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Fighting the Fight XXIV
Question #1:   
Thank you Bob for these verses of truth.

If spiritual maturity is realising just how hopelessly depraved we all are, how unreliable, untrustworthy and unfaithful we are and how perfect and unchanging and faithful the Lord is...I am well on my way then.

I have lost count now the number of times I have had my ear chewed off after trying to be KIND to someone. 

[omitted]

Everything is hopeless, wretched and empty without the Lord and it is all so brief and then it is all over. It would be a dreadfully despairing and hopeless reality without the Lord. I can't imagine how deluded people must be right now to not see this. It is shocking how blind and hard hearted everyone is. Mindlessly and blindly thrashing away as though it meant something and if they catch sight of the grave, they only blindly thrash away more furiously.

Marana-tha!

In Jesus,
p.s. was just thinking of the boat Peter climbed out of to walk on the water. It occured to me that seeing as Peter himself said that scripture was more sure than his own eyes after the Lord's Transfiguration. It occured to me that walking on the water at the Lord's command would be more sure than the boat he had just stepped out of! Especially given that the boat would eventually rot and let water in with time and so prove unreliable or even fatal whereas the Lord is as sure now as He was when Peter walked on the water over 2,000 years ago!
Response #1:
My pleasure.

Ingratitude is indeed hard to take.

Good point about Peter!

In terms of men, I will observe that we tend toward rudeness and sometimes mistake this for being funny. A good man will be remorseful after the fact, once it's clear to him that he messed up.

I will also observe that the devil knows what sort of things "get our goat", so that often after a trying stretch we get that "last straw" delivered up by the evil one and it sets us off . . . when out of that context it might be no great issue. That was Job's mistake, after all, not to mention Moses and Elijah as well. But as Paul says, "we are not ignorant of his devices." (2Cor.2:11 NKJV).

In terms of ministry, we all have to go through the phase of fine-tuning it, figuring out just what it is that the Lord would have us do, and gradually discontinuing things that are proving not particularly profitable.

Keeping you in my prayers for this, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #2:
Thank you Bob,

I have to admit that I am struggling a great deal at the moment. I realise though that between feeling hopeless despair at suffering and aggressive self reliance, there is a place of both enduring and overcoming in faith.

In Jesus,
Response #2:
Sorry to hear that you are feeling worn down, my friend. 

At such times, it's important to try and make a little time and a little space, wall off the world as much as possible, and spend some extra time with the Lord. He is all-sufficient for all of our needs.
(31) So what shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? (32) He who did not spare His own Son, but handed Him over for our sake, how will He not also graciously give us everything [we need] along with [that gift of] Him? (33) Who will [dare to] bring charges against God's elect? God is the One who is pronouncing [us] justified. (34) Who is he that condemns [us]? Christ Jesus is the One who died [condemned in our place], and the One, moreover, who was raised from the dead [for us], who is [seated] at the right hand of God, who is also making petitions on our behalf. (35) What will separate us from Christ's love? Tribulation? Or privation? Or persecution? Or hunger? Or destitution? Or danger? Or violence? (36) As it is written, "For your sake we are being put to death all day long. We were accounted as sheep for slaughter". (37) But in all such things we are decisively victorious through Him who loved us [enough to do what He did for us]. (38) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angelic nor human authorities, neither things present nor things to come, neither heavenly powers, (39) be they the highest [of the elect] or the lowest [of the fallen], nor any other created thing [on this earth] will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31-39
Stand fast in His love. All this is going to be over soon enough, and we will be with Him forever.

I'm doing battle for you and with you in my prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #3:
Thank you Bob!

Your prayers and mine are being answered! I am getting through it to the other side and being strengthened by the Spirit again!

Praise the Lord!

In Him,
Response #3:
That is great to hear!

Keeping moving forward, my friend. It's a common experience for advancing believers to find that if we just keep pushing on in spite of opposition and "how we feel", we come to find out just around the next bend that the sun starts shining again. This is all part of the testing, to demonstrate to everyone ourselves included just how resilient our faith is.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4 NIV
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #4:
Hello Dr. Luginbill!

Thank you for the speed and response.

I have another question that I believe I have a Biblical precedence on, but wanted to ensure I wasn’t off base. I understand in severe situations, we need to sever from wayward unrepentant believers, but what if the waywardness is a) claimed by one b) in the past? I don’t want to be slack, but this strikes me as a situation where we proceed perhaps with caution, stay out of any gossip, and offer people the benefit of the doubt. I, too, made many mistakes in the long past, and don’t really want to go interviewing people on their recent confessional status. 
Response #4:
My pleasure,

On your present question, when you say "in the past", meaning that said persons are no longer involved in whatever it was that caused us to separate, the biblical policy is clear enough. We have the example of Paul who tells us to separate from such individuals but then instructing the Corinthian believers to take the young man he had "handed over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh so that the spirit might be saved" back into fellowship after he repented (1Cor.5:5):
This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
2nd Corinthians 2:6-8 NKJV
So distancing ourselves from the highly wayward (this man was guilty of incest) is appropriate only as long as they ARE seriously out of line. If they repent and come back to the Lord, we are to receive them back into fellowship as well. There are plenty of prodigal sons out there. And which of us didn't have some such sort of harrowing experience in our youth? God forgives. We are to forgive also. But if the person has not turned away from their foul conduct, then we are to keep our distance.

