I am curious to know your thoughts on what the Bible shows us to be the best nutritional choices for our bodies.  I know that our family feels better when including fish, almonds, dates, etc., for a healthy diet, but I was wondering if you had any resources you would recommend (i.e. diets that more closely match those during the life of Christ) and if any hints are given within the Bible that would show the benefits of this?  We are surrounded by so many chemically-altered foods which can cause depression, fatigue, not to mention diseases.  It's hard to let our light shine if we feel like wilted sunflower plants.  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Organic Origins

Dear Organic Origins,

God has given mankind dominion over the earth (Gen 1:26-28).  That gives humans the freedom to alter and adapt our food supplies and crops however we see fit.  Whether or not genetically altered foods are healthy is an issue for science and not the Bible.

God says very little about the health of the human body.  Paul says that exercise is useful, but only minimally so in comparison to spiritual matters (1 Tim 4:8).  God also says that all food is clean and should be accepted with thanksgiving (Mk 7:19, 1 Tim 4:3-4).

In regard to food, the only thing that God clearly condemns is gluttony.  Gluttony brings poverty (Pr 23:21).  God says to “put a knife to your throat” if you are given to gluttony (Pr 23:2), which is another way of saying be careful about not letting food control you.  The only clear Biblical command on the subject of eating is “moderation”.

My question is in regard to taking fertility medicine to conceive a child.  I have a hormonal imbalance that makes me have difficulty conceiving.  I took medicine after trying to conceive for over a year.  It worked for me, and I had a beautiful son.  I feel like God sent him to me, and he is a blessing, but in the back of my mind, I wonder if God thinks it was okay for me to take the medicine to have him.  I just want to know... is it okay to take fertility drugs to conceive a child in the eyes of the Lord?

Sincerely,
Baby Boom

Dear Baby Boom,

God condones taking medication for our health problems.  Paul told Timothy to take some wine for his stomach (1 Tim 5:23).  The sick were told to have the elders pray over them and anoint them with oil – oil was used as a medicine (Jas 5:14).

We know that medicine is perfectly appropriate when you are sick.  Though some feel uncomfortable using fertility drugs (and you should never do anything that goes against your conscience – 1 Tim 1:5), the argument can be made that fertility medication is just like using aspirin or any other medical technique to improve human health and body function.  Enjoy the blessing of your baby boy, and thank God for him (Col 4:2).

I'm not Catholic.  But a lot of places are named after Catholics.  Mount Saint Helens, Santa Barbara, Saint Louis, the Saint Lawrence River... is it okay for me to say the 'saint' part of their titles?  I feel weird about it; I'm pretty sure they weren't Biblical saints.

Signed,
Sounds Like ‘Paint’

Dear Sounds Like ‘Paint’,

Recognizing the names of certain places in America and abroad (foreign countries also have scores of places with religious labels) doesn’t mean you are agreeing with the religion that those places find their origins from.  Calling the St. Lawrence River (named after Saint Lawrence of Rome… a Catholic saint) after it’s given name simply means that you recognize that location’s existence; it is not a statement of your own personal beliefs.

The christian Luke was divinely inspired by God to write the book of Acts.  In that book, he talks about Paul visiting the Areopagus (Acts 17:22).  ‘Areopagus’ literally means the ‘rock of Ares’.  Ares was a Greek false god.  This was the name used by the society to describe that location.  Yes, the name had pagan origins, but nobody would accuse Luke of being an idolater because he used the word ‘Areopagus’.  Likewise, no one will consider you Catholic when you say, “St. Louis, Missouri”… and even if someone did bring it up, it would give you an opportunity to tell them how all christians are saints (Rom 1:7).

I want to know, is it wrong to smoke cigarettes?

Sincerely,
Burn Baby Burn

Dear Burn Baby Burn,

Yes, cigarette smoking is wrong.  There is no direct verse that condemns smoking, but there are many verses that indirectly condemn it.

1. Cigarettes are known poisons.  There was a time when people were unaware of the effects of cigarettes upon the human body, but we now know that there is no redeeming health value to cigarettes.  Cigarettes directly poison the human body.  God tells us to treat the human body as a temple (1 Cor 6:19).  Purposefully poisoning your body is not exactly honoring that command.
2. Cigarettes are known to be highly addictive.  Cigarettes are designed to get people addicted to them, so that one will do just about anything to continue to get their “fix”.  Cigarettes become your master.  Christians cannot afford to have any master other than God (Matt 6:24).  Christians should never be brought under the power of anything other than God (1 Cor 6:12)
3. This life is a gift from God; He created us (Gen 1:27).  Christians are supposed to live lives that are preparing us for whatever work God has in store for us (2 Tim 2:21).  We are to purge ourselves of anything that would keep us from being the best servants to Jesus we can be.  If you die ten years early from cigarettes, who knows what work you will have failed to do?
4. Smoking not only harms you, it harms others.  Second-hand smoke is a known carcinogen and poison.  If you know that what you are doing is harming others, you must stop (Jas 4:17)

Whatever we do, it should be done to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).  Cigarettes wouldn’t fit into the category of “glorifying God”.

What if the devil repented; would God forgive him?

 

Sincerely,
Devil’s Advocate

Dear Devil’s Advocate,

God never gives any indication that the devil or his angels have the option of repentance.  The Bible seems to imply that the devil either doesn’t have the desire or the ability to repent.  The devil is the father of lies (Jn 8:44).  If humans can have their consciences seared by evil (1 Tim 4:2), certainly the devil – who fathered evil – is fully seared.  The devil and his angels are reserved for judgment (2 Pet 2:4).  They are to be cast into the eternal fire at the end of time (Matt 25:41).  The devil sinned from the beginning and is condemned (1 Jn 3:8).  He does not have any hope.  Jesus died for our sins, not his (Jhn 3:16).