Mardi Gras is the French translation of “Fat Tuesday”. Those who know Spanish can see the resemblance in Martes (Tuesday) and grasa (fat). Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras occurs the day immediately preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. In mid February, the pagans in the Roman empire celebrated the Lupercalia, a circus-like festival. Like other holidays, the Roman Catholic religion decided to adopt the practices of the pagans rather than offend the newly "Christianized" masses.

Mardi Gras is celebrated for a few weeks, depending on the location in the world, in a festival called Carnival. Unbridled partying, drunkenness, sex and debauchery are the features of this festival. Freqently Carnival is celebrated in Central America, South America and Southern Europe where Catholic traditions are strong. New Orleans is the largest and most famous Mardi Gras celebration in the United States. Elaborate costumes and barely clothed women are common in Mardi Gras parades.

Since the Catholic teaching of Lent stipulates that the faithful refrain from sinful practices, fast and pray during the 40 days of Lent, Mardi Gras has been a tradition for centuries to have a huge party just before the days of Lent. Think of it as one last binge before giving something up for 40 days.

There is either a serious misunderstanding or ignorance of God’s word in the combination of Mardi Gras and Lent. The Bible says that Christians should avoid willful sin and uncontrolled behavior all of the year, not just during Lent or Holy Week.

“Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Romans 13:13-14" TARGET="_blank">Romans 13:13-14

When is Fat Tuesday?
March 8, 2011
February 21, 2012
February 12, 2013
March 4, 2014
February 17, 2015

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Why is there a difference in wording in Acts 8 and Isaiah 53?

In Isaiah 53:7" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 53:7 we read, “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb”; but in Acts 8:32" TARGET="_blank">Acts 8:32 the order is reversed, and it is said to be “as a sheep led to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb,” etc. How are we to account for this reversal?

The quotation in Acts is almost word for word from the Septuagint or Greek version, the LXX, as it is described in letters. The word for “sheep” in the Hebrew of Isaiah 53:7" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 53:7 is not the same as that used in verse 6: “All we like sheep (con) have gone astray.” The word here is of frequent occurrence, whereas that in v. 7 (ral.iel) occurs only four times in the whole Old Testament. It comes from an unused root, perhaps the same as rAliam—to cherish—connected with an Arabic root—to have lambs. The word in the first part of the verse, translated “lamb” (sëh), is rendered “sheep” in several passages in the Old Testament. It seems, therefore, that the words employed by the Holy Spirit operating on the mind of Isaiah in this verse 7, are not so precise as to necessitate their rendering in the LXX translation as “lamb” and “sheep,” as they appear in our rendering of Isaiah 53:7," TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 53:7, but leave a margin of liberty to reverse the meaning of the words, and put lamb second, and sheep first, as in Acts 8." TARGET="_blank">Acts 8. It is a question of the words used in the Old Testament verse, which as I have said, are not closely defined and of the choice of words by the translators of the Greek version, from which the Eunuch would be reading.

W.H.

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What principles does a Christian violate by voting in a state referendum?

What principles does a Christian violate by voting in a state referendum on issues like allowing gambling casinos or legalizing abortion?

Voting, in and of itself, is neutral. If voting involves the believer in the political system, this seems to violate the principle of separation (Ephesians 5:11;" TARGET="_blank">Ephesians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18)." TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 6:14-18). As our Lord Jesus, we are not "of the world" (John 17:16)." TARGET="_blank">John 17:16). He refused to be drawn into politics (Matthew 22:17-21)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 22:17-21). By our lives, we are to be salt, exerting a preserving influence on the world (Matthew 5:13)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 5:13). By our prayers, we are to effect good in government (1 Timothy 2:2)." TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 2:2). It is an admission of failure to have to use the voting booth to do what neither our lives nor prayers are doing.

On the other hand, a referendum, as stated by the question, may not involve entanglement in the affairs of this life (2 Timothy 2:4)." TARGET="_blank">2 Timothy 2:4). Suppose a politician, for example, took a poll of neighborhood opinion and stopped at a Christian’s door. Responding would hardly violate the principles mentioned above. The same can be said of voting in a referendum.

D. Oliver
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Bible Verse Finder

The Online Bible Verse Finder provides a free way to add the ability to your site visitors to find a Bible verse directly from your page. The Bible verse finder is available along with the dictionary under the link titled "Online Bible Search" or here.