As to "claimed by one", do you mean by this that we don't know for a fact personally that someone "is involved in XYZ" but it's only been reported to us by one source? If that is what you are asking, I would say that any serious charge should be taken seriously, but that we should also be careful not to pass judgment arbitrarily (cf. 1Tim.5:19). A lot would depend on who the "one" was. If our spouse is a solid believer and he/she is the "one", we can probably take the report "to the bank", as we say. If the report comes from an acquaintance about whose spiritual status we are not at all sure, we probably ought to take it with more than grain of salt – and not shut the person reported on out of fellowship peremptorily (but also taking care: cf. Jeremiah 40:14-16 compared with the following chapter).

I also think your conclusion here is well-taken. I don't see any biblical mandate to be interrogating other Christians about their spiritual status or behavior. Even within a local church, the default setting is to be the respecting of other people's privacy, and there is only even a mandate for "discipline" when one member is making a public issue of him/herself and their behavior (or preying on another member of the congregation; see the link in BB 6B: "Church Discipline").

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #5:
Hi Bob,

Thanks for your prayers too. I'm going through a very tough time at the moment. Seems like every positive thing I'm trying to do spiritually is being hindered. It's like the enemy is using everything and everyone to try to knock me off course. So your prayers are appreciated.

I read a response you wrote to someone which I think was about abuse. I agreed with what you wrote and just wanted to share a little bit about my own experiences and thoughts.

I suffered abuse as a child by my parents (and into my adulthood) and then they divorced as well. I went through a lot of fear, anxiety, tension, psychological, emotional and physical pain. It became 'normal' for me. It was painful but I didn't realise at the time exactly how wrong and unhealthy it was. How evil it was. I wasn't alone as a child going through this. God was with me even if I didn't realise it back then. He witnessed everything they did and said to me and He felt all of the pain I was feeling. He understands. He knows what it feels like more than any of us to be rejected, abandoned, beaten and abused. He took all of that on the cross for me and He died for me. Isaiah chapter 53 tells us - He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted.

Even through all of this He kept His eyes on the Father. He continued to walk out God's plan for Him and didn't let the abusers distract Him from that plan. He is my perfect example. I refuse to allow anyone or anything to hold me back from the plan the Lord has for my life.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

I don't dwell on the past abuse because dwelling on it and talking about it never did anything to help me to heal and move on. It just kept the pain alive and dragged me down - exactly as the devil wants it to be. I've seen family members still stuck in a state of victimhood. It has them in chains and it can lead to anger, resentment, bitterness, anxiety and depression. The devil comes to kill, steal and destroy but the Lord came that I may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) I've moved away from constantly seeing myself as a victim of abuse to embracing who I am in Christ. 

Paul writes in Philippians 4:8 -
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

So I choose to think about the Lord. To be absorbed more and more in Him and His truth. My identity is in Him alone. I'm now a child of God adopted into His family. 

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ...
1 John 3:1

When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.
Psalm 27:10

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
Romans 8:15

I am loved, chosen and wanted - I'm not a mistake. (Psalm 139:13-16) I am forgiven, I am redeemed. By His wound I am healed. (Isaiah 53:5) God IS love and He will never leave me or forsake me. (Deut.31:6) In Christ I am a new creation. (2Cor.5:17) My life is His and to be used for His glory. He IS my life. 

The pain from feeling unloved and hurt by my parents has disappeared. I have peace now. (Phil.4:6-7, Isaiah 26:3) I love them. I forgive them and I moved on a long time ago. Forgiveness is not denying or excusing the damage caused by abuse. We forgive because God forgave us. When we choose to forgive we allow God to heal us. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3) It may take a while but we can cry out to the Lord and ask for help and healing. He is faithful and He is with us every step of the way.

Time is short and now I strive to keep moving forward with the Lord day by day as I seek to serve and glorify Him. (Phil.3:13-14) To keep my mind on the things above (Col.3:1-2) and to build up my treasures in heaven. (Matt.6:20) We'll be with the Lord very soon and I want to put as much before Him as I can when I see Him face to face.

I'm thankful to the Lord for helping me to write this today. I knew that He would. I've been trying for a few weeks so it feels like even getting this email out is a victory over the powers of darkness. (Ephesians 6:12)

I hope and pray that this helps and encourages others.

In our dear Lord Jesus
Response #5:
Very nicely said, my friend! You are a trophy of grace for sure. Your "takes" on abuse and forgiveness – and how a believer should handle both – are right on the money. Well done you!

I am sorry to hear that you're going through some thick "flak", however (but overjoyed to see you handling it like the battle-tested, mature believer you are).
Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
Acts 14:21b-22 NIV

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
2nd Timothy 3:12 NIV
So, when we are suffering we are in "good company", even if sometimes that's uncomfortable.

