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We're starting a new series on Sunday mornings called "TXT" on March 30th.
We'll be looking at the Bible. Where it came from, how it's laid out, how to read it. It's Bible basics, and hopefully will be a good way to help us all increase our understanding of this awesome book.

What we need from you is any questions about the Bible that you'd like us to try and answer, or at least discuss. So reply with your questions and we'll see if we can't squeeze them in. Thanks!

So I'm not quite a bible expert so I dont really remember most of the key points, but (I think) it was Cain (in genesis) who wasnt killed? anyways, so all of a sudden the guy who wasnt killed suddenly had a wife and i'm wondering did God make her? otherwise where the heck did she come from???

I'm not an expert AT ALL but i am just assuming it was his sister. Only logical explanation to me .

I totally remember talking about this once. The only problem is I can't really remember most of the conversation... The main thing I remember is there could have been people in other places of the world who God created as well, and somehow the people met and... yeaaaah... I don't think that's right. Luuuuke????

AmyTheOrcDork wrote:The main thing I remember is there could have been people in other places of the world who God created as well, and somehow the people met

That's what I think I remember, too. But then why does the Bible follow Adam and Eve, and not those people?

Because they're the oldest? I don't know, the first human beings lived waaaay longer than people do now... It kind of makes me sad.

Great question. One of those Bible things that make you go "hmmm."

Adam & Eve lived for almost 900 years, along with everybody else 'back in the day.'
That means that they could have tons and tons of children, who in turn could have tons and tons of children. So by the time Cain killed Able, there could be hundreds of people on the planet already.

Now that's all speculation and deductive reasoning, because the Bible isn't really clear on when this happened or who it was that Cain went out to live with. Make sense?

What do you mean by "why was it ok to kill back when Jesus was around?" Which killing are you talking about? Like the crucifixion? Or something else? Just trying to clarify before I answer.

Like when it says something like, "and Joshua pleased God, so God gave the Ammonites to the Israelite army and they burned all their villages" (or whatever)?

ivoryjess wrote:Like when it says something like, "and Joshua pleased God, so God gave the Ammonites to the Israelite army and they burned all their villages" (or whatever)?

yeah, this is what I'm talking about...if your still confused look at numbers 21

I understand the OT part, but you said "back when Jesus was around" which is hundreds of years after Joshua, etc. Is there something for the New Testament that you are talking about, or just the Old Testament stuff?

im just looking at numbers 21

who is dvjghdk(?)? Anyway, why does god kill people in the bible? Ex- the flood. If he loves his pwople why would he kill them? Is it because they were all sinners and he couldnt be with them or...

We talked about this in youth group tonight, but I thought I'd post it here too.

So the Bible says thou shall not kill, but then God busts a cap (I am SO white!) over and over. So what gives?

The translation "Thou shall not kill" is found in the King James Version of the English Bible. The one that sounds like Shakespeare. And it is a bad/wrong translation.

The better translation (which is found in more modern Bibles) is "Do not murder." Which means we have to ask what the difference is between kill and murder.

Killing is ending life, regardless of how it happens. Murder is killing. Getting in a fatal car accident is killing. Killing just means causing death.

Murder means killing someone without cause, or not being justified in the killing. So I kill somebody just because I am angry, that is a cause, but it is not a good enough cause to justify ending a life.

So when God kills or allows people to kill, he is not killing without reason or cause. He is justified in ending those lives. Much like you or I would be justified for killing someone in self-defense.

The main point, I think, is that killing is a bad idea and there's a good chance you don't know whether or not it is justified. It's best to just refrain from killing and let God be the judge on whether someone lives or dies. But it also means that people like soldiers or police officers are not violating God's law when they end up killing in the line of duty. And that not all killing is murder. And that God, when he does kill, does it as fair as it can be done (he gives warning, spares the innocent, etc.)

Does that make sense?

Yes, but why does He? Kill, I mean? Please don't tell me this is one of those "just trust God you can't understand everything" answers.

Just trust God, you can't understand everything.

Just kidding. Although that's good advice a lot of the time.
I think God kills when there is no other option. When people have rejected him (and thus rejected the reason for their creation) and have denied all other (and more merciful) options to be "justified" or made right.
The analogy I'm about to use is far too cold and does not demonstrate the loving kindness of God... but it does help make my other point.
I had an office chair that kept breaking. I kept trying to fix it, gluing wheels back on, replacing screws, etc. but it kept coming apart. It had stopped being capable of what it was created for, namely giving me a place to sit and work. Eventually, once I was frustrated of trying to fix it, I simply got rid of it, because if it refused to do what it was designed to do, and also interfered with my ability to do my work. I had tried reconciliation and repair but my chair made it clear that was not enough by continually malfunctioning.
In the same way, I can see God being justified in killing those who openly reject him and interfere with the other work he is doing.
And because God is perfect, he would never "accidentally" kill, or kill someone who he shouldn't have. What do you think?

That sounds very cold (that God kills people when he has no other option to "justify" them or make them right) but it does make sense.
But how does that fit with the idea of God being always merciful and forgiving, and giving people "another chance" to make things right? That He's always going after His lost sheep? If He kills them, does that mean He gives up on them?

Maybe it was like what we talked about on wednesday, where God looks into their future and if they havent changed and he doesnt take their life then they could mess with his plan...does this make sense?

Yeah, but what if they do change?

Well, what I'm saying is that God will look and see if they won't change and if they won't then He'll take them. But if they do.......then......I guess He would keep them but I'm not quiet sure....

What about free will then? Wouldn't the person always have a choice to change?

Luke, I don't get it either, do you have an answer to this????

Yes, please?

lukefish wrote:Great question. One of those Bible things that make you go "hmmm."

Adam & Eve lived for almost 900 years, along with everybody else 'back in the day.'
That means that they could have tons and tons of children, who in turn could have tons and tons of children. So by the time Cain killed Able, there could be hundreds of people on the planet already.

Now that's all speculation and deductive reasoning, because the Bible isn't really clear on when this happened or who it was that Cain went out to live with. Make sense?

I know this isn't exactly where the conversation has led to, but I just wanted to add something about people living longer in the bible times. There was a science museum (actually a portable and a small warehouse) that we visited with my old school in Texas. It was a creationism museum and they had created a chamber which recreated the exact conditions for those in the early bible times. Pretty much with all of our wonderful modern technology, we're killing ourselves with all the radiation and pollution. Just having the pure oxygen to breathe made people grow faster and stronger and live longer. Pretty cool stuff to see how much the world has changed since it was first created.