Should churches remain tax-exempt?

Sincerely,
Politico

Dear Politico,

It certainly is a blessing from God that churches are tax-exempt in the United States, but the Lord’s people will accept whatever circumstances come our way if that ever changes.  Christians have existed in lands that were favorable and ones that weren’t.  In either case, Christ tells us to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Lk 20:22-25).  Christians are commanded to pay their taxes, and therefore, a local church would accept the same responsibility if need be (Rom 13:7).  After all, faithful churches in the U.S. already pay sales tax on consumables that they purchase for their use (from paper towels to copy paper).  Whatever happens, the church will still be doing the Lord’s will and preaching His Bible.

     I have reason to believe that I may be possessed because I get upset/angry at the most unusual times, and even today on Christmas, I got mad at least once.  Is there anything I can do at home (I have NO means of transportation as I am a fourteen-year-old male) to help put the demons to rest?

Sincerely,
Driven

Dear Driven,

You aren’t possessed by demons; you are enslaved to anger – there is a difference.  Demon possession ended not long after the days of Christ.  Jesus made it clear that one of His jobs was to bind the devil and take His strength away by casting out his demons (Matt 12:28-29).  When Jesus’ disciples had come back from their evangelism trips and related to Him that they had cast out many demons, Jesus told them that they were defeating Satan by getting rid of Satan’s demonic minions (Lk 10:17-18).  When Jesus and His disciples cast out demons, they did it permanently (Lk 8:30-33) and bound Satan by their acts.  We no longer have to deal with such overt attacks by the devil because he has been bound by Christ’s sacrifice (Rev. 20:2).

The way to deal with anger is to choose self-control, which can be very difficult, especially in our teenage years.  Jas 1:19 says that one of the best cures for anger is to slow down and listen first.  If we are swift to hear and slow to speak, anger tends to subside because of understanding.  God gave us each two ears and only one mouth for a reason.  Focus on listening to others and trying to understand their perspectives before allowing anger to control you.

     Once you give your life to Jesus Christ, and your name is in the Book of Life, all your sins are washed away.  Does this mean we do not have Judgment Day since our sins are forgiven?

Sincerely,
Skip The Sentencing?

Dear Skip The Sentencing,

Several verses refer to the saints not being judged, but this doesn’t mean they won’t be at the judgment.  Jhn 3:18 and Lk 6:37 clearly state that Christians will not be judged.  In this context, ‘not judged’ means they won’t be condemned… but we will all face the judgment bar of God.  God is judge of all mankind (Heb 12:23), so everyone will be brought before Him for judgment (Eccl 3:17).  When you die, God will judge you (Heb 9:27).  When the Scriptures say that Christians won’t be judged, it is referring to the painful part of judgment – the punishment. Christians will be spared the punishment that all the wicked must endure (2 Pet 2:9).

     Are God and Jesus the same person or two separate people?

Sincerely,
Double Take

Dear Double Take,

The Father and Jesus aren’t the same.  They are both deity, but they are also unique beings.  There are three parts to the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  This is most easily seen in Matt 3:16-17.  When Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke from heaven, and the Holy Spirit descended as a dove.  Each of them is eternal (they were all at the creation – Gen. 1:1, Gen. 1:2, Col 1:15-17).  John 1:1 specifically says that Jesus is Deity.  Jesus is different than the Father, but He is part of the Godhead.  Jesus even said that He had always existed (Jhn 8:58).  The apostles worshipped Jesus as God (Jhn 20:28)

      Am I bad because I do not like someone?

Sincerely,
Unfriendly

Dear Unfriendly,

There are lots of reasons to not like people – some good, some bad.  If you don’t like someone because they are wicked or making sinful choices, those are legitimate reasons (1 Cor 15:33).  If the reason is based upon jealousy, bitterness, or vengeance… that is another story (Jas 3:14).  You have to examine your motives and decide why you feel the way you do.

Regardless of your relationship with the person, you should still treat them with love and respect.  The Bible teaches us to love even our enemies (Matt 5:44).