Paul Frederick's Blog

Q: Pastor Paul, in the last few years it seems like everyone and everything is against me. I don’t have any friends, my family is too busy to care about me, and I don’t leave the house very often. I’ve had job issues, relationship issues, health issues, and a whole lot of other stuff going on. To be honest it feels like God is even against me. I’ve heard people say, “God loves you,” but I really doubt it. He hasn’t shown me love, so why should I believe that He actually does love me? – C.

A: C, thank you for writing such an emotional and heartfelt question. I know it must have been difficult for you to write down your feelings in such a candid way and I hope and pray I can help you see the love of God in a different light.

When we talk about love we tend to think of the emotion and feelings that love brings. Perhaps you think about the warm fuzzy feeling, or the feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you are around someone you care for a great deal. Although our emotional and physical response to love are wonderful gifts, they are not what love truly is. 

Love is a state of mind toward a person that is benevolent and caring. It could also be called affection or concern for someone else. The hallmarks of love are thinking, wanting, and giving the best to the person whom we love. Love is expressed in what we say and do toward others. My Grandpa used to say often, “Love is only proved by the action that it prompts.” 

When we think and meditate on the love of God we soon come to the realization that God’s love is more than an emotion or feeling toward us. The Bible says, “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4.16b. Notice that little phrase, “God is love.” 

It is God’s very nature to love because God is love. He can do nothing else but love us for all of eternity. Unfortunately our sin has separated us from the Holy God, but even in that separation God loves us far more than we love ourselves or any other person.

In your question you mentioned that God had never shown His love to you, so you doubt that He loves you at all. It may be easy to look at your present circumstances and doubt the love of God, but God has shown His love to you. He has made it more than obvious that He loves you and desires to have a relationship with you.

1 John 4.10 explains how God has shown His love to us. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” How has God shown His love for us? By sending His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to be the payment for our sin. 

The Apostle Paul stated the same truth this way in Romans 5.8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s love was amply demonstrated by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul points out another great truth in this verse, Jesus didn’t just die for us, He died for us while we were yet sinners. We were not the friend of God in any way, yet He loved us still.

The fact that Jesus paid our sin debt is the basis of our salvation. It is through His shed blood that we can have eternal life. All we have to do is acknowledge our sinfulness, believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and call on Him putting our faith and trust in Him as our Personal Saviour. If this isn’t the quintessential demonstration of love, I don’t know what else is.

Let me give you something further to consider concerning the love of God. God not only loves you enough to provide you with eternal life through Jesus Christ, He has also provided you with all the good things you’ve experienced in your life. I know things may seem a little gloomy right now, but even in the midst of gloominess there is a little light shining through. 

If you are reading this you have been given another day by God. You may not be experiencing the best health, but you still have life. You still have a God-given purpose and calling whether you realize it or not. 

Whatever circumstances you may be going through, God knows all about it and will lead, guide, and direct you if you know Jesus as your Saviour. Regardless of how many friends you have, if you know Jesus you have a constant friend by your side. He told His disciples in Matthew 28.20b, “And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

You see, God has shown His love for you time and time and time again. If you’ll only look you’ll see that He does love you and He does want the best for you. Perhaps you need to call on Him and accept the free gift of salvation He is offering. Maybe you’ve already done that but you’ve grown weary in your walk with the Lord. Whatever the case may be, God loves you and will continue to love you throughout all of eternity.

Q: Pastor Paul, I am having trouble forgiving someone who has hurt me deeply. It’s not so much what they have done, but the fact that they continually do things that hurt me and my family. Every time I think I’ve gotten over one hurt, here they come doing something new that tears us up. I’m trying hard to forgive, but I don’t know if I’ll ever forget. What should I do? – Anonymous

A: I can tell from your letter that this is something that is weighing heavily on your heart and mind. Forgiveness, or rather the lack thereof, is one of the main issues that Pastors tend to counsel people over. There truly is a multitude of hurt in this world, and most of it is caused by those around us.

Since you did not specify I’m going to assume this person is mainly hurting you through their words. There are a host of things someone could be saying to or about us that would cause great pain. We’ve all heard the children’s rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Unfortunately that little rhyme is totally wrong and words do hurt us very much!

Regardless of what is being said about you or those you love, the solution is the same. It is given to us in Matthew 18 where Jesus teaches His followers about how to handle personal disputes. First, the person who is hurting you should be confronted with their sin. If they refuse to listen or change their ways, you should take a witness to help mediate your discussion. If the offender again ignores this admonition to stop, the church should get involved to try to bring resolution and reconciliation to both parties. 

