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What is The Way International?
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Answer
The Way International was founded in 1942 by Victor Paul Wierwille as a radio program, then was renamed the Chimes Hour Youth Caravan in 1947\. The name became “The Way” in 1955, no doubt a reference to Jesus’ statement that He is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6\). In spite of its name, however, The Way International is not a Christian denomination. By all rational tests, it fits the definition of a [cult](cult-definition.html).
The Way International promotes the two beliefs that are consistent with every Christian cult—they deny the [deity of Jesus Christ](is-Jesus-God.html) and they believe in works righteousness, the idea that we can get to heaven by our own effort. These two dangerous heresies are present in every cult and false religion, and both are in direct contradiction to the Bible.
Wierwille, a pastor and student of theology, turned to promoting false doctrines when biblical Christianity failed to give him the answers, experience, and “abundant life” he was looking for. He claimed to have heard from God, who supposedly told him, “I will teach you the Word as it has not been known since the first century if you will teach it to others.” This implies that, up until Wierwille’s revelation from God, believers throughout the centuries have not known the true meaning of God’s Word. This is another sign of a cult—only the founder and his followers have the truth and everyone else is wrong. Such a statement denies Jesus’ words in John 16:13, when He told His followers that the Holy Spirit would come and lead them into all the truth.
Wierwille, however, believed what was almost certainly the voice of a demon, and struggled to learn this alternate understanding of God’s Word that he believed would give him “the key to abundant life.” An Assemblies of God minister named Rev. John (Jack) Edwin Stiles, Sr., showed Wierwille how to get converts: teaching people how to receive the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in tongues. Wierwille used this charismatic approach to gather followers. He was denounced as a heretic by various reputable evangelicals, but he did not repent. More and more people began to follow Wierwille, who required tithing and charged a fee for “Power of Abundant Living” classes, until The Way’s assets were $9\.7 million.
Wierwille wrote a book called *Jesus Is Not God* (now out of print) and continued to promote that heresy. Jesus, according to The Way, was a perfect man, but not God. He had no pre\-existence before He was born. With all their emphasis on Bible “research,” they apparently missed Jesus’ own statements “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30\) and “before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58\) and numerous other biblical texts that refer to the incarnation.
Among the other unscriptural beliefs of The Way are the teaching that all believers receive the ability to speak in tongues and perform miracles including healing; therefore, those who do not speak in tongues are not saved; the teaching that baptism by immersion or sprinkling is not necessary; the teaching that the Holy Spirit is not God but an impersonal force; the teaching of soul sleep; and the teaching that the Gospels are useful for background material only and the Pauline Epistles and the book of Acts are the true Scriptures.
Various chilling accounts written by former members of The Way describe brainwashing, manipulation and control of followers, and sexual perversion and adultery that become increasingly more drastic toward the upper echelons of the organization. Like many cults, The Way marks those who appear not to agree with the cult or who fail to obey unquestioningly and purges them. Those who are purged are avoided and escorted off The Way campuses and utterly ignored, even by longtime friends.
Also as in many cults, the followers of The Way are lured into the group by the friendliness and acceptance they experience upon meeting The Way members. This is simply a marketing technique used by The Way International to gather followers, not genuine friendship. Although many of the followers of The Way are well\-meaning people, they are deceived and they are deceiving others. Its members may describe their meetings, at first, as “home\-churches” or “discussion groups.” It is always best to check to see what, if any, church or organization a home church is affiliated with and examine their statement of faith or mission statement before becoming involved.
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Is there an afterlife?
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Answer
The book of Job asks a question about the afterlife very simply: “If a man dies, will he live again?” (Job 14:14\). Asking the question is easy; more difficult is finding someone to answer the question with authority and experience.
Jesus Christ is the one person who can speak with real authority (and experience) concerning the afterlife. What gives Him sole authority to speak of [heaven](where-is-Heaven.html) is that He came from there: “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man” (John 3:13\). The Lord Jesus, with His firsthand experience in heaven, presents us with three basic truths about the subject of life after death:
1\. There is an afterlife.
2\. When a person dies, there are two possible destinations to which he or she may go.
3\. There is one way to ensure a positive experience after death.
First, Christ affirms there is an afterlife a number of times. For example, in an encounter with the Sadducees, who denied the doctrine of the resurrection, Jesus said, “About the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the [burning bush](burning-bush.html), how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ ? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!” (Mark 12:26–27\). According to Jesus, those who had died centuries before were very much alive with God at that moment.
In another passage, Jesus comforts His disciples (and us) by telling them of the afterlife. They can look forward to being with Him in heaven: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1–3\).
Jesus also speaks authoritatively about the two different destinies that await in the afterlife. In the account of [the rich man and Lazarus](rich-man-and-Lazarus.html), Jesus says, “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side” (Luke 16:22–23\). Note, there is no [Purgatory](purgatory.html) for those who die; they go directly to their eternal destiny. Jesus taught more on the different destinies of the righteous and the wicked in Matthew 25:46 and John 5:25–29\.
Jesus also emphasized that what determines a person’s eternal destination is whether or not he has faith in God’s [only begotten Son](only-begotten-son.html). The need for [faith](definition-of-faith.html) is clear: “Everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:15–18\).
For those who repent of their sin and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior, the afterlife will consist of an eternity spent enjoying God. For those who reject Christ, however, the afterlife will be quite different. Jesus describes their destiny as “darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12\). As the heaven\-sent authority on the afterlife, Jesus warns us to choose wisely: “Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13–14\).
Speaking about life after death, G. B. Hardy, a Canadian scientist, once said, “I have only two questions to ask. One, has anyone ever defeated death? Two, did he make a way for me to do it also?” The answer to both of Hardy’s questions is “yes.” One Person has both defeated death and provided a way for everyone who puts their trust in Him to overcome it as well. No one who trusts in Jesus Christ needs to fear death, and we can rejoice in the Lord’s salvation: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
‘Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?’” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55\).
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What does the Bible say about respect?
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Answer
The apostle Peter summarizes the Bible’s teaching on respect in his first Epistle: “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17\). This passage encompasses four major areas of our lives, teaching us that, as followers of Christ, we should respect all people, other Christians, God, and governmental authorities. The word *respect* is a translation of the Greek word *timēsate*, meaning “honor or value.” It literally means “to place a great value or high price on something.” Interestingly, today we tend to place our values on our personal rights and the equality of humanity. However, biblical respect is far different, more about a perceived inequality in that we recognize that some things and some people are more important than we (compare Philippians 2:3\).
To respect everyone, believers must be conscious that God has created all people in His image, regardless of whether they believe in Christ. We should show them proper respect and honor because their souls are of more value than all the wealth in the world (Luke 10:33–34; 1 Corinthians 10:33\).
Loving the brotherhood of believers means to love all believers, regardless of color, nationality, opinions, or affiliations. We are to demonstrate to the world that we love our brothers and sisters in Christ. The apostle John wrote of this principle a number of times. Quoting Jesus, he writes, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34–35; cf. 15:12; 1 John 3:23\).
The word *fear* is a translation of the Greek word *phobeisthe*, meaning “fear, dread, and respect.” The word also implies that our fear of Him leads us to total obedience (Leviticus 18:4; Psalm 119:67; John 14:15\). Though we are to honor the king, we should “fear” God (compare Deuteronomy 10:12; Isaiah 8:13\). The bottom line is that it is God alone whom we should “fear” in the sense of having an awed respect.
We honor and respect our governing authorities because they exist by the very will of God (Romans 13:1–7\). Such respect must be given whether we agree with them or not. Those in authority are God’s instruments for carrying out the purpose of governing and worthy of the respect God mandates. When we obey the principles of this passage, we give genuine credibility to our faith. As believers, we are to honor our governing authorities and their rights as such. But we may not give to the government those rights that belong to God alone (Luke 20:25\).
Christians are to be a people of order and discipline, of righteousness and justice. We are to be dynamic examples of love and peace so that others may be won to Christ and be saved for eternity (Matthew 5:14–16\). Part of living as examples of Christ before the watching world is showing respect to others.
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What does it mean to boast in the Lord?
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Answer
The phrase “boast in the Lord” is found in 1 Corinthians 1:31, where Paul, quoting Jeremiah 9:24, says, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” It may seem strange to think of boasting as good; after all, the word *boast* means “to puff oneself up in speech,” and pride is condemned in Scripture (e.g., Proverbs 11:2\). Paul is obviously not talking about sinful boasting. The Bible never condones braggadocio.
Some preachers have twisted the meaning of the phrase “boast in the Lord” to support a misleading message. The phrase is commonly heard today in the [prosperity gospel](prosperity-gospel.html) and [Word of Faith](Word-Faith.html) movements. Often, it is quoted from Psalm 34:2 in the KJV, “My soul shall make her boast in the LORD,” and it is used in the context of boasting about worldly possessions or of speaking a miracle into existence. The idea is that, if you have a material need, then you should “boast” that you already have that need met. Such boasting is a proof of faith (so they say), and that faith will glorify God as your “word of confession” speaks a blessing into existence. This is most decidedly *not* what David and Paul meant.
Paul’s statement about boasting in the Lord has nothing to do with worldly possessions or with altering reality. The context concerns God’s ability to glorify Himself even in our weakness. When called to salvation, “not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:26\-30\). Whatever good may come from our ministry, we have no reason to boast because, humanly speaking, we are “weak,” “foolish,” “lowly,” and “despised.” All the glory goes to God and God alone (see Isaiah 42:8\).
True boasting in the Lord is actually boasting *of* the Lord—boasting of His great attributes, boasting of what He has done for us, of what He is still doing and of what He has promised to do. As Jeremiah 9:23\-24 says, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight,’ declares the LORD.”
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What is Nestorianism?
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Answer
The Nestorians are followers of Nestorius (c. AD 386–451\), who was Archbishop of Constantinople. Nestorianism is based on the belief put forth by Nestorius that emphasized the disunity of the human and divine natures of Christ. According to the Nestorians, Christ essentially exists as two persons sharing one body. His divine and human natures are completely distinct and separate. This idea is not scriptural, however, and goes against the orthodox Christian doctrine of the [hypostatic union](hypostatic-union.html), which states that Christ is fully God and fully man in one indivisible Person. God the Son, Jesus Christ, took on a human nature yet remained fully God at the same time. Jesus always had been God (John 8:58; 10:30\), but at the [Incarnation](incarnation-of-Christ.html) Jesus also became a human being (John 1:14\).
In the first few centuries of the church, a great debate arose: what is the exact nature of Christ? How can a being be completely divine and completely human? In the West, the Roman Catholic Church decreed Jesus to be “two natures in one person,” and went on to other things. In the East, the definition of Christ’s nature was as much about politics as it was about religion, and the discussion went on far longer.
The Alexandrines, so named because the political loyalties of most who held the view were Alexandrian, were “monophysites.” They insisted that Jesus was, above all, divine. He was the teacher of divine truth and, in order to have had that truth, must have been primarily divine. To emphasize His humanity over His deity led to unthinkable assertions like “God got tired, injured, hungry, thirsty, and then died.” Apollinaris of Laodicea summarized the thought by saying the Word of God took the place of a rational soul so that a human body could preach the truth of God; the body was a mouthpiece.
The Antiochenes from Antioch thought this was ridiculous. A sacrifice that was not fully human could not redeem humans. Antiochenes were “dyophysites.” The Godhead dwelt in Jesus, no doubt, but not in any way that undermined His humanity. Jesus’ two natures were distinct from one another—although no one could precisely explain what that meant.
When Constantine had moved the political capital from Rome to Byzantium (later Constantinople), the church of the West centralized into the religious and political power of the Roman Catholic Church. The church of the East didn’t have that chance. They had several important churches spread throughout the region, each led by their own bishops. Alexandria and Antioch were two of the oldest and most important, but the church in Constantinople was considered as close to Rome as the East had. The clergy of Alexandria and Antioch constantly fought over the bishopric in Constantinople in hopes of uniting the scattered churches into a regional powerhouse.
In AD 428, Nestorius became patriarch of Constantinople. He was from Antioch, and his theological (and political) leanings became clear when he declared Mary to be [*Christotokos*](Christotokos.html) (“bearer of Christ”), not *theotokos* (“bearer of God”). In so doing, he said more about Jesus than Mary. He said that, above all else, the humanity of Jesus must be emphasized, His nature firmly divided, and that He was comprised of “two natures and two persons.” The human nature and person were born of Mary. The divine were of God.
The Bishop of Alexandria, among others, didn’t agree. He and his supporters marched into Constantinople and held a trial that relieved Nestorius of his position. Shortly after, Nestorius’s supporters finally arrived and held a smaller trial that convicted the Bishop of Alexandria. After much theological debate and political wrangling, Nestorius was exiled back to Antioch.
The Alexandrians exerted more pressure on the Antiochenes. The Antiochenes were forced to leave Antioch; Nestorius lived out his days in Egypt. But many of the Antiochenes fled east into Persia, where they were called “Nestorians” whether they had politically supported Nestorius or not.
The church already in Persia had its own problems. The rulers in Persia were quite religiously tolerant, but politically they hated Rome and anything that came out of Rome. The church in Persia carefully explained that they were not the same church as in Rome, and the Persians alternated between persecuting them and leaving them alone. Several Nestorian theologians settled in Persia, where the Persian church heard their thoughts on the two natures of Christ and told them, “Yes, of course, we’ve believed that all along.” So Nestorians were readily absorbed into the local church there.
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How can I experience true intimacy with God?
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Answer
True intimacy with God is something that has been sought by Christians since Christ walked the earth. It is natural for Christians to long to experience the closeness of an intimate relationship with God. But true intimacy with God is not simply a feeling on a par with a romantic relationship. It goes much deeper than emotion, down to our very souls and reflected by our actions. “For the LORD detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence” (Proverbs 3:32\). God cannot have an intimacy with evil or with disobedient Christians. True intimacy with God begins with drawing near to Him.
God will never draw near to those who do not draw near to Him, and the way we “draw near” is through righteousness. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double\-minded” (James 4:8\). Certainly, God will never draw near in intimacy with the unrighteous, but those who have been cleansed by the blood of Christ and have received His righteousness at the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21\) have the hope of intimacy with God. In fact, it is only those who have been saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9\) who have that hope, because Christ is the hope through which we draw near to God (Hebrews 7:19\).
Jesus is, in fact, the model of intimacy with God because He and the Father are one (John 10:30\), and no relationship can be closer than that oneness with the Father that Jesus experienced. His relationship with the Father was characterized by love and obedience. In love, Jesus came to earth to do His Father’s will. He did nothing on His own, but in all things did the will of His Father (John 5:30\). This was most evident in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion. Suffering the agony of anticipating what was to come, Jesus asked that the fate He was about to suffer might be removed from Him, but He ended the plea by saying, “Yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42\). Here we see a perfect example of true intimacy reflected in obedience as Jesus yielded His will to that of His Father.
If we hope to attain true intimacy with God, Jesus must be our model. We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:10\), and we prove our love for Him by obeying Him. Jesus told His followers, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15\). When we obey Him and keep what He has commanded, He promised that we will remain in His love, just as He remains in the love of the Father by doing the Father’s will (John 15:10\). There can only be intimacy with God when we are in good fellowship with Him through obedience. Then we can know the joy and peace that comes from trusting Him and yielding to His will, just as Jesus did.
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What are the different Jewish festivals in the Bible?
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Answer
There are seven Jewish festivals or feasts outlined in the Bible. While they are mentioned throughout Scripture, we find instructions for all seven laid out in Leviticus 23\. Leviticus 23:2 refers to the seven Jewish festivals, literally “appointed times,” also called “holy convocations.” These were days appointed and ordained by God to be kept to the honor of His name. These times of celebration are important not only to Israel, but also to the overall message of the Bible, because each one foreshadows or symbolizes an aspect of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The [book of Leviticus](Book-of-Leviticus.html) contains God’s instructions to His chosen nation, Israel, on how they were to worship Him. It contains detailed instructions about the duties of the priests as well as instructions on observing and obeying God’s Law and the sacrificial system. God designated seven specific feasts that Israel was to celebrate each year. Each one of these Jewish festivals is significant both in regards to the Lord’s provision for His people and in regards to the foreshadowing of the coming Messiah and His work in redeeming people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. While Christians are no longer under any obligation to observe any of the Old Testament feasts (Colossians 2:16\), we should understand their significance and importance, nonetheless.
The feasts often began and ended with a “Sabbath rest,” and the Jews were commanded to not do any customary work on those days. Both the normal weekly Sabbath and the special Sabbaths that were to be observed as part of the Jewish feasts point us to the ultimate [Sabbath rest](Jesus-sabbath.html), which is found only in Jesus Christ. It is a rest that Christians experience through faith in the finished work of Christ upon the cross.
Beginning in the spring, the seven Jewish feasts are Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The Jewish feasts are closely related to Israel’s spring and fall harvests and agricultural seasons. They were to remind the Israelites each year of God’s ongoing protection and provision. But, even more importantly, they foreshadowed the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Not only did they play significant roles in Christ’s earthly ministry but they also symbolize the complete redemptive story of Christ, beginning with His death on the cross as the Passover Lamb and ending with His second coming after which He will “tabernacle” or dwell with His people forever.
Here is a brief summary of the spiritual significance of each of the seven Jewish festivals or feasts. It is interesting to note that the first three occur back to back, almost simultaneously. The Feast of Unleavened Bread starts the very day after Passover is celebrated. Then, on the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits begins.
**Passover** reminds us of redemption from sin. It was the time when Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was offered as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. It is on that basis alone that God can justify the ungodly sinner. Just as the blood of a lamb sprinkled on the doorpost of Jewish homes caused the Spirit of the Lord to pass over those homes during the last plague on Egypt (Exodus 12\), so those covered by the blood of the Lamb will escape the spiritual death and judgment God will visit upon all who reject Him. Of all the Jewish festivals, Passover is of the greatest importance because the Lord’s Supper was a Passover meal (Matthew 26:17–27\). In passing the elements and telling the disciples to eat of His body, Jesus was presenting Himself as the ultimate Passover Lamb.
[**The Feast of Unleavened Bread**](Feast-of-Unleavened-Bread.html) followed immediately after Passover and lasted one week, during which time the Israelites ate no bread with yeast in remembrance of their haste in preparing for their exodus from Egypt. In the New Testament, yeast is often associated with evil (1 Corinthians 5:6–8; Galatians 5:9\), and, just as Israel was to remove yeast from their bread, so are Christians to purge evil from their lives and live a new life in godliness and righteousness. Christ as our Passover Lamb cleanses us from sin and evil, and by His power and that of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are freed from sin to leave our old lives behind, just as the Israelites did.
[**The Feast of Firstfruits**](Feast-of-Firstfruits.html) took place at the beginning of the harvest and signified Israel’s gratitude to and dependence upon God. According to Leviticus 23:9–14, an Israelite would bring a sheaf of the first grain of the harvest to the priest, who would wave it before the Lord as an offering. Deuteronomy 26:1–11 states that, when the Israelites brought the firstfuits of their harvest before the priest, they were to acknowledge that God had delivered them from Egypt and had given them the Promised Land. This reminds us of Christ’s resurrection as He was the “firstfuits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20\). Just as Christ was the first to rise from the dead and receive a glorified body, so shall all those who are born again follow Him, being resurrected to inherit an “incorruptible body” (1 Corinthians 15:35–49\).
[**The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)**](Feast-of-Weeks.html) occurred 50 days after the Firstfruits festival and celebrated the end of the grain harvest (the Greek word *Pentecost* means “fiftieth”). The primary focus of the festival was gratitude to God for the harvest. This feast reminds us of the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to send “another helper” (John 14:16\) who would indwell believers and empower them for ministry. The coming of the Holy Spirit 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection was the guarantee (Ephesians 1:13–14\) that the promise of salvation and future resurrection will come to pass. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in every born\-again believer is what seals us in Christ and bears witness with our spirit that we are indeed “joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:16–17\).
After the spring feasts conclude with the Feast of Weeks, there is a period of time before the fall feasts begin. This time is spiritually symbolic of the church age in which we live today. Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection are past, we have received the promised Holy Spirit, and now we await His second coming. Just as the spring feasts pointed toward the Messiah’s ministry at His first coming, the fall feasts point toward what will happen at His [second coming](second-coming-Jesus-Christ.html).
[**The Feast of Trumpets**](Feast-of-Trumpets.html) was commanded to be held on the first day of the seventh month and was to be a “day of trumpet blast” (Numbers 29:1\) to commemorate the end of the agricultural and festival year. The trumpet blasts were meant to signal to Israel that they were entering a sacred season. The agricultural year was coming to a close; there was to be a reckoning with the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement. The Feast of Trumpets signifies Christ’s second coming. We see trumpets associated with the second coming in verses like 1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” Of course, the sounding of the trumpet also indicates the pouring out of God’s wrath on the earth in the book of Revelation. Certainly, this feast points toward the coming Day of the Lord.
[**The Day of Atonement**](Day-Atonement-Yom-Kippur.html) occurs just ten days after the Feast of Trumpets. The Day of Atonement was the day the high priest went into the Holy of Holies each year to make an offering for the sins of Israel. This feast is symbolic of the time when God will again turn His attention back to the nation of Israel after “the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and . . . all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25–26\). The Jewish remnant who survive the Great Tribulation will recognize Jesus as their Messiah as God releases them from their spiritual blindness and they come to faith in Christ.
[**The Feast of Tabernacles (Booths)**](Feast-of-Tabernacles.html) is the seventh and final feast of the Lord and took place five days after the Day of Atonement. For seven days, the Israelites presented offerings to the Lord, during which time they lived in huts made from palm branches. Living in the booths recalled the sojourn of the Israelites prior to their taking the land of Canaan (Leviticus 23:43\). This feast signifies the future time when Christ rules and reigns on earth. For the rest of eternity, people from every tribe, tongue, and nation will “tabernacle” or dwell with Christ in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9–27\).
While the four spring feasts look back at what Christ accomplished at His first coming, the three fall feasts point us toward the glory of His second coming. The first is the source of our hope in Christ—His finished work of atonement for sins—and the second is the promise of what is to come—eternity with Christ. Understanding the significance of these God\-appointed Jewish festivals helps us to better see and understand the complete picture and plan of redemption found in Scripture.
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Is the Bible a fairy tale?
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Answer
The charge that the Bible is nothing more than a fairy tale or a book of nice stories is not new. The Bible is undoubtedly the most impactful book the world has ever known, transforming innumerable lives. Why, then, would the question whether or not the Bible is a fairy tale be a legitimate one in the hearts of many around the world?
From the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation, we read the story of God’s eternal design to redeem a fallen world. With God as its inspiring Author, the Bible is the world’s greatest work of literature, and throughout the ages multitudes have spent their lives proclaiming its truth. Many, in fact, have made the ultimate sacrifice so that others may simply hold in their hands a copy of its pages. Nevertheless, there has never been a book that has been as viciously attacked as the Bible. The Bible has been banned, burned, mocked, ridiculed and defamed. Many have been put to death for simply possessing a Bible. But still the idea that the Bible is a fairy tale persists.
The “prince of this world” has been blinding people to the truth since the beginning of time. He began his “work” on earth by calling God’s words into question (Genesis 3:1\-5\), and he has been doing so ever since. Everywhere we look, false teaching is rampant—on television and radio, in books and magazines, in our schools and universities, and sadly, even in our churches and Christian colleges, the very places where the truth of God’s Word should most vigorously be defended. When children are taught that our ancestors crawled out of the ocean eons ago, have we not relegated creation and Adam and Eve to fairy tale status? It’s the same thing when scientists and academicians tell us we are wasting our time searching for the “mythological” Noah’s Ark.
In fact, when many in the church, in order to placate the academic world, allow for a reinterpretation of the book of Genesis to accommodate modern evolutionary thought, the message sent to the world is that the Bible, apparently, means something other than what its simple, ordinary words convey. When the supernatural events of the Bible are dubbed as allegory by naturalists, it is understandable how those who have never studied the Bible can be confused as to its truth. For those who have never availed themselves of the truth of God’s Word, how likely are they to believe in a talking donkey or a fish swallowing a man and spitting him out on the shore or a woman turning into a pillar of salt?
However, the Bible is most assuredly not a fairy tale. In fact, the Bible was “God\-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16\), and this essentially means God wrote it. Its human authors wrote from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21\). That’s why this divinely woven text of nearly three quarters of a million words is perfect in harmony from start to finish and contains no contradictions, even though its sixty\-six books have forty different authors from different walks of life, written in three different languages and taking nearly sixteen centuries to complete. How possibly could we have this amazing congruity if it wasn’t for God guiding the authors’ hands? We could not; it’s that simple. A righteous God would never inspire error. A just God would not call error\-filled Scripture “holy and true.” A merciful God would not state that His Word is perfect if it were not, and an omniscient God could write it so that it is as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago.
Time and again, the historicity of the Bible has been confirmed by biology, geology, and astronomy. And although the Bible may not always agree with naturalistic hypotheses, it is not in conflict with any true, established scientific facts. In archaeology, the last one hundred years have brought to light a treasure trove of biblical truths that scholars have questioned or doubted for centuries, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the basalt stone containing the “House of David” inscription, a 7th century BC amulet scroll bearing the name of God, and a stone bearing the name and title of Pontius Pilate, the Judean governor who ordered the execution of Jesus Christ. The Bible is without doubt the best documented book from the ancient world, with more than 24,000 whole or partial biblical manuscripts in existence. No other document of antiquity has nearly as much evidence to confirm its reliability.
Another attestation to the Bible’s divine authorship is the vast number of detailed biblical prophecies that have come true exactly as foretold. We see the psalmist, for example, telling of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ nearly a thousand years before it occurred (Psalm 22\), and hundreds of years before crucifixion was even invented! Simply put, it would be impossible for human beings to have seen so far into the future with such precision and accuracy hundreds of times. Indeed, it would be completely illogical to believe these proven prophecies are anything other than the work of God. Incidentally, and amazingly, probability experts tell us the mathematical odds of just forty\-eight prophecies regarding one person (i.e. Christ) coming true as foretold are one in ten to the 157th power!
But the greatest proof that the Bible is not a fairy tale is the countless number of lives that have been transformed by the truths contained in its pages. Used by the Spirit of God, the holy truths of the Bible have turned millions of sinners into saints. Drug addicts have been cured by it, homosexuals set free by it, derelicts and deadbeats transformed by it, hardened criminals reformed by it, sinners rebuked by it, and hate turned to love by it. No amount of reading “Cinderella” or “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” can effect such change on the soul of man. The Bible does possess a dynamic and transforming power that is only possible because it is truly God’s Word.
In light of the foregoing, the greater question, then, is how could someone not believe in these convincing, God\-breathed, error\-free, life\-transforming truths? Unfortunately, the answer is actually an easy one. God has said that if we do not open our hearts to Him, He will not open our eyes to the truth. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would teach us (John 14:26\) and guide us into truth (John 16:13\). And the truth of God is found in the Word of God (John 17:17\). Thus, to those who believe, these sacred words are life itself, but, to those without the Spirit, the Bible is nothing but foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14\).
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What were the 400 years of silence?
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Answer
The 400 years of silence refers to the time between the Old Testament and New Testament, during which, so far as we know, God did not speak—no Scripture was written. The 400 years of silence began with the warning that closed the Old Testament: “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse" (Malachi 4:5\-6\) and ended with the coming of John the Baptist, the Messiah’s forerunner.
At the time of Malachi’s warning, about 430 B.C., the Jews had returned to Israel from the Babylonian captivity (as merchants, not shepherds). The [Medo\-Persian Empire](Medo-Persian-empire.html) still ruled Israel, and the temple had been rebuilt. Both the Law and the priesthood of Aaron’s line had been restored, and the Jews had given up their worship of idols. Nevertheless, Malachi’s warning was not without cause. The Jewish people were mistreating their wives, marrying pagans and not tithing, and the priests were neglecting the temple and not teaching the people the ways of God. In short, the Jews were not honoring God.
In 333 B.C., Israel fell to the Greeks, and in 323 B.C. it fell to the Egyptians. The Jews generally were treated well throughout those reigns, and they adopted the Greek language and many of the Greek customs and manners, and in Egypt the Old Testament was translated into Greek. That translation, the Septuagint, came into widespread use (and is quoted frequently in the New Testament).
Jewish law and the priesthood remained more or less intact until Antiochus the Great of Syria captured Israel in 204 B.C. He and his successor, Antiochus Epiphanes, persecuted the Jews and sold the priesthood, and in 171 B.C. Epiphanes desecrated the Holy of Holies. This desecration resulted in an uprising by [Judas Maccabeus](Judas-Maccabeus.html) of the priestly line of Aaron, and in 165 B.C. the Jews recaptured Jerusalem and cleansed the temple. However, fighting continued between the Jews and the Syrians until the Romans gained control of Israel in 63 B.C., at which time Pompey walked into the Holy of Holies, once again shocking and embittering the Jews. In 47 B.C., Caesar installed Antipater, a descendant of Esau, as procurator of Judea, and Antipater subsequently appointed his two sons as kings over Galilee and Judea.
As the New Testament opens, Antipater’s son, Herod the Great, a descendant of Esau, was king, and the priesthood was politically motivated and not of the line of Aaron. Politics also resulted in the development of two major factions, the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees favored the liberal attitudes and practices of the Greeks. They held to only the Torah as regards religion but like most aristocrats they did not think God should have any part in governing the nation. The Pharisees were conservative zealots who, with the help of the scribes, developed religious law to the point where the concerns and care of people were essentially meaningless. Additionally, synagogues, new places of worship and social activity, had sprouted up all over the country, and religious and civil matters were governed by the lesser and the greater Sanhedrins, the greater Sanhedrin being comprised of a chief priest and seventy other members that handed out justice, sometimes by 39 lashes administered with full force.
Between the time of Malachi and the coming of the Messiah, several prophecies were fulfilled, including the 2,300 days of desecration between 171 and 165 B.C. (Daniel 8:14\). However, the people did not put to good use either the fulfilled prophecies nor the 400 years the nation was given to study Scripture, to seek God (Psalm 43\-44\), and to prepare for the coming Messiah. In fact, those years blinded and deafened the nation to the point where most of the Jews could not even consider the concept of a humble Messiah (Zechariah 9:9; Isaiah 6:10; John 12:40\).
Almost two millennia have passed since the New Testament canon was completed, and though the Word is full of grace and truth, and though the birth, life, and death of Jesus fulfilled a staggering array of prophecies, the Jews as a people have yet to open their eyes and ears. But Jesus is coming again, and one day a remnant will both see and hear.
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What can we learn from the thief on the cross?
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Answer
When seeking what we can learn from the thief on the cross, it should be remembered that at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, two thieves were crucified beside Him (Luke 23:33–43\), and both began their time on the cross by mocking and blaspheming Him (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32\), as did many of the spectators. One of the thieves responded in faith to the message of salvation and was taken to paradise that very day. He is the one usually referred to as the thief on the cross. The man on the cross on the other side of Jesus never repented, as far as we know. So, at Calvary we have a picture of the two possible responses people can have to the Savior.
It is remarkable that, while in the excruciating and mind\-numbing torment of the cross, the Son of Man had the heart, mind, and will to pray for others. Yet it is a miracle that one thief, while in agony himself, heard the Spirit of God call him to repentance and acceptance of the forgiveness God was just about to provide through the death of Christ. While the disciples were abandoning the Lord, this man answered the call, and his sins were forgiven, including his blasphemy against the Son of God (Luke 5:31\-32, 12:8–10\).
That the other thief rejected Jesus is remarkable in its own right. While being tortured on the cross he literally joined his torturers in insulting the Savior of the world, and he most likely did so because he wanted his torturers to think he was just like them, joined to the world and with no love for God (Matthew 27:44\). Not only was this man next to the Savior, he heard Him pray, he witnessed the salvation of the other thief, he saw the world go dark, and he heard the testimony of the Son. But his pride kept him from submitting to the only One who could save him, and when he one day bows to the Name he mocked, he will be doing so reluctantly and while in torment (Philippians 2:10\).
What we learn from the saved thief on the cross is that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and no matter the number of our sins and no matter if we, or the world, think our sins are minor or extreme, it is never too late to repent and accept the free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9; Revelation 22:17\). Moreover, as long as someone still has a mind and the will to choose life over death (Hebrews 9:27\), it is not too late to proclaim the gospel, which hopefully will open a heart to a miracle by the Holy Spirit.
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Why is sexual purity so important?
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Answer
God gave man and woman the joy and pleasure of sexual relations within the bounds of marriage, and the Bible is clear about the importance of maintaining sexual purity within the boundaries of that union between man and wife (Ephesians 5:31\). Humans are well aware of the pleasing effect of this gift from God but have expanded it well beyond marriage and into virtually any circumstance. The secular world’s philosophy of “if it feels good, do it” pervades cultures, especially in the West, to the point where sexual purity is seen as archaic and unnecessary.
Yet look at what God says about sexual purity. “You should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God. . . . For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5, 7\). This passage outlines God’s reasons for calling for sexual purity in the lives of His children.
First, we are “sanctified,” and for that reason we are to avoid sexual immorality. The Greek word translated “sanctified” means literally “purified, made holy, consecrated \[unto God].” As Christians, we are to live a purified life because we have been made holy by the exchange of our sin for the righteousness of Christ on the cross and have been made completely new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17–21\). Our old natures, with all their impurities, sexual and otherwise, have died, and now the life we live, we live by faith in the One who died for us (Galatians 2:20\). To continue in sexual impurity (fornication) is to deny that, and doing so is, in fact, a legitimate reason to question whether we have ever truly been born again. Sanctification, the process by which we become more and more Christlike, is an essential evidence of the reality of our salvation.
We also see in 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 the necessity of controlling our bodies. When we give in to sexual immorality, we give evidence that the Holy Spirit is not filling us because we do not possess one of the fruits of the Spirit—self\-control. All believers display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23\) to a greater or lesser degree depending on whether or not we are allowing the Spirit to have control. Uncontrolled “passionate lust” is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19\), not of the Spirit. So controlling our lusts and living sexually pure lives is essential to anyone who professes to know Christ. In doing so, we honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18–20\).
We know God’s rules and discipline reflect His love for us. Following what He says can only help us during our time on earth. By maintaining sexual purity before marriage, we avoid emotional entanglements that may negatively affect future relationships and marriages. Further, by keeping the marriage bed pure (Hebrews 13:4\), we can experience unreserved love for our mates, which is surpassed only by God’s enormous love for us.
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How should we live our lives in light of our identity in Christ?