Instructions for the Bible verse finder

1. Select this link Bible Verse Finder.

2. Choose a Bible version in which to find your verse (ASV -American Standard Version, BBE - Bible in Basic English, DBY - Darby "New Translation", GFR - God's Word for Readers, KJV - King James Version, WEB - World English Bible, YLT - Young's Literal Translation, or the ESV - English Standard Version)

3. Click "Go" to launch the Bible verse finder.

The results of your bible verse finder search will be different with each Bible version since the language in each Bible version is slightly different.

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Will there be more people in Heaven or in Hell?

Will there be more people in Heaven or in Hell?

Excellent question, and I will give you a hedged answer because the Bible doesn’t say for sure in so many words.

What we do know is that of the people who live out their lives on earth a decidedly small number will “seek” and “find” God’s salvation. Here is what Jesus said: “Enter ye in at the strait[narrow] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 7:13-14)

The reality is that finding life and ending up in heaven takes focus, effort, and purpose. By default people will end up in hell if they are never saved by God, for that is where the curse of sin inherited from Adam will take us once we are old enough to understand we are sinners and then refuse to repent. The good news is that God has made a way for us to escape through the blood of Jesus. Once we have found salvation, we are rescued forever from Hell. This is actually much better than what Adam and Eve originally had, being created on their way to heaven but with the ability to fall off that way and die spiritually. But it does take earnest effort in this life to make sure we find and enter the right Door, which is Christ (John 10:9)." TARGET="_blank">John 10:9).

So that would leave us with “more people in hell than heaven”.

But this does not consider the reality of the huge number of infants that die, before or after they are born. Yes, a person is a person from the moment of conception. These will come into heaven by virtue of not having had the chance to sin, nor need to repent, protected by Jesus’ blood. This group would also include those who grow up but whose brains never developed enough for them to be able to distinguish between good and evil. They will all be there.

So, especially with the modern outrage of abortion, I would switch the answer to “more people in heaven than hell”. Only God knows for sure, but this would be a blessed fulfillment of the reality that the Lord Jesus “in all things <will> have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:18)" TARGET="_blank">Colossians 1:18) In the end He wins by every measure.

Alfred Corduan

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Did the Mayan Calendar predict the end of the world in 2012?

Did the Mayan Calendar predict the end of the world in 2012?

According to many who interpret the Mayan calendar, there will be a world-wide catastrophe in December 21, 2012. How did 12/21/2012 come to the year of the end of the world? Will there be catastrophes or disasters that end civilization? Are there prophecies in the Bible about this being the Great Tribulation or the coming of Christ?

The Mayan civilization was very involved with the study of the movements of the stars. For hundreds of years they carefully observed the stars and created several different calendars that accurately predicted the future positions of planets and stars as viewed from earth. They noticed that there was a wobble in the earth’s rotation that caused slight variation in the positions of the stars. The effect is slow, taking 5,125 years to complete one cycle. The Mayan astronomers noticed that the dark band at the center of the Milky Way (called the Galactic Equator) coincides with the plane of sun’s movement across the sky, once every 5,125 years. The last time these two intersected was in 3114 B.C. The next time they coincide is 2012" TARGET="_blank">is 2012 A.D.

This intersection is significant to the Mayans because they believed that the Sun is a god and the Milky Way is the gateway to life and death. The Mayans believed that 3114 B.C. was the year of the creation of the earth and that 2012 A.D. would mark the change of a new cycle bringing some significant change to the earth which gives rise to the theory that the Mayan’s know when and how the world will end.

As to the specific day of the end of the world, December 21 is the date of the winter solstice every year in the northern hemisphere (the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere) where the sun reaches its maximum distance north (or south) of the equator. This marks the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere and the first day of the summer season in the south which is important for a society of farmers.

The end of the world scenarios is based on uncertain interpretations by scholars of Mayan hieroglyphs. The calendar may end in 2012, but it doesn’t mean that it is the end of the world. Other than the astronomical coincidences, there is little proof that the Mayans prophesied the events of this distant future. The Mayans were not even able to predict their own cultural apocalypse. They died out without any special predictions of their own. They were great astronomers, but lousy prophets.

If we are to believe that the Mayan’s knew the exact date of the end of the world, logically we would have to accept other beliefs of theirs:

•   The Mayans believed that the blood of human sacrifices was what powered the sun and gave it life.
•   The Mayans believed that the world was created in 3114 B.C.
•   The Mayans believed that the movements of the stars affected life on earth – astrology.

The Bible?

Bible prophecies do no indicate the specific year of the end of the world. In fact, the Bible speaks of future events as two periods of time that are yet to come – the Tribulation, which will last seven years, and the Millennium, which will last 1,000 years. (Revelation 21:1-10)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 21:1-10).