Even if all of these steps are ignored or even mocked by the person who is hurting you, your response is the same. You, as a follower of Jesus Christ, should absolutely and totally forgive without reservation. 

The best illustration of this simple truth is found in the same chapter, Matthew 18. When Jesus has completed His instructions concerning reconciliation, Peter pipes up to ask a question of Jesus. He asks, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” Matthew 18.21 Peter probably thought he was being quite generous with his forgiveness. After all, the Rabbis and religious scholars said a man was obligated to forgive three times before halting future forgiveness. 

Jesus burst Peter’s bubble by responding with, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Matthew 18.22 What Jesus was saying was that forgiveness is not something that should be counted or tallied. Instead it should be the default response of a Christian to those who have wronged them.

The illustration is found in the following verses. Jesus tells a parable of a man who owed a very large sum of money who was then forgiven his debt by his Lord. The same man then finds a coworker who owed him a paltry sum. Instead of forgiving as he had been forgiven, the man had his debtor put into debtor’s prison to work off the debt. This, of course, made everyone angry, especially the man who was owed a great sum and had forgiven.

The application to our lives is easily seen, but it is spelled out even more plainly by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4.32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

As a Christian, a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you forgive someone, you’re not doing it because they are worthy of forgiveness. You must also forgive regardless of whether they ask for forgiveness or not. Your forgiveness is not based on them or their actions at all, but rather on the forgiveness that you yourself have received. 

Can I remind you of something? No matter what someone has done to you, that thing (or things) is not nearly as bad as what you’ve done to God. You’ve ignored His love. You’ve disobeyed His word. You possibly have said bad things about Him or His bride, the church. Yet with all of the no good, bad, rotten things you’ve done to God, He has still forgiven you, and He will continue to forgive you as long as your life may last. Over and over and over again He has forgiven and removed your transgressions from your account all because the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has paid your sin debt for you.

Your forgiveness of others is based on God’s forgiveness of you. If you have been forgiven, you must forgive others to be right with Him.

You say you don’t know if you’ll ever be able to forget the hurt and move on from the pain. This is a problem you will possibly have to work on for a long while, but you must learn to forgive, forget, and move on if you are going to be Christ-like.

When God forgives our sin, He also forgets. The Psalmist reminds us that, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103.12 God does not hold these sins against us nor does He hold them over our head whenever we sin again. No, the sin is forgiven and forgotten in the same moment, never to be remembered again.

The idea that we can forgive and not forget is an entirely unbiblical concept. It is a product of our sinful flesh wanting to hold on to that hurt to get back at and repay those who have hurt us. I’m thankful that God does not operate in the same way!

Whatever your hurt is, no matter how difficult it is, you must learn to forgive, to forget, and to reconcile with those who have wronged you. It is the only way to truly get closure and it the process that is ordained by God to deal with those who have hurt us.

Q: Pastor Paul, I am having trouble forgiving someone who has hurt me deeply. It’s not so much what they have done, but the fact that they continually do things that hurt me and my family. Every time I think I’ve gotten over one hurt, here they come doing something new that tears us up. I’m trying hard to forgive, but I don’t know if I’ll ever forget. What should I do? – Anonymous

A: I can tell from your letter that this is something that is weighing heavily on your heart and mind. Forgiveness, or rather the lack thereof, is one of the main issues that Pastors tend to counsel people over. There truly is a multitude of hurt in this world, and most of it is caused by those around us.

Since you did not specify I’m going to assume this person is mainly hurting you through their words. There are a host of things someone could be saying to or about us that would cause great pain. We’ve all heard the children’s rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” Unfortunately that little rhyme is totally wrong and words do hurt us very much!

Regardless of what is being said about you or those you love, the solution is the same. It is given to us in Matthew 18 where Jesus teaches His followers about how to handle personal disputes. First, the person who is hurting you should be confronted with their sin. If they refuse to listen or change their ways, you should take a witness to help mediate your discussion. If the offender again ignores this admonition to stop, the church should get involved to try to bring resolution and reconciliation to both parties. 

Even if all of these steps are ignored or even mocked by the person who is hurting you, your response is the same. You, as a follower of Jesus Christ, should absolutely and totally forgive without reservation. 

The best illustration of this simple truth is found in the same chapter, Matthew 18. When Jesus has completed His instructions concerning reconciliation, Peter pipes up to ask a question of Jesus. He asks, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” Matthew 18.21 Peter probably thought he was being quite generous with his forgiveness. After all, the Rabbis and religious scholars said a man was obligated to forgive three times before halting future forgiveness. 

