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The "Jesus Loves You" Problem

Q: I've encountered a lot of teaching and Christians who believe that saying, "Jesus loves you!" is a valid form of evangelism. Do you disagree with this? If so, why? It seems like a loving way to reach out and to encourage those who are not believers. A: What a great question! There are certainly a lot of materials and teachings that encourage Christians to use the phrase, "Jesus loves you" as an outreach and evangelistic tool. Much of this teaching that I've encountered emphasizes following the lead of the Holy Spirit. It claims that the Holy Spirit will often lead Christians to say this to non-believers to encourage them and try and lead them to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Fourth Year Ministries does not teach or endorse this as a valid evangelism strategy. That's not because we don't want it to be valid! Truth be told, we would love for this to be a good practice for Christians. It would certainly open some more doors for us. I

The Law of God

Q: Has God's Law passed away and is it irrelevant for Christians today? I often hear the biblical passage, "We're not under law, we're under grace!" tossed around, but I also know that Jesus said the Law would never pass away. What am I missing? A: The more time I spend sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more often questions like this one come up. Certainly, many different views about God's Law are available. So what does the Bible have to say about it? First, and perhaps most importantly, the Bible is clear that the Law is not something that Christians are supposed to argue about. Such arguments are foolish, unprofitable, and worthless according to Titus 3:9. Some think that this passage means that we should not even discuss the Law. But this is not what Paul was expressing. Look carefully at what Paul writes: But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a

Questions About Jesus

Q: 1.How do you answer the question, "If Jesus was God, why did He pray?" 2. Furthermore, are "God the Father" and "the Son of God" equal? I have came across some material from Jehovah's Witness's and I found all kinds of stuff about Jesus being the "Son of God" but questioning those of us who believe that He IS God. Here are some scriptures that I saw being used: John 5:41 "I do not accept praise from men..." If he is God why does he not accept praise? John 12:49-50 "For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." This was being used to say if Jesus was God then why did he need to be told what to say or to be commanded at all? John 14:28 "...for the Father is greater than I." John 20:17 ..."to my God and your God.&quo

Is The Holy Spirit a "She"?

Q: I came across a video on YouTube that quickly made my spiritual guard go up. So instead of turning it off as i maybe should have, i prayed for discernment and continued to watch. I did quickly close it however, after i heard "Ruach Ha Kodesh" referred to as a member of the Trinity (which i soon gathered was appropriate as this is the Hebrew term for The Holy Spirit), BUT the gentleman used the pronoun "SHE" in reference to Ruach Kodesh. I will admit i only briefly attempted to find credibility in this. I was floored by all of the material and sources that share this view. I usually feel well equipped to poke around and strengthen my faith by reading opposing views, but this seemed exceptionally evil. Maybe because of the stern warning from Jesus about blaspheming The Holy Spirit, i don't know. Anyway, I am hopping that this is a topic on which you may have already done the research. Question: Is there any validity to the belief held by some, that The Ho

Make Disciples

Q: Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples, so how does your mission to raise up Evangelists in the local church help to achieve this commandment from the Lord? A: This is a similar question to one asked previously regarding the perceived elevation of "the gift of evangelism" above other spiritual gifts. We encourage you to read that response in full (available here ). It explains how the office of Evangelist is a blessing to the body of Christ as we seek to evangelize the world together, in unity, for the glory of our Savior and Lord. The great commission was given to the church by our Lord in Matthew 28:18-20. It is that same risen Lord who gave gifts (Ephesians 4:7) to the church in the officers listed in Ephesians 4:11. The purpose of the church is to make disciples. The purpose of the officers in the church should work toward that same goal. The great commission itself is a singular command with three distinct aspects. The commandment is to "make di

The Sign of Jonah

Q: Jesus Himself states, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." According to John 19:31, it seems as though Jesus died on the "day of preparation" which was immediately followed by the sabbath, and then followed by the first day of the week. This leads us to when Mark 16:2 happened, the ladies went to the tomb "very early on the first day of the week". It was at this time that the empty tomb was discovered. My question is, according to history and maybe even Greek text, is there any explanation as to why Jesus said that He would be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights when as I am reading the accounts, I am not coming up with three days and three nights? Thank you, as always! A: This question has been raised by many people. Numerous answers have been suggested. The reasons for asking this question are good on