The Mayan religion is described along with other false forms of worship in the Bible in Romans chapter 1. “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25)." TARGET="_blank">Romans 1:25).

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Is the Holy Spirit who is meant by the phrase "He who now letteth" in 2 Thessalonians?

Who is the person referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:7" TARGET="_blank">2 Thessalonians 2:7 as "He who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way"?

There have been many suggestions given as to the identity of this restrainer. It is a spiritual conflict that is in view. We believe then, that a Divine Person is required to satisfy the context of the passage. We feel this rules out the two most common theories, that "He who hindereth" is the Roman Empire or Satan. The first has not the power and the latter has not the purpose. Mark 3:25" TARGET="_blank">Mark 3:25 says, "If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." We suggest that the Holy Spirit in the Church is the "Restrainer" of Satan's man of sin. He will "be taken out of the way" (verse 7). We regard this as the Spirit of God going with the Church at the rapture. This does not mean He will cease to operate in the world, but His mode of working will revert to His activity in Old Testament days.

S. Maxwell (our brother's first answer in Truth and Tidings "Questions and Answers," May, 1978)

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Bible Story Crafts

Popular Bible story crafts here include:

3D paper models of Bible stories . These type of crafts require nothing more than PDF file - no trips to the craft store to make these.

Example craft ideas -

1. Create your own tabernacle model in about 1 hour with this Bible story craft .

2. Create a story stick craft with some simple materials. Use the story stick to make Bible story telling an experience your students cannot ignore!

3. Paper city craft . Re-tell the Bible story of the four lepers outside the city walls of Samaria with this 3D paper craft.

4. Printable Nativity Scene Bible Story Craft - This Bible story craft can help you print, cut and tape together a full-color nativity scene in less than an hour. It's part of the collection of printable Sunday school projects availabe on the Sunday school page .

For an alternative Bible story craft, try one of 350 Sunday school worksheets that contain a coloring page, crossword puzzle and other activities to review a Bible story.

Use one of the puzzle makers below to create your own Bible story puzzle.

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Was Judas present at the institution of the Lord

WAS JUDAS PRESENT

Was Judas present at the institution of the Lord’s Supper?

This is a much debated point, on which godly men have differed, so one would hesitate to dogmatise. Before giving what I believe to be the correct answer, I would say that the anxiety to prove that Judas was not present seems to rest on the false assumption that his presence would sanction to-day the admission of the ungodly to the Lord’s table. I believe this to be an entire mistake. Judas was a professed disciple of the Lord and one of the twelve apostles. He had passed all the tests and was apparently the most trusted of all by his fellow apostles, though the Lord knew from the beginning that he was a devil and would betray Him (John 6:64, 70)." TARGET="_blank">John 6:64, 70). He did not, however, use His omniscience to expose Judas before the time, in fact not till he had irretrievably committed himself. His presence then at the Lord’s table would no more justify the reception of those known to be ungodly, than his being sent forth to preach would sanction the sending forth of the ungodly for this purpose. Matthew 26:25" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 26:25 seems to shew he was present up to the institution, and verse 26 begins, “As they were eating.” That is, the passover was not yet formally over; is it conceivable then that Judas would have left the room thus prematurely, as he must have done, to bar his being present at the institution of “the supper”? However, whether he did or not is not clearly stated in this Gospel, nor yet in Mark 14:22." TARGET="_blank">Mark 14:22.

It is true that before that, the Lord had said plainly that the traitor would be found “among them that dipped with Him in the dish”; and He had said to Judas, “Thou has said,” in answer to his query, “Master (not Lord) is it I?” which for very decency’s sake he must have felt bound to make, lest he should draw attention to himself by his silence (Matthew 26:25)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 26:25). But this was probably only to Judas’ ear, who sat next to Him. This must not be confounded with the Lord’s definite sign to John, in answer to what I believe was his subsequent question, “Lord who is it?” “He it is to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it.” This revealed definitely to John the name of the traitor, and he alone narrates the incident (John 13:26, 27)." TARGET="_blank">John 13:26, 27).

