John Markum

Tag: gay

The Questions You Asked… Part 6

Posted on by johnmarkum

  1. Question: “What did Jesus do for the 3 days He was buried?” Answer: From what He said to the thief on the cross, He was in “paradise,” often referred to in the Bible as “Abraham’s bosom.” It was kind of like the waiting room of Heaven. A reference in Acts leads some to believe that He went to Hell. While I think that could be possible, He was not suffering there, because our salvation was already paid for on the cross when Jesus said, “It is finished.” So that’s more speculation than a solid answer, but I hope it helped.
  2. Question: “Is a person saved who accepts Jesus, but shows no remorse?” Answer: Tough question because it’s a blanket assumption. I know that faith and repentance are hand-in-hand when it comes to salvation. But that looks different from person to person. I do believe that a repentant heart is always a fruit of true faith. Without humility, no one comes to Christ.
  3. Question: “What is the church position on karma?” Answer: The Bible calls it the law of “sowing and reaping” (Galatians 6:7-10). Our good will ultimately be rewarded, while we can also be sure “your sin will find you out.”
  4. Question: “Could the American government be considered evil?” Answer: It’s being run by politicians. Yes, it’s evil. As best as we can, as long as our conscience before God allows us, we should submit to and obey the authority over us, because God is the only one possessing the true authority anyway. But while I pray for the peace and prosperity of our nation, Jesus is the only “change we can believe in.” In God we trust, all others are prone to corruption. I love our country! But we should always be vigilant concerning those in power.
  5. Question: “What do Satanic churches do?” Answer: Worship Satan. Take pleasure in being rebellious. Commit acts of wickedness out of a shear desire to mock God. That’s about all I know. Technically the term “Satanic church” is a contradiction.
  6. Question: “Can a homosexual person go to Heaven?” Answer: Can an heterosexual go to Heaven? The only way that any of us will ever see Heaven is because we have been changed by Jesus. Someone who struggles with homosexuality can be saved in Christ. Will they continue to struggle with these urges after accepting Christ? More than likely. Just like straight people still struggle with their inappropriate heterosexual urges. We are saved through faith, not by works, and yet our deeds are a reflection of the true change God has made in our lives.
  7. Question: “Can stealing ever be justified?” Answer: Legitimately? Depends… what are we stealing? Cash from a bank? Diamonds? Food? I suppose few would blame a thief who steal to eat. Bit is it still stealing? Yes.  This question is kind of like saying “Are white lies ok?” If something appears to be more gray than black-and-white, it’s usually more black than gray.

The Questions You Asked… Part 1

Posted on by johnmarkum

  1. Question: “Why doesn’t the church spend all or nearly all of it’s money on missions (local and foreign), providing for those who cannot provide for themselves, etc.?”  Answer: We do spend all of our money on missions. That’s all we do. The church is not a country club that occasionally does benevolence. We are not even a church with a mission. We are a mission with a church. Our primary command is to make disciples. So whether it’s paying full time staff to do the work of ministry, sending a missionary overseas, or building an orphanage in the Ukraine (all of which we’ve done recently) everything about how we spend God’s money is part of making a missional impact. It’s just not all for social justice causes.
  2. Question: “Is it ok to have sex before marriage?” Answer: No. But that isn’t a good enough answer. The real question you’re probably wondering is “Why does God not want us to have sex before marriage?”  The best, shortest answer I can give is because of the safety and security that marriage provides. Sex is too good and beautiful not to be protected. Because of that, God already knew that sex outside of marriage ruins good relationships, or prolongs bad ones.
  3. Questions: “Why does God cause so many hard roads in life?” Answer: First of all, I’m not sure that God deserves all of the credit for the hard roads in your life. But at the least He’s allowed you to go through the difficult circumstances you’ve endured. We need to remember that God never gives us a test to try to fail us, but to promote us to something better. I don’t know your story, but I know that God uses everything He puts into our lives. God doesn’t even waste pain. Circle yourself with people who will encourage you through these difficulties. We’re the church. We’re in this together.
  4. Question: “If Bigfoot exists, then what is he, like the aftermath of a failed gorilla?!?” Answer: “IF” being the operating word here. And by “failed gorilla” I simply have to say no. That implies that either God failed at something He made, or that science has attempted to create life, with some resemblance of success. IF he exists, God created it, and there could be dozens of exciting explanations. None of which, regrettably, I’ll entertain at this time.
  5. Question: “Is it possible to become apostate?” Answer: Most people who use this language of “apostate” or “reprobate” in a theological sense are referring to Romans 1 where it gives a laundry list of immorality and says that God “gave them up” to an unclean mind. But if you read less than 10 verses into chapter 2 you realize that God was not talking about specific individuals, but all of us. There will one day be a collective falling away from truth and morality on a global scale. But individually, God never forsakes those who are of His family. Period.
  6. Question: “Is gay pride a sin? Or just being gay a sin?” Answer: According to Genesis, Exodus, Matthew, and Romans, homosexuality is sin. I reject the the idea that homosexuality is genetic for a variety of reasons: 1) There’s been no scientific proof. 2) Too many heterosexuals have turned homosexual. 3) Too many homosexuals have turned heterosexual. 4) I have had good friendships with many, many homosexual people. Without exception, they have all had other blatantly obvious relational issues that easily explain their orientation. Truthfully, I hurt for these people. Not because of the lack of acceptance they get, but because of how our culture has told them they are normal to feel the way they do, causing them to repress the real reasons for their orientation. Most of them have counseling issues starting with their childhood. God loves homosexuals and wants to see them come to a relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Yes, it is sin. Yes, God loves them anyway. Just like He loves me.
  7. Question: “Balaam blessed the nation of Israel 3 times when his king commanded him to curse them. So why is he seen as a bad guy in the New Testament?” Answer: If you read Numbers 22, you get the idea that Balaam continues to ask God for permission to curse Israel, which frustrates God though He told him through a variety of means (not the least of which was his donkey) not to go curse the Israelites. Many believed that Balaam intended to curse Israel, but when he opened his mouth to do so, God caused him to only say blessings.

The phrase no pain, no gain has been a mantra for athletes and fitness junkies for years. And what they understand about physical pain needs to be broadened to a much more general use in all of our lives. Pain hurts. That's the whole problem. No one enjoys it, and if someone does, we rightfully

The Premium of Pain