When is all the misery going to go away?

Sincerely,
In Anguish

Dear In Anguish,

When we get home.  Some questions that we receive here at AYP really do break our hearts – perhaps none more than this one.  Suffering is one of the most poignant experiences of human existence, and all the great men and women of the Bible faced it.  David said that his bed swam with tears many nights (Ps 6:6-7).  He also said that his sorrow was continually before him (Ps 38:17).  Isa 53:3 calls Jesus the “Man of Sorrows”.  Suffering is a constant reminder that this world is not our home and that our spirits will someday rise upward to meet our God (Eccl 3:19-21).  All of God’s faithful are strangers and pilgrims on this planet (Heb 11:13).

We cannot imagine what you are going through; you alone know your heart’s grief (Pr 14:10).  There is hope.  Trials can make us stronger if we reach out to the Lord (Rom 5:3-5).  If there is anything we can do, or if we can put you in contact with a faithful congregation that could buoy you up and prepare you for heaven, please e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

Hello!  So I have a very strange question to ask.  You see, as a child, I tended to over do things, and well, not think ahead, although, I like to think I'm still young.  So, one night, while praying, and this was after learning about giving up things for the Lord, I promised something along the lines of being like the Virgin Mary and never getting involved in sexual acts.  Ever.  Now, I fully plan on waiting ‘til marriage.  That's not an option for me to not wait.  But my question is, what should I do?  I made this promise to the Lord, but I did not remotely know what I was promising.  I believe I was only eight or nine.  Should I keep it or trust in the Lord that He understands?

I have been wondering about this for a very long time, and any advice and guidance will be very welcome!  Thank you so much, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Sincerely,
Waiting

Dear Waiting,

Children make promises all the time that they are not legally bound to because... they are children.  God says that children have foolishness bound up in their hearts (Pr 22:15).  Eccl 5:4-5 makes it clear that a vow is a very sacred and binding thing, but that verse applies to adults.  Children are still under the authority of their parents (Eph 6:1) until they reach adulthood.  They don't have the authority to make such grave and long-term commitments as you did.  If an eight or nine-year-old vowed to give all of their money for the next fifty years to the poor... the parents' will and wisdom would supersede that charitable, innocent, and foolish promise.  Your situation is the same.  In Num 30:1-5, we see that in the Old Testament, God specifically said that children didn't have the power to make and keep vows that their parents disagreed with.  We here at AYP are pretty sure that this would count as one of those kinds of vows.

What is the difference between the soul and spirit?  I am assuming that the soul encompasses the whole body and is not in the mind somewhere.  If your feelings are emotions, can this be your soul or spirit?  I do not understand the difference between these two words and if they have an invisible place in the body.

Sincerely,
Soul Searching

Dear Soul Searching,

The words ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ are used interchangeably in almost every circumstance.  There is only one verse that points to the fact that there is a difference between your soul and your spirit.  In Heb 4:12, it says that the Bible can pierce even to the divide between soul and spirit.  Apparently, there is a difference between your spirit and your soul… but we have absolutely no idea what that difference is.  As we said, in every other verse, those two terms are used as synonyms.  We could theorize for hours on the topic, but anything we said would simply be conjecture.  As far as we can tell from Scripture, both terms are used to talk about that ungraspable spark of life (where? – we have no idea) in every human that exists even after death.

What does it mean to be a high-maintenance believer?  I need help with understanding all this.  I just read about falling away from God in Heb 5:12-13.  Could I be spiritually dry/dull?  Help… thanks.

Sincerely,
Running On Premium

Dear Running On Premium,

Every believer is high-maintenance (it took the blood of God’s Son to save us… we’re pretty sure that counts as being high-maintenance)… but falling away from the faith goes beyond maintenance – it means someone is once again lost and dead in their sins.  Heb 6:4-6 says that those who continue to live sinful lifestyles (or return to sinful lifestyles) after receiving salvation, re-crucify Christ.  Heb 6:7-8 goes on to state that christians are supposed to take the blessings of salvation and change their lives for the better.  God sent His Son, so we could be free from sin, not revel in it (Rom 6:1-2).  We should present our lives and bodies as instruments of righteousness and service to God (Rom 6:11-13).  Heb 5:12-13 makes it clear that we should press forward and grow from being babes in Christ to full-grown and mature adult christians.

Is it okay for Christians to purchase lottery tickets?

Sincerely,
Pick Of The Litter

Dear Pick Of The Litter,

The Bible never specifically mentions the lottery as a sin, but it doesn’t have to be specifically mentioned to be wrong.  There are a great many things surrounding gambling that are sinful.  Consider that:

1. Gambling focuses around money and greed.  God warns us clearly about being fixated with money (1 Tim 6:10, Heb 13:5).  God wants us to be satisfied with our income (Eccl 5:10).  Contentment is a major component of spiritual maturity (1 Tim 6:6).
2. Gambling is used as a means to gain money without working for it.  God finds pleasure in people working for their livelihood (2 Thess 3:10-12, Pr 10:4).
3. Gambling wastes money because, ultimately, the house does always win.  God expects us to be good stewards (1 Cor 4:2) and save for the future (Pr 6:6-8).
4. Gambling and the places where gambling occurs are often associated with other sinful things.  There is a reason Las Vegas is called “Sin City”.  That industry is not one that a christian should be supporting (2 Cor 6:16-17).
5. Gambling is addictive.  We can only have one master (Lk 16:13).