What is the Answer?

There are tons of questions in our town, state, country, and world that need answering. And there is no shortage of information, opinions, suggestions, and advice (wannabe answers) from news and social media outlets. Yet we still have more problems than solutions.

What are we to do? I found a book with tons of information in it that handles government, protests, raising kids & families, having friends, making & handling money, sex, in-laws, race, war, work, and much more about life and death. Why hasn't everyone heard about it? Why isn't the news trying to promote and sell it? Why aren't people on Facebook selling it for cheap with everything else they're not using? Why aren't we opening it to find the answers? Wait! I almost forgot to tell you what it is. It's the most published book in the world, the Bible.

Once some of you finish your eye roll, let me share a few examples:

- Government: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." - Romans 13:1. I'm certain that not everyone in politics is a Christian. However, that does not mean that God has not allowed them to be in that position for a reason based on his ultimate knowledge. Regardless, we are to submit unless it violates God's Law.

- Raising Kids: "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." - Ephesians 6:4. I think everyone would agree that children need more discipline today.

- Marriage: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." - Genesis 2:24. This verse is theologically loaded but quickly; a man leaves a complete and healthy household to join his wife and they become one. That one is not easily broken or separated.

- Racism and Prejudice: "So Peter opened his mouth and said; 'Truly I understand that God shows no partiality.'" - Acts 10:34. God created us all equal and in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Until we get past the fact that we may have different skin color, different histories, different cultures, but that we are one race, we will continue to hurt God by staying divided.

- Sex: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality...will inherit the kingdom of God." - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Sex outside of marriage the way God designed it between male and female is a sin, period.

- War: "And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once. Then He (Jesus) said to them, 'Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." - Luke 21:9-10. There are multiple stories of war in the Old Testament regarding war and how God used it. While I do not personally believe that God is a fan of war and loss of life, I do believe that he allows it when it a just war, and that the passage in Luke warns us that in a fallen world war is inevitable.

- Money: "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." - Matthew 6:24. Money is not inherently evil. It can be a blessing from God and used for great good. But that's the thing, money is something of God's that we are to be stewards of and use for His purposes, not letting it become our motivation and master.

These were sort of tip of the iceberg answers to some big questions in the world today. But it was just to point out that as everyone keeps asking, "What's the answer?" that maybe we should begin by asking, "Where is the answer?" The answers and principles that we need to live by are all there in God's word to us, the Holy Bible.

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Growin' Up Gregory

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