This past Sunday was dedicated to answering your questions. As always, we cannot get to every question. As I reviewed the questions I missed from Sunday I noted that I had already addressed many of them. I have provided links below for your convenience.  Thanks to everyone who sent in questions!

Why Did God Command the Extermination of Certain People in the Old Testament? (4 Minute Video)

Why Are Many Christians Not More Passionate about Christ?

Is Jesus Christ the Only Way to God (3 Minute Video)

Can I Lose My Salvation? (4 Minute Video) See also, John 3:16 and Losing My Salvation

This past Sunday was dedicated to answering your questions. As always, we cannot get to every question. So I’ll be writing up a few paragraphs to address may of the remaining questions here at the blog. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions!

Will We Need God after Death? I Wondered because There Will be No More Sinners in the World so There Will No More Pain Either.

Yes, we will need God after our death for we always need God. The Bible says, “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Timothy 1:17). Note the word immortal in this verse. God does not need us or anything else in all of creation, yet we need Him. By describing God as “immortal,” the Bible describes God as absolutely independent. He needs nothing from anyone or anything to exist (Acts 17:24-25). He has no limits or imperfections. Or we could say that He continues to exist by His power.

Yet, we will always need God for He is the creator of all creation. We first existed because of His will (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6, 9) and we continue to exist because of Him (Colossians 1:17). If for any reason God ceases to exist (which is impossible) then everything else would also cease to exist. Further, God created everything out of nothing. That is, God did not begin creating the world by using material He hand nearby. Instead, everything exists now because God created out from nothing. God not only created everything in existence today but He also created it from thin air!

There was a time in eternity past when there was nothing but God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Only the Triune God has existed for eternity (Psalm 90:2). You will always need God for you are not immortal. And if you are a follower of Christ, you will always desire God (Psalm 42:1-2).

Sunday was dedicated to answering your questions. As always, we cannot get to every question. So I’ll be writing up a few paragraphs to address the remaining questions here at the blog. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions!

Is it Wrong to Play Lottery?

Americans spend billions of dollars each year on the remote chance they may get rich. I do not support this. What drives the desire to play the lottery is greed. Contrary to Gordon Gekko‘s famous line in the movie Wall Street, greed is notgood. The Bible declares, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10). We must do everything possible to sever the tentacles of greed from our lives. Materialism can keep us from loving God, loving others, and it ultimately keeps us from spending eternity with God Himself (Luke 18:18-30). The love of money causes people to do foolish things with their lives. I have seen this in others and in myself. Run from the love of money.

The only thing to run the love of money from our hearts is to replace it with a love for Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Christ promises more lasting happiness than anything money can purchase. Christ is more satisfying that luxury cars and yachts. When Christ is the first love in a person’s heart then you are free to give generously to others while taking care of your needs. But beware, you cannot have two gods, money and God, for you must choose one of these two masters (Matthew 6:24).

For another perspective of the bad economics behind the lottery, see Palash R. Ghosh’s article entitled, “Mega Millions Lottery: A Curse And Plague On The Poor.”

Pastor John Piper cites seven reasons why the lottery is spiritual suicide.