What Are Morals?

Answer: Morals are standards for right and wrong living. Morals are rules that we follow for doing one thing and not another.

Different people live by many different sets of morals – what they think is best or fair or right.

But only what God says about these things is right for all people everywhere all the time.

God has only one set of morals that he wants everyone to follow.

A person who lives by God’s morals doesn’t steal because that’s God’s standard, not just because the person doesn’t like to steal.

Key verse: Don’t you know that those doing such things can’t share in God’s Kingdom? Don’t fool yourselves. If you live in sin, worship idols, are an adulterer or homosexual you can’t share his Kingdom. (1 Corinthians 6:9)

Related verses: Ephesians 5: 1,5; James 1:21

Related questions: What does ethics mean? Is ethics like ethnic food? Are morals those animals that dig in the ground and make holes in your garden?

Note to parents: It may be difficult to explain the difference between a nice person and a moral person.

A nice person is concerned about what other people think and doesn’t want to hurt other people’s feelings.

A moral person is concerned about what God thinks and wants to follow God’s rules for thinking, talking, and doing what is right all the time.

How Can I Tell Right From Wrong?

Answer: Anything that goes against what God is like is wrong. We can discover what God is like by reading his Word, the Bible.

The Bible also tells us what God wants us to do. So we can tell right from wrong by asking: Will this disobey a law that God has given us? (For example, “no stealing,” “no lying,” “love your neighbor,” or “honor your father and mother.”) Anything that breaks one of God’s laws is wrong.

If we are faced with a choice that God hasn’t given us a law about (or if we don’t know where to find it in the Bible), we can ask: Will doing this go against my conscience? We can also ask: Will it hurt someone? If the answer is yes to either question, then most likely we should not do it.

Another question to ask is: Why am I doing this? If it’s only because of pressure from friends or because of fear, then it may not be right. This is when we must carefully consider the choice that we have to make. We must think about what we know about God, pray for wisdom, and make the best choice we can.

Key verse: A good man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech. (Luke 6:45)

Note to parents: We need to cultivate character in our children and not just give them rules for behavior, because most of our moral acts come from our tendencies and habits.

So we should teach our children the principles behind the precepts and ultimately point them to the person who embodies them, God himself.

That is how our children will learn to tell right from wrong.

It’s A Free Country- Why Do We Have To Pay Tolls?

Answer: Living in a “free country” means that our highest laws guarantee our right to say and do certain things, not that our country doesn’t cost us anything.

For example, we have freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. That means we can say, publish, and worship pretty much whatever we want.

But we don’t have total freedom, because our country needs laws and rules so that everything will run smoothly. That is, the freedom we do have works because we have limits on it.

Governments need money for paying leaders, police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other workers, and for building and repairing things like bridges and roads.

The citizens provide this money by paying taxes and tolls. The laws of a country are not the same as God’s laws, but God tells us to respect the government and to obey its laws.

So we pay tolls, wear seat belts, stop at red traffic lights, and follow the speed limits.

Key verse: For the Lord’s sake, obey every law of your government. Obey the laws of the king as head of the state. (1 Peter 2:13)

Related verses: Romans 13:1-3; Colossians 2:10; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; 1 Peter 2:13-17

Related questions: Why do I have to wear my seat belt? Why do kids ride their bikes when cars are coming?

Note to parents: You can explain to your child that God wants us to obey the government because he established it. The rules that the government makes are meant to keep us safe.

If The Law Says Something Is Right But God Says It’s Wrong, Who’s Right?

Answer: The Bible tells us to obey the government. But when a government law goes against what God wants us to do, we should obey God instead of the government.

God is in charge of the government and not the other way around. For example, if the government passed a law making it illegal to pray, we should break the law and pray anyway.

The same would be true about worshiping God, reading the Bible, and telling others about Christ.

And if the government were to make it OK to lie and steal, we still shouldn’t do those things because they go against God’s law.

God created and rules the universe. No one can have higher authority than God. So we must always obey him first.

