SHOULD A CHRISTIAN MAKE A PROMISE?

Answer: A promise is a vow or pledge to take an action or an assurance that something will definitely happen. There is nothing inherently wrong or sinful about making a promise. In fact, the Bible records a great number of promises God Himself has made.
When Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden of Eden, God made a covenant—a special promise based on a personal relationship—to send a Savior who would “crush [Satan’s] head” and deliver mankind from sin (Genesis 3:15 ). God made more covenants with Noah and all mankind (Genesis 9:8–17 ), with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3 ), with the Israelites (Deuteronomy 11 and 30:1–10), with David (2 Samuel 7:8–16 ), and with believers in Christ (Jeremiah 31:31–34 ). God has made promises to care for His people (Psalm 9:9–10 ;
Matthew 6:31–33 ; Romans 8:28 ), promises to bless those who seek and obey Him (Psalm 37:4 ; Isaiah 40:31 ;
James 1:5 ), promises to grant salvation and forgiveness to those who believe in Him and choose to follow Him (John 3:36 ; Romans 10:9–10 ; 1 John 1:9 ), and many more. Whatever promises God makes, He keeps.
Our promises are important, especially when we make a promise to God. “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin” (Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 ).
Promises can be beautiful and honorable and made for the good of others. But they must be kept. As we are imperfect humans, we should only make promises with care and introspection so they do not turn into sin. Promises can be easily broken or made with the wrong motivation, which may result in damage to ourselves or others. When making a promise, the believer should consider the following questions:
1. Is your promise made with the intention of harming someone else? Jesus declared that the second greatest commandment is to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:34–40 ). Jesus also taught that we are to forgive our enemies (Matthew 18:21–22 ) and not take revenge (Matthew 5:38–40 ). If the promise is made with the intent to harm someone or seek revenge, it is sin.
2. Do you intend to keep the promise? Promises should not be made without a strict intention to keep them. Even something as seemingly benign as promising someone, “I’ll pray for you,” and then neglecting to pray is a broken promise. When it comes to swearing an oath, Jesus instructed, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37 ). This can also be applied to promises.
3. Have you thought through your promise? Flippant promises can be dangerous, especially when made to God. In Judges 11:29–40 , we read about Jephthah’s thoughtless vow to the Lord. In return for victory over the Ammonites, Jephthah promised to sacrifice whatever met him first when he returned home. Sadly, it was Jephthah’s only child, a daughter, who met him upon his return.
4. Do you have the power to carry out your promise? A promise dependent on someone else’s actions or on an unknown variable has no guarantee to be kept and therefore should be avoided. Promises like these can harm one’s reputation and make the person who promised them seem untrustworthy.
There is an old saying: “A promise made is a promise kept.” This is the standard of faithfulness that every believer should strive for. A Christian should make a promise only if he or she fully intends to keep it.

What do you know about Santa Claus?

Question: "What should parents tell their children about Santa Claus?"
Answer: Although Santa Claus is a mythical figure, his creation is based in part on a great Christian man named Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in the 4th century. Nicholas was born to Christian parents who left him an inheritance when they died, which he distributed to the poor. He became a priest at a young age and was well-known for his compassion and generosity. He had a reputation for giving gifts anonymously, and he would throw bags of money into people's homes (and sometimes down their chimneys) under the cover of night to avoid being spotted.
Nicholas passed away on December 6 sometime around the 340s or 350s AD, and the day of his death became an annual feast in which children would put out food for Nicholas and straw for his donkey. It was said that the saint would come down from heaven during the night and replace the offerings with toys and treats—but only for the good boys and girls. There are many different versions of the legend of Saint Nicholas, but all are the inspiration for the jolly, red-suited gift-giver that we now know as Santa Claus.
Many Christian parents are torn as to whether or not they should play the "Santa game" with their children. On one hand, he makes Christmas fun and magical, leaving wonderful holiday memories for years to come. On the other hand, the focus of Christmas should be on Jesus Christ and how much He has already given us. So, is the story of Santa Claus an innocent addition to Christmas festivities, or is he a subject that should be avoided?
Parents need to use their own judgment in deciding whether or not to include Santa during the holidays, but here are some things to consider: Children who believe that the gifts they receive Christmas morning are from a magical man with unending resources are less likely to appreciate what they have been given, and the sacrifices their parents make in providing them. Greed and materialism can overshadow the holiday season, which is meant to be about giving, loving, and worshiping God. Children whose parents are on a tight budget may feel that they have been overlooked by Santa, or even worse, deemed one of the "bad" boys or girls.
An even more troubling aspect of telling our children that Santa comes down the chimney each year to leave their gifts is that it is, obviously, a lie. We live in a society that believes that lying for the "right" reason is acceptable. As long as it doesn't hurt anyone, it is not a problem. This is contrary to what the Bible tells us. "For the Scriptures say, 'If you want to live a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies'" (1 Peter 3:10, NLT ). Of course, telling our children that Santa is real is not a malicious deception, but it is, nevertheless, a lie.
Although it is probably not typical, some children honestly feel deceived and betrayed by their parents when they find out that Santa is not real. Children trust their parents to tell them the truth, and it is our responsibility not to break this trust. If we do, they will not believe more important things we tell them, such as the truth about Christ, whom they also cannot physically see.
This doesn’t mean we must leave Santa completely out of Christmas. Children can still play the "Santa game" even if they know it is all pretend. They can make lists, sit on his lap at the mall, and leave out cookies and milk on Christmas Eve. This will not rob them of their joy of the season, and gives parents the opportunity to tell their children about the godly qualities of the real Saint Nicholas, who dedicated his life to serving others and made himself into a living example of Jesus Christ.

