#STRask

How Should I Respond to News of a Same-Sex Marriage?

Questions about how to respond to a friend’s enthusiastic news of a same-sex marriage, whether one should send a gift to a same-sex wedding, and whether there’s any merit to Christians withdrawing from “the world” and congregating together for the purpose of safety and shared community standards.

• What’s a winsome way to respond to a relative or friend who enthusiastically tells you their child recently married in a same-sex marriage?
• I won’t be attending my cousin’s same-sex wedding, but would not sending a gift be unnecessary and rude?
• Is there any merit to Christians withdrawing from “the world” and congregating together in their own areas for the purpose of safety and having shared community standards?

If a Murderer Accepts Christ, Then Will His Victims Never Receive Justice?

Questions about whether the victims of a murderer who later accepts Christ will never receive justice for their suffering and whether or not it can be said a person is “forgiven” if the debt was fully paid by another.

• If a murderer accepts Christ, then doesn’t that mean his victims will never receive justice for their suffering?
• If Christ paid the price for our sin, then how can it be said we’re “forgiven” since the debt has been fully paid by another and the obligation has been fulfilled?

Does Preventing a Woman’s Access to Abortion Violate Her Religious Freedom?

Questions about whether preventing a woman’s access to abortion violates her religious freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment, whether the fact that God doesn’t have parts now applies only to two persons of the Trinity, and what it means to seek the presence of God.

• How should I respond to a Jewish person who claims that preventing her access to abortion in cases where her mental or physical health would be at risk is a violation of her religious freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment?
• If God does not have parts, does the fact that Jesus is now forever incarnated in a glorified body mean that this aspect of theology proper now applies only to the other two persons of the Trinity?
• What does it mean to seek the presence of God?

How Can I Keep from Looking Legalistic on Social Media?

Questions about how to respond to someone who doesn’t see how Jesus could be God, who wants every question answered before believing Christianity is true, and how to keep from looking legalistic when sharing one’s faith on social media.

• How would you respond to someone who doesn’t see how Jesus could be God and wants every question answered before he can fully commit to believing Christianity is true?
• As I share my faith on Instagram, how can I respond to claims that standing on biblical truth amounts to legalism and also guard myself from real legalism? 

If You Had $100 to Donate, How Would You Decide Who to Give It To?

Questions about how to decide which ministry or organization to donate to and whether one should support ministries and non-profits that do good work but treat their employees and volunteers horribly.

• With all the ministries, organizations, and needs out there, if you had $100 to donate to something, how would you decide who to give it to?
• What do you think about supporting ministries and non-profits that do good work but treat their employees and volunteers horribly?

Why Did Jesus Leave Earth?

Questions about why Jesus left earth and how it’s possible that two Christian leaders, who both have the Holy Spirit, can have a contradicting witness about whether or not one can lose one’s salvation.

• Why did the historical Jesus supposedly leave earth? (The Jesus of the Gospels doesn’t seem to know this when questioned.)
• How is it possible that two Christian teachers, who both have the Holy Spirit, can have a contradicting witness about whether or not one can lose one’s salvation?

How Can I Comfort Christian Families That Have Lost Loved Ones to Suicide?

Question about how a minister can comfort Christian families that have lost loved ones to suicide, are wrestling with thoughts that the suicide has resulted in a loved one possibly being a lost soul forever, and are close to walking away from God.

• How can a minister comfort Christian families that have lost loved ones to suicide, are wrestling with thoughts that the suicide has resulted in a loved one possibly being a lost soul forever, and are close to walking away from God?

Is God a Hypocrite?

Questions about whether God is being a hypocrite when he commands us not to murder and then executes people himself and how a politically conservative Christian should respond to a medical school admission form that asks questions about political opinions.

• Why is God a hypocrite, commanding us not to murder in Exodus 20:13 and then executing people in Isaiah 66:16? What kind of good leader says, “Do as I say, not as I do”?
• What should someone who’s a Christian and a conservative do when filling out a form for medical school admission that asks questions about political opinions? 

What Do I Say to Friends Who Have Deconstructed and Left the Faith?

Questions about what to say to friends who have deconstructed and left the faith that will acknowledge their pain but also point them back to God and how to respond to someone who says Christians don’t think for themselves but only blindly follow.

• What do I say to friends who have deconstructed and left the faith that will acknowledge their pain but also point them back to God?
• How would you respond to someone who says that Christians don’t think for themselves but only blindly follow? 

Aren’t Good Non-Christians Evidence That God Isn’t Required to Live a Moral Life?

Questions about how to respond to someone who says the existence of good non-Christians is evidence that God isn’t required to live a satisfying, moral life, whether God can save someone convicted of treason, and when it’s time to leave a church that promotes itself more than it exalts God.

• How do you respond to an atheist or agnostic young person who knows kind, loving non-Christians and believes that’s evidence that God isn’t required to be transformed to live a satisfying, moral life?
• Can God save someone convicted of treason by the government?
• When is it time to leave a church that spends more time promoting itself in the worship service than exalting God?