Jesus burst Peter’s bubble by responding with, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Matthew 18.22 What Jesus was saying was that forgiveness is not something that should be counted or tallied. Instead it should be the default response of a Christian to those who have wronged them.

The illustration is found in the following verses. Jesus tells a parable of a man who owed a very large sum of money who was then forgiven his debt by his Lord. The same man then finds a coworker who owed him a paltry sum. Instead of forgiving as he had been forgiven, the man had his debtor put into debtor’s prison to work off the debt. This, of course, made everyone angry, especially the man who was owed a great sum and had forgiven.

The application to our lives is easily seen, but it is spelled out even more plainly by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4.32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

As a Christian, a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you forgive someone, you’re not doing it because they are worthy of forgiveness. You must also forgive regardless of whether they ask for forgiveness or not. Your forgiveness is not based on them or their actions at all, but rather on the forgiveness that you yourself have received. 

Can I remind you of something? No matter what someone has done to you, that thing (or things) is not nearly as bad as what you’ve done to God. You’ve ignored His love. You’ve disobeyed His word. You possibly have said bad things about Him or His bride, the church. Yet with all of the no good, bad, rotten things you’ve done to God, He has still forgiven you, and He will continue to forgive you as long as your life may last. Over and over and over again He has forgiven and removed your transgressions from your account all because the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has paid your sin debt for you.

Your forgiveness of others is based on God’s forgiveness of you. If you have been forgiven, you must forgive others to be right with Him.

You say you don’t know if you’ll ever be able to forget the hurt and move on from the pain. This is a problem you will possibly have to work on for a long while, but you must learn to forgive, forget, and move on if you are going to be Christ-like.

When God forgives our sin, He also forgets. The Psalmist reminds us that, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103.12 God does not hold these sins against us nor does He hold them over our head whenever we sin again. No, the sin is forgiven and forgotten in the same moment, never to be remembered again.

The idea that we can forgive and not forget is an entirely unbiblical concept. It is a product of our sinful flesh wanting to hold on to that hurt to get back at and repay those who have hurt us. I’m thankful that God does not operate in the same way!

Whatever your hurt is, no matter how difficult it is, you must learn to forgive, to forget, and to reconcile with those who have wronged you. It is the only way to truly get closure and it the process that is ordained by God to deal with those who have hurt us.

Q: Pastor Paul, what is the purpose of baptism? I’ve heard a lot of different opinions, but I want to know what the Bible says. Thanks! Dave

A: Dave, thank you for your sincere question. Sometimes it isn’t easy to separate tradition and opinion from Bible truth, but I hope to give you a sufficient, biblical answer.

In the Old Testament baptism is not seen. It is an ordinance that is unseen until the ministry of John the Baptist as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.

In John’s ministry, Matthew says that he was preaching repentance in the wilderness, near the river Jordan. When people would hear John’s message and believe that message, they would be baptized. “And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” Matthew 3.6

The purpose of John’s ministry was to pave the way for the Lord Jesus Christ and His public ministry. As he announced that the Lamb of God was coming near, people who believed were baptized to demonstrate their faith publicly. They were not baptized in order to wash away sins, they were baptized because their sins had been forgiven and now they wanted to identify with the forgiver, Jesus.

The proof of this is found later in the same chapter. While John the Baptist was preaching Jesus and His followers came to see him. While He was there, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. This was astounding to John, and everyone else. Why would the Saviour, the Messiah, the Lamb of God want to be baptized by John? Jesus had no sin to wash away, He had done no wrong!

Jesus was not baptized in order to wash away sin, He had no sin. No, Jesus was baptized to identify with the preaching and ministry of John the Baptist. In effect He was saying, “I agree with what John is preaching and teaching. I agree with his ministry.”

The question then is, who are we identifying with when we are baptized? The answer to that is found in Acts 2 in the account of the day of Pentecost.

We don’t have time to get into Pentecost and what all it meant to the Jews, but it was a time of gathering for the people. In Acts 2 we have men of all different nations and languages represented when the Apostle Peter gets up to speak. He preached the Gospel, every man heard in his own language, and several thousand accepted the message of salvation by grace through faith. 

When the preaching was over and the people had made their choice, these new believers were baptized. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:” Acts 2.41a

The question of identification is answered for us in the latter part of the verse, “…and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Acts 2.41b These new believers were identifying with, and joining to, the church in Jerusalem. That is the “them” that they were added to. 