I only ever went water-skiing once, but it taught me a good lesson. I did fine, getting right up and going all the way down the lake like a champ, but then my aunt had to turn the boat around and the line went slack. I tried to correct, but down I went. The devil is good at "push pull". But we learn as mature believers to push in when he's not pushing and to pull back when he is, to keep our spiritual balance as in skating or skiing or log-rolling or whatever. As you are doing! And asking for a bit more prayer support never hurts. It's also important to keep the strategic perspective. This is "one day at a time". We have no purchase on any tomorrow . . . except the great waking up day we are so looking forward to, when the Lord comes back for us or takes us back home to be with Him and all of our brothers and sisters forever. Meantime, this is a fight, whether at the moment there's no flak or it's mostly flak. Either way, we have "a job to do" as long as it is called "today", and an opportunity to put something more in our heavenly thesaurus. Standing tall on the "evil day" is certainly one way we glorify the Lord and add to that reward.
(10) So come what may, draw strength from the Lord and be strengthened through His powerful might. (11) Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand firm against the tricks of the devil. (12) For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against [angelic] princes, against [angelic] authorities, against the cosmic powers of this [present] darkness, against evil spirits in the heavenly realms. (13) Keeping that in mind, put on God's complete set of armor so that you may be able to resist attack on the day evil surrounds you, and stand your ground – once you have done all that it is your responsibility to do (i.e., prior spiritual growth and present spiritual application). (14) So stand your ground, having girded your loins with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having dressed your feet in preparation for [sharing] the gospel of peace (i.e., reconciliation with God as the result of faith in Christ). (16) And at all times take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery missiles of the evil one. (17) And [in this spiritual warfare] put on the helmet of salvation and gird on the sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of truth.
Ephesians 6:10-17
I appreciate your example and your willingness to share it with others. This is exactly how we should respond to present difficulties and past harm. We are professional warriors for Jesus Christ. The only thing we have in this world that matters is Him, His truth, His Church – our brothers and sisters in the faith. We are here to glorify Him, and we do so by taking the pressure as you are doing, remembering the truth we love, applying it aggressively to the troubles we are experiencing, having complete confidence in Jesus Christ that He will deliver us from whatever it is we need to be delivered from, putting the matter(s) in God's hands and waiting on Him to make it right, knowing that He will do so, if we just wait it out patiently. He always does. He always has. He always will. 
This is the victory which overcomes the world: our faith.
1st John 5:4b
Thank you for your prayer support too, my friend. The Lord just gave me some victories on the health front. So your "fire support" is working!

Keeping you and your family in my daily prayers as well, my friend – and thanks again for this uplifting and inspiring message.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #6:
Great to hear from you! Thank you for sending me chapter 7 and for your time invested into writing it. I look forward to reading it. 

My youngest son (16) has been going through a trial of being shunned on his basketball team and at times during school. He attends a Christian school. A couple of months ago a 12 grade teammate hit him, unprovoked, while he was sitting in the bleachers. He lost his hearing because his eardrum broke, which healed in about 5 weeks. Sadly the admin at the school minimized it and gave the 12th grader a one day suspension because he was the star athlete in the state and the team was 3 weeks from state tournament. We questioned admin about why a one day suspension and not a 3 day, since we were not going to press charges legally. (It qualified for a felony assault at a public school policy, since there were witnesses, documented injury and the kid was 18. All the testimonies from my son, the kid who hit and the witnesses all matched). 

A few parents were very angry at us because we questioned admin, and some of them were our friends. They quit speaking to us. They were more worried about the team not going to state tournaments than doing what was right! And two weeks later another parent made a false allegation that my son hit another player! Which was easily proven it wasn’t true. It was all so crazy and dramatic! One thing after another.

So as you can imagine, there have been a lot of tears from my son over being pulled into a situation that he had no control over, tears over betrayal from admin at school, his teammates and his friends parents. 

I really had been thanking the Lord for your ministry and Pastor Omo’s because you both prepared me that things like this happen to believers. I wasn’t surprised. A servant is not greater than his master. We can expect from this 'religious people’ who are only concerned with worldy status and not transformation of the heart. So we have been leaning into the Lord, praying and reading scripture and psalms at night trying to comfort him and wait on the Lord until this blows over. And the Lord is SO good because he’s sent other people to encourage us while we were hunkering down as a family and not talking to anyone! The are too many details to write about and it still stings as I type this out, but we are getting through it. I’m really looking forward to high school being over. 

I can’t thank you enough! Sorry to go on and on, but I want you to know that your work specifically impacts a 16 yr old. 

Today, I directed my friend (pastor’s wife) whose daughter is in a trial as well. She’s a young police officer who’s lost two fellow officers in three months. One to suicide and one to stabbing. I am praying your website will help give her words to her daughter. 

I pray for your encouragement and perseverance as well!! Thank you again. 
Response #6:
Thanks for the update and for this wonderful testimony. Your son is obviously being assailed not for visible reasons but because he is giving a good witness. By handling this with faith, you all are passing a very difficult test, bringing glory to God – as Job did (as long as he held up) – and winning eternal reward for yourselves. None of us like tests, especially not extremely taxing ones such as this. But God is good! He always brings us through, even if the ride is bumpy. We learn to "take the bumps" and in the end we see His hand in everything, working even what looks awful (and is awful in the experiencing of it) together for good in every way . . . for us who love Him (Rom.8:28). 

I will be praying for your son.

Apologies for the brevity. My sewer line collapsed on Saturday and I've been out of my house and dealing with plumbers every day since (more to come – but I should be back in business by next weekend). Trying to "keep up" even so.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
p.s., I'm appalled to hear that this happened at a "Christian school" (?!). Just goes to show you the quality of church-visible Christianity here in the late stages of Laodicea. This behavior, closing ranks around the bad and blaming the good, is exactly what secular institutions do all the time (I've seen that many times), but any group which overtly embraces Christ should at least give the appearance of having read something of the Bible.
Question #7:
[omitted]
Response #7:
You are in contact with people who are committing "horrific crimes or abominable acts"?!

