Answers to your questions about life, religion and the Bible
Pastors get some of the most interesting questions. Here are a couple that I have gotten recently via email for this column.
Dear Father Paul: I often read about and hear TV ministers talk about something they call a “Biblical World View.” What is a Biblical World View? — J. B.
Dear J. B.: The concept of a Biblical World View has to do with the answer to a very important question: Is there such a thing as ultimate/absolute truth? And if the answer is “yes,” where do I find this ultimate truth, and am I then obligated to follow and abide by it?
People who subscribe to a Biblical World View (I am one) believe that there is, indeed, such a thing as ultimate/absolute truth, and that we must live our lives consistently according to this truth. They believe that all truth rests in the Lord God Almighty. They believe further that God’s truth for mankind is revealed in the 66 books of the Holy Bible and that the Bible contains all that is necessary for mankind to live a blessed life when that life is lived based on God’s truth. People who espouse a Biblical World View are called Christians, and there are 1.5 billion of them today on planet earth.
But there are also millions and millions of people today, especially in the West, who believe and live according to the notion that, “there is no such thing as ultimate/absolute truth.” These are people who declare that, “everything is relative, or, “it depends.” They basically operate according to their “feelings,” i.e., “If it feels good to you, or you think its OK, then do it. If it doesn’t feel good to you, then don’t do it.” To these people there are few hard and fast “rules” except the laws of our secular governments. Usually such people do not deny the existence of God, they may even go to church. They simply consider themselves “their own god,” free to do as they themselves please. If they agree with what God says, then fine, but if not, they go with how they “feel.” Such people are called “secular relativists,” or sometimes “secular humanists,” and they do not have a Biblical World View. It should be noted again that even “Christians” sometimes act like relativists.
So how does one know which “camp” he is in? In my view the greatest differences in these two groups of people here in America will be revealed next week on election day. Think about it. People with truly a Biblical World View will pray and try very hard to hear from God about who they should vote for and then vote for the candidate whose platform lines up solidly with God’s truths as found in the Bible; while relativists will vote for the candidate who tickles their fancy, says what they want to hear or makes them feel good, regardless of what God might say in the Bible. Here’s how next week’s vote will likely divide out: Those with a Biblical World View will most likely vote for the candidate(s) who oppose abortion on demand, as well as same-sex marriage, while (if the polls can be believed) most relativists will likely vote for the candidate(s) who favor these two issues.
Why do I say this? Because these are the two greatest moral issues of the day and the Bible (God) very clearly speaks about both. He is forcing people on this one day to choose between truth and lies. See Proverbs 6:17 and I Corinthians 6:9-11.
Dear Father Paul: Should a minister perform or refuse to perform a marriage ceremony for a couple who he believes either are not ready for marriage, do not take the marriage vows seriously or who are already living together.? — Paul
Dear Paul: He should (kindly and lovingly) refuse until the couple undergo fairly extensive pre-marital Christian counseling, either by himself or another minister/counselor, whom he trusts. In addition, the couple should be helped to repent of any sexual sins resulting from their living together and then should maintain separate residences for at least six months before the ceremony.
You should understand, however, that many, many couples today are “secular relativists” as I describe above, and will simply find a “secular relativist” minister to perform the ceremony.
Do you have a question? Write it to me at paulmassey@earthlink.net and I will try to answer it in the paper.
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Father Paul Massey is pastor of Church of the Holy Cross in Fayetteville, Georgia. Church of the Holy Cross is a Spirit-filled, evangelical, sacramental church where Jesus Is Lord. You are cordially invited to worship with us this coming Sunday. Information on the church, service times, directions and pod-casts of Father Paul’s Sunday messages are at our web site www.holycross church.wordpress.com
