Should you shoot somebody in self-defense?

Sincerely,
Trigger Unhappy

Dear Trigger Unhappy,

When the Bible commands us to not kill, the word used for ‘kill’ is the word that we would use for ‘murder’.  Some of the most faithful men in the Bible were soldiers and had to kill people in the defense of their country.  David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14), and yet David killed many people as a soldier.  Jesus marveled at the faith of a centurion soldier (Matt 8:8-10).  The first Gentile convert was Cornelius, a well-known Roman soldier (Acts 10:22).  When a group of soldiers asked John the Baptist what they needed to do to live a faithful life, he told them to be honest and faithful… but he never told them to stop serving in the military (Lk 3:14).  These are all examples of the difference between murder and self-defense (or war-time killing).

In the Old Testament, God made specific rules that allowed an individual to kill if they were defending their home or family (Ex 22:2).  In Lk 22:35-39, Jesus tells His disciples that persecution will begin after He leaves and that they ought to “buy a sword” – this is certainly an endorsement of self-defense.  All of these point to the fact that God distinguishes between defensive force and vigilante murder.

Did God create Jesus?

Sincerely,
In The Beginning

Dear In The Beginning,

Jesus is God.  Jhn 1:1-3 and Jhn 1:14 say that Jesus is God.  Col 1:15-17 says that all things were created by Jesus… which means Jesus wasn’t created. We often say that there is only one God… but technically, that is not accurate.  There are three Gods in the Godhead, and They all work together in perfect unity.  Jesus is God (Matt 28:9), the Father is God (2 Thess 1:2), and the Holy Spirit is God (Gen 1:2).  The word ‘God’ just means ‘deity’.  Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are all deity.  They function with complete unity (Jhn 10:30), but They are separate Beings.

What’s your view on abortion?  And what stance should the church take?

Sincerely,
Looking For Answers

Dear Looking For Answers,

Abortion is a sin, and churches that support abortion are wrong.  Children are already alive in the womb.  John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb (Lk 1:41).  God specifically said that John was a child dedicated to Him from before birth (Lk. 1:15).  Ps 139:13-16 makes a clear statement about life within the womb of a mother.  Unborn children are credited as living, feeling humans, and therefore, deserve just as much protection as any other human life.  The abortion movement is a movement that seeks to deny rights to a silent and innocent segment of human society.  Abortion is murder (1 Pet. 4:15).  Any preacher or religious leader that promotes abortion is promoting murder.

Hello.  I've prayed to God on this subject many times, but I do not seem to get a clear answer either way.  I'm hoping you can help.  What do you think is God's view on embryo adoption?  Many infertile couples undergo IVF treatments, and as a result, many surplus embryos are left over.  These are either frozen indefinitely, destroyed, or used for scientific research.

We are unable to have children of our own and would dearly love to adopt one of these embryos which would otherwise never be given the chance of life.

Do you think it is morally wrong to bring a child into the world this way?

Surely it's better for them to have a life and be loved and cherished rather than just destroyed.  Okay, we may not be the biological parents, but we would love them with the same intensity.  I know it's an unusual question, but I'd appreciate any guidance on this matter.

Sincerely,
Maternal Instinct

Dear Maternal Instinct,

What a wonderful heart for children that you and your husband have!  Very few people realize that there are tens of thousands of fertilized embryos that exist in America and are being stored because of in-vitro fertilization procedures.  This poses a huge ethical dilemma.  Since the Bible never tells us when a human life begins, it is impossible to simply treat fertilized embryos as waste.  As far as we know, life begins at conception (this is the same argument used against abortion – read “A Voice For The Voiceless” for further details), and that would include these embryos.  So what is to be done?  Embryo adoption is becoming an increasingly popular option for couples that are seeking to have children and also feel morally compelled to save these children.  Adoption is a wonderful option.

The Bible is very pro-adoption.  In fact, the greatest adoption story in history is the church.  Jesus died, so God could adopt us as His children (Eph 1:4-5, Rom 8:15).  What a wonderful legacy of love that you can provide your children with.  Your children will always know that they were loved from the earliest stages of life and that their parents chose life.

I've found if I pray in bed that I always fall asleep mid-prayer, so much so that I can use prayer to relax myself to sleep if I'm having trouble drifting off.  My question is this; is it disrespectful to God to use prayer to fall asleep, or is having God be the last thought of my day better than anything else I could be thinking about to distract myself to sleep?

Sincerely,
Talking In My Sleep

Dear Talking In My Sleep,

This is one of those questions that is left up to each person’s individual wisdom and conscience.  You have already vocalized both arguments.  On one side, it could be viewed as disrespectful that you are always falling asleep mid-conversation with the Lord… after all, it is no different than if you were talking to a person late at night.  If anything, it is even more important that you show proper respect and reverence because He is more than a person – He is our Lord and Master (Heb 12:28).

On the other hand, an equally valid argument could be made that you fall asleep because of the closeness of the relationship and the peace that comes from being near your Father.  After all, we are told that prayer and joy are closely knit together (Ps 1:5-7), and we are also told that prayer helps to alleviate suffering (Jas 5:13).

In short, you must examine yourself and decide which category your behavior fits into.