Do christmas traditions have pagan origins?

Answer: There is no doubt that some of what we now refer to as Christmas traditions can be traced back, in some form, to pagan cultures and celebrations. The ringing of bells, for example, is generally thought to have had its origin in the early pagan winter celebration of ringing of bells to drive out evil spirits. In later centuries, bells were rung on Christmas Eve to welcome in the spirit of Christmas with joyful noise (Psalm 95:1 ). When Christians enjoy the beauty of a glorious bell choir ringing Christmas carols, we are reminded of the coming of Jesus into the world, not the driving out of evil spirits.
Similarly, there was an early pagan tradition of lighting candles to drive away the forces of cold and darkness. However, is it likely that our hearts are drawn to those early pagans rather than rejoicing in our Savior, the Light of the World (John 1:4-9 ) as we light candles? Of course not. Nor is it likely that when I give gifts to my loved ones at Christmas, the gifts will have less significance to either of us because some Druid somewhere in time offered a gift to his goat as part of some pagan ritual. No, we remember, as we should, the gifts given to the Christ-child by the Magi (Matthew 2:11 ). Jesus was the greatest gift ever given, and therefore His birth is worthy of celebration.
So obscure are the beginnings of many Christmas traditions that reference books and internet sites contradict one another on the details. Some of our most popular and beloved Christmas symbols are entirely Christian, and were never part of any pagan religion anywhere. At the same time, some Christmas traditions undoubtedly do have their origins in the pagan past. What is important is not the origins of traditions, but their significance to us today as believers in the Son of God. December 25 was not mentioned in the biblical narrative as the day Jesus was born, and, as such, we cannot be dogmatic about it one way or the other. But even if the date is completely wrong, there is still the opportunity for thousands of people who wouldn’t go to church any other time of the year to go on Christmas day and hear the gospel of Christ.
If you are fully convinced that you cannot, in good conscience, observe a particular Christmas tradition, do not observe it. If you are fully convinced that a particular tradition is too steeped in paganism to honor God in any way, by all means forsake that tradition. At the same time, if you are fully convinced that you can honor and worship God through a particular tradition, honor and worship God (Romans 14:5 )! For Christians, Christmas traditions can be an important part of the celebration of the birth of our Savior, and they remind us of that momentous event that changed the world forever. More importantly, they bring to mind the miracle of new birth He created in us when He came into our hearts, saved us from our sins, and made us children of God by the shedding of His blood on the Cross (Colossians 1:20 ). It is this amazing truth that enables us to say with the angels, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14 ).

Xmas or Christmas?

Question: "Is it wrong to say 'Xmas' instead of 'Christmas'?"
Answer: There are many who view the word Xmas as part of an overall “ war on Christmas .” They view it as a blatant attempt to take Christ out of Christmas. While it is undeniable that some use
Xmas in that manner, the actual origin of the word Xmas has nothing to do with taking Christ out of Christmas.
In Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the word for “Christ” is
Χριστός, which begins with the Greek letter that is essentially the same letter as the English letter X . So, originally,
Xmas was simply an abbreviation of
Christmas . No grand conspiracy to take Christ out of Christmas. Just an abbreviation.
But there is no denying that there is a trend to, in a sense, take Christ out of Christmas. In pursuit of tolerance, inclusiveness, and political correctness, some are attempting to obscure the Christian origins of Christmas—as if our society’s materialism has not already obscured the meaning of Christmas. Whether they refer to it as “Xmas” or “the winter holidays” or something else, some will not be satisfied until the celebration is entirely secularized. In response to this, rather than getting angry or complaining about the use of
Xmas, we should be sharing the love of Christ through word and deed.

SHOULD JERUSALEM BE THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL?

Question: "Should Jerusalem be the capital of modern-day Israel?"