Key verse: Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

Related verses: Daniel 3:5-23; 6:1-28; Romans 13:1- 3; 1 Peter 2:13-17

Related questions: Why do governments make such stupid rules? How come adults can swear and smoke but I can’t?

Note to parents: This could be a good opportunity to explain to your child that God is the ultimate authority on what is right.

His standards are right for all people, all times, all places-whether the government agrees or not.

How Did God Decide What Was Wrong And What Was Right?

Answer: God didn’t have a meeting with the angels and announce that some actions were right and some actions were wrong.

He is perfect and right. God’s very nature is good, and whatever he does is right. And anything that is against God’s nature is wrong.

God’s rules in the Bible tell us what God is like. Remember also that God tells us what is right and wrong because he loves us.

His rules protect us and guide us. It’s like our telling a baby not to touch a hot stove. We want to keep the baby from getting hurt.

We make the rule because we love the baby. God tells us what to do for the same reason. He wants to take care of us, to make us joyful, and to help us live.

Key verse: You are to be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

Related verses: Psalm 118:29; Jeremiah 33:11; Micah 6:8; Nahum 1:7; John 14:6; 1 Peter 1:15-16

Related questions: How do I know if a person is good or bad? Why are right and wrong different?

Note to parents: You can often explain the usefulness of rules by drawing examples from the rules that adults “force” on very young children.

For example, we don’t let babies play in the toilet, break things, or toddle into the street, because we love them and want to protect them.

Even more important, babies don’t understand these rules. They just have to obey them.

Even a four-or five-year-old can understand that all of God’s rules, in a similar way, come out of his love and care for us – even if we don’t always understand how.

Are Things Always Either Right Or Wrong?

Answer: Not every choice we make is either right or wrong. Sometimes we just like certain things more than others – such as ice cream flavors.

If you like strawberry, it isn’t right or wrong – it’s just something you like. Or you might have two toys to play with, and you choose one over the other.

Both would be all right, but you chose one. At other times, we have to choose between what is good, what is better, and what is best.

None of those choices would be bad or wrong, but we would be wise to choose what is best.

In choices like those, parents and other wise people can give us good advice. Some choices are either right or wrong, but not all choices are.

Key verses: You are free to eat food offered to idols if you want to. It’s not against God’s laws to eat such meat. But that doesn’t mean that you should go ahead and do it. It may be legal, but it may not be best and helpful. Don’t think only of yourself. Try to do what is best for others. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

Related verses: Galatians 5:1, 13-26; James 1:5

Note to parents: Again, be careful about how you use the word wrong. An absolute moral wrong, such as stealing, doesn’t have the same “wrongness” as a matter of etiquette, such as what to say to a hostess about the food.

Absolute right or wrong is that which is right or wrong for all people, at all times, in all places.

How Can People Find Out What Is Right And Wrong?

Answer: We can know what is right by knowing God. God is perfect and always right, so everything good matches what God is like.

For example, we know it is right to be loving and kind because God is love. Everything that is wrong goes against what God is like.

We can learn what God is like by reading his Word, the Bible. The Bible helps us know how to be like God and act as he does.

God has given us rules and guidance for how to live. Those are also in the Bible.

When we read rules such as the Ten Commandments, we know how God wants us to act.

Key verse:  Be careful to obey all of these commands. You must do what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God. If you do, all will go well with you and your children forever. (Deuteronomy 12:28)

Related verses: Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6- 22; John 14:6; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Related questions: How can everyone know what is right and what is wrong? My friends do things that I think are wrong-how do I know if they are right or not?

Could it ever be wrong to do something I think is right? Why is New Age wrong?

Note to parents: A child may use this question as an excuse to disobey you or to be disrespectful to teachers and others in authority.

“How do you know that such and such is wrong?” God determines what is right and wrong, but he also tells children to honor and obey their parents and to respect the authorities.

Encourage your children to trust God and his Word, because he wants the best for us.

Why Do People Do Wrong When They Know That It’s Wrong?

