In the Bible, does it state that at least two witnesses had to agree to the charges before the trial could be declared valid?  If so, where and what section?

Sincerely,
Legal Advice

Dear Legal Advice,

The verse that you are looking for is Deut 19:15.  In the Old Testament, God made the laws for the courts.  The nation of Israel, like all other societies, had people that broke the law.  God designed the law, so someone couldn’t be accused of a crime unless there were multiple witnesses.  Incidentally, America’s court system was originally modeled after Israel’s court system.  Why?  Because God’s ways work.

In our congregation, on Monday or Tuesday, we call members who were missing on Sunday.  Some of these members have not attended worship for months.  One of these members asked that we not call her anymore, and when we went ahead and called her anyway, it did not turn out well.  How do we handle this?  Do we stop calling, just send an occasional card, or do we take no action now and pray she will return when her heart is right?  The statement: "You can't help someone until they are ready to help themselves" appears applicable.

Sincerely,
Tongue-Tied

Dear Tongue-Tied,

Jesus made a very concise statement about how to treat the person that is clearly not interested in spiritual things.  He said, “Don’t throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matt 7:6).  This is exactly what you experienced when that woman was called again after showing her total disinterest in the gospel – she turned and attacked the messenger.  As much as it can pain us, we must accept that not everyone wants to hear the good news, and sometimes, it is best to simply leave them to their spiritual bankruptcy.  There is nothing wrong with moving on in such situations; the church has done its job.  Like the prodigal son, until life outside of Christ gives them enough of a beating, there is nothing you can say that will help (Lk 15:11-19).

I have a friend who believes he has been given a responsibility from God and a desire from God, but they conflict, and he doesn't know what to do.  I told him that one of them probably is not from God because God will not send us conflicting information.  Can you help me find some verses to help him?

Sincerely,
Wires Crossed

Dear Wires Crossed,

If we want to know God’s desire for our life, we must use the Bible to get our instructions.  Faith comes from the Word (Rom 10:17), and the Bible contains all the information we need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).  If we want to understand what God wants for us, we can find the truth in the sum of His Word (Ps 119:160).  Prophecies and visions are no longer given to people directly (1 Cor 13:8).  Instead, God speaks to us through the teachings of His Son (Heb 1:1).  It is normal for our emotions and desires to send us conflicting messages; that is exactly why God tells us to not trust ourselves (Pr 3:5).  Tell your friend to trust God’s Word, and it will be a lamp to his feet (Ps 119:105).

In 2 Corinthians 4:4, when Paul said, “god of this world”, is he referring to Satan?  Also, who is the morning star?  Jesus or the devil?

Sincerely,
Name Tamer

Dear Name Tamer,

The ‘god of this world’ referred to in 2 Cor 4:4 is the devil.  The devil seeks to make us subservient to him by enslaving us to the cares and the lusts of this world (1 Jn 2:16).  He deceives people into blindly following their earthly desires and becoming ensnared to sin (Pr 29:6).  When we are completely enthralled with worldly living, there is no room in our hearts for the gospel to shine.

As for the title ‘morning star’ – Jesus is given that title in Rev 22:16.  He is the Bright and Morning Star sent by God to shine His light in a dying world (Jhn 1:9-10).

Is a Christian allowed to smoke cigarettes and drink beer?

Sincerely,
Does A Body Good?

Dear Does A Body Good,

God never specifically condemns drinking wine, but He does condemn ‘strong drink’ (Pr 20:1), drinking parties (1 Pet 4:3), and drunkenness (Rom 13:13).  Almost all alcohol that is consumed today would fall into the category of ‘strong drink’ because our alcoholic beverages are artificially fermented to increase their alcoholic content (unlike the wine of Jesus’ day – read “That’s Just Grape” for further details on the wine Jesus drank).  We would all do well to heed the words of Pr 23:31-32 and avoid alcohol as much as is possible.

As for cigarettes, anything that purposefully poisons our bodies is wrong to use.  There was a time where the facts were not clearly known about the effects of cigarettes, pipes, and cigars on human health.  Those days are long since gone.  The data is exceptionally clear that smoking is always harmful to the human body and that smoking has no positive health benefits.  God tells us to treat our bodies as a temple (1 Cor 6:19).  Our bodies are a gift from God, and life is something to be cherished.  When we purposefully abuse our bodies with unhealthy lifestyles, we rebel against God and show ungratefulness for the life He has given us.  Present your body as a living and holy sacrifice to God (Rom 12:1).  Who knows what work He has prepared for you in the days and years that would be lost if you died from the effects of smoking?