When a person gets baptized, they are identifying with two distinct things. The first is the message of salvation by grace through faith found only in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The other group we are identifying with is the church in which we are getting baptized. In baptism you are not only saying that you are now a Christian, but you are also saying that you agree with the church that is baptizing you. You are making a statement agreeing with their doctrine and practice. This is why so many churches require a person to be baptized in either that church or a church of like faith for church membership. 

So now we know the purpose of baptism, to publicly proclaim your faith in Jesus Christ. We see the identification of baptism, identifying with Jesus as Saviour and also the church. What about the mode of baptism? Who is qualified to be baptized?

These next two parts are some of the most hotly debated issues in history. Countless Christians who believed what I’m about to present to you have been persecuted and even killed for their strongly held beliefs concerning the proper mode and qualifications of baptism. 

To figure out the proper mode of baptism, we simply have to look at the earliest account of baptism in the Bible found in Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, and John 1. A simple word search of baptism will take you to the Greek word baptizo, which of course is the root word. Baptizo is literally translated, “to immerse, to submerge, to overwhelm.” In the account of Jesus’ baptism we read, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water.” Matthew 3.16 We know from the previous verses that John was baptizing in the Jordan River. We read in this verse that Jesus was down in the water and had to come up. The need for a large amount of water is also seen in the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. 

From the literal definition of the Greek word baptizo and the accounts of baptism in the New Testament, we must conclude that baptism was, and should be, by total immersion.

Now on to the question of who should be baptized. In every account of baptism in the New Testament, the person being baptized is a person who has made a conscious decision to accept Jesus as their Saviour and identify with their newfound faith. There are no instances of anyone getting baptized by coercion or before they can make the personal choice to accept Jesus.

The key passage to this is found in Acts 8. Philip is transported to the desert by the Holy Spirit and there he meets a very respected, educated man. This man was a personal attendant to Candice, the Queen of Ethiopia. We don’t know his name but we call him the Ethiopian Eunuch.

The Ethiopian Eunuch believed in the God of the Old Testament and had been in Jerusalem to worship. Philip finds him reading from the prophecies of Isaiah and contemplating Scripture. Confused by what he was reading, Philip is able to take that passage and show the man his need for salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. As they travel they come across a body of water and the man wants to be baptized. Notice Philip’s answer, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” Acts 8.37 The man confirms that he believes Jesus to be the Son of God and is baptized right then and there.

I know this has been a long article, but I hope you’ve seen the purpose, identification, mode, and qualifications for baptism. In baptism you are making your faith in Jesus Christ public, you are identifying with Christ and the church, it should be done by immersion, and is for the believer.

Author’s note: Since this article deals with the importance of church attendance, I decided to include a picture of a church that is special to me and my family. It is Calvary Baptist Church of Keokuk, Iowa. This month my good friend John Heath celebrated 30 years of pastoring this church! You would have to look for a long time to find a better pastor, mentor, or friend than Pastor Heath and I know many people in the Keokuk area can attest to his love for God and God’s Word. Happy 30th anniversary, Pastor Heath, and I hope the Lord gives you many more!

Q: Pastor Paul, I consider myself a Christian, I have accepted Jesus as my Saviour, but I don’t get the push for Christians to go to church. I’m not against church, but why is it important for me to attend regularly? Why do other Christians always invite me to their church? Maybe I’m missing something, but I like the relationship I have with God right now without complicating it any further. – Gary

A: Gary, I’m glad to hear that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Personal Saviour. That is the most important decision anyone can make, and it is the first of many decisions that will make an eternal impact on your life, and the lives of those around you.

I don’t want to be unkind, but I do think you are missing the bigger picture when it comes to church attendance. It is true that a person does not have to attend church to know Jesus as their Saviour; all that is required for salvation is knowledge of one’s sin, believing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus paid the debt that your sin owes, and accepting the free gift of salvation by faith. However, the Believer who neglects church is neglecting one of the greatest blessings of the Christian faith.

To start with, let’s talk about the origin of the church. In the Old Testament we do not have church. In those days there were only two institutions that were established and sanctioned by God – the home and government. In the Gospel Records of the New Testament we have the founding and foundation of the church. In Matthew 16 the Lord Jesus Christ asks His followers who they say He is. Simon Peter, the leader of the group, boldly declares that, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16.16) Jesus commends Peter for his bold statement and tells him, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock [the foundational truth that Jesus is the Son of God] I will build my church.” (Matthew 16.18) This is the first mention of the church anywhere in the Bible, as an organization that will be built in the future.

