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.

Does God test us?

Sincerely,
Number 2 Pencil

Dear Number 2 Pencil,

God tests our hearts by comparing them to His Word.  1 Thess 2:4 says that God tests the hearts of every human being.  God never tempts us with evil (Jas 1:13), but instead, He compares our hearts and lives to His Word (Ps. 105:19).  God tested to see whether Abraham would obey His Word (Gen 22:1-2), and He tested the nation of Israel’s obedience in the wilderness (Deu 8:2-3).  God tests us so that He might reward us according to the lives we have led (Jer 17:10).  James wrote that trials are tests that produce patience… if we are faithful (Jas 1:2-3).  This whole life is a test to see what kind of people we will be.

Why would you say that angels could aid us, but not the Holy Spirit?  Where are the verses that specifically tell us the Holy Spirit does not act outside of scripture?  Seems like the Holy Spirit doesn't have a role any longer if that is the case, because scripture isn't living, but already written.  Is one third of the Godhead dormant?

Sincerely,
Where Did He Go?

Dear Where Did He Go?,

We here at AYP have never meant to imply that the Holy Spirit wasn’t able to help us – just because the Holy Spirit doesn’t perform visible miracles such as the parting of the Red Sea or the instantaneous healing of the lame, doesn’t mean He isn’t active.  Since the Holy Spirit is God (1 Cor 2:11, Gen 1:2) just as much as Jesus and the Father are, He is capable of being involved in our lives in a variety of ways.  The Holy Spirit’s primary task was to bring the gospel to mankind.  As you mentioned, He is why we have the Bible, and that is how the majority of His impact is made upon mankind.  Here are some examples of things that the Holy Spirit does through the Word:

1. He shows us God’s love for us (Rom 5:5).
2. He teaches us how to be born again (Jhn 3:5).
3. He dwells in our hearts (Rom 8:9) as we allow His words to lead us (Rom 8:14).
4. He bears witness for the saved before men (Rom 8:16).
5. He tells us what is on God’s mind (1 Cor 2:10).

By inspiring the writers of the Bible, testifying of their divine authority by miracles, and preserving their words through all history, the Holy Spirit has made Christ’s sacrifice available to all of mankind.

The Holy Spirit also actively does a few things that don’t directly relate to the Bible.

1. He makes sure our prayers are understood (Rom 8:26).
2. He intercedes for us with God (Rom 8:27).
3. He acts as our guarantee from God of eternal blessings (2 Cor 5:5).  One way to think of this is that God sent Him to be with us- sort of like a downpayment on His promise to spend eternity with us in heaven.
4. He grieves when we sin (Eph 4:30).

There can be no doubt that the Holy Spirit is actively preserving and distributing God’s Word, watching over our lives with providential care, and intimately caring about how you live and where you will spend eternity.

You answered someone who thought they were hearing voices (maybe God's), and you said the Holy Spirit doesn't communicate with us directly since we have the Bible.  Do you think it's possible for our angels to help us, even prompt us to do certain things?

Sincerely,
Buddy System

Dear Buddy System,

The Lord absolutely affects our lives in unseen ways.  Think of Elisha who asked God to open the eyes of his servant so that he could see the myriad of angels that were protecting them (2 Kgs 6:17).  Heb 13:2 says that people have unknowingly entertained angels in their homes.  Providential care from God is unseen… but just as deliberate as miraculous care.  Angels definitely help us (Heb 1:14) and watch over us.  They are sent by God to minister to our needs.

I recently had sex without being married.  Can I be forgiven, and will I still go to heaven?

Sincerely,
Worried

Dear Worried,

Yes, you can be forgiven… but you need to change your lifestyle.  For a christian to be forgiven of a sin, they need to confess their sins (1 Jn 1:8-10) and then repent (Acts 3:19).  ‘Repent’ means ‘to change your mind’.  Part of true repentance is fleeing from future fornication (1 Cor 6:18).  You need to make sure that this single act doesn’t become a lifestyle.  Sincere confession and repentance are all that a christian needs to do to receive forgiveness – however, if you are not yet a christian, you also need to be baptized to receive salvation (1 Pet 3:21, Mk 16:16, Acts 2:38).  If you would like help finding a faithful church to attend where you can start a new life with the hope of heaven, e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will help you locate a group of God-fearing believers in your area.