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Answer
Our identity in Christ is first and foremost one of newness. We are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17\). *Identity* is defined as “the collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a thing is definitively recognizable or known,” so our new identity in Christ should be recognizable both to ourselves and to others. If we are “in Christ,” that should be evident, just as being “in the world” is equally evident. A further definition of *identity* is “the quality or condition of being the same as something else.” In the case of our identity in Christ, our lives should indicate that we are the same as Christ. The name “Christians” means literally “followers of Christ.”
In our new identity in Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:6\), but we are reconciled to God (Romans 5:10\). This new identity completely changes our relationship with God and our families, just as it changes the way we see the world. Our new identity in Christ means we have the same relationship with God that Christ has—we are His children. God has adopted us as sons. We are able to call Him “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15–16\). We are both joint heirs (Galatians 3:29\) and friends (John 15:15\) of Christ. And this relationship is even stronger than those we have with our earthly families (Matthew 10:35–37\). Instead of fearing God as judge, we have the great privilege of coming to Him as our Father. We can approach Him with confidence and ask of Him what we need (Hebrews 4:16\). We can ask for His guidance and wisdom (James 1:5\) and know that nothing will take us from Him (Romans 8:38–39\). We also rest in His authority and respond to Him with trusting obedience, knowing that obedience is a key part of remaining close to Him (John 14:23\).
The family of God encompasses a vast body of believers who strive together to grow closer to God (1 Corinthians 12:13\). It’s a family that is stronger for the gifts of each person in it (Romans 12:6–8\). Members of this new family seek the best for one another (1 Corinthians 10:24\), encourage each other (Galatians 6:1–2\), and forgive each other (Matthew 18:21–22\). Each member has a specific role, but the roles are acted out with respect and grace (1 Peter 5:1–5\). Most of all, we respond to each other in love—not the feeling, but a selfless, conscious act of sacrifice, which is reflective of the [*agape*](agape-love.html) love of the God who loved us and gave Himself for us (Galatians 2:20\).
We are no longer citizens of the world but apart from it (2 Corinthians 6:14—7:1\). We understand that we are a part of a heavenly, God\-ruled kingdom. Things of the earth no longer draw us (Colossians 3:2\). We don’t fear or over\-emphasize suffering on earth or the trials we face (Colossians 1:24; 1 Peter 3:14; 4:12–14\), nor do we place importance on things the world values (1 Timothy 6:9–11\). Even our bodies and our actions reflect that our minds are no longer conformed to the world (Romans 12:1–2\) but are now instruments of righteousness to God (Romans 6:13\). And our new kingdom perspective means we understand that our enemy is not the people around us but the spiritual forces that endeavor to keep the people from knowing God (Ephesians 6:12\).
All of this is the ideal—the character of a mature follower of Christ. One of the greatest blessings about our identity in Christ is the grace we’re given in order to grow into the spiritual maturity that truly reflects our new identity (Philippians 1:6\). Our lives in light of our identity in Christ are filled with a heavenly Father, a large, loving family, and the understanding that we are citizens of another kingdom and not of this earth.
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What did Jesus mean when He said “Let the dead bury the dead” (Luke 9:60)?
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Answer
Jesus said, “Let the dead bury the dead,” in response to a disciple who wanted to spend time at home before committing himself to the Lord. Jesus said, “‘Follow me.’ But the man replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:59–60\). This man may have wanted to fulfill the oldest son’s duty to bury the father, to be near the father in order to obtain an inheritance, or to remain near the body of his father for up to one year to rebury the bones, a practice of some Jews at the time. In any event, Jesus’ answer makes clear that this request would have involved putting tradition or the disciple’s own desires ahead of serving Jesus.
But who are “the dead” whom Jesus referred to as being the ones to bury their own dead? The word *dead* is used in this passage in two different senses. It is apparently a paradox and is used very effectively. The Jews used the word *dead* often to express indifference toward a thing or to express that something has no influence over us. To be dead to the law (Romans 7:4\), to be dead to sin (Romans 6:11\), means that the law and sin have no influence or control over us. We are free from them and act as though they are not.
So people of the world are dead to Christ. They do not see His beauty, nor do they hear His voice or desire to follow Him. Only His “sheep” will do those things (John 10:27\). The people of the world are those whom the Savior describes here as the (spiritually) dead who should bury the (physically) dead. Let people, He says, who are not interested in My work, and who are “dead in sin” (Ephesians 2:1\), take care of the dead. Your duty is now to follow Me.
While Scripture, and Jesus, are clear that we are to honor our parents (Ephesians 6:2\), we have to understand that Jesus is to come first, and this would have been especially so in this instance, that is, with a direct command from the Lord. Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew recognized the Lord and followed Him at once (Matthew 4:18–22; 9:9\). The thing to which the man who wanted to bury his father was called was of more importance than any earthly consideration, and, for that time, Christ chose to require of the man a very extraordinary sacrifice to show his sincere attachment to Him.
As regards the people of the world, nothing is more important than responding to the gospel. This requires that the gospel be preached (Romans 10:14\), so once we make the decision to follow Jesus and preach His good news, we must deny dead, worldly pursuits and comforts, and do the Lord’s work. Jesus wants followers, not professors, and those who are spiritually alive will be instruments in the Lord’s hands to call others to new life in Christ.
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What is eternal death?
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Answer
In short, eternal death is the fate that awaits all people who ultimately reject God, reject the gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ, and remain in their sin and disobedience. Physical death is a one\-time experience. Eternal death, on the other hand, is everlasting. It is a death that continues through eternity, a spiritual death that is experienced on a continual basis. Just as spiritual life, by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8\-9\) is everlasting life, eternal death is never\-ending.
The most important question to be answered is “Does the Bible teach the doctrine of eternal death?” If the Bible doesn’t teach eternal death, then we can pack up and go home because there is no further debate on the issue. God’s Word, the Bible, is the infallible rule of faith and practice, and as such we must believe and teach only what it clearly teaches, and the Bible clearly teaches the doctrine of eternal death. We can point to several passages that explicitly state this, but for our purposes, only three will be needed, one from the Old Testament and two from the New.
• And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2 ESV)
• And \[the wicked] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Matthew 25:46 ESV)
• And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15 ESV). In verse 10, we are told that the Lake of Fire burns “forever and ever.”
All three of these passages (and more could have been added) have as their main context the scene of final judgment. In other words, when Christ returns, three things will occur: 1\) The general resurrection of “the living and the dead”; 2\) the final judgment; and 3\) the inauguration of the eternal state. Each of these passages demonstrates that during the final judgment of all people, Jesus will separate the righteous from the wicked. The righteous will be ushered into the final state of glory, while the wicked will be sent to the lake of fire for eternal punishment and torment. Note too (particularly in the Daniel and Matthew passages) that the same adjective (“everlasting” or “eternal”) is used to modify both “life” and “punishment/contempt.” What is true about one (life) must be true about the other (punishment), that both are eternal and last forever.
The doctrine of eternal death is not a popular doctrine to teach or proclaim. To do so often opens one up to scorn and ridicule. However, we must not let that detract us from what the Bible so clearly teaches; namely, that due to our being born in sin and trespasses, we are under the just condemnation of God for our sin. If we do not embrace the saving message of Jesus Christ, we will perish in our sin and trespasses and be under God’s just judgment for our sin—eternal death. This is a sobering doctrine and requires the utmost care and compassion in its presentation.
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Why did Jesus refer to James and John as the sons of thunder?
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Answer
In Mark 3, Jesus calls twelve men to be His apostles. Among them are “James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder)” (Mark 3:17\). This is the only place in Scripture that mentions the designation of the sons of [Zebedee](Zebedee-in-the-Bible.html) as the Sons of Thunder, and there is no stated explanation as to why Jesus named them this.
However, Jesus has a purpose for everything He does, so He must have had a good reason for dubbing [James](James-the-apostle.html) and [John](life-John-Apostle.html) as “Sons of Thunder.” “Jesus . . . knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man” (John 2:24\-25\). In other words, Jesus knew the brothers’ nature when He first met them, and He chose “Boanerges” as a fitting nickname.
In one vivid incident, we see that James and John possessed some truly thunder\-like qualities. Jesus and His disciples were traveling through Samaria on their way to Jerusalem when they ran into trouble. Jesus attempted to find accommodations for the night in one place but was met with opposition from the villagers, simply because His destination was Jerusalem—a result of Jew\-Samaritan prejudice. “When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’” (Luke 9:54\). Jesus rebuked the brothers, and they all went to another village. James and John’s response to the Samaritans reveals a fervency, impetuosity, and anger that could properly be called “thunderous”—and we can be sure that there were other times when James and John lived up to their nickname.
James and John were two of Jesus’ closest friends, being two of the “inner three” disciples (see Matthew 17:1\). As the church age began, James was the first apostle to be killed (Acts 12:2\), while John was the last to die, although of old age. John’s epistles, written late in his life, hint that he still possessed a fervency of spirit, especially in his denunciations of apostates and deceivers (1 John 2:22; 2 John 7; 3 John 10\). However, it is a fervency tempered by love. In fact, in 1 John the word “love” and its relatives occur over 40 times. When he first met Jesus, John was one of the “Boanerges.” But after walking with Jesus for a lifetime, the “Son of Thunder” earned a new nickname: the “Apostle of Love.”
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What was the tabernacle of Moses?
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Answer
The tabernacle of Moses was the temporary place of worship that the Israelites built according to God’s specifications while wandering the desert and used until King Solomon built a temple. The word *tabernacle* is a translation of the Hebrew *mishkan*, which means “dwelling\-place.” The [Feast of Tabernacles](feast-of-tabernacles.html) commemorates this time of wandering before the Israelites entered the land of Canaan.
The overall shape of the tabernacle of Moses followed traditional structures of the time. It consisted of an outer court, approximately seventy\-five feet wide by one hundred and fifty feet long, with a fifteen\-foot by forty\-five\-foot structure in the back (Exodus 27:9–19\). The court walls consisted of linen curtains attached by bronze hooks to a series of pillars. The pillars were supported on the bottom by bronze sockets and possibly held in place with rope that attached to bronze rings. The gate, always facing east, was about thirty feet of blue, purple, and scarlet woven into a curtain of linen. The altar of burnt offering and the [bronze laver](bronze-laver.html) that the priests purified themselves in sat in the courtyard.
The actual tabernacle of Moses sat in the back of the courtyard (Exodus 26\). The sides and back were made of gold\-covered acacia boards, about twenty\-eight inches wide and fifteen feet high. Each board had two tenons, projections, which fit into silver sockets. Gold rings held five bars that ran the length of the boards, holding them tight. The east side was comprised of five pillars covered with a screen similar to that for the courtyard.
The tent was divided into two rooms: the Holy Place, where the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense sat; and the Holy of Holies, where the [Ark of the Covenant](ark-of-the-covenant.html) was placed. The rooms were separated by a veil, similar to the entry screen, embroidered with cherubim and hung from four gold\-covered acacia posts by gold clasps.
The exact shape of the tabernacle of Moses is unclear. It may have been a room with a slant\-sided cover, somewhat like a rain fly. We do know it was covered in layers: fine linen, a fabric made of goat’s hair, a covering of rams’ skins, and a final layer of an undetermined, waterproof hide. The linen covered the entire tent, the panels connected by latching loops into gold clasps. The curtain of goat’s hair was connected with bronze clasps and hung over the sides and back of the structure.
Although the tabernacle was heavy and had many parts, it was surprisingly portable. Priests carried the Ark and the altars on their shoulders, but the rest fit in ox\-drawn carts.
The purpose of the tabernacle of Moses was to provide a place where the people could properly worship God. Priests sacrificed animals on the altar in the outer court. The bread of the presence, the continually burning lampstand, and the offering of incense were all in the Holy Place. And once a year, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies as part of the ceremony of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16\). At no other time was anyone to enter the Holy of Holies, as the presence of God dwelt with the Ark of the Covenant. When Jesus was crucified, [the veil](temple-veil-torn.html) between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in the temple ripped from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51\). Just as He fulfilled for all time the sacrificial requirements, He ushered us into the presence of God.
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Why does the KJV Bible mention the unicorn?
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Answer
In several passages (Numbers 23:22, 24:8; Deuteronomy 33:17; Job 39:9\-10; Psalm 22:21, 29:6; Isaiah 34:7\), the King James Version of the Bible mentions a unicorn. The original Hebrew is the word *re’em* which was translated *monokeros* in the Septuagint and *unicornis* in the Latin Vulgate. Later versions use the phrase “wild ox.” The original Hebrew word basically means “beast with a horn.” One possible interpretation is the rhinoceros. But since the Hebrew *tow’apaha* in Numbers 23:22 refers to more than one horn, it’s likely the translators of the Septuagint used creative license to infer a wild and powerful, but recognizable animal for their versions.
The *re’em* is believed to refer to aurochs or urus, large cattle which roamed Europe and Asia in ancient times. Aurochs stood over six feet tall and were the ancestors of domestic cattle. They became extinct in the 1600s. In the Bible, the “wild ox” usually refers to someone with great power. In Numbers 23:22 and 24:8, God compares His own strength to that of a wild ox. In Psalm 22:21, David imagines his enemies as wild oxen. The bull represented several different deities including Baal, Moloch, and the Egyptian Apis. The Israelites tried to adopt these beliefs when they made the [golden calf](golden-calf.html).
Whether the *re’em* refers to a rhinocerous, or an auroch, or some other horned animal, the image is the same—that of an untamable, ferocious, powerful, wild animal. What we do know is that the Bible is not referring to the mythological “unicorn,” the horse\-with\-a\-horn creature of fairy tales and fantasy literature. It is highly unlikely that the KJV translators believed in the mythological unicorn. Rather, they simply used the Latin term that described a “beast with a horn.”
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What are the seven things God hates?
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Answer
The seven things God hates are a catalog of sins summed up in Proverbs 6:16–19\. While these aren’t the only sins that should be avoided, they do sum up most of the wicked things condemned by God. The seven things God hates are the sins that deal with the deep heart motives of the individual. The writer of Proverbs points the finger straight at our hearts and our sinful thought processes.
This is in line with our Lord Jesus Christ’s elaboration of the Ten Commandments during His [Sermon on the Mount](sermon-on-the-mount.html) (Matthew 5:21–48\). Sin is committed the moment it is conceived in the heart, even before it is actually committed. Avoiding the seven things God hates will help us expose our hidden intentions and motives.
The following is Proverbs’ list of seven things God hates:
**Arrogant (haughty) eyes:** This describes a feeling of pride and looking down upon others (Philippians 2:3, 5–11\). When we begin to think of ourselves more highly and with unparalleled importance, we are forgetting the fact that anything good in us is the result of Christ living in us and that the old self is now dead (Galatians 2:20\). Often, believers feel superior to other believers when they receive godly wisdom and display amazing tenacity against sin. We fail to realize these gifts were given by God through Christ and fanned into flame by the Holy Spirit and are not due to our own goodness. This sin of pride is so detested by the LORD that Paul was kept from committing this sin by being provided with “a thorn in the flesh” to humble him (2 Corinthians 12:7\).
**Lying tongue:** A lying tongue is one that speaks falsehood, knowingly and willingly, with an intention to deceive others. Lying can be used to impugn the character of a brother or to flatter a friend. It is a most detestable evil to God, who is a God of truth. Nothing we do causes us to more closely resemble the devil, who is the father of lies (John 8:44\).
**Hands that shed innocent blood:** This refers to cold\-blooded murder. We may never have orchestrated killing someone or never have touched a gun or knife, but in Matthew 5:21–24, Jesus says that anyone who is angry with someone else unreasonably without offering room for forgiveness commits a sin equivalent to murder. John reiterates this concept in 1 John 3:15\.
**A heart that devises wicked schemes:** This encompasses thinking or conceiving evil against any individual or group for personal benefit or other misguided objectives, like modern\-day terrorists indulge in. Any sin is basically a wicked scheme. David’s sin against Uriah the Hittite and Bathsheba comes to mind (2 Samuel 11\). The heart of an evil man continually contrives schemes to bring others to ruin, whether physically or spiritually.
**Feet that are quick to rush into evil:** Those whose feet are quick to rush into evil display no resistance whatsoever to sin. Having many examples in the Bible, and having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; Galatians 5:16\), we are expected to be wise in this regard (Romans 6:11–14; Ephesians 5:5, 11\). In the Garden of Eden, Eve had the first experience of temptation. She displayed no resistance to the serpent’s temptation. Instead, as soon as the devil attracted her to the fruit, she “saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye” (Genesis 3:6\). Eve had sinned at that moment itself. Contrast this with the attitude of Jesus: when tired and hungry after forty days and forty nights of fasting, He refused to yield to the devil’s tempting and killed the temptation in His mind without allowing it to grow into sin (Matthew 4:1–11\). “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7\).
**False witness who pours out lies:** This is similar to the sin of the lying tongue mentioned earlier, but this form of lying is given special mention as it could send an innocent person to jail or even lead to him being stoned to death as happened to Naboth, thanks to [false witnesses](false-witness.html) instigated by the wicked Jezebel (1 Kings 21:8–14\). The prohibition against bearing false witness is the ninth of the Ten Commandments, and the New Testament is equally condemning of it. Colossians 3:9–10 explains the reason for the continued prohibition against lying. Christians are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17\), and, as such, we reflect His nature. We have been released from our “old self” with its evil practices such as lying and bearing false witness.
**A man who stirs up dissension among brothers:** Brothers are created by God to live in unity (Psalm 133:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:9\). Believers are brothers and sisters since they have one Father God and one Brother, Jesus Christ. The Church is also the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25–27\). In many situations strife among brothers and even within the church seems unavoidable, but anyone who purposely causes disruption to peace in the body of Christ will displease God above all, since that person gives room for others to sin and for himself to sin further (1 John 2:9–11; 4:19–21\). Moreover, Jesus pronounced a great blessing on peacemakers, the privilege to be called “sons of God” (Matthew 5:9\).
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What are the pseudepigrapha?
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Answer
The pseudepigrapha are the books that attempt to imitate Scripture but that were written under false names. The term *pseudepigrapha* comes from the Greek *pseudo*, meaning “false,” and *epigraphein*, meaning “to inscribe,” thus, “to write falsely.” The pseudepigraphical books were written anywhere from 200 BC to AD 300\. They are spurious works written by unknown authors who attempted to gain a readership by tacking on the name of a famous biblical character. Obviously, a book called the “Testament of Abraham” has a better chance of being read than the “Counterfeit Testament of an Unknown Author.”
While the pseudepigrapha may be of interest to students of history and ancient religious thought, they are not inspired by God and therefore not part of the [canon of Scripture](canon-of-Scripture.html). Reasons to reject the pseudepigrapha are 1\) they were written under false names. Any pretense or falsehood in a book naturally negates its claim of truthfulness. 2\) They contain anachronisms and historical errors. For example, in the Apocalypse of Baruch, the fall of Jerusalem occurs “in the 25th year of Jeconiah, king of Judah.” The problem is that Jeconiah was 18 years old when he began to reign, and he only reigned 3 months (2 Kings 24:8\). There is no way to reconcile the “25th year” statement with the biblical account. 3\) They contain outright heresy. In the pseudepigraphal [Acts of John](Acts-of-John.html), for example, Jesus is presented as a spirit or phantasm who left no footprints when He walked, who could not be touched, and who did not really die on the cross.
The apostle Paul had to deal with pseudepigrapha written in his own day. Addressing the Thessalonian church, Paul says not to be alarmed by a “letter supposed to have come from us” (2 Thessalonians 2:2\). Obviously, someone had tried to mislead the believers with a forged letter imitating Paul’s style. Paul was forced to take precautions: “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write” (2 Thessalonians 3:17; see also 1 Corinthians 16:21; Galatians 6:11; and Colossians 4:18\).
There are many books that fall under the category of pseudepigrapha, including the Testament of Hezekiah, the Vision of Isaiah, the [Books of Enoch](book-of-Enoch.html), the Secrets of Enoch, the Book of Noah, the Apocalypse of Baruch (Baruch was Jeremiah’s scribe according to Jeremiah 36:4\), the Rest of the Words of Baruch, the [Psalter of Solomon](Psalms-of-Solomon.html), the [Odes of Solomon](Odes-of-Solomon.html), the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Testament of Adam, the [Testament of Abraham](Testament-of-Abraham.html), the Testament of Job, the Apocalypse of Ezra, the Prayer of Joseph, Elijah the Prophet, Zechariah the Prophet, Zechariah: Father of John, the Itinerary of Paul, the [Acts of Paul](Acts-of-Paul-and-Thecla.html), the Apocalypse of Paul, the Itinerary of Peter, the Itinerary of Thomas, the [Gospel According to Thomas](gospel-of-Thomas.html), the History of James, the [Apocalypse of Peter](apocalypse-of-Peter.html), and the [Epistles of Barnabas](Epistle-of-Barnabas.html).
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What is the book of Baruch?
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Answer
The Book of Baruch is part of what is considered the [Apocrypha/Deuterocanonical](apocrypha-deuterocanonical.html) writings and appears in the Old Testament of Catholic Bibles. Except for some Episcopal or Lutheran Bibles, the Book of Baruch and other books of the Apocrypha do not appear in Protestant Bibles. *Apocrypha* means “hidden,” and *Deuterocanonical* means “second\-listed.” Books of the Apocrypha were mainly written in the roughly 400 years between the composition of the books in the Old and New Testaments, the so\-called intertestamental period. Baruch is one of 12\-15 books generally recognized as comprising the Apocrypha.
Controversy surrounds the Apocrypha regarding whether these books are from God or divinely inspired. For example, some biblical scholars point out that Jesus never quoted any verses from the Apocrypha, although He quoted with great frequency from many Old Testament books. Many books of the Apocrypha contain historical or geographical inaccuracies and teach false doctrines (e.g., the Book of Tobit claims good works lead to salvation). Plus, Jewish Scripture never included any of these documents as sacred writings.
In response to the Reformation, the Catholic Church, after centuries of not acknowledging these writings fully, canonized the Apocrypha at the Council of Trent in 1546 in part to provide “biblical” justification for some doctrines not found in originally canonized works, e.g., praying for the dead, purgatory, salvation by almsgiving, etc. It was during the Reformation that doctrinal validity was judged against the principle of sola scriptura (Scripture alone). So, by accepting writings in the Apocrypha that mentioned the above practices not found in original Scripture, the Catholic Church could support its theological position and the validity of these doctrines during this tempestuous time.
The Catholic Church uses Baruch 3:9\-38 as part of its Holy Saturday liturgy during Passiontide (Easter Season). This portion of the book, which speaks of obtaining and desiring wisdom, concludes with a verse referencing Christ’s living among us. The Eastern Orthodox Church uses Baruch among its Old Testament readings during Christmas Eve services. Some early Christian theologians quoted from Baruch, including [Thomas Aquinas](Saint-Thomas-Aquinas.html), [St. Clement of Alexandria](Clement-of-Alexandria.html), and [St. Hilary of Poitiers](Hilary-of-Poitiers.html).
The Bible records that Baruch was Jeremiah’s secretary, who wrote the prophet’s words on a scroll (Jeremiah 36:4\). Within the Book of Baruch, the central themes are Israel’s disobedience to God, God exiling Jews to Babylon due to their behavior, God’s just action, the need to repent and honor and obey God’s Word, and begging for God’s mercy. In the first chapter of Baruch, it is stated that Baruch read this book aloud to Judah’s King Jeconiah (Baruch 1:3\). Jeconiah is also mentioned in the Old Testament as someone who did “evil in the eyes of the Lord,” as did his father, Jehoiakim (2 Kings 25:8\).
Baruch is considered a prophetic book and was found in the Septuagint and Vulgate Bible. In many versions, the Letter of Jeremiah is added as a sixth chapter. In other versions, however, Baruch concludes with a short, 9\-verse fifth chapter.
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How does young earth creationism handle the evidence for millions of years in the fossil record?
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Answer
The “fossil record” is what paleontologists call the total number of fossils that have been discovered, as well as the information derived from them. A somewhat unfair and unsupportable error is often made when relating the fossil record to issues such as the age of the earth or evolution. Most paleontologists subscribe to an atheistic version of the theory of evolution. As such, they interpret the fossil record through that worldview, inspect the interpretation, and note that it confirms the theory. This is more than a little circular. That same approach is also used to imply that anything proving an older earth also proves evolution, which is not the case. The two issues are separate, both scientifically and biblically.
The question, then, is how do creationists interpret the fossil record? It is impossible for the Bible to contradict true science, as God is the author of all truth and knowledge. Scripture may be *misinterpreted*, but it will never be *wrong*. When fallible science does not correspond with fallible theology, we cannot blame the Bible. The scientific assumptions may be wrong, or the biblical interpretations may be wrong, or both—but the Scriptures never are. Another unfortunate tendency in modern atheism is to compare science to a single interpretation of the Bible, then declare science has “proved” the Bible incorrect. This, of course, is illogical. At the most, all that might be disproved is that particular interpretation of Scripture.
God’s written Word is the final authority in all matters that it addresses. Yet the Bible is not always specific on all points. The exact age of the earth and the minute details of how God created are among those issues left vague in Scripture.
All that being said, those who hold to [Young Earth Creationism](young-earth-creationism.html) (YEC) feel there are reasons to doubt prevailing views of the fossil record. The fields of paleontology and fossilology are highly prone to error. In the last century, we have witnessed countless examples of “groundbreaking” discoveries that have ultimately been proved misleading.
One famous example is the coelacanth. Declared to have been extinct for about 70 million years, this fish was thought by scientists to have been among the first to walk out of the ocean on its way to becoming the ascendant of modern man. There was great excitement and surprise in the scientific community when a fisherman caught a living coelacanth off the island of Madagascar in 1938\. Many evolutionists believed the reason this fish disappeared from the fossil record is that it had evolved into land\-dwelling tetrapods.
The reason this is important is that many fossils have been dated to be roughly 70 million years old mostly because their remains were found in the same stratum as remains of a coelacanth. And yet there are coelacanths alive today that look exactly like those fossils—so use of coelacanth fossils to date other fossils, as it turns out, isn’t all that accurate.
Fossils represent death, and the fossil record is a catalog of death. Theologically, we know that sin and death came about as a result of Adam’s disobedience, “Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin” (Romans 5:12\). Now, there is some discussion as to whether the “death” mentioned in Romans 5 includes plant and animal death or is limited to human death. In contrast, young earth creationists contend the vast fossil record is compatible with the [global flood](global-flood.html), which God used to send judgment on the earth. The flood was a violent geologic upheaval with enormous destructive power that not only destroyed all land\-dwelling, air\-breathing life (Genesis 7:21–23\) but also changed the global landscape.
In the YEC view, the genealogical lines given to us in Genesis 5 and 11 reveal the earth to be roughly 6,000 years old. Accordingly, YEC interprets the evidence to mean the vast and abundant fossil record we have today was laid down within the last 6,000 years. Indeed, every fossil ever found, then, must have begun the fossilization process after Adam’s sin introduced death and decay into our world. Many scientists, including some who uphold the Bible as inspired and inerrant, will disagree with this. The key difference lies in the different assumptions being made throughout the interpretation process.
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What does the Bible say about obedience?
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Answer
The Bible has much to say about obedience. In fact, obedience is an essential part of the Christian faith. Jesus Himself was “obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8\). For Christians, the act of taking up our cross and following Christ (Matthew 16:24\) means obedience. The Bible says that we show our love for Jesus by obeying Him in all things: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15\). A Christian who is not obeying Christ’s commands can rightly be asked, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46\).
*Obedience* is defined as “dutiful or submissive compliance to the commands of one in authority.” Using this definition, we see the elements of [biblical obedience](obedience-to-God.html). “Dutiful” means it is our obligation to obey God, just as Jesus fulfilled His duty to the Father by dying on the cross for our sin. “Submissive” indicates that we yield our wills to God’s. “Commands” speaks of the Scriptures in which God has clearly delineated His instructions. The “one in authority” is God Himself, whose authority is total and unequivocal. For the Christian, obedience means complying with everything God has commanded. It is our duty to do so.
Having said that, it is important to remember that our obedience to God is not *solely* a matter of duty. We obey Him because we love Him (John 14:23\). Also, we understand that the spirit of obedience is as important as the act of obedience. We serve the Lord in humility, singleness of heart, and [love](love-God.html).
Also, we must beware of using a veneer of obedience to mask a sinful heart. Living the Christian life is not all about rules. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time relentlessly pursued acts of obedience to the Law, but they became self\-righteous, believing they deserved heaven because of what they had done. They considered themselves worthy before God, who owed them a reward; however, the Bible tells us that, without Christ, even our best, most righteous works are as “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6\). The Pharisees’ external obedience still lacked something, and Jesus exposed their heart attitude. Their hypocrisy in obeying the “letter of the law” while violating its spirit characterized their lives, and Jesus rebuked them sharply: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outside, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also appear righteous to men outwardly, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27–28\). The Pharisees were obedient in some respects, but they “neglected the weightier matters of the law” (Matthew 23:23, ESV).
Today, we are not called to obey the Law of Moses. That has been fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17\). We are to obey the “law of Christ,” which is a law of love (Galatians 6:2; John 13:34\). Jesus stated the greatest commands of all: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:36–40\).
If we love God, we will obey Him. We won’t be perfect in our obedience, but our desire is to submit to the Lord and display good works. When we love God and obey Him, we naturally have love for one another. Obedience to God’s commands will make us [light and salt](salt-and-light.html) in a dark and tasteless world (Matthew 5:13–16\).
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How can I become more motivated for soul winning?
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Answer
Being motivated for soul winning is a good thing, but we must define some terms first. *Soul winning* is a metaphor for evangelism, or witnessing. As such, this is a good thing to pursue. The Bible calls us to evangelize. Evangelism is at the heart of the [Great Commission](great-commission.html) (Matthew 28:19–20\). Christians are called to be witnesses of their faith to a watching world (Acts 1:8\). In fact, the word *martyr* comes from the Greek word for “witness.” Early Christians were often put to death for their “witness” to Christ. Clearly, these people were so motivated for winning souls that they gave their lives to that cause.
How can we be more motivated for soul winning? The Bible teaches that all people are born in sin (Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:1–3\) and that we will all be judged for our sin by a holy God (Romans 6:23\). The Bible teaches that the only way to avoid this judgment is to repent of our sin and embrace Jesus Christ by faith (Ephesians 2:8–9\). If someone we knew was dying and we had the cure for his disease, would that motivate us to share that knowledge with him? The reality is that all people have a terminal, spiritual disease (sin), and, as Christians, we know the cure for that disease (Jesus). This truth should be great motivation for us to bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Knowing that those who reject the “cure” for their spiritual disease will spend an eternity in hell should be sufficient motivation to urge them to consider the dire consequences of their decision.
If Christians are not motivated for evangelism, it could very well be because we aren’t hearing the gospel preached faithfully and fully in our churches. In some parts of the world, churches have attempted to make the Christian message more marketable for modern sensibilities. Preaching about sin, judgment, hell, and salvation through Jesus alone is not emphasized as much as messages about how Christianity can make our lives better—improve our marriages, help us raise our kids, and assist us in eliminating bad habits. The pragmatic has replaced the theological in many churches. This brand of Christianity may appeal more to a postmodern world, but it fails to confront people with the truth of their sin and their need for salvation available in Jesus alone. Souls are won not through promises of a better life in the here and now but through the power of the gospel as the only solution for our sin.
Here is where we must be careful. Some Christians see soul winning as something that *they* do. In other words, success or failure in evangelism is seen as largely due to the efforts of the evangelist. This mindset has turned evangelism from a “witness” paradigm into a “persuasion” paradigm. A witness is one who simply tells what they have seen, heard, and experienced. Witnesses in a courtroom are bound to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” A witness doesn’t seek to persuade; he doesn’t seek to convince; all he seeks to do is be faithful to proclaim what he knows to be true and why he knows it to be true.
Persuasion takes on a very different form. In persuasion, one person is engaged in an effort to change the mind of another person to a particular point of view. It’s not uncommon in persuasion to alter or re\-package the message to make it more appealing to others. In persuasion, the most important thing isn’t the truth of the message, but the individual’s response to that message.
If soul winning is a product of our own individual effort, instead a work of the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13\), then evangelism becomes our persuasive effort. The goal of soul winning becomes making sure we get someone to come to that moment of decision and accept Christ into his life. One may ask, “What is the problem with that?” If the goal of evangelism is getting people to that moment of choice, then there is every temptation to “do whatever it takes” to make that happen. This mindset has led to the very thing that characterizes the various “church growth” movements, such as the seeker\-sensitive movement or the emergent movement, that seek to make Christianity more relevant and appealing to a modern world. On the surface, this sounds good and noble, but at what cost? The Bible says that it is the gospel that has the power of salvation and we are not to be ashamed of it (Romans 1:16–17\). We need to avoid the persuasion paradigm and get back to a witness paradigm, one in which the truth of the [gospel](gospel-message.html) is faithfully proclaimed.
It all boils down to this: do we believe that God is truly sovereign, even over salvation? If we do, then it is God who is the soul winner. It is the Holy Spirit who brings new birth. It is Jesus Christ who died to save the world. Christians are called to be witnesses to the world by proclaiming this gospel of salvation. The proclamation of the gospel is the means through which the Holy Spirit brings repentance and faith in the lives of individuals. What can be more motivating for soul winning than to know that, through our faithful proclamation of the gospel, God is saving many people (Ephesians 1:4–5\).
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What does the Bible mean by “dying to self”?
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Answer
The concept of “dying to self” is found throughout the New Testament. It expresses the true essence of the Christian life, in which we take up our cross and follow Christ. Dying to self is part of being born again; the old self dies and the new self comes to life (John 3:3–7\). Not only are Christians born again when we come to salvation, but we also continue dying to self as part of the process of sanctification. As such, dying to self is both a one\-time event and a lifelong process.
Jesus spoke repeatedly to His disciples about taking up their cross (an instrument of death) and following Him. He made it clear that if any would follow Him, they must deny themselves, which means giving up their lives—spiritually, symbolically, and even physically, if necessary. This was a prerequisite for being a follower of Christ, who proclaimed that trying to save our earthly lives would result in our losing our lives in the kingdom. But those who would give up their lives for His sake would find eternal life (Matthew 16:24–25; Mark 8:34–35\). Indeed, Jesus even went so far as to say that those who are unwilling to sacrifice their lives for Him *cannot* be His disciples (Luke 14:27\).
The rite of baptism expresses the commitment of the believer to die to the old, sinful way of life (Romans 6:4–8\) and be reborn to a new life in Christ. In Christian baptism, the action of being immersed in the water symbolizes dying and being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection. Baptism identifies us with Christ in His death and resurrection, portraying symbolically the whole life of the Christian as a dying to self and living for and in Him who died for us (Galatians 2:20\).