The next instance of the word church is found in Matthew 18. In that chapter Jesus is telling His followers how they are supposed to handle personal disputes. We won’t go into those instructions here, but He tells them their final step in dealing with these issues is to “tell it unto the church” (Matthew 18.17). This is notable because the word church here is in the present tense. From this change in tenses we can infer that the church begins sometime after Matthew 16.18 (future tense) and before Matthew 18.17 (present tense).

The church is the only institution begun by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He said He would build His church, and the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. The Bible also tells us that “Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it;” (Ephesians 5.25b). The church is the institution with Jesus as its Head, “And he [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1.18)

One of the chief reasons we should go to church is because we are commanded to attend church. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10.25)

Another great reason to attend church is so our faith will grow as we listen to the preaching from God’s word. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10.17) Earlier in the same chapter Paul is discussing hearing God’s word and he asks, “How shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10.14b) There is no substitute for sitting in church hearing the word of God proclaimed with boldness by the preacher.

The last reason I’ll give you for attending church regularly is one of practicality. Every person, whether they are a Believer or not, requires some amount of fellowship with other people. In the book of Genesis we learn that we were designed to fellowship with God and with one another. We are made to be social creatures.

The church gives believers the opportunity to interact and fellowship with other believers, those who also know and love the Lord. I’ve often said that I don’t know how someone gets through life without a church family, and I sincerely mean it. A church family encourages, prays for, lifts up, and helps one another in innumerable ways. It truly is a family made up of people from all walks of life who have one thing in common: their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Gary, I hope you, and all my readers, will find a Bible preaching, Bible believing church to be a part of. Not only will you be obedient in doing so, but you will also benefit in ways you can’t imagine!

Since I didn’t have any questions that came in this week, I thought I’d take a few moments of your time and talk about New Year’s resolutions. 

According to a recent news article, nearly 40 percent of adults in the US make a New Year’s resolution. If that statistic holds true, then it means a significant portion of you readers have already etched into your mind what you’d like to accomplish in the new year.

The most popular New Year’s resolutions are not surprising. The top several include our health; losing weight, going to the gym, eating better, etc. The next most popular group of resolutions deal with our activity or perceived productivity. These include being more organized, learning a new skill or hobby, and finally getting that promotion at work.

I don’t think New Year’s resolutions are necessarily a bad thing. In fact, most years I have some goals that I want to achieve in the new year that could rightly be defined as resolutions. One of my goals this year is to read the Bible more, and I am planning to read through the Old Testament four times and the New Testament six times in 2023. 

Like nearly anyone who has made a resolution in the past, sometimes I succeed in these goals, but other times I fail. In 2022 I set a goal to read the entire Bible (66 books, 1,189 chapters) in 30 days. That is quite an undertaking and one that I did not succeed in. I did end up reading my Bible through in about 40 days, which was a new personal best for me, but my resolution went unfulfilled. 

Although New Year’s resolutions aren’t necessarily bad, sometimes the motivation behind those resolutions is. For instance, if my intention was to read the Bible more so I could brag to my friends and family about how much Bible I read, that would be a bad thing. However, if I intend to read the Bible more so I can know God’s Word and thus know God better, then that is a good reason.

As you consider what you might resolve to do in the new year, allow me to make some suggestions that I think will be beneficial to you.

I think every person should resolve to know the Lord better in 2023 than we did in 2022. The old adage really is true; you are as good of a Christian as you really want to be. There is nothing stopping you from knowing God better but yourself! To know the Lord we have to communicate with Him. We communicate with God through two primary resources: Bible reading and prayer. Unfortunately we take both Bible reading and prayer for granted. 

As the late Pastor Adrian Rogers said, “The Bible is God’s love-letter to mankind.” We have been given everything God wants us to know about Himself and His plan for the redemption of man in the Bible. We live in an age when the Bible is easily accessible in stores, apps, and the internet. If you don’t have a Bible of your own, I will gladly give you one if you’ll reach out to me. There is no excuse for any person to not have the Word of God.

While the Bible is God speaking to us, prayer is how we talk to God. No relationship would stand if only one person did all the talking all the time. If we are going to have a good relationship with God we need to hear what He has said in His Word, but we also need to talk to Him in prayer. 

Along with knowing the Lord better in the New Year, I think every Christian should resolve to getting to know God’s people better, too. When I say God’s people, I’m talking about the local assembly of believers, the church.

The church is the only organization instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. While He was on earth He started the very first church with His twelve closest followers, the Apostles, and gave them the authority to start more churches.