Answer: Jerusalem figures prominently in both biblical history and biblical prophecy, and it is currently the focus of much controversy and political wrangling. As of December 6, 2017, the United States has recognized Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel, acknowledging the facts of history but rankling the Muslim world. All politics aside, the declaration that Jerusalem is the legitimate capital of Israel is biblically and historically accurate.

King David first chose Jerusalem as Israel’s capital 1,000 years before Christ. The city was destroyed in AD 70, but, after World War II, on May 14, 1948, Israel once again became an independent state. The U.S. quickly recognized Israel’s restored status as a national homeland for the Jewish people. Then on December 5, 1949, Israel declared Jerusalem to be its capital again. Unfortunately, other nations have been slow in facing the reality of Israel’s independence and its right to choose its own capital.

In 1995, the United States Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act, which required the U.S. embassy be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. However, for twenty-two years, implementation of that law was delayed on the grounds of “national security.” Now, finally, the U.S. has officially recognized the obvious—Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. This recognition accords with thousands of years of history and the wishes of Israel itself.

Of course, some are opposed to recognizing Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. Muslims in general and Palestinians in particular (and Muslim terrorist organizations) are offended by the thought of Jerusalem being made the legitimate capital of Israel. This is due in large part to the place the Temple Mount holds as the third holiest Islamic site. According to the Qur’an (Surah 17:1), Muhammad made a miraculous night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem in AD 621. There he led worship at “the farthest mosque,” was lifted to heaven, and returned to earth to carry on his teachings. The Dome of the Rock, built in AD 692, marks the place where Muhammad supposedly ascended to heaven. Today the Temple Mount is under the control of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, a trust established in 1187 to manage the Islamic structures in Jerusalem. Under their current rules, access to the holy sites is prohibited to all non-Muslims.

It is important to realize a couple things: first, the Israeli government recognizes the rights of Muslims to worship on the Temple Mount, and it works to protect them there. Second, the Qur'an upholds the rights of the Jews to the Promised Land, which includes Jerusalem: “And thereafter Allah said to the children of Israel, ‘Dwell securely in the Promised Land’” (Sura 17:104; see also Sura 2:122; Sura 45:17; and Sura 57:26).

Normally, every country designates its own capital, and then nations with diplomatic relations with that country build an embassy in that city. For instance, when Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1961, all the foreign embassies moved as well. The only country in the world whose capital has not been honored this way is Israel. All of Israel’s government buildings, as well as the residences of the President and Prime Minister, are there. Yet not a single foreign embassy is in Jerusalem. We believe that Israel should be afforded the same right as every other country to choose its own capital.

The rebirth of Israel in 1948 was a vital step in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. The dry bones began coming back together (Ezekiel 37). The recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s true and historic capital is another giant step. The stage is being set for the rest of prophetic scriptures to be fulfilled. We may not know all the implications of current events on the prophetic timeline, but one thing we can say for sure is that Jerusalem is a special city. It is the only city in the world where God has put His Name: “In Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever” (2 Kings 21:7).

What is the worst sin?