First step: sever all contact immediately!

Concerned for your safety.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #8:
I didn't mean that, I just meant when I hear about people doing such things, I get very angry and it can lead to such feelings. Probably need to not watch the news so much.
Response #8:
There's not much we can do about the news, except to turn it off.  If you get angry, let's just say that it's hard to disaggregate anger from sin. We are told to shy away from that emotion (e.g., Eph.4:26; and see the link). So you may need to ask for forgiveness if your "righteous indignation" has crossed the line into sinful thought. 

God wants everyone to be saved, not to go to hell; but we are also justified in "calling a spade a spade" when we see people engaging in "horrific crimes or abominable acts". If it's on TV, there isn't a thing we can do about it . . . except offer appropriate prayers (for victims, et al.). But in terms of forgiveness, we only need to forgive people we personally have a grievance against, people who have (or at least we perceive that they have), done us some harm. That is an absolute necessity, because as our Lord tells us at the end of the "Lord's prayer", "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matt.6:14-15 NIV).

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #9:
Doc, do you think God will free us from demon influences and whatnot from doing occult activities if we sincerely repent and ask Him? I mean, some people claim that, but is it Biblical? Just curious because well...I struggled with urges to do such madness in the past, back when my intrusive thoughts and OCD urges were at their worst, probably springing up from my rabid paranoia of the occult at the time, and I'm still scared that I may have done something New Age or whatever without realizing it was a demonic idea (once again, this was quite a while ago).
Response #9:
As to "being freed from demon influences", we are under no necessity to have anything to do with these things in the first place – and in fact we are severely warned to stay away from them (e.g., Deut.18:10-12; Gal.5:20).

As to "from DOING occult activities", what we do is entirely within the purview of our free will. We have the image of God. We are here to make choices. God is not going to forestall our choices (though of course He may discipline us to turn us away from bad ones). Now if we ask for HELP in turning away from things we have trouble with, we will be helped. But it is important to add that this help will be in the form of the Spirit reminding us that what we are about to do is wrong, NOT in taking away our choice. 

We have to participate in this process. And if it is something akin to addiction that we are talking about, it is likely to be very hard, even with God's help – because we have to learn to master our own will and that can be difficult. That is what Paul means when he tells the Jerusalem believers that they have "not yet resisted [their own temptations] to the point of bloodshed, [in your] striving against sin" (Heb.12:), meaning that they were not trying nearly hard enough to stay away from the sin that easily besets them (Heb.12:1).

As to things that happened long ago, God forgives us ALL our sins when we confess. We don't have to worry that we've done something terrible in the past and "missed it". When we confess, we are forgiven and "cleansed of all unrighteousness" (1Jn.1:9) . . . and the Lord is perfectly able to provide all the loving discipline we need to get straight on the issue, should the problem continue (see the link).

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #10:
Hi Dr Luginbill,

I'm reading your explanations of Jesus' teachings on divorce and remarriage in Matt. 5 & 19 and how He refers back to Deut. 24:1-2. I agree with your exegesis really 100% but one nagging question I have is that if Moses had adultery in mind as the "some uncleanness" (which Jesus clarified as porneia - fornication) wouldn't that have been dealt with in those days by death of the guilty spouse (Deut. 22:22), not divorcement? Maybe this is why the rabbinical school of Hillel opened it up for other reasons...?

Thank you,
New Zealand
Response #10:
Good to make your acquaintance, and thanks for the vote of confidence.

First, here's what I write about this phrase elsewhere:
The Hebrew phrase 'erbhat dhabhar means, literally, "the nakedness of a matter" or "a matter of nakedness", but this is a euphemism for (illicit) sexual activity. It can also compromise, potentially, disgraceful or intolerable behavior. No doubt the lack of precise wording was deliberate, the Spirit not wanting on the one hand to suggest that forgiveness and reconciliation in such cases was wrong or impossible, and on the other hand not wanting to rule out many other potential situations where a divorce was called for but technical adultery had not been committed. The "hardness of heart" in our Lord's generation comes in where these individuals used the scripture entirely the wrong way, being unwilling to reconcile and forgive on the one hand, and using the flexibility of language as an all-purpose tool to condemn any woman any husband wanted to get rid of.
So the meaning of this phrase is not specific enough to automatically engender the punishment you ask about. If it were, then no doubt that would be stated in the Law.

And, blessedly and most importantly, as believers in Jesus Christ we are no longer under the Law of the letter but the Law of the Spirit (Rom.8:2; 2Cor.3:6)! Much about this at the link in the most recent major posting at Ichthys: Hebrews Chapter 7.
For Christ is the fulfillment (lit., “end”) of the Law, resulting in righteousness for everyone who believes [in Him].
Romans 10:4
In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #11:
We have been praying for it since your last email. __ also told us a few days ago of the sewer line collapse you suffered. We have also been praying for that. It sounds like a very uncomfortable situation, and that in addition to the other home improvement issues you have to deal with. I'm very sorry about all this. How is everything coming along? Was the sewer line fixed? Have you been able to go back home? Any news on ___ ?

