Question

I am a Hebrew Christian, and my dad doesn’t want me to come to church or anything, and I promised him that I wouldn’t go while I’m living at our house. The problem is that I think that I have broken a promise, right? And isn’t that something wrong? I mean when I go home tonight he’s going to ask me, “Did you attend the services?”

Answer

Let me give you a perspective on that, I think sometimes we make foolish promises. I think sometimes we make promises to men that we shouldn’t make because we have a higher vow to God, and I would just remind you of Matthew chapter 10:35, where it says, “ I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man’s foe shall be they of his own household. He that loves father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me and He that loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me and he that taketh not His cross"…that means a willingness to die…."and follow after Me is not worthy of Me, but He that finds his life shall lose it and He that loses his life for my sake shall find it."

I think if I were in your situation, what you need to do is go to your father, tell him that you want to be a son of honesty and integrity, you want to keep your word, but you have a higher calling from God, you must be faithful to what Christ has done in your life, you don’t want to be unfaithful to your word but you feel that God has laid it on your heart that you must be faithful and obedient to Him. Share with him, even if you want, that Scripture, but I think you must obey the Lord but you must be gracious, loving, and anxious to show your father that you want to maintain your integrity and that the promise you made, you didn’t understand at the time, was a violation of the things you believe and you’ve got to stand for what you believe.

I think you’re compelled by something inside of you and that’s the working of the Spirit of God to be with the people of God and the Word of God. I think it’s a very normal thing for you to want to be here. I wouldn’t worry about it. I’d just say, “Hey, forgive me for that, but I have a compelling that the Lord has put in my heart.” Try to maintain the relationship as good as you can and if you need to move out, move out.

Question (continued)

Yeah, but what should I do when I go home tonight, because I don’t know what he’ll do? Well he’s probably going to kick me out of the house or something like that. I don’t know what he’d do.

Answer (continued)

Well, we’ll get you a place to stay. (An audience member offers, “He can stay at my place”.) Can you help him out if he needs a place to stay? All right. Meet those folks out there…get their name and phone number and if something happens…there you go.