All right.  Lucifer and his lot rebelled against God (this rebellion clearly showing free will) and were shown no mercy, no forgiveness, and every one of them was thrown into Hell.  Billions of humans rebel against God daily; thousands of us claim to be God, and yet He forgives us as easy as breathing. Why?

Sincerely,
Feeling Privileged

Dear Feeling Privileged,

You are referring to 2 Pet 2:4 where it states, “For if God spared not angels when they sinned”.  That verse really is all we know about the great epic angelic battle fought in the heavens.  We have a few glimpses of the battle between Satan and Michael the archangel (Jude 1:9) – but nothing to ever clarify the details of how God is handling the angels or what, if any, opportunities they had to repent.  Truth be told, we know so little about how angels work and what their relationship is with God that we cannot make any judgments about how God has dealt with the rebellious angelic host.  It would be akin to deciding who was right in an argument when you didn’t even know what it was they were arguing about!  Proverbs says that making hasty judgments in disputes we don’t understand isn’t a good idea (Pr 26:17).  In this situation, we must simply say, “The secret things belong to God” (Deu 29:29).

5 minutes a day
5 days a week
1 New Testament in a year

There are 261 weekdays in a year, and there are 260 chapters in the New Testament. By reading one chapter, Monday through Friday, you will read the whole New Testament by the end of the year. The Daily Cup series is to help with that goal.

Happy Studying!

"The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup." -- Psalm 16:5

Click here for a pdf of the study schedule - CLICK HERE

5 minutes a day
5 days a week
1 New Testament in a year

There are 261 weekdays in a year, and there are 260 chapters in the New Testament. By reading one chapter, Monday through Friday, you will read the whole New Testament by the end of the year. The Daily Cup series is to help with that goal.

Happy Studying!

"The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup." -- Psalm 16:5

Click here for a pdf of the study schedule - CLICK HERE

     If a denomination is not "the church" that Christ built, then can it just be viewed as another human organization?  I mean, if they are selling something, can I buy it?  If they have a pre-school, can I send my kids there?  If they host a basketball league, can I play ball?  Thanks!

Sincerely,
Consumer Awareness

Dear Consumer Awareness,

This is an issue that brethren are squarely divided over (and for good reason); it is a tricky question.  One point of view is exactly as you expressed – these churches aren’t the Lord’s church and are just like any other human organization.

On the other hand, the thought is that we don’t want to support false teachers.  The Bible is clear that false teachers shouldn’t be supported – we shouldn’t even give them a greeting (2 Jn 1:10).  The issue is very similar to the issue of eating meat sacrificed in an idol’s temple that Paul discusses in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8.  We must all obey our conscience in such matters and be careful to not be judgmental of others’ choices.

Hi.  Is it possible for a couple with different religions to have a sound relationship?  And is this against God?  I really love my boyfriend, but he doesn't really have a strong faith in God, if he even believes in God.  Part of me feels like I should leave him, but the other part wants to stay.  What do I do?  Hope this doesn't sound too ridiculous.

Sincerely,
Confused In Love

Dear Confused In Love,

Our religious views dictate how we live our lives.  One’s belief in God (or lack of belief) effects their ethics, how they manage finances, how they raise children, how they treat their spouse, how much effort they will put into marriage (and when they will feel justified in getting a divorce), and a plethora of other aspects in life.  In short, your religious views guide the very essence of who you are.

God designed christians to only marry other people who are “in the Lord” (1 Cor 7:39).  A marriage to an unbeliever leaves you unequally yoked because you won’t be building your marriage off of equal vows (2 Cor 6:14).  You will make your vows before God, and he will merely make his vows before man.  We could never, ever recommend that a christian marry an unbeliever… it would simply set you up for heartache and failure.