Being without power is normal for us here. Since I moved to Lagos in 2013 and especially since coming to Jos in 2019, I have had better experience with the power supply, but it is what it is. I had a phone conversation with my younger brother yesterday and he told me that in the process of trying to hire people to work for his new business (things are starting to look up for him a bit), he has to struggle with figuring out who to hire without relying too much on their glib testimonies about themselves because many of these people would talk a good game and then fail spectacularly when you actually hire them, always having some excuses for why they can't do their job. I thought that that was me. I can't afford a generator and using the power bank that I bought four years ago might destroy the laptop batteries again, but perhaps there's some other way to get my work done? If my life depended on it (and it does), would I not find a way? You, my mentor, do after all. Even what you are dealing with right now is bigger than anything that I am suffering currently and you will still have a new email posting tomorrow and answer emails and do your work teaching your college (and graduate?) students and fix your house in preparation for the visit etc. So, I don't want to make excuses anymore.

Just wanted to tell you that we are praying for you. If I could carry some dirt or something to help you with the gardening or maybe fetch you a glass of cold water every now and then while you fix up the house, I would. I'm a little too far away and my swimming isn't worth anything at all.

Your student in Jesus
Response #11:
[omitted] I greatly appreciate your prayers on this! Feeling a lot of relief tonight. 

My honor society event went well as did my last day of main teaching for the year. I'm giving exams et al. on Monday. But tonight I have electricity and plumbing, so that is all to the good! God is good!

In terms of what we are dealing with, no one's Christian life is easy. We only occasionally even see the hardships others are coping with. I wouldn't change my lot for anyone else's if the opportunity were offered. I'm grateful for all the Lord has given me and for His many deliverances of me and mine. 

You have plenty to deal with, my friend, I do appreciate that and keep you all in my daily prayers. Thanks for the offer of help! Now that classes are ending up, while I do have a great deal to do for the job (research and about a week's worth of tying up the old semester and prepping for the fall), I should be able to pull things together on the home front. My health is pretty good at present, so it's just a matter of work – and somewhat enjoyable too for the most part.

Thanks for the background and the encouragement, my friend! 

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #12:
Hi Bob,

It's amazing how much we rely on that electricity stuff. And we don't fully appreciate it until it's not there! Even something small like making a cup of tea. 

Very happy you made it through this tough week! Things aren't too bad over here thanks, Bob. I'm battling on!

Keeping you and yours in my prayers and thanks so much for yours.

Have a great weekend!

In Jesus
Response #12:
I'm not surprised that the fight continues, but it does my heart good to hear that you are "battling on"!

Feeling very relieved tonight to be able to run water with the lights on.

Event went well; teaching went well; other things panning out too. So the latest "squall" has dissipated. Here's hoping for some clear sailing ahead – for you too, my friend!

Keeping you and yours in daily prayer (thanks so much for yours!).

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #13:
Good morning, Dr. Luginbill:

Question: In Hebrews 13:2 who are "strangers' and what sort of "hospitality" are we to extend?

I would not consider a fellow brother or sister a "stranger" even if they were unknown to me prior to an encounter. In addition, we are to extend hospitality (in the true Biblical sense) one to another (believers) - that is if I understand your teachings correctly (versus handing out money to someone begging on a street corner). I can see myself easily extending hospitality to any two or more of the 144,000 should they cross my path and seek shelter, food, encouragement, etc. (for sake of an example). 

So who is a "stranger?"

Can you provide a scenario where one may "entertain an angel unaware" and where we are to extend hospitality? It certainly may be an answer as simple as showing kindness to others in general, though I do not think it as simple as that, especially regarding "hospitality" in the Biblical sense. It may mean a cheerful demeanor with those we encounter, but we are also to be alert (wise as serpents and gentle as doves), discerning in situations. 

There was a time when my family and I questioned whether or not we entertained an angel unaware - but I can't say we extended hospitality per se (though we were thankful and grateful to him). My sister and I were driving home one night quite late from attending an event for Christian youth. A speeding drunk driver hit us from behind and we jumped and straddled the middle divide knocking down everything in our path. It totaled the car. We were uninjured with the exception of whiplash in the following days (praise the Lord). Immediately after the accident, and with no other cars or people on the road, and with an enraged drunk driver spouting off at us young girls, a kind, calm, man mid-30's appeared on the scene. He comforted us, protected us from the drunk and belligerent driver, and made the call to 9-1-1, and to our parents. Not surprisingly, there was a pay phone on the sidewalk right near the accident (no cell at that time). We have no idea if he was an angel unaware, but he was not around when the police arrived and wanted to take his statement. It was like he disappeared, for lack of a better word. We can only guess as to whether or not he was truly an angel unaware (though it felt like it to us in hindsight),

We hope and pray that you are doing well - all things considered.

Thank you for your time - and for teaching us. 
SO grateful for you.

