I had asked you a few months ago, basically, how many times someone can ask for forgiveness.

Well, now I am asking you a different question.

I got diagnosed this year with cancer.  They also think there might be a tumor in my brain (which they are currently diagnosing).  Sometimes, when I allow myself to feel, I feel like I can't seem to keep things together.  I am at a loss.  I am not scared to die, but I am scared of dying without completing my purpose.  I am so scared of dying without feeling like I helped others or have done something with my life.

On one side, I am grateful to have a timeline and to have time to somehow do the most I can with it.  On the other side, I am still going through the processes of grief (denial, anger, depression, etc.).  Some days it seems like I'm fine, and other days I just want to break down and cry.

I am so grateful for the time to appreciate my loved ones and life and very, very appreciative of the time to further my spiritual belief… while at other times, I feel lost.  I feel completely alone.  I cannot burden those around me with my thoughts and feelings.  The only thing that's kept me alive through all my suffering has been the thought that I had this great purpose, this life-changing purpose.  And to be told that I will die soon, I feel as though I fooled myself.  I never achieved anything, only failed.  I feel like a complete failure.  I know God hasn't deserted me, but yet, I feel like I have failed.  I have failed in everything, and now I am dying.  It's my worst fear, to die without a purpose.  Please help me.  I have no one else.  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Near The End

Dear Near The End,

The apostle Paul once said that God sets the seasons of our lives and the boundaries of our habitation on this planet (Acts 17:26).  Life is finite for all of us, but when we read of struggles like yours, it makes that knowledge fresh again.  Thank you for having the courage to share your heartache and struggles with us.

Nobody is perfect, and it isn’t fair to measure your life by your failures… that isn’t how God does it.  Jesus was impressed by great faith, not perfect faith (Lk 7:9).  Jesus marveled at the humility of the woman that had the courage to reach out for help (Matt 15:25-28)… it wasn’t her perfect life; it was her humble plea for help that caught His attention.

Your purpose in life may not be what you thought it was, but God has a way of using us to do His work in the most unexpected ways (Esther is a good example of this – Esther 4:14).  This sickness may allow you to learn things and touch lives in ways you never imagined… you’ve certainly touched ours.  Be faithful, and the Lord will use you.  A life lived for the Lord, no matter how long, is never wasted.  You are in our thoughts and prayers.

     This is my question: my mother and father are very bad people; they use people and hurt people.  They abused us until we were old enough to get away.  Now that we have moved away, we want nothing to do with them at all.  We don’t hate them and have forgiven them in our hearts, but my father gets our number every now and then and tells us that we are ugly souls because we won't let him and my mother back into our lives and that we need to talk to a preacher and ask for forgiveness.  He said that if we really forgave him, we would let him back around us.  My father has come into our house; the last time he was here, he wrecked it by dumping trash everywhere and punching holes in the wall all because he was having a bad day, and my mother has stolen from us on many occasions (one time in the amount of $1,500).  My mother and father have never apologized for any of this and continue to behave in this manner; this is why we choose to have nothing to do with them.  Are we in the wrong?  Should we let them come around again?

Sincerely,
Bruised Kid

Dear Bruised Kid,

Showing forgiveness is not the same as trusting someone.  You have every right to set boundaries in your life if someone is corrupting you with their bad company (1 Cor 15:33).  If you have respectfully tried to show your parents the boundaries (and it sounds like you have), there comes a time when you must put your immediate family before your extended family.  You have a responsibility to your parents, but you have a greater responsibility to your work out your own salvation (Php 2:12).  It is unfortunate that you are in this situation, but Christ even said that sometimes Christian morality will divide families (Matt 10:34-35).  We cannot tell you exactly what lines to draw (that is a matter of wisdom, not doctrine), but you are perfectly scriptural in setting boundaries if they aren’t trustworthy or good influences.

     There are people out there who believe that the Illuminati still exist today. They believe that the entertainment industry is a part of it and that those who expose the entertainment industry of their partaking of the activity of the Illuminati is true.  I've shown someone your article entitled, "Naughty, Naughty Illuminati".  They refused to believe it, saying that you're wrong.  Are there any Scriptures that show how this conspiracy theory is false?  How about Scriptures on idolatry, sexual immorality, and what God will do to those who condone these things and partake in them?

Sincerely,
Not Entertained

Dear Not Entertained,

There isn’t any specific Bible verse that addresses the Illuminati because whether they do or don’t exist doesn’t change anything from a Bible standpoint.  The Bible tells us how to live (2 Pet 1:3), and then any secret society, idolatrous influences, etc. become irrelevant.

For verses that deal with sexual immorality and idolatry, we recommend that you show your friend 1 Cor 6:18, Gal 5:19-22, and Rev 21:8… those should get the point across.

Hi there.  I stumbled here from Google while researching some Bible history.  I'm really trying to make sense of some ideas and background of the Bible.  My main question is: why are texts such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Apocrypha of John, and the Gospel of Phillip not included in the Bible?

Thanks for making this site, and I hope to hear back from you!

Sincerely,
Bible Student

Dear Bible Student,

The books that you referred to are called ‘apocryphal’ books. An apocryphal book (‘apocrypha’ means hidden) is a book that was rejected from the Bible because it was considered inauthentic. These books are not written by God and never were accepted by God’s people as divinely inspired – most of them were written hundreds of years later.  They were forgeries created by false teachers and charlatans of the day (religious corruption isn’t a new thing!).

The most famous historical document that includes the entire list of all the New Testament books was written at the Nicene Council in 325 AD.  The Nicene Council did write down a list of the New Testament books, but they didn’t create that list – they just reiterated what people had already known and accepted for a couple hundred years.  Within fifty years of its books being written, most of the canon of the New Testament was universally settled.  Most of the New Testament books were written as letters to different congregations that personally knew the apostles and prophets that wrote the letters. Paul would even mention his penmanship as being distinctive (Gal 6:11). Those churches were able to tell the difference between a letter that was actually written by an apostle and one that was a forgery. The church of the first century collected, copied, and distributed these letters just as God intended (Col 4:16, 1 Thess. 5:27).  God made sure that His Word was properly preserved and established.

     How many times is the word ‘love’ used in the Bible?

Sincerely,
I Heart Words

Dear I Heart Words,

The Greek language (the language of the New Testament) has several words that fit the English description of ‘love’:

1. ‘Philos’ is the word for friendly love, companionship, and loyalty.  This is the type of love shared between friends, comrades, and family. The verb ‘Philos’ is used 25 times in the New Testament.
2. ‘Eros’ is the word for passion and romantic love.  This is the type of love that is used to describe sensual attraction or longing. This word is never used in the New Testament.
3. ‘Agape’ is the word used for honored love.  This type of love is sacrificial and places the person or object in a position of honor.  Agape love does what is in the best interest of the other person.  ‘Agape’ is used 142 times in the New Testament.
4. ‘Storge’ is used of family love.  The love between brothers, sisters, parents, children, and close relatives.  This word is used once in the New Testament.