Email Response to Jospeh Cruz’s Questions

Is Barrabas in Heaven and why?

There is really no reason to suspect either way as far as what we see from the Word of God. Maybe some thought from legend, but nothing to give firm thought on this question.

2. How would you teach Peter’s exchange in John 21:15-19?

For this question, please accept this explanation from a commentary I often go to. I checked with a few others I study as well and they all agreed here.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Twenty-Four: Transformed to Serve (John 21)

Many commentaries point out that, in this conversation, two different words are used for “love.” In His questions in John 21:15–16, our Lord used agape, which is the Greek word for the highest kind of love, sacrificing love, divine love. Peter always used phileo, which is the love of friend for friend, fondness for another. In John 21:17, Jesus and Peter both used phileo.

However, it is doubtful that we should make too much of an issue over this, because the two words are often used interchangeably in the Gospel of John. In John 3:16, God’s love for man is agape love; but in John 16:27, it is phileo love. The Father’s love for His Son is agape love in John 3:35 but phileo love in John 5:20. Christians are supposed to love one another. In John 13:34, this love is agape love; but in John 15:19, it is phileo love. It would appear that John used these two words as synonyms, whatever fine distinctions there might have been between them.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Twenty-Four: Transformed to Serve (John 21)

Before we judge Peter too severely, two other matters should be considered. When answering the first two questions, Peter did affirm his agape love when he said, “Yes, Lord!” The fact that Peter himself used phileo did not negate his wholehearted assent to the Lord’s use of agape. Second, Peter and Jesus undoubtedly spoke in Aramaic, even though the Holy Spirit recorded the conversation in common Greek. It might be unwise for us to press the Greek too far in this case.

In spite of his faults and failures, Peter did indeed love the Lord, and he was not ashamed to admit it. The other men were certainly listening “over Peter’s shoulder” and benefiting from the conversation, for they too had failed the Lord after boasting of their devotion. Peter had already confessed his sin and been forgiven. Now he was being restored to apostleship and leadership.

3. How does one pray without ceasing? (Physically and Spiritually)

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV

17 pray without ceasing,

Yeah so we should be careful here to read into this text from a literal stand point. The point that Paul is making here is that prayer should spread and fill our lives as believers. It does not mean that we should never do anything except pray all the time. Scripture commands of us to be doing others things as well.

This excerpt from Robert Godfrey says it well I think,

“Prayer should be a regular, recurring part of our whole experience, such that there are not only, perhaps, set times of prayer for us but that we turn to the Lord throughout the day. We don’t have to pray at great length all the time, and I think that’s part of the reminder here. This text calls us to cultivate a sense of the presence of God with us, along with us turning our hearts, minds, and cares to Him regularly throughout the day.”

4. Why is it a sin to wink?

I think this may have been a joke from my sermon last Sunday night? lol Please let me know if I’m wrong.

5. If you were to give a percentage to Matthew 7:13-14… “Few who found it…%?

Yeah, I can’t give a percentage here obviously. Only God knows the names of those who have and who will come to know Him truly.

The sense here is that there are false prophets in the world and that we must be careful to deception. The scribes and Pharisees had fooled themselves into believing that they were righteous and others were sinful. It is possible for people to know the right language, believe intellectually the right doctrines, obey the right rules, and still not be saved.

6. How can a non-republican, enter the kingdom of Heaven?

The good news of the Gospel is that there is no distinction.

Romans 1:16 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

This would include Democrat or Republican.

How do we enter?

Jesus calls people to “seek” and “enter” the kingdom of God. “Entering” the kingdom of God in this sense means to willingly submit to His reign, to gladly receive Him as Savior, and to commit to following Him as Lord.

Simply put, repent and believe.

Mark 1:15 ESV

15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 10:9 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.