In the name of Jesus - 
Response #13:
Great to hear from you as always – and thanks for the good words! How are your legs, doing? Did you guys settle on a place to put down roots?
The word at Hebrews 13:2 is philoxenia, a compound noun that means "kindness towards visitors" or "hospitality" (the elements are phil- meaning "love/like"; and xen- meaning "guest/foreigner"). In ancient Greece, foreigners and guests were the same thing because there was a culture of welcoming people from out of town since that was 1) the best way to get the news and 2) a way to build up relationships with people in other towns in order to receive reciprocity for yourself and your family when doing the same. Both the preceding verse in this context and the following verse are talking about believers, however, so I think that this verse is talking about believers as well (cf. Rom.15:2), believers you don't know personally (who may be out-of-towners), visiting for the purpose of spreading the good news. Compare:
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
3rd John 1:5-8
In the passage above, the "strangers" are xen-ous, and, in the context, believers, just ones not known to the people in this church ahead of their arrival. The recipients of the letter are lauded for receiving them, not for no reason, but because they are on a mission to spread the gospel. Thus they (and we when we do likewise) "work together for the truth". For this reason, such "hospitality" is a required characteristic for pastor-teachers as outlined by Paul at 1st Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:8. Here is what I say about that in BB 6B:
~ hospitable: This is a traditional (and defensible) translation, but "friendly" communicates the essential idea here. The Greek adjective philoxenos does not mean here that the pastor-teacher has to have members of the congregation over to his house for dinner regularly or that he ought to take homeless persons in for the night; it does mean that a good pastor-teacher does what he reasonably can do not to make those who might come to learn from him feel uncomfortable or unwelcome or otherwise unworthy or unwanted – just the opposite.
Peter also commends "hospitality . . . without grumbling" (1Pet.4:9). Here is what I write about this last passage in the Peter series in loc.:
The first thing to notice about this command is that it holds true for our dealings with believers who are walking with Jesus Christ but is not a requirement for the way we are to comport ourselves towards unbelievers or apostates:
(9) Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. (10) If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don't invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. (11) Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.
2nd John 1:9-11 NLT
The second thing to notice is that the word translated "hospitable" does not have the same specialized meaning in Greek that it does in English. When we hear this word in English we immediately think of having someone over to our house for a meal or even giving them lodging for the night. While that is a possible application, the main thrust of this command is to counter exclusivity in our communion with others in regard to sharing the truth of the Word. We should want to spread the Word and therefore we should be open to friendly communication of the truth we know and believe to others – rather than keeping exclusively close to our own circle of acquaintances who are blessed as we are to already be receiving in-depth instruction in the truth. We should not view our fellowship in the Word, whatever form it takes, as some sort of special, secret club. We should do what can reasonably be done to make those who might come to us and to our fellowship in order to hear the Word feel comfortable and welcome rather than the other way around. This may perhaps constitute a burden for some of us some of the time – as we are not always going to be naturally sympatico with everyone who shows up at our fellowship. While there are good and reasonable bases for keeping a distance from strangers, this verse tells us not to allow superficial dislikes and prejudices to prevent us from putting the Lord and His Word first – and also tells us not complain about having to do so (we ought rather to be joyful about sharing the truth).
There is nothing wrong with being "a good Samaritan", if God puts some such situation in one's path, if one has the means to "go and do likewise", AND if it is a prudent thing to do. We are told to be "wise as serpents", even as we are "innocent as doves" (Matt.10:6), meaning we are not to be stupid in our dealings with this corrupt world; rather, we are to exercise spiritual common sense in all things. If we are feeling guilty that we didn't give some beggar ten dollars, for example, that seems to me likely to be the evil one poking at us and arousing that negative emotion (almost never a helpful emotion; almost always a mistake to listen to it . . . if we are not truly guilty of serious, obvious and unarguable spiritual malfeasance), rather the Spirit telling us to do something. 

In your example, the person who helped you had the means to do so and did not put himself into serious danger in doing so – and I'm sure he has received ample prayers on his behalf from you ever since! But for a woman to stop in the dark on a deserted road to help some man trying to flag down her car would seem to me to be very wrong . . . and especially if done out of feelings of guilt about this and similar passages which are often misinterpreted.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #14:
[Addendum]
Response #14:
For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Matthew 11:10 KJV
The word "messenger" above is the Greek angelos, the exact same word which is usually translated "angel" when heavenly messengers are in view

It occurred to me that part of your question really had to do with "Does God send actual angels to help us?". While that would not necessarily be "entertaining" them, it is absolutely the case that God takes care of us through various and sundry means, including using elect angels (see now also "Entertaining Angels" in Hebrews chapter 13).
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Hebrews 1:14 NIV
Especially since the commencement of the Church Age and the gift of the Holy Spirit, these ministrations by heavenly angels have without question been for the most part (if not entirely) invisible. That does not mean that angelic help is not ever present (cf. 2Ki.6:17). But it does mean that we believers today need to be very careful about asserting anything about actual angels or getting hyper-focused on them (cf. Col.2:18; and see the link in BB 2A: Angels should neither be worshiped nor disrespected).

I will say that in my life there have been individuals who, in a manner very similar to your story, came out of nowhere to help me in what seems to me a miraculous way. And also, that there have been instances where I have been delivered in miraculous ways that certainly seem to me to be consistent with such intervention. I don't believe the individuals were angels in the former, and in the latter cases I just know that God delivered me – however He did it. 

Keeping you in my prayers, my friend.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #15:
Dear Dr. Bob, 

It has been a while since I have emailed you concerning spiritual advices, I was a high school student then. I have a question now since I feel like I'm experiencing inconsistencies in my biblical studies due to college being too pressing and hindering my progress even when I'm planning everything in my schedule - and it can't be done accordingly. This is a personal concern, but I'd like to ask once more for your advice. I've seen progress before that my knowledge was increasing and began to know things in the bible that I couldn't get from the denomination I was once a member to. Now, I am confused and feel like I'm back to square one. My faith never waned, but being inconsistent seemed to take a toll in me because I feel like I am becoming more conformed to things of the world due to working hard to my studies and failing to balance things out, making me think that I am more of an unbeliever than a believer when I know I am the latter. I think a little thing such as this still has a big impact to spiritual growth, which is why I emailed you. I am sorry if this mail is taking precious time from you. Any response from you will be greatly appreciated. 

