Ask The Pastor

March 25, 2004

> I am Jewish and all my life I was told I was going to hell. I find that a loving god and we being his children could never destroy his flesh and blood.

Hi Susan,

You really don't sound very Jewish. What is it that makes you Jewish? (Just curious)

> I am baffled that christians belief we are born sinners.

Even Jews believe in the 'yetzer ha ra', that is, that all humans are born with an evil impulse. Otherwise how would you account for all the evil workings in the human race? People don't have to be taught to
be selfish, it comes with the package.

Both Moses and Aaron taught that the Jews as well as all of human kind are prone to doing evil things. Christianity is not the only religion that teaches we are born sinners. You find it in every religion. It is this idea that is behind the Hindu teaching on working out karma. (Reincarnation.)

> I beleve the premise for all religions is love.

This is interesting. Isn't it amazing how the Muslims not only hate the Jews, but they are constantly at war within their own religion. And even Orthodox Judaism has a hatred for Reform Judaism. I am afraid you are amiss on the issue of all religions teach love.

> I do believe this was Jesus's message to all mankind.

You are correct in this. The Bible says that God is love and the one who loves is born of God and knows God. But the love that is taught in the Bible is not simply a warm fuzzy feeling. It has to do with the nature of a person. When a person comes to truly know Jesus Christ, God implants into their spiritual nature His own love. This is part of what being born again means.

> I refuse to beleive that a new born perfect baby has already come into this world a sinner. What a frightening thought!

A new born baby is not a sinner in the sense of committing sin. Sin is not just something you do. It is a principle at work in the human race. If it were not for sin, we would never die. Scientist to this day cannot figure out the real cause of death and decay. Sin and death go hand-in-hand. All humans die. All humans are born into the state of sin.

> I almost feel that christians live to die where Jews live to live and to do the best we can in this life.

True Christians are very much alive in Christ. We live for the Lord. Neither are we afraid of death. Jesus conquered death for us. It is His Spirit that resides in the hearts of all true believers. It is for this reason that we are able to see beyond death.

> I believe we are here for a purpose and to do our best so that we can reach higher levels of spiritualality I believe God is all love and that we are to love each other no matter what race, religion or color we are.

This is what Biblical Christianity teaches.

> I feel that christians are afraid of God. that we must obey him.

You have a strange concept of Christians. We aren't afraid of God. He is our Father. Every born gain person knows God personally. In fact it is His perfect love that casts fear out of a believer's life. How can you be afraid of someone that you know personally, and that you know He loves you as a father loves his child? Afraid you are amiss also on this one. Christians love God deeply and passionately.

> He does not want our worship. he is not egotistical.

You don't seem to understand what the term worship actually means. Worship makes us one with God in the Spirit. The Biblical word speaks of an intimacy much like a kiss. This is why the apostle said that true believers worship in the Spirit of God and place no confidence in the flesh.

> He wants us to do even greater things than he has done.

You just made a near quote from the New Testament. You sound more like someone with a Christian background who has a lot of questions.

> Many christians believe that all they have to do is have Jesus in their heart and off to heaven they go.

The Bible teaches that the person who has Jesus in their heart is destined for heaven. Jesus Himself said that He was the way and the truth and the life.

> I feel like it's almost bargaining with God.

God has made a way for us to know Him in His own reality. This is why the prophet of old said the Messiah would be Immanuel, that is, God is with us. Jesus is God Himself revealed in humanity. He made it possible for us to know God on a level that would otherwise be impossible.

You may find it odd, but the original Christian church was 100% Jewish. There is a sense in which it can be said that Christianity is actually a Jewish religion. Jesus was a Jew. All the apostles were Jews. The entire Bible that Christians read, from Genesis to Revelation, is a Jewish document. If you say you are Jewish, then you should read the answers to life that the Jewish prophets and apostles
gave us in the sacred writ. How can you claim to be a Jew and disregard Moses and the prophets?

> I'll do this for you if you will do this for me. We are to learn on this earth to be the best that we can be with each other and not worry so much about the rewards that lie ahead. The rewards we have the power and the gifts that god gave us so that we can achieve our purpose on earth.

I notice you called attention to the "gifts that god gave us." Christians believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not to mention He is the God of David, of all the prophets, also the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the God of the apostles. This God is the God of the Bible. What god are you referring to?

> If only people could understand that we create our own reality.

So you decided where you would be born, when you would be born, and what nationality you would be born into? No, I am afraid you are not entirely right on this. We can only work within the boundaries of the creation that belongs to the Creator. He has given certain laws to govern all creation. When we break these laws, we simply break ourselves.

> We punish ourselves by the actions we take. God has nothing to do with this. One should always try to do the best they can on this earth plane without bargaining with God.

God does allow us to make our own choices. This does not mean that He has no involvement in the consequences of our choices. Moses himself said that we can choose life or we can choose death, but it is God who gave us that power to choose. If we choose the life He gives us, we will live. But we can choose death and He will let us have our choice.

> This should not be about fear, but of love. DO god's work here on earth and stop worrying about eternal life (whatever that even means) Live to live, that is why we are here, not to live to die.

Eternal life is not something we worry about. Eternal life does not simply speak of duration of life. It has to do with a quality of life. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ is given eternal life as a present possession. This life is found in God's Son.

This is the wonder and awe of coming to know Jesus Christ in a personal way. He is the very life of God Himself. This is why the Jewish apostle said, "He who has the Son has the life. Who who does
not have the Son, does not have the life."

Thanks for writing to share your thoughts. Hope to hear from you again.

A servant of Christ Jesus,

Blessings,

Buddy

Bro. Buddy Martin - Ask the Pastor

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org

Back to the Christian Challenge International home page!