Controversial Issues In The Church

Is it wrong for a Christian to drink real wine? Why does the Bible say that homosexuality is a sin? How should Christians handle the abortion issue? And what does the Bible say about the abuse of women? These questions and many others are answered in this six chapter book. Everything is stated in a direct and easily understood manner. And all assertions are fully backed up with quotes from the Bible and scripture references so that you can check it out for yourself.

Chapter One is “Alcohol, Wine, And The Blood Of Christ.” It contends that although habitual drunkenness is a sin, the mere drinking of wine, or even alcohol, is not. And that the doctrine against the consumption of alcoholic beverages originated in the church, not in the Word of God. Proof is given that Jesus not only drank real wine, He turned water into wine. And Noah not only planted his own vineyard but drunk from its wine. Also, Paul told Timothy to stop drinking water so much and take a little wine for his frequent ailments.

Chapter Two is “Sodomy And The Homosexual.” It explains why God considers this sin so blasphemous. It also provides information on the role Freud and others played in using hypnotherapy and catharsis to create an environment today that makes it look socially acceptable. Chapter Three is “The Abortion Issue.” Although it agrees with protesters that abortion is a horrible sin, it takes a different approach to fighting it. This chapter advocates assistance during pregnancy and kindness for the pregnant mother in the hope of winning her to Christ through love, not condemnation.

Chapter Four is “Machismo, Rape, And The Abuse of Women.” It provides emotional comfort to women who suffer this way by giving a scriptural account of God’s anger and judgment against men who engage in this sin. The Bible gives the account of a young concubine who was horribly gang raped and murdered by a small group of vicious men. As a result, God ordered the killing of twenty-five thousand Israelite men because of it!

Chapter Five is “Is The Death Penalty Christian?” The death penalty is advocated in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and the New. In fact, Jesus said the He didn't come to change the Old Testament law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-18). Answers are given to explain why Christ pardoned the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11) and His statement about turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:39).

Chapter Six is “Dealing With The Poor And Homeless.” In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson announced his “war on poverty” program during his State of the Union speech. At the time the poverty rate was 19%. Since then, U.S. taxpayers have spent over $22 trillion on anti-poverty programs (in constant 2012 dollars). Adjusted for inflation, this spending (which does not include Social Security or Medicare) is three times the cost of all military wars in U.S. history since the American Revolution. Yet in November 2012, the U.S. Census Bureau said more than 16% of the population lived in poverty, including almost 20% of American children, up from 14.3% (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and to its highest level since 1993. By contrast, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “The poor you will always have with you...” (Mark 14:7 NIV). Therefore, how should the Christian deal with this issue?

This ebook has been well researched and should prove to be interesting and informative reading for those looking for answers to these popular issues of today.