The local New Testament church is a resource that cannot be overestimated. I have often said that I don’t know how people get through life without the support of a church, and I mean it. The people that make up a Bible preaching, Bible believing church can be a safety net and anchor in our lives. They will pray for us, cry with us, and encourage us as we go through life. The church provides us a place to serve the Lord, to give, to worship, and to belong. 

Whatever 2023 brings your way, I hope you will be closer to God and closer to God’s people at the end of next year. I believe they are resolutions that will have an eternal impact on you, and those in your life.

Q: Pastor Paul, I’ve been seeing a lot of debates and arguments about Christmas online. Is it okay for a Christian to celebrate Christmas? How do we even know if Jesus was born in December at all? I really enjoy the holiday, but I don’t want to celebrate it if I am dishonoring the Lord by doing so. – Annie

A: Thank you for your question, Annie. I must say that I am right there with you in enjoying Christmas and all that goes with the holiday. Our family and church family love to decorate, give gifts, sing Christmas carols, and to spend time together during this time of year. I especially like all the Christmas treats we buy or my wife makes during this season!

However, whether or not we participate in something, a holiday or any other event, should not be determined by what we like, but should be determined by the Bible. 

The first celebration of Christmas was by shepherds near Bethlehem on that first Christmas night. They were joined by the angels who pointed them to the infant Jesus. In Luke 2 we see the extent of their celebration; the angels sing praises to God for the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the shepherds came and saw Jesus and praised God for this miracle, they then went throughout the countryside telling others that they had seen the Messiah. At that time a star (which was prophesied of) begins to shine to announce the birth.

The next celebration of Christmas was by two elderly saints in Jerusalem, Simeon and Anna. Around 40 days after His birth, Joseph and Mary take Jesus to the Temple to give a thanksgiving offering for His birth. Simeon and Anna had been waiting their entire lives for the Messiah to arrive and when they saw Jesus, they worshiped Him and praised God.

Another celebration of Christmas comes some months later when the Wise Men come to Bethlehem following what we now call the Christmas star. They find the young Christ child and family, and present Him with gifts showing their knowledge of His person and purpose. They worship Jesus and leave knowing they had seen the Messiah, the Saviour who would take away the sin of the world.

In each of these instances something should stand out to us. Whether it be angels, shepherds, saints, or the Wise Men, all of the groups worshiped Jesus as they celebrated His birth. Some brought gifts, but all of them glorified God for His gift, the gift of the Saviour.

It is true that we don’t know exactly what day Jesus was born on (there are a lot of opinions out there but they are just that, opinions) but we do know Jesus was born. We know about His birth just like we know that Jesus was alive, He was crucified, He was resurrected, and now He is sitting on the right hand of God the Father making intercession for us. In my view if God wanted us to know the exact date, He would have recorded it for us.

Having a set date that we pause to celebrate the birth of Christ not only makes sense, but it is also something that has been practiced since the very earliest of Christians. There is historical evidence that the earliest churches celebrated Christmas by meeting and worshiping the Lord together.

I agree with many people that Christmas is far too commercialized in our day and age. So many businesses see the holiday as nothing more than a way to sell more products that it is disheartening. A sizable portion of those who celebrate Christmas have no idea what or Who they are celebrating. 

Those truths shouldn’t take the Christian’s joy or cause us to cancel our Christmas celebrations, though. We should instead use Christmas as an opportunity to talk to people about the reason for celebrating: the birth of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. In doing so we will be honoring the Lord by pointing others to Him.

Speaking of Christmas, I’d like to invite all of my readers to our church Christmas service. We will have special music by various groups and families in our church, plus some beloved Christmas songs and carols by the First Baptist Church Choir. We will conclude with a Bible message about Christmas. The service will be on Christmas day, Sunday, December 25 at 10:30 AM. Everyone is welcome and I am sure it will be a blessing to you. Our physical address is: First Baptist Church, 219 W Main St, Laurel, IN 47024.

Q: How can I know what God’s will for my life is? – Jake

A: Jake, this is probably one of the most common questions I get as a pastor. People throughout history have wanted to know what God’s will is for their life. God also wants us to know what His will is for our lives. The Apostle Paul wrote this to the church in Ephesus, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5.17)

The will of God can be broken into two parts. The first part is what we call the public will of God. This is what God wants for every single person who has ever lived. Those things that are included in the public will of God are found throughout Scripture.

