The bottom line is that Jesus had to go to the cross and shed UNBLEMISHED blood, sinless blood, as payment for mankind's sins. Laying aside his humanness would have been sin and would have made his later sacrifice on the cross meaningless. Basically, we would have been without hope.

Jesus was tempted so we know that it is NOT a "sin" just for us to be tempted. The sin comes when we succumb, when we allow the temptation to take up residence, to set up housekeeping in us. A wonderful and encouraging scripture is in I Corinthians 10:13. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Dear Father Paul: What is the book of Revelation about? I am having a fairly hard time understanding it.- John, Fayetteville.

Dear John: Revelation is the last book in the Bible and�while in can be read and understood by anyone, in my opinion, it would be better undertaken after the reader has spent serious time and study in the rest of the Bible. There are many books and commentaries available also that will help you in your study of Revelation.

Revelation is largely "prophetic" in that it deals with future events. It teaches by sign and symbol with a great deal of figurative language. After the first three chapters which deal with the present time (the time at which the book was written by the Apostle John, around 96 A.D.), the book covers several major themes, among them: (1) What is going on daily in heaven. (2) Worthy is the lamb. Jesus is the only one who is found worthy to reveal the future. (3) The faithful must be overcomers. (4) At the end of time God makes a new heaven and a new earth, sin is banished, Satan is finally and totally overthrown and mankind again has access (as before his fall in the Garden of Eden) to the Tree Of Life.

Special to Diane: The fact that your elderly mother lives nearly 100 miles away is not an excuse for you to not spend time with her and "honor" your parent. Calls on most cell phones are free evenings and on weekends. You can call her most every night just to check on her. You'll be blessed.

Father Paul Massey will answer your question. Write him at [email protected] or Box 510, Fayetteville, Georgia 30214.