I know that we are made in God's image and that we are made a little lower than the angels.  But how can someone say we are little gods?

Sincerely,
Not A God

Dear Not A God,

We don’t know exactly where you heard that phrase “little gods”, but it is a common phrase used among ‘Word of Faith’ movement preachers.  Though the Bible does say that we are children of God (1 Jn 3:2) and made in God’s image (Gen 1:26)… the ‘Word of Faith’ movement goes so far as to make us completely equal to God.  That is a lie.  There is only one God (Mk 12:29).  All people have a beginning… but not God (Ps 90:2).

In Jhn 10:34, Jesus tells us that we are offspring of God when He quotes Ps 82:6… and this is a verse that ‘Word of Faith’ preachers like to reference, but that is only one verse taken out of context.  Many other verses clearly state that we are children of God – but certainly not equal to Him.

I was baptized at fourteen.  I wandered away and committed sins for several years.  I came back to God with a truly repentant heart.  I love the Lord with all my heart.  Will He have me, as unworthy a sinner as myself, back?

Sincerely,
On The Right Road

Dear On The Right Road,

Before you ask the question, “Am I still saved?” – let’s take the time to make sure you properly sought God’s forgiveness the first time.  We highly recommend you read “What Must I Do To Be Saved” and thoroughly examine whether you properly obeyed God the first time around.  If you did – WONDERFUL!  If you didn’t… now is the time to do things right.

That being said, let’s address God’s willingness to forgive.  God says that He finds more joy in one sinner returning to Him than in ninety-nine who don’t need to repent (Lk 15:7).  God also says that there should be no limit to forgiveness when someone repents (Lk 17:4).  When we turn back to God, He promises to show us mercy and to remember our sins no more (Heb 8:12).  It is very normal for us to still feel guilt when we dwell upon our previous lives of rebellion against God, but we can’t let that guilt consume us.  God forgives us; therefore, we can turn that guilt into gratitude (Rom 6:17).  If you repent, He is ready to forgive.

My significant other wronged me in a way that is hard to forgive.  He was truly sorry for it, and I said that I had forgiven him (many times), however, I’m having trouble forgetting it, and I get the feeling that since I have not forgotten it, maybe I never really forgave him for it… even though I really want to.  I try to forgive him, and I cannot no matter how hard I try.  I still have nightmares and start to remember what I am supposed to have forgotten.  The nightmares affect how I act toward him in the morning, and I feel terrible about it, but I don’t know how to forget.  What can I do?

Sincerely,
In A Nightmare

Dear In A Nightmare,

If forgiveness were easy then God wouldn’t have had to command us to do it.  Forgiveness is a process that gets more difficult the deeper the wrong done against us.  Forgiveness is an act of showing love and mercy where it isn’t deserved or earned.  God forgives from the greatness of His love (Num 14:19), and forgiving others is part of showing love.  When you think of forgiving your husband (we are assuming that is what you meant by “significant other”) as an act of love, that change of thinking can sometimes make it easier.

It can also help to think about what God has done on your behalf.  When we remember that God forgives our sins, it softens our hearts to remember to forgive others (Matt 6:12-15).  Forgiveness is a heartfelt decision (Matt 18:35) that can take time, but it is ultimately worth it.  If you can’t forgive, you will become bitter… and that is a road that you don’t want to travel down (Heb. 12:15).  Persevere and don’t let your husband’s poor choice poison your spiritual growth.

What does the Bible say regarding pre-nuptial agreements?  Neither my fiancée or I have ever been married; however, she has inherited a modest-to-fair sum of money, and therefore, has more net worth than I.  Shouldn't my word be enough, that if our marriage ends in divorce, I would not go after her money she inherited before our marriage?  Aren't vows "just words" then, too?  Seems to me that this is starting out the marriage with a lack of trust.

Sincerely,
Not A Gold-Digger

Dear Not A Gold-Digger,

When Jesus was asked about how to divide finances, He responded by saying that He didn’t come to judge money issues (Lk 12:13-14).  In short, the Bible doesn’t say anything about pre-nuptial agreements, but it does deal with the spiritual aspects of marriage.  Regardless of whether there is or isn’t a pre-nup, you both need to be aware that God designed marriage to be for a lifetime (Rom 7:1-3).  You both need to make sure that you are in total agreement that the marriage vows are until ‘death do you part’.

This is the hardest thing I have ever admitted.  I am a christian, and have been raised in a christian household, but I have been dealing with a sin that I’m scared could ruin my relationship with God.  I have watched pornography for a long time.  I have prayed for forgiveness many times and for strength, but I always fall back into this extremely painful sin.  I want to stop and be forgiven but I’m afraid I’ll fall again since it has happened many times.  I’m so scared God will not forgive me, but I truly am sorry.  I know the Bible says God will always forgive, but I keep doing this terrible sin.  I hate what I have become, and I’m very scared.  I guess I’m just asking for some advice and begging for you to help.  Please pray for me.

Sincerely,
Ashamed

Dear Ashamed,

This sin is deeply entrenched in your life, and you need permanent repentance.  We are told that a powerful tool in defeating sin is confessing our sins to one another (Jas 5:16).  Sin likes to be kept secret (Jhn 3:20), and bringing it to light by making it public goes a long way in defeating habitual sin.  A very popular way of getting this sort of accountability is by using accountability software that forwards your browsing history to a friend or trusted individual.  Companies like CovenantEyes make accountability software, and many struggling pornography addicts have found it to make a huge difference.  If you want to defeat sin, you must expose it.  Confess your sin to others, and you will begin to see change.  It is time to get serious about removing this sin.  You know you are serious about defeating sin when you are willing to expose it at all costs.