The first and foremost thing that God wills for every person is that they would be Born Again. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3.9) To be Born Again you have to admit you are a sinner, believe that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to pay for your sin debt, and call on Him asking for salvation. It is God’s free gift to every person.

After a person receives salvation and is Born Again the Lord desires that you would be obedient to Him and be baptized. In Acts 8 Philip the Evangelist was in a desert place when he met an Ethiopian traveler. The man was reading from the Old Testament book of Isaiah and pondering the things of the Lord. Philip began to preach the Gospel to this Ethiopian. The man asks Philip, “Here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” Philip responds with the statement, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” The Ethiopian gladly affirms, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” After this profession of salvation, Philip baptizes the man. Baptism does not impart our salvation, it is a statement to the world that we have been Born Again.

After salvation and baptism the Lord wants each person to be a working member of a Bible-preaching church.

To be a working member of a church means you support the church through financial giving, volunteering, inviting others, praying, encouraging, and being faithful to services. Many people are members in name only. They say they attend such-and-such church, but they spend very little time or effort helping further the work of the church. They may show up on occasion, but they are not working members. The churches we see in the New Testament were full of people who not only were members, but they were working as well.

A Bible-preaching church is one whose doctrine (set of beliefs and teaching) is aligned with the Word of God. Apart from our salvation the Bible is the most precious thing that we have. It is eternal, trustworthy, and sure. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm 119.89) A church’s doctrine, preaching, teaching, preferences, and practices all should be based solely in the Scriptures.

The second part of God’s will is a little more complicated. It is the private, or personal, will of God. 

The private will of God is what God wants for you specifically to do with your life. I, by way of the Scripture, can tell you with confidence what God wills for all of humanity, but I can’t tell you what God’s personal will for your life is. 

It is possible that God is calling you into the ministry to serve as a Pastor, Youth Pastor, Missionary, etc. It is also just as likely that God is calling you to be a Doctor, Lawyer, or Accountant. Whatever God is calling you to do for a profession, He wants you to be a dedicated follower of Him and to be a witness wherever you are. 

Here are some simple things you can do that may help you figure out what God’s will for your life is. 

First, get involved in a Bible-preaching church. Attend every service, sign up for every opportunity to serve, and invite others to join you at church. Second, spend time daily in prayer and Bible reading. God knows your heart, but He also wants to hear your voice. He wants you to ask Him so He can answer. Third, find a good Christian mentor who can help you discern God’s will. 

God wants you to know His will and I believe that He will make it known if you are serious about wanting to follow Him.

A few weeks ago I approached the Connersville News-Examiner about writing a bi-weekly column for their paper. The editor was more than kind and seems excited about having me as a regular contributor. The column is called “Ask Pastor Paul” and will run every other week in the Friday edition.

This past Friday, November 18, the first column ran in the News-Examiner. I’ve already had some positive reviews and I pray it will continue to be a blessing to folks. If you have a question you’d like for me to answer you can email your question to askpastorpaulfrederick@gmail.com and I’ll do my best with the Lord’s help.

I plan on posting the column here on my little-used blog on Monday after the Friday edition comes out. If you’d like to read it sooner you can visit http://www.newsexaminer.com and you’ll find a link to it.

Q: We are living in scary times, and our world seems to be turned upside down lately. Where can we find hope these days? – Peter

A: It is easy for any person to become discouraged or even depressed in the days we are living in. For a number of factors, people are losing hope in the institutions and principles we have held dear. Thankfully there is a source of hope in our world: the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible speaks often of hope. In fact, the word hope is used over 125 times in our King James Version. This just goes to show that humans since the beginning of time have had worries, cares, and concerns and that they yearned for hope from an external source. In order to find out what kind of hope Jesus affords,we should go to the Word of God and see what it says.

The first way in which Jesus Christ provides hope is in salvation. The psalmist wrote, “For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.” (Psalm 71.5)

God’s gift of salvation extends to every person because every person meets the qualifications for salvation. In order to qualify for salvation we must be a sinner. The Bible tells us that, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3.23) We have all fallen short of what the Holy God expects of us and due to that we are separated from Him.

Thankfully, that is not the end of the story. God loved each and every one of us so much that He sent Jesus Christ to come to earth, be born of a virgin, live a perfect life, lay His life down for our sin, be buried and resurrected on the third day. Jesus Christ was, and is, perfect, without sin, and was the perfect sacrifice for our sin.

