2016 Summer Dinner Series | Week 4
The theme for our 2016 Summer Dinner Series was “Ask Me Anything.” We took time each week to answer questions that members of Redemption Hill submitted in the weeks leading up to our Summer Dinner Series. Some of the topics that we addressed included: gender and sexual identity issues, the role of women in family, church, and the workplace, the sovereignty of God, and many other issues pertaining to the cultural landscape we as Christians find ourselves in.
The following audio file is from Week 4 of our 2016 Summer Dinner Series.
Catch All
Speaker: Elders and Staff
Submitted Questions:
- How do we handle racial issues as a church? Race has become more of an apparent issue within the church for me recently. Unfortunately with some of my Christian friends, it has caused a dividing line and limited our conversation because custom and skin color have become of such big importance, that it is hard for it not to be dividing. The trend or issue of “Cultural Appropriation” is one thing that has caused disconnect as well. I would really like to know how to handle this issue the best way, as a believer. I never want to assume understanding of things that I have not gone through, but as believers, I don’t understand why the pointing out of different skin colors, and “living to be offended” should even be a part of our relationships? It does not seem to bring anything fruitful to life.
- My question is about who is actually saved by Christ’s substitutionary life, death and resurrection. I frequently hear people preach and teach that Christ died for all sin. But I can’t see how that can be Biblically reconciled. If Christ paid for all sin, how can it be just for God to punish anyone for any sin at all? How could a perfectly just God send anyone to hell for sin that Christ had paid for? Wouldn’t that be both unjust of God toward the human AND unfaithful of God toward His own son and thus Himself? This leads me to believe that Christ must have only died for the sins of those whom he would save (his chosen) and not actually for the sins of the whole world. But I would like a clearer understanding of what is Biblically consistent.
- Did Jesus bear the weight of everyone’s sins, or only the sins of those who are (and would be) in the body of Christ?
- I’ve had a couple non-Christian friends ask me about what happens to those in third-world countries (more specifically the 10-40 window) that have never heard the name of Jesus when they die. I do not know how to approach this answer in a concise, truthful and loving way. How can I go about telling my non-Christians friends the truth of this situation?
- Why do Jews continue to reject Christ as Lord?
- How does the Bible’s perspective on sex play out in the single life?
- Are the young people and singles being taught not to live together prior to marriage? Like, is this being taught from the “pulpit” and in small setting? I won’t name names but I know a few couples that attend a church within the Acts 21 group that are very involved even with small groups and they are living together not even engaged yet.
- Does a Christian family apply 1 Corinthians 5:9-14 when an adult extended family member, who professes to be and has shown fruit of being a Christian, suddenly begins to live a life of sexual immorality. The ripple effects and consequences upon all of us are enormous, especially after this relative has rejected our clear biblical counsel, has become self-righteous/demanding, and wants to bring the lover to all extended family events.
- How do we approach the election season? Is it okay to vote for the lesser of two evils?
- How am I to respond to and view the presidential election and the candidates that are running for political office as a believer in Christ?
- Knowing that no political candidate is a perfect representation of Christ, at what point do candidates become so “un-Christ-like” that we should choose to not vote in an election?