What is the “accursed thing” in Jericho that God told Joshua about in Josh 6:18?

Sincerely,
Curious

Dear Curious,

The accursed thing was the spoils of war that typically would have been plundered after looting Jericho, but in this case, they were to be burned or devoted to the Lord.  God was very specific that the Israelites were not supposed to keep any of Jericho’s valuables for themselves and that the entire city’s goods were devoted to the Lord (Josh 6:17).  The accursed thing (some versions say “the devoted thing”) in Josh 6:18 refers to the commandment to not keep any of the goods for themselves.  In Josh 7:1, we see that Achan disobeyed that command, and when it was found out, he was stoned for his disobedience (Josh 7:24-26).

     God bless you, brethren.  My question today is how important is it to have a clear conscience?  I have the tendency to be a critic, especially of myself.  Even when I do something right. I often replay it in my head and feel like I could've done it better.  I find it hard to be satisfied and pleased with the amount of love I show people, the sharing of the gospel (or lack thereof), my thoughts, my devotional life, the amount of time I spend in prayer and in the Word, etc….

Sincerely,
Critical Thinker

Dear Critical Thinker,

There is a difference between being dissatisfied with past choices and having conscience problems.  The word ‘conscience’ refers to that part of your mind that prompts you to do what you think is good and condemns you for doing what you think is bad.  Paul said that he had a clear conscience… even though he had attempted to kill Christians (Acts 23:1).  The reason Paul could have a clean conscience after doing such reprehensible things is because when Paul did it, he did it in ignorance (1 Tim 1:13).  As soon as Paul realized that he was sinning, he changed.

This is exactly what you are describing in your life.  You try your best, and when your conscience prompts you – you act.  Sure, there are mistakes made along the way, and in reflection, you could do better, but that is true of all of us.  The key is that you are listening to your conscience and keeping a soft heart that is open to the Lord’s teachings (1 Tim 1:5).

Do people go to heaven or hell as soon as they die, or are they in the grave until Jesus returns?

Sincerely,
Six Feet Under?

Dear Six Feet Under,

When a Christian dies, they go immediately to Paradise and await the day of Judgment, the day when our eternal heaven is created.  Jesus said that angels immediately carry faithful souls off to Paradise (Lk 16:22, Lk 23:43), and the wicked are immediately sent to torments (Lk 16:23).  Both Paradise and torments are part of Hades (‘Hades’ means ‘the unseen place’).  When you die, your spirit is separated from your body and goes to Hades (Jas 2:26).  On the Day of Judgment, all the souls will be emptied out of Hades (1 Thess 4:14), and all the bodies will be removed from the graves (1 Thess 4:16).  On that great Day of Judgment, every soul shall be judged (Heb 9:27).

    Is it okay for a Christian to file for bankruptcy?  Wouldn't that be basically the same thing as lying since you've signed legal documents promising to make payments for the life of the loan?  I know of someone who rationalized "letting the bank have the house" even though the house is worth a lot less now.  What does the Bible say about this?

Sincerely,
Money Management

Dear Money Management,

Bankruptcy is never “okay”, but there are mixed reviews on whether or not it is a sin.  Bankruptcy always involves pain and suffering, and regardless of whether it is a sin, filing for bankruptcy is never an easy road.

Some folks point to verses that talk about keeping your word (Matt 5:37) and being a faithful steward (1 Cor 4:2) as prohibitions against bankruptcy.  Probably the strongest condemnation can be found in Ps 37:21.  There can be no doubt that God desires us to pay our debts and to hold ourselves accountable for the management of what resources He gives us.  However, that isn’t the only side of the story.

What about when the debt is too large to ever repay?  The Bible clearly talks about such circumstances – our debt of sin being the greatest example.  Verses like Lk 7:40-42 and Matt 6:12 emphasize the value of forgiving debts and helping those who are in a financial bind.

So, what we are left with are two Bible principles.  Those who are borrowing should be careful to not be reckless or spend lavishly that which they haven’t earned themselves, and they should seek to faithfully and diligently repay their debts because that is what good stewardship is.  And secondly, when there is opportunity for a lender to show mercy to an honestly struggling debtor, that is a blessing as well.

     I understand the limited responsibility of the local church in regard to benevolence.  My concern is this: our preacher has been presenting lessons about how we should be helping out the poor and that the Bible commands it.  The problem is:

1. I'm not exactly rich; in fact, I'm barely making ends meet.  But now I'm feeling sort of guilty after these sermons.
2. If I try to help the needy, how do I do it?  I mean, do I go out and try to find a poor person or give to the guy standing on the corner with a "Please Help Me Feed My Kids" sign?

I am a single woman with no retirement plan, no medical insurance, and a job that is "on call" and lucky if I get in a 32-hour work week.  I know our idea of poverty in this country doesn't come close to real poverty faced in other nations, but I'm feeling pretty strapped right now.  How do I fulfill my Christian responsibility to help the needy like our preacher says we should?

Sincerely,
Times Are Tight

Dear Times Are Tight,

In order to fulfill the command to help the poor, we must have both means and opportunity.  2 Cor 8:12 tells us that God only holds us accountable for what we are physically able to do.  You can’t give millions of dollars to charity if you don’t have millions of dollars to give!  So take comfort; God doesn’t expect you to give beyond your capabilities.

In fact, the story of the widow and the mites in Lk 21:1-4 makes it clear that amount isn’t important to God, but effort is.  As opportunities arise in your life to help those who are in need (needs can be physical, financial, emotional, etc.) – fulfill them.  After all, Jesus said that even a cup of cold water counts when it comes to helping His service (Matt 10:42).