Answer: People do wrong because of their sinful nature. Many, many years ago, God created the first man and woman, Adam and Eve.

But soon afterward, Adam and Eve committed the first sin – they disobeyed God. You can read about it in Genesis 3:1-24.

Before then, the world was perfect, with no sin, evil, or wrongdoing. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin entered the world, and ever since then, everyone has been born with a sinful nature.

In other words, people find it natural to do what is wrong; they find it easy to choose to do wrong.

This is a weakness that all people have. Sometimes people will do something even when they know it is wrong because they are afraid of what others will say if they do right.

They might feel pressured by friends to do wrong. They might have a bad habit. It’s not that everything they do is wrong; they can do good and make right choices, too.

But they find it easy to make the wrong choices. People still have the same choice today that Adam and Eve had.

We can trust God and follow his way, or we can decide for ourselves what is right and wrong and do it our own way, the wrong way.

Key verse: When Adam sinned, sin entered the whole human race. His sin spread death through all the world. Everything began to grow old and die because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)

Related verses: Genesis 3:1-24; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Romans 6:23

Note to parents: Give hope that your child can do right; the fact that there is sin doesn’t mean a person has to do wrong.

This may be the time to explain that Jesus came to die for us and that through faith in him we can be free from the power of sin in our lives.

Why Is It Wrong To Be Bad?

Answer: It is wrong to be bad because God created us to do good. Think about your bicycle.

It was made for riding, for helping you go from one place to another faster and easier than walking.

If you tried to use your bike to scrape snow off the sidewalk or to ride across a lake, it wouldn’t work- and it would mess up your bike, too.

That’s not what your bike was made for. In the same way, God designed us to do what is good and right, to bring honor to him.

When we do bad things, we do what we were not created to do. God created everything; he knows what works and what doesn’t, and he knows what will make us happy and what will hurt us.

And he loves us! If we trust him, we will do things his way.

Key verse: It is God himself who has made us what we are. He has given us new lives from Christ Jesus. Long ago he planned that we should spend our lives in helping others. (Ephesians 2:10)

Related verses: Romans 3:23; Ephesians 1:5-6

Related questions: Why is it wrong to do bad things? Why can I do certain things and not others?

Why is it bad to do certain things and not others? Why should I be good?

Note to parents: It may be helpful to save the word wrong for moral issues. You could avoid saying, for example, that it’s wrong to wear stripes with polka dots.

Unusual habits or choice of clothing may invite criticism from peers, but it’s not wrong in the sense of being morally wrong.

This makes a clear distinction between wrongdoing and bad taste.

Why Hasn’t God Told Us When Jesus Is Coming Back?

Answer: Jesus promised his disciples (and us) that he would return to earth some day.

But when they asked when, he told them, “Such things are not for you to know” (Acts 1:7).

Rather than be concerned with when Jesus will return, we should always live as though Jesus can return at any moment.

In other words, we should always do what is right and tell others about God’s salvation.

Although God doesn’t say exactly when Christ will return, he did say that certain things need to take place first.

One of these is that Christ will not come back until the Gospel has been preached to the whole world.

God has promised that Jesus will return soon and every day passed is a day closer to his return.

Key verse: “But no one knows the date and hour when the end will be. Not even the angels know this. No, not even God’s Son knows this. Only the Father knows.” (Matthew 24:36)

Related verses: Matthew 24:3-25:46; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 10:37; James 5:7

Related questions: When is Jesus coming back? How come we can’t see Jesus today?

Is There Church In Heaven?

Answer:  In heaven, we won’t have churches like the ones we have on earth because everyone in heaven will be a believer in Christ, and all of us will be together in God’s presence.

So we will be able to talk, laugh, pray, and have fun together all the time. We won’t need church buildings either.

We will see Jesus in person, so we will be able to worship him all the time, not just an hour a week.

There will also be angels in heaven worshiping with us. We don’t know exactly what worship will be like, but it won’t include announcements, the offering, Bible reading, and a sermon.

