Glad you asked - suicide, depression, medication, preaching, smoking pot and the Bible

Glad you asked - suicide, depression, medication, preaching, smoking pot and the Bible

20 questions in 2 minutes!

A few weeks ago I spoke at a University Christian Union meeting. Alongside the formal talk they had a section called ’20 questions in 2 minutes’!  In the week before the meeting the leaders gather questions from all sorts of students – both those part of the CU and those not.  Then the speaker is asked as many as possible in 2 minutes.  The idea is to spend less than 20 seconds on each answer! And the speaker isn’t given sight of the questions beforehand!  I didn’t quite manage 20 in the 2 minutes!  Of course there is great limitations to answering complex questions so briefly and blindly, but also great advantages.  It was certainly fun! 

Here’s my answers as they were given (typed up at the time by a student):

If a Christian commits suicide will they no longer go to heaven?

Suicide is a very sad, terrible thing.  The circumstances that lead to it, in whatever form it takes, are always bleak and painful.  I don’t believe how our life ends determines our eternal fate but the trajectory across our life of faith in Jesus.  So neither suicide nor martyrdom override the general trajectory of faith (or not faith) in Christ.  But it’s painful, so painful.  If you’re thinking about it talk to someone.  They’ll be people to stand with you.

Is it wrong for Christian to have depression?

Absolutely not.  Depression is a complex reality involving and affecting us physically, mentally, socially, spiritually and emotionally.  It is a real thing.  It occurs at a number of levels and depths.  It can be relatively temporary, something that we experience in ‘episodes’ throughout life, or a brief temporary experience.  It is caused by multiple reasons and no discernable reason at all.  Places like Psalm 42 and 43 seem to be written from a place of ‘depression’.  Many historic Christian heroes experienced it – Charles Spurgeon, one of my great heroes had significant bouts of depression throughout his life.  For Christian's depression is not a sign of God’s displeasure or a lack of faith or disobedience.  The promise in Hebrews that God will ‘never leave us nor forsake us’ through all sorts of trials is one for those of us who know the experience of depression to hold fast too.  God remains sovereign, loving and wise through all of life, its highs and lows.  So for those of us living with depression we must remember God remains in control (he is not weak), intimately and loving involved (he is not cruel or distant) and that he is working wise, ultimately good if to us mysterious purposes through our pain.

Should Christians take medication?

I guess this question is linked to the first.  Or from the same person?

Yes, if and as prescribed by a medical professional Christians should feel entirely free and that it is entirely appropriate to take medication.  God works sometimes through his hand of miracle but most often through his hand of providence – medication, medical care, doctors, hospital, technology are all examples of God’s hand of providence in the world he has created.  Taking medicine is not a reflection on our faith being lacking.  In fact in 1Timothy Paul writes to Timothy and includes encouraging him to do exactly that – to avail himself of the medical knowledge of the time to treat an ailment.  It happened to be drinking alcohol!  But that’s today’s version of medical treatment.

What is the goal of preaching?

It’s central.  Vital.  God is sovereign and he rules and shapes and works in his world and his church through his word.  Ephesians 6 says the Word, the Bible is ‘the sword of the Spirit’.  Failure with the Word is to disarm the Spirit – leaves him weaponless.  In Hebrews 4 the metaphor is another cutting edge – a razor sharp blade that divides bone and marrow.  The soldier’s sword is an offensive weapon.  The surgeon’s scalpel is a healing instrument.  The Bible is both.  And as it is effectively taught and preached so God’s voice his heard and his work is done.

The best descriptions for anything are the Bible’s own.  Here’s two the Bible says about preaching.  In Deutonmony 5 Moses’ preaching of the Word (note – not when he receives the 10 commandments directly from God in Exodus 20 but decades later when he is teaching that revealed Word) – that preaching is described as a ‘face to face’ encounter with God.  In 1Peter 4 preaching is the ‘very words of God’.  Preaching is massive.  Its God voice.  It’s how God works.  It’s not just explaining, or applying.  It needs that – explaining clearly and applying radically – but it’s more.  It’s God speaking and working – both - uniquely.

What is the means to that goal in preaching?

Good, Good!  Good questions.  For some of you preaching is in your futures, even presents.  This matters.

Here’s something I use – a four part sentence – to work through in preparing to preach.

To reliably teach the Bible, effectively removing obstacles, so that Christ is exalted and people changed by his Spirit.

One – you’ve got to be faithful to the Bible.  Teach it.  Explain it.  Expound it.  Use commentaries, read different translations, talk to other Christians.  Work the text – really understand it.

Two – you’ve got to know the people you are speaking to.  What might stop them hearing what you are saying.  What objections might they have.  Address them.  Remove them.  Clear the path for the Word to travel along.

Three – Make Christ the hero.  Always, of everything.  John 5:39 and Luke 24:27 both have Jesus clearly saying the Old Testament is about him.  Make sure Jesus is shown as magnificent, brilliant, better.  Jesus is the hero.

Four – suggest changes.  Show how it is relevant – in behaviour, but also in beliefs and motivations and hidden agendas and relationships.  Dig deep into what the original author’s intention was – and make that your intention.

There’s lots more to say (from better preachers than me!) but those four are a good start. 

Why do I personally believe the gospels are accurate and true?

For me, and there are lots and lots of convincing reasons, but for me its that the authors go out of their way to name and reference the witnesses to the events knowing that most where still alive when the accounts where circulated, and knwing those witnesses would be quizzed and questioned, maybe tortured.  You only go out of your way to name witnesses (and not just friends of Jesus but skeptics and especially enemies) if you're 150% know what you have written is true and the witnesses, even under duress, would affirm it.  That was huge for me.  A turning point.

Are men and women different?

Yes!  Obviously we are.  Not least because we are all different – individuals.  Psalm 139 makes that clear.  And our gender is a big part in shaping who we are, so yes men and women are different. 

Why is the Bible hard to understand?

There’s some human reasons: for example it was written thousands of years ago and the cultural jump from now to then has huge challenges; and we are often lazy and don’t do the work needed.

Mostly though bits of it are hard to understand because God wrote it.  It’s part of the proof that God authored it.  If we could understand it all that would make us more than God, making God not God!  So relax.  But work hard.  Grow in your understanding.

And get to church.  In God’s economy it is Bible + teacher = understanding.  More importantly its Bible + teacher + obedience = transformation.

Is it ok for Christians to smoke pot?

Not in England.  Because its against the law.  The Bible says, unless the law makes us dishonour God or harm others, then we are to obey the government and its rules which God has placed over us.  Romans 13 is the place to read.  Don't smoke pot, pay your taxes, don't cheat in exams, obey the speed limits.