We know we have all sinned and that sin has separated us from God. Through the testimony of the Scripture we believe that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again to pay that sin debt for us. Now all we have to do is accept that payment and the free gift that is salvation. In order to accept the free gift we must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection, and call on Him asking for salvation. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10.9-10)

By believing on Jesus Christ and calling unto Him we have the hope, the assurance, that we have salvation. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10.13) Now we have hope that we will spend eternity in the presence of God in Heaven.

Jesus does not just provide hope in our salvation, but He also gives us hope in His presence with us daily. Jesus told His disciples, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28.20b)

Jesus had promised His followers a divine Comforter some time before. “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;” (John 14.16) This Comforter is the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is ever with those who know Jesus as their Saviour. No matter what we do or where we go, the Lord is always with us and has promised that He will never leave us.

There is another area in which Jesus gives us hope and that is in His Second Coming. Paul wrote that as Christians we are “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2.13)

For followers of Jesus Christ, His Second Coming is the next great event on the world’s stage. Sure, other events may be important and even monumental, but none of them are to be compared to the glorious appearance of Jesus to take us with Him to heaven to spend eternity with Him.

“But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” 1 Corinthians 13:10

As hard as we might try, I don’t think it is possible for us to fully appreciate what living in another time was like. Even if we divest ourselves of all technology and go into the woods with nothing but basic tools and know-how, the memory of modernization would be ever with us. If nothing else, the clothes we wear, the tools we carry, and the lessons that our forefathers had to figure out but we learned from would give us an advantage over someone living even 100 years ago!

Although I’ve been writing about how we would carry on our daily activities, that is not all that has changed in our world. In Christianity we see slow, gradual changes. These are changes not in fundamental doctrine, but in the way we see and apply some portions of scripture. The main area in which this is seen is in end times prophecy. What seems clear to us today was a mystery to Christian theologians just a few hundred years ago. They had an outline of eschatology, but it wasn’t a fully-formed set of beliefs. If we consider that Peter himself stated he didn’t understand everything Paul wrote about the end times (2 Peter 3:15-16), it is no surprise that our understanding of prophecy has grown and matured as we approach the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This week I bought a new Bible. It is still a King James Version, of course, but it is a little Thomas Nelson Thinline. It had great reviews, a nice cover, and a very readable font for such a small Bible. I didn’t really NEED a new Bible, but I bought it anyway. (Thomas Nelson is not paying me a dime to say nice things about this Bible, I just really like it. If Thomas Nelson is reading this and would like to send me a check, however, I’ll gladly cash it!) 

While I was patiently waiting for Amazon to fulfill my order, I began thinking about how fortunate I am to live in the 21st century with all of its conveniences. We are living in a time when the Word of God is more accessible than any other time in history.

For around $15 I bought this new Bible, and Amazon (with help from the United States Postal Service) delivered it to my house in about 40 hours; less than 2 whole days. I can now use it, give it away, or put it on my shelf with my 25 or so other Bibles. 

In Old Testament times, the Word of God wasn’t nearly as easy to get. The biggest problem, of course, is that the canon of scripture was not completed. Even at the end of Malachi’s life (the last Prophet before the birth of John the Baptist approximately 400 years later), the Bible still had 27 books to be included, what we call the New Testament. 

Back then they had to rely on the Word of God coming to them through either prophets, priests, or leaders. Moses was the first of these “Holy men of God,” who, “spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:21. Down through the ages, these men delivered the Word of God, either through writing or orally. Most of the names we would recognize from Sunday School; David, Solomon, Ezra, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and on and on we could go. 

But there were problems with this system. Some nefarious characters through the ages would claim that they spoke for God when, in fact, they were trying to make a reputation for themselves or someone they worked for. That is why God gave the Israelites very specific instructions on how to weed out false prophets in Deuteronomy.

There were also times in which God spoke through dreams to His people or a person. This happened to Joseph, Pharaoh, and King Nebuchadnezzar. Again, this system could be abused, but God used it several times for His purposes. 

Thankfully, we don’t have to rely on prophets or dreams in order to know what God wants us to know. It’s a good thing, too, because no person who claims to be a prophet today passes God’s litmus test found in Deuteronomy 18:21-22. Instead we have what the Apostle Paul described in 1 Corinthians 13:10 as “perfect,” the complete Word of God. We might debate or disagree about what one passage or another means or how it should be applied, but we have the word of God readily available. It is a gift that we probably take for granted way more than we ought to.

We live in an age where we can be thankful for so many things. The internet, central air conditioning, hand-breaded chicken sandwiches at nearly every major restaurant chain. But one of the greatest blessings we have apart from salvation is our ability to own, read, and study the Word of God for ourselves. Don’t ever take that for granted.