Paul explains to the Galatians the process of dying to self as one in which he has been “crucified with Christ,” and now Paul no longer lives, but Christ lives in him. Paul’s old life, with its propensity to sin and to follow the ways of the world, is dead, and the new Paul is the dwelling place of Christ who lives in and through him. This does not mean that when we “die to self” we become inactive or insensible, nor do we feel ourselves to be dead. Rather, dying to self means that the things of the old life are put to death, most especially the sinful ways and lifestyles we once engaged in. “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24\). Where we once pursued selfish pleasures, we now pursue, with equal passion, that which pleases God.
Dying to self is never portrayed in Scripture as something optional in the Christian life. It is the reality of the new birth; no one can come to Christ unless he is willing to see his old life crucified with Christ and begin to live anew in obedience to Him. Jesus describes lukewarm followers who try to live partly in the old life and partly in the new as those whom He will spit out (Revelation 3:15–16\). That lukewarm condition characterized the church of Laodicea as well as many churches today. Being “lukewarm” is a symptom of unwillingness to die to self and live for Christ. Death to self is not an option for Christians; it is a choice that leads to eternal life.
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Why did Jesus ask Peter “Do you love me?” three times?
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Answer
Jesus asked Peter three times,“Do you love me?” as recorded in John 21:15–17\. This occurred when Jesus was having breakfast with His disciples soon after His resurrection. Jesus used this opportunity to encourage and exhort Peter about his upcoming responsibilities and even to prophesy the manner in which Peter will die. By asking Peter, “Do you love me?” three times, Jesus was emphasizing the importance of Peter’s love and unswerving obedience to his Lord as necessary for his future ministry.
Jesus begins by questioning Peter about His love for Him, and each time Peter answers in the affirmative, Jesus follows up with the command for Peter to feed His sheep. His meaning is that, if Peter truly loves his Master, he is to shepherd and care for those who belong to Christ. His words reveal Peter’s role as the leader of the new Church, the Body of Christ there in Jerusalem that will be responsible for spreading the gospel after Jesus’ ascension into heaven.
It is possible that by His repeated question Jesus is subtly reminding Peter of his three denials. There’s no doubt those denials and how he felt when Jesus turned to look at him at that moment were seared deeply into Peter’s mind (Luke 22:54–62\). It wasn’t lost on Peter that Jesus repeated His question to him three times, just as Peter previously denied Him three times.
There is also an interesting contrast when you look at the Greek words for “love” used in John 21:15–17\. When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” in John 21:15–16, He used the Greek word [*agape*](agape-love.html), which refers to unconditional love. Both times, Peter responded with “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you,” using the Greek word [*phileo*](phileo-love.html), which refers more to a brotherly/friendship type of love. It seems that Jesus is trying to get Peter to understand that he must love Jesus unconditionally in order to be the leader God is calling him to be. The third time Jesus asks, “Do you love me?” in John 21:17, He uses the word *phileo*, and Peter again responds with “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you,” again using *phileo*. The point in the different Greek words for “love” seems to be that Jesus was stretching Peter to move him from *phileo* love to *agape* love.
Whatever the reason for the three\-fold “do you love me?” question, Jesus was impressing on Peter how important his new role of tending the flock of Christ’s followers would be. When someone repeats instructions to us over and over, we quickly understand that it’s extremely important for us to heed them. Jesus wanted to make sure Peter understood this vital charge He was tasking him with and the ultimate reason for it, to follow Him and glorify God (John 21:19\).
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Which church is the true church?
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Answer
Which church—that is, which denomination of Christianity—is the “true church”? Which church is the one that God loves and cherishes and died for? Which church is His bride? The answer is that no [visible church](visible-invisible-church.html) or denomination is the true church, because the [bride of Christ](bride-of-Christ.html) is not an institution, but is instead a spiritual entity made up of those who have by grace through faith been brought into a close, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9\). Those people, no matter which building, denomination, or country they happen to be in, constitute the true church.
In the Bible, we see that the local (or visible) church is nothing more than a gathering of professing believers. In Paul’s letters, the word *church* is used in two different ways. There are many examples of the word *church* being used to simply refer to a group of professing believers who meet together on a regular basis (1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 8:1; 11:28\). We see Paul’s concern, in his letters, for the individual churches in various cities along his missionary journey. But he also refers to a church that is invisible—a spiritual entity that has close fellowship with Christ, as close as a bride to her husband (Ephesians 5:25, 32\), and of which He is the spiritual head (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 3:21\). This church is made up of an unnamed, unspecified group of individuals (Philippians 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:5\) that have Christ in common.
The word *church* is a translation of the Greek word *ekklesia*, meaning “a called–out assembly.” The word describes a group of people who have been called out of the world and set apart for the Lord, and it is always used, in its singular form, to describe a universal group of people who know Christ. The word *ekklesia*, when pluralized, is used to describe groups of believers who meet together. Interestingly enough, the word *church* is never used in the Bible to describe a building or organization.
It is easy to get ensnared by the idea that a particular denomination within Christianity is “the true church,” but this view is a misunderstanding of Scripture. When choosing a church to attend, it is important to remember that a gathering of believers should be a place where those who belong to the true church (the spiritual entity) feel at home. That is to say, a good local church will uphold the Word of God, honoring it and preaching faithfully, proclaim the gospel steadfastly, and feed and tend the sheep. A church that teaches heresy or engages in sin will eventually be very low on (or entirely bereft of) those people that belong to the true church—the sheep who hear the voice of the Shepherd and follow Him (John 10:27\).
Members of the true church always enjoy agreement in and fellowship around Jesus Christ, as He is plainly revealed in His Word. This is what is referred to as [Christian unity](Christian-unity.html). Another common mistake is to believe that Christian unity is just a matter of agreeing with one another. Simple agreement for the sake of agreement does not speak the truth in love or spur one another on to unity in Christ; rather, it encourages believers to refrain from speaking difficult truths. It sacrifices true understanding of God in favor of a false unity based on disingenuous love that is nothing more than selfish tolerance of sin in oneself and others.
The true church is the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17\) and the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 12:27\). It cannot be contained, walled in, or defined by anything other than its love for Christ and its dedication to Him. The true church is, as C. S. Lewis put it, “spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners.”
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What does the term “Ichabod” mean in the Bible?
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Answer
The term *Ichabod* is found in two places in the Bible,1 Samuel 4:21 and 14:3\. Ichabod was the son of [Phinehas](Hophni-and-Phinehas.html) and the grandson of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh. The sad story of Eli and his two wayward sons, Phinehas and Hophni, is found in 1 Samuel, chapters 2 and 4\. Hophni and Phinehas died in battle with the Philistines who captured the Ark of the Covenant and took it away from Israel. Upon hearing this terrible news, Eli fell backward off his chair and broke his neck and died. Phinehas’s pregnant wife went into labor and bore a son.
“And she named the child Ichabod, saying, ‘The glory has departed from Israel!’ because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father\-in\-law and her husband. And she said, ‘The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured’” (1 Samuel 4:21–22\). The word *Ichabod* means literally “inglorious” or “there is no glory,” and in her pain and despair, the woman (who is unnamed in Scripture) lamented over the loss of the glory of God from Israel.
The glory of God is used to describe God’s favor and blessings toward His people. In the Old Testament, God’s glory is seen as a pillar of fire and cloud that followed the Israelites during the exodus from Egypt, guiding and guarding them (Exodus 13:21\). Once the [Ark of the Covenant](ark-of-the-covenant.html) was built and placed in the tabernacle in the wilderness, and later in the temple in Jerusalem, God’s glory resided there as a symbol of His presence among His people. When the Ark was captured by the Philistines, the glory departed from the Israelites—Ichabod became a reality.
Jesus later refers to the concept of the glory of God leaving Israel. In His last message to the populace of Israel, His final word to the religious leaders was “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:37–38\). That was His final statement of judgment on Israel for the rejection of their Messiah. He has indicted their leaders and, by indicting the leaders, indicted all the people who followed the leaders. And now He says their house is left desolate—Ichabod, the glory is departing.
Notice that He says *your* house is desolate. Not My house, not My Father’s house, as He used to call it. Now it’s your house because God has left—Ichabod! God is no longer there, it’s not the Father’s house; it’s not My house; it’s your house. The Greek word translated “desolate,” means “abandoned to ruin.” This place is in abandonment. God has left. It’s cursed, devoted to ruination. And they won’t see Jesus again till He comes in full Messianic glory (Matthew 23:39\).
It is a terrible thing to experience the loss of the glory of God. And while Israel’s ruin was temporary “until the fullness of the Gentiles” would be brought into the kingdom of God on earth (Romans 11:25\), one wonders how many churches today have lost the glory of the Lord, whether willingly or unknowingly. The same things that caused Ichabod in Israel—sin, disobedience, idolatry—are present in many of today’s churches. Christians must never take the glory of God in our midst for granted, lest we wake up one day and find that Ichabod has become a reality among us.
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What is a burnt offering?
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Answer
The burnt offering is one of the oldest and most common offerings in history. It’s entirely possible that Abel’s offering in Genesis 4:4 was a burnt offering, although the first recorded instance is in Genesis 8:20 when Noah offers burnt offerings after the flood. God ordered Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, in a burnt offering in Genesis 22, and then provided a ram as a replacement. After suffering through nine of the ten plagues, Pharaoh decided to let the people go from bondage in Egypt, but his refusal to allow the Israelites to take their livestock with them in order to offer burnt offerings brought about the final plague that led to the Israelites’ delivery (Exodus 10:24\-29\).
The Hebrew word for “burnt offering” actually means to “ascend,“ literally to “go up in smoke.” The smoke from the sacrifice ascended to God, “a soothing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9\). Technically, any offering burned over an altar was a burnt offering, but in more specific terms, a burnt offering was the complete destruction of the animal (except for the hide) in an effort to renew the relationship between Holy God and sinful man. With the development of the law, God gave the Israelites specific instructions as to the types of burnt offerings and what they symbolized.
Leviticus 1 and 6:8\-13 describe the traditional burnt offering. The Israelites brought a bull, sheep, or goat, a male with no defect, and killed it at the entrance to the tabernacle. The animal’s blood was drained, and the priest sprinkled blood around the altar. The animal was skinned and cut it into pieces, the intestines and legs washed, and the priest burned the pieces over the altar all night. The priest received the skin as a fee for his help. A turtledove or pigeon could also be sacrificed, although they weren’t skinned.
A person could give a burnt offering at any time. It was a sacrifice of general atonement—an acknowledgement of the sin nature and a request for renewed relationship with God. God also set times for the priests to give a burnt offering for the benefit of the Israelites as a whole, although the animals required for each sacrifice varied:
Every morning and evening (Exodus 29:38\-42; Numbers 28:2\)
Each Sabbath (Numbers 28:9\-10\)
The beginning of each month (Numbers 28:11\)
At Passover (Numbers 28:19\)
With the new grain/firstfruits offering at the Feast of Weeks (Numbers 28:27\)
At the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah (Numbers 29:1\)
At the new moon (Numbers 29:6\)
The ultimate fulfillment of the burnt offering is in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. His physical life was completely consumed, He ascended to God, and His covering (that is, His garment) was distributed to those who officiated over His sacrifice (Matthew 27:35\). But most importantly, His sacrifice, once for all time, atoned for our sins and restored our relationship with God.
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What is a drink offering?
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Answer
The first recorded occurrence of a drink offering was that given by Jacob in Genesis 35:14, right after God changed his name to Israel. Drink offerings were also included with burnt and grain offerings in God\-ordained sacrifices, including the morning and evening sacrifices of Exodus 29:40\. One\-quarter hin, about one quart, of wine was poured out into the altar fire for each lamb sacrificed (Numbers 15:4\-5\). A ram sacrifice required one third of a hin (Numbers 15:6\), and a bull required one half (Numbers 15:10\).
It has been speculated that the offering of an animal, grain, oil, and wine—the smoke making a “soothing aroma to the LORD”—is a metaphor for providing food for God, an important cultural requirement in the Middle East. What we do know is that the pouring out of a drink offering is a metaphor for the blood Jesus spilled on the cross. Jesus spoke to this directly in Luke 22:20 when He instituted the New Covenant. He picked up a cup of wine and said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.” Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled the need of a drink offering, His blood literally pouring out when the soldier pierced His side with a spear (John 19:34\).
Paul took the metaphor further, twice using the image of a drink offering to describe his own service. In Philippians 2:17, he challenged the church in Philippi to live a life worthy of his dedication to them. In 2 Timothy 4:6, he sensed the end of his ministry, again comparing his efforts to wine poured out of a vessel onto an altar.
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What is a wave offering?
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Answer
The wave offering, part of the offerings of the Mosaic Law, was the symbolic act indicating that the offering was for the Lord. Portions of the things offered were literally waved in the air before the Lord. The wave offering is first seen in Exodus 29:19\-28 in the description of the ordination ceremony of Aaron and his sons. This is the only instance where part of the wave offering was consumed by fire (Exodus 29:25\). The remainder was “waved” to God but taken by Aaron, his sons, and Moses.
Other instances of wave offerings include the breast of a peace offering (Leviticus 7:28\-34\), a lamb from the cleansing sacrifice of a healed leper (Leviticus 14:12\), and two loaves of bread and two lambs of the sacrifice affiliated with the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9\-15\). The largest wave offering was of an entire tribe. Because of their loyalty during the episode with the golden calf (Exodus 32\), God accepted the Levites in the service of His temple in place of the firstborn male of each Israelite family (Numbers 3:12\).
A wave offering was a portion of a sacrifice presented to God, then released by God for the use of those involved in the sacrifice. The meat fed the families of the priests. The Levites served first the tabernacle and then the temple, fulfilling the obligation of the rest of the Israelites. Both were God’s provision for those who sacrificed themselves in service to Him.
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What is the pride of life?
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Answer
The phrase “pride of life” is found only once in the Bible, in 1 John 2:16, but the concept of the pride of life, especially as it is linked with the “lust of the eyes” and the “lust of the flesh,” appears in two more significant passages of Scripture—the temptation of Eve in the Garden and the temptation of Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4:8\-10\). The pride of life can be defined as anything that is “of the world,” meaning anything that leads to arrogance, ostentation, pride in self, presumption, and boasting. John makes it clear that anything that produces the pride of life comes from a love of the world and “if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15\).
The first example of the temptation of the pride of life occurs in the Garden of Eden, where Eve was tempted by the serpent to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve perceived that the fruit was “good for food,” “pleasing to the eye,” and “desirable for gaining wisdom” (Genesis 3:6\). She coveted the fruit in three ways. First, it was appealing to her appetite. This John refers to as the “lust of the flesh,” the desire for that which satisfies any of the physical needs. The fruit was also pleasing or delightful to the eye, that which we see and desire to own or possess. Here is the “lust of the eyes” John refers to. Finally, Eve somehow perceived that the fruit would make her wise, giving her a wisdom beyond her own. Part of Satan’s lie was that eating the fruit would make her “like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5\).
Here is the essence of the pride of life—anything that exalts us above our station and offers the illusion of God\-like qualities, wherein we boast in arrogance and worldly wisdom. Eve wanted to be like God in her knowledge, not content to live in a perfect world under His perfect grace and care for her. Satan tried these same three temptations on Christ during His 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1\-11\). He tempted Jesus with the lust of the flesh, bread for His hunger (vv. 2\-3\), the lust of the eyes, “all the kingdoms of the world with their splendor” (vv. 8\-9\), and the pride of life, daring Him to cast Himself from the roof of the Temple in order to prove that He was the Messiah by an ostentatious display of power that was not in the will of God or His plan for the redemption of mankind (vv. 5\-6\). But Jesus, though He was “tempted in every way, just as we are” (Hebrews 4:15\), resisted the devil and used the Word of God to ensure victory over him.
Christians have always been, and will always be, lured by the same three temptations Eve and Jesus experienced. Satan doesn’t change his methods; he doesn’t have to because they continue to be successful. He tempts us with the lust of the flesh—sexual gratification, gluttony, excessive alcohol consumption, and drugs, both legal and illegal, as well as the “deeds of the flesh” about which Paul warned the Galatians, “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19\-21\). He tempts us with the lust of the eyes—the endless accumulation of “stuff” with which we fill our homes and garages and the insatiable desire for more, better, and newer possessions, which ensnares us and hardens our hearts to the things of God.
But perhaps his most evil temptation is the pride of life, the very sin that resulted in Satan’s expulsion from heaven. He desired to be God, not to be a servant of God (Isaiah 14:12\-15\). The arrogant boasting which constitutes the pride of life motivates the other two lusts as it seeks to elevate itself above all others and fulfill all personal desires. It is the root cause of [strife](Bible-strife.html) in families, churches, and nations. It exalts the self in direct contradiction to Jesus’ statement that those who would follow Him must take up their cross (an instrument of death) and deny themselves. The pride of life stands in our way if we truly seek to be servants of God. It is the arrogance that separates us from others and limits our effectiveness in the kingdom. The pride of life “comes not from the Father, but from the world.” And, as such, it is passing away with the world, but those who resist and overcome the temptation of the pride of life do the will of God, and “the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17\).
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Is there an angel named Raphael in the Bible?
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Answer
No, the Bible nowhere mentions an angel named Raphael. Only two holy angels are named in Scripture—Gabriel (Luke 1:26\) and Michael (Daniel 12:1\), the latter designated as an “archangel” in Jude 9\. The angel Raphael does appear in the apocryphal [book of Tobit (or Tobias)](book-of-Tobit.html), which is considered inspired by the Catholic Church. In that account, Raphael disguises himself as a human, keeps the younger Tobias safe on a journey, chases away a demon, and heals the elder Tobias of his blindness. Because of these actions, Raphael is considered by Catholics as the patron of the blind, of travelers, and of physicians.
In the book of Tobias, Raphael identifies himself as one of seven archangels “who stand before the Lord” (Tobit 12:15\). Raphael also offers prayers on Tobias’ behalf, and Tobias, in turn, thanks the angel because he is “filled with all good things through him” (Tobit 12:3\).
John sheds some light on the religious notions in the time of Christ. “A great multitude of sick people” are sitting beside a pool in Jerusalem, waiting for “the moving of the water.” They believed that an angel would descend from heaven and stir the water, making the pool a place of healing for them. Jesus approaches a man who had been infirm for 38 years and asks him if he wants to be healed. The man’s sad, superstitious reply is that he cannot be healed, because he cannot get into the pool quickly enough. Jesus then bypasses all superstition and shows His power to immediately heal the man (John 5:3\-9\).
Although the Book of Tobias was not included in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Septuagint did include it; therefore, the story of Raphael would have been familiar to almost everyone in Jesus’ day. It is quite possible that the “angel of the pool” the sick man was waiting for was, in his mind, Raphael. It is interesting that Raphael never shows up in John 5\. It is Jesus, not an angel, who “heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:3\).
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What is the book of Sirach?
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Answer
The book of Sirach is part of what is considered the [Apocrypha/Deuterocanonical](apocrypha-deuterocanonical.html) scripture and appears in the Old Testament of Catholic Bible. It is considered one of the “wisdom” books. Except for some Episcopal or Lutheran Bibles, Sirach and other books of the Apocrypha do not appear in Protestant Bibles. *Apocrypha* means “hidden,” and *deuterocanonical* means “second\-listed.” Books of the Apocrypha were generally written in the roughly 400 years between the composition of the books in the Old and New Testaments, the intertestamental period. Sirach, also known as “[Ecclesiasticus](book-of-Ecclesiasticus.html)” or the “Wisdom of Sirach,” is one of 12–15 books generally recognized as comprising the Apocrypha.
Controversy surrounds the Apocrypha regarding whether these books are from God and divinely inspired. For example, some biblical scholars point out that Jesus never quoted any verses from the Apocrypha, although He quoted with great frequency from many Old Testament books. Many books of the Apocrypha contain historical or geographical inaccuracies and teach false doctrines (e.g., the [book of Tobit](book-of-Tobit.html) claims good works lead to salvation). Plus, Jewish Scripture never included any of these documents as sacred writings.
Jesus, son of Eleazar, son of Sirach, is believed to have written this book between 200–175 BC. The book of Sirach possesses a wealth of varied expressions of wise and foolish behavior reminiscent of the [book of Proverbs](Book-of-Proverbs.html). Many of its verses have Old Testament antecedents, especially from the book of Proverbs (dozens of related verses) and the Pentateuch, which is comprised of the first five books of the Bible. Portions of Sirach are used today in Catholic Church liturgy.
While most of this book tracks with long\-standing, sound biblical doctrine, there are several tenets that conflict significantly with Christian beliefs. In several places, Sirach implies our actions can bring favor upon ourselves, mitigate our sin in God’s eyes, and anticipate reciprocal responses from those we assist in their time of need (chapters 3, 7, 12, 17, and 22\). This is in stark contrast to the Bible’s teaching to be a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7\), salvation through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8\-9\), and Jesus’ exhortation to give without expecting anything in return (Matthew 6:3\).
Providing readers precise Sirach citations (chapter and verse, as with the Bible) is highly problematic, as a firm numbering construct apparently does not exist. For example, in the New American Bible (Catholic Bible Press, 1987\) and the Apocrypha (God’s Word Translation, Baker Books, 2009\), there are several instances where the numbering of verses as well as total number of chapter verses differ. As a result, only Sirach chapters are referenced above.
The book of Sirach is not part of the recognized [canon of Scripture](canon-of-Scripture.html), and it is not the inspired Word of God. As such, although it may have some historical/cultural significance, it is not God\-breathed and does not possess the qualities of divinely inspired Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16\).
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Was Jesus sinless?
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Answer
Yes, Jesus was sinless, and it is because Jesus was sinless that we have hope of an eternity in heaven. If Jesus were not sinless, there would be no sacrifice for sin. Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden ushered sin into this world (Genesis 3:6\). With their sin came death, just as God had warned (Genesis 2:17\). As a result, mankind is now born with a sin nature (Romans 5:12–19\), and it is with us from the time we are conceived (Psalm 51:5\). The Bible makes it clear, however, that Jesus Christ, though tempted in every way just as we are (Hebrews 4:15\), never committed a sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5\). The apostle Peter stated it clearly: “He committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:22\). Indeed, as [Jesus Christ is God](is-Jesus-God.html), He has no capacity to sin.
In addition to putting a barrier between us and our Creator, our inherited sinful nature subjected all of us to physical and eternal death because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23\). Now, to be reconciled with God there needed to be forgiveness, and “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22\). After Adam and Eve sinned, God clothed them with “garments of skin” (Genesis 3:21\) by shedding the blood of an animal. However, the many subsequent animal sacrifices, although perfectly illustrating that sin requires death, provided only a temporary covering of sins, as the blood of those animals could never completely take away sin (Hebrews 10:4, 11\).
The Old Testament sacrifices were a foreshadowing of the perfect, “once for all” sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:27; 10:10\). The only way we could be reconciled to a holy and perfect God was with a holy and perfect offering, which we would not have had if Jesus Christ was not without sin. As Peter declared, “For you know that it is not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed . . . but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18–19\). Indeed, it was the sinless blood of Christ alone that was able to bring peace between God and mankind (Colossians 1:20\). And with this reconciliation, we can be “holy in \[God’s] sight, without blemish and free from accusation” (Colossians 1:22\).
The sinless Christ’s death on the cross at Calvary paid the full penalty for the sin of all who believe in Him. Thus, what was lost at the fall was given back at the cross. Just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam), God was able to redeem the world through one man—the sinless Jesus Christ.
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What does it mean and when will it happen that every knee shall bow?
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Answer
The phrase “every knee shall bow” comes from the Old Testament book of Isaiah. In the last half of the book (chapters 40—66\), God prophesies through Isaiah the coming comfort to His people, Israel, who are in exile in Babylon for their covenant unfaithfulness. The phrase in question is found in Isaiah 45:23, which reads, “By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.”
The main thrust of the overall passage is that God is the only one who can save His people, as opposed to the idols that are worshiped by the nations. God is God and there is no other (Isaiah 45:5–6, 18, 22\). Those who turn from their idols will be saved. Those who do not will be ashamed. The bottom line is that, before God, every knee shall bow and every tongue swear allegiance to God.
The apostle Paul quotes this passage twice in his writings, once in Romans 14:11 and again in Philippians 2:10–11\. In the Romans context, Paul is writing about Christian liberty. The Christian is not to pass judgment on his brother or sister in Christ over non\-essential issues—the examples given in the text are dietary habits and religious days of observance. In these things to which the Lord gave no specific command, we should not stand in judgment of our brothers or sisters in Christ.
The other quote, Philippians 2:10–11, comes in that wonderful Christological passage, the overall context of which is the call to Christian humility and how we should not consider ourselves better than others. Rather, we should look out for the interests of others above our own. In vv. 5–11, Paul uses Christ as the ultimate example of humility that we should follow. It was Christ who, being in the very form of God, emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant. In doing so, He became obedient to God to the point of death. This He did for the sake of His people. It is important to note the overarching theme of this passage—the humiliation and exaltation of Christ. Christ first humbles Himself and then submits Himself in complete obedience to the Father. Afterwards, the Father highly exalts Him above all things. Paul cites Isaiah 45:23 to say that at the feet of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father.
In both of Paul’s citations of Isaiah 45:23, he is echoing the truth that there will come a time when “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess” to the glory of God. In the Philippians citation, Paul is declaring the divinity of Jesus when he says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Him as Lord. This is a clear indication of what will occur at the Second Coming of Christ. During the first advent, Christ came in humiliation and died a humiliating death on the cross for the sins of the world. In His second advent, Christ will come with power as the Conquering King. When that happens, it will be as our Lord Himself predicted in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 25:31–46\) and as the vision the apostle John received in Revelation 20:11–15\. When the King of kings and the Lord of lords returns to this earth, then will come true what the prophet Isaiah foretold all those years ago: “Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear allegiance.”
The lesson for those living in the “here and now” is that we must heed the warning of the writer of Hebrews who said: “So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, “Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.” So I declared on oath in my anger, “They shall never enter my rest”’” (Hebrews 3:7–11, citing Psalm 95:7–11\).
If we have heard and responded to the gospel, then we must live each day in light of its truth, shining the light of Christ into a dark world. Those who have not responded to the gospel are exhorted to respond today and not harden the heart. It is appointed for each of us to die once and then to face the judgment (Hebrews 9:27\). Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Those who have responded to the gospel with faith and repentance will do so gladly and willingly. Those who have hardened their hearts to the call of the gospel will do so with great fear and trembling.
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Why did Jesus sweat blood in the Garden of Gethsemane?
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Answer
The night before Jesus Christ was crucified, He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke, a physician, recorded that Jesus’ sweat was like drops of blood: “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44\). Some consider Luke’s description as mere simile—Jesus’ sweat fell to the ground in large, heavy drops, the way that blood drips from an open wound. However, there exists a medical condition that produces the symptoms described and explains Luke’s mention of blood.
Hematidrosis is a rare, but very real, medical condition that causes one’s sweat to contain blood. The sweat glands are surrounded by tiny blood vessels that can constrict and then dilate to the point of rupture, causing blood to effuse into the sweat glands. The cause of hematidrosis is extreme anguish. In the other gospel accounts, we see the level of Jesus’ anguish: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38; cf. Mark 14:34\).
The intense anguish and sorrow Jesus felt was certainly understandable. Being God, Christ knew “all that was going to happen to Him” (John 18:4\). He knew in painstaking detail the events that were to follow soon after He was betrayed by one of His very own disciples. He knew He was about to undergo several trials where all of the witnesses against Him would lie. He knew that many who had hailed Him as the Messiah only days earlier would now be screaming for His crucifixion (Luke 23:23\). He knew He would be flogged nearly to the point of death before they pounded the metal spikes into His flesh. He knew the prophetic words of Isaiah spoken seven centuries earlier that He would be beaten so badly that He would be “disfigured beyond that of any man” and “beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14\). Certainly, these things factored into His great anguish and sorrow, causing Him to sweat drops of blood. Yet there was more.
Crucifixion was considered to be the most painful and torturous method of execution ever devised and was used on the most despised and wicked people. In fact, so horrific was the pain that a word was designed to help explain it—*excruciating*, which literally means “from the cross.” From His arrest in the garden until the time our Lord stated, “It is finished” (John 19:30\), Scripture records only one instance where Jesus “cried out in a loud voice” (Matthew 27:46\). As our sinless Savior bore the weight of the world’s sins on His shoulders, and the suffering Servant cried out, “*Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?*”—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46; cf. Psalm 22:1\). The spiritual pain no doubt greatly exceeded the intense physical pain the Lord endured on our behalf.
At the beginning of creation, human history began in a garden (Genesis 2:8\), and when the first Adam sinned against God in this garden, death entered the world (Genesis 3:6\). Thousands of years later, Jesus Christ, the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45\), entered into another garden to accept the cup from His Father’s hand (Matthew 26:42; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42\), and death was about to be swallowed up in victory. Although God’s plan was designed before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4–5\), we must never forget that its execution came at a great cost. Ultimately, then, we are the ones responsible for the blood that dripped from our Savior as He prayed in the garden. And we are the reason Jesus’ soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Indeed, these bloodied sweat drops came at a great cost; let us never forget that.
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Should a Christian wear a purity ring?
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Answer
A purity ring is a ring worn by a single teenager or adult to signify that they have made a commitment to [remain abstinent](sex-before-marriage.html) from sex until marriage. The purity ring was created in the 1990s by Christian abstinence groups, including Lifeway Bookstore’s “True Love Waits,” but may have been inspired by the band nuns wear to symbolize their lifelong commitment to serve God. There are several vendors of purity rings, and no standardized procedure to receive and wear one. In some families, fathers present a ring to their young daughters after an extensive ceremony. But purity rings can also be purchased from a store or online and worn at whim. Both men and women can wear purity rings. Purity rings are not mentioned in the Bible.
There is no doubt that God calls His children to sexual purity. “You should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.” “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thessalonians 4:3\-5, 7\).
Abstinence training is essential, and it is equally essential that the training include accurate information. A purity ring is not a talisman that magically prevents pre\-marital sex. A father who gives his daughter a ring does not “own” his daughter’s sexuality. A girl’s purity is not more valuable than a boy’s. A commitment to remain abstinent until marriage is a good and noble thing (Ephesians 5:3\), but it should be done within the context of a relationship with God and a desire to lean on His understanding. It should not be motivated by the excitement of a rally or the fear of dishonoring one’s father.
There is nothing wrong with wearing a purity ring, as long as the commitment to remain abstinent is sincere. It can certainly act as a marker to identify others who have made the same commitment. In the end, however, one’s relationship with God is much more important than any outward sign. And understanding the benefits of abstinence and the ways to [avoid temptation](overcome-temptation.html) are more important than a ring.
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What is the Pentateuch?
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Answer
The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Bible that conservative Bible scholars believe were mostly written by Moses. Even though the books of the Pentateuch themselves do not clearly identify the author, there are many passages that attribute them to Moses or as being his words (Exodus 17:14, 24:4–7;Numbers 33:1–2; Deuteronomy 31:9–22\). While there are some verses in the Pentateuch that would appear to have been added by someone later than Moses, for example, Deuteronomy 34:5–8, which describes the death and burial of Moses, most if not all scholars attribute the majority of these books to Moses. Even if Joshua or someone else actually wrote the original manuscripts, the teaching and revelation can be traced from God through Moses.
No matter who actually wrote the words that make up the books of the Pentateuch, the author of those words was God through His prophet Moses, and the inspiration of these five books of the Bible is still true. One of the most important evidences for Moses being the author of the Pentateuch is that Jesus Himself refers this section of the Old Testament as the “Law of Moses” (Luke 24:44\).
The word *Pentateuch* comes from a combination of the Greek word *penta*, meaning “five” and *teuchos*, which can be translated “scroll.” Therefore, it simply refers to the five scrolls that make up the first of three divisions of the Jewish canon. The name Pentateuch can be traced at least as far back as AD 200, when Tertullian referred to the first five books of the Bible by that name. Also known as the Torah, which is the Hebrew word meaning “Law,” these five books of the Bible are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Jews generally divided the Old Testament into three different sections, The Law, The Prophets, and The Writings. The Law or Torah consists of the first five books of Scripture that contain the historical background of creation and God’s choosing of Abraham and the Jewish nation as His chosen people. They also contain the instructions and law given to Israel at Mount Sinai. Scripture refers to these five books by various names. In Joshua 1:7 they said to be the “law (Torah) which Moses My servant commanded you” and “the law of Moses” in 1 Kings 2:3\.
The five books of the Bible that make up the Pentateuch are the beginning of God’s progressive revelation to man. In Genesis we find the beginning of creation, the fall of man, the promise of redemption, the beginning of human civilization, and the beginning of God’s covenant relationship with His chosen nation, Israel.
Following Genesis we have Exodus, which records God’s deliverance of His covenant people from the bondage of slavery and the preparation for their possession of the Promised Land that He had set aside for them. Exodus records the deliverance of Israel from Egypt after 400 years of slavery as promised by God to Abraham (Genesis 15:13\). In it we find the covenant God makes with Israel at Mount Sinai, instructions for building the tabernacle, the giving of the Ten Commandments, and other instructions on how Israel was to worship God.
Leviticus follows Exodus and expands on the instructions for how a covenant people (Israel) were to worship God and govern themselves. It lays forth the requirements of the sacrificial system that would allow God to overlook the sins of His people until the perfect and ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ would provide redemption and completely atone for the sins of all of God’s elect.
Following Leviticus is Numbers, which covers key events during the 40 years that Israel wandered in the wilderness as well as additional instructions for worshiping God and living as His covenant people. The last of the five books that make up the Pentateuch is Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is sometimes referred to as the “second law” or “repetition of the law.” It records the final words of Moses before the nation of Israel crosses over into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 1:1\). In Deuteronomy we find God’s Law and standards that were given to Israel at Mount Sinai repeated and expounded upon by Moses. As Israel was to move into a new chapter of their history as God’s chosen nation, Moses is reminding them not only of God’s commandments and their responsibilities but of the blessings that would be theirs by obeying God and the curses that would come from disobedience.
The five books that make up the Pentateuch are generally considered to be historical books because they record historical events. While they are often called the Torah or the Law, in reality they contain much more than laws. They provide an overview to God’s plan of redemption and provide a backdrop to everything in Scripture that would follow. Like all of the Old Testament, the promises, types, and prophecies contained in the first five books of Scripture have their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. They provide the important historical background needed to set the stage for the coming Kinsmen Redeemer.
