Welcome to part 2 of anonymous Q&A where you have already asked the questions and I bring you the answers. In some ways it's like a clip show for blogs. Here's the deal. When you find my blog via Google I know exactly what search you used to find me (I don't know who asked the questions, just what the questions were). Most of the searches are people trying to find out if James MacDonald or Matt Chandler are Calvinists (yes) and 5-pointers at that (yes). So here are some of the things that you- or more appropriately, yall- wanted to know.
Explain Romans 9:6-8.
I actually have a pretty recent post on this passage. I think the most important thing to remember at this point in the chapter is that Paul is coming off one of the peaks of the entire Bible in Romans 8 ("There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...") but he feels the weight of the question that must be on the reader's mind, namely, what about the Jews? So Paul begins by explaining his deep longing for the salvation of his kinsmen. Now in 6-8 he is defending God, making sure it is clear that the Word of God has not failed. He supports that argument with the truth that has come to be the foundation of what we call unconditional election.
How should we treat apostates?
A couple of months ago I wrote a post making the point that there is a "strange grace" in the apostasy of those who were never truly born-again. This is based on 1 John 2:19. But how do we treat these people? I think my last point in that post makes the point I would make here. We should evangelize them. But remember, you can't associate with them in the same way as you would if they were a brother or sister in Christ.
Is it against the Bible to play the lottery?
Last year I put up what John MacArthur wrote on this subject. I don't have much to add to what he says. If you have put yourself in a bad spot financially because of gambling turn to Christ. The gospel is for you as much as it is for the worst murderer, the religious hypocrite, and worst of all myself.
What book of the Bible speaks on relationships?
All of them. But lets assume the question is about "romantic" relationships. Song of Solomon is the first thing that comes to mind. Also, the book of Ephesians lays out the gospel and when you get to chapter 5 it shows the major implications the gospel has on marriage. There are some great Proverbs on relationships as well. A great ministry to point you in the right direction (and probably some great portions of the Bible that I failed to mention) is Family Life.
What will happen to those who never accept Christ?
They will be judged for their sins eternally in the lake of fire. Whether a person knowingly rejects the gospel or merely sees the fingerprints of God in creation and rebels against what he knows to be God's moral standard (see Romans 1-2) a person without Christ is under the wrath of God. I wish I thought more about that and lived was a better example of missional living.
Finally, I got hits from some people searching for Jason Lapp's blog. Thanks for stopping in for directions.
Grace and Peace,
Stephen
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