Are you violating Matthew 18 if you publically disagree with a fellow Christian?

Question from a reader:

Are you violating Matthew 18 if you publically disagree with a fellow Christian? For example, if you are referencing a book that you disagree with?

Answer from Randy Alcorn:

Matthew 18 says “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone”? If someone disagrees with something I’ve written, I certainly don’t view him as having sinned against me. Does the person with the opposing view think that I have sinned against him? If so, then we would definitely need to talk. My belief is that whenever ...

Does the saying “what goes around comes around” have a Biblical basis?

Question from a reader:

On page 341 of If God Is Good (regarding Galatians 6:7) you say: “A man reaps what he sows. What goes around comes around means the same thing.” But I think verse 7 is often lifted out of context and applied to reaping in this life. But verse 8 shows that Paul is not saying “What goes around comes around”, but is referring to the eternal harvest we reap: “He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shall reap life ever-lasting.”
     I believe “what goes around comes around” refers to things in this life, but this passage speaks of the eternal harvest we reap.

Does recorded voice and music praise God?

Question from a reader:

Does recorded voice and music praise God? If I were to record my own voice reading God's word and play it back in a person-less room, would that still praise God?

What makes a person married? Is it the legal paper you sign, or the “two becoming one flesh” (sex)?

Question from a reader:

Scripture seems to define marriage as "two becoming one flesh", but we're also often taught that God designed sex only for the within context of marriage. How does just signing a paper to be married make it right before God to have sex?

Answer from Jim Swanson:

(Jim Swanson, M.Th, MSM., EPM volunteer)

The first marriage had no paper license and no human community witness. God was the witness to the union of two souls. The act of marriage to consummate that state was sex. The basis of the marriage was the very act ...

Living for Christ Today To Prevent A Future Sorrow Of Regret

Recently, I retweeted a quote from John Piper. He wrote, “So much deep, heart-wrenching sorrow of regret among  60 somethings. I plead with you under 40: Preempt this!” I believe Piper's point is just another way of saying live wisely today, and you will save yourself from regrets.

Sexual Temptation: Three Critical Facts Every Christian Needs to Know

Critical fact #1

We are targeted for sexual immorality.

Some years ago there were weighty rumors about an international “hit list,” a calculated plan for paid assassins to murder strategic world leaders. A terrifying thought, isn’t it? Yet I’m convinced that the enemy, Satan, has maintained such a hit list throughout the millennia. And there’s every reason to believe that mature Christians are at the very top of his list.

If you have a ministry of any sort—public or private—as a teacher, preacher, leader, helper, or as any kind of salt and light in the ...

Because of the way someone at a church hurt me, I’m afraid to join any local church and currently attend one online. What are your thoughts about this?

Yes, local churches are very imperfect. They have problems. There are attitude issues. Leaders make mistakes. But God is doing a work. Instead of withdrawing from the local church, why not invest yourself in it, and commit yourself to humbly serving the body of Christ and helping people?

I’m a tennis player and, like most athletes, really like to win. How do I keep a godly perspective when I lose?

Turn to him when you lose, and turn to Him and give Him glory when you win. This honors Him. The people who know how to handle winning with grace and humility are the ones who learn how to handle losing. You don’t have to like losing, but you do need to grow from it.

Teaching Your Children Wisdom from the Word

The following is a list of nine topics that you can teach your children from the book of Proverbs just as Solomon taught his children. I recommend that you go over one topic a day or a week with your child, looking up the Scripture references together and memorizing one or two verses from each topic.

Leaving a Legacy of Faithfulness: The Father as Model and Mentor

Modeling Your Role as God’s Leader & Image Bearer

Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Exodus 18:19-20 (ESV)

God did not create human fathers, realize they were like him, and decide to call himself our Father. On the contrary, He created marriage and family to communicate not only Christ’s love ...