It will be pure joy. Think about it- we will be able to talk directly to Moses, David, Paul, and all the other faithful and famous servants of God!

Key verse: But we are looking forward to God’s promise of new heavens and a new earth. Only goodness will be there. (2 Peter 3:13)

Related verses: 1 John 3:2; Revelation 21:1-27

Related questions: How big is the church in heaven, if there is one? Who gets to go to heaven? When we all go to heaven, will Jesus make something else on the earth?

Note to parents: Be careful of telling kids that in heaven we get to worship God all the time.

They may think that they’ll be singing hymn after hymn and listening to sermon after sermon for all eternity.

Be sure to explain that heaven will be fun and exciting-better than Disney World, Nintendo, or any party they can imagine.

Will I Have A Bedroom Up In Heaven?

Answer: Jesus told his disciples that where his Father lived there were many homes.

But we don’t know exactly what that place or “house” will be like. In heaven, we will have what the Bible calls glorified bodies.

In other words, our bodies will be different from what they are now. We will be able to recognize others, but we won’t need food or sleep.

We won’t have bedrooms in heaven like the ones we have here; instead, we’ll have very special places, each one prepared for us by Jesus.

And we won’t have to worry about the weather -the temperature will always be perfect.

We won’t even have to be concerned about what to wear -God will give us clothes.

Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with joy, love, and happiness!

Key verse: “There are many homes in my Father’s house. I am going to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)

Related verses: John 14:2-4; Revelation 21:1-27

Related questions: Will we live with our families in heaven? What do people walk on up in heaven, clouds? Will we see the twelve disciples in heaven?

What kind of clothes do they have in heaven? Is it cold up in heaven? What is it like in heaven? Do people have birthdays in heaven and get older? Do people have babies up in heaven? Are there only old people in heaven?

Note to parents: Children always have questions about heaven. The questions listed above are good and indicate that they are thinking in terms of things and personal security.

Let them know that heaven is a place of massive joy-they will like being there more than anywhere else. We don’t know what will happen in heaven – only that it will be wonderful!

Why Did Paul Want To Tell The Romans About Jesus?

Answer: Many people in Rome had become followers of Christ after visiting Jerusalem and hearing the message from the apostles there.

Some had become Christians in other cities and had then moved to Rome. Paul wanted to meet these believers and encourage them in their faith.

Rome was the most important city in the world at that time – the capital city of the Roman Empire.

Paul knew that Christ’s message had to go all over the world, and Rome would be a key place for helping to make that happen.

Also, Paul was a Roman citizen, and he spoke Greek just as many people in Rome did, so he knew people would listen to him.

Paul went on several trips all over the Roman Empire, including one to Rome, to tell people about Jesus.

Key Verse: That night the Lord stood beside Paul. “Don’t worry, Paul,” he said. “You have told the people about me here in Jerusalem. In the same way, you must also be my witness in Rome.” (Acts 23:11)

Related verses: Acts 4:27-30; 19:21; Romans 1:1-16:27

Related question: Does the book of Romans tell about the Romans who killed Jesus?

How Did Paul Send Letters To Churches If They Didn’t Have Mailboxes?

Answer: In Paul’s time, they didn’t have a postal service like the one we have today. Instead, people sent letters by messengers or friends.

Many of Paul’s friends delivered his letters to churches. These friends included Timothy, Tychicus, and others. Paul wrote some letters, such as Philemon and Titus, to individuals.

He wrote others, such as Romans and Philippians, to specific churches. And he wrote still others, such as Galatians and Colossians, to specific churches with the idea that the letters would be passed along to other churches.

Paul’s letters teach us about other parts of the Bible, about Jesus, about how Christians should live, and about how churches should be organized. Paul’s letters have a lot to teach us!

Key Verse: And remember why [the Lord] is waiting [to return]. He is giving us time to get his message of salvation out to others. Our wise and beloved brother Paul has talked about these things in his letters. (2 Peter 3:15)

Related Verses: Galatians 6:11; Ephesians 6:21-22; Colossians 4:7-8; 2 Timothy 4:12-13; Titus 3:12; Philemon 1:12

Related Questions: If letters are only for the people they’re written to, why do we read Paul’s letters to other people? What did Paul say in his letters?