When we come to Luke’s Gospel we have a definite statement which must be allowed to have its influence, and I believe, its determinative influence with us. After the Lord has instituted the supper of remembrance, He immediately adds, “But, behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.” The force of this definite statement is met at once by some who assert that Luke does not give us things in historic, but in moral order. Certainly there is a measure of truth in this, though it can not mean that the historic order in some detailed account by Luke is never to be followed, but only has weight when Luke gives us an order of events (as he does, e.g., in the last journey to Jerusalem) which seems to clash with the other Gospels. But what moral order is concerned in such a statement as that of our Lord? (Luke 22:21)." TARGET="_blank">Luke 22:21). It would seem to be going out of the way to introduce confusion, rather than moral order, unless we are to take it literally. If Matthew and Mark had clearly stated that Judas had left before the supper was instituted, then such an argument might have force, and Luke’s testimony be discounted. John 13" TARGET="_blank">John 13 does not seem really to help us, as there is no hint that Judas went out before the first “breaking of the bread,” for nothing is said of it. He did go out when the Lord had given him the sop and that was, I believe, after he had par- taken to his own condemnation of the bread and the wine, symbols of that very body and blood, of which by his betrayal he became guilty.

W.H.

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Why does God allow suffering and pain?

Why is there pain and suffering?

You may also be interested in the more personal question "Why am I experiencing a time of difficulty? What is going trying to do to me?"

C.S. Lewis called it “The Problem of Pain” in his short, but influential book.

“If God were good, He would wish to make his creatures perfectly happy, and if God were almighty, He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both. That is the problem of pain in its simplest form.”

Very briefly, there are a number of ways of answering this challenge.

Choice

God created man, Satan and the angels with the power of choice. This gives us the option of choosing to obey or to rebel against God. Building us with a free will has the inherent risk of losing us to sin. Suffering, being the result of sin, is the inheritance we received from Adam and Eve and their fatal choice to disobey God. Romans 5:12" TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:12 says that he is the source of death in the world being the head of all humanity. As a consequence of Adam’s choice, the world is visited by calamity and suffering.

Romans 5:12" TARGET="_blank">Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned--

This “bondage of corruption,” with the “whole world groaning and travailing together in pain” (Romans 8:21, 22)," TARGET="_blank">Romans 8:21, 22), has affected all men everywhere. God did not make the world in its fallen state. In fact, when finishing the world he said "it is very good" (Genesis 2:1-3)." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 2:1-3). Some day in the future, God will take away the curse from the earth. In that day, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain” (Revelation 21:4)." TARGET="_blank">Revelation 21:4).

God lacks power?

If God is almighty, then why does he allow suffering to exist? God actually uses suffering to accomplish his will. Hebrews 12:5-11" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 12:5-11 says that he disciplines his children with chastening. Discipline is both punishment and instruction.

Hebrews 12:5-11" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. (6) For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." (7) It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (8) If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. (9) Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? (10) For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (11) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 5:8-9" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 5:8-9 says that Christ himself “learned” and was "made perfect" by what he suffered. Christ was certainly not ignorant nor unaware of suffering neither was he "imperfect" in the moral sense of sin. He "learned" by experience what suffering is. He "learned" obedience by practicing obedience even at the cost of the worst suffering imaginable. "Made perfect" is the completion of his work by carrying it out to the end.

Hebrews 5:7-9" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 5:7-9 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (8) Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. (9) And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

Just because suffering continues to exist does not logically mean it exists because God is powerless to stop it. God uses suffering to accomplish his purposes, which raises the next question…

God is cruel?

If God is capable of stopping suffering, then why does it continue? To end suffering, God would have to end the root cause of suffering – the ability to sin. This would mean that God would end our ability to make choices. To stop murder, God could end our ability to commit murder. To stop sin against God, he could end our ability to rebel. To stop evil implies ending the ability for individuals to choose what they want to do. God created Adam with the foreknowledge that Adam and his sons had the ability to worship God as well as the ability of Cain to kill his own brother.

Doesn’t God want his creatures to be perfectly happy?

Is God leading us somewhere with the aid of suffering? The purpose of creation is not to give us self-indulgent pleasure. The ultimate happiness of man is found by being able to glorify God even if that entails suffering on our part. If God had made Adam with the mind of a programmed machine, Adam would not have sinned nor died. Adam and his descendents would also not have the experience of being redeemed by grace. There would be no salvation. There would be no mercy of God. There would be no heaven. Instead, God has created a plan that will be consummated by the salvation of sinners who don’t deserve redemption, but will worship God eternally because of it. Man would never know salvation apart from sin.

Suffering is turned into goodness in the end. God was not surprised by Adam’s sin and fall. Of course, this does not mean that God is the source of sin, but it does mean that God is above sin and can use it to accomplish glory in the end. If God is eventually going to bring glory to himself through the suffering of all humanity, can he not do the same in your broken life?

Conclusion

These are summary paragraphs of a few reasons why suffering is allowed to continue. We can't know all the reasons why God allows suffering we just know that He does.

Shad Sluiter

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