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What is the social gospel?
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Answer
The term *social gospel* is usually used to refer to a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that came to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Promoters of the social gospel sought to apply Christian principles to social problems, with a focus on labor reform. Other issues, such as poverty, nutrition and health, education, alcoholism, crime, and warfare, were also addressed as part of the social gospel. However, as social needs were emphasized, the doctrines of sin, salvation, heaven and hell, and the future kingdom of God were downplayed. Theologically, the social gospel leaders were liberal and overwhelmingly postmillennialist, asserting that Christ’s second coming would not happen until humanity rid itself of social evils. According to the social gospel, Christians need to concentrate on the world *now*, not the world to come.
The social gospel is related to [theological liberalism](liberal-Christian-theology.html). A theologian who lived during the peak of the social gospel movement described the message of the social gospel this way: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross” (Niebuhr, H. Richard, *The Kingdom of God in America*, Harper \& Row, 1937, p. 193\). According to the social gospel, the betterment of society equals salvation. People are basically good, as seen by the social gospel, and society is gradually becoming more moral. If we feed enough people, educate enough children, dig enough wells, and redistribute enough wealth, then we will see God’s kingdom manifest. If we preach enough love, justice, brotherhood, and goodwill toward men, then the remnants of greed and selfishness in mankind will be overwhelmed and give way to goodness.
For a Christian perspective on the social gospel, we need to look to Jesus, who lived in one of history’s most corrupt and unjust societies. Jesus never issued a call for political change, even though many of His followers yearned for political action (see John 6:15\). Jesus did not work for social change, per se. His mission was spiritual. He came not to wipe out poverty but to wipe out sin (John 1:29\); His cause was not to ensure that all laborers are treated justly but to justify people before God (Romans 4:25\). Jesus said that [poverty](global-poverty-hunger.html) would be a continual problem in this world (Mark 14:7\), but money is not the most important thing (Matthew 6:24\); we should pursue being rich toward God (Luke 12:21\). Jesus did not come to earth to be a political or social reformer. He preached the necessity of faith, the need to be born again, and total reliance on God. His gospel changes people’s hearts through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, and, as hearts change, society will change.
Jesus showed deep compassion for the poor, the sick, the dispossessed, and the outcasts of society. He healed countless people of their physical ailments. His own summary of His public work was that “the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor” (Matthew 11:5\). He caused much rejoicing among the deprived of society. But, always, Jesus focused on spiritual needs. When He healed the paralytic brought to Him on a pallet, He first told him, “Friend, your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:20\). After He healed the lame man at the pool, He told him, “Stop sinning” (John 5:14\). The problem Jesus most wanted to solve was not immobility but iniquity.
The Bible consistently promotes aiding the poor and the afflicted, the orphans and widows, and people unable to support themselves. “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Proverbs 29:7; see also Proverbs 31:8–9; Isaiah 1:17; Matthew 25:34–40; James 1:27\). At the same time, the Bible is clear that mankind’s *basic* problem is spiritual. We are sinners estranged from God, and we need a Savior. Jesus [fed the multitudes](feeding-the-5000.html) a lunch, but He then proceeded to offer Himself as the food they really needed—the Bread of Life (John 6\).
The social gospel is most concerned about circumstances here on earth. The true gospel, while not ignoring physical circumstances, is most concerned about the state of people’s souls and their eternal destiny. We can dig a well in an arid region and improve the life of a village, and this is good and right to do; but if that same village never hears of the water that Jesus gives, the living water that “will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life,” they are no better off eternally (John 4:13–14\).
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What were the cities of refuge in the Old Testament?
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Answer
The cities of refuge were part of the distribution of the Promised Land among the twelve tribes of Israel. Only one tribe, the Levites, was not given land to develop. Instead, they were to be the priests of the Lord and the overseers of the tabernacle and all its rites and furnishings. Only the Levites could carry and set up the tabernacle (Numbers 2:5\-13\). As the Levites were to have no territorial domain allocated to them like the other tribes in the conquest of Canaan, they were to be distributed throughout the land in certain cities appropriated to their use. Part of their inheritance consisted of forty\-eight cities spread throughout the land (Numbers 35:6\-7\). Of these forty\-eight cities, six were designated as cities of refuge. The cities were Kedesh, Shechem, [Hebron](Hebron-in-the-Bible.html), Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan (Joshua 20:7\-8\).
The Mosaic Law stated that anyone who committed a murder was to be put to death (Exodus 21:14\). But for unintentional deaths, God set aside these cities to which the murderer could flee for refuge (Exodus 21:13\). He would be safe from the [avenger](avenger-of-blood.html)—the family member charged with avenging the victim’s death (Numbers 35:19\)—until the case could go to trial. The congregation would judge to find if the attacker acted unintentionally. If he did, he would return to the city of refuge and live there safely until the death of the high priest who was in office at the time of the trial, at which point he could return to his property. If the attacker left the city of refuge before the death of the high priest, however, the avenger would have the right to kill him (Numbers 35:24\-28\).
The establishment of those privileged sanctuaries among the cities of the Levites is probably traceable to the idea that the Levites would be the most suitable and impartial judges, that their presence and counsels might calm or restrain the stormy passions of the blood avenger. By their consecration as priests, the Levites were mediators between the Israelites and God. As such, they would have been gifted to calmly mediate between the attacker and the victim’s family, ensuring that no further bloodshed would occur.
The cities of refuge can be seen as types of Christ, in whom sinners find a refuge from the destroyer of our souls. Just as a person could seek refuge in the cities set up for that purpose, we flee to Christ for refuge (Hebrews 6:18\). We run to Christ to escape the danger we are in from the curse and condemnation of the law, from the wrath of God, and from an eternity in hell. Only Christ provides refuge from these things, and it is to Him alone that we must run. Just as the cities were open to all who fled to them for safety, it is Christ who provides safety to all who come to Him for refuge from sin and its punishment.
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Why did Jesus tell Peter to “feed my sheep” in John 21?
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Answer
Jesus gave Peter a three\-fold command to “feed my sheep” in John 21:15\-17\. Each time Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” it was in response to [Peter’s three\-fold declaration of love for Jesus](Jesus-Peter-do-you-love-me.html). The setting was one of the last of Jesus’ post\-resurrection appearances to His disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus prepared a breakfast of fish and bread for them, and then commissioned Peter with the task of feeding His sheep and tending His lambs.
The three commands, although often translated the same way, are subtly different. The first time Jesus says it, the Greek means literally “pasture (tend) the lambs” (v. 15\). The Greek word for “pasture” is in the present tense, denoting a continual action of tending, feeding and caring for animals. Believers are referred to as sheep throughout Scripture. “For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Psalm 95:7\). Jesus is both our Good Shepherd (John 10:11\) and the Door of the sheepfold (John 10:9\). By describing His people as lambs, He is emphasizing their nature as immature and vulnerable and in need of tending and care.
The second time, the literal meaning is “tend My sheep” (v. 16\). In this exchange, Jesus was emphasizing tending the sheep in a supervisory capacity, not only feeding but ruling over them. This expresses the full scope of pastoral oversight, both in Peter’s future and in all those who would follow him in pastoral ministry. Peter follows Jesus’ example and repeats this same Greek word *poimaino* in his first pastoral letter to the elders of the churches of Asia Minor: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers” (1 Peter 5:2\).
The third time, the literal translation is “pasture (tend) the sheep” (v. 17\). Here Jesus combines the different Greek words to make clear the job of the shepherd of the flock of God. They are to tend, care for, and provide [spiritual food](spiritual-food.html) for God’s people, from the youngest lambs to the full\-grown sheep, in continual action to nourish and care for their souls, bringing them into the fullness of spiritual maturity. The totality of the task set before Peter, and all shepherds, is made clear by Jesus’ three\-fold command and the words He chooses.
What is this food with which shepherds are to feed the flock of God? It can be no other than the Word of God. Peter declares that Christians are to desire the pure spiritual milk of the Word so that by it, we can mature in our salvation (1 Peter 2:2\). As early as the book of Deuteronomy, we see the Lord describing His Word as food for His people who live not by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from His mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3\). Jesus reiterates this thought in His temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:4\). The importance of the Word of God as food for our souls cannot be over\-emphasized.
Clearly, the job of the shepherds of God’s people is to provide them with the pure milk of the Word of God so they can move on to the meat and solid food of the spiritually mature (Hebrews 5:12\-14\). Pastoral ministry should be primarily one of pastors feeding their people the Word of God. Only then can pastors declare, as Peter did, their love for the Lord Jesus.
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What is beatification and canonization and are they biblical?
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Answer
Beatification and canonization are acts of the [Roman Catholic Church](Roman-Catholicism.html) declaring that a deceased person led a holy life. People still living can then request the blessed (if beatified) or saint (if canonized) to intercede with God on their behalf. The blessed or [saint](saints-Christian.html) is honored and revered due to their actions while living, but they are not worshiped as God is. Honors may include feasts and masses performed in their name, as well as images and relics displayed to inspire the worshipers.
Beatification is an administrative act whereby a nominee is authorized to have a “cultus” or a specific group of people who identify with, and request favors from, the beatified. The nominee can be a martyr killed in the service of Christ or a confessor. A confessor’s life and writings must be inspected for heroic virtue (bravery and distinction marked by godly motives and not human desire), sanctity, and adherence to Roman Catholic doctrine. The deceased confessor must also have had part in a verifiable miracle. The presence of an unauthorized cultus disqualifies both the martyr and confessor from consideration.
The formal process for confirmation has changed greatly in the last several hundred years. Originally, the church required fifty years between the time of the nominee’s death and the beginning of the investigation. This has been decreased to five years. After a long inquiry, the pope authorizes the beatification, the newly beatified person is labeled “blessed,” and people of the area identified with the beatified are allowed to perform limited actions in the blessed’s name.
Canonization is a decree announcing a person has qualified for sanctification. The decree publicly declares the nominee is holy and in heaven with God. Where the veneration of the beatified is limited in scope, canonization binds the universal church to honor the saint. The qualifications include all those included in beatification plus another miracle occurring due to the intercession of the person, which is seen as God’s confirmation of the nominee’s sanctity. Additional honors include specific liturgies performed and churches dedicated in the saint’s name.
The core of beatification and canonization is in the belief that very good people of the church go straight to heaven, rule with Jesus, and intercede with God on behalf of the people on earth and in purgatory. James 5:16 is used to justify the practice: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” But nowhere does the Bible encourage seeking the attention or favor of those who have died, and praying to the dead is strictly forbidden.
Beatification, singling someone out for special status among the deceased believers, is unbiblical. All believers, whether dead or alive, are called “saints” in Scripture (1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 9:13, 32; Ephesians 4:12\). All believers are equally holy and righteous, not by our own acts, but by virtue of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us at the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21\). All believers are equally precious in the sight of God and there is none who can boast of any special place before Him. Finally, developing a “cultus” (from which we get the word “cult”) around a deceased person to whom we offer prayers and petitions borders on [necromancy](Bible-necromancy.html), (consulting the dead) which is also strictly forbidden in Scripture (Deuteronomy 18:11\).
Beatification and canonization are rites and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church and are based on a misunderstanding and/or misinterpretation of Scripture. Saints are the body of Christ, Christians, the church. All Christians are considered saints. All Christians are saints—and at the same time are called to be saints. In Roman Catholic practice, the saints are revered, prayed to, and in some instances, worshiped (although this is vehemently denied by Catholics). In the Bible, saints are called to revere, worship, and pray to God alone.
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Why did Jesus say “Father, forgive them” on the cross?
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Answer
Jesus’ words “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” are found in Luke 23:34\. Jesus looked down from the cross upon a scene that must have been distressing to Him. The Roman soldiers were gambling for His clothing (John 19:23–24\); the criminals on the crosses to either side of Him were reviling Him (Matthew 27:44\); the religious leaders were mocking Him (Matthew 27:41–43\); and the crowd was blaspheming Him (Matthew 27:39\). Surrounded by this most unworthy lot, Jesus prayed for them. “Father, forgive them” is a prayer of unmatched mercy and love.
Even in His agony, Jesus’ concern was for the forgiveness of those who counted themselves among His enemies. He asked the Father to forgive the thieves on the cross who jeered at Him. He asked the Father to forgive the Roman soldiers who had mocked Him, spit on Him, beat Him, yanked out His beard, whipped Him, put a crown of thorns on His head, and nailed Him to the cross. Jesus asked forgiveness for the angry mob that had mocked Him and called for His crucifixion (Mark 15:29–30\).
It is important to note that Jesus’ prayer, “Father, forgive them,” does not mean that everyone was forgiven, unilaterally, without repentance and faith. It does mean that Jesus was willing to forgive them—forgiveness was, in fact, the reason He was on the cross. The words “Father, forgive them” show the merciful heart of God.
Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them,” because He was fulfilling Old Testament prophecy: “He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12\). From the cross, Jesus interceded for sinners. Today, risen and glorified, Jesus remains the “one mediator between God and mankind” (1 Timothy 2:5\).
Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them,” because He was putting into practice the principle He had taught in the [Sermon on the Mount](sermon-on-the-mount.html): “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43–44\). Jesus, the persecuted, prayed for His persecutors.
Coupled with the willingness of Jesus to forgive His tormentors is the fact that they did not know what they were doing (Luke 23:34\). The sinners who put Jesus on the cross were ignorant of the true import of their actions. The soldiers personally held no ill will toward Him. They were simply following orders. This was how they normally treated condemned men, and they believed that He truly deserved it. They didn’t know that they were killing the Son of God (see 1 Corinthians 2:8\). The mob didn’t really know whom they were trying to destroy. The Jewish leaders had deceived them into believing that Jesus was a fake and a troublemaker (Acts 3:17\). In praying “Father, forgive them,” Jesus revealed His infinite mercy; He still loved them and would forgive them if only they would humble themselves and repent (Matthew 18:14; 2 Peter 3:9\).
Jesus’ prayer “Father, forgive them” was answered in the lives of many people. The Roman centurion at the foot of the cross, upon seeing how Jesus died, exclaimed, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39\). One of the two [thieves](thief-on-the-cross.html) crucified with Jesus exercised faith in Christ, who promised him paradise (Luke 23:39–43\). A member of the [Sanhedrin](Sanhedrin.html) publicly aligned himself with Jesus (John 19:39\). And, a little over a month later, three thousand people in Jerusalem were saved in one day as the church began (Acts 2:41\).
On the cross Jesus provided forgiveness for all those who would ever believe in Him (Matthew 20:28\). Jesus paid the penalty for the sins that we commit in our ignorance, and even the ones we’ve committed deliberately. When we are [born again](born-again.html), we, too, become an answer to Jesus’ prayer “Father, forgive them.”
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What does the Bible mean when it refers to the gnashing of teeth?
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Answer
The precise phrase *gnashing of teeth* is found in several places in the Bible and is used exclusively in reference to the final judgment of sinners, where it is combined with either weeping or wailing. The Greek phrase for “gnashing of teeth” literally means “grinding one’s teeth together.”
Surely, part of what the gnashing of teeth communicates is pain, especially when the gnashing is combined with weeping. When a person hits his thumb with a hammer, he will commonly squeeze his eyes closed and grind his teeth together hard. The weeping and gnashing of teeth in Scripture, however, is much more dreadful, partly because it lasts for eternity.
Gnashing one’s teeth shows up elsewhere in Scripture in contexts other than feeling pain. In Acts 7:54 the gnashing of teeth is done in anger because of what [Stephen](life-Stephen.html) had said to the Jewish Council: “They were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.” Psalm 37:12 says, “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them” (see also Psalm 35:16; 112:10; and Lamentations 2:16\). In these passages, wicked persons gnash their teeth at righteous persons as the wicked plot against them or disapprove of them. Apparently, gnashing teeth was a sign of great disrespect and anger.
Jesus’ first reference to weeping and gnashing of teeth comes in Matthew 8:12 where He compares the kingdom of heaven to a feast where “many” come from all parts of the world to “recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” The others, however, are thrown into “outer darkness” where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. In His [parable of the weeds](parable-wheat-tares.html) sown in the field, Jesus again describes the fate of those who reject Him, this time adding to the description “the fiery furnace” into which they will be cast (Matthew 13:41–42\). The story of the guest who comes to the wedding feast of the Lamb without the proper clothing is cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:11–13\), as is the wicked servant described in Matthew 24:44–51 and the worthless servant in the [parable of the talents](parable-talents.html) (Matthew 25:14–30\).
All these references to weeping and gnashing of teeth have one thing in common—the undeniable fact that those who do not belong to Christ will suffer a terrible fate, while His children will enjoy bliss in heaven with Him forever. Hell will be a place of anguish, remorse, pain, and misery. Heaven will be a place where God eventually “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Revelation 21:4\). The misery that causes the gnashing of teeth will be unknown in heaven, and there will be no weeping, no wailing, and no tears.
Sadly, those who reject God will realize in hell what they have truly lost, and the realization that there is no “second chance” will cause them to feel the full weight of the pain that goes with that knowledge. The anguish of being separated from God does not go away. It is eternal and unrelenting. We all deserve that kind of punishment: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23\), but God, in His mercy, made it possible for us to avoid that eternal pain and suffering. Paul explains, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23\).
All who accept the gift God has provided through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will escape the everlasting weeping and gnashing of teeth. Paul proclaims, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9–10\). Jesus uses powerful imagery like wailing and gnashing of teeth to illustrate the importance of turning away from the sin that leads to hell and turning to Him who alone provides salvation.
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What does the Bible say about self-righteousness?
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Answer
The dictionary definition of *self\-righteousness* is “confidence in one’s own righteousness, especially when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others.” Biblically speaking, self\-righteousness, which is related to [legalism](Bible-Christian-legalism.html), is the idea that we can somehow generate within ourselves a righteousness that will be acceptable to God (Romans 3:10\). Although any serious Christian would recognize the error of this thought, because of our sin nature, it is a constant temptation to all of us to believe we are, or can be, righteous in and of ourselves. In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostle Paul came down particularly hard on those who attempted to live in self\-righteousness.
Jesus’ condemnation of self\-righteousness was especially harsh in His treatment of the Jewish leadership of the time. Six times in Matthew 23, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for rigidly adhering to their legalistic traditions in order to make themselves look better to others. The parable of the [Pharisee and the tax collector](parable-Pharisee-tax-collector.html) was specifically told by Jesus to “some who trusted in themselves, that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9–14\). The Pharisee assumed his acceptance with God based on his own actions, whereas the tax collector recognized that there was nothing in himself that would cause God to approve of him. Over and over again in the Gospels, Jesus clashes with the Pharisees and scribes about true righteousness. At the same time, He spends a great deal of time and energy warning His disciples about the dangers of self\-righteousness, making it clear that, without Him, they could do nothing (John 15:5\).
Paul’s treatment of self\-righteousness is no less scathing than Jesus’ was. He began his great argument in Romans for the grace of God by condemning the Jews’ self\-righteous trust in circumcision (Romans 2:17–24\). He follows that up in chapter 10, saying that the Jews tried to gain acceptance with God based on their own righteousness, demonstrating ignorance of the true righteousness of God (Romans 10:3\). His conclusion is that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, not man (verse 4\).
Paul’s letter to the Galatian church also addressed this issue. These believers were being told that they had to do certain things to be acceptable to God, specifically, to be circumcised. Paul goes so far as to say that this is another gospel and calls those who advocate it “accursed” (Galatians 1:8–9\). More tellingly, he tells his readers that, if righteousness could come from their own actions, then Jesus died “for no purpose” (Galatians 2:21\), and that righteousness could come “by the law” (Galatians 3:21\). Paul’s conclusion about the Galatian believers was that they had been foolish in their attempt to be perfected by the flesh (Galatians 3:1–3\).
It would be an understatement to say that every believer is plagued by this attitude. It is in our sin nature to try to do something to merit our salvation. The costly freedom of grace, bought for us by the blood of Jesus with no contribution from us, is difficult for our prideful hearts to understand or appreciate. It is far easier to compare ourselves with one another than it is to recognize that we cannot measure up to the standards of a holy God. However, in Christ we can know true righteousness. In Christ, we can know the forgiveness of sin that comes to us through grace. Because He stood in our place, we benefit from both His sinless life and His sin\-bearing death (2 Corinthians 5:21\). Because of His sacrifice, we can face our sin and bring it to the cross, rather than try somehow to be good enough for God. Only in the cross can we see the grace that covers all our sin and defeat the constant tendency toward self\-righteousness in our hearts.
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What should I look for in a Christian boyfriend?
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Answer
The Bible doesn’t mention the kind of dating relationships we see today. Rather, in terms of romantic relationships, it focuses on principles for marriage. Dating today is used as a way to evaluate whether the man and woman would be good marriage partners. Thus it follows that a Christian boyfriend should be, first and foremost, a man you think would make a [good Christian husband](husband-looking.html). A Christian woman should be looking for someone who is serious about God and serious about his relationship with her. Anybody can say they love Jesus or that they’re a Christian. How do you know, when you’re falling in love with someone, that he is genuine?
The Bible is full of verses that describe what a Christian man should be like, verses that are helpful and trustworthy for a woman who is evaluating a potential husband. The following are some guidelines based on those verses. A Christian boyfriend should be
**Humble and teachable:** The Bible tells us that a righteous man, or a wise man, will take instruction gladly, even when it hurts him (Psalm 141:5; Proverbs 9:9, 12:15\). A righteous man evidences a willingness to be corrected by Scripture and a tendency to love and listen to those who can teach him from the Scripture.
**Honest:** Do his actions agree with his words? The Bible says that a righteous man is characterized by honesty in his personal and business dealings (Ephesians 4:28\). In addition, when he makes a promise, a Christian man keeps his promise, even when it hurts (Psalm 15:2\-5\). In short, his character should be one of integrity.
**Selfless:** The Bible speaks specifically to husbands when it tells them to love their wives as they love their own bodies, just like Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25\-28\). A Christian boyfriend should begin to exhibit this kind of care and love for his girlfriend long before marriage. Love is easy in the romantic beginning stages, but a Christian boyfriend should be the kind of man whose behavior and intentions will be loving in all kinds of circumstances (1 John 3:18\).
**Able and willing to provide:** The Bible says that a man who doesn’t provide for his family is worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8\). Provision doesn’t necessarily mean bringing in a lot of money. The issue is whether he takes responsibility for the welfare of his wife and children. It is important for women to grasp the seriousness of this verse. A man who doesn’t want to provide is very hard for a woman to respect, and if a wife struggles to respect her husband, marital troubles will go beyond the material. A woman’s respect for her husband and a man’s love for his wife are interdependent and life\-giving to a marriage (Ephesians 5:25\-32\).
**Willing to proactively protect:** Both physically and emotionally, women tend to be weaker and more easily hurt than men. They need to be understood and protected and cared for in a proactive way. A good Christian boyfriend is a man who will look out for and care for his girlfriend and carry this passion for protecting her into marriage (1 Peter 3:7\).
Also, here are some negative things to watch out for: materialism (1 John 2:15\-16; 1 Timothy 6:10\), lying (Proverbs 12:22;19:22\), sexual unfaithfulness (Ecclesiastes 7:26; Proverbs 7\) and poor treatment of family members, especially his mother (Proverbs 15:20; 19:26; 20:20; 23:22\). Usually, a man’s treatment of his mother is a good indication of how he will treat his wife. Also, watch out for irrationally and controlling or jealous tendencies, as these often lead to violence (Proverbs 6:34; 27:4\).
Finally, a Christian boyfriend is one with whom a woman is evenly matched. First, in the spiritual sense – a couple’s relationship with God should be the primary factor in any relationship, and they should be matched in that regard. Believers are commanded to marry other believers (2 Corinthians 6:14\), so there is no reason to be dating an unbeliever. But a couple should also be evenly matched in the more practical aspects, having compatible temperaments, similar energy levels, and shared life\-goals and interests. These things add tremendously to happiness in a relationship.
In addition to all this, if a man has a good sense of humor and a steady, cheerful disposition, this is wonderfully encouraging for his wife. Nobody can be “up” all the time, but a man who is characterized by the peace and joy of the Spirit is a real catch. Life is hard, and marriage is hard, too. There will be times of sadness, and there will be conflict. Because of this, a cheerful, encouraging spouse is a real blessing (Proverbs 16:24; 17:22; 15:30\).
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What should I look for in a Christian girlfriend?
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Answer
The sort of dating relationships that are seen today aren’t mentioned in the Bible. Instead, the Bible talks about principles for marriage. Dating today is a way for men and women to evaluate one another as potential spouses. What this means is that a Christian girlfriend should be, first and foremost, a potential marriage partner. A Christian man should be seeking a woman to spend his life with, not just someone to have fun with. If a man is not ready to get married, he should not be pursuing a Christian girlfriend.
As a man looks for a girlfriend, the most important quality she must possess (as his potential future wife and a person who will have a great deal of influence in his life) is salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, and a life lived in obedience to Him. In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Paul tells us not to be “unequally yoked” with unbelievers. If a woman does not have faith in Jesus Christ, a Christian man would be foolish to consider her as a girlfriend and/or as a wife.
That said, just because a woman is a Christian, she is not necessarily a perfect match for any Christian man. It is important to factor in other aspects of being “equally yoked.” For example, similar spiritual goals, doctrinal beliefs, and outlook on life are all extremely important considerations. In addition, it is wise to think through more practical things like energy level, common interests, and expectations about family and lifestyle. Many men marry women based on emotional or physical attraction alone, and that can lead to disaster.
The Bible provides some guidelines about the kind of character a man should look for in a Christian girlfriend. A Christian woman will exhibit a spirit of submission to the Lord. The apostle Paul tells wives they are to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord (Ephesians 5:22\-24\). If she is not able to submit to the Lord, she will likely not see the value of submitting to her husband when that time comes. It is important to remember that the character of submission is a spiritual quality, not a personality trait. A sweet personality does not necessarily correspond to a submissive spirit, and neither does an energetic or strong\-willed personality necessarily correspond to a willful spirit. A woman will be submissive to the degree she is influenced by God’s Spirit, and she will be influenced by His Spirit to the degree that she loves Him and spends time in His Word.
A Christian woman should benefit and bless her husband. She is to be his helper, according to the earliest biblical precedent set for Adam and Eve. She should be a fit helper for his mission and call. If he is called to be a pastor or a missionary, for example, he should look for a Christian girlfriend who feels the same call. If he feels a strong desire for a large family, he should find a woman who feels the same way. But most of all, according to the call put on all of us to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20\), a man should choose a woman who will help, and not hinder, him in this regard. She should exhibit a commitment to prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:16\), encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:11\), serving others (Hebrews 6:10\) and the wisdom that comes from knowing God’s Word (Colossians 3:16\). This is the kind of woman that will be truly helpful to a Christian man.
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Who are the biblical patriarchs?
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Answer
The biblical patriarchs are the line of men God used to establish the nation of Israel. Perhaps the most well\-known of the biblical patriarchs is Abraham, because from him all Israelites are descended. God made a covenant with him, promising that Abraham would be “the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4\). In fact, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of a multitude.”
[Abraham](life-Abraham.html): God approached Abraham (then “Abram”) and promised to make his descendants a great nation (Genesis 12:2\) in the land of Canaan. Following God’s instruction, Abram took his extended family to Canaan, and they lived there as [nomads](what-is-a-nomad.html). Despite God’s promise, Abram’s wife, Sarai, remained barren. In desperation, she gave Abram her handmaiden, Hagar, as a concubine. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, thought to be the forefather of Arabs. Despite Sarah’s doubts, she later gave birth to Isaac (Genesis 21:2\). In her jealousy for her son’s inheritance, Sarah forced Hagar and Ishmael to the wilderness. When Sarah died, Abraham married [Keturah](Keturah-in-the-Bible.html) and had six more sons, although the line of biblical patriarchy ran through Isaac.
[Isaac](life-Isaac.html): Isaac began as a man of great faith, trusting his father when God told Abraham to sacrifice him (Genesis 22\) and trusting his father’s servant to choose Rebekah as a wife for him (Genesis 24\). When his wife was pregnant with twins, however, and was told the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob), Isaac rebelled and attempted to favor the older anyway. But God’s plan was for Jacob to be next in the line of patriarchs, which is exactly what happened.
[Jacob](life-Jacob.html): When Rebekah realized she was pregnant with twins, God told her the older would serve the younger (Genesis 25:23\). Jacob was barely younger, as he came out holding his brother Esau’s heel. Esau went on to marry, giving Isaac and Rebekah grief (Genesis 26:35\) and became the father of the Edomites (Genesis 36:9\), who gave the nation of Israel grief. Jacob presumably knew of the prophecy given to Rebekah, but didn’t trust God to fulfill it in His time. With prompting from Rebekah, Jacob (whose name means “supplanter”) tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 27\) and then promptly ran away to Rebekah’s brother, Laban. When Jacob fell in love with Laban’s younger daughter, Rachel, Laban proved to be a match for his nephew and had him work for seven years, then married him to his older daughter, Leah. Laban gave Jacob Rachel at the end of Leah's wedding week, but Jacob had to work another seven years. Because Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, God comforted Leah by allowing her to conceive and bear sons.
Rachel gave her handmaiden to Jacob, resulting in more sons. Leah countered with her handmaiden, Rachel finally got pregnant, and Jacob wound up with twelve sons and a daughter. Before reconciling with Esau, Jacob wrestled with the pre\-incarnate Christ, who changed his name to Israel (“he who strives with God”; Genesis 32:24\-28\). The nation took the name, Israel, from the man who fathered the nation.
Jacob’s sons: Each of Jacob’s sons became the patriarch of a tribe of Israel. As Jacob lay dying, he blessed each son (Genesis 49\), mirroring his own inheritance by placing Joseph’s younger son, Ephraim, over the older Manasseh (Genesis 48:14\). The sons of Jacob and the heads of the tribes of Israel were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulon, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, and Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh.
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What does it mean to have a reprobate mind?
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Answer
The phrase “reprobate mind” is found in Romans 1:28 in reference to those whom God has rejected as godless and wicked. They “suppress the truth by their wickedness,” and it is upon these people that the wrath of God rests (Romans 1:18\). The Greek word translated “reprobate” in the New Testament is *adokimos*, which means literally “unapproved, that is, rejected; by implication, worthless (literally or morally).”
Paul describes two men named Jannes and Jambres as those who “resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith" (2 Timothy 3:8\). Here the reprobation is regarding the resistance to the truth because of corrupt minds. In Titus, Paul also refers to those whose works are reprobate: “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16\). Therefore, the reprobate mind is one that is corrupt and worthless.
As we can see in the verses above, people who are classified as having a reprobate mind have some knowledge of God and perhaps know of His commandments. However, they live impure lives and have very little desire to please God. Those who have reprobate minds live corrupt and selfish lives. Sin is justified and acceptable to them. The reprobates are those whom God has rejected and has left to their own devices.
Can a Christian have a reprobate mind? Someone who has sincerely accepted Jesus Christ by faith will not have this mindset because the old person with a reprobate mind has been recreated into a new creation: “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17\). Christians are basically “new” people. We live differently and speak differently. Our world is centered on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and how we can serve Him. Also, if we are truly in the faith, we will have the Holy Spirit to help us live a God\-honoring life (John 14:26\). Those with reprobate minds do not have the Spirit and live only for themselves.
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Who are the four living creatures in Revelation?
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Answer
The four living creatures are found in Revelation 4:6–9; 5:6–14; 6:1–8; 14:3; 15:7; and 19:4\. The texts that describe these creatures do not indicate that they are figurative—they are real, actual beings. The four living creatures (literally “beings”) are a special, exalted order of angelic being or cherubim. This is clear by their close proximity to the throne of God. Ezekiel 1:12–20 suggests that they are in constant motion around the throne.
Revelation 5:6–14 describes the duties or purposes of the four living creatures. They fall down and worship the Lamb, Jesus Christ, offering the same reverence to Him that they did to the Father (Revelation 4:6–9\), proof positive of the deity of Jesus Christ. Along with the twenty\-four elders, they have “harps and golden vials full of incense, which are the [prayers of the saints](prayers-of-the-saints.html)” (Revelation 5:8\). Harps are frequently associated with worship in the Old Testament, as well as with prophecy (2 Kings 3:15; 1 Chronicles 25:1\). Incense represents the prayers of the saints. Therefore, taken together, the four living creatures and twenty\-four elders hold in their hands all that prophets ever prophesied and believers ever prayed for—all about to come to pass.
The purpose of the four living creatures also has to do with declaring the holiness of God and leading in worship and adoration of God, and they are involved in some way with God’s justice, for when He opens the first four seals and sends out the four horsemen to destroy, their powerful voices, like thunder, command “come” (Revelation 6:1–8\). The horsemen respond to the summons of the four powerful creatures, indicating the power the creatures possess. That power is seen again in Revelation 15:7 when one of the four unleashes the last seven plagues of God’s wrath on mankind.
The four living creatures are very similar, if not the same, beings as those in Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10 and Isaiah 6:1–3\. They are four in number, full of eyes, have faces like the beings in Ezekiel 1:10, have six wings (Isaiah 6:2\), and offer worship as the beings in Isaiah 6:3, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.” They may not be the exact same beings, but they definitely are comparable and probably of the same order.
In summary, these beings are an exalted order of angels whose purpose is primarily that of worship (Revelation 19:4\). They are very similar to the beings in Ezekiel 1 and 10 and Isaiah 6:1\-3, and they are in some ways involved in God’s divine justice.
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Why is being a good person not enough to get you into heaven?
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Answer
If you ask most people what you have to do to get into heaven (assuming they believe in heaven or an afterlife), the overwhelming response will be some form of “be a good person.” Most, if not all, religions and worldly philosophies are ethically based. Whether it’s Islam, Judaism, or secular humanism, the teaching is common that getting to heaven is a matter of being a good person—following the Ten Commandments or the precepts of the Quran or the [Golden Rule](Golden-Rule.html). But is this what Christianity teaches? Is Christianity just one of many world religions that teach that being a good person will get us into heaven? Let’s examine Matthew 19:16–26 for some answers; it is the story of the rich young ruler.
The first thing we note in this story is that the rich young ruler is asking a good question: “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?” In asking the question, he acknowledges the fact that, despite all his efforts to be a good person thus far, there is something lacking, and he wants to know what else must be done to obtain eternal life. However, he is asking the question from the wrong worldview—that of merit (“What good deed *must I do*?”); he has failed to grasp the true [meaning of the Law](Mosaic-Law.html), as Jesus will point out to him, which was to serve as a tutor until the time of Christ (Galatians 3:24\).
