Questions Part 1

Announcements:

October 20th Revival at 5

November 10th Pot Luck After Church

Question1 : What is the role of the church in world politics and vise versa?

What role does our faith play in politics and citizenship?

I’d like to first mention that we should be passionate about speaking the truth of the Gospel in a secular culture that desperately needs the love and hope of Christ.

How does the church effect the role of government?

-Romans 13:1-7

Romans 13:1–7 ESV

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

-Peter 2:13-17

1 Peter 2:13–17 ESV

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

What we cannot do as a church:

First in America as a 501’c3 are subject to the Johnson Amendment: 1954 there was a law that any 501’c3 cannot participate or intervene in a political campaign for or against any candidate running for public office. Either federal, state, or local. That includes sermons and monetary contributions to a candidate or party. If in breach of this law a church can loose it tax exempt status.

What we can do as a church:

We can support or oppose legislation and encourage members of the church or the public to do so.

C.S. Lewis said

“He who surrenders himself without reservation to the temporal claims of a nation, party,or class is rendering to Caesar that which, of all things, most emphatically belongs to God Himself.”

Should Christians avoid politics? NO

The state should stay out of the church but the church should be in the state. Meaning that Christians should get involved with the political process and also bring a Biblical world view.

Well wouldn’t it be making laws that are from a Biblical world view be forcing the Bible on others? Yes and no. Law in essence is forced morality. So someones view of the world and what they see as moral is going to become law. So why not want Biblical morals to prevail?

In our country system its the people who rule and we elect officials to represent us in government. As citizens we should be involved to be a influence and representative of the Gospel in all areas of life including the political arena.

Voting the lesser of two evils. Well we are all flawed and all have sinned. Instead of thinking the lesser of two evils we should think about voting to lessen evil. What are the imperfect polices that are put forward that will cause the most good?

We should not only look at the candidates character but more importantly their platform and the polices they are *going to enact. -

How do I support life, family values as God values it, and religious liberty. Which candidate would be most likely to lessen the evils that acure.

Around 60% of Christians do not engage or vote and let their voices be heard.

What do you think the role of the church in politics are?

Question 2 is about dreams and who visited Job?

First not all dreams come from God. God can speak to us in a dream but just like we begin to discern the voice of God and know when He is speaking to us while we are awake so we know when we have woken up from a dream weather it was from the Lord or not.

I think we can all pay more attention to our dreams and be open to hear God through them.

In Job 42:10–17, God appears to Job and his friends out of a whirlwind.

Question 3: Will people who have never heard the gospel all go to hell because they haven’t heard about Jesus Christ?

Before I answer that question let me lay that ground work.

1st I want to say that Jesus said from His own words that no man comes to the Father unless they go through Jesus. John 14:6 There is no other name under heaven that man can be save other than the name of by the name of Jesus. Acts 4:12

2nd How were people Justified (meaning made right with God) before Jesus came along? How were those justified in the Old Testament?

A) Was it by the blood of animals? Hebrews 10:4

B) Was it by keeping the laws of the Old Testament? Romans 3:20

C) Was it by being a good person? Eph 2:8-9

It was never any of these. It was and always has been grace through Faith in God. Eph 2:8-9

Romans 4:2–5 ESV

2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Hebrews 1:1 NIV

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

God in each time period has talked and approached men in different ways. God spoke with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. After sin came He talked

through prophets,

types and shadows,

spoke through the burning bush,

appeared as the angle of the Lord, and many ways that He approached man.

In these last days has spoken to us through His Son.

How God approached man has changed through the dispensations throughout the Bible but how man has approached God from the beginning has been the same and thats by faith. In each dispensation Hebrews tells Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Samson, Samuel and many others have all approached God by faith.

Now to the answer of the question:

The answer is found in Romans:

-Romans 1:20

Romans 1:20 ESV

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

v

1:20 Faith in God is not blind faith; it is based on the fact of God’s existence seen clearly through creation. We have the Gospel of creation.

Sir Isaac Newton: This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.

Louis Pasteur:The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator.

When I look at a building, how do I know that there was a builder? I can’t see him, hear him, touch, taste, or smell him. Of course, the building is proof that there was a builder. In fact, I couldn’t want better evidence that there was a builder than to have the building in front of me. I don’t need faith to know that there was a builder. All I need is eyes that can see and a brain that works.

Likewise, when I look at a painting, how can I know that there was a painter? Again, the painting is proof positive that there was painter. I don’t need faith to believe in a painter because I can see the clear evidence.

Paul said to the unknown God… God passed through the ignorance of those before but now calls everyone to repent and turn to Jesus

Acts 17:23-31

Acts 17:23–31 ESV

23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ 29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”