Questions and Answers

Question: I'm 17 and I want to have a relationship with a girl who is also my age. I really like her and I know she likes me too. My problem is that she feels we ought to make love to solidify our relationship. Should I give in? She says that if we don't, we can't know if we are sexually compatible and she will have to leave me. I love her and I don't want to lose her.

Answer: In our society, very poor examples are often set regarding relationships between men and women. Many in our society view premarital sex as "normal." Accepting this erroneous idea, many unmarried couples engage in intimate activity that should be reserved for marriage.

Of course, this is contrary to God's teaching. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 it says: "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body."

"Sexual immorality" includes any sex act that occurs outside the bounds of marriage between a husband and wife. Obviously, this would include fornication, which is sex prior to marriage. Clearly, the Scriptures show us that intercourse is only to take place within marriage.

In any event, the reasoning of your friend concerning sexual compatibility is unsound. That popular concept is often put forward as a justification for premarital sex. Study after study has shown that having sexual relations with someone before marriage actually increases the odds for divorce later on. Your happiness in marriage will be based on mutual respect and love, not on how well you make love.

We suggest you explain to her that you are not in agreement with her reasoning and that you would like to save yourself for marriage. We know this may sound risky, but it is far more risky to your health and your future happiness to give in to her suggestion.

We also suggest reading the following articles before speaking with your friend. It will help you understand how you should view the subject and will help you in explaining it to her.

The first article, titled "A Touchy Subject: Hand-holding, Hugging, Kissing and More," appeared in the January-March 2004 issue of Vertical Thought).

A second article, "Sex, Dating and You," appeared in the October-December 2001 edition of Youth United (www.churchofgodtwincities.org/lit/vt/ym05).

Question: I am curious about the people who are given a second chance during the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ on earth.Will life be the same as today? Will human life spans be the same? Will children be born? Will humans interact with spirit beings on a regular basis? Will people alive during this time know about the thousand-year time period? Will people remember their past?

Answer: This thousand-year reign of Christ, also called the Millennium, offers people who have not known Christ or His true expectations an opportunity to respond to Him. It is important to note that this is not a second chance. It will be the first and only chance for these people. The Bible teaches that everyone will have an opportunity to come to God (2 Peter 3:9).

For those called today, the firstfruits, the opportunity (judgment) is now (1 Peter 4:17). Others will have this opportunity during the Millennium.

As for those who are alive at the start of the Millennium, these people are ones who will have lived through the cataclysmic events of the return of Jesus Christ—called the "day of the Lord" in the Bible. Their physical lives will continue as the Kingdom of God is established here on earth (Revelation 5:10).

As to what the life span of human beings during the Millennium will be, the Bible doesn't explicitly say. It probably will be at least as long as people live today, and perhaps longer (see Zechariah 8:4). People will have children (verse 5). One important change in human life during this time, however, will be the interaction of the spirit world with human beings.

During the Millennium, Satan will be bound (Revelation 20:1-2) and the firstfruits, God's people who will have been changed into spirit at Christ's return (1 Corinthians 15:52), will be actively teaching people God's ways.

Commenting on this time, Isaiah 30:20-21 says: "And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."

Satan's constant influence to cause people to sin, which is part of this present evil world, will be replaced by spirit beings who will help guide people into godly paths.

Because of this positive teaching and guidance by spirit beings and the fact that God's law will be going out to all the earth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-3), it seems that people living in the Millennium will know about this period of time and that this is their opportunity to respond to God.

The following questions and answers represent issues of interest to young people who want sound biblical advice.