The second thing to note is Jesus’ response to his question. Jesus asks a question in return: why is he inquiring into what is good? Jesus gets to the heart of the matter, namely, that no one is good and no one does good except God. The young man is operating under a false premise: that a good person is able to earn his way into heaven. To make His point, Jesus says that, if the young man wants eternal life, he should keep the commandments. In saying this, Jesus is not advocating a works\-based righteousness. Rather, Jesus is challenging the young man’s suppositions by showing the man’s shallow understanding of the Law and human ability.
The young man’s response is telling. When told to keep the commandments, he asks Jesus, “Which ones?” Jesus continues to gently show the man the error of his ways by giving him the commandments that deal with our relationships to other people. You can almost sense the frustration in the young man’s response when he tells Jesus that he has kept all of these since his youth—he insists that he’s been a good person. The young man’s response is ironic. In saying he has kept all those commandments since his youth, he has broken the commandment regarding false witness. If he were truly being honest, he would have said that, as hard as he has tried to keep the commandments, he has failed. He has not been a totally good person. He has a shallow understanding of the Law and an inflated opinion of his own ability. Also, he has that feeling that he is not a good enough person, and he asks Jesus, “What do I still lack?”
Jesus then confronts the young man’s self\-righteousness. He tells him that, if he wishes to be perfect—a *truly* good person—he must sell all that he has and come follow Him. Jesus has perfectly diagnosed the man’s “lack”—his attachment to his wealth. The man’s great wealth has become an idol in his life. He claimed to have kept all the commandments, but in reality he couldn’t even keep the first one, to have no other gods before the Lord! The young man turned his back on Jesus and walked away. His god was his wealth, which he chose over Jesus.
Jesus then turns to His disciples to teach them a principle: “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” This was shocking to the disciples, who held the common idea that riches were a sign of God’s blessing. But Jesus points out the obstacle that riches often are, in their tendency to fuel self\-sufficiency. His disciples ask, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus answers by reminding the disciples that salvation is of God: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Who can be saved? If left up to man alone, no one! Why is being a good person not enough to get you into heaven? Because no one is a “good” person; there is only One who is good, and that is God Himself. No one can keep the Law perfectly. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23\). The Bible also says that the wages of our sin is death (Romans 6:23a). Fortunately, God did not wait until we somehow learned to be “good”; while we were in our sinful state, Christ died for the unrighteous (Romans 5:8\).
Salvation is not based on our goodness but on Jesus’ goodness. If we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9\). This salvation in Christ is a precious gift, and, like all true gifts, it is unearned (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8–9\). The message of the gospel is that we can never be good enough to get to heaven. We must recognize that we are sinners who fall short of God’s glory, and we must obey the command to repent of our sins and place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Christ alone was a “good person”—good enough to earn heaven—and He gives His righteousness to those who believe in His name (Romans 1:17\).
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Who were the Chaldeans in the Bible?
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Answer
The Chaldeans were people who lived in southern Babylonia which would be the southern part of Iraq today. Sometimes the term *Chaldeans* is used to refer to Babylonians in general, but normally it refers to a specific semi\-nomadic tribe that lived in the southern part of Babylon. The land of the Chaldeans was the southern portion of Babylon or Mesopotamia. It was generally thought to be an area about 400 miles long and 100 miles wide alongside the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
The Chaldeans are mentioned multiple times in the Bible in both contexts. For example, Genesis 11:28 speaks of Abraham’s father [Terah](Terah-in-the-Bible.html), who lived in “Ur of the Chaldeans,” home to the specific tribe or people known as the Chaldeans. We know from verses such as Genesis 11:31 and Genesis 15:7 that God called Abraham, a descendant of Shem, out of Ur of the Chaldeans so that Abraham would follow God to the land that God had promised to him and his descendants.
The Chaldeans were an intelligent and sometimes aggressive, warlike people. In 731 BC Ukinzer, a Chaldean, became king of Babylon; however, his reign was short\-lived. A few years later Merodach\-Baladan, also a Chaldean, became king over Babylon. Then in 626 BC Nabopolassar, another Chaldean, began what would be an extended period of time during which Babylon was ruled by a Chaldean king. During this time the word *Chaldean* became synonymous for *Babylon*, and we see many verses in Scripture where the word Chaldean was used to refer to Babylonians in general (Isaiah 13:19; 47:1, 5; 48:14, 20\). Successors to Nabopolassar were Nebuchadnezzar, Amel\-Marduk, Nabonidus and then Belshazzar, “king of the Chaldeans” (Daniel 5:30\).
At the height of the Babylonian Empire, the Chaldeans were an influential and highly educated group of people. Some historians believe that, after Persia conquered Babylon, the term *Chaldean* was used more often to refer to a social class of highly educated people than to a race of men. The Chaldeans influenced Nebuchadnezzar’s decision to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:8\) and were well known as wise men and astrologers during the time of Jewish captivity in Babylon. (Daniel 1:4; 2:10; 4:7; 5:7, 11\). At the time of Daniel, Babylon was the intellectual center of western Asia, and the Chaldeans were renowned for their study and knowledge of astrology and astronomy. They kept detailed astronomical records for over 360 years, which can help us understand how the wise men from the East would have been able to recognize and follow the star that would lead them to the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2\).
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What is a prayer cloth?
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Answer
There are several biblical accounts that are the basis for the modern practice of using a prayer cloth to assist the pray\-er to receive positive answers to prayer. Matthew 9:20–22 tells the story of a woman who had suffered severe bleeding for twelve years. She managed to touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak, believing this simple contact would heal her. Jesus countered in verse 22, telling her, “Your faith has made you well.” In Matthew 14:34–36, the people of Gennesaret had a similar thought. All the sick from the area desired to touch only the hem of Jesus’ garment. All who did were healed. Acts 19:11–12 relates how handkerchiefs that Paul had merely touched were carried to the sick, in hopes that people would be healed of diseases and evil spirits.
It should be noted that in none of these stories in the Bible is Jesus’ garment or Paul’s handkerchief called a “prayer cloth.” The first modern use of a prayer cloth may have been by the Mormons. As the practice faded in Mormonism, it grew in the Pentecostal church. It can now be found even in the Roman Catholic Church. Sometimes the cloths are anointed in oil or in the sweat of those who pray over it.
At its most innocent, the prayer cloth is merely a reminder that a group of people are praying for an ailing friend. The group may pray while holding the cloth, and then send the cloth to their friend, who keeps it near as a comfort. More disconcerting is the belief that the oil or sweat the prayer cloth is anointed with acts as a point of transfer that allows the blessings of God to enter the recipient. But the most disturbing trend is the use of prayer cloths as a fund\-raising device among prosperity gospel televangelists. Such programs encourage viewers to send their name and address and perhaps a short prayer request. In return, the viewer receives a prayer cloth, instructions such as “place it in your Bible for one night” or “put it under your pillow” or “write your name on it,” and an envelope to return the cloth with a substantial donation. Variations on the prayer cloth include a “prayer fleece,” a “prayer cloud,” and coins. Some prayer cloths are designed specifically for financial gain.
There is nothing theologically wrong with sending someone a tangible reminder that friends are praying. There are, however, two major potential problems with prayer cloths. Acts 19:11 points out that the use of cloth in Paul’s ministry was “extraordinary.” Miracles are signs that a teacher is specifically chosen to reveal God’s Word. Paul, a former enemy of the church, would have needed extraordinary miracles to confirm his new position as evangelist. But, with the completion of the Bible, we do not need signs gifts to identify God’s prophets. And God certainly does not need oil or sweat to more easily pass on the power of His Spirit.
Second, and more troubling, is the use of prayer cloths as a shameless money scheme. Second Peter 2:2–3a reads, “Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words…” While Paul pointed out that the work a pastor performs does merit compensation (1 Corinthians 9:14\), nowhere does the Bible imply that prayers and spiritual favors can be bought and sold.
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Can God save me?
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Answer
The question “Can God save me?” has been asked by millions of people over the years. Not only *can* God save you, but *only* God can save you. To understand why the answer to “Can God save me?” is “yes!”, we have to understand why we need saving in the first place. When Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, his sin poisoned the rest of creation (Romans 5:12\), and the sinful nature we inherited from Adam has separated us from God. Because of God’s great love for us, however, He had a plan (Genesis 3:15\). He would come to earth as a human being in the person of Jesus Christ and willingly lay down His life for us, taking the punishment we deserved. When our Savior cried out from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30\), our sin debt was forever paid in full. Jesus Christ saved us from certain death and a horrible, godless eternity.
In order for us to benefit from Christ’s atoning sacrifice, we must trust in Him and His sacrifice alone as the payment for sin (John 3:16; Acts 16:31\). And God will cover us with the righteousness of Christ the moment we do this (Romans 3:22\). But for this imputed righteousness, we would not never be able to enter the presence of our holy God (Hebrews 10:19–25\).
Our salvation affects more than our eternal destiny, however; “being saved” also has an immediate impact. The good news is that Christ’s finished work on the cross saved us from eternal separation from God, and it also saved us from the power that sin currently has over us in this life. Once we accept Christ, His Spirit indwells us and we are no longer controlled by the sinful nature. This freedom makes it possible for us to say “no” to sin and overcome our enslavement to the sinful desires of the flesh. “You . . . are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you” (Romans 8:9\).
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15\), and we are all sinners (Romans 3:23\). Not one of us is beyond the reach of God’s saving grace (Isaiah 59:1\). The apostle Paul is a great example of God’s far\-reaching grace. Paul spent the first part of his life hating, imprisoning, persecuting, and even killing Christians. Then, one encounter with Jesus Christ turned Paul into one of the greatest Christian missionaries who ever lived. If God can save Paul, the “chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15\), He can save anyone.
Mankind is the crown jewel of God’s creation, made in His image (Genesis 1:26\). God wishes all of us to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4\) and none of us to perish (2 Peter 3:9; Ezekiel 18:32\). To those who believe in Jesus’ name, God gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12\). What the Lord will do for His children is described in Psalm 91: “‘Because he loves me,’ says the LORD, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him’” (Psalm 91:14–16\).
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What does the Bible say about charity?
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Answer
The word *charity* is found primarily in the King James Version of the Bible, and it nearly always means “love.” In the great “love chapter”—1 Corinthians 13—the KJV translates *agape* as “charity” while the modern translations render it more accurately as “love.” The only use of the word *charity* to indicate “giving” is Acts 9:36, which refers to Dorcas, a woman “full of good works and charity.” The Greek word here means “compassion, as exercised towards the poor; beneficence.” The KJV translates it “almsgiving.”
The Bible has much to say about this second type of charity and how we are to care for the poor and needy among us. Perhaps one of the most famous passages on caring for those in need is in Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats. He says, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me . . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:34\-36, 40\). Clearly, when we care for someone in need, we do the will of Christ.
John writes, “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” (1 John 3:17\-18\). Similarly, James says, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:14\-17\). The way in which we care for the needy is a reflection of our love for Christ and our position as His children. In other words, it is evidence of our salvation and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.
When considering a specific act of charity or a charitable organization in which to become involved, we are to exercise wisdom and discernment. God does not call us to blindly give to every need, but to seek His will on the matter. We are to be good stewards and do our best to ensure that the time, money and talents we give to charity are being used properly. Paul gave Timothy detailed instructions for caring for widows in the church, complete with what type of women should be included on the list and warnings about what could happen if charity was given improperly (1 Timothy 5:3\-16\).
Charity need not always be in the form of money or what we would consider a typically “charitable” act. When Peter and John met a crippled beggar, rather than give the man coins, Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6\). Charity is giving of whatever resources we have in order to meet the need of another. God’s instructions to the Israelites in Deuteronomy set the example for charitable giving for the Israelites. “When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. This is why I command you to do this” (Deuteronomy 24:19\-22\). The primary thing to remember in charity is that all we have belongs to God, and all we give is a response to His love for us (1 John 4:19\).
When we see our resources not only as God’s provision for us but as tools He desires us to use to care for others, we begin to understand the vastness of His love and sovereignty. As spiritual children of Abraham, we, too, are “blessed to be a blessing” (Genesis 12:1\-3\). We are invited into relationship with God and with His people. When we care for those He loves, we care for Him. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38\).
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What does the Bible say about integrity?
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Answer
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated “integrity” means “the condition of being without blemish, completeness, perfection, sincerity, soundness, uprightness, wholeness.” Integrity in the New Testament means “honesty and adherence to a pattern of good works.”
Jesus is the perfect example of a man of integrity. After He was baptized, He went into the wilderness to fast for forty days and nights, during which time Satan came to Him at His weakest to try to break His integrity and corrupt Him. Jesus was wholly man and wholly God at the same time, and He was tempted in every way we are, yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15\); that is the definition of integrity. Jesus is the only one who was ever without blemish, perfect, completely truthful, and always showing a pattern of good works.
Christians are called to be like Jesus. In Christ, we are new creations and can be considered without blemish before God (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Ephesians 1:4–8\). In Christ, we also have the indwelling Holy Spirit at work in us, sanctifying us and making us more like Jesus (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18\). We are also to strive to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12–13\). It is by God’s power that we become increasingly people of integrity. We are called to obey God and, in so doing, to be people of uncompromised morality and integrity. Christians should be those who adhere to the truth and who do good works.
“Integrity” in our world today implies moral incorruptibility. Christians should be those who cannot be bribed or compromised because we serve God rather than men (Colossians 3:17, 23; Acts 5:29\). We are to be people who keep our word (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12\). We are to love those around us in both word and deed (1 John 3:17–18; James 2:17–18; Ephesians 4:29\). We are called upon to believe in God and therefore to follow Him in all our ways (John 6:19; 15:1–17\). Our lives should line up with our belief in God and evince a trust that His ways are best (Proverbs 3:5–6\).
Living with integrity in a world where the corrupt seem favored, not to mention our battle with our own sin nature, is challenging. First Peter 3:13–18 gives this encouragement: “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” To live with integrity is to follow the example of Christ. And we can only live with true integrity by His power, which He graciously and freely gives to all who are His (John 16:33; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 1:13–14\).
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Why is there so much confusion regarding the teachings of the Bible?
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Answer
God gave us the Bible to teach us about Him and His ways, and since God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33\), any and all confusion must come from the destructive forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil. The “world” refers to the ungodly world system and its people who do not understand or care about the Word of God; the “flesh” is the lingering sinful nature Christians possess that corrupts their godly walk; and the “devil” refers to Satan and his demons who twist God’s Word, often while masquerading as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14\-15\).
Each of these forces can act individually or in unison in an attempt to confuse people about the Word of God. But, most confusion results from our own laziness and/or false teaching. Ultimately, and most tragically, confusion about the Bible can lead to a false hope of salvation. And that is Satan’s ultimate goal. When Satan tempted Jesus, he used misinterpretations of the Word of God for his attacks. Satan does the same thing today, taking a truth of Scripture and misapplying it. Satan is skilled at twisting the Word of God just enough so that it produces disastrous consequences, while still sounding like the Word of God.
Sometimes confusion over what the Bible teaches originates from poor Bible translations, or even intentionally distorted translations. More often, though, confusion results from a lack of serious study among believers and the false preachers, teachers, and writers (2 Corinthians 11:12\-13\) who are found on radio, television, and the Internet. These false prophets take even proper translations and, through both ignorance and design, twist and distort the Word of God to promote their own agenda or appeal to the thinking of the world. Instead of lazy Bible study and relying on others to teach us the Word of God, we should study God’s Word diligently and rely on the Holy Spirit. He will open the heart to God’s truth concerning Himself and His creation, prayer, worship, Christian love, our battle with Satan, personal conduct, church conduct, and achieving a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Most deadly, confusion is rampant regarding the truth of the gospel. While Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the only way, the only truth, and the only life (John 14:6; Acts 4:12\), today many who call themselves evangelical Christians believe that heaven can be gained by other ways and other religions. But in spite of apparent confusion, the sheep will still hear the voice of the Shepherd and will follow only Him (John 10:27\). Those who do not belong to the Shepherd “will not endure sound doctrine, but they will heap up teachers to themselves according to their own lusts, tickling the ear” (2 Timothy 4:3\). God has given us His Spirit and the command to preach biblical truth with humility and patience, in and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2\), and to study to show ourselves approved, workers who correctly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15\) until the Lord Jesus returns and puts an end to all confusion.
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What is a prayer closet?
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Answer
After a short discourse on the follies of trying to appear religious in front of people, Jesus talks about prayer. “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:5\-8\). The Greek used here for “room” is *tameion*, which means "an inner storage chamber or a secret room." The point being, a public prayer, announced on a street corner, gives the pray\-er all the attention he can expect to receive. A quiet prayer, directed at God and not passers\-by, will reap spiritual blessings.
Some have taken the admonition literally. They set aside a room or a quiet corner in their homes, furnish it with a comfortable chair, table, Bible, and maybe a notebook, and use that corner for a regular prayer time. That’s certainly appropriate, but the fact that the room Jesus referred to most likely meant a pantry gives us a little more flexibility. A “prayer closet” might be a daily commute, a bench in the back yard, or the kitchen table. John Wesley’s mother is said to have sat in a chair and thrown her apron over her head as a sign to her kids to leave her alone. Jesus usually went to a secluded hillside. The point is that the “closet” is free from interruption, distraction, and listening ears.
Although there are good reasons to have a dedicated space for regular prayer—such as training the family to respect the quiet and keeping prayer\-related materials in one place—that was not what Jesus was referring to. The passage in Matthew 6 talks about performing religious acts for the purpose of allowing others to see. Any act, be it praying, giving, or serving, should not be done for the purpose of gaining approval from others. Praying, giving, and serving should be responses to our relationship with God and the mercies He has given us. If a specific, dedicated location encourages prayer, it should by all means be used. If the cab of a pickup or a quiet stretch of beach suffices, that’s perfectly acceptable.
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What does the Bible mean when it refers to a “Daughter of Zion”?
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Answer
The “daughter of Zion” is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, usually in prophecy and once in poetry. “Zion” meant Jerusalem and, later, Israel as the people of God. “Daughter of Zion,” then, does not refer to a specific person. It’s a metaphor for Israel and the loving, caring, patient relationship God has with His chosen people.
As a representation of the people of Israel, the daughter of Zion is described in several different situations:
2 Kings 19:21: A people confident in the deliverance of their God. When Assyria threatened Jerusalem, King Hezekiah went to the Lord. In response, God sent Isaiah to reassure Hezekiah that Jerusalem would not fall to Assyria, and God considered the threatening insult to “the virgin daughter of Zion” as a personal affront to Himself.
Isaiah 1:8: A hut, abandoned after judgment came to an evil family. Here, Isaiah compares the rebellion of Judah to a sick body in a devastated land. The daughter of Zion is left as a lone remnant—a shelter hidden in the vineyard or a hut in a cucumber field that barely escaped destruction.
Jeremiah 4:31: A woman in labor, helpless before attackers. The steadfastness of Hezekiah was rare in Judah—most kings encouraged rebellion against God instead of loyalty to God. Jeremiah warns that if the nation does not turn away from evil, God will punish them severely. And the people will be helpless against it—as helpless as a woman in labor.
Isaiah 62:11: A people awaiting salvation. After the punishment of exile, God promises restoration to Israel. He will rejoice over His chosen people again. And in verse 11, He promises the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes; behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.”
Micah 4:13: A bull that threshes his enemies. In verse 10, God warns that the daughter of Zion will suffer as much as a woman in labor. But in verse 13, He promises vengeance. The weak, powerless woman will become a bull with horns of iron and hoofs of bronze that will crush its enemies.
Zechariah 9:9: A land awaiting its king. This prophecy promises Israel’s enemies will be destroyed, but also speaks about a more permanent solution to the problem of sin. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Should in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; he is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Despite the consistent rebellion of the daughter of Zion against her Father, He promises to restore her and present her with a Deliverer\-King in the form of Jesus.
*Daughter* implies that God is a loving father. He cherishes and loves His people, even while they reject Him. By using the metaphor “daughter of Zion,” God showed how He felt for the rebellious Israelites: frustrated, angry, but always with an eye to the future when the relationship would be restored, and He could once again return to them and welcome them into His arms (Zechariah 2:10\).
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What was Herod’s temple?
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Answer
When David was king, he asked God if he could build a temple (1 Chronicles 17:1–15\). God told him no but allowed him to gather the materials his son Solomon would need to build it (1 Chronicles 22:2–5\). Solomon’s temple was destroyed and ransacked by the Babylonians in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:9\). King Cyrus of Persia allowed the temple to be rebuilt (Ezra 1:2\) under the leadership of [Zerubbabel](Zerubbabel-second-temple.html).
Over the next four hundred years, a series of Gentile rulers alternatingly built up and defiled the second temple. The cycle culminated in a 39 BC battle in which King Herod took control of the temple, slaughtering many of the priests and defenders in the process, but also keeping the Roman soldiers from entering the sanctuary. Herod proposed to renovate the temple in 20—19 BC, his reason being the post\-exilic temple was sixty cubits shorter than Solomon’s original. Despite the Jews’ fears that he meant to tear it down and never rebuild, the main work on the temple was completed in one\-and\-a\-half years, and the outer courtyard in eight years. Finishing touches continued until AD 63\. Herod’s temple, then, was a restoration and expansion of Zerubbabel’s second temple.
On the eastern edge of Jerusalem, just west of Gethsemane and northwest of the Kidron Valley, sat the temple of Herod. The dimensions of Herod’s temple court were 1,550 feet by 1,000 feet—about 35 acres. On the far northwest corner sat Antonia Fortress, the home of the temple garrison that stayed alert for disturbances in the temple—disturbances that the governor was quick to quell so as not to attract unwanted attention from Rome.
Two gates provided entry into the court of Herod’s temple from the south; four from the west; and one, the Golden Gate, from the east; also, an underground passage led to the court from Antonia Fortress. Just inside the walls ran porticoes—roofed walkways flanked on the outside by the great walls and the inside by rows of tall marble pillars. The northern approach to the temple was the most level and easiest to climb, but the southern gates (the double Huldah and the triple Huldah) were the most frequently used. Because a ravine lined the southern wall, great staircases led to the actual gates. Tunnels passed through and into a honeycombed underground area called “Solomon’s Stable.” More stairs led up to the southern section of the [Court of the Gentiles](Court-of-the-Gentiles.html). The eastern portico was named for King Solomon, and it was somewhere along this wall that the twelve\-year\-old Jesus debated with the scholars (Luke 2:46\). It’s possible that the highest corner of the eastern wall was where Satan took Jesus in Matthew 4:5\.
Herod’s temple sat skewed in the center of the large courtyard so that its entrance might better face due east. A balustrade—a low wall of stone posts and caps—defined the inner boundary of the Court of Gentiles. It was this courtyard, between the balustrade and the outer walls, where Gentiles could go to worship. It was also this court where Jesus drove out the money changers in Matthew 21:12\. It was unlawful for any Gentile to go past the balustrade, an offense punishable by death (see Acts 21:27–32\).
Within the Court of the Gentiles, getting closer to Herod’s temple, was the Court of the Women, accessed through the Beautiful Gate. Here were thirteen trumpet\-shaped containers for voluntary offerings. Into one of these a [widow](widows-mite.html) donated her last two mites, an act that Jesus noticed in Mark 12:41–44\.
On the west side of the Court of the Women were fifteen steps that led up to the Gate of Nicanor, where Mary brought the Baby Jesus at the time of His presentation (Luke 2:22–24\). Passing through the Nicanor Gate would lead one into the Court of Israel, accessible only to ceremonially clean Jewish men. A low balustrade and another staircase separated the Court of Israel from the Court of the Priests; three gates, one each from the south, west, and north, provided priests more direct access from the outer courtyard.
In the Court of Priests was the altar for the burnt offerings. Forty\-five feet on each side and twenty\-two feet high, the altar was made of uncarved stone. In an earlier time, the nearby area where the animals were slaughtered was fitted with a trough of running water, fed by a spring and underground cisterns to wash away the blood. It’s possible this was retained in Herod’s restoration. Also in the Court of Priests was a large basin called the brazen sea or the [laver](bronze-laver.html), resting upon twelve bulls cast in bronze. Beyond these fixtures was yet another staircase leading to a curtain embroidered with a map of the known world that covered the entrance to the temple proper. Only the priest on duty was allowed to advance beyond that curtain.
Inside Herod’s temple things were set up similarly to the tabernacle of Moses. Beyond the first veil was a hall containing the [golden altar of incense](altar-of-incense.html), the [golden table of showbread](bread-of-the-presence.html), and the [golden lampstand](lampstand-Bible.html). It was this lampstand, the seven\-armed menorah, which was said to have miraculously stayed lit during the eight\-day rededication of the temple after the [Maccabean victory](Maccabean-Revolt.html) in the second century BC.
Only the high priest could go beyond the final veil to the Holy of Holies, and that only once a year, on the [Day of Atonement](Day-Atonement-Yom-Kippur.html). The floor, walls, and ceiling of this room were plated with gold. Because the [Ark of the Covenant](ark-of-the-covenant.html) had been lost years before, Herod’s temple had no furnishings in the Holy of Holies, although it is possible a stone held the place of the ark. It was this veil, leading into the Holy of Holies, that tore from the top down when Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27:51\). Around the Holy of Holies, to the south, west, and north, were three stories of interconnected rooms. Openings from the story immediately above the Holy of Holies allowed workers to be lowered into that room to make repairs without touching the floor.
Herod’s temple lasted until AD 70, which marked the end of the second temple era. At that time, after a long war between the Jewish Zealots and the Roman authorities, four Roman legions, led by Titus, besieged Jerusalem and burned down the temple. As the temple burned, the gold and silver ornamentation melted and seeped between the cracks in the stones. In their zeal for a stipend, the Roman soldiers took the temple apart, stone by stone, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24:1–3\. The Jewish people were scattered in the Diaspora, and did not return en masse to Israel until after World War II. The temple mount, where Herod’s temple stood, is now home to the Islamic Dome of the Rock. All that remains of Herod’s work on the temple mount is the [Western Wall](Wailing-Wall.html), a 1,600\-foot\-long portion of the retaining wall Herod had constructed to expand the temple mount.
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What does it mean to worship the Lord in spirit and truth?
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Answer
The idea of worshiping the Lord “in spirit and truth” comes from Jesus’ conversation with the [woman at the well](woman-at-the-well.html) in John 4:6\-30\. In the conversation, the woman was discussing places of worship with Jesus, saying that the Jews worshiped at Jerusalem, while the Samaritans worshiped at [Mount Gerizim](mount-Gerizim.html). Jesus had just revealed that He knew about her many husbands, as well as the fact that the current man she lived with was not her husband. This made her uncomfortable, so she attempted to divert His attention from her personal life to matters of religion. Jesus refused to be distracted from His lesson on [true worship](true-worship.html) and got to the heart of the matter: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him” (John 4:23\).
The overall lesson about worshiping the Lord in spirit and truth is that worship of God is not to be confined to a single geographical location or necessarily regulated by the temporary provisions of Old Testament law. With the coming of Christ, the separation between Jew and Gentile was no longer relevant, nor was the centrality of the temple in worship. With the coming of Christ, all of God’s children gained equal access to God through Him. Worship became a matter of the heart, not external actions, and directed by truth rather than ceremony.
In Deuteronomy 6:4, Moses sets down for the Israelites how they are to love their God: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Our worship of God is directed by our love for Him; as we love, so we worship. Because the idea of “might” in Hebrew indicates totality, Jesus expanded this expression to “mind” and “strength” (Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27\). To worship God in spirit and truth necessarily involves loving Him with heart, soul, mind and strength.
True worship must be “in spirit,” that is, engaging the whole heart. Unless there’s a real passion for God, there is no worship in spirit. At the same time, worship must be “in truth,” that is, properly informed. Unless we have knowledge of the God we worship, there is no worship in truth. Both are necessary for God\-honoring worship. Spirit without truth leads to a shallow, overly emotional experience that could be compared to a high. As soon as the emotion is over, when the fervor cools, the worship ends. Truth without spirit can result in a dry, passionless encounter that can easily lead to a form of joyless legalism. The best combination of both aspects of worship results in a joyous appreciation of God informed by Scripture. The more we know about God, the more we appreciate Him. The more we appreciate, the deeper our worship. The deeper our worship, the more God is glorified.
This melding of spirit and truth in worship is summed up well by [Jonathan Edwards](Jonathan-Edwards.html), the 18th\-century American pastor and theologian. He said, “I should think myself in the way of my duty to raise the affections \[emotions] of my hearers as high as possibly I can, provided that they are affected with nothing but truth.” Edwards recognized that truth and only truth can properly influence the emotions in a way that brings honor to God. The truth of God, being of infinite value, is worthy of infinite passion.
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Taming the tongue—why is it so difficult?
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Answer
The concept of taming the tongue is found in James 3 where God declares, through the apostle James, that “no one can tame the tongue” (James 3:8\). The lengthy discussion about the tongue in this chapter is both convicting and illuminating. Among the things this chapter reveals about the tongue: it is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts (verse 5\); it is a [fire](the-tongue-is-a-fire.html) and a world of evil that defiles the whole person (verse 6\); it is set on fire by hell (verse 6\); and it is an unrestrainable evil and full of deadly poison (verse 7\). Is it any wonder, then, that God declares that taming the tongue is impossible?
When Adam sinned, God imputed that sin to mankind, so, whether or not we want to believe it, every human being is born with a wicked heart and an evil sin nature (Romans 3:10–18\). Lurking within each of us are varying degrees of hatred, bitterness, jealousy, and pride, and the tongue takes hold of these and other destructive tendencies and strikes out, often with a push from Satan. We see this every day among strangers, friends, siblings, and, worst of all, among husbands and wives, the very people who, next to their love for the Lord Jesus, should have the most love for each other (Ephesians 5:22–33\).
What is to be done, then, to tame the tongue? If God has declared that “no one” can tame the tongue, how can we even begin to do so? While many people have quit smoking or drinking by the power of the human will, the problem of the heart and tongue cannot be solved by human will power. It takes the power of the resurrected Christ within us to control the tongue, and that power is available only to those who turn their lives over to Him (Romans 8:10–14\). As with so many things in life, “with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26\).
There is only One who can control the tongue. Only by God’s Spirit living within us can we hope to gain control over our tongues. He convicts us when we sin with our lips, and that conviction drives us to repent and pray for more filling of the Spirit so we can avoid further sin. As we cling to Him and yield to Him in obedience, He controls us more and more, including our tongues.
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Why is the humanity of Jesus important?
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Answer
The humanity of Jesus is as equally important as the [deity of Jesus](deity-of-Christ.html). Jesus was born as a human being while still being totally divine. The concept of the humanity of Jesus co\-existing with His deity is difficult for the finite mind of man to comprehend. Nevertheless, Jesus’ nature—wholly man and wholly God—is a biblical fact. There are those who reject these biblical truths and declare that Jesus was a man, but not God (Ebionism). [Docetism](Docetism.html) is the view that Jesus was God, but not human. Both viewpoints are unbiblical and false.
Jesus had to be born as a human being for several reasons. One is outlined in Galatians 4:4–5: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” Only a man could be “born under the law.” No animal or angelic being is “under the law.” Only humans are born under the law, and only a human being could redeem other human beings born under the same law. Born under the law of God, all humans are guilty of transgressing that law. Only a perfect human—Jesus Christ—could perfectly keep the law and perfectly fulfill the law, thereby redeeming us from that guilt. Jesus accomplished our redemption on the cross, exchanging our sin for His perfect righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21\).
Another reason Jesus had to be fully human is that God established the necessity of the shedding of blood for the remission of sins (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22\). The blood of animals, although acceptable on a temporary basis as a foreshadowing of the blood of the perfect God\-Man, was insufficient for the permanent remission of sin because “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4\). Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, sacrificed His human life and shed His human blood to cover the sins of all who would ever believe in Him. If He were not human, this would have been impossible.
Furthermore, the humanity of Jesus enabled Him to be tempted. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15\). In His humanity, Jesus was subjected to all the same kinds of trials that we are, and that should give us great confidence that He is a sympathetic and understanding high priest. Of course, being God, Jesus knew our situation and was sympathetic to us prior to His incarnation; but the fact that He lived a human life means that He experienced all the temptations, discomforts, and miseries that accompany life in the flesh. He suffered with us. He was poor; He was despised; He suffered physical pain; and He endured the sorrows of a lingering and most cruel death.
Declaring that Jesus has come in the flesh is the mark of a spirit from God, while the Antichrist and all who follow him will deny it (1 John 4:2–3\). Jesus has come in the flesh; He sinlessly experienced our human frailties; His human blood was shed for our sins; and He was fully God and fully Man. These are biblical truths that cannot be denied.
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Why did God use Adam’s rib to create Eve?
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Answer
The book of Genesis relates how God created Eve: “The Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:21–22\). The phrase for “one of his ribs” could be translated “a part of his side” (NET), but almost every English translation specifies the part as a “rib.”
Earlier, in making Adam, God used the “dust of the ground” to form his body and “breathed into his nostrils the [breath of life](breath-of-life.html), and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7\). But, in making Eve, God did not go back to the dust; He used one of Adam’s ribs to form the woman. When she was brought to Adam, the man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man” (verse 23\).
God used Adam’s rib to form Eve—He used existing tissue and did not “start from scratch”—to show that Adam and Eve were of the same substance; she was made from the same “stuff” and was a bearer of God’s image and likeness, just as Adam was (see Genesis 1:27\). The woman made of Adam’s rib was designed to be a companion and “[helper suitable](woman-helper-suitable.html)” for Adam (Genesis 2:18\). Eve, formed from a physical part of Adam, was truly his complement, an integral part of who he was. As such, she was a perfect companion.
Why did God use Adam’s rib? Interestingly, ribs have amazing regenerative powers. Portions of rib bone and cartilage removed in bone graft surgery will regrow in a few months’ time, as long as the rib perichondrium is left intact. This means that Adam’s loss of a rib was only temporary; he did not have to go through the rest of his life with an incomplete skeletal system.
When God brought Eve to Adam, they were united in marriage: the “woman” in Genesis 2:22 is called Adam’s “wife” in verse 24\. The pattern for marriage, the first social institution, was thus established by God in Eden. The manner of Eve’s creation is “why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” The unity of a married couple and the “[one flesh](one-flesh-marriage.html)” principle are based on the fact that God used one of Adam’s ribs to make the woman.
God’s use of one of Adam’s ribs to make Eve is a reminder that woman was created to be “beside” man. Together, the man and woman complement one another in marriage, and in Christ they are “heirs together of the grace of life” (1 Peter 3:7, NKJV).
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What are the books of 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras?
