Archives for 2003

The best way to know whether or not something is sinful is to know the Bible. You need to be immersed in the Word of God. That means you need to spend hours carefully studying the Bible, memorizing verses, and meditating upon them. The psalmist said, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). If we do that, the Word will take care of the questionable situations that arise. To know what the Bible says is the best way of knowing what is right and what is wrong.

There is another helpful guide. The apostle Paul said, “Let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15, AMPLIFIED). An umpire announces, “You are safe,” or “You are out.” When that peace inside your heart disappears, you know “you are out.” Your heart is saying, “This course of conduct is wrong.” When you begin to feel troubled within yourself, you know that what you are doing is ill-advised, improper, or sinful.

Paul made it even clearer when he said, “Whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). This principle covers gray areas of conduct. To the person who lives in France, a glass of wine with dinner may be perfectly in order. That may be his lifestyle. Besides, the water may be impure and the wine helps his digestion, so there is no spiritual problem (see I Timothy 5:23). In America, where there is a high incidence of alcoholism and where many Christians have taken a strong stance against drinking any alcoholic beverage, a glass of wine might cause the downfall of someone for whom Christ died (see I Corinthians 8:8-13). When the Bible does not speak explicitly about something, whether it is sin depends, in many instances, on culture, on the person’s status, and on the level of maturity in the Lord. In areas where there are no definite rules as to what is sinful, it is a question of faith. If you feel that something is wrong, if you have a question in your mind about it, and you cannot do it freely without regret or pangs of conscience, then do not do it. To you it is sinful.

Webster’s dictionary defines depression as “a psycho-neurotic or psychotic disorder marked by sadness, inactivity, and feelings of dejection.” I believe that one of the principal causes of depression is a sense of failure and frustration caused by unwillingness to do what should be done or to stop doing what should not be done. A person becomes ashamed and begins a process of self-depreciation. Then, along with personal shame, comes a loss of fellowship with God, either real or imagined.

Depression can also be caused by a dietary deficiency. If you are lacking iron and certain of the B-complex vitamins in your diet, you can become seriously depressed. This type of depression needs to be corrected by wholesome nutrition along with massive doses of vitamins and minerals. Junk food and excess caffeine should be avoided, and you should exercise vigorously.

The worst thing about depression is that it makes its victims withdraw and lapse into inactivity. A person has to get going again and begin to help other people, going to church, going to work, or doing anything other than sitting around feeling sorry for himself. Becoming active is a key remedy for depression. Also, a terrible tragedy or personal loss can shock the system, bringing on a feeling of hopelessness and despair. Many times these feelings are compounded by a failure to eat well and a failure to exercise or get out among other people.

As the withdrawal begins, a downward spiral takes hold that needs to be broken. But our question is: How do you get over the depression? You have to recognize what is causing it. If it is sin, you have to go to the root of the failure and do whatever it takes to get your life right with God. If it is merely a sense of failure, examine your expectations. If they are too high, change them to a more realistic level. If indeed there is a real failure to perform, then grasp the task and do it.

If the depression has to do with diet and exercise, begin to eat nutritious foods, take heavy doses of therapeutic vitamins and minerals, and begin vigorous walking or other exercises. In the case of someone who has suffered an emotional trauma, that person needs to reach out for the help and support of friends. Be frank about your problem; say, “I am terribly depressed. Will you please come and be with me? Will you pray with me? Will you help me?” Try to open up to other people and draw them in. It always helps to pray and read the Bible, which is the source of comfort and the source of life (see Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Hebrews 4:15-16). Above all else, stop feeling sorry for yourself. Instead, reach out a hand of compassion to someone whose grief and tragedy exceed your own.

Surgical techniques to transplant a cornea, a kidney, a heart, or some other organ from a live or recently deceased donor to a needy recipient are of very recent origin. These techniques were not known in Bible days.

Jesus Christ said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). A donation of an organ to give life or better health or sight to another is like laying down a part of your life. It is an act of love.

For this reason I believe it is entirely proper for a person to will selected organs, such as the cornea of the eyes, to a donor organ bank for use in organ transplants, so that after the death of the donor, someone now blind may see, or someone sick may become well.

Everyone should have a will. Even the penniless person should have a will because he might be hit by a bus and his estate might have a claim against the bus company.

The prophet Isaiah told king Hezekiah, “Set your house in order, for you shall die” (II Kings 20:1). Any person, wealthy or not, male or female, has the privilege under law and custom dating back to Bible times of determining the guardians for his or her children, as well as the privileges they shall enjoy if the maker of the will dies while the children are young. Wills can provide for the care of the wife or husband, and gifts to religious organizations and others charities.

Without a will, the state might apply a rigid set of rules to give the wife only a percentage of an estate, usually one-third, and the children would get the remainder. If there is no surviving husband, wife, or children, the possessions of a lifetime may be given to brothers, sisters, or nieces and nephews. Usually, nothing goes to a charity unless it is designated in a will.

A will is a very simple document to write and to execute. For maximum protection against challenges, a will should be signed and declared to be a last will and testament in the presence of two or three witnesses who are assembled at the signing and who are not beneficiaries under the will.

Without question, a valid will and a thorough estate plan are a vital part of stewardship for every Christian. Wills can be rewritten and re-executed as circumstances change. To write a will does not mean that death will soon follow, as many superstitiously fear.

The Bible says, “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). Stealing is taking without permission what belongs to somebody else. It can involve tangible and intangible things. Stealing would include thefts from households, shoplifting, pilfering, industrial espionage, embezzlement, and similar acts.

Dishonesty of all sorts, including stealing, has reached epidemic levels in society. Many Christians are involved in stealing without knowing it. It is possible, for instance, even to steal time. In most businesses the payroll is the biggest expense. Yet studies have shown that the average worker gives perhaps thirty-two to thirty-three hours a week instead of forty. When long lunch hours or time spent at the coffee machine, gazing out the window, or visiting with neighbors are added up, the amount is staggering.

It is true, too, that people are careless with the use of company stamps, stationery, paper clips, tools, and parts. This is stealing. In one factory, where many hand tools were disappearing, management decided to have a search of the employees as they left for home at the end of the work day. When this announcement was made, as the workers were preparing to exit, there was the sound of metal dropping all over the yard. Because the workers did not want to get caught, they just dropped stolen wrenches, hammers, and screwdrivers, leaving the yard littered with tools.

People do not pay their bills on time, denying interest to the companies they owe. People take merchandise home and use it and then return it as if it had never been used. People borrow books and tools and never return them.

Not correcting clerks when they undercharge one for goods purchased is stealing. Claiming credit for someone else’s work or achievement is a form of stealing. Company officers who divert corporate opportunities to their own personal gain are stealing. God desires complete honesty from His people. Any form of stealing should be forsaken as not worthy of God’s children