And additional to this, I am a student in a catholic school now in my college. It proved to be a mistake since I've encountered preachings that are just biblically incorrect. It angers me to a level where I want to badly hurt the person speaking about wrong teachings. Is it right for us believers to hate those kinds of people in the name of the Lord? Is it right for a believer to pray for the demise of those who deny God or spread biblically wrong teachings to the masses? Or is it right since it would mean that I hate evil just as I am supposed to since evil is antithetical to who and what God is and what He wants us to be?
A brother in the faith,
Response #15:
Good to hear from you.

The first thing I would say is that the Lord expects us to do a good job at whatever we are engaged in. If in a degree program, He expects us to be professional and solid in our approach. That doesn't mean – in any field of endeavor – that we are to concentrate on it to the exclusion of all else, and especially not to the detriment of our time and walk with Him. But there are only so many hours in the day. We'll never regret time we spend with Him and for Him . . . and yet we still have to give a good witness by being good students (if we are students, e.g.). So this is a balancing act you'll have to figure out (just as life is always a balancing act). We Christians are supposed to carry out all of our responsibilities well. I've always found that front-loading the things that are really important is the best strategy. So getting up early enough to do basic Bible study, Bible reading and prayer before taking on other things is not the worst possible approach. Trust the Lord to help you with this. And I would be remiss not to encourage you to work your way through the Basics series at Ichthys (at the link), if you haven't already done so (and maybe even if you already have once: it's good to repeat).

On your institution, there's no doubt that the RC-ism is a works religion inimical to grace. But if you were at a secular college there would be other issues which might be (probably would be) even more difficult to handle. We don't want to hate others for being caught in the devil's trap, even if they are willing participants. We want to demonstrate Christian love, but through a strong example of the power of the truth. I do know something about these types of institutions. I don't think you are required to go to chapel or to be involved in any religious activities, are you? So, if I'm reading this right, perhaps just not attending events where there is this negative influence might not be a bad idea. From what I know about RC schools, many students and many faculty are not RC at all (and even many who are, are not particularly deep into that religion).

Do feel free to write me back about this.

In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #16:
Good day Dr. Robert,

I really appreciate and take it to heart your response and advice.

In response to your question about whether I am forced to participate in their religious activities. My answer is no -at least, that is what they said the first day in our orientation during the first day of class when I was in my first year. But, even if that is what they stated, my absences during in their mass and religious outreaches affected my grades, which is why their words even in formal announcements cannot be trusted - which led to me being forced to sit with them and hear about their teachings.

Though, I know it is my fault that I am here, but, the situation back then is what led to me being enrolled to this school. And the result of that is me having to deal with my growing hatred towards those who spread the doctrine of the devil to the people who know nothing about it and believe it. 
Response #16:
Re: "my absences during in their mass and religious outreaches affected my grades, which is why their words even in formal announcements cannot be trusted - which led to me being forced to sit with them and hear about their teachings" – I've never heard of that being a problem in an RC college before. The bigger ones are pretty much secularized now. You must be in a very small, possibly, Jesuit institution. 

Listen, if this situation is causing you to be caught in a trap of mental sin and forcing you to do things that violate your conscience, it would certainly seem to me as if you'd be much better off transferring to a different college. I can also tell you that it's much easier to get into even the top colleges as a transfer student than as a freshman. All schools lose people the first year and second year and are anxious to replace them. Your first (second?) year must be just about over. If this is not working, I would advise you to consider trying something else.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #17:
It would take me some time to find what I was referring to. In the meantime I have another question:

Just want confirmation here, Beelzebub was simply another name for Satan back in Jesus' day, and a bastardization of Baal right?

I'm asking because another popular belief, or rather it used to be, was that Beelzebub was a separate, high-ranking demon, believed to be Satan's right hand man in some traditions.
Response #17:
Re: "another popular belief, or rather it used to be, was that Beelzebub was a separate, high-ranking demon, believed to be Satan's right hand man in some traditions": There is no biblical basis for this whatsoever.

Beelzebub was, as you say, "was simply another name for Satan back in Jesus' day . . .", but it means "lord of [the] flies". The word ba'al does sometimes refer to Baal, but the word itself means "lord" and is used in compounds for "lord of".

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #18:
Do you think it's sinful to have an expensive meal occasionally? I mean my favorite meat is reindeer and it can be expensive, sometimes costing $150+ per pound where I live. When I do find it it's usually in the form of a far cheaper but still somewhat pricey sausage or jerky. I was thinking sometime, maybe for my birthday which is coming up getting a proper cut (still a cheaper one) of meat for a special meal. Do you think it's bad to want such a thing, even for a special occasion like this where a good deal of money will be spent anyway? I'm not obsessing over or regularly seeking gourmet food either, this is just for a special occasion like I said.
Response #18:
These things are matters of application which depend greatly on one's situation. For example, if this resulted in your children starving to death, the answer would be clear; if it doesn't inconvenience anyone in particular, that's a different story. 
Listen to the Spirit. We are down here to serve the Lord and looking to eternity, not this life. Doesn't mean we can't enjoy things (1Tim.6:17); it does mean that we need to put the Lord first in all things. Everyone is different – but all believers have the same Holy Spirit.