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Answer
The books of 1 and 2 Esdras are not part of the biblical canon. First Esdras is part of what is considered the [Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical](apocrypha-deuterocanonical.html) scripture. Second Esdras is an apocalyptic work and is considered [pseudepigraphal](pseudepigrapha.html). Except for some Greek Orthodox, Episcopal, or Lutheran Bibles, 1 and 2 Esdras do not appear in most Bibles. Authorship and dating of 1 and 2 Esdras are somewhat problematic, and some scholars place the writing of certain portions of 2 Esdras as late as the 2nd century AD. “Esdras” is another form of the name *Ezra*, which means “help.”
The Roman Catholic Council of Trent in 1546, which officially recognized several books of the Apocrypha, listed “the first book of Esdras, and the second” as part of the biblical canon. However, these are the books we normally call “Ezra” and “Nehemiah” today and are not to be confused with the pseudepigraphal 1 and 2 Esdras (which appeared in the [Vulgate](Latin-Vulgate.html) as 3 and 4 Esdras).
There are some historical problems with 1 and 2 Esdras. In the narrative of 1 Esdras, the reign of the Persian King Artaxerxes incorrectly precedes those of Cyrus the Great (c. 559—529 BC) and Darius I (Darius the Great, 521—486 BC), although some believe this is simply a literary device called “prolepsis” in which a person or event is assigned to an earlier period or represented as if it had already occurred. First Esdras appears in the [Septuagint](Septuagint.html) as an expanded book of Ezra, containing four additional chapters. It is an account of King Josiah’s reforms and history of the destruction of the temple in 586 BC and chronicles the Jews’ return from Babylonian captivity under Zerubbabel. This book was said to be known by Josephus (born AD 38\).
Second Esdras was written too late to be included in the Septuagint and, therefore, does not appear within the more prominent canon (Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox). Second Esdras is also known by many other names, making it difficult to track fully. For example, 2 Esdras contains portions known in some circles as 3 Ezra, 4 Ezra, 5 Ezra, and 6 Ezra. The Ethiopian Church considers 4 Ezra to be canonical, whereas the Eastern Armenian Church labels it as 3 Ezra. Further, some scholars believe these books were written by several authors, including some possibly as late as the second century AD.
Second Esdras is often referred to as the Jewish Apocalypse of Ezra and contains seven visions of Ezra dealing with his angst over the pain and suffering inflicted upon Jews by Gentiles. Some scholars believe the book was written shortly after the AD 70 destruction of the temple in Jerusalem during the reign of [Emperor Domitian](Domitian.html) (AD 81—96\). While there is a definite tone of sadness in this work, there is consolation regarding ultimate retribution. There are six Messianic references within 2 Esdras.
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Why was Israel cursed with forty years of wilderness wandering?
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Answer
“Wilderness wandering” refers to the plight of the Israelites due to their disobedience and unbelief. Nearly 3,500 years ago, the Lord delivered His people from Egyptian bondage as described in Exodus, chapters 1–12\. They were to take possession of the land God had promised their forefathers, a land “flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8\). Prior to entry, however, they became convinced they could not oust the current inhabitants of the land, even though God told them they could. Their lack of belief in God’s word and promises brought forth the wrath of God. He cursed them with forty years of wilderness wandering until the unbelieving generation died off, never stepping foot in the Promised Land.
A seven\-year famine was responsible for God’s chosen people ending up in Egypt. Initially, they flourished under the leadership of Joseph, number two in charge of the country after Pharaoh. “Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt” (Exodus 1:8\), and soon, “the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites” (Exodus 1:12\). For the next several centuries the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians who “worked them ruthlessly” (Exodus 1:13\). Eventually, God heard their cries (Exodus 2:23\-25\) and sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them. After enduring the last of the ten plagues—the death of the firstborn males—Pharaoh finally agreed to release the Israelites.
Upon their arrival at [Kadesh Barnea](Kadesh-Barnea.html), which bordered the Promised Land of Canaan, they sent out [twelve spies](twelve-spies.html) to survey the land and its people (Numbers 13:18\-25\). They returned after forty days of exploration. Ten of the spies had a bad report: “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are…All the people we saw were of great size…We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes” (Numbers 13:31\-33\). Only Joshua and Caleb dissented (Numbers 14:6\-7\). Believing the report of the ten doubters, the people lost heart and rebelled. They “raised their voices and wept aloud,” grumbling against Moses and Aaron, saying, “If only we had died in Egypt! *Or in this desert!* Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?” (Numbers 14:1\-2, emphasis added).
Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them” (Numbers 14:11\). However, Moses once again interceded for his people and turned away the wrath of God (Numbers 14:13\-20\). Although God did forgive them, He decided that “not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it” (Numbers 14:23\). Rather, they would suffer by wandering in the wilderness for forty years, one year for each of the forty days they explored the land (Numbers 14:34\). Furthermore, God would give them what they asked for: “I will do the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall, every one of you twenty years old or more” (Numbers 14:28\-29\). Additionally, the ten men who had given the bad report were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord (Numbers 14:37\). Only Joshua and Caleb survived, the two faithful spies who believed God’s promise to give the land over to them.
God had promised them victory. The land He commanded them to go in and take was already theirs; they simply had to trust and obey, but this they did not do. God will never lead us where His grace cannot provide for us or His power cannot protect us. Indeed, the Israelites had seen the powerful hand of God at work during the plagues and miracles of the Exodus. Yet, like many people, they walked by sight and not by faith, and their unbelief displeased God. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6\). Their failure to believe in God’s word kept them from entering the Promised Land. This truth has never changed.
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Did Nazareth exist during the life of Jesus?
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Answer
Did Nazareth exist during the life of Jesus? How can we know? What does the evidence say? These are questions that Christians are asked to answer more frequently by professed “skeptics” in our world today. It is curious that the first\-century historicity of Jesus should be the subject of such contention, since this matter was effectively laid to rest long ago.
There are several reasons often given for doubting the first\-century historicity of Nazareth, and these reasons are largely built around arguments from silence. For one thing, Nazareth is never mentioned in the writings of Josephus, nor is it mentioned in any other first\-century writings. Critics also contend that the biblical geography is in error, as there is no cliff near the synagogue to which Jesus was allegedly taken, as recounted in Luke 4:24–30\.
Generally speaking, arguments from silence are weak. We must ask just how much one would expect the contemporary writers to mention the town of Nazareth. Nazareth was a small and insignificant village, and Josephus had no real reason to mention it. The town’s insignificance is evident in the first chapter of John’s Gospel, when Nathaniel asks, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46\).
Laying aside the problems with the argument from silence, we should also note that the claim that there is no first\-century evidence for Nazareth is not entirely correct. In AD 70, at the end of the Jewish war with the Romans, the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and this meant that Jewish priests and their families had to be redeployed. An inscription was discovered in 1962 in Caesarea Maritima that documents that the priests of the order of Elkalir came to live in Nazareth. This has only been confirmed by later discoveries. For example, in 2009, the first Nazarene home to date from Jesus’ era was excavated by archaeologists. The house was a simple structure, consisting of two small rooms and a courtyard.
The claim of incorrect geography carries a bit more weight than the argument from silence. The closest cliff to Nazareth to which Jesus might have been taken is roughly 2\.5 miles away from the synagogue; however, there is no reason why Jesus could not have been taken that far.
In conclusion, the claim that there is no historical evidence for the existence of the town of Nazareth in the first century stands refuted by the archaeological data, and many of the more informed atheist critics, even among those who deny the historicity of Jesus, have advised caution with using this argument.
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Christian liberty – what does the Bible say?
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Answer
Christian liberty is found in the Bible in several concepts. For example, liberty for the Christian can mean that he or she has been freed from the penalty of sin by faith in Jesus Christ (John 8:31\-36; Romans 6:23\). Also, Christian liberty can refer to being freed from the power of sin in one’s life by daily faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of one’s character and conduct (Romans 6:5\-6, 14\). In addition, Christian liberty can mean that Christians are freed from the Jewish Law of Moses in that the Law only "exposes" sin in one’s life but cannot "forgive" sin (Romans 3:20\-22\).
Finally, Christian liberty can mean that Christians are freed in respect to such activity that is not expressly forbidden in the Bible. Therefore one can feel free to engage in such activity as long as it doesn’t "stumble" or "offend" another Christian (Romans 14:12\-16\). Most of these activities revolve around social "dos" and "don’ts, such as whether or not to wear certain kinds of clothes, make\-up, jewelry, tattoos, piercings, and/or practicing certain things, such as smoking, social drinking, recreational gambling, dancing, or viewing movies or videos. As the passage in Romans 14 says, these things may not be strictly prohibited by God’s Word, but they can be bad for one’s spiritual growth or Christian testimony and can cause other Christians to stumble.
Furthermore, Christians who tend to vigorously promote such liberties can sometimes fall into a loose lifestyle of undisciplined living, while, on the other hand, Christians who tend to vigorously limit such liberties can sometimes fall into a legalistic lifestyle of being defined by what they are "against." So, it is wise to seek God in prayer and His Word to determine whether or not a particular activity is actually forbidden in Scripture. If it is, it should be avoided. If it is not forbidden, then we should seek to determine how the activity reflects on our reputation as Christians and whether it will help us or hinder us in representing Jesus to unbelievers around us, whether it edifies them or not.
The ultimate goal for the Christian should be to glorify God, edify fellow believers, and have a good reputation before unbelievers (Psalm 19:14; Romans 15:1\-2; 1 Peter 2:11\-12\). "For you brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13\).
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What does the Bible say about underage drinking?
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Answer
The Bible never refers to underage drinking specifically. In Bible times, wine was the beverage of choice, partially due to the lack of water in the deserts of Israel. Everyone drank wine, and there was no cultural or biblical prohibition against it. The Bible only commands against drunkenness, not against drinking. There is no mention, therefore, of underage drinking in the Bible.
Scripture does not forbid a Christian from drinking beer, wine, or any other drink containing alcohol. In fact, drinking is often portrayed in positive terms in Scripture. “Drink your wine with a merry heart” (Ecclesiastes 9:7\). Psalm 104:14\-15 states that God gives wine “that makes glad the heart of men.” Amos 9:14 discusses drinking wine from your own vineyard as a sign of God’s blessing. However, the Bible specifically condemns drunkenness and its effects (Proverbs 23:29\-35\). Christians are also commanded to not allow anything to control them (1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19\). Scripture further forbids a Christian from doing anything that might offend other Christians or encourage them to sin against their conscience (1 Corinthians 8:9\-13\).
However, if the phrase “underage drinking” refers to breaking the law by supplying alcohol to minors or imbibing by minors, then clearly it is wrong and the Bible condemns it. Romans 13:1\-7 makes it very clear that Christians are not to disobey the laws of the land but we are to obey the government God places over us. God created government to establish order, punish evil, and promote justice (Genesis 9:6; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Romans 12:8\). We are to obey the government in everything—paying taxes, obeying rules and laws, and showing respect. The only time we are permitted to disobey the authorities over us is when those authorities are asking us to disobey God. If we do not honor our government’s laws, we are ultimately showing disrespect towards God, for He is the One who placed that government over us. Therefore, anyone who breaks the law by buying or supplying alcohol to minors is guilty of law\-breaking and is disobeying God. Minors who drink alcohol illegally, through underage drinking, are similarly guilty.
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What is cheap grace?
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Answer
The term “cheap grace” can be traced back to a book written by German theologian, [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](Dietrich-Bonhoeffer.html), called *The Cost of Discipleship*, published in 1937\. In that book, Bonhoeffer defined “cheap grace” as “the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline. Communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” Notice what is emphasized in Bonhoeffer’s definition of cheap grace and what is de\-emphasized. The emphasis is on the benefits of Christianity without the costs involved; hence, the adjective *cheap* to describe it.
A similar debate regarding cheap grace erupted in the 1980s and 1990s in the [Lordship Salvation](lordship-salvation.html) controversy. The controversy began when pastor and theologian John MacArthur objected to a teaching that was becoming popular in evangelical circles called “carnal Christianity.” The reference is to a statement that the apostle Paul made in his first letter to the church at Corinth: “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1\). The phrase “of the flesh” is the Greek word *sarkinos*, meaning “flesh.” The word *carnal* comes from the Latin word for “flesh.” In the New Testament, *flesh* can simply mean “skin, flesh, body.” However, Paul often uses it to speak of our sinful nature—that unredeemed part of man with whom the new man in Christ must battle daily (Romans 7; 1 Corinthians 3:1\-3; 2 Corinthians 10:2; Galatians 5:16\-19\).
The idea of carnal Christianity essentially teaches that as long as one makes a profession of faith in Christ, he or she is saved (Romans 10:9\), even if there is no immediate obedience to the commands of Jesus and the apostles to live a life of holiness. It is the idea that we can have Jesus as Savior, but not necessarily as Lord. People who advocate for carnal Christianity, or “free grace” as it’s often called, do not deny the necessity of good works (i.e., holy living) for sanctification, but they distinguish the call for salvation from the call to sanctification (or discipleship).
There are many Scripture passages that free grace advocates use to support their position. It is not necessary to cite them all, but two of the most popular and forceful passages are John 3:16 and Romans 10:9\.
• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16\)
• Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9\)
Clearly, these passages, and others, teach that the one who believes in Jesus Christ “has eternal life” and “will be saved.” There is no disputing this. However, what people like John MacArthur and others were objecting to is not that salvation and eternal life are free gifts of God’s grace, but rather the teaching that the call to salvation does not also include a call to repentance and holy living. In other words, they were objecting that the doctrine of free grace was becoming a doctrine of cheap grace. What the proponents of Lordship Salvation assert is that salvation is a call to discipleship, that one cannot have Jesus as Savior without also acknowledging Him as Lord.
The New Testament uses the word for “Lord” (*kurios*) 748 times, and 667 of those times it is used in reference to God or Jesus (e.g., “Jesus Christ our Lord,” Romans 1:4\). In contrast, the New Testament uses the word for “savior” (*soter*) only 24 times. It seems clear that the emphasis in the New Testament is on Jesus Christ as Lord, not as Savior. Now in saying that, it is not meant to downplay or denigrate the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. What a glorious and gracious provision God has made for His people in providing Jesus Christ as our atoning sacrifice who thereby guarantees salvation and eternal life for those who believe in Him. Jesus Christ is most certainly our Savior, but this cannot be separated from the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord, and as Lord, He commands and we obey.
Jesus, in His Great Commission to the 11 remaining disciples, commanded them to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that He had commanded them (Matthew 28:19\-20\). Evangelism and discipleship go hand in hand. A disciple is one who observes (keeps, obeys) all that Jesus has commanded. There is no two\-stage process in Christianity—first, be saved; then become a disciple. This arbitrary distinction is foreign to the New Testament and therefore foreign to Christianity.
To play off the title of Bonhoeffer’s book, let’s look at what Jesus said to His disciples about discipleship in Luke 14:25\-33\. In that passage, Jesus says to the crowds that no one can be His disciple unless they first hate their family (v. 26\). Furthermore, the one who cannot bear his own cross cannot be His disciple (v. 27\). Two conditions are given by Jesus in order to be His disciple. The first is to be willing to renounce family in order to follow Jesus. The second is to be willing to die, both literally and metaphorically (“die to self”) in order to follow Jesus. Jesus then gives two examples of “counting the cost.” The first is an example of a man who desires to build a tower without first counting the cost of building the tower. After realizing he cannot complete it, he gives up in shame and embarrassment. The second is that of a king preparing to go to battle and making sure he can defend against the superior foe. The point Jesus is making is that discipleship has a cost.
Furthermore, discipleship requires repentance and obedience. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the message He preached was a message of repentance (Matthew 4:17\). The message of the apostles after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was also one of repentance (Acts 2:38\). Along with repentance comes obedience. Jesus told a crowd of listeners that salvation and obedience go hand in hand: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46\). Jesus then goes on to differentiate the one who builds his house on the sand from the one who builds his house on the rock, that is, the man who not only hears the words of Jesus, but does them, too.
Cheap grace seeks to hide the cost of discipleship from people. It seeks to claim that as long as we make a profession of faith, we are saved. God’s grace covers all our sins. Again, that is a wonderful truth! The apostle Paul says as much when he writes, “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20\-21\). Yet, right after writing that, Paul follows it with this: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1\-2\). Salvation by grace alone through faith alone is so much more than simply mouthing the words “Jesus is Lord.” We are not saved by a profession of faith. We are not saved by praying the Sinner’s Prayer. We are not saved by signing a card or walking an aisle. We are saved by a living and active faith (James 2:14\-26\), a faith that manifests itself in repentance, obedience and love of God and our neighbor. Salvation is not a transaction; it’s a transformation. Paul says it best when he says we are “new creations” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17\). There is nothing “cheap” about grace!
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What does the Bible say about finding peace of mind?
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Answer
Most people would define peace of mind as the absence of mental stress and anxiety. The expression “peace of mind” conjures up images of Buddha\-like composure wherein calm, comfort, and composure are so prevalent that nothing can disturb the one who has peace of mind. An imperturbable, placid person is said to have peace of mind. The only time “peace of mind” is found in the Bible is the NIV translation of 2 Corinthians 2:13 where Paul says he found no “peace of mind” because he didn’t find Titus in Troas. The literal translation of this phrase is “rest of my spirit.”
The Bible uses the word *peace* in several different ways. *Peace* sometimes refers to a state of friendship between God and man. This peace between a holy God and sinful mankind has been effected by Christ’s sacrificial death, “having made peace through the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20\). In addition, as High Priest the Lord Jesus maintains that state of friendship on behalf of all who continue to “come to God by him, seeing he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25\). This state of friendship with God is a prerequisite for the second kind of peace, that which sometimes refers to a tranquil mind. It is only when “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1\) that we can experience the true peace of mind that is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, in other words, His fruit exhibited in us (Galatians 5:22\).
Isaiah 26:3 tells us that God will keep us in “perfect peace” if our minds are “stayed” on Him, meaning our minds lean on Him, center on Him, and trust in Him. Our tranquility of mind is “perfect” or imperfect to the degree that the “mind is stayed on” God rather than ourselves or on our problems. Peace is experienced as we believe what the Bible says about God’s nearness as in Psalm 139:1\-12, and about His goodness and power, His mercy and love for His children, and His complete sovereignty over all of life’s circumstances. But we can’t trust someone we don’t know, and it is crucial, therefore, to come to know intimately the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
Peace is experienced as a result of prayer. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6\-7\).
A peaceful mind and heart are experienced as a result of recognizing that an all\-wise and loving Father has a purpose in our trials. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28\).
God can bring a variety of good things, including peace, from the afflictions that we experience. Even the discipline and chastening of the Lord will “yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness” in our lives (Hebrews 12:11\). They provide a fresh opportunity for “hoping in God” and eventually “praising Him” (Psalm 43:5\). They help us “comfort” others when they undergo similar trials (2 Corinthians 1:4\), and they “achieve for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17\).
Peace of mind and the tranquility of spirit that accompanies it are only available when we have true [peace with God](peace-with-God.html) through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross in payment of our sins. Those who attempt to find peace in worldly pursuits will find themselves sadly deceived. For Christians, however, peace of mind is available through the intimate knowledge of, and complete trust in, the God who meets “all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19\).
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What is the spiritual gift of teaching?
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Answer
The spiritual gift of teaching is one of the [gifts of the Holy Spirit](spiritual-gifts-list.html) (Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:1–12\). It is a gift given by the Holy Spirit, enabling one to effectively communicate the truths of the Bible to others. It is most often, but not always, used in the context of the local church. The gift of teaching involves the analysis and proclamation of the Word of God, explaining the meaning, context, and application to the hearer’s life. The gifted teacher is one who has the unique ability to clearly instruct and communicate knowledge, specifically the doctrines of the faith and truths of the Bible.
God gave spiritual gifts to edify His church. Paul instructed the church at Corinth to seek to edify and build up Christ’s church, telling them that since they were “eager” to have spiritual gifts, they should “try to excel in gifts that build up the church” (1 Corinthians 14:12\). A spiritual gift (*charismata* in Greek) is a supernatural, God\-given ability to perform a ministry for the building up of the body of Christ. It is given graciously by God and cannot be earned. While a spiritual gift can be developed, it does require a supernatural ability to exercise it. One of these gifts is teaching.
The Greek word for “teach” is *didaskalos*, which means “to instruct.” We see examples all through the Bible of teaching. Jesus Himself was the Great Teacher, and Jesus commanded His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20\). Jesus commanded His disciples to teach new disciples everything He had commanded, instructing them in both doctrine and holy living. Christ’s ministers are not to teach the commandments of men or anything that is of their own or other men’s devising, but only that which is ordered by Christ.
There are several contexts in which the gift of teaching can be used: Sunday school classes, Bible schools, colleges, seminaries, and home Bible studies. The one with the gift can teach either individuals or groups. A person with the natural talent to teach can teach just about anything, but a person with the spiritual gift of teaching teaches the content of the Bible. He can teach the message of a book as a whole book or break it down to individual paragraphs or verses. No new material originates from one with the gift of teaching. The teacher simply explains or expounds the meaning of the Bible’s text.
Teaching is a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit. One without this gift can understand the Bible as he hears or reads it, but he cannot explain it as one with the gift can. Although it can be developed, the spiritual gift of teaching is not something that can be learned or acquired, as with a college degree. A person with a Ph.D. but without the gift of teaching will not be able to expound the Bible as one without a degree but having the gift of teaching.
In Ephesians 4:11–12, Paul lists foundational gifts for the building up of the local church. The gifts are given for the building up of the body of Christ. In verse 11 teachers are linked with pastors. This does not necessarily suggest one gift, but it does seem to imply that the pastor is also a teacher. The Greek word for pastor is *poimen* which means “shepherd.” A pastor is one who cares for his people in the same way a shepherd cares for his sheep. Just as a shepherd feeds his sheep, the pastor also has the responsibility to teach his people the spiritual food of the Word of God.
The church is edified through use of the gift of teaching as people listen to the Word of God and hear what it means and how to apply it to their own lives. God has raised up many with this gift to build people up in their faith and enable them to grow in all wisdom and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18\).
How can Christians know if they have the gift of teaching? They should begin by asking God for opportunities to teach a Sunday school class or Bible study, under the authority and guidance of a gifted teacher. If they find they can explain the meaning of the Bible and others respond favorably, they probably have the gift and should ask God for further opportunities to use and develop their gift.
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Why is Jesus often referred to as Jesus of Nazareth?
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Answer
Jesus was referred to as “Jesus of Nazareth” for several reasons. For one thing, in Bible times people were often identified by their native area or place of residence. The man who carried Jesus’ cross when He was no longer able to, for example, was called Simon of Cyrene, noting his name and his place of residence (Luke 23:26\). This distinguishes him from all other Simons and from all other residents of Cyrene who were not named Simon. Although Bethlehem was the place of Jesus’ birth, Nazareth was the place where Jesus had lived until He began His public ministry, and therefore He is said to be “of Nazareth.”
Matthew 2:23 tells us that Joseph settled his family in Nazareth—after returning from Egypt where he had fled to protect Jesus from Herod—in order to fulfill “what was said through the prophets: ‘He will be called a Nazarene.’” The words here are not found in any of the books of the Old Testament, and there has been much difficulty in ascertaining the meaning of this passage. Most commentators agree that the prophecies respecting the coming Messiah were that He was to be of humble origin and would be despised and rejected (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22\) and that the phrase “he shall be called” means the same as “He shall be.” When Matthew says, therefore, that the prophecies were “fulfilled,” his meaning is that the predictions of the prophets that the Messiah would be of a low and despised condition and would be rejected, were fully accomplished in His being an inhabitant of Nazareth.
The phrase “Jesus of Nazareth” is first used in the Bible by Phillip who, after being called by Jesus to follow Him, told Nathanael, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (John 1:45\). By calling Him Jesus of Nazareth, Phillip may also have been making a statement about the lowliness of His birth. The character of the people of Nazareth was such that they were despised and condemned. Nathanael’s response, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46\) would seem to indicate such. To come from Nazareth, therefore, or to be a [Nazarene](Matthew-2-23-Jesus-Nazarene.html), was the same as to be despised, or to be esteemed of low birth. The Messiah who would come to save His people would be “a root out of dry ground, having no form or comeliness” (Isaiah 53:2\). He would be “despised and rejected of men” from whom men hid their faces and “esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3\).
Jesus of Nazareth was born and grew up in humble circumstances, but His impact on the world has been greater than anyone ever born before or since. He came to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21\), a feat that could be accomplished by none other than God incarnate.
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What does it mean that God speaks in a still small voice?
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Answer
There is only one place in Scripture where God is said to speak in a “still small voice,” and it was to Elijah after his dramatic victory over the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20\-40; 19:12\). Told that Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, king of Israel, was seeking kill him, Elijah ran into the wilderness and collapsed in exhaustion. God sent an angel with food and water to strengthen him, told him to rest, and then sent him to Horeb. In a cave there, Elijah voices his complaint that all of God’s prophets had been killed by Jezebel and he alone had survived. God instructed him to stand on the mountain in His presence. Then the Lord sent a mighty wind which broke the rocks in pieces; then He sent an earthquake and a fire, but His voice was in none of them. After all that, the Lord spoke to Elijah in the still small voice, or “gentle whisper.”
The point of God speaking in the still small voice was to show Elijah that the work of God need not always be accompanied by dramatic revelation or manifestations. Divine silence does not necessarily mean divine inactivity. Zechariah 4:6 tells us that God’s work is “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” meaning that overt displays of power are not necessary for God to work.
Because He is God, He is not confined to a single manner of communicating with His people. Elsewhere in Scripture, He is said to communicate through a whirlwind (Job 38:1\), to announce His presence by an earthquake (Exodus 19:18\), and to speak in a voice that sounds like thunder (1 Samuel 2:10; Job 37:2; Psalm 104:7; John 12:29\). In Psalm 77:18 His voice is compared to both thunder and a whirlwind. And in Revelation 4:5, we’re told that lightning and thunder proceed from the throne in heaven.
Nor is God limited to natural phenomena when He speaks. All through Scripture, He speaks through His prophets over and over. The common thread in all the prophets is the phrase, “Thus says the Lord.” He speaks through the writers of Scripture. Most graciously, however, He speaks through His Son, the Lord Jesus. The writer to the Hebrews opens his letter with this truth: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2\).
The difference between God speaking through the thunder and the whirlwind, then through the still, small voice, can be also considered as showing the difference between the two dispensations of law and grace. The law is a voice of terrible words and was given amidst a tempest of wind, thunder, and lightning, attended by an earthquake (Hebrews 12:18–24\), but the gospel is a gentle voice of love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and the free gift of salvation through Christ. The law breaks the rocky hearts of men in pieces, shakes their consciences, and fills their minds with a sense of God’s fiery wrath and the punishment they deserve, and then the gospel speaks gently to them of the peace and pardon available in Christ.
It is less important how God speaks to us than what we do with what He says. God speaks most clearly to us in this day through His Word. The more we learn it, the more ready we will be to recognize His voice when He speaks, and the more likely we are to obey what we hear.
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What is historical theology?
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Answer
Historical theology is the study of the development and history of Christian doctrine. As its name implies, historical theology is a study of the development and formation of essential Christian doctrine throughout the history of the New Testament church period. Historical theology can also be defined as the study of how Christians during different historical periods have understood different theological subjects or topics such as the nature of God, the nature of Jesus Christ, the nature and work of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of salvation, etc.
The study of historical theology covers subjects such as the development of creeds and confessions, church councils, and heresies that have arisen and been dealt with throughout church history. A historical theologian studies the development of the essential doctrines that separate Christianity from heresies and [cults](cult-definition.html).
Theologians often break down the study of historical theology into four main periods of time: 1\) the Patristic Period from AD 100—400; 2\) the Middle Ages and Renaissance from AD 500—1500; 3\) the Reformation and Post\-Reformation Periods from AD 1500—1750; and 4\) the Modern Period from AD 1750 to the present day.
The purpose of historical theology is to understand and describe the historical origin of the key doctrines of Christianity and to trace the development of these doctrines over time. It examines how people have understood different doctrines throughout history and attempts to understand the development of the doctrines, recognizing how changes within the church have affected different doctrines either for better or worse.
Historical theology and church history are two different yet closely related and important subjects. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to understand church history without also understanding the history of doctrine that often led to different divisions and movements within church history. Understanding the history of theology and doctrine helps us to understand the history of Christianity since the first century and why there are so many different denominations.
The basis for studying historical theology is found in the book of Acts. Luke records the beginning of the Christian Church as he continues toward his goal of giving an account of “all that Jesus began to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1\). The work of Christ did not end with the final chapter of Acts. Indeed, Christ is at work today in His church, and that can be seen through the study of historical theology and church history, both of which help us to understand how the biblical doctrines essential to the Christian faith have been recognized and proclaimed throughout church history. Paul warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29–30 to expect “savage wolves” who would teach false doctrine. It is through the study of historical theology that we see just how true Paul’s warning turned out to be, as we come to understand how the essential doctrines of the Christian faith have been attacked and defended throughout the more than 2,000 years of church history.
Like any area of theology, historical theology is also sometimes used by liberal scholars and non\-Christians to cast doubt upon or attack the essential doctrines of the Christian faith as simply being the concoctions of men instead of the divinely revealed biblical truth that they really are. One example of this is in the discussion of the triune nature of God. The historical theologian will study and trace the development of this doctrine throughout church history knowing that this truth is clearly revealed in Scripture, yet throughout church history there have been times when the doctrine came under attack and thus it was necessary for the church to define and defend the doctrine. The truth of the doctrine comes directly from Scripture; however, the church’s understanding and proclamation of the doctrine has been clarified over the years, often in times when the nature of God had come under attack by those “savage wolves” that Paul warned would come.
Some well\-meaning but misguided Christians want to dismiss the importance of historical theology, citing the promise that the Holy Spirit who indwells all born\-again Christians will “guide us to all truth” (John 16:13\). What these Christians fail to recognize is that the Holy Spirit has indwelt Christians throughout church history, and it is Jesus Christ Himself who has given “some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–12\). This includes not only those given in this generation but also those whom Christ ordained throughout church history. It is foolish to believe we have no need to learn from many gifted men that preceded us. A correct study and application of historical theology helps us recognize and learn from Christian teachers and leaders from centuries past.
Through the study of church history and historical theology, the born\-again Christian is encouraged to see how God has been at work throughout history. In it we see God’s sovereignty over all things displayed and the truth that God’s Word endures forever (Psalm 119:160\). Studying historical theology is really nothing more than studying God at work. It also helps remind us of the ever\-present spiritual battle between Satan and the truth of God’s Word. It shows us from history the many ways and forms that Satan uses to spread false doctrine in the church, just as Paul warned the Ephesian elders.
The study of historical theology and church history also shows that the truth of God’s Word remains triumphant. As we understand the theological battles of the past, we can be better prepared to resist the errors that Satan will try to entice us with in the future. If pastors, churches, and Christians are not aware of church history and historical theology, then they will be more open to falling prey to the same type of false teachings that Satan has used in the past.
Historical theology, when correctly understood and applied, does not diminish the authority or sufficiency of Scripture. Scripture alone is the standard in all matters of faith and practice. It alone is [inspired](Bible-inspired.html) and [inerrant](Biblical-inerrancy.html). Scripture alone is our authority and guide, but historical theology can help us understand the many dangers of some “new teaching” or novel interpretation of Scripture. With over 2,000 years of church history and thousands if not millions of Christians preceding us, shouldn’t we be automatically wary of someone who claims to have a “new explanation” or interpretation of Scripture?
Finally, historical theology can remind us of the ever\-present danger of interpreting Scripture in light of the cultural and philosophical assumptions of our times. We see this danger so much today as sin is being redefined as a sickness to be cured by drugs instead of a spiritual condition. We also see it as many denominations leave the clear teaching of Scripture and embrace the cultural acceptance of homosexuality as a lifestyle.
Historical theology is an important aspect of studying theology, but, like any other method of study, it is not without its dangers and pitfalls. The challenge for all Christians and for all students of theology is to not force our theological system on the Bible but to always make sure that our theology comes from the Scripture and not from some system that might be popular.
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How can I detect a false conversion?
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Answer
To convert is to be “born again.” At the moment of conversion, the converted person is filled with the Holy Spirit and begins a journey of turning away from sin and beginning to worship and serve the Lord. A “false conversion” is no conversion at all. A false conversion may *look like* a true, Spirit\-caused conversion, but it is not. The reasons for false conversions are varied. Sometimes the person experiencing a false conversion doesn’t even realize it. At other times, there is intentional deception on his/her part. Not everyone who claims to have been converted has, in fact, been converted.
Just as those trained to recognize counterfeit money become intimately acquainted with the real thing, in order to detect a false conversion, it is necessary to first know what true Christian behavior looks like. We do this by studying and knowing intimately God’s Word. We learn from the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13:24–30 that Satan works to deceive the church by mingling his children with God’s children, often making it difficult for believers to discern the true from the false. The more we are familiar with Scripture, the easier it will be for us to detect the true Christians from the false converts.
True Christians are “born again” (John 3:3\) and are controlled by the Holy Spirit; they are no longer controlled by their sinful nature (Romans 8:9\). Indeed, born\-again Christians have the Spirit of Christ indwelling their hearts (Galatians 4:6\), and they become new creations: “The old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17\). When a person receives Christ, tremendous spiritual changes take place in him, and true converts will indeed display the characteristics of genuine Christians. For example, true Christians will understand the importance of abiding daily in God’s Word, which shows not only how we can be saved from our sins, but also how we may be equipped to serve God and how to obtain true success in life (2 Timothy 3:17; James 1:25\). True Christians will walk in the light and obey God’s commands, for “God’s love is truly made complete” in those who obey His Word (1 John 2:5\).
Christians live by the Spirit so as not to gratify the desires of the sinful nature, “for the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature” (Galatians 5:17\). The things of this world, “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does” (1 John 2:16\) no longer have a stronghold on the life of the true believer. Indeed, “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24\). We no longer live for us; rather, we live for the One who died for us, sacrificing our desires and ambitions and replacing them with those of Christ. Granted, we will never be completely victorious in our Christian walk (1 John 1:8\); however, Christians will not repeatedly engage in sinful behavior, as “no one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed \[nature] remains in him” (1 John 3:9\). And this new nature exhibits the habitual character of righteousness produced by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23\).
