free from sorrows and hardships. Jesus told us we would have a tough go in this world if we desire to live a godly life (e.g., 2 Tim. 3:12). But though it all we will experience the glory of God’s intimate involvement in our lives… even in the midst of Babylon… if we call to Him, seeking Him and His kingdom with all our hearts! Not only will re experience Christ’s love, peace, and joy in this life, one day He will restore us completely and welcome us into his eternal kingdom thus proving that his ultimate will for us is good.

New Questions?

If you have new questions that you would like answered, simply comment on this post and we will add your question and the answer back in as its own post.