My parents are great christians.  I've been raised in a happy home.  I'm not a christian yet.  How do I figure out if this sort of a commitment is right for me?  The thought of breaking my parents' hearts is almost too much to bear, but I need to be able to make this my own.  I feel like I should already have made this decision; I'm not a kid anymore.  What part of the Bible can I read, so that everything clicks?

Sincerely,
Under My Own Burden

Dear Under My Own Burden,

You know the commitment is right for you if you are unable to live with the consequences of not making the commitment to God.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pr 1:7).  We often forget that not choosing to become a christian is a choice, too.  We either serve God, or we serve something else; we cannot have two masters (Matt 6:24).  The consequence of obeying God’s Word is salvation and life (Rom 1:16).  The consequence of not serving God is death (Rom 6:23).

There is no magic trick or single verse that makes Christianity “click” for us.  Commitment happens when we weigh the benefits of Christ against the “benefits” of serving ourselves.  After you have counted the cost (Lk 14:28) of service and the cost of not serving, you can make your decision.  Just remember, indecision eventually becomes a decision as well.  Lukewarm is as bad, if not worse, than outright disobedience (Rev 3:16).  We will all eventually die and face the judgment (Heb 9:27).  Will you have lived and prepared for that day?

I was wondering, do the people that hurt you, lie to you, cheat on you ever hurt themselves?  I was in a relationship, and I really loved this person, and he really hurt me.  He played on my emotions and just destroyed my hope of falling in love again.  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Hurt To The Heart

Dear Hurt To The Heart,

Your situation, though vague, provides a real-life example of how sin hurts others.  When we live ungodly lives, we harm those around us.  One sinner will destroy much good (Eccl 9:18), but will that sinner suffer for their wrongdoing?

The answer is ‘yes’.  God tells us that we reap what we sow (Gal 6:7-8).  When we live selfish lives, we suffer the bitterness of those lifestyles.  God is not mocked, and vengeance belongs to Him (Rom 12:19).  Evil people will suffer eternally for their choices (Lk 16:25).  When we live sinful lives, we hurt no one more than ourselves.

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Is it just me, or is this (Best-Selling Bible May Get Gender Update – NYDailyNews) just plain ridiculous?  I hope I'm not the only one offended by people trying to inject political correctness into God's word.

Sincerely,
He, She, & It

Dear He, She, & It,

We have written before on the problems that can be found in the NIV version (read “New International Version” for more details).  Whenever translators begin to use their authority and position to alter God’s Word, there is a problem.  Changing the pronouns within the Scriptures to be more gender neutral is not a translation issue; it is a personal agenda.

We live in a world that is increasingly politically correct, even to the point of being ludicrous.  Unfortunately, this is another example of people using the translation of God’s Word as an opportunity to further their individual attitudes.  This is one more symptom that occurs when we are wise in our own eyes (Isa 5:21).

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