In Matthew 7:13–14 Christ tells His followers the road that leads to eternal life is narrow and that “only a few find it.” The broad road with the wide gate, on the other hand, is the one that leads to destruction, and we see that “many” will take this path. And many who claim to be converted Christians will never leave the broad road with its worldly allurements. They desire to live an easy Christianity that makes few demands on them, yet when “trouble or persecution comes because of the word” they quickly fall away (Matthew 13:21\). Furthermore, they produce little, if any, fruit. Yet we know that true faith in Christ profoundly changes one’s life and will cause us to produce much fruit for God’s glory. And, ultimately, fruit is the test of true salvation, and this includes holiness (Romans 6:22\), Christian character (Galatians 5:22–23\), good works (Colossians 1:10\), winning others to Christ (Romans 1:13\), sharing what we have (Romans 15:25–28; Hebrews 13:16\), and praising God (Hebrews 13:15\). As Christ said, “By their fruit you will recognize them. . . . A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:16, 18\).
Truly converted sinners have trusted Christ alone and seek to become more and more Christlike all the time. Those who claim to be Christians should display the characteristics of true Christians: sound doctrine, obedience to God’s Word, and love. They should unashamedly work to spread the good news of the gospel, as we are called to do (Matthew 28:19–20\), knowing well that they might be mocked and ridiculed by many in these increasingly secular times. And although false Christians may sometimes be able to deceive us, they certainly cannot deceive God, as nothing in all creation is hidden from His sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:13\). At the end of the age, His angels will separate the true from the false Christians.
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What is the seal of the Holy Spirit?
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Answer
The Holy Spirit is referred to as the “deposit,” “seal,” and “earnest” in the hearts of Christians (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13\-14; 4:30\). The Holy Spirit is God’s seal on His people, His claim on us as His very own. The Greek word translated “earnest” in these passages is *arrhabōn* which means “a pledge,” that is, part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest. The gift of the Spirit to believers is a down payment on our heavenly inheritance, which Christ has promised us and secured for us at the cross. It is because the Spirit has sealed us that we are assured of our salvation. No one can break the seal of God.
The Holy Spirit is given to believers as a “first installment” to assure us that our full inheritance as children of God will be delivered. The Holy Spirit is given to us to confirm to us that we belong to God who grants to us His Spirit as a gift, just as grace and faith are gifts (Ephesians 2:8\-9\). Through the gift of the Spirit, God renews and sanctifies us. He produces in our hearts those feelings, hopes, and desires which are evidence that we are accepted by God, that we are regarded as His adopted children, that our hope is genuine, and that our redemption and salvation are sure in the same way that a seal guarantees a will or an agreement. God grants to us His Holy Spirit as the certain pledge that we are His forever and shall be saved in the last day. The proof of the Spirit’s presence is His operations on the heart which produce repentance, the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22\-23\), conformity to God’s commands and will, a passion for prayer and praise, and love for His people. These things are the evidences that the Holy Spirit has renewed the heart and that the Christian is sealed for the day of redemption.
So it is through the Holy Spirit and His teachings and guiding power that we are sealed and confirmed until the day of redemption, complete and free from the corruption of sin and the grave. Because we have the seal of the Spirit in our hearts, we can live joyfully, confident of our sure place in a future that holds unimaginable glories.
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What did Jesus mean when He said, “Ask and you shall receive”?
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Answer
Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” in John 16:24\. Similar statements are found in Matthew 7:7; 21:22; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9; and John 15:7\. Is this a blanket promise with no conditions? If we ask for three hundred pounds of chocolate delivered to our door, is God obligated to give it to us? Or are Jesus’ words to be understood in light of other revelation?
If we assume that “ask and you will receive” means “ask for anything you want and I’ll give it to you,” then we have turned the Lord into a cosmic genie who serves our every whim. This is the problem of [prosperity gospel](prosperity-gospel.html) and [word of faith](Word-Faith.html) teachings.
In the [Sermon on the Mount](sermon-on-the-mount.html), Jesus says that whoever asks receives, whoever seeks finds, and whoever knocks will find an open door (Matthew 7:7–8\). But with this and all other verses we must examine the context. Jesus goes on to say that God will not fail to give His children good things (verse 11\). So, this is one condition to the promise of “ask and receive”: what we ask for must be good in God’s estimation. God will give *advantageous* gifts to His children; He will not give us bad or injurious things, no matter how much we clamor for them. The best example of a good gift is the Holy Spirit, according to Luke 11:13\. We begin to see a two\-fold purpose of prayer—to increase our understanding of what God calls “good” and to cultivate a desire in us for what is good.
Our prayers to God are not unlike our requests of men. Our prayers are based in a relationship, as Jesus points out in Matthew 7:8\. If a child asks his father for something the father knows to be hurtful, the request is denied. The child may be frustrated and unhappy when he doesn’t get what he asked for, but he should trust his father. Conversely, when the child asks for something that the father knows is beneficial, the father will provide it eagerly because he loves his child.
We have another condition to the promise of “ask and receive” in John 14:14, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Here, Jesus does not promise His disciples anything and everything they want; rather, He instructs them to ask “in my name.” To pray [in Jesus’ name](pray-Jesus-name.html) is to pray on the basis of Jesus’ authority, but it also involves praying according to the will of God, for the will of God is what Jesus always did (John 6:38\). This truth is stated explicitly in 1 John 5:14, “If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” Our requests must be congruent with the will of God.
The promise of “ask and receive,” even with its conditions, can never disappoint. There is no chance of things we need not being in God’s will. He promises to supply what we need when we “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33\). Of course, what we *want* is not always what we *need*. If what we want is not in God’s will, then we really don’t want to receive it. God knows what is good for us and is faithful and loving to say “no” to selfish and foolish prayers, no matter how much we want what we’re asking for.
God will always give us good things. Our job is to understand what is good, so that we know what to ask for. The natural mind cannot understand this. But, when we offer ourselves as “a living sacrifice” and are transformed by the renewing of our minds, then we “will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1–2\). Then, asking for what we need in faith, we will have all we need for life, godliness, and fullness of joy (John 16:24\).
The biblical instruction concerning prayer is that we pray for the good things that we truly need, according to the will of God, in the authority of Jesus Christ, persistently (see Luke 18:1\), unselfishly (see James 4:3\), and in faith (see James 1:6\). In Matthew 21:22 Jesus again emphasizes faith: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Those who truly believe God will witness the amazing, infinite power of God. However, comparing Scripture with Scripture, we know that the asking must be done within the will of God. Part of having faith is acceding to God’s plan as best. If we ask for healing, and that is the best thing for us, we should not doubt that God will heal us. If He does not heal, then not being healed is a necessary part of a larger plan—one that is ultimately for our good.
Consider Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” This verse does not give us a way to manipulate God; nor does it mean that, if we obey, He will reward us with whatever treat we crave. Rather, it means that, when we delight ourselves in God, then we will find everything we want and need in Him. The key here is that the heart of the seeker is changed—when we delight in the Lord, God’s desires begin to become our own. When our desires match God’s, then our prayers are automatically aligned with His will.
Among the most important prayers in the life of a Christian are “Teach me to love you above all else” and “Cause me to want what you want.” When we truly desire God, when we are passionate to see His will accomplished in this world, and when we ask for what brings Him glory, He is eager to give us anything we ask. Sometimes the things that glorify God are pleasant—a marriage or a child. Sometimes they are difficult for us—a failure that humbles us or a physical weakness that makes us more dependent upon God (see 2 Corinthians 12:7\). But, when we pray within His will, in the authority of Jesus, persistently, unselfishly, and in faith, we will receive what we need.
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Is working on Sunday a sin?
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Answer
Working on Sunday is definitely not a sin. Working on Sunday is not prohibited in the Bible. The idea that Christians should not be working on Sunday comes from a misunderstanding of Old Testament Sabbath\-keeping for the Israelites and its relation to [Sunday worship](worship-on-Sunday.html) for Christians. According to Exodus 20:8–11, the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week on which the Israelites were to rest in remembrance that God created the universe in six days and then “rested” on the seventh day. “[Keeping the Sabbath holy](Sabbath-keeping.html)” was defined as not working on the Sabbath.
When God provided manna in the desert during the Exodus wanderings, He commanded that the manna was to be gathered for six days only with enough gathered on the sixth day to feed the people during the [Sabbath rest](Sabbath-day-rest.html). Gathering the manna was considered to be work, just as planting and harvesting was considered work. Exodus 31:14–16 and 35:2 prescribed death for anyone who worked on the Sabbath. Buying and selling on the Sabbath day was also considered a desecration of the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13:15–17\). Clearly, keeping the Sabbath day “holy” required the cessation of all work for the Israelites.
The Sabbath day was established so the Israelites would rest from their labors, only to begin again after a one\-day rest. Why, then, do Christians not have to observe the same law? The key to understanding this is to see that the various elements of the Sabbath symbolized the coming of the Messiah, who would fulfill the Law by providing a permanent—as opposed to a one\-day—rest for His people. With the establishment of the Old Testament Law, the Jews were constantly “laboring” to make themselves acceptable to God. Their labors included trying to obey all the commandments of the ceremonial law, the temple law, and the sacrificial law. Of course, they couldn’t possibly keep all those laws, so God provided an array of sin offerings and sacrifices so they could come to Him for forgiveness and restore fellowship with Him, but only temporarily.
Just as they began their physical labors after a one\-day rest, so, too, did they have to continue to offer sacrifices. Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the law “can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” But these sacrifices were offered in anticipation of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross, who “after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12\). Jesus rested after performing the ultimate sacrifice—He ceased from His labor of atonement because there was nothing more to be done, ever. Because of what He did, we no longer have to “labor” in Law\-keeping in order to be justified in the sight of God, and this includes the observance of the Sabbath. Jesus was sent so that we might rest in God and in what He has provided.
By saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27\), Jesus was restating the principle that the Sabbath rest was instituted to relieve man of his labors, just as Jesus came to relieve us of our attempting to achieve salvation by our works. We no longer rest for only one day, but forever cease our laboring to attain God’s favor. Jesus is our rest from works now, just as He is the door to heaven, where we will rest in Him forever. There is no other Sabbath rest besides Jesus. He alone satisfies the requirements of the Law, and He alone provides the sacrifice that atones for sin. He is God’s plan for us to cease from the labor of our own works.
In Colossians 2:16–17 the apostle Paul declares, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” We are no longer commanded to cease working on the Sabbath, nor is Sunday now the “Christian Sabbath.” Although many Christians prefer to take Sunday off and spend at least part of it in corporate worship, working on Sunday is not sin. Many Christians, such as doctors and nurses, have no choice but to work on Sunday and, as a society, we should be very grateful to them. But Christians who work on Sunday should do so with the understanding that worship is not limited to any one day of the week but is to be an ongoing part of their lives.
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What did Jesus mean when He said that we should forgive others seventy times seven?
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Answer
Jesus said we are to forgive others “seventy times seven” in response to Peter’s question, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21\-22\). To fully understand what Jesus was saying, we must look at the context of the whole chapter, for Jesus was speaking not only about forgiving one another but about Christian character, both in and out of the church. The admonition to forgive our brother seventy times seven follows Jesus’ discourse on discipline in the church (Matthew 18:15\-20\), in which He lays down the rules for restoring a sinning brother.
Peter, wishing to appear especially forgiving and benevolent, asked Jesus if forgiveness was to be offered seven times. The Jewish rabbis at the time taught that forgiving someone more than three times was unnecessary, citing Amos 1:3\-13 where God forgave Israel’s enemies three times, then punished them. By offering forgiveness more than double that of the Old Testament example, Peter perhaps expected extra commendation from the Lord. When Jesus responded that forgiveness should be offered four hundred and ninety times, far beyond that which Peter was proposing, it must have stunned the disciples who were listening. Although they had been with Jesus for some time, they were still thinking in the limited terms of the law, rather than in the unlimited terms of grace.
By saying we are to forgive those who sin against us seventy times seven, Jesus was not limiting forgiveness to 490 times, a number that is, for all practical purposes, beyond counting. Christians with forgiving hearts not only do not limit the number of times they forgive; they continue to forgive with as much grace the thousandth time as they do the first time. Christians are only capable of this type of forgiving spirit because the Spirit of God lives within us, and it is He who provides the ability to offer forgiveness over and over, just as God forgives us over and over.
Jesus’ [parable of the unforgiving servant](parable-unforgiving-servant.html) follows directly after His “seventy times seven” speech, driving home the point that if we are forgiven the enormous debt of sin against a holy God, how much more should we be eager to forgive those who sin against us, who are just as sinful as they? Paul parallels this example in Ephesians 4:32 where he admonishes us to forgive one another “even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.” Clearly, forgiveness is not to be meted out in a limited fashion but is to be abundant, overflowing, and available to all, just as the measureless grace of God is poured out upon us.
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What is the gift of encouragement?
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Answer
The gift of encouragement or exhortation is found in Paul’s list of gifts in Romans 12:7–8\. The word translated “encouragement” or “exhortation” is the Greek word *paraklésis*, related to the word *paraclete*. *Paraklésis* basically means “a call to one’s side.”
*Paraklésis* carries the idea of bringing someone closely alongside in order to “exhort,” “urge,” “encourage,” “give joy,” and “comfort” him or her. All of these actions make up the gift of encouragement. For example, Paul often urged and exhorted his readers to act on something he wrote. A good example is Romans 12:1–2, where Paul urges the Romans to present their bodies to God as living sacrifices. By doing this, they would know and understand God’s will.
Interestingly, when Jesus conversed with His disciples on the night of His arrest, He spoke of the Holy Spirit as the “Helper” or “Comforter” (John 14:16, 26; 15:26\), which is why the Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as the “Paraclete,” the One who comes alongside to exhort and encourage us.
A person with the spiritual gift of encouragement can use his gift in both public and private settings. Encouragement is useful in counseling, discipleship, mentoring, and preaching. The body of Christ is built up in faith as a result of the ministry of those with the gift of encouragement.
The gift of encouragement or exhortation differs from the gift of teaching in that exhortation focuses on the practical application of the Bible. Whereas one with the gift of teaching focuses on the meaning and content of the Word, one with the gift of encouragement focuses on the practical application of the Word. He or she can relate to others, in groups and individually, with understanding, sympathy, and positive guidance. Teaching says, “This is the way you should go”; encouragement says, “I will help you go that way.” A person with the gift of encouragement can help another person move from pessimism to optimism.
Probably the best biblical example of someone with the gift of encouragement is Barnabas. His real name was Joseph, but the apostles called him “Barnabas,” which means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36\). We see Barnabas in Acts 9:27 coming alongside the newly converted Paul and introducing him to a wary church. In Acts 13:43 Barnabas encourages the believers to continue in the grace of God. In Acts 15:36–41 Barnabas chooses John Mark as a ministry partner, despite Mark’s having deserted a previous missionary endeavor. In other words, Barnabas gave Mark a second chance. All through Barnabas’s ministry, he evidenced the gift of encouragement, calling others to his side in order to help, comfort, and encourage them to become more effective for Christ.
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Why is it important to be familiar with church history?
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Answer
In the minds of many, history is a subject to be tolerated when necessary, but ignored whenever possible. Sadly, this is also true for church history. The philosophy behind this attitude is that whatever was done in the past is dead and gone, but what is happening now is living and vital. But Solomon stated in Ecclesiastes 1:9–10, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, ‘See, this is new’? It has been already in the ages before us” (ESV). Several times in Scripture we are told to learn from the things done in the past, that we may become wiser (1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4\), and this is especially true regarding church history.
Church history is full of controversies, heresies, and battles for the truth. We must familiarize ourselves with those events if we are to stand faithfully in the present. We tend to love innovations and discoveries, even when it comes to theology. While new things may pique our interest, we must be on our guard to ensure they are tested and proved true. Robert Shindler, a close associate of [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](Charles-Haddon-Spurgeon.html), noted, “It is all too plainly apparent men are willing to forego the old for the sake of the new. But commonly it is found in theology that that which is true is not new, and that which is new is not true.”
God has revealed in Scripture all that is necessary for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3\), and those foundations will never change. A study of church history will reveal that most “innovations” in theology (and sometimes in practice) are simply a re\-packaging of old heresies that were rejected by the early church.
A study of church history reveals that, in the first centuries of the church, the foundations of every cardinal doctrine and practice were tested and confirmed. Questions about the nature of God, the identity of Christ, the reality of heaven and hell, the nature of man and the impact of sin, and many others were debated as new teachings cropped up. The writings of the early church fathers and the decisions of the church councils dealt primarily with these things. The [Council of Nicaea](council-of-Nicea.html) condemned Arianism in 325\. The [Council of Carthage](Council-of-Carthage.html) denounced Pelagianism in 418\. And the [Council of Chalcedon](council-of-Chalcedon.html) rejected Eutychianism in 451\.
In more recent church history, in the late 1800s, Charles Spurgeon and others recognized a dangerous trend in the church and addressed it in a series of articles in *The Sword and the Trowel*, which gave rise to the “Down\-grade Controversy.” Robert Shindler noted that there was a widespread shift in England toward a form of liberalism called [Socinianism](Socinianism.html), named after Faustus Socinus, who rejected the idea of the Trinity in 1574\. Socinus didn’t originate this teaching, for the same error had been addressed by Tertullian in the early 3rd century when he wrote against [Monarchianism](Modalistic-Monarchianism.html). While we may not hear these terms used much today, Socinianism and Monarchianism are still taught in some churches, and we must be on our guard against these and other errors which may creep into our fellowships.
Pastor and theologian John Piper promotes the study of church history. In a message titled “The Value of Learning History,” Piper states that the little book of Jude gives a potent lesson in the importance of history. Jude compared the people threatening the church in his day with other people and events in history. One interesting aspect of Jude’s approach is that he chose some relatively obscure historical points, yet he expected his readers to know the details of those subjects. In Jude 1:11, Jude refers to the historical personages of Cain, Balaam, and Korah. In a society where personal libraries were unknown and personal copies of Scripture were practically unheard of, Jude assumed most people would know who those people were. By applying historical lessons to current situations, Jude taught the church to be watchful against compromise and error.
Another reason to study church history is to help liberate our thinking from the current fashions that shape our understanding of issues. Whether we like it or not, we are a product of our times, and the hot topics of our day inevitably inform our thinking. By getting the perspective of other ages on any given topic, we can weigh ideas that may otherwise escape us. Reformed theologian J. W. Nevin said that his greatest sin as a young Christian was an inappropriate posture as to the facts of church history. He later realized that church history is actually the life story of Christ’s family, and thus it was his own story that connected him to Christ.
We are commanded in Jude 1:3 to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” There is a past and a present emphasis in this verse, and the two cannot be divorced. Our faith is an ancient faith, based on timeless truths, and we are called to live it out in the present. Wisdom would lead us to learn from church history, to understand those who have fought the battles and learned the lessons before us, so we can carry out our duties more effectively.
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What is the Messianic Secret?
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Answer
The Messianic Secret is a theme of biblical criticism developed in 1901 by a German Lutheran theologian named Wilhelm Wrede. The Messianic Secret involves Wrede’s explanation for Jesus wanting to hide His identity from His enemies by commanding the disciples to [keep silent about His mission on earth and the miracles He performed](do-not-tell.html). Wrede claimed that Jesus did not ever think He was the Messiah and that Mark (and the rest of the New Testament authors) sensationalized Jesus and made Him into the Messiah. Wrede claims Mark added the Messianic Secret in an attempt to give a reason for why Jesus was not accepted by many as Messiah until after His death. Wrede’s theory enjoyed some popularity during the 1920s but faded soon thereafter.
Is there any biblical basis for Wrede’s theory? It is undeniable that Jesus told His disciples on several occasions to keep what He had done secret. Each of those incidents, however, has a much more plausible explanation than the one put forth by Wilhelm Wrede. Further, each is consistent with the other Gospel accounts, and not an invention by Mark.
In Mark 1:43–45 Christ commanded the leper He had healed, “‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.” Jesus knew the publicity about the healing would hinder His ability to minister in the area, which is exactly what happened when the leper disobeyed, and worse, the sensationalism caused by miraculous healings would hamper the spreading of His message. Because of the leper’s disobedience, Jesus could no longer enter a city without being mobbed by those seeking healing, causing Him to abandon His ministry in the city and keep to relatively uninhabited areas. The healing of the leper is also found in Matthew 8:1–4 and Luke 5:12–16, with Luke reiterating the reason for the command for secrecy in verses 15–16\.
Further “evidence” for Wrede’s theory of secrecy involves the explanation for Jesus speaking in parables in Mark 4:11 where He tells His disciples that the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God had been given to them, but to others He spoke in parables so that, “though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.” This is not, however, a plea for secrecy. Rather, it is an explanation of divine revelation in the hearts of true believers, revelation that is unavailable for those who, like the Pharisees, continued to reject the truth. The “mysteries of the kingdom” are revealed to those who have “ears to hear” but not to those whose hearts are darkened. As the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus would have been able to distinguish between those two groups. Again, this is not an invention of Mark, as it is reiterated in Matthew 13:11–17\.
Mark 8:27–30 is another example of a statement that has led to misunderstanding about the secrecy Jesus required. When Peter, speaking for the rest of the disciples, declared Jesus to be “the Christ,” which means “Messiah,” Jesus “strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.” Far from denying His identity as the Messiah, Jesus was aware that the people, and even the disciples, did not yet understand that He came to die on the cross for sin. They were awaiting the appearance of the Messiah as the conqueror who would free the Jews from Roman oppression. If the crowds attempted to press Him into service in such a way, His mission and message would be compromised. As further proof, Jesus immediately began to teach His disciples about His true mission (Mark 8:31–33\).
The Messianic Secret theory is just that—a theory, and one that has been disproved and universally rejected among theologians. The truth is that Jesus commanded secrecy about His identity from certain people at certain times during His ministry, but for perfectly good and logical reasons. There can be no doubt, however, that by the time His ministry came to an end, His disciples knew exactly who He was and is—God in flesh who came to save His people from their sins.
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What does it mean that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega?
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Answer
Jesus proclaimed Himself to be the “Alpha and Omega” in Revelation 1:8; 21:6; and 22:13\. Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Among the Jewish rabbis, it was common to use the first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet to denote the whole of anything, from beginning to end. Jesus as the beginning and end of all things is a reference to no one but the true God. This statement of eternality could apply only to God. It is seen especially in Revelation 22:13, where Jesus proclaims that He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
One of the meanings of Jesus being the “Alpha and Omega” is that He was at the beginning of all things and will be at the close. It is equivalent to saying He always existed and always will exist. It was Christ, as second Person of the Trinity, who brought about the creation: “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3\), and His Second Coming will be the beginning of the end of creation as we know it (2 Peter 3:10\). As God incarnate, He has no beginning, nor will He have any end with respect to time, being from everlasting to everlasting.
A second meaning of Jesus as the “Alpha and Omega” is that the phrase identifies Him as the God of the Old Testament. Isaiah ascribes this aspect of Jesus’ nature as part of the triune God in several places. “I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last I am He” (41:4\). “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6\). “I am he; I am the first, I also am the last” (Isaiah 48:12\). These are clear indications of the eternal nature of the Godhead.
Christ, as the Alpha and Omega, is the first and last in so many ways. He is the “author and finisher” of our faith (Hebrews 12:2\), signifying that He begins it and carries it through to completion. He is the totality, the sum and substance of the Scriptures, both of the Law and of the Gospel (John 1:1, 14\). He is the fulfilling end of the Law (Matthew 5:17\), and He is the beginning subject matter of the gospel of grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8\-9\). He is found in the first verse of Genesis and in the last verse of Revelation. He is the first and last, the all in all of salvation, from the justification before God to the final sanctification of His people.
Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the first and last, the beginning and the end. Only God incarnate could make such a statement. Only Jesus Christ is God incarnate.
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What is kingdom theology?
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Answer
At its most basic definition, kingdom theology is simply the area of theology that studies the [Kingdom of God](kingdom-of-God.html). In that sense kingdom theology is a legitimate and beneficial part of [theology](what-is-theology.html) as a whole. But there are also whole theological movements labeled as “kingdom theology,” so one must be careful to understand how the term is being used.
Basically, kingdom theology divides human history into two broad periods of time: the “present evil age” and the “age to come.” The first started with the fall of man and will last until the Second Coming of Christ. The “present evil age” is marked by sin, sickness, death, disease, war, and poverty. In it Satan is seen as the ruler of the world (Ephesians 2:2 and 6:12\), although his rule is limited. The “age to come” is when the Kingdom of God rules, providing eternal life and freedom from sin, sickness, and suffering. It is a time of universal peace on earth and God’s sovereign reign over all of creation.
One type of kingdom theology is what is sometimes referred to as the “[already but not yet](already-not-yet.html)” view of the Kingdom of God. This view, popular among Charismatics, teaches that the “end times” began with the ascension of Christ into heaven. It is also called “[inaugurated eschatology](inaugurated-eschatology.html)” because the life, death, and resurrection of Christ are seen as inaugurating, or ushering in, the beginning of the last days. Those who hold this view believe that the Kingdom of God is already here but has not yet been fully consummated.
Kingdom theology teaches that, ever since the time of Christ, *both* ages are in play. So, while the Kingdom of God is already begun (inaugurated by Christ) and Christ is already ruling from heaven, the full benefits of the Kingdom have not yet been realized, and we still suffer the effects of the fall. Because the Kingdom of God is still “not yet” here in all of its glory and power, Christians still suffer sickness and death. Until Christ returns physically, we will not experience the fullness of the Kingdom of God. Among the adherents of kingdom theology, there is a debate about the *degree* to which the power of the Kingdom is manifest today. One of the more extreme positions is that God has already rid the world of sickness and death, if we would only have enough faith to believe it.
Kingdom theology became a popular teaching in the Vineyard movement and was embraced by Charismatic leaders such as John Wimber. A distortion of kingdom theology has influenced the [Latter Rain Movement](latter-rain-movement.html) and other aberrant theological systems. Some groups do not see a distinction between the two ages and assume the full benefits of the Kingdom are available right now. This leads to many outlandish and unbiblical claims concerning miracles, a Christian’s ability to live totally free from sickness and disease, and other errors.
Taking the biblical concept of kingdom theology to unbiblical extremes, some claim that the miracles performed by modern\-day “prophets and apostles” are greater than anything done by the original apostles. This erroneous teaching has spawned a whole movement of unbiblical and sometimes heretical teachings such as [Kingdom Now Theology](kingdom-now.html) and [Dominion Theology](dominion-theology.html). The teaching is also popular among “Word of Faith” teachers.
The basic premise of kingdom theology—that the Kingdom of God is in effect now—is true. God is the sovereign ruler over all things, and we know from Scripture that Jesus Christ is “at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56\). Jesus is “both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36\). Where some proponents of kingdom theology go wrong is in their belief that all the Old and New Testament promises of the Kingdom of God directly apply to Christians today.
The teaching that salvation brings a total healing of all diseases and problems *right now* does not come from Scripture. Jesus said that His kingdom is “not of this world” right now (John 18:36\), and He taught His disciples to pray, “May your Kingdom come soon” (Luke 11:2, NLT). The promises of the Kingdom await a future and more complete fulfillment at Christ’s Second Coming.
Extreme forms of kingdom theology, such as the Kingdom Now doctrine, have many problems. First of all, such teachings diminish the need for Jesus to return. After all, if the fully realized Kingdom of God is in effect for Christians today, why does Christ need to return at all? Second, Kingdom Now theology makes God dependent on man and his faith; in order for God to accomplish His will, we must have faith and claim the promises (usually taken out of context). God’s rule is diminished and His sovereignty attacked by many Kingdom Now teachers. Man controls his own destiny through his words and the power of his faith.
Starting with the false teaching that God “lost control” of the earth when Adam and Eve sinned, exponents of extreme kingdom theology believe that God has been looking for a “covenant people” who will take back control of the earth from Satan. Through the power of their faith and by following “last\-days apostles and prophets,” the church will regain dominion over the kingdoms of this world—including the “kingdoms” of sickness, disease, and financial problems. Those who embrace this teaching are looking forward to, as God’s covenant people, taking control of the government, education, science, and every other aspect of the world. They believe this will be achieved as believers use the miraculous gifts of the Spirit *before* the return of Christ.
Kingdom theology, when correctly understood, is certainly compatible with true, biblical Christianity. The danger comes from those who distort the theological construct into an unbiblical doctrine. Proponents of kingdom theology can run the gamut from sound Bible teachers, to outright heretics. We should be careful to avoid broad\-brushing the entire movement and instead judge each teacher or church by comparing what they are teaching to Scripture.
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What is spiritual maturity?
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Answer
Spiritual maturity is achieved through becoming more like Jesus Christ. After salvation, every Christian begins the process of spiritual growth, with the intent to become spiritually mature. According to the apostle Paul, it’s an ongoing process that will never end in this life. In Philippians 3:12–14, speaking of full knowledge of Christ, he tells his readers that he himself has not “already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Like Paul, we have to press continually toward deeper knowledge of God in Christ.
Christian maturity requires a radical reordering of one’s priorities, changing over from pleasing self to pleasing God and learning to obey God. The key to maturity is consistency, perseverance in doing those things we know will bring us closer to God. These practices are referred to as the spiritual disciplines and include things such as Bible reading/study, prayer, fellowship, service, and stewardship. No matter how hard we might work on those things, however, none of this is possible without the enabling of the Holy Spirit within us. Galatians 5:16 tells us that we’re to “walk by the Spirit.” The Greek word used here for “walk” actually means “to walk with a purpose in view.” Later in the same chapter, Paul tells us again that we’re to “walk by the Spirit.” Here, the word translated “walk” has the idea of taking things “step by step, one step at a time.” It is learning to walk under the instruction of another—the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit means we walk under the Spirit’s control. As we submit more and more to the Spirit’s control, we will also see an increase in the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22–23\). This is characteristic of spiritual maturity.
When we become Christians, we are given all we need for spiritual maturity. Peter tells us that “\[God’s] divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3\). God alone is our resource, and all growth comes by grace through Him, but we are responsible to make the choice to obey. Peter again helps us in this area: “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self\-control, and self\-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5–8\). Being effective and fruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus is the essence of spiritual maturity.
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What is the sign of Jonah?
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Answer
The phrase “sign of Jonah” was used by Jesus as a typological metaphor for His future crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Jesus answered with this expression when asked by the Pharisees for miraculous proof that He was indeed the Messiah. The Pharisees remained unconvinced of Jesus’ claims about Himself, despite His having just cured a demon\-possessed man who was both blind and mute. Shortly after the Pharisees accused Jesus of driving out demons by the power of Satan, they said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:38–41\).
To fully appreciate the answer that Jesus gave, we must go to the Old Testament book of Jonah. In its first chapter, we read that God commanded the prophet Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and warn its people that He was going to destroy it for its wickedness. Jonah disobediently ran from the Lord and headed for the city of Tarshish by boat. The Lord then sent a severe storm that caused the crew of the ship to fear for their lives. Jonah was soon thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish where he remained for “three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:15–17\). After the three\-day period, the Lord caused the great fish to vomit Jonah out onto dry land (Jonah 2:10\).
It is this three days that Jesus was referring to when He spoke of the sign of Jonah. Jesus had already been producing miracles that were witnessed by many. Jesus had just performed a great sign in the Pharisees’ presence by healing a deaf man who was possessed of a demon. Rather than believe, they accused Jesus of doing this by the power of Satan. Jesus recognized their hardness of heart and refused to give them further proof of His identity. However, He did say that there would be one further sign forthcoming, His resurrection from the dead. This would be their final opportunity to be convinced.
Jesus’ paralleling of the Pharisees with the people of Nineveh is telling. The people of Nineveh repented of their evil ways (Jonah 3:4–10\) after hearing Jonah’s call for repentance, while the Pharisees continued in their unbelief despite being eyewitnesses to the miracles of Jesus. Jesus was telling the Pharisees that they were culpable for their unbelief, given the conversion of the people of Nineveh, sinners who had received far less evidence than the Pharisees themselves had witnessed. Interestingly, from the time of Jonah’s preaching, the people of Nineveh had 40 days to repent, and they did, sparing their city from destruction. From the time of Jesus’ preaching, the people of Jerusalem had 40 years, but they did not repent, and Jerusalem was destroyed.
But what are we to make of the phrase “three days and three nights”? Was Jesus saying that He would be dead for three full 24\-hour periods before He would rise from the dead? It does not appear so. The phrase “three days and three nights” need not refer to a literal 72\-hour period. Rather, according to the Hebrew reckoning of time, the days could refer to three days in part or in whole. Jesus was probably crucified on a Friday (Mark 15:42\). According to the standard reckoning, Jesus died at about 3:00 PM (Matthew 27:46\) on Friday (day 1\). He remained dead for all of Saturday (day 2\) and rose from the dead early on Sunday morning (day 3\). Attempts to place Jesus’ death on Wednesday to accommodate a literal 72\-hour period are probably unnecessary once we take into account the Hebrew method of reckoning of each day as beginning at sundown. So it seems that the expression “three days and three nights” was used as a figure of speech meant to signify any part of three days.
God would often use signs (or miracles) in the Bible to authenticate His chosen messenger. The Lord provided Moses with several miraculous signs in order to prove to others that he was appointed by God (Exodus 4:5–9; 7:8–10;19\-20\). God sent down fire on Elijah’s altar during Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:36–39\). He performed this miracle to prove that the God of Israel was the one true God. Jesus Himself would perform many miracles (or “signs”) to demonstrate His power over nature (Matthew 4:23; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 8:22–24; John 6:16–24\). The “sign of Jonah” would turn out to be Jesus’ greatest miracle of all. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead would be God’s chief sign that Jesus was Israel’s long\-awaited Messiah (Acts 2:23–32\) and establish Christ’s claims to deity (Romans 1:3–4\).
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Why are there so many fake Christians?
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Answer
A Christian can be defined as a person who has, by faith, received and fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior from sin (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8–9\). And in the heart of the Christian resides the Spirit of Christ (Ephesians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:11\). Now, “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9\), and this person, then, is not a Christian. Thus, the term “fake Christian” is a misnomer. You are a Christian or you are not a Christian; one is either with God or against God (Matthew 12:30\).
That being said, this question is certainly a legitimate one in the minds of many people. And this is likely due to the behavior of some Christians; however, it is also likely because of the behavior of many who think they are Christians or profess to be Christians, but who are not. The reasons many believe they are true Christians when they are not are many and varied. False teaching is certainly one reason. When churches eschew teaching sound doctrine, the end result will be congregants who do not know the truth of God’s Word. How can they keep in step with the Spirit, when the Truth is not in them?