Why Was It Against The Law To Make Friends With A Gentile?

Answer: A Gentile was anyone who was not a Jew. It wasn’t against the law to make friends with a Gentile.

Instead, God wanted the Jewish people not to copy and be like Gentiles because they didn’t follow the Jewish laws and didn’t worship the true God.

Some Jews wouldn’t even walk through Gentile towns. Jews did accept some Gentiles into their religion.

They were called “God-fearers.” By breaking down this barrier, the message about Jesus could be taken to everybody, not just Jews.

God wants us to accept all people and not think we’re superior just because we know God.

Key verse: Peter told them, “You all know about the Jewish laws. They say it is wrong for me to come into a Gentile home like this.

But God has shown me in a vision that I should never think of anyone as impure.” (Acts 10:28)

Related Verses: John 4:9; Acts 10:1-11:30; Galatians 2:11-16

Related question: What is a Gentile?

Why Was Saul Blinded By A Bright Light?

Answer: At first, Saul (also known as Paul) was totally against Jesus and anyone who followed him.

In fact, he watched and approved when a Christian named Stephen was killed for believing in Christ.

Saul hated Christians so much that he got permission to capture them and put them in jail.

But God had other plans for Saul’s life. One day, while Saul was traveling to another city to look for Christians, he was blinded by a bright light.

God used the light to get Saul’s attention. Then Jesus appeared to him. Through this experience, Saul believed in Jesus.

He became a strong follower of Christ and a great missionary. Instead of trying to get rid of Christians, he went all over the world helping people become Christians.

He wrote many letters to those Christians; some of those letters are in our Bibles today.

Key verses: Saul was almost to Damascus to arrest the believers there. But suddenly a bright light from Heaven shone down on him!

He fell to the ground. And he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you trying to hurt me?” (Acts 9:3-4)

Related verses: Acts 7:59-60; 9:1-8;26:1-18; Galatians 1:13-14

Related question: Which books of the Bible did Paul write?

Note to parents: Paul wrote Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

How Big Were The Worms That Ate King Herod?

Answer: King Herod had become very popular with many of the people because he had been hurting the Christians.

Later, some people who were trying to get on his good side told him that he looked and sounded like a god.

Already a very proud man, Herod enjoyed hearing what the people said, and he accepted their worship as though he really were a god.

Because Herod did this instead of honoring God, God caused him to be filled with tiny worms, or maggots, that ate him from the inside out.

In the Bible, worms are a sign of pain and punishment.

Key verse: Right then, an Angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness. Soon he was filled with maggots and died. This was because he let the people worship him instead of giving the glory to God. (Acts 12:23)

Related verses: Mark 9:48; Acts 12:1-4, 20-23

How Could Peter Kill And Eat Animals That Were In A Vision?

Answer: Peter never actually ate the animals he saw in his vision; he received permission to eat them.

You see, the animals Peter saw were the types that the Jews were not supposed to eat (called “unclean” animals).

In his vision, a voice told Peter to kill and eat any of the animals he wished. Peter didn’t actually eat the animals that he saw because they weren’t real, but soon after seeing the vision, Peter learned its meaning.

Three men who weren’t Jews came to the door and asked Peter to come and talk to their leader, an officer in the Roman army.

Normally Peter, a Jew, would not have anything to do with non-lews (Gentiles) because they, like the animals, were considered unclean.

But the vision made him realize that he should go with the men. Because Peter obeyed God and went with the men, the Roman soldier (Cornelius), his family, and his servants all became followers of Christ.

Key verses: In the sheet were all sorts of animals, snakes, and birds. Jews were not allowed to eat any of the things that were there. Then a voice said to him, “Go kill and eat any of them you wish.” (Acts 10:12-13)

Related verses: Acts 10:9-48

Related questions: Why did God make Peter have that dream? What is a trance? Why did God bring a sheet of animals down?

