Hard Questions

The mail arrives about 11:00 AM. On Mondays, there is usually a new Crossroads Prison Ministry Bible lesson to grade. This includes writing a letter to the inmate who did the lesson. We are instructed to be encouraging, answer any questions he/she may have more fully than there was room for in the lesson pages, and address any misunderstandings we may come across; use Biblical references wherever possible. So, sometime during the week, you can imagine the following scenarios:

Scene 1

Judy (sitting at the table, pen in hand): “Gerrit, this man has doubts that the Bible (and even the existence of God) is true. What would you tell him? Is there a verse or Bible story you can think of to help me answer this?”

Gerrit (in ‘his’ chair, reading the paper): “Of course the Bible’s true. How can he think it isn’t?”

Judy: That gives me an idea. “Dear...

“The Bible does not try to prove that God exists, it assumes that He is real. Christians believe that the Bible is true because the Holy Spirit of God inspired the people who wrote it. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ Also, from a strictly human standpoint, there is proof that the oldest manuscripts were accurately copied from the originals. And the Bible has older manuscripts than any other books. (The Bible was written by 40 different authors over a period of about 1600 years.)”

Scene 2

Gerrit (in ‘his’ chair): “Any hard questions this week? Need my ideas?”

Judy (grading a lesson at the table): “Yes. This lady wants to know, why would God love me? I’ve done some pretty bad things.”

Gerrit: “Because God made her. He is her Father. Tell her about that sermon where Jesus compares God to earthly fathers.”

Judy: That gives me an idea. “Dear . . .

“Jesus called God his Father. He also called God our Father. He told a story about a father whose son asked for some fish, or an egg. Jesus remarked that of course the father would give his son good things. Then he said, ‘If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’ (Read Luke 11:5-12 for the whole story.) You have indicated that you have repented and asked for God’s forgiveness. Psalm 103:9 says, ‘He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever.’ In Romans 8:1 we read, ‘There is now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ.’ And then in verse 14-15 it says, ‘Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. You did not receive a spirit that makes you again a slave to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption! And by Him we cry Abba, Father.’ God loves you. He is your Father.

 Scene 3

Judy (by the table again with Bible lessons to grade): “Gerrit, this student says, ‘When I get out of prison, I want to do things for God.’”

Gerrit (coming in from welding in the garage): “Tell him if he can’t start now, he’ll never be able to do anything for God.”

Judy: That gives me an idea. “Dear . . .

“There is no reason to wait to serve the Lord. You can do it now. God says that when we accept His salvation in Jesus Christ, we will “live by the Spirit. . . And the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5: 16; 22-23. You can give others a welcoming smile, let them go first, be obedient, not swear, etc. All those things are the fruit of the Spirit coming out in your life. And others will notice, and ask what happened to you. Then you can share the love and joy Christ has given you.

There are many other Hard Questions that we ask God. We can be assured that He will always hear them and answer them.