Also, some believe their recitation of a prayer or responding to an “altar call” alone may have turned them into a Christian. Many believe their religious traditions, such as being baptized as an infant, secured a spot in heaven for them, or that their plentiful good works alone have put them in good standing with God. And, of course, some believe church attendance alone guarantees salvation. The point is that many who profess to be Christians are not Christians at all. Yet they complacently remain convinced that all is well with their soul. Sadly, many will live their entire lives believing they were Christians only to one day hear these words from Jesus Christ: “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:23\).
The clear teaching of the Bible is that when someone is saved his life will most definitely change as he is a “new creation, the old has gone and the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17\). A true, born\-again Christian will strive to bring glory and honor to Christ by living a life that is pleasing to God (1 Peter 1:15–16; 4:1–4\). True saving faith will indeed produce works or “fruit” in the life of the believer (James 2:17, 26\). Thus, if there are no works of love in one’s life, a careful self\-examination is certainly called for. The apostle Paul instructed those in Corinth to do this very thing: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5\). Indeed, any profession of faith that does not result in a changed life and good works is a false profession, and the professor is not a Christian.
Now, even though the lifestyle of true Christians does reflect the presence of Christ in their hearts, we know we are not perfect. Christians do sin, and the apostle John makes it clear that we deceive ourselves if we think otherwise (1 John 1:8\). And when Christians do sin, there are those eager to use their “slip\-up” to further denigrate the true body of believers. That is why Paul admonished the church in Thessalonica to abstain from even the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22\) and to live in such a way as to “win the respect of outsiders” (1 Thessalonians 4:12\).
What Christians will not do, however, is engage in repeated or habitual sin (1 John 3:6\). One who engages in deliberate and habitual sin is simply proving that he does not know Christ and therefore cannot be abiding in Him even though he may live his life under the vast umbrella of religion and is thought, therefore, by many to be a Christian.
As believers mature in their faith, they will exhibit more and more evidence of their true Christian nature, such as their love for God, repentance from sin, separation from the world, spiritual growth, and obedient living. As Paul told the Romans, the genuine child of God has been set free from sin and has become a slave to God, and the result is eternal life (Romans 6:22\).
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What is the meaning of recompense?
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Answer
There are two dictionary definitions for the word *recompense*, and both are applicable to the biblical doctrine of the atonement. Recompense means a) “to give something to by way of compensation (as for a service rendered or damage incurred),” and b) “to pay for.” The word is found in verses such as Luke 14:14 where Jesus advises His disciples to invite the poor to their banquets, those who could not “recompense” or repay them and the disciples’ recompense (reward) would be in heaven.
Further examples of *recompense* in the Bible are Jeremiah 25:14 where God promises to recompense (repay) the oppressors of the Israelites; Ruth 2:12 in which Boaz asks a recompense of blessing on Ruth for her good deeds; and Proverbs 20:22, which advises us not to say we will recompense (repay) evil for evil but wait on the Lord for deliverance. This thought is reiterated in Romans 12:17 where Paul tells us to “recompense no man for evil.” Hebrews 10:30 contains the well\-known admonition against taking vengeance on others. God, we are told, will recompense or repay.
The doctrine of the atonement—Christ’s payment for the sin of mankind on the cross—is the most significant example of recompense in human history. Both meanings of the word *recompense* are seen in the atonement. Jesus both gave something by way of compensation and paid for something. What He gave was His own perfect life in order to compensate for the sin of all those who would ever come to Him in faith. On the cross, He exchanged His perfect righteousness for our sin (2 Corinthians 5:17\) and paid in full the penalty for that sin. What He paid was the debt owed to His Father for our sin.
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How can I stop being nervous about praying publicly?
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Answer
Many people find praying publicly or in a group to be a daunting prospect. Public speaking of any kind is one of the greatest fears experienced by people. Public prayer adds the extra pressure of the spiritual aspect and makes people even more nervous because of the potential impact public prayer may have on others. It should be remembered, however, that although prayer is commanded by God, public prayer is not. In fact, Jesus said when we pray, we should go into a room, close the door and pray in secret (Matthew 6:6\). So the first thing to understand about public prayer is that it is not a necessity of the Christian life.
For those who want to join in praying publicly, there are several ways to reduce the nervousness that often accompanies the experience. First, it’s important to pray with a group of people with whom we are comfortable, those we are sure won’t judge us for our less\-than\-eloquent prayers. Praying with others can be a great comfort when we hear our needs being lifted to the throne of grace by those who care enough about us to do so. Others who hear us pray for them are similarly encouraged. A group of people who love one another and accept one another in love and humility will usually ease the fears of those who are nervous about praying in public.
Another way to ease the burden of nervousness is to pray silently in advance of the public session, asking God to direct our minds and hearts to Him and away from ourselves. When we direct our thoughts toward the Creator of the universe and allow ourselves to become immersed in His immense nature, we will find our thoughts and feelings about ourselves diminishing. Our concerns will be more centered on what God thinks of us, not what others think. God loves us with an uncompromising love, and if we belong to Him through Christ, He has put our sin as far from us as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12\), and He invites us to come boldly before His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16\). Being mindful that He does not judge us for our lack of eloquence will go a long way toward easing nervousness. People look at the external, which includes the speech, but God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7\).
Finally, many people find that the sheer repetition of praying in public will ease the nervousness. Praying with others can be a very edifying experience, but ultimately prayer is the privilege of communicating with our heavenly Father who sees our hearts and knows what we need before we even ask. He doesn’t need to hear eloquence in our prayers in order to bless us and draw near to us. What He asks for is a contrite heart and a lowly spirit, things He will never refuse (Psalm 51:17\), no matter how eloquent our prayers.
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What can we learn from the tribe of Judah?
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Answer
Each of the twelve sons of Israel / Jacob received a blessing from his father just before Jacob’s death. The twelve sons were the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the blessing contained prophetic information about the future of each tribe. In the case of the tribe of [Judah](Judah-in-the-Bible.html), Jacob prophesied, “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The [scepter will not depart from Judah](scepter-will-not-depart-from-Judah.html), nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk” (Genesis 49:8–12\).
Each part of Jacob’s prophecy for the tribe of Judah reveals something about the people of that tribe, their history, and the spiritual application we can draw from it. In verse 8, Jacob prophesies that Judah’s brothers would praise him. Judah’s name signifies praise and was given him by his mother, her heart being filled with praises to God for him (Genesis 29:35\). The strength and power of the tribe is also foretold in verse 8\. Verse 9 uses the imagery of both a [lion](lion-tribe-Judah.html) and the lion’s cub to portray the tribe of Judah. Judah was comparable to a young lion for his strength, courage, and vitality and to a mature lion in that the line of Judah contained those of national prominence and kingship, including David and Solomon.
The scepter not departing from Judah until “he comes to whom it belongs” is a Messianic prophecy. The name “Shiloh” appears in this verse in several translations, a word that refers to the Messiah. Commentators differ on the exact meaning of this somewhat obscure passage, but all agree that He who comes to obtain the obedience of the nations can be none other than Christ. The rest of the passage, verses 11–12, refers to the great abundance of riches that would belong to the tribe of Judah. So wealthy and blessed would they be that they would be able to tie a donkey to the choicest grapevine and allow him to eat his fill, an indication of the abundance that would belong to Judah.
The second application of verses 11–12, and the one that pertains to Christians today, is the abundance of spiritual riches available to us in Christ, the great quantity of spiritual blessings flowing from the love of God, which come to us through Christ, which are comparable to wine and milk. The riches include His word and His statutes and Christ Himself, the Bread of Life. These may also be applied to Christ and to His human nature, which was like a garment dipped in blood through His sufferings and death. Isaiah 63:1–3 contains this same imagery. It can also refer to His church and His people whose garments are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:13–14\).
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How can I gain a passion for winning souls?
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Answer
Winning souls is, essentially, the process of evangelizing or witnessing, which is simply communicating the message of salvation to unbelievers. Jesus Christ told His followers they would be His witnesses to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8\) and to “go and [make disciples](making-disciples.html) of all nations” (Matthew 28:19\), which is the essence of winning souls. As our Father in heaven does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9\), all Christians should be eager to heed this call and have a passion for winning souls.
Witnessing, however, is less about what we do for the Lord as it is about what He does through us, and this requires a surrendered heart filled with the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the same Holy Spirit who empowered Christ while He was ministering on earth can empower us as well. First, however, we need to understand our role in building the body of Christ. As the apostle Paul explained to those in Corinth, we are God’s servants who work in unity with one another to produce a harvest. One will plow the soil, another may plant the seed, and another laborer will water it, but only God can make that seed grow (1 Corinthians 3:7\). Thus, even though we each may have individual roles, we nonetheless have a unified purpose of winning others to Christ, for which everyone will receive his own reward according to his own labor (1 Corinthians 3:8\).
But how can we gain a passion for spreading this good news and winning souls to Christ in these difficult days when there are so many who oppose our work every step of the way? It starts by having Jesus Christ front and center in our own lives. Indeed, our passion for winning souls will increase as our passion for Christ Himself and our walk with Him become stronger. Two of the best ways to strengthen our Christian walk are to read His Word daily and to pray continually. When we fill our hearts and minds with Christ, we can’t help but to have a passion for sharing Him with others.
The most enthusiastic laborers are those who have a heart that is on fire for Christ, and this should actually be easy when we consider the magnitude of what our sinless Savior did for us at Calvary. His willing acceptance of death on our behalf cured us from our terminal disease (sin) and saved us from an unfathomable [eternity in the lake of fire](hell-real-eternal.html). Yet we know what happens to those who die apart from Christ. And this hopeless eternity apart from God, let alone in the fiery darkness of inextinguishable hellfire, should motivate us to win as many souls to Christ as possible, especially when we consider the brevity of life that the apostle James aptly calls “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14\). Once we cross the eternal horizon, there is no going back, and the time for winning souls will be over. Thus, not only is the harvest great and the workers few, but, on top of this, our time is very limited.
In these challenging times, we certainly don’t have to look far to see many in despair, yet, even in the midst of this chaos, Christians can find solace in God’s Word. If a Christian finds himself in one of life’s trials, for example, he knows our sovereign Lord either put him there or is allowing him to be there. Either way, the Christian can make sense of this turmoil by realizing God has a purpose for our trial, for we know that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28\). Further, if life occasionally doesn’t make sense to us, that’s okay, for we know to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and to not rely on our understanding of a situation (Proverbs 3:5–6\). [Enduring life’s hardships](endure-hardship.html) that inevitably come our way is a lot easier when we know that God is in control.
The lost souls around us can find this same comfort when they put their faith in Christ. However, as Paul explained, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news’” (Romans 10:15\). The peace of God, which transcends all understanding and guards our hearts during these difficult times (Philippians 4:7\), can guard theirs too, once they let Him in.
There can be no better calling than working on behalf of the One who died so that we may live. Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14\), and His command was that we obey Him and that we love each other as He loved us. Clearly, then, our love for Him is best exemplified when we passionately and tirelessly work to share [His gospel](gospel-message.html) with others.
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What is mortification of sin / the flesh?
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Answer
*Mortification* has several meanings in English. One is “a feeling of shame or embarrassment.” Another meaning has to do with death. The word *mortify* means “to kill or subdue.” In a biblical context, to mortify is to subdue the body (or its needs and desires) through self\-denial and discipline (e.g., mortification of sin / the flesh). We get our English words *mortuary* and *mortician* from the same Latin root that gives us *mortify*. Therefore, mortification of sin / the flesh is the “killing” of sin and the flesh.
We find the word *mortify* in the King James translation of two passages: Romans 8:13 and Colossians 3:5\.
• “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:13\)
• “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5\)
More modern English translations, such as the ESV or NIV, translate “mortify” as “put to death.” In both cases, the apostle Paul is exhorting his readers to “put to death” the “deeds of the body” or “what is earthly in you.” So the mortification of sin / the flesh is the putting to death or subduing of the sinful nature that still resides in believers. Let’s look at each of these passages in more depth.
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13\). Paul here is making a contrast between believers and non\-believers. Non\-believers are those who “live according to the flesh.” By contrast, believers are those who “by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body.” Often in the writings of Paul, flesh and spirit are contrasted. To live “according to the flesh” is to have your mind set on the flesh and to have a mind that is hostile to God and does not submit to His law. This, in a nutshell, is the life of an unbeliever. Romans 1:18—3:20 is a vivid description of what “living according to the flesh” looks like. The person who lives his life according to the flesh will die. This is not speaking of physical death because that is the fate of all people as a result of sin. Paul is speaking of eternal death in hell.
The believer, on the other hand, by the Spirit puts to death the deeds of the body. In other words, through the working of God’s Holy Spirit, who only dwells in believers, the believer engages in the process of sanctification or growing in holiness. The believer, in contrast to the non\-believer, has his mind set on the Spirit and submits to God’s law. It is important to note that the believer is not completely free from sin. Putting to death the deeds of the body is a continual process that the believer must engage in on a daily basis. The point is that one of the marks of a true believer is that he is daily putting to death the deeds of the body. This person, the one who puts to death, or mortifies, the deeds of the body and its sinful nature will live. Again, this is a reference to eternal life, or heaven.
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5\). Looking at the context of this passage and noting the word *therefore*, we must look at what preceded this verse. In verses 1–4, Paul exhorts the Colossians to seek the things that are above and to set their minds on heavenly things. Why? For we have died, not physically, but figuratively to sin and the old life, and our lives are now “hidden with Christ in God” (verse 3\). If this is the case, then what are we to do? The only way the believer, whose life is hidden with Christ, can be heavenly minded is if he puts to death those things that are earthly in him. Again, we should not understand the contrast between heavenly and earthly as to mean we should have our heads in the clouds and our feet off the ground; as the expression goes, “[He is so heavenly minded that he is no earthly good](heavenly-minded-earthly-good.html).” It is similar to the spirit/flesh contrast Paul made in Romans, with flesh being understood as “sinful nature.”
What is it that Paul wants us to put to death? Sinful desires and actions such as sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is equated with idolatry. The person whose life is characterized by these things is said to have the wrath of God upon him (verse 6\). Paul notes that this was the way of life of his readers (verse 7\). All believers were at one time unbelievers and were under the wrath of God. This is a similar argument to the one Paul makes in 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 when he says the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. In verse 11, he says, “And such were some of you.” In other words, you *were* like that; now you’re like this. You *were* walking according to the flesh; now you’re in the Spirit. Because of this, put to death those things that were of the flesh. Grow in holiness and sanctification.
So what is mortification of sin / the flesh? In a word, it’s sanctification, the process by which the Holy Spirit works in the lives of God’s adopted children to grow them and form them into the image of God’s one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Sanctification is God’s will for our lives (1 Thessalonians 4:3\), and it is the purpose to which He has called us (Romans 8:29\).
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Is there a second blessing subsequent to salvation?
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Answer
The term *second blessing* is understood in two ways by Christians—one with reference to the [baptism of the Holy Spirit](Spirit-baptism.html), and one with reference to [sinless perfection](sinless-perfection.html). While the concept of a second blessing is taught in a wide variety of churches, the phrase is not found anywhere in the Bible. The Bible does speak often of the baptism of the Spirit, as well as the [sanctification](sanctification.html) of believers, but not in the context of a second blessing or a second stage of the life of faith.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, is generally credited with originating the term *second blessing*. He taught that the second blessing was an act of God whereby a believer was granted deliverance from both inward and actual sin. While his language can at times be confusing, it is apparent that Wesley did not hold to the modern concept of sinless perfection, but rather acknowledged that believers should grow to a point of being wholeheartedly devoted and obedient to Christ. He believed this “perfection” could be attained either by a gradual growth in grace or by an instantaneous second work of grace. Wesley was clear that even the instantaneous blessing was both preceded and followed by gradual growth in grace. His emphasis was on the need for individuals to desire and pursue God’s work in their hearts, so that their every thought and act would be according to His will.
The modern teaching of sanctification as the second blessing is rooted in Wesley’s writings but deviates from both his and the Scripture’s intent. Scripture is clear that God has done the work of sanctification for all Christians. In Hebrews 10:10 we are told, “By \[God’s] will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” It is a finished act, done for us on the cross. When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:2\), he addressed them as “the church of God . . . those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.” To be sanctified is to be set apart, dedicated, and made holy. That is a once\-for\-all\-time occurrence that is part of the package of salvation. We stand before God in a position of holiness through Christ’s one\-time sacrifice for us.
Scripture also speaks of a process of sanctification which is ongoing in this life. In Leviticus 20:8, God taught that obedience to His statutes is a part of how we practice sanctification, and Jesus prayed in John 17:17 that God would sanctify us through His Word of truth. Paul prayed in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 that the believers would be sanctified completely and be kept blameless until Christ’s coming. These passages all refer to the ongoing process of growing to be like Christ, sometimes called practical sanctification. It is not a second blessing but a fulfillment of what God started when we received Christ.
The other meaning of “second blessing” is rooted in the Pentecostal doctrine of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is described variously as the crucial blessing to be sought, the ultimate experience to strive for, and the greatest achievement of the Christian. According to Pentecostals, the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. The Assemblies of God website states, “All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early church.” They further teach that “this experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.”
There are only a few passages of Scripture that refer directly to the baptism of the Spirit. John the Baptist said that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33\), and Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were baptized with the Spirit (Acts 1:5\). When the disciples were gathered on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4\), the Holy Spirit filled them all, and they began to speak in other languages. These were not “heavenly” or “unknown” tongues but human languages known by those in the audience (Acts 2:6–11\). There is no doubt that the disciples were baptized with the Spirit then, but they were also filled with the Spirit. In Acts 1:8, Jesus told the disciples they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them, so they could become witnesses to the world.
The filling of the Spirit is found many times in Scripture and always refers to an endowment of power to accomplish a task. The Spirit came on Samson (Judges 14:6,19\) to give him power to defeat the Philistines. The Spirit came on Mary and empowered her in the birth of the Messiah (Luke 1:35\). When Peter was arrested and brought before the council (Acts 4:8\), he was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and declared with boldness and clarity the truth about Jesus.
Confusion about the baptism and the filling of the Spirit leads to confusion in doctrine. The baptism of the Holy Spirit (also known as sealing or indwelling) happens at salvation and is for all believers (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13\). We are never commanded to seek it or pray for it. The filling of the Spirit can happen both at and subsequent to salvation, based on our responses to God. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18\). This brings us back to Wesley’s doctrine of sanctification. It is God’s will that we be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15–16\), and we become holy as we submit ourselves to His direction in our lives, as revealed in His Word. The Holy Spirit was given to all believers to indwell us so He can assist us in obeying the Father’s will. Can we call this a “second blessing”? Perhaps, but it is really just the continuation of that good thing He started when He sent His Son to be our Savior.
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Premarital sex – why are Christians so strongly against it?
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Answer
Premarital sex involves any kind of sexual contact prior to entering into a legal marriage relationship. There are a number of reasons why Scripture and traditional Christianity oppose this. God designed sex to be enjoyed within a committed marital relationship of one man and one woman. To remove it from that context is to pervert its use and severely limit its enjoyment. Sexual contact involves a level of intimacy not experienced in any other human relationship. When God brought Adam and Eve together in marriage, He established the “one flesh” relationship. Genesis 2:24 tells us that a man will leave his family, join to his wife, and become “one flesh” with her.
This idea is carried through in the New Testament as well; we see it in Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:5 and Mark 10:7\. Paul elaborates on the idea in 1 Corinthians 6:12\-20, in his discussion of God’s lordship over our bodies as well as our souls. He says that when a man has sex with a prostitute, they have become “one body” (verse 16\). It’s clear that the sexual relationship is special. There is a level of vulnerability one experiences in a sexual relationship that should only occur within a committed, trusting, marital union.
There are, in general, two contexts for premarital sex. There is the “we love each other and are committed to each other, but just don’t want to wait to be married” sexual relationship, and there’s “casual sex.” The former is often rationalized with the idea that the couple will surely marry, so there’s no sin in engaging in marital relations now. However, this shows impatience and disrespect to oneself, as well as to the other person. It removes the special nature of the relationship from its proper framework, which will erode the idea that there’s a framework at all. If we accept this behavior, it’s not long before we’ll regard any extra\-marital sex as acceptable. To tell our prospective mate that they’re worth waiting for strengthens the relationship and increases the commitment level.
Casual sex is rampant in many societies. There is, in truth, no such thing as “casual” sex, because of the depth of intimacy involved in the sexual relationship. An analogy is instructive here. If we glue one object to another, it will adhere. If we remove it, it will leave behind a small amount of residue; the longer it remains, the more residue is left. If we take that glued object and stick it to several places repeatedly, it will leave residue everywhere we stick it, and it will eventually lose its ability to adhere to anything. This is much like what happens to us when we engage in “casual” sex. Each time we leave a sexual relationship, we leave a part of ourselves behind. The longer the relationship has gone on, the more we leave behind, and the more we lose of ourselves. As we go from partner to partner, we continue to lose a tiny bit of ourselves each time, and eventually we may lose our ability to form a lasting sexual relationship at all. The sexual relationship is so strong and so intimate that we cannot enter into it casually, no matter how easy it might seem.
So, is there hope? When a Christian engages in premarital sex, or when one who has lost his/her virginity comes to Christ, the Holy Spirit will convict of the sin, and there will be grief over it. However, it’s important—even vital—to remember that there is no sin beyond the reach of the blood of Jesus. If we confess, He will not only forgive, but will cleanse us from “all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9\). Furthermore, in addition to the forgiveness (which is in itself glorious), God restores. In Joel 2:25 God tells Israel that He would restore the years the locusts had eaten. This is not a direct promise to Christians today, but does indicate that God has restorative character. Premarital sex is like a locust that consumes our sense of self, our self\-esteem, and our perception of forgiveness. But God can restore all those things. Scripture also tells us that, when we come to Christ, we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17\), so one who engaged in premarital sex prior to conversion is recreated by God into a new person; the old is gone, the new has come.
Finally, we know that, as Christians, we’re being renewed by the Holy Spirit each day we walk with Jesus. Colossians 3:10 tells us that our new self is being renewed day by day after the image of its Creator. There is no sin without hope. The power of the gospel is available to all who trust in Jesus for forgiveness.
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What can we learn from the tribe of Benjamin?
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Answer
In Genesis 49 the patriarch Jacob, sensing his impending death, gathers his sons to his bedside to bless them. Each son became the progenitor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. [Benjamin](Benjamin-in-the-Bible.html), as the youngest, receives his father’s blessing last: “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil” (Genesis 49:27\). The warlike nature of the small tribe of Benjamin became well known, as exhibited in their swordsmen (Judges 20:15–16; 1 Chronicles 8:40, 12:2; 2 Chronicles 14:8, 17:17\) and in their ungodly defense of their extreme wickedness in [Gibeah](Gibeah-in-the-Bible.html) (Judges 19—20\).
Benjamin’s blessing has three parts. Compared to a wolf, his blessing has two time frames, morning and evening; it has two actions, devouring and dividing; and two outcomes, prey and spoil. This sets up a type of “before and after” experience for Benjamin and his offspring.
Scripture shows that at least four great people came from Benjamin’s tribe, even though it was the smallest of the twelve tribes (1 Samuel 9:21\). First, Ehud, a great warrior who delivered Israel from Moab (Judges 3:12–30\). Next, Saul becomes the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 9:15–27\). In later Jewish history, many Jews lived in Persia, God used Mordecai and Esther, from the tribe of Benjamin, to deliver the Jews from death (Esther 2:5–7\). Finally, in the New Testament the apostle Paul affirms he, too, came from Benjamin. “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin” (Romans 11:1\). Paul repeats this affirmation in Philippians 3:4–5\.
Yet Benjamin’s tribe had its dark side. Their warlike nature came out not only in defense of their country but also in depravity within their country. In Judges 19—21 Benjamin takes up an offence against the other eleven tribes of Israel, and civil war ensues. This period had the reputation of everyone doing what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25\). What led to the civil war was the horrific abuse and death of an unnamed Levite’s concubine (Judges 19:10–28\). The eleven tribes turned against the tribe of Benjamin and nearly annihilated them because of their refusal to give up the perpetrators (Judges 20:1—21:25\). Eventually, the tribes restored Benjamin’s tribe, greatly diminished due to the war, and the country reunited.
In Jewish culture the day begins at evening. Here begins the “after” for Benjamin. Benjamin’s prophecy ends in the evening, the beginning of a new day, in which he will “divide the spoil.” This has two aspects. First, through the apostle Paul, who testifies, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15\). In the apostle Paul Benjamin’s tribe had a citizen who served God mightily, as he says of himself, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith“ (2 Timothy 4:7\).
But Benjamin’s “dividing of the spoil” has another fulfillment yet future. In Revelation 7:8, during the tribulation period, 12,000 men from Benjamin, along with 12,000 from each of the other tribes of Israel, will reach the world’s population with the gospel. The result will be a multitude of the saved “that no man could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9\). The second dividing of the spoil for Benjamin comes in the millennial kingdom when they will have a place in the land of Israel, along with a gate that has their name on it in the city of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 48:32\). They, along with the other tribes of Israel, will find the ultimate dividing of the spoils in the New Jerusalem as each gate has a name of one of the tribes, Benjamin included (Revelation 21:12–13\). What a glorious finish! What grace is this!
Benjamin has great truths to teach. First, God doesn’t see as men see, for God looks on the heart. God saw a warrior inside of Benjamin. Outwardly, others saw him as the youngest son and his tribe as the smallest tribe. But God saw more, a man who would both devour and divide. The second lesson for us lies in the two Sauls who came from the tribe of Benjamin. King Saul, the epitome of the sin nature and its war against God, and Saul/Paul whose nature was changed by God from a murderous Pharisee to the apostle of grace. Paul is the example of what God does for those who come to Christ in faith.
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What are the names of Satan?
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Answer
Satan is a spiritual being who led a heavenly revolt against God and was subsequently cast down into the earth (Luke 10:18\). His personal name, “Satan,” means “adversary.” This name indicates Satan’s basic nature: he is the enemy of God, of all God does, and of all God loves.
He is also called “the devil” in the New Testament. The word “devil” means “false accuser” or “slanderer.” Satan plays this role in Job 1–2 when he attacks Job’s character.
In Matthew 12:24, the Jews refer to Satan as “Beelzebul,” an epithet derived from “Baal\-Zebub” (“lord of the fly”), a false god of the Philistines in Ekron (2 Kings 1:2\-3, 6\).
Other titles of Satan include the tempter (1 Thessalonians 3:5\), the wicked one (Matthew 13:19, 38\), the [accuser](Satan-accuser.html) of the brethren (Revelation 12:10\), and—three titles that point to Satan’s authority in this world—the ruler of this world (John 12:31\), the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4\), and the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2\). Second Corinthians 11:14 says that Satan transforms himself into “an angel of light,” a description that highlights his capacity and inclination to deceive.
There are a couple of passages which refer to the judgment of earthly kings but may very well also refer to Satan. The first is Isaiah 14:12\-15\. This is addressed to the king of Babylon (verse 4\), but the description also seems to fit that of a more powerful being. The name “Lucifer,” which means “morning star,” is used here to describe someone who sought to overthrow God’s very throne.
The second passage is Ezekiel 28:11\-19, addressed to the king of Tyre. As in the “Lucifer” passage, this prophecy contains wording that seems to go beyond the description of a mere mortal. The king of Tyre is said to be “anointed as a guardian cherub,” but he was laid low by pride and “expelled” by God Himself.
In addition to providing names and titles of Satan, the Bible uses various metaphors to reveal the character of the enemy. Jesus, in the parable of the four soils, likens Satan to the birds that snatch the seed off the hardened ground (Matthew 13:4, 19\). In another parable, Satan appears as the sower of weeds among the wheat (Matthew 13:25, 28\). Satan is analogous to a wolf in John 10:12 and a roaring lion in 1 Peter 5:8\. In Revelation 12:9, Satan is the “great dragon . . . that serpent of old”—obviously, a reference to the serpent who deceived Eve (Genesis 3:1\).
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What can we learn from the tribe of Reuben?
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Answer
Each of the twelve sons of Israel / Jacob received a blessing from his father just before Jacob’s death. The twelve sons were the progenitors of the [twelve tribes of Israel](twelve-tribes-Israel.html), and the blessing contained prophetic information about the future of each tribe. In the case of the tribe of Reuben, Jacob prophesied, “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it” (Genesis 49:3–4\). In addition to referring to the future of the tribe of Reuben, the prophecy contains within it several lessons for all of us.
[Reuben](Reuben-in-the-Bible.html), the firstborn of the twelve sons, was to Jacob his “might, the first sign of my strength” (Genesis 49:3\), indicating that to him were all the rights and prerogatives of a firstborn son. At first, he excelled in honor and power, as is fitting the firstborn son, but Jacob declares that Reuben “will no longer excel” (verse 4\) due to his sin of incest with Bilhah, his father’s concubine wife (Genesis 35:22\). Although that sin was committed forty years prior, there was left an indelible spot on Reuben’s character and that of his posterity. By committing this uncleanness with his father’s wife, there would be reproach upon his tribe and the family, to whom he ought to have been an example and a blessing. He forfeited the prerogatives of the birthright, and his dying father demoted him, although he did not disown or disinherit him. He would still have all the privileges of a son, but not of the firstborn.
Jacob’s sad prophecy for Reuben certainly came true. No judge, prophet, ruler, or prince came from that tribe, nor any person of renown except Dathan and Abiram, who were noted for their rebellion against Moses. Reuben’s tribe chose a settlement on the other side of the Jordan, a further indication of the loss of godly influence on his brothers to which his birthright entitled him. Although Reuben was the firstborn, the kingdom was given to Judah and the priesthood to Levi, leaving Reuben’s tribe to be small and non\-influential.
Further, Reuben was “unstable as water” (some versions translate it “turbulent as water”), and in this phrase we find several lessons for all Christians. For one thing, Reuben’s virtue was unstable; he did not have control of himself and his own appetites. The charge of instability could refer to his being sometimes very regular and orderly, while at other times wild and undisciplined. As Christians, we are to be in control of our flesh and its appetites and desires at all times. Most importantly, we are to be steadfast in our faith and not “tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14\).
We also learn from Reuben that those who dabble in sin must not expect to save their reputation or maintain a positive influence upon others. Although we know our sins were nailed to the cross and we are forever forgiven for past sins, we may still suffer the temporal consequences of those sins, which often include remorse and a loss of reputation and influence. Reuben’s sin left an indelible mark upon him and his family. As Christians, we must understand that some of our sins will leave a lasting scar.
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How should a Christian respond to evidence of paranormal activity?
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Answer
The word *paranormal* can be defined as “the occurrence, or perception of, an event without scientific explanation, or other purportedly supernatural phenomena.” *Paranormal activity* is an encompassing term that includes not only [ghosts and hauntings](ghosts-hauntings.html) and demonic activity, but also other unexplainable phenomena such as unidentified flying objects ([UFOs](aliens-ufos.html)) and extrasensory perception ([ESP](extrasensory-perception-ESP.html)), to name just a few. With the proliferation of movies and television shows that in one way or another sensationalize paranormal activity, it is clear that many are indeed fascinated with this realm. In fact, a 2007 low\-budget movie titled *Paranormal Activity* went on to become one of the most profitable movies of all time. How, then, should Christians respond when we read about supposed hauntings and other paranormal occurrences?
A common misconception is that disembodied spirits can remain on earth or perhaps come back to “haunt” or otherwise interact with us. However, nothing in the Bible supports this belief. Rather, “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27\). But the Bible does make it clear that there are spirit beings—angels and demons—that operate in the heavenly realm. The angels serve God. They are ministering spirits who are sent by God “to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14\). Demons, on the other hand, are fallen angels under the control of Satan, and they roam the earth looking to destroy God’s children (1 Peter 5:8\). They are cunning and wise and keenly aware of our weaknesses and our propensity to desire that which will satisfy our fleshly desires. Worst of all, they can masquerade as “angels of light” or as “servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14–15\). Regarding the immensity of Satan’s earthly “operation,” the apostle John reminds us that the “whole world” is under his control (1 John 5:19\).
Now, some of the paranormal activity we read about today could very well be hoaxes perpetuated on a public that is all too eager to believe. In some cases, well\-meaning people could be innocently mistaken as to what they think they might have seen or experienced. There is probably a logical explanation for much of what gets passed off as “paranormal activity.” However, if there is genuine evil spiritual activity occurring, it would have to be the work of demons. Either way, however, when Christians read or hear of such activity we should not be intrigued by it or drawn to it; rather, we should use it as a solid reminder of the spiritual battle that is the Christian life and the one against whom we struggle. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” but, it is against the “powers of this dark world and against the *spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms*” (Ephesians 6:12, emphasis added).
Many people are no doubt intrigued by tales of ghosts and hauntings. Yet, if getting angry can give the devil a “foothold” into our lives (Ephesians 4:27\), how much more so would a fascination with the “dark forces” of this world that he controls? Jesus Christ came to earth to destroy the devil’s work (1 John 3:8\), and it took His death to accomplish it. Our response to paranormal activity, at least as it pertains to any sort of demonic activity, is to be reminded of the evil that ultimately led to our Savior’s great sacrifice. Beyond that, Christians should avoid any and all contact with the paranormal.
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Is joking a sin?
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Answer
Joking is an interesting topic and difficult to paint with one broad brush. Biblically speaking, joking itself is not regarded as sin, although in some instances, it certainly can be. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” James 3:3\-12 compares the tongue to a bit in a horse’s mouth, a ship’s rudder, and a fire. The tongue is a powerful thing, and words can either bring great life or great hurt. There are ways to joke that edify. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (Proverbs 17:22\). The Psalms are full of references to laughter, which is what good joking produces. But there is also a way to joke that is demeaning and harmful, and we are called to “not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29\).
Our words should always honor God and communicate that we value that which He has made. The best way to know whether our joking is bordering on the sinful is to seek the Holy Spirit and ask for His conviction. He can make us sensitive to when a joke is appropriate and when it may not be. If there is any doubt in our minds, or if our consciences are being pricked by our joking, it is probably best to forego it. There is also the issue of making others stumble, which we can easily do with jokes that we may feel are perfectly innocent, but which others see as offensive or hurtful. Our liberty should never be exercised at the expense of another’s conscience (Romans 14:13\-17\).
Occasional jokes and jesting, if they are appropriate, are probably for the most part innocent. But there are those who make jokes so often that they can hardly say a sentence without it containing a joke of some sort. This is hardly the most appropriate lifestyle for a Christian, however, as we are told to “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12\). As with all “gray areas” in the Christian life, seeking God’s wisdom regarding our speech is the most profitable way to go (James 1:5\).
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Subsets and Splits
Top Long Responses
Returns the prompts and responses where the response length falls within a specified range, ordered by decreasing length, which provides basic insight into the distribution of response lengths.