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #19:
Hi Bob,

I may wait several days on this one. There is talk of moving our chat messaging application from WhatsApp to Signal, out of privacy concerns with WhatsApp. I think we're going to try and make the switch this weekend.

Random other question: I'm looking to hire someone to clean my house on the regular (in preparation for hosting all the Bible studies: my overtime rate is high enough it actually makes sense to let the pros do it, and I just work a bit of overtime to cover the expense -- everybody wins). I've been trying to call one such local cleaning company for a couple days now, but no dice. I had come across an alternative overtly Christian company doing much the same.

Is there ever an argument to be made to trying to support Christian businesses, as opposed to others? Sometimes business is business, and despite what one might hope, the standards to which we are called as Christians may not perfectly translate into desirable behavior on the part of those openly plastering Bible verses on their marketing materials. On the other hand, I don't know if it is something I should be so against in principle, as much as just not so naive to think it always means superior quality.

Thoughts? I have no strong opinions, this just piqued my curiosity, since I do have the opportunity to choose here where my money goes.

Your in Christ,
Response #19:
OK, sounds reasonable. 

Re: "Christian businesses", I guess it depends on what that is. As I'm sure I must have mentioned at some time in the past, one of my Hebrew professors at Talbot observed that every time he got cut off on the freeway, it was by someone with a fish bumper-sticker. Point being that it's easy to claim Christianity. And when it comes to businesses, there is clearly an incentive to portray themselves that way. Who knows what kind of "Christianity" we're talking about in any case, let alone the level of commitment to Christ, not to mention the fact that their workers may not be believers?

It's probably fair to say that I would be more apt to hire a Christian individual whom I knew had integrity and did good work than an unbeliever of equal skill and character. But in point of fact many if not most Christians today do not have any sort of exceptional work ethic or professional integrity superior to anyone else because of that status (though they certainly should). If they are not spiritually mature, they may even be less solid on these grounds than others.

I don't find anything in the Bible that leads me to believe that preferring Christians is even suggested. Christians are certainly told to "do a good job", but actually performing to the divine standard is a matter of personal commitment, not "automatic". Personally, I skew towards individuals and companies which have demonstrated to me a certain level of professionalism, even if they are more expensive. And NO person or company is perfect.

When it comes to anyone who is going to be in my house, moreover, there's no margin for error. People have been known to steal from (and case places for later thefts), regardless of bumper-stickers (Matt.10:16).

In Jesus,

Bob L.
Question #20:
Hi Dr L,

The Bible talks of us loving with sincerity. And I want to do this. Unfortunately the work place is an odd environment.

The easiest way to explain my question is to give a concrete example. There is a coworker who always has something to complain about. And it is never a reciprocated thing, if someone were to bring up a problem (even if it was just one thing to her billion things), she just uses it to springboard to her issues. And we are required to put on a face in the workplace that the team is all friends, or the supervisor will say you are not a team player/have a bad attitude/whatever. 

So I don't like being forced to act like a friend. And I don't feel genuine because if it were the real world, I would tell her she needs to be reciprocal a little, but I am forced in this odd position at work. This does not even bring to mind that I have other people I'd prioritize over her, no offense to her. But the work forces me via these circumstance coming together to act friendly...look I think you get the idea.

Am I sinning by pretending to be friends? If I am, then I guess I have to make it real. And then circumstances will be forcing me to give and give and give to this other person who I don't even know if they are a believer, and they are not even using my help to get better anyway. I can't be truly genuine, because I am required to act a certain way, so it has to be that certain way, so I have to make that certain way that is required to be genuine. Does that make sense?

What is my Christian obligation here?

Do you know that coming to you is like coming to a university, in the best sense? It is like the (what today would call) the crude makeshift universities or learning centers before they got big, and really were learning centers of rigor. Central nodes where spirituality and other things were learned and released into the world. Okay I am not good enough at history yet to explain what I mean exactly, but I think you have the idea. Like in the old days, I think Charlemagne was an example, where they had nodes of learning centers and monastery scroll copying when things had collapsed or were collapsing around them. Because I am learning so, so much from you personally, via ICHTHYS, and the books you recommend (like the history and text criticism ones), while on the news you have the student insanity at the official universities. I meant this as a compliment, I hope it came out that way.

Thanks for all of your hard work and teaching and help,
Response #20:
I would say that being civil and acting in a pleasant manner is not the same thing as pretending to be someone's friend. In the workplace, we all have contact with individuals whom we would rather not have to deal with. Some are worse than others, of course. Treating everyone with respect and kindness is actually a good policy, one I would argue is biblical. 

But we are not obligate to socialize with others and develop actual friendships with them, neither by the Bible nor, I would guess, by your workplace policy. I do understand that there is a gray area here where some people will try to monopolize our time and "bend our ear" when we'd rather not have that done, regardless of how much work is on our plate. Since you DO have a lot to do, my advice would be to avoid said person as much as possible and plead "work to do" – which is of course the case. 

Put this to Lord in prayer and He will help you with it. Listen to the Spirit and He will guide you through it. But it's no sin to be nice – and no sin to do what you reasonable can to avoid those who are not.

Thanks for the good words!

In Jesus,

Bob L.
http://ichthys.com/