Didn’t The Tongues Of Fire On Th

Answer: The tongues of fire that appeared on the heads of the disciples (after Jesus had gone back to heaven) symbolized the Holy Spirit who had come into their lives.

The “tongues” weren’t mouth-tongues, but tongues of fire. This “fire” wasn’t real fire that burns things; it looked like fire, so that’s how people described it.

Everyone watching knew that something very special was happening. And when they listened, they heard their own language being spoken by people who hadn’t learned the language.

It was obvious that God was speaking through these people.

Key verses: Then, what looked like flames of fire settled on their heads. Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit.

They began speaking in languages they didn’t even know. For the Holy Spirit gave them the ability to do this. (Acts 2:3-4)

Related verses: Acts 2:1-13

Related questions: When the Holy Spirit came on the people, why were there tongues of fire on their heads? How come the sound of a wind came when the Holy Spirit came?

How Could The Angel Unlock Peter Out Of Jail Without Keys?

Answer: The angel freed Peter through God’s power. Herod wanted to kill Peter to make some of the other leaders happy.

He had Peter arrested and sentenced to death. The night before he was going to be killed, God sent an angel to rescue Peter.

He woke Peter up, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then Peter and the angel walked away from the soldiers without waking any of them up.

God made the iron gate open up when they walked up to it. The angel left him when they got outside.

Peter could hardly believe what had happened – and neither could his friends who were praying for him! (Acts 12:12-16)

Key verses: The night before he was to be killed, he was asleep. He was chained between two soldiers.

And others were standing guard by the prison gate. But suddenly there was a light in the cell! And an Angel of the Lord stood beside Peter!

The Angel slapped him on the side to wake him up. Then he said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists! (Acts 12:6-7)

Related verses: Psalm 68:6; Acts 5:12-29

Related questions: Why did Peter go to jail? Why did the angel let Peter out of jail?

Did Jesus Know That He Would Come To Life Again?

Answer: He sure did! He not only knew he would come to life again, he also told his disciples about it at least three times.

But the disciples didn’t seem to hear Jesus or understand what he was talking about because they were totally shocked by his death.

They didn’t expect Jesus to come back to life, so when they saw him, they didn’t recognize him at first.

But when Jesus came up close, talked with them, and ate with them, they knew it was him.

After the Resurrection, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene in the garden. Later, he appeared to two men walking on a road and then to the disciples gathered together in a room.

He appeared to hundreds of others, too.

Key verse: “They will laugh at me and spit on me. They will beat me with their whips and kill me. But after three days I will come back to life again.” (Mark 10:34)

Related verses: Matthew 16:21-23; 17:22-23; Mark 8:31-33; 9:30-32; 10:32-34; Luke 24:1-49; Acts 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8

Related questions: How did the disciples recognize Jesus after he had risen from the dead? Who saw Jesus first after he came back to life?

Why Did Jesus Go Up To Heaven Instead Of Staying Here On Earth?

Answer: Jesus is the Son of God, and his home is in heaven. He left his Father (and his home) to become a human being and live on the earth.

So it’s quite natural that Jesus would leave the earth and go back home. Jesus also went to heaven to prepare a place for us.

And although Jesus left us, he also sent the Holy Spirit to take his place and be with us.

Though Jesus couldn’t be in two places at once, the Holy Spirit can; he can be everywhere because he lives inside all people who have trusted in Christ as Savior.

Because Jesus went back to heaven, the Holy Spirit can be with you and in you, everywhere you go.

Key verses: “There are many homes in my Father’s house. I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come again and take you to me. Then you will be with me where I am about to go. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly.” (John 14:2-3)

Related verses: Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-51; John 14:1-7, 15-21, 25-26; 16:5-16; Acts 1:7-11

Related questions: If Jesus is in heaven, does he still have scars on his hands, feet, and side? Why isn’t Jesus here on earth now?