Answer: As far as it compares to the
holiness of God , all sin is the same. Every sin, from anger to murder, from white lies to adultery, will lead to eternal condemnation (James 4:17 ; Romans 6:23 ). All sin, no matter how “small,” goes against the nature and will of an infinite and eternal God and is therefore deserving of an infinite and eternal punishment (Isaiah 13:11 ). In this sense, there is no “worst” sin.
Not only does God hate sin because it goes against His will for us, but also because sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2 ; Jeremiah 5:25 ). God does not want us to be separated from Him. Thankfully, He has provided a way to “cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8–10 ) through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:17 ). First Timothy 2:4 says that our Heavenly Father “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Your sin does not have to equal your condemnation—no matter how terrible you feel it is (see Romans 8:1 ).
Just as there is no sin too small to be worthy of punishment, there is no sin too “big” that God cannot forgive it. When a repentant prostitute came to Jesus, she found grace; Jesus then said to the onlookers, “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven” (Luke 7:47, NLT ). Jesus died to pay the penalty for sin (John 3:16 ; 1 John 2:2 ). Second Corinthians 5:21 tells us that “God made [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” For the believer, there is no sin Jesus’s sacrifice does not cover; there is no sin God cannot forgive, even if we consider it the “worst” (see 1 Timothy 1:15 ).
It is true that some sins will have bigger earthly consequences than others. Murder, for example, is going to have a much worse effect than harboring private hate. A chronic liar in a position of authority will have a wider negative effect than the child who fibs to his mother about stealing cookies before dinner. Sin is sin, but it can have different degrees of severity, and some sins call for worse penalties than others in this world.
As believers, we should hate sin as much as God does. We are “sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5 ). God has set us apart as “a holy nation, a people belonging to God” (1 Peter 2:9 ). Holiness is not earned; rather, it is given by the Holy Spirit as He sanctifies us (2 Thessalonians 2:13 ; 1 Peter 1:15–16 ). Christians will still sin, but God promises to help us in the fight for righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:8 ).
Do not fall into the trap of comparing sins, judging others for “worse” sins than yours, or using the seeming triviality of one sin versus another as an excuse to do it. Your first concern should be your own sin—not the sin of those around you (Matthew 7:4–5 ). God’s standard is not how well you measure up to other people but how you measure up to Christ.
Each person’s sin is a reflection of what is in his heart (Matthew 12:34 ) and emerges through his thoughts, words, and actions. God judges all these aspects of our lives and will justly yet lovingly discipline His children when they sin (Proverbs 3:11–12 ; Hebrews 12:5–11 ). God’s discipline can take varying forms, depending on each person’s situation, to bring about repentance and renewal of fellowship with God. In the end, a believer who sins then experiences discipline will come out with a stronger faith, a renewed relationship with God, the wisdom of experience, and patience (James 1:2–4).
Is there a “worst” sin? Earthly consequences for various sins vary, but heaven’s perspective is different. First Corinthians 6:9–10 lists several sins that will keep a person from inheriting the kingdom of God . On that list are some sins that people like to rank as “worse” than others, yet Paul treats them all as equally damning. The same is true in Revelation 21:8 , a list of sins that doom people to the lake of fire—lying is placed next to witchcraft and idolatry. All sin is equally bad in God’s eyes; the standard is the glorious perfection of His Son, and we all fall short of that (Romans 3:23 ). We need the righteousness of Christ, and, praise Him, that’s what He gives us when we believe (Romans 3:26 ; 4:5 ). In the final analysis, we might say that the “worst” sin is unbelief. To reject the Savior is to accept the penalty for one’s own sin. But no sin will condemn a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, because the penalty has already been paid (1 Peter 2:24 ).

Who were the Arameans?

Answer: Aram was the Hebrew designation for the nation of Syria, so the Arameans mentioned in the Bible are Syrians. In fact, some translations such as the ESV and KJV, when translating the Hebrew word for “Aramean,” substitute the word Syrian instead (see
2 Kings 7:6 ). The Arameans lived on an elevated tableland, and the topography is reflected in the fact that the word
Aram comes from a root meaning “heights.” Aram Naharaim in Genesis 24:10 means “highland of the two rivers.”
The borders of Aram encompassed a broad region immediately to the northeast of Israel, extending to the Euphrates River and including Mesopotamia. Among the major cities inhabited by ancient Arameans were Damascus (Genesis 14:15 ) and Hamath (Numbers 13:21 ). Much later, Syrian Antioch was built and is mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 11:19 ; 13:1 ). The various kingdoms comprising ancient Aram gradually unified under Damascus, which grew to be the most dominant of the Aramean kingdoms.
When Abraham sought a wife for his son Isaac, he sent a servant to the land of Aram to find Rebekah (Genesis 24:10 ;
25:20 ). Laban, Jacob’s father-in-law, is called an Aramean in Genesis 31:10 . Jacob himself is called “a wandering Aramean” in Deuteronomy 26:5 , since both his mother and his grandfather were from Mesopotamia and therefore considered Arameans by the Hebrews.
During the reign of King David, the Arameans of Damascus came to the help of another group of Syrians. David defeated them, and the Arameans were forced to pay tribute (2 Samuel 8:5–6 ). Later, the Arameans joined forces with the Ammonites in war against Israel (2 Samuel 10 ). The Israelites defeated Aram again and kept them in subjugation. This arrangement lasted through the reign of King Solomon (1 Kings 4:21 ).
After the time of Solomon, the Arameans were a perennial thorn in Israel’s side. They fought Israel during King Ahab’s time, and Israel won (1 Kings 20 ). In another battle, however, they killed Ahab (2 Chronicles 18:34 ). They raided Israel (2 Kings 6:8 ) and later laid siege to the capital, Samaria (verse 24). Elisha predicted the atrocities that the Arameans would commit (2 Kings 8:12 ). The Arameans fought King Joram of Israel and wounded him (2 Kings 8:28 ). And they fought King Joash of Judah and wounded him (2 Chronicles 24:23–25). The eventual fall of Jerusalem at the hands of Babylon was aided by the Arameans (2 Kings 24:2 ).
In a wonderful demonstration of God’s grace and power, Elisha healed Naaman the Syrian of leprosy (2 Kings 5 ). Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was an enemy of Israel, but he humbled himself enough to seek the Lord’s help. Naaman discovered that God is merciful to all those who call upon Him—even Arameans—and that discovery drastically changed Naaman’s worldview: “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15 ).