Why does God command the people of Israel not to kill, but then He orders them to kill enemies of Israel… even the women, children, and livestock?  Then Jesus tells His disciples to "turn the other cheek."  I haven't been a christian for very long, but I've always been confused about this.

Sincerely,
Double Standard

Dear Double Standard,

The Hebrew word used for ‘kill’ in the Ten Commandments literally means ‘murder’.  There is a difference between killing someone in self-defense and pre-meditated, intentional murder of another human being.  The Bible has plenty of examples of faithful people going to war (David killed Goliath in battle – 1 Sam 17:49-50).  The Bible is also full of examples of capital punishment for certain crimes (Num 15:35).  Num 35:15-16 makes a distinction between accidentally killing someone and premeditated murder.  A police officer may have to kill someone while serving the community, but that isn’t murder.  There is a difference.

It is wrong for an individual to purposefully seek to harm another unless they are acting as an agent of the government (God has given national governments the authority to use ‘the sword’ of punishment – Rom 13:4) or reacting in self-defense.  God commanded the nation of Israel to kill in times of war, but He condemns vigilante murder.  The teaching of “turn the other cheek” (Matt 5:39) is an individual command that applies to everyday living.  The context has nothing to do with war-time actions.

Why are there fake christian people who say they are christians and do bad stuff?  They think all they have to do is to believe in God, and then they do want they want.

Sincerely,
Tired Of The Charade

Dear Tired Of The Charade,

There have been, and always will be, people who are hypocritical in their faith (Matt 6:2).  Make note of that behavior and remember to never be that way yourself.  We can’t do anything about others, but we can examine ourselves (2 Cor 13:5) and make sure that we are faithful.  Christianity is about more than just believing in God… even the demons believe (Jas 2:19).  Real christians combine their belief with works (Jas 2:17-18).  God wants more than just lip service… not everyone who calls on His name will be saved (Matt 7:21-23).  Don’t just look like a christian; live like one (Matt 23:25-26).

Is it possible that the Christian Trinity can be of ancient paganism?  I was reading some articles of Christian churches, sects, and organizations that deny the Trinity (like the Oneness Pentecostals, the Swedenborgians, the Christadelphians, Mormonism, Christian Science, the Bible Students, The Way International, the Unitarian Christians, and the Arian Catholics, just to name a few).  The Jehovah's Witnesses say that the Trinity is of paganism.  But the trinitarian groups, like Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox Church, Protestantism, and the Seventh-Day Adventists, claim that it's not pagan.

Sincerely,
Pagan Ponderer

Dear Pagan Ponderer,

If the Trinity is from paganism, then so is the Bible.  The three members of the Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) are seen throughout the Bible.  Jhn 1:1 points out the deity of Christ.  Gen. 1:2 shows the eternal nature of the Holy Spirit, and Lk. 3:21-22 shows all three Deity working independently of each other.  Those verses are just a few of the many, many verses that point out that God has three parts.  In short, those who deny the Trinity – deny the authenticity of the Bible.  Either God wrote the Bible, or He didn’t.  We either accept it all or throw it all out.  We here at AYP believe that every word of the Bible is inspired by God and profitable for use (2 Tim 3:16).  We recommend you read “Who Wrote The Bible?” for further details on Bible evidences.

I just got re-baptized for my sins; does that mean I am a virgin again since I was reborn?

Sincerely,
Starting Over

Dear Starting Over,

Becoming a christian through baptism gives you forgiveness of your sexual sin (Acts 2:38), but it doesn’t remove the fact that you are no longer a virgin.  Though the terminology “born again virgin” is a very popular catchphrase nowadays, it isn’t a Biblical one.  Many groups re-baptize people to remove their sexual choices, but that isn’t what the Bible teaches.  The Bible teaches that we are baptized once when we become christians (Mk 16:16, 1 Pet 3:21).  In the New Testament, there are no examples of people being baptized over and over again.

Christians recognize the flaws of their former lives and confess them (Jas 5:16).  Don’t mistake us; you absolutely can be forgiven of your sexual sins (1 Jn 1:9).  You aren’t the first person (nor will you be the last) that came from a checkered past (1 Cor 6:8-11).  Your sinful lifestyle of the past only makes the contrast of your new life more prominent.

Can you be saved and not baptized?

Sincerely,
Looking For A Life Preserver

Dear Looking For A Life Preserver,

The most well-documented and clearest doctrine in the New Testament is baptism… yet, it is also the most commonly ignored topic in the religious world.  It is impossible to be saved without being baptized.  Peter said it best when he said, “Baptism saves you” (1 Pet 3:21).  Every person that became a christian in the New Testament was baptized – immediately.  You won’t find a single person in the book of Acts that wasn’t baptized.  When the first sermon was preached after Christ ascended into heaven, the apostles told the people that they needed to “repent and be baptized… for the remission of their sins” (Acts 2:38).  Paul tells us that baptism is a burial with Christ, and only after that burial do we receive a new life (Rom 6:3-4).  Baptism was so important to Paul that he was baptized even before eating or drinking (Acts 9:18-19), which shows how important it is because Paul hadn’t had food or water in three days (Acts 9:9)!  Belief is not enough; even the demons believe in God (Jas 2:19).  It is only when our belief is combined with obedience that we have living faith (Jas 2:17-18), and the very first command to obey that God gives us is to be baptized in the name of His Son (Matt 28:19, Mk 16:16).